Disclaimer: Kazuki Takahashi and co. I am not, a lowly fanfic author I am. Talk like Yoda I do, seen Star Wars too many times I have. Own Star Wars I do not.
Cry of the Black Magician
Chappie Two: Gel or Natural?
"Black Magician attacks Marie the Fallen One. I win. Again."
"Grr-"
Ding! Dong!
"That'll be the guys. I'll go get them," Anzu said, leaving to answer the door.
"Hey, 'Temu," Yugi said, gently shaking the sleeping ex-pharaoh up.
"Mmph. What was that for? I was having a good dream!"
"Sorry. I just thought you'd rather be woken up by me than say... Honda or Jounouchi. Or Otogi. I don't think Ryo would do that to you. So what was your dream about?"
"Why should I tell you?"
Puppy eyes work well when your opponent has just woken up and is too tired to use The Glare.
"Fine. There were flowers... Anzu... a meadow... Anzu... mostly Anzu..."
"You are hopelessly in love."
Atemu smirked. "You asked."
"Hey chaps!" came Ryo Bakura's unmistakably adorable, sweet, dreamy, lovely, charming, cute, beautiful sweetie-pie English accent. "Atemu, here's your homework," he said, dumping some very thick books on the shorter boy's bed.
"Hey Ryo. And Otogi. And Honda and Shizuka and Jou and... Mai? Geez, how do you always find us Mai?"
Mai smiled. "I got help from a certain adorable little puppy dog."
"Mai, shh! I wanna tell dem!"
"Did you finally ask her out?" asked Atemu the all-knowing, who had been quiet through the whole exchange.
"How didja guess?"
"Oh Jou, you loved her the first second you saw her."
"Yo Yug', got anything t' eat?" asked Honda.
"Sure. Let's go make some popcorn." Jounouchi and Otogi followed eagerly. Ryo, Atemu, Anzu, Mai and Shizuka were now the only ones left in Yugi and Atemu's room.
"So the King of Games CAN get sick, eh?" teased Mai. She sat on the end of Atemu's bed.
"Just laugh it up- Achoo!" He grabbed a tissue from the box near his bed.
"You all right?" asked Shizuka. Atemu tried to answer but found he couldn't talk, so he nodded his head.
"Oh, I cannot believe my luck!" Mai exclaimed, elated. "Atemu Mutou can neither duel or talk!"
Ooh, The Glare.
"Whoa hun, okay, okay, I get it! Wrong thing to say! Sheesh, enough with The Glare! I saw enough of it during Duelist Kingdom and Battle City! But you really don't look good, honey."
"Umm... okay. Not that I was expecting a response to that... sure, hun."
Yugi, Jou, and Honda came back up a bit after that with three gigantic bowls of microwave popcorn soaked in butter and all that good stuff. Otogi was staggering under the weight of about a gazillion sodas. Yugi also had the thermometer.
"Grandpa told me to check your temperature to see if it's gone down."
((Gone down? How do you know what it was in the first place?))
/We checked it when you were asleep. Why are you using the mind link?/
((I can't talk.))
/Oh, okay. Here, stick this under your tongue./ Atemu did as he was told. When it beeped, Yugi checked it.
"It's higher! How do you feel?"
((Hot and tired.))
/Okay, then./
((Could you pass me my old gaming magazine?))
/Which one? You blow practically all your non-toaster money on games./
((The orange and blue one with Malik and me on the front. It's that one that came out a few months ago, right after Battle City and before the whole Anubis thing. Remember how all the magic around Anubis caused me to separate from you? There are interviews of just about everyone who competed in that tournament, and they're interesting to read.))
/Knock yourself out./ Yugi mind-sent, tossing over said orange and blue magazine.
((Thanks. Hey Yugi, where did my reading glasses end up?))
/On your nightstand./
((Thank you.)) The pharaoh smiled sheepishly, pushing the glasses up over the ridge of his nose with a slender finger. His eyes narrowed slightly beneath the glasses whenever he read, giving him the appearance of a VERY intelligent cat wearing reading glasses and flannel pajamas.
He sat up a little more with the magazine on his lap, head bowed slightly.
