Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Children of Destiny ❯ Many Promises ( Chapter 7 )

Many Promises

LS: Madyamisam does not own Yu-gi-oh… She does however own all the baddies, Tenshi and some others…

Sam: I've decided to put a lime in here. I'll put a full lemon in future chapters if you think the lime is readable material but be kind if it isn't… I've only touched lime and lemon scenes once with a vague description but nothing too graphic so bare with me…

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Malik, Bakura and Ishtar slammed their bodies against the door whilst Isis flicked through every spell she could find to breaking the magic seal held on it.

"I've tried every spell I can think of…" Isis said with frustration.

"We can't just let them deal with the psycho billionnaire alone…" Malik cried.

"Joey?" The group turned to find that Serenity and the others had all awoken from the commotion.

"What's going on Yami?" Ryou asked sleepily to Bakura who embraced his hikari protectively.

"Where's Joey?" Serenity asked the group who looked down at the floor refusing to meet her eyes. Isis finally sighed and explained the situation to the rest of the group whos stood in stunned silence whilst Serenity covered her mouth in horror. She slapped her hands on the door.

"JOEY!!!! JOEY!!!" she screamed before wrenching at the door pulling at it. "LET MY BROTHER GO!!!!!"

"Let it be…" a voice whispered. Serenity turned to see who spoke. Yugi looked among them… "No spell or physical solution can break this magic seal from here. The only people who can exorcise the presence holding over this room are the ones that are inside" Yugi explained staring blankly at the door.

"But what if they fail" Pegasus interjected.

"Have faith…" Yugi said as he stared at the one eyed hippy… (A/N: Hehehe) "All of you…"

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Joey trudged his way in the twisted streets of Kaiba's version of Domino City muttering curses about the young CEO. "Stupid, freaky, rich ass, stubborn, arrogant, deluded, curtain coat, conceited Kaiba… making me put my ass on the line in this freaky, stupid, demented, twisted, insane, ugly, deluded, dimension…" he mumbled just enough for Yami and Mokuba `not' to hear.

`All this wondering isn't gonna get us anywhere…' Mokuba cried.

"Yeah… let me rest here and think this out first…" He sat down on the floor after walking to be what seemed like ages. Leaning against a twisted tree he wondered. `This place is so weird… I swear I am never `ever' volunteering to get involved with Seto Kaiba ever again' (A/N: IRONY!!!! I ACHIEVED IRONY!!!!)

`Perhaps you should see if he's at a place where he's frequently at, like KaibaCorp or school' Yami suggested.

"I checked them both. Can't find him anywhere. I tink I saw you or maybe Yugi when I past the game shop though… can't really tell since the face looks like it's been in a tumble dryer…" Joey sighed rubbing his temples before he looked up at the crowd passing him by. Among the bustle of a `rush hour' of what it seemed he saw a boy of six or seven standing some distance staring at him, forgotton as if everyone else did not see him. . `That's strange… that kid looks normal compared to all these other twisted folks' Joey mused. The little boy merely stared at Joey with wide, innocent yet intelligent cobalt eyes shadowed by a the fringe of a mop of brown hair. He wore a blue jumper over a yellow shirt and some navy blue jeans. Joey squinted trying to get a better look at the young boy whilst advancing toward him. As he drew close, he could see the uncanny resemblence. "Is that… Kaiba?" Joey mused as he walked towards the young boy.

`Maybe…' he heard Yami muse over the same thing. Joey approached Little Seto carefully. The child drew back, his eyes suddenly shaped by fear before he bolted through the traffic of the twisted reality.

"HEY WAIT!!!" Joey cried as he ran after him. Dark alleyways twisted and turned as Joey tried to catch the little boy. "KAIBA COME BA-WHOA!!!!" he yelped as he tried to skidded to a halt but to no avail as he ran over a cliff that appeared. He hung clinging by his fingers to the cliffside whilst staring down at a raging sea crashing against the rocks below. Scrambling for a foot hold on the cliff side he panted heavily as the young boy appeared above him. He stared up at the wide eyes and gave a painful smiled whilst hanging on. "Er… help me… please?" he struggled to hold on as he tried to claw his way back. Little Seto merely stared with fright as he backed away… "Hey! HEY!!!!" Joey screamed as the child moved away and turn to run leaving him to slip to his doom. The child ran past a quivering bush as he felt claws wrap around his small waist. Joey heard the little boy scream as a struggle took place above. Gritting his teeth until the coppery taste of blood wetted his parched lips he clawed his way back up to see what was going on. There little Seto struggled and writhed as a serpent man dressed in armour held him by his stomach with a huge sadistic grin plastered across his scaly face. Little Seto cried as he pounded his little fists at the metal chest plate the embrace, which became tighter like a vice clamped around him. "STOP PICKIN' ON HALF PINTS YA SCALY FREAK HOUSE!!!! PICK ON SOMEONE YOUR OWN SIZE" the serpent man ignored the insult and tossed the struggling Seto over his shoulder. Tears ran down the little ones face as he stared at Joey still struggling to hold on. "HEY!!! HEY!!!! I'M TALKIN' TO YOU, YOU MUTATED SNAKE!!!! YOU JUST WAIT UNTIL I GET MYSELF OUTTA THIS MESS AND I'LL THRASH YOUR REPTILIAN HIDE!!!!" he yelled as he clawed on whilst staring back with a reassuring gaze towards the little boy. `I'll save you… somehow…' Joey scrambled until his foot caught hold of small ledge with that he pushed himself up and over onto the safety of the cliffside. When he finally got over though, the serpent man and the chibi version of Seto were gone.

