Shinryu-Twilight Dragon- Krin's pretty smart, eh? And I love Kara and Mokuba. That is totally going to come into play later on. But yeah, she isn't going to be getting soft any time soon - or ever. I hope you like this chapter!
Aqua-Princess of Imagination- Are you saying that you'd jump off the KC roof? I'm not sure if I would go that far. . . and Yes. Red is the Red Eyes. Yup! Your wild stab was correct. Red is the Red Eyes.
Havelock Vetinari- Yeah, you had to know that Domino's citizens weren't the only concerned people. And I've never heard of that comic book series, but then again, I don't really read comic books. Haha. Maybe I'll check it out some time.
PeachTeaKT- Kuriboh is a demon. A evil, annoying, awful little demon. He is actually the only monster whose fate that I haven't decided. I know what will happen to all the others. No worries, I'm thinking about it. Thanks for the review!
AyaseFanGirl- Thanks for sending that message! Yes, it did motivate me to get this chapter finished. I told you all that it would work. And if you like the slaver in this chapter, be worried. He is a creeper in this one. Okay, so, yes. . . yes. . . .yes. . . You seem to have this story all figured out. Haha- can you predict what will happen next?
The Prime Director- Kisara just doesn't seem quite as evil, does she? I'm going to have to do something about that. Chapter Fifteen - Wait for it. Also, go back and reread the last chapter. I mentioned who the slaver was, but it was just thrown into the conversation, so you may have overlooked it. And yes, Red is the Red-Eyes. Come on, you can't have Yugi without Joey, and you can't have the Dark Magician without the Red-Eyes. Oh Kuriboh, I love all my reviewers responses to the little furball. It seems to be that everyone wants him dead.
ZQuill- Thanks! I'm really glad that you enjoyed it, but. . . why was it one of the best? Haha- I totally didn't think that. Plus, I like that you enjoy Yugi's death and Kuriboh. I'm one of those people who likes the details like that- the things that authors don't touch on too much, or that are just unexpected. And you'll be seeing more of Red in the future, just not too much of him now. Hope to hear from you again!
Victor Pentrenko- Trust me. I'm glad that I'm out for the summer too. Haha. And I was happy to give the advice! I hate writer's block with a passion (and I'm having some now, which is why I'm writing the review responses instead of getting back to the chapter. Seriously, I stopped right as Krin grabs Seto's arm.) Something happened to your computer? Mine randomly shuts off all the time. Another piece of advice, SAVE CONSTANTLY. Haha.
drake0- Thanks for taking the time to review! It means a lot and I hope you like this chapter!
Everwild- Thanks! I am very glad that you like the plot and find it original. That was sort of my goal. Haha. I hope to see you around in later chapters!
Lace Kyoko- You're back! And with two reviews no less. That was pretty cool of you. And believe me, I understand how rough school can get, so no worries. The bomb. . . It does make everything seem more urgent. Then again, it totally is. Everyones' favourite Kaibas only have nine days to stop this thing. (Then again, my last like, four chapters have taken place in a single day, so it could be a while.)
A N D M Y W A R N I N G! Okay people, this warning might be pointless. However, just for all of you people who don't like graphic(ish) details, I suggest not reading the very bottom part of Mokuba's POV. I'll post a summary of it at the bottom. And really, it isn't THAT bad. But I'll be posting a more serious warning in the next chapter too. That one is going to make this chapter look like nothing.
Seto's POV
"Are you ready dragon-boy?"
Of course I wasn't ready. His hot, sticky breath against my ear was a reminder of the horrible situation that I was in. He was standing too close to me as he whispered, making the hairs on the back of my neck tingle with my unease. There was nothing I could do to stop him, however. The grip on either of my arms held me in place; their hands were just as strong as the metal cuffs connecting my wrists.
They had even gone as far as to take away my voice. The Magician claimed that the gag was to prevent me from shouting out to the dragons, but I sensed the slaver's hand behind the action. I mentally blamed the cloth between my teeth on the Trap Master.
I knew where we were going, but I couldn't tell where we were. The thick barrier across my eyes prevented me from observing my surroundings. All that I was capable of doing was walking next to the Magician and Red, following their guiding grips. I relied mostly on my sense of hearing for information now that my eyes and voice were taken from me. The footsteps behind me were beginning to slow down. The large group of allies that the Magician had recruited had moved rather loudly behind us the entire time we walked, but now their steps fell silent.
Only a few moments later, the Magician and Red stopped as well. The warmth from the Sun that I felt on my arms held tightly in front of me let me know that we stood out from underneath the shadow of KaibaCorp. They were keeping their distance from the dragons.
A complete calm fell over the group while we all waited for the Magician to speak. His fingers curled tighter over my arm just before he spoke.
"Krin! Kara! Kisara, baby! I've got something of yours!" He shouted.
My eyes squeezed shut underneath the cloth, as if that would block out some of the noise to my left. The Magician's voice had to be loud enough to carry up to the top of the building, which meant it was louder than what was comfortable for my ears.
Seconds passed. Inside my thoughts, I could hear the ticking of a clock, as if one was actually near to me. Each second seemed longer than the last while we waited for a response.
