Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Gin no Umi o Wataru ❯ Chapter 16

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Monday 24th

Hey Yugi,

Class is almost over; we just have our final exams, and then I can board the jet to come home. I can't wait, Yugi! I miss you all; there are times when I lay on my bed and think of all of you. Remember the friendship symbol we drew on our hands at Duelist's Kingdom? During class, I can still feel it. Then I remember you, Joey, and Tristan. It helps, now that I'm coming home. Soon it will be time for the Cherry Blossom Festival, perhaps this year Joey can convince Kaiba to join us.

Oh, Kaiba's new VR game debuted here, but a day late. Apparently, there was a delay in delivery. I tried to get tickets to play but they were sold out. My friend did have tickets and he got passes for the next day.

I've missed home so much that I've subscribed to a couple of Japanese chat rooms and lists, including one for those of Domino. It's a great list, and it's called Domino News: http://groups.yahoo.jp.com/group/DominoNews. Lately it has been burning up with the news that Kaiba and Mokuba were attacked. According to the article, a schoolmate who was staying temporarily with the CEO was also injured. Please tell me it's not Joey. They said that he suffered a head injury, which resulted in a short-term coma. The article didn't exactly calm my fears especially that part

`When asked how this had happened, Kaiba replied, “Cowardly people performing cowardly acts. Attacking from the shadows like ninja yet without even half the honor. For they have not declared vendetta nor challenged me. They act without honor or even pride. My security force has have been ordered to take all steps necessary to protect my people. I will not sacrifice anyone to these... cowards.”

`Since then, Kaiba has kept his brother and his school mate under close watch, as well as several other school mates.”

Yugi, I know what's going on isn't some kind of hostile takeover. What's happening? What happened to Joey?

Friendship forever,

Téa

* * *

Ms. Kari Mudaro sighed and hung up the phone. All hospitals reported the cases were in stable condition. Unconscious with some brain functions but no outward response to stimulus. It's like they can think and feel but are unable to react. Blank slates. Huge babies. Over and over again Repeatedly the answers were the same. Mudaro stood up and sorted the files she had started for each person. Walking down the hall, she thought of how much her young boss had changed. It started after Death T when Mokuba sat by his side as he recovered. Then it continued as the Muto child and friends kept thwarting him. But the true tool of change had to be young Wheeler. No matter how much young Mokuba loved his brother, it wouldn't compare to the love of one good man for another and that was wonderful. In fact, she already knew what two secretaries she was going to assigned to the young Kaiba and Wheeler.

She stopped at a wooden door, painted a medical green. So many changes since Gozabarou's death, though her favorite had to be the red and blue marble tiled floor. Now, the forty-second floor is no longer merely for the Kaiba's exclusive use. She had fulfilled the order to prepare several of the suites for occupation by the others. Not to mention, that Drs. Kisigawa and Hara had been moved onto the floor as well. Placing a serene look on her face, she knocked on the door. “Dr. Hara? I have some files for you.

* * *

Kanzi paced back and forth. When he got out of here, he would destroy Kaiba. The fool, to think that no one would notice he was gone or to give up looking for him once they did notice. Kaiba was way over his head, and in his arrogance, he had committed figurative suicide! The door rattled before it opened and a woman stood there. As if, he was to be relegated to some mere female.

Mudaro stepped in, nodding to the guard on the door. She walked over to the table in the middle of the room, set her files down, and looked at him for a minute. Mr. Naota Kanzi, welcome. I am sorry that I took so long but it was quite late at some of the hospitals I had to call. It took some time to get people of sufficient authority to approve certain requests. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kari Mudaro and I am Mr. Kaiba's personal secretary. I know you feel slighted to be dealing with a woman; however, you may rest assured Mr. Kaiba feels he owes you quite a debt and I am the one who repays his debts. Now please, tell me if you can how you found out about these cases.”

“You must be kidding me.” Kanzi sat down hard and laughed. “Why the hell would I help that ass you claim to serve?”

