Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Psyche ❯ Sanctuaries ( Chapter 18 )

Disclaimer: Yugi-oh is the property of Kazuki Takahashi, who is a genius.

 

This is the third part of the Chrysalis series. You will enjoy this more if you read Chrysalis and Emergence first. You will get lost!

 

AN: 1) Yami's smile. I noticed in the manga that Yami looks really creepy sometimes when he smiles. Mostly, he's adorable, but either as an artistic faux pas or for some other reason, he occasionally looks down right freaky. Which is odd, because he looks his creepiest when he's giving uplifting or moralistic speeches or going for the kill. 2) Earthquakes. Most sane people, when experiencing an earthquake get frightened to death. However, I have noticed, living in Southern California for most of my life, that the more you experience, the less reaction to them you have, till they become a minor thrill, if even that. Considering Japan has more earthquakes then SoCal, I would guess the Southern California attitude of eh-so-what to the earth rolling around would be even greater.

 

Psyche

Chapter Eighteen: Sanctuaries

~*~*~*

OCs

~*~*~*

Ahmose: (Egyptian for: The moon is born) Yami's son back in Egypt.

E'on: Jonouchi's Red Eyes Black Dragon.

Jame: Kaiba's obsessive-compulsively organized secretary who wants to be fired.

Kallon: The Dark Sage and one of the three rulers of the Shadow Realm, though he tries hard not to be.

Kisara: The only female Blue Eyes White Dragon. (Not really an OC)

Koori: (Japanese for: Ice) The largest male Blue Eyes White Dragon.

Ledowr: The Magician of Black Chaos, also one of the three rulers of the Shadow Realm, and is trying even harder not to be. He is also Yuai's husband.

Pepi: Yami's third wife back in Egypt.

Shimo: (Japanese for: Frost) The other male Blue Eyes White Dragon.

Yuai: Yugi's girlfriend, sort of..., one of three rulers of the Shadow Realm. Though she's been slacking lately. She is married to Ledowr.

~*~*~*

Seth and Jo

~*~*~*

 

Poke

 

“mmmppphhhh.”

 

Poke

 

“Nyaaa mmmaaaahhh.”

 

Poke

 

“Whaaa? Nnnnyyaa.”

 

Poke

 

“Go awaaa.”

 

Poke

 

“Go away or die.”

 

Poke

 

Seth, mumbling curses and death threats battled his way bravely out of the clinging, warm, soft, enfolding, comforting…

 

Poke

 

“Die!” Seth thrashed his way free of the blankets and faced the soon to be corpse who dared to wake him from his well earned rest. The soon to be dead man, also known by his friends as Jo, smiled back at him and playfully poked him again. Seth fell back with a moan. “Jo, I'm tired. I spent the whole night explaining to Mokuba how I can be me and Seto can be Seto and we can still be the same person but different.”

 

Jo smiled and poked him again.

 

“Jo stop that or…” Seth hesitated, not knowing how well the blond would take a playful threat. “…or I'll get Seto to make sure you have that talk with Mokuba.”

 

Poke

 

“Jo. Stop. It.”

 

Poke

 

Seth narrowed his eyes, glaring into Jo's happy grin, then shook his head. “You do realize I'm not Seto?”

 

Jo nodded, still smiling happily, and edged closer to the still somewhat groggy priest.

 

Seth moaned. “Jo, just go back to bed. I'm tired and I don't want Seto to tear my balls off when he wakes up.”

 

Jo patted Seth comfortingly on the cheek and leaned in to nuzzle a quick kiss on Seth's lips.

 

Sighing, Seth slid one hand into Jo's hair and pulled him back for another kiss. What can a kiss or two hurt? Hmmm…

 

Jo snuggled closer rubbing a hand over Seth's chest and licking lightly at the other's lips, silently asking for permission to take the kiss deeper. When the brunet opened his mouth, Jo's tongue slipped in to flirt playfully with Seth's. He gave a slight push against one slender shoulder and grinned into the kiss when Seth settled deeper into the pillows onto the bed with an almost relieved sigh. His other hand slid across to find a small hard nipple and began to rub it softly.

 

Seth broke away, with a shake of his head. “Jo, enough.”

