A/N:
Phew! (pants) I had to rip the paper from Light, she wouldn't give them back to me! She said the words were hers. Pah! Hers...I was the one who wrote AND look up the poem in here!! It wasn't easy you know... (pouts)Disclaimer- For all of you out there who just LOVE disclaimers, I'll put one up here. (clears throat) No I did not write The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe, that is why it is written by Edgar Allen Poe!!! Nor do I own Leigh or Zillah, which aren't in this chapter. (sigh) Sorry guys.
Notes: I believe this once came up not too late...but about a month too late...but hey, it's still a work in progress! And my dearly beloved computer didn't crash on me! I am so lucky! (huggles computer) So anyway, I guess it's finally time for the Ode to Reviewers, huh?
Ode to Reviewers
Old Man Domingo- Dude, I just figured out how cool your name sounds on the tongue. Old Man Domingo. Ooh! It just rolls on the tongue! Oh...anyway. Yep...Jaken is going to get pretty darn scary in this chapter...0.O and an inner fight with himself too. Will Jaken and the crew have to contend with the Big Five? Meh, well...how else were we going to see Noah kick some ass?
Angel Rosz-
Gracias! Thank you for another one of your kind reviews and witty? That was witty? stands proudly I actually did some wittiness (I didn't think I had any left after the first couple of chapters...X.X I hope you enjoy this one, though it's a bit dark...Wings of Shadows-
Jaken is annoying me too actually (is that allowed? Your own character annoying you?) and I'm glad you caught on that he was dueling without anything in his heart but hatred for the other person and you are catching on to what's about to happen in this chapter, you are red hot! School gets out for me on the 21st of May (WOOT! FOUR MORE DAYS!) and I have final exams all through this week...X.X a real pain...But please read on and enjoy this chapter! I really hope that Jaken annyong you think will stop at the end of this chapter... Heh, why? Well you'll just have to see!Joeyz Girl-
Thank you for liking the little intermission! I liked it too actually, very fun to write and very refreshing too to have all of that weight of writing this thing off of my shoulders. Now I'm refreshed and ready to push my characters through hell! Erm...not really....And that silver stuff around Leigh? Well, that same thing happened to both Naomi and Tiki...licks fingers and flips back some pages Aha! Yep, while their falling, let's just say a great transformation, shall we?Now on with the annoying jabbers of mine!
Excess Notes from the Demented Mind:
Uh, let's see, Oh! Go and check out Veracity Keys by Red Fox of Gloree if you like Yami or Yami Bakura in an our-world story feel. Though she only has the first chapter up (which only involves Yami, she's doing this thing that's really freaky with the chapters. Next Chapter will be centered on Yami Bakura she tells me.) But if you like those two characters, you might like the story. shrugs Eh, anyway. The Yu-Gi-Oh! Movie is coming out on August 13th! (screams) I can't wait! Though I'll either be scrutinizing it, or be enthralled by it. Meh, who knows?Jump
Chapter 13 --- Quote the Raven, Nevermore...
The duel between Jake and Yami raged on. Both throwing out everything they had. Jake spooking the living creeps out of Yami, and Yami just throwing back insults that Jake threw first.
Jake's Summoned Skull was destroyed by Yami's powerful Dark Magician Girl, with the help of a magic card and the Dark Magician that was in his graveyard.
"Now will you tell us what is with you Jake?" Yami asked just as Jake's life points reached 500.
Jake regained his position after the attack and sneered. "Why should I?"
"Because I want to know what happened. I am sorry okay? I am sorry about Naomi. I didn't know--"
"--Bull you didn't know." Jake spat and drew his card. "But I will tell one thing. I will avenge Naomi and get her mind back from the Shadow Realm. And anyone who gets in my way will fall. I swear on that."
