Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ A Shovel And Some Faith ❯ Chapter 3
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: whosjeebus 
"Where exactly were YOU between the hours of ten P.M. and midnight last night, Mr. Mutou?"
Anime/Manga: Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Psychological / Drama / Suspense | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 07.15.2005 | Updated On: 07.24.2005 | Pages: 1 | Words: 2.8K | Visits: 274 | Status: Work In Progress
"Where exactly were YOU between the hours of ten P.M. and midnight last night, Mr. Mutou?"
Anime/Manga: Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Psychological / Drama / Suspense | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 07.15.2005 | Updated On: 07.24.2005 | Pages: 1 | Words: 2.8K | Visits: 274 | Status: Work In Progress
Title: A Shovel And Some Faith - Chapter 3/10
Author: WhosJeebus
Rating: NC-17
Pairing(s): Seto/Jou, other surprise pairings
Beta: Jennie B. (her cat's breath smells like cat food!)
Spoilers: None
Warnings: Read at your own risk. Seriously. This fic contains situations of a decidedly grotesque nature. If you get squicked, and STILL keep reading, don't blame me for your nightmares. I warned ya. I will say no more. **looks shifty-eyed**
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, and probably never will. Kazuki Takahashi will most likely take a hit out on me if he ever reads this fic.
Summary: Seto's kinks have steadily become more and more extreme, much to Jounouchi's dismay. Has he finally gone TOO far with his latest fetish?
Author's Notes: Sorry guys! I'm running a day behind, if any of you were actually looking for this update yesterday. I plead illness and general lassitude, and I hope you can forgive. I figured you'd rather have this update than wait for me to come up with an original way to say 'thank you' to my reviewers, so I'll just say THANK YOU and get on with it. Review responses next chapter, and for those of you NOT devouring HP book 6 this weekend... enjoy chapter 3!
~~~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 3:Yami sat numbly in Detective Youko's dingy office, his knees pressed firmly together and his hands gathered loosely in his lap. The stiff posture and outward calm belied his inner turmoil as he awaited the police officer's return with dread. He knew full well he would have to access Yugi's memories in order to answer any questions the man might have, but Yugi was still closed off from him, refusing to acknowledge the outside world. If Yami was going to have to answer Youko's questions on his own, then he was determined to get some answers for himself as well. It was probably better that Yugi DIDN'T know what he planned to do. Yami smiled grimly to himself. Detective Youko would soon be wondering exactly who was interrogating whom. The door swung open and then closed again as Youko swept back into the tiny room. He seated himself behind the cluttered desk and placed a mug of coffee down amongst a number of older, stained rings on his blotter. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Mutou; you know how paperwork can be sometimes." The young detective plastered a fake smile on his face and gazed blandly at the slender figure across from him. Yami remained impassive, meeting the detective's gaze with a level one of his own. Behind those crimson eyes though, something burned fierce and bright, giving the officer pause. Youko carefully schooled his features into a mask of sympathy and launched into his usual spiel reserved for grieving friends and family members. "I'd like to offer you my condolences on your loss by saying -- "Yami held up one regal hand to cut him off. "Spare me your pretenses. Your false words and assurances insult me." He leaned forward slightly, his elbows on his knees. "Tell me this; do you have any suspects?"The detective smirked. "Right to the point. I like that." He leaned back in his chair, linking his fingers together over his slight paunch. "I'm afraid I'm not allowed to discuss ongoing investigations. Sorry, kid." He fired off his first question, hoping to catch the teenager off guard. "When was the last time you saw or spoke with Katsuya?""Jou.""Pardon?"Yami turned his face away. "He prefers...PREFERRED to be called Jounouchi or Jou." The sennen eye flashed briefly on his forehead and he smiled darkly, lips pressed together in a tight line.Youko shook his head, trying to clear it. He felt... odd, somehow. "Right. Uh... where was I?" He shuffled some papers around on his desk in confusion."Jou came