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Seto once again tried to writhe out for the hundreth time all night but the being held to him fast coiling around him in a scaly embrace. The creature though shadowed stared at Seto with green eyes glowering with amusement at his struggles as he once again tired himself out. "Hmmm… still as feisty as ever… so beautiful and strong this body…" the being whispered seductively as a forked tongue skillfully peeled away the shirt that Seto was wearing exposing a creamy white athletic chest. Seto shivered before he burst out with another attempt to escape whilst the being chuckled. "Now, now… you'll enjoy this… I promise that" he cooed as a forked tongue licked slithered from the shadows at the pale flesh causing Seto to shudder uncontrollably. The coils began to unravel as the being loosened his grip on Seto. Seeing a chance to run Seto dashed away only to be grabbed by vine like restraints that threw him onto something soft.

*****ICKY BIT!!! KIDDIES THAT ARE READING… GO TO BED!!!!*****

A body pressed up against him as a slick and slimy forked tongue once again licked at his chest leaving a wet trail from the torso to the belt of his trousers. Seto shivered uncontrollably whilst the vines started to dig into his wrists as he tried wriggle his arms free of them. The flexible tongue rolled upon a nipple making him gasp. A groan came from the demon's lips as he made work on it sucking and swirling around the nub hardening it. Seto gritted his teeth tightly in hopes that pain would counteract the pleasure. Panting hard over the shadowing presence looming over him and the scaly body rubbing against his inner thighs. Perspiration dotted all over Seto's forehead but he didn't made a sound. "Stop torturing yourself and let it overwhelm you… It's the only thing you can do now…" the creature said as a scaly body coiled around Seto's torso and over his shoulder.

"No…" Seto hissed feverishly. The demon chuckled as the forked tongue glided down Seto's body past the mutilated nipples and his naval towards his trousers, which were peeled away revealing his precious hardened member. A chuckle echoed from the demon."Your body is more honest than you Kaiba, I can tell that you want more" Seto gasped as the slick tongue wrapped itself around his member. Eyes wide with shock of the overwhelming sensation of the rough, wet tongue running along it in a wonderful friction. He finally cracked and groaned loudly as the tongue suckled gently upon his member being ever so subtle as if waiting for Seto's compliance to advance to the next level. Seto thrashed his head as he finally gave in thrusting his hips upwards to meet with the friction. A fiery flare burned in the flourescent eyes "Hmmhmmhmm… Yes…" After that the snake like creature wrapped his tongue tighter as Seto let out a silent scream. His whole body twitched as the the slick muscle suddenly disappeared into a mouth enclosing Seto's member. The mouth appeared to pinch over it hard

"OH GOD!!!" Seto screamed as he threw his head back letting out a tortured cry as he reached the pinnacle of his pleasure. Exhaustion settled in quickly as the serpentine creature licked off the creamy cum from his scaly lips before smiling lustfully at a dazed Seto who lay limp within in coils.

*******OK KIDDIES THIS IS WHERE WE LEFT OFF*****

He coiled around him before gazing out to the distance of his lair and at the blond youth who had managed to pull himself up off the ledge.

"Hmm… it appears someone wants to come and save you young High Priest… It looks like it's that handsome blond that you so love to tease" the creature said intrigued as Joey trudged along the muddy paths of Seto's mind. `The puppy?'

"Yes the puppy… Kaiba… that insolent brat that tried to interfere with us. I need to watch that boy closely, I sense his much more than what you make him out to be"

A serpent soldier marched towards him and hissed at his master. "Ssssaaarrr ssshhhhe ssseeennnnssssiiiii" the serpent man hissed in a language that Seto couldn't understand.

"Just kill him… He's the last of my worries" was the reply as his master turned to gaze back at Joey's journey. "Hmm… You've humilated this boy in your past Seto… Remember?" the creature whispered as memories resurfaced in Seto's mind.

**********FLASHBACK*********

"I'm going after Pegasus to rescue my brother… not so I can win some silly prize. Have fun with your tournament…" Kaiba sneered as he walked away from the group towards Pegasus's castle. Joey could feel the anger boiling inside him as he watched the young CEO walk away.

