Hey guys! What's up? Now I can spend some quality time with this fic! ^.^
Thank you all for being so patient! I'm afraid that you might have to be
patient again, since my control-freak father just banned me from the
computer again. Why? Because I didn't turn it off for the night. (Grumbles
something remotely like the f-word along with several other expletives) I'd
like to see him stop me. (winks)
Alright, I think I owe my wonderful reviewers a little background on this story. So here it is:
The idea first came to me, believe it or not, 2 years ago. It wasn't meant to be a YGO fic, but rather a Rurouni Kenshin fic. Kenshin was in Yami and Bakura's situation, Kaoru was in the same situation as Yugi and Ryou, and Sano or Megumi in Malik's position. It wasn't going to be a 'clone ancient corpses' thing, but rather, 'mess up a human' thing. The whole ancient corps cloning came to me thanks to Psychology class and after watching the Discovery channel. Good old Discovery channel. Gotta love it.
Anyways, keep that in mind when I start to develop the story. Those of you that are familiar with Kenshin will understand when I say that Yami is about to go Battousai.
Enjoy!
Chapter 7 - Viator
Yugi was looking over the note for the tenth time. What did it mean? Jounouchi-kun had slipped it to him after class. Now, in the comfort of his own room, his mind plagued him for answers.
The note was simple enough. All it said was:
'Hell is waiting.'
Those three words were more puzzling then any riddle. Had he never met Yami, he might have thought that it was a suicide note. After all, it WAS morbid enough. But... Did Jounouchi know about H.E.L.L.?
Assuming he did, was the note a threat?
Or was it a warning?
If so, for who? Was the note meant for Yami or himself?
It was at this moment that Yami had chosen to enter the room. Seeing Yugi's confused face worried him, and he kneeled next to him and stroked his cheek gently.
"Aibou... what's wrong? You look lost."
Yami's voice warmed Yugi, and soothed him. As long as Yami was with him, everything would be alright.
Yugi placed the note in Yami's hand and tiredly leaned his head on Yami's shoulder while he was reading.
"Who gave you this?" Yami asked, his voice seeming strangely controlled. As if he didn't want Yugi to know what he was feeling.
"It was Jounouchi-kun. He gave it to me today without saying a word. What does it mean Yami?" Yugi's soft breath tickled Yami's face.
Yami looked strait ahead. It was bad. Without any doubt, this was Kaiba calling him out, telling him to return. His newfound freedom was over. Kaiba wanted his doll back.
But he couldn't tell Yugi.
"I don't know." Yami lied.
Yugi, as though they had known each other for all eternity, could sense that Yami wasn't telling him the truth, but he let it pass. Everyone was entitled to their secrets.
Guilt was gnawing at Yami's heart. He hated lying to Yugi... it made him feel sick. Besides, it was selfishness on his part. He didn't want to see Yugi's sad face.
He couldn't tell him that he had to leave.
With Jou as a minion, Kaiba would know where they live... and that means that he could take him back whenever he pleased.
By force, even.
But then again, Kaiba wasn't that kind of person. He would use something more effective then brute force... he could use Yugi.
A chill ran though him. His arms wrapped themselves around Yugi's waist and brought the small boy closer to him. Yami marvelled at the comfort that this simple action brought him.
"Yami, what's wrong?" Yugi asked, slightly surprised by the taller boy's action.
"You mean so much to me Yugi... I'm so glad I met you." Yami breathed in Yugi's scent, eager to remember as much as he could about him.
Yugi looked at his twin with a puzzled expression. Why was he acting like this? As if they would never see each other again?
"I'm glad I met you too Yami. You're the best friend I've ever had."
Yugi had meant for the words to be comforting, but he saw hurt flash through Yami's eyes.
"Only that?" Yami murmured so softly that Yugi almost missed it.
"Did I say something wrong Yami? Did I offend you?"
Yami mentally kicked himself. He wasn't telling Yugi he was leaving because he didn't want Yugi to be sad, yet he had single-handedly done the same thing without even trying. He wanted to see his aibou smile before he left... that heart-stopping smile that Yami had the privilege of seeing from time to time.
