Author's Notes: Sorry it took me so long. Homework marathon. *glares at
teachers*
Disclaimer: *holds up contract proudly* I am the owner of Yu-Gi-Oh!!
Rouji: *cough* Aibou, that's fake.
Cassie: *tears well up* Hontou ni?
Yami: Yup.
Yami Bakura: *nods*
Cassie: *sniff* No fair...on to reviews!
Seventh Sage - Yeah, it does, doesn't it? ~snicker~ Heh..."other dad". Muha! ^^ Actually, I would mind if you killed Xarinya, since I'm leaving that to either Kaiba or Yami. O.o; I think...
Klonoa - Yes, this will be a lot like Kingdom Hearts, HOWEVER, I shall make them go to places OTHER than Disney places. Mwuahahah! The places they go to will be anime/manga/video game based.
Shayarian Draakami - Glad you like! ^__^ And I love the name!
Dark Lady Setsuna - I did e-mail you asking what you were confused about, didn't I? O.o; If I didn't, please let me know. I can be really dumb sometimes.
Yami Bakura: ~cough~ Sometimes?
Cassie: ~evil Yuy Death Glare/Aya's Shi-NE Glare~ You say something?
Yami Bakura: ~whistles~ Nope...
Cassie: You better hope so.
KawaiiBlackMoon - ~laughs~ You're just as random as all my friends!! That's great...you'd fit right in with us in the mornings. We all gather around the one table and just be our insane, rambling, random selves. ^^ Oh, there's a problem with sending Gravvi stuff. GOMEN! My e-mail doesn't like big files, and Gravvi episodes are definitely big. You want me to write the Gravitation episodes like fics for ya? O.o; It might help...I've been thinking about doing that, plus, of course, lil' random thoughts that weren't included. Muha. If you dun want me to do that, just go to www.kazaa.com, download Kazaa, and start downloading Gravitation stuff. Especially the music, which is mostly done by Iceman. ~drools over Iceman~ Wha...they are SOOOO fine!
Wingstar - ~laughs~ Alrighty, here ya go. Glad you like my fic so much!! ^__^
Gin Ryu-chan - ~laughs~ That's what I was like when I started writing the first chapter. I had no idea what I was doing. I think my muses ran away with my fingers... o.o; but, anyway, once I was done, I was like, DUDE!! SEQUEL TO SOULMATES! Do I like KH? Dude, I love KH. It's, like, my favorite video game now. Ooooo, guess what, ya'll?!?!? THERE'S A SEQUEL TO FINAL FANTASY 10 AND IT'S COMING TO AMERICA!!! MWUAHAHAH!!
Princess Strawberry - I love all my fics, so I'm not really sure which one I like better. I love this chapter, but overall Soulmates is my pride and joy! ^^
Yami Princess - Now you know I can't do that. I can't spoil the chapter...but, yes, eventually, they all will meet up again. :P
Iyasu - Yes, I am damned sure I'm the hikari. ~blinks, and grins evilly~ Though sometimes we kinda switch places. Muha. ~blushes at Yami Iyasu's praise~ Oh my. I feel really loved and special. Thanks you two!! ~huggles~
Seventh Sage - ~cracks up with laughter~
Moonnymph - I'll go read your story! Wheeeeeeeeee! ^__^
Yami ChaosGem - Who cares if ya can't spell! It's the thought that counts, right?! ^^ Muha. Anyways, thanks for reviewing, I'm so glad you love my fics, and have fun with this chapter!!
Blazesgirl - ~blushes at praise~ Wow...now I _really_ feel loved!! YAY! ~blinks, and then gets dead serious~ Being gay is not weird, I don't care who the fuck says it is, it's NOT. Some of my best friends are gay/lesbian/bisexual. I don't give a damn, cause they're like my family away from home. If I didn't have them, I don't know what I'd do. They've all helped me in my life. And it doesn't matter what your preference is, because you really damn well can't help who you fall in love with.
Muses: ~in awe~ Wow...extremely strong opinion...
Cassie: No shit, Sherlock. ~is tired of people being mean to her friends cause of their sexuality~
Lain-Fujimiya-Tsukiyono - ~jaw drops~ Oh no you don't!! Give me back Shu- chan and Yuki-sama!! Or...I WON'T COMPLETE THIS STORY!!! BWUAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!! Oh, and by the way, I love Ryu-chan the most. ~glomps Ryuichi and hides him from L-F-T~ My bish...
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Yu-Gi-Oh: Oukoku Kyouou
Chapter Three: Can't Fight the Moonlight
=====================================================================
"He's _still_ not awake?!"
"No. He must've had a pretty nasty fall. You were out for a while too, you know, so I don't want any trash outta your mouth about this kid."
"Trash, huh?"
"Now, now, you two, play nice."
"Stay outta this!"
Jounouchi moaned, grimacing as he slowly became aware of sounds and vibrations all around him.
"Hey, I think he's coming to, you guys!"
Jou's eyes fluttered open into two slits, and he gradually got used to the bright light. Opening his eyes all the way, he realized there were faces above him.
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!" Jou shrieked, bolting upright into a sitting position. His head collided with something hard, and he yelped, along with whatever -er, whoever- he had hit. Jou rubbed fiercely at his head, wincing.
"Jeez, watch it next time, mutt."
Jounouchi's eyes popped open into a fuming glare. "Hey, who's the one who got us into this position?! YOU'RE the one who scared the shit outta me, having your face 5 inches from mine like that!"
Kaiba rolled his eyes. "I should've known that'd be the thanks I'd get for ever daring to worry about you."
Jou paused, blinking rapidly. "You were...worried...?"
"Ne, ne, we're still in the room!!! Mou, such rude people are coming here these days!"
