Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Psyche ❯ Afterwards ( Chapter 30 )

Psyche

Chapter 30: Afterwards

~*~*~*

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: One of the three rulers of the Shadow Realm, but she's been slacking lately. She is married to Ledowr.

~*~*~*

Jonouchi

~*~*~*

He loved the decks. The house sat on the side of a cliff overlooking the ocean. From the back of the house, decks descended down the rock face, each offering some amenity. One had a wet bar, another had a fireplace built right into the cliff side, another had a hot tub, another had a barbeque, the lowest one had a diving platform to dive into the swirling waters below. He could spend his life out on the decks.

 

Mokuba was in love with the game room with its state of the art electronics, the private movie theater complete with popcorn vending machine, and the swimming pool that had been designed to look like a series of water grottos out of Pirates of the Caribbean. He had also enthused about his prospective bedroom that had a panoramic view of the ocean.

 

Kaiba had looked at the home office, the library, and the security system and made a few approving sounds, but had spent a few long worrying minutes frowning at the decks Jonouchi adored. The real estate agent, seeing her nearly unbelievable commission become endangered had leapt to the decks' defense and was now all but singing arias about all their safety features.

 

Kaiba's secretary Jame, who had scouted the house, was in the kitchen inspecting it for efficiency. She'd pointed out all the features she thought were important for Kaiba to consider: the helipad, so he could get to work easily without fighting traffic; the built in security lockers for neatly storing important work; the easy access to major traffic arteries to ease any commute by car; and the well thought out floor plan.

 

Jo climbed back up to the upper most deck smiling hopefully, “How about it?”

 

“Mokuba could fall.” Kaiba glowered at the railings of the decks.

 

“The decks are all well protected with guard railings.” The real estate agent caroled. “The space between the slats is well within all safety guidelines, further, the upper decks come with plexiglass retaining sheets that bolt into the rails for extra protection. They were taken down for cleaning, but will be replaced before escrow closes.”

 

Kaiba nodded, still not looking entirely convinced. He knew his brother and plexiglass was hardly likely to deter Mokuba from trying to dive into the surf from the upper decks. His mind conjured images of all the things his little brother could do with those decks, many of which would keep him up at night sweating.

 

“Ah, give me a break.” Mokuba ambled over from his careful inspection of the pirate cove of a swimming pool. “It's not like I have the career aspiration of becoming an Acapulco cliff diver.”

 

Kaiba eyed him, “You could slip.”

 

“So could you,” Mokuba crossed his arms, “in the bathroom. Should we take those out?”

 

Kaiba grunted, but Jo noticed the slight softening in his shoulders that clearly said the decks were approved. Mokuba whooped and raced back to the pool. The real estate agent looked like Nirvana had opened up and invited her in.

 

“Okay.” Kaiba took another look at the deck. “I'll take it, but I want the plexiglass back and an all season nonslip surface on those decks.”

 

“Of course, Mr. Kaiba.” The real estate agent nearly glowed. “I'll have all the paperwork sent to your office today.”

 

Jame drifted over, “Don't bother. I”ll pick it up. That way I can make sure it's all in order.” She sidled over to Kaiba. “We have to go. The meeting with the city planning commission for breaking ground on the new tower will begin in thirty five minutes.”

 

Kaiba nodded briskly and turned calling for Mokuba as he strode back through the mansion to the car. Jo sighed happily at the decks then trotted after him.

 

“Admit it, you love it.” Jonouchi slipped his arm through Kiaba's. “You'll have the ocean right out the bedroom window.”

 

Kaiba snorted, but a small grin lurked around the corners of his mouth. “Why would that appeal to me?”

 

“Maybe because you love to look at the bay when you're thinking?” Jo smiled, “Or did you think I never noticed.”

 

“The view from the office isn't bad either.” Kaiba tipped his head thoughtfully. “It looks over the decks, so I can keep an eye on you and Mokuba.”

 

“Or we can keep an eye on you.” Jo tapped a kiss against the brunet's lips, then scampered off to where Mokuba was calling and pointing to a tall pirate flag.

 

 

Kaiba smirked at it, “Fitting…”

~*~*~*

Yugi, Yuai, Honda, Ryou, and Anzu

~*~*~*

“I've got Human Biology in the Seaman's complex, after History of Folklore.” Anzu looked at her computer print out.

 

Yugi, biting his lip worriedly, scrutinized his schedule. “I think I need to get to English after it, but the building name says Lower Portables, where are the Lower Portables?”

 

“My art class only says TBA,” Yuai, looking like her old, normal, nondescript self looked around the college campus. “Did anyone here hear any announcements?”