Yami sighed and scratched his neck. "I am not going to let you win Jake. I can not. I have to save--"
"--Save the world. How can I forget. But guess what?" He asked. "I don't give a hoot about this world. I could care less if it plunges into chaos and madness. I would enjoy it actually. All that is on my mind is rescuing Naomi. And the only way to do that is to defeat Yami Marik." He pointed down to Yami Marik, who just grinned insanely. Jake sneered at this.
"Yes and I need to defeat him also. So I don't understand why we are on different sides." Yami reasoned back.
Jake looked down. "But we are on different sides. So that makes us enemies. Now, back to the duel."
Raven looked out on the field. 'He has three monsters on the field. Gama the Magnet Warrior, Dark Magician Girl, and Kuribo. He has one face down card on the field and two cards in his hand.' He looked at his newly drawn card and smiled. 'And I just drew The God Osirus! Great!' He looked at his hand. 'This is better than I could have imagined.'
Jake looked into Yami's eyes with pure confidence. "I let me share with you a--a poem that I think you should know. I entered myself as Raven for one reason. 'The Raven' is a poem written by a dark writer who lived in the nineteenth century. Edgar Allen Poe. This poem reminds me of a lot of things. But let me recite it to you so you can know why I like it so much. But take note: Lenore is Naomi."
Jake slid a magic card into one of the slots. He took a startling breath and began to say...
"Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door -
Only this, and nothing more.""
Jake looked up to the night sky, his deep blue hair swirling around, his black trench coat whipping around in the breeze. The moon shone brightly above.
"Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore -
Nameless here for evermore."
Raven started to walk forward into his vacant side of the arena. He looked down at the crowd then back up at his opponent. He started to motion and feel the poem, presenting it as he had millions of times before. But this time was different, he was thinking…thinking…
"And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating,
"'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door -
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; -
This it is, and nothing more.""
He shook his head and walked to the other side of his field. Jaken traced his duel disk, a strange glint in his eyes--as if he had known all along who would win this duel.
"Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
"Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you"- here I opened wide the door; -
Darkness there, and nothing more."
Jaken closed his eyes and sighed. Thinking…still thinking…
"Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore?"
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Lenore!" -
Merely this, and nothing more."
Jaken walked back to his position, thinking of a lot of things. This wasn't the way things should be. This isn't they way anything should be. He shouldn't have reverted to his old ways. Naomi has always said, "If you don't have the courage to trust in others, how can you ever trust yourself?" She was right…How?
How can you trust in yourself if you can't even trust in one other person? To trust is the hardest thing to do…why did Naomi make it seem so easy?"Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
"Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice:
Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore -
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; -
'Tis the wind and nothing more.""
"Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore;
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door -
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door -
Perched, and sat, and nothing more."
Jaken looked to his hand. He clenched it. How did Naomi manage to trust people--how did Naomi trust him? How did Kurt even have the courage to become his friend and trust him? What is trust…?
"Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore.
"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven,
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the Nightly shore -
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"
Quote the Raven, "Nevermore.""
Jaken had promised himself never to trust ever since his dad had abandoned him. Nevermore would be trust. Yet without knowing it--he started to trust people around him. His friend, Kurt, he learned to trust. He trusted Naomi. He trusted Tiki. And once he had trusted the person in front and the people around him. Why did he stop?…
He stopped trusting because they betrayed his trust! They betrayed Naomi, in turn betraying him. Yami didn't listen when Jake said Naomi needed help. He was too caught up in his little duel to have any recognition of Naomi's disappearance. But his friends were on the line too…"Much I marveled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning- little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blest with seeing bird above his chamber door -
Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as "Nevermore.""
"But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered- not a feather then he fluttered -
Till I scarcely more than muttered, "other friends have flown before -
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before."
Then the bird said, "Nevermore.""
His opponent's friends were in danger also--they might have also died without him. How could Yugi have even tried to save Naomi when his friends were in a tight pinch also? What was Yugi to do but keep dueling and save his friends…Jake should have looked at himself before accusing.
