Hollow Grounds

BleedingChaos: Welcome to a new fic. I told myself not to start any new ones until I finished my other ones but this idea has been bugging me since senior year of High school and I've been graduated for a few years now XD. I am glad I waited because I've been able to gather better ideas to throw into this story so I hope you enjoy. Please read and review and I promise this fic is going to get finished because its been burning in my mind for forever so just bare with me. I don't want any flames but if you have constructive criticism then it is welcomed. Without further adieu here is chapter one of "Hollow Grounds."

And on a little note most of what you see in this chapter in italics is past tense. I'm sure your all smart and will figure it out. I'm going to ask a friend to Beta this for me so if she agrees I will re-post corrections she gives me. For now enjoy.

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"Ha!" A group of teens punched the air. "Again," a voice bellowed out to the teens. "Ha!" "Again!" "HAA!" "Alright that's enough for today. You guys did great. Your skills are improving drastically. Keep up the good work, class is dismissed" the blond said with a proud beaming smile.

"Thank you Jou Sensei!" The group bowed in respect before him before they scampered away to the showers and changing rooms. Jou sank to the floor, sweat glistening on his forehead and partly revealed chest. He closed his eyes remembering the first time he walked through these doors as a student. He'd been a terrified fifteen year old with fresh wounds from his father's drunken beating. The Sensei had taken one look at him and decided that Jou was going to be his apprentice.

Jou had been confused and quite the cynic back then. When the Sensei had approached him Jou had lashed out at him and was quite surprised when he had found himself pinned to the floor in a manner of seconds. "What's your name boy?" "J-Jounouchi" "Well Jou, From this day on you will be my student. That." He said indicating to Jou's battered form. "Won't ever happen again."

Jou's eyes snapped open when a bunch of feet pattering over to him sounded. He smiled seeing his students again bowed before him. "Thank you Sensei! Good-bye!" They said before turning for the door and heading in their own direction.

Jou stood up and locked the doors as that was the last class for the day. He smiled lightly thinking of the parent's that helped keep this place up and running. Was "The Last Stand" the better dojo in the area? Hardly yet he still seemed to get full classes. One parent had come up to him and thanked him tremendously for teaching her son the art of defense. And not only did she thank him for his services but she even went as far as to thank him about the price for the classes and the values that the kinds brought home with you. Your fist should be tools to protect, not weapons to destroy. That's what his Sensei had taught him and that's what he teaches his students. Nobody should be made a victim of. He should know of all people. With the bitter thoughts of his father he turned and headed to the showers. The hot spray was enough to relax him and he again allowed himself to be enveloped by memories of the past years.

"What is this crap Sensei!" Jou demanded as he looked aghast at his Sensei who sat calmly with his knees bent and his hands resting gently upon them. He was the vision of peace with his eyes closed. "Sitting here with my eyes closed and twiddling my thumbs will get me killed where I'm from." It was already two weeks into his training and all they did was sit her and close their eyes. He didn't understand why and his Sensei never said a word to him about it every time he asked. Jou growled when his questions once again fell on deaf ears. He lunged. And found himself pinned to the mat face down with his arm twisted behind his back.

"H-How'd you do that! Your eyes were closed!" Jou asked in astonishment. "My eyes were closed yes, but I was seeing with my other scenes. Rash actions will only get you hurt or worse killed. Calm and collected is the key to staying alive and unharmed. Understand?" His Sensei asked ans Jou beamed up at him nodding animatedly.

Two months later he had got the basics down and decided that he wasn't going to take his dad's crap anymore. And he told him just that... He got the living shit beat out of him. The next day Jou trudged to his Sensei and of course got scolded for being rash. "We might have got the basics down Jounouchi, but you still need strategy and strength to back it up. The key is to use the enemies strength and weight against him. Another tip in assuring Victory."

Jou stepped out of the shower and quickly toweled dry and changed into his street cloths which consisted of: Black jeans and a black sleeveless top. He shrugged on his light coat and made his way home in the early fall season.

Walking up to the apartment he smiled. It was the first time he'd ever been able to call a place home. His Sensei had opened his doors to him once Jou had reached 18 so that the blond would always have a safe haven to go to besides "The Last Stand." That was 5 years ago.

