Yugioh © Takahashi Kazuki
"Futatsu no Kodou to Akai Tsumi" is a song of ON/OFF
The song "I Love You" © Ozaki Yutaka
I know it will surprise a lot of my readers because this is the last chapter of this story. But please rest assure, it's not the last chapter of the whole series. As I had said in previous chapter, I cut the story into several parts and the first part is now done. As the title says, it only dedicates to "win back the Pharaoh" in a different way. I have raised many unanswered events and questions until now but only partly revealed some while leaving others in the dark, so the next part will be focus on those one by one.
Many thanks to a lot of story alerts and favorites from everyone. Special thanks to heriyandi kurosaki, Howl3, reincarnatedpharaoh, Yuna Yami Mouto, Lady Leaf8, anySuzuki, AUehara, TezuSezu, Reign Of Sorrow, kiki2222 and many guesses have reviewed this story. I love reading and rereading your reviews and love all of you very much. Your support is my motivation to continue writing this story.
I hope you all will enjoy this chapter as much as I do.
Chapter 13 - End.
"Are you even at the right age for alcohol?" Varon teased as Atemu swirled the dark red champagne in his wineglass between dainty fingers at the stem while watching Yuugi and Seto try to claw each other's throat open despite the others did all they could to calm them down. Those two obviously ignored Ishizu's endless lecture, didn't care if Marik and Otogi went around gathering betting money, brushed off Jounouchi and Honda on Yuugi's part and left Mokuba with a perplexed Amelda out of firing range on Seto's (The red head had been certain his disguise was perfected because neither Raphael nor Varon could recognize him). Ryo was happy as long his foods were not damaged in anyway. Anzu shut her mouth after Yuugi and Seto had made her see quite clearly they were far from being friends, but what then, "None of your business." Said Seto.
"I didn't have a choice when it came to this back then." The Pharaoh raised his drink at the ex-Doma members, who returned the gesture before he started sipping it. Set the glass back on the table, he continued, "It is one of the things I knew to not push my luck." As Atemu had his eyes on Seto with a curl of his lips, the trio silently noted there was another story behind that sardonic smile.
"I give up!" Mokuba threw his hands in the air and collapsed beside Amelda. "I don't even get what they are arguing about anymore!"
One hand covered his grin, Atemu chuckled. "They are getting along rather well."
"If you don't do anything soon, one of them may be murdered by the other." Mokuba muttered under his breath, half crawling on the table. He thanked Amelda shyly when the other gave him a glass of soft drink.
"This is how you do it!" Seto growled and stood, towering over Yuugi to show him just how to intimidate someone with your height (which the shorter duelist obviously lacking.)
Yuugi craned his neck up to look at the too much taller figure before him. This was unfair! He was only somewhere between Kaiba's stomach and his chest! Rooooaaarrr! He jumped to stand on tiptoes, on his chair… and what part of his hair couldn't be flattened down by gel did manage to make him taller than the reincarnated High Priest. "Take this!" Yuugi announced triumphantly with a proud smirk, hands on his hips and puffed his flat chest (Atemu wanted to check if there was any Orichalcos seal appeared on his forehead behind his mask because the familiarity was astonishing.)
Seto snorted and sat down, wrapped his arm casually around the backrest of Atemu's chair. "Come back in another ten years and we will continue this matter when you don't need to haul a chair everywhere you go, Monster-in-law."
"Aaaarg! YOU!" Yuugi screeched, pointing a finger at Seto in embarrassed anger then leaped into Atemu's waiting arms. "He is still mean!" He whined, wiggling childishly in his guardian's lap.
"Don't pout. You are feeding his ego." Atemu flicked Yuugi's forehead before hugging him indulgently.
Yuugi sniffed. "But!" And stuck his tongue at the glaring CEO.
Atemu sighed dramatically, "It's saddened me that the two most important persons to me are so often at odds with each other."
… sad… most important… sad… most important persons to me… SNAP!
"It's not what you think!" Seto and Yuugi yelled in unison and turned their head sharply to glare at each other, lightning bolts flew viciously between their eyes contact. They turned back to Atemu, "I don't hate him!" And said together at the same time again, and went back to glare at each other again.
Mokuba groaned tiredly and covered his face with his hands.
"Well, they surely look loving each other." Varon snickered into his own wine glass.
Before Atemu could say anything, a head light poured down on him and Yuugi still in his lap caused the commotion at their table to halt abruptly.
Isono blinked owlishly, almost dropped the microphone in his hand from realizing just who the heaven forbid fool beside him had pointed at. "And here is the opponent of his choice in reward for winning twice in a row! The exquisite, majestic, magnetic, Desert Rose!" The head bodyguard slash MC announced.
"What the hell did your lackey just call him?!" Yuugi hissed, kicking randomly under the table and hoped all successful blows hit Seto's shin.
"Are you sure he wants to fight her and not the midget?" Seto drawled lazily, showing an admirable restraint in holding himself off from strangling Yuugi on the spot if the other was not going to stop dirtying the table cloth with his pathetic short legs anytime soon. He would teach this shrimp how to use his legs later with his most recent courtship gift for Atemu, a Wolfdog.
