Author's Notes: Geez, that was quick, ne? Please send me e-mails if you
have a problem or you don't like something at cassie_metallium@yahoo.com OR
dragonlady_kaie@bellsouth.net . Flames will be used to provide countless
hours of amusement for me and my fans. If there are lemons, go to my group
instead to see them because I dun wanna get kicked off of FF.Net again!
Disclaimer: Only things I own in this story are Yuumei, Faia, Xarinya, and Mirai Kaiba. Yes, I said Kaiba is Mirai's last name. Squaresoft and Yu-Gi- Oh characters are not mine.
Warnings: SLASH, SLASH, SLASH, SLASH, SLASH, SLASH, SLASH, oh, and more SLASH.
Pairings: Yami/Yugi, Ryou/Bakura, Jounouchi/Kaiba
Review Answers:
Goddess of Anime- ACK!! You haven't read Soulmates?!?! ;_; But then you won't understand what Ryou and Bakura went through for Bakura to be nice now...but I'm still glad you like it!! I'm not sure whether I do or not... o.o;;
Ranma Higurashi- *wails* The site won't let me!!! I went, but my 'Save Target As...' option won't show up!!! Can you pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaassssssssseeeeeeeeeee send it to me via e- mail?!?!?! :( *pout* No, actually, I don't have a problem with capitals. Only Kami knows how many I use when I'm hyper. Oo;
Fire-Angel- I'll bet you have a pretty good guess too!! -.-;; I didn't exactly make it a mystery for my reviewers like other people can. I've never really been able to do that. ^^;;
Dark Lady Setsuna- I'm glad!!! :):):)
Ani-Coolgirl- Sequels ARE fun!!! ^__^ Especially new pairings thrust upon my muses. *evil grin*
Yami Princess- I know too!! MWUAHAHAH!!! *they both laugh evilly together*
All Muses: O__________________________O
KawaiiBlackMoon- Woo. Long review. WAI!! *blinks for a moment* Did I do that? *looks* OMG!!!! I'M SUCH A BAKA!!!!!
Bakura: *mutters* I can agree with you there.
Yami: *snigger*
Cassie: *twitch* Ohhhhhhh~h Filiiiiiiiiaaaaaaaaaaaaa~a...
Bakura and Yami: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! *runs away from mace-sama wielding Ryuuzoku*
Cassie: I am *so* good. *cocky Lestat-like smirk*
Rouji: Hey, I'm the one that's supposed to smirk round here.
Cassie: Oh well. I'm borrowing it. :P After all, I own this body. You just share it.
Rouji: *sulk*
Cassie: But I still love you.
Rouji: ^_^
KawaiiBlackMoon- Er, yeah, forgot about answering for a second there. Iyaaa~a!!! I've seen a ghost before!! I was really young, and my parents were in the car. It was really funny cause I only ever waved to people that my parents could see. I would wave and go "hiii!!" whenever someone would pass by or we would drive past people. Then, one day, we were driving past a cemetery, and I waved at one point and said "hi!"...my parents were really freaked out. ^_^; DUDE!!! I LOVE Gravitation!! I burned a Gravitation CD for myself, with all my fav Gravitation songs, mostly Bad Luck and Nittle Grasper stuff. Oh, dude, screw buying them, I can send you the mpeg/avi files through e-mail if you want. Or I could upload them to my site (if I ever finally get it up...). I have episodes 1 thru 10!! And I'm downloading 11 thru 13 as soon as possible!! *hopes she won't get arrested now that she'd admitted to that* EEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!! The manga is coming out soon!?!?!?!??! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *runs around, shrieking in delight* Gravitation is, like, my fav yaoi anime ever!!!!!!! Wheeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!
Flambé, Master of Pyromaniacy- Yes, I just recently read through right before I checked my reviews and I realized that it literally SUCKED. I know I can do so much better. I was just excited cause I finally had an idea for the sequel my fans have been bugging me for. And what's worse about it is that there were no scene changes, so it's obviously rather jumbled and screwed up if someone thought there were. :( *is bonking herself on the head* You're right, I can do so much better. In fact, I just re-wrote the first chapter and it is already up. That's okay, I'm glad I finally got constructive criticism, unlike what that crazy "Grr..." person said for Soulmates. Oooo, would you please go read Soulmates and tell me in either review or e-mail if I could do better on certain parts??? I like your reviews, they invoke serious thinking on my part. ^.^ dragonlady_kaie@bellsouth.net is where you can reach me. Or cassie_metallium@yahoo.com if you want.
To Tomomi-chan: I would love for you to be my beta-reader, but there's a lil' problem! When I changed my Yahoo ID, I lost your e-mail address, so now I dunno where to send you my chapters! Oh, and just which 'ceres' ID are you talking about? There are, like, 15. O.o;
=====================================================================
Yu-Gi-Oh: Oukoku Kyouou
Chapter Two: In Another World...With Kaiba?!
