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The Darkest Magic

Tifa Strifeheart

~Last Time~

"Isn't it obvious," that grin was back. "We're going to introduce ourselves to the neighbours." The under tone of glee in his voice did nothing to make Ryou feel any better about his Yami's brilliant idea.

Chapter Seven

A crash had him looking up from his desk just in time to see his secretary backing into the room and apparently apologizing to someone out in the hall. He sighed, if she didn't even have the presence of mind to apologize to him as she barged in he knew this wasn't the kind of disturbance that he could just brush off. There was a bang - it sounded like someone out there had hit something hard; the CEO rolled his eyes, at least it wasn't one of his business partners, he would hate to have to call security on one of them. He leaned back in his chair knowing full well that now that the blond had decided to grace them all with his presence regardless of how late it was it would be some time before he would be able to get back to work. He watched his poor secretary scamper out of the office with a glance and an apology to him; she never knew what to do with Jounouchi when he was like this and history had taught her not to bother trying; he didn't blame her, animal care hadn't been in her job description after all. Jounouchi closed the door behind the woman and leaned took a deep breath his back still facing the CEO. One brow raised in question as the blond turned around to face him. He was holding a small stack of newspapers in his hand, Kaiba frowned - no, newspaper clippings. He cleared the space between the door and the desk in a couple of strides. Not missing a beat he slammed down the clippings on top of the papers on his desk... He stared at the paper clippings being pressed against his desk then then the palm holding them against the desk and then looked up to glare at the owner of that palm. Jounouchi was staring down at him and Kaiba did not like the determined look in his eyes one bit. The last couple of years made it obvious that Jounouchi's determination could mean nothing good for him. "What?"

"We have to do something about this." He gave the blond a look and Jounouchi let go of the clipping that he was holding, straightened and waited crossing his arms over his chest in an expectant manner. Looking away from him, Kaiba stared down at the mess on his desk and pulled them close so he could read. "Homeless Man Found Dead in Ally," "Bodies Found near Domino Police Station," "Police Confess No Leads in Multiple Deaths," "Suspected Poisonous Toxin feared to be Infecting Domino." He looked up from the screaming headlines most of which said much of the same and frowned at the man in front of him, Jounouchi shook his head looking grim. "It gets worse." Without bothering to ask, Jounouchi reached over the desk and opened a hidden enclosure where Kaiba kept a sleek black remote. He pressed the release button; one of the walls divided and a TV screen emerged; there was an attached game console in cases when Mokuba visited. The Screen flickered on and switched onto a local news channel.

The headline that cycled at the bottom of the screen read breaking news. The spokeswoman was talking – Jounouchi turned up the volume. "…how that's going to turn out. And now for breaking news;" she did that turn to another camera thing that Kaiba could never really understand. "A family of five living in downtown Domino was discovered in their homes late last night. Sources claim that a neighbour had noticed the family's absence and had gone to investigate when the bodies were found. According to police there were no signs of a break in and that there was no external signs to show what happened to the two adults or the three children that were the victims of this incident; in all instances. Police suspect that the victims had been dead long before the bodies were found but at the moment it remains speculation. No names have been released as of yet. We'll be sure to keep you posted. Now in other news…" Jounouchi hit the mute button and turned to face him. After a moment Kaiba looked away from the television and at him. The determined look was still on the blondes face if not stronger than it was before.

"You know what this is right?" Kaiba just stared at him - how the hell was he expected to know anything about what was happening in the news. Jounouchi sighed and slammed his hands on the desk. "It's the same thing that we saw that night as the hospital! Someone is out there and they're taking people souls! That's the only explanation! We're the only ones in Domino that can do something about any of this!" Kaiba sighed. Jounouchi had been saying that they had to do something about whatever it was that he thought happening since the day they found the homeless man by the hospital. He leaned back and looked up at the other man feeling the beginnings of frustration starting to build.

