Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Apocalypse ❯ Reconciliation ( Chapter 20 )

WARNING: LANGUAGE

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Reconciliation

 

The group sat around the bonfire, thinking. Hayden stood in front of the inferno and clenched his fists. “I know we can take those bastards down! It won't be that hard!”

Mr. Barnes looked up at the red-haired boy, whose eyes burned with the fire. The man laughed. “Your plan is risky. It won't work.”

Hayden growled. “I know it will work! I know that place like the back of my fucking hand! I lived there for ten years! I know everything about the Kaiba Building and the so-called `family' that lives inside! If anyone has to take them down, it's me!”

Eric stood up and walked to Hayden. “KaibaCorp is a fortress. It's guarded by the best security force in the city.”

“They don't scare me! Donny may be a good shot, but how would he be able to block a bullet from all of us? Alex is a feeble old man. He couldn't protect a paper bag.”

“Why should we bother with those creeps anyway?” Rhonda asked. “We should plan our devastation of their Pride Rallies!”

Hayden grinned at Rhonda with a twisted twinkle in his eyes. His green eyes sparkled by the fire. “Because if we take down Kaiba, we will be heroes. Think about it! If we take Kaiba out, he will no longer be a threat. We would have taken down one of the most influential people in America. We will be heroes and our message will ring loud and clear across this city! If you choose this horrific way of life, the last thing you ever see will be the barrel of a gun stuck into your mouth!”

The crowd nodded.

“Let's take down KaibaCorp once and for all!”

“We can defeat them with Hayden's help! He knows all about that place of sin!”

“He knows their weaknesses and knows how to bring them to their knees!”

“Let's blow them straight to hell!”

Hayden crossed his arms in front of him. “All of you need me to get this job done! I will lead us to our siege on KaibaCorp. They won't suspect me at all.”

Mr. Barnes stood up and raised his hand. “Hayden is our new leader!”

The teen grinned as the crowd cheered and clapped.

“I will get us inside of KaibaCorp! Seto won't dare to hurt me! We can get money from the Kaiba Vault under the building and have enough funding to last us a very long time.”

“We could always use more funding,” Barnes said. “Hayden will lead us to victory!”

********************

Marik saw Bakura sitting on the couch. The yami's white hair twitched and he tapped his fingers against the side of the couch.

“Itemri? What's wrong?”

“Something is not right with Ryou. I don't know what it is. He's never been so…distant.”

Marik shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe he's going through menopause or something.”

Bakura rolled his brown eyes. “I highly doubt that.”

“Maybe it's Aria's sudden move. I know he's upset because of that.”

“Will Aria's move make Ryou do a complete switch?” Itemri yawned.

“You tired?”

Bakura groaned. “I had to sleep on the couch last night. Ryou kicked me out of the room.”

“Why did he do that?”

“Because he's being a dick.”

Marik blinked and raised an eyebrow. “Bakura…I…I never heard you call Ryou that in a long time.”

“Yeah, well, he deserves it. Ignorant prick.”

“Whoa, Itemri! I think you need to relax a bit.”

“How can I relax when my own husband is acting so strangely? You can't be controlling his mind. Your Rod can't tap into the Shadow Magic. What else can there be?”

“The pharaoh.”

“It has to be him! We'll have to stake out that temple of his and wait for him to return. He hasn't been there in a long time. This manipulation has to stop if it is him!”

Marik and Bakura stopped when they saw an envelope slip under the door.

“What the hell?” Bakura asked.

Marik picked up the envelope. “What is this?”

Bakura stood beside Marik and watched the blond open the envelope.

“There's a note.”

The note read:

 

Father, MeÉ™t Me in the parc at the strok of Midnit…Bring your deck and dool disck.

 

Marik turned the paper sideways.

“There's only one person who could have written a note like that, Ishtar. Look at the spelling and grammar. I think someone needs to go back to school.”

“Aten…..”