=====================================================================
"Unnggggh," Jounouchi moaned, grimacing at the dull ache in his body. "What the hell happened?"
"Exactly what I want to know," a deep, calm voice answered his question. Jounouchi sat bolt upright, eyes wide.
"Kaiba!?"
Kaiba smirked. "Yes, mutt?"
Jou snarled at him, an eyebrow twitching in controlled anger. "Watch it, bakayaro."
Kaiba's eyes narrowed at his insult. "You wanna start something here?"
"What if I do?!" Jou challenged, eyes also narrowed. Kaiba chuckled, standing.
"Sorry, but I don't have the time to indulge in time-wasting activities with you. And you don't have the time either. It seems we're in another world."
Jounouchi leapt to his feet, a little too quickly. "WHAT- uuuggggh."
Kaiba barely had time to catch him as he swayed and nearly fell over. Jou shook his head to clear his dizziness.
"Thanks," he muttered, standing up straight. He looked around. They were on a beach, and as Jou looked around, he saw unfamiliar star formations. They beach they were standing on seemed to be abandoned, with woods behind them, and no inhabitants or buildings as far as he could see. "Yeah, you're right. We *are* in another world."
They both realized simultaneously that Kaiba's hands were still on him, and they jerked away hastily.
"Damnit!!" Jou suddenly cursed, remembering his friends. "YUGI!!! YAMI!!! GUYS!!!"
He ran towards the ocean before Kaiba could stop him. Kaiba went after him, cursing at the mutt's unpredictability. And then he smacked right into the boy as Jou stopped, eyes wide.
"Jounouchi?" he inquired when he saw the boy staring. He looked up, and followed Jou's gaze to find that a girl was standing in the water, gazing at them. She had shoulder-length golden-brown hair, and an intriguing eye color that kept alternating between icy blue and warm grass- green depending on how the light hit it. (*blinks for a moment* Wait a minute. She looks like me!! O_O How did _that_ happen!?!?! Rouji: There's just one difference, though. She doesn't have curly hair. Cassie: Hey, you're right.)
"Mirai-san?" Jou called, taking a step towards the girl. Kaiba froze. Mirai? That was the name of...
A tsunami rose up behind the girl, and she stretched a hand out towards them, smiling mysteriously. An invitation to the unknown.
"Look out!!!" Jou shrieked, beginning to run towards her. Despite having only met the girl today, he felt oddly protective of her. As if he really were her father. He made a mental note to do some serious soul- searching later as to why he felt attached to someone who only said they were his child.
"JOUNOUCHI!!!" Kaiba shouted, bolting after the blonde before he could stop himself. The tsunami caved in on them, along with Mirai, and when they opened their eyes again they saw that Mirai was still holding her hand out towards them. Jounouchi struggled to grab her hand, fighting against the ocean, but the current shoved him against Kaiba, and they were both swept away.
Eventually, they hit solid ground, and there was no more water, only air. Both young men gasped for air, and Kaiba helped Jounouchi stand up once they were both calm enough to move.
"What was that?" Jou gasped, holding onto Kaiba for support as he regained his breath. Kaiba shook his head.
"I dunno," he replied honestly. He then inquired hesitantly, as if afraid of the answer, "Who's Mirai?"
"She says she's my future daughter."
Kaiba froze, eyeing him in shock. His heartbeat stopped for a split- second before resuming casually. "A-And you believe her?"
Jou scowled. "I always believe my gut instincts. They're always right, even if my gut *has* been punched a couple times."
Kaiba laughed slightly. Jou stared at him for a moment. Kaiba...was laughing.? And at his joke, no less. Kaiba suddenly quieted, and they stared at each other for a couple of minutes. A voice broke the silence, and they looked around.
So much to do, so little time...
Take your time. Don't be afraid.
The door is still shut.
Now, step forward.
Can you do it?
Kaiba and Jounouchi looked at each other for a moment, and then they stepped forward. Jou cried out, clutching at his ankle just as three pillars shot out of the ground. Kaiba turned to Jou, ignoring the pillars for the moment.
"What's wrong?" he demanded. Jounouchi winced.
"I think I sprained my ankle when the tsunami caved in."
Kaiba nodded, and then suddenly Jounouchi found himself up in Kaiba's arms.
"What are you doing!?!?!" he yelped, blushing. He tried to ignore the other pains besides his ankle, given to him by a certain family member...
"Not letting your foot get hurt more than it is," Kaiba replied simply. He frowned mentally. Jounouchi was way too light, especially for one of his size and age. Something wasn't quite right. Just as he was about to ask Jounouchi about it, the voice spoke once more.
Power sleeps within you.
If you give it form...
It will give you strength.
Choose well.
Then Kaiba decided to look at their surroundings. On one pillar was a sword, on another a shield, and on the other a magic staff. He raised an eyebrow before choosing the magic staff. He was a mage in his past life in Egypt, after all.
