A/N - Hey guys, sorry it's been so long! It's been a rough few months.
I hope you enjoy this chapter - I've had real issues on plot and I don't quite know what should come yet... Hmm...
Thanks to all my readers, specially: kitty tokyo uzumaki (Thanks for the support and candy, sorry this took so long!), Balrog Roike (You sure are on the right track, but which one? Dundun daaaa! :P), SaphrontheQuirky (Sorry about the proportion issues...As for Honda, he definitely can take things sorta calmly as Jou has told him more or less what's going on - I also can't seem to help myself with the cliffies. I think I'm addicted :D), DevilPudding101 (Thanks!), Crescent Moon Lady (Thank you so much for your encouragement - I hope you enjoy this one too.) and Ladyofthestar (My thanks to you too!)
R&R Please!
Chapter 17.
"Sister, where is your Item of Power?"
Artemis' was pale – her shoulders quivered in nervousness.
Her arms wrapped around herself in reassurance.
"I-I-I-just...I didn't mean too!"
"Sister, what have you done?" There was an urgency to his tone the gang had never heard before – suffice to say, they all felt the dread pooling in their stomachs.
"I wanted to one up you!" She blurted out, and then composed herself with a slight look of shame, "I knew you wouldn't last through your bet with Dionysus, so I came down here to show you how being mortal was really done-"
"You came here to gloat, then."
Artemis glared in his direction.
"I would not lower myself to arrogance, brother," Jou rolled his eyes, but motioned for her to continue.
The rest of the occupants in the room stared at a scene they never would have thought to see – Jou actually arguing with his sister. Sweet, naïve, Shizuka...
Not so sweet after all, if the evil looks she was giving her brother were any indication.
"In any case," she continued, "I left my Item of Power in a place no immortal would ever look for it..."
She trailed off; eyes unsure, but voice firm.
Jou looked relieved – which in turn cleared up the heavy atmosphere. He smiled to the rest of the group.
"Thank the Gods!"
Everyone else (except Kaiba) rushed towards him in happiness.
Group hugs, and manly back slaps, were shared all round, and Jou even managed to place Yugi into one of his famous headlocks.
Kaiba noticed, however, how Artemis had not joined in. Or looked even remotely happy.
"So," Jou had finally tore himself away from his beloved friends, "Go get it, and that way we'll be sure it's protected – as it'll be with you and in our sight," He grinned teasingly at her, "So, where'd you put it? In the Styx? Hidden in the branches of the apple trees in the Hesperides..."
Now it was Jou's turn to trail off.
"Sister, where-"
She flushed in embarrassment.
"I wouldn't have been a very good mortal if I used divine locations now, would I?"
The dread returned to the room instantaneously.
"Stupid b-"
Bakura was immediately silenced by a well-placed elbow to the ribs, courtesy of, surprisingly, Anzu.
Panic crept into Jou's bones.
"Get it now! Before it's too late-"
However, the sudden crashing of thunder high above and the rolling in of massive storm clouds proved beyond doubt that it already was.
Icing winds howled in from the east, causing all their jackets to flap wildly in the wild.
Eyes wide, Artemis popped out of existence, presumably to work out what exactly was happening to her Item.
However, it was already too late it seemed, as Artemis reappeared in a matter of seconds – her shoulders slumped and her eyes defeated.
"Gone..."
She had only whispered, but her single word was louder than a shout.
"Oh, Artemis, how could you be so foolish?"
Jou had meant to sound insulting, but he apparently had, as Artemis glared up at him.
"Well, where did you put yours then, Hmm? If you're so clever?" She spat.
Jou shifted in his space.
"WELL?"
The room was silent as Jou started to blush and continued to fidget. And the storm, raging above, was assuredly not helping matters any
"I think we'd all like to know that, Jounouchi," The room's head swivelled round to Kaiba, who had been the one to speak first, "However, perhaps it can be inferred from your furtive glances towards that tree over there?"
They all, except Jou, looked towards the tree.
There was nothing there.
Except Jou's bag.
"Ha!" Artemis crowed in glee, "You were call me irresponsible – you carry your item around with you and then just leave it unattended!"
Jou rolled his eyes as he tugged his bag back over to the group, his cheeks a little flushed in embarrassment.
"I haven't kept it in here the whole time! Just recently..." Everyone heard an unladylike snort from Artemis' direction, who's superior posture had returned, "...I've been getting bad feelings recently and thought it would be best to keep an eye on it,"
Artemis shook her head.
