Here we are, at chapter 21. We're getting pretty close to the end, you know. Twenty-four, maybe twenty-five chapters and an epilogue. Hurray for the return of creativity! I was able to finish chapter 22, and I'm started on 23, so don't worry. It looks like we might get this thing wrapped up before school starts:).
pride1289 - Nah. I'm not disappointed. I was just surprised that you said so little about a chapter that, well, there was a lot to say about it. I love crazy Bakura, too. It's really fun coming up with the things he spouts off. They all make perfect sense in his head. It's just that no one else knows what he's talking about, so they can't follow. I know exactly how he feels.
KageNoNeko - Oh, you are going to love chapter 22...
x-hannah-banana-x - Yeah. The characters are starting to put together a few things. The pieces of the puzzle are falling into place *smirk*. No brutal murders in 20. Hope you enjoyed the break from horrible, violent deaths.
CrimsonZero - Yay! Suspense! Questions? More questions! Teehee! I love it when I get all jittery over exciting stories, and I'm glad I could give you the feeling.
Just so everyone knows, this chapter was really fun to write.
Chapter Twenty-One: I'll Never See This Face Again
That morning was bright, clear, and cold. Marik shivered as he stood next to Bakura. Stupid Japanese weather, he thought. Isn't it supposed to be warm during the summer?
He distracted himself by watching Bakura. It was fascinating, the way the ancient thief radiated secure confidence, despite the way his eyes examined everything, everyone, searching for threats and escape routes. Marik wondered if such behavior had become second nature, or if there was ever a time Bakura let his guard down.
"Too many," Bakura muttered. "A pawn on the board. Too many."
Glancing around the amusement park, Marik couldn't see what Bakura was talking about. Maybe he was simply referring to the number of people. The thief might just be edgy in crowds.
In that case, Bakura had it easy. From what Marik overheard from Otogi and Jounochi, the crowd was shockingly sparse for a summer day at one of Kaiba's amusement parks.
"There it is," Jou called out, pointing ahead to a large, domed building. The air conditioning hit Marik like a wall, and he cursed under his breath at whatever idiot had felt the need to blast the cold air on a day already chilly. He tried to rub at the goosebumps on his arms inconspicuously, lest he be mocked for his usual sleeveless choice of clothing. Bakura, on the other hand, had shown unusual foresight and had his hands stuffed in the pockets of an overlarge red hoodie. Where he had gotten the hoodie from, Marik had no idea. He never did with Bakura.
The arena sat at the bottom of a large amphitheater, the seats all upholstered in what Marik had come to regard as Kaiba's signature blue. Otogi, Jou, Marik, and Bakura all found themselves some seats around the empty arena. Jou gave Yugi a last little pep talk, though Marik didn't think Yugi was hearing very much of it. "Little" Yugi wasn't really all that little any more, Marik thought, watching as he walked purposefully down to the arena.
The door across the arena opened, and Marik knew that he wasn't the only person who gasped.
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Yugi couldn't help but stare across the arena. This person...this wasn't Kaiba. Kaiba was ruthless, strong, prideful. The boy that stared evenly at Yugi was not the Kaiba that Yugi knew. His hair had been chopped short, close to his scalp. The usual sneer or smirk Yugi had almost never seen Kaiba without had been replaced by a frightening lack of anything resembling emotion. Kaiba's face was blank, holding no scorn, no pride. He seemed shorter, too, though Yugi realized it was a combination of his own growth and Kaiba's relaxed, almost slouching, stance. The whole effect was unnerving.
Yugi took a deep breath. "I guess..."
"There's nothing left to say," Kaiba interrupted him sharply. "It's time to Duel."
It's time to Duel. You must be strong, Abiou...for yourself, for Anzu...for me.
Yugi nodded.
Kaiba drew a card.
"I play Vorse Raider." The hologram appeared on the field, the warrior's sword gleaming wickedly. "I play the spell card Spell Absorption and lay another card face-down. End turn."
