Greetings!
Sorry for the delay in this, but it didn't want to get written. I've already complained about writer's block, but it does stink. I think it might be gone for a while, though!
I'm very short on time, so I won't be able to reply to the reviews today. But thank you so very much for taking the time to review. I really appreciate it!!
Oh, I mentioned this when I posted No Kinen Ni, but I'll repeat it for those of you who don't read that story. There's a fanfiction contest going on for fanfiction.net members. If you're interested in participating, please look at my bio for the link. I tried to post the URL here, but it didn't work, so I did it there.
That's it for today. Enjoy!
**~~**
Part 16: Duels of Life
"Joey! Joey! Joey! Joey!"
Joey Wheeler looked around at his adoring fans and grinned. He raised one hand and the crowd cheered even louder.
"Just get a load of that, Kaiba!" Joey yelled at his opponent. "I doubt that you've ever gotten this type of reaction. You're too stiff and boring for most people!"
Kaiba didn't reply, he just glared at Joey.
Joey's grin did not falter at the lack of response. After all, his reinforced Red Eyes Black Dragon had just demolished Kaiba's third Blue Eyes White Dragon, giving Joey the advantage in the duel. Not to mention that he had 1500 more life points than Kaiba currently did.
"Awww, what's the matter, Seto? Are you still mourning the loss of your precious dragons?"
"Shut up, you imbecile," Kaiba finally replied. "This duel isn't over yet!"
Joey chuckled as he looked down at the duel disk strapped to his left wrist.
"You know, Kaiba, I would have thought you better at dueling with these things. After all, you did invent them."
Kaiba remained silent. He tapped his foot impatiently, his face a mask of indifference and annoyance.
"Are you going to make a move or not?" he finally asked.
"What, you're eager for me to finish you off?" Joey asked, gleeful. He had never been anywhere near close to defeating Kaiba in a duel before, which made this moment that much sweeter. "Well, that's certainly a first, but I'll be more than happy to accommodate you. Red Eyes, attack!"
The monster immediately obeyed his master. Since Kaiba had no defenses, the dragon's attack depleted his remaining life points.
"Yeah!" Joey cheered and the crowd cheered right along with him. The deafening sound sent shivers down Joey's spine, but he loved it.
Even in defeat, Kaiba still managed to look smug.
"You're still the same pathetic little dog you've always been, Wheeler. That's never going to change."
The crowd, as if hearing what Kaiba had just said, began to boo loudly. Joey smirked.
"What was that, Kaiba? I don't think that the crowd liked that. What do you say, my adoring fans, should we send Seto Kaiba away?"
A chorus of cheers erupted immediately, followed by loud clapping.
"Sorry, Kaiba, the crowd has spoken. Take him away!"
Out of nowhere, two bulky men in dark suits materialized. They grabbed Kaiba by each arm, picked him up, and carried him out of the coliseum.
Joey sighed contentedly as he watched Kaiba carried out. It couldn't get any better than this.
"Joey! Joey! Joey! Joey!"
His smile grew as he closed his eyes and reveled in the feeling of success. Ah, it felt good to be loved.
Suddenly, Joey heard a soft curse. He opened his eyes and looked around, wondering how he'd been able to hear something so soft over the noise from the crowd. He was shocked to see that the previously flat dueling surface was now full of jagged and sharp rocks. The crowd seemed oblivious to the change, however, since they continued to cheer loudly. Joey, on the other hand, was only too aware of the sharp rock he was suddenly standing on.
"Damn!"
There was that voice again. It seemed vaguely familiar to Joey, but he couldn't quite place it. He carefully stepped down from the rock he'd been standing on and began to walk forward. After a few minutes, he came to the source of the voice. Directly in front of him, Yugi was trying to pick himself up off the ground. It looked to Joey as if Yugi couldn't find purchase on the rocks, because no matter where he placed his hands or feet, he'd end up slipping and falling again.
Yugi's eyes were open, but unfocused. They roamed around endlessly as if he couldn't really see what was directly in front of him.
'He's blind,' Joey thought, remembering Yugi's condition. 'He shouldn't be here; he should be in the hospital resting.'
Quickly, Joey walked to his friend. He reached down and gently helped Yugi up, noting that the younger teen's hands and knees were bloody from where he'd fallen on the sharp rocks.
"It's okay, Yug, I've got you."
Yugi's head turned in Joey's direction, surprise evident on his face.
"Joey?"
"Yeah, it's me. What are you doing here? Why aren't you in the hospital?"
Yugi finally got his feet under him, and gave Joey a grateful smile. Suddenly, Yugi's face turned serious, which caused Joey's heart to speed up a little. When Yugi got that look on his face, it usually meant that something was truly wrong.
"I came to get you, Joey. You have to come back with me."
Joey frowned at the unexpected answer. Yugi's head slowly moved around, as if he were trying to figure out what was going on around him. The crowd in the stands was still roaring with anticipation of the next duel.
"Where are we, Joey? I hear a lot of people."
