HAPPY THANKSGIVING
Caterfree: Yup…triplets…poor Seto.
Stableboy: Thanks for the review, but even the
most educated of us makes mistakes. I just started a new job and had no time
for revisions, unfortunately. I will be more careful.
YoukoMia: who knows what Aria will send to
the Shadow Realm next.
Hayden is not himself….and he won’t ever be.
Anubiset: Robbie doesn’t know what his dad
would say. In the next story, it comes
as a surprise to Daniel, but he doesn’t object.
Nothing will put me off on writing. It’s too much fun and I work too
hard to quit.
Kat: YEAH FLESH EATING!!!
Mokuba doesn’t do anything half-assed..*snickers
at old comment*
Lady Elfskye: Yup…Chibi Mokuba triplets.
Valea: To answer your question about
Hayden, Hayden is insane. His mind is thinking irrationally, but at times he
has clear inner dialogue. YEAH INSANITY!
NOTE: This chappie happens two
weeks later……
A Silent Phase
Robbie waited outside Aten’s
hospital room. He paced nervously. Daniel and Miranda sat on the chairs watching
their son pace back and forth like a trapped animal.
He wrung his hands nervously.
He muttered to himself as he paced.
Ryou, Bakura, Marik, and Malik sat holding each other’s
hands. Aria sat on the chair with her
legs crossed. Her fingers tapped
nervously against her bare arm.
Joey was leaning against the wall, staring at the clock.
Robbie ran to the window and tried to look into the hospital
room. “When will Zira
be done?”
“Patience, Robert,” Daniel said as he crossed his arms.
Joey’s cell phone rang.
Joey removed it from his pocket.
“Hello?”
[Hey, pups. Is Aten finished yet?]
“No, the doctor’s been in there for about two hours and no
word yet.”
[Okay. When you get back, we’ll head out to the summer home.]
“Okay. Love you, Seto. Bye.”
[Bye, pups.]
Joey sighed and turned off his cell phone.
Aria watched Robbie stand by the door and pressing his ear
against it. She jumped off of her chair
and went to Robbie. “You can’t hear through walls, Robbie. It won’t work.”
Robbie blinked. “I can hear a vacuum!”
Aria put her ear against the door. “That’s not a vacuum. It’s the machine thing that is sucking the
fluid out of Aten’s heart and lungs. Mother told me about it last night.”
“They WHAT?!”
“They’re sucking the fluid out of Aten---.”
“I heard you the first time, Aria!”
Aria narrowed her eyes. “Look, I know you are upset. This
isn’t exactly easy on my end either! Aten’s been through this kind of stuff before. He’ll pull through.”
Robbie lowered his head and sniffled. Aria sighed and put her
hands on Robbie’s arms. “Look, there’s no need to get upset, Robbie. Trust me on this.”
“Aria, he’s my best friend. And….and…” Robbie looked around
at the other adults. They were all watching
them. Robbie took Aria’s wrist and
pulled her down the hallway out of earshot of the parents.
“Don’t go too far, kids,” Ryou called to them as Robbie
pulled Aria along.
“What’s the big idea, Morgan?!”
Robbie stopped and looked down the hall. The adults wouldn’t
be able to hear them.
“Aria, I love your brother.”
“I love him, too. He’s my brother. He’s two minutes younger than me, so
technically, that makes him my baby brother.”
Robbie shook his head and waved his hands in front of her.
“No, no, no! I mean….I LOVE your brother.”
Aria raised an eyebrow.
She stepped back in shock. “You….you what?”
“Aria, I don’t know what to say to him! Do I tell him?”
“Well, my first question is, why did you tell me?”
Robbie took her hand gently.
“Aria, you are my friend. You, me, Aten, and Umi have been
friends for years. I’ve always
considered you a friend, Aria. You creep me out sometimes, but I am still your friend. I just….” Robbie sniffled. “I don’t know what
I would do without Aten, Aria.”
Aria reached out and tipped Robbie’s head up. “Look me in the
eye and tell me that you love my brother.”
Robbie’s blue eyes pierced through Aria’s gaze. Much to Aria’s amazement, Robbie did not back
down from her threatening glare. Robbie
should be cowering in fear. Instead, the
boy stood his ground against her. “I love your brother, Aria.”
Aria blinked. Umi had also never flinched from her stern gaze. She respected anyone who could look at her
and not be afraid. It took guts, especially since Umi
and Robbie knew that they risked being sent to the Shadow Realm when they made
her angry.