"There are many strong female Duelists in our world and I have been desiring to duel one. Would you please do me the honor, Mademoiselle?" One gentleman beside Isono placed a hand across his chest and the other raised toward Atemu, palm up. The most impressive thing about this man was how he still retained enough amount of his machismo with his one eye half face lace mask crafted in delicate design of a pink rose that was of same distinctive color as his long hair and tux.
"Female!" Varon guffawed, thudding his fist on the table repeatedly. Raphael almost shoved his entire fist in the brunette's mouth to quiet him.
"It's that Sieg!" Jounouchi whisper-screeched, smart enough to volume down his voice when all attentions focused on their table.
"Zigfried von Schroeder." Yuugi and Seto corrected him, for once glaring at another target, said man, than each other.
Atemu let Yuugi slid off him when he gracefully stood so it looked like the little one was sitting next to him instead of in his lap. Inclined his head at the other man, he smiled with little to no humor in darkened crimson eyes, "I would like to, Monsieur."
"When did he learn Spanish?" Jounouchi asked stupidly.
"It's French, idiot!" Anzu shushed him.
Kaiba snapped his fingers, one of the female bodyguard stepped up with a silver briefcase housing his newest Atemu-only edition of Duel Disk. Dark ruby surface, special styled to look like a dragon wing when unfolded with enhanced voice command and brand new design for a certain card in his deck. Atemu turned to Seto in surprised, who only smirked at him.
"Won't they know his identity when he plays Dark Magician or any Egyptian God card?" Amelda questioned.
"There is no Three Phantom Gods or spellcaster monster in this prototype deck." Yuugi answered, lacing his fingers and stretched his hands along the table surface. "But it has beaten my deck that won against his main deck with them. I was even at full Life Point when he wanted to test it… and he was kind of…"
"… Wiped out Yuugi's Life Point in one turn." Jounuchi shivered in reminiscence of that duel. Otogi, Ryo, Honda and Anzu nodded after him.
"… Damn!?" Varon looked at the Pharaoh's back in wonder as he headed toward the stage. The brunette leaned closer to his friends to whisper among themselves, "Is it just me or he looks very, hm… dangerous? Just now?"
"I almost believe I was seeing thing. For one second his eyes looked like mine before somehow…" Amelda said in a low voice thick with uncertainty.
Raphael was silent. He knew there was a darker side of Atemu but he also believed the Pharaoh would get over it by himself. And if not, there were many people beside him ready to give Atemu their support, to the point maybe his turn to do so wouldn't come if the courageous miniature and vicious reincarnated cousin over there had any say in this (He still couldn't believe he had taken this Yuugi's soul for Dartz before now that he had some ideas about how their ex-enemies were when nothing like Dartz threatened their peaceful life. It only made him see more clearly how wrong he had been.)
"That was why I told you to use my collection and add drawing-counter cards before dueling him, especially when he told you he would draw over half of his deck in less than ten turns." Seto pointed out nonchalantly. "But I'm going to ban some of his and my cards in future tournaments soon."
"Why?" Yuugi tilted his head. "It's not like your and his decks are easy to duplicate. And there is only one copy of the Egyptian God series. So not many can abuse them, at least about the cards."
Seto shook his head. "You wouldn't want to hear the story how I got my three Blue Eyes White Dragons." He raised his hand to halt both Yuugi and Mokuba's protest at his remark. He knew Kaiba Seto, a part of himself, better than anyone else. "Besides, this is his idea. He says it's unfair for others when the duel is purely one-side."
Yuugi discreetly scooted closer to Seto until their side touched, he propped his chin on his folded arms on the backrest of his chair, "I think you are not the one to talk about one-side duels here." He watched Atemu summoned Big Shield Gardna in defense position and set four cards. "How many turn?"
"Seven." Seto smirked.
Yuugi glanced sideway at Seto, who also had his attention fully on Atemu. "I request a ban on using Millennium Items in guessing games."
"Doesn't matter." Seto said dismissively.
"Hn."
"When did you learn that?"
"Genetic."
"Last I check neither Siamun Muran nor your grandfather had that habit."
"You are not the only reincarnation of a Pharaoh here, you know."
"Hold it." Marik tapped the rim of his glass with a spoon to gain attention of the oblivious two.
Since Atemu failed to stop Zigfried from using Ride of the Valkyries because his trap card Royal Oppression was destroyed by Cyclone, they knew how the Schroeder CEO would play that ever same pattern of special summoning his little girls in this turn, nothing new, Yuugi and Seto turned their head to look over their shoulder, seeing Mokuba had his palm over his eyes and puffed his cheeks in frustration while their high school friends gaped at them.
"What the hell?! Why you never say anything about that?!" Jounouchi almost slammed his hands on the table top in anger but he held back, not wanting to make a scene, yet.
Amelda gave Mokuba a new plate full with light snacks, that got the youngest Kaiba squealed gleefully like Christmas and forgot the slip.
