A/N: Unbeaten and untied. A conference championship. Over 5,000 passing yards. NO NATIONAL TITLE SHOT! NCAA Football 2006 is just as unfair as the real system, as I guided Louisiana Tech to a spotless 12-0 record. As a reward I was slated to play a mediocre team in the MPC Computers Bowl in Boise, Idaho.Out of 119 teams, mine is the only one with a spotless record, yet we finish second.The system sucks……Enough of my babbling about a game most of you probably have never heard of. Thanks to:
Linkin Phoenix: Thanks, and I'll be sending you another e-mail soon to discuss what we were planning.
Lady Phoenix: Thanks for reading, hope this chappy lives up to your expectations!
Anime-Ruthless: Thanks for the praise, and that "other story" will be updated sometime this week I hope, life's been crazy lately
Kitty Inuyasha: I'll check out your story if I ever get a decent amount of time, but thanks for reading my fic.
Shy and LeighC: Shy's fic that she just "completed", great stuff. Thanks to you two for reading
Hakiruo: Thanks for reading. Yeah, the Joey/Mai thing may have been a little harsh...but I won't say if things work out or not.
GoldenSunSheba: YES! I AM EVIL HAHAHAHA!...not really. Enjoy the new chapter, alright?
Cherry-star-aus: I guess you're referring to Mokuba with the runaway note...those are bothersome to write. Besides, I think it says more about him being angry with him as he didn't leave him one. Thanks for reading. (and what's your city?)
Malik's Yami: Indeed it is, friend, indeed it is. Enjoy the update.
Fightingcomet: LOL, I love that name...anyway, thanks for reading, and I'm glad ya love it.
Nichelly: Aren't you the artist formerly known as "Depressed Pixie"? You're welcome for the support, and I'm sorry to hear about your friend. I hope this chapter is at least a little diversion for a while.
anonymous Jewel: Thank you for the praise, and I agree with you comment in the sense that this may be the best fic I myself have written. There are so many good authors here, it's a shame people won't check em out. Enjoy the chapter.
Hehe...it's funny how when this fic started I was getting almost as much hate mail for it as actual reviews...but the "haters" have gone away, for now anyways, and I appreciate you all standing by me and this fic. Enjoy the chapter.
WARNING! THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS BLOOD AND SEXUAL SITUATIONS. Readers, use caution.
Test of Friendship
Chapter 15
Joey was sitting by the pond in Domino City's small yet extremely beautiful park, throwing rocks into the otherwise still water. He didn't mean to yell at Mai that way, but his anger got the better of him. If timeswere different,maybe he would have listened.He threw yet another rock in the pond, contemplating the situation that had befallen he and his friends.
Why? What did I eva do to that bastard Kaiba? Why does he insist on making my life a living hell? I never did anything but tell him the truth about himself...that he's a cold, no-good, egotisical, arrogant, money-grubbing son-of-a-bitch!
Joey yelled another curse as he threw another rock in. He couldn't stop thinking about them. Mai. Serenity. Kaiba. Even Tea to a degree. They had all caused him at least some sort of pain.Tea, whom probably is the most innocent of the four (due to the fact that she was drunk when they slept together) he could most easily forgive. He hoped she had the same forgiving nature towards him in her heart, considering he took one of the most precious things one could take from a woman. Mai...it would take a while, maybe some sort of counseling, but deep in his heart he knew she was sorry and would try his best to mend fences with her.
Serenity and Kaiba, however, would be two different stories altogether. Kaiba had always been a snake in his eyes, and his recent plotting only helped to paint a more vivid image of hatred in his mind. And Serenity...she violated his trust. That lapse would probably never be forgiven totally, if at all. As surely as the sun rises, she would be on the next flight to New York he could afford.
Joey mumbled another curse as he picked up another rock.
Poor Yug...out of all of us, he is the most innocent. Kaiba used Serenity's love for him to manipulate her...then she used me and Tea to hurt him. Poor fella...I hope he and Tea can find some peace together.
Before Joey could throw another rock he heard a soft rustling noise in the bushes nearby. Joey was up on his feet in less than a second. "Whose dere?"
The rustling noise had stopped a little, but Joey could tell something, or someone, was hiding.
"Come outta there!" Joey threw the rock as if he were a professional baseball player, striking whatever was in the bush.
"OWWWW! THAT HURT, YOU BIG MEANIE!" A little boy in nothing more than his pajamas came out of the bush holding his head. "I WAS GONNA COME OUT!"
Joey studied the boy for a moment. Scruffy ebony hair, ocean blue eyes...yup, it was him.
"Mokuba? What tha hell are ya doin' out at this hour?"
Serenity had made up her mind. She was going to kill Tea and no one was going to stop her. Not even Yugi. With the knife clenched tightly in her right hand, she headed for the door of the bathroom she had been occupying for the last hour. The knob, however, turned before her slender hand reached it.
Serenity eyes fell on to the painful yet surprisingly beautiful sight of Ryou Bakura, unusually pale and fatiuged for someone of his young age. His rich chocolate eyes gazed over Serenity, the hand holding the knife trembling.
"Hey...Ryou."
"Hello Serenity."
An almost comical start to their conversation, considering the serious circumstances.
"What is that knife for?"
Serenity looked down to her trembling hand and then back to Ryou's eyes. "What do you think it's for?"
Ryou frowned. "I'm not sure...but I don't think it's for anything good."
Serenity let as small smile creep on her face. A sad one, but a smile nevertheless. "You're right, you know.." As soon as the smile had appeared it was gone. "Get out of the way, please."