home with me after school yesterday. We did our homework so we could have the weekend free. He and I helped out around my grandfather's game shop for a while afterwards."The older man seized on this information, his equilibrium restored. "Did he say or do anything out of the ordinary?""I asked him to stay for dinner. He declined, which I found to be unusual." Yami sighed deeply, apparently lost in thought. "He said he had somewhere to be later. I didn't press the issue." The sennen symbol glowed brighter than before and he turned back to the detective, fixing him in place with his hypnotic stare. A thought had occurred to him, and he hoped he was wrong... "Have you been able to contact Jounouchi's father yet?"There was more aimless paper shuffling, and Youko replied dazedly, "We were unable to contact either parent initially. The father was our prime suspect at first, due to his criminal record, combined with the boy's history of abuse. We found out later that he was in lock-up down at the 15th precinct on a drunk and disorderly charge at the time of the murder." He brushed off the possibility with a casual wave of his hand. "Besides, the rape kit turned up -- "The pharaoh shot forward in his chair and grabbed the detective's wrist in a fierce grip. "WHAT?!" The startled officer tried to pull back, fearful of the malevolence he saw reflected in the other's eyes. "What did you say?! Explain yourself!""A - According to the M.E.'s report, Jounouchi was restrained and forcibly sodomized just prior to his death," Youko whimpered as his hand was finally released. Rubbing his wrist, he continued poring over his notes. "Um... it looks like we were able to obtain semen and DNA samples that have already been sent off to the lab."Yami sank back against his chair once again, visibly stunned by this revelation. Eager to please at this point, Youko babbled onward, "It will be a day or two before we have any type of results. Matching the sample to our database is an iffy chance at best. If we manage to find another suspect, then we can get a warrant for a blood test and go from there."Yami rested his face in both hands and demanded tiredly, "Tell me what happened. I need to know everything."Nodding, the detective picked up a folder that had recently arrived from the Coroner's office. He skimmed over the report briskly, searching for the cause of death and perversely hoping to shock this disturbing and unusual young man with the harsh details of his friend's death. "Hn...says here the official cause of death is a broken neck. That's in layman's terms, of course." He smiled smugly. The boy did not respond, other than to offer the same, impassive stare from his visibly pale face. Faltering, Youko read aloud, "Specifically, it states: Uh, after a cursory examination, it was determined the victim was rendered unconscious by asphyxiation. Strangled, in other words." He paused again, allowing his words time to sink in. He remained disappointed by his subject's lack of reaction. This kid was unshakable... it was a little creepy. "Let's see... blah, blah, yadda, blah - Oh, here it says: with the resulting strain separating the bones and severing the spinal cord at the uh, C2 Axis and C3 cervical vertebrae. Fingerprint hematomas on the shoulders and collarbone indicate downward pressure was applied, and that the assailant was most likely a male, possessing significant upper body strength." Youko lowered the folder and closed it. "And that's pretty much all we have to go on."Yami blinked slowly, considering. His shock was not readily apparent on his face, and he took great care to school his features into an impenetrable mask of calm. Inside, however, his emotions ran rampant and threatened to overwhelm his carefully constructed facade of composure. This was too much... His own imagination horrified him, and he fought to get his rising hysteria back under control. He couldn't afford to falter now; Jounouchi and Yugi both were depending on him to make this right. His best friend had suffered a gruesome death at the hands of some unknown and brutal monster. Nothing would stop him from seeking retribution in kind. Nothing.Youko resumed his harsh line of questioning. "Do you know if Jounouchi was seeing anyone?"Yami thought about this for a moment. "He dated a fellow Duel Monsters competitor for a time, but that was almost a year ago. An opportunity arose to duel professionally out of the country and the relationship ended as a result. It lasted only briefly, and I don't believe it was very serious to begin with." He paused, his mind reflecting