"That snobby little…" he growled as he ran after him and grabbed his shirt. "Hey listen tough guy. I can understand you wanting to get your little brother back and all, but don't go thinking that you're the only with a noble cause capish? We've all got something worth fighting for so if you want a piece of Pegasus get in line or deal with me. That's right hotshot I'm not afraid of you"

"Nice grip…" Kaiba remarked sarcastically as he grasped one of Joey's wrists. "Now let me show you mine". He tightened his grip painfully around Joey who cried out in pain then he threw him aside face first into the dirt.

******END FLASHBACK********

"I enjoyed watching that memory…" the serpent remarked. "You treated him like trash… yet somehow he's still willing to rescue you… like the good loyal puppy you always called him… How ironic…" Seto tried to ignore that fact and concentrate in trying to get out before Joey get's killed. It wasn't like he was going to make friends with the blond but nobody should die on his account. "Now let's see… what should I send?" the shadowed creature mused as he's flourescent green eyes lit up… "Ah… this one looks interesting…" he said as he delicately plucked up a duel monsters card by two claws. Seto gazed at the picture and he glared at his captor who released the creature on the card with his powers. A green aura surrounded the card and then disappeared, the picture of the card blank as the duel monster was sent away to deal with Joey…

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Sweating under the sweltering heat of the unreal world of Seto's mind, Joey had lost all sights of the twisted Domino City that he had ran from and found himself in a forest much like that of the game simulation that Kaiba had been developing he had once encountered a while back. There was no way for him to be able to find Chibi Seto and he had gone back to meandering across the land.

"Yo, Mokuba… don't mean to be offensive or anythin'… but your brother desperately needs a social life…" he commented as he went a long.

`… I know… I try sometimes to set him up with someone but it never seems to get him to lighten up a bit…'

Then there was silence as Joey travelled on entering the darker part of the forest. A slight breeze rustled within the canopy of the trees as his senses sharpened to the point of being able to hear even a single pin fall. He stood still with his card indicator set ready for him to draw his card. His pupils dilated as the smell of his sweat and the musty simulated earth wafted around his nose. A snap of a twig made him jerk into the direction of a clearing where it was shadowed with the cover of darkness. Joey drew out his first card…

"I was wonderin' when that ghost was gonna send Uncle Joey a surprise…" he growled at the clearing. Eyes glared at him among the bushes as Seto's captor watched in amusement whilst Seto willed for the beast to go away before it attacked Joey. A burst of sound came from behind Joey who turned around sharply. He placed 2 cards from his deck on his recogniser for it to activate.

"FLAME SWORDSMAN!!! ATTACK MODE!!!" Joey looked up to see what he was facing "YOU AGAIN!?!?!" Joey yelled as a Battle Ox towered above him. Seto bit his lip. He remembered how Joey was creamed the last time he faced his Battle Ox. The huge duel monster went on the attack and be the first to take a chunk of Joey's precious life points.

"Activate TRAP HOLE!!!!" Joey yelled. With that Battle Ox disappeared down a hole that materialised beneath it."Phew… Trap Hole traps destroys any mnster with attack points over 1000 so go eat some dirt in there bull face. Flame Swordsman return…" he called back as the Flame Swordman dematerialised back into his respective card.

`WAY TO GO JOEY!!!' Mokuba yelled down to him. Joey however felt a little unsure of all this.

"Uh… Yami?"

`What is it?'

"Call it coincidence or paranoia if you like but if that bad demon dude can control Kaiba's mind does that include memories? If he does then he'll know all about my last duel with Kaiba…" Joey commented.

`Yeah… I get what you mean… that seemed a little bit too easy, it's like his testing you out'

"Bingo… I mean it's either that or he must be really stupid to think that I'd make the same mistake twice" Joey sighed as he walked out into a clearing in the dense forest.

The demon sniggered. "That's right puppy… I just want to see how formidible you really are as an opponent. `Moneybags' can be a little bit opionated at times from what I see in his memories" Seto growled as he vainly tried again to writhe out of his restraints. "Now let's get a bit more serious" the demon hissed as he drew two other cards.

A ear piercing schreech echoed across the dark as a gust of wind picked up making Joey's green jacket flail like a cape whilst his silky gold tresses flew in all directions. He squinted raising his arms to defend his eyes against the storm of dust that was carried along with the wind. Joey blinked once. Twice as he thought he could see glints of metal raining all around him. A sudden slice of cloth and flesh was heard long before Joey felt the burning pain across his arm. "ARGH!!!" he yelped as he looked at his arm when pain shot at his leg making him kneel to the ground. Blood seeped through his clothes. He peered around as saw knives pinned upon the earth around him as another schreech echoed against the darkness.

`JOEY!!!' Yami yelled.

"Relax… I'm fine…" Joey replied gritting his teeth as he stood up to duck another shower of blades. There was a trail of red running down his arm and dripped agonisingly from his fingers. He went to draw a card as the wind stopped and swooped to face him. A red bird towered above and schreeching down at Joey.

`That's the Red Skull Bird. It swoops down on it's opponents whilst firing a rain of knives from it's wings' Mokuba stated.

