spiritfire: All their sayings in their heads are all in italics again...(bored)

XIII. Two Sides

Dark was still in bed after the rescue of the children. Yami wants to thank him for saving his life but he still has one problem. Would he tell Mahad about the mark or not. Questions began to stir his mind that the prince didn't notice Dark's eyes were slowly opening. His sight was a bit blurry and wondering what happened. How did he end up here... that was all up to him to answer.

Yami just stared at his ripped sleeve, seeing the mark that was given to him. There's something familaiar about the color (with the exception of the wing shaped) that he has no idea what it is. It's a good thing that he told Mahad that he wants to keep an eye on Dark before he do anything else otherwise he'll get busted because of the mark on his right arm.

"What in seven hells happened?" Dark asked, trying to focus his sight around him. Slowly, his eyes began to focus and then he saw Yami at his bedside. The prince noticed that he woke up

"Your body collapsed after we got out of Cresent Forest. Kaiba says that you'll be fine" Yami replied but there was something doubtful on his mind. He decided to ask him about the mark

"Dark, tell me when did you learn this unknown spell and what's with the weird language you were saying back there?" the princed asked. For the first time, Dark hung his head head sadly and breathed

"The truth is I don't know. All I know is when I did something... how should I say this... hmmm... let's just say it has something to do with my other emotions. It's been a long time since I felt like this. Whenever I feel angry and devastated, it triggered something inside me...oh brother I don't think I'm making any sense" Dark replied and sighs. "And I have no recollection of my memory about the spell... it just came to me naturally"

"... What about the mark?" Yami asked and Dark's mind had a big question mark

"Uh... Mark? What mark?" Dark frowned

"You don't remember? Take a look on your left arm" Yami wondered and Dark turned his head towards his left arm. He was shocked and was about to shout if Yami didn't calm him down and shut his mouth

"That mark... Yes I seem to remember...this is the only thing I know, the mark of protection...I read about them before. It'll only disappear if the one casted it became stronger or obtains higher level magic" Dark replied calmly, holding his rainbow colored wing curvelike mark

"Will the caster be protected as well?" Yami asked, this time with a worried expression

"Usually no but it depends on the caster's power level... why do you ask?" Dark replied curiously

"Um... you're the one who casted it" Yami said, frowning and Dark fell silent. None of them said a word then he decide to tell something to the prince as well.

"You know during your fight against Bakura's summoned creature, you used the Millennium Puzzle and your eye color chaged to red" Dark said with uneasiness of his voice

"I'm aware of that... Sorry if I scare you...I already had this before I had the puzzle" Yami said crossly. "None of my family has it though"

"You mean you're the only one?" Dark asked and the prince nodded

"If none of your family has it then...who or what are you" Dark asked, staring at him. Yami just sighed st this. Who would have thought that there's someone who would asked this question. He closed his eyes and wore a sad smile

"To tell you the truth, I don't know who I am or what I really am. All I can remember is being with my dad and Mahad" Yami replied wearily. Dark was surprised at this.

"And I thought my life was worse. He has no idea who he really is...my god a person who doesn't know his own existence..." Dark mumbled. "What a pity"

"Does anyone knows about this?" he asked but the prince shook his head indicating that no one knew this

"For now, I'm gald to have Mahad, Dad, and everyone I meet especially you, Dark" Yami said and he opened his eyes. His deep violet eyes show compassion and comfort that Dark slightly went red

"...I see... hey could you get a bandage for me" Dark said but the prince chuckles

"Sure... I'll use Apparation Magic to bring it here beside I need a needle and thread anyway" Yami said ,grinning

"Uh... you can do apparation" Dark sweatdropped then smirks. "Prove it"

Yami waved his finger and began to concentrate what's on his mind. Colorless aura began to encircled around him and in an instant a bandage appeared. He concentrated again and this time a needle and thread appeared

"What do you need those for?" Dark asked as he took the bandaged and beagn to wrapped the mark on his left arm

"For stitching...I got the mark as well so I better cover it before Mahad finds out. He's usually the one who tends my wounds but I told him that I'll go to the village people for the first aid. Gods, I hate him when he ask stupid questions like 'Does it hurt?' or 'you okay'. Sheesh" Yami replied and annoyed at the same time. Dark finished covering his arm with a bandage then Yami just started pulling the thread in the needle. He raised his right arm a little to show his ripped sleeve and put the nedle through the clothing. Dark watched as Yami continued to do his work. Suddenly, he accidentally pricked the needle point in his arm and it dropped in an instant. Luckily, it was only light no wounds at all.