"Rude?!" Jou inquired indignantly, looking around for the source of the voice. It was a girl with dark brown -almost black- hair that framed her face but didn't quite reach shoulder-length, a forest green halter top with blue straps made to look like belts, and a long yellow scarf. She also wore yellow shorts with a blue belt that hung limply around her waist, orange gloves, and orange shoes with faded white knee socks. There was a taller girl next to her, with long chestnut hair tied in the back with a red ribbon, and gentle green eyes. She wore a long, pink, sleeveless dress, two black ribbons for a choker, and brown tennis shoes.
And, over in the corner of the doorway, stood a mysterious guy with long shoulder-length coppery-brown hair, and a scar starting at the top of his nose and coming down near his left eye (from Jou's perspective, it's the right eye). He wore black leather pants, a white shirt, and a black leather jacket. Eyeing the many belts that just hung around the guy's waist and the extremely small mini-belts that were latched onto the guy's right arm, Jounouchi surmised that this guy and Yami could trade fashion tips. There was one thing that especially stood out, though, and that was a lion head on top of a cross hanging from a silver chain around the guy's neck. The same emblem was on the sleeve of the guy's jacket.
"W-Who are you people?" Jou questioned, staring around at them in surprise. The girl with the short brownish-black hair grinned at him cheerfully, flashing a peace sign at him.
"I'm Yuffie Kisaragi!" she announced happily, and then pointed to the girl with the pink dress. "That's my friend, Aerith Gainsborough. And the sulking, brooding guy over in the doorway there is, believe it or not, also my friend. His name's Leon."
Jounouchi raised an eyebrow. "Leon...what?"
"Leon" opened his eyes, revealing ice blue-gray eyes, and gave Jou a cold glare. With a weird shiver that traveled the length of his spine, Jounouchi recognized the glare as the same one Kaiba gave him all the time. Cold and unforgiving, with a spark of emotion behind them that was usually hidden. A deep, searing pain that the person in question refused to show to the world.
"Just Leon," the brown-haired man replied monotonously. Jou shrugged.
"I'm Jounouchi Katsuya," he winked at the girls. "But you can call me Jou. The bastard over there who lives to insult me is Seto Kaiba."
They giggled together like schoolgirls while Kaiba glared menacingly at Jou, who merely grinned in response.
"Don't hate me cause I'm beautiful," Jou joked mockingly, melodramatically placing a hand on his chest and acting feminine. To Jou's immense surprise, Kaiba couldn't hold back a small smile as he chuckled. Confused and shocked, the blonde decided to think about Kaiba's odd behavior later.
"Well, now that the interruptions are over, you can start by explaining why you two have the Keyblades," Leon commented.
Both Kaiba and Jounouchi looked at each other, and then turned to stare at the gathered group of people.
"The what?" they asked simultaneously.
"The Keyblades!" Yuffie repeated impatiently, as if they should know exactly what this meant. Kaiba and Jou just blinked at her until Leon left and then came back moments later with two weapons in his hands. He tossed them at the two otherworlders, who both caught them upon reflex. Jounouchi stared down at the key-shaped blade, and then glanced at Kaiba's weapon. It was a staff with a key-shaped blade at each end. Jou's eyebrows raised as he moved his stare to rest upon the three people.
"And you think we were carrying this?" he inquired flatly. Leon rolled his eyes.
"Well they _were_ clenched in your fists so tight we could barely get them off of you," he commented sarcastically. Jou's eyes narrowed into a glare. Aerith hastily stepped in between them.
"Easy, easy, you guys. There's no need to be at each other's throats like this. Obviously, Leon, Jou-san and Kaiba-san have no clue how they got these blades. But, seeing as how they're from another world, we can only assume that they are the rightful Keyblade Masters."
Jounouchi raised his eyebrows at Kaiba, who shrugged, just as confused.
"We're still in the room, ya know," Jou commented. Aerith hastily bowed.
"Gomen nasai!" she apologized politely. "The Keyblade Masters are the owners of the two Keyblades, which are the weapons to seal the worlds."
Kaiba's eyebrows furrowed. "Worlds?"
Jou frowned. "Mirai said something about that..." he mumbled. "What's with this thing called 'the Door', though?"
All four whipped their heads around to stare at him. Jounouchi shrunk against the wall, eyes wide in question and confusion.
"How do you know about the Door?" Leon demanded.
"A girl named Mirai came to me and my friends, and-" Jou paused. "OH SHIT! I forgot! Have you guys seen two people with blonde, purple, and black hair, that are really short, and two people that have white hair and- "
They all shook their heads. Kaiba sat down next to Jounouchi, whose shoulders had slumped, his bangs shielding his eyes. Kaiba placed a sympathetic hand on Jou's shoulder. Jounouchi once more found himself in his own world. A few weeks ago, he would have flinched away, hissing at Kaiba not to touch him. That was before Kaiba started to act like he actually cared about him.
~*FLASHBACK*~ (Oh, please. You know me. You know it'd come sooner or later.)
Jounouchi stumbled through dark alleys and car-less streets, not caring where he was going, just as long as it was away from him. Jounouchi shivered, whimpering as the images came up unbidden in his mind once more, and he wrapped his arms around himself, wincing at the pain as he tried to walk normally. Feeling more tired and miserable than he'd ever felt in his life, Jou collapsed in front of a large fence. The name embedded on the sign attached to the wall he'd slumped against for support never registered in his mind until the owner of the name rounded a corner and saw him collapsed at the foot of the entrance to his house.
"Jounouchi...?"
Kaiba placed a gentle, comforting hand on Jou's head, but the boy jerked away, panting heavily from the effort. Staring, Kaiba began to become confused and irritated. He stood, sneering.
