Darkness Within
Note: I can't believe it's already the eighth chapter! It seems like just yesterday that I was searching for a good name for Fiacha, and now look where we are. Okay, anyway, chapter eight ahoy! R&R!
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh, Taco Bell or anything else but the plot, Fiacha, and her nut-case of a brother.
Yugiohfreak: I'm sorry that you don't like Seto and Serenity as a couple… It's sorta like me with Mai and Joey. After this chap, I'll likely never mention them again, though, so don't give up on me!
Kerochan606: This chapter should clear up what Fiacha's feeling was about. Oh, and as for pairings, I wouldn't be trying to get them down just yet, as the winds of change are on the way…. But yes, at the current time it is SxS but I'm not a huge fan of TxY, she and Tristan are too cute a couple. The pairings of others besides Fiachaaren't so important, though, so I don't really keep track myself. Anyway, onward with the story!
Chapter Eight: Unexpected Visit
Fiacha sighed and leaned back, growing restless. They'd been watching some pointless show for about three hours and Joey was snoring on her shoulder. He was pretty adorable when he was sleeping, at least until he started muttering about some type of giant pizza or something. That was just annoying.
And still somewhere in the back of her mind she had a feeling that something was about to happen; something bad.
Kaiba and Serenity were making out on her left and Tea and Yugi seemed to be having a speech contest on her right. She wanted to scream and kick someone but she didn't want to wake Joey up. Suddenly, she felt horridly close to a giddy little girl with a crush. But then, she sort of was, wasn't she? Oh, what would her brother think of her if he could see?
Fiacha, sister, where are you?
Fiacha flinched slightly and Joey fell onto the floor. "What happened?" he groaned, rubbing his head.
"Sorry, I moved and you sort of, fell."
Dolan?
She shivered as her bad feeling deepened, but felt determined to ignore it.
I am here, little raven. I came to find my sister and be sure that she was alright.
Where are you, brother?
I've just gotten of the plane.
Alright, then here, let me show you how to get here.
She sent him pictorial directions from her memory. He was here, in Domino? He would not approve of Joey… but they weren't official, right? Her face fell at that. Maybe he was just being nice…
"Is it time ta eat yet? I'm starved!"
Everyone laughed and Kaiba stood up. "I've got to go, sweetie," he said quietly to Serenity, walking out the door and into a limo.
"Well… we could go to McDonalds, if you want," Yugi said, brandishing a wallet.
"Okay!" And Joey flew out the door before anyone could say so much as "no thanks".
Sending her brother a mental memo of the position change, she followed the others at a brisk jog, failingly attempting to keep up with Joey, Tristan, and Duke, who was running from an excited mob of cheering girls.
Tea laughed at Yugi's fearful expression as all the girls whizzed by, and then harder when they passed Duke as well, who looked relieved but amazed. And she knew without looking who the new hottie in town was.
"Dolan, over here!" she called over the girls, pushing through the crowd to reach a startled brother. Duke was now fuming and ranting about tourists.
"Fiacha, I'm very happy to see you!"
Joey had stopped dead in his tracks and now looked ready to pound the tall, dark haired boy into a pulp. "As am I, brother." She winked at him as he tried to get through the mob.
"Interesting town, Domino," he muttered, shoving aside a particularly plump girl. "I'm amazed to see you in one," he paused, staring intently at Yugi and inclining his eyebrows. "piece."
"Oh, I've had… help," she said, grinning at Joey, who was still trying to get to them through the crowd.
"Ah, yes. I see that introductions are in order."
"Alright. Guys, this is my brother, Dolan. He's eighteen. And these are," she started at the right and made her way through the group. "Yugi, Tea, Serenity, Duke, Tristan and-"
"Joey Wheeluh," Joey said, finally having reached them. Dolan raised his eyebrow even further.
"It's wonderful to see that my little sister has made so many… friends already. I was very worried about her."
Yugi smiled as he always did and Duke glared at him for stealing all the attention.
"Um, you don't mind if he joins us, do you?"
They shook their heads and Joey suddenly recalled his quest for food and ran into the building.
"A bit touched in the head, that one," murmured Dolan.
"Oh, he's real sweet, when you get to know him." She knew that she was blushing and she knew that he had noticed it.
"You've changed, my sister. Whatever happened to 'Love is a waste of-'?"
"I never said that I was… that we were… oh, just shut up."
"Now the old custom was to give him a task to complete, but that might get awkward… I'll just have to see if I approve, then."
"Will you be quiet? He might hear you!"
"And I'll have seven tacos, fourteen orders a nachos, twelve burritos and… Oh, Fiacha, you want anything?"
Fiacha sighed and tried not to blush, failing miserably anyway. "Um… sure… a…" she glanced at the menu and picked the first thing she saw. "Steak quesadilla."
