Ankoku Wa Osore Nai – The Transdimensional Archives

<html><head> <body><html><head> <face="Arial"> Disclaimer: Yugioh belongs to 4 Kids and various Japanese people and corporations, not to me. This story rated PG-13 for semi-graphic violence and cursing. 🙂 I totally blame Vathara for getting me involved in this fandom.... Well, her and my "big brother," Ed. At this rate, they'll have me actually playing the card game... This is set at some unidentified time after Battle City... The Noa arc didn't happen. And neither did a lot of the end of Battle City. *Millennium Eye flashes* There are no plot holes... these are not the droids you're looking for...<align=center> Ankoku Wa Osore Nai by: Ellen Brand This, Seto Kaiba, reflected, had not been one of his better days. Taking Mokuba to play in the park while he did some work on his laptop in the actual SUN had seemed like a good idea... Until Joey Wheeler showed up. Until their usual exchange of snide banter had been interrupted by the arrival of something that looked like it should have been on a Duel Monsters card, not walking around the real world with no holographic grid in sight. Until the bench Kaiba was sitting on had actually COME TO LIFE, wrapping its iron arms around him, holding him down to the seat. Then it had gone straight into the toilet, as Wheeler was prone to say. Kaiba mentally slapped himself for using any phrase that came out of the other boy's mouth. And speaking of Wheeler... The other was currently facing off with the monster, placed solidly between it and Mokuba, who was currently cowering against the slide. He'd made one attempt to run from it already, only to find a wisp of shadow curled around his ankle. Kaiba'd managed to get enough freedom in his bonds to slice his brother free with a swiftly tossed card, but after that, the park bench had clamped down on him even more fiercely. "A'right, you cut-rate Cthulu wannabe, you wanna cause trouble, I'm right here to give it to ya," Joey growled, fists clenched. Kaiba rolled his eyes. This wasn't like the tournaments, where things would be settled with cards and strategy... or the back alleys where Joey was king with his fists. Kaiba would admit- grudgingly, and only to himself- that Wheeler had evolved into a fairly impressive duelist. Nowhere near his own level, of course... but this situation was far out of even his league. They had no magic, no Millennium items... and no annoyed Egyptian Pharaoh within screaming distance. Not that Kaiba intended on screaming. Forcing himself to calm down, Kaiba focused on the creature that had invaded the park. Like many of the monsters that decorated the cards, the creature was human-- or at least appeared so. Its skin was a deep, glossy black, and its eyes were a cold, feral yellow. The clothes it wore suggested the garb of a Pharaoh, but the colors were grey and black. A mist of black, shadowy tendrils hung behind it, wavering, quivering. Kaiba quickly looked away before he got sick. The monster gave a cool, wavering chuckle. "Oh, how quaint. I see that brainless heroism hasn't died out in the centuries I spent in the Shadowlands." The voice was strange, almost a blend of many voices speaking in not-quite-perfect unison. "Another Shadow Realm escapee?" Joey asked scornfully, feet shifting slightly. "What, are we having an immigration wave or somt'in'?" "You could say that," the creature chuckled. "But where are my manners? I haven't introduced myself... You can call me the Black King. Or Master. I answer to either." Wheeler snorted. "I got a few other things I could call ya, but not with kids present." The Black King just laughed, and Kaiba finally realized what he found so incredibly annoying about the creature-- it reminded him of Pegasus. The same arrogant, flippant manner and the same chuckle that made you want to go up and smack the man silly. He was starting to get a really, really bad feeling about this. "Now," the shadowy monster continued, "It took a lot of energy to get here from the Shadow Realm, and I'm really feeling quite peckish. Step out of my way, please, and I'll permit you to leave with your mind intact." Joey's response was enough to make Mokuba go bright red, and Kaiba's eyebrows both rose. The Black King just shook its head. "I don't believe that's physically possible, though it would be interesting to try. However, since you obviously seem determined to get in my way... Shadow of Fear!" Black shapes streaked towards the blond teen, surrounding him in a cocoon of shadow. The dark mist quickly dissipated, but Joey remained frozen, staring into nothing with eyes fixed on some invisible horror, pupils constricted to almost nothing. He didn't even react as the creature swept past him, heading straight for Mokuba. The boy tried to run, but was quickly swept up by the shadows that trailed the Black King. "Lemme go, you big bully!" Mokuba yelled, rather formidable for someone upside down. His captor only laughed, as the boy was surrounded by a rapidly darkening corona of light. "Mmm... fear, quite tasty. Although I AM disappointed. Children's fears are usually so pure... uncomplicated. Yours are so knotted I can barely get a grip. Then again... you're a Kaiba. I suppose I should never have expected you to be a child." Contemptuously, the creature tossed Mokuba aside. Hitting the pavement, the boy bounced, his limbs flopping like those of a rag doll. "Well, your fear may not sustain me... but in a pinch, I suppose your life force will do. Spear of Darkness!" A pointed shadow raced towards the slowly recovering boy. "MOKUBA!" Kaiba's scream mixed with the shattering of his bonds, but even as he began to move, he knew he wouldn't make it in time. He didn't-- but Joey did. Kaiba's scream had pulled him out of his fear trance, and Joey Wheeler reacted as he always did... instinctively, faster than thought. One desperate lunge put him between Mokuba and the speeding projectile just in time for it to strike home in his stomach, rather than the younger Kaiba's heart. Time seemed to slow as Joey's eyes widened, the shock of the pain rushing through him. Then he fell into a pair of strong arms that lowered him to the pavement. "Wheeler." Joey blinked. Kaiba? Seto Kaiba was kneeling beside him on the playground cement? Wouldn't that get his pants dirty or someth- Joey's thoughts were cut off by a sudden stab of pain from his abdomen, and he let out a ragged cry. "Wheeler, stop moving. Now tell me, how bad is it?" "D'nt... know y' cared," Joey puffed, trying to ignore the pain in his gut. Kaiba's response was dry. "I don't. I simply would prefer NOT to have a certain Pharaoh banish the rest of me to the Shadow Realm as well." Joey's laugh was a flat, ugly crack of sound, and even that pulled at his stomach. Kaiba gave him an exasperated