Judgement

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh, otherwise . . . you get the picture

Summary: Seto, Ryou and Ryuuji are TC's Elite and their job is to exterminate all Otherworldly beings from the real world. But real judgement is yet to come, what with the Chimera Brigade on the loose . . .

Warnings: Semi-Alternate Universe, OOC (on some parts, not all). In this chapter there will be angst and lots of it!

Responses to Reviews/Author's Notes:

Picaro: yeah, it's pretty hard to believe I wrote something other than Seto/Ryou, huh? I was a bit shocked myself, but I guess it's a vital part of the story. So yeah . . . don't worry, I'm still the infamous Seto/Ryou writer! And who do you think will win Ryou's heart in the end?

Maruken: you like? I created my story around Marik/Ryou just for you! Though I can't promise anything . . . my mind tends to drag me off unbidden, so if things turn out funny, don't blame me!

Quintain: QUEENIE YOU REVIEWED! Yay! This teaches you to always leave a review. It's the same as writing 'I came, I saw, I reviewed'! . . . Julius Caesar must have gotten to me . . .

Alick: so do you like Charmed?

Shrowded angel: glad you like . . . here's more!

Elle=FaTe2x1: happy you think it's cool! I love it too!

Ril: of course I'll update! Here you go!

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Chapter Seven: The Healing Process

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Seto hovered around in the kitchen while Ryou prepared the water and the utensils for the antidote. At first, Seto had been sceptical as to whether the brew was really the antidote or not, but Ryuuji stopped by at a herbalist and showed him the mixture. The medicine was approved.

So Ryou went along brewing it, ignoring Seto's attempts at conversation while he did. The albino was insulted that he doubted him. Ryuuji attempted to pacify him by saying that they had a reason to be doubtful, seeing as they didn't even know who Namu was and that he had just appeared out of nowhere.

"Let me help you with the water."

Ryou turned away and poured the water into the special medicine pot (A/N: I dunno what it's called, but us Chinese use it for boiling herbal medicine) and stirring it with the herbs a little. He then covered it with a lid and left it to boil. Meanwhile, he took out a sifter from an overhead cupboard.

"Ryou . . ."

The albino continued to ignore him, now staring intently at the pot. Seto sighed in frustration.

"Look, Ryou, will you listen to me?" he demanded. "This – this Namu guy seems very strange. From what Ryuuji's told me, he disappeared for a year and now he's suddenly come back. He knows about Mokuba, about us, you've only seen him at night . . . in deserted areas to boot. Don't you think his character is a bit shady? We have every reason to doubt the remedy he gave."

He grabbed Ryou's arm, only to have the albino shake it off with a glare.

"Wasn't the herbalist's approval good enough for you?"

"It's not that . . ."

"Then what is it?" Ryou's eyes narrowed. "You're still suspicious. You think the medicine's going to kill Mokuba, not cure him. That's why you're so intent on getting professional advice instead of trusting me."

"This is my brother's life at stake," Seto growled, losing his temper. "Of course I'll be suspicious. I don't know this Namu. How do I know if he can be trusted?"

"You trust me."

"I won't trust anyone who doesn't give me a reason to," he snapped flatly. "And how do I know you and Ryuuji didn't work together to create this Namu character so that I'd believe this is the real cure for Mokuba? What happens if Mokuba dies? He's the only family I have left."

Ryou lifted his hand and slapped him, hard. His dark brown eyes were cold and angry. Seto detected the thoughts 'I hate you' and 'yarou' very strongly. His cheek stung and burned from the slap. Ryou was still holding the sifter in his other hand and that was thrust into Seto's hands roughly.

"Fine. If you don't trust me, then I won't help anymore. You do this yourself."

With that, he brushed past Seto and stormed out the front door, slamming it behind him angrily. Ryuuji stuck his head around the kitchen doorway, looking confused. He took one look at the situation, sighed and shook his head.

"It's going to hail today," he commented.

"He's so stubborn."

"You're just as stubborn, Seto." Ryuuji took the sifter from his hands. "And you're also too blunt for your own good. That comment about trust really cut deep. If I didn't know better, I would have been out that door too."