"If you want to lie there all night in the cold instead of accepting be help, that's fine by me," Kaiba snarled, turning and striding to his front gate.
"...m-matte..." (w-wait) a small voice finally gasped, and Kaiba paused, turning slightly.
"You comin' or not?" Kaiba inquired after staring into the boy's eyes for what had to have been 20 minutes. Jounouchi nodded weakly, and used the wall to drag himself up from his position. Kaiba started forward to help him, but Jounouchi whimpered and flinched away from his hand, utter fear flashing momentarily in his chocolate eyes. The CEO paused, his brain putting the pieces together. His eyes widened, lips parting in shock. Reflexively, Kaiba's head jerked down to the ground, and he saw with horror that there was a small, dark blood red puddle gathering underneath where the blonde stood.
"Oh, God," he mumbled. Jounouchi bit his lip, squeezing his eyes closed. No one was supposed to know.
~*END FLASHBACK*~
Kaiba had helped him out, letting him stay in his house while he recovered his strength. Also, Kaiba had taught him how to use self-defense martial arts. After that, Jounouchi had gone back to his father's house. When the news report showed up on TV that Jou's father was mysteriously killed -possible suicide-, Kaiba merely smirked. Even though they had become semi-friends, both reached an unspoken agreement that they weren't going to mention it again for a long, long time. They continued on much as they had, snapping at each other and generally acting as if they hated the other more than life itself. Though, slowly but surely, the façade was cracking. Soon it would shatter completely.
"Jou...?" Kaiba's voice, unnaturally soft, broke through Jounouchi's thoughts, and he started, looking around.
"What? Sorry, drifted off for a moment there."
Yuffie smiled. "That's okay. I asked you if you two wanted a tour of the town. Perhaps you'd find your friends then."
Jounouchi beamed. "That'd be great!"
=====================================================================
"Remind me never to go on another tour with you ever again," Kaiba commented to the blonde at his side, who had paused in his antics for the merest breadth of a second. Jounouchi grinned at him.
"It's fascinating, though!" the blonde defended himself cheerfully. "You can't say you've ever been to another world before this, can you?"
Kaiba just glared in silence. Jou laughed, following Yuffie, Aerith, and Leon into a bar. Kaiba sighed, and did the same. His eyes bugged out when he registered what he saw. People of all sizes, shapes, and colors littered the bar. Aerith, who had noticed his shocked look, smiled.
"This is where those from other worlds come when the sadness becomes too much for them."
"The sadness of what?" Kaiba inquired curiously. Aerith gave him a small, sorrowful smile.
"Of losing their home, their planet, and their loved ones," she replied, only there was a deeper meaning. Aerith glanced over at Leon, and the CEO understood.
"He lost a loved one, didn't he?" Kaiba questioned softly. Aerith nodded, sighing.
"He loved her very, very much," she replied truthfully, watching Leon sit in a booth in a dark corner. Kaiba nodded before looking around the room once more. His eyes widened slightly in surprise. There was a large group of people with an even larger amount of food between them. Only three were actually eating, but, boy, did they eat. There was a short girl with long fiery hair and crimson eyes, a dumb-looking fellow with long blonde hair and an even longer sword, an extremely short girl with perky ebony hair and a pink-and-white outfit that made him want to gag. And, unless Kaiba's eyes were deceiving him, there was a man sipping coffee who had blue skin, elf ears, wiry lavender hair, and stones embedded into his skin. Not to mention, of course, the girl with a dragon tail and the guy with purple hair floating in the air beside her, taunting her and making faces. (Yes, it is the Slayers Try group, people!)
Kaiba suddenly noticed that there was a group of people over on one side of the room who looked relatively normal. There was a girl with long blonde hair and an innocent yet sad look about her, and a guy with shoulder- length blonde hair beside her who personified the word badass. (MARS!) Jounouchi was no where to be found, however.
"Hey, where's Jounou-" Kaiba stopped mid-sentence as the aforementioned teen popped up out of nowhere, latched onto his wrists, and started tugging him towards the dance floor.
"C'mon, Kaiba, dance!" Jou cried jovially. A look of pure horror crossed the brown-haired boy's face.
"Hell no," Kaiba replied, yanking his hands away. Jou pouted childishly, sticking out his bottom lip and making his eyes go wide in an innocent look. Kaiba groaned.
"Not the puppy dog look," he moaned. Jou grinned evilly, breaking the spell.
"Fine then, if you won't dance, then I will."
'Why do I have a bad feeling about this?' Kaiba asked himself as Jounouchi disappeared from his side. He glanced around the room and saw a sign above the bar advertising a singing and dancing contest for money...er, munny.
"Everyone!" someone boomed loudly, and the whole room went quiet, along with the music. "Here is the first contestant of tonight for our singing and dancing contest. His name is...Jounouchi Katsuya!"
"He says he has a special song to sing for a very special friend," the announcer declared, handing the microphone over to the blonde. Jou flashed a grin at Kaiba, meeting his eyes mischievously.
His heart sank. 'Oh, God.'
"Yo, Kaiba-man, this one's for you! You need to learn to loosen up a little, and maybe this'll help!"
An eyebrow raised as music started. Jou's hips began to sway as the teen made his way over to Kaiba while singing.
"Under a lovers' sky,
Gonna be with you,
And no one's gonna be around...
If you think that you won't fall,
Well, just wait until...
'Till the sun goes down...
Underneath the starlight - starlight,
There's a magical feeling - so right,
It will steal your heart tonight..."
Jounouchi began to dance around him suggestively. Kaiba could feel himself blushing, but he just stood there, glaring evilly at the blonde.