"It's not—" Yuugi was cut off when Kaiba's hand obscured his sight. He looked at the reincarnated Priest in time to see the Eye of Anubis fading on his forehead.
"Huh? What was I going to say?" Jounouchi scratched the back of his neck in confusion. Next to him, Honda crossed his hands and tilted his head with a frown, obviously thinking the same. Anzu had one hand under her chin like all baddass detective in the movies, having no better idea than the other two. Ryo and Otogi were oblivious since one of them only cared about food and the other was busy with his camera focusing on the stage.
"Sorry…" Yuugi ducked his head, coloring a little. His attention went back to the ongoing duel when he heard Atemu cut off Zigfried after the man in pink used Valkyrie Zweite's special ability to destroy Big Shield Gardna by activating his trap card Soul Rope, brought his Life Point down to 3000 in order to special summon King's Knight from his deck in defense position. As usual, Zigfried resumed his phase by removing Big Shield Gardna from play using Valkyrie Erste's effect, because of that, his Valkyrie Dritte gained attack point from its own effect.
"I got carried away too. Don't mind it." Seto exhaled and pressed the knuckle of his forefinger in between his brows.
"Valkyrie Zweite, attack King's Knight!" Zigfried commanded, pointing his finger dramatically at the monster in defense mode.
"Activate Trap! Zero Gravity, change battle position of all monsters on the field." Countered Atemu.
"Not so soon." Zigfried smirked, "I use Mischief of the Time Goddess to skip one turn and enter my next battle phase!"
"Too bad I have been waiting for this." Crimson eyes flashed, Atemu waved his hand at his last face-down card, "Activate Trap! Dust Tornado!"
Zigfried widened his eyes in disbelief as his turn ended for the first time with an empty field and no card left in his possession.
Most onlookers had been holding their breath and now gawked at the unknown lady in awe. No one, even the famous Kaiba Seto, was able to stop that move before, and she did it with little to no struggling! The crowd whispered excitedly among themselves, taking interest in the well-planned quadruple traps from start to end phase of the beautiful regal lady and wondered who she could be. Her voice was soft yet firm to neither be Vivian Wong nor Kujaku Mai. That height might as well be Rebecca Hopkins in high heels, but the sexy curve of her body and a whole different level of haughty demeanor screamed otherwise. Who could she be?!
"Why can't you be like this in front of Atemu?" Mokuba drummed his fingers on the table menacingly but his eyes glued to the Pharaoh. He'd be damned if he looked anywhere else, especially only to glare at these two! (Those camera guys had better record this duel well or he would kick them out of KaibaCorp himself!) And if these two were going to tell him it was an act for blah blah blah, he would kick them literally. No, he was three seconds away from kicking them! This was totally unbelievable!
"Because it's no fun." Seto and Yuugi said simultaneously. "And he knows."
"Cheers for the most fucked up family!" Varon raised his drink, figured the others needed more alcohol to forget how much they wanted to strangle both. They followed his lead, gulped down their respective alcoholic and non-alcoholic glass.
Atemu used Graceful Charity to draw another three cards then discarded two from his hand. Entered his battle phase, he ordered his King's Knight to direct attack at his opponent, carved out 1600 Life Point of Zigfried. The crowd grew more annoying in Seto and Yuugi's ears and eyes when Atemu played Spider Web, taking Mischief of the Time Goddess from Zigfried's Graveyard then set one card and ended his turn.
"It's not our fault you can't decode as to why he didn't even bother." Seto snorted and signaled for his bodyguards to replace his and Yuugi's drinks.
Yuugi sniffed his new glass. "It smells like alcohol." He made a face, scrutinized the obnoxious transparent and pink liquid staring back at him as if daring him to try it.
"I have no habit of telling you the obvious, my dear Watson." Seto drawled. "It's Raspberry Cosmopolitan."
Yuugi scowled (pouted) at him.
Mokuba sighed loudly at their antics. At time like this, he felt older than those troublesome duo.
Zigfried drew Nibelung's Treasure, which he remarked that maybe his Goddess of Luck now started smiling at him but he stretched one hand palm up toward Atemu in a suggestive gesture, making both Seto and Yuugi sneered at his epic failed flirting attempt. The pink hair man activated Gryphon's Feather Duster on Atemu's side, destroyed his face-down card. But Atemu revealed it to be Spell Calling and by its effect, he set Cyclone after showing it to his opponent with a smirk, more because the other played into his hand than how his Life Point went up to 3500. Zigfried scowled, drawing five cards and his displeasure was replaced by a triumphant look.
"The rat needs to draw a lot of cards in one turn to complete that opponent-control formation of his while drawing any spell or trap card can special summon that girl to the field even when he hasn't drawn her yet." Seto remarked uncaringly. No one knew when he put on a monocle. "And Atemu will use all cards enable him to draw more to get to his searchers or the two aces he is waiting for. He doesn't really in need of drawing monster cards since he can call them with spell and trap cards or monster's special ability any time he wants. That's why this deck doesn't need a certain spellcaster or any from Egyptian God Series to make it more broken than it already is."
