Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Children of Destiny ❯ All Going According To Plan ( Chapter 17 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
All Going According To Plan
Sam: *planning to go out for a nice shopping trip. She opens the door* O____________O
Extremely Angry Readers: *holding torches and pitchforks* >__________<
Sam: I DONE THE UPDATE!!!! DON'T HURT ME PLEASE!!!!! DON'T HURT ME!!!! *Breaks down into sobs before handing out the update*
Extremely Angry Readers: *snatches update and pour through it contents ravenously whilst Sam closes the door and locks it* o_0?
Sam: Queen of Games made a sarcastic comment about the last chapter. True I may have miss-portrayed the male human psyche. I know that any male in their right mind wouldn't deliberately miss a chance for a good lay… especially if the said male is still a virgin…
Sam: Basically she made a really good point but seeing as I'm a generous person I'll let Yami place an argument in his defence.
Yami: What was the creature that was about to steal my virginity? IT WAS A GINORMOUS MAN EATING SPIDER… A HIDEOUS HAIRY ARACHNID WHO WAS ABOUT TO SUCK `EVERYTHING' DRY!!!!
Yami: I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT I'M NOT `THAT' DESPERATE TO GET LAID!!!!!
Yami: DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THE BLACK WIDOW SPIDERS DO TO THEIR MATES!?!?!?!? THEY GET F***ED AND EATEN AT THE SAME TIME!!!!
Sam: I think they get the point now Yami no need to go into detail about it.
Yami: ONE END THEY'RE HUMPING EACH OTHER WHILST ON THE OTHER THE LADIES GOUGING HIS BELLY AND SUCKING HIS GUTS UP!!!!
Sam: --UUU Yami… please… I want to get on with this update… Sorry folks… he watched a wild life documentary just the other day… and it so happened to be talking about black widow spiders.
Yami: *curls into a ball* It was so… horrible… *rocking back and forth*
Sam: Anyway… hope that cleared things up… I hope you're happy now because Yami has to take `another' trip to the mental hospital…
Sam: -_-*** I do not even know this person so therefore I don't own this um… Yu-Gi-Oh… or anything else that sounds vaguely familiar in society…
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Outside monks were panicking whilst the walls of the fortress like monastery began to crack and shake. The main gateway of which the travellers had come through was becoming bent and buckled of the strain of pounding against its hinges. Random yells and screams in Mandarin filled the acrid air of battle as the huge toll bell that had usually been for simple daily routines were echoing frantically for reinforcements whilst the inhabitants dressed in their simple robes hurried towards the outer walls adding their weight against the pounding weights. The two groups of travellers now reunited looked on anxiously whilst Andrin had gone and returned with the news.
"They said this huge army of skeletons just suddenly appeared a good ten thousand strong"
"The Kaiyan…" Yami hissed holding tightly to his hikari.
"They're battering down the gate as we speak"
"What do we do?" Serenity whispered fearfully. There was a silence before Andrin walked towards one of the many statues and paintings tapping upon the bronze Laughing Buddha three times before the huge belly opened towards a tunnel.
"The monks and I won't be able to hold out for very long it is best if you head towards this passageway. It'll lead you away from the mountains towards a valley where you can escape." Andrin replied ignoring the horrified stares of his newfound friends.
"NO!!! We can't leave you guys like this!!!" Mokuba yelled running and pulling him back by his arm. "It's our fault that you and the monks even got involved in this" Andrin glanced at the raven headed boy where there was a guilty glimpse of the otherwise stoic face. The eyes shifted uneasily. He shook his head before kneeling down face to face with Mokuba.
"No little one… the Xia Monastery have been involved with the enemy for a much longer time. We were forewarned that this day would come" The intensity of the gaze bore greater than the words he spoke to the boy's mind and tears started to form in his eyes. Mokuba did not know how and why but Andrin suddenly had become a lot closer to him that he had ever imagined. It was almost to an extent as how he felt towards his brother despite having to only have spoken but a few words with the man. Andrin tore his gaze away from him as shadows of his hair veiled his eyes and he stormed out to meet up with the resistance.
"There has to be another way!!!" Isis rasped. "I heard from the monks that this monastery is as old as the pyramids so it has to have some sort of defence against these things for it still be to be standing"
"Even if there was the ancient scriptures and scrolls had long been destroyed," Andrin argued desperately trying to convince them to make their escape. The 12 companions stared at him defiant and unwavering from their decision to stay. Malik who was still tired from his last battle with the fake Yami propped himself up on the two double knife swords.
"Well in that case the only option left is to fight… Besides I'm in mood of kicking someone's ass again"
"Me too…" Ryou whispered bashfully whilst his Yami stared bogged eye at him but before anyone could protest the two of them skipped off to the fort where the monks were struggling to hold the gates leaving Isis and the two spirits looking very bemused.
"You know, we should do a tally of the number of Ghouls we bump off"
"Oh yeah like Gimli and Legolas" Ryou replied. (A/N: *laughing her ass off* I love LOTR). It took the others a few more seconds to process what they were saying before Isis, Bakura and Ishtar panicked.
"AIBOU!!!" cried the two yamis.
"MALIK!!!" Isis screeched.
The skeletal army had broken through the main gateway and flooding the contents of the monastery, which like a castle fortress had it's various levels of where the monks could retreat. At the moment Yugi and his friends were all at the upper levels where a large balcony overhung the main courtyard as the Gabriel's army of Ghouls rampaged the through the ruined gates at the bottom at the same time Ryou and Malik had rushed to battle, wield both their weapons. With a clash of blades that scraped and slide Malik threw back his opposition along with a battle cry before kneeling down and slicing the legs of half a dozen. He threw a hand out for the jet of fire that was to be his new awesome power… Nothing happened.