 

Honda shook his head. “Not me. I'm still trying to figure out where SS&B 320 is. Last I saw the SS&B building only has one floor and all the classrooms are in the 100s.”

 

It was the first day of college. While they had all managed to get the same History of Folklore class, that counted as four units for the confusing Width and Breadth category of their requirements, they, like most new college students and many of the older ones, where lost in the sea of oddly placed classes, communications that were never communicated, and buildings that may or may not truly exist except in the minds of harried administrators who forgot things like demolishing the Lower Portables last semester to make way for the new tennis courts.

 

Ryou came running up. “I found it! The Auxiliary Annex is over by the dorms behind the maintenance building.”

 

“They really want you to attend that one, don't they?” Anzu sighed and hefting her bookpack over her shoulders began the trek to the other side of the campus.

 

Honda helped Yuai and Yugi get their packs on then headed after her, only to be stopped by his cell phone. He flipped it opened, grinned, and hit the answer button. “Hey Jo, how's My-Lame-Ass-Didn't-Graduate School…I mean tutoring?” He listened, his smile growing wider. “Oh, poor baby. You're gonna suffer so with all those decks. Just don't slip off.” Honda paused then laughed. “Well, great you can go splat on the protective thingies then…oh before I forget, do you mind if I bring Ribbon…? Okay, thanks.”

 

Yugi waved motioning that the rest were going on ahead as Honda kept talking. Ryou was poking around in his pack as they walked.

 

“I can't find it. I know it was in here.” Ryou muttered then looked up with a sigh. “He keeps stealing my mechanical pencils. I think he's got some weird fixation on them.”

 

“Bakura?”

 

Ryou shook his head, “No, Malik. Bakura wouldn't steal my things. He only steals from everyone else.”

 

“What's Malik doing in your books?” Anzu pulled a mechanical pencil out of her pack and handed it to the hikari.

 

“The yamis are trying to unwind Marik from Malik,” Ryou's gentle, doe soft eyes narrowed into a rather scary, intense glare. “And for some reason they have to do it in my living room. Do you know how hard it is to explain a melted carpet to the landlord? And the smell…don't even begin to get me going on the smell!”

 

“Ooookaaay.” Anzu backed away then hurried up to catch up with Yuai who was peering suspiciously at the battered, faded sign that marked their destination.

 

Yugi gave his fellow light a bit more space too. Honda, jogging to catch up, saw the sudden space around Ryou and veered off to stand with the girls.

 

“Jo's inviting us to a house warming in a couple of weeks.” He glanced nervously over his shoulder at the still fuming Ryou. “Kaiba's buying that house on the cliff.”

 

“You mean Kaiba's buying Jonouchi and Mokuba the house on the cliff.” Yuai grinned, peering ahead into the gloomy depths of the building. “Why does this place smell like a locker room?”

 

“…and do you think any of them even think of cleaning up!” Ryou snarled to a cringing Yugi. “Think again. The world will end before you see any of that lot use a vacuum cleaner!”

 

“This is the place…such as it is.” Honda made a sweep of his arm. “Ladies first.”

 

Anzu and Yuai looked doubtful about the honor, but after taking one last gulp of fresh air, they cautiously stepped into the building and started looking for their room number. The guys, Ryou being semi-quieted by the exquisite smell of the building, slunk after them down the hall with its yellowy lights.

 

“What about you, Yuai, how's the moving coming along.” Yugi trotted up to walk next to her, leaving Ryou waving his hand in front of his face as if he could somehow conjure fresh air with the motion.

 

“Fine. Kallon's staying at the castle; he doesn't want to leave his library, so it's just me and Ledowr. He's gotten a job of some sort.” She shrugged. “It'll keep him busy. Want to come over later. You still haven't beaten me at Life.”

 

“I'll pick up some Chinese on the way.” Yugi grinned.

 

“And just what does a Magician of Black Chaos do for a living?” Honda shuffled down the hall, vaguely wondering if there was a gas leak somewhere in the building.

 

Anzu, opening the door to their class paused then blinked. “He teaches college.”

 

“Huh?” Yuai stepped forward with Yugi, Honda, and Ryou at her heels to peer into their classroom, at their new teacher.

 

Ledowr, dressed in jeans, a white button down shirt, and a tweed jacket, with his long hair neatly caught back in tie behind his head, and with normal looking pale skin grinned sharkily at his wife from the front of the class. “Get in here and take a seat. I don't tolerate lateness…”

 

Yuai's mouth dropped open.

