HIII! So sorry I couldn't update sooner. My computer finally died ( With roses and a tombstone.) And I had to save up monies to buy a new one. ( I hate bills.) So finally, here's the next chapter of Tribulation. WARNING: GRAPHIC VIOLENCE AT THE END! Disclaimer: Oh, you alredy know the answer to that, sillies! What's Wrong, What's Red The parking lot was empty and held a feeling of foreboding amid itself. Maybe it was just Yami's mind playing tricks on his unconscious thoughts adding to the ones that wandered so turbulently through his head. Or maybe, to be more logical, it was just the rain clouds rolling overhead that added to the atmosephere and his mood. Just what the hell was Seto thinking? Yami loved his cousin ( Seto was family, so he had no choice really.) but sometimes-like now-he wanted to kill him. Messing around was one thing. But With a teacher? He shook his head slowly, his bangs swaying over his face. ' There must be something deeper I'm not seeing here...'
" Interesting choice of words."
"...intended to compromise any of us in, I trust I can count on you to be discreet." His words had been strong and almost demanding. But Yami knew he was only using this act to hide his fear. Yami glanced away from his cousin and sighed quietly.
" What are you doing, Seto? He's our teacher. You're his student. I know you're always looking for new, interesting things but...our gym teacher? What is goi'n on with you?" Seto's eyes hardened considerably as he regarded the boy in front of him, a small smirk twisting his lips.
" I could ask you the same thing, cousin." Yami's body tensed as he balled his hands in to fists. He should have known the conversation would turn to him.
" What are you talking about?" He asked slowly. The distant sound of thunder sounded then, a seemingly perfect interludeto the moment.
" What are you doing? Playing around with that strange Mutou kid, taking him to prom? Are you looking for something new, Yami?" He turned his head away, his bangs shadowing his eyes. It was true: Both of them were involved with people who were by all means, forbidden to them. Seto because his lover was also their teacher, and God only knew what would happen if they were ever exposed. Then there was himself and Yugi Mutou. Shy, quiet, fascinating Yugi. Yami had begun this relationship...if that's what you could call it, because Anzu jad asked him to. No other reason.
Still, little by little Yami had found himself being drawn closer and closer to the boy. And it almost scared him how fast things were going. Hell, he nearly kissed Yugi a couple of days ago! But what he was feeling should be considered irrelevant, right? He was in love with Anzu and that was the end of it...right? ' You know that's not the whole truth.' His mind challenged. Yes, he knew he loved Anzu-no question. But...was he really in love with her? And Yugi. Where could he begin? He shook his head, his mind having been reduced to a confused mess. " This is wrong."
" What is? Me going after what I want or you playing pretend with some hopeless kid?" Yami sighed and lifted his head to meet Seto's eyes again.
" Both."
" Well no shit." The two of them stood there, staring at eachother, doing nothing more than that. By now it had begun to rain. The water falling softly on the pair didn't disturb them in the least. Shaking his wet bangs from his eyes Seto leaned forward and put a hand on Yami's shoulder. " Yami, I wish to God that Joey wasn't older than me. And I know what we're doing is wrong." A sudden feeling of self-righteousness came over him and he stood up straight, his expression haughty. " But at least I love my partner. To hell with what people say. Fuck them! We love each other and that's all! "
He took his hand from the boy's shoulder and crossed his arms his stance mimicking Yami's. " So what's your excuse?"
" I have none." That wasn't the answer Seto was expecting in the least. All arrogance left his face only to be replaced with confusion.
" Then what are you doing? Why the hell would you bother to keep this pity party up?" Yami only continued to stare, his expression blank. He said nothing. The realization dawned on his face as soon as the words left him. " Unless... Yami? Do you...love Yugi?" A frusterated sigh flew from his lips and Yami ran a hand through his wild tresses.
" I don't know! Yes! No! Maybe! I don't fucking know!" Seto let his hands fall to his sides and he stepped back. " Ever since this whole thing started between us I-" He stopped, just long enough to reign his emotions in. Getting mad right now would not help him. Taking a deep breath he shoved it out of his lungs and began again. " I care about him. I know I do. I just...I don't know how far this is going to go, or if I even want it to keep going. I don't want to hurt him, but I don't know how I feel about Anzu now either."
He leaned his body heavily against his car and tilted his head up, watching in mild fascination as the rain fell towards him, the drops running down his face. " I want him with me. I just don't know how close." A new, strange feeling of calm came over both of them. The doubts and suspicions seemed to have washed away with the rain. They understood eachother now. Regarding his cousin in the downpour Seto just nodded his head once.