Joey grinned. "Man, Yug, we're in a dueling coliseum. I just finished mopping the floor with Seto Kaiba. You should have seen the look on his face, it was priceless!" Suddenly remembering Yugi's condition, Joey felt sheepish, "Sorry, I. . ."
"It's okay, Joey. I'm sure it was very satisfying to beat Kaiba," Yugi quickly added.
"I'm going to duel Pegasus next. Do you want to stick around?"
Yugi shook his head. "No. We have to go, Joey. You can't stay here, because it's dangerous. You have to come with me."
Joey looked around but saw nothing that could cause him any harm. Sure, there were now jagged rocks on the dueling field, but rocks could hardly attack him, right?
"This place isn't dangerous, Yugi. Well, it's only dangerous to my opponents!" Joey chuckled.
Yugi reached out and grabbed Joey's arm in a tight, almost desperate grip.
"You can't see it, but the danger is here. Joey, if you duel and lose, I'm never going to see you again. Please come with me. Let's leave this place."
"Will the next opponent, Maximillion Pegasus, please enter the dueling arena."
The loud speaker interrupted Yugi, as did the crowd's roar of approval. Joey grinned. He couldn't wait to get his hands on Pegasus.
"You can't duel Pegasus."
Joey's attention returned to his friend. What was up with Yugi? He wouldn't normally back down from a duel, and even if Yugi did, Yami certainly wouldn't.
"I've already told you, Yugi, nothing is going to harm me here and I'm not going to lose to Pegasus."
Yugi took a deep breath, his face scrunched up in concentration. Suddenly, his eyes widened and he swayed a bit. Joey immediately reached out to steady him.
"I can't leave this place alone, Joey, because I can't see where I'm going. Please come with me; take me back home".
Yugi's pleading face made Joey's resolve waver a bit. He needed to help his friend. Yugi was right, there was no way he could make it off the dueling arena on his own, not without seriously injuring himself on the jagged rocks. If their places were reversed, Joey had no doubt that Yugi would help him if asked.
"Joey Wheeler, please resume your position for the next duel."
The loud speaker broke Joey out of his thoughts and he turned to where Pegasus was impatiently waiting. As soon as Pegasus saw Joey watching, he gave a very sarcastic salute. Joey's jaw immediately tightened and he knew that he couldn't abandon the duel.
"Come on, Yugi."
Joey took Yugi's arm and carefully led him off the dueling platform. Yugi stumbled a few times, but Joey's grip kept him from falling. When they reached the safety of the sidelines, Joey sat Yugi on one of the chairs that were suddenly lining the spectator's area.
"Wait here, Yugi. I'll take you home after I teach Pegasus a lesson."
"No, Joey," Yugi yelled and quickly reached out to grab Joey's wrist. His grip was tight, his face desperate. "You can't duel. Joey, let's just leave."
Joey covered Yugi's hand with his own and gently patted it.
"Don't worry, everything will be fine. I can wipe that smirk off Pegasus' face in no time flat, and then we'll go home, okay? I'll be fine, Yugi, I promise."
****
Joey Wheeler's heart beat slowly, it's every beat recorded on the machine next to his bed. The machine's beeping was one of the few sounds in the empty, dark room, giving it an eerie quality. Joey's chest rose slowly and with effort, as his body desperately fought to repair the damage done to it. The machine inflating his lungs hissed with every breath it forced Joey's body to take, knowing only that its purpose was to keep the patient alive.
Beneath the machines and technology, lay an innocent young man who knew nothing of the effort the machines were putting into his survival. He knew nothing of the choices that would be put before him, but would be expected to make them regardless.
**~~**
"Mr. Moto, we were just on our way to see you."
Solomon stopped short when he heard the voice. He looked up and saw two very official looking men heading his way from the opposite side of the corridor. He recognized them as the two detectives that had been called in to look for Yugi a few hours ago, but couldn't remember their names. He and Tristan had been on their way to find the detectives, but the detectives had found them first.
"What can I do for you?" Solomon asked.
"Do you recognize this?" the man asked, holding up a small, silver object. Upon further examination, Solomon realized it was a cellular phone. Why would the detective want to waste his time identifying a cellular phone?
"Yes, it's a cellular phone," Solomon replied through clenched teeth. "How is this relevant?"
The detective, as if sensing his anger, held up a hand. "Right, it's a cellular phone, but there's more."
The man flipped open the phone and held it out so that Solomon could see its blue screen.
"Do you recognize the name on the screen?"
Just reading the name was enough to make Solomon's blood boil. It figures that the phone's owner would be arrogant enough to keep his name prominently displayed.
"Of course I recognize the name."
The detective shook his head. "I realize that Seto Kaiba is a very well known man, Mr. Moto. What I am asking is if Mr. Kaiba has any connections to your grandson."
Solomon frowned. Had the detectives already found something about Kaiba?
"Seto Kaiba and my grandson are classmates."
"They're also rivals when it comes to Duel Monsters," Tristan added. Solomon had forgotten that the teenager was there.
