-*
"You're mad Kaiba!" Tristan growled.
"No," he smirked, "not really. Now . . .hand it over or I won't hurt the kid."
"His name's Mokuba, you'd think you would know that since your Mokuba's brother and all!" Yami snapped furiously.
"Who said I was Kaiba."
"WHAT!" Yami's eyes widened. "Then . . .then you're Ansum."
"Toke you long enough." Kaiba or . . .should I say Ansum laughed evilly. "I'm not really Kaiba . . .just his shell; he opened his heart to me."
"Kaiba would never do that!"
"Minds are easy to manipulate and his was no different."
"You're wrong!" despite Ansum's tight grip on Mokuba's throat, the preteen was able to speak but had to gasp every so often, "my . . .brother . . .would . . .never . . .he survived the first time you killed him, he can survive this!"
"That's where you're wrong, small one." Ansum's eyes were even brighter then they were, "I only toke 2 3rds of his strength. I figured the boy was strong enough to survive for my sacrifice . . .for I needed him later. I needed someone . . .like Rikku."
"SO THEN YOU'RE USING MY BROTHER'S BODY LIKE YOU DID WITH RIKKU!"
"Exactly, now," his eyes turned to Yami, "let's finish this." Ansum hands formed glowing fists . . .he raised them to strike Mokuba . . .but just about an inch of his face, the arm stopped moving. Kaiba's eyes went back to his regular sapphire.
"Mokuba . . ." his voice went back to normal as well, "Yugi . . .I'd rather die before I do any harm to Mokuba. So before I loose total control of my body I want you to do something for me Yugi." There was somewhat of seriousness in his tone that Yami had never heard before, "kill me."
Yami's eyes began to water with tears, "Kaiba . . .I . . I can't do that."
"Why not? I'm your archrival Yugi not your best friend. You've never been able to understand that have you, Yugi? I'm asking you one more time . . .kill me with the keyblade!"
'I can't do this.' Yugi fell to his knees next to Yami, 'I can't just . . .murder someone.'
'We really have no choice Yugi.' Yami bent to Yugi's level. 'I understand . . .I don't want to do this ether.'
"I'll respect your death wish Kaiba." The keyblade clinked in Yami's fists, "but before I do this, are you sure?"
"Yes . . NOW KILL ME IF YOU AREN'T A COWARD YUGI!" Yami nodded, holding up the keyblade. He aimed it for Kaiba's weak point: his heart. The key part of the keyblade slashed threw his chest and out his back.
It toke eternity for Kaiba to fall to the ground. The arm that was holding Mokuba fell limply to his side, letting go of his little brother's windpipe. Everyone around him was in tears, including Yami.
"Y-Yugi . . ." for the very first time, Kaiba smiled for real, "t-thank you." Yami nodded wearily . . .more tears . . .pain like none other that they had ever faced. Kaiba's head fell flaccidly into Mokuba's chest. "Y- Yugi . . .I don't know where I will go. . .goodbye Mokuba." those were his last words . . .the hard breathing had faded and sadness had entered Hallow Bastion once again.
-*
Tea stirred at the sounds of sorrow, 'Wh-What's going on?' she eyes met the others across the hallway, all crowded around someone wounded . . .
"I wonder what happened." She thought out loud. Noticing the crater in front of her, Tea slowly made her way across the giant hole. "Yugi!" she raced over to him, "Yugi! What happened?" but the sight in front of her answered the question.
"Oh my god!" the brunette knelt by Kaiba's side. Her temperate hand rubbed his icy cheek; Tea noticed the somewhat big hole in his chest. "Kaiba . . .what happened to you?" the hand went from rubbing his cheek to touching the gap in his chest; blood stained Tea's pearly white hand.
"He . . .he isn't coming back is he?" Oceans of tears trailed down her face and onto Kaiba's trench coat.
"Maybe . . .maybe not Tea." Yami smiled brightly. "Kaiba said something about that he'd be in another world that means he might be in-"
"the center of all worlds!" Mokuba chimed in. "That's what happened to Rikku in Kingdom Hearts it might just happen to Seto."
"Right Mokuba. I guess we'll find his soul there."
A sudden rush of joy flooded the antechamber. Hope and faith blossomed to a higher level then both Yugi and Yami had ever felt. 'Maybe things are going to start turning our way. We'll defeat that weird guy, find the Wheelers, and go to Kingdom Hearts to find Kaiba.'
'Yup,' Yugi hugged his Yami, 'and everything will turn out ok!'
