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! After I'm done my fics...I'm SO editing ALL of them so they all look the same.....stupid editing system.....first with my stars, now with my slashes...--
If you have any ideas for memories, please leave them in the review!
Chapter #24: Revelations
-----Atem's POV----
"Father, you fucking bastard, LET GO OF HER!" Ryou shouted angrily, knife held tightly in hand.
"Ryou! AH!" Aria cried as her holder gripped her tighter. The man holding Aria then looked right at Ryou and licked the side of Aria's face.
"I like this one." He whispered.
"Higher orders my boy. Let me do my work." Mamoru scoffed as he continued to pick up some of their things. Looking back to his men after a few minutes, he nodded to them. The man holding Aria took out his dagger from his holster.
"Bastard! You dare to spill your own blood?!" Ryou glared. The man paused, the dagger almost at Aria's neck. She screamed and continued to struggle. Why would the Pharaoh Akunumkanon, my father, send for this?
"RYOU!" Aria screamed, kicking her holder to no avail. "Don't let them!"
Their father looked at his son. "Higher orders."
With that, the blade made a clean slice across her neck.
"NO!" Ryou ran as fast as he could to salvage what was left of his sister's neck, but another guard grabbed him. "NO! ARIA! NO!"
"Shut up, you little shit. Your next." His holder shouted. And the father did nothing.
And neither could I.....I hated that feeling.....
However, the man that cut Aria's throat placed some sort of golden urn at her wound and was.....draining her blood? Why was the Pharaoh collecting blood?
"LET GO OF ME!" Ryou yelled. The man was having a hard time holding him down.
"Just kill him already so we can leave." Mamoru stated calmly. He just killed his own daughter and about to kill his son! What is wrong with him?!
A swift Ryou made his attacker miss his neck and graze his arm. He finally got an elbow on the man and managed to get out of his grip. Getting his own knife, he stabbed his holder in the chest. Not checking if the man was alive or dead, he moved towards Aria's killer. Holding his knife above his head, I saw his eyes glow with rage as it came down on the soldier's head.
The man's body collapsed over Aria's and Ryou kicked it to the side roughly. Dropping to his knees, he looked over to his sister's face. "No....My sister..." Her eyes were still open, but unfocused. There was no hope for her.....
Ryou managed to place his hand over her eyes to close them. A tear fell from his face and dropped onto hers. Clenching a fist full of dirt, he looked back to his father, eyes full of tears for his dead sister.
"Why are you doing this?!" He shouted, standing up. Mamoru said nothing but drew his sword.
"You have spilt the blood of the sacrifice." He whispered. Without looking Ryou in the eye, he charged at him.
Ryou side-stepped, almost tripping over the crushed skull of the dead soldier. "Father! WHY?!" Ryou quickly ran out into the backyard, but his father continued to chase him. I followed both of them as they continued to run.
Mamoru tackled Ryou to the ground, sending his knife a few feet in front of his grasp. "NO! RYOU!" I shout, but remember that no matter how much I tried, I couldn't help him.
His father turned him around so that he was facing him, with his back on the sand. "NO! FATHER!" Ryou's arms where failing wildly as he tried to stop the on coming knife from getting to his throat.
"I need blood, son! Those were my orders!" I race towards Ryou and stand behind the father, trying one last time to grab his knife.....But it was a feeble attempt as my hand went through his.
The knife came down but with Ryou's hands, he missed his throat and got it aimed a little higher to make a long line over Ryou's left eye. His scream pierced my ears, drowning out all the others. Mamoru grabbed a similar looking golden urn and placed it under Ryou's bleeding eye, putting the bloodied knife on the ground beside him.
Ryou's whole body was shaking, but the knife only got the eyelid, not the actual eye. But his other eye was glaring at his father. While Mamoru was busy with the urn, Ryou's hand grabbed his father's knife and plunged it in his arm.
As his father fell to the side, Ryou rolled out from under him and stabbed his neck, killing him. He looked at him with an eerie smile. Everything went quiet.
"Ryou...." I stutter out after watching the ordeal. He turns to face me with the left side of his face bloodied and swollen. His arms and robe were also a deep shade of red. His hair was no longer white. The knife was still firmly in his grasp.....he was not going to let go of it.
"Come on." Ryou staggered towards me, left eye twitching. "We have to get out of here."
"But....Your--Your eye..." I mutter, staring into the red mess. "You need to get that fixed..."
"Later. Not.....Not now." He limps past me. "We need to make sure mother is alright."
"Let me help you--" I walk towards him, arm outstretched.
"--NO!" Ryou shouts. "Just.....Just leave me alone." He continues to limp towards the place where he told his mother to go. "I have to tell her....that....that...." He chokes up. "She's dead....He's dead....That—That I watched them die....."
"Ryou...." I whisper. Both of us come up to many bodies lying around, with little blood on the floor....The other soldiers must have cleaned them up good....Those bastards. I notice a tree branch and pick it up. "Here." I offer it to him and he takes it with a wary eye.
