Destiny and the Dragon

Author's note: Ugh.  Another late update.    I'm hoping more people will start reviewing, so I've turned off the "No anonymous reviews" option.  Now everyone can review my work! Hurray!  Also, I'm going to include the list of events that you need to know have occurred in my manga/anime fusion continuity in each A/N now.  They'll become important later on in the story, so pay attention:

Death-T

Yugi vs. Kaiba's Dark side(aka Death Imposter)

Legendary Heroes

Remember these events.  Now, onwards!

Copyright info: I do not own Yu-gi-oh!  If I did, though , you can bet we'd see a lot more Seto Kaiba(and, considering he already appears a lot, they'd probably have to rename the show "The Seto Kaiba saga", or some other, less crappy, title.).

Continuity info: First, I'm using all Japanese names, as well as personalities (in short, Jounouchi isn't going to have that heavy New York accent, and Bakura won't be British).  Thus, Joey is Jounouchi, the Millennium items are sennen items, and so on.  Finally, the actual continuity is kind of a mixture of the manga and anime.  This takes place after Battle City, but the Noa saga did not occur.  However, in the manga, Yugi immediately uses the God cards to open up the doors to Yami's memory world.  In this, like in the anime, he must wait until the appropriate time.  Also, this is going to act as an alternative to the Memories arc in the manga so I can add my own little spin on the ancient past.  Enjoy. 

I want to run away,

I want to know the truth

I want to know the answers,

I want to shut the door and open up my mind.

-"Runaway Reanimation", Linkin' Park

Chapter 8: The Bond of Dragons

By Blue Eyes Shining Dragon

            Kisara could only stare at Bakura as dark energy continued to surround his hand.  "This is the person Shadi warned me about…but what does he want with me?" she wondered.

            Seto stood in front of Kisara.  "Hold on, Ryou.  There are some questions only Kisara can answer for me, so if you want her, you'll have to beat me for it!" he said.

            Bakura looked to his cloaked ally with a wide grin on his face, then burst out laughing.  Seto's face contorted in rage.  "WHAT'S SO FUNNY?" he shouted in frustration, angry that his enemy wasn't taking him seriously. 

            Bakura turned to face Seto, amusement written all over his face.  "Even after 3000 years apart, even after death, you're still in love with her!" he said, again bursting into laughter. 

            Seto felt like running up to the white-haired boy and strangling him to death on the spot.  Him?  In love?  The very idea was preposterous.  It didn't help that Bakura's words had given Jounouchi ample opportunity to begin snickering behind Seto's back.  "You are out of your mind, Ryou.  My philosophy on love is that it makes you weak, you know that!" Seto retorted.

            Bakura stifled his laughter, then pointed at Seto for emphasis as he said, "You denied it at first the last time, too.  It took Kisara's death to get you to admit your feelings then, and I doubt that even 3000 years will change that!"

            Kisara stepped forward.  Without hesitation, she shouted, "You're wrong!  Things will be different this time!" 

            Bakura's laughter was gone in an instant, replaced instead with a silent grunt of annoyance.  Seto looked at Kisara in frustration.  He prepared to grab her arm and shove her aside.  "No one fights my battles for me!" he thought.

            However, even as his hand reached out to her, he remembered their tour of Domino from earlier that day.  The same feeling of understanding washed over him, and he stayed his hand.  Suddenly, a titanic creature made of tan-colored stone landed in between Bakura and Kisara.  Seto instantly recognized the monster.  "The Millennium Golem!" he said aloud.

            "You will bring no harm to the third dragon on this day, tomb robber." A familiar monotone voice spoke.

            Yugi was the first to react.  "Shadi!" he declared.

            As if on cue, the mysterious Egyptian man appeared.  With everyone's attention on the new arrival, Seto saw his chance.  He winked at Mokuba, who instantly ran to his brother's side.  "Follow me." He whispered.