“Oh, Mr. Kaiba is an ass, and he can be cruel, vicious, malicious, petty, and horrible. He does however engender a great loyalty in all his workers. He inherited it from Gozabarou Kaiba but he's turned a legacy into absolute loyalty. He would not hide his bad dealings or his `father's'. He has already come out with the fact to his people about the truth behind his father's genetic manipulation. I know you've heard about the accusations. Well as Master Kaiba already admits, it's all true. Of course no one blames him, however he is willing to accept all those children as siblings. Now, Mr. Kaiba… both Mr. Kaibas will be honored to give you separate, exclusive interviews. We will share what we know, if you share what you know as well as refuse to report it until we give you the word. Part of our promise is that we will give you everything in a timely manner. Right now, there may be a few rumors but nothing substantive, which is why this information was not distributed. Yet, Mr. Kaiba does wish to set the record straight so to speak. He will do this, all of this, giving you a story worth a Pulitzer if not several other prizes, a story that will guarantee your value to any publication. In fact, if you ever need a job, we will find one here for you. Do you agree?”

Kanzi stared at her. Leaning back, he paused as he tried to calm himself. Sighing, he folded his hands and leaned forward. “It was an anonymous tip, given to me in my email. I checked out the information and found that all of them are in the hospital. What other similarities exist between them, we could not find any, except that they were all male.”

“One female has since been attacked. As for their relationship, all of them are either genetically related to Kaiba or close friends to those related to Kaiba. You've heard the rumors of Gozabarou Kaiba interfering with his worker's lives. Well, it's true. As Mr. Kaiba will tell you, his adoptive father deliberately picked women that appealed to his idea of quality; IQ, height, racial background, medical history, and then made sure their husbands were the same blood type as himself. He then arranged for them to have trouble reproducing. He did this so he could suggest a clinic. Once they went, he would replace their husband's sperm with his own. Gozabarou Kaiba may have as many as 100 children, including the present Mr. Kaibas. So you see, they do have a connection. In fact, the person who is attacking the Mr.(delete Mr.) Kaibas, who planted the bombs and shot at them, is the one who tipped you off. His name is Gatchaman and ,we believe that he too is related to Gozabarou Kaiba… our suspect is Noa Kaiba. No, he's not named after Gozabarou's dead son. He is Gozabarou's dead son.

“The technology that serves as a basis for the holographic games, was first used to transfer the `essence' of Noa Kaiba into a computer base. We are hoping to correct what went wrong. The transfer may have damaged his mind. Since he has lived in a virtual world, he can navigate the web with little trouble. He has exploited a weakness that Gozabarou deliberately built into our mainframe. The same mainframe that we used to control access to the VR where those poor children are trapped. Within a week, Mr. Kaiba plans to rescue them. He however can not go in without preparation or he may be lost, and with him, our only way of locking VR to this insane child.” Mudaro stared at him. “It is unbelievable, yet it is so. This is why we can't let you go, we can't even let you use a computer that has a dead connection to the internet. We have found that he can access it. At the moment, we have someone posing as you, and `you' have composed a letter telling your managing editor that you have to go chase down a lead and you will be out of contact for up to two weeks. I'm sorry to do this, but outside this building, outside of a certain area, he can find you and kill you for agreeing to not break this story.

Kanzi stared at her, “This better be the best story ever.”

“Well… of course it is!” Mudaro smiled slightly, thinking on everything she'd learned. It was incredible, it was impossible! She knew that Kanzi would never know everything. However, she was of the opinion that he should have not been told even this much. She stood up and headed to the door. As she opened it, she turned to look at Kanzi. “You do know of course that if you betray us, we'll kill you.”

Kanzi watched as the door closed and wondered if he would hear his death coming.

* * *

Malik opened his eyes and smiled, stepping closer to his lover, he wrapped his arm around his waist. “Marik? Or should I call you Naquada?”

“Only if you want me to spank you,” Marik looked at his younger lover and laughed as his face turned pink. “Kinky, we can explore that later, for now, why don't we talk about… the past?”

“What's to tell?” Malik murmured, nuzzling his lover's side.