"Why do you need lens?" Yuugi glanced at the Kaiba CEO warily from the corner of his eyes, giving in the urge to poke the accessory with the tip of his forefinger.
Seto swatted the offending digit, caused Yuugi to squeak in startle and jerked his hand back, pouting sulkily. He lifted his chin haughtily, "Do you know all theatres have special seats that offer best vantage point to the VIPs?"
Mokuba's eyes flashed. He jumped at his brother's back and took off his eyeglass then put it on. He gasped. "It's viewing his hand! What the hell?! There is no such camera placed that close! This is like you are looking over his shoulder!"
"Give me that!" Yuugi snatched the item from Mokuba and put it on himself. Silence. "You stalker!" The smaller teenager hissed at Seto while Mokuba glared with him.
Seto ignored them, magically put on another monocle. "Since I was planning to be nice but you don't even say "Please, Nii-sama", so share it." He snorted.
Yuugi and Mokuba looked at each other, then nodded in silent agreement and simultaneously pounced Seto.
"What are they doing?" Anzu scowled at the three, still unable to fathom why Yuugi and Kaiba had gotten very close to the point he was being cuffed by the taller teen like Mokuba.
"People are giving us the evil eyes…" Jounouchi and Honda shrank in their seat the longer dark aura emitting from their surroundings aimed at their table because of all the noises disturbing Atemu's duel.
By now Zigfried had already used Swan Maiden to special summon Valkyrie Brunhilde, his ace monster, and equipped her with Enchanted Sword Nothung.
"I tribute Valkyrie Dritte to summon Fortune Chariot and equip it to Valkyrie Brunhilde. Activate Fortune Chariot's special ability, reduce Valkyrie Brunhilde's attack point to half and attack player directly!" Zigfried declared proudly, pleased when Atemu's Life Point went down to 2250. "End turn."
Atemu drew, added Card of Demise in his hand and proceeded to use it to draw another three cards, Chaos Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning, Onslaught of the Fire Kings and Berserker Soul.
"This duel is done." Seto and Yuugi said simultaneously. It was their table giving them the evil eyes this time, minus Ryo (still happy with his new plate of new foods), Otogi (didn't pay attention because he was recording the duel as per grandpa's request for saving his ass from Rebecca), Mokuba (long figured acceptance was the only way to deal with them) and the three ex-Doma (preferred looking at Atemu on Raphael and Varon's part, taking care of Mokuba's foods and drinks on Amelda's). However, the Ishtars had entirely different reason to scowl at them. Mostly because Ishizu was annoyed and Marik got bored since no more betting occurred until they felt like biting each other's head off again. Rishid didn't show any emotion on his poker face, no one wondered what was in his mind.
"King's Knight, attack Valkyrie Brunhilde!" Atemu ordered.
Zigfried laughed, "Are you finally realize you can't win so now you tell your monster to kill itself?"
"What is he doing?!" Jounouchi slammed his hands on the table and leaned forward, hoping he heard and saw wrong. But Atemu's monster got destroyed after battle and his Life Point went down, the blond slumped back in his chair, disbelief written all over his face and he was not the only one. "Why?!" Jounouchi pulled at his hair, groaning in frustration.
"Why?!" Zigfried yelled agitatedly at the wrong damage calculation when his opponent's Life Point only dropped 400 instead of 900.
"Since Dark Demon Tribe - Gilfer Daemon was sent to my Graveyard earlier, I can equip it to any monster on the field, means your Valkyrie Brunhilde, and she loses 500 attack point with it." Atemu explained with a tilt of his head. On the other side of his head with no black rosette accessories, the tiny Blue Eyes White Dragon ear-loop curled along his lobe glinted under stage light, creating a fantasy painting as the Pharaoh stood there in a completely antithetical appearance than how he truly was, smiling, arms crossed and an unreadable expression on his face, vision filled with Seto and Yuugi watching him dazedly. "Now that I control no monster while you have Valkyrie Brunhilde equipped with Fortune Chariot, I can play Onslaught of the Fire Kings to special summon Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys."
The monster did immediately appear but unfolded its flaming wings and took flight along the high ceiling of the ballroom in "ooohhh" and "aaaahhh" exclamations of the excited duelists, sponsors, representative of rival companies, media crews and so on. The closer it came back to Atemu, the smaller it became until it circled him once and, as he raised his right hand, perched on his gloved forearm perfectly, only big as one-third a Golden eagle unlike earlier when it towered over him.
"Wow! When did he get that card?" Mokuba breathed in awe after reading the description.
"Didn't he tell you he send that card to Atemu as a birthday present even though that day was not Atemu's birthday?" Yuugi whispered inaudibly, turning his head slightly to glance at Mokuba in confusion while he could still see his guardian on the stage.
Mokuba silently stared long at his sibling, who determinedly ignored their little gossip. "Stingy." He sniffed.