I couldn't see their approach, but I felt it. The light from the transformation traveled down to where we were standing. My cheeks received the largest amount of heat, barely burning the uncovered skin.
"One, two - that's all three. Signal the slaver."
Their plan was working. If all three dragons were currently flying down for me, then Mokuba would be left unguarded on the roof. The slaver would have no problems taking him if Mokuba was left defenseless.
The idea of my brother being defenseless angered me. I needed to find a way to let the dragons know that the exchange was a trap, but how could I do so while bound? There were no signs that I could send to them that might alert them to the trick. All I could do was wait it out and hope that one of them would catch on to the scam.
The heat was warmer the second time, telling me that they had landed.
"Seto," came Kisara's quiet voice. There were muffled whispers and footsteps from somewhere in front of me. I could picture the scene clearly. Kisara seeing me and trying to come forward, but Krin stopping her with an extended arm. He would be more concerned with the small army standing behind me.
"Yes, the poor thing. I found him out wandering on the streets. Have you not warned him how dangerous strangers can be?" The Magician said. Through his tone, I practically felt the smirk.
"How kind of you to return our pet," Kara spat.
"What can I say? I'm in a giving mood this evening, so I decided to return the boy to you safe and unharmed."
"Unharmed? It looks like you harmed him to me!" A quiet shushing from Krin kept Kisara from continuing with her exclamation.
"Oh, you mean this?" the Magician asked. I then felt the end of the staff rubbing against the side of my face where the long cut was. My unconscious reaction was to jerk my head away, but I couldn't move far. "He was like this when I found him," the Magician added.
I heard a increasingly familiar growl from somewhere behind me. Kuriboh, I assumed. Was he simply happy that I had been injured because of an action of his?
"Keep stalling," Red whispered from my right. The grim monster beside me had one main job on this mission: to watch for the slaver's signal. The Dark monsters' intention was to pull back the instant that they received word that Mokuba was back in their possession.
"Now Krin, I've got to know. How is it that this little boy managed to escape you three? Have you lost your touch?" The Magician shouted.
"Why is it that you feel the need to approach us with an army, Magician? Are you afraid?" Krin countered. The relaxed tone to his voice was unnerving. How did he possibly stay calm when facing a group of his enemies?
"An army?" The Magician asked. I felt his body twist, though he still maintained his hold on my arm, as he seemed to be looking behind himself. "You mean these guys?" He asked as he turned back to face Krin. "No, this is just a few personal friends. But no worries, you'll be seeing my true army soon enough."
I didn't understand how the dragons didn't suspect something as being wrong. The Magician hadn't even gotten to the topic of trading me back yet. Instead, he was delaying with the monster form of small talk. Even if I hadn't been in the room while they were planning, I would have been able to tell that the situation was not as it should have been.
"I might feel threatened if you had the means to back that up," Krin stated.
"Ouch, Krin, you hurt me. Would you just prefer that I left you alone?" The Magician asked. He feigned pulling me away as though he were going to leave.
"No!" Kisara shouted. "Give him back to me!"
"Kisara dear, that is why I've come."
A hand was placed on my head and began patting softly. I tried to pull away from the Magician's touch, but Red's grip on my other arm held me in place.
"This child deserves to be with a loving owner. And I think that's you, babe."
"So hand him over," Kara said.
"Not that simple, sweetheart."
There was the crackle of lightning accompanied by a low growling that followed the Magician's comment. Kara didn't seem like she had the sort of personality that would take well to a pet name. But after the sound died away, there was a moment of silence between the two sides. The only noise that could be picked out was heavy breathing coming from somewhere out in front of the group I stood in. I associated it with Kisara.
"You didn't really think that I'd just hand him over, did you?"
"What do you want?" Krin asked grimly.
"I would think that answer is obvious. Your toy in exchange for the city."
A pause followed. I took the quiet as the dragons thinking over the offer. Then, "You expect us to leave just because you have our slave?"
Red's grip on my arm grew tighter. He apparently was worried that the dragons wouldn't accept. What would happen to their plan if Krin refused? However, the Magician was seemingly unfazed by Krin's words.
"Say no if you'd like. My Yami would love to have a playmate," the Magician lied. I knew that he was lying because the level of jealously that I knew he possessed. And if I knew he was lying, the dragons would as well.
"You knew that we wouldn't agree to that, so you brought back up. Am I correct?" Kara asked.
"No need to get angry with me. I'm just trying to give you back your kid. Can you blame me for trying to use this to my advantage?"
While they argued, I let my mind wander. How far had the slaver gotten in his mission? How was Mokuba doing at that very moment? I hoped more than anything that he was okay, that he would be able to escape from whatever the slaver was trying. Since the Dark monsters hadn't left, I assumed that nothing had happened yet. If Mokuba was taken back, he would be punished. The Magician made it sound like he would kill someone for just running away, but Mokuba had injured Kuriboh. How much worse would his punishment be for that action?
I hated the feel of the hands on my arms, holding me, restraining me. Being helpless at anyone's hand actually felt like torture. It was my personal belief that I'd rather be killed than helpless.
"Come on Krinny. I don't think I'm asking too much, just the one thing. Get lost."