 

Honda moaned, “And I thought high school had been hell….”

~*~*~*

Bakura

~*~*~*

“Well, thank you so much for accepting this position.” Jame grinned at the white haired man in front of her. “Mr. Kado, our present head of security will fill you in on your job parameters.”

 

Bakura grinned back, but his smile wasn't as pleasant as Jame's. “No, thank you. I can't tell you how I'm looking forward to starting to work.”

 

Jame nodded. It was a good day. She'd be fired soon. She was sure of it. Mr. Bakura -no first name- was going to take the place of Kado, who had been promoted to head security liaison for Kaiba Corp. Bakura had all the qualifications that the job required. He had an impressive resume, which while highly suspicious, even Kado couldn't disprove. He had an impressive knowledge of security systems and security measures, and he knew Kaiba personally. This had been proved when Kaiba had walked in on the interview and nearly had an aneurism on the spot. However, after all the bitching and odd name calling -why he kept referring to Kaiba as priest was beyond her- Kaiba hadn't said she couldn't hire him, so….

 

“You'll start next week.” Jame's smile grew wider as the beaches of Bermuda beckoned.

 

Bakura got up and sauntered out the door. “Great. I'll be there.”

 

Bakura paused at Kaiba's office and poked his head in. “See you next week, boss.” He walked down the corridor howling with laughter as Kaiba snarled curses behind his back.

 

It was a great day. He now had a job, which would please Ryou. His little light had been hyperventilating over the bills last night, apparently his father, caring individual that he was, stopped all of Ryou's income now that he was in college. Which really wouldn't have been bad, except the ass hadn't given Ryou any notice, just a message on the answering machine saying he hadn't sent a check and good luck. He'd made a small note to himself that while Ryou was away attending class one day, he'd arrange for something wildly unlucky to happen to dear old dad. Tombs were tricky things, people got hurt all the time, and who knew better than him about how things could go wrong.

 

Ryou was waiting for him when he got home, fussing around, opening windows, and spraying air freshener everywhere. “Well?”

 

“I think Kaiba had a stroke.” Bakura threw himself on the couch with a happy, if somewhat evil, grin.

 

Ryou darted around shaking the curtains and spraying them down. “You will behave…won't you. We really need the…”

 

“Behave? Me?” Bakura patted the couch, and Ryou sat nervously next to him. He gathered his light against him. “Now stop worrying. I don't care if I steal Kaiba blind or if I keep others from doing it. It's the game that's exciting, not the score.”

 

“So…you won't…” Ryou sighed as Bakura stretched back on the couch with him on top.

 

“Nah. Kaiba would be too easy now that I'm in.” He picked up the remote and clicked the VCR on. “It'll be more fun fucking with the asses that are trying to fuck with him.” He hit play and turned the TV on. “He's got an impressive list of enemies.” Bakura wasn't going to explain the deal he'd made with Seth for the return of the Millennium Eye; one safe hikari for one non-possessed Eye.

 

Captive Passions cued up and the sadly sweet opening music began playing. Bakura relaxed back, pillowing his head against the arm of the couch as Tad, one of the blond male bimbos that usually sent Ryou into fits of sighs, squeakily talked to Merideth, who had died a squishy death by being pureed in Chelsea's tomato processing vat. As Merideth denounced Tad as a cannibal for eating her -unknowingly- in a delicious rigatoni with mushroom dish as he tried to seduce the ever slutty Raven, Ryou started twitching.

 

“I'm going to go get some drinks. Would you like a soda?” Ryou slithered nervously off the couch, but Bakura didn't notice as Tad fell to his knees.

 

“A beer would be nice.” Bakura watched entranced as Merideth, snarling retribution, and chucking a tomato at Tad's bowed head for emphasis faded.

 

Ryou scampered out as Roman's deep commanding voice filled the room, wondering if his darling Jessica would be alright, and bemoaning the fact that he couldn't be at her side since it was daytime and he, a vampire, would become charcoal broiled in seconds if he dared to step into the delivery room, which, for some odd reason, had a large window overlooking the hospital's ornamental fountain. The scene switched into the delivery room, as a sweaty, exhausted, but still perfectly groomed Jessica tiredly reached for her newborn, smiling lovingly as she pulled the blanket aside to take a look at her son's face for the first time.

 

Bakura grinned as Jessica's lovely smile desolved into a horrified look.

 

“Oh my god!” Jessica wailed. “He's…he's….” She shoved her son away, into the arms of a sympathetic nurse. “I can't bear it…he's …not normal!”