 

Jo pouted and nibbled at Seth's lower lip, sliding his hand down to smooth across shivering stomach muscles and playfully rubbed the small depression of Seth's belly button. He smiled to himself as Seth's eyes slid closed with a small moan, that suspiciously sounded like a dragon's pleased coo. Ha. Seto makes the same sound when I do that. Funny, you'd never think dragons were suckers for tummy rubs. He returned to his exploration of the now pliant brunet's mouth and let his fingers continue to rub soothing patterns across Seth's belly. When the last bits of resistance drained out of Seth, and he felt Seth's slender hands slide encouragingly down his shoulders and back, he slipped down, nibbling a teasing trail to the other's collar bones, there he paused while his hands wandered downward to tease the other's stiffening arousal. Seth panted softly, arching into the touch. Jo smiled trailing kisses down to Seth's navel, then swirled his tongue around in a lazy sweep. Seth writhed under him, causing him to chuckle silently to himself.

 

“Master! Time for breakfast!” E'on barged in caroling an obnoxiously cheerful morning greeting.

 

Jo lifted his head from Seth's panting body and grinned at his dragon. He pecked a quick kiss on Seth's lips and bounced playfully out of bed and out the door before the brunet could blink sense back into his eyes. E'on quickly bolted out after him casting guilty looks at the dragon tamer.

 

Seth laid there, panting and wondering if Seto really would kill him if…say…they left Jo in the Shadow Realm. “Jo, when I get up, you are going to pay…”

 

~*~*~*

Yami

~*~*~*

 

He was following himself down the hall and wondering why no one had ever told him he looked damn frightening with that look on his face. It was a slightly…well…crazed look. His eyes had gone all weird and his mouth had a really odd smile seemingly stuck on it, and his hair had gone all funny and sinister. He noted the guards and courtiers that passed him in the halls bowed politely, and gave him polite, if somewhat forced, smiles, but they also hurried along at a quicker pace till they were out of his sight. I wonder if I still look like that sometimes? I've got to ask Yugi and have him hit me or something if I start looking like that.

 

The other him was also dirty looking. The white linen skirt he wore looked grayish and dull. Even his favorite red cape looked ratty, with smudges of soot and dirt along its hems. The other me probably smells too. No wonder the nobles are vacating the area. Yami shivered. He hated being dirty almost as much as he hated looking less then his best. Seeing himself look weird and filthy worried him. This can't be me. It's like that dream where Ahmose… I didn't do that. He did and he's not me. No. I was fighting Bakura and dealing with Shadow beasts gone amok. I never killed…No. This isn't me.

 

The other him came to a door and stopped, tipping his head to the side, pressing his ear against the panel, and grinning that smug, off balanced smile. Yami took advantage of his dream body and slipped through the door into the room. The room on the other side was a study of some sort. Shelves with papyrus scrolls lined one wall. Sitting against another was a table with more scrolls and writing utensils. A few chairs were clustered together in the center of the room on a soft woven carpet. A window with its linen bug netting pulled aside dominated the farthest wall and looked out over the city. Seth and his father Akunaden stood in the room, and from the annoyed, tense slant of Seth's shoulders, Yami could tell they'd been arguing for awhile.

 

“I don't like it either, but he's…” Akunaden sighed tiredly rubbing his hand over his face. “He's not the same.”

 

Seth stood with his back to the other priest glaring out the window. “No. I won't agree to it. He needs time, not…”

 

Yami eyed the door, which was now cracked open. He noticed one too bright red eye peering through the crack.

 

“He's had time. Bakura's roving around destroying nearly everything in sight. The temple is in shambles and the nobles are vacating the capital in droves, taking their armies with them.” The old priest shook his head. “With the Syrians pressing our boarders, we don't have time for the pharaoh to…”

 

“Bakura is being handled.” Seth turned glowering at his father. “The Syrians have been nipping at the boarder for decades, and you are supposed to be keeping the nobles in line.”

 

“I can't force them to stay.” The gray haired priest sighed, and slumped into a chair. “Especially with the rumors floating around. It's getting to the point I am wondering whether …” He shook his head and closed his eyes. “We need a strong pharaoh and I fear that with the prince's death, we lost the one we had.”

 

Yami looked back and forth between the two in the room and the glittering eye. I have to say, when he's got a point, he's got a point. The other me doesn't look too stable right now…

 

“He'll be fine.” Seth turned away again.

 

“No he won't, my son, and we both know that.” Akunaden slumped dispiritedly in the chair. “Our country is falling apart. We have an enemy on the boarder waiting for even a second of weakness, we have another inside our country preying on our citizens, and our pharaoh is…” his voice sank to a whisper, “insane.”

 

“No.”

 

I'm agreeing with him Seth. Yami noticed the flash of a grin, even through the door. He's not playing with a full deck.

 

“You have to.” The older priest shook himself leaned forward toward his son. “I am too old; I don't have the strength to keep our country from falling apart, so it is up to you. You must take the throne.”