back to the earlier time. He gave a small movement of his shoulders that might have been a shrug. "The two parted amicably enough."Detective Youko quickly fumbled in his jacket pocket for his notebook and pen. "His name? Do you have this person's name?" He gestured impatiently."HER name is Kujaku Mai."The older man smirked faintly. "Go figure. Can you think of anyone else that may have held a grudge against Jounouchi or may have wanted to harm him in any way?" Yami shook his head, but Youko pressed on. "A stalker perhaps? Maybe someone with a crush that he may have rejected?""Jounouchi was well-liked by everyone; even his rivals respected him." He swallowed around the painful lump in his throat. "I don't know anyone capable of this atrocity."Youko glanced down at the report again as he commented, "The medical examiner noted evidence of previous bruising and tearing, indicating that this had been going on for some time. Some scarring and uh, "probable" whip marks that could be as old as six months." He looked up, leaning forward and clasping his hands together on top of the desk.The pharaoh closed his eyes tightly, his face pulled taut with pain. "We... suspected something.""We?"Yami chuckled darkly. "Yes, WE. His so-called friends." His voice dropped to a whisper. "His so-called BEST friend." A tear leaked from the corner of one eye, and through their shared link, he could feel Yugi stirring, his guilt as sharp and bitter as Yami's own. "Jou was always somewhat secretive -- about his past involvement with gangs, and about his home life in particular. We knew of his father's drunken and abusive tendencies, and yet we did NOTHING. We respected his privacy and never questioned the cuts and bruises..." He choked off at this, his voice finally failing him. Biting back a sob, he met the detective's inquisitive gaze -- the scarlet eyes seeming to fairly beg for understanding and sympathy... "We hoped he'd bring himself to tell us the truth someday..." The pleading, sorrowful expression transformed into one of rage so quickly Youko couldn't help but pull back abruptly in shock. He saw death and a burning desire for vengeance behind those crimson orbs, along with a dark, dangerous knowledge that chilled him to the core. Age and an ancient power radiated from the small boy, and the hapless interrogator couldn't help but wonder if he weren't sitting across from Jounouchi's killer himself at that very moment. This frightening apparition certainly seemed capable of it."Where exactly were YOU between the hours of ten P.M. and midnight last night, Mr. Mutou?"Ignoring the question entirely, Yami stood and placed his hands palms down amidst the chaos on the desk's surface. Youko glanced down briefly at the long,elegant fingers, half expecting smoke to emanate from the jumbled mass of papers and folders underneath them. He focused his gaze upward once again as the imposing figure spoke. "Tell me Detective Youko -- tell me you're going to do everything within your power to hunt down whoever is responsible for Jounouchi's murder. Tell me you'll stop at nothing. I want your solemn vow."Youko was belligerent. "Of course I will! It's my job!" he huffed. "Now if you'll just excuse me -- ""The truth, detective! You will tell me the TRUTH!" Suddenly, an aura of black surrounded the Egyptian spirit, the inkiness roiling like storm clouds resting atop an ocean horizon; the brilliant darkness shot through with veins of purple. Electricity sizzled in the highly charged atmosphere, and the millennium puzzle about his neck glowed blinding and white-hot. Once again the powerful third eye pulsed, its strength malevolent and undeniable. Youko whimpered and cowered behind his desk in fear. "I -- I'm sorry! The District Attorney just isn't prepared to devote the time and money needed to this investigation! Her office already told me to -- and I'm quoting here -- 'treat this case like we would any other dead street kid'." Yami snarled, but the other man seemed oblivious to the danger he was in. "Look, it's tragic. Really. Your friend dyin' so young and all, but I've already got cases piled up to the ceiling and I can't just -- " Startled by the loud slamming of his office door, the detective cautiously stuck his head out from behind his desk. The unnerving teenager was gone, and Youko breathed out a long sigh of relief. He hoped he'd seen the last of the creepy kid and his grandfather both. His blood pressure didn't need this shit. Seating himself in his chair once more, Youko rifled through his desk drawers, looking for a bottle of long-forgotten