Walking with the help of the stick, we pass by more corpses. The stench of all the destruction and the death makes my stomach curl in disgust. Why could my father allow such evil?
Ryou begins to choke up a bit. "Is that....her?" We notice a figure, lying on her back in the same robes Ryou's mother was in before we left.
"NO! NO!" He takes off towards the body and falls on his knees as he arrives there. "Not you too! Mother! Wake up....Please, wake up...." He shook her as he began to cry.
I stood with my head bowed. There was nothing I could do....Nothing HE could do.
"I lost all of them...." He muttered. "NO!" Ryou's sobs and tears were overwhelming.
"Ryou....." I repeated. I was lost for words. Here was a boy who had lost everything he loved in a matter of minutes. I could never compare to that.....
Finally, he stood and wiped his tears away--still careful of his left eye. "If Pharaoh Akunumkanon did this....If he ordered it....I swear to strike him down and kill everyone HE loves, take everything he treasures away from him....or die trying."
Those words shocked me. Is this what started all the bad blood between us? Is this why Yami Bakura has tried to kill me, steal my Millennium Puzzle.....kill my friends....?
I saw something change in Ryou's face....His eyes got darker and his hair seemed spikier....Was it his anger towards my father--for the obvious reason-- what cause him to become dark?
"Atemu." He turns to me. "I will find the Pharaoh and live up to my word. He does not deserve to live. Will you join me?"
I was afraid that if I stayed behind, I would be lost.....There are still things I want to find out. Even though I am worried what will become of me in this memory, I can not turn away from this. I nod and follow him.
We walk around the backyards of many houses until we cut across someone's lot and make it across. Both of us hear voices and horses. Ryou puts a finger to his lips, telling me to stay quiet. I strain my ears to get a piece of the soldier's conversation.
"Got ninety-nine, right?" One man says.
"Yup. I'm not sure how many of these leeches fought back and killed our soldiers.....But I'm positive that our fatality rate is high."
"Dammit." The first solider curses. "Quickly, we got what the Pharaoh needed, let's get out of here. The stench of death is getting to me."
A few whips later and the horses were off; most likely going towards the palace. Ryou poked his head out of our hiding spot--which was behind two empty wooden crates--and watched the remaining soldiers run away. With his hand, he made me follow him into the open.
"We need to follow them." Ryou whispered, eyes still locked on the Pharaoh's soldiers.
"By foot?" I ask, looking at him.
"That would take too long....Shit..." He turned around, looking for something to help us travel faster.
"HEY! YOU!" A deep voice calls from behind us.
"It's another one of the Pharaoh's soldiers!" I shout to Ryou when I turn around.
"And he has just what we need....." Ryou smirks, knife still in his hands. I then notice than he has a horse.....and a fast one at that. I barely counted three seconds and he was almost in front of us.
The man unsheathed his sword and meant to cut off our heads, but Ryou ducked in time, pulling me down as well. Before the soldier could react, Ryou thrust his dagger upwards on a diagonal and stabbed him on the side of his abdomen. The man cried out as he fell off his horse, landing on his back with his hand at his side.
His horse was neighing loudly out of fear and was repeatedly standing on its hind legs--almost crushing the soldier who was in pain underneath him.
"Sorry, mate," Ryou joked, "but I need your horse for a while." Calming the horse down easily, he took the reins, and soothed the horse to stay still. "And a disguise....If you don't mind."
Ryou, putting the blade in his mouth, stripped the man of his armour and changed into it--leaving the man almost nude. After placing the helmet on to cover his face, he jumped on top of the horse. "Get on Atemu."
But his hair....His white hair was sticking out of the helmet....Everyone on that army had black hair.... "Ryou, your hair is showing..." I state, gently pulling on the white spikes. "People will know that you are not part of the army; every soldier that I saw had black hair."
Ryou cursed under his breath, before pulling the helmet off and grabbing his knife. He grabbed a fistful of hair and strung the blade across it, just below his shoulders. "Did I get it all?"
It was cut very jaggedly, but his hair would be covered. "It's fine." The new hair length caused the spikes in his hair to stand out even more, almost covering his face and getting into his wounds.
Brushing the hair out of his eyes, he looked at me. "Atemu! Get on quickly! We have a lot of ground to cover!" Using his hand to help, I got on the horse and we sped off in the direction of the other soldiers.
"Hold on, Atemu!" Ryou shouted. He snapped the reins against the horse and yelled, "Yah!" to make it go faster. Soon, we saw the other horses and a golden chariot. Hm. Is that the Pharaoh? My father?
He stood clad in purple robes with a yellow trim and a tall hat with the same colours with graying black hair......He was taking the golden urns......
As we approached, we let our horse slow to a light gallop. Listening in, we heard that the golden urns would be used for a ritual to stop the destruction that 'Isis' predicted. Destruction?
"Soldiers, let us go back to the palace." The Pharaoh shouted. His driver led the way as the rest of us followed.
Ryou was smiling in a sinister way. What is planning to do to my family?