"You can try to resist,
Try to hide from my kiss,
But you know, but you know
That you can't fight the moonlight...
Deep in the dark,
You'll surrender your heart..."
Here Jounouchi leaned in close, singing in his ear. Kaiba shivered slightly at the hot breath on his ear and neck.
"But you know, but you know
That you can't fight the moonlight..."
Jounouchi danced away, out of reach. Kaiba swallowed hard, feeling the heat in his cheeks migrating to other places.
'Oh no you don't,' he thought. 'Stop that now, Kaiba.'
"No, you can't fight it,
It's gonna get to your heart...
There's no escape from love...
Was a gentle breeze,
Weaves it's spell upon your heart...
No matter what you think,
It won't be too long,
'Till you're in my arms..."
Jou seductively wrapped his arms around Kaiba's waist from behind, singing the next three lines next to his ear, hot breath stirring his shoulder- length brown locks of hair. (Oh, um, yeah, forgot to mention. Kaiba and Jou grew their hair out long. In my side-story elaborating on the flashback scene, this will be explained.)
"Underneath the starlight - starlight,
We'll be lost in the rhythm - so right,
Feel it steal your heart tonight."
Jounouchi pulled away, and Kaiba bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from moaning in frustration.
"You can try to resist,
Try to hide from my kiss..." Jounouchi leaned in, placing a quick kiss on Kaiba's cheek before twirling away, dancing to the beat.
"But you know, but you know
That you can't fight the moonlight...
Deep in the dark,
You'll surrender your heart...
But you know, but you know
That you can't fight the moonlight...
No, you can't fight it,
No matter what you do,
The night is gonna get to you!"
Dimly, Kaiba could hear catcalls and whistles from those gathered in the bar, but all of his being was focused on the gorgeous angel in front of him that had collapsed upon his doorstep after falling from heaven and being violated.
"Don't try,
You're never gonna win...oh...
Underneath the starlight - starlight,
There's a magical feeling - so right,
It will steal your heart tonight...
You can try to resist,
Try to hide from my kiss...
But you know, but you know
That you can't fight the moonlight...
Deep in the dark,
You'll surrender your heart,
But you know, but you know
That you can't fight the moonlight...
No, you can't fight it..."
Jounouchi repeated the chorus, and ended with, "It's gonna get to your heart!"
Not to mention he placed a brief kiss on Kaiba's lips, making the CEO tense, his eyes wide. Jounouchi grinned before turning to his cheering fans, bowing and lifting his hands into the air.
Kaiba made a hasty retreat when no one was looking, and climbed his way onto the rooftop, taking deep, calming breaths.
He swallowed. "Get a hold of yourself, Kaiba..." he muttered, trying to think of extremely non-arousing things. Once he had calmed down, he threw his head back, staring at the stars.
"You love him, don't you?"
Kaiba nearly fell off the roof in shock as Leon's deep voice rang out from behind him. He steadied himself before glaring at Leon.
"What in the world makes you suggest something as stupid as that?! And don't sneak up on people. You scared the shit outta me."
Leon smirked. "I made enough noise to wake a sleeping barn. And I can see it in your eyes. Plus, it takes one man in love to know another."
Kaiba saw no point in denying any of what was just said. "Rinoa?"
Leon frowned. "Aerith has been talking again. No, I love Rinoa-chan as a sister. No one knows of my love for my childhood rival, Seifer."
Kaiba snorted. "We really do have a lot in common. Jounouchi is kind of like a second rival. He is a good friend of my rival in Duel Monsters."
"Eh?"
"Oh...uh...Duel Monsters is a card game we play in our world. It was real, once, with the monsters coming to life. Now it's just holograms...I think..." Kaiba suddenly doubted everything that he had dismissed because of its possible magical qualities. Leon nodded, coming to sit beside Kaiba.
"When did you figure it out?"
Kaiba was silent for a moment, thinking. "I dunno. I think it was...always there...I just...never took the time to acknowledge it. When something bad happened to Jou-kun, I took him into my house and helped him through it. We became really close, and I think that's when it finally hit me."
Leon chuckled. "That happened to me too, in a way. It just builds and builds until it slaps you in the face and screams 'wake up'! Seifer and I used to be friends, but then this huge rivalry broke us apart. We'd fight almost every day. This scar on my face? That came from him. It hurt more inside than on the outside, and in a rage I dealt a matching scar on his face as well. It's the opposite direction from mine, though."
Now, if Kaiba had known Leon for as long as Yuffie and Aerith, he would have been shocked that Leon had said so much, and been so open. But Leon saw a kind of mirror image of himself within Kaiba, and he vowed to help Kaiba and Jounouchi's relationship. There was silence for a long time.
"Hey, you guys!! We came here to party, not to sit around stargazing!!" Jounouchi's voice suddenly came from the other end of the roof, startling the two brunettes out of their reverie.
"Yeah!! Get up, ya lazy bums!" Yuffie added, her head popping up next to Jounouchi's. Kaiba and Leon chuckled slightly, standing and going over to their friends.
'The only thing I can do is keep it quiet. If Jou is happy not knowing, then I'll be happy with knowing that,' Kaiba thought as he followed Leon off the roof.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Author's Notes: Wowwww...I'm not very happy with that ending, though I think my reviewers will be, since it's not a cliffhanger. O.o; Anyway, as of now my Duo-muse is burnt out, so we're moving on to other stories. Don't expect another chapter for quite some time. ~bows~ Gomen.
On a much lighter note, my Duo-muse may be burnt out with Eyes On Me, Reality Splits Apart, and Oukoku Kyouou, HOWEVER, he will be helping me with a side story to this, telling the full tale of Jounouchi being raped, and what Kaiba did to help. And also how they fell in love. ~grins~
Disclaimer: *holds up contract proudly* I am the owner of Yu-Gi-Oh!!