"Other than that?" the detective asked, apparently wanting them to elaborate further.
"Yugi and Kaiba are not friends, nor do they have anything in common other than what was already mentioned. Of course, there is that little detail concerning Kaiba kidnapping my grandson."
The detective's eyes widened, obviously surprised at the accusation.
"That's a very strong accusation, Mr. Moto. Do you have any proof?"
"I do. I saw him a little while ago," Tristan explained. "He'd gone out the back door and was carrying an unconscious Yugi."
The detective looked at Tristan, and then looked around him, before returning his gaze to the teenager. "What happened to your face?"
Tristan sighed. "Kaiba. I tried to get Yugi away from him and he attacked me. He knocked me down and I hit my head."
"Would you mind coming to the security office. I think we have some things to discuss."
Solomon frowned again, glanced at Tristan, and then agreed to go with the detectives. They were led to an office at the opposite and of the floor, where they were invited to take seats opposite a dull, grey desk.
"What have you found?" Solomon asked, knowing that he wouldn't have been brought all the way here just for an update. His stomach was in knots and he was afraid of what was going to come out of the detective's mouth.
"What is your grandson's relationship with Joseph Wheeler?"
Solomon was speechless for a while. What did Joey have to do with this?
"They are best friends," Solomon finally replied. "Why do you ask?"
The detective pondered the answer for a moment. "Did Mr. Wheeler and your grandson ever argue? Had they argued before Mr. Wheeler was shot and your grandson disappeared?"
"No, they didn't. Joey was actually coming back from my house when he was shot. He'd gone to get some clothes for Yugi. What are you getting at?"
The detective sat forward in his chair, his attention completely on Solomon.
"Mr. Moto, we found the gun used to shoot Mr. Wheeler."
Solomon breathed a sigh or relief. At least something was going well for all of them.
"It was found next to a dead body," the detective continued. "We dusted it for prints and found only one set. They belong to your grandson."
Solomon opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out. Yugi's prints were on the gun that shot Joey? How? The surprise suddenly turned to anger when he realized what the detective was insinuating.
"You think Yugi shot Joey? That's absurd!"
"Yugi would never do that!" Tristan added. "He'd never hurt anyone."
The detective held out his hands, motioning for the two men to quiet down. "I'm not insinuating anything; I'm just telling you what we found in the morgue. There was another dead body found in a different part of the morgue. And before you ask, no, they weren't bodies that were already supposed to be there." The detective paused. "On one of the tables, we found a half empty bottle of chloroform and a rag spotted with blood. We dusted the bottle and found Mr. Kaiba's fingerprints on it. We also found the cellular phone in the same general vicinity. We ran a trace on the blood found in the rag and it matches your grandson's, Mr. Moto."
"Oh, my God. Yugi was already injured before all of this," Solomon exclaimed. He turned to Tristan. "Was he hurt when you saw him?"
Tristan thought about it, and then nodded. "Yeah, his face looked pretty beat up."
"Tell me about what you saw, young man."
Solomon put his hands on his face, tuning Tristan out. Instead, he thought about what the doctor had told him. Yugi needed complete rest, or his eye sight would never return. If he was being hit again, there could be more damage being done. He didn't want his grandson to remain blind for the rest of his life. They had to find him soon. Solomon dropped his hands to his lap and tightened them into fists. Next time he saw Seto Kaiba, he wasn't going to leave without letting him have what he deserved.
"Mr. Moto?"
Solomon looked up to find both the detective and Tristan looking at him.
"We have to find Yugi."
"I know, Mr. Moto. I'm going to have a couple of search teams go in the direction Mr. Taylor indicated. We'll find your grandson and arrest Mr. Kaiba for questioning."
"What did the two people you found die of?" Solomon asked, suddenly remembering about the two dead bodies.
At the question, the detective frowned. "The medical examiner says that they both died of heart attacks. There is no indication of foul play, just that their hearts gave out."
Solomon nodded. "Is there anything else you need from me?"
"No, Mr. Moto. We'll find your grandson."
Solomon nodded again and left the room in a daze.
"Mr. Moto?" It was Tristan this time.
Solomon looked at him. "You need to get those cuts and your head looked at Tristan. There could be some damage."
Tristan shook his head. "I'm fine, really."
"No, Tristan. Enough people have gotten hurt today, let's not add one more to that. Come on, let's go get you looked at."
**~~**
"Yugi! Damn it, Yugi, don't do this! Wake up!"
Yami gritted his teeth and the unbearable ache in his head. He felt as if it were about to explode. No wonder Yugi wanted to be in his soul room.
"If you don't stop shaking me, Kaiba, I'm going to use my dark magic on you."
The hands that had been gripping his shoulders only moments before suddenly disappeared. He heard movement to his right and felt Kaiba move away from him slightly.
"Yami."
"Kaiba."
"Where is Yugi?"
"He's in his soul room, safely away from you." Yami didn't bother to leave the venom off his voice. He wanted Kaiba to hear it.
