Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Judgement ❯ No Reason To Look Back pt2 ( Chapter 4 )

Judgement

Disclaimer: Well, this is a FAN fic right?

Summary: Seto, Ryou and Ryuuji are TC's Elite and their job is to exterminate all Otherworldly beings from the real world. But real judgement is yet to come, what with the Chimera Brigade on the loose . . .

Warnings: Semi-Alternate Universe, OOC (on some parts, not all), yaoi/shounen-ai (I still can't tell the difference, gomen), angst, murder, rape, little fluffs now and then, depression, suicide and . . . I think that covers it for the moment. If you don't like, DON'T READ! Sheesh, don't come complaining to ME if you get scared easily or can't take this kind of stuff. I did my job and warned you about it.

Author's Notes: I'm a bit upset as to the lack of reviews for this fic. Though I suppose I should be used to it by now. `Identity' was the same, ne? Maybe I should change the summary, to make it more interesting. I do work hard!

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Chapter Four: No Reason to Look Back part II

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/ Ryuuji-kun . . . /

"Satoshi-kun?"

Ryuuji stood up suddenly, looking around him. He could have sworn he'd heard Satoshi's voice just then, calling his name. Seeing as his skills were only in mental defences and offences, he couldn't really tell. Besides, Satoshi would most probably have passed on into the Otherworld, so he couldn't still be here.

/ Ryuuji-kun . . . you haven't forgotten about me, have you? /

He'd heard it again, clearer this time. How he did, Ryuuji didn't know. Suddenly, a ghostly hand placed itself on his shoulder, causing him to jump in surprise, turning around.

"S-Satoshi-kun?"

The semi-transparent face of Kobayashi Satoshi stared back at him sadly. Ryuuji could just make out the honey-coloured eyes and messy brown hair. The hair colour reminded him of Seto's. Satoshi was dressed in an oversized shirt, torn jeans and a tattered baseball cap, as featured in the photo on the tombstone. He looked almost exactly like how Ryuuji remembered.

/ Ryuuji-kun, you came back /

"Of course I did," Ryuuji replied, taking a deep breath. "But - but I thought you'd have passed on already. Why are you still here?"

/ I have unfinished business here /

"Revenge?" Ryuuji guessed. Spirits usually stayed behind for revenge. "Or - you wanted to do something before you . . . left?"

/ I wanted to make sure you were all right . . . and . . . /

"And what?"

Satoshi floated closer, so that Ryuuji could feel the icy presence very close by. He fought back a shiver, telling himself to calm down. He had been in colder places than this and besides, it was Satoshi here. Nothing was about to happen. He could trust the other.

/ You said before, Ryuuji-kun . . . you'd exchange places with me? Do you really mean it? / Satoshi sounded hopefully curious. / Would you really let me take your position in this world and . . . be alive? /

Now Ryuuji was uncertain of whether he should run or stay. The conversation was getting rather worrisome and he didn't know where it was going to head. Sure, Satoshi had saved him many times before and he practically owed the guy a life debt, but to really exchange places with Satoshi . . .?

It would be crazy. He couldn't do that. There were too many things in this world he still had to live for, including his partners. Ryou would be worried about him and Seto would be worried about Ryou worrying about him and Mokuba would be worried about Seto, who would be worried about Ryou worrying about him and . . . well, the list went on. And besides, in order to exchange with Satoshi, his body had to be intact and, having been six feet under for several years already, this was not good.

"Satoshi-kun, you saved my life and all . . ." he began.

/ That's enough / Satoshi interrupted, scowling. For some reason, seeing the spirit scowl was frightening. / You don't have a choice in the matter anymore /

His form dissolved into a mass of indistinguishable colour that looked rather solid compared to his previous form. Ryuuji took a step back quickly, unsure of what was going to happen. Then again, with the look on Satoshi's face prior, he had a really bad feeling about this situation.

/ You will replace me in the spirit world / Satoshi's voice was warped and echoed other, dark energies. / I will live within your body from now on /

"Satoshi-kun!"

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Spirit World

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The land was desolate, abandoned, uncared for. In fact, the whole landscape was dull grey, deprived of its colour and life. All the spirits floating around had listless expressions, not knowing or caring about their existence.

Ryuuji surveyed his surroundings and compared himself to them. There were some spirits who had more colours than the rest. He assumed that they were relatively new to the place, seeing as they looked more alive also. It seemed that spirits came here filled with the colours of life first and those colours gradually faded as they stayed there longer, the life force drained out of them. That was what he'd been taught at least, though Satoshi proved something strange. Having been dead for so many years, Satoshi had still retained all his colours.

