Hehe... its Duke! Yaya! He does some weird stuffs... Poor Otogi, now i know why jou's all nervous..

Joey: 0.0 eh?

Shibby: nevermind!

Chapter Five: The Seven-Sided Die

            "It's a court order," Otogi muttered to himself, staring at the computer screen. He typed quickly, trying to bring up a search on other situations similar to Jonouchi's. "Court... Supreme Court... Huh..."

            "Otogi? Whatcha doing?" A voice came from behind him. One of his classmates was standing behind him, a big pile of books in her arms.

            "Oh... Teishou..." he said, turning to her. Teishou shifted the books and looked at the note in her hand.

            "Do you know where the librarian is, Otogi-kun?" she asked. Otogi waved in the opposite direction, motioning through the bookshelves next to his dark corner.

            He was in Domino High's school library. Teishou, a girl from his Advanced Computer Programming class, was hauling three very large dictionaries. One on regular words, one on Internet lingo, and one on Computer parts.

            "Oof, these are heavy," she moaned dropping them onto the Check-In desk. She placed a gentle hand on top and looked over at Otogi. "Oooh, Otogi, you look dead. You should go home and rest for awhile."

            "Nah, I'm alright," Otogi assured her, waving her away. A bunch of American court cases of abuse in families came up on the search. Otogi turned when he heard the little 'ping' the computer made.

            "Ahh... Wait, wait a minute, no, I don't want these... Damn you, computer..." He angrily pounded on the keyboard, screwing up the computer. The picture flickered, then a message popped up, telling him that the hard drive was down. "Oh, no..." Teishou sighed and walked over, pushing him aside.

            "Otogi," she started, typing busily. She watched the screen as a bunch of charts came up. She quickly filed in codes of complicated numbers, codes Otogi knew, but didn't understand in his present state. He looked drunk, or maybe he had a hangover. He was sitting on the floor, his arms holding him up, watching the screen. He was so dizzy...

            The computer screen came back. When Teishou saw the search results, she sighed and shook her head.

            "Otogi, you're still trying to find out what happened with the Jonouchi case, right?" Otogi nodded, stifling a yawn. "You should cut it out. If the government doesn't want it published, it won't publish it. Now go home. I'll tell the teacher you left because you weren't feeling well."

            "But, Teishou..."

            "Now." Grumbling, Otogi stood, wobbling a little. Teishou, a good four or five inches shorter then him, steadied him, then pushed him out of the room.

            That's when Jonouchi appeared. He watched Otogi stagger away, angrily pulling his bag over his shoulder. Jonouchi cocked his head to the side, wondering why Otogi was acting this way.

            "...Ano... Otogi-kun?" he said, watching him. Otogi was leaning against a wall, his dark hair falling over his face, panting as if he had been running for some time. His bag dropped to the floor with a thud and he slid down the wall, leaning his head against his arm, which was propped on the wall. His eyes opened warily.

            He was exhausted.

            "Wow..." Jonouchi muttered. "Otogi-kun...." He walked over and bent down next to him, listening to him breathe rapidly. Otogi licked his lips and pushed himself up, holding his head with his hand.

            "....I gotta get home...."

            Otogi.... What are you doing?

            "He's mentally tired."

            Jonouchi looked around, wondering where the voice came from. Amane was supposed to still be with Ryou at the hospital. She'd been there ever since the day before, when Ryou proclaimed that he didn't want to live. She had been crying so hard, even though Ryou had either lost consciousness or was on some type of medication. Jonouchi nodded as he stared at her.

            "Caro.... Amane," he corrected himself. "How's..."

            "I'm not sure," Amane admitted. She shivered. "I'm scared, Jonouchi. I... I've never felt this way before." Jonouchi raised his eyebrows. She was right; he'd never seen her like this before. Scared and lonely.

            "Well... If it's any consultation, I think that Ryou may feel different when he gets better...." Jonouchi started. Amane didn't comment.

            Both of them looked at Otogi, who was walking down the hallway like a drunkard. He was muttering incoherently. Jonouchi followed, with Amane following him. Otogi wandered around, using the wall for support. He left the building, walking along on the sidewalk, holding his bag over his shoulder. Jonouchi watched him as he strolled home, eventually coming across Otogi's large estate.