I heard a low growling from somewhere in front of me. It was time to figure out the truth. Was I the dragons' locket?
"All us leaving will accomplish is bringing about your deaths," Krin threatened.
"I'm willing to risk that."
"Just hand him over," Kara growled.
They were giving in. They were actually giving in. I don't know what I expected to happen. If anything, I expected Kisara to fight for me, but I didn't think Kara and Krin would give in without fight.
But, they couldn't leave. If they left, I would have no way of getting to Mokuba. Once I was out of the city, there would be no way for me to get to him. I doubted that the dragons would care about Mokuba's absence. The only part of his kidnapping that they would be upset over was the fact that the Magician had tricked them.
"And you'll leave?" The Magician pressed.
"Yes! Just give me Seto!" Kisara shouted.
"You need to stall. We have yet to receive the signal from the slaver," Red whispered.
The Magician shifted nervously. "I have nothing else. They agreed. What more can I do?"
Being the genius that I was, I figured out what the Magician would do before he did. The certainty of his plan rang across my thoughts. There was nothing I could do to stop it from occurring. My only goal would have to be to get out of the way before he tried something.
An unexpected motion pulled me forward, causing me to stumble. Although Red had released his grip on my arm, the Magician's grasp was still strong enough to keep me from falling over as we continued to walk forward. I followed beside him blindly, hoping that he wouldn't let me bump into anything. Not being able to see scared me. That was probably the point of blindfolds in general, but I had never pictured myself as the type to panic when deprived of a sense.
And I was panicking. The dragons had been angry when they found out that I hadn't been entirely honest about my name. What would their reaction be to my running away, getting kidnapped by Dark monsters, and inadvertently forcing them out of the city?
When we stopped moving, I felt a second hand grab onto my arm where Red's had been. However, the Magician did not let go on his side.
"You have to be out of the city by sunset tomorrow," he stated.
Krin's voice came from beside me, letting me know that it was his hand firmly wrapped around my arm. "You realize that you can't actually force us to leave. This army isn't nearly strong enough to defeat us three."
"Leave or you won't get back Seto here."
"I have him in my grasp. Do you really believe that he won't be leaving with me, whether or not I agree to your deal?"
"I'll be checking in tomorrow to ensure that you are gone," the Magician said. He then dropped his hold on me.
Krin pulled me back. Hearing a third set of footprints, I knew that the Magician was walking away as well. Krin hadn't figured it out yet. The Magician was about to do it. I needed to get away.
"Seto darling! You're alive!" Kisara shouted as I felt a pair of arms wrap around my body. I waited for her anger to kick in, for her to remember that I had tricked her into letting me escape just that morning. But before that could happen, I heard the Magician call out, "Oh, and Krin? Consider this the first act of war!"
Kisara's arms that were surrounding me spun me away from the attack I had predicted would come. A fight between both sides was breaking out, and the last thing I wanted was to be helpless during it.
I reached up my chained hands and pulled at the blindfold covering my eyes. It was on tightly, but after a few attempts, I managed to get it to fall around my neck.
The scene before me was exactly how I had been picturing it. The dragons and I stood underneath the deepening shadow cast by the tall building beside us. Kisara held me protectively while Krin and Kara's hands lit up with the familiar white lightning. The Magician stood several yards in front of his troops, holding out the staff towards Krin as he sent long black tendrils out its end. The rest of the Dark monsters stood behind Red in a fighting stance.
I tugged uselessly at the gag between my teeth. I couldn't reach the knot in the back, and it was too taut to pull it out. Kisara's eyes constantly flickered from her siblings to the Magician, then back to me, as if she didn't know where her attention should be placed.
Mokuba. If the Dark side was still stalling, then that meant that the slaver hadn't completed his mission. There might still be time to get back to the roof to save Mokuba from being kidnapped yet again. Kisara's attention needed to be placed on the roof towering over us.
I snapped my fingers to bring her gaze back to me. Just by looking into her eyes, I could see that she remembered her previous anger. I tried to pretend that I hadn't noticed. Instead, I pointed up to the roof in a worthless attempt to convey my message.
She shook her her, clearly not understanding my meaning. I once more tried to remove the gag, and this time, Kisara helped me. She reached up and in one swift move, cut the cloth with a fingernail. I took a moment to log away the information that her claws were just as dangerous in human form.
"Kisara, this is a trap," I stated the moment I was free to speak. "They are trying to distract you so they can take Mokuba."
Her head twitched very briefly. I wasn't lying; she had to know that.
She whipped her head back to stare at her sister who stood across the road. Without a word, Kara returned the glance. The arrogant sister's face twisted in confusion, but without hesitation, she jumped into the air, transforming into a dragon.
The glow from her change momentarily ended the fight the Dark monsters had been putting up. I watched as the Magician's arms moved to cover his face, as did the rest of the Dark beasts.
Krin was unaffected by the light. He used the opportunity to unleash a large display of lightning that struck several of the monsters opposing him. The beasts that had been struck crumbled to the ground, no longer moving. And as the light died out, Krin repeated his attack.
Kara flew higher into the air, her broad wings pumping heavily to propel her upwards. Yet it was my opinion that she wasn't moving fast enough. What if we were too late?