"What the hell do you expect me to do about it? What do you think that we can do?" He glanced at the screen which was silently showing a bird's eye view of the house that the victims were found in before he looked back at his secretary. "If the police have no possible leads with half the force on the job what makes you think that we will be any more successful." Jounouchi was shaking his head opening his mouth to protest but Kaiba raised a hand cutting him off. "Let's even go as far to say that I believe what you're saying and that these attacks are supernatural in nature. The rod doesn't work for me and even if it did I would have no idea how to use it." He steeple his fingers as he leaned on his chair. "If the problem is magic what do you expect me to do about it?"

"You learn how to use it and you do something about it." Jounouchi was leaning over on the other side of the desk his hands fists against the wood, holding up his weight. Suddenly he threw out a hand towards the TV following his motion by glancing at the screen. "I was there Kaiba! I went to the scene to see for myself it really was shadow magic that was used for the attack." The blonde turned back to him and amber clashed with blue. "They had a security system Kaiba. They were far from poor and had an elaborate system. There was no possible way that they could have gotten in… but they did." His mood began to darken as he took in what the blond was suggesting and with it his face did as well. Jounouchi saw this but didn't back off.

"What the hell Mutt?"

"We have to stop them. What would you do if they got into the mansion while you were here?" he didn't realize that he was on his feet till he had the front of Jounouchi's shirt in his fist and was partially dragging the blond across the desk.

"Don't you dare drag Mokuba into this!" Jounouchi glared right back at him from halfway across the desk not bothering to get free. The determination in his eyes was still there.

"Then do something about it. The only way you can be sure he will be safe from any of this is to stop whoever it is doing it." Kaiba held his glare a moment longer before he let go of the blonde and stood back. He turned away from the other and faced the glass windows that overlooked the city. This office had so many memories in it both terrible ones and wonderful ones. He had made so many different decisions in this very office both trivial and life threatening and now it was time to make another one. The image of Yugi and Atemu flashed in his mind and the gloating rights they would have if they returned and found the entire population dead of Domino. And then there was Mokuba…. Even if it was just the smallest threat, when had he ever let any threat against his brother go sighed and turned around. Jounouchi was staring at him intently.

"I don't know how… I don't know how to use the Millennium Rod." Kaiba was grateful that Jounouchi was trying to hide his glee approval… trying being the operative word. He refused to think of it as giving into the blond but rather as doing what needed to be done to protect his brother - no matter how unseemly it was.

"If I teach you; you'll help?" Kaiba nodded slightly, trying to ignore the sudden stiffness in his neck. "Then what the heck are we waiting for!"

The world around him was black on all sides. There was no floor, no ceilings, no nothing, anywhere; just the blackness everywhere. He was suddenly glad that he had made Jounouchi wait till after work to get going to… to wherever this place was. The last thing that he would have wanted was to return to the prying eyes of his employees after a trip to this place. He glanced over at the blonde man still standing beside him. Jounouchi was looking around the darkness expectantly and Kaiba couldn't figure out why. The idiot had wanted to leave the moment that he had agreed. The blond had suggested that they do the 'jump;' as he called it, at the mansion where they were familiar. Kaiba had rejected the idea flat out. The last thing that he wanted was for Mokuba to get caught up in this 'shadow magic' crap. Jounouchi had settled for using the office after all – not as if he had had much choice in the matter – but not before making his opinion clear by muttering about 'the pointlessness of it all.'

"Well…" Jounouchi was aiming that expectant look at him now. "What do you think?" He gave the blonde the dry look.

"What do you think?" He shook his head. This place gave him the chills – though he would never admit it even under the threat of death. He remembered the first time that he had been here. It was so many years ago but he still had nightmares about being trapped in here. He couldn't really remember the time that passed when Pegasus had supposedly trapped his soul in here; at least not consciously. Something in him remembered the feel of being trapped in here and relived those feelings in his dreams. He shot a glance at Jounouchi as the other began to move away from him and into the darkness but he didn't say anything. As long as he could see him, Kaiba knew that he would be alright. According to Jounouchi, he had to come here. Only in… this place, could he be introduced to his magic and, apparently, to his monsters.