He, himself, was being careless when he ran with Naomi. He knew Naomi was way back behind him, but he didn't slow down. He didn't think that that would happen to Naomi. She was just a slacker, he thought, just a slacker. Yet he should have slowed down for Naomi and ran with her, or stopped to let her catch her breath real quick. Then maybe Naomi wouldn't have been taken so easily. Was it really his fault?"Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
"Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore -
Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore
Of 'Never - nevermore'.""
It was his fault. He shouldn't have gotten so furious with Yami--he was trying to protect his friends, why couldn't he do the same? Why couldn't he save Naomi? He knew exactly where Naomi was, but was scared to go alone. Scared at what Naomi might say to him--why he didn't save her right then and there."But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door;
Then upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore -
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking "Nevermore.""
"This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamplight gloated o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamplight gloating o'er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!"
Maybe Raven should retire for good. Maybe Jaken is the one who should finish this duel, to make the right decision in this duel. He had the winning cards right in his hands--but then again, a small voice was calling from the back of his head, "He's your friend, they all are. Why attack someone you know that's stronger than you? Why attack a friend?" Should Raven retreat for good? Should Jake, Jaken, come back and finish this duel the right way? Why?…
"Then methought the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose footfalls tinkled on the tufted floor.
"Wretch," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he hath sent thee
Respite - respite and nepenthe, from thy memories of Lenore:
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!"
Quote the Raven, "Nevermore."
He could never forget Naomi…never in a thousand years. Friends till the end. 'We'll stick together through thick and thin…that's the meaning of a real friend.' He laughed inwardly. 'And when it's time to stand the test, friendship shines above the rest…' What do you know, that song was from the soundtrack of Yu-Gi-Oh!…Is that a sign? Is that the reason why he was brought here? To learn what these characters know so well?
""Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil! -
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted -
On this home by horror haunted- tell me truly, I implore -
Is there - is there balm in Gilead? - tell me - tell me, I implore!"
Quote the Raven, "Nevermore.""
These characters…these people know what friendship and trust is. They have--had the weight of the world on their shoulder and not one column in their friendship has crumbled. Not one person supporting a column has felled yet. Doubt, trickery, deceit…all have faced the group, yet none have fallen victim. Is that what Jaken needs to learn how to do? To trust in others as they trust in each other?
""Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil - prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us - by that God we both adore -
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore -
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore."
Quote the Raven, "Nevermore.""
Jaken looked back up to his opponent. His eyes back to their bright friendly state. Never cold again. He activated the magic card, Exchange, which exchanges the monsters on the opponents side of the field so the user can summon a monster with the monster on the opponent's side of the field.
""Be that word our sign in parting, bird or fiend," I shrieked, upstarting -
"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken!- quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"
Quote the Raven, "Nevermore.""
Jake took a card from his hand silently, Yami's eyes wide, and summoned it to the field. The sky shrouded in darkness, lightning striking all around. Thunder booming in the tornado in which was found. The serpent of Naomi's swerved around, it's red body stretched around the blimp, gripping the blimp lethally. It roared it's attack unstoppable and fear unbreakable. Behold! The God Osirus! Jaken looked unnervingly at the spirit on the opposite side, who was looking horrified. In Jaken's mind he knew what he was going to do. He knew he had to finish this now.
"And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamplight o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted - nevermore!"
He looked straight into Yami's stern eyes. "How can I ever learn what you and your friend's hearts know so well? I will never know. I will never know…"
Jaken's gaze turned to Kurt and Tiki. "Kurt, make sure these blundering fools don't screw this mission up, got that friend?" He winked and gave a thumbs up.
Kurt shook his head, "Why?"
Jake's gaze turned to Tiki. "Tiki, I have one word for you. Trust. Do what's right in your heart. You'll find it's the right thing to do…"
Tiki looked at him shocked. "What are you saying?! You won this duel!"
