Ooh, we're gonna get into some freaky stuff for this chapter, guys, so do tread cautiously. The whole gang's here, so let's start with the responses.
A Butt-load of Thank-You's:
SetoKaiba419 – Sorry we couldn't respond to your review for chapter 8, so we'll just answer both now. At least we answered some of your questions, but you know we're always going to have more pop up. :-) Well, not everyone who lives at the Overlook dies, it has a bad history, true, but it's not that bad. It's not really like The Haunting, because that group went there with one man planning on orchestrating the entire "haunted" mansion. It's more like Beetlejuice, except these ghosts are haunting just to make people leave… but you'll find more about that as we go on. Well, you can find more out about the Shining by watching Stanley Kubrick's movie or reading Stephen King's novel, even the miniseries isn't bad. We would tell you more about it, but we're afraid it might give away too much to people who haven't seen it and don't want to. The Vampire Chronicles are a *really* good series by Anne Rice, but it can be pretty depressing and morbid, especially if you start with Interview with the Vampire. The books up to Tale of the Body Thief are really god, but we don't particularly like the newest novels Rice has released. We're trying to stay up with updating, and hopefully we'll keep it at this steady pace. *crosses fingers* Yeah, Tristan and Tea need to start agreeing on breakfast faster, it'll end up being lunchtime if they keep it up. *g* Joey's having to look after Mokuba for the moment because Seto just isn't around, but unfortunately Kaiba's not too pleased about it. You think Mokuba should contact Pegasus? Hm, well hopefully he'll take your advice, or this could really get ugly. But then again, what could Pegasus do? Sylvia can't imagine how you could listen to this entire chapter over the phone (that's some phone bill, for a start!) but she never did like hearing books over cassette or CD or anything, so that's probably it. Thanks as always for your wonderfully detailed reviews, SetoKaiba419, and we're glad you're enjoying it!
Anime*2000 – That's okay, this story is meant to frighten as well as be terribly fun to read! Read it a 9 at night; enjoy the nightmares! Bwahahaha! Hopefully the cards are starting to fall into play, and we're glad it's starting to add up. Just hope the gang will figure it out before it's too late. Thanks for the complement, we're really cautious about what words we put in, what everyone says, how 'in-character' everyone is, etc. But perhaps the most difficult part is trying to figure out what direction to go in – we have so many options, it's daunting to have to make a decision. Hope you like this next chapter, it'll be a ride, trust us!
Malik Fan – Uh oh, you're making a comeback for first reviewer again. Competitors beware! This chapter's got a lot of pov changes in it and a lot of action all stuffed into one, we hope you enjoy it! Thanks, as always, for the review!
JSC106 – We're glad you're enjoying it so much, and we've got *big* plans for the hapless heroes. Hopefully they'll come out of our little scheme unharmed. *maniacal laughter*
Metranome – Whew, you read this in two hours? You're good! ;-) You found the Shining laughable, huh? Well, although Kabuki found it laughable (she always finds horror movies laughable of course), Sylvia found it rather disturbing the first time she saw it. Maybe it was the late hour, or the popcorn, or the fact that she had to take a shower right afterwards… but whatever the reason it definitely struck her as a demented show. Well, we're glad our writing style is keeping you on the edge of your seat, if we can transform something that was laughable into a terror fic then we're definitely doing a good job. Well, don't be sad, Metranome, we've got a long, long way to go before this story's ended. Uh oh, I think you've hit the nail on that little guess. Heheheh, let's just say that Kabuki had to do a final paper on the Shining (book, movie, miniseries), and since Sylvia had to study for finals while she was repeatedly watching the movies, we had this wonderful image of a crazy Seto that just wouldn't leave our minds – thus the birth of this wonderful fic. Thanks for your inspiring review, Metranome, its comments like these that really keep us motivated!
darklight – Ah, even in the happiest of locales, the suspense kills you, eh? Heehee, good then that chapter did its job! As you can tell by the chapter title, Joey and Kaiba are gonna tussle. Also, the King of Games must feel short sometimes (okay, you're right, a *lot* of the time!) but we just made it more evident. You liked the breakfast argument, huh? They're certainly a funny group, and even more fun to play with, let us assure you! Thank you, as always, for your wonderful review!
sakuya – Bad Seto, bad! Get away from that window! Down, boy, down! *sigh* Oh, it's no use, sakuya, he's just a stubborn Kaiba. We're not sure what we're gonna do with 'im. Oh, don't worry, 'devoid of creepiness' is definitely *not* what we're planning for this fic. Yeah, Mokuba's not in denial as much as the rest of the gang – but we'll see where that leads him.
Allenby – A bar of soap? *thinks for a moment* Yes, the hobo would certainly need a bar of soap, and we're certain Duke wouldn't refuse a way to keep clean. What a wonderful prize! Now, if only we can think of a way to implement it… ;-P Thanks once again for the review!
