Hey guys and so begins Act 3! Morphis returns along with his two siblings and a few more familiar or distorted faces. Here's hoping you enjoy the newest push into action.
Chapter 1: Act 3: When the World Falls Down
Yami spent the rest of the day on Yugi's couch. They would pretend it didn't happen. They would just pretend Yami hadn't snapped too far and that Yugi hadn't, for a second, allowed it. They were both guilty here of submitting to temptation. Guilt mixed with anger, hatred, directed between himself and Yugi. It was easy to blame Yugi, Yugi was an older soul and Yugi was the one who owed loyalty, fealty, to Jenzar not Yami.
Atemu wouldn't let him be that ridiculously self-serving or ambitious however because a gentleman didn't touch a brother's lover whatever the seductive temptation. Yami had a backbone to maintain, if he was to be brave, and Yugi was sick, tangled at the soul, when Yami had promised to protect him. Yami had taken advantage of that weakness, predatorily as far as Atemu saw it and running his hand through his hair Yami had to reconsider his opinion.
No, Atemu gave them both a shove, they were better than this. They were better than they had acted. Atemu was sure of that, Atemu was a chivalrous Knight, and strongly courageous as the core of Yami he pushed them back to their feet from the couch.
Face it, he urged them both, be a gentleman. If you fall off the wagon the best thing to do is just get back on.
Yami hesitated, standing dumb in the lounge, but Atemu was insistent they could do this. Atemu was sure that Yami, the other side of himself, was just as brave as he was and could be just as strong against the natural forces of the world hormones and all.
Go on, he whispered, we can do it.
Nodding stupidly to himself Yami let motion creep into their limbs and faced the terrifying mount up the stairs to where Yugi had collapsed back into the bed weakly. He could do this.
The Faen glanced, sickly pallid, from the pillow and very cautious of himself and his own weakness Yami knelt on the carpet by the bed rather than taking a seat on the mattress. Gripping the edge of the bed he rested his chin on it like a child to smile with the deepest wealth of compassion at the Faen's sweat licked face. Yugi eased, fractionally, and torn internally smiled gently back as his fingers crept, clammy, from under the quilt to rest his fingertips on Yami's knuckles. They'd both slipped.
"Feel any better?" Yami pestered mildly trying to scrape up his courage.
"Yeah," Yugi promised, "thanks Yami. You don't have to hang around here if you're bored."
"No, I want to be here," he assured inhaling deeply as he prompted himself to continue. "I'm sorry. I went too far. I shouldn't have touched you like that."
"I should have stopped you." His tiny companion frowned.
"You get a pass." Yami chuckled twisting his hand to scratch his fingertips along the inside of Yugi's palm without bringing them any closer. "I got a pass for being the only Reaper to ever ride the special bus and take four years to realize it was real. You get a pass too every now and again. You're not perfect, I know that, you miss him and you're lonely and you're sick and we should both know better. I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry too." Yugi swore. The Faen leant, tension evaporating, at the understanding and the sympathy which somehow eased the guilt in both of them through acknowledgement. "I don't want to make life hard for you. I'm just so fucking clingy."
"It's okay." He shrugged. "I really like how much you like me. It's nice to know I'm special to you when you're so special to me. You know, even before I met you here, I think you were a special character. I just don't think I appreciated it as much till I met you. It's hard to think someone like you can actually exist."
Yugi's fingers tightened round his wrist.
"I really took a shine to you when we met, the first time, four years ago on that hunt. I know I'm not good at showing it, especially when I'm Atreyu, but that's only cause I'm so paranoid. When you published those books and I thought you must be rotten at the core it was so depressing. Then when I found you in person, even though I hated you, it was weird." Yugi confessed. "Cause you were just as much of a honey as I thought you were the first time. It's kind of like I got you back."
"I don't ever want to stop being part of your life," Yami swore, "even if we just have to be friends. I'm scared about finding Jenzar but I know when I see how happy he makes you it'll be easy. When I get my memories back it'll be easy to find someone to love. Then we can still have each other around. You're way too cool, I can't imagine not having you around anymore, I'd just be bored."
"Thanks for forgiving me." The Faen whispered. "It's… hard being Atreyu. People have expectations and even if I want to be close with them, even if I trust them enough to let them see me like this, and tell them everything I hesitate because I worry about looking weak. If I didn't have people I could tell the truth to, if I had to pretend this part of me didn't exist all the time, I'd go really nuts. I'm so Atreyu I can't notbe him and actually be myself. If I'm just trying to be Yugi Motou then it's an effort, it's a mask, trying to be normal."
"You trust me, after all this," Yami chuckled. "I don't know how I get you to keep forgiving me. I'm just so glad you do. I actually like myself more now. It's hard to be Atemu but I like that I am. I like myself. I haven't ever really felt like that. I always feel a little inferior to someone or another but you guys, you and the others, you make being Atemu something worth doing and something to be proud of. I love it."
"I'm sorry about today." Yugi reiterated. "I'm so sorry."
"Me too," he repeated sincerely, "can we just be normal again? Just put it away as a stupid fuck-up and be us?"
"Yes," the Faen exhaled tensely, "please. I hate being awkward with you. We're okay?"
"We're fine." He promised squeezing Yugi's wrist in his.
"You're great," he murmured, "you know that right?"
