Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Unfufilled Vow ❯ The End ( Chapter 11 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Shiroi Misa 
Kaiba will just have to live with the consequences in... "The End"
Anime/Manga: Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Thriller / Suspense / Supernatural / Mystery / Horror / Angst | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 12.03.2003 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.4K | Visits: 460 | Status: Completed
Kaiba will just have to live with the consequences in... "The End"
Anime/Manga: Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Thriller / Suspense / Supernatural / Mystery / Horror / Angst | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 12.03.2003 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.4K | Visits: 460 | Status: Completed
Disclaimer: I'm Alive I'M ALIVE! Well maybe I died and came back but who cares I GOT IT DONE! I can't believe I got this far and Actually got to the end. Yes this is the last chapter but there will be an epilogue. I want to say sorry to all the fans who I have kept waiting SOO Long (I read Harry Potter so I know what it's like to be kept waiting for the next part ~.^) I've just been a bit depressed lately, with being let go from my job to always being in the red and living day to day. But I got a new and better job and things are looking a bit better now so I was in a better mood to write. As a little treat I have a bit of fan art to show you. Go to:
http:// www. eden. rutgers. edu/ ~sarahjf/ JouMirrorcopy .jpg
to see a drawing I did of Jounouchi from "The Mirror" I drew it by hand and scanned it in to color. Hope you like it!
Well I have noting more to say, for it all has been said.
My thank to those who've waited, and all though who have read.
Warm wishes go out, and a smile I shall send.
For there is nor more, this is...
THE END
It may have been a short ride but to Kaiba it may as well have been an eternity. When the car stopped Hide had to physically restrain him from busting the door down. They needed to keep the element of surprise if they wanted any chance of getting Mokuba out of there alive. They had parked a few blocks away incase the killer was watching the roads. It was too dark to see a pedestrian however. The house was very old and it seemed like it had been abandoned for sometime. Hide didn't even mention that they should wait for backup. They quickly scouted out the house and discovered a broken window. Carefully and quietly the crept into the downstairs livingroom. They expected some noise but the dead silence that lingered though out was more fighting. Kaiba hated silence. Silence meant the unknown, silence meant death. He would feel better if he heard a few screams, at least then he'd know his little brother was still alive or at least in the house. If he wasn't here, by the time they found the real hiding place it would be too late.
The men listened for the faintest sound to alert them of the killer's presence. Suddenly the was a faint creek of the floorboards above them on the second floor. Hide motioned for Kaiba to keep quiet as they slowly ascended the stairs. Kaiba got to the door first and violently slammed it open as Hide drew his gun. Seeing his little brother tied to a bed, bruised and bleeding, Kaiba momentarily forgot about the danger and rushed in. He didn't see the figure looming in the corner but Hide did. Before Hide could warn the young man the suspect fired two shots, hitting Kaiba in the arm and Hide in the head.
Mokuba was now crying. His brother had come after all, but now he was hurt and he had no idea what this mad man was going to do next. He had just shot and killed a man Mokuba suspected to be a friend of his brother, what was he going to do with them now?
* * * *
Chisa and Yugi felt a chill go through their spines as they heard the shots ring out. Hide's communicator was now giving off nothing but static. She suspected it was broken. She tried getting a hold of Kaiba but he would not answer. The sounds sounded like they were coming from above which led her to think he had dropped the device. She silently prayed as she informed the police of what she had heard.
Yugi was fighting nervously as he waited. It was all he could to wait for the killer of his best friend to be brought to justice and pray not to hear that he got away.
* * * *
Kaiba was shocked for a moment. The man who had helped him break the case and find Jounouchi killer as well as his little brother was dead. The shot had hit dead on without giving him a chance. The large hole in his head as well as the chunks of brain matter left no doubt in his mind. He was beginning to realize how foolish he had been rushing in with out waiting for backup. Now he was alone, injured, and staring down the barrel of a gun held by a mad man. Kaiba held his bleeding arm worried that he couldn't move it that well even though it was searing with pain.
The gunman had collected Hide's gun in the confusion leaving the young man defenseless. Kaiba stared into the face of his employee, the one who had fooled the world as he broke the souls of dozens of young nameless children and a teenager named Jounouchi. He stood there, a big smile on his chubby face spatter with Hide's blood.
"I've been expecting you Mr. Kaiba." He said in a mocked tone of voice. "Although, I must say I was a bit disappointed. I would have thought someone as smart and powerful as you would have tracked me down a lot sooner." He stool a glance at the dead man on the floor. "Paying someone else to do the real work for you, how typical."