"OH FUCKING HELL MAN!!!!" he yelled before spears clashed against he's sabre blades again. So he resorted to using his Millennium Rod where it's powers were a bit more reliable had mind blasted away some of the skeletal army. Ryou again was having trouble summoning his powers, however the instinct of his acrobatic fighting style had stayed with him. The army was starting to overwhelm small group of monks and two hikaris. The yamis and Isis had joined in with their shadow powers. Andrin with his master sword skill had decapitated ten Ghouls in one blow. The army was rapidly invading the middle chambers as it resulted in everyone available fighting for their lives. Seto kept Mokuba towards any safe space available before they retreated further into the inner chambers and attempted once more to barricade the flimsy doors between them and the skeletal army.
"YOU'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME GET YOURSELVES OUT OF HERE!!!!" Andrin yelled at the huddled group of teenagers and ancient spirits indicating the hidden passageway behind the statue. Just at that moment the door had burst through as the skeleton army flooded into the room. Malik ducked another swipe of an axe and blocked the thrust of a sword. Tired, angry and flaring with defiance the red aura had surrounded him once more. The energy built in burned in its fiery glory as he released it in a cataclysmic explosion that channelled from him to his blades and across the room in an atomic effect incinerating all the Ghouls within the chambers, the opposite walls and a good few more Ghouls outside. Those that remained backed away from the gaping hole that had been blown up from the force. A blue aura around the white headed teen had also come to it's climax as the staff in his hands sent a fog of cold across a good part of the lower chambers freezing everything in it's wake. There where the hole had been was frozen over with a huge block of ice that expanded a good 10 metres thick across the building essentially encasing the upper chambers in an ice shield. Frozen Ghouls were held in mid battle their blades held high just above their heads.
"Looks like we've just bought us some time…" Ryou whispered before he and Malik fell to their knees in exhaustion.
"Malik…" Isis whispered gently cradling the platinum blond in her arms. Malik whined softly as she made him rest his head on her shoulders and rocking him gently. Ishtar stared on now deeply worried of the huge energy spent on this battle. Bakura was holding Ryou in the same fashion.
"I want to go to sleep again" Ryou replied groggily cuddling weakly into his yami's arms.
"Hey Ryou how many did you get?" Malik said monotonously.
"I don't know… I lost count" Ryou replied. Malik smirked sleepily.
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"Oh this is just so typical…" Gabriel mumbled dejectedly as his army began picking at the ice before randomly swishing his hand at the nearest few Ghouls who had suddenly exploded in a sickening squelch of mouldy limbs.
"What do we do now?" Argoth said as the Ghouls picked up the pace.
"Oh let them dwell in each other's arms a little longer… find out more about they're past selves and when that happens… I'll bring in the trump card…" he replied casually. "It worked so well last time that they still have the scars for it… and I do believe it runs a lot deeper than a mere impairment of the skin" he gazed at the black goo once more seeing the images of the group within the chambers particularly at Yugi whose third of his three large chibi violet eyes had decided to open and blink just as cutely as his other two. Gabriel smirked showing elongated fangs whilst his knuckles cracked upon black, talon like nails. He glanced at the dark figure behind him and chuckled.
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Everyone rested and tended to each others wounds from the battle as Serenity and Mokuba wondered with a bottles of water and providing drinks to those that needed it before sitting with their respective older siblings. Andrin sat down beside Joey and Serenity who had started to drift off to sleep. Joey glanced at the raven headed man.
"You're hurt," he said suddenly noticing the nasty gash on Andrin's shoulder.
"It's nothing serious" was the reply but Joey didn't really seem to listen to his reassurance and shifted slightly so to positioning himself better to help dress the wound but at the same time not waking his sister. He tenderly parted the black fabrics where the wound was and went to gather some water and bandages. Andrin stared at the blonde teen as he went through the delicate procedures. A small smile spread across his lips as he admired the beautiful resemblance to Katsuya in the painting. True he had encountered Katsuya a while back where he had unintentionally hurt Joey in the process but the fluorescent green eyed blonde he fought was so dead and lifeless. The one who called himself Katsuya was a fake for the real Katsuya Jounouchi was never so sadistic and cold. He wasn't sure why but he knew it was true. For some reason the moment he had first laid eyes on the painting of the great general of Xia's imperial army, he had always held admiration and a strange tenderness towards it. He felt he knew the character of Katsuya so well and for a many a night dreamed that they would meet and it was obvious that some blessed God somewhere had granted that wish when he met Joey.
At first he couldn't believe it when he met up with a few of the elders of who his next charge would be. The years of training had done well for him to be able to hide his emotions but upon seeing it he's heart had been caught in his throat. It was a coloured pencil sketch of the blonde wearing the same face to the character of the painting that he had so loved to stare at all day. The only difference was the tinge of their eyes. The one shown on the sketch had earthy brown eyes whilst Katsuya had the beautiful shade of jade green however just by looking at it they would be one and the same in spirit.
"Is this the one?" he asked hiding his disbelief. The leader of the hooded group nodded. He paused to analyse the picture a little longer before he reluctantly placed it in the flames and watching it curl into a charred black.
"He is currently heading towards the monastery so you better get going very soon if you stand a chance to catch up with him" Andrin glanced at the person before him hiding his awe that he had been given such a wondrous task of becoming this person's guardian. Most charges he received were seen as merely his duty but this time he felt as if he was being given a gift.
"Very well…" he said hiding his eagerness.