            With a trembling hand, Otogi ripped the door open, dropping his bag and collapsing onto the couch. Jonouchi walked into the room, looking around. He had never been in Otogi's house before, and was amazed at its size. It was huge.

            "Wow," Jonouchi breathed, obviously impressed. "This place is really big."

            "It's so pretty," Amane murmured, looking at the large, crystal windows and big, spacious rooms. "How long has this place been in Domino?"

            "I don't know," Jonouchi admitted. "The only place I've ever seen like this is the Kaiba mansion." Jonouchi wandered into the center of the room, taking in everything. He eventually turned to Otogi lying on his stomach, sprawled out on a large sofa. He was playing with the rug, twirling his finger around and around in it's plush exterior. He looked half asleep.

            "Ow," he murmured, stretching his back. He sat up, looking around the room. He then stood, and walked over to a large table set behind the couch. Jonouchi followed Otogi, interested to see what he was doing. He wanted to know why Otogi was so exhausted…

            Amane went the other direction, coming to the opposite end of the table. She gasped loudly, her eyes opening wide, as Otogi and Jonouchi arrived to the other end.

            The table was completely covered in books and papers. Newspaper clippings, internet printouts, filing folders, old books on the government, you name it. Otogi picked up a newspaper clipping, yawning and squinting at it, reading it to himself. Amane peeked over his shoulder, reading it as well.

            "Oh… Wow…." Amane whispered, whistling. Otogi didn't notice her. Jonouchi stared at Otogi, wondering why. Then he remembered.

            Duh. Amane's dead.

            Like himself.

            Jonouchi shoved his hands into his jacket pockets, smiling at how funny Otogi and Amane looked together. Amane looked so white, so pale, like fresh snow, almost, compared to the rich, dark colors that made up Otogi's body. Even if Amane had been alive, she still would have looked white next to him.

            "Jonouchi," Amane said softly, looking up at him. "This article is about you."

            "Eh? It is?" Jonouchi said, surprised. He walked over, intrigued now. Otogi placed the clipping down, opening a large, boring book about court cases. He flipped through it, his tired eyes skimming over the pages.

            "Here," Amane said, nodding towards the paper. "Read it. Just don't touch it. Otogi might get a little suspicious if his paper starts floating." Nodding, Jonouchi bent down, and read the article. He was surprised to find it was about him.

            Just this past week, here in Domino City, another unfortunate case of child abuse and suicide was reported. Eighteen-year-old Jonouchi Katsuya shot himself in his right lung two nights ago, dying only minutes later. The cause for this suicide? His father, Jonouchi Ario, has been abusing him while on alcohol for the past three weeks. Someone who once was sober, who once was in rehabilitation, fell into the vicious cycle of alcoholism once more. Katsuya, apparently, had enough. He took the gun his father was firing at him and shot himself. It's not quite sure if it was intentional or not, but from what we know, Katsuya's fingerprints were on the gun.

            Police and investigators are now looking into this case, wondering if maybe this abuse has happened before. "It doesn't make sense for Jonouchi to randomly start attacking his son after rehab," One specialist says. "It doesn't add up. From what we've looked into, he's never really laid a finger on Katsuya." Unfortunately, before his death, Katsuya did go through much mental torment, since he left middle school. Ario is now being held at the police station, his trial coming soon.

            "If more evidence that he has abused Katsuya more, or even his daughter, Jonouchi Shizuka, arises, he could be sentenced to many years – to life in prison," Says Nitatito Rietta. "It's too bad we couldn't do this before it was too late."

            Jonouchi stared at the article. Otogi had moved on since he read it, running his finger down the page of a large book. But Jonouchi couldn't remove his eyes from it. There was a picture as well; his apartment, flooded with searchlights, broken windows, debris littering the floor. He froze when he saw the trails of dark, lethal blood on the floor, leading down the hallway. A small picture of himself, taken in school, was featured, with the caption beneath it saying Jonouchi Katsuya, two months before the abuse started. Beside his picture was Shizuka's. Jonouchi Shizuka, sixteen years old. It's been stated that Ario may have abused his daughter as well, although Shizuka herself denies it.

            "Shizuka," he whispered. He looked up to speak to Amane, but the beauty had dispersed once more. Jonouchi sighed.

            "Otogi," he said, louder this time. Otogi looked up, his eyes wide, looking for the source of his discomfort. He could have sworn he felt something… Strange…

            Jonouchi covered his mouth.