He shooed the CEO out of the kitchen with the sifter.

"Nani?"

"Sa, find Ryou and apologise. Otherwise you'll be at odds with each other and it'll be awkward for me and Mokuba, when he wakes up."

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Domino Park

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If there was one place in this God-forsaken city Seto liked, it was the park. Domino had a very nice park, smack-bang in the middle of the CBD. There was an impressive fountain in the middle of this park in the middle of the city. It was kept in fairly good condition.

The grass around this fountain was a very healthy shade of green compared to the rest of the city, which was a rather dry yellow. He parked his motorcycle on the sidewalk and swung himself off, following the tracer he had placed on Ryou. The boy was here somewhere. He didn't like the fact that Ryou knew he had a tracer and so tried to muffle the signal as much as possible.

He checked the fountain. There were a couple of people sitting on the rim, throwing things at the fish inside. A couple was making out, dangerously unaware of the fact that they might fall in at any time. He ignored them and ran towards the group of trees.

There were a group of kids playing hide-and-seek. He looked around for a while, not sure where to go. He couldn't pinpoint exactly where Ryou was; only that he was in the park. Sometimes he wished that Ryou would just stop being so stubborn and they wouldn't have so many problems.

But that was the way the albino was, he supposed. If Ryou wasn't headstrong and firm on his beliefs, then he wouldn't be Ryou. Besides, he was Mokuba's only hope. At least, until Seto found another way to cure him. Though that may be quite a while, since he didn't even know what kind of snake had bitten him. A voice interrupted his thoughts.

"You should be going back home. The medicine is ready."

Ryou was sitting on a low branch of a nearby tree, one leg bent in front of him and his arms resting comfortably on his stomach. He looked relatively unfazed. Seto walked over, arms folded as he regarded the previously insulted albino.

"Why did you walk off like that?"

"You don't trust me," Ryou replied. "And I needed time to myself."

"Look, I was being a jerk," Seto said hesitantly. "And I – gomen."

He looked away in embarrassment. He had never apologized to someone out of his own free will before. Ryou managed a half-hearted smile and fought back sudden laughter, shaking his head and looking up at him.

"You're apologizing? I thought you didn't know how to."

"Ryou, I know I said some really horrible things . . . and I'm sorry for them. But you can't expect me to grovel at your feet because, frankly, I won't do it."

"Still as arrogant as ever, I see." Ryou smirked uncharacteristically. "I'm not asking you to grovel. All I want is for you to trust me. Ryuuji trusts me and you saw for yourself that I wanted to do something good for you and Mokuba. Why can't you trust me?"

Seto extended a hand to help Ryou up. The albino looked at him for a second, unsure of whether to take the hand or not, then took it anyway.

* Gomen, Ryou. I do trust you *

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Kaiba Mansion

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"So do we give him both bowls, or just one?" Ryuuji asked, looking perplexed.

"All of it, slowly," Ryou replied distractedly. "Those were the directions."

The prepared herbal remedy had a distinctive, bitter scent. Ryuuji, who didn't like bitter foods or drinks, kept well away from it. That left Ryou and Seto to pour it out into two bowls. A servant carried it upstairs to Mokuba's room and set it down carefully on the bedside table. In a third bowl was the used herbs and next to it were bandages.

"All right. Seto, get him up into a sitting position. We'll have to make him drink it."

"Demo, he's unconscious." Seto lifted his brother up.

"You'll be surprised. It's a reflex for some to drink when they're unconscious. It's like leaning into someone's touch when you're unconscious."

Ryou lifted the first bowl to Mokuba's parted lips and poured the murky liquid inside. To Ryuuji's surprise, the boy swallowed. When the bowl was empty, Mokuba grimaced, still unconscious. Seto felt relief surge through him. If Mokuba could react to a drink, then that meant he was still alive. Ryou brought the second bowl to his lips and Mokuba drank that as well.

"Ok, now we need to apply the used herbs," Ryou said, turning to Ryuuji.

"Here," the game creator said, handing over the third bowl. "And here are the bandages."

"Arigatou. Seto, pull up his sleeve; Ryuuji, get the bandages ready."

