Chapter 17- Rejection and the Fear of it
Wakefulness comes slowly to her. Fleeting, like glittering specks of dust hovering in the air, reflecting the light.
But there is no light.
No… that's not true.
There's a faint glow, like a smouldering ember. It surrounds her.
No…
It is her.
It's like she's glowing but when she looks at herself it's not blinding. It's as if the glow is inside of her, and gently flowing out of her pores like a fine mist.
Her light flows steadily, brightening the small area around her but going no farther. The darkness is thick and heavy, too thick to let her light penetrate it.
Youko shivers in fear, whimpering as she recalls the darkness, and power, and pain that had assaulted her, smothered her, drowned her.
And then, just as she thinks she's going to get lost to the fear, the terror, there's… something.
It feels like a hand, no, arms. They wrap around her shoulders, and she fights them at first - they block her glow, her light, hiding it away from her and nonono she needs that, stop it-
There's a pulse… the darkness retreats…
She finds herself sprawled out on a cool floor made of a smooth, yellow stone… yellow and shining… like gold…
Gold like the puzz-
Youko gives a sharp inhale as her mind snaps to attention and connects the dots.
Don't panic, don't panic-
Too late- she can feel herself gasp and choke and-
Calmness, worry, it's okay suddenly flow through her and unconsciously she starts to relax.
Then she hears the whisper. A barely there sound, low and raspy, from a voice that is distinctively male, if young.
"My Light… so precious, so warm… safe now, calm now, the Darkness won't get you".
Oh.
The tears slide down her cheeks, landing on pale hands that are not her own, before she can even register them.
That's right… he's free now…
Her Darkness… He Who Sleeps… the Forgotten King…
Yami…
Her tears turn to sobs.
"I heard you," she manages to choke out between breaths. "I could feel you there in the darkness, alone and confused, but I couldn't do anything to help. I'm sorry it took so long, but I heard you".
He shushes her gently, carefully running a shaking hand through her hair.
"My Light spoke to me," he murmurs. "My Light told me of wonders… of Hope… of Life. Must… protect… so tired, my Light, so tired…"
Somehow, she frees her arms from his grasp and wrap them around his neck, returning the embrace, her heart filling with an indescribable sense of warmth and happiness at finally having him free from that cage.
Like something inside her was… was missing or lost or broken, but is now finally complete.
"Then sleep, King of Darkness. There will be time later. We're together, we're safe. So rest…" she whispers quietly, her own body feeling sluggish and heavy.
She can feel him resist - sense it, too, in her… mind? In her heart? It's a strange feeling, like an echo deep inside her body that she knows doesn't belong to her. Not anymore.
(He wants to protect her. Keep her safe. He was her protector for so long, with no need for rest. Why would he need it now?)
She is adamant he rests, and makes sure he can feel that too, through their frail connection. But… then again… it's warm, being wrapped all up in his arms. Comforting.
Maybe… maybe she can spare a few minutes of sleep with him… just a little nap… if it makes him more comfortable…
Yes… just for a little while…
She closes her eyes.
And then…
There is light.
She wakes up.
She almost wishes she could go back to the darkness, because awakening is loud and unpleasant with beeping machines, hands poking at her and whispers that sound much too loud for her ears.
Then there is a warm hand wrapping around hers and the soothing voice of Grandpa speaking to her.
"There we go, sweetheart, nice and easy - try not to wake up too quickly, alright?"
She squints against the faint light of the room, then flinches back when someone touches her face and another much brighter light passes over each of her eyes. Then it's over and the room is dim again.
"Sorry about that, kid - just had to check a few things. Anyways, she seems to be in the clear for now. Her temperature looks to be going down and she's responding to touches and bright lights. We still don't know for sure what caused all of this, but she should be getting better soon."
"Thank you, Doctor."
Doctor?
"Gran'pa…?" She murmurs, trying to squeeze his hand, but strangely without much luck. That's when she realizes her body feels heavy as lead and more sluggish than a snail trying to drag a truck.
"Shhhh… it's okay, dear, just take it slow," he whispers, and something warm and safe runs through her hair. Grandpa's hand… so nice and warm and soothing… "Really gave us a scare there, you clever girl, but I suspected we'd get that from you a lot, back when you were born and just a teeny-tiny thing in your mama's arms."