"Aibou... I'm sorry. You didn't say anything wrong. It's just... You're the only person I've ever had such strong feelings for. Do you feel the same way?"
Yugi pulled away from Yami's embrace to look at his face. He was completely sincere. The depth of emotion he found in Yami's formerly cold eyes was startling, and shocked Yugi to the core.
The emotion that he felt towards Yami was so different then the way he cared for Anzu that it confused him. Didn't he love Anzu? If so, why did he have stronger feelings for Yami then her?
Hesitantly, he gave Yami a shy smile. "I've worried that I was a burden to you sometimes Yami, but you're the person I trust the most. You're the only person I'd give my heart to without any second thought."
Yami smiled, a smile that Yugi had never seen before. It lit up his whole face and made him seem younger then before.
"I'm glad." Yami said simply.
Yugi smiled shyly, a little taken aback by Yami's obvious display of affection.
When a yawn escaped his lips, Yugi climbed into bed.
"That note may be nothing to worry about Yami. I'll ask Jounouchi what it means tomorrow, ok?"
Yami shifted his weight uneasily. "Yeah."
Yugi fell asleep with a soft smile on his lips. Yami couldn't help but look at the sleeping boy longingly.
"Why must the gods tease me with what I can't have? First my freedom, now Yugi..." With a sigh, he placed a soft kiss on Yugi's cheek.
"I'm sorry aibou."
With that, he climbed out Yugi's window. There was enough of a ledge to allow him to close it behind him, but since there was no mysterious tree around like there normally should be when one is trying to make a daring escape out of a bedroom window, Yami jumped down to the ground with the grace of a cat.
Yami's eyes hardened when he found none other then Jounouchi waiting for him on the street. Jou's expression was resigned, and his hands were stoically shoved into his pockets.
"He's waiting for you."
* * * * *
Bakura hated walking around in the dark.
It wasn't because he was afraid of it or anything.
It was just because he had spent most of his life in it, and light had become somewhat of a novelty. That's all, right? He just wanted to cling to what wouldn't accept him, what he couldn't have.
The tomb had been so dark...
Shaking these thoughts from his head, he checked the piece of paper once again. It was written in Ryou's neat scrawl.
For Ryou's sake at least, he hoped that Ishtar wasn't operational.
The boy looked too much like himself... And Ishtar, before becoming his partner, had been a priest. A corrupt one, but a priest none the less. So if Malik was stupid enough to let Ishtar keep his memories, there was no doubt in Bakura's mind that Ishtar had figured everything out... at least the Ka and Ba part. So Ishtar would recognise Malik as his own reincarnation, and Ryou as Bakura's.
If Ishtar ever found Ryou...
He pushed these thoughts away.
"That bastard wont find Ryou because I'll kill him first!" Bakura growled. He stalked towards the address that was indicated on the paper and pounded on the door.
A sleepy-eye Malik slowly opened the door, grumbling at his own misfortune of being woken up in the middle of the night.
Bakura shoved the door open and pushed Malik aside.
"Where is he?! I know you have him, you fool of a scientist!" Bakura growled.
Malik closed the door and locked it again with a sigh. " 'Fool of a scientist?' First Kaiba and now even my creations are critics. Ah, the work of a genius is never appreciated."
"Quit your bitching and tell me where Ishtar is!" Bakura yelled, grabbing Malik by the collar.
A fist connected with Bakura's face, sending him sprawling backwards.
"I'm right here." Ishtar smiled snidely.
Malik, who had been released from Bakura's grip, got up and dusted himself off.
"I take it you two know each other?"
"We go a long way back." Ishtar laughed, straddling the fallen Bakura and punching him repeatedly.
Bakura flickered to life and shoved Ishtar off. Deciding to return the favour, he began to punch him, ignoring the dry crunching sound his ministrations produced.
"You bastard! I trusted you!" Bakura followed up with a mouthful of expletives and smashed Ishtar's head repeatedly into the floor.
Malik rubbed his temples. "I might as well make coffee. I'll be up all night fixing those two."
Ishtar's eyes flashed with an unknown light and his cruel smile widened. "So you remember?"