"I got carved… by a red turkey?" Joey retorted with wide eyes. `I'm never gonna look at Thanksgiving the same way again…'. He thought as he drew out a card and looked at it. "Well, two can play at that game. I play PEACOCK!!!" (A/N: No I did not make it up. I have one in `my' deck). A large peacock materialised and launched it's beautiful tail feathers at the Red Skull Bird whilst the Red Skull Bird launched it's own deadly knives. There was a wave of various blades flying at each other as the two fowls battled. The Red Skull Bird was destroyed leaving the Peacock cry triumphantly. The cry was short lived as another monster appeared on the attack. Swordstalker.

"WHOA!!!" Joey yelped withdrawing his Peacock back to his hand whilst sending out his next monster as Dark Magician. "DARK MAGIC ATTACK!!!" he yelled as Dark Magician let out his attack from his staff. "This place is officially freaking me out. I'm getting out of here" Joey withdrew Dark Magician back into his hand. He noticed a path where the Red Skull Bird had blocked led to back out to an opening. He ran towards it eager to be out of the woods and found himself at a town he didn't recognise. This time the faces weren't twisted but were actual people that Seto had met. Before him stood a house with a pretty patio at the front. He could hear Mokuba gasp. "What? What are we looking at?"

`That's… that's our old house…' Mokuba whispered.

`What do you mean? I always thought that Kaiba mansion was your home' Yami said.

`Uh, uh…' Mokuba replied `Seto and I were… we were adopted by Mr Kaiba. That house you see right now… that was where our real family use to be. It was before everything… KaibaCorp… the orphanage…. It was the time when mom and dad was still around… Sometimes I just wonder… if mom and dad didn't die in that accident then maybe… just maybe Seto wouldn't have ended up being this way… having to be responsible for everything… having to fight for the both of us…'

Joey stared at the pretty house taking in Mokuba's explanation. It wasn't grand like the Kaiba mansion but it wasn't shabby like the old apartment he used to live with his dad. He turned his gaze to the letter box. Yamagi. He could feel a sense of distant warmth from this house with which brought him to a new persepective on the cold CEO Kaiba that he knew. That at least once in his life… Kaiba was just like any other kid. He stared at the house and the patio, analysing every inch of it, every crack, every fender. He found the place was unlocked as he stepped into the house. Empty. The house seemed like an old lonely lady, the wooden wrinkles ran along the panels of the doors as wisps of cobweb hair hung around within the caverns. The musty dry dust blew gently across the ageing tables and chairs in the dining room. The ageing and misery had consumed all colour from the house yet she still held distant memories of the happy family that lived here. The old lady was longing for comfort and seemed to brighten with Joey's presence. Joey knew though he could never stay here to comfort the old lady for her loss of the beloved family that lived with her but he knew someone that could. With renewed determination he went out gazing back at the old house who seemed to smile back with hopeful expectation bidding farewell to him as he left.

`Joey, what are you doing?' Yami demanded.

"Heading for a little side track…"

`But you promised you'd save my brother!!!' Mokuba complained.

"I know… but I just have to do this… Trust me…" He could hear the frustration emitting around him. Mokuba was clearly not happy.

`You're looking for the little one aren't you?' Yami stated. Joey nodded as he ran on. `You know where he is?'

"Sort of…" Joey replied feeling a change take over him. New senses manifested as Joey felt them guide him through the town. He walked around the foreign district turning and twisting in different directions as he went.

A serpent soldier rushed towards his serpent master and hissed urgently to him. "How could you let him get this far!?!?" the demon hissed back at his servant. The serpent soldier bowed his head in shame and hissed in the snake language that Seto couldn't understand. "SILENCE!!!!" the master shrieked. "This boy clearly marks himself as a worthy foe. I've underestimated him greatly…" he glared down at Seto who smirked smugly back at him. "It appears young Wheeler wants to rescue your innocence Seto… but let's see how he fairs with this…" he held three more cards showing them to Seto, who paled at the sight. Fluorescent green eyes flared again maniacally with a sense of triumph as he sent the monsters on their way.

Joey had noticed a particular area that felt out of place in the peaceful town. An old abandoned broken down warehouse that was grey and putrid compared with the bright and freshness of the town around him. He headed that way and found a horrific site. Hundreds of serpent men in black cloaks stood in a huge crowd in the warehouse as if they were in some sort of ceremony. His eyes widened as two brought out a small struggling figure who screamed and cried as they tied him down. Joey's eyes narrowed as he drew out another card. Little Seto stared with wide frightened eyes with tears flowing freely down his face as the serpent man drew out a long snake knife like the one that the demon had attacked Joey with. A schreech rumbled in the warehouse as the army of snake men looked up at Curse of Dragon swooping down along with Peacock firing at them with ferocity. The serpent men scattered trying to avoid the two duel monsters when were struck down by a huge dark force. Dark Magician stood with his arms crossed as his attack devastated the army. Chibi Seto twisted his head to see the action with confusion in his eyes. He gasped as the blonde boy popped up in front of him and shook slightly.