"I've been poking around here a bit." The blond began to slowly circle him, eyes never in one place looking out at the dark surrounding them. "I mean, with nobody around to teach me exactly how to use any of this, I had to learn by myself." he laughed a bit to himself. "You can't imagine how shocked I was when the Rod that Yami told me to hold on for you just up and picked me so… I just kinda figured it out." Kaiba raised an eyebrow as he watched the other move. He crossed his arms over his chest.

"Isn't that dangerous?" Jounouchi shrugged as he scratched the back of his head.

"Well I'm not hurt, thankfully." Kaiba rolled his eyes.

"Your safety wasn't really what I was talking about." Jounouchi stopped and shot him a grin before continuing his survey of the darkness around them.

"Anyways, the first thing I noticed – when Yami and Yug were still around – was the way that lighter and darker halves use magic is different." He brushed something at his neck and Kaiba was sure that he was touching the scales in their miniature form. The blond looked distractedly out at the darkness as he spoke not even bothering to look back at him. "I asked Yami to describe how he… channelled the shadows. He told me that it was like a fight every step of the way. He claimed that it was him versus an army of other… beings; the shadows I guess." Jounouchi shook his head stopped moving and turned to face him. Oddly, the grim look on his face as their eyes met didn't fit Kaibas image of the immature blonde. "What I figured out, from what Yami told me and what I've learned on my own is this: Shadow magic is used by the mind." He tapped at his temple. "The actually using of the magic is all up here. The body is just a tool. Just cus you can fight real well or are strong has nothing to do with how powerful you're gonna be using shadow magic." He suddenly grinned. "I bet Yugi would be an awesome shadow magic user!" He grinned and Kaiba rolled his eyes. Yugi was an interesting person to say the least. "Anyways, Yami called it a medium, magic is used by the mind through the body which is the medium. The problem is that the shadows have a mind of their own. Yami described it as an instant where it was his will against the shadows and whoever it was that came on top would get to use the 'tool' as they pleased." Kaiba raised a questioning eyebrow.

"What did he say would happen if he didn't win?." Jounouchi's expression darkened again.

"He said that he would lose control. Even though they can think and have some form of will, the Shadows ate mostly composed from chaos and that's all their mind can perceive so when they are able to take control they act on the users most base instincts." From across the non-existent black floor Jounouchi gave him a meaningful look. "Just imagine if someone had lost their temper and reached for the shadow realm and then lost. There's no telling what would happen but I'm sure it wouldn't be good. The shadows would act solely on that person's anger and no matter what they did, the power they have control of can only be chaotic. There would be no rhyme or reason to any of it." Kaiba frowned and crossed his arms.

"You said that the way that light halves and dark haves use this… magic is different. How is it then for the lighter halves?"

"It sure is different. I apparently am a light half. For me instead of a fight it's more like a pushing. Like I have to force the shadow to do what I want. For small things it isn't so bad but the harder the thing is that I want to do, the harder I have to exert myself." He scratched the back of his head a thoughtful look on his face. "I have a theory about why it's so different between the halves." Kaiba arched an eyebrow with a smirk.

"You have a theory? This should be good." Jounouchi shot him a dry look.

"Shut up, Kaiba." He just continued to smirk as the blonde went on..

"I think that with darker halves using shadow magic is like merging with the shadow realm. They kinda become the shadows and that's how they can get it to work. For lighter halves it's the opposite. For us it's more like forcing the shadow realm to do what you want it to do. I don't really 'hear' the shadows the way that Yami described. The shadows sound like a murmuring that I can't understand when I'm using shadow magic. The way I figure it is that lights force the shadows while darker halves become the shadows. Both manipulate the shadow realm in their own ways. That's probably the reason why we have all encountered so many insane shadow magic users over the years." As Jounouchi was speaking something dawned on him. Like a light casting a shadow, light pushes the shadow to where it wants them to go." Kaiba held up a hand.

