FireIceGoddess: Wait no more!
Jenn120: Ya welcome!
FireieGurl: Thanks!
Slushie Blu: Here it is!
Elements: Thank you!
Dragonlady222: Interesting. Let's see if your assumptions are correct...
Growing Pain: Hmm...you'll find out now.
Bleedingchaos: I updated!
KeraJeir: You were laughing when Marik was strangling Jou? O.O
LP-lova210: Hmm...maybe... . (my interpretation of shifty eyes)
A/N: Ladies and Gentleman, I give you...the Wedding Crasher Chapter! HIIIYYYAAA!
Chapter 18: War of the Dragons- Jou's Battle in the Name of Determination!
Seto straightened himself in front of a full mirror, perfecting his tie. He was stunning looking, in a deep black groom's suit and white bow tie. As he studied himself in a monotonous fashion, he couldn't help but wonder how Jou would look if it had been their upcoming marriage.
He would look beautiful in white, Seto contemplated, but he was sure Jou would rather have the same color as he. After all, Jou would have protested to wearing colors that were similar to a bride.
The brunet automatically reverted to his anguish oriented state. He would never see Jou walking down the aisle toward him. There was a definite chance that someone else would take Jou's hand in marriage and live happily ever after...
...how Seto despised that. The thought that someone else would claim his puppy as their own.
It made him sick.
But he was worried. Jou was in such a bad state when he left. He hoped to the gods that Jou is somewhere safe and sound, possibly at Yugi's.
His stepfather was a bastard, to do something so heinous, so horrible...
...pup.
As Seto strode over the room to pull out his vows that Mokuba gave him earlier, he noticed a photo falling to the floor.
He picked it up, and gave a small gasp.
It was the picture from family day, the small family that Seto had worked so hard to make possible.
The once proud Seto slumped onto his chair, the picture held loosely in his hand as he cried for the last time.
Jou, I love you.
"Dad, how come Mom and Serenity aren't home?"
"...Your Mom doesn't want to be with me anymore."
"Why?"
Jou's father looked at him mournfully as he lifted the 8 year old on his lap. "Because I'm good for nothing."
The little boy shook his head and hugged his father as much as his little arms can cover. "I don't think so, you're a good da."
"Well, that makes one of us."
"Do you still love Mom?" Jou practically begged.
His father smiled wistfully. "No matter how much your mother may hate me, I'll always love her. It's sad at first, but it's best if we went our separate ways...listen Katsu," he looked him squarely in the eye. "If you love someone so much, never give up on them. Even when everything turns out badly, it's how life goes. If that person doesn't love you anymore, you need to know. You need to ask them if they truly love you...if not..."
"Jou!"
"Wha!" Jou snapped his head up at the sound of his name. He turned to his seat to see Monique's dark circled eyes, but she was still attentive to the wheel.
"We're five minutes away from the Kaiba Corp building where the wedding is taking place on the roof. We need to get your plan in action if you want to get past the security," Monique mumbled.
Bakura smirked in the back, Ryou sleeping soundly on Bakura's lap. "Heh. Leave the pathetic guards to us. I know just the right card to have them screaming..."
"Bakura," Yami warned, his voice a bit groggy. Yugi's even breathing against his shoulder. "The plan is supposed to be quiet; sneak attack. Screaming is not on our list of options if the whole wedding reception is going to hear them."
"Did someone say, 'screaming'?" Marik yawned rising up from the far back of the seats and looking at the windshield blankly.
"Yea, don't make anyone scream." Jou muttered, wondering how to trust a couple of nutcases with something as delicate as this. "It's a sneak attack."
"We're here," Monique declared, moving the car to a nearby alleyway and turned the car off.
They all sat there silently, more or less Jou did. "Jou," Monique said. "This is now or never."
"Yea," Jou felt like he was going to hurl. If Seto didn't really love him at all, then all of this was for nothing.
"Just so you know, Jou," Monique dropped her hands from the wheel. "Whatever happens in there, you're still the same."
Still the same.
He was still the same, no matter what the outcome.
Kisara's mother watched with a triumphant smirk on her face as her daughter's bride's maids were putting the finishing touches on Kisara's beautiful white dress. But Kisara wasn't happy, in fact, she had held the same sad frown throughout the arrangements til' now.
"Now, now," Her mother chided giving her the bouquet. "You should be the happiest girl in the world. You're getting married to the man you always wanted."
Kisara looked at the mirror with a faint expression and whispered quietly. "Then why do I feel so betrayed at myself?"
"Mokuba," Her mother beckoned the young boy. Mokuba reluctantly walked toward her. "Give me the token of your family, so Kisara can wear it."