            Seto quickly grabbed Kisara's hand, Seto quickly ran off in the direction of the Kaiba Corp. building, with Kisara and Mokuba in tow.  "What's going on?" Kisara asked.

            "We're going somewhere safe where I can figure out what to do next!" Seto responded. 

            Bakura noticed their retreat, and stepped forward to stop them, but was painfully reminded of Shadi's presence when the Millennium Golem slapped him aside.  Skidding across the ground, Bakura stopped just short of crashing into a building.  Raising his head in anger, he looked at Shadi with unfettered rage.  "You will pay for that!" he barked.

            Standing up again, he looked to his cloaked companion.  "Find the three dragons," he said, "I'll deal with this nuisance!" he ordered. 

The cloaked man nodded, then ran after Seto, Kisara, and Mokuba.  The Millennium Golem prepared to stop them, but a blast of dark energy halted its attempt.  Bakura now had his Dark Necrofear card in hand, the monster on the card floating in front of him.              

             "Now then," Bakura said, "where were we?"

            Mokuba kept the pace with Seto, in spite of the elder Kaiba's longer legs and better shape.  Seto had let go of Kisara's hand, and she was now running close to him.  "How much longer to Kaiba Corp.?" Kisara asked.

            Mokuba answered in Seto's place, the latter busy taking something out of his coat pocket.  "Still a few miles.  Don't worry, though, my brother has a way to get us there in style."

            As Kisara wondered what Mokuba meant, she noticed Seto now held what looked to be a small radio.  "Kaiba Corp. BE-Motorcycle, pick-up, coordinates 55997!" Seto said, making sure to speak directly into the radio.  For a short while, the trio continued running until a loud screeching was heard.  Seto grinned momentarily, then turned to Kisara.  "Follow my lead." He said.

            From a nearby alleyway, a motorcycle designed to look like a Blue-Eyes White Dragon drove towards them.  "That bike…it's just like the Dragon you played…" Kisara noted, remembering the feeling of connection she had when Seto had summoned the beast earlier. 

            Mokuba nodded.  "Mm, hmm, the Blue Eyes White Dragon is my brother's favorite card!" he blurted excitedly.

            "Get on, both of you." Seto said, flatly.

            Mokuba and Kisara did as they were told.  Once they were on, Seto sat in front of them, gripping the bike's handlebars with great intensity.  "Brace yourselves!" he said, barely able to contain his excitement.

            He had been dieing to test his Blue Eyes motorcycle for some time now, and this was the perfect situation.  Revving the bike, he let it fly with great speed.  Focusing solely on the road ahead, he maneuvered the bike through the city streets.  Behind him, Kisara held onto Seto's waist tightly.  Somehow, the rush of sound and sights allowed her to collect her thoughts.  She had just learned that she was the reincarnation of a young Egyptian girl who had some kind of close relationship with a high priest, who Seto was a reincarnation of.  With that in mind, she regarded what she had said to Bakura before.  She knew she wasn't in full control of those words, and she wanted to know why.  Suddenly, a bright light emerged from Seto's pocket, interrupting her thoughts…

            Kisara now found herself wearing a white robe, standing in front of Mokuba, who was now dressed in a blue sleeveless shirt over his own white robe, with gold wristbands on both arms.  He was looking at Kisara with wide eyes.  "Tell me again about the Legend of the Three Dragons!" the young boy said excitedly. 

No longer in control of her own actions, Kisara grinned warmly.  "Very well, Mokuba.  As you know, our spirits contain the essence of who we are.  This essence can be manifested in the physical world in the form of a Kaa, a creature that reflects our innermost self.  Of course, there are people with personalities so similar that they have the same Kaa.  With so many people, it's easy to realize that there are thousands of each individual Kaa.  However, there is one Kaa so pure and powerful that only three exist."

"The Blue Eyes White Dragon!" Mokuba interrupted, his voice full of joy. 

"That's right." Kisara said sweetly.