-----In the Kaiba Mansion—Joey's POV-----
Even though it was day time when I got here, it's suddenly the evening......Kaiba's still working on, uh, stuff.
"Kaiba?" I whisper, thinking he could hear me--unlike Gozaburo. No response from the young kid with his head resting on one open palm. Walking up closer to the desk, I slam my hands down on it. "KAIBA!"
That's when I see that he's asleep.....Fast asleep. "Oh...Sorry man..." I say, waving my hands defensively. Looking back at that couch, I notice a small yellow blanket. Tip-toeing to the couch, I try and grab the blanket, but can't! My hand goes right through it!
After three minutes of swooshing air around, I realize that I'm NOT gonna get that blanket. "Aw, fuck it." I curse. Hey, not like anyone can wash my mouth out with soap or whatever. If I can't touch them, THEY can't touch me.
A light coughing from the doorway makes me look in that direction. "Big brother?" It's Mokuba! He walks slowly towards Kaiba, teddy bear in hand, all ready for bed. "Big brother?" Mokuba whispers again. Can't ya see that your poor brother is sleeping?
Oh my God. Am I showing sympathy for KAIBA?!
I guess only THEY can touch stuff in this place, because Mokuba just grabbed that same yellow blanket I tried to get with ease. He put it on his brother's shoulders and hugged him.
"What do you think you are doing to Seto, Mokuba?!" A mean voice shouts. Gah! It's Gozaburo!
Kaiba was awake instantly; he jumped a bit, sending the blanket to the floor. "Gozaburo! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to--!"
"Silence!" Gozaburo yelled. "Stupid boy!" He made it up to the desk in less than three strides. A large hand reached over the desk and pulled on Kaiba's collar. "How do you think you'll be a CEO of KaibaCorp when you sleep on the job!"
"Hey! Let him go! You're suffocating him!" I shout, knowing perfectly well no one can hear. Kaiba's face was turning red! Gozaburo's free hand rose up.
A loud smack was heard. Mokuba started crying.....and Kaiba's cheek was more than red.
Holy fuck! That bastard just slapped Kaiba! What is wrong with him!
"Maybe THAT will stop you from taking naps on the job, Seto. Now get back to work! Wake up! You still need to finish up your Algebra!" Turning to the door, he looked back at the two kids he adopted. "Discipline will make you a better worker. To get through that thick skull of yours will take a lot of that." He looked directly at Mokuba, then left, as if nothing happened.
"You fucking piece of shit! Get back here and I'll clobber you!" I was about to run after that son of a bitch when I realized I couldn't get past the doorway. I turn back to the two brothers and Mokuba was crying harder.
"Big brother!" He cried, tears spilling over his cheeks.
"Its okay Mokuba...I can take it. It was my fault. I shouldn't have fallen asleep." Kaiba muttered, pulling Mokuba back into a hug. "I'll protect you....As long as he doesn't hurt you, Mokie, I'll be okay."
"But--!" Mokuba started to protest.
"--Shh." Kaiba whispered, holding his brother tighter. "I need to work hard, Mokie. For us. Don't worry, as long as I keep working to take over KaibaCorp, we'll be fine.....we'll be safe....."
"No.....Kaiba....." I mutter, shaking my head form side to side. No kid deserves to work like this. Not for that kinda jackass. Jesus, what a tough life to live.
When I look up again, the scene of the hugging brothers is gone.
In its place, stood another dude. I had a feeling it was him, even though I had no light to see him. "Kaiba?" I ask aloud.
"Great. We meet again.....What is it mutt?" Kaiba scoffs. He was SO crossing his arms over his chest.
"Did you see what I saw or did ya just come here now?"
"I got separated from Elaya and was just walking around." He stated, rather plainly. Wait, is he walking away from me? Oh no he doesn't!
"Kaiba." I call out.
"What now?" I hear him turn back around to face me.
"From how you hear my voice, I'm standing in front of ya, right?" I ask.
"Yeah. So what?"
I stretched my arm out so it was about perpendicular from my body. "Walk forward until you hit my hand. Got it?"
"What is this? Some sort of stupid trick you learned from whatever circus they shipped you off to?"
"Just shut your face and do it!" I smile feeling his clothes on my open palm. And no, not in that way!
"Yeah, now what?" Kaiba asked, extremely annoyed.
"Look.....Kaiba, I gotta talk to ya." I lowered my hand.
He snorts at me. "Yeah. About what exactly? Anything you have to say is a waste of my time and yours."
"Kaiba, shut up for a second. I'm being serious, you stupid fuck." I shout at him, ready to strangle him. But I have something say.
"Go ahead. You've got my attention. I hope you can keep yours."
He was so nice as a kid, what the hell happened? Too many study hours, if you ask me! "Kaiba. You know how you saw my past the last time you got pulled into that 'mystical light'?"
"Yeah?"
"Well....." I started slowly. "I saw yours this time around."
I heard him stop breathing for a second. "Which part?"
This time, I took a deep breath before continuing. "When you got adopted."