-*
Ansum dusted off his clothes back at the Great Hall, "Back in my own body has never felt better. Ah," he turned to his imprisoned. "how are you two doing?" No answer . . .Serenity was still unconscious and Joey still couldn't say a word. Ansum chucked to himself, "Good."
He turned to the cataleptic brunette, "come." Her body lifted into the air, landing on Ansum's icicle like shoulder. 'this will be his final test. If the one with the keyblade passes this, I will set both the Wheelers free.' "THIS IS IT, KEYBLADE HOLDER! YOUR FINAL TEST! SEE WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED THOUGH ALL OF THIS!" Yet again, Ansum vanished into the darkness.
-*
"Hey Yugi," Tristan turned to Yami, "do you think that guy Ansum will come back? I mean, he's been setting traps for us ever we got here."
"Possibly Tristan. Who ever he is, the guy really wants this key thing that I found." He held up the keyblade, "I don't know what it is or why I have it, but I'll make sure that Ansum doesn't get his hand on it! Now," Yami made his speech to everyone in the room, "we need to face Ansum and beat him. And I'm going to need you all to help me do it."
"But I can't just leave Seto here." Mokuba mopped.
"We have to. Joey and Serenity's life hang in the balance."
"BUT I DON'T WANNA LEAVE SETO!" Mokuba started sobbing on Kaiba's collar. "HE'S MY BROTHER! I CAN'T DO THIS!"
"Aw . .how sweet. The little boy doesn't want to admit that his brother is dead." The shadows subsided once more: Ansum, in the flesh and blood . . .with another Serenity. "Now you with the keyblade," Ansum smiled in a deranged sort of way, "let us have this one final battle. If I win, I'll destroy you and take the keyblade. As for your companions . . .I'll turn them into heartless."
"AND if I win, you'll set Joey and Serenity free. Got it Ansum?"
"Agreed." Ansum threw Serenity over against the wall. Tristan and Tea shifted from the battlefield to the sidelines. Mokuba dragged Kaiba's corpse over to the edge of the vestibule, for safe keeping of coarse.
"GO YUGI!" Tea shouted.
"KICK BUTT YUGI" Tristan ring in as well. "WE'RE ALL RIGHT HERE WITH YOU ALONG WITH JOEY!" Yami smiled brightly, 'I know, like you always have been.'
-*
Unlike everyone else, Mokuba wasn't cheering Yami on in the battle. His attention was occupied with waking Serenity up, "Serenity . . .Serenity, come on get up! SE-REN-ITY! COME ON!!" even with his screaming, her body wouldn't even roll over. No grunts, no blinking. It was like she wasn't even human, more like a ghost or angel.
"Come on Serenity! There's not much more that I can do to wake you up!" then the light bulb turned on: would she wake up if he kissed her? 'NO WAY! THAT'S SICKENING! But it may be the only way.' Very hot like, Mokuba pressed his lips onto hers for a long and romantic kiss. 'Come on, this better work . . .'
Serenity's large eyelids slowly lifted, right on Mokuba's kiss. But instead of pushing his puckered up face away, she slipped her arm around the back of his neck, motioning him closer to her. The kiss lasted eternity until the, both at the same time, gently lifted their lips off of on another's face.
"Mokuba . . .that . . .that was so sweet." Serenity hugged Mokuba's head to her heart, "thank you for waking me up." She kissed him on the cheek this time; Mokuba was now blushing madly. Mokuba went back to watching the battle . . .but this time with his arm around Serenity's shoulder.
-*
Yami had made the first blow, a hit on Ansum's shoulder, which started bleeding insanely. Ansum's glowing fist slammed Yami into the wall, causing his lip to bleed. The battle went on like this for a while, blow after blow, ignoring injuries. Till Yami noticed something strange . . .when Yami attacked Ansum, he didn't seem to be getting at least half as much damage that Yami got when he attacked. There must be something guarding him from harm or something like that . . .but what?
"I see you noticed my guardian." A black shadow, much resembling Oblisk the Tormenter, appeared immediately in front of Ansum. "it defends me from most of your attacks quite well. But as well as a good defense, it provides quite a descent offence as well." The guardian left Ansum's side and was inching towards Yami. Then at the speed of light, the shadow leapt into Yami's body.
Tea leapt backwards at the thought of Yugi possessed "YUGI!"