The power of the mystic.
Inner strength.
A staff of wonder and ruin.
Is this the power you seek?
"Yes."
The voice was silent, so Kaiba looked at Jou. Jou blinked up at him, and then looked around. There was another magic staff in the pillar Kaiba had just come from. Jounouchi pointed at the sword, and Kaiba maneuvered over to that particular pillar so Jou could pick the blade up.
The power of the warrior.
Invincible courage.
A sword of terrible destruction.
Is this the power you seek?
Jou nodded. "Yup."
Your paths are set.
Their weapons disappeared.
Now, what will you give up in exchange?
Jou and Kaiba shared a questioning look. They both shrugged, and Kaiba made his way to the pillar with a shield on it.
The power of the guardian.
Kindness to aid friends.
A shield to repel all.
Is this the power you give up?
"I never had it," Kaiba muttered. Jounouchi's gaze jerked towards him questioningly.
You've chosen the power of the mystic.
You've given up the power of the guardian.
Is this the form you choose?
"Yes," Kaiba replied.
Once more, the voice was silent, so Kaiba let Jounouchi pick up the magic staff.
The power of the mystic-
"Yeah, yeah, get on with it," Jounouchi snapped. The voice was silent for a moment, before asking, Is this the power you give up?
Jou rolled his eyes. 'Duh!' he thought before saying, "Yes."
The weapons disappeared once more, and then the floor shattered around them. They fell, but landed softly onto the next platform. Before either of them could begin to comprehend, the voice spoke once more as their weapons reappeared.
You've gained the power to fight.
Use this power to protect yourself and others.
Two small, black monsters appeared, slithering towards them maliciously. (Actually, I rather thought they were kinda cute)
"Ack! Put me down!!" Jou cried. Kaiba complied, and then Jou sliced the creature in half while Kaiba merely whacked his staff on top of the other Heartless's head. The two creatures disappeared. (By the way, Kaiba does not have that cheesy short staff with the Mickey Mouse ears on it. It's a longer one. Think of Chichiri's staff from Fushigi Yuugi. No, it does not have mouse ears on it. *shudder*)
There will be times you have to fight.
Keep your light burning strong.
When they had destroyed all the Heartless that appeared, pools of darkness materialized around the floor they stood upon. Both of them frantically searched for an empty area, but it was no use. They were surrounded, with no way out. Their legs sank into the floor until they were both knee-deep, and then suddenly their whole bodies were wrapped in a dark liquid substance.
"Kaiba!!" Jounouchi tried to call out and move towards where Kaiba had been last, but his body was sluggish. The portal was holding him down. Just as suddenly as it had begun, the substance was gone, and Jounouchi rested for a moment, breathing hard. Kaiba appeared over him.
"You ok?" he inquired. Jou nodded, breathless.
"Good," Kaiba said simply, before lifting Jounouchi once more into his arms. He silenced Jou's protests with a glare, and then walked through the door at the end of the platform, which was shining with white light.
Hold on.
They appeared once more on the beach they were in when this craziness first began.
The door won't open just yet.
First, tell me more about yourselves.
Kaiba and Jounouchi looked around. Yugi and Yami were to their left, Ryou and Bakura and their right, and Honda and Anzu in front of them.
"Guys!!" Jou cried joyfully, smiling widely. His smile faded when he saw that no one seemed to recognize him or Kaiba. "Eh...guys?"
"What's most important to you?" Yugi inquired as Kaiba approached him, still holding Jounouchi. Kaiba stopped, looking just as confused as Jou.
"Being number one, your friends and family, or your prized possessions?" Yami supplied. Jounouchi looked at Kaiba.
They both simultaneously replied, "Friends and family."
Yami and Yugi disappeared, and so they moved on to Honda and Anzu.
"What do you want outta life?" Honda inquired.
"To see rare sights, to broaden your horizons, or to be strong?" Anzu supplied their choices. They both had to think on that one.
"Uh...to be strong for Mokuba," Kaiba replied after a moment. Jounouchi thought a few moments longer.
"All of them?" Jounouchi inquired timidly, looking sheepish. Anzu laughed slightly.
"What for?" she replied.
"Er...rare sights are cool, I've always liked broadening my horizons, and I've always wanted to be strong for those I care for."
Anzu smiled at him before disappearing with Honda.
Noble wishes.
Jou blushed while Kaiba carried him over to Ryou and Bakura.
"What are you so afraid of?" Bakura demanded.
"Getting old, being different, or being indecisive?" Ryou finished. Kaiba and Jou blinked for a moment.
"Being indecisive, I guess," Jou replied.
"Me too," Kaiba seconded. The two half-albinos disappeared as well.
You both want friendship and family. One of you wants to be strong for the one he cares for, and the other wants all three choices for both his and others' gain. You are both afraid of being indecisive.