Chibi Arwen – Don't worry, we promise to return the Kaiba brothers in one piece … more or less, anyway… Don't worry, you can read the Shining without getting any spoilers for our fic, we're not sticking that closely to any of the Shining stories. *Sylvia goes off into temporary dreamland at the mention of Legolas* Thanks for dropping a review!
Well, thanks for sticking around guys, the gang's gonna need as much support as they can get in this next chapter. Fasten your safety belts, keep all arms and legs inside the fic at all times, and get ready for the rollercoaster ride! Oh, and as always, please leave a review too! Lots of reviews make for happy writers…
Sylvia & Kabuki
*****
Chapter 10:
Kaiba stormed down the hallway, his boots muffled by the paisley carpet. He was covered from head to toe in dust and grime, and his wounds had closed but still throbbed in dull pain, probably infected. He had dried blood stuck in his hair and the claw marks on the back of his hand were puffy and red from his encounter with the slinking thing on the basement stairs yesterday. He hadn't seen that creature again after that, though he'd searched as hard as he could for it. For hours he'd poured through the mounds of documents and pictures, searching for any scrap of information he could get on the hotel. He hadn't slept, and his eyes were red and strained. Kaiba had never before allowed himself to get so obsessed with anything – even Duel Monsters hadn't completely consumed him like this new obsession.
He kept to the shadows as much as he could even though the daylight streamed in through the surprisingly cleaned windows. The light hurt his eyes, and he'd do anything for some coffee. The snow had started up again as soon as Mokuba had returned with Joey. Kaiba had watched it for a while, the drifts rising and falling with the breeze, the chill seeping in through the cracks in the windowpane, but he hadn't felt it. A heat had filled him when he saw them together. A heat so palpable it began to consume him, and between it and the obsession, there was little left of the Kaiba that had entered the hotel to begin with. In truth, he felt as though he were drowning in a waking dream, he didn't feel as though he were actually walking through the dated hallways, he didn't know where he was going, his body was simply taking him there. Yet he knew what he wanted. He knew that Joey had betrayed his trust, and that he would have to be punished for his crimes. Mokuba needed only one big brother, but Kaiba couldn't blame the boy. He knew his brother was probably just afraid – but Joey with his arrogant rashness had taken advantage of the situation. Taken advantage of Kaiba's absence.
So now he moved with the same businesslike assurance as he used whenever he knew there was a tough deal to make. His fists clenched and unclenched involuntarily at his sides, and Kaiba thought of his poor brother at the hands of the deceptive Joey Wheeler. He moved with determination as he hit the button for the elevator. It was already on his floor, and opened its doors obediently. Kaiba was pleased, and without knowing why, he gave a curt nod of thanks to the seemingly inanimate object for a job well done as he stepped inside. Indeed, Kaiba was making many friends in high places within the Overlook Hotel. Unbeknownst to him, he'd turned the heads of some of the most prominent members of the Overlook's elite. The elevator moved without a grumble, without a squeak, and one would have thought that it had just been built, so very smooth was the ride. It didn't dip in adjustment to his weight whenever he stepped out, it was already well accustomed to Kaiba's needs.
Seto Kaiba was prepared to get his brother back. In his mind, Joey was no different from Pegasus in trapping souls. Only this time, Kaiba wouldn't rely on mere cards to retrieve his stolen brother; he'd rely on more direct methods of persuasion. Joey was a very physical person, he wouldn't understand intellectual means. But that was fine – Kaiba could be a physical person as well, and Joey was going to see just how physical he could become in a desperate situation.
He strode confidently through the lobby, hardly noticing that the furniture had been moved aside. Earlier, the couches, the settees, the chairs, each was some sort of obstruction to the path of whoever came in, and the unlikely visitor had to weave through them to reach the other side where the kitchen await. However, Kaiba's path was made plainly before him, and as he walked, he might have noticed that all of the seats were facing his path were he not so intent on revenge. As the group of friends ate and talked without a care in the world one room away, the sheets which had so long protected the furniture from dust and fading had been removed by invisible hands. It was as though an invisible audience had come, and all now waited to see if the home favorite would best the opponent's team. The lights flickered in anticipation, and it seemed that a harder snow fell outside.
Kaiba came to the double doors of the kitchen, a brilliant white to others, but to him they shone with the beautiful ruby red paint they'd originally been covered with. He liked the color of the red; it reminded him of his mood, of his anger, of his hatred. And as he stood, listening to the others within chatter mindlessly, he felt the rage rise in his throat. He knew Mokuba would be there, and a small portion of him felt pity for his poor younger brother for having to witness the punishment of the worthless pup Joey.
He pushed against the doors, their weight hardly anything compared to the adrenaline which coursed through his roped muscular form. The doors slammed open and he smiled as he saw the group huddled around the table, each of them jumping at the sound. He laughed inwardly as six sets of eyes turned widely toward him, their happy conversation at a standstill.