Yugi couldn't understand what was wrong with Kaiba. The other boy declared his moves with no boasting, even though he had already played a monster with 1900 attack and a card that would give him life points with every spell card Yugi used. He grimaced. Already Kaiba was limiting his options, making him consider the worth of each spell card before playing it.
For example, how effective would it be to play Swords of Revealing Light on this turn?
"I play one card face-down." Getting Crumbling Axe on the field this early would come in handy, especially against Kaiba's Blue-Eyes. "And then I summon Silent Magician, level zero." The small, innocent-looking girl faced her frightening opponent across the field. Yugi couldn't leave her open to attack, though, and decided it was worth letting Kaiba have a few more points.
"Now, I activate Swords of Revealing Light and end my turn."
Well done, Abiou. You are very brave. You can do this.
Kaiba showed no reaction as he drew another card. Out of the corner of Yugi's eye, he could see Jou fidgeting. No doubt Kaiba's uncharacteristic silence was bothering him, as well.
"I summon Kaiser Sea Horse," Kaiba said flatly, not looking at his cards as he laid them out. "And end my turn."
Yugi frowned. It didn't even really seem like he was battling Kaiba. He drew a card.
"I play a monster in face-down position," Yugi declared. The Silent Magician wasn't strong enough yet to beat either of Kaiba's monsters, though her power had gone up during Kaiba's turn. "End turn."
"I summon Possessed Dark Soul in Attack Mode," Kaiba said. "Now I tribute Kaiser Sea Horse to summon Blue Eyes White Dragon."
Yugi couldn't help but shiver. Even summoning his favorite monster, Kaiba's eyes looked, well, dead. The giant white dragon gleamed above the field, radiant and frightening, yet lurking underneath was the other monster Kaiba had summoned, a small, shadowy shape that Yugi couldn't quite make out.
"I end my turn."
Yugi did his best to keep his face still when he saw the next card he drew.
Well done, Abiou! Now, if next turn you could draw that card..."I play a card face-down," Yugi called out, playing the card he had just drawn. "And now Silent Magician attacks Possessed Dark Soul!"
The shadow on the field disappeared in the fire of the Silent Magician's attack as Kaiba's Life Points dropped down to 4200. Kaiba still didn't move.
"End turn."
It was the last turn before Swords of Revealing Light would wear off, and Kaiba would be free to attack. Until then, Yugi knew he was as safe as he could ever get while Dueling Kaiba.
Once again, Kaiba drew a card. "Different Dimensional Warrior, defense mode," he said so quietly Yugi barely heard him. The small fighter shimmered into existence on the field. "I place a card face-down and end my turn."
Yugi knew he had to make this turn count. Silent Magician was up to 2500 attack, thanks to the turns that had passed, and if he drew that card next...
He did! A grin lit his face.
"I play Card of Sanctity!" he cried out, flipping over the face-down card. Kaiba's Lifepoints rose to 5200, but as he drew more cards the Silent Magician grew even stronger, her attack increasing to 5000. And still no reaction from his opponent. Well, maybe this would get him.
"And now," said Yugi, his voice strong. "I play Card Destruction."
That got a reaction from Kaiba. Yugi saw the faintest twitch of Kaiba's eyebrow as he was forced to discard his whole hand and draw six new cards. His Lifepoints increased from the Spell card, but now Silent Magician's attack was sitting at a very comfortable 8000.
Yugi examined his new handful of cards. "I play Green Gadget in defense mode." He smiled across the field at Kaiba. "Silent Magician, destroy his Blue-Eyes!"
The great dragon burst into silent, magical flames, and across the arena Kaiba's Lifepoints dropped to only 1200.
"Your move, Kaiba."
Yugi braced himself for many things. He mentally prepared himself for Kaiba to whip out a miracle comeback, for Kaiba to finally show some emotion, for nothing to change and for things to continue as they were, for Jou's cheer of encouragement from the sidelines.
However, there were several things he didn't brace himself for, and one of them was for Kaiba to, very calmly, reach into his trechcoat pocket and pull out a small metal object he didn't immediately recognize out of pure shock and point it at Yugi.
"Bring him out," Kaiba said evenly over the barrel of the gun he now held pointed at Yugi.
