Disclaimer: It's been two full stories, with over 50 chapters of the same disclaimer; do I really need to say it again? I DON'T OWN IT!
If you have the time, PLEASE REVIEW!
A/N: Yeah, this new editing system does not allow me to put the stars and the swirly lines whenever I have a POV change....So, unfortunately, I'll be using '---' instead...Boring, I know.... (unless..)...OH! And, I've figured out how to use bold and italics too!
Chapter #22: Spilled Hatred
-----Atem's POV-----
I watched him drift into sleep. A few times his bandages got too wet and I replaced them, throwing the old ones away. Aria came back in with what looked like some broth and a piece of cooked meat.
"Ryou?" I gently shook him. "Ryou, dinner is here."
A groggy eye opened slowly. "Mmph..." Ryou mumbled. He tried to sit up but gasped in pain and fell back down on the makeshift bed. "Ow.....ow.....ow....." He muttered as pain filled his face.
"Here, let me." I picked up a spoon and brought it to his lips. "There." Why am I helping him? This boy becomes Yami Bakura: the boy that takes over Bakura's body mercilessly, the boy that tries to hurt my friends.......the boy that tries to kill me......
"Yami......." Ryou smiles weakly then falls asleep again. I blink slowly and when I open my eyes again, I see Ryou.....completely healed.....a lot taller......and at least sixteen years of age.
"Come on. Let's get out of here." He simply jumps off the bed and walks out, beckoning me to follow him.
I must of fast forwarded a couple of years in his life or something......Aria also looks older, probably about thirteen......and the mother now has some sort of a walking stick.
"Ryou, Aria, are you two preparing supper?" The mother asks, looking around. Of course, she cannot see anything anyway.
"Yes mother." They both chime. Ryou makes his way to the doorway that leads into the backyard where the livestock is. He stops for a moment to ask in a monotone voice, "When is father coming home?"
"Soon Ryou....Soon." The mother rocks in her stool.
"I just want to get it over with." He whispers to me. "Fucking bastard. I hope one day I can......." Ryou doesn't finish.
"Would you like some dinner, Yami?" Ryou asks, looking from bird cage to bird cage.
"No thank you. I'm quite alright." I say. It appears that they have more chickens and a baby calf since the last time I saw this place.
"Fine then." He picked up a medium sized chicken and was about to go back into the house when he heard something. "What was that?"
"What?" I mutter quietly, straining my ears for the sound to reoccur again. A soft galloping sound and some other scraping sound came to us. "What is-- ?"
A loud scream was heard.
"Shit! Get out of the house! Aria! Mother! Get out of the house!"
"Ryou! What's going on?!" I shout as I follow him inside the house. Aria was already grabbing a few things for their departure and their mother was helping out as well.
"Raiders have come to our village again. We have to get out of here NOW!" Ryou cried, almost tripping on some article on the floor. Gasping in breath from running so fast in a short amount of time, he barely managed to make it to where his father's knifes where. "Come on! We need to get out before they come in!"
I nod and head towards the back door, wincing every time I heard another scream.
Or when the galloping noises were getting closer.
"Move it! Come on!" Ryou pulled Aria and his mother towards the back door. Both the mom and the sister had a few items for cooking and some food as well. We were all outside the back gate when the mother cried. "Ryou! We forgot our dollars! We need to go back!"
"Shit..." Ryou cursed silently. He knew and I knew that they all needed SOME money if something were to happen to their home. "Fuck. Fine, both of you run towards the west and--Aria!"
"I'll get it!" She cried, running as fast as she could towards the house.
"NO! Get back here!" Both Ryou and I, probably the mother too, heard the sounds of galloping horses coming closer towards their house.
"ARIA!" Ryou looked back at his mother. "Run." She did so and headed towards the west, as he instructed her previously. He quickly hopped the fence easily and chased after his little sister.
Before he could make it to the door, we heard a scream coming from inside.
Aria's voice. Aria's scream.