So there they all were. Jou and Honda were having a contest to see who could burp the longest after drinking tons of soda, Yugi and Otogi were playing a casual game of Chinese checkers, Anzu, Shizuka and Mai were talking about hair products, and Ryo leaned over the bed to read the magazine over Atemu's slightly shaking shoulder.
Slightly shaking?
Ryo noticed that the ex-pharaoh's lips were blue and his body had gone into a horrifying spasm. Fear licked around the edges of usually calm and commanding crimson eyes, their owner's voice rendered useless by waves of deadly silent coughing.
"Guys, look!" Ryo practically screeched.
"Wha- ah! Someone get Grandpa- NOW!"
Shizuka's light footsteps disappeared down the hall, and could be heard returning a moment later followed by sturdier, heavier ones.
"Atemu!" He rushed to the bed. The boy's coughing fit made it impossible to tell if he was still breathing. "Atemu, I know I sound crazy but you need to try to breathe." He placed his hands on the boy's shoulders, much like Yugi had done earlier, and took deep steadying breaths.
Everyone in the room watched, helpless, as Atemu's body shook violently, his chest rising and falling quicker than you'd think possible. Anzu couldn't stand it. She started to cry, the salty tears running freely down her soft cheeks. None other than shy, modest, personal-space-bubble-respecting Ryo pulled her into a tight embrace. He was also scared. Scared for his friend, and scared of what could happen.
Atemu continued to cough horribly and silently, losing control over his body. His eyes slowly slid shut...
Then there was silence. The boy lay motionless in bed, cold as ice. Sogoroku leaned over and felt Atemu's wrist for a pulse, when the ex-pharaoh's body gave a huge shudder. The boy jerked up and coughed weakly... and threw up without any warning, the vile fluid mixed in with a gush of blood soaking his pajamas. Not a speck got on the covers. No, it had the nerve to get all over him.
"He needs to get to a hospital," said Sogoroku, trying very hard not to panic. "Yugi and I can change his clothes, and then we can take the subway. The buses at this hour barely exist. Could you all find his jacket and a scarf or something of the like?"
The others hurried off to find said jacket and scarf, also bundling up themselves as Yugi and his grandfather got Atemu into un-puked-on pajamas, and snow boots.
By the time they all got out of the house it was a little past six. Despite the time, it was already pitch-black out, and freezing cold. Their only problem was transporting the pharaoh to the subway, and then to the hospital. Both Yugi and Sogoroku were a good five, six or seven inches shorter than Atemu. Jounouchi and Honda saw this problem, and each helped to carry the burning up and barely conscious boy, wrapped in a blanket, to the subway, their quickest choice. After just one block of walking it started to snow lightly. Atemu sneezed as wet flakes landed on his face and sent shivers down his spine. Yugi took off his own scarf and wrapped it securely around and over the older boy's mouth and nose. Atemu's nose twitched and he sneezed again. His eyes stayed scrunched up against the freezing snow, and Jou bent his face over Atemu's to block it, allowing Atemu to relax.
"Thanks Jou..."
"Don't you dare try to talk, young man! You may technically have three thousand and something years to my seventy-five, but you were really not even twenty when you died and then spent the next three thousand years in that puzzle, so in this world I still count as older in a twisted sort of way, no matter HOW deep your voice may be! Not a word!"
Atemu nodded weakly and lost the fight with his eyes for the rights to keep them open. They shut against his will, and while he wasn't able to sleep, the world around him became very hazy.
About ten minutes later they got to the subway station, and soon got on the train. It was packed. As the train swayed, Honda and Jou nearly dropped Atemu in their efforts to hold onto both him and the little roof-bar-thingymajiggerbobber. An old woman nearby gave the boy a concerned look.
"Are you all headed to the hospital?" She got nods in reply.
"It's not for another five minutes. Here, take my seat. he looks really bad- Is that ATEMU MUTOU?"
"Yes it is, but right now he's our friend and he's sick and that's all that matters," said Anzu firmly.
"You're fine young kids, you know that? It's refreshing these days. Here." She got up from her seat, but Jou, being the sweetie-pie that he is, hesitated to take a seat from an old woman, even if it was to help his sick friend from getting a concussion from getting bounced around so much.