Yugi could feel his own breath blocking his throat as he forgot to breathe in shock and fear. M-mou Hitori no Boku...
"I know you lied to me, Yugi." A faint click echoed in the silent arena. "He's not dead. Bring him out."
Yami? What do I do? He's going to shoot me, Yami! WHAT DO I DO?
Everything will be alright, Abiou. I promised we'd be together, didn't I?
Marik gripped the armrests, his eyes fixated on the holograms on the field as the two Champions Dueled. As Yugi blasted away Kaiba's Blue-Eyes, he couldn't help but wonder at how strong Yugi really was, even without the Pharaoh...
"Where is he?" Bakura growled.
Marik looked over at him, the thief's eyes darting around the arena, even occasionally glaring up at the battling Blue-Eyes decorating the ceiling.
"Who, Bakura?"
Slate-grey eyes burned through him. "He's got to be here somewhere," Bakura snapped. "The Pharaoh is his pawn. He's definitely here somewhere, watching, perhaps controlling the game..." His eyes flickered to Yugi, then turned to focus on Kaiba. "One of them...both of them? Neither...."
A brief gleam of metal pulled Marik's attention back to Kaiba, and specifically to the gun he was now holding, pointed directly at Yugi.
"Bring him out."
"Yugi!" Jou cried out, standing and nearly tripping over his seat before Otogi grabed a hold of him.
"Hold still!" Otogi hissed at Jou. "Look at Kaiba! He's...well, I don't even know. Do you really think yelling right now will help, mutt?"
Jou whimpered, sounding rather shockingly just like a dog as he stared down at the arena.
Marik felt the blood draining from his hands, holding tightly to the seat in front of him. He watched Yugi intently, watching to see what he was going to do. Kaiba wanted him to bring out the Pharaoh, apparently. Did Kaiba miss the memo that the Pharaoh was gone?
Yugi's face was white as a sheet, and he was shaking so badly it looked like he was about to pass out. Come on, Yugi, Marik urged in his mind. Tell Kaiba. Tell Kaiba the Pharaoh is gone.
"But that won't accomplish anything, main personality-sama."
Marik froze. Warm fingers trailed down the back of his neck and hot breath danced across his ear.
"Our dear little Dragon-Child is convinced that Yugi Mutou is, kehehe, the vessel of the Pharaoh. Watch, and see how exquisitely a mind can be destroyed."
Yugi smiled, his shoulders straightened, his eyes narrowing as he stared at Kaiba. "You want to Duel me, Kaiba? Very well, then! Duel me!"
"Kehehe..."
The warmth disappeared, leaving Marik gasping and shivering. No one seemed to notice, since just then the door across the arena, the one Kaiba had entered through, opened.
"What's going on?" The angelic, white-haired figure stepped out towards the arena, his head turning towards Yugi and then Kaiba. "You two are Dueling again? Yugi? Kaiba?"
Marik felt Bakura start, nearly leaping out of his seat, a strangled noise escaping him. "Host!" he whispered, darting away before Marik even thought to grab him.
The loud crack sounded nothing like gunfire did on movies. It seemed to Marik that the sound slowed time, making it run like cold syrup. It took him an eternity to look back at Kaiba, and then a second eternity to follow the line of his arms, down the angle the gun was pointed at. A third eternity was spent in relief, believing that Kaiba had missed. The fourth eternity was how long it took for Ryou's eyes to widen in surprise, and then for him to look down at the slowly spreading red stain on his light blue shirt.
Then time sped up. Marik heard an animalistic scream, and realized it came from Bakura, who was already halfway across the arena, running right through the shimmering form of the Different Dimensional Warrior before dashing to catch Ryou in his shaking arms.
"Kaiba! Don't!"
That was Yugi, yelling at Kaiba, who had turned his gun towards his own head, his face still empty and emotionless. Marik scrambled over seats, right on the heels of Jou and Otogi as they ran down to the arena. What, exactly, they hoped to accomplish, Marik wasn't sure.
