A/N: Sorry for the delay. This time it was a combination of school, work, and the University of Georgia vs Auburn football game. Let me just say:
Who's that comin' down the track?
Amean machine in Red and Black!
Ain't nothin' Finer in the land,
Then a drunk obnoxious Georgia fan!
Go Dawgs! Go Dawgs! Go Dawgs! Go Dawgs!
Gooooo Dawgs! Sic 'em! Woof! Woof! Woof!
The Bulldawgs wiped the floor with Auburn, winning 34-7. Oh, HECK YES! The student section was wild and alive Just live downtown Athens is right now. Long live the Bulldawg Nation!
*ahem*
I'm using this fic as my NaNoWriMo project. I'm only counting the words I've written/posted in the month of November (Yes, I have permission from NaNoWriMo to do that) but even that's chapters 38 to this one so far which is over halfway there. Yay! I've never done this before. I'm so proud of myself. And so tired.
But now, I present part 2 of the Triad Courts.
Chapter 44 summary: In which the Light Triad finally makes an appearance, get bad news, worry about friends, and the King may have made things worse.
Dark Thoughts for the Triad of the Light
Yuugi floated in the soft embrace of the Shadows before reappearing in a kneeling position just above a sea of clouds. The sun blazed in the blue expanse above him warming his Shadows with its welcome rays. The King heaved a sigh taking in the fresh scent of the wind and the distant hint of rain. This could not last forever, though. He had a job to do.
He extended an arm, opening his hand, palm up in a gesture of welcome and waited. After a moment, a hand caught his firmly with the rough strength of a knight. Yuugi grinned and opened his eyes to see Jounouchi standing in front of him with a cheeky grin. The blonde winked and flash him a thumbs up before walking to stand by the King's side.
Yuugi opened his hand once more and waited for another hand to catch his. This one was slender and delicate but had a strength unique to its owner. When he opened his violet eyes again, he gave a shy smile to his pretty Emissary. Anzu laughed and mussed her King's hair fondly before stepping up to stand on Yuugi's other side.
One last time, Yuugi extended his hand and waited for the last of his Triad, the Rook, to answer his call. He smiled when his hand was gripped, this time by a large hand. He opened his eyes and offered Honda a brilliant smile. Honda saluted then tackled his King in a huge huge hug.
"Bear hug?" Jounouchi asked, a manic light in his expressive brown eyes. "Count me in!"
He glomped both Yuugi and Honda laughing obnoxiously. Yuugi staggered under the combined weight of his two friends and their hysterical laughter. Anzu laughed at her friends' antics but wisely chose to stay out of the pile of bodies. Honda smacked Jounouchi's back from around Yuugi, beaming.
"Hey buddy!" Honda exclaimed joyfully. "It's been too long, man. How's my partner in crime?"
Jounouchi stepped back so Honda could pick up Yuugi and sling him casually over his shoulder in a classic fireman's hold. "Oh, you know," the blonde said, puffing his chest out boldly. "Savin' people, fightin' bad guys, bein' awesome. The usual."
Honda snorted. "And you're leaving me out of it?" He shifted Yuugi to a more comfortable position when the King began to flail and struggle, pleading with his friends to put him down. Anzu walked around behind Honda and waved to her King.
"It's good to see you Yuugi-kun, " she said. "I'm sorry I've been so busy lately."
Yuugi coughed and sighed gustily, trying to adapt to Honda's sharp shoulder digging into his gut. He lifted his head and smiled awkwardly. "It's no trouble at all," he said. "I'm glad you're fnally getting to perform. What show are you in?"
Anzu positively glowed. "Actually, I'm a chorus member in The Mystery of Edwin Drood."
"The what now?" Jounouchi asked, poking his his head around Honda to stare incredulously at Anzu. "What kin'a name is 'at?"
Anzu straightened her shoulders and crossed her arms in a self-righteous huff. "It happens to be musical based on a book by Charles Dickens," she said. "Dickens died while writing it and didn't leave any notes so no one knows the ending."
"But," Honda titled his head in confusion, "if no one knows the ending, how can it be a musical?" He turned to face Anzu forcing the still dangling Yuugi to flail and try to peer awkwardly around Honda's side to see his friends.
