Well, here is chapter eleven. After this chapter, there will only be one filler chapter in between each duel chapter. And we are only eight chapters away from the end. I'm happy about that but also not so much, I guess you could say, and that's only 'cause I'm stuck on how to continue White Radiance but I'll figure it out. :)
Anyway, thank you to SuperNeos2, dragonrider90, bobmanv2.0, DarkZorua100, EndlessNight025, decode9, a1993, weather741, Kamen Rider Sting, iloveyugiohGX93, Lightclaw's Shadow and Sorcerer of the Stories for reviewing the last chapter. You guys are the greatest.
Oh and thank you to EndlessNight025 for being an awesome beta-reader as always.
Well, I do hope that you enjoy this chapter and, yes, there is a slight cliffhanger and the next chapter will be the second of the last five duels of this story. Reviews, as always, are much appreciated.
11
Midnight
Jaden and his dad were released from the hospital the following evening. The doctors only advised them to take it easy and that Kaede shouldn't drive for a while until the headaches subsided. Jaden, too, was experiencing headaches often since he woke up, but he figured that was because of how hard he had hit his head on the window.
Emily had picked them up as she had been visiting Alexis anyway.
"I'm glad you two are all right," she said as she guided the car out of the parking lot and began driving toward the hotel.
"Other than the occasional headache, but the doctor's say it could've been so much worse," Kaede said.
"Thank God it isn't," Emily said. "Raiden and Kasumi have been worried since they saw the accident on the news. At least Jaden was able to call them to let them know you two were all right."
Kaede nodded. "Any news on the person who hit us?" he asked.
Emily nodded. "Turns out they had just run a red light and hadn't been paying attention," she said.
Jaden looked at the note that had been left for him and closed his eyes. I guess he wasn't behind it, he thought.
'Yes. I agree that it probably was an accident and Kaage just happened to be watching,' Yubel said.
I suppose when I thought it was his fault, it's because I feel I'm starting to get a bit paranoid, Jaden thought.
'All things considered, I'm not surprised.'
Jaden crumpled up the note before stuffing it into the pocket of his pants as the car drew to a stop in front of the hotel. The three of them got out and headed into the hotel, where Kaede and Jaden were immediately confronted by Kasumi.
"Are you two all right?" she asked, worry etched into her face.
"We're okay, Kasumi," Kaede assured his daughter.
"Jaden?" Kasumi glanced at Jaden.
"I'm fine, Kas," Jaden said softly. At least from the accident.
"Kasumi, would you go find your brother and tell him to meet us in our room?" Kaede asked suddenly, causing Jaden to glance at his dad wonderingly.
"Sure, I think he and Atticus are in Atticus's room. Why?" Kasumi asked.
"'There's something I've got to tell you three and I think it would be best if I do so now," Kaede said.
"All right." Kasumi left, though with an air of confusion around her.
Jaden couldn't help but feel confused as well.
Sometime later, the Yukis found themselves in the room Jaden and Raiden shared with their dad. Kaede told them to sit down and started pacing, as if trying to figure out how to start whatever he wanted to tell them.
"Do you have any idea what this is about?" Raiden asked.
Jaden shook his head. "He did say something about warning you two to not leave the hotel," he said.
"Because of Kaage?"
"He didn't tell me why, but that's probably the reason," Jaden said with a shrug.
Kasumi pressed her lips together thoughtfully. "Makes sense that he'd want to prevent what happened to Alexis from happening to us," she said. Of course he doesn't know that Kaage can still get in here and kidnap us like he did with Alexis, she thought but knew there was no point in saying that since her adopted dad wouldn't believe her anyway.
Kaede sighed and turned to them. "That's the main reason why I don't want you three to leave the hotel until Kaage is caught," he said. "But I actually wanted to talk to you about Kaage."
"What about him?"
"I want to talk to you about why I think he's coming after us," Kaede said.
Jaden frowned, wondering what his dad was talking about.
Raiden voiced what he was thinking out loud. "What are you talking about, Dad?" he asked.