He also knew that, if he didn't get out of here soon, his life force would be drained and he would never be able to regain his body. Satoshi would keep it forever and . . . he would never be able to work for TC again, nor see Ryou and Seto, or gross out Mokuba and . . . there was too much to lose.

But how did one get out of the spirit world?

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Car Park - Domino High

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Ryou waited in the car park for Seto to get out of class. They had had their first separate class - Seto was doing an accelerated IPT course while Ryou did normal IT. Since the rooms were in different parts of the school, they had arranged to meet in the car park and then get taken home together. It wasn't that Seto was late, rather, Ryou was a little early.

"Oi, you freak," a familiar voice yelled.

"Sumimasen." Ryou looked down at the speaker. Yugi smiled up at him apologetically. "Gomen nasai. I shouldn't have let Jounouchi-kun pick on you the other day. I hope you didn't take it to heart."

"Iie, daijoubu," he replied with a small smile.

"Oi, freak," Jounouchi said, coming up behind him. Two brunettes, one boy and one girl, followed. "Look, I'm sorry about last time, but you gotta admit, your hair is pretty freaky to look at . . ."

"JOUNOUCHI-KUN!"

The girl hit him over the head with a heavy textbook, looking rather annoyed. She was dressed in the girl's uniform - a pink blazer and dark blue skirt - and carried a red book bag with her. The other brunette wore their boy's uniform and his hair was shaped oddly like a cone. Ryou smothered a grin. It kind of made him look like a rhinoceros-wannabe.

"Gomen, he's being an ass." The girl introduced herself. "Watashi wa Mazaki Anzu desu. Yoroshiku, Bakura-kun."

"Yoroshiku."

"Honda Hiroto desu."

This was the rhino-boy, though Ryou would never say it aloud.

"And you already know Yugi and Jounouchi."

They exchanged a few friendly words before Yugi and the others excused themselves to leave. Ryou watched them go. It was then he felt a strong sense of worry nearby, from a very familiar source. He frowned and turned around, swinging his schoolbag onto a shoulder and coming almost face-to-face with Seto.

"Daijoubu?"

"Ryou - Ryuuji . . . is missing."

"Nani?"

"I got worried when that feeling kept increasing," Seto explained, frowning deeply. "When I tried to link myself to him, he was gone. There wasn't anything there to link to!"

There were only two reasons behind not being able to link telepathically with someone who had a sixth sense also. One was that they deliberately cut of the link before it could be properly established and the other . . .

"He can't be gone," Ryou said firmly. "No, we shouldn't think like that. We just have to find a way to get in touch with him . . ."

"That friend of his . . . Kobayashi Satoshi?" Seto seemed to be concentrating really hard. "Maybe it had something to do with him. I mean, Ryuuji was thinking about him during class and the thoughts kept leaking through our link."

"We thought of that before, Seto," Ryou sighed. "There weren't any links to him. Like I said before, we have to find a way. Perhaps Gaea's network could help us with this. Other than that, we could go to the cemetery and find any leads on Kobayashi Satoshi. It's the best way, face it, Seto."

The CEO nodded reluctantly. He hated being told what to do and Ryou was taking control of the situation automatically. But then again, Ryou had a way of making both himself and Ryuuji, two very dominant personalities, sit down, shut up and listen. It was just something in his quiet and unassuming self.

"Come on then," he said. "Let's get into the limo and contact Gaea."

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Kaiba's Limousine

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"Kuso! I can't find him!"

Seto slammed his fist into the keypad, earning himself a startled look from the driver. He growled angrily and pressed the button for a privacy screen. Ryou gave him a stern, disapproving look and edged closer so he could use the keypad.

"Gaea already said he was in the spirit world," the albino said, typing a few things as he leaned over Seto. "If we search TC's portals, we may be able to find one that leads us directly into the spirit world."

"Your hair is in my eyes."

"Gomen."

Ryou grinned sheepishly back up at Seto, who was trying to lean away from the unruly white hair. The CEO looked decidedly uncomfortable so he shifted over so Ryou could sit in front of the keypad fully. He watched as Ryou accessed the many different portals in the TC network, typing in codes and working like a professional hacker. Only that he knew all the passwords and they weren't exactly breaking into any private accounts.

"Accessing spirit portal."