Kaiba snarled. "Let Mokuba go! And I mean right NOW!" The mad man just laughed.
"You're hardly in a position to negociate my young friend. Aren't you wondering just WHY I went through all this trouble? From kidnaping young Jounouchi, to making sure you were the one to find him. Then kidnaping the seemingly only person in the world who you actually care about? Well, I'm guessing you don't so I'm going to tell you." He kept his gun trained on Kaiba as he pocked Hide's piece.
"You see you were a hero to me at one time, oh yes, for you were the one to push an experimental drug for depression Temphal. I'm sure you've forgotten about that by now, it was a few years ago. And I'm sure you also had no idea that my mother was one of your test subjects." Kaiba was half listing to the mad rant as he searched for a way to get him and his brother out of this hell hole.
"I take it she had a bad reaction and now you figure you've finally found a way to get revenge." The man continued to smile.
"Oh...yes and no. Believe me I shall get my revenge but clearly you don't know the whole story or have chosen to forget it. You see the drug was a HUGE success and my dear old mum was finally on her way to a full recovery. Unfortunately, the reachers discovered that the new drug was only successful for one type of depression. You, my boy, realized you could never make a profit off of something only a fraction of the population had. So you discontinued the program as well as the drug leaving the test subject without there miracle cure. They beg and lobbied for just a small amount to finish their treatment but it fell to deaf ears." He was no longer smiling as the memories resurfaced.
"Without the help of the drug mother's depression hit her harder than a Mac truck. I found her hanging from the ceiling in this very room. And she wasn't the only one, most of the other test subjects ended their own lives because of the withdraw!" Kaiba couldn't help but feel sick to his stomach as he listened. It may have been coming from a madman but he knew it was true none the less. He had heard from the test subjects but just told his lawyer to deal with the problem. He was simply told it was dealt with and kept under wraps, he didn't know the details but he simply couldn't be bother. After all, Seto Kaiba had more important things to worry about then a few begging test subjects. But what did all of this have to do with Jounouchi?
He tried to keep his cool as he spoke. "So you blame me for your mother's death and now you want revenge? I must say not very original. But why kidnap Jou? He didn't have anything to do with this." The gunman smiled.
"Simple, the best way to get to someone is through the people they care about. But that can be rather difficult if the person in question is such a heartless bastard no one wants to be around him. So I looked for the next best thing, your little toy puppy!" Kaiba blinked. He had Jounouchi tortured and kill simple because he was the but of most of his jocks? That couldn't be right.
"You see I like taking a closer look at people it's why I've gotten away with my little 'hobby' as long as I have. I what I saw in that boy was another version of you."
"You're more cracked then I thought."
"Oh really? Well let's compare shall we? Both are from abusive homes and families that have been torn apart, both have younger siblings, their only real family, and would do anything for them no matter what the cost or sacrifice. And both are headstrong, stubborn, aren't afraid to speak their minds and don't care what anyone else thinks." Part of Kaiba told him this man was just a loon and shouldn’t listen to another word but the other part was thinking back as if realizing just how much he had in common with the boy. They may have made different choices and had different ways of expressing their emotions but maybe Kaiba was thinking of himself whenever he saw the boy, and hated what he saw. A boy trapped in a vicious endless cycle unable to escape, or unwilling to damn his soul in order to so.
Yes, that was it. That was what he hated and loved about the boy all at the same time. Jounouchi Katsuya never gave in to the devil's offer of freedom and power. Perhaps he would have fallowed a similar path had he not accepted Yugi's offer of friendship. It was an offer Kaiba himself had not been given before he chose to take his foster father's life. When the same offer was later given to him he declined and was too proud to admit that maybe he should have taken it. Or maybe it was too late for him. Maybe this whole situation was finally showing him what he knew all along, that he had sold his soul long ago and now it was time to give the devil his due. A shot rang out missing his head by an inch. Mokuba screamed in terror bringing Kaiba back to his seances.
"Glad to see you're finally showing SOME sings of guilt over someone but that doesn’t mean you don’t have to PAY ATTENTION!" The mad gunman said as Kaiba searched for a opportunity to take him down.
"You know, I don't normally go for his, type, but oh what a tight ass. And the way he cried and whimpered when I took him, it made him look years younger. Almost a shame I had to loose such a good lay but you just *had* to see my handy work. It took a lot of effort but I arranged for you two to find him. From arranging Mokuba's class project to sending him that informational flyer about all the wonderful types of rock at Widow's grove. I knew He would want to impress his big brother with the 'only A' in the class and of course you wouldn’t let your precious little brother to go off on his own, when your little pet had vanished."