"Good luck…" the hooded man beside him said as they paid for their meal and got up to leave on their horses. He left quickly acknowledging a few individuals that had been staring at him throughout his meeting. Travelling light and fast he had made it quickly towards the monastery. A battle had come about as he arrived shortly where the monks fought against the serpent men. That was when he saw him and for a moment he was in horror and outrage that his charge showed such cruelty and malice. Wishful thinking. It was a dangerous thing to do and he had to learn it the hard way. He stared on and glared charge or no charge he would gladly kill him for distorting such a beautiful and ethereal face.
"Dead or alive" he said out of courtesy.
Throughout the fight against this Katsuya look alike he was confused of why the smile was so sadistic when the one in the picture was so serene and innocent. Why the eyes were a sickening flash fluorescent green rather than what he remembered it to be an honest honey brown or even the earthy jade of the one in the painting. But his questions were answered with the presence of that other. His true charge that had with him a young frightened raven headed boy. Inside he felt relief and joy that his shattering dream had been renewed but upon doing that he had let himself slip, allowing the enemy to escape. All one should concentrate on when in battle is your opponent. That was what he had been trained to do from his teachers and the monks of Xia Lung Monastery and yet he had made that very amateur mistake when he had taken his eyes away from his opponent to the almost identical blond nearby.
This mistake had almost cost his charge his very own soul and try as he may, when the one named Katsuya had thrown his twin towards his blade, to abort his attack he had nicked him on the shoulder. It was a small wound physically but from what the power his sword held it was still a devastating blow. He had caught him by the waist, staring down at him and his now vulnerable state. His insides curdled with horror of his error and he felt his sword hand trembling anxiously. His heart had almost stopped when the blonde's head lulled to one side and he passed out in his arms. Panic arose in his stomach as he immediately carried him to his hut and laid him down hurrying with the needed healing herbs that he hoped would save his soul.
He had tended to Joey as he's friends had called him very closely in those hours renewing the wetness of the towel upon his head constantly and easing water down his parched throat. For a moment he saw the brown eyes flutter open halfway and Andrin felt the sight of those honey brown orbs take his breath away. For the moment no one was watching and the emotions of tenderness he had felt for the painting of Katsuya Jounouchi was directed to this living replica. Joey however had started coughing and closed his eyes to sleep once more Andrin sighed as he lay him back down onto the bed. He hesitantly stroked Joey's cheek softly and tucking away stray blonde locks that had wondered across his face.
***********END FLASHBACK******
"There done…" Joey said triumphantly tightening the knot to the bandage. Andrin smiled looking at the neat bandage wrapped tightly around his shoulder.
"You were really gentle. I hardly felt a thing," he said. Joey grinned before placing his blue jacket over his slumber sister who had taken to using Tristan's lap as a pillow. Tristan sighed contently leaning back against the wall but tensed up with wide eyes seeing the very scary death glare coming from his friend. Though technically Tristan was a better street fighter than Joey and sometimes in respect smarter he was scared shitless by the guy and whimpered pathetically under the gaze. It could be said that Joey's glare when it came to his sister could make Seto have a run for his money. But as it happens the blonde was interrupted from mauling the brunette there and then from a terrific shriek in the hall.
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"Ok… we're in…" Katsuya announced to the huge snake beside him. Khan blinked and flicked a tongue around his surroundings, which was dreamlike carnival with children laughing and playing, before slithering away. Upturning of soil and debris crashed about as the dream carnival was torn apart whilst the servant searched tirelessly.
"GO AWAY!!!!" the victim screeched at Khan as he started tearing apart at a tunnel in the dream funhouse. "STOP IT LEAVE ME ALONE!!!! NO!!!! NO LET GO!!!!!" Khans coiled himself round the hapless victim dragging the raven headed boy from his hiding place. "NISAAAMMMAAA!!!!! HELP ME!!!! SETO!!!!!" Mokuba screamed struggling and writhing within the scales. Katsuya yawned at the sight. "SET-" Mokuba was slapped hard a good dozen times before he was knocked out by the whip of Khan's tail across the face a cut forming across his face.
"Ok, ok that's enough slapping him about," Katsuya said irritably. Khan merely hissed in his answer.
"Where'ssss your ssssenssse of humour?"
"Back at Kaiba's place now would you please stop phaffing about with the brat and get your scaly butt in gear?" Khan blinked a couple of times and twisted his lips into what could be seen as an obscure pout before slithering his way onto Katsuya's lap.
"Patience issss a virtue" Khan began.
"That I don't have and I don't intend to have… I really don't like having to spend too much time prancing about knowing he'll start getting suspicious of my stories the more time he spends with that brat"
"Do not worry… it will be done asss planned… Relax" Khan whispered flickering tongue at the blonde's ear.
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Joey ran to the source on the other side of the hall where there was huge major struggle to restrain the person screaming in the group.
"Mokuba!!!" Seto cried trying to be heard above Mokuba's shrieking and also soothing at the same time "Mokuba wake up!!!! Mokuba it's just a nightmare!!!"
"What's going on?" Serenity whispered rubbing her eyes with sleep as the 11-year-old convulsed and writhed in his brother's arms.
"He fell asleep a while ago and all of a sudden he just started screaming" Yugi answered, his third eye staring at the boy helpless to do anything for him. Joey pushed passed the group to find the 11-year-old flailing blindly in his sleep but what was most frightening of all was Seto's own predicament, the ice cold mask had totally been ripped away to show how vulnerable he really was inside. He's face had been contorted with utter desperation.