The lady smiled. "Come on laddy, that friend of yours needs to sit much more than I do." So Jou reluctantly took the seat, a soaking wet from the snow, limp but shivering violently Atemu in his lap. He put a hand to the smaller boy's red-with-flames forehead as if checking his temperature often enough would make it miraculously go down. Atemu couhged and shuddered violently each time Jou shifted in his seat, and sneezed whenever they stopped to admit more passengers and he got hit with the wind.
Finally they got to the stop closest to the hospital and exited the train, thanking the old lady for the loan of her seat. Jou and Honda practically ran Atemu to the emergency room, and he was in another room before the others, led by the elder Mutou, could catch up.
When Sogoroku, Yugi, Anzu, Ryo, Shizuka, Otogi and Mai finally got in the emergency room, a man in a long white coat wearing a pin saying 'Dr. Haku Mayasaki' came over to them.
"Are you all with the three young men that came in a minute ago?"
"Yes, that's us," replied Sogoroku.
"Follow me."
The doctor led them silently down a long white hall and into a small room with only one bed, occupied by Atemu. Honda and Jou sat in two chairs near the bed, the blanket Atemu had been wrapped in in Honda's arms. Jou sprang up when his friends entered, and Honda followed suit.
"Da doc doesn't know what's wrong wit 'em exactly, but he's on one o' dem IV tings."
"We can see that, Jou."
"Oh yeah. Heh heh..."
Sogoroku took a seat on the bed and felt Atemu's fce, The boy shivered at the contact with the man's cold hand. Sogoroku shook his head and sighed.
"Can my grandsons spend just one day not having their lives in danger? That's one trait I wish they didn't inheret from me!"
"Hi Grandpa," Atemu spoke in a deep gravvely whisper.
"Atemu Mutou, how many times have I told you not to try to talk!"
"Gomen Grandpa. Also for causing so much trouble-"
"Don't even GO there, young man! Lie down and close your eyes, now!"
The boy complied, leaning heavily into the white sheets with a short few scratchy coughs. Anzu noticed a glass of water on her boyfriend's nightstand and nudged it to the weak boy's mouth, managing to get some into him to ease the coughing while the rest dribbled down his chin. Anzu wiped it away with a tissue and gave him a swift peck on the cheek. "I love you," she whispered in his ear. He gave a weak smile, eyes still closed, to show he had heard.
A plump, finicky-looking nurse came in then.
"Out! All of you! It is WAY past visiting hours! Out! You're making the patient tired! Aren't you tired-" She read the name off of her data sheet- "Atemu Mutou?"
Atemu tried not to seem tired, but he was having trouble keeping his eyes open.
"See? OUT!"
"Bye, 'Temu."
"See ya!"
"Good night!"
"Get well soon," Ryo commented, giving Atemu a pat on his pajama-clad shoulder.
"Bye." Anzu gave him a hug and a butterfly kiss, and his pale cheeks flushed very much at the gesture.
"Ooh, Atemu's in L-O-V-E," taunted a childish voice.
"Mokuba... and Kaiba?"
"Oh look. Here comes Johnny Sunshine now," said Jou dryly.
"Never knew you had a girlfriend, Mutou. And Mazaki, no offense but don't most girls like men with a little more... height?"
"Go away Kaibe,' and stop insultin' my friend's love life!"
"I notice he didn't have a response to my insults."
"Probably because it would waste his voice talkin' ta you! You couldn't get a date if you tried, Moneybags!" That wasn't really true. Kaiba Seto probably had the most screaming fangirls in the world.... after Atemu.
"And you can do a whole lot better, mutt," he spat back, sarcasm oozing from the words.
"Actually," said Mai, giving Jou a hug and quick kiss for effect, "He can."
If there was a 'Closest Jaw Dropping to the Floor' contest, Kaiba would have won first prize. If he was the duelist with nearly the most fangirls in the world, she was the one with the most fanboys.
"OUT! ALL of you! NOW!" They obeyed the nurse and left.
"You sure have good friends, mister. And brave ones too, to push visiting hours like that on MY WATCH!" She got no reply. Atemu had passed out cold.