"I'm starting to believe you." Yami beamed. "Do I have to tell you again how amazingly incredible you are? Not just when you're all official but when you're relaxed and silly and cute and you?"
"Why haven't I met you before?" The Faen hissed, joyful but passionate. "I swear to God. If I'd met you a couple of centuries before we'd be just as close as Kaiba and the rest of the Earth gang. I'm going to find you again next time. We're a good team. You're fantastic. I can be mearound you."
"We'll meet up next reincarnation, okay?" Yami promised.
"You're never getting rid of me."
"Wouldn't want to." He laughed. "Who doesn't want a Faen on their side? Someone pisses me off I'm calling you in. You'll thrash them."
"You bet." Yugi swore. "No one's allowed to be this much of a stupid mess with you. Next time someone tries to break your heart on purpose I'll show them what for. It can be my karma."
"Cobalt?" Atemu baulked as he settled from his phase in.
The Watcher grunted arms stitched across his chest primly as he leant waiting for the Reaper. They were in the Hive Atemu knew, before opening his eyes really, from the soothed quell in his bones that told him from the first second he had no reason to be tense. Cobalt was very much like himself here as when he was Kaiba: fittingly tall, blue robed and sour looking. Atemu found it momentarily surreal that, for the first time, he was actually pleasantly surprised to see his least favourite Watcher.
"Took you long enough Pheramora," Cobalt scoffed, but even that was gentle. Not using his full name was a mark of distance in a relationship here but using his last name rather than his first still implied some intimacy between them.
"I'd apologize but it would be wasted on you." He teased more than he snapped unable to restrain his grin. "Is Atreyu here yet?"
"With Amar and Seviticus in one of the secondary court yards," he answered. "Little Faen thought he could order me to come and wait for you."
"Seems he was right."
"Unfortunately," Cobalt heaved sourly. "I've consented to taking orders for a while. Don't get too used to it."
"Get used to you being reasonable?" Atemu snorted. "This dream is too realistic for something so absurd. I may as well wish for you to take instruction from me."
"Hah," the Watcher dripped with sarcasm but still his bite was relented, "the day I fall under the command of a fool like you will be the very same day I crumble into non-existence. The Seers will have to win the war before that happens."
"See?" He grinned. "You're as unlikeable and repugnant as ever."
"And you," Cobalt sassed, "are still the most fool hardy and brainless Reaper ever to set foot in the Hive. It makes me curious how, if it took you four years to acknowledge reality, you manage to remember all those elegant words for spell casting."
"I don't," Atemu laughed. "I just copy Atreyu."
"Hmm," the Watcher snorted as, restraining themselves, they took stride towards the secondary courtyard.
Cobalt was elegant in his stride even if unfriendly in his ever sneering expression. Atemu could appreciate his finer qualities these days unabated now by years of smarmy, generally unanimously consented upon, dislike ebbing between them. Oh he and Cobalt would always fail to agree, he was certain, but it was harder now for the Watcher to seem so dastardly or Atemu so block headed now they shared a home. They were, whether they liked it or not, part of the same coven round Atreyu and that was a secret family. If Yami and Kaiba had learnt to co-exist playfully then Cobalt and Atemu, more mellowed, had no hope of resisting it.
Amar and Atreyu were deep in conversation when Atemu entered the fray. The redheaded Champion had rested his arm diligently round Atreyu's waist, fingers on his hip, with the most filial smiles passing between them. They were still, after long periods of separation, heavily bonded. Atemu would not be surprised if Amar had taken some responsibility upon himself to guard over Atreyu as they searched for his dearest brother Jenzar. Atemu was sure too that Jenzar would have done the same for Amar somehow. They were almost twins.
"Atemu Pheramora!" Seviticus greeted boldly, not far off, and grinning Atemu was pleased to be so well received by the Champion.
Atreyu and Amar cast him their smiles, still deeply conversing, and Atemu had barely reached Seviticus striding towards him when another voice rang out amongst the accumulated individuals surrounding them.
"Atemu?" Morphis twigged over his shoulder from where he had been distracted, surprisingly, in a debate with Timaeus of all people. "Greetings brother!"
"Morphis!" Atemu waved, laughing, bowing a little back to his nearest companion, "and Seviticus my friend."
"You look much better than when I last saw you." Seviticus appraised patting his shoulder solemnly. "Guard work agrees with you."
"Thank you, brother."
"You should come hunting with me," Morphis piped when intruding upon them, "if you haven't yet found your speciality. I'm sure you'd like dragons."
"That would be a pleasure," Atemu nodded keenly. He had been enfolded amongst these names as one of their rank. It was a great honour even with Cobalt rolling his eyes and leeching towards Timaeus. "What is going on however? I'm amazed to see so many important faces."
"The Gate Keeper has given us the all clear," Amar gestured, still holding Atreyu to his flank. "We're to assemble a force to storm the Tartarus nest of Seer Queen Cassidia. We will call brothers and train. Seviticus, myself and Morphis have already consented to join the fight."
"Even our sly Cobalt has put his hand in the pot to fight." Atreyu remarked amusedly. "Which I am grateful for but I suspect it's only so he can have a front row seat in watching the proceedings."
"Of course," the Watcher did not refute, "would I sully my hands for less?"
"I am grateful too that Dartz could spare you leave Timaeus," Atreyu continued. "You will be a remarkable asset. I can't tell you how grateful I am for your time."