"GO AWAY!!!! STOP IT LEAVE ME ALONE!!!" Mokuba screamed whilst Seto tried to comfort him. "STOP IT LEAVE ME ALONE… NO!!!! NO LET ME GO!!!!! NISAAAMMMAAA!!!!!! HELP ME!!! SETO!!!!" Seto's eyes widened with terror as the gut wrenching feeling of helplessness had begun to take its toll.
"Mokuba… I'm right here… MOKUBA I'M RIGHT HERE!!!" Seto had started yelling now.
"SET-" as if an invisible hand had slapped him across the face a small trickle of blood where a scorching gash ran across Mokuba's cheek. Seto cried out in alarm as the cries and struggles had come to an abrupt halt.
"Mokuba? MOKUBA!?!?!" Seto was now shaking the limp body in his arms. "Mokuba you're scaring me now wake up… WAKE UP!!!!" he shouted. A surge of fluorescent green aura surrounded the brothers as Seto gasped feeling himself being pulled away. When he had opened his eyes again he found that he wasn't in the monastery anymore but outside. He looked around turning to see in all directions where the place was mostly of grass with except with the chaotic ruin of what was supposed to be a carnival. Fires had sprouted in various tents whilst candy, soft drinks and the likes were littered all over the floor. "MOKUBA!!! IT'S ME!!!!" Seto shouted once more. "I'm here for you now" he had added in a whisper but as it happens lights had suddenly come on along with the unnatural upbeat introduction of music. Seto turned around seeing the sadistic green and flashing fluorescent green eyes boring down at him. Katsuya walked with a little jig in time with the music. He swayed his hips seductively and chassed towards the young CEO.
"#Well I don't know why I came here tonight, I got the feeling that something ain't right, I'm so scared in case I fall off my chair, and I'm wondering how I'll get down the stairs#" Katsuya sang clicking his fingers a bit. "#Clowns to the left of me jokers to the right, here I am stuck in the middle with you#"
"You bastard… what have you done with my brother!?!?!?!?" Seto hissed lividly. Katsuya blinked a couple of times and looked taken aback but surprised turned to pretend sadness as he sniffed and pouted.
"Why you so mean Seto-kun?" the Joey look alike looked hurt as if he had been wrongly accused. "I was only here for the re-decorating," he added making his voice squeak as if on the verge of bursting into tears.
"CUT THE BULLSHIT WHERE IS MY BROTHER!?!?!" Seto bellowed clenching his fists in fury. Katsuya then dropped the weeping façade and rolled his eyes in irritation.
"Oh all right Moneybags don't get your balls in a bunch anymore than they already are…" Katsuya replied as he clicked his fingers signalling for a large head to pop out from amongst the flames and slithering his way towards the two. Seto's eyes widened as he saw the massive welts and bruises all over the little one's face as he lay coiled within the serpent's scales. Mokuba whimpered before slowly opening his grey eyes.
"It's ok kiddo," he whispered back. "I'll get you out…"
"Awww don't you just love brotherly reunions?" Seto growled at the blonde.
"You're not human…" Seto said still staring at the younger Kaiba. Katsuya suddenly looked bashful and twisted his arms like a schoolgirl in love.
"Thank you…" he replied bashfully and batting his eyes. Seto glared defiantly. "You know I really don't see why you hate me so…" Seto narrowed his eyes as if his glaring could kill Katsuya on the spot. "I mean sure I do nasty horrible things but at the end of the day, where did I really come from? Might I remind you, I was created from hate… Katsuya's hate…" Katsuya smiled as his eyes flashed. "Joey's hate…" Seto felt himself shake before steadying himself once more.
"But he'sss sssso much fun to play with…" Khan whined at Katsuya looking at him with pitiful serpent eyes.
"Then what is it you want from me?" Seto yelled. Katsuya looked at him with surprise whilst Mokuba whimpered once more shaking his head as tears ran down his face.
"Good question…" Katsuya said placing his chin in his hand as if pondering for an answer. "What `do' I want from you? Money? Kaiba Corp? Sex? Ooh wouldn't mind having that last one right about now…" (A/N: I wouldn't mind that either… O_OUUU *rushes to bathroom for a cold shower and comes back again to finish story*) Katsuya replied before he chuckled and leaning closer to Seto's face edging closely to his ear. "But no… that's what you expect, plus you'll have at least satisfaction from you're brother's safety…" the whisper was a deadly hiss against the silence of the ruined carnival the fires blazed reflecting an orange glow upon the pale complexion of Seto's face. "No…" he continued his face so close that Seto could feel his breath against his cheek. Seto ignored how close they were to staring at his brother who sobbed within the coils. "What I want… Seto… Kaiba… is… to make you…" he kissed his cheek softly before he finished his sentence letting the last word roll across his tongue. "Suffer…"
Seto's eyes widened signalling for Khan to suddenly sink his fangs into the boy that was in his scales. There was a strangled cry utter from Mokuba's lips as he stared in shock.
"NNNNOOOOOOO!!!!" Seto screamed pushing past the blonde towards the snake but suddenly they had disappeared in a limelight and he was back in the monastery still screaming.
"Kaiba!!! Kaiba what happened!?!?" Joey cried in alarm but at the instant Seto saw him he lunged at his throat.
"MURDERER YOU MURDERER!!!!" he snarled as he landed on top of the blonde his hands wrapped tightly around his neck.
"KAIBA!!!! Stop it!!!" Yami yelled trying to wrench away Seto's grip on the blonde.
"YOU KILLED HIM YOU KILLED HIM!!!!"