Mokuba grinned and shrugged. "I don't have it."
Her smile faded a bit. "I'm not sure I heard you, dear. Where is the silver heirloom your family was trusted to give to the bride?"
"Like I said," Mokuba replied bluntly turning to leave. "I don't have it."
/That little brat/ She faced Kisara, her smile returning. "That's fine. I'm sure no one will notice."
Mokuba pulled out his cellphone and dialed Jou's cell again. It didn't answer. He called at least a hundred times, telling Jou to come back but he never received word.
"Jou," Mokuba groaned sitting on the ground. "You've got to come back. We need you."
The wedding started out nicely. Seto stood on his right next to the Catholic Priest. He agreed to a Catholic wedding in the favor of the bride's family instead of the usual Buddhism ceremony.
He watched as the flower girls and the bridesmaids arrive with a look of loss expression in his eyes. He felt like he was in a dream, somewhere unlike his own. And just like so many wishes he conceived, he would wake up in his big bed with Jou snoring softly by his side. A warmth you can never have the strength to get rid of.
As the wedding tune of the bride came up, he straightened. He had to follow the rules, as such is business. But, she threatened Jou's freedom if he didn't. He had made the right choice and followed his head.
For Jou's sake.
"You can't come in here!" The head security guard said, he and twenty of his men surrounded the renegade group.
Yugi sighed. "So much for sneaking."
All three Yamis smirked and went into an ancient fighting position.
"Let us take care of them. You go on ahead." Yami said boldly, hackles up.
"This should be fun." Bakura insanely grinned in a reckless fasion.
Marik didn't say anything, just let out a malevolent cackle.
The rest nodded and Yugi turned to Jou. "Malik, Ryou, and I are going to be in the audience and sense any strange auras you've been sensing there."
"Good luck!" Was all Jou could say as he and Monique ran as an opening to the hall was created after Yami threw a good roundhouse kick to knock the gun out of one of the security guard's hand knocking into another and causing them to fall.
Two guards were in the way, but Jou landed a right hook dead on one guy's nose, while Monique slammed her bag forcefully on the other's head, causing both to fall with an 'Ooooofff!'
When Jou turned around, he could see Yugi and his group sneak to the left of them into the receptionists room and the Yamis doing both professional yet painful sidesweeps from Yami, a notorious headbutt by Bakura, and the sickening crunch of heads slamming together by Marik. He and Monique ran to the center of the aisle.
Yugi, Ryou, and Malik sat in the far back seats of the wedding ceremony, concentrating on a specific aura that had caught their attentions.
"That's strange," Ryou murmured. "I feel something, but at the same time don't."
Malik furrowed his eyebrows. "..."
"That's because you haven't felt this aura before, but I think I have...it just feels a little faint." Yugi hopefully added, screwing his eyes up as well.
When the bride came in, Malik shook his head fervently. "We're wasting time! If Jou doesn't show up soon, Seto's going to be a husband!"
"Wait!" Ryou exclaimed looking at Kisara. "Do you feel something...out of place?"
Yugi perked up. "I've felt this aura before guys! I know what it is!"
As they both looked at Yugi, they froze, staring behind him.
"What's wrong with you guys?" Yugi raised his eyebrow, then turned to see what they were looking at then froze as well.
"Well girls," One woman clearly stated. "Looks like we have a pair of fag wedding crashers."
The two other girls hissed at the word 'fag'.
"Unnatural!" Hissed one woman.
"No!" The other one stated. "There are more Unnaturals here trying to stop such a beautiful ceremony between a man and a woman. But we're one step ahead of them."
All three sneered at them.
They were the Hitonaka women who were trying to destroy their lives.
"Jou!" Monique said abruptly, stopping Jou from opening the door.
"Monique," Jou sighed. "You don't need to worry. I'm going to do this. I don't have any re—"
"No, Jou. A bunch of cards just fell out of your pocket." Monique interrupted already reaching down to pick them up.
"Oh." He bent down to gather them up. His duel monster cards...
After getting them all together, Jou was about to open the door when Monique stopped him again.
"Monique! The wedding music's already playing! The bride's arriving!" Jou didn't even turn to face her.
"You forgot one, Jou." She picked up the card.
"Hold on to it. It won't matter now."
He opened the door.
It was like in slow motion, there was Seto and Kisara at the altar holding each other's hands and reciting vows. In an instant, his heart felt heavy and dropped straight into his stomach. He barely caught the words.
"Do you, Seto Himura Kaiba take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife? For richer or poorer? To health or sickness? As long as you both shall live?"
"...Yes."
No!
"And, do you, Kisara Malania Hitonaka, take this man to be your lawful wedded husband? For richer or poorer? To health or sickness? As long as you both shall live?"