"Look, about that. . ."
Yami didn't give Kaiba a chance to finish the excuse.
"I don't care, Kaiba. I'm sure you're going to try to talk your way out of it, but let me tell you this: no one harms my aibou. I don't actually remember what happened, but from the way I feel, and from what Yugi told me, I have no doubt that you did some serious harm." Yami paused, taking the time to assess the injuries. "I was being controlled, Yami. I told Yugi the same thing, but I don't think he believed me," Kaiba said. "I don't really know what's going on, but I wouldn't have harmed Yugi if I'd had a choice."
Kaiba's tone was calm and devoid of emotion. It was as if he were explaining the weather outside, not explaining why he'd hurt Yugi. That just served to anger Yami further.
"The physical injuries are one thing, Kaiba. Those will eventually heal," Yami said, turning slightly towards the sound of Kaiba's voice. Yami's hands tightened into fists and he would have decked Kaiba if he knew exactly where the other teen was sitting.
"What do you mean, the physical injuries will heal?" Kaiba asked, and Yami finally heard a hint of emotion in his voice.
"The body will heal, Kaiba, the mind won't. I doubt you care anything about that, though."
Kaiba was quiet for a moment, leaving the two in a tense silence.
"I didn't do anything to him."
Yami's hands clenched tighter. He should use his magic on Kaiba anyway. He couldn't aim it properly, but Yami had no doubt that it would still do some damage.
"Really?" Yami growled. "He trusted you, Kaiba. For reasons I will never understand, he thought of you as a friend. He trusted you and you betrayed him. Because of that, he now doubts himself and his judgment. That will take much longer to heal, and I guarantee that you have no intention of fixing what you have broken."
Kaiba did not reply. Yami didn't get to hear what Kaiba had to say, if anything, because he suddenly felt strong magic slowly approaching him. He turned his head, feeling as if the presence was all around him. Kaiba hadn't said anything, so maybe it wasn't really there.
"I see that you're finally awake, Pharaoh," a voice that Yami didn't recognize said.
Yami was shocked to be addressed as pharaoh, since no one had ever done so, not in the time period that he did remember, at least. He immediately tensed, knowing that he was more than likely dealing with someone who knew more about him than he knew himself.
"Who are you?" Yami asked.
"You'll find out in good time. All you need to know now is that you killed my father, and I'm not going to let you get away with it."
Yami frowned. He wasn't a murderer. He was violent, yes, when he had reason to be. He might not remember his entire past, but he did not believe what this stranger was telling him.
"I did no such thing."
"Yes you did!" the stranger yelled, and Yami felt a wave of magic hit him.
It wasn't being done deliberately. It felt more as if the stranger's magic was overflowing with his anger, which made him more dangerous. The stranger's voice was young, almost like Yugi's. Whoever the stranger was had to be around the same age as Yugi, or a bit older.
"All of my life, I've been taught to protect your memory, your tomb. I always thought it was unfair to be made to devote my life to someone who was long dead, and I'm not going to do it anymore. You killed my father, and I'm going to make you pay for it."
Yami painfully got to his feet. If he was going to be attacked, he wanted to be standing to face it.
"What's the matter, not feeling well?"
Yami felt the brush of the magic touch his exposed arms, before he felt the presence standing in front of him.
"Your host is frail and weak, Pharaoh. It will be easier to destroy him, and you."
Yami felt the presence leave him. He turned his head to try and feel Kaiba, but was not successful.
"Seto Kaiba, bring the Pharaoh, if you will. I have different accommodations in mind."
Yami didn't have a chance to do anything, as strong arms were suddenly wrapped around his chest. He struggled, but it was as if Kaiba had suddenly gained strength. Kaiba was uninjured, while Yami was not, which gave Kaiba an advantage. Yami closed his eyes and summoned his magic, but before he could unleash it, he felt as if a strong shield was surrounding him.
"No, Pharaoh, no magic allowed. At least not yet," the stranger said and laughed.
Yami unleashed his magic, but felt it bounce back into him. He shuddered as it hit, but it wasn't as strong this time as it had been when he'd been struggling with the other man earlier. Whatever the stranger had done to prevent him from using the magic must have dampened it as well.
"I'm full of surprises, as you soon will see. Now come, Seto Kaiba."
"Kaiba, let go of me!" Yami yelled. "You don't want to do this!"
The stranger laughed. "He has no choice. He is my mind salve until I decide he's no longer useful. Now let's not waste any time."
Yami felt as he was roughly picked up and winced at the numerous aches in his body. Instead of struggling, he decided to go limp. If he couldn't fight back right now, he'd become docile until he figured out what to do. Things were never hopeless. He just had to wait for the perfect opportunity.
**~~**
Seems like Yami is in a bit of a jam, huh?? Stay tuned to find out what happens!
Does anyone know where I can find a list of the cards on Joey and Pegasus' decks? I need to write a duel between them and have no clue as to what cards they'd use (outside of the obvious ones, that is). Thanks!
