Chapter 53

She wasn't sure how it was possible, but she was starting to feel as though Jack and Baraku were surrounding her. How two people could make her feel so trapped she wasn't entirely sure, but it was uncomfortable and she wanted it to stop.

'Back off, I'm not going to agree to anything with you pressuring me like this,' she shot both of them serious looks.

'Pressuring you,' Jack mocked innocence, 'whatever do you mean?'

'You know exactly what I mean,' she held her nerve, 'so back off.'

'But we're just trying to save the multiverse.'

'Yeah, so you can take it over yourself,' she shook her head, 'I'm not sure I can trust you. I'm not sure I'm ever going to be able to trust you. Not completely.'

'So you'd rather this war never came to an end.'

'I didn't say that.'

'No, but your refusal to let me help does imply it.'

'No, it doesn't.'

'How can you be so sure, really?'

'I…'

'Exactly, you can't,' he sounded smug. 'Come on, trust me, you used to when you were younger.'

'That was before you did what you did to Right.'

'What I allegedly did to Right,' he corrected her, 'I mean, can you be absolutely certain I really did anything to her at all?'

'I…'

'Exactly,' he smirked, 'you can't be sure of anything.'

'But that's exactly the problem,' she shook her head, 'I can't be sure of anything and that includes you.'

'So what you're saying is that you don't want to trust me,' he began walking away, 'well that is a shame, I guess this war will never end and everyone will just blame it on you. I mean, why wouldn't they when they find out?'

'Jack…!'

'What's the matter little Left, does the truth leave a sour taste in your mouth?'

'It would only if it were the truth. You don't know for sure this is the only way.'

'Don't I?'

'No. No you don't and I don't see how you ever could.'

'Well I'll just let everyone know that when they spend all of eternity trying to hold this little wall of theirs. I mean, it's not like they have lives they want to get back to, families they want to raise or anything like that.'

'Jack, stop it.'

'And what about you? Haven't you just been reunited with someone you love very much? Someone the Council chose to take away from you? You know I was always rooting for the two of you to get together, I honestly couldn't think of anything which would have given me more joy.'

'Jack,' she could almost feel her heart breaking, 'stop it, you're just trying to manipulate me.'

'But I'm just telling you the truth.'

'How can I trust you?'

'The real question right now Left, is how can you not?'

'Jack…?'

'What is it? What are you thinking right now?'

'I…' she felt strangely defeated, 'I'm thinking I have to trust you,' she lowered her gaze. 'I trust you, so end this war already.'

'Good,' he placed his hand against her back, causing a burst of pain to move through her, 'I'm so glad you said that.'


'Something's wrong,' the words half pounded through Tristan's head, 'don't you feel it?'

'What do you mean something's wrong,' he glanced towards Kaiba, 'we're holding the wall, aren't we?'

'Yes, we are, I know we are, but something feels wrong. Don't you sense it?'

'Right now the only think I sense is how much of a struggle maintaining this wall is,' he mentally sighed.

'There's more. There has to be something more. I don't know what it is, but… I think it has something to do with her.'

'By her do you mean our Power Limitless friend?'

'Yes, I do. I think she's in trouble, but I'm not totally sure how I know that.'

'Maybe it had something to do with the other one's visit. You told me she wanted you to try and protect her, so maybe she made it so you could sense when she was in the kind of trouble she warned you about.'

'Maybe,' Kaiba's mental voice was tight, 'but there's not exactly a whole lot I can do about it right now. If I leave my position this wall will fail and we'll be back to fighting again.'

'And if you don't she'll get betrayed and you'll have failed to keep your promise to the other one.'

'What's more important right now, holding this wall or protecting a girl who's already far from innocent.'

'Really, you would so easily break your promise?'

'I'm not sure I have a choice.'

'Then why do you feel so bad about it?'

'Wouldn't you? Wouldn't you feel bad if you knew you couldn't do anything right now?'

'Split consciousness.'

'What?'

'You could split your consciousness. The Pure is the only one of the Mistresses who can be in two places at once, remember?'

'But the Pure was always the one to do it and she hadn't done it in years. I'm not sure I can. I'm not sure I know how.'

'Of course you know how; you are the Pure now, remember? Come on, you and I both know it's the only way you'll be able to keep your promise and hold this wall.'

'Okay,' he nodded, 'I'll try. I just hope this works.'