"I knew Kaage," Kaede said. "Not well, but I did know him and his brother and their friends. You see, back when I was working with the police force before I quit, we had apprehended Kaage Naka and his brother and their companions and arrested them for a crime. However, the only evidence we had was the testimony of a witness that the brothers' attorney didn't believe was reliable. Still, they were convicted and spent several years in prison before they were released. Before they were sentenced, Kaage vowed to get revenge on me since I was the one who had arrested him. That is the reason why he orchestrated you two being kidnapped, Jaden, Raiden."
"Wait, what?" Jaden frowned. "What do you mean he orchestrated our kidnapping? How do you know that?"
"Because it was Kaage who called us and told us where you two were and what would happen to you unless we sent someone to negotiate with the kidnappers. None of us knew that it was a trap, though," Kaede explained.
"So, Kaage was behind us being kidnapped? And just when I thought I couldn't hate the bastard more than I already do," Jaden muttered. Raiden placed an arm around his younger brother's shoulder before looking at his dad.
"So why are you telling us this now, Dad?" he asked.
"To apologize," Kaede said.
"You have nothing to be sorry for, Dad. You were just doing your job," Kasumi said assuredly.
Besides, that is not why Kaage is doing this, Jaden thought.
'It could be, Judai. He could want to kill two birds with one stone and get his revenge on both you and your father,' Yubel pointed out in his mind.
He thought about that for a moment and realized that if Kaage really was seeking vengeance against his dad as well as him, then Yubel was probably right.
. . .
"Mommy! Mommy!"
A slim black-haired woman turned before kneeling down in front of a tiny three-year-old Chazz. "What's the matter, Chazz?" she asked gently, wiping away Chazz's tears.
"I had a bad dream," the little boy whimpered, tears in his dark eyes.
The woman gently lifted him into her arms. "It's all right, little one, it's all right. It was just a dream," she said gently, rocking the boy until his crying died away. While that was happening, she turned toward two boys who were standing nearby.
"Slade, Jagger, could you take your brother back to his room?" she asked.
"All right, Mom," Slade said, walking forward and taking Chazz's little hand in his as his mother put him on the ground.
"Mommy? Where you goin'?" Chazz whimpered.
His mother smiled gently at him. "I just have an errand to run. I'll be back in an hour, if not less," she said. "Get some sleep, Chazz."
"Okay, love you, Mommy."
"I love you, too."
Chazz let his brothers guide him away, unaware that was the last time he would ever be seeing his mother.
The following day, Slade would be receiving the news about the car accident that took his mother's life. He and Jagger spent the next hour trying to calm Chazz down and assure him that everything would be all right.
Chazz blinked as he sat up on his bed. It had been a while, years in fact, since he had last thought about the last time he had spoken to his mother and how his brothers had comforted him and helped him to get over their mother's death. Back when he was younger, his brothers had actually acted the way brothers should.
What changed?
When exactly did Slade and Jagger start caring more about world domination than their own family?
He rested his head back on his pillow, not knowing the answer to that. He thought, not for the first time, about Jaden's relationship with his own brother, and felt that spark of jealousy go through him. He still wished he could have that kind of relationship, but it was not to be; his brothers didn't want him and hadn't done anything to make Chazz change his mind about that matter.
Could I maybe talk to them if they wake up? No, if they had changed their minds about disowning me as they did then they should've told me. I won't go to 'em, I don't need 'em, Chazz thought firmly.
Despite telling himself that and while he may not need his brothers, a part of him did long for family and a home, for brothers or siblings who actually cared about him.
He pushed those feelings away and sat up. He had been thinking a lot about this since learning that his brothers were in Honolulu with him and it was starting to get repetitive.
His mind went to Celina and he wondered if Slade and Jagger had been attempting to replace him with her; she did say that they had offered to adopt her. Though she turned them down, it still hurt to hear that they had done that. They hadn't even told him that they were planning on doing that.
Truth be told, Chazz wouldn't have minded a younger niece.
Sighing when he realized that his mind was just too awake for him to get any rest, he swung his legs off his bed and stood up. Grabbing a shirt, his shoes and his coat—since he rarely went anywhere without it—he put them on and left his room. He didn't know where he was going; maybe he would just walk around the hotel for a while until he got tired.