Sorry for the delay in this, but it didn't want to get written. I've already complained about writer's block, but it does stink. I think it might be gone for a while, though!
I'm very short on time, so I won't be able to reply to the reviews today. But thank you so very much for taking the time to review. I really appreciate it!!
Oh, I mentioned this when I posted No Kinen Ni, but I'll repeat it for those of you who don't read that story. There's a fanfiction contest going on for fanfiction.net members. If you're interested in participating, please look at my bio for the link. I tried to post the URL here, but it didn't work, so I did it there.
That's it for today. Enjoy!
**~~**
Part 16: Duels of Life
"Joey! Joey! Joey! Joey!"
Joey Wheeler looked around at his adoring fans and grinned. He raised one hand and the crowd cheered even louder.
"Just get a load of that, Kaiba!" Joey yelled at his opponent. "I doubt that you've ever gotten this type of reaction. You're too stiff and boring for most people!"
Kaiba didn't reply, he just glared at Joey.
Joey's grin did not falter at the lack of response. After all, his reinforced Red Eyes Black Dragon had just demolished Kaiba's third Blue Eyes White Dragon, giving Joey the advantage in the duel. Not to mention that he had 1500 more life points than Kaiba currently did.
"Awww, what's the matter, Seto? Are you still mourning the loss of your precious dragons?"
"Shut up, you imbecile," Kaiba finally replied. "This duel isn't over yet!"
Joey chuckled as he looked down at the duel disk strapped to his left wrist.
"You know, Kaiba, I would have thought you better at dueling with these things. After all, you did invent them."
Kaiba remained silent. He tapped his foot impatiently, his face a mask of indifference and annoyance.
"Are you going to make a move or not?" he finally asked.
"What, you're eager for me to finish you off?" Joey asked, gleeful. He had never been anywhere near close to defeating Kaiba in a duel before, which made this moment that much sweeter. "Well, that's certainly a first, but I'll be more than happy to accommodate you. Red Eyes, attack!"
The monster immediately obeyed his master. Since Kaiba had no defenses, the dragon's attack depleted his remaining life points.
"Yeah!" Joey cheered and the crowd cheered right along with him. The deafening sound sent shivers down Joey's spine, but he loved it.
Even in defeat, Kaiba still managed to look smug.
"You're still the same pathetic little dog you've always been, Wheeler. That's never going to change."
The crowd, as if hearing what Kaiba had just said, began to boo loudly. Joey smirked.
"What was that, Kaiba? I don't think that the crowd liked that. What do you say, my adoring fans, should we send Seto Kaiba away?"
A chorus of cheers erupted immediately, followed by loud clapping.
"Sorry, Kaiba, the crowd has spoken. Take him away!"
Out of nowhere, two bulky men in dark suits materialized. They grabbed Kaiba by each arm, picked him up, and carried him out of the coliseum.
Joey sighed contentedly as he watched Kaiba carried out. It couldn't get any better than this.
"Joey! Joey! Joey! Joey!"
His smile grew as he closed his eyes and reveled in the feeling of success. Ah, it felt good to be loved.
Suddenly, Joey heard a soft curse. He opened his eyes and looked around, wondering how he'd been able to hear something so soft over the noise from the crowd. He was shocked to see that the previously flat dueling surface was now full of jagged and sharp rocks. The crowd seemed oblivious to the change, however, since they continued to cheer loudly. Joey, on the other hand, was only too aware of the sharp rock he was suddenly standing on.
"Damn!"
There was that voice again. It seemed vaguely familiar to Joey, but he couldn't quite place it. He carefully stepped down from the rock he'd been standing on and began to walk forward. After a few minutes, he came to the source of the voice. Directly in front of him, Yugi was trying to pick himself up off the ground. It looked to Joey as if Yugi couldn't find purchase on the rocks, because no matter where he placed his hands or feet, he'd end up slipping and falling again.
Yugi's eyes were open, but unfocused. They roamed around endlessly as if he couldn't really see what was directly in front of him.
'He's blind,' Joey thought, remembering Yugi's condition. 'He shouldn't be here; he should be in the hospital resting.'
Quickly, Joey walked to his friend. He reached down and gently helped Yugi up, noting that the younger teen's hands and knees were bloody from where he'd fallen on the sharp rocks.
"It's okay, Yug, I've got you."
Yugi's head turned in Joey's direction, surprise evident on his face.
"Joey?"
"Yeah, it's me. What are you doing here? Why aren't you in the hospital?"
Yugi finally got his feet under him, and gave Joey a grateful smile. Suddenly, Yugi's face turned serious, which caused Joey's heart to speed up a little. When Yugi got that look on his face, it usually meant that something was truly wrong.
"I came to get you, Joey. You have to come back with me."
Joey frowned at the unexpected answer. Yugi's head slowly moved around, as if he were trying to figure out what was going on around him. The crowd in the stands was still roaring with anticipation of the next duel.
"Where are we, Joey? I hear a lot of people."