"We have to mend the past eventually," the Guardian supposed, once again in his human form. "Atlantis is quiet for now but if Seers can destroy Champions and are allowed to do so I doubt I could live peacefully much longer. It will be quite a story to tell too I should suppose."
"I am coming too I hope?" Atemu quirked. "I would not miss this for all the world."
"Of course," Atreyu soothed, "you'll be right there beside me if you like. I'm more concerned with whom else if coming to join us?"
"Nephele and Drea assured me they would be along," Morphis promised. "Jenzar has been their father as many times as he's been mine after all. We may not be Champions or Faens but three more souls may help."
"I'm sure." Atreyu conceded. "I wish I didn't have to ask you to fight such a dangerous battle however."
"Never mind that," the Knight snorted, "I could not hold back Drea if I tried and Nephele will never listen to reason however old we get."
"Whom else?" Amar prodded. "My Faen Denn-Elec would have joined us but we still don't have permission to break protocol and let the Faens have contact."
"All for the best," attending Faen murmured. "If the Seers capture me it will be a disaster. If they were to catch myself, Denn-Elec and Vegas Earth's Veil would be helpless."
"Never mind," Seviticus mused, "there are at least ten strapping general Reapers dying to accompany us. Atemu and Morphis make two Specialists while your kin add two more soul types. We have a Watcher and a Guardian Watcher. Not to mention two Champions now and a Faen last but not least. That is an imposing force if ever I heard of one."
"What about our Ferryman?" Atemu suggested of Atreyu.
"I couldn't ask him to." He sighed. "Akefia keeps him busy enough and he is hardly a combat ready soldier."
"Anyone else who would not raise their hand to save Jenzar is a coward clothed as a Reaper," Morphis rued, "it's only dutiful."
"You can't blame them for being afraid," Atreyu reminded, "the Seers have caught a Champion. They are our greatest warriors. To think they are so powerful is terrifying for less armed souls. You can't fault them for their survival instinct."
"I know," the Knight grumbled, "but I would be ashamed of myself if I did not step in to help free Jenzar Fraveous."
"Yes, but he's your father." The Faen smiled. "It's a different matter to ask family, close kin, to help."
"You're right," Amar swore very softly, tilting his face down to Atreyu's as if he might peck the Faen's forehead lovingly with his lips. "We would never abandon the two of you in your hour of need. I know you and Jenzar would lead the volley to save me and you two are far too beloved to have no supporters even against certain defeat. We will rescue him and then, one day, you, he, I and Denn shall return home happily enough."
"I'll finally get that rematch when there's time for such things." Atreyu giggled. "You still owe me after that game you cheated."
"Cheat?" Amar snorted. "Why I did no such thing."
"So you'd have me believe." He snorted.
"So you should believe me."
It was pleasant to see this family, Jenzar's family, accumulated to fight for his freedom. Atemu could only hope that somewhere he had allies he was yet to remember who would be so eager to run after him. Yet, equally significant, was that after four billion years there were not hundreds here to face an unknown and imposing threat for Jenzar. Still Atemu supposed there were many types of souls who did not remember from one lifetime to another and were not meant to. There were probably millions who could not know that Jenzar was in danger, remember him, be here to fight or who had the means to fight this kind of battle.
"Excuse me?"
They twitched all of the present seventeen of them, great or small, to the wayward Reaper standing nervously straight backed as he crept into the courtyard. He was younger than Atemu and as sparsely armed as the other general Reapers. He did not waft power like Amar, Timaeus or Atreyu but he seeped with a will and determination far beyond the obvious lack of power he seemed to carry on his shoulders.
"This is the force that will save the Champion?" He supposed.
"Aye," Atreyu murmured, but wouldn't press. The young Reaper seemed to want to force himself to ask something without any aid or prompt.
"May I join you?"
"Of course brother." Amar nodded. "Who are you?"
"Yusei Fudomakari," he answered bold but tense, "I'm a Specialist. I believe. I don't remember what type yet."
"Have you hunted long brother?" Amar strung cautiously, curious of something, and colouring Yusei's fingers clenched as he turned his eyes to his boots.
"My first phase in was a month ago." He confessed carefully. "I'm not sure yet if this is all real but if it is I couldn't forgive myself if I didn't help those who asked for it. I want to be the best I can, do the best I can, I want to do something worthwhile. I can understand if you might think me a burden however."
"No," Atreyu cut stubbornly, a knowingly warm smile tingling across his features. "I would not imagine going into battle without a man like you Fudomakari. You are welcome with me. You are just the type. Please say you'll stay?"
Atemu saw it in the young man's startled eyes as Atreyu gave plead for his assistance. He saw the sudden rush of amazement, the uncertain adoration and bamboozled wonderment the Faen inspired. This boy had been vouched for by the Faen, Atreyu had some instant faith in this child which the rest of them would immediately respect as they respected Atreyu and Yusei seemed to appreciate that at least briefly and gratefully.
"I will do anything you ask." He swore passionately. "But…" he stumbled gruffly embarrassed, "who are you? Are you what they call a Faen?"
"Aye," Atreyu glimmered brightly, sparkling through his eyes and his smile. "I am Atreyu Damestaire and it is my pleasure to meet you Yusei Fudomakari."
"The pleasure is all mine Atreyu Damestaire." He was as sincere as any other.