I felt two hands clutch at the neckline of my T-shirt. "What did you see?!" He asks through clenched teeth.
Gulping, I state, "When you were studying and you fell asleep....and then Gozaburo--"
He suddenly let go of my shirt. "--Don't breathe another word Wheeler.....Honest to God, if you tell anyone, I will hunt you down, rip out your tongue and break your wrists beyond repair. Got it?"
I heard him turn around, away from me. "We're more alike than you think, Kaiba."
Kaiba stopped in his tracks.
"We both had some fucked up fathers."
"He wasn't my father." Kaiba spat.
"I know...Guardians, whatever. It don't change the fact that when we did something wrong, we'd get hurt." I shove my hands into my short's pockets.
"Wheeler, look I don't--"
"No, you look, Kaiba! Look how you've turned out! All you care about is your stupid company! You don't have a life; what WAS the last movie you saw? I'm surprised that you've opened up that black heart of yours for anyone besides Mokuba!" I quieted down after my rant. "How bad did it get?"
Kaiba stayed still. He knew I was right! He knew what a life he lived because of that fuck Gozaburo. After some silence, he answers "It only got to punches....He hurt Mokuba once but never again since I took over KaibaCorp and he died....."
"Kaiba.....You may think that just because you make a bigger salary than I ever will that you're better than me; that you have some sort of power over the rest of us. You're wrong. Hard to believe, but you and me got something in common.....You got something in common with a person lower than you are....The way you're acting now: to do whatever it takes to get what you want.....It makes you the same as the man who sent you."
"Don't you dare compare me to him."
"I'm just saying, Kaiba." I respond coolly. It was true. Gozaburo used means like abuse to make Kaiba do what HE wanted.....and Kaiba'll do anything to get what he wants. He learned well.... "You never had a chance to be a kid. Even though you say that you don't care less, it'll get to you.....Believe me."
"Wheeler." Kaiba muttered. "You think you know me, but you don't. My life's a lot more complicated than that."
"Then tell me what the fuck I'm missing." I shout at him. "I got the facts that you were pressured into a life of hard work that YOU didn't want! I got the facts that you've become an asshole to everyone because that's how you were brought up! Apparently, having emotions and friends wasn't in your agenda! What else can I miss? I think I've summed up your life in two sentences!"
"Running a company is harder than you think—"
"—Running a company this, running a company that....Jesus Kaiba, that's why you hire people who KNOW what their doing to help ya! You can't be expected to do everything!"
He stops.
I breathe in deeply before continuing. "Kaiba, you gotta stop this. Don't become an unforgiving, bastard of a man like Gozaburo was. I'm trying to change myself."
"What?"
"My dad, the abusive drunk he was, and still kinda is, rubbed off on me. I got into all kinds of fights with any one who stood in my way. You do the same, sorta. 'Cept it wasn't with fists....More with words and business stuff.....Yugi showed me that I was messed up and needed to change.....and you know what? I'm glad I did.
"Without people like Yug', I would have had a bottle in one hand and someone else's blood in the other. You can still change Kaiba. Do the smart thing, man. You may of gotten the better end of the stick, but our backgrounds are still the same." I had no idea what I was saying. It just kinda came out. God, I hope Kaiba can just forget everything he's ever learned from that jackass and start new.
"Wheeler, you have a point." He says, walking back towards me. "But I give you no guarantees. With my experiences, it's hard to trust anyone any more.....it's hard to know who's your friend and who's going to stab you in the back. It'll be hard to erase what I've been brought up on. It will take a lot more effort than meeting one person, Joey."
Hey, he used my first name! "Well, when ya find that person, or people, you'll know. You'll get a feeling in the pit of your stomach when they prove it their trust to you. Don't turn the other way Kaiba. Don't screw up their trust in you. Be sure before you point the finger for who's good or who's bad or who's the mutt.....You gotta watch for these people, and not what's on your computer screen. You should already have an eye on her."
He turns away from me and I hear his footsteps getting fainter and fainter. "You made some sense today, Wheeler. It's an improvement." He says within my hearing reach. "Thanks." Did I just hear THE Seto Kaiba thanking me? Well, I hope he's learned SOMETHING from this.......Not everyone is an enemy. Man, I really hope he gets it.
Hmmm...Another light. How interesting. As I walk into the light, I turn around once more to find Kaiba already gone.
-------
Wow. That took A LONG time to write.
Anyway, hope you enjoyed it! That whole Joey/Kaiba moment was basically Joey telling Kaiba to loosen up and get a life; to forget about the crap he had to deal with from Gozaburo and start fresh.......I hope that was a clear POV! And yes, Kaiba used Joey's first name because he's starting to grow on him. LOL
Like? Dislike? PLEASE REVIEW!
PS. I may be getting my Internet cut off for the summer....so, this MAY be the last time I'll update until I can save chapters on a disk and upload them at someone else's house. On the plus, it means that I'll be updating in clumps of paragraphs! : ) (it's the only upside)
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! After I'm done my fics...I'm SO editing ALL of them so they all look the same.....stupid editing system.....first with my stars, now with my slashes...--
If you have any ideas for memories, please leave them in the review!