" Well prom's just two days away. So do yourself-and everyone else a favor and figure it out." Feeling he had nothing more to say Seto turned around and headed for his own car just three spaces away. Then he stopped as a sudden thought came to him and he turned around once more. " And Yami?" He already knew what Seto was going to ask. Yami smiled just a little and shook his head.
" Don't worry. I won't say a thing."
Yugi stared questioningly at the different ties, wondering how such silly designs could be considered " Designer." The one he was currently holding in his hand was made of white cotton, the fabric decorated with bright orange flowers and yellow butterflies. " No, not this one." He muttered to himself. Definitely not that one. Putting it back on the rack he wandered further down the isle, searching for something a little less...bold. His suit was nearly done now. He had the pants and the vest already done. The blazer only needed a little hemming on the left side and he needed to attach the right sleve. But his fabric was running a little short ( He really needed to go shopping.) and the colors he already had didn't quite fit his suit.
So here he was, in the last place anyone would be expecting to find him-the Domino Megaplex mall, sifting though the men's department. Perhaps it was because he wasn't expected that the girl's voice held so much surprise and, slight wonder. " Yugi?" He spun around and blinked nervously as Anzu Mazaki walked toward him, a small white shopping bag in hand. She gave him a smile and fighting down his nerves, he returned it. " Um, hi there."
" Hi, Anzu."
" So..." She shifted her eyes away from him to the rack behind him. " Getting ready for prom?" Following her gaze he laughed nervously and nodded.
" Uh, yeah." She walked up to his side and scanned through the selection in front of them. Yugi narrowed his eyes in suspicion as she shifted her hand though the various fabrics. Why was she helping him? He remembered very well that it was her who had sugguested Yami take him to prom, by the man's own account. But why was she really doing this? A flash of last week's disaster came to his mind. Him-cowering in the stall of the bathroom as they all-Anzu-had chanted over and over again. Kill Him. Just as suddenly as it came he was back in that store with her, almost glaring as he watched her. She huffed though her nose and stepped away from the display.
" There doesen't seem to be much here...but there's some more over there... How about this one? It would really bring out your eyes." She said, pulling out a lavander tie for him to see. Anzu turned around and blinked in surprise at the empty look on his face.
" Why are you doing this?"
"...What?" Yugi looked away from her, not really staring at anything but just because he suddenly couldn't look at her.
" Why are you helping me?" Anzu let her hand fall from the tie she was holding as she walked up to him.
" I just want you to have a good time." She was surprised at how genuine she felt as she said this to him. Yes, he was going to the prom with her boyfriend, and yes, this was because she felt guilty about what she had done. Still it made her feel all the worse for it taking until now-all of this...to see Yugi Mutou. Really see him for the first time...as a person. Although she hadn't spent very much time with him in the past as they stood there together, she almost felt like she was talking to a friend. On the other side of things Yuig was very confused by what was happening. Why would someone as beautiful and as popular as Anzu Mazaki want to help him? Let alone worry about his big night out?
" Why? You've never really talked to me before..." He said slowly. He looked back to her face and was surprised to see the look of hurt in her eyes. She was holding one of her shoulders as she fidgeted with her jacket, a sign of discomfort. He sighed as he tried to shake off the guilt he now felt. He hadn't meant it to sound so awful... " I just wish that I was going to prom because someone liked me, not because they pity me." She frowned in confusion and tilted her head ever so slightly.
" What do you mean?"
" I know Yami's only going to the prom because you asked him to." There. He'd said it. Surprisingly Anzu smiled kindly at him and shook her head.
" If that were the whole truth, then he wouldn't be so excited." Yugi's heart beat just a little faster than was usual and he cleared his throat of the lump that had suddenly appeared there.
" What do you mean?"
" Well, yeah I asked him to take you since I can't go... But he's been really looking forward to going with you. The time you two have spent together must have really done a number on him." Her smile became brighter as she meaninglessly brushed his shoulder with her hand. " If he didn't want to go with you, he'd have said something by now. Sooner even. He's going because he like you, Yugi. And that's the truth." Yugi's heart leapt with happiness as Anzu's words repeated in his head. ' He likes me...' He couldn't help but smile at her, feeling grateful. For what necessarily he wasn't sure. Everything. Nothing. The feeling was just there and for now it was fine.