Your adventure begins at dawn. As long as the sun is shining, your journey should be a pleasant one. The day you will open the door is both far off and very near.
"So what the hell d'you suppose *that* means?" Jou mused. A pillar of light appeared around them. They both looked around wildly as their surroundings dissolved into nothingness, only the light remaining the same. They appeared on another platform, with stained glass as the floor.
The closer you get to the light,
The greater your shadow becomes.
They both paled, and whirled around, just as their shadows reared up to form a humongous monster with a heart-shaped chunk missing from it's stomach. Kaiba began to back away, tightening his hold on Jou ever so slightly.
But don't be afraid.
And don't forget...
"Screw the voice, run!" Jou shouted, and Kaiba turned and fled towards the stairs. Just as he reached them, the stairs disappeared. Startled, Kaiba lost his grip on Jou, and the boy began to fall, crying out.
"NO!" Kaiba shouted, grabbing desperately at Jou. At the last moment, his hand snagged Jou's, and the boy hit the edge of the platform with the momentum. Jounouchi winced as his ankle collided. Kaiba hurled Jounouchi back up into his arms, and they both forgot about the humongous creature behind them for a moment.
"Thanks for saving me," Jou spoke softly, his chocolate eyes gazing up into Kaiba's icy blue ones. For a moment, a brief unearthly moment, Kaiba's eyes softened, and his graced Jou with a small smile.
"You're welcome."
Both of their eyes bugged out as an earth-shattering roar rang out from behind them. They both whirled around.
"Something tells me he didn't like being ignored," Jou commented half- heartedly, not the least bit amused. He laughed nervously, looking around for a way out. Kaiba was debating rather un-characteristically if he should hold Jou on the pretense of trying to protect the teen.
"Aw, fuck it," Kaiba snarled as the creature lunged, and he leaped on top of Jou, making them both roll away from the monstrous being. Jou barely had time to flinch from the ache in his foot before he suddenly realized that the both of them were being swallowed up by that sludgy darkness once more. It billowed around them, ensnaring them like the depths of a depression they couldn't hope to wake up from.
"SHIT!!" Jou exclaimed, grabbing hold of Kaiba in a death grip. He half-expected, somewhere in the back of his mind, for Kaiba to pull away and start growling at him, but the CEO did no such thing. The brown-haired young man merely held him closer as both of their worlds blackened.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Author's Notes: MWUAHAHAHAHAH!!! I AM THE EVIL MISTRESS OF CLIFF- HANGERS!!!! HEAR ME ROAR!!!!!!!!!!!! ROOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRR!!!!!!!
Rouji: O__________________________________O OROOOOOOO!?!?!?!?!
Cassie: *blinks* Hey, that's MY word.
Rouji: No, it's Kenshin's.
Cassie: .;; I borrowed it, gosh-darnit!!!! .
Kenshin: Oro? Daijobu desu. (Oro? It's ok/alright)
Cassie: There, see!?!?! Kenshin's COOL!! *glomps aforementioned samurai* *sticks tongue out at Rouji* Unlike SOMEONE I know. :|~
Rouji: *twitch* And just what do you mean by that?! *twitch*
Kenshin: Oro? *blink, blink* *sweatdrop* Anou, Cassie-chan, Sessha can't breathe de gozaru yo.
Cassie: Ah, gomen ne. *loosens her hold on the former Battousai up a bit and sticks tongue out at Rouji once more* Stiff ol' ancient spirit.
Rouji: *twitch, twitch* *leaps*
Cassie and Kenshin at same time: O_O OROOOOOOOOO?!?!?!?!?!? *both are tackled by said ancient spirit*
Rouji: HAHAHAH!!! Now hear ME roar!! ROAR!! NARF-SNARF! Cookies for all!
Bakura: O_O What are you BOTH on?!?
Cassie and Rouji: *look at each other* Oro? *smiles at Bakura, identical peace signs flashing briefly* SLASH!! Slash is good for the soul!!!
Rouji: *adds* And the yami.
Bakura and all fellow Muses: *facevaults*
Kenshin: @___@ Oroooo......
Cassie: Ah, by the way, to Aisha/Jade, if you read this- Rouji beat the snot outta your yami at the Duel Monsters tournament at Comic Universe!!! My yami beat your yami!! Nyah! Mwuahah! ROAR!!
Rouji: Oh, by the way, Leon...I seem to remember you saying something about how you were gonna wipe the smirk off my face when you had 2 Blue Eyes and 2 Summoned Skulls out on the field. *smirks* I believe that was right before I brought out my Waboku army, then my Dark Hole. Oh, and then MY Blue Eyes and Summoned Skull. In other words, I beat your ass into the ground with your own strategy. *Yami-like smirk* And if you try to hurt my aibou for me saying that to you, I will rip off all your appendages one by one, and that includes your third leg. *looks down meaningfully before looking back up*
Cassie: Hhooohhhhh!!! *grimace* Yowch, Rouji-kun, easy on Leon before he comes over and tries to kill you. Er, us. Aisha, I think we need to give our yamis more cookies so they don't kill each other. Oo;; And us. Ne?