look. "What part of 'remain still' is giving you trouble?" Then his expression softened slightly. "And... why?" "S'not... cause I like you. Still don't like you." Joey's breath was coming in pants now as Mokuba slowly pulled himself to their sides. "But... I know what it's like... being a big brother." "How touching." The Black King's tone was light, mocking. "Such sentiment... I believe I may throw up." Eyes icing over, Kaiba threw one of his best glares at the monster. It, of course, had no visible effect. Damn it! The wound in Joey's stomach was deep, but not mortal. Assuming Kaiba could keep him from bleeding to death and get him to the hospital before peritonitis set in. But there wasn't anything he could do against this thing. He had no magical Millennium Item to call forth a dark spirit, nothing but the Duel Monsters deck thumping uselessly against his side. And outside a ring, those decks were useless against a real, living Monster-- wait. What was it that Yami had said about the origins of the game? /They used to call it "The Shadow Game," and it was played for REAL. Real monsters, real magic, back in the days of the Pharaohs. The priests played for power, for politics... for high stakes. And in those days, you didn't need a Millennium Item to play. / The Heart of the Cards. A kind of magic in and of itself. He'd felt it once himself. He'd seen Wheeler use it, and even Mokuba a time or two. So Duel Monsters, even in its present incarnation, held a little magic all its own. But was it enough? Kaiba's eyes took on the aspect of glacial ice. It had to be. He was no Pharaoh, to crush evil and send it back to the darkness... but just maybe... "Mokuba. Keep pressure on the wound... here." Reaching out, Kaiba guided his little brother's hands to cover the hole in Joey's abdomen. Standing up, Kaiba turned to the Black King, who was watching him with expectant eyes. Sliding one hand into his pocket, Kaiba traced the edges of his Duel Deck. Then he smiled. "Let's play a game." The Black King laughed. "A Duel? Oh, it's been so long... I accept! And as the challenged..." The dark glow intensified. "I go first." "Let's see just what you're afraid of! Shadow of Fear!" Black mist whipped out, encircling Kaiba, then coalescing around him into a dark cloud. Rather than freeze as Joey had, however, Seto broke into a thin, cold laugh. Around him, the cloud slowly drifted away. "You don't get it, do you...? I HAVE no fear!" Not when dueling, anyway... If nothing else, I have to thank that bastard Gozaburo... When I'm concentrating, even the fear goes away. Deliberately he refused to think about his brother, kneeling helplessly as Joey Wheeler bled his life onto the dirty cement. Mokuba would NOT have to live with the image of Wheeler's death... and he himself would not have to live owing Wheeler a debt. "Now I think it's YOUR turn to know fear!" Without even looking, Seto dealt himself a hand of five cards. This wasn't a true duel- therefore the rules only loosely applied. But to be honest, a five-card hand was about the most he could expect to manage. Looking down at the cards in his hand, his eyes widened. There, directly in the center, were all three of his prize Blue Eyes White Dragons. He barely even noticed the other two cards-- magic card Dragon Heart, which gave a power up to all Dragons on the field, and Yugi's perennial favorite trap, Mirror Force. All his attention was fixed on those three sets of sapphire eyes. *We are here, Seto Kaiba. For you, we have come. Call us forth, master!* Seto didn't even blink at the tripartite voice echoing in his head. Since entering this duel, he'd shoved his skepticism aside- he'd come to terms with it later. Right now everything relied on faith, and Seto Kaiba never did things halfway. "BLUE EYES WHITE DRAGONS, COME FORTH!" Lightning ripped through the dark sky, echoed by thunder cracks as loud as bomb blasts. The ionized air seemed to glow as three white forms coalesced from the energy, and Seto stared, heart in his throat, as the monsters that haunted his dreams became solid, real, more so than any hologram could be. "WHITE LIGHTNING!" And the dragons unleashed hell. When the crackling energy died away, the air was blue and heavy with the scent of ozone. The concrete of the playground had melted in spots where the heat had been too intense. And of the Black King... there was no sign. Somehow, Seto didn't think he'd seen the last of the creature... but he was too tired to care. A gentle nudge from one of his dragons nearly knocked him over. *The danger is past... for now,* one voice said, deep and old. /Remain vigilant, Dragon Master,/ said the second, as another dragon nudged him carefully. (Remember, we are always with you,) finished the third, its voice sounding almost as young as Mokuba. Then all three dragons dissolved into white smoke, returning to the Duel Deck. Dragon Master... Kaiba shook his head, turning away from the battlefield. He'd think about it later. Or, more accurately, he'd work himself into an appropriately comfortable state of denial. But first things first... Pulling his cell phone out of his pocket, he squinted at the suddenly blurry buttons. Okay... not a problem. A good CEO knew how to delegate. "Mokuba," Seto managed, handing the small phone to his younger brother. "Call the hospital... I believe we need an ambulance." Then Seto Kaiba passed out. <hr> ** His head hurt. Not so much from the aftermath of the duel-- that had been mere exhaustion; and an hour's sleep had easily cured that. Nor was it from the doctor who had attempted to keep him overnight "for observation." One good "duelist's glare" had sent the man babbling off to retrieve the discharge papers. It wasn't even the dragons who kept dropping comments into his head, identifying themselves, from oldest to youngest, as Kochi, Taiyuu, and Shijun, respectively. No, this headache had a very specific cause-- a short, wide-eyed, overly NICE cause named Yugi Moto. Who was waiting for him in the hallway of Domino General. And to top it all off, the younger teen had the gall to look amused at the effect Kaiba'd had on the hospital staff. "Yugi." Something inside him relaxed slightly under that violet gaze, despite his best intentions. "What are you doing here?" "Well, Mr. Wheeler's... unavailable so much, Grandpa sort of wound up as Joey's contact person. When you guys brought him in, the hospital called. Mokuba filled me in while we were waiting for you to wake up." Brown eyebrows rose. "Mokuba?" One of Yugi's hands slipped up to touch the golden pyramid that hung around his neck. "Kaiba. You fought a card duel- an ACTUAL duel- in the middle of Domino, with a real monster. The concrete was slagged. This was something we needed to know." Something in the smaller boy's tone told Seto that