************************************

Marik walked to the parc with the Millennium Rod in his hand and the Duel Disk strapped to his arm. The shadows cast eerie images on the ground as he entered the dimly lit field.

Marik looked around the field, waiting to see his son.

“Aten, I'm here.”

Aten stepped out of the shadows with his duel disk strapped to his arm and the Silver Millennium Rod in his hand. “You came. I'm amazed you didn't chiten out.”

Marik sighed. “Aten, it's chicKen out, first of all. Second of all, why did you want to see me?”

“I thought I wouldn't need to make it that obvious. You and I are going to duel.”

“Why?”

Aten pointed an accusatory finger at his father. “Because I'm going to teach you a lesson!”

“I do not want to duel you.”

“That's because you are afraid you will lose!”

“Aten, if I draw the Winged Dragon of Ra, he will hurt you. I don't wish to harm you.”

Aten narrowed his eyes. “Nothing matters, father. You will not harm me because I will not lose! I will avenge my mother! I will avenge Malik! I will humiliate you!”

Marik removed his deck from his pocket. “I doubt that, boy.”

Aten narrowed his eyes at his father. “I will teach you a lesson you won't soon forget.”

Aten and Marik drew their cards and their Life Points were set at 4000.

Marik drew a card. “I play `Lord of the Lamp'(1400/1200) in attack mode and I equip it with `Horn of the Unicorn' bringing his attack points to 2100. I also lay one more magic/trap face down. I end my turn, son.”

Aten picked up a card. “I place' Spirit Reaper' (300/200) in attack mode! And I attack you directly!”

Marik watched the ghostly monster appear on the field. “I thought I taught you better than that! You can't attack me directly! I have my `Lord of the Lamp' in attack mode!”

Aten grinned. “I activate my trap card, `Displacement'! Normally, I couldn't attack you because you do have a monster on the field, but `Displacement' allows me to attack you directly!”

The ghostly figure flew over Marik's monster and hacked at him with the scythe. Marik let out a scream and growled. “Why you little---!”

“I'm not little! And besides, not only do you lose 300 life points, one card is randomly selected from your hand and it goes to the Graveyard. I choose Number………4.”

Marik narrowed his eyes. “Newdoria! Damn!”

“Goodbye, Newdoria. I also play Raigeki. Your `Lord of the Lamp' is nothing more than a worthless piece of junk.”

The yami father narrowed his eyes and removed the monsters from the field.

“I end my turn for now, father.”

Marik drew a card from his deck. “I lay one card face down in defense mode and end my turn.”

Aten drew a card. “My Spirit Reaper is a special creature. He can't be destroyed in battle. And now that your Newdoria is in the Graveyard, that's one less monster that can stop me. I play `Scarred Youth' (1200/2500) in attack mode!”

A young child covered in scars appeared in front of Marik. He stood with his fists up towards his chin.

“Scarred Youth, attack my father's face down card!”

The young child ran towards the card and punched it.

A giant cobra in a jar appeared.

“You attacked my `Cobra Jar (600/300). When it's destroyed, I can summon a `Poisonous Snake Token' in attack or defense. I summon it in defense mode. When you destroy this, you take 500 points of damage.”

Aten narrowed his eyes. “It doesn't surprise me that you put a snake in your deck. They always say that a person's deck says a lot about them.”

“Are you done or not?”

Aten growled. “Yes.”

Marik drew a card. “I activate `Chain Burst.' Every time you activate a trap card, you take 1000 points damage! And this is a continuous trap, so I'd be careful about what traps you lay for me, my son.”

“It won't save you.”

“I play Mine Golem (1000/1900) in defense mode! I also equip him with my `Necklace of Command.'” I end my turn.

Aten drew a card. “I play `Fear from the Dark' (1700/1500) in attack mode! I attack your Cobra Token and I take 500 points of damage.”

Aten's Life Points dropped to 3500. Marik's remained at 3700.