Disclaimer: Only things I own in this story are Yuumei, Faia, Xarinya, and Mirai Kaiba. Yes, I said Kaiba is Mirai's last name. Squaresoft and Yu-Gi- Oh characters are not mine.
Warnings: SLASH, SLASH, SLASH, SLASH, SLASH, SLASH, SLASH, oh, and more SLASH.
Pairings: Yami/Yugi, Ryou/Bakura, Jounouchi/Kaiba
Review Answers:
Goddess of Anime- ACK!! You haven't read Soulmates?!?! ;_; But then you won't understand what Ryou and Bakura went through for Bakura to be nice now...but I'm still glad you like it!! I'm not sure whether I do or not... o.o;;
Ranma Higurashi- *wails* The site won't let me!!! I went, but my 'Save Target As...' option won't show up!!! Can you pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaassssssssseeeeeeeeeee send it to me via e- mail?!?!?! :( *pout* No, actually, I don't have a problem with capitals. Only Kami knows how many I use when I'm hyper. Oo;
Fire-Angel- I'll bet you have a pretty good guess too!! -.-;; I didn't exactly make it a mystery for my reviewers like other people can. I've never really been able to do that. ^^;;
Dark Lady Setsuna- I'm glad!!! :):):)
Ani-Coolgirl- Sequels ARE fun!!! ^__^ Especially new pairings thrust upon my muses. *evil grin*
Yami Princess- I know too!! MWUAHAHAH!!! *they both laugh evilly together*
All Muses: O__________________________O
KawaiiBlackMoon- Woo. Long review. WAI!! *blinks for a moment* Did I do that? *looks* OMG!!!! I'M SUCH A BAKA!!!!!
Bakura: *mutters* I can agree with you there.
Yami: *snigger*
Cassie: *twitch* Ohhhhhhh~h Filiiiiiiiiaaaaaaaaaaaaa~a...
Bakura and Yami: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! *runs away from mace-sama wielding Ryuuzoku*
Cassie: I am *so* good. *cocky Lestat-like smirk*
Rouji: Hey, I'm the one that's supposed to smirk round here.
Cassie: Oh well. I'm borrowing it. :P After all, I own this body. You just share it.
Rouji: *sulk*
Cassie: But I still love you.
Rouji: ^_^
KawaiiBlackMoon- Er, yeah, forgot about answering for a second there. Iyaaa~a!!! I've seen a ghost before!! I was really young, and my parents were in the car. It was really funny cause I only ever waved to people that my parents could see. I would wave and go "hiii!!" whenever someone would pass by or we would drive past people. Then, one day, we were driving past a cemetery, and I waved at one point and said "hi!"...my parents were really freaked out. ^_^; DUDE!!! I LOVE Gravitation!! I burned a Gravitation CD for myself, with all my fav Gravitation songs, mostly Bad Luck and Nittle Grasper stuff. Oh, dude, screw buying them, I can send you the mpeg/avi files through e-mail if you want. Or I could upload them to my site (if I ever finally get it up...). I have episodes 1 thru 10!! And I'm downloading 11 thru 13 as soon as possible!! *hopes she won't get arrested now that she'd admitted to that* EEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!! The manga is coming out soon!?!?!?!??! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *runs around, shrieking in delight* Gravitation is, like, my fav yaoi anime ever!!!!!!! Wheeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!
Flambé, Master of Pyromaniacy- Yes, I just recently read through right before I checked my reviews and I realized that it literally SUCKED. I know I can do so much better. I was just excited cause I finally had an idea for the sequel my fans have been bugging me for. And what's worse about it is that there were no scene changes, so it's obviously rather jumbled and screwed up if someone thought there were. :( *is bonking herself on the head* You're right, I can do so much better. In fact, I just re-wrote the first chapter and it is already up. That's okay, I'm glad I finally got constructive criticism, unlike what that crazy "Grr..." person said for Soulmates. Oooo, would you please go read Soulmates and tell me in either review or e-mail if I could do better on certain parts??? I like your reviews, they invoke serious thinking on my part. ^.^ dragonlady_kaie@bellsouth.net is where you can reach me. Or cassie_metallium@yahoo.com if you want.
To Tomomi-chan: I would love for you to be my beta-reader, but there's a lil' problem! When I changed my Yahoo ID, I lost your e-mail address, so now I dunno where to send you my chapters! Oh, and just which 'ceres' ID are you talking about? There are, like, 15. O.o;
=====================================================================
Yu-Gi-Oh: Oukoku Kyouou
Chapter Two: In Another World...With Kaiba?!
=====================================================================
"Unnggggh," Jounouchi moaned, grimacing at the dull ache in his body. "What the hell happened?"