"The three Blue Eyes White Dragons are said to be the strongest Kaa in existence, for they are the guardians of justice in this world.  If all three are gathered in one place, it is said their power rivals even the great Egyptian Gods.  One of the three Blue Eyes rests in you, Mokuba, and the second resides in your brother.  For years, the Pharaoh and his priests have searched for the third dragon, the one who will complete the trinity and create the ultimate guardian for our kingdom."

The story finished, Mokuba erupted into applause, catching the attention of Seto, who had just entered the room.  "My big brother sure made the right choice when he hired you to be my caretaker!" Mokuba said joyously.

"Yes," Seto said, catching Kisara off guard, "I certainly did."

Suddenly, everything around Kisara turned to black.  The next thing she knew, she was in between Seto and another man in a white robe with a gray beard whose right eye was made of gold.  Although she was back in control of her body, she noted that neither Seto nor the golden-eyed did not react to her presence, most likely meaning she could not be seen.  Thus, she decided to listen to their conversation.  "Well?  Does she have it?" the golden-eyed man asked.

"She does indeed possess the third Blue Eyes White Dragon Kaa, Akunadin…" Seto began, giving Kisara a name to attach to the golden-eyed man.

Akunadin interrupted Seto before he could finish.  "Wonderful!  You will finally control all three Blue Eyes White Dragons, my son!" he said excitedly.

"Son?" Kisara thought to herself.

Seto looked to Akunadin, and sighed.  "I'm afraid it's not that simple.  As you know, the Blue Eyes is so strong because it contains a far greater amount of spiritual energy from its host than any other normal Kaa.  Because of that, removing it from its host could prove…fatal.  Mokuba's Blue Eyes Kaa obeys me because we are brothers, and thus, share a similar spirit.  It thinks of me as a substitute for Mokuba.  Kisara, however, is not related to me by blood.  If we were to take her Blue Eyes from her, she would die."

His speech finished, Seto folded his arms, awaiting his father's sound counsel.

"So?" Akunadin asked.

Seto turned rigid.  "What did you just say?" Seto asked, unwilling to believe his father had reacted so callously.

"What does it matter if the girl dies?  She is only a stepping stone to ultimate greatness!" Akunadin said.

Kisara noted that Akunadin had not said whose greatness she had become a stepping stone to.  Seto looked at Akunadin questioningly.  "How can you say that?  As priests to the Pharaoh, it is our duty to protect the sanctity of life in this kingdom.  To take one of those lives so easily would be to go against everything we stand for."

Akunadin started to laugh.  Seto failed to realize what was so funny.  "Don't be so naïve, son.  The only lives that matter are those in power.  All the rest are simply members of an endless rabble who exist only to raise those high up even higher."

Seto growled in anger.  "I refuse to hear any more of this!  Kisara is not to be harmed.  Do you understand, Akunadin?"

Akunadin stroked his beard thoughtfully.  "Yes," he said, "I do indeed."

"We're here." Seto said.

            Kisara looked around, and realized she was in the present again, now in front of the Kaiba Corp. building.  "But…the light from your pocket…" Kisara said, trying to understand what had happened.

Seto Looked at her oddly.  "The only thing in there is my three Blue Eyes White Dragon cards." Seto said.

The three entered the Kaiba Corp. building, Kisara piecing together what was happening.  Why had Seto's Blue Eyes cards reacted to her at that time, and not earlier?  Why hadn't she been allowed to see all that had happened in the past to allow for this to happen in the present?  All these questions and many others buzzed in her head even as she absent-mindedly followed Seto and Mokuba up the elevator.  As the trio exited, Seto led them to a nearby door.  Opening it, he led both of them into the room.  It was designed to be identical to an average living room.  A TV was located in front of the left wall, a couch several feet in front of it.  A miniature kitchen was located at the other end of the room, a bathroom to its right.  "Welcome to your new home, Kisara." Seto said.

To be continued…