"I'll KILL you!" was Bakura's only response.
Ishtar laughed sadistically. "Well then, dear partner... allow me to take away your pain, as I should have done then."
Ishtar got back on top of Bakura and thrust his hand INTO Bakura's left cheek, bringing with it numerous wires as he removed it.
Bakura's eye widened in horror, and his mouth curled in the semblance of a scream, but no sound came out.
As one pulls a plug from a light that's turned on, Bakura's cheek sparked and his body turned itself off with a dull shudder.
His eyes remained open, starring at Ishtar with accusing blindness, their dark depths lifeless.
Ishtar grinned and leaned down to whisper in his former partner's ear.
"You're such an old model... so fragile! But don't worry. I know how much you hated the dark. You wont be in it for too long. Only until Malik-sama reformats you."
Malik came back into the room with his coffee. He rolled his eyes at the scene.
"You ruined 3223! Do you have any idea how many hours I spent trying to get his body to work perfectly?"
Ishtar laughed mockingly as he kicked Bakura's lifeless body.
"You're good. You can fix him."
Malik smiled brightly. "That was the first compliment that I've heard in ages! I think you're starting to warm up to me!"
Ishtar snickered. "It's all in your head."
Malik smirked. "There are many things in this pretty head of mine."
"So there are."
"That's why I prefer to keep my head on my shoulders."
Ishtar crossed his arms, ignoring Bakura's unmoving body. "Has Kaiba terminated any other scientists this week?"
"Takeda is gone... presumably dead. The Lacuna project is advancing smoothly. I'm worried that my own termination time is approaching shortly."
"Why wont you let me simply kill him?" Ishtar asked, annoyed.
"It's not nice to kill one's boss. Besides... with all the expenses I spent to make you, I NEED next week's pay check."
"Hn. You'll need that money even more once you're finished fixing HIM." Ishtar nudged Bakura's body with his foot.
"So you don't mind playing the bodyguard for the scientist who knows too much?" Malik smirked.
"Not at all. I look forward to your termination time."
"HEY!" Malik fumed, "What's that supposed to mean?!"
Ishtar looked at his flawless hand with interest. "I can't wait to test out this body's full potential. My darling partner wasn't much of a challenge."
Malik's eyes lit up. "Oh! I can change that! The technology has gotten better now, so I could try and upgrade him to meet the high standards I established with your creation!"
"Sounds interesting." Ishtar laughed.
Malik nodded enthusiastically, eager to make the former 'failed creation' a perfect one, like the pharaoh. This would be a challenge that would prove his skills and intelligence. Kaiba was a fool to think he could simply terminate all the scientists once the Lacuna project was completed. Malik's mind was priceless. You don't just kill priceless things.
Ishtar helped him haul Bakura's lifeless body to the lab in the basement.
The blond Egyptian stroked his partner's hair. "There's just one more thing Malik-sama."
"Hm?" Malik looked up from the cabinet he was getting his supplies from.
"I want you to take away all his memories. Everything."
Malik's eyebrows shot up. "Why should I do that?"
"What's the point of a game of cat and mouse if the cat doesn't have an advantage?" Ishtar sneered.
* * * *
Dun dun duuuuunnnnnn!!!
Bat: (announcer-type voice) What will happen to Yami? Is Jou really on the dark-side? Will Malik get 'terminated' by Kaiba, or will Ishtar protect him? And what about poor Ryou, unwittingly sending his darker self to his doom by using 411! Oh the agony! Find out in the next chapter of 'LACUNA', coming to a computer screen near you!
Heero: You forgot the disclaimer again.
Bat: (Pouts) Cant you take care of that for me?
Heero: No.
Bat: I'll pay you.
Heero: ...
Bat: I have author powers you know!
Heero: (clearly not impressed) Hn.
Bat: Oh well. Maybe next chapter I'll find some sucker willing to do the disclaimer. Go back to chapter 6 if you're a lawyer.
Heero: (dryly) Aren't you worried about getting sued?
Bat: Why should I be? They wont get any money from me! I have none!
Heero: ... (Didn't she just offer to pay me?)