"Please… stop!!!!" Serenity cried pulling at the brunette but he could not hear them. He heard nothing but the strangled cries from the blonde underneath him and just as Joey was near passing out a sudden loud crack was heard and Seto was on the floor unconscious. Joey gasped as the pressure around his windpipe was released and he was gathered into Andrin's arms.
"Big brother…" Serenity whispered stroking his back as Joey took deep breaths and clinging onto Andrin's clothes.
"It's ok… it's going to be alright now…" Andrin whispered to him rocking him gently. He didn't understand it, a few moments ago Mokuba was screaming in his sleep and Seto was comforting him when suddenly both of them went silent before Seto had started screaming bloody murder and attacking the poor blonde who was trying to revive the both of them.
"What the HELL was that all about!?!?!" Tristan bellowed massaging his knuckles from punching Seto's lights out. (A/N: Oh boy… *runs away from severely pissed off Seto fan girls while they maul Tristan* Tristan: X__X).
"Never mind that now…" Joey croaked still massaging his throat, the bruises starting to show where Seto's hands were. He crawled towards the silent Mokuba and felt that his pulse was rather weak. "Let's get `em out of this crowd…" he said as he scooped the boy up in his arms whilst Tristan heaved Seto over his shoulder and going into some separate rooms away from the good few hundred people in the main chamber. Andrin and Yami followed Joey into one room where at the centre was a table to lay Mokuba on whilst Tristan lay Seto down on a fur like mattress opposing a few paintings and a study table in another room. "What do we do?" the blonde asked whilst the former Pharaoh and Andrin pondered. Yami inspected closer upon the wounds and bruises that had mysteriously appeared upon the boy's body.
"Two large puncture marks and a lot of scratches in the arms. Attacks on the soul can appear in the physical body and judging from these markings and Kaiba's outburst on Joey. It looks like Katsuya has other allies asides from those snake men" Yami deducted. "What I'm most worried is that I can't find any poison in the bite"
"Wouldn't that be a good thing?" Andrin asked.
"Not necessarily" Joey whispered swallowing nervously "Poisons act in different ways, the most dangerous are the ones that can attack your mind the only problem is you don't see it until it hits you in the face". Yami narrowed his eyes at what he had meant. (A/N: Referring to a certain drunk) "Anyway since this was an attack of the soul. What did you use to help me when I got hurt Andrin"
"What!?!? You got hurt? When!?!?!?" Yami cried in surprise.
"About three days ago. They were ambushed by Katsuya and in amidst the fighting I struck Joey with the Spirit Blade" Yami's eyes widened before he turned back to the blonde.
"No biggie" Joey said. "I got better"
"Joey, the Spirit Blade has the ability to `destroy' souls. It's worse than even being sent to the Shadow Realm. You could have been lost forever" Yami whispered the last sentence.
"Well I haven't. If I can escape ultimate doom then I sure as hell know there's a possibility that Mokuba can do it too. Now Andrin tell me what you did to heal me" Andrin shifted.
"I didn't do anything. You healed of your own accord and also this isn't just a wound, its a poison"
"There's always a cure to every poison" Joey retorted. "This monastery is supposed to be a mountain of knowledge dating for 5000 years right?"
"Then let's crack out the scrolls" Joey hissed whilst Yami and Andrin looked worried.
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Katsuya grinned happily whilst lying amidst Khan's coils one leg bent whilst the other was propped up on the knee. "I thought that went well," he chirped.
"Well? He almossst killed him!!!" Khan rasped at his ally furiously.
"Keyword: Almost… just need to pick them off when they're alone and we've got them both in the bag…" Katsuya concluded patting the scales reassuringly.
"Unlesss the child issss sssaved…" Khan retorted. Katsuya rolled his eyes at the serpent before rolling onto his stomach and straddled the snake's body staring intently at the amber slit eyes with his fluorescent green ones.
"Well you better hurry up and pick up Joey-kun as soon as possible" he snarled before flipping himself off and disappearing from Mokuba's mind. Khan narrowed his eyes and shook his head before he too disappeared and returned to his body to plan out his ambush on Joey.
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Gabriel stared looking amused at the scene from outburst of the High Priest's reincarnation upon his fellow brethren.
"Hmm… the scars really are still there even in this lifetime… you've really outdone yourself in your past life… what is your name now… Téa?" (A/N: I've finally figured how to do that `é' thing) he asked impressed as Téa emerged from the shadows behind him. She looked downtrodden and weary from possibly many sleepless nights and yet time seemed to have encased her heart in ice like the huge barrier smothered over the building of the Xia Monastery, her baby blue eyes were dull and cold. "Awww don't be so upset about what happened between you and Yami… I'm sure you'll have your claim on him once more when this is over" Tea glanced in his direction for a moment before staring back at the image.
"What if I don't want to?"
"Oh, has you're passion for him gone cold like your soul?" Gabriel mused raising an eyebrow at her. "Don't tell me you're starting to have regrets?" Tea looked away narrowing her eyes before looking at Yami's image that was hugging his three-eyed hikari like teddy bear a small smile graced upon his lips.
"He just seems so happy than he was with me," she whispered.
Téa's heart was all the flutter when she and Yami went on their first date since she announced her love for him as she wrapped her arms around Yami's arm and they waltzed towards the dance floor. Yami seemed to be in deep thought and had tuned her out a good while ago.
"Is there something wrong?" she asked concerned. Yami snapped from his thoughts and gazed at her. They had danced for a while before he shook his head with a small smile.