"And an invitation to dinner but he stuck it with ugly looking bandages under the delivery box that even I thought it might be a bad prank." Yuugi continued, blinked once when Atemu summoned Chaos Soldier and ended his turn, his Phoenix was then destroyed by Onslaught of the Fire Kings' effect. Wide violet eyes flickered in Seto's direction before going back to the Pharaoh. So Atemu purposely made his King's Knight suicide first to empty his side of monster so he could special summon the Phoenix from his deck, second to have a Light monster in his Graveyard along with Kuriboh of Dark element to meet the conditions of ritual summoning Chaos Soldier next. His guardian, after all, did know he couldn't risk having any of his material monsters got removed from play by Zigfried's monster effect or spell cards before he could use them.
"I use Card of Sanctity, allowed both players to draw until we have six cards each. Your arrogant will get you nowhere! I play Magical Alms to gain 1000 Life Point and predict I will use three spell cards this turn!" Zigfried smirked victoriously at his brand new hand and also his Life Point now was at 4900. "First, Goddess Urd's Verdict. Your only face down card is Cyclone, and because I am right, it is removed from play. Second, I use Nibelung's Ring on Chaos Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning." With the third spell card, Suspension Bridge of the Hero – Bifröst and there was currently three monsters removed from play, he glanced at Atemu's 1850 Life Point while his Valkyrie Brunhilde had 3500 attack point this turn. His smirk widened, "Activate Fortune Chariot's special ability, halve Valkyrie Brunhilde's attack point to attack player directly!" Now that the other's Life Point downed to 100, he leisurely set Wotan's Judgment and Fricka's Mediation then ended his turn. It didn't matter that the other still had his Mischief of the Time Goddess, her attack wouldn't get pass his two face-down cards; what better, one more attack and this duel was his.
"My turn, draw!" Instead of conducting his normal draw, due to Nibelung's Ring, Atemu had to draw two cards and sent one monster card from those, if he got any, to his Graveyard, which he did. "Due to monster effect, Scared Phoenix of Nephthys special summons itself from my Graveyard, another effect actives when it does, destroys all spell and trap cards on the field." That meant wipe out Zigfried's two face-down cards and Magical Alms, Goddess Urd's Verdict along with Nibelung's Ring on his Chaos Soldier. "And because Enchanted Sword Nothung is destroyed, your Valkyrie Brunhilde's attack point went down to 1600."
"Ooooooh!" Mokuba and Yuugi cooed beside the smirking Seto as Atemu's brand new card design once again made its appearance on the field, adjusted its size again and right away perched on his shoulder, snuggled in his neck, its tail fluttered behind him like a sparkling gold veil.
Not wanting to miss out any scoop and all possible good impressions from a certain Kaiba Chairman, cameras kept eagerly flashing at Atemu's direction.
"You there," Ishizu called the trio across the table, "If you see what is happening, do start live broadcasting." The others nodded their head in agreement, annoyed by unwanted flickering bright light almost made them blind.
The three acted like they didn't hear her.
"Cheapskate." Their round table glared holes in the back of their head.
The crowd got even noisier than it had already been, to the point Seto started considering to remove them from the grand ballroom. That was one of many reasons the arena would always be better than a stage like this. He also worried if some fanatics decided to glomp his Atemu because they suddenly realized the Pharaoh was their only true love and wanted to kidnap him home or worse… go to shady hotels (triple damned!)
"Activate Chaos Soldier's first special ability, banish Fortune Chariot. Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys, attack Valkyrie Brunhilde!" As expected, Zigfried used Valkyrie Brunhide's special ability to keep her from getting destroyed in battle by reducing her defense point. Must be still thinking his remaining 4100 Life Point could save him from his own spell card. Atemu smirked, just what he had been anticipating the other male would do. "I use Mischief of the time Goddess to skip one turn and enter my next battle phase!"
Jounouchi jumped on his chair and stomped one leg on the table, pumping his fist in the air to cheer for his friend, "GO! AT—OOMMPP!"
Rishid had thrown a plate full with creamy cake square at his face. "My hand slips." Said the Egyptian nonchalantly, received another plate from Marik. "Thank you, Marik-sama."
"Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys, attack Valkyrie Brunhilde again." Atemu smiled eerily. His opponent's Life Point went down to 3300 after activating his monster's ability again. "Chaos Soldier, finish that thing." It might have been a trick of light, but for one fleeting instant, the Chaos Soldier's eyes had turn a familiar shade of crimson. There were still 1900 left of Zigfried von Schroeder's Life Point. "Activate second special ability of Chaos Solder, he can attack twice if he destroyed a monster in battle. Chaos Soldier, player direct attack!" Mind Scan!
A strong pulsation went through Seto causing him to still, pupils dilated.
The animation of Chaos Soldier's attack shrouded the stage in darkness that normal eyes could see nothing, Atemu's left eye flashed gold where the shadow of Millennium Eye flickered on and off as he was using it on the stunned Schroeder.
"Nii-sama?" "Kaiba?" Mokuba and Yuugi called Seto anxiously at the icy silent completely different from his usual coldness.
Seto blinked, blue eyes darted toward the two then Atemu, who was walking back to their table, crimson eyes intensely focused on him.