"You'll be ok… I'll just untie you…" A blade struck and narrowly missed him as the leader of the ceremony grabbed the little chibi again and ran through the doors of the warehouse. Joey ran after him.

"HELP!!!" he heard Chibi Seto scream. He burst through the door seeing Chibi Seto stared at him fearfully behind bars of a small cage. The leader of the ceremony leapt in the air with a katana as he rolled to the side and flipped himself up. Joey dodged and turned in a deadly dance in avoiding the blade of the katana when he twisted and made the serpent man impale himself on his own sword. He grabbed the key and went to unlock the cage.

`JOEY WAIT!!!' Yami yelled. He stopped.

"What?"

`LOOK AHEAD!!!' Yami warned and he did so. Joey's eyes widened as he saw hundreds of other Chibi Setos pleading with the same thing. `This could be a trap…' Joey closed his eyes in thought but he was disrupted by all the pleads.

"I'm the real Seto Kaiba!!!" yelled one.

"NO JOEY I AM!!!" yelled another. Joey ignored them and concentrated. He came across one small voice.

"Please… help me…"

`That's gotta be him… he's different from everyone else' Joey thought as he went to unlock the cage."Hey…" Chibi Seto smiled greatfully… "I'll get you out of here in a sec…" Joey said smiling.

"Thank you so much Joey" the boy replied. Joey's smile dropped as the little boy stared confused. He stared suspiciously at the young chibi as he thought about it.

"What's your name?" he asked. The boy smiled.

"Seto Kaiba" he answered proudly. Joey backed away as the timid boy stared then suddenly turned his face into a snarl and banging at the cage. Joey backed away and carried on searching ignoring the snarls of the fake Setos when he noticed one cage where the child didn't call out for help. He was just huddled close to himself shaking with fear. Joey gazed at him as the chibi came closer to see him clearly wrapping his tiny fingers around his bars whilst staring at Joey's brown eyes with his blue ones. Joey stared at him sternly.

"What's your name?"

"S-Seto… Y-Yamagi" the little boy stuttered. "W-Who are you?" he asked whimpering a little. Joey smiled.

"A friend… Come on" he replied as he released the chibi who wrapped his small arms around Joey. The others then started to burn screaming in agony before disappearing in explosions of ash.

Joey helped Chibi Seto onto Curse of Dragon as they took flight leaving the serpent men hissing angrily at them.

"Where we going?" the little one queried.

"Home…" Chibi Seto blinked and a huge grin spread across his face.

"Home…? I'm finally going home?" he whispered.

"Yeah…"

"Really…?" Joey looked down at him.

"Really…" Joey was a little confused and frowned. "How long have you've been… lost?"

"I don't know… It's been a long time though… Mama and Papa dropped me off at school… but then afterwards… I couldn't find my way home…" Joey looked ahead. `Kaiba in Wonderland'. Chibi Seto drew in closer to Joey fearing of falling off. Flying high Chibi Seto gazed upon the floor down below with wonder in his eyes and looked up at Joey. He smiled as he leaned back resting his head on the teen's chest. Joey ordered the dragon to land as a spark of joy filled the little one's face. He gingerly slipped off the dragon but as soon as he's feet touched the ground, he made a mad dash towards the doors of the old lady, which seemed to suddenly burst into life compared to before where the house was derelict with nothing but memories. The little chibi bounded flinging open the gate towards the house.

"MAMA!!! PAPA!! MOKUBA!!!" he yelled and as if in answer Joey saw movement stir within the old lady as the door opened revealing a young woman in her twenties with curly black locks like that of Mokuba stared through with hopeful anticipation. Her eyes were puffy red from crying as she looked out towards the patio. She gasped and wrenched the door open to see clearly as her the chibi ran to her.

"SETO!!!" she screamed as she ran and embraced the little one rubbing her face in his brown hair. "Oh my little baby…" she pulled back to gaze at her son. "JONATHAN!!!" she yelled back at the house as a toddler awkardly staggered on his chubby feet to the patio door. There was thundering of footsteps as a man appeared with brown hair and cerulean eyes and a neat brown moustache. He looked like the older Seto but his face was much more kinder and his eyes were warm opposed to the icy chill of the teenage boy genius. He stared wide eyed at his eldest son that had been found and returned to them. He grabbed the baby Mokuba and ran to the little boy who would be known when he grew up as the cold Seto Kaiba, CEO of the massive business corporation, KaibaCorp.

"Son…" the man whispered as he placed a hand on the chibi's head and touching his face as if not believing what he saw. Mrs Yamagi took Mokuba in her arms as her husband brought the little to an embrace himself whilst baby Mokuba gurgled happily crying `Eto, `eto…'.Mrs Yamagi looked up with tears of joy in her eyes.

"You brought him back…" she whispered. "… thank you so much…" Joey smiled back.

"You're welcome ma'am…" he replied whilst smiling happily for the wonderful reunion. He rested himself in the house whilst Mrs Yamagi brought out some cookies she had made. Joey watched Chibi Seto play with Mokuba contendedly and was lost in his own thoughts.