“I

Marik drew a card and grinned. “I play `Sanctuary of the Sky.' I then play `Light of Judgment.' I discard one Light monster from my hand to destroy a monster on the field. And you know which one I want! I'm sending my `Unhappy Maiden' to the graveyard. Your Spirit Reaper may rest in peace.”

Aten watched his Spirit Reaper shatter. “What?”

“Requiescat in Pace.”

“I'll get you for that!”

“I switch my Mine Golem into attack mode and I arm him with the `Malevolent Nuzzler' and raise his attack points to 1700! Mine Golem, attack his Scarred Youth!”

The stone monster charged towards the little boy. The monster pulled back his arm and punched the boy with one quick motion. The child screamed and shattered. Aten's life points fell to 2800.

“I also activate `Needle Wall.' I roll a die and treat your monster zones one to five. The number rolled is the monster zone on which a monster is destroyed. If I roll a one, your `Fear From the Dark' is destroyed. GO,DICE ROLL!”

Marik rolled a die onto the ground. With a growl, he looked up at his son. “Your monsters are safe….for now. I rolled a four. End turn.”

Aten drew and looked at his cards. “I place one card face down and sacrifice my `Scarred Youth' to summon `Roc From The Valley of Haze' (2400/1400) in attack mode. I attack your Mine Golem!”

The bird-like creature swooped down and attacked Marik's monster, which shattered.

Marik laughed. “While I do lose the Life Points, you've activated my Necklace's ability.”

Marik's life Points dropped to 3000. I choose to discard one card in your hand to the Graveyard. I choose….card number three.”

Aten placed the card into the Graveyard. “No skin off my back.”

Marik's life points dropped to 1000.

“What the hell?!”

“I sent my Elephant Statue of Disaster to the graveyard by your card's effect. You took 2000 points damage. So now, you are not only losing to your own son, you are losing to your son who you know is not the strongest duelist on this planet.”

Marik looked at the cards in his hand. `Shit…..I have no monsters on the field.

Aten grinned. “I also still have `Fear from the Dark' in play.”

Marik looked at his Life Points. “Aten, listen to me…..please. I know what I did was wrong. I admit that! I hate myself every day for what I used to do to your mother and Malik.”

“It's….too late for that….'Fear from the Dark, att----.”

Marik fell to his knees. “Aten, if I knew that my relationship with your mother and Malik would have been, I never would have done what I did. I've tried to be a good father to you. I provided all that I could to make certain you were loved and cared for. I tried my best to make certain that you had the best of everything.”

Aten bit his lip. `I have to attack…..'

“Aten, you are the most important thing in my life. I never wanted to lose you. It was a piece of my past that I have tried so hard to bury. And yet….I failed to bury it completely. It haunts my dreams and my memories. I tried to make it better, but I know there is nothing I can do to give back your mother and Malik their innocence.” Marik looked up at his son. “Aten, you are my son. I've always known you were something special to me. No father could have ever had a son who was so perfect.”

“I'm not perfect….I'm tainted.”

“Not to me, you aren't. You are my son. My pride, my joy, my legacy. You are my greatest accomplishment, Aten Bakari Ishtar. Would I have done things differently? Yes. Will I hold this against you? No. You are right to feel how you do. But you have to know, Aten, that I love your mother very much. I want to cast out memories of what I used to be….the monster I was. I want to bury my past and set it ablaze. But, Aten, I would never hurt you. To me, you are not tainted.” Marik stood up and walked past his trap cards.

Aten felt a pair of hands grip his arms.

“Aten Bakari, look up at me.”

Aten kept his eyes focused on the ground. “I can't……”

Marik tipped his son's head up. “I would never….ever…want to hurt you, my child. I love you and your mother so much, Aten….

And I love Malik with every breath I have. I wouldn't trade any of you for anything.”

Aten's bottom lip trembled. “You…do you mean that, daddy?”

Marik nodded. “I meant every word, Aten.”