Rouji: *cough* Aibou, that's fake.
Cassie: *tears well up* Hontou ni?
Yami: Yup.
Yami Bakura: *nods*
Cassie: *sniff* No fair...on to reviews!
Seventh Sage - Yeah, it does, doesn't it? ~snicker~ Heh..."other dad". Muha! ^^ Actually, I would mind if you killed Xarinya, since I'm leaving that to either Kaiba or Yami. O.o; I think...
Klonoa - Yes, this will be a lot like Kingdom Hearts, HOWEVER, I shall make them go to places OTHER than Disney places. Mwuahahah! The places they go to will be anime/manga/video game based.
Shayarian Draakami - Glad you like! ^__^ And I love the name!
Dark Lady Setsuna - I did e-mail you asking what you were confused about, didn't I? O.o; If I didn't, please let me know. I can be really dumb sometimes.
Yami Bakura: ~cough~ Sometimes?
Cassie: ~evil Yuy Death Glare/Aya's Shi-NE Glare~ You say something?
Yami Bakura: ~whistles~ Nope...
Cassie: You better hope so.
KawaiiBlackMoon - ~laughs~ You're just as random as all my friends!! That's great...you'd fit right in with us in the mornings. We all gather around the one table and just be our insane, rambling, random selves. ^^ Oh, there's a problem with sending Gravvi stuff. GOMEN! My e-mail doesn't like big files, and Gravvi episodes are definitely big. You want me to write the Gravitation episodes like fics for ya? O.o; It might help...I've been thinking about doing that, plus, of course, lil' random thoughts that weren't included. Muha. If you dun want me to do that, just go to www.kazaa.com, download Kazaa, and start downloading Gravitation stuff. Especially the music, which is mostly done by Iceman. ~drools over Iceman~ Wha...they are SOOOO fine!
Wingstar - ~laughs~ Alrighty, here ya go. Glad you like my fic so much!! ^__^
Gin Ryu-chan - ~laughs~ That's what I was like when I started writing the first chapter. I had no idea what I was doing. I think my muses ran away with my fingers... o.o; but, anyway, once I was done, I was like, DUDE!! SEQUEL TO SOULMATES! Do I like KH? Dude, I love KH. It's, like, my favorite video game now. Ooooo, guess what, ya'll?!?!? THERE'S A SEQUEL TO FINAL FANTASY 10 AND IT'S COMING TO AMERICA!!! MWUAHAHAH!!
Princess Strawberry - I love all my fics, so I'm not really sure which one I like better. I love this chapter, but overall Soulmates is my pride and joy! ^^
Yami Princess - Now you know I can't do that. I can't spoil the chapter...but, yes, eventually, they all will meet up again. :P
Iyasu - Yes, I am damned sure I'm the hikari. ~blinks, and grins evilly~ Though sometimes we kinda switch places. Muha. ~blushes at Yami Iyasu's praise~ Oh my. I feel really loved and special. Thanks you two!! ~huggles~
Seventh Sage - ~cracks up with laughter~
Moonnymph - I'll go read your story! Wheeeeeeeeee! ^__^
Yami ChaosGem - Who cares if ya can't spell! It's the thought that counts, right?! ^^ Muha. Anyways, thanks for reviewing, I'm so glad you love my fics, and have fun with this chapter!!
Blazesgirl - ~blushes at praise~ Wow...now I _really_ feel loved!! YAY! ~blinks, and then gets dead serious~ Being gay is not weird, I don't care who the fuck says it is, it's NOT. Some of my best friends are gay/lesbian/bisexual. I don't give a damn, cause they're like my family away from home. If I didn't have them, I don't know what I'd do. They've all helped me in my life. And it doesn't matter what your preference is, because you really damn well can't help who you fall in love with.
Muses: ~in awe~ Wow...extremely strong opinion...
Cassie: No shit, Sherlock. ~is tired of people being mean to her friends cause of their sexuality~
Lain-Fujimiya-Tsukiyono - ~jaw drops~ Oh no you don't!! Give me back Shu- chan and Yuki-sama!! Or...I WON'T COMPLETE THIS STORY!!! BWUAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!! Oh, and by the way, I love Ryu-chan the most. ~glomps Ryuichi and hides him from L-F-T~ My bish...
=====================================================================
Yu-Gi-Oh: Oukoku Kyouou
Chapter Three: Can't Fight the Moonlight
=====================================================================
"He's _still_ not awake?!"
"No. He must've had a pretty nasty fall. You were out for a while too, you know, so I don't want any trash outta your mouth about this kid."
"Trash, huh?"
"Now, now, you two, play nice."
"Stay outta this!"
Jounouchi moaned, grimacing as he slowly became aware of sounds and vibrations all around him.
"Hey, I think he's coming to, you guys!"
Jou's eyes fluttered open into two slits, and he gradually got used to the bright light. Opening his eyes all the way, he realized there were faces above him.
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!" Jou shrieked, bolting upright into a sitting position. His head collided with something hard, and he yelped, along with whatever -er, whoever- he had hit. Jou rubbed fiercely at his head, wincing.
"Jeez, watch it next time, mutt."
Jounouchi's eyes popped open into a fuming glare. "Hey, who's the one who got us into this position?! YOU'RE the one who scared the shit outta me, having your face 5 inches from mine like that!"
Kaiba rolled his eyes. "I should've known that'd be the thanks I'd get for ever daring to worry about you."
Jou paused, blinking rapidly. "You were...worried...?"
"Ne, ne, we're still in the room!!! Mou, such rude people are coming here these days!"