Yami's movements got slower and slower till he started to hallucinate. 'Yami, I can't see Ansum anymore!' Yugi felt a sudden disconnection to the spirit 'YAMI! YAMI!' his eyes were blinded . . .all he could feel was falling. Yugi could feel his clothes getting kind of soaked; he relaxed, rested his neck on the bubbles floating to the surface. 'It's just water . . .' the water soothed Yugi's soul . . . 'I just need to sleep.' His eyelids drooped.
"YUGI!" a voice echoed though the water, "YUGI! DON'T LOOSE FOCUS!" Yugi immediately woke up. Yugi looked above him . . . .Yami was standing on the water! "Here!" he dipped into the water. "Take it . . ." Yugi reached for it . . .so close yet so far away. Yami reached in farther into the pool, grabbed Yugi's wrist and yanked him to the surface.
"Yugi . . .Yugi wake up! YUGI!" Yami shock his unconscious partner. 'No! He can't be!'
-*
Hallow Bastion was quiet for a few unearthly minutes. Yami's body had fainted for no apparent reason. Ansum had been preparing to fire the final blow on him . . .things were looking down yet again.
"So sad that this has to end so soon," Ansum said sarcastically, "I was truly expecting a real fight from you."
"NO!" Tea sprinted over to Yami, blocking him from Ansum.
"Get out of the way, foolish girl!"
"NEVER YOU MONSTER!" Tears from before were coming back now, "YOU'VE DONE TOO MUCH TO EVERYONE ELSE! I'M NOT LETTING YOU HURT YAMI!"
Mokuba realized now what he had to do; running like the wind, Mokuba yanked the keyblade out of Yami's clutched fists.
"THIS IS FOR JOEY!" Mokuba charged the key into Ansum stomach, sending him flying backwards.
"THIS IS FOR SERENITY!" he slammed the edge of the blade into Ansum's stomach, causing him to bleed out of his mouth.
Now the blade was raised over his head, "AND THIS IS FOR MY BROTHER!" they keyblade slashed across Ansum's chest twice, causing a cross effect. Ansum fell at Mokuba's little feet, fainted not dead. Mokuba fell to his knees, huffing and puffing.
"MOKUBA!" Serenity ran over to him, catching him before he fell, "YOU DID IT! YOU BEAT ANSUM!" Mokuba smiled with the thought of revenge then fainted.
-*
"You're mad Kaiba!" Tristan growled.
"No," he smirked, "not really. Now . . .hand it over or I won't hurt the kid."
"His name's Mokuba, you'd think you would know that since your Mokuba's brother and all!" Yami snapped furiously.
"Who said I was Kaiba."
"WHAT!" Yami's eyes widened. "Then . . .then you're Ansum."
"Toke you long enough." Kaiba or . . .should I say Ansum laughed evilly. "I'm not really Kaiba . . .just his shell; he opened his heart to me."
"Kaiba would never do that!"
"Minds are easy to manipulate and his was no different."
"You're wrong!" despite Ansum's tight grip on Mokuba's throat, the preteen was able to speak but had to gasp every so often, "my . . .brother . . .would . . .never . . .he survived the first time you killed him, he can survive this!"
"That's where you're wrong, small one." Ansum's eyes were even brighter then they were, "I only toke 2 3rds of his strength. I figured the boy was strong enough to survive for my sacrifice . . .for I needed him later. I needed someone . . .like Rikku."
"SO THEN YOU'RE USING MY BROTHER'S BODY LIKE YOU DID WITH RIKKU!"
"Exactly, now," his eyes turned to Yami, "let's finish this." Ansum hands formed glowing fists . . .he raised them to strike Mokuba . . .but just about an inch of his face, the arm stopped moving. Kaiba's eyes went back to his regular sapphire.
"Mokuba . . ." his voice went back to normal as well, "Yugi . . .I'd rather die before I do any harm to Mokuba. So before I loose total control of my body I want you to do something for me Yugi." There was somewhat of seriousness in his tone that Yami had never heard before, "kill me."
Yami's eyes began to water with tears, "Kaiba . . .I . . I can't do that."
"Why not? I'm your archrival Yugi not your best friend. You've never been able to understand that have you, Yugi? I'm asking you one more time . . .kill me with the keyblade!"
'I can't do this.' Yugi fell to his knees next to Yami, 'I can't just . . .murder someone.'
'We really have no choice Yugi.' Yami bent to Yugi's level. 'I understand . . .I don't want to do this ether.'
"I'll respect your death wish Kaiba." The keyblade clinked in Yami's fists, "but before I do this, are you sure?"