"Good morning." Silence. "I hope I didn't scare you."
Yugi, of course, was the first to answer. He didn't smile as the optimistic boy usually would have, but he did manage to appear open and kind despite his obvious fear. "Umm … hey there, Kaiba. There're some pancakes for you." He nodded his spiky head in the direction of the makeshift buffet in the corner, but Kaiba paid no attention to them. He could care less about food.
"That's nice, Yugi. Hey, Joey, do you think I could borrow you for a moment?" He grinned, disturbingly. "I promise I'll give you right back when I'm done."
Mokuba's eyes became wide as saucers. The boy jumped up from the table, and ran toward his brother, attempting to wrap him in a warm hug, but Kaiba put out a hand, and held him back.
"Don't kid. This'll only take a moment."
"But—but Seto!" His large blue eyes were brimming with tears and his lower lip was trembling in terror.
Kaiba watched him as though through a pane of clouded glass, his brother's pleas resounding as though from a very long distance; Kaiba visibly shook himself. His goal was to hurt Joey, not Mokuba. He could never hurt his own brother. He lowered his hand to cradle the boy's chin, wiping the tears from his eyes with one dusty thumb. He didn't hug the boy, though, and stood a moment later, his eyes narrowing. He was determined to stick firmly to his resolve. If Joey had done such a good job of persuading Mokuba to his side, Kaiba was all the more determined to teach the irritating little pup a lesson. He gently but forcibly nudged his brother aside and motioned for Joey to follow. "C'mon, Joey. I won't bite, honest."
Joey sat in the midst of his friends and weighed his options. It was obvious that Kaiba was completely off his rocker and itching for a fight, but that didn't mean Joey was afraid of him. He still thought of Kaiba as a spoiled rich kid. Sure the guy was pissed off, but Joey considered himself a fair opponent in a street fight and although Kaiba might be fairly formidable in the dueling arena he doubted that he kept that kind of a reputation in a real match. He smiled self assuredly and pushed back his chair to stand. It was Tristan who grabbed his arm at the elbow, holding him in place for a moment. "What're you doing? You're not thinking of going with him, are you?"
"An' why not? Ya think I can't hold my own against 'im?" Joey twisted his arm, but Tristan held firm. "C'mon, Tristan, lemme go!"
Across the table Duke sipped his coffee, but his hand was trembling as he regarded Kaiba nervously. "I wouldn't do it, Joey. The guy's a basket case."
"Besides," Tristan continued, "There's something really wrong with him. Just look at the guy!"
From the doorway Kaiba snickered, "Excuses, Joey? I expected better from you. Are you going to hide here with the rest of the cowards, or are you coming outside?"
Although Kaiba was covered in dust, Joey didn't see anything to be afraid of. The dried blood on his face and the gouges all over his arms and hands only stood out as signs of a weakened opponent. Joey nodded at Kaiba from across the room and stood, wrenching his arm free of Tristan's grip. "I'm comin', Kaiba! You'll never see Joey back down from a fight!"
Yugi stared at his friend with wide uncertainty. "Joey, don't just rush into this. Try to think this over. Why in the world does he want to fight you?"
"I dunno, Yug, but I'm guessin' that the only way we're gonna find out is to do what he says. Maybe I can figure out what this creep wants when we're goin' fist-ta-fist." Joey leveled his gaze at Kaiba, his cocky attitude put aside as he moved around the table and regarded his opponent. "You just tell me where, Kaiba, and I'll be there."
Kaiba closed his eyes, chuckling low in his throat as he held one of the kitchen doors open. Mokuba made another attempt to hold his brother back, but Kaiba pushed him away a little harder, sending the boy stumbling backwards to land on his rear. Kaiba regarded Joey with a crooked smile, his eyes dark and hooded beneath his dusty, blood-matted hair. "Right this way, Joey." The bushy blond nodded and the conflicted duo walked through the double doors into the lobby.
Tea shot up from the table even before the doors could swing shut. "C'mon guys, we've gotta go help Joey! He needs our support!"
Tristan and Yugi leapt to their feet as well, but Duke merely sat at the table sipping his coffee. "I'm fine, thanks."
Yugi stared at Duke in complete surprise. He'd expected the dark-haired duelist to jump at any chance to join the cry to arms against Kaiba, but for some reason he wasn't up to the challenge. "What do you mean?"
"Don't chicken out on us, Duke! Get off your butt and help us!" Tea cried as her gaze burned into Duke's downcast eyes.
But Tristan wasn't as understanding. He turned to Tea and Yugi, motioning toward the lobby. "You two go on. I've got a few words for Mister Dungeon Dice here." Duke glared at the shark-headed duelist and sipped his coffee some more, but said nothing.