 

“I told you. Short, red eyed, and probably has weird hair that sticks up all over.” Bakura purred, absently wondering why Ryou wasn't back with his beer.

 

“No one has hair like that!” Jessica swooned back on the hospital bed. “It's unnatural! And his eyes! No, please it can't be my baby!” She started sobbing.

 

Bakura took a deep satisfied breath. “Yep. Inbred. It does odd things.”

 

In the kitchen, Ryou contemplated if he could get out the window. There was a ledge bellow it, so just maybe…

 

“The poor child…” The nurse rocked the now crying infant. “Even his own mother… He'll be ridiculed all his life.”

 

“Or become a pharaoh.” Bakura made a contented little stretch.

 

“Just look at him! His hair juts up all over!” Jessica got over her swoon and started crying. “And no one, no one has dark skin, blue eyes and white hair! No one!”

 

“What.” Bakura sat up, glaring at the TV as they showed a small baby with a tiny scrunched face, a wild tangle of white spiky hair, caramel brown skin, and crystal blue eyes.

 

Ryou cringed as the sounds of the TV getting abruptly sent to the Shadow Realm reached his ears.

~*~*~*

Seth

~*~*~*

The dragons were in heaven. After returning to the mortal realm and overseeing his light's recovery, he'd returned to the Shadows to prepare for Yami's arrival. He had, after seeing the wreck his father had made of Pegasus, chosen to bring the man with him, hoping to find a way to help the man. He hadn't realize in doing so, he was also bringing the only other person alive, besides him and his hikari, to call the Blue Eyes forth in battle. The dragons had greeted him, done a double take, and hauled the only semi-aware Pegasus off for intensive cuddling, and if half the things that wandered through Koori's or Shimo's mind came about, he had no doubts that Pegasus would be more than cuddled once he was well enough to give even a semi-coherent assent.

 

“Are you sure he's coming?” Kallon looked worn out. His normally spotless robes were stained with a variety of foods after a long and difficult lunch.

 

Seth nodded. Kallon had been busy dealing with his lunchtime ordeal and hadn't consulted the bird bath of sight.

 

“He's on his way.” Seth glanced over from where he stood watching Koori and Shimo carefully feed Pegasus small berries as the trio sprawled contentedly against the courtyard fountain.

 

Kallon nodded, pulling a bit of food out of his beard. “Mystic will have him all nice and clean by the time the pharaoh arrives.”

 

Seth helpfully pulled a squash-like vegetable out of Kallon's hair. “He'll be here any moment. Go rest.”

 

Kallon didn't need any further encouragement and took off for his own quarters. Seth watched him retreat then turned back to the window. Seto and Jonouchi were going to arrive too. He hadn't seen his light in days, and could feel the strain. Unlike the pharaoh, he didn't have mood swings. Nor was he becoming murderous, as they feared Bakura would become if deprived of Ryou. Instead, he became sleepy, his mind trying to fade back to the endless sleep that he'd wrapped himself in for millennia.

 

He shook himself free of his thoughts as Jonouchi's bright, energetic voice yelled a greeting from the main entrance.

 

“Hey, Seth! You home?” Jonouchi, with his rapturous Red Eyes faithfully following him, bounded into the main hall. His long blond hair tangled down his back in a bright spray of golden light.

 

Seto ambled behind smiling at Kisara who was happily hugging him. “Seth?” Seth, where are the others?

 

Seth smiled. Out in the courtyard with Pegasus. I told them only one could greet you at a time.

 

Thanks. Wait… Pegasus?

 

Seth walked down the stairs towards the main level. Yami strode into the hall, brushing his hair back with a tired hand. The sound of small feet racing down the stairs behind him alerted Seth to step aside. He smiled back as the footsteps came closer.

 

Yami paused at the door. While Jonouchi and Kaiba may have gotten a thrill out of riding here on the back of a dragon, he found the experience disturbing. Perhaps because of all the times he'd faced Kaiba's dragons across the battlefield. Not to mention sitting on dragon scales was uncomfortable. He rubbed his abused posterior with a grimace, noticing Seth suddenly step to one side of the staircase while looking back up it with a small smile.

 

“Seth, is Kallon…”

 

He started then stopped as a small figure raced down the last sweep of stairs, heading straight for him. The little one smiled, a big smile of pure happiness as small hands reached for him. Tiny feet pattered across the stone floor. Ruby red eyes that matched his laughed.

 

Yami raced forward, not asking or questioning, just reaching out, scooping the child up, clutching him close, close, close, feeling the tiny, body wiggle, as small sturdy arms wrapped around his neck in a joyous hug.