Atemu considered, briefly, that if Yusei was so bold here, so determined, to do the worthwhile then what kind of herculean was he in the Natural World? What man, woman or child hid his soul? How courageous was he when he was awake? Atemu couldn't be sure but, like Atreyu seemed to see, he saw the potential burning there with brilliance. This boy would be one to watch and, ever nostalgic, Atemu envied his self-awareness. Yusei was almost sure, after a month, this was real and had Atreyu met him first who would the Faen had aligned with more? It was a harmless thought. Atemu had made his mark but Yusei would have been quite a challenger had he arrived only a little bit sooner to this game.
"Then that makes twenty of us," Atreyu smiled, "all to bring one spoilt Champion home. I think it will be more than enough for a few hundred Seers. Shall we begin training?"
"We have a lot of preparation to undertake." Seviticus agreed.
"Well then," Atreyu smirked, "Cobalt with Timaeus. You'll need all the help you can get. Seviticus if you would help me assist our ten general Reapers. Amar take our Specialists. That includes you Atemu and you Yusei even if neither of you can remember."
Yusei baulked, trying to lessen the appearance of his reaction upon his features and failing as Atemu winked sympathetically to him with a nonchalant roll of their shoulders. Atemu said, in not so many words: what can you do? That's Atreyu for you. I understand how clueless you feel.
Cobalt on the other hand did not seem at all pleased by Atreyu's little joke but would not argue. As for Morphis, Amar and Seviticus they were as prompt to work as one would expect after centuries of practice under Atreyu.
"Atemu Pheramora," he greeted seconds later when Yusei crept stiffly closer, thrusting his palm out.
"Yusei," he nodded, "are you the one who wrote those books on the planet called Earth?"
"Aye," Atemu sighed. "I'm quite a fool when I'm awake but I swear to you I'm much better in combat than I am at keeping my mouth shut."
"I'm sure." The boy nodded solemnly. He seemed so awed still by all of this. "Is Atreyu Damestaire always like that?"
"Always," he chuckled. "It's pleasant isn't it?"
"Aye," Yusei admitted quietly, eyes running distantly over the Faen. "They're more perplexingly astounding creatures than I imagined…"
"That one certainly," he concurred with understanding, "but he's taken a shine to you already."
"You think?" Yusei obviously suspected it but had muted his instinct apparently to shrug it off as egotism.
"Oh yes," Atemu chuckled, "I think he quite likes you if I know Atreyu."
"Do you?"
"I've been filling in for Jenzar Fraveous." He tried not to sound proud.
"What is he like?" The boy mused immediately and Atemu was assaulted again by the surreal-ness of it. Yusei seemed to assume he was some great talent.
"I don't know," Atemu dismissed gently, "we shall have to ask Morphis. I've heard however that he is a wonderfully talented Champion. Enviable."
"I can imagine." The boy nodded eyes roving back over Atreyu with the tiniest flicker of a smile. "He must be."
"Who are you talking to?" Kaiba demanded as he slouched further into Yugi's man-of-the-house leather armchair. He had that same sour look upon his face he'd worn since arriving or, more accurately, since Yugi and Ryou had insisted upon background noise and pushed Aladdin into the DVD player.
"No one," the Faen mumbled, pen clutched between his lips as he shuffled his Tarot cards with one hand and stacked his papers on the carpet with the other.
It was only the four of them tonight: Yami, Yugi, Kaiba and Ryou. Their haphazard little coven had been assembled at Yugi's house as part of the preparations for the upcoming siege upon Tartarus. As they prepared in the Supernatural Yugi was very consciously aware that there was the potential for Natural world fallout. The Faen seemed privy to the concept that, whether they succeeded or failed in rescuing Jenzar, as the Seers knew his location there was a chance they would chase them back to the Natural world after their siege and make an attempt on Yugi, Yami and their closest here in the waking world.
So they were here, at Yugi's, on an otherwise delightful Saturday night preparing themselves for the fallout. Ryou would not be coming with them to besiege Tartarus but the Ferryman could very well become a target as one of Yugi's allies and had eagerly submitted to helping them prepare for the worst of the storm.
Yami had been presented with a bucket of supplies and ordered to prep an assortment of Protection Boxes. Ryou was fabricating more anti-possession kits for them: magically embedded jewellery, rock salt pouches, silver and iron implements they could easy hide and carry. Yugi had taken up his cards and seemed to be gauging the current stage of the Veil around them: where the magic was, what was going on, and where they should be aware like a Mage casting runes to gauge the weather. Kaiba had arrived promptly and since arriving had consented to assisting in nothing and overseeing everyone.
With the heady musical running in the background, the snacks sprawled between them, and the ease of conversation Yami was quite contented with his lot in the world. This was peculiarly pleasant for him in the most absurd way and he could almost forget they were prepping an arsenal for battle.
Yugi continued taking notes, murmuring like a mystic under his breath and spreading the cards for responses.
"You're talking to someone," Kaiba insisted irritably, as nosy as he ever had been.
"I'm just directing my magic," Yugi answered vaguely. "I'm trying to plot the Veil, get us more info to go off of and scout into Tartarus without puncturing into it. I'm not talking to anyone yet Seto. I'll tell you when I start chatting, alright? My nosy busy-bodied Watcher."
"I get to pick the next movie." Kaiba ordered.
"If you're bored then help Yami." The Faen ordered equal parts fearless but dismissive like a distracted parent fixing the accounts as they spoke down to a belligerent child.