Their trance broke when the first clap resounded after a disbelief silence and, like a chain reaction, the entire ballroom was thundered with applauses and incoherent chorus of congratulations and admiring words at Atemu that the guard team was having problem to keep them from coming too close to their dearly beloved Atemu-sama and semi-CEO.
"Already, every time when I'm stifled to death after I give up again and again my emotions that have no place to go wake me up,
Your flawless smile knows it's an existence so distant that it's cruel."
What sounded to be enchanted voice rang in the grand room got people to stop what they had been doing to listen.
"Even though the incurable wound only eats away at my heart,
Even now I can't completely hold back my thoughts that dwell within the darkness."
Everything went completely black as white smoke filled the stage and through many hidden projectors positioned strategically, a shadow was imprinted on the misty area followed with the beginning saxophone of the song.
"Shaking in red, in red, in red,
To the edge of the dream, the dream,
We can't be separated."
"This way, please." A bodyguard told him, holding the door open for Atemu to pass first then leaded him through a long hallway to the elevator. Behind them, the mass still trying to get through Seto's barricade of securities to get to Atemu.
Atemu sighed tiredly at the overacted media and fans along the way when he was inside the unpleasant moving box of modern day transporting technology. Now he even got separated from Seto and others. Just great. There was a down point in his blood bond ritual with Seto. Because the different amount of exchange blood was too great it made him the "master" in this bond. As such, he could only call Seto while the other could sense exactly where he was, and as Seto could feel and share his emotions, he couldn't exactly do the same aside from manipulating Seto's. No wonder how Seto had used it to his advantage and escaped his soul labyrinth unscratched that night when he locked the other in the Room of Oblivion.
A ding interrupted his musing and the door opened, giving way to the underground garage.
"Please follow me." The same bodyguard instructed and started walking toward a black limousine parked not far from where they were.
"Are you not going to call your friends come out from where they are waiting around?" Atemu questioned, not moving an inch from where he stood after the automatic door closed behind him.
"Friends, Donna?" The black suit male purposely slipped.
"You have never addressed me while all security members know my name." Atemu looked around the common area with a bored expression. "This floor is for public usage. All members of the Kaiba mansion don't use this garage, neither do all KaibaCorp's employees."
A cold muzzle pointed at his forehead. "I will remember this if there is going to be a next time, Donna."
Out of nowhere, Mokuba jumped at the offender from behind, causing crimson eyes to widen when he caught sight of fast movement toward the shorter one. Before Mokuba knew it, his legs were not touching ground, kicking strongly in all direction as he was lifted by his hands, got seized by a burly, scary looking male in black who had a big scar ran from below his left eye to somewhere below his right cheek. The littlest Kaiba grunted in frustration. "Release us!" He demanded fearlessly, not ceased his struggling one bit.
"Our boss only wishes to have a conversation with you, Donna. Please be a good girl and follow us, then this brat is safe." Another muzzle stared at Mokuba's left eye. The youngest only squeaked in surprised more than horror before glaring hatefully at his captor.
Atemu pointed a finger at the gun but his eyes on Mokuba. "You there, do you plan to pull that trigger?"
"What an interesting lady you have here, Mister Kaiba." A man said over the phone which was starting to have cracks from the force Seto was gripping it. On the screen before him, his lover was being blackmailed by a gun and a threat and some damnable criminal was aiming another gun at his brother. Surrounded them were over twenty more of the same kind.
"You bastard! Let them go!" Jounouchi shrieked angrily from beside Seto's ear at the speaker on the other line.
The one holding Mokuba cackled like a deranged patient and proceeded to thrust his gun at the small temple. "What do you think, Donna?" He grinned ferally.
"Mokuba, close your eyes." Atemu ordered. The child did without protest.
All exits immediately shut down by automatic metal walls, trapping all occupants in a closed area.
Before anyone could blink, Mokuba was dropped to the ground, his captor collapsed heavily beside him with a sickening thud, blood spurting out at an alarm rate from somewhere in his neck, his head turned to one side at odd angle, eyes and mouth hung opened but not having enough time to let out any scream. Atemu stood beside Mokuba still had his eyes tightly shut, he waved his gloved hand forward to partly rid himself of the blood. "That thing is not the right toy to present before a child, vermin." Remarked the Pharaoh icily. His head slowly turned toward his own kidnapper-wannabe, now wide eyes at the bloody display, still trying to hold the gun albeit shakily. "Cover your ears too, Mokuba. And don't move." Once again Mokuba did as he was told without any question.
"Listen here, you worthless garbage," Seto growled in the receiver as Atemu's friends tried to look over his shoulder at the monitor in hope of having a glimpse of Atemu demonstrated his fighting (killing) skill with little to no avail because Varon and the two Ishtar males were being unreasonable (nice) by pushing them back to the couch, where Ishizu was holding the anxious jumpy Yuugi to calm him down. "For even dare to threaten that person and try to harm my brother with your third-rate criminals, you have initiated a game where no law and rule apply. And I accept your challenge!" The phone broke in pieces when he was done saying his message.