"It kills me to help you like this" Dark said and held Yami's right arm. He took the needle and he stiched his ripped sleeve all the way then he tied the last portion with a knot and cut it with his teeth.

"Finish" Dark said putting down the needle on his bedside table. He noticed that the Valkyria Key is missing and asks Yami where it is. He pointed it at his beside table on his right then he picked it up and locked it in a chain

- - -

Mahad was alone in his room comtemplating his thoughts. It wouldn't be long that the secret he kept so long would be revealed. And why would he, it's not because he's going to do anything unusual. After listening to Yami's story, they might be apart from each other and he doesn't know if they can take care of themselves. He has to do something about Dark's attitude though due to the fact he barely trusted him but he did save the prince's life. As a guardian, he owes him.

Riku and Kaiba on the other hand decide to pay Dark a visit. As they were on their way, Kaiba began to sink his own thoughts. he never saw anyone who would risk their life for somebody else not that he didn't do it before. He remembers something deep in his past life when the present headmaster of SEED Garden adopted him and his important sibling: his younger brother, Mokuba.

Flasback: Kaiba and Mokuba were at the SEED Garden where all orphans and willing to become soldiers resided here. After the retirement of the previous headmaster, many of them elected the next one who is but the famous Squall Leonheart. Due to his famous mission by defeating Ultimacia, everyone admired his skill as the captain of SEED not to mention his leadership.

"Big brother, isn't he great... I wis to be a SEED soldier like him but I'm not old enough" Mokuba said, nudging his brother's shirt

"If you want, I can do it for you" Kaiba said, kneeling down to face his brother. "I'm already old enough to join anyway"

"Really...you'll do it for me...you're the best" Mokuba squeled in delight, hugging him

Due to Mokuba's request, Kaiba trained to become a SEED member. With his intelligence on technology and strategy, he passed with flying colors. A few days later, the headmaster declared the final test. Kaiba was assigned to Instructor Quistis Trepe one of the most brillant instructors of all. His assignment: to capture the orb of the blue-eyed dragon. It's location is outside the SEED Gaden passing the forest on the northern side. He and the instructor went and found the orb but it was guarded by a lady in poor clothing. She had long whit hair (not like an old lady),blue eyes and wore peddler's clothes plus she's barefoot.

"I know what you want. I won't allow you to get this ob" said the lady, spreading her arms indecating that shewon't anyone have it. Kaiba on the other hand was awed at the sight of her. He had never seen such beauty.

"Kaiba, you know what to do...I'll watch you from here" Quistis said, leaving him alone

"...I know how you feel but I have no coice. This is my assignment and for the sake of my important treasure. I'll do anything necessary" Kaiba said, unsheahing his weapon: the gunblade. Of course, Quistis was surprised he would choose that weapon. He pointed the tip of the gunblade to the lady's neck.

"Your important treasure? Who?" she asked, determined not to let her fear clouded her. Kaiba's hair overshadowed his eyes, reflecting.

"My brother" Kaiba replied and then he raised his head and they stared at each other intently. The lady stared into his deep blue eyes and sensed a lot of pain he's gone through. She never encountered someone like him

"... I'll give you the ob under one conditon" she said firmly and with that she crossed her arms

"What's that?" Kaiba asked

"Take me to your home" she said and Kaiba withdraw his weapon, took the lady with him and the orb

"I never seen anyone finishing the assignment just like that" Quistis chuckled and they left the forest

"What's your name?" Kaiba asked as they headed back to garden.