I could see Red watching her fly into the air as well. If he knew why she was leaving their fight, then he would make an attempt to stop her.
But then I caught it. His head leaned barely to the side, and his eyes glanced down the alley beside KaibaCorp. There was a nod, just the faintest dipping of his chin, but I knew what it meant. He had received the signal. The slaver had gotten my brother. Kara would find the roof empty.
The Dark monsters began to retreat gradually. Kisara noticed as she continued to hold on to me. Her grasp on me only eased enough for her to look back at Krin. He had taken several steps forward in the retreating monsters direction, still shooting out tendrils of lightning. After a few more steps, he met his sister's eyes.
I watched as his eyes traveled up the side of the building, searching the skies. Kara was no longer flying around. I didn't know how to react to that. If Mokuba wasn't there, shouldn't she come back down?
Krin approached Kisara and myself, not even bothering to glance at me. His normally pale hands were tinged with red, most likely from the amount of electricity that had been coursing through them only moments prior. His eyes were burning with the white energy.
"Kara?" He asked through gritted teeth.
"She went up to check on Mokuba."
Both dragons turned to glare at me. I closed my eyes and waited for the outburst I expected to follow. The sinking feeling in my chest couldn't possibly reflect the punishment I knew would come. Every fiber of my soul was praying that just maybe, time would reverse back to the day long ago when Yugi announced his idea. If anyone had stopped him, I wouldn't have to open my eyes to face the two dragons.
But while my eyes were closed, I felt the heat again. Kara had shifted into a dragon far above me, most likely about to come down. Then she would tell her siblings how my brother was in fact gone. She only would be adding onto their reasons for being enraged with me. Perhaps the best that I could hope for was for them not to kill me.
I took a deep breath as Kara landed, then dared to open my eyes. Krin was no longer directing his gaze at me, but at his sister. Kisara still stared. Her face burned in outrage towards me, and her hands that she had long since dropped from me were clenched into fists.
"The kid is gone," Kara said flatly.
"Then it was a set up?" Krin said. I could tell that he wasn't really searching for an answer.
"Looks that way," Kara answered anyway.
Then they were back to glaring at me. I bit down on my lip to hold back the long stream of excuses that were fighting to escape. I knew that they wouldn't care why I left, only that I had. No excuse would satisfy them.
"Welcome home, love," Kisara fumed.
Her fingers reached out and grabbed hold of the chain still connecting my wrists. She pulled me close to her, using her other hand to seize my hair. She then jerked my head down so that our lips brushed as she spoke, "Oh my love, you are seriously going to regret that."
Mokuba's POV
I told them that I wouldn't try to escape. Yet, that didn't keep me from trying to figure out how I could.
A bombing. The city was going to be bombed in just over a week, and here I was, sitting on a roof, listening to Kisara sing some love song about my brother. There had to be something I could do, but all I was able to come up with was to try to convince one of the dragons that Domino was no longer safe.
Yet even if I did manage to do so, what would I really be accomplishing? Getting monsters out of the city would defeat the purpose of bombing. Convincing them to leave would do nothing for Seto or the innocent people of Domino. I needed to think bigger picture.
If I could just tell that woman, Mrs. Nale, about the situation, she would easily be able to get word out. Her job was moving people in and out of the city. She had the resources and the contacts to spread the word of the attack.
I pressed my lips together and rolled my eyes, trying not to groan. I had no idea how I could empty the city of all the innocent people.
Krin knew that I wanted to stop the bombing. He kept me at his side from the moment he stepped foot back onto the roof. I currently sat within six inches of his body. If I tried to move any further away, he'd either growl, or grab and pull me back. He really liked his plan to destroy the enemy monsters.
I absentmindedly began to to unwrap the bandages that had been covering my feet for the past week. I was certain that the skin underneath had healed, so they seemed pointless to remain on.
"The mountains would make a safe hide out," Kisara suggested.
"We might have to move further than that," Krin said. "Our fellow troops in San Francisco have take that city. We will find safe haven there."
They spent the full day discussing the specifics of their plan. They didn't seem to care that I was listening in. It didn't really matter; the more I thought about it, the more sense it made. I was their prisoner. Who would I be telling?
"Krin! Kara! Kisara, baby! I've got something of yours!"
The conversation fell into silence. Kara stood up and went to the edge to look down.
"It's the Magician. He has an army with him." She paused to squint. "And, is that Seto?"
With her question, both Krin and Kisara jumped to their feet and ran to stand next to their sister. All three took a moment to stare down, attempting to see if Seto was in fact down on the ground.
"Oh Krin! It is him!" Kisara squealed as she clasped her hands together.
"We have to go down," Kara stated.
Krin nodded, then stepped back. I closed my eyes because I knew what was about to come. Earlier, I thought that just one of them changing was bright. But now that all three shifted forms at the same moment, the light felt like staring into the Sun. Even turning entirely away, covering my face, and hiding to the best of my ability did little in the way of protection.
When the burning ceased, I slowly checked if it was safe to open my eyes. Upon finding that it was, I ran as close to the edge as I dared. Then I dropped to lie flat on my stomach and pushed my hands onto the concrete surface below me. I used them to inch towards the drop off, moving until my head partially extended over.
