Chapter 21: Let's Play A Game
"Moving on to our other top story tonight. The on-going case concerning the disturbing discoveries at Domino City Central High School continues to develop as the CEO of Rising Sun Incorporated - formerly the Kaiba Corporation - Kaiba Seto has made a personal statement in a press release publicized by the corporation this morning. In it, the young CEO states that:
"We at RSI believe in the future, and that future lies with the youth in our schools. But how can we ensure a bright future, when we cannot be sure that those schools can ensure the safety that is the right of every student? It is disgraceful to our proud district that an institution such as DC High has allowed a person with such a violent and twisted mindset to operate on their grounds."
Rising Sun Incorporated has offered legal counsel and therapy to all of the students involved with Tetsu Ushio. Further investigations are still underway."
Youko sighs as she turns off the tv. It had been three weeks since Duke had brought the issue to them. Joey and Tristan had discreetly looked into things at the school and gathered some evidence. It only took them 3 days before there was enough to go to Seto with.
Seto had immediately gathered the company lawyers and contacted employees who had children attending DC High. Investigations were begin the next day. Every staff member and every student was looked into.
A gentle hand runs through her hair in slow, comforting motions.
"You can't keep putting it off, My Queen."
Youko hums and looks to Mahad, "I know." She murmurs softly, fingers gently tracing patterns over the puzzle. "I know it must happen Mahad but….."
Her hums back. His fingers catch on a knot and carefully unravel it. Despite his spiritual state, he's warm and solid against her scalp.
"You're scared."
What can she say to that, when it's the truth?
She's stalling.
It's even more unpleasant to admit it when Mahad is in the room, actively prodding at her, than it is to admit it to herself. Even when he's doing his best to comfort her and help her be at ease during the conversation.
"You were so excited to awaken and communicate with the spirit, when you were little," he murmurs gently. She can feel him split her hair and divide it into strands - braiding her hair.
"That's because I didn't think of the consequences of his awakening." She whispers shakily, "when he wakes, it will all start. The danger and pain and chaos. The darkness. All of it."
"The Darkness is a scary force," Mahad agrees. "You will never truly know what the Shadows hide, but My Queen… the same can be said of the Light. Both are blinding and keep things from view… but in the same way, both are also inevitable".
Youko hums in agreement. There are many "good" people of the light who are far more dangerous and evil than those of the dark.
All those things done in the name of "the greater good" that have hurt so many people… taken their lives and stolen their freedom.
There's a small tug at her hair as Mahad secures her braid with a golden clasp. "The Darkness looms closer, my child, but you mustn't fear it. So long as you fear the Shadows, you will be their slave, and Youko… soon, I won't be able to protect you and coddle you like this. You need to stand on your own two feet, and soon, or else I fear you might fall".
"I know Mahad…..thank you for all you've done over the years."
Mahad doesn't say anything, but he squeezes her shoulder in response. She can feel his smile, despite her back being turned to him.
"You have been my greatest friend and confidant, my protector and guardian. I wouldn't give you up for the world. You make me feel safe and you help me think things through, I don't know what I would do without you."
There's a press of lips against the crown of her head. Then he's gone, the only proof he was ever there the braid hanging down her back.
Youko closes her eyes tightly and brings the puzzle to her forehead.
"I'm scared." She whispers to it, "but for better or worse, you must wake up soon."
The puzzle pulses faintly and she exhales shakily.
It's time….
"Ok, I sent Haruhi a text letting her know we're on our way over." Hinata says a week later on their way to Ouran High.
She, Tristan, Joey, and Youko are all headed over to visit their sister school. Joey has a paper to write for his journalism club, and the rest of them are tagging along to see the host club and have fun. The other family members are all in clubs, meetings, or some school duty that they have - all except Seto, who had to appear in School Court to help the Law Club, as part of a year-wide plan to help him get along with his roommate. (Tea tagged along on that one as "moral support", but mostly to laugh at them).
Joey groans into his hands. "God, do I have to see that stuck up prick Komatsuzawa? The guy wouldn't know the meaning of objectivity and journalistic integrity if it bit him in the-"
Tristan slaps Joey on his back roughly, "look at the bright side!"
"What bright side could possibly come from this situation?"
"The rest of us get to watch you suffer!"