Chapter #24: Revelations
-----Atem's POV----
"Father, you fucking bastard, LET GO OF HER!" Ryou shouted angrily, knife held tightly in hand.
"Ryou! AH!" Aria cried as her holder gripped her tighter. The man holding Aria then looked right at Ryou and licked the side of Aria's face.
"I like this one." He whispered.
"Higher orders my boy. Let me do my work." Mamoru scoffed as he continued to pick up some of their things. Looking back to his men after a few minutes, he nodded to them. The man holding Aria took out his dagger from his holster.
"Bastard! You dare to spill your own blood?!" Ryou glared. The man paused, the dagger almost at Aria's neck. She screamed and continued to struggle. Why would the Pharaoh Akunumkanon, my father, send for this?
"RYOU!" Aria screamed, kicking her holder to no avail. "Don't let them!"
Their father looked at his son. "Higher orders."
With that, the blade made a clean slice across her neck.
"NO!" Ryou ran as fast as he could to salvage what was left of his sister's neck, but another guard grabbed him. "NO! ARIA! NO!"
"Shut up, you little shit. Your next." His holder shouted. And the father did nothing.
And neither could I.....I hated that feeling.....
However, the man that cut Aria's throat placed some sort of golden urn at her wound and was.....draining her blood? Why was the Pharaoh collecting blood?
"LET GO OF ME!" Ryou yelled. The man was having a hard time holding him down.
"Just kill him already so we can leave." Mamoru stated calmly. He just killed his own daughter and about to kill his son! What is wrong with him?!
A swift Ryou made his attacker miss his neck and graze his arm. He finally got an elbow on the man and managed to get out of his grip. Getting his own knife, he stabbed his holder in the chest. Not checking if the man was alive or dead, he moved towards Aria's killer. Holding his knife above his head, I saw his eyes glow with rage as it came down on the soldier's head.
The man's body collapsed over Aria's and Ryou kicked it to the side roughly. Dropping to his knees, he looked over to his sister's face. "No....My sister..." Her eyes were still open, but unfocused. There was no hope for her.....
Ryou managed to place his hand over her eyes to close them. A tear fell from his face and dropped onto hers. Clenching a fist full of dirt, he looked back to his father, eyes full of tears for his dead sister.
"Why are you doing this?!" He shouted, standing up. Mamoru said nothing but drew his sword.
"You have spilt the blood of the sacrifice." He whispered. Without looking Ryou in the eye, he charged at him.
Ryou side-stepped, almost tripping over the crushed skull of the dead soldier. "Father! WHY?!" Ryou quickly ran out into the backyard, but his father continued to chase him. I followed both of them as they continued to run.
Mamoru tackled Ryou to the ground, sending his knife a few feet in front of his grasp. "NO! RYOU!" I shout, but remember that no matter how much I tried, I couldn't help him.
His father turned him around so that he was facing him, with his back on the sand. "NO! FATHER!" Ryou's arms where failing wildly as he tried to stop the on coming knife from getting to his throat.
"I need blood, son! Those were my orders!" I race towards Ryou and stand behind the father, trying one last time to grab his knife.....But it was a feeble attempt as my hand went through his.
The knife came down but with Ryou's hands, he missed his throat and got it aimed a little higher to make a long line over Ryou's left eye. His scream pierced my ears, drowning out all the others. Mamoru grabbed a similar looking golden urn and placed it under Ryou's bleeding eye, putting the bloodied knife on the ground beside him.
Ryou's whole body was shaking, but the knife only got the eyelid, not the actual eye. But his other eye was glaring at his father. While Mamoru was busy with the urn, Ryou's hand grabbed his father's knife and plunged it in his arm.
As his father fell to the side, Ryou rolled out from under him and stabbed his neck, killing him. He looked at him with an eerie smile. Everything went quiet.
"Ryou...." I stutter out after watching the ordeal. He turns to face me with the left side of his face bloodied and swollen. His arms and robe were also a deep shade of red. His hair was no longer white. The knife was still firmly in his grasp.....he was not going to let go of it.
"Come on." Ryou staggered towards me, left eye twitching. "We have to get out of here."
"But....Your--Your eye..." I mutter, staring into the red mess. "You need to get that fixed..."
"Later. Not.....Not now." He limps past me. "We need to make sure mother is alright."
"Let me help you--" I walk towards him, arm outstretched.
"--NO!" Ryou shouts. "Just.....Just leave me alone." He continues to limp towards the place where he told his mother to go. "I have to tell her....that....that...." He chokes up. "She's dead....He's dead....That—That I watched them die....."
"Ryou...." I whisper. Both of us come up to many bodies lying around, with little blood on the floor....The other soldiers must have cleaned them up good....Those bastards. I notice a tree branch and pick it up. "Here." I offer it to him and he takes it with a wary eye.