His Sensei passed away two years ago leaving him both the dojo and this apartment. The world was poorer for loosing such a great man to an incurable illness. He unlocked the door and was immediately assaulted by a happy fluffy kitten pawing at his jeans. "Hey there Precious." he greeted as he stooped down to give the kitten some much needed affection. "Are ya happy to see me or are ya just hungry?" The kitten mewled up at him in answer. "I'll take that as a yes to both" he said picking the kitten up and taking it into the kitchen and fed him. He himself through some left over spaghetti into the microwave and once heated took his plate and a can of coke and walked into the living room and flipped the TV on and switched to the news. He needed to see the weather forecast for tomorrow. He was going to pay his respect to his Sensei's grave.

Sighing he turned up the volume and sat back in the comfy couch and watched the news drool on about boring information he didn't much care for. That was until a certain brunettes name came up. Seto Kaiba. I haven't thought much about him since graduation. It was odd thinking about him now after what...six years without so much as seeing each other. Granted it's not like they were all buddy buddy back in the day but they had gotten more...civil around one another. If you could call tossing insults back and fourth half halfheartedly civil. Thinking back on brunette reminded him that he needed to call Yugi. Him and Yami had taken a trip to Egypt for a month exhibition and came back two days ago, he had been giving them time to come back and readjust to the time difference. Perhaps he'd give them a call when he got back from visiting his Sensei.

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Seto stared blankly at his laptop screen, not that he would let anyone catch him doing such a thing, his thoughts in other places. He had heard the news report about him being 'deathly ill.' He rolled his eyes. Leave it to the bloody paparazzi to turn a simple cold into a death sentence. He sighed in frustration as he closed up his work. He wasn't going to be able to finish any more work with his brain all fuzzy from the medicine his doctor had prescribed him. He's also been forced, by none other than his conniving yet lovable little brother, to take some sick leave so he had the rest of the week off. Just what the hell was he supposed to do for Monday to roll around! It was only Tuesday for crying out loud! A cold isn't to bad so why were they being so persistent on getting him to take sick leave. Whatever...perhaps he'll take his time to have a little more bonding with his brother. Maybe catch up on a few books he'd been meaning to read... He plopped his head down on his desk. Was his life really that...boring? Not that spending time with his beloved, yet manipulative, little brother was boring but... When was the last time he went out with friends...? When was the last time he had friends?

With that depressing thought in mind he packed up his work and left his room. He wandered down the hall until he heard noise from the gaming room. Not a surprise. He entered the room and Mokuba paused his game and looked up at him concern immediately creasing his brow. "Brother, I thought you were supposed to be in bed resting." Mokuba chided gently. Leave it to Mokuba to act like a mother hen. Seto gave him the 'back off or you won't hear the end of it' look and made the young teen sigh. "I'm...bored" Seto said finally and Mokuba dropped the controller. He snapped "Oh for Christ's sake I'm not some god. I am human ok? I do feel you know." He said finally plopping down on the couch with a heavy sigh.

"Well... could you come with me tomorrow?" Mokuba asked. "Go? Where?" Seto asked and when Mokuba's face fell his heart broke. He knew Mokuba must have brought it up to him previously but it had...slipped his mind. Kaiba's don't forget. "The funeral? One of my friends died in a car crash a week ago. They are holding the service tomorrow. I don't want to be alone big brother" Mokuba said tears swimming in his eyes. This was one of the times that he knew those tears were genuine and not a ploy to get his way.

"Alright Moki I'll go with you tomorrow...but what about school?" Seto asked and got another blank stare from Mokuba. "The day that I told you about the accident you asked me when the service was and asked for the day of and after off for me...You sure your feeling ok?" Mokuba asked worry once more on his face. "Yeah...I guess I'm going to go lie down. Perhaps the cold is getting to my head" Seto said and left the room. "It's just the cold..." he told himself as if trying to reassure a small nagging in the back of his brain.

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It was raining...of course it was raining. He hadn't bothered to stay up to watch the news. The media had been going on and on about how Seto Kaiba was going to die a young single bachelor. He rolled his eyes again. He knew Seto Kaiba, evil doesn't die that easily. He snickered to himself at that. Not that he thought the brunette was particularly evil..hes been up against some evil bastards...like Marik for one. He shuddered at the memory of the battle city duels and decided that those memories best stayed locked up. Malik and the insane Yami seemed to have got a understanding for one another and Marik has been more tame...ish.

He sighed his head hanging down as he ran placed his hand on the cool wet stone of his Sensei's tombstone. He looked at the assortment of flowers that he chose himself. Iris' meaning inspiration, surrounded by pink Carnations meaning gratitude, and finished off with white Carnations meaning remembrance. His Sensei had done so much, given him so much. It was a shame that he was gone. Jou was very lonely without him. Sure he had his friends but they had lives to live also. It didn't revolve around one another and dueling like it did back in the day.