" Thanks for telling me that, Anzu." Both of them stood there, just stood there for a moment as a kind of awkward air overtook them. Was it really so strange that both Yami's girlfriend and prospective date were bonding in this way? Or appropriate? And there was also the daunting thought that had both wondering about the other: What was going to happen after prom? Casting around for something to distract her Yugi looked back to the rack and picked up the lavander tie she'd been holding earlier. " I really like this one. Thank you for helping me pick it out." She nodded wordlessly to him. Both of them turned away and walked in seperate directions, both secretly relieved to be out of the other's presence.
No, Maybe it wasn't so appropriate after all.
The evidence was piling up quickly for Detective Taylor. ' By now I suspect that Vivian Wong was the brains of the affair, but that she herself had only the most nebulous of ideas on how one might " Get" a boy like Yugi Mutou. I suspect that it was she who sugguested that Broderik " Bandit" Keith and his friends make the trip to Irwin Henry's farm in north Domino. The thought of that trip's imagined result would have appealed to a warped sense of poetic justice, I'm sure...' He snapped the file closed and tossed it on the table where it slid to a steady stop in front of Rex Raptor. " I'm impressed, Rex." He smirked down at the boy from where he stood, Rex only continuing to glare at him. Punk. " I am very impressed: four counts of posession-with intent to sell, battery, vandalism, auto theft...you're parents must be very proud." Now it was the kid's turn to smirk as he massaged his knuckes.
" My parents died when I was six." Tristian frowned in mild confusion and Rex confidently leaned back in his chair. " Not so funny now, is it?"
" Well, it's funny odd." Detective Taylor offered, his brows raised. " Because I just got off the phone with Louise and Terrance Raptor." The smirk instantly dropped from his face to be replaced with a mix of shock and anger. Fuming he turned away and haughtily crossed his arms as he leaned back in the cold metal chair. " Both very alive, and very concerned." Rex huffed though his nose, but didn't add anything further. Wearing a conspirator's grin Tristian walked around him and picked up the file again. " Hey, you ever been down to Irwin Henry's pig farm?"
" No."
" Ever pal around with a guy named Bandit Keith?" A shake of the head.
" No."
" How about Vivian Wong? Alister Moore? Anzu Mazaki? Know them?" Rex threw another glare his way, sneering at him.
" No? Well, because, see Henry got real fed up with people stealing his hogs." Rex looked up in to his face and feinged innocent curiosity.
" Really, now?"
" Yeah. So, " Ttristian gave a light, humorous laugh as he opened the folder. " he got one of those expensive, high-tech security systems installed." The detective tilted the folder down so Rex could see the green-tinted photograph of a grinning Bandit keith, Vivian standing off just to the side smiling down at a pig, and Alister Moore watching with rapt anticipation. " Now look at that, huh? You can just about count the hairs on that pig's snout, can't you?" He laughed. Neither of them pretended to not know what was coming up next as he slid the photograph back to reveal a close-up picture of Rex Raptor, looking on nervously at something beyond the photo. " This, I thought was a particuarly good picture of you. And look!" Tristian pulled back the photo to show a green picture of Alister, Vivian, Rex and Keith standing around a large iron pen of pigs, each one of the four outlined in a white square. Oh, yeah. He was screwed now.
" There's the four of you together, looki'n pretty chummy to me. But..." He sifted thought he photos again and glanced curiously at Rex. Where's Anzu Mazaki?" He blinked his way out of his stunned state and frowned, confused at the detective.
" Huh?"
" Anzu Mazaki? Where's she?" He asked, pointing to the photo of the foursome. " Is she in there, or was she waiting in the car?" Did he honestly believe she was involved in this act? Hard to say. Anzu was a good girl...on the surface. But beyond it? No telling. She knew something-Tristian KNEW she did. But to identify whether or not Anzu was involved with Yuig's fate he had to explore every possibility. Even this. Rex shook his head uncomprehendingly and cleared his throat.
" What are you talking about?"
" Well I assumed she was with you that night. Was she?"
" Dude...You don't know what you're talking about."
The night was devoid of stars, the road free of any kind of streetlights. Perfect cover. The green pick-up slowed to a stop just outside of the barn, and four people dressed in black emerged from the veichle. Bandit Keith smirked at the barn as his girlfriend, Vivian, took his hand and pulled him along wearing a giddy grin. Giggling like he'd just been exposed to laughing gas Alister jumped from the back of the truck carrying a large metal bucket and a sledgehammer. Rex frowned at the boy, mentally wondering why he always hung out with the idiot before following the group to the building. He shifted his eyes around the lot, expecting some form of security to spring out at them. What if they were caught? " H-Hey, guys? Ain't this a little much for a joke?" Keith sharply turned around and glared at the boy, who had just enough courage ( Or stubborness) to resist flinching.