The albino scooped up the herbs and set it gently onto Mokuba's arm, where the two puncture wounds showed. They weren't bleeding any longer, but they were still prominent. Ryuuji handed over the bandages and Ryou wrapped them skilfully around the arm, securing it with just the right amount of pressure. He fastened it with a clip and leaned back.

"All right, we're done," he sighed. "Now we just wait."

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Two hours later – Kaiba Mansion

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Mokuba coughed, hacked and began to sweat profusely. As this happened, Seto panicked. Mokuba was still unconscious, much to their dismay. Apart from Seto, this fact also disturbed Ryou, who was worried about whether Namu had tricked him or not, like Seto had said.

"Matte, minna!" Ryuuji exclaimed suddenly, pointing to Mokuba. "Look at what he's coughing up!"

Upon closer inspection, Mokuba was hacking up mouthfuls of blood. Servants brought a tub for him to spit it out in and Ryou sighed in relief. Black blood. It was a good sign. He pointed this out to Seto when the brunette went into frenzy over this new predicament.

"Daijoubu, Seto. Mokuba's getting rid of all the poison in his system. The blackness in his blood is the poison. As soon as the blood turns red again, he's going to be fine."

"What if he loses all his blood in the process?" Seto whispered, fear leaking into his voice as he watched his little brother hacking and coughing.

"Then I'll give him mine," Ryou said firmly. "But don't worry, he won't lose it all. I promise."

Seto watched Mokuba as he unconsciously rolled onto his side and leaned over the edge of the bed, vomiting out the poison. He couldn't lose his little brother. If he did, then he would well and truly be alone in this world. They had made a promise to each other, when their parents died, that they would be together for as long as they could.

Mokuba stopped vomiting and Seto wiped his mouth off carefully. Then he convulsed and began again. The CEO's heart twisted painfully. His baby brother was suffering and all he could do was sit here and watch. There was nothing he could do to help ease Mokuba's pain. So, instead of focusing on the blood, Seto thought back to his childhood with Mokuba.

They grew up in Odate with their birth parents, up until the year Seto turned six. Then his father got a job in Domino and they moved here as a family. Mokuba was two years old. Two years later, on Seto's eighth birthday, their parents died in a car crash while coming to pick him up from school. He still remembered when he had been called to the principal's office and was told that he and his brother would have to go to an orphanage.

It wasn't half as bad as he had originally thought. In fact, he had to give that damned place a little credit. He had realised his dream, his goal in life, during that whole year he had been living there with Mokuba. He had been forced to grow up, stripping him of his childhood at a very early stage in life. All he wanted was his childhood back.

The chance came when he saw the businessman and chess player, Kaiba Gozaburo, on television. Mokuba had himself had been in a classroom, playing chess, when the World Chess Championships had come on. He watched as the man he would soon know to be his foster father was presented with the trophy. A plan began to formulate in his mind. This man, who was going to visit their orphanage next week, was going to adopt him and Mokuba. He knew the perfect way of getting him to do so.

Mokuba once said it was after that day that he had stopped smiling and laughing. There was only a look of intensity and concentration on his face, a fierce determination to achieve his goal. And he acknowledged the fact that, without Mokuba, he would have become someone worse than Kaiba Gozaburo, a brutal man without mercy.

It was Mokuba who kept him sane during those gruelling 'lessons' from Gozaburo. Through all the beatings, whippings and exhausting studies, Seto had relied on the knowledge that he was protecting Mokuba and giving them both a better future to keep himself sane. Mokuba became the reason he lived, the reason he worked and the anchor of his life. If he died, then there would truly be nothing left to live for.

When he first met Gaea, over the Internet, he was twelve, not even into adolescence yet. Gaea had promised him a future without fear for his life, joining TC had given him the courage to face life's hardships. He flourished under the training and, a year later, he finally accumulated all the skills and courage to perform the very last act he needed to secure their future.

At thirteen years old, he became the CEO of Kaiba Corporation. It was no longer a military company. Kaiba Corporation became a multi-billion dollar gaming company for children's games. He himself became immersed in the inventing processes and the company expanded worldwide.