"I'm not that bored," the brunette scoffed, planting his feet on the coffee table just by Yami rudely. "He's doing fine."
"Thanks." The Reaper snorted dryly.
"Argh," Yugi mumbled as he gathered up another array of cards, "fucking useless…"
"You okay?" Yami quirked up from his latest Protection Box.
"Are they being difficult?" Ryou added gently to Yugi. "Do you want me to try asking around?"
"Nah," Yugi sighed soothingly. "These cards are just driving me mad. I can't get info that's specific enough with them. The symbols are too heavy handed. I'm going to go grab my other deck. Anyone want anything?"
"No thanks Gorgeous," Ryou smiled.
"Yami you good?"
"Any malt-teasers left?" He prodded hopefully.
"I think we ate them all," Yugi sighed, tugging up his jeans as shoving the Tarot Cards back under the couch he rose to swagger into the hallway. Pausing he cast an easy smile over his shoulder. "I'll have a check."
"Thanks," the Reaper retorted mildly.
This was so easy to Yami. It felt natural, peacefully, as if he'd spent centuries doing this sort of nonsense into the night. It was just the proper mix of purposeful, like school exam prep, and whimsical frivolity to put he and Atemu at ease with mundane normalcy they could both recognise.
Yugi was back quickly. How he managed to be so briskly business like, focused, as he threw another packet of chocolate into Yami's hands and collapsed on the carpet with another deck of cards was a beautiful mystery. Yugi always seemed focused, always protective and thoughtful as if he never let his mind a moment's rest. It was something Yami had learnt to accept. That even when casual Yugi was diligent. Yami quite enjoyed it, this authoritative side of the Faen that seemed only right, because this was Yugi as he had come to know him. This was who Yugi was when he wasn't pretending from behind a wall to be flouncy, friendly and normal. Yugi, as he truly was, was a leader and if you didn't like it then you backed out of the way because that was simply the way things were.
After all, difficult as he was, Kaiba was here and Kaiba knew well enough not to argue with a working Faen.
"What are those ones?" Yami mumbled round a mouthful of chocolate as Yugi ran through the newest deck of cards and sorted them across the carpet in neat, careful but somehow holistic patterns.
"Duel Monsters cards," Yugi explained with a laugh.
"I had those in high school," the Reaper chuckled, "what are they good for?"
"They're just more specific," the Faen shrugged, "besides I've had them for yonks so they're saturated with my magic. Means I can be more precise with them, they're less unwieldy, I have more control over them."
Not for the first time Yugi spoke of them as if they had their own intrinsic life distinctly free of his will. As if everything in the world had its own presence and thoughts some of which were more appealing or difficult.
Yugi lay out a pyramid of cards from one pile: Soul Release set at the top, the next two cards beneath it sat as Blasting the Ruins and Performance of the Sword. Yugi was not shuffling the deck to pull this at random, no, rather he was purposefully setting them out as Yami watched curiously across the coffee table.
"Oh just go sit with him," Kaiba ordered, kicking his heel against Yami's shoulder.
"Huh?" He grunted from his daze.
"You want to watch Yami?" Yugi supposed with a giggle, understanding, filial in the way he responded to the Reapers' naïve curiosity when Yami nodded and with a tilt of his head Yugi beckoned the man closer happily.
Invited to take a place beside him Yami curled his legs in tight so as not to nudge or disturb the cards Yugi was carefully laying out. He was trapped close to Yugi in their tiny patch of carpet between the furniture and murmuring Yugi gestured over the three cards he had laid.
"Soul Release is our mission objective; find and free Jenzar." He explained. "The other two are how we're going to do that: Blasting the Ruins means we storm the nest and Performance of the Sword means we're going to work together to scour the place. I'm just setting out mission parameters in stone to make a compass so when I ask my other questions I'll get a more directed response. If I have to explain every time what I'm asking about it'll be a pain in the ass. This specifies the mission I'm asking about."
"Who are you asking?"
"No one technically," Yugi um-ed and ah-ed trying to explain, "I'm feeling out the Veil and what's going on along it with my magic. Make any sense? It's better than asking the Gate Keeper because he won't know everything. It's more like chemical testing with bits of magic."
"Okay," he nodded, "can I just watch? Maybe it'll make more sense if I can get a feel for it."
"Yeah sure," the smaller grinned eager to share with him. "Alright, so, what kind of crew have we got?"
Yugi murmured as if he wasn't quite sure. It wasn't as if Yugi didn't know exactly who they were taking into battle with them more, Yami surmised, the Faen was attempting to dissect more about the nature of their allies and what to expect from them in the actual battle.
Six cards hit the floor: Magician of Faith, Summoned Skull, Spirit Caller, Scapegoat, Flame Champion and Dark Magician. Resting his index finger on Magician of Faith Yugi hummed a little and seemed to stare into space.
"Amar," he decided the card represented, frowning a little before adding: "and Sev. They really believe we're going to find Jenzar, they're going to put their all and they're totally dependable."
"How can you tell that?"
"Cause that's what the magic around the card feels like," Yugi answered moving to Summoned Skull, "Morphis, Drea and Nephele. Here because they feel they have to be, no resentment, steady hearts. Shouldn't fly off the handle and do something silly. Good. I don't want to be worrying about my babies in the middle of a fight, need to focus myself…"
Yami leant in closer as Yugi moved his finger over Spirit Caller.