Yugi's speech was a probably more diplomatic wording of a sentiment from Yami. The spirit was arrogant and insufferably smug at times, but he DID have a point. Seto acknowledged that with a nod, then quickly changed the subject. "I would have thought you'd be hovering over Wheeler," Kaiba said, folding his arms across his chest. Yugi chuckled. "They just put him in a room a little while ago. He lost a lot of blood, but the surgery went without a hitch. They're not letting him have visitors until he gets a little more settled, though. Come on; Mokuba and Grandpa are down in the waiting area." With a sigh, Seto let himself be led down the hall. He was just going to retrieve Mokuba, not to join the vigil over the mutt. Yes, he was somewhat relieved to know that the other would be all right; after all, he DID owe him for saving Mokuba, and Seto Kaiba always repaid his debts. Right. So maybe he'd stay for a little while, just until the puppy was settled in his room. Just to make sure he could repay his debt. (Ever hear of that river in Egypt? DE-Nile?) Shijun teased. Seto resisted the urge to growl at the dragon. He'd just gotten out of the emergency room... he had no desire to visit the hospital's psychiatric ward. A shrill beeping sound split the air, as nurses and doctors dashed down the hall, one of them pushing a crash cart. The words "Code Blue" floated back to Kaiba and Yugi, chilling the pair's blood. "Kaiba," Yugi croaked, violet eyes wide. "That's Joey's room!" <hr> ** In the darkness of the hospital room, Joey Wheeler swam lazily up to consciousness. He was warm and comfortable, and it almost felt as if he was floating. Okay, so if he so much as twitched, his stomach hurt, but it was a quiet, far-away hurt, and hey, he didn't really wanna move anyway. Okay, Joey, you are severely hopped up on painkillers... Mmm, wonder what they're givin' me... good stuff.... Outside he could hear voices, ones he faintly recognized as belonging to Yugi and his grandfather. Good... Yugi needed to know about that freak from the playground, and Kaiba sure as hell wasn't gonna tell him. Not when he'd done the equivalent of hauling Exodia out of his butt to blow the thing away. Everybody else knew Kaiba had some type of power, but of course Mr. Control didn't even believe in magic. Getting him to accept that he could pull that type of power out of the air... Whoa, listen ta me. Yeesh, I'm gonna start spouting Freud any minute now... stupid drugs... heheheheheheheheh Joey's eyes sprang open. He hadn't heard that. He really hadn't heard that. Just like he wasn't seeing the shadows in the room pool together at the foot of his bed and... rise up... and... Oh shit. Denial was quickly abandoned. No way was this the drugs. Unlike Kaiba, Joey had never seen the use in denying what he was seeing, no matter HOW little he believed it. Okay, moving was out... no way could he even roll over without ripping his stitches. Call button... right. One arm crossed the light-years to the button, stabbing at it repeatedly. No sound... no light. Riiiight. Not that easy. Okay, plan b. Said plan being "scream for Yami like a little girl." Unfortunately, the cry caught in his throat, but that was okay. The heart monitor beside him was doing enough screaming for both of them. Now if he could just avoid dying until Yami got there... The Black King leaned over Joey, cold yellow eyes boring into wide brown ones. "No words of defiance, hero? Pity... I so enjoyed your sense of humor." Joey still couldn't force words out of his mouth, but his eyes darted quickly to the door, where muted light and hushed voices still filtered through the slight crack left open there. The monster followed his gaze, laughing as he saw its intent. "Oh... don't expect the Pharaoh to come to your rescue any time soon. Yes, Joey Wheeler, I know who you are. I know much about you, including your friendship with one named Yugi. And you will be the tool I need... to finally destroy that meddlesome boy-king once and for all." Despite his weakness, Joey managed a fierce glare, shaking his head frantically. With a contemptuous smirk, the monster grabbed his head, forcing Joey's eyes to meet his. "You WILL... and in return, I give you eternity... in darkness." A black cloud seeped from the creature's skin, creeping into Joey's nose, eyes and open mouth. His breathing hitched, then slowed, his heartbeat falling as well. The light left Joey's eyes as the Black King melted back into the darkness of the room. Then, all was still. The heart monitor's tone echoed unbroken as alarms went off in the outside hall. To all intents and purposes, Joseph Wheeler was dead. But one crystal tear slid silently down a cold cheek. <hr> * When the alarms went off, all Yugi and Kaiba could do was stare in shock for a moment. Then Yugi took off after the doctors, only dimly aware of Kaiba close behind. It COULDN'T be Joey, they'd said he was going to be fine. He'd lost a lot of blood, yes, but it hadn't injured his heart, he was supposed to make a full recovery. In the back of his mind, Yugi could feel Yami's worry niggling at his own. Yami had been... skittish ever since he'd heard Mokuba's description of the monster, but with his scattered memories, the spirit couldn't really tell why. All Yugi knew was that it wasn't just Joey's condition that had his other self worried. Yugi'd barely made it to the hospital room when an agonized cry made him stop short. This was a good thing, because at that moment, a doctor flew backwards out of the door to Joey's room, smacking hard into the wall opposite. Yugi hesitated only a second then stepped over the unconscious man to enter the room. Joey was what was important right now. Joey was... out of bed? It was true. Yugi stared in shock as his taller friend casually wiped an arm across his mouth, smearing something red along the sleeve of the white coat he had apparently taken from one of the doctors who lay unconscious all around him. Joey looked completely uninjured, as if the scene in the park had never happened. Looking up from the carnage around him, Joey saw Yugi staring at him, and grinned. The sight made Yugi take several steps back. "Ey, Yug," Joey said cheerfully, buttoning the coat around him. "Hope you don't mind, but those little gowns get pretty drafty in the back, know what I'm sayin?" Yugi blinked. "Joey... isn't that a doctor's jacket?" "So? He ain't using it right now." Seeing the younger boy's stricken expression Joey shook his head. "No, he's breathin'. They all are, don't worry about it, Yug. Relax." "RELAX?" Yugi's pitch was creeping up into the dog-whistle ranges. Behind him, he could vaguely sense Kaiba waiting in the doorway; watching-- but far more of his attention was on Joey. "You're standing in the middle of a throng of unconscious doctors, standing up after losing almost three pints of blood, not to mention undergoing stomach surgery, I think I just saw you wipe blood off your mouth, and you want me to RELAX?" "Yugi... come on. I'm your best friend, right?" Joey took a step forward, only to be driven back by a sudden surge of light from the Millennium Puzzle. Yugi laid a hand on it, feeling the force of Yami's thoughts against his own. //Yugi... there's something wrong. Let me come forward, and don't look into his eyes!