"Mama…" Youko's heart clenches at the thought. She's so confused. The world feels different after going to that dark place. Almost… almost too bright, too noisy…
In that moment, her heart aches with renewed grief and all Youko wants is her mom to hold her and tell her it's going to be okay.
She can feel a tear slide down her face, before her mind grows heavy and slumber claims her once again.
.
.
.
Darkness. It's cold and coming for her and she wants to run, but can't get away… it gains on her…
Then… arms around her… thin, but so strong and warm, smelling of safety and childhood summers… soft light and a kiss to her forehead…
A dream?
The nightmare disappears.
.
.
.
The man is in his office when his informant delivers the news of the Puzzle's completion, working on his new creation.
"Ah… so the Chosen Child has unleashed the Darkness?"
Laughable.
It really is. Such great irony. A child? As the mistress of all Shadows? Honestly, if it wasn't such a waste of power otherwise used better, if she didn't pose such a threat to his plans by merely existing, he'd have amused himself with imagining what a little girl would be able to do with that power. Make her dolls come alive for a tea party? Make some poor fool buy her everything in a candy shop?
Yeah… no. That power isn't suited for a child. It would be put to much better use in his hands.
He's going to make sure of it.
The figure in his lap leans over to study the papers presented to him, and despite the dimness of the room, he can see her little face scrunched up in thought, can see her mind spinning with confusion as she studies the strange letters she can't read, but knows contain important information.
"Uncle…? Are you sure, that is… can this really bring her back?"
He wraps his arm a bit more securely around her and carefully ruffles her hair. "Of course it can, sweetheart. You just trust your Godfather on this - before we know it, your auntie will be back and everything will be as it was," he gently nudges her off his lap and shoos her towards the door. "Now, off you go. Bedtime - the maids will tuck you in tonight, okay? I have to work".
The girl nods, briefly hops up to kiss his cheek, then runs away from the grey light of his office and into the light of the hallway.
Such a sweet child… she deserves more.
See? He's not just doing this for selfish reasons, he tells himself. He's doing this for his little ward, too, and her sisters, who are so far away…
The man bends over the papers and starts plotting.
And the Darkness whispers in the corners.
Youko spends about a week in the hospital being examined and tested for just about everything, before the doctors ultimately conclude that the stress and worry of the court case, on top of her already frail health, simply made her body force itself to shut down to get some much needed rest.
She's sent home with strict orders of taking it slow for another week at least.
The media, who had been hounding the family taking Gozaburo Kaiba to court for custody, drink it all up like a man lost in the desert coming upon water.
Naturally, the physical manifestation of egomania himself is none too pleased about the media not taking his side of things (because how can he frame them as merely being "out for his money" when a little kid LITERALLY went comatose from worry?) and tries to keep Seto and Mokuba from them.
The social workers and Kotoko square up the second they hear that, and the end result is the case getting closer to the end with a steady increase in the public supporting the Mutou family.
Still… Youko knows what happened has nothing to do with stress. Hinata knows it, Grandpa knows it… and, much to her surprise, so does her baby brother.
Or so she thinks when Yugi, seemingly overnight, becomes strangely… attached to the puzzle.
The first thing Yugi does, when Youko is safe at home and in her bed, is to climb into her lap and just hold the puzzle, touching the surface and examining the details.
(Sometimes she thinks she can hear him softly murmur something under his breath, and it leaves her heart aching).
Guilt slithers through her each time Yugi holds the puzzle. It should've been him who completed the puzzle. It's his destiny and his life she's changing. It's all her fault and she doesn't belong-!
A smooth wave of something cool rushes through her mind whenever that guilt hits her, running through her veins like water, making her body submit to a weird sense of calm that is both foreign and her own.
Her tenant worries for her, even as he slumbers and dozes, pulling on her mind to join him and rest… rest… rest…
(She will have to communicate to him that he can't just make her take a nap every time she's upset. She can't stay at home in bed forever, after all.)
On top of that, Mahad and Mana fret over her even more, Mahad in particular. He spends the better half of a day on his knees begging for forgiveness, for not having been able to reach her.
Not that she blames him after hearing the reasons behind it.
"We were on the other side, settling a feud between two clans," Mana had explained over Mahad's apologies. "We tried to reach you as soon as we felt the shift in magic, but when we tried to cross… we couldn't. We were blocked off by someone much stronger than us. Someone higher in the hierarchy."
It hadn't been difficult to figure out who exactly she'd meant, and Hinata had then spent about an hour ranting and swearing at the danger she'd been in, all because of the gods interfering again.