Bat: Reviews are always appreciated! I'm hoping to hit the 100 mark by the next chapter! (laughs insanely as Heero rolls his eyes)
Alright, I think I owe my wonderful reviewers a little background on this story. So here it is:
The idea first came to me, believe it or not, 2 years ago. It wasn't meant to be a YGO fic, but rather a Rurouni Kenshin fic. Kenshin was in Yami and Bakura's situation, Kaoru was in the same situation as Yugi and Ryou, and Sano or Megumi in Malik's position. It wasn't going to be a 'clone ancient corpses' thing, but rather, 'mess up a human' thing. The whole ancient corps cloning came to me thanks to Psychology class and after watching the Discovery channel. Good old Discovery channel. Gotta love it.
Anyways, keep that in mind when I start to develop the story. Those of you that are familiar with Kenshin will understand when I say that Yami is about to go Battousai.
Enjoy!
Chapter 7 - Viator
Yugi was looking over the note for the tenth time. What did it mean? Jounouchi-kun had slipped it to him after class. Now, in the comfort of his own room, his mind plagued him for answers.
The note was simple enough. All it said was:
'Hell is waiting.'
Those three words were more puzzling then any riddle. Had he never met Yami, he might have thought that it was a suicide note. After all, it WAS morbid enough. But... Did Jounouchi know about H.E.L.L.?
Assuming he did, was the note a threat?
Or was it a warning?
If so, for who? Was the note meant for Yami or himself?
It was at this moment that Yami had chosen to enter the room. Seeing Yugi's confused face worried him, and he kneeled next to him and stroked his cheek gently.
"Aibou... what's wrong? You look lost."
Yami's voice warmed Yugi, and soothed him. As long as Yami was with him, everything would be alright.
Yugi placed the note in Yami's hand and tiredly leaned his head on Yami's shoulder while he was reading.
"Who gave you this?" Yami asked, his voice seeming strangely controlled. As if he didn't want Yugi to know what he was feeling.
"It was Jounouchi-kun. He gave it to me today without saying a word. What does it mean Yami?" Yugi's soft breath tickled Yami's face.
Yami looked strait ahead. It was bad. Without any doubt, this was Kaiba calling him out, telling him to return. His newfound freedom was over. Kaiba wanted his doll back.
But he couldn't tell Yugi.
"I don't know." Yami lied.
Yugi, as though they had known each other for all eternity, could sense that Yami wasn't telling him the truth, but he let it pass. Everyone was entitled to their secrets.
Guilt was gnawing at Yami's heart. He hated lying to Yugi... it made him feel sick. Besides, it was selfishness on his part. He didn't want to see Yugi's sad face.
He couldn't tell him that he had to leave.
With Jou as a minion, Kaiba would know where they live... and that means that he could take him back whenever he pleased.
By force, even.
But then again, Kaiba wasn't that kind of person. He would use something more effective then brute force... he could use Yugi.
A chill ran though him. His arms wrapped themselves around Yugi's waist and brought the small boy closer to him. Yami marvelled at the comfort that this simple action brought him.
"Yami, what's wrong?" Yugi asked, slightly surprised by the taller boy's action.
"You mean so much to me Yugi... I'm so glad I met you." Yami breathed in Yugi's scent, eager to remember as much as he could about him.
Yugi looked at his twin with a puzzled expression. Why was he acting like this? As if they would never see each other again?
"I'm glad I met you too Yami. You're the best friend I've ever had."
Yugi had meant for the words to be comforting, but he saw hurt flash through Yami's eyes.
"Only that?" Yami murmured so softly that Yugi almost missed it.
"Did I say something wrong Yami? Did I offend you?"
Yami mentally kicked himself. He wasn't telling Yugi he was leaving because he didn't want Yugi to be sad, yet he had single-handedly done the same thing without even trying. He wanted to see his aibou smile before he left... that heart-stopping smile that Yami had the privilege of seeing from time to time.
"Aibou... I'm sorry. You didn't say anything wrong. It's just... You're the only person I've ever had such strong feelings for. Do you feel the same way?"