antacid. This case was already more trouble than it was worth...Outside, Yami stood on the tall steps leading up to the police station, his breath coming in gasps and pants as he struggled to control his anger. The power raging inside him at the moment threatened to send every man, woman and child within a three block radius on a one way trip to the Shadow Realm if he couldn't manage to contain it. He felt his lighter half beckoning from within, and the smaller boy added his assistance to the fierce struggle. The Egyptian spirit felt a soothing balm immediately surround his troubled soul, and the battle inside him was quelled at last. "Aibou..." he began hesitantly, unsure of what he wanted to say to his hikari, but Yugi retreated just as swiftly as he had emerged. Yami was alone with his grief once more. He realized that if his beloved soul mate were to survive this ordeal with his mind intact, he would require unconditional love and understanding from his partner. As strong as his own desire for vengeance might be, his devotion and affection for Yugi would have to be made priority for the time being. Carrying on in the wake of his best friend's death would be hard on the kind and trusting boy, but Yami was willing to brave the darkest depths of seven hells to ensure his other half's survival and sanity. But, by the time Yugi re-emerged from his shell, the trail of Jou's murderer would be long gone, and Yami just couldn't afford to take that risk. He certainly didn't trust the incompetent Detective Youko with a task of this magnitude, but he didn't have a clue as to where to begin his search. He desperately needed assistance probing the many secrets Jounouchi had left behind, but his own inexperience with the modern world and Yugi's naivete were his main stumbling blocks. Sparse information and limited time to gather evidence left his own hands tied -- Who could he possibly turn to for help? Who possessed the necessary skills, moral ambiguity and proper resources to be the most effective to him? A flash of inspiration mingled with cold dread relit the fires of hope within his chest. Yami sighed. It seemed he had no choice. He took off at a brisk walk; there was no time to lose...~~~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~~One Hour Later:Ryou stumbled down the tall flight of stairs, taking them two and three at a time in his rush to answer the doorbell. The chimes rang again insistently, and he rolled his eyes. "Hold on! I'm almost there!" He impulsively leapt the final few steps and skidded to a stop in the foyer, flailing his arms for balance. Throwing the door open wide, he was pleasantly surprised to see the slight figure of the pharaoh on his front doorstep. He smiled warmly, beckoning his friend inside. "Yami, it's good to see you! Please come in." He stepped aside as his guest entered, a troubled and anguished expression clouding the shorter boy's handsome face. Ryou's heart clenched in fear as if a cold, icy hand had somehow gained possession of it, squeezing urgently. "What's wrong?" Yami's angular scarlet eyes met Ryou's concerned brown ones, and he rested a hand gently on the white-haired boy's shoulder. "Yami, what's happened?" he whispered."Ryou, I -- I'm sorry to ask this of you," he licked his lips, hating himself for what he knew had to be done. "I need to speak with Bakura."~~~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~~tbc
Author: WhosJeebus
Rating: NC-17
Pairing(s): Seto/Jou, other surprise pairings
Beta: Jennie B. (her cat's breath smells like cat food!)
Spoilers: None
Warnings: Read at your own risk. Seriously. This fic contains situations of a decidedly grotesque nature. If you get squicked, and STILL keep reading, don't blame me for your nightmares. I warned ya. I will say no more. **looks shifty-eyed**
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, and probably never will. Kazuki Takahashi will most likely take a hit out on me if he ever reads this fic.
Summary: Seto's kinks have steadily become more and more extreme, much to Jounouchi's dismay. Has he finally gone TOO far with his latest fetish?
Author's Notes: Sorry guys! I'm running a day behind, if any of you were actually looking for this update yesterday. I plead illness and general lassitude, and I hope you can forgive. I figured you'd rather have this update than wait for me to come up with an original way to say 'thank you' to my reviewers, so I'll just say THANK YOU and get on with it. Review responses next chapter, and for those of you NOT devouring HP book 6 this weekend... enjoy chapter 3!
