บท 98: I Dropped A Card and I Like Games (Part 2)
What did she do that for? Kaiba knew that sign language. He'd been taught and his mind filled on overload by his step- father when he was younger. He knew she said thank you but why didn't she just say it? It's not like he could even sign back, she couldn't see. It didn't make much sense.
He wouldn't worry about it right now. At least he knew his rod could be used in case of emergency. Anyone trying to take Shizuka, was trying to take the Blue-Eyes from him. While he wouldn't wage war against this until he saw a way to win, he wasn't going to lose his only source of victory.
He had tried to make them back off with the card. Not only a decent weapon, but also a nice warning system. A warning not to fuck with him. They didn't heed his warning.
As much as Kaiba wished for a hell of a better supper than whatever they were going to give him, it wasn't the first time in his life he ever did without the finest things. It was not something he wanted to deal with again. He never wanted to worry about what he'd eat, where he slept, or how to act. Especially over the fate of himself and Mokuba. All of it had been under his control.
Now. He had no choice but to relive and deal with the old ways again, until he turned this around. He approached the front, it was now his and Shizuka's turn for food. Hopefully she followed his lead. "Turkey slices. Can of green beans. Ammonia. No allergies." Simple and direct. The guard left a little longer, probably going further in the back for ammonia. He probably had the common things right upfront. Scarab user. He'd seen those items the most, and he'd seen someone mess up get turned into sand. ///Seto: All of those powers combined must have turned Domino City into the travesty it now is, buried in sand./// "Thanks." Basic manners. Not something he liked to give. He got through it by always pretending he was saying different words like 'fuck you and die'. It worked.
"Bottle of water. Tin of sardines. First aid kit. No allergies." Good. It looked like Shizuka picked it up. Sacrifice food or water for a useful item and a first-aid kit was a good one. The store was processing it's electricity through the scarabs somehow, like they were some kind of wifi connection. It meant that quick frozen or refrigerated area food would work better. Ask for anything real big or fancy, it would take time. It was up to the people to figure out how to cook something if they got it raw too.
People also had to figure out how to open their cans, which was an option everyone seemed to make. Cans felt safe. His rod had another ability that would help them out too.
It was one hell of a can opener. He'd just have to open it up where it was the sharpest. Although it would have been easier to stab and threaten with it's sharp end to people, using the inside would work better as a sterile tool he could clean and keep safe.
That's what his ammonia was for. This world was more about threatening to survive now, it was survival in all forms. There were a good number of people that were trying to use anything from their keys to their teeth to open cans. Some were even making bargains like part of their share for people who had pocket knives.
That was dumb though, anything could have been on those knives. Kaiba led her over to the other side of the store. He had already disinfected his rod almost as soon as he got to his home, before Yuugi and his friends came over. Now he was glad he did. "Shelter first." He wasn't going to bring out the rod in full view until they got a place. The grocery area they were in didn't have many apartments on it, it wasn't the designated spot for living, but there were hotel rooms that Bakura had made places to live.
He walked down another two blocks. For some reason, she didn't say much. He wasn't exactly complaining about that. The world was fucked, and hearing about how she missed Jounouchi or wondered about Honda or anything else wasn't helping. It was just annoying. Their status wasn't going to change, so why ask? They'd eventually find out.
There. He saw a guard with a scarab in front of a hotel. Several lights were on, it was almost full. "Two people," Kaiba announced, keeping it simple.
"Keep your door locked throughout the night," the guard warned him. "I am watch outside, not inside. If you use that knowledge to kill anyone in there, then I will find you and stain the sands red with your blood. Pleasant dreams."
That was reassuring. Kaiba took the key and went in. Not the best hotel, but they weren't going to find the best next to a grocery store. It was adequate for the night though. He walked in, instructing Shizuka where her bed had been. The heating was on, which helped a lot. "When I tell you, bring out your food. We'll eat then I'm going to bed." He pulled out his millennium rod and took off the covering. He placed the needle end into the green bean can. Like butter. It cut easily. He ripped open his turkey bag with just his hands, it was easy. "Give me your food." Shizuka gave him the can but she peeled back the sardine lid. He finished opening the can. He tried giving it back but she signed 'take one'. Was something happening to her voice? Why was she signing again? "Fine." He took a sardine. It would help fill him up a little more than his pack of deli slices. "Why are you signing?" She signed back the reason. Less grating voice. "You're right, your voice is grating," he agreed, "It's annoying and hearing about how you wished the world was this or that doesn't help." He ate straight out of his can. "Everything's annoying though, so it doesn't help or hurt anymore than talking. If we could sign and keep quiet among enemies, maybe it would be useful, but you can't even see the signs. That means unless you know something you need to convey privately, it's worthless." Maybe in the future that would be helpful. He'd keep it in mind.
"Sorry," she said. "I thought it would be easier this way. My voice is always . . ." She was already losing it, starting to cry. "Cracking now because of everything! And. I just."
"Of course it cracks, you break down the more you talk. Like I said, I don't care." Why did she care if it bothered him or not? ///Seto: Oh. Dangerous world. Blind. I'm such an idiot./// Not that he'd ever say it out loud. "Look. If I get annoyed by you, I get annoyed by you. I won't leave you. You have the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, the single thing I need. If you cry and pout and have a tantrum, I will be extremely annoyed. I might yell, but I won't leave." There. "I recommend not having a tantrum. Just, find a way to stay strong. That's all. I'm going to bed now."
In the morning, he'd deal with the world again, find his purpose in it, and find Mokuba.
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