Yugi pulled away from Yami's embrace to look at his face. He was completely sincere. The depth of emotion he found in Yami's formerly cold eyes was startling, and shocked Yugi to the core.
The emotion that he felt towards Yami was so different then the way he cared for Anzu that it confused him. Didn't he love Anzu? If so, why did he have stronger feelings for Yami then her?
Hesitantly, he gave Yami a shy smile. "I've worried that I was a burden to you sometimes Yami, but you're the person I trust the most. You're the only person I'd give my heart to without any second thought."
Yami smiled, a smile that Yugi had never seen before. It lit up his whole face and made him seem younger then before.
"I'm glad." Yami said simply.
Yugi smiled shyly, a little taken aback by Yami's obvious display of affection.
When a yawn escaped his lips, Yugi climbed into bed.
"That note may be nothing to worry about Yami. I'll ask Jounouchi what it means tomorrow, ok?"
Yami shifted his weight uneasily. "Yeah."
Yugi fell asleep with a soft smile on his lips. Yami couldn't help but look at the sleeping boy longingly.
"Why must the gods tease me with what I can't have? First my freedom, now Yugi..." With a sigh, he placed a soft kiss on Yugi's cheek.
"I'm sorry aibou."
With that, he climbed out Yugi's window. There was enough of a ledge to allow him to close it behind him, but since there was no mysterious tree around like there normally should be when one is trying to make a daring escape out of a bedroom window, Yami jumped down to the ground with the grace of a cat.
Yami's eyes hardened when he found none other then Jounouchi waiting for him on the street. Jou's expression was resigned, and his hands were stoically shoved into his pockets.
"He's waiting for you."
* * * * *
Bakura hated walking around in the dark.
It wasn't because he was afraid of it or anything.
It was just because he had spent most of his life in it, and light had become somewhat of a novelty. That's all, right? He just wanted to cling to what wouldn't accept him, what he couldn't have.
The tomb had been so dark...
Shaking these thoughts from his head, he checked the piece of paper once again. It was written in Ryou's neat scrawl.
For Ryou's sake at least, he hoped that Ishtar wasn't operational.
The boy looked too much like himself... And Ishtar, before becoming his partner, had been a priest. A corrupt one, but a priest none the less. So if Malik was stupid enough to let Ishtar keep his memories, there was no doubt in Bakura's mind that Ishtar had figured everything out... at least the Ka and Ba part. So Ishtar would recognise Malik as his own reincarnation, and Ryou as Bakura's.
If Ishtar ever found Ryou...
He pushed these thoughts away.
"That bastard wont find Ryou because I'll kill him first!" Bakura growled. He stalked towards the address that was indicated on the paper and pounded on the door.
A sleepy-eye Malik slowly opened the door, grumbling at his own misfortune of being woken up in the middle of the night.
Bakura shoved the door open and pushed Malik aside.
"Where is he?! I know you have him, you fool of a scientist!" Bakura growled.
Malik closed the door and locked it again with a sigh. " 'Fool of a scientist?' First Kaiba and now even my creations are critics. Ah, the work of a genius is never appreciated."
"Quit your bitching and tell me where Ishtar is!" Bakura yelled, grabbing Malik by the collar.
A fist connected with Bakura's face, sending him sprawling backwards.
"I'm right here." Ishtar smiled snidely.
Malik, who had been released from Bakura's grip, got up and dusted himself off.
"I take it you two know each other?"
"We go a long way back." Ishtar laughed, straddling the fallen Bakura and punching him repeatedly.
Bakura flickered to life and shoved Ishtar off. Deciding to return the favour, he began to punch him, ignoring the dry crunching sound his ministrations produced.
"You bastard! I trusted you!" Bakura followed up with a mouthful of expletives and smashed Ishtar's head repeatedly into the floor.
Malik rubbed his temples. "I might as well make coffee. I'll be up all night fixing those two."
Ishtar's eyes flashed with an unknown light and his cruel smile widened. "So you remember?"
"I'll KILL you!" was Bakura's only response.
Ishtar laughed sadistically. "Well then, dear partner... allow me to take away your pain, as I should have done then."