Kaiba's eyes narrowed. He didn't like feeling like he was out of control and this man was going too far.
"It's too bad you didn't take good care of your little puppy when you had the chance. Best fuck I had in years, and even after I crushed his voice box I could have sworn I heard him trying to call "SETO" through his silent lip. It was exquisite!" It was at that moment Kaiba lost control and rushed Hiro. He was able to grab one of the guns but the monster wouldn't let go. As Kaiba wrestled to take back control: of the gun, the situation, and his life the firearm discharged firing randomly into the room. For a moment he feared the stray bullet may have hit his little brother but then he heard the child cheering for his big brother. What both men failed to realize was the fact that the bullet hit a vase shattering it. One of the larger fragments flew across the room and knocked over one of the white candles lighting the room.
The carpet, where the candle feel, caught fire and was quickly spreading across the room. Mokuba was the only one who seemed to notice and since he was still tied to the bed as the flames began to lick away at the covers.
"NII-SAMA!" The boy's cries distracted Kaiba for a moment as he watched as the fire draw closer towards the child. Unfortunately that distraction was all the gunman needed. He free his arm and backhanded his boss with the butt of Hide’s gun. As the room began to go black Kaiba saw Jounouchi's killer advance on a screaming Mokuba.
* * * *
Kaiba awoke to a hot burning sensation on his already injured arm. His eyes flew open panicking as he saw his arm was engulfed in fire and quickly spreading. He quickly ripped off his long coat and smothered the flames. The pain seared through his whole arm but realizing he was still in danger forced enough adrenaline though his system to forget about the third degree burns he had just sustained. He scanned the room and the first thing he noticed was that the walls were turning an angry shade of red-orange and closing in around him. The second thing he saw was that Mokuba was no longer tied to bed. He would have been grateful as he saw the bed now go up in flames but the fact the murderer Hiro was missing as well only meant that he still in great danger.
He had to get out and find him. Luckily the bedroom door was still open but as he ran toward it the fire seemed to flash the word, "DANGER" and for a brief moment he saw Jounouchi pointing his bloody fingers towards the window. Kaiba's first instinct was to ignore the ghost and run down the stairs but after all he had been through he decided it was better to listen to the mut for once. As Kaiba grabbed a chair and broke the window he heard the stairs collapsing behind the door he almost went through.
Shaking his head to clear it he stepped out the window and looked for a way to get down without killing himself. All he could see were a few rose bushes directly below him. He thought about trying maneuver his way over to a large tree on the other side of the house but he happened to see a figure running in the direction of the cliffs with a small bundle in his arms. Realizing it was Hiro carrying a helpless Mokuba he made his decision. He gritted his teeth and jumped into the overgrown thorn covered bushes.
The tiny stickers on the branches tour into his flesh like a hundred needles as they scraped and bit mercilessly. A few tears escaped the young man's eyes but he forced himself to his feet and made case. He pushed his legs like never before to meet a speed that he would never be able to duplicate again. He was gaining on them but they were also gaining on the cliff side. Kaiba knew what he was planing. He intended to through Mokuba over the cliff like he had done to Jounouchi and the man was crazy just enough to end his own life to see to it that his revenge was carried out.
He huffed as his legs went numb but was afraid to stop. It was then he realized that he still had the gun he had wrestled away from the man, in his charred hand. He simply didn't have any feeling in it to notice it was still there. Never stopping his neck breaking speed Kaiba wrenched the firearm out of his useless hand with the other and took aim.
The madman was now on the edge of the cliff. He stopped and turned around. When he saw Kaiba he merely smiled as he lifted the terrified Mokuba over his head.
Seto Kaiba only had one shot and one chance, and he took it.
BANG!!!
The shot hit killer as hard as a Blue-Eyes White Dragon and his eyes went wide with shock. He dropped his precious cargo but now Kaiba had reached them and grabbed the child's hand as Hiro went over the cliff. A wave of relief hit him full force as well as the pain from his little escapade to reach his brother in time. But he didn't care, he had his only family back and that was all that mattered.
The feeling of relief was short lived.
Just as Kaiba was about to pull the boy into a warm embrace a hand shot out from over the edge of the cliff and snatched the boy once again. Mokuba screamed in horror as the madman who had been shot, but not killed, grabbed the young Kaiba and began to pull him down with him. Kaiba, having been caught by surprise, couldn't hold his grip and Mokuba slipped out of his fingers.
