[Kitty: Alright, the long awaited chapter seven!
Yugi: Conflict Alert! Conflict Alert!
Kitty: Major chapter. Slightly longer too... (winks) R&R!]
Chapter Seven: Taking Advantage of Innocence
POV: Atem
I worked in my study, the door closed and the windows behind closed curtains. But every second I spent in there, I was thinking about Suzu.
I'm crazy about her. Every time I see her, I feel the urge to take her into my arms and kiss the hell out of her. But then I see her blank eyes. My heart breaks into a thousand pieces repetitively, and then I run away so I don't have to feel the pain of looking at something I'll never have.
I sighed, and rubbed my eyes to get me out of this emotional state.
Oh, Suzu...
POV: Suzu
I notice that Atem is avoiding me again. Isis and Jou have said everything is alright, but I can barely believe them. The only thing I can think of that may have something to do with this is Seito's return, but why wouldn't Atem tell me if something was wrong?
That afternoon, I was having another magic lesson with Seito, and finally I decided to ask him, "Is...is there anything happening now? Atem seems distracted."
Seito didn't say anything at first, but then he said psychically, {Actually, there is something going on. And yes, Atem has been distracted lately.}
"Why? What's going on?"
Seito hesitated for a moment, and then said, {I don't think Atem would approve...}
"Please?" I implored, "I want to help. Can I?"
{I don't know,} Seito said, {It'd be very dangerous.}
"I don't care."
{Well...you would've guessed by now that Atem is rich.}
"Yes."
{The Pharaoh of Egypt...the new one, I mean...has been taxing the people until they're broke. Haven't you wondered why Jou and Isis are always there? They've got no other place to go.}
My blind eyes were wide. "I never knew that."
{Atem didn't want you to know. He was worried for your welfare.}
I frowned. That did sound like what Atem might do.
(Flashback)
"Atem?" I asked, trying to figure out if he was still there.
"Y-e-s?" he spelled.
"I'm scared...to tell you the truth, I've always been scared."
"W-h-y?" he spelled.
"I don't know if I'm safe."
"Y-o-u a-r-e," he spelled slowly to make sure I understood it all, "I-f y-o- u a-r-e h-e-r-e, I w-i-l-l p-r-o-t-e-c-t y-o-u."
I smiled when I got the full message. "Thank you, Atem."
(End Flashback)
"Is the Pharaoh a good ruler?" I asked.
{No,} Seito replied, {He's nothing like his father. He's young, foolish, and completely unprepared to take this kind of position.}
"Then it's not his fault," I guessed.
{No, it is,} Seito corrected me, {Even without those traits, he has no right to kill innocent people.}
"He kills the innocents?" I repeated nervously.
{Yes.}
"Why?"
{Sometimes for crimes, sometimes because he gets angry.}
My eyes narrowed.
"He sounds terrible."
{I agree.}
"But...shouldn't someone take his place, then?"
I felt my hand being grabbed, and I felt Seito's smile.
{You're thinking what Atem and I are thinking. If we rebel against the Pharaoh, we can place someone else in charge.}
I bit my lip. "But wouldn't people die?"
{Not many,} said Seito, {Even the guards wouldn't attack nobles like Atem and me.}
"But if they were ordered to..."
{Oh.} Seito sounded disappointed. {You have a point there.}
I thought a moment. "What if...what if I help you? What if you teach me how to control my powers...and I help your rebellion?"
I felt him frown. {I don't want to risk your life...}
"I want to," I said, "I want to help Atem. He's done so much for me...and I don't want him to be worried."
{Alright,} Seito said, {We'll start your training immediately.}
POV: Seito
I smirked at Suzu, but she did not see any of my amusement. So easy to manipulate, innocence. And innocence is Suzu's middle name, so she is in the palm of my hand, and in little time, so will the throne of Egypt.
---Two Months Later---
POV: Seito
{Okay, Suzu,} I said psychically, {You've learned everything you need to know. And the rebellion is ready.}
"Okay," Suzu said, "Is Atem coming with us?"
{No,} I said, {We thought it best for him not to be in the front line of the rebellion. We don't want him hurt.}
Suzu nodded. "They'd go after him?"
I grabbed her hand, placed it on my face, and I nodded.