"What on earth is a-"
"Shut up, Dolan. Just sit down and explain to me in full what's going on."
"I think this news really ought to wait until a more private moment, Fiacha."
"No, tell me."
"I…"
"TELL ME YOU IDIOT!"
"Father is looking to make an alliance with the Ishtars."
"And…?"
"Well, as you know, I'm training to take his place, so he doesn't want me leaving the temple, ever, save this one time, nor does he want me to marry. So that leaves-"
"AN ARRANGED MARRIGE? ME?"
Everyone in the restaurant was giving her a wary glance, and some were even visibly running away. She ignored them and let it sink in. That meant… the not evil Marik. MARIK?
"You can't be serious! I… he… I… but… this is not funny, Dolan."
"No, it isn't, but neither you, nor I, has any power to fight his decision. Once he finds the Ishtar boy, he will bring it up. If he says yes… you're coming straight home."
Fiacha had been nearly unable to process that information a moment ago, but now it hit her hard. Her father had total control over her life, however, if she didn't complete her task immediately and free herself of all vows. Her father was the leader of the temple, so as long as she was bound to the pharaoh, she was bound to him.
Joey had finished his food and was now looking as his astonished friends in interest. "What happened?" he asked.
Fiacha opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out. She pointed wildly at her brother and hoped that he would explain.
"My sister… is the victim of my father's latest scheme to raise his power. He wants her to marry Marik Ishtar."
"WHAT! THAT PSYCHO!"
Now the people who had stayed also got up to run far, far away. Fiacha swallowed and tried again to speak. "No, not the psycho. The half normal one. You know, with the down hair and the not sticking out veins and what not?"
Joey blinked. "But, your dad can't make you marry him, can he? I mean… dat hasn't happened in forever."
"Not so true," remarked Dolan, starting to list the most recent occasions of arranged marriage.
"Actually, Joey, unless I complete my given task, I must do whatever my father tells me to." She tried to remain calm, but was only one second away from strangling her brother and running far, far away.
"But you're only-"
"Doesn't matter," Dolan interrupted, clearly not approving of Joey at all.
"But-"
"No matter what you say, you can't change this."
"But-"
"Joey, don't," Fiacha whispered, on the verge of tears. It just couldn't be happening. She was going to wake up from a horrible nightmare any moment.
"Hold on, I think…" Dolan muttered, closing his eyes. "He's talking it over with his sister, and she's telling him that he should…he's talking to Odion… he's said… yes."
"YES!" burst Joey and Fiacha at the same time. Everyone else was looking at Dolan like he was insane (not really a far off assumption) and scooting away from him.
"Yes. Father says I should bring you back at once. I'm sorry, little sister. Take a moment to say your farewells, and then come outside. Take this bravely, Fiacha."
Fiacha stood, mouth gaping, for several seconds. "I… I can't believe this is happening, but I guess it is. I… I've only just met some of you today, but still it feels like losing a million friends. Maybe… maybe I can come and visit some time." She swallowed, trying not to look at Joey. This was so hard. "Um… I… well, I guess this is goodbye. I'll miss you all very much and… Joey, can I… talk to you for a minute, alone, please?"
Joey looked grief-stricken, but he nodded and followed her down a long hallway. The lighting hit his hair just right, and made him look more amazing than Fiacha would have though humanly possible. This was going to be difficult.
"How can you just smile and go along wit' dis, Fiacha?"
"I'm not smiling, Joey," she whispered grimly. "But I see no other option. The only way to get out of this would be to complete my task, and I know not how. Besides, I will not unleash that upon the world. It is not meant to be."
"What's not meant to be?"
"The pharaoh… should not have his memories back. It cannot end well for the human race." She grinned sadly. "What's the unhappiness of one mortal to the suffering of all humans?"
"If dat one girl is you, den I won't stand for dat kind of sacrifice."
"Joey… I told you, there is no option for me. It is the path that must be taken. In time, I will be only a memory to you, and you will marry a lucky woman and have children, and I will still be in Egypt, or wherever it is that Marik dwells at the time. This is the way that it should be… I saw it before my eyes as my brother spoke. This is the future, and I find it pointless to argue. And besides," she paused to fight back tears. "Your daughter is beautiful. I would not have you give up such a future to save a fool like me."
"What if I don' want a future like dat?"
She looked at the floor, tears shining in her violet eyes. "You will. When you meet her, you will."
"I don' want to meet her, then. I just want… I want you to stay."
"I can't."
Tears were rolling freely down her cheeks and she looked up into those deep, brown eyes for what was likely the last time. She smiled weakly and stood on her toes to kiss his cheek before fleeing out the door to her brother, ignoring the calls of her name by the only voice she wanted to hear.
End note: sob It's dreadful! Oh, I can hardly stand to go on, but no worries, I will. Review, and chapter 9 will be here in a flash!