“How I died. Why I died. Who was responsible, why I carried such anger over into this life, and why I hurt you so. I sought revenge, and I had every reason to. I hurt you. I hurt you and I will likely hurt you again. Because right now, the thought of you… in danger scares me. I am not used to this, I feel odd even speaking like this.”

“Because you aren't used to actually talking? We don't care, Rashid and I. We don't care if you never say sweet words, or even admit to loving us. We know you do. You don't have to explain anything. After what sister told me…. I love you, I never want you to be hurt again, but I'm glad you were the one who took over then. I… I don't know that I could have done what you did. If I could have fought against my father.” Malik squeezed his lover, tight. He rubbed his cheek against the naked warm skin. “What is this place, it's beautiful.”

Marik looked around. The room was made of golden stones, murals were painted in blues and greens, all around the room, and set into the stone were gems, that glittered in the sunlight; red, green, blue, and orange. One whole wall was covered in wonderful purple lapis. To the left, sat a sunken tub that was tiled in ceramic, lotuses floated on the water. Jasmine was potted in long troughs on three sides of the pool. In the doorways that connected each room of the suite, there were hung fine thin strips of linen. Each one was beaded at the end with blue and white stone beads. A breeze danced through the rooms, causing the linen strips to move, the beads leaping and clicking happily.

“It's home. My home. This is the set of rooms I was given when I was but six years old. I loved it. It was in here that I was murdered. My life was stolen by a person I trusted. The head of my guard.” Marik remembered. His eyes looked into the past, over five thousand years. “Each of us had our own personal guards. Each leader of personal guards, all of whom reported to the head of the Pharaoh's guards who was in charge of the palace. The palace guards were mainly of one clan, one house. How much of the desire, the hunger to kill me came from the sorcerer and how much from himself, I don't know.”

Malik stared into his other face, he knew that if Marik was ever to heal that he had to speak of this yet, he really didn't want to hear this it.

The breeze that had been running gently through the room was now picking up. The light outside started to fail and Marik's voice started once again, “He hated me, the way only a love could become hate. I have to believe he loved me, he had watched over me since I was just a child. When I was a babe, he was eight. He would watch me, hold me, and bond with me, that's the way it was done. The guards would bond in childhood to their charges. That way they grew up knowing us, wanting to take care of us. It made for some strong bonds. That is why I knew he loved me. Except he murdered me…

“He found me in my room and held me close. He kissed my cheek and face, stroked my scalp, and caressed my skin. Then he looked at me, eyes on mine, and they were strange. They had all the love as usual and something… strange. His hands cupped my face and roamed down my neck to wrap around it gently. I felt no anger, no fear. He tightened them, and still I had no problem. I trusted him and as it became harder to breath, I struggled and fought. I couldn't believe that he was doing this and then he pulled out a knife and licked my cheek. I passed out. When I came to, he had me bound onto a stone table and cut into me. He cut words onto my back. He kept me for two days like this. And then on the third day when he saw me, bloody and in pain, he kissed me and said he would never let me be taken from him. He took me into his arms and carried me back to my rooms. He knew he would be caught so when the guards ran in, he kissed me, and his blade found my heart. I do not know what happened to him. But from that time on, I hated him.

“What evil had I done to deserve that? I wasn't evil. I wasn't irreligious but I awoke in this body, my body, in his hands again. To be born back into the family that killed me. The man who had killed me was the man standing over me. Cutting into me again. And I couldn't stop it. Except I could. I did, I overwhelmed you and used the magic that I should have used then. I killed him, and you screamed. I didn't understand.”

* * *

Isis sighed. The thought of Bakura, insane as he was, in the hands of Nkosi was frightening. Who thought that Bakura could be taken so easily? Frowning, she stood up from the elegant couch. Kaiba, definitely had taste. She knelt beside the couch and pulled out a cloth bag. Opening the lace drawn neck, she felt for an object. As her hand closed around what she sought, she brought it out and laid it on the coffee table. Walking over to door, she pulled the door.

“Excuse me?”

A guard turned, his black eyes attentive on her face. “Yes, Ms. Ishtar?”

“Please, call me Isis. Are you aware that we are using `alternative' methods in this fight? It will not be won by force of arms or words.”