"ARIA!" Ryou closed the distance between himself and the door to look inside his home. I came in after him; my mind slowly registered what was happening.
Five soldiers clad in black armour were inside, looking for anything of value--their swords were drawn and they had Aria by the throat with a knife. "Ryou!" She cried, but Ryou's eyes were elsewhere. His were upon the soldier that he recognized standing by the door, watching and ordering his men tear down their house.
His father.
-----In the Battle Arena--Justi's POV-----
"Come and get me!" Jou cries angrily, sidestepping. He must be fighting for a good cause for him to not battle with a helmet....
My past body charges towards him and our swords clash loudly. With renewed strength, he pushes me back. We are in another stalemate.
"I don't want to hurt you!" I hear myself say. Jou pauses for a moment and that's all the hesitation I need to throw him off balance. As he stumbles, I strike once at his chest, scratching the armour again, and once on his left knee, which the armour fell off of.
He grunts in frustration as he stays in a position with both knees bent and his upper torso slouched forward. "Please, stop fighting. I do not want you to die!"
"Fuck off! I'm finishing this battle to the death! Stop giving that 'I don't wanna kill you' shit! Because unless one of us IS dead, this battle ain't over!" He smirks. "And you should of finished me off when you had the chance."
His words.....so forceful.....What am I going to do?
"AH!" He charges at me and I barely have enough time to react. He pushes his sword down hard and I can't seem to hold him off. Now, I'm crouching.......One knee on the floor and the other parallel to it. My sword begins to glow a white colour as it pushes him off just so I can get my feet on the ground.
I push up at him with the little strength I have left. I just manage to break the stalemate, but it's not enough to keep him from coming at me again when my guard is down. His sword goes up and comes crashing down on my armour covering my chest. It sends me backwards, up against the wall. Oh no! Get up! Get up! My past body can barely see that Jou is coming towards us, sword pointed straight out. Gasping suddenly, I lie down just as his sword gets stuck in the wall.
"Dammit!" He cries as he tries effortlessly to pull the sword from the stone. From underneath him, I pull at his feet hard, bringing him to the ground with me.......and also pulling out the sword that he kept his hands on.
A quick maneuver with his hands and the free blade cuts a deep mark in my shoulder. The blood flows over my silver armour, staining it as if it became rusted. Another quick move and he has shallowly stabs the area in my lower abdomen where my armour no longer protects
I grab for my fallen sword but can't seem to reach it. Jou coughs and holds it over my head. "Looking for this, fool?"
I growl and tackle him once more to the floor and pull my sword of his hand. "Don't you dare touch my sword!" I pin him down with my legs at either side of him. One hand holds his arm that carries his own sword and the other holds my own.......that hangs over his neck.
He gulps and shakes. His eyes that once looked so confident now are unfocused with fear. "Just do it. I'd rather die with this sort of honour then go back." His voice stutters out. His eyes change into one of certainty. He knows that he wants this so badly that he'd kill for it, or die for it. "If you're going to do it, do it."
"No.....I can't do....I can't do that." I say. I can't kill my best friend.....no matter what the circumstances are.....If Jounouchi is fighting for something he needs desperately, something he'd die over if he could not get it and I'm in his way, so be it.
My grip lightens on his wrist and he uses this to the advantage.....He brings his sword over in a straight out fashion, tearing the armour and skin of the side of my abdomen.
I fall to the right of him in a heap......the pain from my arm, front and side overwhelming my exhausted body. The crowd cheers as Jou stands proud. My eyes shut......Jou will succeed. I need nothing more........Nothing......
"Ra, please Ra, make her wake up!"
The darkness in my eyes lightens to a gray.
"Please....please....."
I blink and realize that I'm in another room in the palace. "Mphm?" I mutter. This looks like the medical area......
"JUSTI! You're awake! You're alive! Sweet Ra!" Jou's voice cries from beside me.
I turn my head. "Jou." I whisper softly. His cheek was bandaged and wet....but it wasn't blood that was making it wet.....Was he.......crying?