            I forgot, he thought to himself. My friends can sense me. Taking a breath, he carefully stepped closer to Otogi, skimming the papers thrown onto the table. It took him awhile, but Jonouchi eventually realized what Otogi was doing.

            He was trying to get something for his family. It wasn't quite clear to Jonouchi, but from what he read of Otogi's papers, and the notes he jotted down in his notebook, apparently, if sent to jail with more then one abuse case, his mother and sister could get custody of all the money and possessions they owned.

            Jonouchi's heart leapt with joy. They needed that money! Very badly!

            "Yes," Otogi whispered, a smile spreading across his face. "I knew it. I knew it!" He dropped the book, the book landing with a loud thud. Otogi leaned forward, his hands on the table, breathing hard. Trying to hold himself up.

            "Yes, dammit, yes!" he said, smiling at the table. Jonouchi stared at him. "Now, I just have to tell Mrs. Jonouchi…" He flopped down in a chair, exhausted. Jonouchi frowned.

            "Otogi," he said, trying to get Otogi to sense him. "Get some rest. You can't prove your case without sleeping…" he trailed off. Otogi wasn't listening, anyway.

            Annoyed, Jonouchi marched over to Otogi. He was slumped down in the chair, staring at the floor.

            "Otogi Ryuji, I command you to-" he placed his hand on Otogi's shoulder. Otogi's head rolled to the side. His eyes were closed, his breathing slow. Jonouchi jumped back in surprise.

            He had fallen asleep.

Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me.~ Carol Burnett

            Otogi's eyes fluttered open. He moved slightly, trying to ease his aching muscles. He was lying on his back on his couch, still clad in his uniform. It was dark out; night had fallen while he slept.

            "Oh - shit - " he muttered, rolling off the couch. He hit the rug, then he sat up, shaking his head. He couldn't remember what he got done, if he even got anything done. Sighing, he stood up, wobbling. How long had he been asleep? He wasted valuable time to help Shizuka by sleeping! What a waste!

            "Damn," he muttered, wobbling over to the table. Jonouchi watched him. He had figured that Otogi was trying to get this information before the trial, so his father could be thrown behind bars. Otogi held himself up, smiling down at the table.

            "I know there's something I can use against him tomorrow," Otogi said to no one, shuffling papers around. "I just don't know what..." Jonouchi stood up, walking over to the table.

            Tomorrow, Jonouchi thought to himself. If the trial is tomorrow... How long has Otogi been working on this? Otogi's eyelids drooped. He was extremely tired, but he wasn't gonna stop. He had only roughly... Otogi checked his watch. Thirteen hours! He only had thirteen hours until the trial began. Angry at himself, Otogi opened another large volume, training his eyes over it.

            "Otogi, cut it out," Jonouchi ordered, not that Otogi paid much attention to him. Jonouchi sighed, realizing that nothing he said would dissuade him. Even if Jonouchi was still alive. It wouldn't matter to Otogi at all.

            "Dammit, I… There has to be something… The only way…" Otogi muttered to himself. Jonouchi raised his eyebrows, wondering what he could be talking about. A loud knock sounded on the door.

            "Otogi Ryuji, open up right now…" a voice growled outside. Jonouchi looked around Otogi to the front door.

            "Come in," Otogi called weakly. "It's open." Honda's figure walked into the kitchen, closely followed by the figure of someone he didn't know. A girl.

            Heh, I wonder who she is… Jonouchi thought, smiling. Honda stepped into the light, followed by a girl with dark hair and blue eyes. He recognized her as one of those really smart people. The ones who ranked up there with Kaiba on intelligence.

            Damn, Jonouchi thought. She's pretty. Teishou stepped past Honda.

            "Otogi," Honda said, hands in his pockets. "Teishou tells me you're still working on this."

            "…Yes, I am…"

            "Otogi, please," Teishou begged. "Why don't you get some rest?" Otogi sighed. Honda stepped forwards, placing his hands on Otogi's shoulders.

            "Otogi-kun," he said, staring into his face. "You can't help Shizuka at all if you're weak, tired and unfocused. Get some rest." Otogi slammed his fists onto the table.

            "Damn it!" he cried, turning to Honda. Jonouchi stepped back, not that he was in any harm at all. "Honda, I don't have enough proof yet!"