"Cobalt and Kaiba," he rued, "Dartz wants to know everything but I think, even with his fingers in the pie, we can trust Timaeus to show his full strength willingly."
"Can I try?" Yami interrupted as Yugi wavered towards the next card.
The Faen blinked, laughing at his exuberance, and nodding wrapped his fingers round Yami's hand to bring the tip of the Reaper's finger over Scapegoat.
Yami frowned, tried extending himself into the card to feel something from behind it and mingling felt something.
"The General Reapers?" He supposed and smiling Yugi nodded. "It feels like… I don't know, like nothing special? Like they're fodder? Like they'll hold up but they're not going to do something spectacular?"
Yugi grinned, nodding, and nudging him glided Yami's finger across to the next card. Flame Champion sat under Yami's finger and hesitant he tried to make sense of the feeling wafting up oddly between his imagination and his recognition.
"Yusei?" He guessed, drawn to the name by something unfathomable, by some hint in the sensation. "It feels like Yusei."
"Oh yeah," Yugi whispered, "that's Yusei's signature alright."
"Flame Champion?" Yami blinked confused.
"Feels special doesn't it?" The Faen smiled.
"What do you know that I don't?" He supposed.
"Feel it." Yugi ordered teasingly. "It's Yusei but what does he feel like? What's that card telling you?"
"It feels like…" He frowned. "Like…Amar and Sev kind of…like…Is? Is Yusei a Champion?"
Yami baulked like it was a bit of particularly fascinating gossip on the school yard and beaming conspiratorially Yugi nodded furiously by his shoulder.
"He doesn't know," the Faen grinned, "but I'm sure he is. I remember him. He's so close to remembering too. He's not on Earth, obviously, because we already have all our Faens and Champions but he's on a planet nearby and I'm sure he must've just recently been reborn. He's probably a teenager, just looking for his Faen, just waking up."
"My God," Yami laughed brightly, it felt right somehow. "That's wonderful. It makes so much sense, seems right somehow. So that's what a baby Champion looks like?"
"Yep," Yugi cooed. "That's why he's drawn to me and to kicking big ass. He's just about to remember his own Faen, just missing them, and wanting them."
"God," he smiled, acutely jealous but his inner big brother was pleased for Yusei. It seemed like the natural order to him. Yusei would be a good Champion, a good lover to some beautiful young Faen somewhere and Yusei would probably soon be stronger and more talented than Yami ever would be yet that didn't entirely bother him.
"Do the last one," Yugi ordered, directing Yami's finger over the Dark Magician.
"That was my favourite card when I was seventeen," he smiled with nostalgia before bothering to reflect upon the energy in the card. "Feels like…it feels like me!"
"No surprise." The Faen grinned. "What's it feel like to you that you're going to do?"
Yami smiled, digging his energy into the card and smiling he leant into Yugi.
"Brave, like a dull fool, like I'm going to stick to you and not peel off your side for a second."
"I expected," Yugi grinned, letting Yami peck a kiss to his cheek bone harmlessly. "I think you're going to follow me right into the heart of the nest no matter what I order you to do. I don't know how well that's going to work for you but we'll see. Least we know what to expect of everyone. Not that it was any great surprise thank God."
"Good to know we can depend on everyone."
"A good crew is half the battle," Yugi nodded. "Now we just have to deal with the stuff we can't depend on."
"Atreyu!" Atemu caught himself as he phased in to the Hive for the second night, in so many, of training before their eventual siege. "Oh… my apologies…"
The being who had been waiting for him was not Atreyu but Atemu could forgive himself for assuming as much given the nature of the body and the shape of the face. They were a strange approximation of Atreyu perhaps similar but far too sharp, too sensual when they moved towards him and Atemu was immediately reminded of sharks in the water.
"Never fret," the young man greeted? Male or female seemed ubiquitous terms to apply to this creature that straddled the divide as well as Atreyu did. Heseemed fractionally more appropriate however as the ponderously sensual creature came within his personal space and settled its arms round his shoulders. "You must be Trey's bodyguard."
"Aye," he answered carefully hands pinned to his side by his own indecision of where to lay them as the other leant into one hip languidly. "I am Atemu Pheramora."
"Drea Dyzeraseras." The other purred round the mouthful. The sounds were almost Arabic.
"You…" Atemu paused as Drea seemed to lean a little closer, head tilting as the Reaper attempted to speak. "You are one of Atreyu and Jenzar's children?"
"I have been, often," Drea nodded slowly.
"You're a Reaper then? Like Morphis?"
"Big brother Morphis Horus," Drea chuckled, "no. No, Nephele and I aren't Reapers like Jenzar or Morphis and we aren't Faens either. I'm a Sequester."
"Sequester?" Atemu frowned. "I haven't heard of them."
"You aren't meant to." Drea grinned. "We answer to Supervisor Ammit. We're a tight knit little bunch. If you don't hear about us then it means everything is going just as it should. Sequesters," he elaborated running one hand down Atemu's chest in fascination as the Reaper was held frozen by his presence, "make sure that secrecy is maintained. If someone knows something they shouldn't or tells others, if someone puts a wrench in the cogs, then we get rid of them."
"I see." He nodded tightly. "I don't suppose you've heard of me then?"
