Summary: Tragedy strikes. Joey Wheeler is gone forever. Or is he? Joey POV. Post Duelist Kingdom AU. Will eventually be Seto/Joey shounen-ai.
Author's Notes: Well, I thought I'd try writing a YuGiOh fic. And it's still going. And whoa, still going. But it'll be over soon!
Sorry for the late chapter! Something came up and I couldn't update. When I finally got back on the computer, over 800 reviews... Thanks for still reading ^_^
Asaga: Thanks! They'll need some of that stuff ^_^
bigfuzzydiceperson: Sorry!
Chibi-chan: I watched that movie a long time ago. I remember crying because I thought the Goblin King's hair was scary. Err... I was pretty young at the time *cough*. The stairs thing stayed with me.
Chisa and Neko: Nope, the eggs and cows are fine.
IntelagentBlond: Nope, I don't post anywhere but ff.net. I used to post stuff on my website, but I haven't touched it since 1999. FF.net is 'busy' a lot. I usually wait a day or two before trying to read a 'busy' chapter again.
Kimmie: The doors might be good for something if I ever write a sequel!
Kurai chan: Don't know. They're being stubborn...
Kyra Windwood: *digs some more ice cream out of the freezer* Enjoy! And I think it would be a bit pointless to email when I update. The chapter usually doesn't show up for a few hours, anyway. Just assume that it'll be there sometime tomorrow. Well, except for yesterday... ^_^;;;
LukeSkywalker'sLady's little brother: Glad you like this story! I hope your big sister's minor editing for language doesn't bother you too much! And yes, cliffhangers are evil, no argument there. I can't help it, it's a habit I can't shake now :(
Sheron: A long time ago, I wrote a few FF7, one short Muraki pov, a stack of Gundam Wing, and an Outlaw Star. They all suck, trust me on this :P I don't have a LifeJournal... What is it?
YAMIGIRL: Not a fan of lemons, eh?
Again, my apologies for not updating yesterday. I'll try to not do that again :P
Warnings: Character death (sort of), language, angst, eventual Seto/Joey.
Disclaimers: I don't own YuGiOh or any other brand names you might come across. No cough drops were harmed in the making of this fic.
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Being Dead Ain't Easy
Chapter Thirty: I Wish We Never Woke Up
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Me and Kaiba leap through the door, him first, then me. This one's nothing like the other doors we tried. It's like ridin' a roller coaster and getting stuffed in a blender at the same time. The world kinda ripples around me and I'm on the other side. Kaiba must be too.
Everything snaps into focus. I'm staring up at Bakura's dome. It worked.
But I can't move.
Don't tell me we went through all that and I still can't move.
WHY!? I feel fine, I feel great, but I'm stiffer than a piece of cardboard! It's like I'm totally numb all over.
'Kaiba!' I try to shout, but I don't think I make a sound.
"-won't... get away... with this... Bakura." Yami Yuugi. He sounds like he's gonna pass out any second.
"Oh, you're still conscious?" Yami Bakura. "How impressive. All your little friends collapsed a few minutes ago."
"I... won't fall... so easily, backstabber!" he snarls. But it's weak.
A snort. "Backstabber? I think not. I have performed the ritual to the best of my ability. Its failure is no concern of mine." He pauses. "The brat is unharmed, as I have promised. I won't get what I want from the Priest, true, but your Millennium Puzzle is well worth the trouble I have gone through." Yuugi! Damn! "Remove it, and I will consider sparing your host."
"...I know... you. You'll take... the Puzzle... and kill Yuugi." A beat. "Never. I won't let you."
Yami Bakura chuckles. "You are in no position to stop me, Pharaoh. If you will not give me your Puzzle, I will simply have to take it from your cooling body."
NO! HE CAN'T! HE CAN'T! I scream in my head. This is all my fault. Yuugi's gonna die and it's all my fault...!
Somebody's gotta do something!
I hear a groan from someplace near my head.
Seto?
...Ugh... what did I drink...?
What was that?
...Joey?
I'm hearing voices in my head and it sounds like Kaiba. I must've snapped while I wasn't looking.
Why am I hearing that chihuahua in my head...? This is up there with that dream about the stairs… I'll get that Egyptian for this...
This is real! The dream was real! Our spirits or something must've been sucked... somewhere! Kaiba! Kaiba, do something! Yuugi's in trouble! KAIBA!
Another groan.
I feel so bad it must be real. I don't think you can feel pain in dreams.
You've gotta help Yuugi! GET UP!
...Too tired. If it's such a big deal, why don't YOU go rescue him?
I CAN'T FUCKING MOVE, KAIBA!
Well, neither can I, so we're even, dog in my head!
Okay, I've gotta be nice and understanding here. He's totally beat up and maybe Tristan whacked him in that oversized head of his a few times.
I heard that.
This hearing thoughts thing is gonna be a pain in the butt, I just know it.
You simply have poor mental discipline.
You... Never mind, that doesn't matter right now! Kaiba... Seto... Listen, Bakura's gonna kill Yuugi and swipe his Puzzle. Your brother's lyin' there somewhere, passed out. Tea and Tristan, too. They need you. Mokuba needs you.
Mokuba...
Yeah. Try to get up. Please, Seto.
I hear something rustle. A hiss of pain.
I'm up. Happy?
Kinda. What do ya see?
MOKUBA!
He's gonna be okay, Kaiba! WHERE'S BAKURA!?
He's... standing over your friend with a knife.
...He's WHAT!?