"...I...do."
NO!
"And if anyone will object to this union, please state so, or forever hold your peace."
"SETO!" Jou screamed, his screams a can be heard as far as the sky can hear.
"...Yes." Seto replied, nearly inaudibly, forever forgetting that he had ever known a Katsuya Jounouchi.
You win, Jou. You've finally beat me. And now you can go on with your life knowing you beat the great Seto Kaiba, and had taken Seto Himura with you.
A lasting impression...in the most sadist of ways.
He saw Rolanda's face lit up in glee. Stupid bitch.
As the last of the vows were taken, a scream snapped out of Seto's last reverie of his pup.
"SETO!"
Pup!
Seto turned wildly around, as did the rest of the wedding reception. And there he was: standing there disheveled up and with a fiery look in his eyes. To other people's eyes, he was just a young man with the word failure as the first impression...
...but to Seto, he was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
"THAT'S NOT FAIR!" Jou yelled pointing at Kisara. "I LOVED HIM FIRST, KISARA! HE'S MINE, YOU CAN'T MARRY HIM!"
"Security! Take care of him!" Rolanda bellowed, but no one arrived. Instead, three rabid looking males appeared behind Jou and Monique, furthering the resistance.
"You can't take care of him, because you lost your goddamn security." Yami answered, his spirit billowing before him.
Bakura sniffed the air. "I smell Shadows. So the mutt was right."
Marik sniffed it as well and grimaced. "Not only do I smell Shadows, I smell something fishy...literally."
Rolanda whirled in anger. "Priest! Finish the ritual!"
"You can't!" Mokuba threw the pillow of rings away and stood alongside Jou. "They objected to the union. You have to hear them out!"
"H-he's right," The priest stuttered as he was being directed by a heated glare.
Kisara stood there with a sad smile on her face while Seto was stunned.
"Seto," Jou coaxed taking a step forward. "Please, listen. I know what you're feeling. I want to help you. I never had anyone to care for as much as you and Mokuba. Don't deprive me of my family when I just had a taste of it! It's not fair!"
It seemed as if Seto wasn't listening, but he was...to every word.
"I'm willing to sacrifice everything for you. Because I care for you, ya bastard! I love you!"
Many of the audience hissed and Jou had realized that the audience was all composed of women.
"I don't care what we are, or what the world thinks of us! Gay, fags, queers, I can handle it all with you! We shouldn't give a fuck what the world thinks! That's not like you! Give them the damn finger and come back to me!" Jou declared thrusting his fist in the air.
Seto loved him, but what can he do? He'll lose everything!
But what could he choose? It seemed as if he can't have everything...
...because this was life.
Rolanda snapped her fingers. "I've had just about enough of you!"
All of a sudden, a plethora of women rose from their seats and shuffled towards them. Yami saw
three women holding the Hikari's captive.
"Yugi!"
The other Yamis looked up and growled. "Don't touch him, you bitch!" Bakura bit out.
Marik was worse off, his energy was skyrocketing, especially when Dr. Hitonaka, holding Malik was clutching him so hard he was bleeding. "Fucking wench!"
"I'll beat the crap out of every last one of you!" Bakura was about to punch a woman in front of him when Yami clutched Bakura's arm.
"We can't hit women!" Yami wheezed. "It's unethical! It's like beating up your own mother!"
"Unethical my ass! And I don't even have a mother!" Marik argued, but didn't make any attempt to fight them.
Rolanda laughed. "Do you like? I can control any woman to do my deeds!"
"So it was you!" Jou yelled. "You were behind this! Destroying my friend's relationships!"
"It was a mere sidequest." She smiled her hollow grin. "I have my reasons on destroying your entire life, Katsuya Jounouchi."
"What has he done to you!" Yugi screamed thrashing in the UPS girl's arms. "He barely knows you!"
"It's not 'what'," She answered mysteriously. "It's 'when'."
Jou flinched. "What?"
"My real name is Dulcina, the Atlantian Goddess of Love and Fertility. I CONTROL who loves who, so Seto and Kisara's marriage will happen!" Dulcina declared and summoned the women to trap Jou and the others. "Now Seto, dear," She smiled. "I believe you have to give Kisara the rings and the family heirloom–"
"This has gone far enough!" Kisara threw her bouquet. "You can't do this!"
"I knew it!" Yugi yelled struggling. "I remembered the aura because we encountered it before with the Oricalcos and Atlantis! She's an Atlantian!"
"I am the Goddess of Love, Kisara!" Dulcina roughly grabbed her arm. "And what I say goes!" Kisara groaned as she felt tendrils of Dulcina's spell destroying whatever resisting she had against this whole fiasco. She fell back befuddled.
