Tenshi no Kokoro
Disclaimer: refer to first chapter
Summary: Chimera has been defeated and the Angel has emerged. But now the Angel seeks only to destroy evil. Seto and Ryuuji, aided by a reborn Marik, must overcome it to find their lover. S/R/R, YY/YB, YM/R
Warnings: eh . . . I don't really know at this stage.
Responses to reviews and author's notes: The long awaited sequel to 'Judgement'! I guess you've all been waiting a long time for this, ne? Well, my friend at school basically threatened me with a painful death if I didn't post this up soon. But I was going to put this on hold until I got my next fic 'By Moonlight' up and running. Then again, the characters were a bit OOC.
So anyway, I hope you enjoy the sequel!
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Chapter Two: Take Over
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Across the newspapers was a huge headline. The article and photo below it outlined a new sex scandal, about a teacher and student at Domino High. It was the talk of the week, hot gossip for everyone who read the papers.
Miyazawa Shouji crumpled up the paper with a disgusted look and threw it in the bin. His career was perfectly ruined, all because of a silly schoolgirl who knew no better and chose to seduce him. How their scandal got out into the open, he didn't know, but it had and now he was going to be sacked from his job.
Stupid girl, he grumbled. If she wasn't so desperate to have me stop the seniors from picking on her . . . how pathetic, now she's put my job on the line.
But an almost feral grin spread across his features as he recalled the first time the girl had come to him for help. As the guidance counselor, it was his job to help out the students who were having trouble adjusting to school life. This girl had come to him at the beginning of her first year, begging for him to stop the seniors from bullying her. She had said she was willing to do anything.
His wife had died only months before, due to an 'accident' on the road where he had crashed the passenger side of the car into a pole on the side of the street. He'd never loved her. She was too annoying and chatty, always nagging, nagging and nagging. But back when they had first gotten married, he could cope with that. As long as he got good sex – and she gave good sex. But after a while, he got bored and she knew it. She became so annoying, he had to kill her. Accidentally, of course. He blamed the mechanics for not changing the brake pads in his car and got a hell of a lot of compensation for it.
But now that his wife was dead, he had to find other means of satisfying his hunger. The many women he fucked weren't satisfying at all and he always felt that something was missing. Maybe it was the thrill of dominance and breaking people, he didn't know. But whatever it was, the girl gave it to him.
She was inexperienced, but quite willing to learn. Her body was desirable, small but also generously endowed, which he found attractive. But that was it. Her body was the only thing he wanted and, in return, he took care of the bullies. She gave herself to him every time he wanted it – which was often. He would pull her out of class with the excuse of guidance counselling, and literally fuck her in his office. Or anywhere else he could catch her. And, in fact, she quite enjoyed it, the little whore.
But somehow this secret had been found out. Now he had no job and no income, and his reputation was tarnished. She probably blabbed it to someone, who told the press and made this mess.
She'll get it now. Nobody messes up my reputation.
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This is the new target.
Ice-blue eyes followed the girl as she closed the curtain to her bedroom, shutting out the news reporters and cameramen outside her house. They continued to pound on her door and windows, shouting out questions and taking photos. She ignored them, sitting at her kitchen table and drinking out of the mug.
Miho, 16 year old student at Domino High. Involved in a sex scandal with the school guidance counsellor. Lives separately to parents.
A pale hand brushed back the silvery strands of hair that had blown into the ice-blue eyes. The hand dropped down to fold with the other over the slim chest. Bakura Ryou, the Angel, looked on impassively as Miho continued to ignore the reporters and journalists.
She will die tonight, alongside the teacher she loves so much.
He turned around and jumped off the balcony of the roof of the nearest apartment building next to Miho's. Tonight, the girl and the guidance counsellor's life would be over. The world's evil would have decreased by another two.
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Jounouchi slammed down the newspaper onto the coffee table at the Kaiba Mansion. Yugi, sitting next to him, looked upset. All around the drawing room at the mansion, the other members of their 'group' looked grim. They had just been discussing the issue of the mysterious disappearances, when Jounouchi discovered an article in the newspaper about their classmate, Miho.
"Kuso," he swore. "I – we never even knew about this! I mean, we were friends last year, us and Miho, but we never knew she did something like this!"
"No one knew," Yugi muttered unhappily.
"But the real problem is that, with the way these disappearances have been going, the two of them might be in danger," Ryuuji pointed out.
"Do you really think Bakura-kun would target them?" Yugi asked.
"No one can be sure of that," Kurama said quietly. "None of us know the way Ryou-sama is thinking right now, so he might – but we don't know that. What I can tell you is that there is an extremely high possibility that he would."
"Doushite?"
"Because the Angel inside him is intent on destroying evil, it's almost like an obsession," Kurama explained to his distressed student. "As long as the Angel is in control, Ryou-sama, no matter how strong he is, cannot stop it."
"Which brings me to this question: is this issue really evil?"
The others blinked in surprise, caught off guard by the question. Yugi had a serious look on his face, wanting to know the answer to the question and yet already knowing what they would say. Seto stared at his hands. Was it really a crime to love someone you shouldn't? He really didn't know.