I couldn't see anything more than a group of figures far below. The dragons' eye sight must have been far superior to my own in order to make out individuals.
It was unfortunate, as I really wanted to see Seto. Only a week had passed since Kuriboh locked him out of the house, but I felt safer when he was around. I needed him.
"Well, well. Watching the show?"
Startled, I slid back. I jumped up and spun around.
The slaver smiled at me from the opposite side of the roof. I hated doing so, but I had to get away from the steep fall behind me. I did not want to move any closer to the man who had kept my chained up for a week, but I had no choice.
"I am going to need you to come with me," he said.
"What happened to leaving me alone as long as I stay here?" I asked.
"Oh! And he speaks!" The slaver exclaimed as he took a step towards me.
Had I really never spoken to him? I made a point of ignoring him while I was his captive, and then again this morning when he came by. Maybe I really had managed to keep quiet the entire time.
"You didn't answer."
I took a step to the side. I tried not to look at the door jutting out from the center of the roof, but it was on the surface of my thoughts. The dragons were getting Seto, so I had to stall long enough for them to succeed. Then they would return and kick slaver-butt.
"Answer what exactly?" He asked with a laugh. I watched as he too took a step to the side.
"You said I could stay here," I answered and took another step.
He shrugged. "I say things." Step.
I made sure that with every step, I was drawing closer to the open doorway. My steps in were gradual, as I had no intentions of giving away my plan or moving into the slaver's range. I only stepped as he did. If he continued circling the roof with me, I would soon be close enough.
"Why the sudden change of heart? Under a spell?"
I smirked at the joke I knew he wouldn't understand.
"As it happens, your master really wants you back, and the Magician is willing to do what it takes to get you to where you belong."
The scene on the ground far below came to mind. I was the reason the Dark beasts were down there. It really had nothing to do with Seto; he provided a distraction. That left the question lingering unspoken on my lips. How important was Kuriboh?
"And where is that?" I asked, hoping to get him talking long enough to make it to the doorway.
"Chained to the floor in their headquarters," he said cheerfully.
Another ten feet and I would be at the door. Either the slaver failed to notice or he was giving me opportunity to try to get away from him.
"What is with the chain thing? Is it some kind of fetish?" I asked, taking two more steps.
He grinned brightly. "You certainly are an interesting child. I can see why Kuriboh enjoys your company."
He took a step and I did the same. Two or three more and I would be ready to make a sudden spring into the halls of KaibaCorp.
"So Seto being down there is a distraction?"
"Amazing that you and your brother got caught up in the midst of all this, no? It makes me curious as to what is so special about you two."
He stopped walking then. We stood about a dozen yards apart, but I still hadn't gotten to where I needed to be. If he didn't begin walking again, then my only option would be to start running from the farther location. That would decrease my chances.
"Like you said, I'm just really unlucky."
He laughed. "Oh child, I sincerely hope that they do not cut your tongue out. The things you say. . ." and his words trailed off.
I was running out of ways to carry on the conversation. If I tried to drag it on any longer, then he might act before me. I probably had just seconds left.
I took off. Since the door was handing off its hinges, I didn't have to waste time pulling it open.
My feet wouldn't move fast enough. I threw one in front of another, yet it felt as thought I was crawling. My every breath seemed to make me heavier. As my lungs filled with air I forced myself to quickly breathe out to rid myself of the excess weight. The end result came close to hyperventilating, but I didn't care as long as I was moving. He had come in behind me. I heard him chuckling as he followed.
Needing to gain distance, I consider my choices for where to run. The staircase would be a terrible decision. I had seen the slaver jump the eighty stories that was KaibaCorp. He would be able to catch up with me almost instantly. So I was trapped on this one floor. Seto's office was up here. I could try to barricade myself inside, but how long could that last?
I briefly closed my eyes and prayed that his door wasn't locked. The office was located at the end of a hall. I was betting everything on that door being open.
As I turned the corner, my momentum threw me into a wall. My shoulder burned as it took the brunt of the hit, but I quickly pushed off and set my sight on the double doors. One of them was cracked open!
The slaver was close. If anything, he had gained ground in his chase. He was too close. I didn't know if I'd have enough time to get the door closed behind me once I was inside.
But I tried anyways. As soon as I had the knob in my grip, I used it to pull myself forward. Then I slammed the door back.
It stopped just inches from shutting completely. The slaver's body collided into the other side. I leaned against my side, pressing with all my force to shorten the remaining gap. My biggest difficulty was my smaller size. The slaver had the weight advantage and I knew that something had to be done to tip the fight in my favor.
"Come on, child. No need to make this difficult," the slaver said, but I could hear the enjoyment in his words.
My eyes darted about the area near me. I needed to find something to help me get the door closed and locked. The only thing within my reach was a small end table with an assortment of classic books held up by bookends shaped like trees.
The bookends! They were solid silver, so they would be heavy.
While keeping the majority of my body against the door, I stretched out a leg and hooked it around a table leg. I gasped when I lost some my ground with the slaver. His fingers slid inside, grasping the thick wooden edge. If I gave up any more space to him, he would be able to slip through.