"Exactly what I want to know," a deep, calm voice answered his question. Jounouchi sat bolt upright, eyes wide.
"Kaiba!?"
Kaiba smirked. "Yes, mutt?"
Jou snarled at him, an eyebrow twitching in controlled anger. "Watch it, bakayaro."
Kaiba's eyes narrowed at his insult. "You wanna start something here?"
"What if I do?!" Jou challenged, eyes also narrowed. Kaiba chuckled, standing.
"Sorry, but I don't have the time to indulge in time-wasting activities with you. And you don't have the time either. It seems we're in another world."
Jounouchi leapt to his feet, a little too quickly. "WHAT- uuuggggh."
Kaiba barely had time to catch him as he swayed and nearly fell over. Jou shook his head to clear his dizziness.
"Thanks," he muttered, standing up straight. He looked around. They were on a beach, and as Jou looked around, he saw unfamiliar star formations. They beach they were standing on seemed to be abandoned, with woods behind them, and no inhabitants or buildings as far as he could see. "Yeah, you're right. We *are* in another world."
They both realized simultaneously that Kaiba's hands were still on him, and they jerked away hastily.
"Damnit!!" Jou suddenly cursed, remembering his friends. "YUGI!!! YAMI!!! GUYS!!!"
He ran towards the ocean before Kaiba could stop him. Kaiba went after him, cursing at the mutt's unpredictability. And then he smacked right into the boy as Jou stopped, eyes wide.
"Jounouchi?" he inquired when he saw the boy staring. He looked up, and followed Jou's gaze to find that a girl was standing in the water, gazing at them. She had shoulder-length golden-brown hair, and an intriguing eye color that kept alternating between icy blue and warm grass- green depending on how the light hit it. (*blinks for a moment* Wait a minute. She looks like me!! O_O How did _that_ happen!?!?! Rouji: There's just one difference, though. She doesn't have curly hair. Cassie: Hey, you're right.)
"Mirai-san?" Jou called, taking a step towards the girl. Kaiba froze. Mirai? That was the name of...
A tsunami rose up behind the girl, and she stretched a hand out towards them, smiling mysteriously. An invitation to the unknown.
"Look out!!!" Jou shrieked, beginning to run towards her. Despite having only met the girl today, he felt oddly protective of her. As if he really were her father. He made a mental note to do some serious soul- searching later as to why he felt attached to someone who only said they were his child.
"JOUNOUCHI!!!" Kaiba shouted, bolting after the blonde before he could stop himself. The tsunami caved in on them, along with Mirai, and when they opened their eyes again they saw that Mirai was still holding her hand out towards them. Jounouchi struggled to grab her hand, fighting against the ocean, but the current shoved him against Kaiba, and they were both swept away.
Eventually, they hit solid ground, and there was no more water, only air. Both young men gasped for air, and Kaiba helped Jounouchi stand up once they were both calm enough to move.
"What was that?" Jou gasped, holding onto Kaiba for support as he regained his breath. Kaiba shook his head.
"I dunno," he replied honestly. He then inquired hesitantly, as if afraid of the answer, "Who's Mirai?"
"She says she's my future daughter."
Kaiba froze, eyeing him in shock. His heartbeat stopped for a split- second before resuming casually. "A-And you believe her?"
Jou scowled. "I always believe my gut instincts. They're always right, even if my gut *has* been punched a couple times."
Kaiba laughed slightly. Jou stared at him for a moment. Kaiba...was laughing.? And at his joke, no less. Kaiba suddenly quieted, and they stared at each other for a couple of minutes. A voice broke the silence, and they looked around.
So much to do, so little time...
Take your time. Don't be afraid.
The door is still shut.
Now, step forward.
Can you do it?
Kaiba and Jounouchi looked at each other for a moment, and then they stepped forward. Jou cried out, clutching at his ankle just as three pillars shot out of the ground. Kaiba turned to Jou, ignoring the pillars for the moment.
"What's wrong?" he demanded. Jounouchi winced.
"I think I sprained my ankle when the tsunami caved in."
Kaiba nodded, and then suddenly Jounouchi found himself up in Kaiba's arms.
"What are you doing!?!?!" he yelped, blushing. He tried to ignore the other pains besides his ankle, given to him by a certain family member...
"Not letting your foot get hurt more than it is," Kaiba replied simply. He frowned mentally. Jounouchi was way too light, especially for one of his size and age. Something wasn't quite right. Just as he was about to ask Jounouchi about it, the voice spoke once more.
Power sleeps within you.
If you give it form...
It will give you strength.
Choose well.
Then Kaiba decided to look at their surroundings. On one pillar was a sword, on another a shield, and on the other a magic staff. He raised an eyebrow before choosing the magic staff. He was a mage in his past life in Egypt, after all.
The power of the mystic.
Inner strength.
A staff of wonder and ruin.
Is this the power you seek?
"Yes."