**********JOEY'S POV*********

Gee… must've been really hard for moneybags when his parents died if he turned from this cute kid into such an asshole. "Where are you from Joey?" Mrs Yamagi was talkin' ta me… she's cool… kinda like mom, which is another disturbing concept. I never ever thought that Kaiba's background had so many similarities to mine.

"Domino City ma'am" Course my parents didn't die but since the divorce they never treat ya the same way despite what they tell ya. Dad would beat the shit out of me every chance he got especially after a good booze night… I'm still kinda of amazed how he managed to keep his job. Mom never really called me. So… in other words, I became really distant with the family well except for my sister. In a way you could say that my parents did die, in the heart if ya know what I'm sayin'. Everythin' just went wrong and I hated myself `cos I couldn't do anythin' about it. Things got worse for Serenity as her sight was slipping away every day… I went astray myself by joining the gang, that was until Yugi and his Yami stepped in. Yeah… I feel guilty bout it… especially after using the mugged money I got from some poor guy to spend it on my new apartment. I had turned 16 last year so I could move out away from Dad. I visited now and then and everytime I was greeted with a punch in the face. Things were difficult for a while and my grades at school hit rock bottom. Luckily my friends were around to help out and I'm actually getting a B+ or two nowadays. Heh… guess I'm not as dumb as people think I am.

"Hmm… haven't heard of anybody that had gone there that came from this town…"

"I'm just… passing by… I'm looking for someone…" I said to her. Yeah your son, only his older by 10 years. I feel a tug on my sleeve from one of the little squirts next to me. "Hmm…?"

"Come play with me… Mokuba's asleep" Chibi Kaiba chirped at me… though I can't really call him Kaiba seeing as he's still with his mom and dad. Chibi Kaiba's has really warmed up to me real quick even by kid standards. Just earlier he was making me look for him in a wild goose chase now in a blink of an eye he's dragging me everywhere like a puppy dog…

Damn…

I've just insulted myself. Well I suppose it don't matter anyway. Chibi Kaiba ain't a bastard like his older self so I might as well just think of him as some other kid plus Baby Mokuba was still just saying goo, goo, ga, ga to me soo… not much of a conversation there. Anyway we went out to the back garden, which I hadn't got around to exploring last time and I have to say this… WOW!!! Cherry blossom trees, bluebells… orchids, gerniums. Hell, every single plant in existence was probably here. There's a swing by a willow tree just ahead and I kinda pushed Chibi Kaiba for a bit before we played a little chase before settling down. Near the willow was this other tree… Can't remember what it was but I knew a little secret it had. I plucked a leaf from the tree and sat back down.

"Check this out…" I say to the little blue eyed boy as I put the leaf to my lips and started blowing down some tiny holes in it like a panpipe. The little tiny notes made a great echo and the music sounded as if it was comin' from a tiny wooden flute.

"Whoa… I didn't know you could do that…" the little squirt stared at me with wide eyes.

"My sister Serenity was in hospital… she was having trouble with her eyesight… Anyway… the doctors told us that she could go blind in the next few years"

"Oh that's terrible"

"Yeah… it was… she was really upset, she wouldn't eat, wouldn't drink, wouldn't talk. I didn't know what to do to cheer her up" Chibi Kaiba looked sympathetic… wow… and I thought after all I've been through nothing could surprise me… "That was until one day… a nurse came in to check on her… outside the window there was a tree standing there just like that one… the branches just reaching past the window. Anyway… the nurse plucked a leaf from the tree and started playing that song to my little sister. It made her smile for the first time in months. I begged the nurse to show me how to play it and from that day on… Serenity never let her eyesight get her down ever again…" I never really got to thank that nurse. I did try to look for her but she just seemed to disappear. None of her colleagues even knew she existed. Buncha bakas. Chibi Kaiba smiled happily before he took the leaf out of my hands.

"I'll try it…" he says… and ends up blowing a raspberry and getthg the leaf all wet with his spit. Wehey!!! I can do something that rich boy can't!!! I pluck two more leaves and passed one to him.

"Try to be more gentle…" I said to him as I played the music. Chibi Kaiba try to copy… but let's face it he was crap… He kinda pouted cutely. "Don't worry… you'll get it someday…" I said as I got up.

********NORMAL POV*******

Joey sighed heavy heartedly, but he knew he still had a job to do. "I've gotta go now," he said to the family and turned to leave when something caught his arm holding him back.

"Please stay…" the tiny voice whispered. He turned to see Chibi Seto gripping his hand with both his tiny ones and staring at him with pleading eyes.

"… I can't…" he whispered back as he knelt down so he was level to the child. "You take of yourself and your little brother huh?" Sorrow and hurt of the departure replaced the hope in the boy's eyes, of which Joey never thought in his life he would see from `Seto Kaiba'. The chibi went to try again when his father interrupted.