// He didn't understand... but he hadn't lived this long by distrusting the spirit. Letting go of the reins, he stepped back into his own mind, letting Yami take control. Joey obviously noticed the change, for a sullen expression suddenly swept over his features. Folding his arms over his chest, the blond teen let his gaze move from Yami to Kaiba, who still stood in the door. "Well, if it ain't the Dueling Bozos. To what do I owe the honor of this visit?" Sarcasm rendered Joey's words so precise that his accent almost disappeared. Yami raised one eyebrow. "You're in the hospital, Joey... although at the moment you don't look as though you need medical care. Why wouldn't we be here? We're your friends." "Friends?" Joey's laugh was dark. "Oh, that's a good one. Y'know, I think I figured out why you two fight all the time... you're too damn similar. You don't give a damn about anything... 'cept your little "brothers." And that's only because they think you walk on water... they'll do anything you say." The look of confusion on Yami's face, Kaiba mused, was perhaps the most honest expression he'd seen on the other's face to date. Yami wasn't one for showing his emotions openly. "Joey... do you really believe that?" "You don't care about us! We're just another set of chess pieces to you! And Kaiba... hell, the only reason he cared about me bleeding to death was that I was staining his trench coat!" The spirit shook his head. "You're mistaken, Joey. Something is affecting you... let us help." Taking a step forward, Yami extended his hand. At his approach, Joey recoiled, hissing in mingled pain and fear. Lips drew back from his teeth, exposing a pair of sharp, glistening fangs. Yami stopped, as Yugi's awe-struck voice echoed in his mind. //A vampire...// Yami's face softened as Yugi's personality inadvertently came forward. The shocked reaction came from one set of lips, but two minds in unison. "Joey..." A commotion outside heralded the arrival of hospital security. Joey's mouth twisted scornfully. "We'll settle this later, PHARAOH," the vampire sneered. "And you better believe it's gonna be final." Then Joey broke the window open with one casual punch, and leapt out into the darkness, leaving Yami and Kaiba behind. <hr> ** They weren't going home tonight. That was crystal clear, although, Seto thought wryly, not much else was. But Joey knew where he lived and, vampire or not, something had obviously given the other boy enhanced physical strength and speed. Kaiba had seen what Joey and Tristan could do to bullies and goons just with their normal abilities; several of Pegasus' well-trained henchmen had been significantly wary of the pair after Duelist Kingdom. And, though he hated to admit it, the mutt was quick-thinking and a good strategist. With his new abilities, Joey would easily be a match for his security forces. So where to go? Kaiba Corp was out, obviously, for the same reasons as the mansion. Solomon Moto had offered both of them beds for the night, but after a second's thought, Kaiba had refused, though as politely as he could manage. Yugi still seemed in shock from Joey's transformation, and the old man would have his hands full with both Yugi and Yami attempting to process this. Not to mention that Joey had indicated Yami was also a target. No, best to just get out of the line of fire and hope he could finally sit down and make sense out of all this. The elder Moto had surprisingly enough offered Kaiba the use of the Game Shop's van, and this, Kaiba had accepted. If he and Mokuba were hiding, using the limo would just be stupid. It had been a while since he had driven himself last, but he made a point to stay in practice. And at this time of night, no one was really on the streets of Domino City anyway. A storm had rolled in sometime while they were in the hospital, and rain pattered quietly on the van's windows and roof as Kaiba guided it through the empty streets. Beside him, Mokuba sat quiet in the passenger's seat, staring out at the passing streetlights. A quick glance at his younger brother revealed dark circles beginning to show under wide, staring eyes. No surprise there... Mokuba had been under a lot of stress since the events in the park-- had it only been this afternoon? It seemed more like years. And between the shadowy monster and what Mokuba had heard of Joey's transformation, it was unlikely the younger boy would be finding sleep anytime soon. "Seto?" Mokuba's voice was small, but startling in the stillness. "Mmm?" "Are you mad at me for telling Yugi what happened?" The elder Kaiba shook his head, not taking his gaze from the road. "No. If I had been, what happened to Wheeler would have changed that anyway. This IS something we needed to tell them. You did exactly right." "Good." The younger brother was quiet for a while, and then spoke up again. "Is Joey really a vampire?" Seto's knuckles whitened as his grip tightened on the steering wheel. "I don't believe in vampires." An honest answer, if an evasive one. "Then... what happened to him?" "I don't know, Mokuba. I really don't." Blue-grey eyes stared out at the rain. "This is the second time he's been hurt for me." I know it. And it was driving him nuts. He didn't want to respect the mutt. He REALLY didn't want to like him. But not only did Joey risk his life for Mokuba, he had never attempted to use that fact as leverage. The Kaiba name, and the wealth and power it commanded, meant nothing to Joey. He protected Mokuba because he liked the boy, because he cared about him. It wasn't something Seto could understand... but he appreciated it nonetheless. "Seto, where are we going?" "I've got a little vacation place on the other side of town," his brother replied, swinging the car carefully around another turn. No tails sighted, and he didn't expect one, but it always paid to be cautious. "Owned through three or four other companies. We'll lie low there for a few days." "You expect him to come after us." The truth, Seto. You never lie to Mokuba-- sometimes honesty was all you had to give him. The brown-haired Kaiba sighed. "Wheeler and I have never made a secret of our antagonism. And given how he was treating Yami, who would be considered his friend... I thought it was just best to be prepared." And it helps stop that nagging itch in the back of my head. *It's called 'intuition,' hatchling,* rumbled Kochi. *You should pay attention to it. Many a life has been saved by a hunch.