{Atem is the best friend ever, but he can't duel to save his life. Of course they'll go after him.}
"Alright," Suzu said, "We're going now?"
{Yes.}
"Time to kick this Pharaoh's ass!" Suzu said, grinning devilishly.
I blinked in surprise, but said nothing.
{Maybe she learned too much from me...} I thought to myself, smirking
POV: Atem
I sat on my throne while the festival of Osirus went on, music playing and dancers dancing, but I felt barely there. My head ached and I felt tired enough to fall asleep right there, but I knew Isis was sitting on the left side of me and watching me reproachfully, so I knew I had to sit it out.
I sighed, wishing that Seito was sitting next to me. Or Suzu...
Suddenly, the large marble doors shot open, slamming my guards against the wall and knocking them unconscious. Black flames came from the doorway, and burned the tapestries and the long red carpet in the center of the throne room. The dancers screamed, and my servants all ran out the other exits.
I stood up from my throne in fury. "What is the meaning of...?"
I stopped at the sight of Suzu in the doorway.
"Suzu?" I whispered.
When I tried to approach her, she shot black flames at me that slammed me back into my throne.
"You don't need to move at all, Pharaoh," Suzu said in an oddly cold voice.
I tried to sit up in my chair. Then I noticed a person just behind her.
"Seito?"
Seito was smirking, but Suzu looked very neutral, as if hypnotized. Seito stepped closer to where Jou, Isis and I were sitting, helping Suzu along next to him. At first, no one said a word, but then I said,
"Seito, what's going on?"
My cousin's eyes were gleaming with triumph and spite. "First of all, Atem, the story that I told you after I was kidnapped was a lie."
I stared. "What?"
"And I haven't just been teaching Suzu how to control her powers," Seito continued, "I've been teaching her how to kill."
"WHAT?" I yelled.
"You weren't supposed to teach her that!" Jou indicted.
Seito's cold eyes focused on Jou. "Why don't you go off and fetch a bone? My cousin and I are talking."
Jou growled in fury, ready to leap onto Seito and rip him limb from limb, but I gripped his arm and shot him a warning look.
"Anyway," Seito said coolly, his attention going back to me, "Suzu doesn't seem to be on your side anymore, dear cousin. She is wishing to get rid of you."
My eyes narrowed in hostility. "You, brainwashing an innocent girl? I would've thought that your mother would have taught you that was wrong."
"I didn't brainwash her, Atem," Seito said impatiently, "But you not telling her anything was the opportunity I needed to take her and use her to destroy you."
"What?"
"You didn't tell her you were Pharaoh. You didn't tell her about my kidnapper. You didn't tell her why you were avoiding her. She wanted answers, and I gave a few of them to her..." here he smirked, "...with a little white lie here and there..."
"YOU FILTHY SON OF A-"
"It's your own fault!" Seito snapped back, "Hiding things from people because you love them doesn't help anyone! You, especially, should know that!"
My eyes widened in realization. Could this really be about...?
(Flashback)
"KISARA!" Seito yelled, as the motionless girl fell into his arms.
He turned to me, his eyes filled with angry tears.
"WHY DIDN'T YOU HELP HER? WHY DIDN'T YOU SAVE HER? WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME SHE WAS TO DIE?"
My eyes were filled with tears too.
"I-I'm sorry, Seito, I-"
"SHUT UP, YOU IDIOT!" Seito yelled, "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT, YOU HEAR ME? YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS, YOU WILL PAY!"
(End Flashback)
"Seito-" I started.
"Save it," Seito growled, "You and I are going to duel, Atem, and I promise you, when I win, you're going straight to the Shadow Realm and you'll never see Suzuki again!"
[Kitty: That's all...
Yugi: GEEZ...
Kitty: Reviews?
Yugi: Um...SGCred's first.
Kitty: Well, as you can see, there are problems. (sweatdrop) Aren't there always?
Lina: (smiles) At least you like it so far. We also got one from Rainbow Guardian Angel.
Kitty: Such great questions. Unfortunately, I can't answer them, or else it'd spoil the ending. But thank you for the support! (grins) And yeah, Pharaohs have too many problems...
Atem: So true. (sighs)
Yugi: R&R, peoples!]