By an act of God Mokuba had grabbed onto a tree root a few feet below the edge and held one with a vice-like grip. Kaiba knew he couldn't hold on forever since the insane man was still holding on trying to pull both him and the boy to the waves below. The hight of the cliff was at least twice as high from the cliff Jounouchi had been throne from so the chances of survival were slim to none.
Poor Mokuba was crying in pain as the man clung to his broken legs. The pain was so great he was beginning to loose his grip on the root. Kaiba tried to reach but if Mokuba let go to grab hold of his brother's hand he would fall for sure. The madman was laughing hysterically not caring that he was surely going to die in a matter of moments.
"I'll take you with me and vengeance will at last be mine!" He said pulling a bit harder. "And if I'm gone you Mr. Kaiba will have to live forever with your guilt and have no one left to blame but yourself. AHHHH, HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!" For once in his lifetime Seto Kaiba didn't know what to do. So he did the only thing he could think of he prayed and begged for his brother to be spared. He didn't cared who heard or who answered.
'Please do punish Mokuba for my sins!' He thought. And then the screaming started.
* * * *
Just as Hiro was about to give one final tug he felt a chill run down his spine. He turned his head towards the water below and gasped. Staring him directly in the face was the face of the boy he had taken so much pleasure in raping and killing. He didn't understand how this could be, the boy was dead, he could not here. But he was. Jounouchi was staring at him, damning him with his dead eyes and reaching for him with his bloody, nailless fingers. The mad man was so startled he screamed, losing his grip on young Mokuba's legs and fell screaming into the burring pits of Hell.
Mokuba felt the man fall and tried to swing his arm up to his brother before he lost his own grip. With a mighty swing he reached for the hand of salvation...and fell short.
He tried to grab the root again but the weight of his body pulled his other hand away.
"NII-SAMAAAAAAAAAA!" Mokuba screamed as he plummeted towards the rocks below.
Kaiba froze in horror as Mokuba missed his brother's hand, lost his grip and fell. His screams echoed though his head...then stopped. He was sure he'd see Mokuba dead but when he looked back down he thought he had just gone insane. There supporting his younger brother were dozens of tiny hands. Hands of young children, all stopping him from falling and lifting him back up to safety. Mokuba was so stunned he simply stared as the little hands helped him back up the cliff side.
And that's when they saw him. Jounouchi Katsuya, he was leading the children telling them what to do as he reached down and pulled the dark haired child into his brother's waiting arms. The moment Mokuba and Seto were reunited they latched onto each other in a deathgrip never wanting to let go. Kaiba looked up when he heard the sounds of children laughing. The young spirits of Hiro's victims sang as they ascended into the sky. Their souls no longer scared by fear and free from the monster they were now able to move on.
Kaiba almost didn't hear as the police and ambulance pull up. He tried to hand Mokuba over to be taken to the hospital but the crying child refused to let go. The paramedics recognized the signs of saver trauma he told Kaiba to join his brother in the ambulance. It was only then did he realize he was more injured then he first thought. He was scraped by dozen of rose thorns, and was sure some of them were infected. The bleeding from his arm had only stopped because of the fire catalyzed the wound and the pain from both was returning ten fold. He truthfully didn't know how he had come so far without passing out. He suspected that problem would soon be fixed, the pounding in his head told him he may have a slight concussion. But it didn't matter really, non of it really mattered.
As they were loaded onto the ambulance him mind was full of the knowledge he had caused so many people to suffer and die and for what? A little bit of money and power? A better dueling deck? Or was it just an empty soul? He glanced out the window as the red and white van was about to pull out.
There was little Yugi not so little anymore looking Kaiba in the eye. Kaiba wasn't sure what the younger duelist was trying to say, or hide. What he did see was a mix of relief, sadness, anger and surrender. It was almost as if he was saying, ‘Why did you get to live while Jou had to die?' and then there was the look of that made Kaiba almost breakdown. It seem to say, 'I give up. I wash my hands of you Seto Kaiba. Do what you will because you'll never change and I wouldn't have anything to do with you anymore.' and then he looked away. He may as well have said it out loud. Of all the thing that could have hurt Kaiba turning away and meaning it stung oh so very deeply. But he knew this was what he deserved.
As they drove away he kept his eyes on the sad young man with wild hair and the blond beside him. Kaiba didn't blink this time. He knew Jounouchi was doing what he did best, comforting his little Yugi. Only now he wasn't covered in bruises and blood. He looked just the way he did before his life was cut so tragically short. Maybe it was because his killer was finally dealt the hand of justice?
No, it was because he made a vow in life when he learned that innocent Mokuba was chosen to be the next victim. It was a vow to protect this child that remained unfulfilled because of his death but he always was a stubborn mut...and for that he was eternally grateful.