Joey grinned. "Man, Yug, we're in a dueling coliseum. I just finished mopping the floor with Seto Kaiba. You should have seen the look on his face, it was priceless!" Suddenly remembering Yugi's condition, Joey felt sheepish, "Sorry, I. . ."
"It's okay, Joey. I'm sure it was very satisfying to beat Kaiba," Yugi quickly added.
"I'm going to duel Pegasus next. Do you want to stick around?"
Yugi shook his head. "No. We have to go, Joey. You can't stay here, because it's dangerous. You have to come with me."
Joey looked around but saw nothing that could cause him any harm. Sure, there were now jagged rocks on the dueling field, but rocks could hardly attack him, right?
"This place isn't dangerous, Yugi. Well, it's only dangerous to my opponents!" Joey chuckled.
Yugi reached out and grabbed Joey's arm in a tight, almost desperate grip.
"You can't see it, but the danger is here. Joey, if you duel and lose, I'm never going to see you again. Please come with me. Let's leave this place."
"Will the next opponent, Maximillion Pegasus, please enter the dueling arena."
The loud speaker interrupted Yugi, as did the crowd's roar of approval. Joey grinned. He couldn't wait to get his hands on Pegasus.
"You can't duel Pegasus."
Joey's attention returned to his friend. What was up with Yugi? He wouldn't normally back down from a duel, and even if Yugi did, Yami certainly wouldn't.
"I've already told you, Yugi, nothing is going to harm me here and I'm not going to lose to Pegasus."
Yugi took a deep breath, his face scrunched up in concentration. Suddenly, his eyes widened and he swayed a bit. Joey immediately reached out to steady him.
"I can't leave this place alone, Joey, because I can't see where I'm going. Please come with me; take me back home".
Yugi's pleading face made Joey's resolve waver a bit. He needed to help his friend. Yugi was right, there was no way he could make it off the dueling arena on his own, not without seriously injuring himself on the jagged rocks. If their places were reversed, Joey had no doubt that Yugi would help him if asked.
"Joey Wheeler, please resume your position for the next duel."
The loud speaker broke Joey out of his thoughts and he turned to where Pegasus was impatiently waiting. As soon as Pegasus saw Joey watching, he gave a very sarcastic salute. Joey's jaw immediately tightened and he knew that he couldn't abandon the duel.
"Come on, Yugi."
Joey took Yugi's arm and carefully led him off the dueling platform. Yugi stumbled a few times, but Joey's grip kept him from falling. When they reached the safety of the sidelines, Joey sat Yugi on one of the chairs that were suddenly lining the spectator's area.
"Wait here, Yugi. I'll take you home after I teach Pegasus a lesson."
"No, Joey," Yugi yelled and quickly reached out to grab Joey's wrist. His grip was tight, his face desperate. "You can't duel. Joey, let's just leave."
Joey covered Yugi's hand with his own and gently patted it.
"Don't worry, everything will be fine. I can wipe that smirk off Pegasus' face in no time flat, and then we'll go home, okay? I'll be fine, Yugi, I promise."
****
Joey Wheeler's heart beat slowly, it's every beat recorded on the machine next to his bed. The machine's beeping was one of the few sounds in the empty, dark room, giving it an eerie quality. Joey's chest rose slowly and with effort, as his body desperately fought to repair the damage done to it. The machine inflating his lungs hissed with every breath it forced Joey's body to take, knowing only that its purpose was to keep the patient alive.
Beneath the machines and technology, lay an innocent young man who knew nothing of the effort the machines were putting into his survival. He knew nothing of the choices that would be put before him, but would be expected to make them regardless.
**~~**
"Mr. Moto, we were just on our way to see you."
Solomon stopped short when he heard the voice. He looked up and saw two very official looking men heading his way from the opposite side of the corridor. He recognized them as the two detectives that had been called in to look for Yugi a few hours ago, but couldn't remember their names. He and Tristan had been on their way to find the detectives, but the detectives had found them first.
"What can I do for you?" Solomon asked.
"Do you recognize this?" the man asked, holding up a small, silver object. Upon further examination, Solomon realized it was a cellular phone. Why would the detective want to waste his time identifying a cellular phone?
"Yes, it's a cellular phone," Solomon replied through clenched teeth. "How is this relevant?"
The detective, as if sensing his anger, held up a hand. "Right, it's a cellular phone, but there's more."
The man flipped open the phone and held it out so that Solomon could see its blue screen.
"Do you recognize the name on the screen?"
Just reading the name was enough to make Solomon's blood boil. It figures that the phone's owner would be arrogant enough to keep his name prominently displayed.
"Of course I recognize the name."
The detective shook his head. "I realize that Seto Kaiba is a very well known man, Mr. Moto. What I am asking is if Mr. Kaiba has any connections to your grandson."
Solomon frowned. Had the detectives already found something about Kaiba?
"Seto Kaiba and my grandson are classmates."
"They're also rivals when it comes to Duel Monsters," Tristan added. Solomon had forgotten that the teenager was there.