"Rude?!" Jou inquired indignantly, looking around for the source of the voice. It was a girl with dark brown -almost black- hair that framed her face but didn't quite reach shoulder-length, a forest green halter top with blue straps made to look like belts, and a long yellow scarf. She also wore yellow shorts with a blue belt that hung limply around her waist, orange gloves, and orange shoes with faded white knee socks. There was a taller girl next to her, with long chestnut hair tied in the back with a red ribbon, and gentle green eyes. She wore a long, pink, sleeveless dress, two black ribbons for a choker, and brown tennis shoes.
And, over in the corner of the doorway, stood a mysterious guy with long shoulder-length coppery-brown hair, and a scar starting at the top of his nose and coming down near his left eye (from Jou's perspective, it's the right eye). He wore black leather pants, a white shirt, and a black leather jacket. Eyeing the many belts that just hung around the guy's waist and the extremely small mini-belts that were latched onto the guy's right arm, Jounouchi surmised that this guy and Yami could trade fashion tips. There was one thing that especially stood out, though, and that was a lion head on top of a cross hanging from a silver chain around the guy's neck. The same emblem was on the sleeve of the guy's jacket.
"W-Who are you people?" Jou questioned, staring around at them in surprise. The girl with the short brownish-black hair grinned at him cheerfully, flashing a peace sign at him.
"I'm Yuffie Kisaragi!" she announced happily, and then pointed to the girl with the pink dress. "That's my friend, Aerith Gainsborough. And the sulking, brooding guy over in the doorway there is, believe it or not, also my friend. His name's Leon."
Jounouchi raised an eyebrow. "Leon...what?"
"Leon" opened his eyes, revealing ice blue-gray eyes, and gave Jou a cold glare. With a weird shiver that traveled the length of his spine, Jounouchi recognized the glare as the same one Kaiba gave him all the time. Cold and unforgiving, with a spark of emotion behind them that was usually hidden. A deep, searing pain that the person in question refused to show to the world.
"Just Leon," the brown-haired man replied monotonously. Jou shrugged.
"I'm Jounouchi Katsuya," he winked at the girls. "But you can call me Jou. The bastard over there who lives to insult me is Seto Kaiba."
They giggled together like schoolgirls while Kaiba glared menacingly at Jou, who merely grinned in response.
"Don't hate me cause I'm beautiful," Jou joked mockingly, melodramatically placing a hand on his chest and acting feminine. To Jou's immense surprise, Kaiba couldn't hold back a small smile as he chuckled. Confused and shocked, the blonde decided to think about Kaiba's odd behavior later.
"Well, now that the interruptions are over, you can start by explaining why you two have the Keyblades," Leon commented.
Both Kaiba and Jounouchi looked at each other, and then turned to stare at the gathered group of people.
"The what?" they asked simultaneously.
"The Keyblades!" Yuffie repeated impatiently, as if they should know exactly what this meant. Kaiba and Jou just blinked at her until Leon left and then came back moments later with two weapons in his hands. He tossed them at the two otherworlders, who both caught them upon reflex. Jounouchi stared down at the key-shaped blade, and then glanced at Kaiba's weapon. It was a staff with a key-shaped blade at each end. Jou's eyebrows raised as he moved his stare to rest upon the three people.
"And you think we were carrying this?" he inquired flatly. Leon rolled his eyes.
"Well they _were_ clenched in your fists so tight we could barely get them off of you," he commented sarcastically. Jou's eyes narrowed into a glare. Aerith hastily stepped in between them.
"Easy, easy, you guys. There's no need to be at each other's throats like this. Obviously, Leon, Jou-san and Kaiba-san have no clue how they got these blades. But, seeing as how they're from another world, we can only assume that they are the rightful Keyblade Masters."
Jounouchi raised his eyebrows at Kaiba, who shrugged, just as confused.
"We're still in the room, ya know," Jou commented. Aerith hastily bowed.
"Gomen nasai!" she apologized politely. "The Keyblade Masters are the owners of the two Keyblades, which are the weapons to seal the worlds."
Kaiba's eyebrows furrowed. "Worlds?"
Jou frowned. "Mirai said something about that..." he mumbled. "What's with this thing called 'the Door', though?"
All four whipped their heads around to stare at him. Jounouchi shrunk against the wall, eyes wide in question and confusion.
"How do you know about the Door?" Leon demanded.
"A girl named Mirai came to me and my friends, and-" Jou paused. "OH SHIT! I forgot! Have you guys seen two people with blonde, purple, and black hair, that are really short, and two people that have white hair and- "
They all shook their heads. Kaiba sat down next to Jounouchi, whose shoulders had slumped, his bangs shielding his eyes. Kaiba placed a sympathetic hand on Jou's shoulder. Jounouchi once more found himself in his own world. A few weeks ago, he would have flinched away, hissing at Kaiba not to touch him. That was before Kaiba started to act like he actually cared about him.
~*FLASHBACK*~ (Oh, please. You know me. You know it'd come sooner or later.)
Jounouchi stumbled through dark alleys and car-less streets, not caring where he was going, just as long as it was away from him. Jounouchi shivered, whimpering as the images came up unbidden in his mind once more, and he wrapped his arms around himself, wincing at the pain as he tried to walk normally. Feeling more tired and miserable than he'd ever felt in his life, Jou collapsed in front of a large fence. The name embedded on the sign attached to the wall he'd slumped against for support never registered in his mind until the owner of the name rounded a corner and saw him collapsed at the foot of the entrance to his house.
"Jounouchi...?"
Kaiba placed a gentle, comforting hand on Jou's head, but the boy jerked away, panting heavily from the effort. Staring, Kaiba began to become confused and irritated. He stood, sneering.