Grandpa wasn't too far off himself. Youko has never seen her Grandpa so thunderous or mad. To avert things, he suggested that they gather their family and talk about what may (will) be in their future.
It's… not something she looks forward to, truth be told.
On one hand, she wants them to know. So much - there is nothing she would love to do more. To not have them go into this grand adventure blind, to prepare them, to protect them… and yet… and yet… the fear of rejection, of ridicule and suspicions, lingers.
What if they don't believe her?
What if they think they're crazy?
What if they leave oh gods above don't make them leave her behind, don't take her friends from her.
Or what if they blame it on Grandpa, and think him crazy? (Very unlikely, a rational part of her brain knows, but… Osamu went crazy in the span of a few months and thought Hinata a demon… what's to say they won't think the same of her Grandpa?)
What if they make her leave? Send her and her siblings off to foster families?
(There are so many things they could do, could say. And most of them are bad.)
The fear is almost suffocating, in the hours up to the gathering. The Family Meeting, as they've announced it as.
But Hinata's hand is firm in hers, and Lily is curled up on her lap, and Mahad stands behind her - tall, proud, a mage and a knight all in one.
She prays that this won't be the loss of their family.
…In a land, far away…
Finally.
After so many years.
Years of waiting.
Years of preparing.
Years of loyalty.
It is finally time.
"Sir. I've found them. They're in Japan…..I've confirmed that it's them."
The young man looks up from the newspaper he's reading, the headline on the from is big and bold with the news it announces to the world.
"CORPORATE GIANT GOZABURO KAIBA DIES IN APPARENT SUICIDE"
The child next to the young man looks up from where he's been gazing out at the bustling bazaar below. "Is it true, then? Has our Pharaoh and the Lost King been reborn in body?"
The cloaked figure bows their head. "In body, yes. But, Sir - Young Master… it appears that there has been a miscalculation."
The figure holds out a photo of two young girls. One pale as snow, the other bearing a striking resemblance to… to… but that can't be true, can it?
"That's not right though! I thought the Pharaoh's other half was supposed to be a boy!"
"Hush, let him finish."
"Sorry."
"It is fine Young Master. As Sir said, I'm not finished. We found the bodies that match the Pharaoh and the Thief King–" here he holds another photo out that shows two young boys that look exactly like the Pharaoh and Thief, "–but they are not the other halves of them."
Silence falls over the little group as they look at the photos. Then the young man nods to himself. "Very well. It appears we will have to approach this in a slightly different manner. Do you have more information than what you've shown us here?"
"Of course Sir. I've compiled all the relevant information and photos of the Queen and her family for you and the others."
"Excellent. Then we will prepare for departure. Has our sister been informed?"
From inside sounds a crash and a shriek of rage, followed by the sound of rapid steps on stone floors. The young man winces in sympathy with whoever had to face her fury.
"I'll take that as confirmation. Hamad, you're free to go - we leave at dawn's light in three days. Brother, this will be your first trip - make sure you've got everything you need, because there's no saying when we might return. I shall go and deal with sister, see what all that was about."
The boy bounces up and down, beaming with excitement and nodding his head. "I can't wait to meet them!...they're so pretty…..Especially the white one."
He rushes off, in his room by the time he hears his brother speak to his sister. He can't really hear what they say, but that's how it usually is - when big sister is in trouble, it's all hushed voices and long silences, unlike the quick scoldings he receives when he's shattered a plate or failed to do his homework.
Suddenly a yell rings through his home.
"It's rejected me! She's cut me off!"
It's deathly silent for several moments. All he hears is his own heartbeat pounding in his ears.
Then there's another deeper, much louder, sound - his quiet, gentle brother letting out a shout of his own.
"What!?"
A/N
Hey! Omg! Guess what April 27th was?! It was the one year anniversary of Caught in the Game's first posting! I can't believe that the year has gone by so quickly. (we really did try to finish this or something for it, but had no luck unfortunately.)
So sorry about the long wait. Life happened and kept us busy. (Work. Being a manager is hard. Nordic is in Uni, so she has that. I've got some family drama and issues at home rn sadly. So that's been wearing on me mentally and draining me.) Plus new and old fandoms tried to drag us back down into them. (I barely managed to make it out alive)
Ngl. This chapter was a struggle to write. Our first doc was great but then going back to it some time later, we both felt that it didn't flow right. So we rewrote the chapter.
