Well! The next chapter is done! Thank you all for being so patient :). I had fun with this chapter... reviews!
merchante file—Har; Joey'll save the world one way or another. I wonder what it would be like with a bunch of little Setos running around... –starts laughing-
AlisonWalker—Ah, Seto won't be horny, just very, very, very stuck up. Wait, he's like that anyway, isn't he?
SirisAnkh—Well, I'm glad! I hope you keep reading!
ShibiChicken—Yes, the whole Yugi gang annoys me, but I'm actually going to have a few other people in here other than Joey, Téa, and Seto. This story is already breaking away from my whole SetoxOC style, so why not go all the way? This story was original; you should know more than anyone that I hate using ideas that aren't my own... And thank you so much for the compliments :) they make me feel special. Happy anniversary!
Stephie—Do your homework! But keep reading. –grin-
Kikoken—Here's the update! And cool update on 'The Missing'!
Alex aus'ri Kaiser—You'll see who the guy is :); I hope the story will keep getting more interesting for you, as it's getting more fun to write!
Cobra Strife—Arigato, chica! Heh, we all would save ourselves for Seto, ne?
ssp—I'm not really a sci-fi person, either, but I'm really liking this, too. Maybe I should start writing more varied stuff more often... and yay! You like Harmful Crush, too! Thanks!
demonic angel—Har. Sorry! Here's the update!
Alright! I gotta go now! Enjoy this next one!
Chapter 3
A delicate, yet firm step took him into the diner, and it caused half the males to flinch and look away at their drinks; the other half stared defiantly at him, obviously knowing that their mates were looking hungrily at him and regretting they'd already settled. His sharp gold eyes took a quick sweep of the place, and then he broke into a slight smile, displaying a row of perfect teeth.
The man wasn't alone; two others accompanied him on either side, each just as fine-tuned and perfect. Their outfits alone set them apart, dark kimonos that flowed evenly behind them as though caught up in a draft, emblazoned with a distinguished design of a dark blue that seemed to flash with its own light. Their boots clicked softly on the floor as they made their way towards the counter; once they were fully inside, some voices ventured to start up their conversations again.
Joey smelled a strong masculine scent as they came closer, and instinctively moved slightly to his left to make room for the three. The one in front folded his arms and stopped beside the blonde, staring down at the bartender, as he towered at 6'4. "If you'd be so kind, sir, we need to pick up an order that was placed about a half hour ago; 20 bentos with the Ido drinks."
"Ah yes, right away, sirs; make yourselves comfortable." Tom bowed and hurried to the back. Joey merely huffed a little and started into his food.
"Kami, I'm hungry." The first man turned and leaned his back against the counter, running a hand through his black hair.
"Wow, that's news," grumbled another.
"Damian," said the third warningly. "Don't get your boxers in a bunch; quit bein' such a baby." He sniffed lightly at the air. "I'm pretty damn hungry myself after walkin' all that way, though."
"You both know I'm too cheap to rent a Skiya," laughed the first.
"Coulda called a taxi," Joey muttered. It came out a little louder than he meant it to, and all three looked at him.
"Got a problem, punk?" Damian said, narrowing his green eyes.
"Be nice, dude." The brown-haired second man smirked at Joey. "Ya'll should know that taxis really ain't our style."
"I should know about your guys' style?" Joey asked indifferently, his main focus still on his food.
"Not that you should, just mos' people already do." He straightened the neck of his kimono importantly, flashing a peace sign. "We're the best lookin' guys around!"
"Great for yous guys." Joey was getting a bit annoyed at the flamboyance of the man. The tall one stood and stared at Joey for a moment, before grabbing his arm and hoisting him to his feet. "'ey! What the hell do ya think ya doin'! Leggo a'—" But his arm was already released.
He cringed slightly as the man's gold eyes bore into his for a moment, and he shifted uncomfortably as they lowered to look over his body in a swift sweep. "Pardon our rudeness," he said suddenly, smiling again, making Joey doubt whether he had imagined the fierce gaze. "I am Erasmus; what are you called?"
"J-Joey Wheelah," he stuttered, taken aback slightly by the formality.
"Joey," Erasmus repeated, clicking his tongue. "This fellow here—" he continued, gesturing to the hyper one with brown hair and eyes. "Is called Hieronim, and the rude one is Damian."
"Er—nice to meet yas," Joey said awkwardly, not quite knowing why they felt compelled to introduce themselves.
"And you as well; your physique is very impressive, if I do say so myself."
"'ey, man, I don' swing dat way," the blonde interjected, shaking a hand in front of him.