The voice was silent, so Kaiba looked at Jou. Jou blinked up at him, and then looked around. There was another magic staff in the pillar Kaiba had just come from. Jounouchi pointed at the sword, and Kaiba maneuvered over to that particular pillar so Jou could pick the blade up.
The power of the warrior.
Invincible courage.
A sword of terrible destruction.
Is this the power you seek?
Jou nodded. "Yup."
Your paths are set.
Their weapons disappeared.
Now, what will you give up in exchange?
Jou and Kaiba shared a questioning look. They both shrugged, and Kaiba made his way to the pillar with a shield on it.
The power of the guardian.
Kindness to aid friends.
A shield to repel all.
Is this the power you give up?
"I never had it," Kaiba muttered. Jounouchi's gaze jerked towards him questioningly.
You've chosen the power of the mystic.
You've given up the power of the guardian.
Is this the form you choose?
"Yes," Kaiba replied.
Once more, the voice was silent, so Kaiba let Jounouchi pick up the magic staff.
The power of the mystic-
"Yeah, yeah, get on with it," Jounouchi snapped. The voice was silent for a moment, before asking, Is this the power you give up?
Jou rolled his eyes. 'Duh!' he thought before saying, "Yes."
The weapons disappeared once more, and then the floor shattered around them. They fell, but landed softly onto the next platform. Before either of them could begin to comprehend, the voice spoke once more as their weapons reappeared.
You've gained the power to fight.
Use this power to protect yourself and others.
Two small, black monsters appeared, slithering towards them maliciously. (Actually, I rather thought they were kinda cute)
"Ack! Put me down!!" Jou cried. Kaiba complied, and then Jou sliced the creature in half while Kaiba merely whacked his staff on top of the other Heartless's head. The two creatures disappeared. (By the way, Kaiba does not have that cheesy short staff with the Mickey Mouse ears on it. It's a longer one. Think of Chichiri's staff from Fushigi Yuugi. No, it does not have mouse ears on it. *shudder*)
There will be times you have to fight.
Keep your light burning strong.
When they had destroyed all the Heartless that appeared, pools of darkness materialized around the floor they stood upon. Both of them frantically searched for an empty area, but it was no use. They were surrounded, with no way out. Their legs sank into the floor until they were both knee-deep, and then suddenly their whole bodies were wrapped in a dark liquid substance.
"Kaiba!!" Jounouchi tried to call out and move towards where Kaiba had been last, but his body was sluggish. The portal was holding him down. Just as suddenly as it had begun, the substance was gone, and Jounouchi rested for a moment, breathing hard. Kaiba appeared over him.
"You ok?" he inquired. Jou nodded, breathless.
"Good," Kaiba said simply, before lifting Jounouchi once more into his arms. He silenced Jou's protests with a glare, and then walked through the door at the end of the platform, which was shining with white light.
Hold on.
They appeared once more on the beach they were in when this craziness first began.
The door won't open just yet.
First, tell me more about yourselves.
Kaiba and Jounouchi looked around. Yugi and Yami were to their left, Ryou and Bakura and their right, and Honda and Anzu in front of them.
"Guys!!" Jou cried joyfully, smiling widely. His smile faded when he saw that no one seemed to recognize him or Kaiba. "Eh...guys?"
"What's most important to you?" Yugi inquired as Kaiba approached him, still holding Jounouchi. Kaiba stopped, looking just as confused as Jou.
"Being number one, your friends and family, or your prized possessions?" Yami supplied. Jounouchi looked at Kaiba.
They both simultaneously replied, "Friends and family."
Yami and Yugi disappeared, and so they moved on to Honda and Anzu.
"What do you want outta life?" Honda inquired.
"To see rare sights, to broaden your horizons, or to be strong?" Anzu supplied their choices. They both had to think on that one.
"Uh...to be strong for Mokuba," Kaiba replied after a moment. Jounouchi thought a few moments longer.
"All of them?" Jounouchi inquired timidly, looking sheepish. Anzu laughed slightly.
"What for?" she replied.
"Er...rare sights are cool, I've always liked broadening my horizons, and I've always wanted to be strong for those I care for."
Anzu smiled at him before disappearing with Honda.
Noble wishes.
Jou blushed while Kaiba carried him over to Ryou and Bakura.
"What are you so afraid of?" Bakura demanded.
"Getting old, being different, or being indecisive?" Ryou finished. Kaiba and Jou blinked for a moment.
"Being indecisive, I guess," Jou replied.
"Me too," Kaiba seconded. The two half-albinos disappeared as well.
You both want friendship and family. One of you wants to be strong for the one he cares for, and the other wants all three choices for both his and others' gain. You are both afraid of being indecisive.
Your adventure begins at dawn. As long as the sun is shining, your journey should be a pleasant one. The day you will open the door is both far off and very near.