"Because," Anzu said, raising a finger and waving it like a mother would to a naughty child, "it's a finish-it-yourself musical. There are lots of different ending combinations with each character getting the chance to be the murderer, any two characters to be the lovers, and several other things. The audience chooses who's who and we act it out according to their results."
Yuugi lifted his head with an excited grin on his face. "That sounds amazing, Anzu-chan." He coughed, wriggling in another pathetic attempt to free himself from Honda's grip, falling limp when he failed once more. Weakly, he raised his head again and said as he best he could, "I'll try to come see at least one of your performances if I can. I'm sure Kaiba-kun can help us out."
"Us?" Honda asked.
"Well, 'e means me too, o' course," Jounouchi crowed. "I'm chillin' wit' him as it is so I might as well come along."
"I'll pop in and join you," Honda said.
Jounouchi smirked. "Naw man. It's a men's only shindig."
"Hey! You're one to talk, Jounouchi-kun," the brunette retorted in mock offense.
"I'm the one to talk," Jounouchi proclaimed, planting his fists on his hips proudly.
"Um," Anzu said, peering around Honda at her King in mild concern, "Honda-kun, would you mind putting Yuugi-kun down? I'm not sure he can breathe."
Honda rolled his eyes but obediently set Yuugi down. To the amusement of his friends, Yuugi promptly coughed and gulped in a lungful of fresh air, holding his aching stomach. Of course, Jounouchi, ever the concerned friend, slapped Yuugi's back eliciting a startled yelp.
"There," the blonde said jovially. "All better."
The King sighed tolerantly before straightening and running a hand through his hair, attempting to get it under control. "Well," he said, eyes growing solemn, "while it is nice to see all of you again, I'm afraid this is a serious call."
Immediately, his friends stopped messing around and turned to him attentively. Yuugi regretted keeping them from being happy and taking advantage of this chance to catch up but this was a serious matter and had to be dealt with. "Do you remember when we went into the Pharaoh's Memory World?"
"Yeah," Honda said, face flushing. "I'm still not happy about that."
"It wasn't your fault, Honda-kun," Anzu said, placing a soothing hand on her friend's shoulder.
"Shoot, it wa'n't even Bakura's idea. It was that Zorc guy," Jounouchi said. "Bastard's dead, so just relax already. No one blames ya."
"It's true," Yuugi said, giving his Rook an encouraging smile. "It wasn't your fault. However, speaking of Zorc, do any of you remember a man in the Memory World named Akhenadin-san?"
"Wasn't he Kaiba-kun's, er, Priest Set-san's father?" Anzu asked.
"Yeah, the guy with the Millennium Eye, right?" Honda asked.
Yuugi nodded. "He's back."
"What?!" the brunettes exclaimed whirling to Jounouchi for confirmation. They were not pleased when the Knight of the Light nodded gravely.
"It's true," the blonde said. "I haven' actually seen th' bastard yet, but Set and Kaiba did 'n they ain't takin' it too well, if ya know what I mean."
"I can imagine," Anzu murmured. "What happened? Are they alright?"
"Not even close," Jounouchi said. "Set's takin' it badly to the point 'e had a meltdown 'n almost lost a Shadow Game in Kaiba's mind." The two Lights stared at Jounouchi in blatant shock. "Not ta mention the first time Kaiba fig'red out it was Akhenadin, he 'bout blew a gasket."
"He cut himself off from the Shadows entirely," Yuugi finished body slumping under his friends' stunned stares.
"So he did that deliberately," Honda said, pondering the ramifications of such an act. "I mean, I felt the imbalance thing and all but…geez." He ran a hand through his styled brown hair trying to comprehend what he was hearing. "Is he okay now?" He flushed. "Or as okay as he can be considering…yeah."
Yuugi grimaced. "Not as well as I'd prefer, no. Seth-san's becoming more active than before. He's actually managed to consciously control Kaiba-san's body."
"Seriously?" Honda gasped.
"I'm sure Kaiba-kun didn't take that too well," Anzu said.
Jounouchi shook his head. "He actually took it much better than I thought he would," he said. "I think Seth's growing on him."
"Actually," Yuugi said hesitantly, "I think, well Yami and I think...Seth-san might be a Ba."
For a moment, no one said anything. Then Jounouchi blurted quite intelligently, "Say wha?"
The King sighed. "We think Seth-san might be a Ba and that Kaiba-kun could be his Ka."