Seto stood there. Why wasn't he fighting back? He wanted to help Jou, why can't he–?
But Monique had understood, and opened her purse to reveal the Kiseki Reports.
Dulcina looked at her. "Good girl. Hand it over."
Monique just looked at her and took it in her hands.
"I command you," Dulcina whispered dangerously. "To give it back to me!" She gasped as her magic didn't seem to be working and stared at the lighter in the young woman's hands.
"DON'T!" She bellowed.
Too late, the papers burned to the ground, and Seto slowly regained worldly consciousness.
Dulcina reverted to sputtering. "H-how d-did y–y-you!"
Monique shrugged indifferently. "Maybe it's because I'm loyal to Jou, or maybe it's because I act more like a guy than a girl...what you cease to believe however...is that the world is full of mysteries."
"Yeah!" Jou screamed pushing through the women. "You're so blinded by the black and white colors, you don't notice the real world around you. It doesn't matter whether Seto and I are both guys, I love him just the way he is!"
"Jou." Seto mumbled, stumbling as he made his way to Jou and crushed the blond against him.
Mokuba grinned wildly beside Monique. Monique smiled.
As Dulcina was distracted, the Yamis manage to unhinge the women holding the Hikaris captive by 'gently' taking them out, as well as the rest of the women who were all unconscious on the ground. Ryou jumped when they turned to puddles of aqua colored water.
Malik blinked. "They weren't real..."
"You think it's over!" Dulcina laughed. "Not by a long shot! I'll destroy you, Red Eyes!" She pointed to Jou and he blinked. Red Eyes?
Just then, Jou felt his eyes heat up and clutched his face and screamed as he kneeled on the floor, Seto kneeling beside him. "Jou?"
His screaming moving to howls and cries, Seto gasped with horror as he saw through Jou's fingers his brown eyes swirling into red.
Dulcina raised her hand up and everyone felt a strong pull as they were all blown off their feet, except for Jou and Seto. "Die, Red Eyes!" She charged at him with an Atlantian whip at hand.
She flipped it and the end of the whip was charging at Jou's direction, until Seto pushed him out of the way and got the full brunt of it as he collapsed on the ground.
"SETO!" Mokuba yelled but was held back by Monique. They all saw Jou slowly rising and walking back to Seto, his eyes crimson as he knelt and held the unconscious Seto in his arms.
"It's okay, Seto." Jou whispered, his confidence eerie. "You love me, now trust me as I protect us all."
Dulcina felt disgusted at the scene, "Kisara! Summon your Blue Eyes spirit and use your White Lightning!" Obediently, Kisara rose up in the air and gathered the lightning in her hands and unleashed it. In a split second, Monique pulled out the card Jou left behind:
The Red Eyes Black Dragon.
It was glowing in a gold light and was tugging insistently in Seto and Jou's direction.
She shrugged. "If you insist." She told the card as if they were speaking a secret language. She swung her arm back and threw the card. "JOU! FOR YOU!" As she felt vines of water trapping both her and Mokuba.
The Yamis and the Hikari's struggled to join the battle, but the water morphed into binds and bound them quietly, neither making a sound. The battle now between Jou VS Dulcina and Kisara.
The card glowed even brighter, and became the Red Eyes Black Dragon. With an earsplitting roar, it unleashed a new attack, the Black Inferno, and collided with the White Lightning attack, causing a stalemate. As the smoke cleared, the Red Eyes Black Dragon was curled protectively around the couple and roared even more.
"You want to play hard, then! Kisara, unleash the Blue Eyes White Dragon!" Dulcina yelled and Kisara did as she asked without hesitation.
Seto opened his eyes and saw what's left of the wedding items and the Blue Eyes in attack formation in front of them. It was now against Seto's favor, and a new dragon took it's place as if it was the rightful protector all along...
...Jou and the Red Eyes Black Dragon.
He stared into Jou's crimson eyes and felt something wash over him as if reliving a memory that was long forgotten, and then he knew.
"Jou," He whispered as he rose to his feet alongside his pup. "I remember now. I remember why I was drawn to you in the first place. You and Red Eyes, you are the same."
Jou was startled to hear that, he didn't understand what he was talking about, but nodded nevertheless. They had questions that can be answered later...
...and they'll answer it together.
There was still more missing pieces to the puzzle, and the answers will come in due time. It is now the war of the dragons.
A/N: Which one deserves their rightful place in Seto's heart? Red Eyes or Blue Eyes? You decide! The outcome is in your hands! (Though, it's not much of a competition...) There are still many things to be revealed, so please it's not the end...it's just a lot of writing piled up.
Review!