~~~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 3:Yami sat numbly in Detective Youko's dingy office, his knees pressed firmly together and his hands gathered loosely in his lap. The stiff posture and outward calm belied his inner turmoil as he awaited the police officer's return with dread. He knew full well he would have to access Yugi's memories in order to answer any questions the man might have, but Yugi was still closed off from him, refusing to acknowledge the outside world. If Yami was going to have to answer Youko's questions on his own, then he was determined to get some answers for himself as well. It was probably better that Yugi DIDN'T know what he planned to do. Yami smiled grimly to himself. Detective Youko would soon be wondering exactly who was interrogating whom. The door swung open and then closed again as Youko swept back into the tiny room. He seated himself behind the cluttered desk and placed a mug of coffee down amongst a number of older, stained rings on his blotter. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Mutou; you know how paperwork can be sometimes." The young detective plastered a fake smile on his face and gazed blandly at the slender figure across from him. Yami remained impassive, meeting the detective's gaze with a level one of his own. Behind those crimson eyes though, something burned fierce and bright, giving the officer pause. Youko carefully schooled his features into a mask of sympathy and launched into his usual spiel reserved for grieving friends and family members. "I'd like to offer you my condolences on your loss by saying -- "Yami held up one regal hand to cut him off. "Spare me your pretenses. Your false words and assurances insult me." He leaned forward slightly, his elbows on his knees. "Tell me this; do you have any suspects?"The detective smirked. "Right to the point. I like that." He leaned back in his chair, linking his fingers together over his slight paunch. "I'm afraid I'm not allowed to discuss ongoing investigations. Sorry, kid." He fired off his first question, hoping to catch the teenager off guard. "When was the last time you saw or spoke with Katsuya?""Jou.""Pardon?"Yami turned his face away. "He prefers...PREFERRED to be called Jounouchi or Jou." The sennen eye flashed briefly on his forehead and he smiled darkly, lips pressed together in a tight line.Youko shook his head, trying to clear it. He felt... odd, somehow. "Right. Uh... where was I?" He shuffled some papers around on his desk in confusion."Jou came home with me after school yesterday. We did our homework so we could have the weekend free. He and I helped out around my grandfather's game shop for a while afterwards."The older man seized on this information, his equilibrium restored. "Did he say or do anything out of the ordinary?""I asked him to stay for dinner. He declined, which I found to be unusual." Yami sighed deeply, apparently lost in thought. "He said he had somewhere to be later. I didn't press the issue." The sennen symbol glowed brighter than before and he turned back to the detective, fixing him in place with his hypnotic stare. A thought had occurred to him, and he hoped he was wrong... "Have you been able to contact Jounouchi's father yet?"There was more aimless paper shuffling, and Youko replied dazedly, "We were unable to contact either parent initially. The father was our prime suspect at first, due to his criminal record, combined with the boy's history of abuse. We found out later that he was in lock-up down at the 15th precinct on a drunk and disorderly charge at the time of the murder." He brushed off the possibility with a casual wave of his hand. "Besides, the rape kit turned up -- "The pharaoh shot forward in his chair and grabbed the detective's wrist in a fierce grip. "WHAT?!" The startled officer tried to pull back, fearful of the malevolence he saw reflected in the other's eyes. "What did you say?! Explain yourself!""A - According to the M.E.'s report, Jounouchi was restrained and forcibly sodomized just prior to his death," Youko whimpered as his hand was finally released. Rubbing his wrist, he continued poring over his notes. "Um... it looks like we were able to obtain semen and DNA samples that have already been sent off to the lab."Yami sank back against his chair once again, visibly stunned by this revelation. Eager to please at this point, Youko babbled onward, "It will be a day or two before we have any type of results. Matching the sample to our database is an iffy chance at best. If we manage to find another suspect, then we can get a warrant for a blood test and go from there."Yami rested his face in both hands and demanded tiredly, "Tell me what happened. I need to know everything."Nodding, the detective picked up a folder that had recently arrived from the Coroner's office. He skimmed over the report briskly, searching for the cause of death and perversely hoping to shock this disturbing and unusual young man with the harsh details of his friend's death. "Hn...says here the