"Why you-!"
Hinata snickers as the boys wrestle each other good naturedly, making jabs and snarky remarks at each other as they head towards Ouran.
She goes to share an amused look with Youko, only to frown. Youko is distracted and frowning. For a while now, she's been distant and quiet, and everyone close to Youko has noticed.
But they all have given her some space. Sometimes all you can do is let the person deal with what they need to and wait for them to come to you.
"Well, I do believe we have a welcoming committee waiting for us it seems." Hinata says with a laugh. They can all easily see an exasperated Haruhi surrounded by the rest of the host club. (Half of which, are waving their arms like maniacs)
Rolling the window down, she sticks her head out and waves. "Hello, everyone!"
"Hey guys, glad you could make it-"
"Hello our dear sister school siblings! Welcome again to Ouran!" Tamaki cuts in, vibrating with excitement as he greets them.
He opens the door, arms open to give them hugs (or so she assumes) only for Youko to scramble past him, completely ignoring the poor child, to hug Haruhi.
Tristan steps out of the car a bit more sedately than the others. At once his eyes lock with Kyoya's and Hinata swears she can feel the temperature drop. "Ootori-san," he greets stiffly, offering a nod.
Kyoya's greeting is just as stiff and his attempted smile looks more like a grimace. "Taylor-san. What an unexpected surprise".
Tristan shrugs. "Not really my choice - mom and dad thought it'd do me some good to come see you. By the way, she told me to tell you to let her know when your old man ever gets in the mood to bury the hatchet, because she's not backing down."
There's an awkward, strained silence for several moments.
"Hello Kyoya-senpai, it's good to see you again." Hinata greets politely, trying to keep things from exploding. "Thank you so much from coming to visit me during my last stay at the hospital, it was very kind. I'm sorry that I couldn't stay awake for all that long, when you took time out of your busy schedule just to check up on me".
Hinata watches him freeze up again, as he looks at her for a moment, then turns away quickly, adjusting his glasses in the process. "Oh, it was nothing Hinata-san. I am just… glad… that you are in better health, once again. You and Youko-san both".
Out of the corner of her eye, Hinata can see Youko wiggle her eyebrows at her, she roughly elbows the shorter girl in the side as she smiles at the young shadow king. Youko opens her mouth to say something, and Hinata is relieved when Tamaki cuts in loudly.
"Kyoya! You know our sister school siblings?!" Tamaki yelps in shock (Haruhi yells at him in exasperation, practically begging him to stop calling them that!), "and you never to-"
"We know them too, Tama-chan!" Huni pipes up from his spot on Mori's shoulder. "Don't we, Takashi?"
"We do".
"And Haru-chan's their childhood friend!"
"Huni-senpai! Mori-senpai! Hello! It's so good to see you again, it's been too long!" Youko chirps happily, spinning around to catch their small blonde senpai in a big hug.
The duo spins around, laughing like the sugar high hobbits they are. Mori, with the patience of a saint and years of practice, easily moves to stand behind Youko to catch her and Huni when they lose their balance.
Tamaki's face, bless his heart, looks like one big question mark… the same can be said about the twins AND Kyoya looking on in the background.
"Wait… you didn't know?" Hinata asks, looking around the big group.
"We've known Huni and Mori-senpai for several years now!" Haruhi exclaimed, just as shocked that it wasn't well known by the others like she thought.
Apparently they hadn't known of the relationships between the others.
Their reactions were quite amusing when everything was explained.
(Joey spent the entirety of the trip home complaining about cheap tabloids and rich morons unwilling to do the most basic of source-checks, but the article he writes on Ouran gets hung up pride of place in the main entry hall of the school).
It's been a month since she arrived at this school.
In this one month, she has accomplished nothing whatsoever in regards to the plan.
That is, frankly, unacceptable. Hanabi needs this to work - they need this to work - and in order for that to happen, she needs to earn their trust.
The problem is… these four are frightening unlike the data their spies and hacking have collected. According to all the records they've collected, the four Young Heirs to the Shadows are polite, sociable children who are friends - or at least acquainted - with everyone and trust easily.
And then she sits down with Oshitaki and Oshitaki's two friends - a pair of twins from Austria, Nathaniel and Cassandra Hartlieb - and after five minutes of careful prodding, she learns that that's just… not… the case.