"Wait a minute. You said that darker and lighter halves use shadow magic differently." Jounouchi nodded the affirmative. "And I take it that you are a lighter half." Jounouchi nodded again. He raised a finger to further emphasise his point. "First of all, why are you a light and what does that make me?" Jounouchi finally stopped moving for a second and turned to him with a puzzled frown.

"That's the thing. I don't know what you are - whether dark or light - I mean I have my suspicions but none of them make sense…" He trailed off and Kaiba waited for him to start again. When he didn't Kaiba felt his temper spike.

"Well? What is it that you suspect?" with a start Jounouchi was shaken out of his stupor. He shrugged.

I don't know. All I know is that I'm a light and if we follow this logic - and considering that you're the only other shadow magic user - that would make you a dark." He frowned at the CEO. "Don't worry I've been thinking of every possible other option but am coming up blank. I mean the last thing I would want is for you to be a dark." Kaiba frowned. Something about what the blonde was saying rang very familiar. Something that Yugi always used to say about Atemu. He would always mention the fact that they were…

"Wait. If, for the sake of argument, I was to be a dark… or more particular a dark half that would mean that you, being the only other 'light' would be… would be my-" Jounouchi glared at him.

"That's right you're highness. That would make me your light! I would be the lighter half to your darker one." he grinned suddenly. "Your better half that's for sure." Kaiba just stared at him. Obviously the mutt had put a lot of thought into this and he wasn't going to bother to acknowledge the snide with a reply. Like - really Jounouchi as anyone's better half. The idea was ludicrous. Kaiba mentally shook his head, none of that was any important now. First he had to figure if there was anything to this magic nonsense. They had been here doing nothing for so long he was beginning to wonder if he had been the slightest bit hasty in agreeing to be here.

"Are you going to get on with this foolishness or can we go already." The blonde seemed to pout for a moment - due to what Kaiba would never understand - but was quickly back to his normal demeanour. The idiot was about to start talking again but whatever sound he made was cut off by an ear splitting roar. Kaiba froze, no longer doubting where they were. He kept repeating that what he was hearing couldn't be real even as the enormous black dragon slowly began to appear out of the never ending darkness. Each of its steps made the non-existent ground that they stood on shake. It had a slow lumber taking in everything before it with menacing red eyes that seemed to glow in some otherworld light. At this angle, with his head tilted so far back he could almost recognize what he was seeing. If he didn't know better he would have said that that was the-

"Heyy!" The large dragon turned to the source of the sudden noise and along with it Kaiba turned to stare the idiot that wanted the attention of such a great beast. Jounouchi was standing off about half a dozen feet away from the CEO and waving his arms, as soon as he saw that he had the dragons full attention he dropped his hands to both of his hips and took up what Kaiba could only believe to be what he thought a scolding pose was. "What the heck took you so long. I've been here for so long already!" The dragon took a step closer to the blonde, folding its large wings against its back and getting down on all fours. It brought its face closer to the mutt almost as if trying to get a better look at the insect that was bothering it. With a laugh, Jounouchi launched itself at the large beast's head wrapping his arms as far as he could around it and successfully looking like a poodle trying to hug a double decker. More surprising then the sight of the mutt and his dragon was the low sound that came out of the great black beast. If he didn't know better Kaiba would have said that the giant was purring. After a few more minutes of watching Jounouchi trying to get intimate with the beast, his inpatients won out and he found himself making his presence known.

"Mut-" both man and dragon turned to look at him - one sheepishly the other warily.