" You wussi'n out on me, Raptor?" Rex laughed nervously as he quickly weighed his options. One: He could run away and leave with his hands clean ( Literally.) or he could stay and keep his dignity.
" Nah, man. I'm just sayin." He said with a shrug. To lighten the mood he shared a smirk with their leader. " I mean, it IS a good joke." Nothing further was said as the foursome crept closer to the barn. With quick, sure movements Vivian picked the lock on the chains and together she and Keith were able to open the doors. Snorting and squealing was the first thing they heard. Then the unmistakable sound of little hooves on the ground. Dozens and dozens of big, healthy pigs milled about in their pens, some eating, others simply standing around blinking curiously at their visitors. Laughing wickedly Alister dropped the bucket and proceeded to run around the cages, dragging the metal end of the hammer across the bars. The sound of clanging metal annoyed the hogs and they ran around their pens squealing and snorting in distate.
" Here, piggy, piggy!" He crowed. The hogs responded by squealing louder. Looking frantically around the barn Vivian ran up to Alister and smacked him hard on the arm.
" Are you TRYING to get us caught?" Though she had been whispering, her unease had been very clear. Flashing her a smile he shrugged his shoulders apologetically.
" Aw, I was just havi'n some fun, Viv. No worries." She rolled her eyes as the sound of scraping metal contrasted against that of the animals. All three turned around just in time to see Bandit Keith grab hold of the rail and jump in to the pen, a shining army knife in his hand. Quickly Alister followed suit carrying the hammer with him. Keith smirked down at the pigs as he idly tossed his knife up and down, contemplating his prey. Vivian growled in her throat and leaned over the pen.
" Would you just hurry up?" She whispered again. She backed away in alarm as Bandit Keith whipped around to face her, pointing the knife at her face.
" You wanna do it yourself?" Her eyes wide Vivian felt it best to just stay quiet. Taking that as her answer Keith lowered his head so her could glare directly in to her eyes. " Then shut your pie hole." She met him with a haughty glare of her own before giving him a single curt nod. Alister scanned the herd until he found one of the bigges pigs he'd ever seen. ' That one oughtta do it.' He took a deep breath and raised the hammer over his head...then lowered it, shaking his head. A sudden guilty fear had gripped him. It was just a friggi'n pig! Shaking off his fear he raised the hammer again...!
" I can't." He almost whined. A collective sigh of annoyance breathed through the group as Keith chuckled at the other boy. Licking his lips Alister gripped the handle tightly before holding it out with one arm to Bandit Keith. " You do it." The laughter stopped as Keith frowned at Alister in distaste.
" You serious?"
" I ain't kiddin' ya man. I can't... Seriously, take it!" Letting his head fall back he let out a deep breath, then took the hammer.
" Fine." The relief Alister felt was instant and he quickly moved to leave the pen. But Bandit Keith would have none of that. He stopped him in his tracks by pressing his fist, the knife secure in his grasp, against his chest. " But you have to cut it's throat." Alister snapped his head to the side and met Keith's smirk with wide frightened eyes. Even still he shakilly took the knife and watched with growing horror as Keith began circling the chosen hog.
" Little pig, little pig, let me in." He began, his voice filled with bloodlust. " Not by the hair of my chinny, chin chin!" He swung the hammer from side to side as he stood directly in front of the animal, it's small eyes looking up at him. " Then I'll huff...and I'll puff..." He lifted the sledgehammer high over his head. " and I'll bash your brains in!" The hammer came down with a sickening crunch on to the pig's skull. With every swing the pig screamed and squealed in pain. Aound him the other animals shrieked and scurried away uselessly trying to get out of the pen. Even after the pig finally-after what seemed like an eternity-had stopped making any noise Bandit Keith continued to bludgeon the animal, blood splattering on the ground and on to his clothes rendering it to just a glistening red mass.
Vivian's eyes were wide in horror, her mouth hanging open. Rex hugged himself some distance away wincing with every hit dealt. " Henry's gonna blow a gasket when he sees this." He said shakily. By now Alister was very pale and his limits had been reached. ( Especially when a bloody chunk of the pig splattered on to his sneaker.) He stumbled away from the dead thing and collaped on all fours, heaving out the contents of his stomach. Keith paid little attention to any of this but gazed at the work he'd done with morbid fascination. Even the pigs had gone silent.
Well that was gross. Okay, so we're getti'n closer to prom. Wonder what they plan on doing next? And Tristian gets to interview another student! Tune in next time and please R&R. Bye!