"I'm so sorry.....I'M SO SORRY!" He grabs at my right hand and pulls it in a tight squeeze; his other hand grips the sheets tightly. "Ra, I'm so sorry....." He almost chokes on his sobs, burying his face into the hospital bed.
"Oh Jounouchi.....Forget about it." I whisper, bringing my other hand over slowly to stroke his hair. I notice I have a large wrap of linen cloth over my left arm--where he struck me--but I ignore the pain.
"Forget about it?! I almost Ra-damned killed YOU!" Jou shouts at me, angrily. "I'm so damn sorry, Justi....."
"You didn't know." I mutter.
"No difference." He continues to cry softly into the small bed.
"Jou, why were you fighting?" I ask softly.
He pauses for a moment. "I needed to get another job."
"Another one?" I ask in a whisper. "I thought you liked the field job you had...."
"It's not that.....it's.....nevermind.....I just needed to get away from it......I didn't like the way I was being treated........" Jou stumbled, wiping the tears from his eyes.
Which job could this be? Think! What other job has he had other than being a worker in Atem's fields?
Priest Seth's face. He was smiling. Is Jou working for him, as a slave? Was Jou trying to get away from him? Too bad I can't ask him.....
A cough was heard from the doorway. Atemu was there, looking angry that Jou was holding my hand. Jou stood up quickly and let go of it, scared. "Your majesty." He bowed and stepped away, wiping tears from his eyes.
Atemu scowled at him knowing that he was the solider that hurt his soon-to- be wife. My past self spoke up. "Don't be mad at him."
Atemu's head snapped towards me, his facial features turning to sympathetic ones. "I joined it. I got myself hurt. Don't be mad at Jounouchi."
"Justi...." Atemu whispered as he walked over and took the position of Jou; one hand rested over mine and the other on the sheets. Looking back at Jou, he asked in a demanding Pharaoh-like voice, "What is your name?"
"J-Jounouchi Katsuya, your majesty...." Jou's eyes averted to the floor.
"Go home. There is no need for you to stay any more. You may come back tomorrow." Atemu stated. I could feel Jou's heart lift. He wasn't going to get in trouble! He wouldn't get hurt!
He left swiftly......to where, I'm not sure. I hope he gets away from his job that he dislikes.....I don't want to see him hurt.
"You care for that boy, don't you?" Atemu asked silently as Jou left.
I took a deep breath. "As a friend, Atemu. That is all I see him as. I promise you."
He looked at me, eyes staying still. He then smiled. "Good." His lips brushed mine. "Get better. I'll call in the medic to tend to your wounds. Sleep."
I nod slowly and smile as darkness consumes me once more. Atemu's smile stays in my mind.....
-----Joey's POV----
That bastard! How could he--?! And then he--?! Fuck! That jackass! He practically cuts me up, then, he holds Elaya back from grabbing on to me!
Great. Alone. In the dark.....again. Wait......Voices? I move quietly, and blindly towards the source.
"Yami Bakura, let's go."
"Fuck off. There is one more thing I want to take care of."
Yami Bakura and Marik! I've found them! I manage to see the back of the white-haired freak's back before a wall closes in front of me.
A cold breeze blows past. "On the contrary, Mr. Wheeler......." One of those loonies whispers as I'm flung backwards......farther from where I started in the first place.
"Fuck!" I growl as I hit a wall and slide down to the floor. Oh no, now what? Here comes another light......another memory......Shit. I'm too weak from the 'flying' to move!
I open my eyes to see that I'm in front of a building. It was probably a two or three leveled building. I look up to see red shingles and a large sign. Fallen Angels Family Orphanage?! What am I doing here?
I run towards the front door, but it doesn't open! I try the next one and the next one after that and even the next one after that one.......and they're all locked! Shit! I gotta find a freakin' door that opens!
Yes! Success! I fling the unlocked door open to see......KAIBA?! But wait....he's not the tall, arrogant bastard that I know. He's.....miniature!