Ishtar got back on top of Bakura and thrust his hand INTO Bakura's left cheek, bringing with it numerous wires as he removed it.
Bakura's eye widened in horror, and his mouth curled in the semblance of a scream, but no sound came out.
As one pulls a plug from a light that's turned on, Bakura's cheek sparked and his body turned itself off with a dull shudder.
His eyes remained open, starring at Ishtar with accusing blindness, their dark depths lifeless.
Ishtar grinned and leaned down to whisper in his former partner's ear.
"You're such an old model... so fragile! But don't worry. I know how much you hated the dark. You wont be in it for too long. Only until Malik-sama reformats you."
Malik came back into the room with his coffee. He rolled his eyes at the scene.
"You ruined 3223! Do you have any idea how many hours I spent trying to get his body to work perfectly?"
Ishtar laughed mockingly as he kicked Bakura's lifeless body.
"You're good. You can fix him."
Malik smiled brightly. "That was the first compliment that I've heard in ages! I think you're starting to warm up to me!"
Ishtar snickered. "It's all in your head."
Malik smirked. "There are many things in this pretty head of mine."
"So there are."
"That's why I prefer to keep my head on my shoulders."
Ishtar crossed his arms, ignoring Bakura's unmoving body. "Has Kaiba terminated any other scientists this week?"
"Takeda is gone... presumably dead. The Lacuna project is advancing smoothly. I'm worried that my own termination time is approaching shortly."
"Why wont you let me simply kill him?" Ishtar asked, annoyed.
"It's not nice to kill one's boss. Besides... with all the expenses I spent to make you, I NEED next week's pay check."
"Hn. You'll need that money even more once you're finished fixing HIM." Ishtar nudged Bakura's body with his foot.
"So you don't mind playing the bodyguard for the scientist who knows too much?" Malik smirked.
"Not at all. I look forward to your termination time."
"HEY!" Malik fumed, "What's that supposed to mean?!"
Ishtar looked at his flawless hand with interest. "I can't wait to test out this body's full potential. My darling partner wasn't much of a challenge."
Malik's eyes lit up. "Oh! I can change that! The technology has gotten better now, so I could try and upgrade him to meet the high standards I established with your creation!"
"Sounds interesting." Ishtar laughed.
Malik nodded enthusiastically, eager to make the former 'failed creation' a perfect one, like the pharaoh. This would be a challenge that would prove his skills and intelligence. Kaiba was a fool to think he could simply terminate all the scientists once the Lacuna project was completed. Malik's mind was priceless. You don't just kill priceless things.
Ishtar helped him haul Bakura's lifeless body to the lab in the basement.
The blond Egyptian stroked his partner's hair. "There's just one more thing Malik-sama."
"Hm?" Malik looked up from the cabinet he was getting his supplies from.
"I want you to take away all his memories. Everything."
Malik's eyebrows shot up. "Why should I do that?"
"What's the point of a game of cat and mouse if the cat doesn't have an advantage?" Ishtar sneered.
* * * *
Dun dun duuuuunnnnnn!!!
Bat: (announcer-type voice) What will happen to Yami? Is Jou really on the dark-side? Will Malik get 'terminated' by Kaiba, or will Ishtar protect him? And what about poor Ryou, unwittingly sending his darker self to his doom by using 411! Oh the agony! Find out in the next chapter of 'LACUNA', coming to a computer screen near you!
Heero: You forgot the disclaimer again.
Bat: (Pouts) Cant you take care of that for me?
Heero: No.
Bat: I'll pay you.
Heero: ...
Bat: I have author powers you know!
Heero: (clearly not impressed) Hn.
Bat: Oh well. Maybe next chapter I'll find some sucker willing to do the disclaimer. Go back to chapter 6 if you're a lawyer.
Heero: (dryly) Aren't you worried about getting sued?
Bat: Why should I be? They wont get any money from me! I have none!
Heero: ... (Didn't she just offer to pay me?)
Bat: Reviews are always appreciated! I'm hoping to hit the 100 mark by the next chapter! (laughs insanely as Heero rolls his eyes)