He nodded, “Yes, Master Kaiba has also instructed us to inform you that if you wish to use any such alternatives we are to cooperate with you fully as long as we are allowed to observe. As a safeguard to you, of course.”

Isis nodded, her fingers stroking the torc. “Yes, thank you. I need a few supplies if I may trouble you.”

“No trouble, Miss” He pulled out a phone and pressed a button, he listened to it for a moment before speaking. “Ms. Ishtar needs some supplies.”

“Yes, a real silver circular platter, a bottle of pure water, and a bottle of the clearest oil you can find for me.” She noticed his brown streaked hair, twisted into a tail.

He repeated it and listened for a moment. “It will be here in 15 minutes, Miss. If you don't mind, I will watch or we can call a female guard up here.”

“I don't mind, but please, call me Isis... and you are?” Isis asked softly.

“Hiraata Yui, Ms. Isis. If I may ask, what exactly will you be doing?”

“I am a child of the desert; one thing we have much of is stone. I can scry... that is view things with the torc, but this only gives me glimpses of what may come or what has been but not always what is. For that, I need to `view' it in another way. I will do so by using what is known as a black mirror. A black mirror is a slab of flawless obsidian. The oil will be mixed with some herb essences. The silver connects with the moon, which is full tonight. All this hopefully, will allow me to view Nkosi and what he is doing... after all there are more worlds than this, if you do not believe it, look to your boss's VR. Nkosi is using that world; mayhap I can spy into it.”

Yui nodded and thought. “Ms. Isis, you need the silver platter but what about the essences, do you need to breathe them in as others do incense?”

“No, it would help but it's not necessary.” Isis shook her head.

Yui nodded and opened his phone again. “Hey, add a chafing dish with sterno to that... the platter needs to be heated.” He closed it. “It will be heated, only the best chances are acceptable.”

Isis nodded and stepped back, opening the door to the guard. Yui stepped in and closed it. She led him over to the table and unwrapped the item she took from her bag. An oval of obsidian, flat, black as night, glass, and that was slightly larger than both hands laid tip to tip. A huge piece, he'd never seen the like. He reached out to touch it but pulled back. Isis smiled and nodded. The piece was, with no evidence of tool marks, the top was as smooth as marble with no nicks.

“Beautiful...”

“Yes, it is over three thousand years old, a family heirloom.” She reached out and took his hand, moving it to stroke over the surface. “When it is ready, I will place the mirror on the silver platter, and pour the oil and essences over it. The moon will shine upon it and what is hidden from normal scrying shall be revealed. All secrets uncovered, as nothing can hide from it.”

“Truly, Ms. Isis?” Yui smiled, “It will reveal all?”

“Oh yes, for many years it was used by parents contracting marriage for their children, for if two people were to touch it under the full moon... it would reveal their future.” Isis started as a knock sounded on the door.

* * *

Seto dropped the visors and box onto the bed. Joey rolled over and wrapped an arm around his lover. Lips pressed against the soft skin behind the pup's ear. “Joey... wake up.”

“Hmmmm Seto, sleep wit' me.” Joey wrapped one leg over Seto's.

“Can't, mutt. I have an idea. We really need to all talk together. We have a self-contained VR unit installed here, what I have here is a portable one. What I was thinking is that we could manage a conversation with Jahi and Seferet in real time.” Seto sat up quickly, his mind already thinking of questions he wanted to ask.

Joey stared up at him. “You're kidding. Hasn't this thing caused enough problems?”

Seto stared down at him. “Actually, they have been very useful. Simply because a deranged psycho handed my most complex computer code over to another psycho doesn't mean it's not valid or useful.”

“Hey... Tris' ain't no psycho got it?”

“He's obsessive, irrational, and through his own misbegotten greed and desire for revenge has handed his own lover into the hand of two people both driven well beyond sanity. His greatest sin is using my technology to do it! That doesn't mean my technology is at fault. Human error was!”