Walking with the help of the stick, we pass by more corpses. The stench of all the destruction and the death makes my stomach curl in disgust. Why could my father allow such evil?
Ryou begins to choke up a bit. "Is that....her?" We notice a figure, lying on her back in the same robes Ryou's mother was in before we left.
"NO! NO!" He takes off towards the body and falls on his knees as he arrives there. "Not you too! Mother! Wake up....Please, wake up...." He shook her as he began to cry.
I stood with my head bowed. There was nothing I could do....Nothing HE could do.
"I lost all of them...." He muttered. "NO!" Ryou's sobs and tears were overwhelming.
"Ryou....." I repeated. I was lost for words. Here was a boy who had lost everything he loved in a matter of minutes. I could never compare to that.....
Finally, he stood and wiped his tears away--still careful of his left eye. "If Pharaoh Akunumkanon did this....If he ordered it....I swear to strike him down and kill everyone HE loves, take everything he treasures away from him....or die trying."
Those words shocked me. Is this what started all the bad blood between us? Is this why Yami Bakura has tried to kill me, steal my Millennium Puzzle.....kill my friends....?
I saw something change in Ryou's face....His eyes got darker and his hair seemed spikier....Was it his anger towards my father--for the obvious reason-- what cause him to become dark?
"Atemu." He turns to me. "I will find the Pharaoh and live up to my word. He does not deserve to live. Will you join me?"
I was afraid that if I stayed behind, I would be lost.....There are still things I want to find out. Even though I am worried what will become of me in this memory, I can not turn away from this. I nod and follow him.
We walk around the backyards of many houses until we cut across someone's lot and make it across. Both of us hear voices and horses. Ryou puts a finger to his lips, telling me to stay quiet. I strain my ears to get a piece of the soldier's conversation.
"Got ninety-nine, right?" One man says.
"Yup. I'm not sure how many of these leeches fought back and killed our soldiers.....But I'm positive that our fatality rate is high."
"Dammit." The first solider curses. "Quickly, we got what the Pharaoh needed, let's get out of here. The stench of death is getting to me."
A few whips later and the horses were off; most likely going towards the palace. Ryou poked his head out of our hiding spot--which was behind two empty wooden crates--and watched the remaining soldiers run away. With his hand, he made me follow him into the open.
"We need to follow them." Ryou whispered, eyes still locked on the Pharaoh's soldiers.
"By foot?" I ask, looking at him.
"That would take too long....Shit..." He turned around, looking for something to help us travel faster.
"HEY! YOU!" A deep voice calls from behind us.
"It's another one of the Pharaoh's soldiers!" I shout to Ryou when I turn around.
"And he has just what we need....." Ryou smirks, knife still in his hands. I then notice than he has a horse.....and a fast one at that. I barely counted three seconds and he was almost in front of us.
The man unsheathed his sword and meant to cut off our heads, but Ryou ducked in time, pulling me down as well. Before the soldier could react, Ryou thrust his dagger upwards on a diagonal and stabbed him on the side of his abdomen. The man cried out as he fell off his horse, landing on his back with his hand at his side.
His horse was neighing loudly out of fear and was repeatedly standing on its hind legs--almost crushing the soldier who was in pain underneath him.
"Sorry, mate," Ryou joked, "but I need your horse for a while." Calming the horse down easily, he took the reins, and soothed the horse to stay still. "And a disguise....If you don't mind."
Ryou, putting the blade in his mouth, stripped the man of his armour and changed into it--leaving the man almost nude. After placing the helmet on to cover his face, he jumped on top of the horse. "Get on Atemu."
But his hair....His white hair was sticking out of the helmet....Everyone on that army had black hair.... "Ryou, your hair is showing..." I state, gently pulling on the white spikes. "People will know that you are not part of the army; every soldier that I saw had black hair."
Ryou cursed under his breath, before pulling the helmet off and grabbing his knife. He grabbed a fistful of hair and strung the blade across it, just below his shoulders. "Did I get it all?"
It was cut very jaggedly, but his hair would be covered. "It's fine." The new hair length caused the spikes in his hair to stand out even more, almost covering his face and getting into his wounds.
Brushing the hair out of his eyes, he looked at me. "Atemu! Get on quickly! We have a lot of ground to cover!" Using his hand to help, I got on the horse and we sped off in the direction of the other soldiers.
"Hold on, Atemu!" Ryou shouted. He snapped the reins against the horse and yelled, "Yah!" to make it go faster. Soon, we saw the other horses and a golden chariot. Hm. Is that the Pharaoh? My father?
He stood clad in purple robes with a yellow trim and a tall hat with the same colours with graying black hair......He was taking the golden urns......
As we approached, we let our horse slow to a light gallop. Listening in, we heard that the golden urns would be used for a ritual to stop the destruction that 'Isis' predicted. Destruction?
"Soldiers, let us go back to the palace." The Pharaoh shouted. His driver led the way as the rest of us followed.
Ryou was smiling in a sinister way. What is planning to do to my family?