She smiled, seeing how Atemu scrunched his eyes and curled up in a catlike way when he slept, and pulled Atemu's covers up further. "Just like my son used to do." A tear slipped down her face, and she couldn't resist brushing a finger over Atemu's soft, flushed cheek. "You sleep just like Daryl." But you'll live. You'll be out of this place by tomorrow, just as soon as I get that fever down."
"Irene." She felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Yes, doctor? Do you have his results?"
"Sit down,"
"All right..."
"Now look."
"What... How is that possible... It's... It's what happened to Daryl!"
"Don't be worried. I just wanted you to sit down because I knew what your reaction would be, but this one's new, and those kids saw it fast. He'll be fine."
The nurse looked from the sleeping boy to the paper... the boy... the-the NAME? ATEMU MUTOU?
"Wait. Is that THE Atemu Mutou, the KING OF GAMES?"
"Yes. Does the hair not give it away? As far as I know, there are only three people in the world with hair like that- Atemu Mutou, Yugi Mutou, and Sogoroku Mutou. I met Sogoroku once, just a little while ago. Ironically, it was when he had a heart attack after hearing what happened up on Kaiba's blimp during the Battle City finals, and was in our special care ward for two weeks. Fine man. And both his grandsons took turns staying with him. Very good boys. Not lacking in intelligence either. This one here can finish his homework in two seconds flat, and it's advanced stuff."
"Well, we should let him sleep now."
"Yes, I suppose you're right." He left the room.
Irene turned to leave, then remembered...
Flashback:
A young boy, seven years old and deathly pale, leaned back into his sheets, breath coming in ragged gasps as coughs shook his tiny body.
"Mom."
"Daryl, oh Daryl-"
"Mom, I know I gotta leave..."
"No you don't-"
"Mom, please. Listen to me. Yugi Mutou... he just beat Pegasus. Could you find out for me... whether his hair is gelled and dyed or natural?" He gave a weak smile.
"Oh Daryl. What do you think?"
"No gel or hair dye could be that perfect. It's definitely natural." The boy's body shook with coughing again.
Bye Mom... I'll miss you in Heaven, but I bet it'll be really beautiful."
"Daryl..."
"Just remember and find out for me Mom... gel or natural..." a last terrible shudder ran through his petite form, shaking the very life out of his soul. Then he died.
-End Flashback-
Irene tiptoed over to the sleeping boy and swiftly ran two fingers through his tri-colored hair. It was soft, though somewhat wet from fever sweat, and its roots were the same colors as the body of the hair, except for the deep red ends, but it was obvious that there was no dye.
"No gel. Daryl was right. I can't believe it."
"Can I help you?" a deep voice asked as vicious crimson eyes snapped open, scaring the living daylights out of the poor woman.
"ACK! You're awake! That wasn't supposed to wake you up! Oh, I'm so sorry-"
"It's okay, don't worry. You could have just asked, you know. I'm sure by now my hair must be very sweaty."
"Asked- asked what?"
"Whether it was gelled or not, of course. That IS what you wanted to find out, correct?"
"Actually, yes. It was. So?"
"Natural, just like Yugi's." He couldn't suppress a yawn, and his eyelids suddenly felt like massive weights. The nurse chuckled to herself, turning off the light in the room and tiptoeing out, leaving Atemu to dream.
So y'all likies? Haties?
Time for... REVIEW REPLIES!
Electric Fire, thankies for reviewing me! I've gotta check out your stuff now, sorry if I haven't reviewed any yet, but I promise I will. I've been do busy with getting that first chappie posted and all... blah blah blah. I totally agree with you on the green, blue and Egyptian dudes, and the hobbits. Who can forget the hobbits? Thanks! P.S. If ya read this, check my bio page. There might be something in the couple section for Teen Titans that'll make you happy having to do with a certain hot little green dude.
YamiLoverGurlz, was that quick enough for you? I take it you also like sappy sick-fics leading up to nice satisfying deathbed scenes? Thanks SO much for reviewing!
Egyptian Rose, sorry if they weren't loud enough for you. I like them making noise too, but I really needed to ship them off to the hospital.
Umm '' is that your pen name? Well whoever you are, I'm glad you think it didn't stink. I didn't think so either, but ya never know. Thanks for reviewing me.
THANK YOU ALL! NEXT CHAPPIE SOON! PLEASE REVIEW AGAIN!