"We need to find Ryuuji's body," Seto pointed out.

"You go find his body while I go into the spirit world," Ryou replied, concentrating on the screen. "Make sure not to harm it in any way. And try to not let anyone near mine."

"If you need any help, just come straight back."

"Ne, I need an anchor in this world. Would you be my anchor?"

In order to not get lost inside the spirit world, they had to have what was referred to as an `anchor', which secured them to the real world, so that their spirits would always be able to find their way back. Anchors could be anything, just so long as it was important enough to tie down the spirit.

"Are you sure?"

"We don't have time to dawdle," Ryou said, meeting his eyes. "Onegai, Seto, we have to hurry. Give me something to anchor myself here."

/ I'll be waiting /

Seto said this with a rare, genuine smile on his face. Ryou himself smiled at the telepathic message and nodded. This was anchoring enough for him, since Seto was just about the closest person to him in this city, besides Ryuuji. Then he turned back to the screen, hit a button on the keypad and slumped forward, a silvery blue essence flowing into the portal that had appeared on the screen.

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Domino Arcade

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Satoshi looked around; hands shoved deep into his pockets. It was great to have a physical body, even if it wasn't his. He had been stuck in the spirit world for a long time now and only his desire to be alive had kept him anchored. He hadn't lost his spiritual colouring.

Ryuuji's unexpected appearance at his grave provided him with the perfect opportunity to escape. The other was eager to do something for him, to repay him for his `debts'. Little did he suspect that, after his death, Satoshi would have been plotting his revenge against the guy who had taken everything away from him. He should have been the one to work for TC. He was supposed to move to America, get educated and see the world. Why was it that he could not beat a former rich-prep who had been disowned by his family?

Domino hadn't changed too much. There were new games in the arcade, new faces and the hot girl who had served at the burger joint down the street was still there. Only that now she had a boyfriend and was not as hot looking anymore. He had never been to school and it seemed that the uniform they had to wear was quite comfortable, if not formal.

Magic & Wizards Tournament: ENTER NOW!

He stopped at a particularly interesting sign. Back when he had been alive, there hadn't been such thing as Magic & Wizards. It was a card game, from the looks of the poster on the arcade wall, and it looked like it would provide him with some fun. It was a pity he didn't know how to play.

Then again, he had plenty of time, now that he had Ryuuji's body. He could explore this world again under the guise of Otogi Ryuuji, game creator and high school student. And Ryuuji would take his place in the spirit world, never to come back again. Regrettable as his actions were, Satoshi believed it was worth it, so long as he got to experience life again.

/ You're not Ryuuji . . . /

"Who's there?"

/ Get out of Ryuuji's body. Go back to where you belong /

"Who are you?" Satoshi steered himself into an alleyway to avoid the public. "Who are you and what are you trying to do?"

/ Return to the world you came from, spirit. I know you aren't Otogi Ryuuji, the game creator but Kobayashi Satoshi, a boy who died in a war game accident. Your time in this world long expired. Go back to the spirit world /

There was no one around, so Satoshi concluded that it was a voice inside his head. And voices inside his head meant that it had to be someone who was either connected to the Otherworld or from there. It meant his days in Ryuuji's body, in the real world, was going to be cut short.

"I'm not afraid of you," he hissed. "And I'm not about to give up this body."

/ You have no choice in the matter /

A hand chopped down on the back of his neck, making him freeze and then fall, unconscious, onto the ground. Being in a real body meant that he was vulnerable to attacks. It was an unfortunate thing for him to have forgotten it.

"This was easier than I thought." Seto hauled the game creator's body up by the collar. "Oh well, doesn't matter. At least now we have his body."

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Spirit World

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Ryou sped through the desert area that encompassed the spirit world. He hadn't been here long, but it was enough to last him a long time. There had been no sign of Ryuuji and he was getting worried. His empathetic senses went haywire in this place, as most of the inhabitants had no emotions at all.

I'll be waiting.

He smiled, comforted by Seto's words. The three of them had grown quite close to one another in the few short weeks since they were put together.

This part of the spirit world was agonisingly empty. He released a muffled, frustrated scream, letting his emotions take control. He had to find Ryuuji and he had to find him now. If something had happened to Ryuuji, he would not be able to live with himself. Where could he be . . .?

A tiny tremor shook the ground and Ryou had to stop. He was getting too frustrated. Then he paused.

"The powers linked to my emotions still work in this world," he noted.

