A/N - Surprise! Sorry for the delay, I've only recently got the time back for writing, and have been struggling with this chapter for a long time.
Thanks to everyone that reviewed, favorited and followed this story since the last time. You're all simply amazing.
CHAPTER 19.
"However," She said, "We only have three days,"
This bombshell was met with a universal outcry of "Three days?!"
Artemis shrugged.
"That's how long Father believes the barriers will last before the Titans are released,"
"Is there anyway of bolstering them?" Kaiba said, "You know, before they release Hell on Earth,"
The Gods all shook their heads.
"They were forged in Hephaestus' Workshop in the fires of Hestia," Hermes revealed, "They were created to be unalterable,"
"Meaning," Dionysus continued, "That they're either in place completely-"
"Or not all," Grumbled Kaiba.
Silence was again prevalent in the group. It seemed that there was rather a lot to do, in a very little amount of time.
"This could actually be a good thing,"
Everyone turned to stare at the person brave enough to mutter such an absurd comment.
Yugi, however, blushed so fiercely, that he looked like a tomato.
"I-I-"
Yami placed a supportive hand on his shoulder.
"I mean, usually on our adventures, we're sort of just flung into them," he paused, "But this time, we have three whole days to prepare for what's about to come at us,"
He now shuffled his feet and attempted to look even smaller than usual.
"And that's why I think it's maybe a good thing that we have to wait,"
Jou smiled fondly at his little friend.
"Good thinking Yug',"
He ruffled Yugi's hair as well for good measure.
"Hey!"
While the mortals argued amongst themselves, Hermes thought now would be as good a time as any to leave.
After grabbing his bike, he made his way over to Dionysus, still lounging on the bench.
Nothing was said between them.
Nothing needed to be said.
Dionysus downed the rest of his glass in one go and smoothly rose to his feet.
Artemis soon joined them, and there they stood.
In that quiet street, at a convergence in history.
This was the beginning of the second Titan war, and while Hermes and Artemis were old enough to have been there for the first, Dionysus had yet to see true war.
He had never had to face a fight in which he would be truly tested to his limits – were there were no guarantees.
"Do you think-"
Hermes smiled at his baby brother.
"Dionysus, I have never seen you so serious,"
"Tis a matter to be serious upon,"
Artemis huffed and shook her head in exasperation.
"If you have time to think of such frivolities, then it is far past time to begin readying for war,"
Hermes, walking with his bike on his right and Artemis on his left, headed towards the sun – their forms fading away in the early evening sun.
"He looks so happy with them," Dionysus' voice called out to them, and they turned figures flickering, "Looks so happy to be mortal...What if...when the time comes he cannot bring himself to part from that. What if-"
He drew in a deep breath as he stood alone. Before him lay the choice that he had already made – of power and immortality. Behind him, arguing so passionately, was the reminder of the life he had never allowed himself to think about. How different would it have been, if he had been able to experience the same world his mother had?
Dionysus knew how entrancing that world was.
"They stand no chance against the Titans. It is near certain that if they involve themselves further that they will die. And yet look at them!" He gestured behind himself, "You know how Apollo gets! He is besotted with their trust! Enraptured by their affection!"
Hermes, not much more than fading light himself now – and Artemis a mere wisp – knew what this was really about.
If Apollo did not fight as one of them, there would be no victory. This would be it.
"You feel you are not ready Aesymnetes?"
Was whispered as his siblings finally vanished.
Dionysus looked over to his brother, who had already forgotten him for the company of his friends. His brother who had always been there for him – had slain the monsters before he had even been born; had welcomed him with open arms when many had scorned him; had given him a portion of his own strength so that he could thrive. Apollo: who was so much more than he.
How could he ever be ready to be a ruler over a heaven that even his brother was ready to walk away from?
With that thought he too blinked out of existence.
It had been decided, somewhere in between wrestling with Honda and shouting with Kaiba, that enough had been said on the matter for this day.
Or as Otogi put it:
"My head hurts from all this apocalypse crap. I'm gonna grab a burger and head home,"
Kaiba refused, and strode off home to Mokuba.
By the end of that day, there was little show for the rest of the gang's attempt at a battle plan, except for ketchup stains and silly grins. In fact, Jou could hardly remember how a discussion about where the Titans may arrive, had dissolved into childish name calling and then finally into a food fight of epic proportions.
Jou blamed everyone else for this act of childishness, but being honest, his smile was the biggest of the lot.
In contrast to the easy evening before, the first day began with mass panic.
Nobody knew where to be, or what they were doing or even who was turning up. However, it is a well-known fact that all the best plans started life in the Kame Game Shop. It was therefore of no surprise that it was there everyone gathered to, once the hubbub of the morning had ended.