"If you want to lie there all night in the cold instead of accepting be help, that's fine by me," Kaiba snarled, turning and striding to his front gate.
"...m-matte..." (w-wait) a small voice finally gasped, and Kaiba paused, turning slightly.
"You comin' or not?" Kaiba inquired after staring into the boy's eyes for what had to have been 20 minutes. Jounouchi nodded weakly, and used the wall to drag himself up from his position. Kaiba started forward to help him, but Jounouchi whimpered and flinched away from his hand, utter fear flashing momentarily in his chocolate eyes. The CEO paused, his brain putting the pieces together. His eyes widened, lips parting in shock. Reflexively, Kaiba's head jerked down to the ground, and he saw with horror that there was a small, dark blood red puddle gathering underneath where the blonde stood.
"Oh, God," he mumbled. Jounouchi bit his lip, squeezing his eyes closed. No one was supposed to know.
~*END FLASHBACK*~
Kaiba had helped him out, letting him stay in his house while he recovered his strength. Also, Kaiba had taught him how to use self-defense martial arts. After that, Jounouchi had gone back to his father's house. When the news report showed up on TV that Jou's father was mysteriously killed -possible suicide-, Kaiba merely smirked. Even though they had become semi-friends, both reached an unspoken agreement that they weren't going to mention it again for a long, long time. They continued on much as they had, snapping at each other and generally acting as if they hated the other more than life itself. Though, slowly but surely, the façade was cracking. Soon it would shatter completely.
"Jou...?" Kaiba's voice, unnaturally soft, broke through Jounouchi's thoughts, and he started, looking around.
"What? Sorry, drifted off for a moment there."
Yuffie smiled. "That's okay. I asked you if you two wanted a tour of the town. Perhaps you'd find your friends then."
Jounouchi beamed. "That'd be great!"
=====================================================================
"Remind me never to go on another tour with you ever again," Kaiba commented to the blonde at his side, who had paused in his antics for the merest breadth of a second. Jounouchi grinned at him.
"It's fascinating, though!" the blonde defended himself cheerfully. "You can't say you've ever been to another world before this, can you?"
Kaiba just glared in silence. Jou laughed, following Yuffie, Aerith, and Leon into a bar. Kaiba sighed, and did the same. His eyes bugged out when he registered what he saw. People of all sizes, shapes, and colors littered the bar. Aerith, who had noticed his shocked look, smiled.
"This is where those from other worlds come when the sadness becomes too much for them."
"The sadness of what?" Kaiba inquired curiously. Aerith gave him a small, sorrowful smile.
"Of losing their home, their planet, and their loved ones," she replied, only there was a deeper meaning. Aerith glanced over at Leon, and the CEO understood.
"He lost a loved one, didn't he?" Kaiba questioned softly. Aerith nodded, sighing.
"He loved her very, very much," she replied truthfully, watching Leon sit in a booth in a dark corner. Kaiba nodded before looking around the room once more. His eyes widened slightly in surprise. There was a large group of people with an even larger amount of food between them. Only three were actually eating, but, boy, did they eat. There was a short girl with long fiery hair and crimson eyes, a dumb-looking fellow with long blonde hair and an even longer sword, an extremely short girl with perky ebony hair and a pink-and-white outfit that made him want to gag. And, unless Kaiba's eyes were deceiving him, there was a man sipping coffee who had blue skin, elf ears, wiry lavender hair, and stones embedded into his skin. Not to mention, of course, the girl with a dragon tail and the guy with purple hair floating in the air beside her, taunting her and making faces. (Yes, it is the Slayers Try group, people!)
Kaiba suddenly noticed that there was a group of people over on one side of the room who looked relatively normal. There was a girl with long blonde hair and an innocent yet sad look about her, and a guy with shoulder- length blonde hair beside her who personified the word badass. (MARS!) Jounouchi was no where to be found, however.
"Hey, where's Jounou-" Kaiba stopped mid-sentence as the aforementioned teen popped up out of nowhere, latched onto his wrists, and started tugging him towards the dance floor.
"C'mon, Kaiba, dance!" Jou cried jovially. A look of pure horror crossed the brown-haired boy's face.
"Hell no," Kaiba replied, yanking his hands away. Jou pouted childishly, sticking out his bottom lip and making his eyes go wide in an innocent look. Kaiba groaned.
"Not the puppy dog look," he moaned. Jou grinned evilly, breaking the spell.
"Fine then, if you won't dance, then I will."
'Why do I have a bad feeling about this?' Kaiba asked himself as Jounouchi disappeared from his side. He glanced around the room and saw a sign above the bar advertising a singing and dancing contest for money...er, munny.
"Everyone!" someone boomed loudly, and the whole room went quiet, along with the music. "Here is the first contestant of tonight for our singing and dancing contest. His name is...Jounouchi Katsuya!"
"He says he has a special song to sing for a very special friend," the announcer declared, handing the microphone over to the blonde. Jou flashed a grin at Kaiba, meeting his eyes mischievously.
His heart sank. 'Oh, God.'
"Yo, Kaiba-man, this one's for you! You need to learn to loosen up a little, and maybe this'll help!"
An eyebrow raised as music started. Jou's hips began to sway as the teen made his way over to Kaiba while singing.
"Under a lovers' sky,
Gonna be with you,
And no one's gonna be around...
If you think that you won't fall,
Well, just wait until...
'Till the sun goes down...
Underneath the starlight - starlight,
There's a magical feeling - so right,
It will steal your heart tonight..."
Jounouchi began to dance around him suggestively. Kaiba could feel himself blushing, but he just stood there, glaring evilly at the blonde.
"You can try to resist,
Try to hide from my kiss,
But you know, but you know
That you can't fight the moonlight...