"Of course it's evil Yugi!" Jounouchi exclaimed. "It's wrong!"
"Wrong doesn't necessarily mean evil, aho," Hiei grunted.
"Bakura kills people who are 'evil' in his books," Jounouchi retorted. "Doesn't that mean he's murdering? That's wrong and it makes him just as evil!"
Seto growled and rose to his feet, a snarl on his features. No one ever insulted Ryou and he wasn't about to let this get away. Ryou was not evil and he didn't choose to be. If he was, then it was the Angel inside him that was evil. The CEO raised his fist and it collided with the side of Jounouchi's head.
"Don't you dare insult him," Seto hissed.
"Seto, dame yo!"
"You wanna take this outside, Kaiba?"
"Jounouchi-kun!"
"Like I'm afraid of you, make inu!"
"Bring it on then, rich prep!"
"Jounouchi . . . Seto-sama, you have better sense than this."
"Heh, stop bothering them, Kurama. Let's just see what they do."
"Hiei, if you're not going to help then SHUT UP!"
"Are you going to make me, Otogi?"
"Why you . . ."
" . . . Uh, are we interrupting something?"
They all turned to the door, where the former members of Chimera stood, wide-eyed, staring at them. Of course, they had every reason to. Seto and Jounouchi were at each other's necks; Yugi was pulling at the blonde's sleeve and Kurama was at Seto's. Hiei and Ryuuji were having a glaring contest behind them and it seemed as though it was possible to see the tension between them. Marik coughed.
"If you guys are too busy killing each other, then we'll leave."
"Iie, Marik . . ." Kurama sighed, tugging Seto away from Jounouchi. "We were just separating the two of them."
"Ah . . . I see."
"What's up, Marik?" Yugi chirped.
"It's about Ryou."
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"EEE? NANDA?"
Anubis grinned in a wolfish way, baring his fanged teeth. He still retained some of his reptilian qualities from his shape shifting days. Right now, those fangs of his were directed at Ryuuji and Seto, who were looking shocked and surprised at what he had just told them.
"You mean to say that – that you know where Ryou's been hiding?"
"Not so much hiding than living," Malik corrected. "He's actually quite open about it to other people, but none of them know about his past so we haven't heard any news about it before."
"So, um . . . if we find Bakura-kun, does that mean we might be able to save Miho?" Yugi asked hopefully.
"There is that possibility," Ishizu confirmed. "Or otherwise . . ."
" . . . We find him, fail to save that girl and then he'll move and we're back at the beginning again," Hiei finished. Ishizu glared at him for interrupting.
"No," she snapped. "What I was going to say was that, if we use this information to our advantage, we could probably kill the Angel. It's a chance."
"But it might harm Ryou – possibly even kill him."
"He'll survive. Don't be so foolish."
"Let's take this chance, Ryuuji," Seto said quietly. The game creator stared at him as if he had just grown another two heads. "It's probably going to be our only chance to do so otherwise."
"Seto . . . not you too."
"We might not get another chance at this!" Seto said, rounding on the black-haired teen with wild eyes. "You should understand that I'd do anything to get him back! I thought you would do the same. I can't let this chance go."
He strode over to the huge window, leaning against it and looking out into the garden. His blue eyes were distant and weary. Ryuuji felt a pang of guilt. He wanted Ryou back and he knew it, but he was just too much of a coward to take any chances. To be honest, he was afraid of the emotional damage it would cause the both of them if they were to lose Ryou a second time.
"If . . . if it's the right decision, then I'll do it."
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Anubis' information led them to a comfortable-looking, two-storey house on the other side of town. It had plain, whitewashed walls and a garden bed full of white and red roses. Seto bit the inside of his cheek. White roses were Ryou's favourite and red were his. Ryuuji was, frankly, allergic to flowers. But that wasn't the point.
Ryou still remembered that he liked red roses. Red for passion and for intensity . . . the albino had often said how these roses suited him well. Hope kindled inside him. If Ryou still remembered this small fact, then there was still hope that he hadn't been completely consumed by the Angel. They still had a chance of getting him back.
"Do you want to ring the doorbell?" Ryuuji asked. "Cos if you don't, I will."
"Go ahead."
Ryuuji pressed the doorbell. It made a strange sound – Seto wasn't even sure whether he had ever heard such a strange doorbell before. No one answered, so Ryuuji pressed it again. Then they tried the door. It was open.
"Nani . . .?" the game creator whispered. "Ryou?"
They went inside. The interior was simply furnished, with not much decoration. Furniture was kept to the basics: one shelf, a table, a chair and a fireplace. Ryou liked to keep warm. Going inside, there was not even a sign of life inside the house. They walked further and came across a room, which obviously was a bedroom, what with the bed and desk inside.
"He's a plain person," Jounouchi commented.
"Keep to the necessities," Kurama explained. "First rule for any travelling."
"Oh, ok."
"Ryou . . .?"
Ryuuji and Seto ventured inside the room. There was nothing in the room, so they figured Ryou was not home. However, as they left the room, a scuffle was heard inside the room next to it. Seto stalked over cautiously, resting a hand on the doorknob. He and Ryuuji exchanged glances.