He felt alone now more than ever... "Jou? Is that you Jou?" A voice called behind him. Turning he saw long raven black hair tucked under a hood and black umbrella. "Mokuba?" Jou called in disbelief.

"What are you doing here..? Oh god! Kaiba didn't!" He cut off as he suddenly got frantic remembering the news from last night.

"Relax mutt I'm right here. It's nice to see you worrying for your master" Seto said as he walked up beside his brother looking impeccable in his black suit. It suited his eyes. Made them seem to glow.

Jou felt the hair's on the back of his neck rise and he growled low in his throat. "Well, You look good for an almost corpse...and I'm not a mutt and you certainly aren't my master rich punk"

"It's only a cold, they act like I'm going to keel over any second now" Seto groaned. Jou snickered at that "leave it to the paparazzi to turn a simple case of cold into a death prediction" "My thoughts exactly mutt."

Jou ignoring the mutt comment again and turned back to Mokuba. "So if he's alive and kicking why are you two here in the cemetery?" Jou asked.

"My friend died. I came to pay my respects" Mokuba said. Jou placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Sorry to hear about your friend kid." Jou said sincerely.

"What about you?" Mokuba asked

"Ah...well guess you can say I'm here for the same things...He was a...dear friend of mine" Jou said.

With the look of affection that crossed Jou's face made something in Seto's chest tighten...made him want to push Jou in the mud so that he could wipe the look from his face...wait what the hell was he thinking?

"One of your band of freaks die?" Seto asked. The look on Jou's face...it was one that would be burnt into his mind late into the night. Such...anguish.

"You know what Kaiba you are such a fucking asshole. Maybe it should have been you they tossed into the whole 6 feet under. The world might be a brighter place without the big bad CEO acting all high and mighty to those less fortunate than you." Jou spat and immediately bit his tongue seeing the flicker in the brunettes eyes. He was about to turn and leave when something stopped him. A hand in his own. Seto turned to look and saw Jou's honey brown eyes boring right back into him.

"I'm sorry...that was insensitive. I took my anger out on you and I shouldn't have." Jou said shocking both the CEO and his younger brother. Just when the hell did Jounouchi learn how to be...well not brash.

"It's fine...I shouldn't be poking fun at you in a place like this. It's no time for jokes." Seto said and Jou blinked. Was Kaiba being...civil to him? Did he step into the twilight zone... or perhaps the both of them have grown up since their 18 year old selves to the 23 year old selves they were today.

And the next thing he knew it he was sitting in the coffee shop having a late with the brunette and his kid brother.

"My Sensei, That's who I was visiting today. He died 2 years ago." Jou finally explained. Seto didn't know why but he was relieved to hear it wasn't one of his friends from school days.

"Sensei? What was he your Sensei for?" Mokuba asked.

"Ah for Martial arts/ Self defense" Jou said making their brows raise high. "Why did you need that?" Seto suddenly asked. Was it just him or did it seem like the CEO was paying more attention now. He didn't want to admit the real truth.

"Haha you know me. A punk street fighter has always got to be on the top of his game." Jou said brushing it off. It didn't go unnoticed by the blue eyed male but he left it alone...he didn't even know why he cared.

"Do you still talk to Yugi and them?" Mokuba asked. Kid sure was asking a lot of questions. Then again its been 5 years since they last really saw one another. "Of course I do. Yug's one of my best buds. He and Yami just got back from a trip from Egypt. I was going to call him to see if we could do something later if you wanna tag along" Jou said.

"Oh Seto can I!" Mokuba was almost bouncing out of his seat. "You got school work to make up for" Seto said and the boy's happy face fell into a million sad pieces. "Aw come on Kaiba, Have a heart, look at his face" Jou said teasingly and it died off slowly when he realized the slight twitch of the brunettes expression. Ok so that definitely hit a nerve.

"Fine" Seto relented "But I want you home before 7" Seto said and Mokuba pouted. "Thats so lame 11" Mokuba retorted.

"8."

"9"

"Fine" "YAY! Thank you Seto!" Mokuba cheered happily while Seto and Jou took a sip from their coffees both hiding a smile.

BleedingChaos: Well there you have it. Chapter one. What do you think? Like dislike? Don't worry more drama and danger will unfold soon. I promise this story has a happy ending don't worry. Till next time.