"Other than that?" the detective asked, apparently wanting them to elaborate further.
"Yugi and Kaiba are not friends, nor do they have anything in common other than what was already mentioned. Of course, there is that little detail concerning Kaiba kidnapping my grandson."
The detective's eyes widened, obviously surprised at the accusation.
"That's a very strong accusation, Mr. Moto. Do you have any proof?"
"I do. I saw him a little while ago," Tristan explained. "He'd gone out the back door and was carrying an unconscious Yugi."
The detective looked at Tristan, and then looked around him, before returning his gaze to the teenager. "What happened to your face?"
Tristan sighed. "Kaiba. I tried to get Yugi away from him and he attacked me. He knocked me down and I hit my head."
"Would you mind coming to the security office. I think we have some things to discuss."
Solomon frowned again, glanced at Tristan, and then agreed to go with the detectives. They were led to an office at the opposite and of the floor, where they were invited to take seats opposite a dull, grey desk.
"What have you found?" Solomon asked, knowing that he wouldn't have been brought all the way here just for an update. His stomach was in knots and he was afraid of what was going to come out of the detective's mouth.
"What is your grandson's relationship with Joseph Wheeler?"
Solomon was speechless for a while. What did Joey have to do with this?
"They are best friends," Solomon finally replied. "Why do you ask?"
The detective pondered the answer for a moment. "Did Mr. Wheeler and your grandson ever argue? Had they argued before Mr. Wheeler was shot and your grandson disappeared?"
"No, they didn't. Joey was actually coming back from my house when he was shot. He'd gone to get some clothes for Yugi. What are you getting at?"
The detective sat forward in his chair, his attention completely on Solomon.
"Mr. Moto, we found the gun used to shoot Mr. Wheeler."
Solomon breathed a sigh or relief. At least something was going well for all of them.
"It was found next to a dead body," the detective continued. "We dusted it for prints and found only one set. They belong to your grandson."
Solomon opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out. Yugi's prints were on the gun that shot Joey? How? The surprise suddenly turned to anger when he realized what the detective was insinuating.
"You think Yugi shot Joey? That's absurd!"
"Yugi would never do that!" Tristan added. "He'd never hurt anyone."
The detective held out his hands, motioning for the two men to quiet down. "I'm not insinuating anything; I'm just telling you what we found in the morgue. There was another dead body found in a different part of the morgue. And before you ask, no, they weren't bodies that were already supposed to be there." The detective paused. "On one of the tables, we found a half empty bottle of chloroform and a rag spotted with blood. We dusted the bottle and found Mr. Kaiba's fingerprints on it. We also found the cellular phone in the same general vicinity. We ran a trace on the blood found in the rag and it matches your grandson's, Mr. Moto."
"Oh, my God. Yugi was already injured before all of this," Solomon exclaimed. He turned to Tristan. "Was he hurt when you saw him?"
Tristan thought about it, and then nodded. "Yeah, his face looked pretty beat up."
"Tell me about what you saw, young man."
Solomon put his hands on his face, tuning Tristan out. Instead, he thought about what the doctor had told him. Yugi needed complete rest, or his eye sight would never return. If he was being hit again, there could be more damage being done. He didn't want his grandson to remain blind for the rest of his life. They had to find him soon. Solomon dropped his hands to his lap and tightened them into fists. Next time he saw Seto Kaiba, he wasn't going to leave without letting him have what he deserved.
"Mr. Moto?"
Solomon looked up to find both the detective and Tristan looking at him.
"We have to find Yugi."
"I know, Mr. Moto. I'm going to have a couple of search teams go in the direction Mr. Taylor indicated. We'll find your grandson and arrest Mr. Kaiba for questioning."
"What did the two people you found die of?" Solomon asked, suddenly remembering about the two dead bodies.
At the question, the detective frowned. "The medical examiner says that they both died of heart attacks. There is no indication of foul play, just that their hearts gave out."
Solomon nodded. "Is there anything else you need from me?"
"No, Mr. Moto. We'll find your grandson."
Solomon nodded again and left the room in a daze.
"Mr. Moto?" It was Tristan this time.
Solomon looked at him. "You need to get those cuts and your head looked at Tristan. There could be some damage."
Tristan shook his head. "I'm fine, really."
"No, Tristan. Enough people have gotten hurt today, let's not add one more to that. Come on, let's go get you looked at."
**~~**
"Yugi! Damn it, Yugi, don't do this! Wake up!"
Yami gritted his teeth and the unbearable ache in his head. He felt as if it were about to explode. No wonder Yugi wanted to be in his soul room.
"If you don't stop shaking me, Kaiba, I'm going to use my dark magic on you."
The hands that had been gripping his shoulders only moments before suddenly disappeared. He heard movement to his right and felt Kaiba move away from him slightly.
"Yami."
"Kaiba."
"Where is Yugi?"
"He's in his soul room, safely away from you." Yami didn't bother to leave the venom off his voice. He wanted Kaiba to hear it.