"Son… the young man has other pressing matters…" Mr Yamagi scowled gently. He knelt down. "Go back to the house with your mom…" Chibi Seto stared at his father before he turned his gaze to the floor in defeat. He walked with his Mrs Yamagi and Mokuba in her arms back to the house. Seto stopped briefly to gaze back at his blonde saviour sadly before he disappeared closing the door behind him. In turn the house faded away leaving nothing but an empty space to where it had been. The two men stood in silence for a few moments when Mr Yamagi spoke. "Thank you again for helping my son"

"Ah… it was nothing" Joey replied scratching the back of his head honestly.

"No Joey, it was everything…" Joey raised an eyebrow in confusion. Mr Kashi smiled. "He's been so lost for so many years since the accident. It had been difficult for him… all the hardships, from the orphanage to KaibaCorp along with the responsibility for Mokuba. So hard that he had lost his way. At least now that you've brought his young self home… in time… perhaps he'll find it again." Mr Kahashi smiled before he spoke up to what seemed like to some invisible person. "Mokuba? Seto? Your mother and I love you both… and our hearts ache every second of not being there to watch you grow… I want you both to know how proud we are… both of you…"

Every word spoken brought tears that sparkled in Mokuba's eyes, which then ran down his face… "Daddy…" he whispered sniffling a little whilst touching the screen.

The painful feelings showed in Seto's betraying eyes though his face remained static from lack of emotion. He tensed as his hands formed fists that shook a little against the restraints. He closed his eyes, taking a sharp breath to stop any tears from forming before he looked back at his window and at his father that smiled kindly back at him. He turned back to Joey…

"Save my son Joey… promise to keep them safe?"

"I promise…" Joey replied as Mr Kahashi faded away like his house had done before to join that perfect moment in their lives of a different time as a living memory as did the rest of the town. In it's place became a barren desert that lay waste upon the dunes as sand floated to the sky in wisps across the desolate plains whilst the immortal sun bellowed upon the baking yellow earth claiming of it's rightful superiority. Joey blocked out the rays with his arm as he staggered across the land, each footstep weighing heavily on his strength. Time suddenly flew past in seconds as the sun had suddenly dropped to a reddish glow sinking down towards the horizon as the floor too changed colour giving way into the night.

`Whoa…' Yami remarked clearly astonished at the sight. `This is getting to be quite disturbing' Joey made a face.

"Ya, think!?!? All that's missin' here is a half dressed lady eatin' Turkish Delights before my eyes"

A deafening thump caused the ground to shake like a mini earthquake. A huge shadow loomed over Joey who froze hard where he stood. Hearing the desolate of the desert winds whistling past his ears, he placed the Curse of Dragon Card on his recogniser along with another card face down and turned around facing a monster with horns coming from it's head and long protruding blades resting upon his forearms. Unknown Warrior of Fiend. Curse of Dragon attacked and easily eliminated the creature. All was then quiet with the exception of the howling wind when suddenly…

A burst of lightening burned through a pathway disintergrating Curse of Dragon whilst at the same time Joey screamed in agony as he clutched his chest whilst his life point count rapidly dropped by 1000 points.

"AAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!"

`JOEY!!!!' Mokuba yelled as Joey dropped to his knees gasping from the pain.

"T-that… attack… it was like someone was trying to rip my chest open…" he rasped. There was only one monster that could cause that much damage in Seto's deck and it was the only thing that Joey was dreading as he cocked his head up to the massive creature. Blue Eyes White Dragon… "Well finally got the big artillary… your boss ain't happy with me is he?" the Blue Eyes growled menacingly as it prepared for another attack. "Well too bad… I've got ya in Yami's Spell Binding Circle Trap Card" Joey turned over his faced down card as the magic circle surrounded the beast at his words and drained it's attack power by 700 points. Joey pulled out the Dark Magician that was still in his hand and Kaiba's first Blue Eyes was blown away. The victory was short lived as another blast destroyed Dark Magician. Joey winced this time as the blow wasn't as bad. He checked his life points that had ran down to 500 points. He looked to see the second Blue Eyes. "ANOTHER ONE!?!?!? OH COME ON!!!! I'VE HEARD OF OVERKILL BUT THIS IS RIDICULOUS!!!!" The Blue Eyes merely growled menacingly. "Oh right… that's it!!!" Joey shouted as he drew out another card from his deck and grinned. "It's time to settle an old score…" he growled as he slammed the card on his recogniser. "RED EYES BLACK DRAGON!!!!" The huge beast appeared in a sparkle of light as it faced the Blue Eyes rivalling it's ferocity. "I also add this magic card. Metal Claw which bolsters Red Eyes attack points to 3000 so it can take you on head to head!!!" Metal surrounded Red Eyes's claws as the two magificent beasts fought began their battle. It was a long struggle as the two opposites clawed and struck with their White Lightening and Inferno Fire Blast attacks, which evidently neutralised each other. With the echoes of the battle becoming distant, Joey's knees buckled to the floor.