It seemed like Yugi could sense Jou's presence even if he couldn't see him and that made Jou smile. He looked up at Kaiba one last time and Kaiba let one single tear roll down his cheek. "I'm sorry." he said too softly to be heard. "And...thank you." And to his surprise Jounouchi smiled back at him as he faded away.
And that was the last time Kaiba or his brother ever saw the ghost of Jounouchi Katsuya ever again.
THE END
Stay tuned for a bit if a twist ending in...The Epilogue
http:// www. eden. rutgers. edu/ ~sarahjf/ JouMirrorcopy .jpg
to see a drawing I did of Jounouchi from "The Mirror" I drew it by hand and scanned it in to color. Hope you like it!
Well I have noting more to say, for it all has been said.
My thank to those who've waited, and all though who have read.
Warm wishes go out, and a smile I shall send.
For there is nor more, this is...
THE END
It may have been a short ride but to Kaiba it may as well have been an eternity. When the car stopped Hide had to physically restrain him from busting the door down. They needed to keep the element of surprise if they wanted any chance of getting Mokuba out of there alive. They had parked a few blocks away incase the killer was watching the roads. It was too dark to see a pedestrian however. The house was very old and it seemed like it had been abandoned for sometime. Hide didn't even mention that they should wait for backup. They quickly scouted out the house and discovered a broken window. Carefully and quietly the crept into the downstairs livingroom. They expected some noise but the dead silence that lingered though out was more fighting. Kaiba hated silence. Silence meant the unknown, silence meant death. He would feel better if he heard a few screams, at least then he'd know his little brother was still alive or at least in the house. If he wasn't here, by the time they found the real hiding place it would be too late.
The men listened for the faintest sound to alert them of the killer's presence. Suddenly the was a faint creek of the floorboards above them on the second floor. Hide motioned for Kaiba to keep quiet as they slowly ascended the stairs. Kaiba got to the door first and violently slammed it open as Hide drew his gun. Seeing his little brother tied to a bed, bruised and bleeding, Kaiba momentarily forgot about the danger and rushed in. He didn't see the figure looming in the corner but Hide did. Before Hide could warn the young man the suspect fired two shots, hitting Kaiba in the arm and Hide in the head.
Mokuba was now crying. His brother had come after all, but now he was hurt and he had no idea what this mad man was going to do next. He had just shot and killed a man Mokuba suspected to be a friend of his brother, what was he going to do with them now?
* * * *
Chisa and Yugi felt a chill go through their spines as they heard the shots ring out. Hide's communicator was now giving off nothing but static. She suspected it was broken. She tried getting a hold of Kaiba but he would not answer. The sounds sounded like they were coming from above which led her to think he had dropped the device. She silently prayed as she informed the police of what she had heard.
Yugi was fighting nervously as he waited. It was all he could to wait for the killer of his best friend to be brought to justice and pray not to hear that he got away.
* * * *
Kaiba was shocked for a moment. The man who had helped him break the case and find Jounouchi killer as well as his little brother was dead. The shot had hit dead on without giving him a chance. The large hole in his head as well as the chunks of brain matter left no doubt in his mind. He was beginning to realize how foolish he had been rushing in with out waiting for backup. Now he was alone, injured, and staring down the barrel of a gun held by a mad man. Kaiba held his bleeding arm worried that he couldn't move it that well even though it was searing with pain.
The gunman had collected Hide's gun in the confusion leaving the young man defenseless. Kaiba stared into the face of his employee, the one who had fooled the world as he broke the souls of dozens of young nameless children and a teenager named Jounouchi. He stood there, a big smile on his chubby face spatter with Hide's blood.
"I've been expecting you Mr. Kaiba." He said in a mocked tone of voice. "Although, I must say I was a bit disappointed. I would have thought someone as smart and powerful as you would have tracked me down a lot sooner." He stool a glance at the dead man on the floor. "Paying someone else to do the real work for you, how typical."
Kaiba snarled. "Let Mokuba go! And I mean right NOW!" The mad man just laughed.
"You're hardly in a position to negociate my young friend. Aren't you wondering just WHY I went through all this trouble? From kidnaping young Jounouchi, to making sure you were the one to find him. Then kidnaping the seemingly only person in the world who you actually care about? Well, I'm guessing you don't so I'm going to tell you." He kept his gun trained on Kaiba as he pocked Hide's piece.