"Erm… just wait here… I'll go get us another drink" he replied as Tea sat down. She felt a small lump dig into her back when she leaned back on Yami's coat. Digging in his pockets she found a small bottle of white tablets. On the labelled Anti-depressants take two a day. Do not exceed dosage. She noticed that it was almost empty, she slipped it back into the pocket just before Yami came back both with a drink. He had gone back to his thinking to himself as slow music was playing in the background and all the couples were swaying in time to the beats. Téa looked worried, she had noticed that he didn't have the confidence he had before the XTC incident. Being taught the way of an almighty Pharaoh meant that not even the greatest of plagues could knock you down let alone a small white pill that had been slipped into your drink and much as Téa wanted to get him to open up but she never seemed to get the feeling that she was comforting him. She had noticed that they as a group didn't have Yugi to hang out with as much anymore and jealousy and hatred had started to accumulate that this was the reason why Yami was so depressed. He had been forcing himself to avoid Yugi, to avoid the one person that could make him happy and that was what caused the spark of jealousy to develop into hate towards the little guy. For knowing that she couldn't appease Yami as Yugi could.
"Maybe… I don't want to do this anymore"
Téa felt herself being lifted in the air and tossed roughly against the wall as Gabriel glared at her; his piercing ultramarine eyes had turned to a malevolent puce.
"You're in no position to come and go as you please `Princess'" he spat the last word before pulling at her chin in a unyielding grip, his fingers digging painfully into her face and making her stare at the bloodshot eyes. "You were at my disposal the second you accepted my help 5000 years ago of giving you powers of seduction so you could have your precious `Yami'. So far you've been playing your cards right for me not to burn you to ashes and I suggest if you wish to stay that way you do what I tell you. Understand?" Téa closed her eyes and nodded. Gabriel's eyes turned back to blue as he sat back on the high chair whilst Tea was knelt down before him.
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"Not good… his pulse feels weak" Andrin replied whilst Joey was by the child's side pouring through a pile of scrolls on his right. His tanned face had paled considerably since the incident at the ship and all traces of a goofy face and a carefree attitude had longed been washed away. Even his blonde hair had seemed to dull from stress whilst the honey eyes were baggy and tired. The lips that Yami had often always seen curved in a smile was particularly pale and this was what worried him.
"Joey?" Joey acknowledged him with a `hmm' before turning to look up at him. Yami pursed his lips before placing a hand on his forehead. "You're fevers picked up again and it's worse than before"
"I'll be fine Yam' don't worry `bout me"
"You need rest" Andrin butted in.
"I'm fine…" Joey repeated attempting to shake away the numbing dizziness and sleep in his head before staring at the scrolls once more. The text was written in ancient Chinese for which he had thankfully learnt to read from Lao Shen back in Domino. Andrin removed his winter coat and draped it over Joey's shoulders.
"Whatever's happened to Mokuba isn't your fault no matter what Kaiba said… you know that right?" Yami asked uncertainly. He knew Joey would take negative things about himself to heart and he worried of Seto's accusation on him for what had happened a couple hours before. Joey's face was hidden behind the scroll but Yami could consciously see that the blonde was stroking at the ugly bruises that were still on his neck.
"Yeah…" Joey croaked trying to sound convincing. "I'll be ok Yami, you should go see if the others need help" Yami glanced over to Andrin who nodded at him in understanding.
"I'll take care of him if anything happens" he assured and Yami left the room and returned back outside. The room had returned to the nothing but the shuffling of various scrolls after that as Andrin scanned the ancient documents that could hold some sort of cure for the comatose boy on the table. Andrin glanced back at Joey whose eyes were drooping before he shook his head of sleep.
"I can handle this" Joey said grabbing another scroll and scanning through the ancient texts. Andrin was by his side and took him by the shoulders and felt for his head.
"The monastery isn't the warmest of places particularly on a mountain top. At this rate you'll get pneumonia before we're even a fraction into these scrolls. I want to help Mokuba but I also worry for your well being too" Andrin gazed into the honey brown eyes that were now exhausted and dreary. Joey stared weakly back before Andrin pulled him forward onto his good shoulder; Joey shifted a bit to get comfortable. "Tell me, how close are you to Mokuba?"
"Well, actually we don't talk to each other much until recently. He usually hangs out with Yugi and his grandfather"
"Not to be offensive but why you putting your own life at risk for someone you barely know?"
"He's a good kid and he doesn't deserve this besides, I made a promise to someone that I'd take care of him and his brother, despite him being a pain in the posterior"
"Really. Well to me, your will to protect him runs far deeper than a promise" Andrin replied noticing that the blonde was now asleep. "Much deeper" he repeated stroking the blonde hair not noticing a single silver tear run down his face and float away onto the hand of the comatose boy by their side and dim glow seemed to brighten the pale cheek and slowly restoring it to the healthy pink it once was.
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Shrouded in the darkness he could feel the emptiness settle in all around him. Cold tears had streamed freely from his eyes as he laid face up staring at nothing. His breath was steam in the air and the clothes he wore a (A/N: Battle City outfit. He looks geeky in the Duellist kingdom outfit) yellow vest over an aqua and blue sweatshirt and jeans were mangled and dirty. Scratches were all over his arms and legs from a mighty struggle as his biggest wound of two huge puncture marks oozed with a burning yellow pus slime mixed in with traces of blood that swirled with it in a marble affect. A locket of card was held tightly in his grasp of his chest. Mokuba felt himself slipping away as he shivered until the air started to warm up around him and something silvery caught his eye. He focused on that single sight before he started to glow, he squinted to see who it was that descended down to help his broken being and saw great golden wings grazed with red two emerald eyes staring down at him. Before long the wings had morphed into hands as he felt himself being scooped up into the being's arms.