Suddenly, something sparked deep in this third eye area. His empathic powers kicked into action, startling even him. He thought they were disabled . . .

"Ryou?"

Confusion flooded through him, threaded through with hope. It came so strongly, he was surprised, especially after the horrible, dampening effect this world had on his power. It had been like a block on his senses, clouding him and rendering him useless.

"Ryuuji, I've been looking all over for you!"

Ryuuji looked a bit worn out, but he smiled all the same. Ryou was relieved to see that he still retained his spiritual colouring after all this time.

"I - the ground moved," Ryuuji admitted. "That's how I figured that you were here. I don't know anyone else who can do that. It led me here. I can't get back to the real world, for some reason."

"Seto and I suspect that the friend of yours, Kobayashi Satoshi, took your body and forced you out," Ryou explained. "You replaced him. But how, I don't know. A common spirit doesn't have power like that."

"There must be someone aiding him."

"Someone powerful . . ."

"Ryou, I've found him."

Ryuuji raised an eyebrow at the albino, who was looking up at the sound of Seto's voice. There was a light, floating feeling inside the both of them at Seto's message and they felt themselves being lifted away from the spirit world.

"Seto's your anchor?"

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Kaiba Mansion - Domino City

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Seto watched as Ryou stirred awake, opening his eyes and blinking them into focus. Then they landed on Seto and the albino smiled his thanks. The CEO nodded shortly and they both turned their attention to Ryuuji's body.

"I found him," Ryou said quietly. "It was pure accident, I'll admit, but I found him anyway. His spirit should be here by now."

A hazy form shimmered into view in front of them. They were currently in Seto's office and Ryou was just rousing himself from the couch. Ryuuji appeared a moment later, hovering over his own body. He looked at Ryou and then at Seto, who was sitting at the head of the couch Ryou had been reclining in, and raised an eyebrow.

/ What's going on here? / He demanded.

"Your friend, Kobayashi, is still unconscious," Seto explained, veering right away from what Ryuuji was implying. "If you want to take over your body again, you'd have to wait until he wakes up. He shouldn't be out for too much longer."

/ I'm talking about you and Ryou /

"What about Ryou and me?"

"He's implying sick things again," Ryou said, glaring at Ryuuji. "Baka."

/ He's waking up /

Satoshi groaned and opened his eyes, blinking away the haze from them. His neck was sore from the attack. He sat up slowly, becoming aware that he didn't recognise his surroundings. When his eyes landed on Seto and Ryou, he jumped back, startled.

"Whoa, where am I?"

"Somewhere you'll never get out of unless you return Ryuuji's body to him," Ryou said, sitting up properly.

"Hey, I am Ryuuji, what are you talking about?" Satoshi lied quickly, facing them. "What do you mean by returning my body? That doesn't make sense."

"If you were Ryuuji, you'd know who we were," Seto said, glaring.

"And where we are now."

/ Satoshi-kun . . ./ Ryuuji's voice was quiet and sounded upset.

Satoshi whirled around to face Ryuuji, pupils contracting in fear. Sweat collected on his forehead and face as he backed away from his former friend's ghostly figure. Ryuuji was looking at him sadly, but not angrily.

/ I know why you wanted to escape the spirit world / he told him. / I was only there for a few hours, but they were the worst few hours of my life. There was too little emotion and no hope. I'm not angry with you for trying to get out /

"Damare!" Satoshi yelled. "I don't need your sympathy, Otogi!"

Ryuuji looked stricken. Satoshi never referred to him by his surname, having said that it was too formal and unemotional for a friendship like theirs. The other man glared at him through his own, jade green eyes with pure hatred.

"I wasn't supposed to die, you know that?" he shouted. "None of those bad things were supposed to happen to me! It was just a fluke that you survived the examination! If it weren't for me, you'd be dead!"

/ Satoshi-kun . . ./

"Gaea should have chosen me over you," Satoshi continued, standing up and facing Ryuuji's spirit with fury. "He'll regret it, I assure you. I've found a force even more powerful than his and pretty soon, Gaea and his precious Chosen will be annihilated from this world!"

"A force more powerful than that of Gaea's?" Ryou murmured.

/ Chimera / Seto supplied telepathically.

"That old fart will regret it," Satoshi mumbled distractedly. "He'll be begging for mercy at my feet, instead of the other way around. I'll kill him with no mercy, drawing it out and listening to every scream . . . but first, I'll kill your two new friends, the ones you deserted me for. How would you like that? Maybe I'll kill . . . oh, the one who found you in the spirit world?"