-----In the Kaiba Mansion—Joey's POV-----
Even though it was day time when I got here, it's suddenly the evening......Kaiba's still working on, uh, stuff.
"Kaiba?" I whisper, thinking he could hear me--unlike Gozaburo. No response from the young kid with his head resting on one open palm. Walking up closer to the desk, I slam my hands down on it. "KAIBA!"
That's when I see that he's asleep.....Fast asleep. "Oh...Sorry man..." I say, waving my hands defensively. Looking back at that couch, I notice a small yellow blanket. Tip-toeing to the couch, I try and grab the blanket, but can't! My hand goes right through it!
After three minutes of swooshing air around, I realize that I'm NOT gonna get that blanket. "Aw, fuck it." I curse. Hey, not like anyone can wash my mouth out with soap or whatever. If I can't touch them, THEY can't touch me.
A light coughing from the doorway makes me look in that direction. "Big brother?" It's Mokuba! He walks slowly towards Kaiba, teddy bear in hand, all ready for bed. "Big brother?" Mokuba whispers again. Can't ya see that your poor brother is sleeping?
Oh my God. Am I showing sympathy for KAIBA?!
I guess only THEY can touch stuff in this place, because Mokuba just grabbed that same yellow blanket I tried to get with ease. He put it on his brother's shoulders and hugged him.
"What do you think you are doing to Seto, Mokuba?!" A mean voice shouts. Gah! It's Gozaburo!
Kaiba was awake instantly; he jumped a bit, sending the blanket to the floor. "Gozaburo! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to--!"
"Silence!" Gozaburo yelled. "Stupid boy!" He made it up to the desk in less than three strides. A large hand reached over the desk and pulled on Kaiba's collar. "How do you think you'll be a CEO of KaibaCorp when you sleep on the job!"
"Hey! Let him go! You're suffocating him!" I shout, knowing perfectly well no one can hear. Kaiba's face was turning red! Gozaburo's free hand rose up.
A loud smack was heard. Mokuba started crying.....and Kaiba's cheek was more than red.
Holy fuck! That bastard just slapped Kaiba! What is wrong with him!
"Maybe THAT will stop you from taking naps on the job, Seto. Now get back to work! Wake up! You still need to finish up your Algebra!" Turning to the door, he looked back at the two kids he adopted. "Discipline will make you a better worker. To get through that thick skull of yours will take a lot of that." He looked directly at Mokuba, then left, as if nothing happened.
"You fucking piece of shit! Get back here and I'll clobber you!" I was about to run after that son of a bitch when I realized I couldn't get past the doorway. I turn back to the two brothers and Mokuba was crying harder.
"Big brother!" He cried, tears spilling over his cheeks.
"Its okay Mokuba...I can take it. It was my fault. I shouldn't have fallen asleep." Kaiba muttered, pulling Mokuba back into a hug. "I'll protect you....As long as he doesn't hurt you, Mokie, I'll be okay."
"But--!" Mokuba started to protest.
"--Shh." Kaiba whispered, holding his brother tighter. "I need to work hard, Mokie. For us. Don't worry, as long as I keep working to take over KaibaCorp, we'll be fine.....we'll be safe....."
"No.....Kaiba....." I mutter, shaking my head form side to side. No kid deserves to work like this. Not for that kinda jackass. Jesus, what a tough life to live.
When I look up again, the scene of the hugging brothers is gone.
In its place, stood another dude. I had a feeling it was him, even though I had no light to see him. "Kaiba?" I ask aloud.
"Great. We meet again.....What is it mutt?" Kaiba scoffs. He was SO crossing his arms over his chest.
"Did you see what I saw or did ya just come here now?"
"I got separated from Elaya and was just walking around." He stated, rather plainly. Wait, is he walking away from me? Oh no he doesn't!
"Kaiba." I call out.
"What now?" I hear him turn back around to face me.
"From how you hear my voice, I'm standing in front of ya, right?" I ask.
"Yeah. So what?"
I stretched my arm out so it was about perpendicular from my body. "Walk forward until you hit my hand. Got it?"
"What is this? Some sort of stupid trick you learned from whatever circus they shipped you off to?"
"Just shut your face and do it!" I smile feeling his clothes on my open palm. And no, not in that way!
"Yeah, now what?" Kaiba asked, extremely annoyed.
"Look.....Kaiba, I gotta talk to ya." I lowered my hand.
He snorts at me. "Yeah. About what exactly? Anything you have to say is a waste of my time and yours."
"Kaiba, shut up for a second. I'm being serious, you stupid fuck." I shout at him, ready to strangle him. But I have something say.
"Go ahead. You've got my attention. I hope you can keep yours."
He was so nice as a kid, what the hell happened? Too many study hours, if you ask me! "Kaiba. You know how you saw my past the last time you got pulled into that 'mystical light'?"
"Yeah?"
"Well....." I started slowly. "I saw yours this time around."
I heard him stop breathing for a second. "Which part?"
This time, I took a deep breath before continuing. "When you got adopted."