Atemu emotionlessly threw the out of bullets gun equipped with silencer on the ground in random direction, dead bodies surrounded him like mocked aftermath of a battlefield.
A same ding signaled the elevator had arrived at its designated floor, revealed Amelda and Raphael on the ready to fire, only to blink after taking in the sight and lowered their guns. The two immediately rushed toward Atemu and Mokuba, the only one who was clean, unharmed and crouching low, eyes closed, covering his ears. They couldn't know from all the blood on Atemu if he was injured or not.
"It's over, Mokuba." Amelda shook the younger, but Mokuba stayed motionless where he was. "Are you okay…?"
"You can remove your hands now, Mokuba. Keep your eyes close and follow Amelda until he says it is okay to look." Atemu said, turning his heels toward a corpse laying facedown furthest from where they were with only Raphael accompanying him since he gestured with his eyes for Amelda to use the elevator and go back to Seto with Mokuba first.
One hand grabbed the male's throat, Atemu raised the obviously taller, bigger and heavier man until he was at eyes level and smiled frighteningly, "How long are you going to sleep?"
The man opened his eyes in terror and clawed at the bloody glove, slippery with his dead companions' life essence. However, before he could utter a word, his eyes rolled to the back of his head, mouth hung open, went limp when Atemu suddenly tightened his grip.
"Why are you sparing him?" Raphael asked as Atemu flicked his wrist, threw the unconscious male out of the dead pile like potato sack.
"It can lead Zigfried von Schroeder to where his brother has been holding hostage. That man is only a victim. And maybe he is willing to share with Seto how he managed to hack in KaibaCorp the second time since we are doing him a favor."
Raphael removed his long outer coat and draped it over Atemu's shoulders. Instead of looking like a berserker with crimson liquid soaking his frame from head to toes, the Pharaoh was no different than an exotic War God, stood silently and lonely in center of the battlefield atop dead bodies, bathing in his enemies' blood.
Atemu turned his head to look at Raphael, who had eyes intensely on him the whole time. "I can't change who I was born to be." He smiled humorlessly.
"You don't need to, as you don't want to." Hesitantly, the blond put his hand around Atemu's shoulders and guided him toward the open elevator with Seto stood there waiting with bang shadowing his eyes, hands curled in tight fists. "If you were someone else, this wouldn't end up with both you and Mokuba still safe and sound. It's all what matters." Raphael let his hand fall back to his side when Atemu went inside the elevator with Seto.
Blue eyes darted to the other elevator where Varon arrived just as the door closed after the Royal couple.
The brunette straightened up with an impressed whistle at the bloody view. "Well well well, what do we have here?"
"All of them if not having a hole in their skull then a precisely cut at carotid artery." Raphael stepped in and pushed the button to highest floor.
"I thought ancient Pharaohs loved torturing their enemies until they all begged for death." Varon tilted his head in confusion, "Was he in a hurry to finish them off?"
"He didn't expect Mokuba following. No," Raphael frowned, crossing his arms, "We didn't expect Amelda is too soft on the kid."
"Huh?" Varon blinked, "You sounded like you don't want the kid there to stop him from going rampart."
"He won't go rampart." Raphael grunted dismissively, "That would make him a human, one thing he is clearly not."
Varon stared long at his friend, "Do you need his photo to put in your locket?"
Raphael reached a hand over to whack Varon on the back of his head.
Atemu narrowed his eyes at the blood flowing down the drain along with the boiling water had been pouring down on him. He looked back to the brunette head still bowing in his lap, his hand habitually running in wet brown locks. "Raise your head, Seto." The Pharaoh ordered.
The reincarnated Priest obeyed, staring straight at his lover before him.
Atemu smiled at the burning fury and fighting spirit behind those icy blue eyes he had come to love so much. Hands on Seto's cheeks, he pulled the other closer and kissed him slowly. Seto tightened his hands around Atemu's back, flattened the Pharaoh against his chest and, on contrary to Atemu's leisure pace, he kissed back with vigor of a starved carnivore.
"They will never lay a hand on you again." Seto growled against Atemu's swollen lips and dove in again. He started his quest in erasing each and every of those filths not only managed to stain the skin of his lover but also tried dragging him down to their level. Despicable. Intolerable. Unforgivable.
.
.
.
Seto, still partly wet, in an unbutton thin shirt and jeans opened the door of his penthouse suite, revealed all familiar faces on the other side. Yuugi ran inside without looking at him while Mokuba stood fidgeting before him, face down.
Atemu looked up from embracing the babbling and crying Yuugi when the younger Kaiba came into his view. Turned back to Yuugi, he kissed his Aibou's forehead then hugged him tighter. "Stay with Seto for a while, Yuugi."
Yuugi opened his mouth to protest.
"I need to talk with Mokuba alone." Atemu caressed the baby soft round cheeks and pecked the red nose. "I am not going anywhere, Aibou."
"Mhm." Yuugi sniffed and untangled himself from his guardian. In a moment of madness, he stilled then abruptly leaned up to kiss Atemu soundly on his lips. Atemu blinked twice when it ended as soon as it happened, then Yuugi dashed out with an embarrassed squeal. The Pharaoh chuckled at his adoring little one's cute antic.