Joey stared at the other boy, Seto's blue eyes burned with anger. The young CEO's hands were clenched in fists. The blond sighed and backed down. “You're right... human error created this, but those VR helmets made it way too easy. Of course, it wouldn't have happened if he didn't steal the code in the first place. Maybe the thing is your tech is too user friendly. Maybe after this, Tris can plug the holes for you but you should get your tech guy to redo the entire protections, use nothing of Mrs. Taylor's work.”

“Already done.”

Joey pulled Seto down beside him. Humming, he laid his head on Seto's shoulder. “How about this... let's leave the VR for now. I just woke up, I don't want to go back to sleep.”

“Then you should get out of bed.” Seto pointed out, moving the visors and portable unit to the nightstand.

“No, I wanna stay in bed... with you, Seto.”

Seto froze, an idea forming in his mind. Shrugging, he turned to Joey. “And what shall we be doing?”

“Oh... testing my reflexes...”

* * *

“Interesting.”

“What is so, my other self?” Nkosi walked up behind Noa and knelt beside him, sinking into the soft sand of their oasis.

Noa turned his head and smiled at his past self. “Welcome back, again. Did you have fun today?”

“There is none of those we have particular interest in participating in the VR realm. In fact, there are very few whatsoever. I think our dear brother has caught on. Perhaps we should not have taken Bakare so precipitously.” Nkosi stroked the sea green hair; it reminded him of his beloved Nile... so long ago. The skin was pale and flawless, the hair like the softest linen. Although they were so much the same, they were so different. Nkosi enjoyed the differences. “And what have you, o delight of my eye, been up to?”

Noa laughed, “Hmmmm, do you like the oasis? I opted for white sand like Hawaii instead of golden, but I kept the Nile. It's over there somewhere. What's interesting is... remember what I told you about electricity?”

“Hmmm, the magical fire that fuels your tools. Yes.” Nkosi brushed one finger against the pale skin on the back of his mate's neck.

Noa shuddered and his eyes closed slightly. “Ummm, yes, yes that's right, Nkosi. We use a certain amount every day, just for the basic things: lighting, to cook food, computers, it is a trickle but it's there. Except it's not. We don't turn it off unless we aren't going to be there for a while or if there's an accident. From what I can tell, they haven't stopped it, but they aren't using it.”

“They?”

“Our brothers and sisters of the spirit if not of the flesh. The Ishtars, Taylors, and Mutos, none of them are using any electricity. Oh a few amps for alarms and clocks and what not, but none for lights, ovens, televisions, or computers. That means... they are not home and have not been for a while.”

“Then they have forted up with my brother.”

Noa nodded, “Yeah, and that's a problem.”

“Why, my dear?” Nkosi wrapped one arm around Noa's waist and hugged him, his chin resting on Noa's shoulder. “Our plan proceeds apace.”

“Because, I was using Gatchaman's information, he's offline as well. That means, he's working for Seto now. Gatchaman had to be one of his friends

“If it was a friend, why would he put our brother's company in danger?”

“I don't know, unless he has a viper in his breast. Maybe, maybe he doesn't know it yet. In which case, he will have to fight a battle on two fronts... and that, my dear, is a weakness.”

“Maybe, maybe... Bakare has been interesting.”

“Oh?” Nkosi rubbed his cheek against the soft hair.

“Hai.” Noa turned around and pointed down towards the oasis' pool. He stood up, stretching, knowing that Nkosi loved to watch him. Holding out a hand to his hopefully soon to be lover, he led him down by the water and stared down into it. “Watch.”

* * *

Bakare leaned against a crumbled wall and closed his eyes. The pain in his leg was growing. He wouldn't be surprised if Nkosi had coated the blade with a poison. Now he just had to find his way out. Rubbing his head, he tried to figure out what the hell he was gonna do. Stumbling to his feet, he started down the street.

Damn, this `old city' is almost as bad as the funeral city of Anmne Kharsis. In fact, this place reminds me of it. I can see it,;if I turn left there would be the False Treasury. And if I...

Bakare stopped and stared at the building before him. It was the False Treasury.