"Oh, very much." Drea assured him. "Ammit and the Gate Keeper discussed it very heatedly, after you wrote those books, if someone like myself should have been called in to hurry the process of your next reincarnation along. Especially considering how you endangered my Mother."
"I am very sorry for the worry I must've caused you, Morphis and Nephele."
"Don't apologise," the smaller hushed sweetly, the nail of his index finger running over Atemu's lip. "It's been the most fun I've had in ages. As the middle child in our little family I'm something of a trouble maker." His hands ran down Atemu's biceps firmly. "So I find people like you very amusing especially when they stir up Atreyu."
"Is he here yet?" Atemu coughed colouring. "Perhaps we best proceed to training with the others."
"In a second," Drea shushed. "I wanted to let you know that once we reclaim Jenzar you ought to consider coming along with me for a while."
"Why is that?"
"We'll have plenty in common." The young man smirked. "After all not many souls have the guts to look at Atreyu like you do or at Jenzar like I have…"
"I…I see." Atemu relented stiffly. This boy with his slick black combat suit and his dark, chocolaty, eyes set in that deceivingly sweetly mapped out face with all its wafts of gently curling hair frightened him. He burned with a dark intensity, a threatening gait, predatorial even petite as he was leaning into Atemu like a lover.
"Just think about it." Drea smirked patting Atemu's cheek with the tips of his fingers almost condescendingly. "Now, we best go make our appearance in the training arena or sour uncle Amar will think I'm up to something and poor baby Nephele will sulk that I've been keeping you from an introduction to him. Lovely meeting you Atemu Pheramora."
Drea sauntered, there was no better word for it, and the coldness in Atemu's gut soured oddly to a lusty heat at the sexual toss of that hair as Drea lead the way to where their party was amassed to continue the preparations tonight. Until now Atemu had only meet Morphis, the first soul Atreyu and Jenzar provided a mortal body for and had since parented frequently. Meeting Drea gave him a darker picture of the trio of souls Jenzar and Atreyu supposedly parented frequently and often at once. It was peculiar to see how, between immortals, a connection could be forged of a parental nature even when none were older than each other simply by how they were often related in the Natural World.
If Morphis was such a gentleman, Drea the 'slut' he supposed rudely and inappropriately driven by the tempting twist of those hips, then Nephele the baby…?
In the training arena the general Reapers had taken to fighting, practicing, amongst themselves half watching from the corners of their rings as the more powerful players challenged each other to practice matches. Cobalt was struggling, sour faced, under Timaeus' diligent instruction. Morphis and Yusei seemed locked in a well matched brawl under Seviticus' supervision but, both gentlemen, neither seemed keen to lodge a hit against the other. Amar and Atreyu too were locked in combat, stupendously at that, flinging magic across the arena, rumbling the others, and laughing.
"There you are!" A pretty little thing, light haired and bright eyed, spat impatiently toward Drea as he lead them round the edge of the arena. "You took quite a long time big sibling mine. Not threatening are we?"
"Me?" Drea remarked, dramatically horrified, as he gestured over himself with a little scoff. "Never baby Nephele. Daddy taught me better than that."
"Daddy certainly tried," the other sighed, arms folded hesitantly as the elder drifted past to plant a teasing kiss along Nephele's cheek bone which seemed to off-put and sour the other and bud to bloom another smile across Drea's knowing face.
The Sequester slipped round Atreyu and Amar, lodged in combat, and briskly prancing behind Seviticus made a motion Atemu almost missed even transfixed upon Drea as he was. A shot of energy lapped out of Drea, spike like, and sailing past a startled Seviticus knocked Morphis plain off his feet as he played at chivalry with Yusei. Yusei rounded, bemused, and darting under Seviticus' arm Drea jumped into battle to tackle the unsuspecting Reaper Specialist against the earth.
"Come on!" He teased. "Let's have a proper battle you two!"
"Heh," Nephele sighed beside Atemu, "that's Drea for you."
"He's unique," Atemu mumbled, "not at all what I expected. It's a pleasure to meet you however I'm sure."
"Pleasure indeed," Nephele laughed softly, taking Atemu's hand in his as he finally disentangled his disapproving stare from the proceedings of the now invigorated training battle. "Nephele Austriamehre."
"Another of Atreyu and Jenzar's children," Atemu nodded, squeezing the soft hands. "Atemu Pheramora I suppose you know."
"Of course," he shrugged sympathetically over Atemu, "Reaper?"
"Aye, you?"
"Timer," Nephele explained, "I answer to Supervisor Chronos. I make sure the time stream functions properly and that people aren't playing around with it in ways they shouldn't be. It's a fairly delicate creature."
"Essential though," he nodded. "That must be fascinating work."
"Oh yes," the young one nodded, "it frequently traps me on the far edges of the universe where the time stream most often frays which is a shame…"
"Hmm?" Atemu murmured. Nephele's hands had slipped kindly from his and refolded against the other's chest as he glanced over the battle Drea had begun. It wasn't going well. Morphis had been bound on his stomach, Drea's foot in the small of his back as the wiry little creature held Yusei aloft with one hand. At least Drea seemed to be enjoying himself.
"Nothing," Nephele dismissed trying to be merry, "Morphis just…I feel better knowing we're reincarnated close together. He's so hopeless. I don't know why he's always born first. Being the oldest doesn't suit him."
"I'm sure he manages." Atemu sympathised. "You're close?"