I felt two hands clutch at the neckline of my T-shirt. "What did you see?!" He asks through clenched teeth.
Gulping, I state, "When you were studying and you fell asleep....and then Gozaburo--"
He suddenly let go of my shirt. "--Don't breathe another word Wheeler.....Honest to God, if you tell anyone, I will hunt you down, rip out your tongue and break your wrists beyond repair. Got it?"
I heard him turn around, away from me. "We're more alike than you think, Kaiba."
Kaiba stopped in his tracks.
"We both had some fucked up fathers."
"He wasn't my father." Kaiba spat.
"I know...Guardians, whatever. It don't change the fact that when we did something wrong, we'd get hurt." I shove my hands into my short's pockets.
"Wheeler, look I don't--"
"No, you look, Kaiba! Look how you've turned out! All you care about is your stupid company! You don't have a life; what WAS the last movie you saw? I'm surprised that you've opened up that black heart of yours for anyone besides Mokuba!" I quieted down after my rant. "How bad did it get?"
Kaiba stayed still. He knew I was right! He knew what a life he lived because of that fuck Gozaburo. After some silence, he answers "It only got to punches....He hurt Mokuba once but never again since I took over KaibaCorp and he died....."
"Kaiba.....You may think that just because you make a bigger salary than I ever will that you're better than me; that you have some sort of power over the rest of us. You're wrong. Hard to believe, but you and me got something in common.....You got something in common with a person lower than you are....The way you're acting now: to do whatever it takes to get what you want.....It makes you the same as the man who sent you."
"Don't you dare compare me to him."
"I'm just saying, Kaiba." I respond coolly. It was true. Gozaburo used means like abuse to make Kaiba do what HE wanted.....and Kaiba'll do anything to get what he wants. He learned well.... "You never had a chance to be a kid. Even though you say that you don't care less, it'll get to you.....Believe me."
"Wheeler." Kaiba muttered. "You think you know me, but you don't. My life's a lot more complicated than that."
"Then tell me what the fuck I'm missing." I shout at him. "I got the facts that you were pressured into a life of hard work that YOU didn't want! I got the facts that you've become an asshole to everyone because that's how you were brought up! Apparently, having emotions and friends wasn't in your agenda! What else can I miss? I think I've summed up your life in two sentences!"
"Running a company is harder than you think—"
"—Running a company this, running a company that....Jesus Kaiba, that's why you hire people who KNOW what their doing to help ya! You can't be expected to do everything!"
He stops.
I breathe in deeply before continuing. "Kaiba, you gotta stop this. Don't become an unforgiving, bastard of a man like Gozaburo was. I'm trying to change myself."
"What?"
"My dad, the abusive drunk he was, and still kinda is, rubbed off on me. I got into all kinds of fights with any one who stood in my way. You do the same, sorta. 'Cept it wasn't with fists....More with words and business stuff.....Yugi showed me that I was messed up and needed to change.....and you know what? I'm glad I did.
"Without people like Yug', I would have had a bottle in one hand and someone else's blood in the other. You can still change Kaiba. Do the smart thing, man. You may of gotten the better end of the stick, but our backgrounds are still the same." I had no idea what I was saying. It just kinda came out. God, I hope Kaiba can just forget everything he's ever learned from that jackass and start new.
"Wheeler, you have a point." He says, walking back towards me. "But I give you no guarantees. With my experiences, it's hard to trust anyone any more.....it's hard to know who's your friend and who's going to stab you in the back. It'll be hard to erase what I've been brought up on. It will take a lot more effort than meeting one person, Joey."
Hey, he used my first name! "Well, when ya find that person, or people, you'll know. You'll get a feeling in the pit of your stomach when they prove it their trust to you. Don't turn the other way Kaiba. Don't screw up their trust in you. Be sure before you point the finger for who's good or who's bad or who's the mutt.....You gotta watch for these people, and not what's on your computer screen. You should already have an eye on her."
He turns away from me and I hear his footsteps getting fainter and fainter. "You made some sense today, Wheeler. It's an improvement." He says within my hearing reach. "Thanks." Did I just hear THE Seto Kaiba thanking me? Well, I hope he's learned SOMETHING from this.......Not everyone is an enemy. Man, I really hope he gets it.
Hmmm...Another light. How interesting. As I walk into the light, I turn around once more to find Kaiba already gone.
-------
Wow. That took A LONG time to write.
Anyway, hope you enjoyed it! That whole Joey/Kaiba moment was basically Joey telling Kaiba to loosen up and get a life; to forget about the crap he had to deal with from Gozaburo and start fresh.......I hope that was a clear POV! And yes, Kaiba used Joey's first name because he's starting to grow on him. LOL
Like? Dislike? PLEASE REVIEW!
PS. I may be getting my Internet cut off for the summer....so, this MAY be the last time I'll update until I can save chapters on a disk and upload them at someone else's house. On the plus, it means that I'll be updating in clumps of paragraphs! : ) (it's the only upside)