~Who are you? ~ He had wanted to say but his voice was still missing.
|It is not necessary for you to know now little one. Just know that I've been summoned to come and help you| replied the being who was obviously female as she placed a hand upon the wound. The mixture of pus and blood started to boil and evaporate whilst Mokuba bit his lip from the pain. Eventually it subsided as the two large orifices shrunk then closed. The scratches and bruises also melted away, the numbness in his body had disappeared. Mokuba was drawn in close to her where a wonderful warmth had spread throughout his being. He sighed as he snuggled closer for a while as the woman rocked him gently to a light sleep.
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"Mokuba!" Seto cried sitting up on his fur mattress ignoring the pain at the back of his head where Tristan had hit him. He got up off the bed and had nearly fallen over from dizziness if someone hadn't been supporting him. Shaking his head there stood the raven headed boy. Seto's astonishment turned to joy. "Mokuba… you're alright" he whispered hugging him. The boy smiled serenely upon the brunettes shoulder before Seto began again. "I thought I lost you" he pulled back to beam down at his little brother noticing the odd attire he was wearing. The raven headed boy was dressed in a grey and white Chinese tunic decorated with a twisting vine pattern at the edges and a white mandarin collar. Half of the glorious ebony mane was tied tightly into a bun at the top of his head wrapped securely with a ribbon and the rest was layered neatly at the back whilst two stranded stray hairs dangled just by his ears whilst a grey cloak was clipped on at the shoulders.
"Um, nice outfit kiddo" Seto commented but the boy just smiled serenely without saying a word. Seto was now confused. "Mokuba?" he questioned as the 11-year-old touched his forehead with a finger. He gasped as a white light enveloped him. Upon opening his eyes he found himself standing amidst a woodland area where a cottage was nearby. He noticed three figures next to him one being as he recognised as Princess Ling, himself as Seth and Katsuya. Hate flared inside him again and he wanted to lunge forward at him but he seemed to go right through Katsuya.
"Seth!!!" a familiar voice shouted as Seto saw his past self turn to see Yami, Bakura, Ishtar and what looked like Ryou and Malik run towards him. A girl with violet eyes and tri coloured hair like Yami was also travelling with them.
"Atemu!!!" he heard himself cry joyously. Confused of why he couldn't control his movements he merely went a long with it.
"Thank the Gods you're alive," Yami had said to him as the two of them embraced. Seto had noticed that this was merely a re-enactment of a certain event in his past life as the soon to be High Priest Seth as he listened to the conversation between himself as Seth to Atemu as Yami had once been called. They had been exchanging their adventures when they were separated on the journey towards the Forbidden City. They had introduced their companions with to each other and found out the girl beside Atemu was Yin.
"So where will you be going now?" Seth asked Atemu. Atemu smiled but dropped it noticing Yin was poking her head between the two of them. Atemu turned red.
"DO YOU KNOW WHAT `PRIVACY' MEANS!?!?!" Atemu yelled at her. Yin cocked her head confused and followed Atemu who was backing away. He grabbed her by the shoulders and glared down at her. "LOOK!!! Look… just stay here for a bit whilst I go over there alright?" Atemu compromised which she nodded bemusedly before Atemu marched off grabbing Seth and stomping off to a secluded spot. Seto was obviously confused as Seth was at the tri coloured prince's outburst. "Seriously she's driving me crazy!!!" Atemu hyperventilated.
"What's wrong with her?" Atemu glanced to check that Yin wasn't coming his way.
"She. Is. A. Shadow!!!! Everywhere I go she's following me. Even when I go to bed, get changed. EVERYWHERE!!!!!!" Seth cocked his head to one side whilst Seto was laughing though neither of them could hear him.
"Well that's their way of life. My father told me about it. It's their way of showing courtesy to a royal visitor" Seth explained. Atemu narrowed his eyes.
"When I mean `everywhere' I mean everywhere" Seth raised an incredulous eyebrow.
"Even the little pharaoh's room?" Atemu rolled his eyes.
"Yes" Seth coughed apologetically. "Can't I tell her to follow you for a while?"
"Well, I wouldn't mind you trading with Mr `don't talk to me I'm hibernating' Katsuya" Seth pouted. Atemu looked over at the blonde general.
"Him? Really? I thought he was really cool with that dragon attack he pulled on that guy!!!" Atemu remarked bouncing on his feet.
"Anyway the Chinese emissary informed me that my new friends would escort me to the Forbidden Palace and meet up with my father, you can come with us" Seth smiled at the soon to be pharaoh though in truth he kind of wanted to go back home.
"If that is the case I think we should bid each other farewell High Priest" Katsuya butted in. Atemu giggled.
"He's not a high priest yet although he likes to think he is" he chuckled making Seth pout and a shade of pink come over his face. "So you're not coming with us?"
"Unfortunately no your Highness. Ling and I will be heading south, we have business to attend to" Katsuya bowed gracefully towards the prince before he went to pack. Seth bit his lip before ran after him.
"WAIT!!!! You'll be passing by Egypt?"
"Possibly" Katsuya replied. Seth glanced back at the tri coloured prince, he frowned at the blonde before he spoke.
"Sorry cousin but, I really want to go back home," Seth said. Atemu smiled defeated.
"Alright, but if I die from boredom because I've got no one good enough to play my Shadow games with it's your fault" Seth smiled as the two groups parted their ways. The images skipped as the journey had led them to a port with which Katsuya had bought a boat to sail cross Mediterranean Sea. Seth was busy pulling at the sails when Katsuya was behind him and stuffed cloth inside he's ears. He ripped them off and shouted at the blonde.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!!!"