Deep in the dark,
You'll surrender your heart..."
Here Jounouchi leaned in close, singing in his ear. Kaiba shivered slightly at the hot breath on his ear and neck.
"But you know, but you know
That you can't fight the moonlight..."
Jounouchi danced away, out of reach. Kaiba swallowed hard, feeling the heat in his cheeks migrating to other places.
'Oh no you don't,' he thought. 'Stop that now, Kaiba.'
"No, you can't fight it,
It's gonna get to your heart...
There's no escape from love...
Was a gentle breeze,
Weaves it's spell upon your heart...
No matter what you think,
It won't be too long,
'Till you're in my arms..."
Jou seductively wrapped his arms around Kaiba's waist from behind, singing the next three lines next to his ear, hot breath stirring his shoulder- length brown locks of hair. (Oh, um, yeah, forgot to mention. Kaiba and Jou grew their hair out long. In my side-story elaborating on the flashback scene, this will be explained.)
"Underneath the starlight - starlight,
We'll be lost in the rhythm - so right,
Feel it steal your heart tonight."
Jounouchi pulled away, and Kaiba bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from moaning in frustration.
"You can try to resist,
Try to hide from my kiss..." Jounouchi leaned in, placing a quick kiss on Kaiba's cheek before twirling away, dancing to the beat.
"But you know, but you know
That you can't fight the moonlight...
Deep in the dark,
You'll surrender your heart...
But you know, but you know
That you can't fight the moonlight...
No, you can't fight it,
No matter what you do,
The night is gonna get to you!"
Dimly, Kaiba could hear catcalls and whistles from those gathered in the bar, but all of his being was focused on the gorgeous angel in front of him that had collapsed upon his doorstep after falling from heaven and being violated.
"Don't try,
You're never gonna win...oh...
Underneath the starlight - starlight,
There's a magical feeling - so right,
It will steal your heart tonight...
You can try to resist,
Try to hide from my kiss...
But you know, but you know
That you can't fight the moonlight...
Deep in the dark,
You'll surrender your heart,
But you know, but you know
That you can't fight the moonlight...
No, you can't fight it..."
Jounouchi repeated the chorus, and ended with, "It's gonna get to your heart!"
Not to mention he placed a brief kiss on Kaiba's lips, making the CEO tense, his eyes wide. Jounouchi grinned before turning to his cheering fans, bowing and lifting his hands into the air.
Kaiba made a hasty retreat when no one was looking, and climbed his way onto the rooftop, taking deep, calming breaths.
He swallowed. "Get a hold of yourself, Kaiba..." he muttered, trying to think of extremely non-arousing things. Once he had calmed down, he threw his head back, staring at the stars.
"You love him, don't you?"
Kaiba nearly fell off the roof in shock as Leon's deep voice rang out from behind him. He steadied himself before glaring at Leon.
"What in the world makes you suggest something as stupid as that?! And don't sneak up on people. You scared the shit outta me."
Leon smirked. "I made enough noise to wake a sleeping barn. And I can see it in your eyes. Plus, it takes one man in love to know another."
Kaiba saw no point in denying any of what was just said. "Rinoa?"
Leon frowned. "Aerith has been talking again. No, I love Rinoa-chan as a sister. No one knows of my love for my childhood rival, Seifer."
Kaiba snorted. "We really do have a lot in common. Jounouchi is kind of like a second rival. He is a good friend of my rival in Duel Monsters."
"Eh?"
"Oh...uh...Duel Monsters is a card game we play in our world. It was real, once, with the monsters coming to life. Now it's just holograms...I think..." Kaiba suddenly doubted everything that he had dismissed because of its possible magical qualities. Leon nodded, coming to sit beside Kaiba.
"When did you figure it out?"
Kaiba was silent for a moment, thinking. "I dunno. I think it was...always there...I just...never took the time to acknowledge it. When something bad happened to Jou-kun, I took him into my house and helped him through it. We became really close, and I think that's when it finally hit me."
Leon chuckled. "That happened to me too, in a way. It just builds and builds until it slaps you in the face and screams 'wake up'! Seifer and I used to be friends, but then this huge rivalry broke us apart. We'd fight almost every day. This scar on my face? That came from him. It hurt more inside than on the outside, and in a rage I dealt a matching scar on his face as well. It's the opposite direction from mine, though."
Now, if Kaiba had known Leon for as long as Yuffie and Aerith, he would have been shocked that Leon had said so much, and been so open. But Leon saw a kind of mirror image of himself within Kaiba, and he vowed to help Kaiba and Jounouchi's relationship. There was silence for a long time.
"Hey, you guys!! We came here to party, not to sit around stargazing!!" Jounouchi's voice suddenly came from the other end of the roof, startling the two brunettes out of their reverie.
"Yeah!! Get up, ya lazy bums!" Yuffie added, her head popping up next to Jounouchi's. Kaiba and Leon chuckled slightly, standing and going over to their friends.
'The only thing I can do is keep it quiet. If Jou is happy not knowing, then I'll be happy with knowing that,' Kaiba thought as he followed Leon off the roof.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Author's Notes: Wowwww...I'm not very happy with that ending, though I think my reviewers will be, since it's not a cliffhanger. O.o; Anyway, as of now my Duo-muse is burnt out, so we're moving on to other stories. Don't expect another chapter for quite some time. ~bows~ Gomen.
On a much lighter note, my Duo-muse may be burnt out with Eyes On Me, Reality Splits Apart, and Oukoku Kyouou, HOWEVER, he will be helping me with a side story to this, telling the full tale of Jounouchi being raped, and what Kaiba did to help. And also how they fell in love. ~grins~
