Goodness I like being dramatic.
You readers are amazing and I want to thank you once again for your support. I worked quite a bit on this story, and I was very worried about the response I would get, but I couldn't be happier. You guys rock!
Just to kinda explain something I do in this chapter, I kinda treat Yugi and Ryou as partial reincarnations of the Pharaoh and the Thief King (I guess they basically are seeing as the latter two's souls were sealed away) I love fanfiction. You can do pretty much whatever the hell you want.
Disclaimer: I don't own YuGiOh. I'm not making any money. Nuff said
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HIKARI STRONG
Chapter Nineteen
The darkness in the sky began to shrink slowly, still looking ominous and frightening. Joey Wheeler wasn't paying attention. She was suddenly wishing the explosion that had just happen had taken her with it. She clutched at her chest, as painful, choking sobs escaped her. She fell to her knees, finally giving up the fight against her friends. She pounded the ground with her fist, screaming and crying incoherently. She cursed the gods. Every god. Any god anyone ever believed in.
The others looked on, unsure of what to do. Yugi held his best friend as best he could, tears pricking at his owns eyes. They made out the words 'cocky rich bastard' and 'me and Mokuba'. Serenity tried to sooth her sibling by caressing her hair. They all exchanged looks desperately, having no clue what to do.
Joey buried her face into the ground, dirt clumping all over her tear-stained cheeks. She pounded the ground again. This was supposed to be their second chance! This was supposed to be their happy ending! She coughed, swearing she would throw up.
"Joey," Serenity whispered. Joey only cried more. She didn't want anyone's sympathy, their comfort. She wanted Seto. Her Seto.
"Stop moping in the dirt, Pup," said a voice above Joey. Her eyes snapped open. "As much as I would love to give you a bath you're above this kind of behavior."
Joey swallowed. Was it a dream? A hallucination? Had she actually needed sedation? She didn't want to look up. She didn't want to have her heart ripped out and torn to shreds all over again. Slowly, very slowly, she force herself to do so.
Seto Kaiba stared down at her, hands in his pockets, the smallest of smiles on his face, wind dramatically blowing his trench coat about. Joey stared at him back, eyes wide.
"I never thought you'd be so quiet," Seto said, obviously amused by Joey's antics. "Maybe I won't have to send you to obedience school after all."
The next motion was quick and unexpected, knocking Yugi to the side, Serenity jumping back. No one had seen Joey move so fast when food wasn't involved. She threw herself at Seto, wrapping her arms around him, crashing her lips into his. Seto returned it without a second thought, literally sweeping her off her feet.
Unfortunately, an echoing evil cackle filled the air, interrupting Seto and Joey from their kiss. The blonde was sat back on the ground and the group turned to the flaming rubble, noticing the darkness in the sky increasing in size again. The malicious laughter continued, a man stepping from the smoke and flames. The blue-hair and dark eyes frightened Joey, until she noticed his clothing. Then her blood ran cold.
"Victarion," she whispered venomously.
The man cackled again. "Did you honestly think I wouldn't have a contingency plan?" he said mockingly. "My host was more fragile than I thought, it appears. Quite unfortunate." He turned to the black hole as it began to gape more, strange, strangled noises coming from it. Moans. Screams. Whispers. "Beautiful, isn't it? It wasn't my original plan, but sacrificing my host and some of his servants seems to have done the trick." He turned back to Joey, smirking. "You look so much like Juno it's positively eerie." He licked his lips. "I'm going to thoroughly enjoy taking your power from you once and for all."
Seto made to lunge forward only to have Joey hold him back. "Seto, no!" she told him. Brown eyes locked with blue for a moment before Joey looked at Yugi and Ryou. They both nodded, standing straight and tall. She looked back at Seto. "This is our fight." She told the brunet firmly. This is my fight.
Seto hesitated. The last thing he wanted was to let Joey go, to let her face against this man for what was most likely a second time. Maybe even a third if he chose to count his nightmares of Juno and Set. He threw a vicious glare at the blue-haired man before reluctantly stepping back.
Joey looked back over at Ryou and Yugi as the three of them stepped forward, the others looking on in distaste and anticipation. The hikaris exchanged looks.
"Are you sure about this, Joey?" Ryou asked nervously.
Joey nodded. "He's powerful, but I ain't gonna let him hurt anyone else," She looked at Ryou and then Yugi. "And we're powerful too. We're strong." She looked right Yugi as she held out her hand. "Hikari strong."
Yugi beamed, putting his hand on top of Joey's. "Hikari strong!"
Ryou put his hand in as well. "Hikari strong." He said softly. They doubled up their hands, their Millennium Items beginning to glow, a gold circle surrounding them. Several of their monsters appeared, including Red Eyes, Dark Magician and Change of Heart. The light only became brighter, a huge power releasing. Victarion cackled again, his own dark powers surging forth.