"Kisara" the lady replied

"Mine's Seto Kaiba but you can call me Seto" Kaiba said, his cheeks went slighty red and Kisara smiled

For the first time, Kaiba had been spending time togethe with her brother and Kisara. He laughed, smiled and had fun. The Headmaster's wife: Rinoa H. Leoneart watched the couple when they were having lunch in the canteen and she knew that they theyr love would last forever or so they thought...

On Mokuba's birthday, Kisara gave him a Blue-Eyes White Dragon stuff toy as a gift while Kaiba was on the mission. Suddenly before he returned, someone took Mokuba as a hostage and Kisara tried to rescue him. When Kaiba came back, he saw that the two of them are missing so he ran as fast as he can only to find his loved one died and Mokuba was crying. He fell on his knees and shouted that he should have protected her. Ever since that day, Kaiba didn't care on others anymore but Mokuba kept Kisara's keepsake which is the stuff toy and as for the orb...it was never found.

"Kaiba, are you okay?" Riku asked and Kaiba snapped out of his thoughts

"Yeah, whatever" Kaiba replied and they knocked the door

- - -

"Come in" Yami said and the door opened that it was Riku and Kaiba

"So, are you okay now?" Riku asked

"Yeah, although I got a nasty scratch it'll heal no time but it could take months for it to be fully healed" Dark replied

"I see then it's time for me to return to Kingheartia now that I know that you're fine' Riku said and magically his weapon appeared. It looked a little sort but its shaped was similar to a key

"See ya" Riku said and in an instant he used the power of his weapon and vanished with out a trace

"How are you ganna get beck to your home?' Dark asked

"I'll just wait for my transport ship. I already told them that I finished my mission" Kaiba replied as if he didn't care one bit

"Geez, what a uncaring guy" Yami mumbled then suddenly they heard something really loud. Kaiba went to the window and so did Yami. To his surprise, there was some kind of of metallic plane.

"Looks like my transport is here well see ya" Kaiba smirked and opened the window lid and jumped down then the plane began to fly away from Yami's sight.

"Well, that was weird" Yami said, scratching his head in confusion

"By the way, where's Mahad?" Dark asked

"Oh, he's on ther side of the room" Yami replied. "Why do you ask?"

"I want to tell him that we should go back to Alexandria and tell his majesty that we've done the job" Dark replied coolly

"Are you sure?" Yami asked

"Yeah" Dark replied and so the prince left the room

- - -

Yami knocked the door where Mahad was and the occupant said that he should come in. The prince saw his guardian went to his thoughts again. Why would it be? It wouldn't be the first time that he acted like that.

"Mahad, are you alright?" Yami asked

"Yeah, I'm fine so what's up" Mahad replied but Yami wasn't convinced and still he decides not to pry anything

"Dark's fine now. We should go back to Alexandria and report to his majesty that we've done the job he requested for us" Yami said

"I see then let's get out of here" Mahad said and left the room while Yami fetches Dark on the other side of the room he stayed. As he went out, Dark was already waiting for them outside the mayor's house.

"You okay, now?" Mahad asked and he nods then they heard something

"Wait! Before you go, take this" Tristan said and he handed them a pouch. All three of them were curious what's inside. They opened it and found out that it was filled with small bottles.

"What's this?" Yami asked then the mayor smirks

"Remember the recipe we sell, well it was actually Elixir...one of the rare items we make in this village" Tristan replied and all three of them dropped their jaws in shock

"Are you sure that we can have this?" Dark asked in exasperation

"Of course" Tristan replied. "I'm sure these will help you"

"Thank you" Yami said and they left Moon Village

- - -

The three of them were now on their way back to Alexandria and as usual, measly monster assaults on their way back. This time, Dark's magic has been enhanced a little so it was not hard for them to get back to their previous destination.

"Hmmm...I guess I can live with my new magic and revert the Apprentice Rod back to Valkyria Key" Dark shrugged as they were on their way to Alexandria Castle

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spiritfire: Ah and another chappie updated. and next the endless update begins tomorrow in my country hehehe although not actually endless...you know what I meant