Once the table was right beside me, I adjusted so that my hand would just reach the nearest bookend. I made my movements slow so that the slaver wouldn't catch onto my action. Then shifting so that my legs were stretched out in front of me and my back against the door, I moved the bookend into my right hand.
"Now, now, slave. I have a particular time restraint."
I turned my head so the side was pressed to the wooden surface. From that angle, I could see his hand. In one smooth movement, I smashed the silver tree down onto his fingers.
He shrieked and withdrew his hand, giving me the chance to push the door closed. My hands shook as they found the lock. I wanted to breath a sigh of relief as it clicked, but I knew better. One flimsy lock wouldn't keep a monster out for long.
I stepped back. There was no other way out of this room, so I would have to hold out here.
Two options were before me: barricade the door or simply wait. I didn't know how long I would need to hold out for. From the look of the Dark army, there might be a fight. And if that ended up happening, I might not be able to stay away long enough. Whether or not I pushed Seto's couch in front of the door wouldn't matter.
The slaver had stopped trying to open the door. That made me anxious. If he was no longer trying the knob, he must have been searching for another means of getting it open. So I needed to make my decision now. Wait or defend?
I sprinted to Seto's desk. The rational section of my brain knew that a couch wouldn't stop the slaver from getting in. Instead, I had to find something to defend myself with. I doubted that Seto kept a gun in his desk, but I hoped.
The first two drawers revealed nothing other than office supplies. I didn't bother closing them as I pulled open the third, growling in annoyance only to find old paperwork. There had to be something, but I was running out time.
There was a large, splitting sound as the doors in front of me flew open. The slaver stood in the middle of them, holding a fire extinguisher in his hands. But he dropped it as he stepped inside.
"Come with me now," he ordered.
I stepped to the side of the desk, keeping my hand hidden. I still held the bookend, and I now realized that it would have to serve as my weapon.
"I can't go back," I stated. I knew that I wouldn't be able to appeal to him. This creature in front of me wasn't human, so he couldn't have human emotions. No, I shouldn't expect him to sympathize with my not wanting to go back.
He moved closer to me. His steps were swift, quickly closing the distance between us. His plan was most likely to drag me back outside and to do that, he needed to get closer. I needed him to get closer too. If I was going to hit him, I had to make sure he was near enough that I wouldn't possibly be able to miss.
I let him get within a yard of me before I brought my arm back and threw it forward with all the strength I had within me. It flew forward into his chest, knocking him backwards.
I began to run once more, jumping around him and getting to the door in the fastest manner I possibly could. I made it between the entrance just before I felt a hand slam down on my back.
There was no time for me to react before I fell flat on my face. I kicked out behind me, but a hand grabbed at my legs. Growling, I tried to roll over, but the slaver dropped down onto me.
"Get off!" I shouted, still fighting against him.
"Shout all you want child, I am not letting go."
I tried to push myself up, but he was too heavy. I couldn't as much as roll over so I would be able to see the slaver holding me down. That didn't stop me from kicking back in an attempt to make contact with him, but with his hand around my ankle, there wasn't much I could do.
He stopped speaking, but just focused on keeping me still. For a while, I continued fighting against his grip. My breathing grew heavier as I came to the realization that I wasn't going to get away from him. And when I understood that fact, I stopped moving.
When he saw that I was slowing down, the slaver asked, "Now can we leave?"
My breaths were coming out too quickly to form a response, so I just nodded. He pulled me to my feet by the hair at the back of my head. He dragged me back down the hallways that I had just run down, heading back towards the roof. He took no consideration into any pain that he was causing me. Speed was all that he was thinking about. I made no complaints. There was nothing I could say to make him stop. The most that I could do was keep up to avoid any unnecessary pain.
When we stepped back onto the roof, I felt my heart fall as I found it empty. I failed to stall long enough for the dragons to return.
The slaver continued onto the edges of the building, then I started putting up some resistance. I planted my feet, ignoring the sharp pains that were shooting through my head.
"What is wrong with you?" The slaver asked as he noted my resistance.
"Can't we go through the building? There's a staircase inside," I suggested.
He stopped walking then and spun me around so I was facing him. I glanced sideways at the drop off that I was terrified of. The slaver slapped me harshly to get me to look at him.
"So you are agreeing to come, just not the fast way?"
I bit my lip before answering. "I'm afraid of heights."
He laughed. "So full of surprises. But we are going down this way."
"Please. I'll come with you. Don't take me down that way."
He pulled me closer, only stopping again when we were within inches of falling to my death. I actually found myself shifting closer to the slaver, scared of what would happen if he let go of me.
That made him laugh again.
"I will not let you fall since they want you alive. Hold onto me, and when I land on the ground, do not let your feet come into contact with it. It would be a shame for you to break them now."
I nodded and allowed him to put his arms around me. He instructed me to put my feet on top of his and to hold my arms against my chest. Closing my eyes, I buried my face down so I wouldn't have to see the world falling beside me.
And he stepped over the edge. My heart flew up into my throat as we fell, restricting my capability to breathe. Stomach turning in knots, I tried to imagine that I was anywhere else instead of dropping from the top of a building. But my hair whipping against my skin, the cold wind striking me like a hurricane, and the air rushing across my ears kept me from forgetting.