 

“I would never betray my…” Seth snarled turning on the other.

 

“He's been trying to bring his son back.” Akunaden pulled himself to his feet and walked slowly over to his son. “Necromancy is forbidden for a reason. The toll it takes on the mind and soul are too heavy. But our pharaoh has…”

 

“No. He's just…”

 

Necromancy. That would explain the look. Yami turned his back on the door, not wanting to see that grin anymore, then turned back around, not liking having that person at his back.

 

“Don't lie to yourself. Don't lie to me.” Akunaden reached out and caught Seth's shoulder. “For the good of Egypt, you must take the throne.”

 

Seth shivered under his father's hand, then pulled away angrily. “I can't. I won't.”

 

Yami edged uneasily behind the two men as the door opened a fraction further. For the Gods' sake, take the damn throne! He's a wacko.

 

“Then Egypt is doomed.” Akunaden waved a hand towards the window. “Look at the city. Look at the people you consign to death. All because you cannot…will not see that the pharaoh we both loved is gone, as surely as if he had died.”

 

“Father, this is treason. You can't really expect me to…” Seth backed away from the window.

 

“Protect Egypt? Be true to the royal blood that flows through your veins?” Akunaden stepped towards Seth, backing him into the room. “It is the duty of the royal family to not just rule, but to protect our country. I don't ask you to like what I am saying. I don't like it myself. How could I? He is my brother's child. The memories I have of him…” He paused and bowed his head. “I say what I say out of duty to the land of Egypt. As a member of the royal family, it is my duty to put my country's welfare over my own, selfish, desires.”

 

Seth looked out the window, then back to his father. “He's my friend…”

 

“Seth, you must.”

 

“Really cousin, why all the fuss? Surely a little assassination can't be bothering you?” The other Yami now stood in the room, still grinning. “After all, when planning on stealing a throne, you shouldn't be so squeamish.”

 

Seth gasped and knelt. “My Pharaoh, I would never…”

Yami backed away, an uneasy feeling sliding down his back. It looked familiar. Seth kneeling with his brown hair glinting in the sun, Akunaden standing shocked, the room with a drowsy breeze blowing through the window, everything… Oh Gods, no. I didn't… Please. I didn't… I fought Bakura. I defeated Zork…Please…I beg you…

 

“You do know the penalty for treason is death? Don't you cousin?” His other self asked in a sickeningly pleasant voice.

 

Seth nodded, not looking up. “Yes, cousin. I know.”

 

The other him looked pleased. “Then you won't be too surprised…”

 

“No. I won't let you.” Akunaden lunged forward, knocking the other Yami off his feet and into the wall. “Enough. Any royalty you held, you lost when you began dealing with the magic of the dead.”

 

Yami didn't know whether to cheer for Akunaden or flee and hide in the depths of the Puzzle in complete shame. That's me. Oh, Gods, that's me.

 

“Father!” Seth leapt forward to stand between the now stunned figure on the floor and Akunaden. “Stop this. He needs help, not an attack.”

 

“He is going to have you executed, you fool!” Akunaden hissed. “Look at him! Look! Tell me that is your cousin, your friend, your pharaoh. That's a monster!”

 

Seth looked at the sprawled, still insanely grinning, figure at his feet then shook his head. “Fine. I'll take the throne, but only till he is recovered.” He turned and knelt next to his pharaoh. “Tell the court the pharaoh has taken a fever and I will act in his stead till his health is recovered.”

 

“He will never recover, Seth.” Akunaden growled. “He's gone too far down the path of forbidden magic. His mind will never recover.”

 

“Traitor.” The fallen pharaoh hissed, struggling weakly against Seth's hands. “Steal my throne. Try to kill me. Traitor.”

 

“I don't believe that father.” Seth snatched a hand back quickly as the other Yami tried to bite him. “He's strong. He just needs time.”

 

Yami bowed his head. Seth…I'm sorry…I'm sorry…

 

“I'm sorry!” Yami woke with a start to find himself snuggled in a warm comfortable bed, with Yugi tucked under his chin making small purring sounds in his sleep. He looked wildly around, half expecting to see himself looming over him grinning, but only saw Mahaado sitting in a chair next to the bed reading a book in the soft golden glow of a candle.

 

His friend looked up, carefully tucking a scrap of paper in his page, “What are you sorry for this time?”

 

Yami pulled Yugi closer. “I…I was… Mahaado, did I..?”

 

“My Pharaoh?” Mahaado arched one eyebrow curiously.

 

“Do you know if…” Yami started again. “I tried to resurrect my son?”

