I don't own Yugioh.
Chapter 11
Seto nodded, "I see." He looked at the younger boy who had shakily told him.
Toshiba looked at him, "Can you take us to your place?"
"Yea," Jou nodded, "If Yug did it, then I can, too! They told me!"
"That's right," Seto nodded, "You can do it. I'll come. Toshiba, will you accompany us? We only need one. Officer Houdo, would you also do us the honor?"
Officer Houdo bowed his head respectfully, "It would be my honor, Kaiba-sama."
Seto nodded, smiling, "That's alright."
"Don't worry about Yugi and Mokuba," Jou grinned, "Yami's got it wrapped! He may not look it, but he's a really great guy!"
Seto smiled, "Yea. But will you be alright, Jounochi?"
"Call me 'Jou'. Sure. I ain't as brave as Yug, but I'll give it my best," Jou nodded.
"I'm sure you're just as brave as Yugi," Toshiba smiled.
Seto nodded, then placed a hand on Jou's shoulder, "You ready?"
Jou nodded, "Yea!" That's right…whaddo I have ta be afraid of? Seto's gonna be there, and if Yugi trusts him, then so do I. He must be a great friend if he organized this entire police thing to help. And besides…I can't let Yugi down. He put his faith in me that I can do it. I can't let him down.
"Let's go."
Jou nodded, "Yea! Pops ain't com'n home till he's done at the bar."
"Let's go, Jou," Seto nodded. They headed out to do a small investigation. But before that, Yamata turned to him, "Kaiba-sama. I'll get the papers filled out and the procedures done. I have all the information on the Yugi case we need to stop this. And more. We will eventually need to go on trial, and Yugi is going to have to tell us how his life was in danger. But for now, I will get the arrest warrants and search warrants. Until then." He bowed respectfully.
Seto nodded, "Good job. Jou. Let's go before your father comes home."
"This is very interesting," Toshiba said to Seto as Jou led them, "We may have to get arrest warrants for his father, too. From what I've seen of this group of kids, they're very honest."
"Yea. I'm sure Jou is telling the truth. It doesn't sound as severe as Yugi's case, but a case is a case here."
Seto nodded. "Let's hurry…it's already past nine."
They nodded.
It was dark when they got there. Jou peered in and signaled them into the small apartment, "Now, my room's over there. It's normal…ain't noth'n like Yug's…"
Toshiba went in and looked around, "Does your father drink excessively?"
"Hell yea," Jou nodded, "I'm surprised he has any brain cells left after drinking all that shit."
Toshiba nodded and poked around, then spoke, "You don't have to be nervous."
"Wh-who says I'm nervous?" Jou's eyes darted around.
Seto placed a hand on Jou's shoulder, "Relax. You're tense."
"Sorry," Jou whispered, looking down, "I just…don't want him to come home, ya know…? I don't want him to find out…"
"He won't," Seto assured him.
"What happened to your mother, if I may ask?" Toshiba went back to him.
"First," Seto interrupted, "Is there a case?"
"Broken bottles all over the place, blood on the walls…anyone who thinks that there isn't a case here doesn't know what they're talking about," Toshiba finished jotting more notes down, then turned to Jou, "Can you answer a few questions?"
Jou nodded. He felt himself shaking uncontrollably. I wonder if this was how Yugi felt…
"I'll repeat my earlier question," Toshiba got his pencil ready to right, "Why do you live with your father?"
"My parents got divorced," Jou stated, "My mom and Shizuka live a few blocks away. She goes to a different school and all cause of the distance, but I can take the bus…"
"Who is 'Shizuka'?"
"My sister."
"Older or younger?" Toshiba asked.
"Younger," Jou stated.
"Okay…what's your mom like?" Toshiba asked.
Jou got quiet as tears filled his eyes. "She's nice…and kind. She's really considerate and there for us. She won't let us take any shit from nobody. And she loved us a lot. Still does." He wiped his eyes quickly with his arm. I miss her…
Seto gripped his shoulder gently.
Jou sniffled.
Toshiba nodded, waiting.
"I'm ready," Jou nodded after a moment.
"Has your father ever put your life in danger?" Toshiba asked.
Jou shook his head, "The worst he's done is crack a couple of ribs. I did have to go to the hospital for it once cause the muscle was messed up around it…found out I had it broken."
"Okay…," Toshiba wrote it down. "How many times did you end up in the hospital?"
"Every time in my life?"