"You see you were a hero to me at one time, oh yes, for you were the one to push an experimental drug for depression Temphal. I'm sure you've forgotten about that by now, it was a few years ago. And I'm sure you also had no idea that my mother was one of your test subjects." Kaiba was half listing to the mad rant as he searched for a way to get him and his brother out of this hell hole.
"I take it she had a bad reaction and now you figure you've finally found a way to get revenge." The man continued to smile.
"Oh...yes and no. Believe me I shall get my revenge but clearly you don't know the whole story or have chosen to forget it. You see the drug was a HUGE success and my dear old mum was finally on her way to a full recovery. Unfortunately, the reachers discovered that the new drug was only successful for one type of depression. You, my boy, realized you could never make a profit off of something only a fraction of the population had. So you discontinued the program as well as the drug leaving the test subject without there miracle cure. They beg and lobbied for just a small amount to finish their treatment but it fell to deaf ears." He was no longer smiling as the memories resurfaced.
"Without the help of the drug mother's depression hit her harder than a Mac truck. I found her hanging from the ceiling in this very room. And she wasn't the only one, most of the other test subjects ended their own lives because of the withdraw!" Kaiba couldn't help but feel sick to his stomach as he listened. It may have been coming from a madman but he knew it was true none the less. He had heard from the test subjects but just told his lawyer to deal with the problem. He was simply told it was dealt with and kept under wraps, he didn't know the details but he simply couldn't be bother. After all, Seto Kaiba had more important things to worry about then a few begging test subjects. But what did all of this have to do with Jounouchi?
He tried to keep his cool as he spoke. "So you blame me for your mother's death and now you want revenge? I must say not very original. But why kidnap Jou? He didn't have anything to do with this." The gunman smiled.
"Simple, the best way to get to someone is through the people they care about. But that can be rather difficult if the person in question is such a heartless bastard no one wants to be around him. So I looked for the next best thing, your little toy puppy!" Kaiba blinked. He had Jounouchi tortured and kill simple because he was the but of most of his jocks? That couldn't be right.
"You see I like taking a closer look at people it's why I've gotten away with my little 'hobby' as long as I have. I what I saw in that boy was another version of you."
"You're more cracked then I thought."
"Oh really? Well let's compare shall we? Both are from abusive homes and families that have been torn apart, both have younger siblings, their only real family, and would do anything for them no matter what the cost or sacrifice. And both are headstrong, stubborn, aren't afraid to speak their minds and don't care what anyone else thinks." Part of Kaiba told him this man was just a loon and shouldn’t listen to another word but the other part was thinking back as if realizing just how much he had in common with the boy. They may have made different choices and had different ways of expressing their emotions but maybe Kaiba was thinking of himself whenever he saw the boy, and hated what he saw. A boy trapped in a vicious endless cycle unable to escape, or unwilling to damn his soul in order to so.
Yes, that was it. That was what he hated and loved about the boy all at the same time. Jounouchi Katsuya never gave in to the devil's offer of freedom and power. Perhaps he would have fallowed a similar path had he not accepted Yugi's offer of friendship. It was an offer Kaiba himself had not been given before he chose to take his foster father's life. When the same offer was later given to him he declined and was too proud to admit that maybe he should have taken it. Or maybe it was too late for him. Maybe this whole situation was finally showing him what he knew all along, that he had sold his soul long ago and now it was time to give the devil his due. A shot rang out missing his head by an inch. Mokuba screamed in terror bringing Kaiba back to his seances.
"Glad to see you're finally showing SOME sings of guilt over someone but that doesn’t mean you don’t have to PAY ATTENTION!" The mad gunman said as Kaiba searched for a opportunity to take him down.
"You know, I don't normally go for his, type, but oh what a tight ass. And the way he cried and whimpered when I took him, it made him look years younger. Almost a shame I had to loose such a good lay but you just *had* to see my handy work. It took a lot of effort but I arranged for you two to find him. From arranging Mokuba's class project to sending him that informational flyer about all the wonderful types of rock at Widow's grove. I knew He would want to impress his big brother with the 'only A' in the class and of course you wouldn’t let your precious little brother to go off on his own, when your little pet had vanished."
Kaiba's eyes narrowed. He didn't like feeling like he was out of control and this man was going too far.
"It's too bad you didn't take good care of your little puppy when you had the chance. Best fuck I had in years, and even after I crushed his voice box I could have sworn I heard him trying to call "SETO" through his silent lip. It was exquisite!" It was at that moment Kaiba lost control and rushed Hiro. He was able to grab one of the guns but the monster wouldn't let go. As Kaiba wrestled to take back control: of the gun, the situation, and his life the firearm discharged firing randomly into the room. For a moment he feared the stray bullet may have hit his little brother but then he heard the child cheering for his big brother. What both men failed to realize was the fact that the bullet hit a vase shattering it. One of the larger fragments flew across the room and knocked over one of the white candles lighting the room.