`Joey!!! Are you alright!?!?' Mokuba called down to him. Joey breathed heavily as he nodded his head.

"I don't know when the next one is comin' but I best be prepared" he whispered to himself as he picked out a card from his hand. "This magic card should do the trick… Dian Keto The Cure Master increases my Life Points by 1000"

`That's a good move Joey… but keep your eye out for that last Blue Eyes…' Joey stood up as he looked around cautiously.

The creature hissed angrily at the defeat of the two Blue Eyes whilst Seto stared in disbelief how Joey had managed to beat one of them let alone two. He had clearly didn't see much of him and Joey's abilities as a duellist would be classed as formidiable compared to when he had battled him at Duellist Kingdom. "I've had enough of this!!!" the serpent schreeched as the entire caverns of where Seto was held began to shook with an awesome power and across Seto's mind world. Reaching out towards the grounds of the desert plains where Joey stood fighting against an unnatural sandstorm. Joey exhausted with dried blood clumped around his arms and clothes was finding it more difficult to move every step he took. Before he knew it he wasn't able to take another step as the sand had clearly wrapped around his ankles like hands holding him down fast. He was pulled down.

"GAH!!!!" he yelped as the sand drew him in he felt a tremendous pressure pressing on all sides crushing him like prey suffocating under the grips of a huge snake. He had struggled out of the ground's tightening embrace but as his ribs caved in piercing the lungs his screams of pain was only a gurgle of blood welling from his lips. From where Yami and Mokuba were sitting they yelled and screamed knowing that they were powerless to stop what was causing this phenomenon.

"THE GROUND!!! JOEY!!!" Yami yelled.

"JOEY!!!! THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING WE CAN DO!!!" Mokuba cried looking around. Yami's sennen eye started to glow as he tried to undo the spell and help Joey get out but to no avail. A burst of blood spurted out violently and splattered across the floor from the Joey's lips. Mokuba screamed whilst Yami let Joey's body fall from his sitting position leaning against his shoulder. Mokuba screamed at the screen. "STOP IT!!! SETO MAKE IT STOP!!! IT'S KILLING HIM!!!" Inside Joey's life points started plummeting down. Yami stared wide eyed. `If his life points reach zero. Joey's done for…'

Back inside the ground continued to close in ever clamping tighter around. `NO' Seto screamed in his mind… `Fight it… Come on…'

"Fight it…" Seto whispered as the serpent cackled as his power forced more upon Joey who lay there helplessly. "FIGHT IT YOU STUPID MUTT!!!!" he screamed.

Joey's vision was blurring as another bone in his ribs cracked, his hand shook violently and his mind was out of focus. He tried to concentrate…

`You can't die!!! YOU MADE A PROMISE!!!' his mind screamed at him. `Wake up WAKE UP!!! FIGHT IT!!!' He tried to push as blood came dribbling down uncontrollably from his lips as the red liquid filled his lungs. Weakening he felt limp and numb as life was squeezed out of him.

/Joey…/ Joey cracked his eye open and stared down into amethyst eyes. /Joey…/

FLASH

There stood where the eyes were Mokuba.

"Joey promise me you'll bring my brother safe and sound…" his voice echoed with hope.

/Promise me promise me promise me promise me promise me…/ the voice in his mind whispered…

FLASH

There stood in Mokuba's place was Serenity. "Promise me you won't get yourself killed"

/Promise me promise me promise me promise me promise me…/

FLASH

Then there stood Mr Yamagi… "Promise me you'll my two boys safe…"

/Promise me promise me promise me promise me promise me…/

FLASH

After that a whole series of his friends appeared before him. "Promise me…" hollored Yami.

"Promise me…" echoed Tristan.

"Promise me…" said Ryou

"Promise me…" Yugi cried.

/PROMISE ME PROMISE ME PROMISE ME PROMISE ME PROMISE ME!!!/

"Must… keep… promise…" Joey whispered fighting to stay awake as the life point count were closing in on zero…

10…

9…

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3…

2…

1…

…………

To Be Continued…

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Seto: YOU B*TCH!!!! YOU F***ING, F***ING B*TCH!!!!!!

Sam: *bows* Thank you, thank you…

Bakura: You are evil Sam-chan for leaving another cliffy for those hapless readers.

Sam: HEY!!! It's a classic way to end a chapter… Besides… I gave them a longer chapter, a lime, action and fluffiness on Chibi Seto's part… I think it's a fair trade don't you?

Joey: You have to admit… she has a point…

Seto: *crying* I don't want the puppy to die…

Joey: Ah cheer up moneybags, death's not da end of da world…

Ryou: Uh… you do know that the one who'll probably die in this fic is you?

Joey: Yeah… I know… why?

Yami: You're just a little calm about it that's all…

Joey: So? Nothing wrong with that. *takes a drag from his weed* Ah… this is some good shit…

Everyone else except Sam: O.O….

Sam: ^____________^ Read and Review so I can continue!!! If you don't review well… you'll never get to know if Jounouchi dies or not… MUWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!