I was falling, and the slaver was the only thing preventing me from a very painful death.
I felt him hit the ground. He landed as though he had only dropped a few feet, not eighty floors. Even though I knew we were on the ground, I couldn't bring myself to pull away from the slaver. It was as if I was glued into place.
Hands began to pry me away. I tried to remember that I was safely on solid ground, but there was nothing safe about my predicament that would comfort me.
"Now was that so terrible?" The slaver asked once I no longer stood in his grasp.
I didn't answer. My body still shook from the descent and I couldn't form words while my heart still was lodged in my throat. With my mind reliving the plummet over and over, I felt as though I still was falling.
An echoing crackle caught my attention. And with the sound came the knowledge that I was now near to the dragons, to Seto. We had gone down on the opposite side of the building, so I couldn't see my brother, but I knew he was only a short distance away. How did the slaver intend on getting me out of the vicinity of KaibaCorp without notice?
With all the trouble the Dark monsters went through just to take me from the Blue-Eyes, the certainty of a escape plan being in place was incredibly high.
"Do not speak," he ordered.
I kept my mouth shut. Most of me wanted to fight him, to try to get away. But the logical section of my mind was telling me that there wasn't really any point in resisting. The slaver was stronger than me, and he had the means of keeping me with him. The only advantage I had was the determination to be with Seto again. However, I assumed that he was near equally determined to do his job correctly.
He placed his hand on my shoulder and walked me to the end of the building. Very casually, he stuck his head around the corner so he could see what was occurring over where the rest of the monsters were located. Since I couldn't see what he was looking at, I watched his face.
For a few seconds, he just stared out. His eyes never shifted, and of course he didn't blink, so I figured that he wasn't simply observing for his own amusement. He was waiting for something.
Whatever it was, he nodded. The moment he completed the subtle action, he turned down to me.
"I am going to cover your eyes now. Make no attempt to call out."
His free hand reached up and was placed over my eyes, then he started moving again.
I followed beside him, seriously considering calling out to Seto or the dragons. But the more I thought about it, the worse of an idea it became. What if the Magician still had Seto? He might hurt him when he heard my voice. Or if one of the dragons turned to see what happened and was distracted long enough for them to be attacked? The crackle I had heard earlier sounded like the white lightning I had heard from Krin when I first met him. If he was using his power, then the fight might have begun already. If that was the case, I might be making things worse.
That was why the slaver kept me from seeing what was happening on the other street. I was sure of it. By literally keeping me in the dark, it prevented me from making a rash decision. All I could do was keep up with his steps.
We hadn't gone far when he removed his hand. After glancing at my surroundings, I saw that I recognized the area just a few blocks down from KaibaCorp. I had been driven by the area many times before Domino became the setting for a horror film. There was no one else nearby, which was why it was safe for him to let me see. I had no way of calling in for outside assistance.
He kept the hand on my shoulder as we walked. I was surprised that he didn't have a chain conveniently with him, but I didn't dare voice the thought. He might have one that I was unaware of, and bringing it up might make him decide to use it. And by this point in our relationship, I understood completely how much he enjoyed using restraints.
Instead of speaking, I kept up with the locations around me. We were moving away from the areas that I knew well and into ones I had traveled in less. He mentioned the Dark headquarters, but I didn't know where that was. If I could memorize how to get there, then I could be able to escape back to KaibaCorp at some point. At least, that was my vague outline of a plan. After letting me escape once, I doubted that the slaver would be so slack the second time.
By the time that we had gone approximately two miles the slaver slowed down. The sun had nearly set, so I noticed several monsters roaming in the shadows. The majority of the monsters were around one building in particular. That was the building that we were moving towards. I could only assume that it was the location of the Dark headquarters.
"Open the door," the slaver ordered as we grew nearer.
One of the monsters did as he was told and the slaver pulled me inside. Immediately I began to choke as the stench overwhelmed my senses. I tried to hold back the coughs, as I saw where the smell was originating from, but it became more difficult as time moved forward. I was thankful when the slaver led me through a doorless opening and away from the zombies.
As I looked around, I noticed that there were no other doors. Every room was entirely public. Why would the Dark monsters choose to occupy this particular building?
He walked me into a room. As soon as I saw what the room held, I understood that when speaking to me earlier, he had been telling the truth.
There were chains bolted to the floor. Each was only a few inches long, and they seemed to be very specifically placed. When he said they wanted me chained to the floor, he actually meant exactly that.
When I started struggling, he forced me to my knees in the center of the chains. Since his hand was still on my shoulder, he used it to push me back. The hand on my shoulder moved over to circle my neck while his other hand grabbed the nearest shackle which was larger than the rest.
My own hands reached up to pull his off of me, but there was nothing I could do. Within seconds, he had chained my neck to the floor.
The band around my neck wouldn't move. He had attached a small padlock onto it to keep it in place. While I was trying to remove the band, the slaver grabbed my left wrist and pulled it to another chain level with my head. Once that arm was restrained, I stopped fighting. There was no point to it.