Yugi looked from one to the other despite the urgings of his Yami that he was needed in the lobby. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, Yugi, now go. Tea, you too."
The girl nodded, and taking Yugi by the arm she pulled him through the white doors. Tristan waited until the door stopped swinging before he grabbed his friend, yanking him out of his chair by the collar of his red jacket and onto his feet. "What the heck's wrong with you?! Joey needs our help, you dummy!"
Duke shrugged, his eyes staring dully at his friend. "I can't go in there."
Tristan could feel the other boy shaking beneath his grip, but Tristan was determined. He had never known Duke to shrink away from a challenge, and he had to wonder what was going on in his friend's head. He hauled the other boy forward until their noses nearly touched as he snarled, "I know you're afraid, but you're gonna have to face up to it. That's my best buddy in there, and I can't let 'im get hurt, but I can't let you hide in here either. We may need your help if Kaiba's set in his ways like I think he is. If I'm right, he's gonna try to beat up Joey like he tried with you last night. Aren't you gonna help us stop Kaiba like Joey and I helped you?"
Duke shook his head, a wry smile playing upon his lips. "Tristan, listen to me. I'm not like you. I don't run around looking for fights, in fact I prefer to avoid them."
"What about when you just picked a fight with Yugi and Joey at school with your Dungeon Dice Monster stuff, huh? What about that?"
"That was different," Duke pushed Tristan away and straightened his jacket. "I knew I had the upper hand, or at least I thought I did."
"But don't you want to at least cheer him on? He needs our support! You'd want him to do the same for you in a situation like this."
Duke rolled his eyes. "I'm not a cheerleader, Tristan. I attract those naturally," he shrugged, idly fingering one of his dice earrings. "And I'm not stupid either. You guys think that by going out there you're all in the fight, and if Joey wins, you'll all win. But what if Kaiba wins? Did you think about that? What if he wins and he's not content with just Joey?" He stared hard at Tristan. "I've seen plenty of guys like that. They always go around pushing for a fight, knowing they can win. Hell, I do it myself! I just do it with a game. This is no game, Tristan. Kaiba had murder written all over his face, and if you didn't see it, then you're not much of a street punk like you pretend to be."
Tristan grabbed his arm, causing the dice duelist to jump as he squeezed painfully. "Now you listen to me, Duke. Just because you think you know what's gonna happen out there doesn't mean that you should stay in here and hide. Do you want Joey to get beaten? If Kaiba is that angry like you think he is, then all the more reason you need to be out there. Think about it! We all have to stay here for the rest of the weekend, and if Kaiba's really that crazed, then you're in danger whether you stay here or not."
"It's always been my philosophy that I'm better off staying away from crazy folk, especially if they'd like to kill me."
"C'mon! You told me you hang out with Pegasus all the time!"
"Yeah, well, he's not half the nut job Kaiba's been lately. Anyway, we both know that I'm not exactly Kaiba's favorite person here." For a moment Tristan saw the glimmer of fear enter the eyes of his friend, and he realized that all of the talk was an attempt to mask that fear. Tristan remembered his own paralyzing helpless terror last night against things he couldn't understand concerning Room 217 and that terrible look of helplessness on Duke's face just before he fell through the stairway. He knew where his friend was coming from, but that didn't mean he had to accept it.
Tristan slammed one of his fists against a nearby counter with a bang, increasing the pressure of Duke's arm with his other hand. "I'm no fancy talker like you or Pegasus, but I think I've got you figured, Duke. You like to be powerful against people you know you can beat, and with the others it's just a show. You and Pegasus really do have a lot in common."
"Now don't get pissy on me, Tristan --"
"No, I've made up my mind. Come on, I'm going out there and you're coming with me. We're gonna work together on this one way or another and you're gonna find out that when you stand together as friends you don't need to rely on fancy words and tough talk, you'll find that you really do have a greater strength than you would by yourself. And it's for that reason that we need you out there."
Duke hung his head. "I'll come, but I'm not going to fight. You can't make me do that." Tristan nodded, accepting what he knew was the most he could expect out of his friend.
As the two passed through the doors, Mokuba sat on the floor at the base of the metal counters, his legs splayed out just as they had been when he had landed. He felt as though his world was crashing down, and though he tried to move his legs to get up, he found his own thoughts paralyzed him. The tears his brother had wiped away had already been replaced, and they coursed freely down his cheeks as he sat stunned and in mute terror.