The gang had decided that it would be best to stay in the hotel for the time being until Kaage was caught so that what happened to Atticus and Alexis wouldn't happen to one of them. The police were still combing the city for Kaage, but, so far, there were no new leads. It wasn't as if Chazz or anyone could tell them that Kaage had spoken to them the way that he had soon after the accident; the police would think they were crazy.
He slipped into the elevator and rode it to the bottom floor of the hotel. When he left the elevator, he was surprised to find that the lobby wasn't quite as empty as he thought it would be at that time of night.
"You're up early. You're usually out cold by now, slacker," he said, walking into the lobby where Jaden was seated on the couch, gazing through the window as shafts of moonlight drifted through the glass, illuminating Jaden's face.
"Couldn't sleep," Jaden said, turning to look at Chazz. "What about you?"
"Same," the Ojama duelist replied.
"Mm, you can sit, if ya want."
Chazz sat down on the couch and the two sat in silence for several long minutes.
"I can't stop thinking about what happened to Alexis," Jaden said, breaking the silence as he returned his gaze to the window. "I mean, where did Kaage get that ability?"
"I'm guessing that golden bracelet he was wearing. Where he got a Shadow Charm, I have no idea, though."
"I have no idea, either." Jaden trailed off and remained silent for a long moment. "I'm afraid that what happened to Alexis will happen to someone else I care about."
"Can't blame you."
Jaden drew his knees onto the couch and wrapped his arms around and rested his chin on them. "Kaage left me a note," he said.
Chazz glanced at him with a raised eyebrow. "A note? Really?"
"Yeah, he basically just said that he was going to take more people away from me like he did with Alexis." Jaden was silent for a moment, then he said, "And I just learned that he was behind what happened to me and Raiden when we were little."
Chazz raised an eyebrow. "You mean when you were kidnapped?" he asked.
"Yeah. Dad told us he was behind it. He told us because he thinks that's why Kaage is after us. Yubel thinks he wants to kill two birds with one stone; get his revenge on both me and Dad at the same time."
"Wouldn't surprise me."
Jaden was silent for a moment, then: "Chazz, can I ask you something?"
"What?" Chazz asked.
"Are you worried?"
"Hmph, your brother asked me the same question. Like I told him, with this psycho running around, why shouldn't I be worried?"
"Yeah, I guess that was a rather stupid question. I am, too, but I'm also scared." Jaden kept his gaze fixed on the window as he said those words.
"Well, if I had a madman coming after me, I'd be scared too," Chazz said. "Not that I am 'cause I'm not." He was lying; he was scared, but he didn't want to admit it.
Jaden cast him a sidelong look that suggested he didn't believe him, but he didn't call him out on it. Instead, he said, "I'm mostly scared about Raiden and Kasumi. Kaage seems to know exactly where to strike to hurt me the most. He took my girlfriend and I'm afraid that he'll go after Raiden and Kasumi next."
"I'm not surprised. They are your family," Chazz said, unable to keep the bitterness out of his voice.
Jaden released his knees and folded them beneath him as he turned to face the Ojama duelist. "What's the matter?" he asked, hearing the bitterness.
"Nothing," Chazz said shortly, looking away.
Jaden raised an eyebrow, not believing him. "Well, if you don't wanna talk about it, I won't make you," he said, turning his gaze back to the window.
Chazz bit his lip. He didn't want to reveal the reason why he was so bitter when he talked about family; he didn't exactly have that great of a family himself. His parents were dead, his brothers could care less about him. It wasn't the picture perfect family that Jaden seemed to have.
Once again, a spark of jealousy went through him.
"You're lucky," he said.
Jaden looked at him, confused. "Lucky? I wouldn't count myself lucky right now," he said.
"No, I mean you're lucky that you have a family," Chazz said. "You have people who care about you."
Jaden sighed. "Yeah, and Kaage is using that against me," he said. "But you make it sound like you don't have people who care about you, Chazz. What about Arina?"
Chazz pressed his lips together before just deciding to come out and say what was on his mind. "Well, duh, she's my girlfriend and I know that she cares, slacker. I just meant that I don't have what you have."
"What I have? What do you mean?"
Chazz scowled. "A family, slacker," he snapped. "You have a family who actually cares about you." That time, he could not keep the jealous-tone out of his voice.
Jaden blinked. Is he jealous? he thought.