            "Proof of what?" Teishou asked timidly. "Otogi, I know you want to get that money for Shizuka and her mother, but if there is no other record of abuse…"

            "There is, I know it!" Otogi said, his shoulders shaking. Honda knew what this was about.

            "You know, working yourself to death isn't gonna help at all," Honda said softly. Teishou squeezed her hands together. Otogi looked up at her.

            "How do you know where I live?"

            "Baka, I was on my way here," Honda said, looking at the articles. "Whoa, you did all this in the past four days? Wow…"

            "Otogi-kun," Teishou said, "How did you think this up?" Otogi sighed.

            "I thought this up when I found that article," he said, pointing at the one Jonouchi had read. Jonouchi chuckled to himself.

            Trying to be the hero, ne, Otogi? Jonouchi thought to himself. You're wasting your time. My dad has never laid a finger on Shizuka. Sorry.

            …Wait… Jonouchi blinked, straightening up. A scene had flashed through his head, a spurting memory from the past… It involved Shizuka… Jonouchi held his head, a little confused. So far, Otogi wasn't the only one who had broken down over his death. Instead, he worked himself, trying to be the hero for Shizuka.

            "I want to help," Otogi explained. "Jonouchi… He deserves it." Teishou was opening books and shuffling through articles, trying to keep from looking straight at Otogi. "I also want to get all aspects of this."

            "What else is there to know?" Otogi shrugged, holding his head.

            "God dammit, I have a huge headache… Honda?" Honda looked down at his friend. Otogi lifted his head, his face pale.

            "Otogi, how much sleep have you had lately?"

            "Ummm…" Otogi stumbled backwards, Honda catching him.

            "Whoa, tiger. You okay?" Otogi looked up at Honda, a confused look in his eyes.

            "…Honda…"

            "Otogi?" Otogi's eyes closed. He sighed and leaned against Honda. Teishou walked over, moving his hair out of his face.

            "God, he's so tired," Teishou stated. She squatted down to where Otogi was, down near the carpet. His dark eyes opened, settling on Teishou. She gently touched his cheek, drawing her finger to his chin. She bit her lower lip, watching him intently.

            "His mind is so worn…" Teishou muttered. She stood. "Umm, Honda, I think he shouldn't go to the trial tomorrow." Honda sighed.

            "He doesn't have a choice. He promised Shizuka…" Teishou helped Honda prop Otogi up. They carried him back into the living room, dropping him softly onto the couch. Otogi's arm fell off the couch, his fingers barely skimming the floor.

            "He can't do it," Teishou said softly. "It's too close, not enough info is known…" Honda sighed as he fell into a chair. Jonouchi was standing right beside it, and he slipped away quickly, so that Honda wouldn't notice his presence. Jonouchi looked from his tired, sleeping friend to his dazed-looking one, staring at the ceiling.

            "Sorry, Jonouchi-kun," Honda said in a soft voice. Teishou looked up at him, sitting on the floor. She stood up, wandering over to the table behind the couch. Jonouchi followed, watching her close books, stack papers, and position them carefully and neatly. She was crying, her tears dripping onto the table. Jonouchi touched the tear gently, and was surprised to find he could feel it. It was wet, and strangely heavy for a tiny drop of salty water. He prodded it again, wondering why in heaven's name he could feel it.

            He half expected Amane to appear, explaining this phenomenon.

            She didn't.

            "…Otogi can't help your sister," Honda said, staring at the ceiling. He looked down at his hands. "No one can. We tried; we failed. Sorry, bud." Teishou dropped the last book on top of the stack, her fragile emotions bubbling up.

            "Not all stories end with happy endings," she stated. No one answered.

            "…I wish this one would…" Jonouchi whispered.


Awww… Poor Otogi…

Weird ending, I know, but I wasn't sure how to continue… So I ended it in failure. LOL! Anyway… I've already typed the next chap, and the last one. I just have two more chaps to type, and then put the next five up. Yay!

++++Next Chap+++++

Shizuka feels scared, lost and alone without Jonouchi there. She stays concealed in her room after her father's trial, for three days. However, it isn't only her brother's death and her father's trial that drove her into her depression... An incident from the past that may imprison their father for good.

Chapter Six: Concrete Angel

Shibby-One