He noticed the others passing him, but they hadn't seemed real. All he could see was the strange look in Seto's eyes as he'd placed a hand to Mokuba's shoulder and shoved him back. It replayed itself over and over in his mind, but always the same tiny detail stuck out. The gleam wasn't the same in his eyes, the gleam of warmth that no one else saw but that always reminded Mokuba that his brother was a good guy despite what others might think of him. It was the absence of that gleam which had tipped the boy off that the creature Pegasus had brought in on Duelist Kingdom wasn't his brother, despite the claim it had made that it was Kaiba's reanimated corpse. Mokuba had known, though Yugi and the others had doubted. He himself had even begun to doubt, until the Blue-Eyes White Dragon had melted in response to a virus only the real Seto Kaiba could have set loose. Even when that guy Kemo had snatched him away when no one was looking, Mokuba wasn't afraid. He'd been reassured that his brother was indeed coming for him. He'd seen that the glimmer of love and kindness that he'd known so well in his big brother's eyes wasn't in the eyes of the imposter, and that detail had told Mokuba better than anything else that whatever was dueling at the time may have looked like his brother, sounded like him, dueled like him, even had his deck – but it wasn't the real Seto Kaiba.
Suddenly, though, Mokuba was terrified. In the instant his brother had shoved him away Mokuba had searched those familiar icy blue eyes for the gleam of love, of understanding. The gleam that would tell him not to worry, that his brother knew best and would take care of everything. It had been there, all right. Only for some reason it was wrong. It was all wrong.
His brother had shoved him. He'd actually shoved him away. Never had his big brother done anything like that to him before. It was so shocking, so unlike him, that it hurt.
Climbing shakily to his feet, Mokuba scrambled toward the kitchen doors after the others, his sneakers squeaking on the shiny linoleum floor. It was happening, not exactly as he'd thought it would, but the hotel was taking his brother. He had to stop it before Seto was taken away completely. He pushed against the doors, but for some reason they wouldn't open. He stared in mute shock, his mind refusing for a moment to wrap around the simple fact that the door refused to open. For some reason he was trapped in the kitchen, and though logic would indicate that Yugi and his friends had locked him in there for his own protection, Mokuba knew better. The hotel had deemed him too much of a distraction. It wanted him out of the way so it could control his brother completely. The implications of such power threw him, and snapped Mokuba out of his shock with a jolt. There was little he could do, so he began banging on the doors, pounding desperately with his small fists as he cried out for the others, hoping they would hear him. "Let me out! I have to be there! Seto won't listen to anyone else!"
The short boy turned defeated from the doors, slumping to the ground before them. He knew the hotel would not let him leave until it was too late. He felt hot tears stinging his eyes, and he wiped them away shamefully with the sleeve of his shirt. Deep down he knew tears would not help his brother, even though he wished they could. He dipped his head down between his knees and tried to figure out what to do; but jerked his head upward again when he heard a loud metal squealing noise from the back of the kitchen. Curious and filled with dread, he got to his feet, and at the sight he witnessed he felt his heart leap into his throat. He wanted to scream but his mind did it instead, instinctively welling up and shooting out in a psychic cry meant for only one man to hear. ::Pegasus! Help!::
Mokuba backed away from the open meat locker doors as a warm pool of blood began to spread out across the linoleum floor and hideous laughter bounced across the metallic walls and countertops.
*****
Tea dragged Yugi through the kitchen doors, but the shorter boy would have moved faster on his own without the added encouragement. Tea knew that Yugi was torn between helping Joey or Tristan. She knew that her friend was once again faced with a terrible decision and that if left to his own devices might not be given the chance to help either of them. So she had made the choice for him and dragged him along without giving him a chance to protest. Yugi was all too aware of the danger posed by the situation, and though he didn't fully understand what was happening, he did know that his Yami wasn't mincing words as he told him to get to the lobby as soon as possible. There was no time to waste. Yugi would have to release Yami from the Puzzle if he wanted to prevent Kaiba from hurting his best friend. "But Yami," he muttered as he and Tea paused, scanning the empty lobby before following the obvious open front door, snow crunching beneath their shoes. "Why is Kaiba doing this?"
::The hotel has him, Yugi. I will stop him, but it will take a great deal of energy and I must be in my own separate form to accomplish such a task.:: The spirit infused Yugi's mind with a warm glow of encouragement in response to the boy's distress. ::I anticipate no trouble with this task, my light. The hotel isn't as strong as you think.::
"I hope you're right, Yami." The two were outside at last, and Tea clutched Joey's green jacket around her shoulders as they watched the two boys anxiously.
Swirling snow was blown into their faces, stinging their eyes as they watched the two boys circle. Kaiba had tossed his trench coat aside, and for once Tea and Yugi could compare their builds. Although Joey was shorter than Kaiba, he was more muscular in his arms and upper chest. Kaiba had most of his strength in his legs and forearms. All in all they seemed to be fairly equally matched. Even though Yugi didn't want to see his friend in a fight, the duelist in him had to admit that this would be a very interesting match indeed. Joey had lifted his fists, and was lightly bouncing on his toes, getting momentum for his punches. Kaiba kept his arms down at his sides, but kept his footsteps light in case he needed to move quickly. Although Yugi could see their lips moving, he couldn't quite make out what they were saying.