* I do not need playing cards lecturing me right now, Seto shot back, careful to keep his expression neutral. He didn't want Mokuba asking any awkward questions just yet. What I need is a shower, clean clothes, and a good night's sleep, in that order. /What you need is a good swift whack with a stick,/ Taiyuu chimed in. (Yeah, the CLUE stick,) added Shijun. Seto rolled his eyes. Look, I put up with this from Yugi and Yami, I don't need it from you three as well. Especially not right now! So go play with your treasure hoards or something and leave me alone! A rude noise echoed in his mind, then nothing but silence. Seto fought to keep from bashing his head against the steering wheel. At this rate, he might BEG Joey to kill him... if the damn dragons didn't do it first. <hr> ** Ack. I feel like a drowned rat, Mai Valentine thought, running one hand through soaked blonde hair. It had been a clear, warm evening when she'd left for the meeting with the endorsement group, so she hadn't thought to bring an umbrella. Now she was dripping on the floor of the elevator. Still, the evening had gone very well... there was now a fat check sitting in her bank account. She hadn't been lying to Joey when she'd told him how lucrative Dueling could be. Joey. Mai frowned, as the anxiety she'd been feeling came back. She hadn't seen him since the end of the Battle City tournament. That had been a strange situation. Egyptian artifacts, evil spirits, magic... and all of it centering on Duel Monsters. After everything she'd seen, she wasn't going to rule out anything as being impossible. But she didn't know WHY she was so jumpy-- It was just that something about this storm felt wrong. Unnatural. And if something was weird in Domino City, it was a sure bet that Joey and his friends were mixed up in it somehow. Mai shook off her thoughts as she let herself into her apartment. She could worry about that in the morning. Right now all she wanted was a hot shower, a hot bowl of ramen, and to go to bed. Not to mention to get out of her dueling clothes. The shirt was practically transparent, and the denim was starting to chafe. Much later, warm, clean, and dressed in a t-shirt and comfortable shorts, Mai wrapped a towel around her hair and headed for her tiny kitchen for something to eat. She didn't quite make it, though. The sight of someone sitting on her living room couch stopped her cold. She barely bit back a scream, but relaxed when she saw who it was. "Joey? What are you doing in MY apartment? And at this time of night?" A thought struck her, and her eyes narrowed. "And just how did you get in? I locked the door!" The blond just grinned, twirling something slim and silver around two fingers. "You need better locks, Mai, that's all I'm gonna say. As to why I'm here..." his face turned serious. "I need a favor." "A favor? Joey... are you in some kind of trouble?" Something was wrong here. Mai felt a prickling along her spine. Joey seemed too still, too contained. None of his usual energy radiating out in all directions. And why couldn't she see his eyes? His bangs weren't that thick, but there seemed to be more shadow under them than usual. "You could kinda say that." Joey pushed to his feet in one fluid motion. "Look, Mai... I know we usually fight, but I know you're a great duelist. Not as good as Yugi... or Kaiba, probably, but then nobody is. I know you're better than me. And well... I really need your help." Mai cocked her head, absently unwinding her towel as she did so. "You know I'm always willing to help you guys... but why do you need duelists? There's no tournament coming up." Shaking his head, Joey moved closer, circling her slightly as he did so. "Nah, this isn't a tournament, in the normal sense, anyway. It's a lot bigger game, with a lot bigger stakes." Moving behind her, Joey brushed a hand against the small of her back. "You like high stakes, don't you, Mai?" "I... Joey, what are you doing? This is NOT like you." Mai gasped as Joey's hands came to rest on her hips, pulling her back against his body. Hot breath hit her ear as he spoke, and she shivered, her eyes slipping closed involuntarily. "Biggest game of the century, Mai... maybe the millennium. You wanna be in on it, right? To help me? After all, we DO make a great team..." Joey nuzzled her neck gently, and Mai swallowed hard. She'd always thought Joey was kind of cute, but this... this sensuality was totally new. It was blowing her out of the water, but... it was wrong. "Joey... no. This isn't like you. What is going ON here?" Pulling out of his grip, Mai turned around. Face to face, she stared into Joey's eyes... and screamed. Instead of warm, mischievous brown, the eyes that greeted her were blood red, and glowing with an internal light. With a growl, Joey slapped one hand over her mouth, cutting off her scream. Faster than Mai could blink, he spun her around into his grasp, his free arm clamping hers to her sides with an iron grip. Tilting Mai's head to the side, he used his chin to brush damp blonde hair away from her neck. "I tried to be nice about this, Mai. I need another duelist to help me make sure my master's plans go through. And you're the best I know." Out of the corner of her eye, Mai could see the gleam of bared fangs, and she struggled harder, but Joey's grip was unbreakable. "Settle down, gorgeous... I promise, this won't hurt a bit." Then his fangs sank home. Mai's eyes widened for a second, then slid closed. She relaxed against Joey as he fed, finally going limp in his arms. Joey wiped the blood from his mouth, then gently picked Mai up in his arms and carried her into the bedroom. Setting her down on her bed, he pressed his lips to hers in a surprisingly soft kiss. A bit of shadowy mist slid from his mouth into hers, and she sighed slightly, shifting under him. Backing away, Joey stood up straight. It was done. Mai would still be human- - she'd need to taste his blood to become a vampire, and he didn't want that. Not yet, at least. But with that wisp of shadow in her veins, she'd bound to him, to his call. And he'd need her, if he was gonna deal with Kaiba and Yami. Turning to go, he stopped at the door, looking over his shoulder. Then with a sigh, he returned to the bed, pulling the blankets up and over the sleeping girl. "Sweet dreams, Mai," he whispered. Then he was gone. <hr> ** Exhaustion had finally won out over nervousness, and Mokuba was now warmly ensconced in the back bedroom of the four-room cottage, buried under enough blankets to make a casual observer think he was just another lump in a poorly made bed. Mokuba hadn't actually made it there-- he'd fallen asleep halfway through getting