You heard me. I think. A pause. Where the hell are you? I can't see you anywhere.
You can't..? Forget that! DO SOMETHING!
Do what!? I'm not exactly up to hand-to-hand combat right now, chihuahua!
I... I don't know.
I... Mental sigh. Fine. The things I do for you, Wheeler...
He coughs. "Ba... Bakura!" Seto croaks out, getting his attention.
"...Priest. You're still alive, I see."
"Obviously." He... picks me up? Now I can see something besides the dome ceiling. Tristan's lyin' on the ground, but the angle's all messed up and sideways. "Get away from Yuugi Mutou. We had an agreement: No Millennium Items."
"This has nothing to do with you, Priest. I am not taking the Puzzle in return for my services. I am simply... using the opportunity to do so." He laughs. "Your brother is unharmed, I assure you. I gave you my word, after all."
"That's not good enough." I hear Seto cough again. It sounds... off. He's hurt big time. "Leave Mutou alone."
"I don't think so. I suggest you use your last moments more constructively. The loss of the dog's soul will kill you in another minute or so."
I feel Kaiba's smirk in my head. "He's still here."
Pause. "The ritual actually worked?" Yami Bakura says finally. "Huh. I'll have to remedy that later. It appears that I have underestimated your dead friend."
"Yes, you have."
There's quiet for a while.
"Walk away, Priest. The Puzzle is mine."
"I can't do that, Bakura." I feel Kaiba hold me tight in... his hand? I'm looking down or up at him now and I can see him from the waist up. He's holding me with one hand. I must've shrunk or something.
Seto, how're you gonna stop him? He's got a knife. And magic powers.
You told me to do something. This is it. If Bakura doesn't kill us, you owe me.
...Your plan sucks, Kaiba.
Do you have a better one?
I look to the side and see Yami Bakura pull some kinda card outta his deck.
OH SHIT! Kaiba, look out! His deck stuff's real!
What do you mean, 'real'!?
MOVE!
A great big green bug thing charges right at us and Kaiba just barely gets outta the way. "What was that!?" he hisses. The bug thing spins around and stands there, waiting.
"Man-Eater Bug. A very useful creature," says Yami Bakura. He draws another card. Smiles. "Let me introduce you to another card. Spellbinding Circle."
Just like that, Seto cries out and falls to his knees. There's a... glowing ring around him.
KAIBA!
Yami Bakura slowly walks over to us. "I am out of your league, Priest. You know nothing." He looks at that bug of his. "Kill him." He turns his back to us, twirling the knife in his hands. Heads for Yuugi.
Seto's straining against Bakura's magic, but I don't think he could've broken out even if he was 100 percent. He stumbles up and dodges the bug as it makes another charge at him.
I can feel him trying to break the tightening circle with everything he's got, but all he's doin' is making it dig into him even more. He dodges the bug one more time and falls back down. He's not getting back up. I fight against the stupid numbness that's got me doing nothing, but I'm just not strong enough. I'll never be strong enough.
There's a... nudge... in my head. It's Kaiba.
We got no time to chat! Whadda ya want!?
I have an idea.
Great! What's the id-
And he does the same thing he did when he 'signaled' me. Only about ten billion times worse.
Kaiba blasts me clear outta Bakura's magic circle thing and into the Man-Eater Bug. It goes 'squish' under me.
I spin around. "KAIBA! WHAT DO YA THINK YOU'RE DOIN'!?"
"Not now! Get Bakura!" he snarls from the ground, but he's lookin' at me real funny.
Hey, I can move! I swing my head around. Tristan, Tea, Mokuba, and Yami Yuugi are all on the ground. Yami's the only one who's sorta movin' a little. Yami Bakura's standing there looking surprised to see me. He gets over it and starts to draw another card.
I don't think so.
I lunge at him and knock his deck outta his hand. Cards go flying. Yami Bakura manages to catch one so I grab his arm before he can do anything with it. He screams.
There's great big bloody scratches on his arm where I got him. And my hands... are... claws...
What am I?
He tries to stab me in the gut with his knife, but it bounces off the black plating.
Am I wearin' armor or something?
The backstabbing Egyptian tries to go for another card while I'm distracted, but Yami Yuugi kicks him behind the knee and he trips before he gets to it.
Thanks, Yuugi. 'Don't even try it, Bakura!' I try to yell. It comes out sounding like "ROOAAARRR!" I slam into him with my head – is it really my head? - and he drops. I'm about to beat him up real good when he smirks.
"Not so fast, beast." First it's dog, now it's beast. What's goin' on!?
Yami Bakura closes his eyes and... changes.
The dome thing disappears, I hear a 'snap' as the spellbinding circle breaks, and Ryou Bakura, all-around nice guy, blinks up at me. "What's going... on...?" His eyes focus, he takes one look at me, and passes out. Well, no way am I gonna hurt him now. That Ring of his, though...
I hook a... claw... around it and get it off Bakura. It's kinda hard to hold onto it and I drop it a couple of times. I wonder why nobody ever tried to take his Ring away before?
And I want a mirror. Right now.
I hear a weak chuckle. I turn around. "Kaiba?"
Bakura's circle must've cut right into him. His clothes are wrecked and I don't know how bad he is under that shirt, but he looks pretty out of it. "You know... Joey... Red Eyes Black Dragon suits you... but Blue Eyes would have been so much more impressive." He smiles at me. And topples over.
"KAIBA!" Something sucks the air right outta me and when I can see again, my hands are hands. The Ring falls through my fingers.
And Seto's lying in a pool of his own blood.
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