Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ The One That Falls in Love Loses ❯ Chapter 10 ( Chapter 10 )

Chapter 10

 

-3-3-3-3-

 

Duke took a deep breath as he knelt down where the grass was flattened down, forming a body's imprint. “He was here…but…”

 

Alister and Seto had followed the reaper, but neither of them was in the mood for a break in proceedings. Seto grabbed the reaper by the hood with aggravation and threw him against a tree. “Tell us, stop stalling!”

 

“Wait!” Duke gasped in pain and held up his hands in defense. “Please, you have to understand. It takes time to find the pinpoint of a person.” He fell to his knees after Seto had relaxed and backed off to stand beside his partner. “He's…in the underworld…with Marik.”

 

Alister flinched. “What's Marik doing there with Joey?”

 

Seto tightened his hands into fists, his nails piercing into his gloves and flesh. “That bastard! He's trying to revamp for what he's done to Joey.” He released his death grip, feeling the cool, crimson liquid sip through the leather fabric. He heard the droplets collide with the ground, realizing how much the beats resembled his pulse. Frantic and provoked. “Marik isn't going to get off that easily yet.”

 

The auburn demon let out a small, startled yelp, causing Seto to turn toward him. “Seto…you're…”

 

“What?” Seto noted that his brother was staring at the left side of his face. He lifted his right hand to his cheek and winced. Even though his gloves prevented any texture to his fingertips, he knew something was there. He removed his glove and replaced his hand back against his face. His once soft and silky skin was solid and scaly. He calmly removed his hand and approached the pond. Seto's eyes narrowed with anger at his reflection. The scales were silvery blue, and excelled brilliantly against the setting sun. It had spread across one side of his face. Spikes with the same vividness protruded through his brown locks as well.

 

“What's happening to him?” Duke whispered warily.

 

Alister shuddered and stared at his feet with remorse. “He's…altering into his ultimate form. He will when he becomes very emotional.”

 

Duke stared at the auburn demon and frowned. “What about you? Can you do that?”

 

“Unfortunately, I can. However, I can change at will, Seto can't. He has to have something to spark it.”

 

“Alister!” Seto growled. “Open the portal to the underworld.”

 

Alister clinched his teeth when he noticed how his brother's voice had become deeper than a lion's snarl. He nodded once in apprehension. “Yes, brother.”

 

* * *

 

“This…is nice…” Joey complimented nervously. Of course, it would be better if there weren't dead souls trying to grab at his legs. He immediately clung onto Marik's shirt from behind.

 

There was a moment of hesitation in Marik's stride when he felt Joey's contact. He smiled weakly as he continued. “They can't hurt you, Joseph. They're just lifeless souls that have lost all meaning on Earth.”

 

“Lost all meaning? No one loses their meaning.” Joey explained softly. “Everyone has a meaning.”

 

Marik sighed. “I know that, Joey. But as demons, that's what we've been taught.”

 

Joey hurdled himself in Marik's back, after feeling something touch his leg and move up to his ass. “Don't do that!” He barked. “These souls are perverts!

 

The demon laughed at the statement. “Now that wasn't a soul.” He turned to face the imposter and smirked. “That's Valon.” He half waved at the other demon, smiling flirtatiously. “He's the demon of lust. He must have just returned from Dartz's lair.”

 

“Dartz?” Joey asked guardedly.

 

“That's who we're going to meet.” Marik smirked. “He's going to love you.”

 

Joey wanted to shrink just then. “Is…Dartz the…devil?”

 

Marik nodded. “Yes, but don't be afraid of him. He's actually quite kind.”

 

“I don't understand this world.” Joey pulled back slightly, but still keeping the demon's shirt in his hands for self-reassurance. “I was always taught that demons didn't exist…nor zombies,” he indicated for himself.

 

“That's what a lot of humans were raised to think. However, whether they like to believe it or not we DO exist.” Marik sighed thoughtfully. “It's not like we're here to scare the shit out of everyone though. It's to put the world in balance.”

 

Joey stared at Marik's moving feet as he contemplated. “Like death?”

 

That wasn't something Marik was expecting from Joey's mouth. It just gave him a wringing, accountable feeling in his gut. He nodded apathetically. “Yes, like death.” How could he explain to the teen that he was the one responsible for his death? “By the way. Zombie is just a word given by humans for something unexplainable. You're not a `zombie.' You're just someone who's lost their soul in a mishap,” he explained trying to change the subject.

 

Joey quirked an eyebrow. “So, this has happened before?”

 

The demon nodded. “Not often, but yes.” Marik paused and reached behind him to pull Joey out by the arm. “We're here.”

 

“Whoa…” Joey gapped at the overly large, black castle. It felt like he was staring beyond infinity to the very point at the top. “How can anyone live in something like this?”

 

Marik shrugged. It wasn't his concern and he wasn't interested. All he wanted to do was rid himself of the kid and go back to his lovers, including before Seto found them. However, familiar presences loomed over him, comforting him greatly. He sighed deeply as he gently pushed the blonde up the stairs and into the large doorway.

 

As soon as they entered, a man with long aqua hair made his presence known immediately by hugging the spiky haired demon around his neck. “Marik! My pretty, little demon. Have you come to pay your `respect' as well?” He leaned over, softly capturing Marik's lips with his own. “My, you're so sweet.”