"Ah…" Nephele laughed, nearly colouring, "some lifetimes. Others he focuses his efforts on taming Drea but he never quite succeeds."
"So you move together?"
"We try to," he admitted. "The three of us always seem to end up nearby but unlike Atreyu and Jenzar there's never any guarantee we will be reincarnated together."
"A shame," Atemu rued that perhaps this was what he had to look forward to; a tenuous promise of meeting his dear friends perhaps every few life times or millenniums but always holding the memories to remember them.
"Aye," Nephele sighed, and seeming to gather himself smirked. "If you don't mind Atemu can we talk more later?"
"Oh, of course," he fumbled.
"Thank you," Nephele grinned and digging his feet in pushed off the earth. The boy bounced a good twenty feet, sailing into the air, and heavily came crashing down on a shrieking Drea. The pair of them squabbled, grabbing and hissing at each other as they rolled across the earth locked together magic flaring.
Lightning crackled, Nephele flew across the arena over the General Reapers who scrambled and hitting the far wall the Timer was slow to stagger back onto his feet.
"Ha!" Drea grinned hands resting firmly on his hips as their increasing audience rallied. "What's wrong Baby? Was I too rough on you?"
"BURN THE WITCH!" Nephele spat and grunting Drea threw his arms up at the assaulting wave of energy lashing back towards him.
"REFLECT!"
"You two," Seviticus grumbled impatiently, "enough! This is a training exercise. Air your grievances elsewhere."
"Neph, Dree!" Morphis attempted good humouredly. "Don't you think that's quite-"
"RESTRICT!" Drea ordered silencing the Knight painfully as Morphis, coughing, clamped in on himself.
"SNARE!" Nephele shot back instinctively and driving Drea against the opposing wall held the Sequester there with tendril of magic. "Don't bring Morph into this!"
"We always bring Morph into this!" Drea spat. "RELINQUISH! CRUSH!"
Atemu felt the general Reapers, startled, clustered behind he and Yusei for cover. Seviticus swore but seemed to not want to move in-between the brawlers and had turned his attention to freeing Morphis or else removing him from the line of fire.
"DEESCALATE DELINQUENTS! RELINQUISH ARMS!"
Drea froze, shaking in resistance, and equally disposed Nephele struggled immobilized. Atemu cast his eyes back and, sure enough, removed from his fight with Amar the Faen had stepped in one hand raised the other coming to rest on Atemu's elbow.
"You don't have to come with me." Atreyu warned the pair of them, hand poised, as he kept them tightly under wraps. "If you can't look after each other I'm not taking you into a nest to watch you get hurt. Do you have any idea how disappointed Jenzar would be with this nonsense?"
"Oh like Father cares!" Drea hissed. "He's got short range vision. He'll dote on us."
"Go back to Ammit Drea." Atreyu ordered. "I'm not having you embarrass me by airing our private turmoils. If you don't possess enough compassion in your heart to fight with your kin selflessly I don't see the point of you being here. The same goes for you Nephele. This is belligerent and pointless. You are not children. You can control yourselves better than this or at least I had hoped."
"Pft," the Sequester snorted. "Never be as perfect as you Atreyu."
"I'm sorry." Nephele sighed tightly as the first to relent. "I want to help find Jenzar. I want to bring him home. I miss him."
"I know sweetheart," Atreyu overruled losing his control on the Timer who breathed easier instantly, "and you Drea? Are you staying or going?"
"I'll stay." He spat unhappily. "I'll even be nice. I want to see my Father again."
"I'm glad," the Faen soothed, releasing the Sequester slowly, cautiously, as he lowered his arm.
"Now I think the three of us ought to train. Amar maybe you should take over Atemu, Yusei and Morphis for a while. Seviticus can you check on our Reaper friends?"
1 Morphis, Nephele, Amar, Denn-Elec, Seviticus and Vegas all have YGO character counterparts unfortunately it's going to be a few chapters until I can introduce them to you but I look forward to all your guesses.
2 Shout out to the lovely Pika who is once again fantastic and has done a gorgeous fan art for the last chapter (which may be up somewhere for you guys to see? I would post it but as Pika92 is the fabulous artist obviously I don't want to intrude). Also a shout out to Shmeepeh who's riding the same boat as I am at the moment~
3 I think by the end of Act 3 some of you will love Drea and some of you will hate him.
4 Lots more Yugi/Yami next chapter.
For Reference:
Jenzar's Rescue Party Breakdown
10 General/Standard unnamed Reapers
2 Champion Reapers- Amar Seirramoura (Faen Denn-Elec Flenrous) and Seviticus Prodius (Faen Vegas Helldreem)
2 Specialist Unknown Reapers- Yusei Fudomakari (aka Yusei Fudo but not reincarnated on Earth) and Atemu Pheramora (aka Yami~)
Guardian Watcher- answers to Leviathan and Dartz- Timaeus
Standard Watcher- answers to Leviathan and Dartz- Cobalt (aka Kaiba)
Reaper Knight- answers to Gate Keeper- eldest child of Jenz/Trey Morphis Horus
Timer- answers to Chronos-youngest child of Jenz/Trey- Nephele Austriamehre
Sequester- answers to Ammit- middle child of Jenz/Trey- Drea Dyzeraseras (not reincarnated on Earth)
Faen- answers to Third Star- Atreyu Damestaire (aka Yugi)