The blue headed boy shook his head. "I have not won this. I have lost--miserably. The real victor is my opponent, he has the strong heart because it is supported by his friends. All of them." He gulped. "God Osirus!" The air seemed to freeze. "ATTACK--" Everyone either gasped or turned away. "--ATTACK ME!"
"Jake!" Kurt yelled, running up to the dueling stage. "You idiot!"
Tiki gasped and looked away. Why was he doing this? He had won the duel! He had won! Why was he giving up now?? Why?!
The dragon reared it's head towards Jaken, who's arms were outstretched and eyes closed, ready for the catastrophic assault.
Yami Malik sneered. Another to the darkness…willingly.
Bakura looked on shocked. He didn't understand. Fool! He's giving up everything he has! Why has that Pharaoh won?! Jaken should have!! No matter. Bakura sneered. I will not make that mistake when I face Yugi…
Yami just looked on, as did Yugi, awe-stricken and bewildered. Not over the fact that they had won, or that Jake lost. But that Jake had the opportunity to go on and destroy them--but he left Naomi's mind in the hands of him and Joey both. And that takes courage alone. The courage to trust in another.
The dragon fired it's attack at Jaken, who became barely visible in the yellowish white light that consumed him. He didn't scream…didn't cry. The dragon vanished, as did it's assault. Everyone looked on fearfully--for a God cards attack is cataclysmic, disastrous. And it was Naomi's dragon who dealt the blow.
Jaken stood still, smoke blowing around him, eyes close to bleak. "When will I see my sweet Lenore?" He coughed and fell forward. "Quote the Raven... Nevermore…" He fell to the ground and stayed limp.
"No!! Jake!" Kurt screamed and jumped onto the stage. He stood above his fallen friend and looked away.
Yami walked over slowly, looking down pitifully. "I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault." Kurt shook his head. "Not your fault. Jake was never a person to lose with a forfeit anyway. He would stick out a duel--or even a tennis match with a bloody nose till the end. But he's not dead…"
Yami Malik laughed, before exiting. "Not dead at all. With Naomi. And will you see him again?"
Ushima laughed and mocked, "Quote the raven, nevermore."
And the two exited the rooftop.
Joey and the rest of he group climbed up also.
"Poor Jake…" Joey shook his head. "Dat must have been hard for him ta do…"
Tiki snorted. "He was weak, but I won't be…" Tiki said and left the rooftop also, along with Bakura, who hadn't said a word all duel long, and had no opinion on the matter--out loud.
Mokuba ran up to the rest of the group. "Seto!" He called back. "Call the doctors! He doesn't look well at all…"
The doctors arrived soon afterwards and carried the mindless, soulless Jaken away to his room. The rest of the group departed also, leaving Kurt alone to think everything out.
"Oh man…" He sighed. "We need help…"
Jaken looked around in the dark and clammy space for Naomi. He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around, to meet a-- (waiting…waiting…NOW!) --hand slap right on the cheek.
"Stupid blundering idiot! Baka!" Screamed an awfully familiar voice of the blonde haired hippy. She slapped him on the other cheek. "You blaggard! Idiot!! Why did you do that?!" She poked him in the chest. "Why in the heck would you even consider--CONSIDER--entering the tournament in the first place!! You--grrr." She started to choke and strangle him.
"NnNnnnNnNnNAaAaAaAaOoOoOoOoOoMmMmMmMmIiIiIiIiiiIiiI!!!" Jake screamed throughout the Shadow Realm. But Naomi kept on choking…and choking…and choking…
Inwardly, Jake smiled. Good 'ole Naomi.
So...how did you like it...coughcough I'm so sorry if it didn't go as you wished! Please don't hurt me! This is all in the plan! Yep!
But anyway, I really hope you aren't too disappointed at the ending...It was REALLY iffy because of what y'all would think, but it's all for the best! I assure you! Now, I guess it's time for me to leave you and see you next time again! And I'll promise to get it up as soon as possible!! As soon as I finish it of course....
REVIEW AND REVIEW AND PLEASE REVIEW!!