"Well shit."
"My thoughts exactly," Honda agreed.
Anzu nodded. "While I can't agree with the wording," she glared at Jounouchi who shrank under her glare, "I do agree with Jounouchi-kun's sentiment." Her soft blue eyes focused on Yuugi with open concern. "Are you absolutely sure?"
The King nodded reluctantly. "Yeah. And I don't think Kaiba-kun's taking to the idea very well."
"I bet he isn't," Honda groaned. "He's probably furious."
"That's just it," Yuugi said in exasperation. "He's probably furious and rejected Seth-san."
Anzu's eyes grew sad. "What'll happen if he rejects Seth-san completely?"
The King's form drooped. "If we're right and Seth-san is a Ba and Kaiba-kun is his Ka and Kaiba-kun rejects him, then it's likely he'll vanish."
"Vanish?" The Emissary gasped in horror.
Yuugi nodded. "That's our best guess, Yami's and mine anyway." He lifted his head. "We've never heard of a lone Ka being reborn before, just lone Ba. Ba and Ka are both the weakness of their opposite but they also represent the strength the other lacks. If a Ba is reborn without its Ka, it typically dies young, too weak to sustain the stress and energy of keeping the body alive. Ka are naturally stronger than Ba in such respects and can survive longer without a Ba, but in return they tend to be somewhat unbalanced."
"But," Jounouchi said, scratching his head in confusion, "Kaiba's the Regent. He's in charge of the balance. If he's not balanced then-"
"He is though," Yuugi countered. "He has Seth-san right now. It's only if he rejects Seth-san completely that he'll fall out of balance."
"I'm guessing it won't be good if that happens," Honda said.
Yuugi shook his head. "No, it won't. He'll most likely go insane from the loss or become so depressed he'll destroy himself." The King hugged himself, imagining what Yami experienced when he had been taken by the Orichalcos. "Remember when Dartz-san stole my soul?" he asked. Anzu, Honda, and Jounouchi nodded, their faces shadowed at the unpleasant memories. "Remember how Yami acted when I was gone?" His friends nodded again uncomfortably, minus Jounouchi who ducked his head. Yuugi felt guilty for dredging up the bad memories. "Imagine that, only worse because once a Ba vanishes, they're gone for good."
Anzu hugged herself too, horrified by the very idea. "So what do we do?" she asked, eyes filling with determination. "How do we help?"
"I think you mean how can we help," Honda said. "We aren't exactly there right now."
Yuugi sighed. "That's another thing. I want to merge this Court with Kaiba-kun's if that's alright. We can discuss the plan for tomorrow and I was hoping I could try to talk some sense into him. I'll try talking to him privately, but if that fails, I'll need the backup." Violet eyes hardened. "I'm not going to loose Kaiba-kun or Seth-san if I can help it."
Anzu burst into a smile. "Yes! Of course. Besides, I've been meaning to catch up with Mai-san and Ishizu-san. No offense, but you men aren't exactly fashion forward."
Yuugi laughed while Jounouchi squawked and Honda groaned. He took advantage of his friends' distraction to reach out with his Shadows and feel for Kaiba's Shadows. He was mildly surprised when he did not receive a response from his Regent but from Seth. It was confirmation enough, however, that permission was granted so he grabbed a hold of Seth's Shadows and together they pulled. Yuugi was vaguely aware of the scenery blurring and morphing around him. When the King's vision cleared, he blinked in surprise to see Seth standing in front of him in the middle of the courtyard of the palace in Ancient Egypt appearing just as Seth and Yuugi remembered it.
"Greetings my King," Seth said simply, kneeling on one knee, both arms crossed over his chest so his fingertips touched the opposite shoulders.
Anzu breathed, "That's…"
"Seth!" Kaiba's voice called, interrupting her.
Everyone looked up to see Kaiba standing behind Seth, pulling his Egyptian counterpart up from the submissive position and stepping forward so he stood between Yuugi's Triad and his own. Anzu blinked when she saw someone she did not recognize standing with Kaiba's Triad.
"Who's he?" Honda asked, nodding to the newcomer.
"Who do you think, idiot?" Kaiba snapped, crossing his arms and glaring at Honda as he stepped slightly in front of Seth, almost blocking him from view.