"Sure, they're polite and never, you know… actively rude," Cassandra writes out quickly on the whiteboard she carries around (Hanabi had been told the backstory for that shortly after being introduced to the twins - an unfortunate mis-development had caused the girl to be born with weak vocal cords, resulting in pretty much full mutism) "but they never seek out anyone, either. It's always us who have to do all of the work, and even then…"
Oshitaki huffs. "They're a bunch of anti-social rich kids who are so scared about being used that they've never been able to form stable connections with anyone else," he rolls his eyes. "Mom told me that the last time I complained, but I don't know how much I buy into that".
"They're traumatized, Hiro," Nathaniel comments casually, like this is a conversation they've had before. Based on what she's learned of both Oshitaki and those four, it's not too far fetched that they have.
"I know that, and I get it," Oshitaki hisses. "But I'm telling you that it just doesn't add up for me. There's trauma, and then there's using trauma as an excuse to be anti-social shut-ins and refuse to try and be friends with us others. It's like they don't want to see the good in other people".
Hanabi hesitates a little. This goes against everything she should be doing, but what Oshitaki says just strikes a nerve within her. "You know, Oshitaki, maybe you're the bad guy in this. You can't force someone to be friends with you if they don't want to".
The boy narrows his eyes at her. "Says the one who's still trying to befriend those four after a month. I keep telling ya', Yamagawa, it won't work. You're better off if you just stop caring like the rest of us".
Hanabi just calmly gathers her books and moves to stand up from their table in the library. "I have my reasons," she says, carefully schooling her face into an expression that she hopes is unreadable. "Remember, Oshitaki, they're not the only kids in this school who got used by bad people and then turned into headlines for every news source, reputable or otherwise".
It gets quiet at the table, and if Hiro Oshitaki's face suddenly goes ashen at what she's just said, then she pretends not to notice.
"If you'll excuse me for leaving first," Hanabi bows her head. "I just remembered that I've got an urgent matter to attend to, and I promised my godfather I'd call him about it".
"Hana wait-"
But she doesn't, and she doesn't let him finish that sentence. She spins around on her heel and heads straight for the door, calling over her shoulder:
"By the way, Hiro, what I don't buy is that you don't care. I think you care too much".
And so she walks away, stubbornly ignoring the way her eyes burn, refusing to release that pressure until she can safely hide away and think about how she can't afford to care. Not about Hiro Oshitaki, not about the Young Heirs to the Shadows, and certainly not about her own feelings.
They need the plan to work so that they can get her back and be whole again.
So she'll just have to try even harder.
Youko is torn between fear and frustrated annoyance.
Because of course one of the rare times she decides to go out shopping alone, in a simple disguise to hide her noticeable features, she gets mugged.
And not just any run of the mill thief. It's the dangerous convict who escaped prison recently. The one that was stopped in canon - because Yami set him on fire to protect Tea in that burger joint - and was, is, thus still on the loose in their world.
She would have been fine, he would have left after she gave him the money she had. Except she lost her disguise and he recognized her!
So now Youko is being dragged into an emptied back alley far enough away from anyone who could hear or help her, being held hostage by a dangerous criminal as he demands a stupid ransom off of her!
"Let go of me!" She hisses, struggling against the arm wrapped around her throat.
"Shut up, rich-girl! Call that rich brother of yours! I want 50.000 American Dollars and safe travel out of the country!" He snarls out. The man looks feral and wild, desperate. Which is why Youko hardly resists him and does as he says. It's not worth her life to fight him. She will only fight if he tries to move her to another location or tries to force himself on her. (Youko remembers her fascination with crime scene shows in her first life. She watched so many and can easily recall things she learned from them.)
He shoves her roughly into a wall and she gasps as her head slams against the building.
She barely catches her breath when her bag is ripped from her hands. The convict doesn't hesitate to dump it onto the ground and Youko feels her heart stop as the puzzle falls out at his feet.
Everything becomes muted and she hears the blood rushing through her veins. Panic sparks in her chest.
No.
Distantly she can hear the convict excitedly babbling.
Don't touch it.
Hands reach for the puzzle.
Don't touch him!
A hand closes around the chain.
"No!"