Of course, there was still TC. The agency kept him occupied for a long time. When he rose to the rank of Elite at fourteen, he was giving the task of training the newbies. Three of them had died during assignments, two out of training and only one had actually become a full-fledged member. That one member was around the city somewhere, working with a new partner from elsewhere.

"He's stopped," Ryou said suddenly, breaking into his thoughts. "The blood's red! He's going to make it, Seto!"

"Hontou?" Seto lifted Mokuba's limp form into his arms. "Mokuba?"

"Niisama . . .?"

Mokuba's slate grey eyes opened groggily. The colour was brought back to his face as he stirred, eyes trying to focus. When they did, the first thing he saw was Seto's relieved face. He grinned weakly.

"Ohayou, niisama," he greeted.

"Ohayou, Mokuba." Seto hugged him. "How do you feel?"

"Tired . . . and sleepy." He yawned. "How long have I been out . . .?"

"Three days, Mokuba," Ryou whispered. He was standing a little way back, with Ryuuji, and the two of them looked tired, but also relieved. "It's just past midnight."

"Oh . . . no wonder I feel hungry."

Seto managed a weak chuckle, hugging him close again. Soon, Mokuba fell asleep in his brother's arms, a small, content smile on his face. Seto lay him down, brushing back the damp hair from his forehead and watching him fondly. He wasn't going to lose Mokuba . . . he wasn't going to be alone.

"Arigatou, minna," he murmured to Ryou and Ryuuji. "Arigatou."

"We're just helping out a friend," Ryuuji said cheerfully.

"Heh, right." Seto made eye contact with Ryou. "Gomen, I didn't mean to doubt you. I hope we can put aside differences from now on."

"As far as I'm concerned, we've had no differences since you and Ryuuji saved me," Ryou replied sincerely. "I'm just glad Mokuba's all right."

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Domino Pier

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Marik slammed his fist into the wall of one of the many warehouses.

"Shimatta," he cursed.

It was past the time he had arranged to meet Ryou and the albino hadn't shown up. Of course, his siblings had expected him to be stood up, but nevertheless, he still wanted to see Ryou. He didn't want to involve Ryou in the things he did, but given that, by an ironic twist of fate, Ryou was involved, he didn't have a choice. It hurt him to have to use Ryou.

"You shouldn't have gone so far, niisan."

"Damare, Malik," Marik snapped angrily.

Malik came out from the shadows. He was almost identical to his older brother, only that he seemed more neatly dressed and more like a creature of light. That alone contradicted his darker nature. His handsome features were twisted into a sneer of contempt.

"That Chosen whore has gotten to your brain," he jeered.

"Ryou – is – not – a – whore," Marik growled. "Just shut the hell up, Malik!"

"You're turning against your own family for an enemy?" Malik looked angry. "I can't believe this! What is so good about that Chosen? He is our enemy!"

"You won't understand because you've never experienced what it's like to live as a normal person! You were barely two years old when you were dragged into darkness, but I was old enough to remember! I had never dreamed about coming back into contact with the real world, but Ryou – meeting Ryou gave me the chance! In hundreds of years, he was my first hope!"

"You're going soft. This is only part of the bigger plan."

"Just leave me alone."

Malik vanished with a huff, leaving Marik to ponder his thoughts about Ryou.

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End Chapter Seven

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Author's Notes:

Marik was OOC, Malik was OOC, Seto was OOC, Ryou was OOC, Ryuuji hardly appeared . . . I'm really losing it, aren't I?

Call the cops, Relinquished's finally lost her grip on sanity.

Wait a second . . . did I even have one in the first place?

No, I didn't think so.

I was going to kill off Mokuba, but then, he's too cute. And annoying. And bratty. And he annoys Ryuuji.

Why didn't I kill him off?

Seto: cos I would've have wrung your neck in two!

Ah, that's right.

Ryou: and none of us would have been happy.

You care about me?

Ryuuji: no, we wouldn't have been happy because Mokuba died, not because you would have had your neck wrung. You'd deserve it.

You're so mean!

Seto, Ryou and Ryuuji: we'll take that as a compliment ^_______^!

* Sigh *

Well, minna, REVIEW!

Relinquished