"Ok, sorry about that Kaiba. I haven't seen him in so long; if someone hadn't been keeping me so busy all the time." He patted the side of the dragons head. "You remember my Red Eyes, right Kaiba? Well boy, this is Kaiba - moneybags himself!" When he met those red eyes the dragon let out a deep rumble. At its side Jonouchi just laughed and swatted the side of the beasts head lightly. "You know full well that it's not like that anymore." Kaiba raised an eyebrow as he glanced at the blonde still keeping an eye on the monster - not that he had any idea what he would do if it suddenly decided that it wanted to attack him. Jounouchi saw the look and just grinned. "Isn't it amazing Kaiba. Duel Monsters being real." He looked up at his scaled partner. "Finally being able to talk to them. But that's not the best part." Without another word he gestured to something behind the brunette. Kaiba spun around and this time when he froze it was in amazement.

There, on what could only be the horizon he saw a light that was something other than him and Jounouchi. It was steadily getting closer to where they all stood and it was only moments before Kaiba recognized what it was that he was looking at. It only took a few more beats of its wings but in no time it was before them, shining in the darkness with a pure beauty: The Blue Eyes White Dragon. With one final beat of its wings that had the wind tearing at his cloths and hair, the beast lowered itself to the ground before him without a sound. From its great height the dragon stared down at him and all he could do was stare back up at it. Nothing, no art nor hologram could, for a moment capture the beauty that was this dragon. It stared down at him with a sense of calm that could only come from knowing the extent of its power and where it stood as such. It shifted it head bending its neck to look closer at him and he could only marvel at the fluidity of its movements. So many times this monster had fought at its side and he had never understood it. He had done this mighty beast such wrong for so long. Even as the thought came to him he felt his resolve hardening; a determination to make the world realize the true value of this creature.

He jumped slightly as a hand came down on his shoulder and to his credit Jounouchi didn't say anything about it. He just smiled that foolish smile of his and gave him a push. After a few stumbling steps Kaiba looked back to glare at the still smiling idiot. "He's yours. Go get'em." Rolling his eyes, Kaiba looked back at the dragon and, with a deep breath - which was not to calm his nerves in anyway - he strolled arrogantly forward towards the Duel Monster. Somehow, by just looking at the dragon, he knew that it would have been raising an amused eyebrow at him if it had eyebrows. He didn't know how he knew and now wasn't the time to wonder. Instead he just stared into its eyes as he got closer his determination only getting stronger with every step. He was the only one strong enough, the only one worthy to own such a beast. The Blue Eyes needed someone as strong at it to control its power and he was the only person that could. A beast of aloof beauty and spirit; a beast that knew - like the first time he had seen it - belonged only at his side. He stopped a foot away from it and, without knowing what it was that it was that he was doing, he raised a hand, palm facing away from him and waited.

The Blue Eyes White Dragon stared down at him and time seemed to slow as it considered him. The waiting had his jaw clenching. The Blue Eyes belonged to him! He saw the moment that it made up his mind for its eyes changed it stretched its awesome shape toward the sky screaming its decision to the heavens. Kaiba refused to move and even smirked a little at the dragon's display of pride. Once its cry had faded the dragon settled forward on its front legs and took a step towards him, pushing the smoothness of its scales into his open hand. If he had been a lesser man he would have gotten emotional at that moment - instead he just smiled down at the beast - his beast. The moment, however was quickly ruined a whole lot of weight attached to two arms came out of nowhere and latched onto him.

"Go Moneybags! You did it!" As quickly as he appeared, Kaiba shoved the blonde off of him with a glare that would have had some of his employees shivering in fear. Jounouchi was obviously not bothered by the reaction for he stood a distance away grinning from ear to ear. He was about to say something biting when a roar - of what was obviously annoyance filled the air. He turned to see the Red Eyes Black Dragon flying circles around the bulk of his Blue Eyes mock snapping at the other dragon. The pale dragon was swinging its tail in a futile effort to keep the darker one away. Kaiba glared at the Red Eyes to Jounouchi and back again and couldn't help but wonder if all monsters were so much like their owners. Feet above his head, the Blue Eyes snorted.

Well that's it Seven pages and only two scenes. Hope you enjoyed!