In fact if the stone was golden then this would be the funeral city of Anmne Kharsis. It is so similar. How could Kaiba know this place, could it have been Seferet who built this... wait, no, I remember my time in the city. I remember, I remember a newcomer into the city. A mage. NKOSI... damn, that's why this place is so familiar. Never mind, I have been all over the funeral city. I know my way out now. When I get out and back to Ryou's body, I'm going to break every little gear in that false body of his! By the Thief God, I swear it!

* * *

Tristan grabbed his hair and tugged. Angrily, he spun around and stared at the others. “Kisigawa, that won't work! I should know as I made sure it wouldn't!”

“I know you are the infamous `Gatchaman' but that doesn't mean you know everything about our systems. Hell, there are parts even I don't know. Lords of Death, save me from disrespectful teens!” Kisigawa sat back down and tilted the screen upwards.

Tristan stared at him. Striding over, he picked up the reference book and tossed it at Kisigawa before overturning the table. He kicked Kisigawa's chair from under the surprised man. Kisigawa's aides ran to the corner.

“Listen to me, you stupid FUCK. My mother built most, if not all this, I have everything, including her notes. I know her better than you do; I know how she set things up! I have been working inside Kaiba Corps MAIN COMPUTER FOR SIX YEARS! And you know more than me?” Tristan's eyebrows arced. He balled his fist in the technical manager's jacket and twisted it until the older man choked. “I doubt it. Now for you this is `academic' operation... my boyfriend has been hijacked and you tell me, ME, Gatchaman, hacker SUPREME, that you know more about a system, that you admit you don't know everything about, than I who have been inside the system and fucked it up ten ways from Sunday, is that right?”

Kisigawa gasped, his eyes bulging. Tristan shoved him away, the older man's head hitting the wall.

“Now listen very carefully. That. Won't. Work. I know because I disabled that node. All it will do is terminate there. I caused the computer to lobotomize that node. Got it? Now get off your old ass and help me find something useful.”

* * *

Ryou stared at the mess in the room and stepped forward. He felt... so alone, now that Bakare wasn't there. It was fine for a while but it had been almost a day and he hated it. Nodding to the two aides in the corner, he walked over to his boyfriend and laid one hand on his shoulder.

Tristan twisted to stare at the person touching him. His face was twisted with anger that flowed out as he saw Ryou. “Hey, how are you?”

“Tired, and so are you. Kaiba has set aside a room for us, why don't we go lay down for a while. Tristan, you won't find him any faster if you break down and I need you. I need you and him. You're the only one who can find him for me.” Ryou stepped close and laid his head on Tristan's shoulder. “Please, rest now. With me?”

“Yeah,” Tristan wrapped his arms around his shy lover and hugged him tight. He loved the feel of his hair, his scent. “Ryou, I'm so sorry... I didn't know. I... I would never, never have done this if I knew.”

“I know. Come.” Ryou moved back, taking Tristan's cool hand and led him from the room. He held him around the waist as they walked down the hall, as they went in the elevator to their floor. He held him as they found their room, even helped him undress and climb into bed. He held the taller boy as he cried and swore that he'd find Ryou's other half. Ryou said nothing, just stroked his soft hair. Patting the cool flesh as Tristan shook and stared with scared eyes. He listened as Tristan finally wore himself out enough to go to sleep. As he stared up at the ceiling, he stroked Tristan's tanned back.

* * *

Ryou turned toward the clock. 11:57 p.m. Tristan was still asleep, moving carefully, he untangled himself from the other boy and stood up. He stared at him. Anger started to build in him and he moved back, before he did something he would regret.

Damn him, damn him, damn him. All because he was pissed with Kaiba. Oh, I've heard it before, so many times. `Kaiba doesn't care who he hurts. Kaiba is cold. Kaiba deserves it.' But did Bakare?!!! How cruel are you, Tristan, you didn't care who got hurt as long as it made Kaiba look bad. This is your fault. You delivered Bakare into their hands. YOU BASTARD!!!

Ryou gasped for breath, wiping the tears from his face. He slid down the wall and raised his fist. Biting deep into it, he finally allowed himself to cry. For the first time in so long, he was all alone.