"What's this about, Kaiba? Or do you pick fights every weekend?" Joey's face was red from the cold and flushed with the heat of battle. He took a little comfort in knowing that he had been outside for most of the day, and not holed up in some basement. He knew where the snow was weak and deep, giving him an advantage that Kaiba hadn't even considered. He wiped his nose with his thumb and grinned cockily at his opponent.
"You know what this is about, Joey. Don't play games with me. I'm sick of games." Kaiba rushed in intending to land a punch to Joey's jaw. Although Joey saw his opponent's feet move quickly, he knew Kaiba wasn't quick enough. The blond side-stepped the taller boy and missed the blow by mere inches. Kaiba recovered quickly, however, and just as Joey was getting his footing back, he turned to have his nose met with a sharp punch, causing his head to be thrown upwards, and he released a grunt of pain as he stumbled backwards. Kaiba smirked as he watched obviously thinking the fight was already over. But Joey had other ideas.
"You think you can move in on my brother, you bastard!? He's already got me," Kaiba placed a thumb to his chest, his breath coming in puffs of smoke as he spoke. "He doesn't need another big brother. And especially some sniveling wimp like yourself."
Joey leapt to his feet and made a mad dash at Kaiba, his fists pummeling the boy in the chest one, two, three times before Kaiba kicked him away viciously. Joey cracked his knuckles and spit aside some blood that formed in his mouth from the shot to his nose. He knew he probably looked a mess, but if this was what Kaiba wanted, he'd be sure to teach the brat a lesson he wouldn't soon forget.
"I dunno what yer talkin' about, Kaiba. Is this entire thing just about the kid? He looks up to you, man, and if you'd actually been up here earlier, maybe he'd have come to you instead of me." Kaiba's eyes went wide as he screamed at Joey.
"Mokuba is not your brother!" Kaiba ran up to Joey, and even though the blond was prepared for a punch, the Dragon Master made a roundhouse kick to his right shoulder, and Joey felt as though a firecracker had gone of in his arm as he fell heavily into the freezing snow. He blinked, as tears in his eyes grew cold from the wind, but Kaiba didn't give him a chance to get his bearings. He pushed Joey onto his back, and while the poor blond gasped for breath, Kaiba straddled him. He pulled back his fist and smiled down at his victim. "We'll see if he looks up to you after this, you asshole!" Joey tried to block the numerous punches that followed as they connected with each side of his face, causing his ears to bleed.
"Stop it!" Tristan's voice tumbled over the snow, and it seemed to infuse Joey with new strength as he thought of his sister Serenity. He pushed Kaiba's leg out from beneath him, causing the taller boy to fall to the ground as the two opponents began to roll in the snow, each struggling for control. Eventually Joey managed to gain the upper hand as he pushed Kaiba into the snow. He grabbed a hold of Kaiba's injured arm, digging his fingers into the deep gouge that had healed so poorly, causing it to reopen. Kaiba screamed in pain as flashes of the encounter in the basement scattered across his mind, the darkness, and the creature that had given it to him in the first place just before he'd fallen through the staircase. He wondered absently if the large piece of wood was possibly still embedded in the wound, and as Joey increased the pressure, Kaiba gritted his teeth to ward off the pain. He was determined not to appear weak in front of all these onlookers, and especially not to his little brother. He had no idea that Mokuba wasn't even witnessing the fight.
He jabbed his palm into Joey's jaw, causing the blond's head to jerk upwards once again, and Kaiba placed his heel into Joey's stomach, pushing him away with a grunt. He staggered to his feet, his arm reeling in pain as blood trickled down his arm and staining the crisp snow at his feet. He stared at Joey as a new rage built inside of him. The blond had been doubled over from the kick, but recovered slowly and got to his feet. He'd had no idea that Kaiba would have been so much of a challenge, and Joey managed a lopsided smile in appreciation of his well-matched opponent.
Yugi watched the fight in distress, wondering if he should rush in to stop them or to help his friend. It was all happening so fast; he didn't have much time to think. He'd barely noticed when Duke and Tristan had run up until Tristan had yelled out for their friend. He whispered in question to his Yami, "What should I do? Should I stop them? I don't want them to get hurt, but Kaiba seems so upset. And Joey just seems to be enjoying this."