Aten lowered his head and a sob came out of him.

Marik held Aten close to him and pet his hair. “My boy…..please forgive me.”

“Daddy…..”

Aten wrapped his arms around Marik and hugged him tightly. He sobbed loudly as his father's arms wrapped around him.

“It hurt so much to see mother cry like that…..Mommy didn't deserve that….I didn't deserve that either….Why?”

Marik rubbed his cheek against Aten's soft, white and blond hair. “Because I was an asshole, Aten. But that part of me was dead and buried the day you came into my life. I vowed to protect life….not take advantage of it or take it for granted. You've taught me that life is precious, Aten….and you will always be the one who taught me what unconditional love really is.”

“I'm sorry I was angry at you, father.”

Marik pulled back and kissed Aten's forehead. “Love you, son. I always will.”

Aten sniffled. “So do I….father.”

Marik looked up at the stars.

****************************************

Ryou's POV

 

It finally feels so good to lay down.

I wonder why Bakura isn't here. He's been so distant lately.

He doesn't even speak to me anymore.

He seems very moody.

I wonder why.

I remember going to the art exhibit and I remember the duel between Aria and her father.

I remember cheering Aria on.

When Robbie asked me what if Aria gets hurt, I remember telling him that I hope that she would be okay, too. I wonder why he gave me such a strange look.

Umi told me how beautiful Aria was, I remember telling him how proud I was for her.

Why did Kai wonder what a bastard was?

I don't remember hearing anyone say the word.

Everyone's been walking on eggshells around me and I don't know why.

Bakura doesn't even snuggle with me anymore.

Maybe I should talk to him tonight when we go to bed. Yes. That would be the best thing to do. Talk to him and then ask him what is wrong.

He acts as if I did something wrong.

I hear Kai splashing in the bathtub. The chibi must be playing with his seahorse toys and shark toys.

He's such a cute little boy!

I wonder if Aria will let me take Kai to the park tomorrow. Maybe I can play with him in the sandbox….and push him on the swings.

I miss doing that to my own kids.

Aria loved to be pushed on the swings. Aten was more reserved about anyone touching his back.

I don't blame him.

“Mom?”

Aria stood at my doorway.

“Hello, dear.”

“Mom, are you upset with me?”

“No, dear.”

“I just can't leave Kai here to be harmed by my father.”

I nodded. “I understand.”

Aria leaned on the doorway and rubbed her belly. She looked nauseous again.

“Mother, you have been acting strangely.”

“How so?”

“Well, I was laying down this afternoon and you brought in the laundry. I told you that I was feeling nauseous and you told me to stop whining like a baby.”

I was shocked.

I would never say that to her!

“Aria, I didn't say that.”

Aria laughed. “Yes, you did.”

“Aria, I told you that I was sorry and then I ran to get you something to help it. I ran downstairs and brought you medicine.”

Aria shook her head. “No, you didn't. You told me to stop whining then you ran downstairs and grabbed the phone. You came up to my room and threw the phone at me and said to me….and I quote….'Call someone who gives a flying fuck.'”

I would never curse, let alone say something like that!

“Aria, I would never say something like that.”

“Well, you did.”

Aria came and sat beside me. “I'm sorry if my move upsets you, mother. I have to protect Kai and my family. When I went yami during my duel with daddy, it hurt. I am afraid that going yami will hurt my baby. If I can't go yami, I can't protect my family to the best of my ability. I can't let my two year old son to be near my fathers anymore.”

I sighed. “Aria, your father is not a bad man.”

“No….but I can't take that chance with Kai around. He may hurt him.”

“Aria, do you think that I can take Kai to the park tomorrow while you move? This way he can be out of your way.”

Aria smiled. “Kai will love that, mom. I'll make him a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He can have a picnic. He'll love that.”

I smiled. “Thank you, Aria! He is my grandson and I feel bad about neglecting him lately.”