Honda growled but Anzu noticed the protective move. Maybe there was hope yet for Kaiba and Seth. She was interrupted from her thoughts by Honda's voice.
"I meant the other strange person, jackass," the Rook said in annoyance.
"Kaiba-kun's new kohai," the King said in English, smiling proudly at Kaiba who just snorted.
"Name's Oliver Queen," the newcomer said, stepping around Kaiba and holding out his hand.
Honda took the offered hand with a wide smile and shook it enthusiastically. "Honda Hiroto," he said in English. "Or, actually, I guess for you it'd be Hiroto Honda." He grinned. "You Westerners are so weird saying your names backwards."
Anzu rolled her eyes and pushed past her friend to take Oliver's hand next. "It's only backwards to us because we're not used to it. Besides, it goes both ways. They think our names are backwards. Anzu Mazaki," she said in the Western style. "I've been living in New York for the past year or so," she shrugged with a friendly smile, "so I'm used to this."
Oliver looked impressed. "New York? What for?"
She smiled brightly. "I want to be a professional dancer."
"And she's well on her way to doing it," Yuugi said proudly. "She's already got a part as a chorus member of a play."
"Really?" Oliver said. "Which one?"
"The Mystery of Edwin Drood," Anzu announced with pride.
Oliver nodded with obvious interest. "I've heard of that play. I'm sorry I'm not much into the arts, but I 've heard that play's supposed to be good."
At that moment, Mai stepped up and snagged Anzu in a hug. "Hey there girl," she said. "Sorry I haven't been up your way in a while. We have to get a coffee together or something."
"Indeed," Ishizu said, joining in. "You did promise to do my nails last time we met."
Anzu beamed. "That offer's still open."
Kaiba groaned. "Someone stop them so this doesn't last all night." He sent Oliver a burning glare when the vigilante had the audacity to laugh. Oliver did not flinch at the glare; he just shrugged with a helpless grin.
"I do not understand," Seth said, brows drawn down in confusion. "What do you mean by 'all night?' I am not strong enough to hold this form for that long."
"I would also like to sleep tonight," Shaadi said, avoiding Ishizu's eyes.
Jounouchi nodded. "Yeah. We gotta be ready for tomorrow. Akhenadin was hard ta beat the first time," he said, his brown eyes glancing at Kaiba and Seth who visibly flinched at the name. "This time he's got backup."
"We're going to hold a full Judgment Game," Yuugi said sternly, "which means we'll need all of you ready to act when we summon you."
"I have a performance tomorrow," Anzu said biting her lip nervously. "It's in the late afternoon though so I should be okay to join you if it's before then."
"It will be," Seth said firmly. "The Traitor always rose early before the sun crested the horizon. It is likely he will be preparing himself for the meeting before we rise from slumber." Kaiba clicked his tongue and muttered something under his breath that caused Seth to flush and duck his head.
Yuugi studied the interaction between Seth and Kaiba with concern. There was something both right and wrong about it. They stood close but separate, avoiding any and all contact with each other, even though it was painfully obvious both were paying a large amount attention to each other. Yet every time Seth tried to get closer in any way, he was met by a wall of ice and rejection. It worried the King.
Yuugi knew what Seth had become but he was not sure Kaiba was aware. If his Regent was unaware that Seth's connection to him ran deeper than any incarnation, attached spirit, or magic, then that would explain the rejection. But that still did not explain why Seth was in such a depressed mood. Unless he was already reaching a breaking point.
"Seth," Yuugi asked softly in hieratic. Clear glacial blue eyes lifted and met Yuugi's soft violet. "Are you unwell?"
Seth did not answer verbally, choosing instead to begin explaining their plans for tomorrow to Anzu and Honda. Yuugi blinked at the subtle rebuttle and turned to Kaiba for an explanation but his Regent was avoiding his gaze. Seizing his chance, Yuugi grabbed Kaiba's arm and pulled him aside.
"What is going on with Seth?" he demanded in urgent hieratic.
Kaiba crossed his arms defensively and glowered at the King. "He's being a nuisance."
"How?"
"He keeps saying stupid, useless things," the KaibaCorp CEO said vaguely.
Yuugi's eyes narrowed. "Tell me Regent," he said firmly, using Kaiba's formal title. "What has he said?"