When he was finished, both of my arms were pinned down along with my neck, ankles, knees, and waist. My arms were bent so my hands were each a foot away from my face, and my legs spread slightly apart. None of my limbs could come into contact with any other part of my body. I was so bound that I could move no more than a few inches in any direction. I simply stared up helplessly at the man who had me kidnapped yet again.
"Wait here for the others to return. I am certain your master will want to see you upon his arrival."
I didn't answer. I had nothing more to say. All there was for me to do now was to wait for Kuriboh to show up, and then hope that he would choose to let me live.
The slaver left me to lie on the floor alone. That meaning that no one else was in the room, but others were outside. Occasionally they would stop to look inside the room, and after the first two, I closed my eyes so I wouldn't have to see their distorted faces. They were laughing at my situation. I couldn't look at them.
By my eyes flew open suddenly. A known presence in my area caught my attention and I turned my head to stare at the doorway. The familiar sight of Kuriboh made my blood run cold, causing me to entirely freeze. He too didn't move, just stood in the center of the doorway and stared at me.
A second form came into my view. This new addition towered over Kuriboh and held a long staff in his hands. There was only one monster I knew of that carried a staff.
"There is one thing that I hate more than anything else," the second figure said. He walked closer to me, only stopping when he stood directly above my feet. He planted the staff on the floor right next to my ankles.
"Slaves who run away irritate me. More than that, they make me so angry that it outrages me to even think on it. Now how do you imagine I feel when I hear that not only did you run away, but you attacked your owner?" He continued.
Kuriboh moved to me as the Magician spoke. He sat on my lap and stared down at me. The harsh glare terrified me more than the Magician. I just didn't know what I could do to make him understand. He knew how much I cared about Seto, but that had never been enough for him.
"After talking with your owner, we've come to an agreement. He wants revenge, and I want you to stay put."
I stopped looking at Kuriboh and looked past him at the other monster. Revenge?
"Did you want a hand or a foot Kuriboh?" The Magician asked.
I realized what he meant. Kuriboh growled a response, and I immediately started begging, "Kuriboh, please. I'm so sorry. Please don't do this. Please, Kuriboh-"
He lifted his hand, claw still speckled with Seto's blood. And not just Seto's, but his own, from where I had driven the knife through. He pressed the tip of the claw against the area just below my nose. After living with him for so long, I knew what he was trying to get me to do, but I continued speaking anyways.
Kuriboh, clearly annoyed at my words, pressed his claw through the skin and I felt drops of blood forming across my lips. He didn't stop there. Instead, he pushed down harder and ran a slow line down to my chin.
With my neck leashed to the floor, I couldn't pull away. He met no resistance as he slashed my lips open, effectively ending my begging. Even the slightest move of my mouth sent piercing sensations through my face.
The beast on top of me growled once more. My eyes were closed so I couldn't see the Magician's face, and that I was grateful for. I made the decision to keep my eyes closed during the remainder of my punishment. Anything that was around me was not something I wanted to be seeing. Their faces, my blood and injuries, the Dark monsters leering at me from the doorway; I knew I couldn't handle that.
"The foot is an excellent choice," the Magician said, and I felt the end of his staff being placed on my ankle, just below the cuff. "I like the ankle because that will easily prevent him from making any more attempts to escape as well as allowing him to feel your pain. Very fitting."
I knew it was coming. It wasn't as though they were trying to hide what the Magician was about to do. I took that as the reason the slaver had put me in the number of chains that he had. There was absolutely no possible way for me to get away, or even prevent the pain about to-
It was an explosion. Ignoring the minute pain on the lower portion of my face, I screamed. Yet even that didn't help as I felt the bones in my ankle crack. My mind seared in white agony as I desperately jerked at the bonds on my wrists.
I wanted to say that everything went numb, but that wasn't the case. It wouldn't end. The fire burned through my entire body, creeping into every corner of every limb. As my head rolled to the side, I squeezed my eyes shut to try to hinder the tears from pouring out, but it was too late. They had already begun to fall and mix with the blood pooling on my chin.
The Magician dug the staff harder into my already broken ankle. The action drew another cry. At least, I thought I screamed again. I couldn't tell. My ears echoed the rapid pulsing of my heartbeat, blocking out all other sounds. Between my throbbing ears and my pounding brain, my senses were shot. I wanted nothing more to fall unconscious, but I couldn't even gain that relief.
I could feel them. I could feel every individual fragment of bone that stuck out of my skin. It seemed as though each and every one was equally painful, and the pain didn't combine together. If I was capable of thinking clearly, I would have been able to count the number of pieces cutting me open. My ankle had been entirely shattered.
The weight on my chest lifted. Kuriboh slid off and curled up to rest beside me. I couldn't tell if the action was supposed to be comforting or not, but it barely registered in my mind. I was drifting away. The pain had become unbearable.
My mouth slowly fell closed as my mind faded to nothing.
Summary: Slaver takes Mokuba to the Dark Headquarters. Mokuba is chained to the floor where the Magician breaks his ankle in an act of revenge for Kuriboh.
So, that wasn't so bad, right? That last bit was hard to write. I've never broken a bone, so I don't know what it is like. Let me know how I did, because the next chapter is going to be much, much more . . . violent, and I want to make sure I write it correctly.
Oh, and vote in my poll. Thanks!