“It's okay, mom.” Aria grabbed her stomach. “This damn nausea is going to get me, I know it.”

I rubbed Aria's back and she winced.

“Oh gods…excuse me!”

Aria ran out of my room and into the bathroom. A moment later, I heard Kai call out `EWWWWWWIES!!!! DADDYYYYY!!!!!

MOMMY'S FROWING UP ADEN!!!!!! DADDY? DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADDDYYYYYY!!!!”

Umi's footsteps ran down the hall and he opened the door.

I could hear Aria's gagging and choking.

I remember those days.

I stood up and walked to the bathroom door.

 

Normal POV

Umi had pulled over the curtain on the bathtub to hide the site of his vomiting mother from his sight. Umi held back her hair as Aria vomited.

Umi saw Ryou standing by the door. “Ryou, can you get me a towel…and evidently a new dress for Aria?”

“Hmph…serves her right for getting herself pregnant again. She has only to thank you, Umi.”

Umi gasped. “What?”

“Why is mommy frowing up, daddy?” Kai asked from behind the curtain.

“Because mommy's baby is making her tummy upset. When mommies have babies in their bellies at first, mommies can throw up a lot.”

Ryou rolled his eyes. “That's because your daddy couldn't keep his penis in his pants.”

Umi turned his head. “Ryou! Don't tell my son that!”

“It's true, Umi. Maybe now you can keep the one-eyed monster in there.”

Aria crumbled to her knees weakly as she continued to vomit.

“Can you hold Aria's hair while I get her a towel? Just stand there.”

Ryou rolled his eyes and stood beside Aria. Umi ran to the closet for towels. “Damn, I have to get more! One moment, Little Mermaid!”

Umi ran down the stairs.

Ryou grabbed her hair and tugged.

The girl gagged and choked as Ryou pulled her hair.

“Mom….stop…that hurts.”

Ryou narrowed his eyes. “Oh, shut up and quit whining.”

Ryou tugged on her hair as Aria struggled to keep her head forward.

Umi's footsteps ran up the stairs and into her room.

“Maybe now you will think twice before you let Umi stick it in you, Aria.”

Aria sobbed and gagged.

Umi returned and took Aria's hair. “Go away, Ryou. I can handle it.”

Ryou left and Umi slammed the door.

 

Ryou's POV

I went and sat on my bed.

Why did Umi kick me out? I was just holding Aria's hair gently.

Why was Umi so upset when I told Umi that babies can make mommy's tummies upset?

What did I say that was so wrong?

All I said is, `Babies can make mommy's bellies upset sometimes' and Umi became angry.

`Don't tell my son that!'

What did I say that was so wrong?

I was holding my daughter's hair and she was crying out in pain.

Maybe her scalp is sensitive too.

I never had that problem when I was pregnant.

Why did Umi kick me out?

Well, tomorrow I will be able to take Kai to the park and play with him. We'll have fun. We'll play and frolic. Then I will take your son fishing by the lake that is there.

We'll have a good day.

 

Normal POV

Ryou sat on the bed. “I'll make sure to pack everything I need for tomorrow: a hammer, lighter fluid, and matches. Tomorrow I will take your son to the park, Umi. We'll have fun. We'll play and frolic. Then I will take your son fishing by the lake that is there. We'll have a good day. We'll have our sandwiches. While he is eating, I will strike his head with the hammer that I will pack. I'll bludgeon him. Kill him. Beat his little skull to pieces. I'll beat him to death and then offer his body to Ra. He will be sacrificed.”

Kai splashed in the tub, waving his arms and squealing happily.

“Tomorrow….Kai will laugh his last.”

 

Updates: Thursday

Note: In case anyone is completely lost, Yami is manipulating ryou in such a way that what Ryou is saying is not what Ryou is hearing. Ryou may be thinking he's saying something nice, but in reality, he's being a d**k. Anyway, Ryou won't be a puppet for too much longer, most likely.