official cause of death is a broken neck. That's in layman's terms, of course." He smiled smugly. The boy did not respond, other than to offer the same, impassive stare from his visibly pale face. Faltering, Youko read aloud, "Specifically, it states: Uh, after a cursory examination, it was determined the victim was rendered unconscious by asphyxiation. Strangled, in other words." He paused again, allowing his words time to sink in. He remained disappointed by his subject's lack of reaction. This kid was unshakable... it was a little creepy. "Let's see... blah, blah, yadda, blah - Oh, here it says: with the resulting strain separating the bones and severing the spinal cord at the uh, C2 Axis and C3 cervical vertebrae. Fingerprint hematomas on the shoulders and collarbone indicate downward pressure was applied, and that the assailant was most likely a male, possessing significant upper body strength." Youko lowered the folder and closed it. "And that's pretty much all we have to go on."Yami blinked slowly, considering. His shock was not readily apparent on his face, and he took great care to school his features into an impenetrable mask of calm. Inside, however, his emotions ran rampant and threatened to overwhelm his carefully constructed facade of composure. This was too much... His own imagination horrified him, and he fought to get his rising hysteria back under control. He couldn't afford to falter now; Jounouchi and Yugi both were depending on him to make this right. His best friend had suffered a gruesome death at the hands of some unknown and brutal monster. Nothing would stop him from seeking retribution in kind. Nothing.Youko resumed his harsh line of questioning. "Do you know if Jounouchi was seeing anyone?"Yami thought about this for a moment. "He dated a fellow Duel Monsters competitor for a time, but that was almost a year ago. An opportunity arose to duel professionally out of the country and the relationship ended as a result. It lasted only briefly, and I don't believe it was very serious to begin with." He paused, his mind reflecting back to the earlier time. He gave a small movement of his shoulders that might have been a shrug. "The two parted amicably enough."Detective Youko quickly fumbled in his jacket pocket for his notebook and pen. "His name? Do you have this person's name?" He gestured impatiently."HER name is Kujaku Mai."The older man smirked faintly. "Go figure. Can you think of anyone else that may have held a grudge against Jounouchi or may have wanted to harm him in any way?" Yami shook his head, but Youko pressed on. "A stalker perhaps? Maybe someone with a crush that he may have rejected?""Jounouchi was well-liked by everyone; even his rivals respected him." He swallowed around the painful lump in his throat. "I don't know anyone capable of this atrocity."Youko glanced down at the report again as he commented, "The medical examiner noted evidence of previous bruising and tearing, indicating that this had been going on for some time. Some scarring and uh, "probable" whip marks that could be as old as six months." He looked up, leaning forward and clasping his hands together on top of the desk.The pharaoh closed his eyes tightly, his face pulled taut with pain. "We... suspected something.""We?"Yami chuckled darkly. "Yes, WE. His so-called friends." His voice dropped to a whisper. "His so-called BEST friend." A tear leaked from the corner of one eye, and through their shared link, he could feel Yugi stirring, his guilt as sharp and bitter as Yami's own. "Jou was always somewhat secretive -- about his past involvement with gangs, and about his home life in particular. We knew of his father's drunken and abusive tendencies, and yet we did NOTHING. We respected his privacy and never questioned the cuts and bruises..." He choked off at this, his voice finally failing him. Biting back a sob, he met the detective's inquisitive gaze -- the scarlet eyes seeming to fairly beg for understanding and sympathy... "We hoped he'd bring himself to tell us the truth someday..." The pleading, sorrowful expression transformed into one of rage so quickly Youko couldn't help but pull back abruptly in shock. He saw death and a burning desire for vengeance behind those crimson orbs, along with a dark, dangerous knowledge that chilled him to the core. Age and an ancient power radiated from the small boy, and the hapless interrogator couldn't help but wonder if he weren't sitting across from Jounouchi's killer himself at that very moment. This frightening apparition certainly seemed capable of it."Where exactly were YOU between the hours of ten P.M. and midnight last night, Mr. Mutou?"Ignoring the question entirely, Yami stood and placed his hands palms down amidst the chaos on the desk's surface. Youko glanced down briefly at the long,elegant fingers, half expecting smoke to emanate from the jumbled mass of papers and folders underneath them. He focused his gaze upward once again as the imposing figure spoke. "Tell me Detective Youko -- tell me you're going