/ Don't you dare touch Ryou! / Ryuuji shouted. / If you hurt him, I swear . . ./

Ryou and Seto were on their feet in an instant, poised in a defensive stance. Satoshi advanced on Ryou, who watched him carefully, not batting an eyelash. Then, all of a sudden, Satoshi leapt at him, lunging for his throat.

And everything froze.

Ryou stepped away from him silently, shooting Ryuuji a grin of thanks. At the last minute, he had managed to channel the game creator's time-stopping power and freeze Satoshi in the act of strangling him. He then released his hold on time, letting Satoshi clatter to the ground noisily.

/ Itai, that's my body Ryou! /

"Gomen ne, Ryuuji," Ryou said, smiling sheepishly.

/ And no, Seto, don't even think about punching my body /

"Che." Seto lowered his fist.

Ryuuji took a deep breath and, while Satoshi was picking himself off the ground, dived back into his body. Satoshi choked and fell onto his hands and knees, fighting for mental dominance. However, Ryuuji had been trained to handle these situations and his specialities were mental dominance, so Satoshi had no chance whatsoever.

A moment later, Ryuuji was back, rubbing his sore arm and muttering. Satoshi's spirit came out, panting heavily.

/ You got me this time / he spat / but believe me, I'll be back and you won't be so lucky. I'll take back what's rightfully mine and none of you will stop me /

"How pathetic, Satoshi. I'd expected more of you."

They all whipped around and came face-to-face with a dark skinned intruder, who had sun-kissed blonde hair to his shoulders. Cold, violet eyes glittered in a mix of amusement and disgust as they regarded the people in the room. His face was all that could be seen of him, as the rest of him was hidden by shadow.

/ Malik-sama . . ./ Satoshi whispered. / Malik-sama, I'm not done yet! /

"You're at a dead end, Satoshi," Malik replied. Then he barked in laughter. "Dead end, how ironic. A dead end for a dead person."

Seto, Ryou and Ryuuji didn't find it funny at all. Apparently, neither did Satoshi. He, however, was trembling with fear when Malik's smirk grew. The cold glint in his eyes turned malicious and deadly.

"Begone," he snarled. "We don't need a make inu like you."

/ I-iie, Malik-sama! / Satoshi whimpered. / I'll do better! Please don't! /

"Too late, Satoshi," Malik said.

With a pained cry, Satoshi's spirit exploded into dust. Malik didn't even blink. Instead, he turned to face the three standing in the opposite side of the room. He smirked at them too.

"Good evening to you all," he said in mock politeness. "Though, I assure you, the next time we meet it will be in a more convenient circumstance than now."

"You corrupted my best friend, Malik," Ryuuji hissed. "Kisama . . .!"

"Ryuuji . . ." both Seto and Ryou warned at the same time.

"I'll see you all later. Ja ne."

Malik disappeared and the room returned to normal. Ryuuji clenched his fists in anger, tears of frustration building up in his eyes. He pressed a fist to his lips to stop the tears, but they leaked out anyway. Ryou and Seto exchanged worried looks and the albino hesitantly placed a hand on the game creator's shoulder.

"Ryuuji, daijoubu ka?"

"Iie," Ryuuji choked. "Iie - iie."

Having never done this before, Ryou was afraid he'd do something wrong as he put his arms around the other teen's shoulders. But he felt the other's pain and guilt like knives stabbing into his own heart and it bled also. Without warning, Ryuuji buried his face into Ryou's shoulder and broke down completely.

"Daijoubu, Ryuuji," Ryou murmured soothingly. "Let it all out."

Seto watched Ryou comforting the distraught teen. He knew the albino was feeling just as much pain and his heart was breaking alongside Ryuuji's. Ryou could cope with more emotional pain than either of them because he was so used to feeling double the amount of normal human emotions.

"Daijoubu . . . daijoubu."

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End Chapter Four

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Author's notes:

RYUUJI ANGST! Ah, poor boy. This chapter is my longest yet!

So . . . what do you say about those reviews, hm? I at least deserve another . . . let's say, seven reviews? I did stay up until twelve am writing this and another hour or two editing!

Come on, please? I'm begging you guys here! If I don't get any reviews, I swear I won't continue! Gather your friends or something, review twice! I just want more reviews!

* runs of crying hysterically at lack of reviews *

REVIEW!

Relinquished