He's sitting in front of this old dude in a red suit with light black hair. Both are sitting with a chess board in front of them. I ain't a chess master, but I can tell that the game must be close to over since most all the pieces are gone from the board and on the side lines.
"Your move, little boy." The older man says. Hey, he looks like the dude from when the Big Five trapped us in Noah's Virtual World......Gozaburo! That's Kaiba's foster dad!
"My name is Seto, and this is my last move! I call a checkmate by moving my bishop to D6!" Whoa. Never saw that move coming. Gozaburo's face does a drop as he realizes he lost! HA! Sucker!
"May I remind you of our bet? You agreed that if I won, you'd adopt me and my brother Mokuba.......it is time to pay your due." Kaiba stated, crossing his hands over his chest. Gozaburo frowned and stood. "Get me the papers."
Mokuba cheered for joy. Kaiba smiled. WHOA! Hold up! Kaiba and smiled do NOT go in the same sentence! "See Mokuba? I told you I'd find us a home! We're gonna be a family again......We'll be fine."
Oh....I get it......I'm in Kaiba's past! Huh. He saw mine, now, I see his. Pay back is so sweet. I'm SO rubbing in everything I see!
Well......Off they go to Gozaburo's house in his limo......Wait....How am I gonna get there? By foot?
Okay.....I guess the laws of physics don't apply here since I'm 'magically' transported to some guy's house--probably Gozaburo's. Physics.....man, I really hated that course....with all those damn vectors and arrows...
Hmm. This must in a different time frame. The hallway looks as if it has been inhibited by two boys for about a month......their shoes are by the door all dirty and grassy. I walk forward, taking in my surroundings. Whistling from amazement, my eyes graze over most of the rooms. A study with a computer......a study without a computer.....some sort of library with a couch....
Hey! There's someone ON the couch! I stop to get a better look to only wish I hadn't wasted my time. Keh, it was only Kaiba.
"Finally, I can rest." He whispers. Rest? How long has this kid been working? Whoa....Almost all the books in this library are opened, with papers with writing on them are everywhere. Even in Kaiba's hand is a book! Jesus, how long has he been at this?
"Seto." A gruff voice calls from behind me. Well, if it ain't Gozaburo! "This isn't a time to stop. You still have a lot to learn if you want to be the man to take over KaibaCorp. Get up. You need to finish up." He walks in and pries a reluctant Kaiba from the couch back towards the desk where all those books were open.
"Please, can't I stop? Just for a while?" He asks, looking at his foster dad.
"No."
"But I wanna go out and play with Moku--" Kaiba starts.
"--I said NO!" Gozaburo shouts, slamming his hands on the desk. "I expect you to finish this work by the time I come back! Do I make myself clear?!"
Kaiba nodded sadly, his eyes getting big and soft.
"Play time is useless. If you want to be successful, you can't give into pleasures, boy. If you are going to be the next CEO of KaibaCorp, you need to hustle to catch up to me! And that means, no breaks." Gozaburo exited quickly, brushing past me.
"You jackass!" I shout at him. "The dude's a kid!" I doubt he heard me since he didn't turn around when I called him 'jackass' as most adults would. I look back at Kaiba and notice the forming bags underneath his eyes.
His eyes are about to close, when they snap open. "No. I have to do this! For Mokuba! I promised him a good life! I have to do this for him!"
Wow. I never......thought Kaiba could think of anyone but himself.....This is way too much responsibility for a child. Even if he is a super-genius.....
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WOOHOO! DONE!
Hope you all enjoyed the 22nd installment of TMS III! I sure did!
Well, anyway, just so you guys know, I have exams next week and I gotta start cramming all that knowledge into the thing I call a brain......So, I won't be able to update/write until next -counts days-NEXT Wednesday! (2 weeks from now)
But don't worry, I won't forget about my story! Thank you for reviews!
PLEASE REVIEW!
PS. CALGARY LOST! Curses! Oh well...always next year for the Cup.....