"Cover your ears High Priest, we're reaching treacherous waters and strange voices accompany it"
"If you want to live you'll put them in" Katsuya growled shoving the bits of cloth to him. Seth narrowed his eyes at the general who returned to steering the ship whilst Ling returned to her cabin and indeed a storm had been aroused and it tossed three sailors about. Upon doing so Seth the make shift earplugs had been knocked out and as the weather calmed all was serene. Seth wondered why he was to cover his ears when a strange melody in the distance enraptured around his mind. A watery music that he desired to go closer to it. He found however that the ship was sailing away from it and staggered towards the one steering who happened to be Ling and pushed her out of the way before turning the boat around. Ling was on the floor unconscious.
"HIGH PRIEST!!!!" Katsuya shouted shoving Seth out off the wheel and turning it back as he could away from the dreaded rocks that threatened to sink their ship. "HIGH PRIEST!!!! SETH!!!! STAY WHERE YOU ARE!!!!" Katsuya bellowed stuck steering the wheel. Before long a watery translucent figure emerged beside the boat the music became louder than ever. A watery hand stroked against the brunettes skin he stood teetering at the edge of the banister when a voice cut through his dream like state. A song pierced past the watery music and reached deeply in the corner of his mind, bringing him out of his trance.
"Na hosi hwang… Na ju san jah… ee shi-air… Na hosi hwang… Na ju hei… eeyeah… Fwung ju sun di jeh hei yee sheir… bu yang ju yer… hei yer hei yer… hung kwa… ji yoshi jeh… eejiyeah…"
Realising where he was standing he nearly slipped had not someone had caught his hand. He turned to see a young boy just hovering two tiny hands holding tightly to his own and bringing back to the safety of the boat. His raven hair and grey eyes sparkled as he smiled at the brunette. Seth blinked a good few times as an ethereal voice repeated the song through the child's unmoving lips.
"Na hosi hwang… Na ju san jah… ee shi-air… Na hosi hwang… Na ju hei… eeyeah… Fwung ju sun di jeh hei yee sheir… bu yang ju yer… hei yer hei yer… hung kwa… ji yoshi jeh… eejiyeah…"
The little boy smiled and hugged the brunette before he disappeared. Seth bemused glanced up towards Katsuya who looked just as shocked as he took deep breaths.
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Seto woke up as he looked at his surroundings.
"Mokuba?" he asked the darkness as he slipped off the bed and stumbled out of it. He was back in the room once more. Seto shook his head from the strange vision of seeing Mokuba suddenly appear to save him. He leaned against the study table before noticing a portrait painting staring up at him. It looked just like Mokuba except for the clothing but it was him. Seto rolled up the painting and gripped it tightly staring at it intently for anything that could prove it wrong. It was Mokuba. Seto's breathing became shallow and quick before he rushed out of the room carrying the painting in his hand. Yami noticed Seto had just woken and immediately went to confront him.
"Where is he?" he demanded.
"In that chamber. Andrin and Joey are-" Seto's eyes widened as the murderous look appeared back on his face as he stormed back in before Yami could finish.
"Kaiba!!!" Yami cried hurrying after him to protect Joey. Andrin saw the brunette and shielding the blonde with his body to take the brunt of the CEO's blow.
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|It's time for you to wake up now| the being said. Mokuba opened his eyes fully healed but he snuggled to the warmth.
|I'm afraid you must little one|
~I want to stay with you~ the being smiled stroking the raven hair.
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Seto stared at Mokuba for a bit before turning to glare at the sleeping blonde. Serenity had ran into protect her big brother, as did Yami.
"Don't hurt him. He's not Katsuya. He didn't do anything to you!!!" Serenity cried whilst hugging her brother. The fever was higher than ever.
"Move out of the way" Seto hissed.
"Kaiba, Joey is sick yet he was tirelessly trying to find a way to help Mokuba" Yami explained.
"Help? Oh right help…" he glared at the ex-pharaoh. "I am not a fool like you are Yami. Any of you. I can see his tricks now and he's not going to play with me anymore"
"YOU TAKE ONE STEP FURTHER SETO KAIBA AND I'LL BANISH YOU TO THE SHADOW REALM SO HELP I WILL!!!" Yami bellowed defiantly.
"All he tells us is lies"
"Have you gone insane!?!?!?" was the long string of arguments that roused the small raven headed boy.
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"Have you gone insane!?!?!?" Mokuba heard Yami yell in the distance.
|You're brother needs you much more than could ever had realised, you need to be by his side, his anchor, his strength|
|I know you can| the woman whispered.
~I'll miss you~ Mokuba said in his mind cuddling close to the being. She felt so warm and comforting, her embrace was so distantly familiar like a childhood memory. Like a mother to a child.
|We'll meet again someday… now we must go…|
With that the place turned white as Mokuba felt the embracing arms leave his side.
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There was a huge tension as Yami was holding his ground for the blonde lying ill with fever whilst Seto growled, the hate pulsating when there was small cough next to them. Everyone turned to see the raven headed boy shift as his eyes fluttered open.
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Deep in the caverns beneath the monastery. Katsuya threw a threat.
"I THOUGHT YOU SAID THE BRAT WOULD BE GAURANTEED TO BE DEAD!!!"
"He ssshould have been but I guesssss there can be glitchesss" Katsuya growled.
"We're going have to work fast then"
"I'm already ahead of you" Khan replied as he slithered out of the cave.
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Sam: I think I'll stop there. I kind of got the feeling of myself going off the depend with tension but hey I'm no professional writer got that!?!?!? I MEAN I DON'T EVEN GET PAID FOR THIS!!!!