"You know, you're far too fond of that thing for your own good. If I didn't know you any better..." She trailed off with a sharp smile, "Well, I would be wondering how all you affection manifested itself-"
"Sister!"
The whole gang sniggered at Jou – even Kaiba was covering his mouth in amusement.
CRASH!
The tree Jou had just moved his bag away from had just been turned to ash in a flash of light.
"Crap, end of the world...right,"
Face still set in a frown from the teasing, Jou pulled out his lyre; its original golden form flashing in time with the lightning over head; the strings hummed and pulsed with power.
Those around stared in awe – it was the most beautiful thing they had ever seen.
Elegantly curved scrolls topped the lyre, while every string was equidistant and symmetrical to each other – and gold! Oh, so much gold! Deep and rich, the colour was enough to make any man envy its wealth and purity.
Unfortunately, Bakura was not just any man.
"Holy shit,"
His eyes practically devoured Jou's lyre – his mouth agape and drooling.
"Any chance-"
"Not on your life," Jou gave Bakura a black look and hastily covered it back up,"How about we start to think about the situation we've got? Hmmm?"
'Mortals. So easily distracted.' Jou shook his head in fondness.
"Oh, er, right!" Yugi piped up, "Well, Artemis' Item has been taken,"
Artemis glared, but before she could reply, Kaiba stepped in.
"Correct, the Item has been taken and, more than likely the Titans are being let out by the Furies as we speak,"
"What?" A sudden stream of intelligible voices came from the group, but Jou and Artemis stayed silent, and had turned very pale.
It was lucky they were immortal – or the continuous fluctuations of blood flow may have done them some damage.
"He's right...It was all planned..." Artemis whispered.
"Shit," Jou agreed.
"I don't get it," Otogi reasoned, "How, if Gods keep their Items with them at all times, could the Furies have planned this?"
"They knew about the bet..."
Jou slumped to the ground, his head lowered into his hands, and the world seemed to grow darker. It was probably a trick of the light, but Jou's eyes looked gaunt and empty at the realisation.
Artemis ran her hand through her hair.
"Mine was just an opportunity! They wanted Jou's all along! All my fault..." She straightened up and her features set determinedly, "I'm going to inform the others, don't move!"
And with those words she was gone – swift as a gust of wind.
All the gang turned towards Jou.
"Well?" Anzu turned towards Jou, her hands upon her hips, "Explain, now."
Jou licked his lips – why on earth was his mouth so dry?
"Well..."
Kaiba rolled his eyes.
"Allow me, Mutt," He sneered, "Since you do not have the brain capacity to complete full sentences at this point in time, and from the looks of things, we need to make it quick," He frowned towards the ever darkening sky, ignoring Jou's denial, "Jounouchi here, is serving as some sort of emissary to the Gods, doing a rather poor job of it – which is to be expected. The Titans have obviously been plotting with the furies for their escape, they were probably promised some sort of reward for their cooperation."
"Makes sense," Bakura nodded wisely – to the narrowed eyes of the rest of the group, "Hey, s'what I would do,"
Yami rolled his eyes.
"Cousin, continue. I sense you are on the right track,"
Kaiba sneered.
"To free the Titans, one of these so-called Items of Power are needed, which was nearly disrupted by something Motou did, but they managed to lay their filthy hands upon your sister's. Then there was what she later mentioned, Mutt, about the real target being your Item of Power and something about a 'bet'".
Otogi elbowed Honda at the back of the group.
"I wanna know more about this bet business, eh?" He smirked.
"Yes, yes" Jou huffily agreed, "But a precedent is also needed for the Titans' freedom,"
"Precedent?" Yugi queried, a frown upon his face.
"Along with an Item freeing the Titans from their prison, a precedent is needed to allow any escape from the Underworld itself," Jou rubbed his hand over his face, tired already even though it was only part-way through the afternoon. Not that you could tell any-more.
Besides that Jou was just exhausted from this whole experience – and held a strong feeling (and only that – as he was still forbidden from using any of his power's of prophecy) that there was yet more to come.
"But I've never heard of anyone escaping...Yami!"
Said person jumped as Jou's shout followed a massive rumble of thunder and streaks of lightning flashing across the sky.
War had already begun in the Heavens, and Father was calling them to battle – he would have been a fool not to recognized the earlier destruction of the tree for the message it really was.
'But if it's not sent by Hermes, it's not official...I can ignore it for now...I hope.'
"Jou?"
Tossed from his pensive thoughts, he continued.
"Yami, Bakura...how did you guys get out anyway?"
A/N - As I said, I've been having some plot issues... any suggestions? Thanks for reading this far!