"Look, about that. . ."
Yami didn't give Kaiba a chance to finish the excuse.
"I don't care, Kaiba. I'm sure you're going to try to talk your way out of it, but let me tell you this: no one harms my aibou. I don't actually remember what happened, but from the way I feel, and from what Yugi told me, I have no doubt that you did some serious harm." Yami paused, taking the time to assess the injuries. "I was being controlled, Yami. I told Yugi the same thing, but I don't think he believed me," Kaiba said. "I don't really know what's going on, but I wouldn't have harmed Yugi if I'd had a choice."
Kaiba's tone was calm and devoid of emotion. It was as if he were explaining the weather outside, not explaining why he'd hurt Yugi. That just served to anger Yami further.
"The physical injuries are one thing, Kaiba. Those will eventually heal," Yami said, turning slightly towards the sound of Kaiba's voice. Yami's hands tightened into fists and he would have decked Kaiba if he knew exactly where the other teen was sitting.
"What do you mean, the physical injuries will heal?" Kaiba asked, and Yami finally heard a hint of emotion in his voice.
"The body will heal, Kaiba, the mind won't. I doubt you care anything about that, though."
Kaiba was quiet for a moment, leaving the two in a tense silence.
"I didn't do anything to him."
Yami's hands clenched tighter. He should use his magic on Kaiba anyway. He couldn't aim it properly, but Yami had no doubt that it would still do some damage.
"Really?" Yami growled. "He trusted you, Kaiba. For reasons I will never understand, he thought of you as a friend. He trusted you and you betrayed him. Because of that, he now doubts himself and his judgment. That will take much longer to heal, and I guarantee that you have no intention of fixing what you have broken."
Kaiba did not reply. Yami didn't get to hear what Kaiba had to say, if anything, because he suddenly felt strong magic slowly approaching him. He turned his head, feeling as if the presence was all around him. Kaiba hadn't said anything, so maybe it wasn't really there.
"I see that you're finally awake, Pharaoh," a voice that Yami didn't recognize said.
Yami was shocked to be addressed as pharaoh, since no one had ever done so, not in the time period that he did remember, at least. He immediately tensed, knowing that he was more than likely dealing with someone who knew more about him than he knew himself.
"Who are you?" Yami asked.
"You'll find out in good time. All you need to know now is that you killed my father, and I'm not going to let you get away with it."
Yami frowned. He wasn't a murderer. He was violent, yes, when he had reason to be. He might not remember his entire past, but he did not believe what this stranger was telling him.
"I did no such thing."
"Yes you did!" the stranger yelled, and Yami felt a wave of magic hit him.
It wasn't being done deliberately. It felt more as if the stranger's magic was overflowing with his anger, which made him more dangerous. The stranger's voice was young, almost like Yugi's. Whoever the stranger was had to be around the same age as Yugi, or a bit older.
"All of my life, I've been taught to protect your memory, your tomb. I always thought it was unfair to be made to devote my life to someone who was long dead, and I'm not going to do it anymore. You killed my father, and I'm going to make you pay for it."
Yami painfully got to his feet. If he was going to be attacked, he wanted to be standing to face it.
"What's the matter, not feeling well?"
Yami felt the brush of the magic touch his exposed arms, before he felt the presence standing in front of him.
"Your host is frail and weak, Pharaoh. It will be easier to destroy him, and you."
Yami felt the presence leave him. He turned his head to try and feel Kaiba, but was not successful.
"Seto Kaiba, bring the Pharaoh, if you will. I have different accommodations in mind."
Yami didn't have a chance to do anything, as strong arms were suddenly wrapped around his chest. He struggled, but it was as if Kaiba had suddenly gained strength. Kaiba was uninjured, while Yami was not, which gave Kaiba an advantage. Yami closed his eyes and summoned his magic, but before he could unleash it, he felt as if a strong shield was surrounding him.
"No, Pharaoh, no magic allowed. At least not yet," the stranger said and laughed.
Yami unleashed his magic, but felt it bounce back into him. He shuddered as it hit, but it wasn't as strong this time as it had been when he'd been struggling with the other man earlier. Whatever the stranger had done to prevent him from using the magic must have dampened it as well.
"I'm full of surprises, as you soon will see. Now come, Seto Kaiba."
"Kaiba, let go of me!" Yami yelled. "You don't want to do this!"
The stranger laughed. "He has no choice. He is my mind salve until I decide he's no longer useful. Now let's not waste any time."
Yami felt as he was roughly picked up and winced at the numerous aches in his body. Instead of struggling, he decided to go limp. If he couldn't fight back right now, he'd become docile until he figured out what to do. Things were never hopeless. He just had to wait for the perfect opportunity.
**~~**
Seems like Yami is in a bit of a jam, huh?? Stay tuned to find out what happens!
Does anyone know where I can find a list of the cards on Joey and Pegasus' decks? I need to write a duel between them and have no clue as to what cards they'd use (outside of the obvious ones, that is). Thanks!