The carpet, where the candle feel, caught fire and was quickly spreading across the room. Mokuba was the only one who seemed to notice and since he was still tied to the bed as the flames began to lick away at the covers.
"NII-SAMA!" The boy's cries distracted Kaiba for a moment as he watched as the fire draw closer towards the child. Unfortunately that distraction was all the gunman needed. He free his arm and backhanded his boss with the butt of Hide’s gun. As the room began to go black Kaiba saw Jounouchi's killer advance on a screaming Mokuba.
* * * *
Kaiba awoke to a hot burning sensation on his already injured arm. His eyes flew open panicking as he saw his arm was engulfed in fire and quickly spreading. He quickly ripped off his long coat and smothered the flames. The pain seared through his whole arm but realizing he was still in danger forced enough adrenaline though his system to forget about the third degree burns he had just sustained. He scanned the room and the first thing he noticed was that the walls were turning an angry shade of red-orange and closing in around him. The second thing he saw was that Mokuba was no longer tied to bed. He would have been grateful as he saw the bed now go up in flames but the fact the murderer Hiro was missing as well only meant that he still in great danger.
He had to get out and find him. Luckily the bedroom door was still open but as he ran toward it the fire seemed to flash the word, "DANGER" and for a brief moment he saw Jounouchi pointing his bloody fingers towards the window. Kaiba's first instinct was to ignore the ghost and run down the stairs but after all he had been through he decided it was better to listen to the mut for once. As Kaiba grabbed a chair and broke the window he heard the stairs collapsing behind the door he almost went through.
Shaking his head to clear it he stepped out the window and looked for a way to get down without killing himself. All he could see were a few rose bushes directly below him. He thought about trying maneuver his way over to a large tree on the other side of the house but he happened to see a figure running in the direction of the cliffs with a small bundle in his arms. Realizing it was Hiro carrying a helpless Mokuba he made his decision. He gritted his teeth and jumped into the overgrown thorn covered bushes.
The tiny stickers on the branches tour into his flesh like a hundred needles as they scraped and bit mercilessly. A few tears escaped the young man's eyes but he forced himself to his feet and made case. He pushed his legs like never before to meet a speed that he would never be able to duplicate again. He was gaining on them but they were also gaining on the cliff side. Kaiba knew what he was planing. He intended to through Mokuba over the cliff like he had done to Jounouchi and the man was crazy just enough to end his own life to see to it that his revenge was carried out.
He huffed as his legs went numb but was afraid to stop. It was then he realized that he still had the gun he had wrestled away from the man, in his charred hand. He simply didn't have any feeling in it to notice it was still there. Never stopping his neck breaking speed Kaiba wrenched the firearm out of his useless hand with the other and took aim.
The madman was now on the edge of the cliff. He stopped and turned around. When he saw Kaiba he merely smiled as he lifted the terrified Mokuba over his head.
Seto Kaiba only had one shot and one chance, and he took it.
BANG!!!
The shot hit killer as hard as a Blue-Eyes White Dragon and his eyes went wide with shock. He dropped his precious cargo but now Kaiba had reached them and grabbed the child's hand as Hiro went over the cliff. A wave of relief hit him full force as well as the pain from his little escapade to reach his brother in time. But he didn't care, he had his only family back and that was all that mattered.
The feeling of relief was short lived.
Just as Kaiba was about to pull the boy into a warm embrace a hand shot out from over the edge of the cliff and snatched the boy once again. Mokuba screamed in horror as the madman who had been shot, but not killed, grabbed the young Kaiba and began to pull him down with him. Kaiba, having been caught by surprise, couldn't hold his grip and Mokuba slipped out of his fingers.
By an act of God Mokuba had grabbed onto a tree root a few feet below the edge and held one with a vice-like grip. Kaiba knew he couldn't hold on forever since the insane man was still holding on trying to pull both him and the boy to the waves below. The hight of the cliff was at least twice as high from the cliff Jounouchi had been throne from so the chances of survival were slim to none.
Poor Mokuba was crying in pain as the man clung to his broken legs. The pain was so great he was beginning to loose his grip on the root. Kaiba tried to reach but if Mokuba let go to grab hold of his brother's hand he would fall for sure. The madman was laughing hysterically not caring that he was surely going to die in a matter of moments.