 

“Ahmose?”

 

Yami winced, but nodded.

 

“I suppose you should talk to Seth about that.” Mahaado studied his friend's distressed face a moment, then stood up. “But if it helps, the only one you ever harmed with that, was yourself.”

 

“And Seth.” Yami watched Mahaado walk to the door and poke his head out for a moment.

 

“Seth was, and is, quite capable of taking care of himself.” The magician smiled as he turned back to Yami. “And if you don't believe me…ask him yourself.”

 

“What…”

 

Mahaado smiled. “Don't worry about that now.” He nodded at Yugi. “He requested that I wake him up the second you woke up. He's been worried.”

 

“Let's pretend I haven't woken up then.” Yami settled back down. “But tell me what you meant about Seth.”

 

“He's here.” Mahaado resettled in the chair. “Seto collapsed and Seth stepped in to take care of him.”

 

Yami frowned, then nodded. “Yes, Seth is very good at that.”

 

~*~*~*

Jame

~*~*~*

 

Jame growled irritably at the counter moron. “I said I wanted five Chicken Supremes Deluxe with extra fries, two Tower of Taste burgers megasized, three Salad Spinners with blue cheese, two with vinegrette, and nine Apple Popper Pies.”

 

“We also need some more Fish Buddy Burgers.” Tanaka handed her another list. “This is from accounting.”

 

Jame squeezed her eyes shut. “Okay, add seven Fish Buddy Burgers, two more Chicken Supremes but without fries, three more Tower of Taste burgers megasized, two not megasized, and six Salad Spinners with ranch dressing.”

 

“Ahhh, could you repeat that again?”

 

“Why did we do this? Why?” Jame leaned forward and hit her head against the happy sign of McDougals that was plastered on the wall.

 

“The cafeteria is being redecorated in new, stress relieving colors.” Tanaka sounded anything up relieved of stress, “so we all came here to do an office luncheon and bond as coworkers.”

 

“Isn't it bad enough we have to bond eight hours a day for six days a week?” Jame pushed the lists across the counter and watched the counter person try to decipher them. She turned to Tanaka, “Haven't we bonded enough?”

 

“I feel very bonded myself, but the lack of edible…” He eyed the contents of a passing tray and shivered. “food, got me out. That and the fumes from the stress relieving paint were giving me a head ache.”

 

Jame nodded and took the number that was pushed across to her by the group of bewildered workers of McDougals that had clustered around to help read the lists. She wondered if she should point out she hadn't paid yet, then shrugged and followed Tanaka back to the large dinning room in the back that McDougals gave them when the starved employees of the personnel and accounting departments of Kaiba Corp stampeded through their doors.

 

The employees were now clustered in tiny groups, all merrily chatting in the bright, plasticy room with huge bright plasticy McDougals characters loitering around in it waving cheefully. As Tanaka plodded stoicly through the room, heading for a small corner under a poster with huge friendly purple blob that was one of McDougals' mascots, Jame trailed after him over hearing scraps of conversation.

 

“I can't believe that Yosha up in budgeting actually thought…”

 

“…he sure is a cutie. Gotta be those Kaiba…”

 

“…going to the dogs. Back in my day baseball teams…”

 

“…never found the body…”

 

“I can see why Mr. Kaiba decided to take a bit of time off.” Tanaka sat in the tiny plastic chair that was never meant for an adult to sit in for more then three seconds. “With the gossip, the reorganization and the painting, he probably is working from his home office. His brother used to do that now and then.”

 

Jame nodded, trying to look innocent. As far as she knew, Mr. Kaiba was still unaware that his entire company was being reorganized. She planned to tell him, sooner or later. Considering he hadn't even bothered to call her in the four days, she wasn't too worried about the sooner part of the equation. And she was gleefully awaiting the later part.

 

“Rumor has it that he's going to be merging Kaiba Corp with Industrial Illusions.” Tanaka wiggled uncomfortably in his chair. “I don't believe it, but with Seto Kaiba's death and all the changes, rumors are starting up all over.”

 

Jame shrugged. “I doubt it's more then a bit of house keeping.”

 

The room hushed as the floor rocked gently under their feet.

 

Someone laughed, “Earthquake.”

 

Everyone started chattering again, this time most of the conversations revolved around earthquakes and a few bets were being taken for the number of aftershocks that were likely.

 

Jame settled into her plastic seat and wiggled around trying to find a comfortable angle. “From what I've heard, Mr. Kaiba has no plans to change anything.” Giving up, she took off her suit coat and put in on the seat for extra cushioning. “He seems to want to keep everything, even the office, just as his brother left it.”