::Yugi, if we delay much longer, your friend will get hurt. Terribly, I'm afraid. The hotel has planned this for some reason, but I don't know why.::
Kaiba rushed Joey, his eyes blazing, and an unearthly cry rising out of his lungs. In the distance, Joey heard Tea cry out in fear and the sound distracted him long enough for Kaiba to make a hard blow to Joey's midsection, hitting somehow in the exact same spot he'd struck before. Joey's eyes shut in pain, and grabbed his stomach as he fell to his knees. He felt blood in his mouth once again, and wondered if it was from his nose or his gut. Kaiba smiled above him, and though Joey wanted to get to his feet, something wouldn't let him. He knew he had the strength to, he knew he should be able to defeat Kaiba, but he also knew that Kaiba wasn't his only opponent out here. His eyes unintentionally flickered to the looming hotel behind Kaiba, and he wondered why all the curtains were open in every room. It was as if it was waiting for something…
::Release me, Yugi, quickly!::
Obediently, Yugi tapped into the powers of his Millennium Puzzle as the Sennen Eye glowed upon his forehead. In the kitchen, even though Mokuba was cornered by the terrible things from the meat locker, he sensed the surge of extreme power and screamed all the louder, sobbing and throwing his tiny body uselessly against the door which stood impenetrable as a fortress against him. "No! Yugi, don't do it! It wants you to use your power! That's how it feeds, Yugi, it's been feeding on us all this time!" Mokuba hit the doors as hard as he could, wishing the things behind him would disappear even as he saw their shadows looming above him. When he felt slick cold hands wrap around his throat, Mokuba could take no more, and he cried out for Pegasus one last time with all of his mental strength before he fell to numb unconsciousness.
There was no way Yugi could know what was happening. He was outside, many yards from the kitchen door, and while he flipped the mental switch to separate the two souls which were housed within his form, Duke and Tristan cried out behind him, cheering Joey on. No one heard the piteous wails of the boy trapped in the kitchen. The Overlook Hotel was pleased, and all energies were focused and ready as Yugi and Yami began to generate the strength necessary for them to separate. It was normally a simple task, but with the emotion running high in both souls and everyone around them, the strength Yugi and Yami both grasped for from the Millennium Puzzle was more than was needed.
Something was wrong, and Tea turned to Yugi curiously as she felt the surge of energy from her friend. She was about to call his name, but was cut off by the sudden backfire. There was a blinding flash of light, one that was horribly unnatural for their separation. Tea hooded her eyes and backed away instinctively as an unearthly cry, the sound of two voices in one throat, tore itself from her friend at the center of the supernova of their being. Just as Kaiba was about to land the final punch to knock poor Joey unconscious, Yugi and Yami were painfully shoved back together, their physical entities merging as they never were supposed to. For an instant, Yugi finally understood as his entire head throbbed as never before – the Overlook had planned for him to use the Millennium Puzzle. It had counted on it and naively he and Yami had played right into the hotel's plans. The puzzle felt like a tremendous weight upon his throat and it pulled him to the ground. He tried to help his Yami as he heard the spirit cry out in pain as he was brutally forced back into his soul chamber, but he too was mentally wounded. He felt as though a terrible gash had been made across his mind, dividing it in half and leaving both souls horribly scarred. Yugi sank to his knees in blinding agony at the forced merger as the spirit within his puzzle lost consciousness and their mental connection slipped away.
Kaiba stood in the snow, paused in mid-swing as he stared at the crowd in the doorway curiously. Yugi was on his knees, and for the life of him he couldn't fathom why. Brown eyes met blue as Joey and Kaiba glared at each other. Eventually, Kaiba lowered his arm, and sighed deeply. He stared at the group again, as realization slowly dawned on him. "Where's Mokuba?" Panic suddenly struck his heart as he abandoned the fight, racing toward the group of onlookers and the hotel's entrance.
Joey sighed as he watched Kaiba grab his trench coat and race off. He didn't know how to admit it, but Kaiba nearly took him down there for a moment, until Yugi had exploded into a blindingly bright light. Somehow it had brought Kaiba to his senses, so Joey couldn't consider Yugi's little light show all that bad. He watched his opponent mount the stairs and slowly crawled to his feet to find out what had happened to his friend. There was something about the hotel that had helped Kaiba in that fight, even though Joey had no idea how a building could do something like that. He looked up at the overshadowing hotel, and felt his skin crawl as he noticed that the curtains in every room were once again closed.
The blond hobbled over to the group, smiling as Tea ran up to him and put his green jacket around his shoulders. "You need this more than me, Joey. Are you okay?" She shivered in the wind and clutched her arms, but stayed nonetheless.
"You really held up well back there, Joey," Tristan smiled at him as he kneeled next to Yugi, a hand placed on the boy's shoulder. "It just seemed that no matter what you did to the guy, he just wouldn't go down."
Joey laughed shakily and ran a hand through his bushy disheveled mane. "Yeah, I felt like I wasn't fightin' a human, know what I mean?" His eyes went dark for a minute and Tea put a comforting arm around her friend. "How's Yugi? What happened to him back there? Is he okay?"
"I don't know," Duke whispered, staring into Yugi's dull eyes in concern. "He hasn't said anything since it happened, and he won't move."
"What should we do?" Tea chattered through the cold wind. Everyone jumped as Kaiba's voice boomed from inside the hotel.
"MOKUBA!"