"You think your pathetic light can stop me?" he mocked.
Joey closed her eyes, hoping Red Eyes got the hint. The dragon did. She screamed in agony as she merged with her dragon, wings breaking out from her back, her eyes glowing a deadly shade of crimson. The light glowed more, making to overtake the darkness surrounding the scene. The rest of the group gasped. The hikari's clothing had changed. Joey was still in a gown but this one left her back bare so the dragon wings could move freely. Yugi was in the attire of a Pharoah, with the crown and everything. Ryou's outfit was more plan, and open tunic and cut off pants. Every outfit was stark white.
"NO!" Victarion shouted. "This is my world! This is my second chance!"
Joey glared. "No. This is ours."
The light exploded then, blinding the onlookers and Victarion. The blue-haired man screamed in agony, the burning light consuming him and the dark hole to the Shadow Realm. The world was nothing but white for several minutes.
When the light let up, Victarion was gone, no where to be seen. The dark gate that had been steadily increasing in size was shrinking at a quick pace. The three hikari's were still the position they had been in, hands on top of each other, their clothes back to what they had been before. Joey and Red Eyes were separated, the black dragon and the other monsters fading the gold circle on the ground.
Joey fell over first, gasping and panting. Ryou and Yugi manage to catch themselves bit better, reach over to check on their friend. Seto rushed over, followed by Bakura and Yami.
"Joey," Seto said, taking the blonde in his arm. When he didn't get an answer he panicked. "Joey, speak to me!"
"Pipe down, Seto, 'm not dead," she told him, her words slurring slightly. She made to get up but found she was more noodle than person at the moment. Seto didn't think twice, scooping Joey up bridal style as he stood up. "Put me down ya rich bastard," she ordered deliriously. Seto rolled his eyes but spared her a small smile.
"Apparently I haven't been giving the three of you near enough credit," Bakura said, clinging to Ryou tightly. "That was actually pretty bad ass."
Ryou and Yugi exchanged smiles as they stood up, a little exhausted but not nearly as much as Joey. Serenity rushed over to the blonde in Seto's arms.
"Are you okay, Joey?" she asked in a small voice.
"Never better, Ren," Joey replied, unconsciously nuzzling into Seto's chest. Her voice was becoming a little clearer. "Put me down, Moneybags, I ain't some princess."
Seto frowned. "You better be glad you're so weak right now or else I would just drop you," he told her, deciding to heed her wishes and set her down cautiously. Joey gained her footing, holding on to Seto for a moment. When she managed to stand on her own. She sighed contently and rounded on Seto.
"Don'cha eva', EVA' scare me like that again!" she yelled at him, which only made her dizzy and caused her to fall into the CEO's arm. He chuckled. Even Serenity couldn't help but laugh.
Suddenly they heard the sound of swiping blades through the air and felt a gust of wind. The group looked up to see Seto's large helicopter, Roland holding on at the entrance. "Mr. Kaiba! Thank goodness we found you!"
Seto blinked for moment as the helicopter landed. "I guess Mokuba sent you."
Roland nodded. "Now come on. Let's get out of here."
"Tell the pilot we need to go to the hospital first," Seto told him as they began to pile in. "One of us is seriously injured and we have a child that needs to be looked over."
Roland looked at Tristan, who was being laid on on the long seats, his head in Duke's lap, then the little boy on Yami's back. "Very well, sir."
As they all took their seats, Seto pulled Joey into his lap, holding her possessively. Joey held on to him just as much, closing her eyes as she took in his touch and scent.
"I want you to get looked over too, Pup." Seto said.
Joey shook her head. "I'm fine, Seto," she told him, sitting up straight and looking into his eyes. "The only thing he got to do was this before good ol' Red Eyes showed up." She showed him the cut on her palm before indicating the bruises and other injuries. "Da rest o' these are from mergin' with Red Eyes. As cool as it is dat I can do dat it hurts like a bitch!"
Seto took the injured hand and held it in both of his. "So he didn't-,"
"Oh, trust me, he wanted to," Joey said with a disgusted snarl. "Said dat was how he was gonna take my powa's."
Seto stared for a moment before sighing in defeat. He pressed his forehead to Joey's and said, "I've had enough of magic."
Joey laughed. "You and me both."
A small clearing of throat brought them to attention, finding Serenity sitting next to them. Her brow was raised and her arms were folded.
"Are you going to explain all this now," she asked, a tiny grin appearing on her face, "Big Sister?"
Seto couldn't help but laugh at the way Joey's eye twitched.
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Yay! I didn't kill Seto! But Tristan's still in trouble! Gah!