into his pajamas. Seto hadn't had the heart to wake him, so he'd simply pulled Mokuba's pajama top over his head and tucked his sleeping brother into the bed, which Mokuba had immediately burrowed into. The back bedroom had no windows, no way in other than the door, so Seto felt secure leaving Mokuba there to sleep. Still, he stood in the doorway for a long moment, watching the lump in the bed rise and fall with Mokuba's breathing. Finally, he turned away, careful not to shut to door completely. He didn't think either he or Mokuba would be sleeping in the total dark tonight. Maybe not for some time to come. Sinking down onto the couch, Kaiba let out a dark chuckle. He hadn't slept with a nightlight since before the orphanage. Funny how most of his real nightmares had begun after he'd left it. And why the hell was he thinking about Gozaburo again? The bastard was dead and gone, and good riddance. Seto doubted that even the worms would touch him... probably give them indigestion. Then there'd been Pegasus, and Malik... and now this Black King. For the first time in a long time, Seto Kaiba was remembering WHY he'd once been afraid of the dark. His laptop sat on the coffee table before him, currently running an Internet search for any mention of the Black King, especially in combination with vampires. It galled him, but he had to admit that there was no other word for what Joey had become. Checking the results so far, Seto couldn't hold back a slight smirk. His reputation as a hacker notwithstanding, it was a fact that the quickest and easiest way to run a search was still Google. Even if it was faster to read the damn thing in English than to run a translation program. Tapping at the keyboard with one hand, Seto used the other to grab his cup of coffee and take a big gulp. Caffeine was no substitute for sleep, true, but somehow Seto had a feeling sleep would be a luxury for the next few nights. He'd do research for a while, then crash for four or five hours once the sun came up. Not that he was CERTAIN sunlight would be a barrier to Joey, but that was the one aspect of the legend that was consistent almost across the board, so he was willing to risk it. Mmm... Seto chewed his lip as he typed. The problem with an international search was that translation programs only took you so far. Words had their own meanings quite aside from what you could find in the dictionary, and there wasn't necessarily a correlation. English was particularly bad, and unfortunately, it was what a good half of his sources were written in. The creature had identified itself in Japanese, and the English translation could be black or dark, king, prince, or a hundred other types of-- "Shimatta." Kaiba cursed softly, smacking his hand to his forehead. The damn thing had said "ou"... that hadn't meant "king," it meant Pharaoh. Stopping his current search, he quickly set the computer to search for Black or Dark Pharaoh. His eyes widened as he watched the results start pouring in. And most of them said the same thing-- very, VERY bad news. Many of them suggested the same link-- an American company said to deal with such matters. For a second, Kaiba seriously considered it, but... no. Too much chance that they would find out about the Millennium items and the last thing any of them needed at this point was one MORE band of power- seekers trying to get their hands on the things. Even if it WAS rather fun watching Yami turn treasure-hunters interesting colors. Setting his computer for a more intense search, Seto set the laptop aside and laid his head back against the couch. Okay, it looked as if this Black King was a very bad character, which would explain why Yami had actually gone PALE, according to Yugi, when the creature had been described. The question was, what were they going to do about it? He had no illusions that the creature had chosen to attack them in the park by random chance. Like it or not, he was involved up to his eyeballs in this. He just wished could make SENSE out of all this... Sense that didn't involve ghosts, magic, and ancient dragons. (Hey!) No offense. The beginnings of a real smile touched his face before he caught it. He was way too tired. Maybe he should just cut out the caffeine, go in and lie down next to Mokuba. Even though there were two bedrooms in the cottage, Seto knew he wouldn't be able to sleep without being next to his little brother. The thud was barely audible, but it was enough to bring Seto rolling off the couch to his feet. The front door was still closed; that left the kitchen, or the second bedroom. Settling into a fighting stance, Seto inched closer to the lamp that lit the living room. Having the light on made him a sitting duck, but if it was Joey out there, then turning it out would probably only put him at a disadvantage. "Show yourself," Seto commanded, refusing to let any fear creep into his voice. He had to stay in command of this situation, or he was already lost. "Well, since you asked so NICELY," Joey Wheeler drawled, seeming to almost materialize out of the darkness of the kitchen. "Nice little bolt-hole you got here, Kaiba. You need to go to ground a lot?" Seto shifted his feet, relaxing only slightly. Joey was strong normally, and a skilled fighter. With enhanced strength, he was going to really be in for it. "How'd you find me?" The vampire chuckled. "Wasn't hard. Just had to follow the smell of old blood and pain. You STINK, you know? Way I figure, someone used you for a punching bag a long time ago, and you ain't never really got over it. Lotta scar tissue there." "Is this psychoanalysis going somewhere?" Outwardly, Seto forced himself to look bored; inwardly he was reeling from Joey's casual assessment. "Yeah... You know, you and me got a lot in common. You think like a gutter fighter, Kaiba. For all the money and power you got, you're still street, just like me. Yami still thinks like he's playing a chess match. You and me, we know there aren't any rules. And that makes you dangerous." A mirthless grin flashed needle sharp fangs. "And you know I can't leave a threat standing." "I know something else we have in common too, Wheeler... We've all got something to fight for. Or have you forgotten about Serenity now that she's had her operation?" Seto had the satisfaction of seeing Joey's expression waver. "You took a spear through the stomach for Mokuba, because you knew what it was like being a big brother. Are you just going to let her go on without you to protect her?" "Hey, Serenity is none of your business, Kaiba. I can still take care of her." Seto smirked, circling the couch as Joey moved closer to him. "I don't think you can, puppy. After all, you've got kind of a problem with sunshine now, don't you? No more brother/sister trips to the beach. But I do owe you for saving