"Yes . . NOW KILL ME IF YOU AREN'T A COWARD YUGI!" Yami nodded, holding up the keyblade. He aimed it for Kaiba's weak point: his heart. The key part of the keyblade slashed threw his chest and out his back.
It toke eternity for Kaiba to fall to the ground. The arm that was holding Mokuba fell limply to his side, letting go of his little brother's windpipe. Everyone around him was in tears, including Yami.
"Y-Yugi . . ." for the very first time, Kaiba smiled for real, "t-thank you." Yami nodded wearily . . .more tears . . .pain like none other that they had ever faced. Kaiba's head fell flaccidly into Mokuba's chest. "Y- Yugi . . .I don't know where I will go. . .goodbye Mokuba." those were his last words . . .the hard breathing had faded and sadness had entered Hallow Bastion once again.
-*
Tea stirred at the sounds of sorrow, 'Wh-What's going on?' she eyes met the others across the hallway, all crowded around someone wounded . . .
"I wonder what happened." She thought out loud. Noticing the crater in front of her, Tea slowly made her way across the giant hole. "Yugi!" she raced over to him, "Yugi! What happened?" but the sight in front of her answered the question.
"Oh my god!" the brunette knelt by Kaiba's side. Her temperate hand rubbed his icy cheek; Tea noticed the somewhat big hole in his chest. "Kaiba . . .what happened to you?" the hand went from rubbing his cheek to touching the gap in his chest; blood stained Tea's pearly white hand.
"He . . .he isn't coming back is he?" Oceans of tears trailed down her face and onto Kaiba's trench coat.
"Maybe . . .maybe not Tea." Yami smiled brightly. "Kaiba said something about that he'd be in another world that means he might be in-"
"the center of all worlds!" Mokuba chimed in. "That's what happened to Rikku in Kingdom Hearts it might just happen to Seto."
"Right Mokuba. I guess we'll find his soul there."
A sudden rush of joy flooded the antechamber. Hope and faith blossomed to a higher level then both Yugi and Yami had ever felt. 'Maybe things are going to start turning our way. We'll defeat that weird guy, find the Wheelers, and go to Kingdom Hearts to find Kaiba.'
'Yup,' Yugi hugged his Yami, 'and everything will turn out ok!'
-*
Ansum dusted off his clothes back at the Great Hall, "Back in my own body has never felt better. Ah," he turned to his imprisoned. "how are you two doing?" No answer . . .Serenity was still unconscious and Joey still couldn't say a word. Ansum chucked to himself, "Good."
He turned to the cataleptic brunette, "come." Her body lifted into the air, landing on Ansum's icicle like shoulder. 'this will be his final test. If the one with the keyblade passes this, I will set both the Wheelers free.' "THIS IS IT, KEYBLADE HOLDER! YOUR FINAL TEST! SEE WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED THOUGH ALL OF THIS!" Yet again, Ansum vanished into the darkness.
-*
"Hey Yugi," Tristan turned to Yami, "do you think that guy Ansum will come back? I mean, he's been setting traps for us ever we got here."
"Possibly Tristan. Who ever he is, the guy really wants this key thing that I found." He held up the keyblade, "I don't know what it is or why I have it, but I'll make sure that Ansum doesn't get his hand on it! Now," Yami made his speech to everyone in the room, "we need to face Ansum and beat him. And I'm going to need you all to help me do it."
"But I can't just leave Seto here." Mokuba mopped.
"We have to. Joey and Serenity's life hang in the balance."
"BUT I DON'T WANNA LEAVE SETO!" Mokuba started sobbing on Kaiba's collar. "HE'S MY BROTHER! I CAN'T DO THIS!"
"Aw . .how sweet. The little boy doesn't want to admit that his brother is dead." The shadows subsided once more: Ansum, in the flesh and blood . . .with another Serenity. "Now you with the keyblade," Ansum smiled in a deranged sort of way, "let us have this one final battle. If I win, I'll destroy you and take the keyblade. As for your companions . . .I'll turn them into heartless."
"AND if I win, you'll set Joey and Serenity free. Got it Ansum?"
"Agreed." Ansum threw Serenity over against the wall. Tristan and Tea shifted from the battlefield to the sidelines. Mokuba dragged Kaiba's corpse over to the edge of the vestibule, for safe keeping of coarse.
"GO YUGI!" Tea shouted.
"KICK BUTT YUGI" Tristan ring in as well. "WE'RE ALL RIGHT HERE WITH YOU ALONG WITH JOEY!" Yami smiled brightly, 'I know, like you always have been.'