Kaiba stiffened when Yuugi called him by his title and his glower became a full on glare. "He all but accused me of being a Ka," he said. "A lone Ka. That's not possible. I'd be dead if that were true."
"Not necessarily," Yuugi said, shaking his head. "I was a lone Ba for sixteen years before reuniting with my Ka. It's a miracle I lasted that long. By all rights, I should have died long before that. Kas are naturally stronger than their respective Bas in ways that make it easier for them to survive in this world alone. If you are a Ka without a Ba, which I and Yami, too, believe is the case," he added, stopping Kaiba's protest cold, "then it is nothing to be ashamed of." He paused hesitantly, studying the way Kaiba's eyes grew cold and his faze became thunderous. "Even if Seth is your Ba."
"I'm whole, damnit!" Kaiba snapped loudly in hieratic drawing the attention of both of the monarch's Triads. "I don't need a separate Ba because I already have one," he continued in hieratic.
Yuugi simply stared at Kaiba's fierce electric blue eyes evenly. "Where?"
The question caught Kaiba off guard. "Where? What do you mean where?"
"Where's your Ba?" Yuugi clarified. "If you already have one, then you should be able to feel it inside you. Where is it?" Kaiba did not answer though his eyes darkened and he ground his teeth together. Yuugi shook his head. "Give Seth a chance. The worst that can happen is he's lying in which case you lose nothing. But if he's right," the King placed a hand on Kaiba arm, too short to reach his shoulder, "then you will have your Ba and you will be whole and much more powerful than you are now."
"I already am whole," Kaiba hissed vehemently.
"Are you?" Yuugi countered gently.
"Yes!"
The King stepped back, eyes filled with sadness. "Then do you accept what will happen to Seth?"
Kaiba froze. "What do you mean?"
"If a Ka rejects its Ba," Yuugi said, "then that Ba will eventually fade away into oblivion. They won't be reborn ever again. They will die permanently. And since they do not have a corresponding Ka any longer, they will never find rest in the Afterlife either. They will simply cease to exist." Kaiba's eyes grew round. "Would you accept responsibility for that happening to Seth?"
"With all due respect, my King," Seth said, cutting off Yuugi's words in sharp hieratic as he approached the two monarchs, "that is enough. I can fight my own battles. I do not need you to defend me." He met Yuugi's eyes evenly. "It was not your place to say that," he added softer.
Yuugi shook his head. "On the contrary," he argued. "It was. I won't lose any of my friends. Not if there is even the slightest chance I can stop it."
Seth smiled faintly. "You would, my King," he murmured. "But still," he insisted, "it was not your place." He turned to Kaiba who was staring at him as if seeing him for the first time. Sighing in defeat, Seth closed his eyes and bowed his head. "I will withdraw for now."
"Wait, Seth-"
Yuugi tried to reach out to the priest but stopped when Seth vanished, leaving them behind in the unified Court space. The King's shoulders sagged in depression. Perhaps he had overstepped his bounds. He glanced at Kaiba who stood still, eyes wide and staring at the place Seth had occupied mere moments ago with a stunned expression on his face, and felt both guilt and relief. Guilt because Seth was right, it had not been his place to say that. Relief because now Kaiba knew and would hopefully do something about it.
"You should dismiss your Triad, Kaiba-kun," Yuugi said in Japanese. "Then I suggest you have a talk with Seth-san."
That seemed to snap the Regent out of his shock. Blue eyes blinked, removing any trace of the shock that had been evident, replaced with stern indifference. He very deliberately stuffed his hands in his pockets, turned on his heel, and walked away.
"Kohai," he called, "Sorceress, Advisor, Priestess, wake up." Instantly, his Triad vanished from the united Court leaving him alone with the King and his Triad. "I'll be a while longer," he said. "Don't wait up."
"Hey Kaiba," Jounouchi said. "You alright man? You don' look too good."
The Regent pinned the Knight with a vicious glare that made Jounouchi flinch. Then he vanished, returning to the place where he held his Court.
"Dude," Honda muttered, "what was that for?"
"I think he's begun to realize something," Yuugi said. "And he's not sure how to deal with it."
"Tough," Anzu said, resting her hands on her hips. "He needs to learn that not everything works out the way he wants it to."
Yuugi nodded. "Yes," he said slowly. "But I can't help but wonder if I've made it worse instead of better."