 

The lesser demon backed up slightly, not really wanting to offend the imperial. “Please, sire. I have brought this human on demand of Yami.”

 

Dartz turned his head toward the blonde and smiled. “Why yes. I've heard a lot about you since the last two days. But Marik weren't you supposed to take him to Yami?”

 

Marik nodded. “Yes, I was supposed to. However, I know that you're the one responsible for the lost souls. Yami only wants him so he could…”

 

“Have his way with him.” Dartz finished. “I know all about Yami's game, Marik. Do not worry. I shall return this boy's soul. But first, I want to tell him something.” He wrapped his arm around the teen's shoulders and blew erotically into his ear. “Do you know that you've been a pawn this whole time? A game piece in Seto and Alister's sport?” He nuzzled Joey's chin and purred. “That's such a cruel way of tricking you, isn't it?”

 

Joey gasped as he turned his head away. “No…they wouldn't.”

 

“Or wouldn't they?” Dartz chuckled. “I'm not lying, dear boy.” He wrapped his other arm around Joey's waist and kissed his neck. “Do you still want your soul back after being so humiliated like that?” Dartz murmured softly. “If you stay here with me, I won't treat you like that. I'll love you for always.”

 

Those words poured hotly into Joey's ears, practically seducing him into a puddle. He almost bought those delectable words. “N-no…I...can't.”

 

Dartz sneered. “You're stronger than I thought. But a fool at the same time.” He pulled away from the teen and approached Marik. He faced the demon, a look of pure concentration crossing his features. “Marik, I do believe that Seto and Alister have arrived.”

 

Both Joey and Marik looked up with shock.

 

“What are they doing here?” Joey asked. “They're demons?” He fell to his knees as the doors to the entrance abruptly swung open, revealing a half-formed Seto, Alister, and the grim reaper. The reaper looking more or less upset by their intrusion.

 

Dartz noted the silvery scales adorning the left side of Seto's face. “Well, well. Maybe I was wrong about the game they were playing with you after all. Perhaps they do have feelings for their pawn.” He enveloped his arms around Joey's body, holding him intimately. “Let's play the game, shall we?”

 

The more than stunned Joey felt his body lifted into Dartz's arms and whimpered when the blazing lips of the devil met his.

 

Seto growled loudly, hunching over as his anger erupted into a fiery inferno. His whole body quivered as it began to alter into its ultimate structure. Two large wings sprouted from his back. A long tail slashed out from his spine and smashed brutally into one of the support beams to the castle's ceiling. He reared his head back in a roar and lunged forward to attack Dartz.

 

Joey pushed the nuisance away just in time to see a silver blur crash into the other's form. He collapsed onto the floor, only to have someone else pick him up again. He groaned in agony. “What's going on?”

 

“It's alright; you're safe with me now.” Alister whispered.

 

The teen peered up at the auburn demon and hugged him tightly. “Alister! I'm so glad you're here. Please, I just want to go back home…to be with you and Seto.”

 

Alister held in his breath as he felt a warm sensation wash over his body. “Yes…”

 

Dartz laughed loudly as he landed on the marble floor with a hard thud, his back cracking to the contact. “Come on, Seto. You have to do better than that.” His eyes widened with amusement as Seto straddled his lap and dug his right claw deep into his stomach. Another laugh reverberated off the walls. “You can't destroy me with those measly blows, Seto!” He shoved the lesser demon off, smashing him into the wall farthest in the room. “Marik, you had better get lost before Seto realizes what he's really here for.”

 

Marik nodded once and quickly ran out of the castle pass Alister, Duke, and Joey.

 

Alister weakly smiled. He was somewhat glad that the other demon escaped. Marik would have never survived Seto's wrath. `So that's why Dartz had kissed Joey so passionately when we had arrived. He wanted Seto to concentrate on him instead of Marik.' Alister thought frantically. It hadn't been Marik's fault in the first place. It was just an unforeseen accident. No one, not even the demon of fate could have control over it. However, Seto still needed to calm down. His rage had been unfathomable that moment he saw Dartz kiss the teen.

 

Seto leaped to his feet and crouched down onto his hands, his tail haphazardly swishing back and forth between two pillars.

 

“Seto”, Dartz started. “Do calm yourself. You're going insane for no reason.” He lifted his hand toward Seto and moved it in a circular motion. “Come now. You don't want to do this to your lord. The one, who cared for you, loved you as my own child, as a lover, and a brother?”

 

Seto's expression softened as his whole body relaxed. He lied on his stomach as his figure altered back to normal. His head rested side ways on the floor with his eyes closed in a calm sleep.

 

Dartz knelt by the lesser demon's side and gently stroked his hair. “That's good. Just relax.” He leaned over Seto's body and planted a soft kiss on his dimple. He then stood up and faced Joey. “Joseph. You shall have your soul returned. After this though, I want you to go with Seto and Alister. They will protect you. Do you understand?”

 

Joey nodded as he backed into Alister's body, smiling weakly when he felt the other's arm wrap around him, hugging him close for comfort. “I understand.”

 

tbc

 

A/N: @_@ Ugh! What a workout for my fingers. Thanks Mirikonoko, Jou-pup, andAnubiset. I hope this chapter answered most of your questions. ^^;