Chazz folded his arms across his chest, not sure why he was talking as much as he was, but he went on because it felt good to finally get his thoughts off his chest. "I see how you interact with your dad and your siblings and I can't help but wish I had that kind of relationship. I'm jealous, okay? I'm jealous of what you have with your own siblings. I'm jealous that I don't have a family that cares about me as much as your family cares about you."
He fell silent, feeling strangely light now that he had finally gotten that off his chest. His feelings of jealousy had been simmering beneath the surface for months now, only coming out whenever he thought too much about how different his relationship with his brothers was compared to Jaden's relationship with his siblings.
Jaden continued to gaze at him, silent, contemplative.
"Chazz, you do have that. I care about you."
Chazz turned to stare at the brunet in surprise and confusion.
Jaden gave him a small smile. "Family is about more than just blood, Chazz, it's also about choice. Just look at Kasumi. My parents, Raiden, and I aren't related to her by blood, but she is still family. And I see you as family too, like a foster brother."
Chazz continued to stare at him, stunned by his rival's words, the same rival whom he hadn't treated very well during the first half of their first year at Duel Academy.
Jaden stood up and yawned. "Well, I'll leave you to think about that. I think all this talking has tired me out. Maybe I'll be able to get some sleep now. Night, Chazz."
"Yeah, night," Chazz murmured distractedly, his thoughts churning in his head as the E-Hero duelist walked toward the elevator, leaving Chazz alone with his thoughts.
. . .
Kyle was pacing.
"Will you stop pacing, Kyle?" Keith said with a sigh.
"Sorry, but I'm just agitated," Kyle said, throwing himself into an armchair. "I miss Alexis."
"You ain't the only one, Kyle, but I'm sure she'll be all right."
Kyle didn't believe that but, since Keith didn't know the true story behind what happened to Alexis, he didn't know what was really wrong with her. "I hope that they catch Kaage soon," he said instead.
Keith leaned back against the armchair he was in. "I agree. Mom and Dad are pretty worried themselves. There's been no change in Alexis's condition," he said.
Kyle clenched his hand into a fist. "After what happened to Alexis and Atticus, I'm scared of what will happen next, especially since that psycho hasn't been caught yet," he said quietly.
Keith stood up before walking over to the armchair and placing a hand on Kyle's shoulder. "I know, I am, too," he said. "I'm planning on going to meet up with Joey and the others. Do you want to come with?"
Kyle shook his head. He didn't mind Joey and the others, though it wouldn't be all the others since Bakura and Celina had left the day before so that they could start working on Celina's stay overseas, but he just didn't feel up to it right now.
"All right." Keith straightened before turning around and walking out of the hotel room.
Kyle sighed and closed his eyes. He remained that way for a few minutes before his phone vibrated, indicating that he had a text.
Reaching over for his phone, Kyle looked at it, frowning when he noticed it was a text coming from Alexis's number. He briefly recalled that the gang had never grabbed Alexis's phone when they left the warehouse.
He opened the text, reading it to himself.
[Do you want your cousin's soul back?]
Of course Kyle did and he said as much in the text he sent back. The reply came only a few minutes after he sent his text.
[Then come and get it, if you can beat me, that is. One hour, where we last met. Do not tell the police.]
Kyle pressed his lips together as he gazed at the last text before he closed his phone and closed his eyes, wondering what he should do. He wanted to get Alexis's soul back but he knew that it was risky; he could be walking straight into a trap.
And yet, what else was he supposed to do?
His phone vibrated again and he opened it before reading the text.
[If you tell the police, I will ensure that you never get your cousin's soul back.]
Kyle decided that it was definitely going to be a trap. It wasn't as if the police could help. The only way to get Alexis's soul back was to defeat the duelist who took it; at least, that's what Kyle figured given what happened with Camula.
He pressed his lips together as he thought about whether to go through with this or not. It would be risky and he would be putting his own soul on the line, but he had to try. Beating Kaage would mean saving the souls of who knows how many others, including his cousin's.
His mind made up, Kyle stood up, grabbed his deck and borrowed his brother's duel disk before he headed out, knowing it would take him some time to reach the warehouse.
. . .