Ryou did nothing of the sort. Instead, he locked the door and turned to face her again. "Not until you've calmed down."
Serenity took a step closer. "Please Ryou, just move...I will hurt you if you don't." She was starting to cry. She didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve to be cared for, especially after what she had done. Why did she continue to turn him away?
"I'm not moving." Ryou's voice was soft, but it left little doubt that he meant what he said.
"Goddamn it, Ryou!"
The albino winced in pain as the sharp blade penetrated near his collarbone.
"Why do you care so much what happens to that slut Tea? Or Yugi? Or me?" Serenity voice was cracking as she twisted the blade a little, drawing a grunt of pain from the boy.
"Because you're all my friends, of course." He said, his voice slightly cheerful despite the fact he had a piece of stainless steel inside his flesh.
Serenity just eyed him in a sort of trance as he took her hand in his and slowly pulled the knife out of himself, blood trickling out of the fresh wound. Next, he took her hand and the knife and guided it towards his chest. "If you want to hurt anyone, Serenity, kill me. My body, my soul, and especially my heart are useless without your love."
He moved his hand, leaving a teary-eyed and stunned Serenity holding the knife, her hands still trembling.
"What are you waiting for? Do it..."
Serenity shook her head vigorously, her once-steady resolve to kill failing her.
"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR! KILL ME!"
Serenity dropped the bloody knife to the floor, sobbing hysterically. "I...I...can't."
"Then how would you have killed Tea? Or Yugi? Or Yourself?"
Serenity coiled at the harshness of Ryou's voice; she had never heard him raise his voice at anyone. That's when she realized something: Ryou had just nearly sacrificed himself to save the lives of not only Yugi and Tea's but her own. He was willing to be hurt, even killed, before she did anyone else harm. In his own odd way, he was protecting her.
"Ryou...I'm...so sorry." She looked up at him, her honey-brown eyes an odd shade of pink due to the crying.
"It's alright..." Ryou help her to her feet as best he could, due to his injury.
"Oh my God...look at your shoulder!" Serenity said as she looked in the first aid closet. "I'll get you bandaged up."
Ryou smiled. "Don't worry, I've been through worse."
She pulled out a bandage and tended to his wounds. Her head was downcast as she finished. "Ryou, I don't know how to thank you for what you've done."
"You don't have to...just being close to you is enough." Ryou blushed a little at the comment, as did Serenity. "I better go...Joey would be furious if he found out I was alone with you in a bathroom." Ryou was about to stand to leave when he felt a surprisingly tight grip on his arm.
"I think I've figured out a way to thank you..."
Ryou was stunned to find her other hand riding up his thigh. "S-s-serenity...what are you doing?"
He looked into her eyes again, and saw the unmistakable fires of lust burning in them. With a soft whisper, she answered his question. "Thanking you..."
With that, she drew him close and started to kiss him, sliding her tounge slowly across his lips, as is silently begging for him to open his mouth. Ryou was past his own point of self-control now as he nearly tacked the young woman, sending them both to the floor. He had secretly undressed her with his eyes, now he was undressing her for real. He had silently wondered how she tasted, how she smelled, how he would feel inside her, and hadcome to the bitterconclusionthat his answers would never come. It was almost as if it were a dream: He was on top of one of his best friends' sister, both of them half naked. Her chest heaved up and down in a struggle for breathas he finally stopped kissing her, his body pressed hard onto hers.
"Ryou, go ahead. Do it..." Her voice was a whisper, but her eyes screamed her desire for her.
She moaned in pain as he entered her with a single thrust.
In the soul room of Ryou's evil yami, Bakura snickered as he watched his hikari lose control of himself. "Heh, heh...looks like my little vessel is growing up. He's not as innocent as those other mortals give him credit for..."
Ishizu grabbed her purse and bolted for the door, a flaming determination evident in her eyes.
"Sister, where are you going?" Malik was a bit worried now that things had unfolded. His sister had a moment to take in all that had occured, and to say that she was pissed would be an understatement.
"I'm going to Kaiba's mansion."
Malik gulped. "For what?"
"To talk some sense into him, beat it into him if necessary!"
With a slam of the door that made the few remaining guests cringe in fear, Ishizu was gone.
Kaiba was fuming. It had been nearly two hours since his brother had been reported missing, and still no word on his wherabouts.
My feeble-minded security had failed me yet again...I'll deal with those imbeciles later. It's Mokuba I have to be concerned about. I've got to find the kid. I may have been angry, but I shouldn't have hit me. He stood by me when everyone else said "Go to hell, Seto". He helped me get where I am today...
"Mr. Kaiba, a report of a small boy matching Mokuba's description was seen heading towards City Park. Do you want me to send some men over?"
Kaiba grabbed his trenchcoat. "Nonsense. You and your pathetic men are responsible for his going missing in the first place...I'm going myself. GET MY DAMN LIMO!"
Well, a lot went down this chapter, didn't it? I apologize to all those who were expecting more scenes with Yugi, Tea, and Mai, but I wanted this chapter to focus more on the three sets of siblings (Kaiba/Mokuba, Malik/Ishizu, Joey/Serenity) so fear not, they will all be in the next chapter. And apologies to all who were offended by the Ryou/Serenity scene, which even by my own admittance was a little weird. Hope you all enjoyed it, and feel free to leave a review (no matter if it's a flame or a simple "good job"). See ya!
Forever LSU...
BDB...out