to do everything within your power to hunt down whoever is responsible for Jounouchi's murder. Tell me you'll stop at nothing. I want your solemn vow."Youko was belligerent. "Of course I will! It's my job!" he huffed. "Now if you'll just excuse me -- ""The truth, detective! You will tell me the TRUTH!" Suddenly, an aura of black surrounded the Egyptian spirit, the inkiness roiling like storm clouds resting atop an ocean horizon; the brilliant darkness shot through with veins of purple. Electricity sizzled in the highly charged atmosphere, and the millennium puzzle about his neck glowed blinding and white-hot. Once again the powerful third eye pulsed, its strength malevolent and undeniable. Youko whimpered and cowered behind his desk in fear. "I -- I'm sorry! The District Attorney just isn't prepared to devote the time and money needed to this investigation! Her office already told me to -- and I'm quoting here -- 'treat this case like we would any other dead street kid'." Yami snarled, but the other man seemed oblivious to the danger he was in. "Look, it's tragic. Really. Your friend dyin' so young and all, but I've already got cases piled up to the ceiling and I can't just -- " Startled by the loud slamming of his office door, the detective cautiously stuck his head out from behind his desk. The unnerving teenager was gone, and Youko breathed out a long sigh of relief. He hoped he'd seen the last of the creepy kid and his grandfather both. His blood pressure didn't need this shit. Seating himself in his chair once more, Youko rifled through his desk drawers, looking for a bottle of long-forgotten antacid. This case was already more trouble than it was worth...Outside, Yami stood on the tall steps leading up to the police station, his breath coming in gasps and pants as he struggled to control his anger. The power raging inside him at the moment threatened to send every man, woman and child within a three block radius on a one way trip to the Shadow Realm if he couldn't manage to contain it. He felt his lighter half beckoning from within, and the smaller boy added his assistance to the fierce struggle. The Egyptian spirit felt a soothing balm immediately surround his troubled soul, and the battle inside him was quelled at last. "Aibou..." he began hesitantly, unsure of what he wanted to say to his hikari, but Yugi retreated just as swiftly as he had emerged. Yami was alone with his grief once more. He realized that if his beloved soul mate were to survive this ordeal with his mind intact, he would require unconditional love and understanding from his partner. As strong as his own desire for vengeance might be, his devotion and affection for Yugi would have to be made priority for the time being. Carrying on in the wake of his best friend's death would be hard on the kind and trusting boy, but Yami was willing to brave the darkest depths of seven hells to ensure his other half's survival and sanity. But, by the time Yugi re-emerged from his shell, the trail of Jou's murderer would be long gone, and Yami just couldn't afford to take that risk. He certainly didn't trust the incompetent Detective Youko with a task of this magnitude, but he didn't have a clue as to where to begin his search. He desperately needed assistance probing the many secrets Jounouchi had left behind, but his own inexperience with the modern world and Yugi's naivete were his main stumbling blocks. Sparse information and limited time to gather evidence left his own hands tied -- Who could he possibly turn to for help? Who possessed the necessary skills, moral ambiguity and proper resources to be the most effective to him? A flash of inspiration mingled with cold dread relit the fires of hope within his chest. Yami sighed. It seemed he had no choice. He took off at a brisk walk; there was no time to lose...~~~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~~One Hour Later:Ryou stumbled down the tall flight of stairs, taking them two and three at a time in his rush to answer the doorbell. The chimes rang again insistently, and he rolled his eyes. "Hold on! I'm almost there!" He impulsively leapt the final few steps and skidded to a stop in the foyer, flailing his arms for balance. Throwing the door open wide, he was pleasantly surprised to see the slight figure of the pharaoh on his front doorstep. He smiled warmly, beckoning his friend inside. "Yami, it's good to see you! Please come in." He stepped aside as his guest entered, a troubled and anguished expression clouding the shorter boy's handsome face. Ryou's heart clenched in fear as if a cold, icy hand had somehow gained possession of it, squeezing urgently. "What's wrong?" Yami's angular scarlet eyes met Ryou's concerned brown ones, and he rested a hand gently on the white-haired boy's shoulder. "Yami, what's happened?" he whispered."Ryou, I -- I'm sorry to ask this of you," he licked his lips, hating himself for what he knew had to be done. "I need to speak with Bakura."~~~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~~tbc