 

Tanaka shook his head. “He's not coping well.”

 

A deeper, more violent quake rocked through the building. From the front of the restaurant, a few surprised voices could be heard and the sound of something shattering.

 

“Wow. That was a big one.” Someone called.

 

“Job opening up front.” Someone else laughed.

 

A few nervous giggles sounded and someone called back, “Does that count as an aftershock?”

 

“I'd say main event.” Another voice called.

 

Jame looked around at her coworkers, who had gone back to their gossiping and betting and returned to Tanaka. “He's coping pretty well. Everyone needs time when they loose someone.”

 

“How long does it take to make a salad?” Someone groused.

 

“They're growing the lettuce.”

 

Jame hauled herself to her feet. “I'll go see.”

 

“Hey, get me a shake while your out there.”

 

“Me too.”

 

“Coke for me.”

 

Jame gritted her teeth. “Make a list.”

 

The voices muttered a few minutes. Jame shook her head and headed for the door. The door was stuck. She pushed against it, opening it with a large shriek of metal, and looked around. The room behind her became quiet.

 

The front of McDougals was wrecked. The large plate glass windows in the front were blown inwards, leaving shattered glass sparkling through a litter of containers, cups and wrappers. A few people's coats, jackets and trays still sat at tables abandoned. Outside the once windows, the streets were also deserted and oddly dark for a sunny, cloudless day. A fine rain of dust swirled downwards.

 

“Oh…” Jame breathed, watching as a small wind blew more dust and a collection of papers through the street outside the restaurant. Cars were now coated in a layer of ash. All the people, who normally would be bustling in and out of the lunch time rush, were missing, leaving the street eerily silent.

 

Voices raised behind her.

 

“What the hell…”

“Oh my God.”

 

Jame stood frozen till a hand landed on her shoulder. Tanaka stood behind her looking out at the scene.

 

“Better close the door.” Tanaka pulled her back into the room and shut the door.

 

Jame reached for her cell phone, dialing Kaiba Corp's receptionist. The number rang, and rang, and rang. “Damn, no one's picking up.” Jame noticed a few other people making calls. She tried Kado's number.

 

“Kado.” His familiar voice barked back at her from the tiny ear piece.

 

“Hey, what happened?” Jame felt relieved hearing the security chief's voice. “We're…”

 

“Where are you? How many people are with you?” Kado's voice snapped at her.

 

“McDougals. Me and Tanaka and the most of the staff from accounting and personnel.” Jame tried to do a head count, but the crowd and the friendly plastic figures made things tricky. “We felt the quake. What happened?”

 

Kado grunted noncommittally, “Hang on.”

 

Jame glowered at the phone, then shrugged to Tanaka, “Well, whatever it is Kado is still Kado.”

 

Tanaka nodded, busy dialing on his own cell. “Not surprised. I can't reach my secretary.”

 

“Jame.” Kado called her back.

 

“Spill it Kado, tell me what's going on.” Jame growled into her phone.

 

“I've got a bus coming for you and the rest. Give me your exact location.” Kado growled back.

 

“Hey! Give a little Kado.”

 

“Someone just blew up Kaiba Corp tower. Now tell me where you are so I can get your asses out of there.”

 

Jame blinked at the phone. “Oh…”

 

~*~*~*

She smiled as Duke walked back into the small apartment that was in the upper floors of his game shop. Her puppet had done well. She wrinkled her nose at the smell of paint that still clung to his overalls, but considered it part of the price she'd have to pay.

 

“I don't suppose you saw little Mokuba, did you pet?” She watched Duke sway as he stood in the center of the room.

 

He shook his head slowly. His once bright eyes were now dull and lifeless.

 

“Too bad.” She leaned back in her chair. “Maybe we lucked out and got him anyway.” She laughed a hollow, empty sound. “We can always hope. Now, about the mansion…”

 

~*~*~*

Review please.

 

Velvetina: You still have to wait to see Yami's reaction to his sudden …ahhh…future employment. I'm glad you like my Seth. He's tricky to write, but I think he'll fit in fine with the other yamis once things start settling back down. Maybe he can join the yami support group….

 

bwlj: Thanks! Nice to see that your still with the story! I hope you'll like the wind up.

 

whosjeebus: Wow! Thank you! I have to give credit though to my reviewers, without the feedback, both positive and negative, the story would have died a piteous death a long time ago. I think the threesome might just work. Seth's interested. Jo is willing to at least tease Seth. Seto will be the deciding factor. He is a bit possessive about what he considers his, and Jo is definitely his.