Tristan rolled his eyes, placing a weary hand to his forehead. "Oh no, what's happened now?" Joey rolled his shoulders, trying to shake off the pain and cold that seemed to fill his limbs.
"I tell you guys what. I'll go find out what's wrong with Kaiba." He moved towards the entrance.
"Well I'm coming with you. I don't trust him, and I don't want you to get hurt anymore. Duke? Tristan? Can you guys watch over Yugi? I don't want him to get hurt either."
"Yeah sure, Tea. We'll keep an eye on him," Duke smiled warmly at her as he and Tristan lifted Yugi to his feet and brought him into the foyer.
*****
When Kaiba pushed against the kitchen doors they gave easily, it was the sight beyond which wrenched him from the aftermath of his spent fury. Mokuba was lying curled in a ball on the kitchen floor, his eyes wide and his thumb in his mouth. Kaiba rushed toward him, all rage and vengeance fled from his mind as he gathered the small boy in his arms. "Mokuba! What happened?"
There was no response. The poor boy was shaking all over, and a trail of drool ran down his chin as he stared with wide eyes into empty space. He didn't even seem to register his own brother. Kaiba shook him again. "Mokuba! MOKUBA!"
Kaiba pulled the fragile child to his chest, rocking slightly on his heels as his hand gripped his brother's bushy black hair. The boy was freezing cold, as though he'd been locked in a refrigerator, but his hands were slick with sweat. He noticed the bloody bruises on his slender throat, and traced over them with his fingers, attempting to discern their cause. It was at that moment that Tea raced into the room as fear shone plainly in her eyes, but she stopped short in the doorway, her gaze flickering from Kaiba to his brother's limp form, and back again as she came to some conclusion. She raced forward then, snatching the helpless child away from his brother and shoving Kaiba aside as she pulled the boy close with tears stinging her eyes. "What have you done to him?!"
Kaiba stood in complete shock. He looked at Mokuba helplessly and opened his mouth, but no words would come. He'd never been accused of harming his own brother before, the very thought had never occurred to him. He wasn't exactly certain how he should act. His head was throbbing and his arm still ached from Joey's assault. In the back of his mind, Kaiba knew that he wasn't acting in his right mind, that normally he would be able to think more clearly. He wouldn't normally have gotten into a fist fight with Joey, despite his obvious dislike of the other boy. He placed a hand to his head, coming to the belated conclusion that something was indeed wrong with him but he couldn't put his finger on it. He wished he'd noticed earlier – perhaps he'd have been able to help his brother instead of picking fights with others. He groped for words but only succeeded in a grunting sound as he shook his head attempting to not only deny the accusations but also his actions. Tea pulled his brother back, putting more distance between Kaiba and the most important person in his life, her eyes watching him as though he were a wild animal. "You did this to him! Stay back!"
By that time Joey had come, and he stood uncertainly in the doorway, weary and battered from the fight. Kaiba stood between the two, Joey staring in confusion, and Tea glaring in accusation. He was caught between stares on either side and the scrutiny only made his head hurt all the more. He looked at the small form of Mokuba in Tea's arms, and he wanted a rage to rise within him, but all that came was an overwhelming despair so new and unfamiliar that it nearly cleaved his soul in twain. He clutched his head in one hand and stared at his brother, watching the slow rise and fall of his chest. He couldn't figure out what had happened. Everyone had been outside. There hadn't been anyone inside to hurt the boy, and Kaiba had even made sure that the thing in the basement was secured. It just didn't make any sense. "I didn't--"
But Tea wasn't finished. She cut him off as she glared; her eyes like daggers as she clutched the boy to her breast. "How could you! How could you! You bastard, how could you hurt him like that! Him of all people – what's wrong with you!? How could you!?"
"Whoa, Tea! Hold on, did you actually see anything?" Joey hobbled forward, one hand unconsciously clutching his stomach as he moved toward Kaiba.
Tea stood, managing to hold Mokuba in her arms as she made for the door. Kaiba merely stood mute and shocked as she shoved past him and Joey as she moved through the doors, laying Mokuba on a couch in the lobby. The doors swung shut again, cutting Kaiba and Joey off from the scene. Kaiba looked down at his hands, the scratches from the creature in the basement puffed and swollen as a constant reminder of his powerlessness. He shook his head, his throat working as his eyes began to mist shamefully. "I never … I didn't … I wouldn't ... Not Mokuba, no, never him, I'd never hurt him … never …"
Joey placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I know, man. You don't have to explain it to me." He looked curiously around the room and involuntarily shuddered when he saw that the table had been moved from its place in front of the meat locker doors. He knew Mokuba did not have the strength to have moved it on his own. Unwanted visions of the creatures inside flooded his mind, and he squeezed Kaiba's shoulder a little harder. It was meant to be a comfort, but Kaiba jerked away.