Erasmus gave a warm laugh, folding his arms. "I assure you, that was not my intent. I merely meant it as a compliment. You could be one of us easily, had you the will to."
"One a' you?"
"One of us!" chanted Hieronim. "One o' the highest honors a guy could ask for!"
"Heh?" Joey slurred, his mind boggled by the barrage of bantering.
"It's settled, then. I proffer that you come to our next initiation this Saturday, in the Miyazaki building downtown."
"Now wait a—"
"—At 14:00 hours, in the third courthouse," Erasmus finished. Tom came out with the ready-to-topple stack of Bento, Téa following with the large holder filled with Ido drinks; she froze when her gaze fell upon the guests. Damian reached into his pocket and drew out a silver box no bigger than his palm, while Hieronim flipped out a card and scanned it on the cashier station, signing a big, loopy signature on the touch screen.
"Hold on a sec!" Joey whined, grabbing Erasmus' attention once more. "Who the hell are yous guys?"
His golden eyes twinkled with amusement at the young man's ignorance, giving a humble bow with his arms held before him. "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Joey. I'm sure you'll make a wonderful addition."
Damian pressed a small button on his device, and Joey raised an eyebrow as it shot out an opaque web that enclosed itself around the food and drinks, disappearing seconds after. "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen? Like dat movie dat came out in da 21st century or whatevah?"
"I'm surprised you even know such a trivial piece of history," Erasmus laughed. "But we don't posses nearly the amount of power portrayed by those men. Only our genes set us apart from the rest of the world." He turned to go, smiling as he put his hands in his pockets. "I look forward to seeing you soon, Joey Wheeler."
With that, they were gone. Joey scratched his head in bemusement, staring at the door long after it slid closed with a soft ding. All three men were exceptionally handsome and tall, but they seemed just like ordinary people to him, especially Hieronim, who was obviously laid back about his appearance and vocabulary. Their names were odd, too, and he wondered vaguely if they all shared the same mother that had an exotic imagination. He was jerked back to reality when Tom spoke from behind him.
"Oh, look at you, you could heat the whole dining area with that face."
"Wha, me?" He turned around and gave a soft "oh" as he realized that Tom was addressing Téa, as her cheeks were a bright red, and she looked flustered.
"I-I'm going back to work," she stuttered, fumbling with her now empty serving tray and going in back.
Joey sat back down, watching her for a moment before turning back to Tom. "Do you know dose guys at all?" he asked.
"Of course," Tom replied, smiling. "They come in here all the time to pick up food for everyone else; I guess they're the lackeys or something."
"For dat league thing? What is it, exactly?"
"Ah, the LEG." He sighed, the smallest hint of reminiscence crossing his features. "I tried to get in once; they said I was too short, and I walked funny. I begged them over and over, but the leader is a real hard ass, and I heard that now his son's in control, and he's just as bad." He paused, and chuckled when he saw Joey raise his eyebrow. "Oh, forgive that babble. The LEG is a very small, elite group of men that have the perfect genes to pass on. You get paid for just being in there, and it's a pretty high honor if they even consider you."
"Da main guy, Earmuffs or whatevah, invited me ta come downtown to their next meetin'," Joey said, tapping his fingers on the counter.
"Now there's something you don't see every day. That's pretty big." Tom smiled. "You're going, right?"
"Ah dunno. Doesn' seem like much more dan a buncha vain guys gettin' together and braggin' about demselves."
"To be honest, I don't know what they do there; it's pretty secret," the bartender admitted.
Joey shrugged, taking a sip of his drink. "So," he said, smacking his lips and turning to jerk his head at Téa. "Which one a' dose guys is she savin' herself for?"
"Any one of them, really."
"But...you said it was only one," the blonde said, tilting his head.
Tom smirked, shaking his head. "The LEG is often referred to as a single entity, as it really doesn't matter which male you get; they're all perfect."
"Dat's confusin'. Well—" he said, standing up. "I think I'm gonna get goin'. How much do I owe ya?"
"Oh don't bother," Tom said, pushing a button on the side of the counter. As the dishes disappeared, Tom took up wiping the glass again. "Just promise to come back sometime; I really enjoyed talking with you, Mr. Wheeler."
"Ehm... call me Joey. Thanks a lot."
As he made his way down the somewhat crowded street, he stared at the ground with his hands in his pockets, silently debating with himself about what he wanted to do. The day had certainly been a nice change from the ordinary, but he wasn't sure whether he wanted to take the risk of going to such a restricted group of people. He decided to sleep on it.