"So what the hell d'you suppose *that* means?" Jou mused. A pillar of light appeared around them. They both looked around wildly as their surroundings dissolved into nothingness, only the light remaining the same. They appeared on another platform, with stained glass as the floor.
The closer you get to the light,
The greater your shadow becomes.
They both paled, and whirled around, just as their shadows reared up to form a humongous monster with a heart-shaped chunk missing from it's stomach. Kaiba began to back away, tightening his hold on Jou ever so slightly.
But don't be afraid.
And don't forget...
"Screw the voice, run!" Jou shouted, and Kaiba turned and fled towards the stairs. Just as he reached them, the stairs disappeared. Startled, Kaiba lost his grip on Jou, and the boy began to fall, crying out.
"NO!" Kaiba shouted, grabbing desperately at Jou. At the last moment, his hand snagged Jou's, and the boy hit the edge of the platform with the momentum. Jounouchi winced as his ankle collided. Kaiba hurled Jounouchi back up into his arms, and they both forgot about the humongous creature behind them for a moment.
"Thanks for saving me," Jou spoke softly, his chocolate eyes gazing up into Kaiba's icy blue ones. For a moment, a brief unearthly moment, Kaiba's eyes softened, and his graced Jou with a small smile.
"You're welcome."
Both of their eyes bugged out as an earth-shattering roar rang out from behind them. They both whirled around.
"Something tells me he didn't like being ignored," Jou commented half- heartedly, not the least bit amused. He laughed nervously, looking around for a way out. Kaiba was debating rather un-characteristically if he should hold Jou on the pretense of trying to protect the teen.
"Aw, fuck it," Kaiba snarled as the creature lunged, and he leaped on top of Jou, making them both roll away from the monstrous being. Jou barely had time to flinch from the ache in his foot before he suddenly realized that the both of them were being swallowed up by that sludgy darkness once more. It billowed around them, ensnaring them like the depths of a depression they couldn't hope to wake up from.
"SHIT!!" Jou exclaimed, grabbing hold of Kaiba in a death grip. He half-expected, somewhere in the back of his mind, for Kaiba to pull away and start growling at him, but the CEO did no such thing. The brown-haired young man merely held him closer as both of their worlds blackened.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Author's Notes: MWUAHAHAHAHAH!!! I AM THE EVIL MISTRESS OF CLIFF- HANGERS!!!! HEAR ME ROAR!!!!!!!!!!!! ROOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRR!!!!!!!
Rouji: O__________________________________O OROOOOOOO!?!?!?!?!
Cassie: *blinks* Hey, that's MY word.
Rouji: No, it's Kenshin's.
Cassie: .;; I borrowed it, gosh-darnit!!!! .
Kenshin: Oro? Daijobu desu. (Oro? It's ok/alright)
Cassie: There, see!?!?! Kenshin's COOL!! *glomps aforementioned samurai* *sticks tongue out at Rouji* Unlike SOMEONE I know. :|~
Rouji: *twitch* And just what do you mean by that?! *twitch*
Kenshin: Oro? *blink, blink* *sweatdrop* Anou, Cassie-chan, Sessha can't breathe de gozaru yo.
Cassie: Ah, gomen ne. *loosens her hold on the former Battousai up a bit and sticks tongue out at Rouji once more* Stiff ol' ancient spirit.
Rouji: *twitch, twitch* *leaps*
Cassie and Kenshin at same time: O_O OROOOOOOOOO?!?!?!?!?!? *both are tackled by said ancient spirit*
Rouji: HAHAHAH!!! Now hear ME roar!! ROAR!! NARF-SNARF! Cookies for all!
Bakura: O_O What are you BOTH on?!?
Cassie and Rouji: *look at each other* Oro? *smiles at Bakura, identical peace signs flashing briefly* SLASH!! Slash is good for the soul!!!
Rouji: *adds* And the yami.
Bakura and all fellow Muses: *facevaults*
Kenshin: @___@ Oroooo......
Cassie: Ah, by the way, to Aisha/Jade, if you read this- Rouji beat the snot outta your yami at the Duel Monsters tournament at Comic Universe!!! My yami beat your yami!! Nyah! Mwuahah! ROAR!!
Rouji: Oh, by the way, Leon...I seem to remember you saying something about how you were gonna wipe the smirk off my face when you had 2 Blue Eyes and 2 Summoned Skulls out on the field. *smirks* I believe that was right before I brought out my Waboku army, then my Dark Hole. Oh, and then MY Blue Eyes and Summoned Skull. In other words, I beat your ass into the ground with your own strategy. *Yami-like smirk* And if you try to hurt my aibou for me saying that to you, I will rip off all your appendages one by one, and that includes your third leg. *looks down meaningfully before looking back up*
Cassie: Hhooohhhhh!!! *grimace* Yowch, Rouji-kun, easy on Leon before he comes over and tries to kill you. Er, us. Aisha, I think we need to give our yamis more cookies so they don't kill each other. Oo;; And us. Ne?