Mokuba. So I promise, Serenity will never want for anything ever again. I won't let anything happen to her." Joey's only response was a snarl as he launched himself forward. Seto barely managed to dodge the lunge, helping Joey's momentum along with a heel-hand strike to the back of the head. Joey went down, but managed to roll to his feet, sweeping a heel kick towards Kaiba's head. The CEO barely managed to duck, coming back with an uppercut to Joey's stomach. It was like punching a sack of wet cement. Snapping a palm strike to Joey's chin gave Kaiba enough time to gain his feet, but it wasn't enough to react as Joey's fist came plowing into Seto's gut. Somehow Seto managed to kick out, knocking Joey's feet out from under him. Unfortunately, the vampire managed to pull his opponent down with him. They rolled around on the floor for a few more minutes, trading blows, but Joey finally managed to pin Kaiba to the floor by his shoulders. Breathing heavily, Seto stared up at the vampire with defiant blue eyes, trying not to let on how much Joey's hungry red gaze disconcerted him. "Man, I've been looking forward to this for ages... All that magic in your blood is gonna taste SO good... And I finally get to make YOU squirm under MY boot. Bye bye, Kaiba." And Joey bit. It didn't hurt. That was all Seto could think as he felt Joey's fangs sink into his neck. It was more like a whole body electric shock... but there was no pain, only an intense jolt. Then a pulling feeling, as if something intangible was being drawn out of him. Colors pulsed before his vision, and Seto felt his eyes slip closed. He knew he was probably going to die, but that didn't seem that important right now. He was just so tired... "Big brother?" Both Joey and Seto looked up at Mokuba's startled exclamation. The twelve year old stood in the door to his bedroom, staring at them both. His long black hair stuck out in all directions, only intensifying the look of horror on his face. Joey pulled away from Seto, wiping the blood from his mouth as he did so. His expression softened as he looked at the younger Kaiba. "Mokuba... I..." The boy took a step forward, wide blue eyes still fixed on Joey. "Please... Joey... Don't hurt my brother." The vampire's expression was almost sad as he stood up. "Little late for that, kid... but he'll live. Better call the hospital, though." Turning, he walked back into the shadows as Mokuba raced for the phone. <hr> ** "This is getting to be a habit." In his hospital bed, Seto Kaiba folded his arms, aiming a glare at the rather smug Pharaoh currently leaning against the nearest wall. It apparently wasn't one of his better efforts; Yami's smirk wasn't even dented, and Mokuba was stifling giggles. Kaiba threw his younger brother an exasperated glance, but couldn't keep it up. At least he wasn't stuck wearing one of those stupid hospital gowns. While the emergency room had piped a couple pints of blood into him the night before, Mokuba had phoned the Game Shop, summoning Yugi and his grandfather for help. While Solomon had retrieved the van left outside the safe house, Yugi had escorted Mokuba back to the mansion to pick the elder Kaiba up a pair of sweats. Not that he didn't appreciate the change of clothes, but his list of debts to the Moto family was beginning to get out of control. "You don't owe us anything, Kaiba," Yami broke in, reading the older teen's expression with that annoying accuracy of his. "You should know that by now." "Yugi, would you mind reining in your dark half? He's beginning to chew on the furniture." Seto's voice was cool, expressionless. Beside him, Mokuba rolled his eyes, but said nothing. A subtle shift of posture and the ruby gleam faded from violet eyes that suddenly seemed larger, softer. Seto relaxed. He much preferred talking to Yugi, though he'd never admit that out loud. There were fewer biting personality assessments, for one thing. "How ARE you feeling?" Yugi asked, unfolding his arms. "You gave us all a pretty good scare." "My head hurts, which the doctors say is common with blood loss. If I pass the attending physician's exam, they'll release me this afternoon, provided I promise to rest. "Good," Yugi replied cheerfully. "Grandpa's already got the guest room made up for you, and the van's in the parking lot, so I can drive us all back as soon as you're out." Kaiba opened his mouth to reply, then stopped. Something Yugi apparently HAD picked up from his tenant was the ability to steamroller over anyone and anything in his way, although the light half was generally very cheerful and polite about it. The smaller boy was smiling now, but something in that expression told Kaiba not to even bother disagreeing. This was ridiculous. He was the CEO of Kaiba Corporation, and one of the most feared businessmen in the Fortune 500. He was an accomplished duelist, ruthless, steel-willed, heart of ice. There was no way he was going to be bullied into anything by Yugi Moto. He was invincible. He was... getting puppy eyes in stereo from Yugi and Mokuba. Damn it... Yugi was sixteen! He wasn't supposed to be able to DO that anymore! Oh, hell, why not? Not like he'd managed to avoid Joey that well anyway, and if there was anyone in Domino City whose house was likely to be vampire- proof, it was Solomon Moto. The old man had been places Kaiba had never heard of, and probably never wanted to. "You can drive?" Kaiba inquired instead, raising one eyebrow. "I didn't think you were able to reach the pedals." The purple glare shot his way was surprisingly acidic. The CEO permitted himself a small smirk. Yugi shook his head. "Okay, okay. Look, I know you well enough to know you've been researching. What have you found out? We're all involved in this, like it or not. We need to put our heads together." The other sighed, but nodded. "Point taken. Okay, on the vampire question, there are enough legends to keep us busy from now until Doomsday trying to find the truth of them. Every culture has its own version of the story, and they differ in as many ways as they agree. About the only universals are that they're nocturnal, and that they drink blood." Kaiba winced as one hand drifted up to touch the bandage on his neck. "That's been confirmed empirically." "Seto," Mokuba scolded. "The doctor told you to leave it alone, or you could start bleeding again." "Sorry, Mokuba. Anyway, our best bet is to concentrate on the Black King angle. I've started downloading some research material to my laptop, but Joey... interrupted me before I could really read over it. The thing obviously has some type of Egyptian connection, though." Quickly, Kaiba outlined his linguistic deductions of the night before. Yugi nodded as he processed the information. "Mmm. Maybe Bakura knows something about this thing. He's got access to