Yugi: Conflict Alert! Conflict Alert!
Kitty: Major chapter. Slightly longer too... (winks) R&R!]
Chapter Seven: Taking Advantage of Innocence
POV: Atem
I worked in my study, the door closed and the windows behind closed curtains. But every second I spent in there, I was thinking about Suzu.
I'm crazy about her. Every time I see her, I feel the urge to take her into my arms and kiss the hell out of her. But then I see her blank eyes. My heart breaks into a thousand pieces repetitively, and then I run away so I don't have to feel the pain of looking at something I'll never have.
I sighed, and rubbed my eyes to get me out of this emotional state.
Oh, Suzu...
POV: Suzu
I notice that Atem is avoiding me again. Isis and Jou have said everything is alright, but I can barely believe them. The only thing I can think of that may have something to do with this is Seito's return, but why wouldn't Atem tell me if something was wrong?
That afternoon, I was having another magic lesson with Seito, and finally I decided to ask him, "Is...is there anything happening now? Atem seems distracted."
Seito didn't say anything at first, but then he said psychically, {Actually, there is something going on. And yes, Atem has been distracted lately.}
"Why? What's going on?"
Seito hesitated for a moment, and then said, {I don't think Atem would approve...}
"Please?" I implored, "I want to help. Can I?"
{I don't know,} Seito said, {It'd be very dangerous.}
"I don't care."
{Well...you would've guessed by now that Atem is rich.}
"Yes."
{The Pharaoh of Egypt...the new one, I mean...has been taxing the people until they're broke. Haven't you wondered why Jou and Isis are always there? They've got no other place to go.}
My blind eyes were wide. "I never knew that."
{Atem didn't want you to know. He was worried for your welfare.}
I frowned. That did sound like what Atem might do.
(Flashback)
"Atem?" I asked, trying to figure out if he was still there.
"Y-e-s?" he spelled.
"I'm scared...to tell you the truth, I've always been scared."
"W-h-y?" he spelled.
"I don't know if I'm safe."
"Y-o-u a-r-e," he spelled slowly to make sure I understood it all, "I-f y-o- u a-r-e h-e-r-e, I w-i-l-l p-r-o-t-e-c-t y-o-u."
I smiled when I got the full message. "Thank you, Atem."
(End Flashback)
"Is the Pharaoh a good ruler?" I asked.
{No,} Seito replied, {He's nothing like his father. He's young, foolish, and completely unprepared to take this kind of position.}
"Then it's not his fault," I guessed.
{No, it is,} Seito corrected me, {Even without those traits, he has no right to kill innocent people.}
"He kills the innocents?" I repeated nervously.
{Yes.}
"Why?"
{Sometimes for crimes, sometimes because he gets angry.}
My eyes narrowed.
"He sounds terrible."
{I agree.}
"But...shouldn't someone take his place, then?"
I felt my hand being grabbed, and I felt Seito's smile.
{You're thinking what Atem and I are thinking. If we rebel against the Pharaoh, we can place someone else in charge.}
I bit my lip. "But wouldn't people die?"
{Not many,} said Seito, {Even the guards wouldn't attack nobles like Atem and me.}
"But if they were ordered to..."
{Oh.} Seito sounded disappointed. {You have a point there.}
I thought a moment. "What if...what if I help you? What if you teach me how to control my powers...and I help your rebellion?"
I felt him frown. {I don't want to risk your life...}
"I want to," I said, "I want to help Atem. He's done so much for me...and I don't want him to be worried."
{Alright,} Seito said, {We'll start your training immediately.}
POV: Seito
I smirked at Suzu, but she did not see any of my amusement. So easy to manipulate, innocence. And innocence is Suzu's middle name, so she is in the palm of my hand, and in little time, so will the throne of Egypt.
---Two Months Later---
POV: Seito
{Okay, Suzu,} I said psychically, {You've learned everything you need to know. And the rebellion is ready.}
"Okay," Suzu said, "Is Atem coming with us?"
{No,} I said, {We thought it best for him not to be in the front line of the rebellion. We don't want him hurt.}
Suzu nodded. "They'd go after him?"
I grabbed her hand, placed it on my face, and I nodded.