-*
Unlike everyone else, Mokuba wasn't cheering Yami on in the battle. His attention was occupied with waking Serenity up, "Serenity . . .Serenity, come on get up! SE-REN-ITY! COME ON!!" even with his screaming, her body wouldn't even roll over. No grunts, no blinking. It was like she wasn't even human, more like a ghost or angel.
"Come on Serenity! There's not much more that I can do to wake you up!" then the light bulb turned on: would she wake up if he kissed her? 'NO WAY! THAT'S SICKENING! But it may be the only way.' Very hot like, Mokuba pressed his lips onto hers for a long and romantic kiss. 'Come on, this better work . . .'
Serenity's large eyelids slowly lifted, right on Mokuba's kiss. But instead of pushing his puckered up face away, she slipped her arm around the back of his neck, motioning him closer to her. The kiss lasted eternity until the, both at the same time, gently lifted their lips off of on another's face.
"Mokuba . . .that . . .that was so sweet." Serenity hugged Mokuba's head to her heart, "thank you for waking me up." She kissed him on the cheek this time; Mokuba was now blushing madly. Mokuba went back to watching the battle . . .but this time with his arm around Serenity's shoulder.
-*
Yami had made the first blow, a hit on Ansum's shoulder, which started bleeding insanely. Ansum's glowing fist slammed Yami into the wall, causing his lip to bleed. The battle went on like this for a while, blow after blow, ignoring injuries. Till Yami noticed something strange . . .when Yami attacked Ansum, he didn't seem to be getting at least half as much damage that Yami got when he attacked. There must be something guarding him from harm or something like that . . .but what?
"I see you noticed my guardian." A black shadow, much resembling Oblisk the Tormenter, appeared immediately in front of Ansum. "it defends me from most of your attacks quite well. But as well as a good defense, it provides quite a descent offence as well." The guardian left Ansum's side and was inching towards Yami. Then at the speed of light, the shadow leapt into Yami's body.
Tea leapt backwards at the thought of Yugi possessed "YUGI!"
Yami's movements got slower and slower till he started to hallucinate. 'Yami, I can't see Ansum anymore!' Yugi felt a sudden disconnection to the spirit 'YAMI! YAMI!' his eyes were blinded . . .all he could feel was falling. Yugi could feel his clothes getting kind of soaked; he relaxed, rested his neck on the bubbles floating to the surface. 'It's just water . . .' the water soothed Yugi's soul . . . 'I just need to sleep.' His eyelids drooped.
"YUGI!" a voice echoed though the water, "YUGI! DON'T LOOSE FOCUS!" Yugi immediately woke up. Yugi looked above him . . . .Yami was standing on the water! "Here!" he dipped into the water. "Take it . . ." Yugi reached for it . . .so close yet so far away. Yami reached in farther into the pool, grabbed Yugi's wrist and yanked him to the surface.
"Yugi . . .Yugi wake up! YUGI!" Yami shock his unconscious partner. 'No! He can't be!'
-*
Hallow Bastion was quiet for a few unearthly minutes. Yami's body had fainted for no apparent reason. Ansum had been preparing to fire the final blow on him . . .things were looking down yet again.
"So sad that this has to end so soon," Ansum said sarcastically, "I was truly expecting a real fight from you."
"NO!" Tea sprinted over to Yami, blocking him from Ansum.
"Get out of the way, foolish girl!"
"NEVER YOU MONSTER!" Tears from before were coming back now, "YOU'VE DONE TOO MUCH TO EVERYONE ELSE! I'M NOT LETTING YOU HURT YAMI!"
Mokuba realized now what he had to do; running like the wind, Mokuba yanked the keyblade out of Yami's clutched fists.
"THIS IS FOR JOEY!" Mokuba charged the key into Ansum stomach, sending him flying backwards.
"THIS IS FOR SERENITY!" he slammed the edge of the blade into Ansum's stomach, causing him to bleed out of his mouth.
Now the blade was raised over his head, "AND THIS IS FOR MY BROTHER!" they keyblade slashed across Ansum's chest twice, causing a cross effect. Ansum fell at Mokuba's little feet, fainted not dead. Mokuba fell to his knees, huffing and puffing.
"MOKUBA!" Serenity ran over to him, catching him before he fell, "YOU DID IT! YOU BEAT ANSUM!" Mokuba smiled with the thought of revenge then fainted.
-*