Marik found himself running towards Bakura, hunched over his host. It looked like his hands were moving slowly, carefully over Ryou's arms. Ryou's fingers grasped at Bakura's hoodie, twisting into the fabric as his eyes stared at Kaiba in disbelief.
"Marik!" Bakura yelled. "Give me your hand!"
Too shocked to do anything else, Marik knelt next to the thief, his shaking hand grasped in Bakura's firm, calloused one. Everyone was yelling, shouting. Marik tried to ignore the chaos around him, push it away. He trusted Bakura, even if the thief was as crazy as a tree full of monkeys on nitrous oxide.
Bakura's grey eyes closed in concentration, and strange syllables spilled out of his mouth. It sounded a little like Arabic, a little like German, and a little like no language any human mouth should be able to speak. Marik tried to close his mind, to shut out the sound, but he could feel the words in his head, just like the words of the books in the cave.
A small, whimpering sound escaped Ryou. "Y-yami," he whispered, his large eyes staring up at Bakura. "What are you doing?"
Bakura shook his head, his white hair brushing against his face as he began speaking louder.
Ryou's face was shockingly pale, his lips darkening with the blood beginning to spill from his mouth. "Yami, stop." His eyes grew dark...dangerous...
Bakura spoke a final word, and Ryou disappeared.
Marik blinked. He was just gone...there wasn't even a bloodstain on the floor, or on Bakura's hands, or his own. Slowly, Bakura tipped over, collapsing on the hard floor, his chest rising and falling in quiet gasps for air. The air was too heavy, weighing down on Marik, making it a struggle to breath.
The inability to move, however, seemed to force his mind to put together what just happened. Marik had heard his yami's whispering voice, which had then disappeared just before Ryou had come into the room. Kaiba...had shot Ryou, and then Bakura had done something...and Ryou was gone.
"Th-that was..."
"The Faceless Chaos," Bakura cut him off. "Help me up, Marik."
His arms shaking, Marik did his best to help the trembling thief to his feet. For a few moments, Bakura looked surprisingly old, his face tired and worn, his white hair only adding to the effect. With a low groan, Bakura sank down to his knees, shaking from exhaustion.
"Marik," Bakura panted. "Know any spells to make him stop waving that gun around?"
Marik looked up at Kaiba, his gun still aimed at his own head. The books in the cave had other spells besides the one to summon the Faceless Chaos, and he found himself chanting the first one that came to mind.
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
I shot Ryou. It wasn't him it couldn't have been him but I shot him. I can't believe I shot him.
A cool, calm breath filled Kaiba's lungs. The anger was gone, now, ever since he had pulled the trigger. Now, there was relief, and the unshakable knowledge that the next bullet had to be for him...
And yet he couldn't make himself do it. He couldn't help thinking of Ryou, and what Ryou would think of Kaiba if he left things in the hands of incompotents like Yugi, the mutt, the dice-freak, and Marik the Raving Psychopath.
Calmly, Kaiba lowered the gun, put the safety back on, and let himself close his eyes and fade to oblivion.
A note for those of you who know what is going on: Yes. I know that Bakura shouldn't know the spell to banish the Crawling Chaos. It's my own personal little Deus Ex Machina I put in to keep everyone from dying horribly in this chapter and that being the end. Honestly. If Bakura hadn't banished the thing then he, Kaiba, Yugi, and probably Marik would all be dead. Jou and Otogi would not be far behind. Cheerful, isn't it? I wanted to keep everyone alive so I could torture them a few more chapters.
I don't know if anyone has noticed all the fun research I've been putting into this fic. Maybe you guys won't notice until the end. Ah, well. Until then, you can all stand in awe at my awesome research for cards to pad out Yugi's deck. I wanted him to use the deck from the Ritual Duel, but he only ever uses it twice, once against Bakura and once against Yami, and we really don't see that much of it. So, I went looking for the kinds of cards that would boost the cards he already had. There are actually quite a few I found that I didn't use. I especially liked that Card of Sanctity/Card Destruction combo. Very nice. Oh, and apparently Card of Sanctity does something different in the game than in the manga. Guess which use I used? The one that I liked best, of course.
Until next time!