{Atem is the best friend ever, but he can't duel to save his life. Of course they'll go after him.}
"Alright," Suzu said, "We're going now?"
{Yes.}
"Time to kick this Pharaoh's ass!" Suzu said, grinning devilishly.
I blinked in surprise, but said nothing.
{Maybe she learned too much from me...} I thought to myself, smirking
POV: Atem
I sat on my throne while the festival of Osirus went on, music playing and dancers dancing, but I felt barely there. My head ached and I felt tired enough to fall asleep right there, but I knew Isis was sitting on the left side of me and watching me reproachfully, so I knew I had to sit it out.
I sighed, wishing that Seito was sitting next to me. Or Suzu...
Suddenly, the large marble doors shot open, slamming my guards against the wall and knocking them unconscious. Black flames came from the doorway, and burned the tapestries and the long red carpet in the center of the throne room. The dancers screamed, and my servants all ran out the other exits.
I stood up from my throne in fury. "What is the meaning of...?"
I stopped at the sight of Suzu in the doorway.
"Suzu?" I whispered.
When I tried to approach her, she shot black flames at me that slammed me back into my throne.
"You don't need to move at all, Pharaoh," Suzu said in an oddly cold voice.
I tried to sit up in my chair. Then I noticed a person just behind her.
"Seito?"
Seito was smirking, but Suzu looked very neutral, as if hypnotized. Seito stepped closer to where Jou, Isis and I were sitting, helping Suzu along next to him. At first, no one said a word, but then I said,
"Seito, what's going on?"
My cousin's eyes were gleaming with triumph and spite. "First of all, Atem, the story that I told you after I was kidnapped was a lie."
I stared. "What?"
"And I haven't just been teaching Suzu how to control her powers," Seito continued, "I've been teaching her how to kill."
"WHAT?" I yelled.
"You weren't supposed to teach her that!" Jou indicted.
Seito's cold eyes focused on Jou. "Why don't you go off and fetch a bone? My cousin and I are talking."
Jou growled in fury, ready to leap onto Seito and rip him limb from limb, but I gripped his arm and shot him a warning look.
"Anyway," Seito said coolly, his attention going back to me, "Suzu doesn't seem to be on your side anymore, dear cousin. She is wishing to get rid of you."
My eyes narrowed in hostility. "You, brainwashing an innocent girl? I would've thought that your mother would have taught you that was wrong."
"I didn't brainwash her, Atem," Seito said impatiently, "But you not telling her anything was the opportunity I needed to take her and use her to destroy you."
"What?"
"You didn't tell her you were Pharaoh. You didn't tell her about my kidnapper. You didn't tell her why you were avoiding her. She wanted answers, and I gave a few of them to her..." here he smirked, "...with a little white lie here and there..."
"YOU FILTHY SON OF A-"
"It's your own fault!" Seito snapped back, "Hiding things from people because you love them doesn't help anyone! You, especially, should know that!"
My eyes widened in realization. Could this really be about...?
(Flashback)
"KISARA!" Seito yelled, as the motionless girl fell into his arms.
He turned to me, his eyes filled with angry tears.
"WHY DIDN'T YOU HELP HER? WHY DIDN'T YOU SAVE HER? WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME SHE WAS TO DIE?"
My eyes were filled with tears too.
"I-I'm sorry, Seito, I-"
"SHUT UP, YOU IDIOT!" Seito yelled, "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT, YOU HEAR ME? YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS, YOU WILL PAY!"
(End Flashback)
"Seito-" I started.
"Save it," Seito growled, "You and I are going to duel, Atem, and I promise you, when I win, you're going straight to the Shadow Realm and you'll never see Suzuki again!"
[Kitty: That's all...
Yugi: GEEZ...
Kitty: Reviews?
Yugi: Um...SGCred's first.
Kitty: Well, as you can see, there are problems. (sweatdrop) Aren't there always?
Lina: (smiles) At least you like it so far. We also got one from Rainbow Guardian Angel.
Kitty: Such great questions. Unfortunately, I can't answer them, or else it'd spoil the ending. But thank you for the support! (grins) And yeah, Pharaohs have too many problems...
Atem: So true. (sighs)
Yugi: R&R, peoples!]