"I'm sorry… for always being a burden." Mokuba mumbled, head bowed, fingers gripping each other tightly.
Atemu slid down to the floor from his perching on the window sill and squatted to eyes level with the younger one, lifted Mokuba's chin with a tan finger so their eyes locked. "You came to Duelist Kingdom and asked Yuugi for help despite what I did to your brother at Death-T. Even when we were nothing but your enemies—"
"You helped him! You told me he would wake up as the brother I knew! You were the only one saved him when no one did and you never asked for anything in return! I—!" Mokuba leaped into Atemu's arms, surprised the ancient monarch. "You are not our enemy! We were your enemies!" Cried the littlest Kaiba.
Atemu smiled softly, circled his arms around the small figure. "I'm sorry. That time the guy kidnaped you right before my eyes in Duelist Kingdom and earlier, for making you go through it."
Mokuba shook his head with an incoherent noise escaped his mouth. "I'm not scared because I know you wouldn't let bad thing happen to us!" But then he wailed. "I'm sorry for not able to do anything!"
"What kind of living being am I if I let a kid like you do something in that situation?" Atemu reprimanded affectionately, patting the raven head, "It's bad enough as it was."
"But even at my age, something like that wouldn't even give you any hard time, right?" Mokuba asked hesitantly.
Atemu grinned. "The only hard time was my studying. I hated it."
Mokuba made a face. "I hate it too!" Then he straightened up with a determined expression. "But I will study hard so I will be able to kickass like you and Nii-sama!" Declared the littlest Kaiba.
Atemu blinked, cold sweat dropped from his nape. "No… that's not what I meant…"
"I'm asking my brother to build a dojo! So I can learn to fight!" Mokuba exclaimed and ran out of the room, leaving a speechless Atemu behind.
"Please don't…" Atemu sighed in defeat, his outstretched hand suspended in the air, too late to halt the younger. "You are giving Yuugi the idea…"
As if on cue, Yuugi ran back in his arms, gushing a mile a minute, "Atemu! You know, Mokuba says blah blah dojo blah blah blah kickass blah blah fighting blah blah blah!"
The Pharaoh groaned, tightened his arms around his Aibou and hoped his little one would forget it after a good sleep.
"Neh, Atemu?"
"Hm?"
"You sang for him." Yuugi pouted sulkily.
"I love you, because we are too young,
There are secrets about our love that must remain untouched.
I love you, it's something that we can't reach in our lives right now,
We'd only get hurt as we dream of a love where we can live as one.
You ask me again and again if I love you,
Almost as if you can't live without this love."
"Do you love me?" Asked the younger one.
"I love you."
Yuugi buried his face in Atemu's neck with a content smile. "Please let me be with you," He whispered faintly, "Even if you can't love me like you do him."
"You are killing your happiness, Aibou." Atemu kissed Yuugi's forehead.
"I'm happy when I'm with you."
Crimson eyes widened before softened, then hid behind closed lids. "You are making it harder for me to let go of you, Yuugi." The ancient monarch pressed his forehead against his miniature's with a long sigh.
"Then don't." Yuugi ordered.
A smirk made itself visible on the corner of his lips, "As you wish, my little one." Atemu bent his head and chastely kissed Yuugi's lips to seal their promises. "I hope you are awe of what you ask for."
Yuugi nodded, then blinked and tilted his head innocently, "If I give the God my soul, will he grant my wish?"
"Your soul is too delicious to waste on other Gods. Let this God think about it." Atemu lifted his chin haughtily.
They stared long at each other then broke out grinning like Cheshire Cats.
Seto frowned, arms crossed, looking at the two impatiently. "I am unimpressed with this." He announced his present.
Yuugi turned to the eldest Kaiba and stuck his tongue at him. "Deal with it!"
End.
Thank you for reading.
Guess review Meme: Thank you for reviewing my story. And I'm sorry for late reply. In answering your question I can only say he has a reason to be like that.
Guess review Meep meep: Thank you for reviewing my story. My late answer for your review mostly because I'm trying to think of a way to not giving out too many spoilers while still able keep it acceptable. About the event in chapter 2, it's not stopping there and this whole event from chapter 3 to 13 happened in 4 days from Thursday to Sunday in Prideshipping's point of view (or Prideshipping centric), that's why there could not be so much to tell about it aside from pushing it in the back of the story. Atem and Kaiba's conflicts mostly stemmed from Atem's issue because he was trying to push Kaiba away while Kaiba told him "I'm not taking any of your bullshit" in his own way, they didn't debate how they shouldn't be together. I guess my bad English (not my first neither second language) made you confuse this way. As for Yuugi, he's not the main character in this story, it's why there was not much stage time for him but still left enough impact to raise questions and gather attentions. The furthest I have explained about his behavior was via Jounouchi, he said "Yuugi is not himself, to put it mildly". Yuugi is an important element of the whole series, just not in this story.