 

“Papa home!”

 

“Yes, Ahmose. Papa home.”

~*~*~*

 

And so the story ends. I would say and they all lived happily ever after, but happily ever after sounds so boring, so I will say, and they lived the best they could, counted themselves fortunate, and when troubles arose, they faced it together. Bitching, complaining, sniping, dragging their feet at times, getting hurt, but still in the end together.

 

~*~*~*

Thank you to all my readers, whether you have reviewed or not. I also thank the readers who will stumble on this story in the future and perhaps leave a comment or two. If you don't that's okay too. I still appreciate you.

 

No, I did not answer all the questions. This trilogy is ended, but I will probably post a few more short stories that will be more H.U.G.S. stories than Chrysalis stories. I am already playing with ideas for H.U.G.S.trek: The Search for Marik, so if you're wondering why I didn't wind that up, that's the reason. For those of you who want to see more Seto/Seth/Jonouchi, you'll have to wait for Three's Company, which is only in preliminary stages, as in I know I will write it, but my Yu-Gi-Oh muses are all comatose. I also know I still have Tea for Two, which has turned into Day of Our Lives, but I'm tired and need a break from Yu-Gi-Oh. I'm off to the land of Kenshin and tormenting characters out of Final Fantasy 7 with bad clothes.

 

Again, thank you!

Tamlin

 

~*~*~*

 

 

Me: Yes, that was Jonouchi warning Kaiba. If he was going to break his silence, it had to be a good reason. Seeing Kaiba about to get seriously hurt was as good as it was going to get. I also want to congratulate you for your rant. You got it exactly. Kaiba is physically imposing and puts on a great front, but emotionally he's very fragile. Jo, while not weak physically, is far stronger emotionally, so protects and watches over Kaiba. As for continuing to write, I will. I already have another story in progress, but I'll be working with Rurouni Kenshin for a bit, and a story from Final Fantasy 7. Thanks for reviewing. I've said it before, and I meant it, I write for you all. Otherwise this story would have died about forty chapters ago.

 

Sorceress Sarrkh: Bring on the critiques! I love constructive criticism. I know I've left plot holes, but as the creator, I'm sure I'm blind to them, so I look forward to hearing your opinions! Now that you've read the whole thing, Marik had to go since I needed Seth and Seto to face Akenaden, however, they needed the Millennium Rod to succeed. I had Akenaden's Funny Bunny fate planned from the beginning of Emergence. The Rod had to be in Seth's hand. Marik will be back when I find the rest of his story. I always meant to have a H.U.G.S. story with Marik and Malik as the main characters. To my critique …<Authoress smiles and hands you a Blue Eyes plushie>

 

xminkx: I really did consider a angsty meeting between Seto and Jonouchi, but that would have dragged the story into directions I didn't want it to go in. When I really thought about it, Jonouchi had no reason to feel upset, worried yes, but not upset. Once Kaiba gave him reassurance, even if it was a hint of jealously on Kaiba's part, I figured Jonouchi would settle down. Ah, Starbucks, how I love that place, but actually the tea house was modeled after a tea house where I used to live in Eureka California. I tend to write about places I miss, and I really miss that tea house. They had jam tea. It was delicious and on cold, rainy Northern California days I would head over there and sip jam tea in the little yellow tea room with all the Alice in Wonderland characters and pretend to be someplace warm. You will also note that my new computer now has Kaiba in the word dictionary, sorry about that. I wanted to beat my head on the keyboard when I reviewed the chapter and realized I had done that. If you want to know, I don't get GX either, and honestly, I now only read the manga -where I still don't get GX- and don't watch the old series. I think that movie scarred me… To the other member of the mutual admiration society… <Authoress hands you a Seth and a Seto plushie>

 

dragonlady222: I love the dragons, too. I hesitated having the dragons pull Kaiba out of danger, but I had already set it up to happen, so I was almost trapped. I also wanted Seth to, in the end, face and defeat Akenaden alone. In a way Akenaden is Seth, but the worst most corrupt part of him. He needed to face that part of his soul and pull himself back to the light without depending on his dragons or even Seto. To one of my most faithful reviewers, who has loyally read this for so long…<Authoress hands you a Red Eyes plushie and a Blue Eyes plushie>

 

azure eyes: I will get to the threesome after I get done with my vacation from Yu-Gi-Oh. Those three really need a quality romp… Yes, I will keep writing. While I may leave Yu-Gi-Oh for a bit, I will stay with fan fiction. I think I'm addicted to it :) Thank you for reviewing, and I hope to hear from you again.