a lot of old Egyptian legends through his dad." "Speaking of, Yugi, where's the rest of your merry men? With Wheeler missing, I'd have expected Taylor to be threatening to rearrange my internal organs by now." "Tea had a dance audition in Tokyo, and Tristan went with her to make sure she was safe, and for moral support. They're supposed to be back today sometime... guess we'll have to fill them in then." Kaiba snorted. "I'll leave that to you. Magic and mayhem is more your department." Ruby flashed in violet eyes as Yugi's posture straightened. "This coming from a man capable of summoning three Blue Eyes Whites?" Yami inquired, raising one eyebrow. Seto groaned inwardly. Not the eyebrow; it meant Yami was about to say something devastatingly accurate. Outwardly, however, he remained cool. "I have the cards." "And you have their hearts, too. They're far more than just cards, Kaiba. I can see their traces in your aura. You've seen the Heart of the Cards, and you know what you are. You've taken your first steps toward it. Now you have to accept your destiny." "I don't want to hear this right now," Seto growled. "There are many things you don't want to hear, Seto Kaiba." Yami's gaze slipped over to Mokuba, and he sighed. "All right, for now. But the time is coming when you will have to hear... and believe." <hr> ** Fate's sense of humor never failed to surprise him. The Seto Kaiba who had walked through his door and challenged him for his Blue Eyes card was almost unrecognizable in the tattered, limping figure who was trying quite hard NOT to lean on the shoulder Yugi was offering. Solomon Moto shook his head. Kaiba wasn't quite managing, but he supposed it was more a question of preserving dignity than anything else. "Come and sit down on the couch, Kaiba," the older man said, setting a steaming tea tray down on the coffee table. "Yugi, why don't you take Mokuba up and get the guest room cot set up? I assume you wish to be close to your brother." The last question was directed at Kaiba, who nodded. "Yes... thank you," the teen replied, carefully making his way around the couch. As Yugi and Mokuba ran up the stairs, Kaiba sank gratefully down onto the soft cushions. Chuckling, Solomon poured two bowls of green tea, placing one bowl in front of Seto, then settling into the armchair. For a long moment, Kaiba simply regarded the tea, then looked up at the older man. "You got rid of Yugi and Mokuba... I assume you want to talk." "Mmm." Solomon sipped at his tea. "First, you need to relax. You won't be able to get much done if you're jumping like a scalded cat at every noise. I assure you, this house is quite safe." "Heh. Why am I not surprised?" But the CEO picked up his bowl and sipped at it gently. For a while silence hung between them, surprisingly comfortable. Finally, it was Kaiba who broke the quiet. "Why did you offer us a room? I know Mokuba and Yugi are... friends, but... Why me?" Setting down his tea, Solomon studied the younger man with serious violet eyes. "You really don't understand, do you? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised... You've spent so much of your life just surviving. You haven't had much time for anything else." A brown eyebrow arched. "You're talking in riddles." "Sorry... a habit of being a game shop owner, I suppose. Let's try it this way-- why do you think Yugi invited you here? You, specifically, rather than letting you drop Mokuba in our protection and going to face Joey alone?" Seto suddenly found his throat locking up around the swallow of tea he'd just taken. He knew the answer to that one, but he didn't want to. If he didn't look at what he knew too closely, he didn't have to admit it. Didn't have to deal with it. Setting his tea down, he stood carefully. "I need to get back to my research. Thank you for the tea." He didn't even make it two steps to the stairs. "Seto." The old man's voice was quiet, but stronger than Kaiba had ever heard. Dragon Master. The "voice" was calm, and warm, and so gentle Kaiba almost wept. It brought back images of a mother he could barely remember, a soft smile and a bright light that had faded far too quickly. But... if he was hearing it in his head... Slowly, as if expecting to be struck by lightning, Seto turned to look back at Solomon Moto, who smiled at him gently. "The... the Blue Eyes? But... I..." "Well... It turns out it was only a card after all," the old man replied, his smile wistful. "Oh, the shock of the link breaking was terrible... but that was all it did. She never really left me... Spending all that time in the card helped me find her again. So you see... what happened that day may have been the best... and perhaps, necessary." Kaiba just stared. His guilt over what he had done had never been particularly strong, but it had always been there, at the back of his mind. Now it faded away completely in a warm rush of forgiveness. Release your pain, Dragon Master. You need it no longer. You have better armor now, for mind, and soul, and heart. *You are not alone, Seto Kaiba. Those who are loved never are.* /Mokuba has always been with you... as have your parents. As would your friends, if you so choose./ (And besides... you have us now! And we'll ALWAYS be here!) That did it. Shock, blood loss, stress, and the constant impossibilities finally broke through the block that had spent years forming. It wasn't much, just a slight shifting of ice... but sometimes, that's all it takes... to start an avalanche. The starch went out of Seto Kaiba's knees and he collapsed, staring at the floor with wide, sightless eyes, shoulders shaking. Instantly, Solomon was by his side, one hand resting gently on the boy's back. "Seto... when was the last time you had a good night's sleep?" the old man asked, appalled by the dark circles he could see under Kaiba's blue eyes. A chuckle rolled out, dark and liquid, riding the edge of hysteria. "Without dreams? I... I think I was ten." Solomon cursed quietly, gently managing to lever Kaiba to his feet. "Come. You're going to bed now-- your research will be there when you get back, and you'll be better able to interpret it with some sleep. Whatever demons stalk you can't find you here... they'll have to wait for another night." As they started up the stairs, Kaiba managed to fix Solomon with a reasonably fierce blue glare. "Moto... What the HELL was in that tea?" "I'll tell you in the morning," Solomon laughed, guiding his groggy charge up the stairs. <hr> ** "Oh MAN! You just HAD to take the red-eye, didn't you?" Tristan Taylor pulled his jacket over his head in an attempt to fend off the pouring rain as they dashed from the bus to the terminal. Beside him, Tea Gardner just glared. "I didn't hear YOU complaining when we bought the tickets! No, it was 'I wanna sleep in my own bed tonigh