It was also of no surprise that Kaiba chose not to join them.
"I propose that we begin our war council by observing the most ancient of all advice – 'Know Thy Enemy'" Yami stated, beginning the discussion, "So, what do we know about these Titans and the Furies who released them?"
"I wouldn' exactly call this a war council Yams," Jou snorted as he gestured to the small, comfortable living room whose coffee table they crowded around, "'Sides, I don't think we need ta worry about the Furies anymore, they ain't exactly warriors. More like vultures ready to take advantage of the carnage and choose to side with the winners,"
"You know what?" Anzu huffed, slamming her palms onto the table-top in front of her, "I think that's some of the best news we've had all week and that's making me feel a little depressed." She looked around at the rest of her friends, each face showing her the same stressed frowns. "C'mon guys, we've faced immortals beings before – remember when we beat Zorg and Dartz with his Orichalcos? We can do this if we just believe in ourselves!"
It was a speech so typically Anzu – that the rest of the Yugi-tachi couldn't help but smile.
"Well," Jou began, "From my own knowledge, I can tell ya that the Titans-"
"Awh, geez, not again!" Moaned Honda.
The whole group turned towards him, as his head slowly thudded onto the coffee table. It seemed to be taking a lot of damage today – first Anzu's slaps and then a head-butt from Honda.
"What d'ya mean 'not again?'" Jou tried to wrack his brains for the first time this conversation had happened, and found his memory lacking, "We ain't talked about the Titans before!" He paused, "And! Yami asked for it!"
Without moving his head from the table Honda gave a despairing shrug as he muttered his next words.
"Well, if it ain't the Titans, then it was the Furies, or the Gods or you, or how the Yamis came back from the dead!" He lifted his head up from the furniture and glared, "Frankly, I'm sick of all this explaining! I mean, has knowing what's out there actually helped us at all recently?"
Looks were passed around the rest of the group.
"I mean, wasn't learning more about Greek Mythology what got us into this mess in the first place?"
"I don't think that's how it works, Honda," Ryou gently comforted, placing his hand on Honda's forearm. "Ignorance is bliss is not really the case, or an option here. From the very beginning our lack of knowledge was used against us,"
Ryou let the silence soak up his words before sheepishly adding.
"However, I am also getting a bit irritated by how often we're sitting around and theorising what's happening,"
Bakura grinned from where he was slouching against the front of the sofa, notably positioning his body away from everyone while being still being in arms-length.
"More bite and less bark," He grinned, "I love it!"
"Right, short an' sweet," And with that, Jou lifted his hand and started to list off the basics.
"Titans: Immortal god-like beings who are easier to lock up than kill and want nothing more than total control and destruction of the planet," Only two fingers were raised.
"That's it?" Spluttered Honda.
Jou lowered his hand and shrugged unrepentantly at the rest of the Yugi-tachi.
"Didn't really need to know much more than that, it's always been a case of da big guys," He gestured vaguely towards the heavens, "Doing their stuff and getting on with it, with a little assistance from us lower beings,"
"So… can't we just let them get on with it?" Otogi asked.
Well, that was going to be tricky to explain.
"Ummm...well, ya see…" Jou began, "Last time this happened, there was quite a bit of….collateral damage?" Jou didn't really know why that ended up as a question, but kept going. "It more or less wiped everything out. On the bright side, it did create da Grand Canyon, but, yeah, the less fighting the better,"
"I guess, that makes sense," Yugi hedged.
General agreement, murmured its way around the table.
"But what can we do? Because, let me tell you, I'm not going to just sit here while the world is ending, like a pussy, and flutter my eyelashes to heaven for a solution!" Bakura stated.
A truly inspired idea came softly from the corner.
"What about Duel Monsters?"
All eyes flashed over to Yugi. As usual, it seems, the blushing teen shying away from the stares was the font of inspiration.
"Could we not summon monsters to help us, using shadow magic?"
"Aibou," Yami grinned, "You are, as always, simply brilliant." He turned towards Jou now, "Would our magic be effective in a battle against the Titans?"
Jou grinned back.
"Ya know, I think it might be!"
Yugi tugged on Jou's sleeve.
"Ne, Jounouchi, this way we can fight without you losing your powers!"
With that announcement, proper planning began. Notes became strewn across the table – although only those made by Anzu were in any way legible – arms and hands darted about in sync with raised voices and the carpet became ever more littered with snack wrappers.
With only a short break for lunch, the duellists in the group started to prepare their cards for war; carefully choosing the decks that would be their only defence against the immortal Titans.