For myself, my brain has been in a funk. My imagination and motivation are dead and it sucks. Hopefully I'll be able to get excited and motivated again soon.
Sorry that the chapter is shorter too, we decided something was better than nothing and we don't want to throw way too much content at you in just one chapter.
Lots going on (again ^^;) but that's not a bad thing. Youko may be mentally older but she is physically younger, so all the stress and magic is taking a toll on her body rn. Nothing serious….maybe. ;D
Have you ever noticed, in practically every series, it's always 1. Kids that are the focus, and 2. The parents are clueless? Like seriously. The parents know shit is happening but have no idea what, so they're assuming drugs or something I bet. It just always seemed wrong that the parents were never mentioned or anything. So we plan to change that. The gang will have a good support system and help when they need it.
2 mysterious groups have appeared. Are they good? Are they bad? They certainly know of Youko at least. What are their plans? Why is Stars asking all these questions we don't know the answers to? Well you'll find out eventually.
So as my lovely partner will tell you down below, this will be the start of a short break for CitG. Need to rest from it, cause we're burned out. Also need to work on our other fic JoOS and get that next chapter out. The followers of that have been waiting so long as well. Don't worry, we aren't abandoning CitG and won't leave it too long. We promise.
Shoutout to all of the people who viewed and all of our current followers and faves and our new followers and favorites (CrisscrossAnime, GreenRoseMonkey, Biclops, PhoenixFire9094, shadanai2538, Dubrovnik, notsofrilly, bunnyxstar, Gummi Penguin, Darkstar709, Ookami Kasumi, MoonlightDovakiin, RenkinMaitai, Just Another Random, tywp, Warlord of Chaos, shadowjumper7, Noxy the Proxy, KatsOnTheRun, lavenza132) And thanks to everyone who left Kudos!
And EXTRA thank yous and love to for the reviews/comments! Comments and reviews give us life and motivation. Please leave us some!
Also extra thank you and a congrats to RenkinMaitai for being our 100th follower and Tori5125 (your pms are off so we can't reply to your review!) for being our 50th reviewer (both on ffn)!
Thanks again to the amazingly talented and lovely Moirei for Beta-ing for us, as always :)
Please check out our side story, Beyond the Game. It's got (or is going to anyways) missing scenes from what wouldn't fit into chapters, and also details of certain events that we (or you) wanted to expand upon.
Please don't forget to check out the CitG tumblr blog (caughtinthegame dot tumblr dot com) as well, we post links to the chapters and if we remember, we post chapter progress (or are trying to do that anyways). We will also post other little things now and then when we can.
Anyways, that's all for this chapter. Stay safe and have a good rest of your day, week, or month(s). Until next time my darling duckies!
- C. S. Stars
A/N:
Hey everyone, and once again welcome to another chapter of Caught in the Game! Sorry it's been so long, but it's been busy for both of us, and as my partner-in-crime-and-writing will explain, this one was damn difficult to get out. We had ideas, then scrapped those ideas - then we got new ideas and scrapped those too… along with moments of writer's block, it's been a little harsh on us. But never fear - this train's gonna keep on going!
So this chapter's a little shorter, but a lot of things are happening - also in the dark corners where nobody's looking. Light and Darkness have reunited at last, but not without taking a heavy toll on Youko's body - such strong magic is harsh on a young body, and she'll have to spend some time recovering from that one.
And then we've got a bunch of other people working in the background. Hmm… I wonder what's going on with that.
And yes, we killed Gozaburo early. Because he's a pile of burning garbage, we don't like him, and Seto and Mokuba deserve better. End of story.
As for for the future of the fic, this chapter marks the beginning of a break in the story. We need to write down a plan for the next arcs, as well as work on our other fanfic "Judgement of Our" Sins for the Seven Deadly Sins. Personally, I will also use this break to finish my exams and finally get my Bachelor's degree with a major in English and a minor in Organisational Communication. Next stop - Candidate degree! (But yeah, that's also one of the reasons this took so long - I've been swarmed with school work and a massive project).
That's about it from me for this time. Thank you so much to all of you who review, favorite, follow and leave kudos - it means a lot and really brightens our day. Nothing better. And congratulations to Tori5125 on being the 50th reviewer on ffnet!
See you all next time!
- NordicTwin
Edited/Beta by Moirei
Finished May 21, 2018
Published May 22, 2018