Toshiba shook his head, "No. As a result of your father beating you."
"Um…about three times, I think," Jou shrugged, "Nothing really serious. Mostly cause of cracked or broken ribs. Except one time when he broke my fingers."
Toshiba was writing it down.
Jou took that moment to take a deep breath. He felt warmth behind him, and stayed close to it for comfort.
Seto blinked when Jou moved closer to him, but kept a hand on the other boy's shoulder.
"Okay…," Toshiba looked up, "One more question, and I think we can leave. How long have you been living with your father?"
"Um…," Jou counted on his fingers, "…about two or three years."
Toshiba nodded, "Okay. And, you're twelve, right?"
"Eleven," Jou corrected.
"Eleven," Toshiba wrote it down. "Thank you, Katsuya. That's all."
Jou wiped his eyes but managed a grin, "Hey…all my friends just call me 'Jou'!" He sighed in relief that it was over and sunk to his knees.
"You alright?" Seto bent down next to him.
"Yea…my legs just feel like jelly, that's all," Jou wiped his eyes again.
Seto helped him up, "Can you walk? We can go now."
Jou nodded, "Yea."
"Good. Let's go," Seto stated. Toshiba led them out, and Seto helped Jou until Jou felt better.
* * *
***Dream***
Strong hands pulled the bundle out of the river. "Ho?"
"What's up?" another fisher looked over at his partner.
"I was catching fish," the first man said. He had spiky blonde hair and lightning-bolt looking bangs. He wore overalls and a long sleeved shirt. "And I suddenly pulled up this…" He gasped.
"What?" the other guy dropped his rod. He was taller, with clean cut brown hair and wore a fishing outfit. He went over, "What!?"
"It's…a kid," the first one whispered, "A little baby…"
The second guy peered over, "Holy shit. Is it dead…?"
The first one set the bundle down and started to check, "No…he swallowed a lot of water, and he's running a high fever. But he's not dead yet."
"What should we do?" the younger guy asked.
"What else? Take him to town. We have to get this child to a doctor," the first guy stood up, holding the child close.
The child coughed.
"He's not crying," the second one said as they left their things and ran for town.
"He's unconscious," the first man replied as they ran, "We must hurry! Or he'll die!"
***End Dream***
Yugi woke with a start, pushing the covers off himself. It was hot…too hot. He remembered the dream, more tears running down his face. He shivered.
"Aibou? You okay?" Yami wrapped his arms around the small boy. "Another dream?"
Yugi nodded, closing his eyes.
"Daijoubu," Yami whispered, holding the boy to him.
"The man…saved the boy," Yugi whispered, "The baby…a fisherman found him. But he looks so familiar…like I've seen him before…"
Scenes flashed through his mind. A young man…carrying him…the fisherman…an old man…a familiar old man…leaving a child in the care of a couple……
Yugi clutched his head in his hands, letting out a pained shout.
Yami swore, "Shit! Not again! Yugi! Yugi, it's alright!"
"I can't remember…!" Yugi shouted, crying, "I can't…! But there's…there's the man! The man who saved the baby was……he was…!"
Flashes. An old man…caring for him…giving him something…smiling…smiling…
Yugi cried in pain, doubling over and holding his head, shaking. His eyes were wide.
"Yugi!?" Yami wrapped an arm around him, "Yugi, pull yourself together!"
Yugi turned and grabbed onto Yami's shirt, pulling him into the older boy and crying into him.
"Woa…Yugi…" Yami whispered, then wrapped his arms around him, "What's wrong?"
"The man…in my dreams…," Yugi whispered, "Who saved the baby…he was my grandpa. I'm sure of it. Then that baby was…me…" he started to cry, "My dad was…! He was…!"
Yami blinked, holding the crying boy.
"Who am I?!" Yugi shouted, crying.
Yami held Yugi tighter, comforting him, "Oh, Yugi…"
Yugi cried into him, "Who…? Who am I…? Where did I come from…?"
Yami started to rock him back and forth, "Yugi…I don't know. I don't know what's going on, or what it all means. But I swear…I'll help you find your way."
"Yami…!" Yugi sobbed. "You're always looking out for me…"
"That's because I love you," Yami whispered, rubbing Yugi's back, "I can't just sit by and let something hurt you. I'm here for you."
Yugi sniffled, then hugged his newfound brother. "Aishiteru."
TO BE CONTINUED…
Japanese – English
Aishiteru – I love you