"Do you think he might be in there?"
"Might be," Ryuuji murmured back. He turned to the others. "Keep quiet, ne? I think we might have something here."
They nodded. Seto turned the doorknob slowly, pushing it open. The bathroom was just as white and clean as the rest of the house. The only thing different about it was the slight figure cowered in the corner, beside the cupboard under the sink. He couldn't mistake the silvery hair and the slim frame.
"Ryou!" he hissed, hurrying over. "Shimatta, Ryou!"
Seto grabbed the albino by the shoulders and shook him. Ryou raised blank eyes to watch him expressionlessly. His jaw was slack and he sagged in Ryou's arm. Ryuuji came around the back and supported his weight. They exchanged glances.
"Ryou, daijoubu?" Ryuuji asked.
"Ryou, answer me."
"S-Seto . . .?"
Ryou looked up at Seto as if in a daze. The CEO breathed a shaky sigh of relief, reaching a hand up to touch his face, cupping the side. Ryuuji held his waist tightly, burying his face in Ryou's shoulder. They stayed like that for a while, before Seto felt something wrong. He moved his hand from under Ryou's elbow when he felt something warm and wet trickle down.
"Blood, Ryou?" he whispered. "Nani?"
"Can't . . . let . . . it take . . . over," Ryou breathed. "Must . . . fight."
"Ryou," Ryuuji said in a pained voice.
"Wants to . . . kill . . . Miho . . ."
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Seto placed the albino in his room gently and Ryuuji pulled the covers over his unconscious frame. Yugi went to the bedside and clutched Ryou's hand. Jounouchi was outside, waiting for the ambulance to come. Between Kurama and Hiei, they managed to stop the bleeding in his side. Ryuuji stroked Ryou's bangs gently.
"He's been through a lot." The game creator smiled. "But I'm glad he's back with us."
"But for how long?" Hiei said grimly.
"Hiei," Kurama growled warningly.
"We don't know for certain if this is a trap or not," the shorter teen argued. "If it is, then we're not that prepared for it. I highly doubt that either Kaiba or Otogi would fight the Angel, knowing it was Bakura."
Ryuuji and Seto turned away. Hiei was right. They wouldn't have the heart or the will to fight the Angel if he were to come out now. Ryou was injured and he was at the top of their priorities. They wouldn't be able to bring themselves to kill him. Hiei knew this weakness and attempted to make up for it as best he could, which both Elites were grateful for.
"This doesn't seem right," Jounouchi said, coming into the room. "I mean, if Bakura's been avoiding us for months now, how come it was so easy to find him? Shouldn't he have some sort of magical protection thingy?"
After the word 'thingy' Jounouchi had thrown into the sentence, Seto, Ryuuji, Hiei and Kurama sighed. They had often tried to teach the blonde the correct terms for identifying different things, like a spiritual barrier. Jounouchi insisted on calling it a 'magical protection thingy'. It seemed to make more sense to him that way.
"A spiritual barrier, Jounouchi," Kurama corrected. "I believe the answer to the question your asking lies within Ryou-sama's mind. He now has two consciences inside his body. One is his own and the other is the Angel."
"So?"
"Aho," Hiei said angrily, whacking the blonde over the head. "That means he has to fight the Angel for control over his own body."
"Oh."
"So because of this multiple consciousness," Kurama continued, "they will have conflicting ideologies. The Angel must want to keep this place a secret so we won't be able to find it. Ryou-sama . . . from what Anubis has told us, he left clues with the rest of the school so that we would be able to find it. He wants us to find him and help him."
"What do we do now?" Yugi asked.
The tri-haired teen gave a startled exclamation when Ryou's body began going into convulsions. The albino convulsed, choked cries tore out of his throat as he clutched the bed sheets, sweating. Ryuuji threw himself over Ryou's chest, pinning him down. Seto held down his legs to stop him from thrashing and hurting himself.
"It must be the Angel," Hiei shouted over Ryou's cries. "It's trying to take over."
"Hold on, Ryou!" Ryuuji pleaded, holding Ryou's face still. "Fight it!"
"Ryou!"
"He's going to bite his tongue if we don't do anything about it," Yugi warned. He was hovering worriedly behind Seto. "This looks just like an epileptic fit."
"IYA!" Ryou screamed. His eyes were still closed. "DAME! Can't . . . take over . . . I won't let you . . .!"
"Fight it Ryou!" Seto roared. "FIGHT IT!"
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Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
A pale hand reached over to the life support machine connected to the man's unconscious form. The attack hadn't gone as well as planned. The girl hadn't survived, but her teacher had barely managed to. Pale lips twitched upwards in a smirk. Oh well, he would take care of this quickly and quietly.
Sayonara, kisama.
Grasping the cords, he gave a sharp tug. They came out quickly and he dropped them. With a satisfied grin, he turned back to the man in the hospital bed. The heart monitor was the only sound heard in the room.
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP.
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End Chapter Two
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Author's Notes:
Confusing ne? I tried to make it ambiguous, so that no one would really know what happened. More about what happened will be explained in later chapters.
REVIEW!
Relinquished