"I'll take you with me and vengeance will at last be mine!" He said pulling a bit harder. "And if I'm gone you Mr. Kaiba will have to live forever with your guilt and have no one left to blame but yourself. AHHHH, HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!" For once in his lifetime Seto Kaiba didn't know what to do. So he did the only thing he could think of he prayed and begged for his brother to be spared. He didn't cared who heard or who answered.
'Please do punish Mokuba for my sins!' He thought. And then the screaming started.
* * * *
Just as Hiro was about to give one final tug he felt a chill run down his spine. He turned his head towards the water below and gasped. Staring him directly in the face was the face of the boy he had taken so much pleasure in raping and killing. He didn't understand how this could be, the boy was dead, he could not here. But he was. Jounouchi was staring at him, damning him with his dead eyes and reaching for him with his bloody, nailless fingers. The mad man was so startled he screamed, losing his grip on young Mokuba's legs and fell screaming into the burring pits of Hell.
Mokuba felt the man fall and tried to swing his arm up to his brother before he lost his own grip. With a mighty swing he reached for the hand of salvation...and fell short.
He tried to grab the root again but the weight of his body pulled his other hand away.
"NII-SAMAAAAAAAAAA!" Mokuba screamed as he plummeted towards the rocks below.
Kaiba froze in horror as Mokuba missed his brother's hand, lost his grip and fell. His screams echoed though his head...then stopped. He was sure he'd see Mokuba dead but when he looked back down he thought he had just gone insane. There supporting his younger brother were dozens of tiny hands. Hands of young children, all stopping him from falling and lifting him back up to safety. Mokuba was so stunned he simply stared as the little hands helped him back up the cliff side.
And that's when they saw him. Jounouchi Katsuya, he was leading the children telling them what to do as he reached down and pulled the dark haired child into his brother's waiting arms. The moment Mokuba and Seto were reunited they latched onto each other in a deathgrip never wanting to let go. Kaiba looked up when he heard the sounds of children laughing. The young spirits of Hiro's victims sang as they ascended into the sky. Their souls no longer scared by fear and free from the monster they were now able to move on.
Kaiba almost didn't hear as the police and ambulance pull up. He tried to hand Mokuba over to be taken to the hospital but the crying child refused to let go. The paramedics recognized the signs of saver trauma he told Kaiba to join his brother in the ambulance. It was only then did he realize he was more injured then he first thought. He was scraped by dozen of rose thorns, and was sure some of them were infected. The bleeding from his arm had only stopped because of the fire catalyzed the wound and the pain from both was returning ten fold. He truthfully didn't know how he had come so far without passing out. He suspected that problem would soon be fixed, the pounding in his head told him he may have a slight concussion. But it didn't matter really, non of it really mattered.
As they were loaded onto the ambulance him mind was full of the knowledge he had caused so many people to suffer and die and for what? A little bit of money and power? A better dueling deck? Or was it just an empty soul? He glanced out the window as the red and white van was about to pull out.
There was little Yugi not so little anymore looking Kaiba in the eye. Kaiba wasn't sure what the younger duelist was trying to say, or hide. What he did see was a mix of relief, sadness, anger and surrender. It was almost as if he was saying, ‘Why did you get to live while Jou had to die?' and then there was the look of that made Kaiba almost breakdown. It seem to say, 'I give up. I wash my hands of you Seto Kaiba. Do what you will because you'll never change and I wouldn't have anything to do with you anymore.' and then he looked away. He may as well have said it out loud. Of all the thing that could have hurt Kaiba turning away and meaning it stung oh so very deeply. But he knew this was what he deserved.
As they drove away he kept his eyes on the sad young man with wild hair and the blond beside him. Kaiba didn't blink this time. He knew Jounouchi was doing what he did best, comforting his little Yugi. Only now he wasn't covered in bruises and blood. He looked just the way he did before his life was cut so tragically short. Maybe it was because his killer was finally dealt the hand of justice?
No, it was because he made a vow in life when he learned that innocent Mokuba was chosen to be the next victim. It was a vow to protect this child that remained unfulfilled because of his death but he always was a stubborn mut...and for that he was eternally grateful.
It seemed like Yugi could sense Jou's presence even if he couldn't see him and that made Jou smile. He looked up at Kaiba one last time and Kaiba let one single tear roll down his cheek. "I'm sorry." he said too softly to be heard. "And...thank you." And to his surprise Jounouchi smiled back at him as he faded away.
And that was the last time Kaiba or his brother ever saw the ghost of Jounouchi Katsuya ever again.
THE END
Stay tuned for a bit if a twist ending in...The Epilogue