"Why're you out here, Chazz?" Arina asked, leaning against the railing on the balcony and causing Chazz to jump.
"Don't sneak up on me like that," the black-haired duelist protested.
Arina chuckled. "Sorry," she said.
Chazz grunted before folding his arms and resting them on the railing. "I'm just thinking," he said in response to Arina's question.
"About what?"
Chazz shrugged. "Just things," he murmured.
Arina rested her head on his arm. "You can talk to me," she said.
"I know." Chazz fell silent, then: "The slacker said he considered me part of his family, a foster brother, he said."
Arina lifted her head. "He did? When was this?"
"Earlier today."
"What did you say?"
"Nothing. I didn't know what to say. I'd like to see him as family, since he does treat me better than my brothers do but..."
"Are you afraid of what your brothers will think about this?"
"No…yes…I don't know. I guess a part of me is, but they don't seem to want anything to do with me. They basically tried to replace me."
Arina frowned. "With Celina?" she asked.
"Yeah, she said that they had asked to adopt her, though she turned them down, but they hadn't even told me about that."
Arina nodded but, before she could say anything, the door opened.
Raiden poked his head in. "Sorry to bother you, but have you two seen Kyle?" he asked.
"No, why?" Chazz asked.
"He's gone," Raiden said worriedly. "Keith had just gone to visit his friends and when he came back, Kyle was gone and so was his deck, his phone and Keith's duel disk."
Chazz's brow furrowed. "Where would he go?" he asked.
"I dunno, but we're searching the hotel now and, so far, no one's been able to find him."
"That's not good," Arina said. "Why don't we help with the search, Chazz?"
Chazz nodded and followed Arina as she led the way out of the hotel room and the two of them joined with Raiden in searching the hotel for Kyle.
. . .
Kaage relaxed against the wall, eyes closed; the warm rays of sunlight shone down on him. He fingered the diamond-shaped crystals that hung around his neck; seven glowing ones with an eighth empty one that would soon be filled.
'Do you suppose he will come?' Dark Shadow murmured.
I have observed him and he is very loyal to his family. I have no doubt he would do anything to get his cousin's soul back, Kaage thought.
'Why him, though? There are plenty of others to choose from.'
Call it a random choice. After all, I don't really care who I take so long as the person is connected to the little monster in some way. I already have plans for the last two that I am going to target, though.
A quiet sinister laugh sounded in the back of his mind. 'Yes, your last two targets will definitely break the boy and it will be that much easier for both of us to kill him,' he mused.
Indeed. Things are going exactly as I have planned, Kaage thought; his eyes fluttered open and he pushed himself away from the wall.
The hour was almost up and his next victim was very likely almost there.
Time for Victim #8 to fall, he thought with a cool smirk.
…
A/n what do you think?
Blaze: and there you have it. Chapter 11 has been posted (smiles happy)
Bakura: whatever (goes to rob Gringotts)
Blaze: you know, one of these days he's going to rob Gringotts so many times that there's going to be nothing left. Oh and I don't own Harry Potter.
Yami: I'm surprised it's not empty yet
Marik: honestly, so am I
Jaden: hi
Jesse: hi
Chazz: 'sup?
Blaze: hi, Jaden, Jesse, Chazzy
Chazz: (growls) don't call me Chazzy!
Blaze: (shrugs) fine, fine, but only 'cause you're my fourth favorite character
Chazz: still can't believe a psychotic duel spirit is higher on the list of your favorite characters than The Chazz
Yubel: I am not psychotic! That's Haou
Haou: yeah (realizes what Yubel actually said) hey!
Jaden: well, she ain't wrong
Haou: (grumbles under breath)
Jesse: so any question today?
Blaze: (pouts) unfortunately, no, I can't think of any that I haven't already used
Jaden: so anything else you wanna tell your readers?
Blaze: well, other than that Yu-Gi-Oh!/Yu-Gi-Oh! GX crossover story that I'm working on, nope, though I am having fun with it. Writing from the perspective of a five-year-old is definitely interesting and fun (wanders off)
Chazz: why does she always do that?
Jaden: no idea
Jesse: please review and, since the next chapter does have a duel in it and she will be sending it to her beta-reader on Friday, it should be posted Sunday, Monday at the latest.