Immediately her own hands catch around the pyramid, pulling in the opposite direction.
She hears him snarl. Feels the force as he tries to rip it from her, but she just digs her heels in and gives it her all to do the same.
It will be a cold day in hell if she ever lets him take him from her!
She doesn't even feel the sharp pain of the cold metal piercing into her skin and her blood flowing down over the sides and to the eye.
Doesn't realize her magic is flaring it that she's subconsciously reaching for ...something, someone.
Doesn't realize that the shadows around them have gone completely still and silent.
She sees the flash of the knife in the convict's free hand as he slashes at her, dirty steel grazing her cheek. He's sacrificed a better grip for a way to legitimately hurt her.
And it's in this moment of struggle, with her heart pounding in her throat and the blood rushing so loudly in her ears that she thinks she might go deaf that she has an epiphany…
Nobody's coming.
Deep in her heart, she was wondering. Knew something was off, even though the panic of the moment had her forget about it. But in this moment of struggle, she finds that her mind has cleared to a frightening degree.
Nobody's coming.
Usually in these situations, someone would've been there to save her the minute something had happened. Heck, sometimes even before that. Lily stalks her shadow, even at school, and Mahad has a sharp sense of knowing when she needs him.
But neither of them are there.
True terror surges through her.
She's alone and in danger. And no one is coming this time.
And as light suddenly flares from the eye of the puzzle, as she feels a surge of power, of fury, of the most intense desire to protect and destroy and erase whoever's hurting her… as she feels her own self fade and fall into a darkness that should be scary, but is oh so warm and welcoming, and she is suddenly so very tired… a single thought remains clear in her mind.
"Well… Mahad did say he wasn't going to coddle me anymore…"
He comes to in a world of putrid smoke and rolling shadows, where the wind smells like ash and nothing living could possibly grow.
It is a world of monsters, and he is their King.
There is a Lesser Being in front of him. A lowly worm, thinking itself a snake, that has dared to hurt what is his.
That beautiful, blinding beacon that has lit up his world for as long as he can remember. Even in sleep, he heard her whispers, comforting his nightmares and soothing every pain.
He's touched her, once, when he was ripped from the Darkness is which he laid dormant. Held her in his arms - she was small, then, and so very frail.
It was only once, in all of the time that has passed since that first awakening, but the memory has been prominent in his endless dreams.
But now he's awake.
And this maggot has dared to touch her. To hurt her.
That is unacceptable. And so this cretin must pay.
And as he lays his eyes upon his adversary, he hears her final whisper before she takes his place in slumber.
"Don't kill the bastard".
It is tempting to disobey the request… but for her, his Light, he will try.
"If you want the Millennium Puzzle, come take it," his voice is even, lighter than he'd expect it to be, with a rasp that feels distinctly wrong.
"Let's play a game".
A/N:
*gasps* what's this?! A second update? In the same month?! In a matter of days between each other?!
Surprise~!
More world building for you all! More digging into things! And finally! Finally!
Our boy is awake!
I hope y'all are excited as we are to get to this point!
Thank you for those who have stuck with us through everything, and thank you for your patience!
Shoutout to all of the people who viewed and all of our current followers and faves and our new followers and favorites (Accalon-7 and ADDBaby) And thanks to everyone who left Kudos!
And EXTRA thank yous and love for the reviews/comments!
Please, PLEASE leave us comments and reviews, especially if you have any questions or are confused! We love them so very much! We get motivated to write when we get reviews!
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.
We also have our other SI story called "Judgement of Our Sins" for the Seven Deadly Sins/Nanatsu no Taizai series! Please check it out! All three of us (Nordic, Moirei and myself) are super excited for it and to share it!
Anyways, that's all for this chapter. Stay safe and have a good rest of your day, week, or month(s). Until next time duckies!
C. S. Stars
An addendum from the friendly neighborhood NordicTwin, who didn't really have a lot to say:
Yes, hi, please don't expect anything like this again. My drive to work on fics is fuelled by how little I want to work on my school stuff, and oh boy… I do not want to work on that stuff right now ^^;
Thanks for reading and leaving reviews and kudos! We still very much appreciate all of them!
NordicTwin
Not yet Edited/Beta by Moirei
Finished & Published: January 9, 2020