“Why?”
Robbie released her hand and gripped his black, curly hair in
his hands. “I don’t know why! I can’t
figure it out! I don’t know how or why
or anything! I wish I knew! It feels so right, Aria! Do you understand?”
Aria crossed her arms and looked down at the white tile
floor. “Yes, I do. I love Umi. Umi and I are going to be girlfriend and boyfriend. I love him a lot and I don’t understand love
either. It’s a silly little emotion.”
“But I’m serious, Aria!
I can’t tell Aten about it now…I’m too nervous.”
“Robbie, I’d be a no-good, two-faced, dirty stinking liar if
I said that Aten doesn’t have feelings for you, too.”
Robbie’s jaw dropped.
“He does?”
Aria gave Robbie a little smile. “Aten’s
very secretive, Robbie. I mean, I didn’t
find out about our grand----.” Aria stopped.
“I can’t finish that thought. I’d promised Aten I wouldn’t say anything
and I never go back on my word.”
“Didn’t find out about what?”
“No, I can’t say anything.
I will not betray my brother’s trust.
All I can say is that Aten doesn’t give his heart out to just
anyone. If Aten says that he has
feelings for you, you can pretty much expect that Aten is feeling much more
than what he is saying.”
Robbie grabbed Aria’s shoulders. “Please don’t tell your mother and fathers
that I told you this! Marik would send
me to the Shadow Realm! Bakura would
kill me! Malik…well, I don’t know what
he’d do, but he’d think of something.
Your mom….I honestly don’t want to know what he’d do to me!”
“Mother loves you! He
wouldn’t mind.”
“Please, Aria! I promise
I won’t say anything about you and Umi!”
Aria saw the sincerity in the blue eyes looking down at
her.
“Please,” the voice squeaked. “Don’t let anyone find
out! I don’t want anyone to…..to….know I
love another boy! People will know I’m…..gay.”
Aria snickered. “Robbie, look over there at the
grown-ups. My mother is a boy! My father is a boy! Daddy Marik and Daddy Malik are boys! My Unkie Seto and Unkie Puppy are gay!
Unkie Tristan and Unkie
Togi are gay!
You’re surrounded by gay people….except me and Unkie
Mokuba. Do you really think anyone is
going to hate you for being gay? You
don’t grow up in a house of four gay men, who are very open with their love for
each other, and feel ashamed of it. I
can’t tell you how many times I walked in on my daddy and mommy making love! I’ve even walked in my accident on Marik and
Malik! Whatever I saw in that room was
just……wrong. But, I love them anyway!”
Robbie snickered. “You walked in on your mom and dad?”
Aria shrugged. “I’m surrounded by it, Robbie. But you don’t live in a house with four gay
men and feel ashamed of it. I love my
mother and fathers. They may creep me out sometimes, like when my dad wakes up in the
morning and steps out of his room with no pants on. That’s just wrong, seeing my father
naked. But, you learn to live with it.”
Robbie threw himself at Aria and hugged her. “Thank you so
much for understanding, Aria! I was
really hoping you would!”
Aria hugged him back and then held him at arms length. “Just one thing, Robbie….”
“What?”
“If you hurt Aten……you will have to deal with me.”
Robbie saw Aria’s eyes darken and he shook his head
emphatically. “I wouldn’t dream of doing something like that!”
“Good. Because I know
what Aten has gone through….and so help me Ra…..if I find out that you hurt
Aten, I will cut off your penis and stick it down your throat and watch you
choke on it. Do we understand each
other?”
Robbie swallowed hard.
“Crys---Crystal Clear.”
“Good,” she said pleasantly.
Robbie watched Aria walk back towards the grown-ups and stand
by her mother. Robbie wiped his forehead
clear of sweat at the thought of Aria’s threat.
‘She sure does creep me out,’ he
said as he approached the grown-ups again.
The door to the room opened and Zira
stepped out.
Ryou and Marik jumped to their feet. “How did it go?”
Zira stepped up to Ryou and Marik. “Go see your son. He’s waiting for you.”
Ryou and Marik entered the room, followed by everyone
else.
Aten laid in his hospital bed with
his chest bare. A tiny bandage was
placed just below his breastbone.
The boy in the bed opened his eyes weakly.
“Hello, baby. How do you feel?”
Aten gave a quiet moan.
Robbie ran beside Aten. “Hi, Aten!
I’m so glad you’re awake!”
The boy gave a little smile.
“That’s my boy,” Marik said, leaning over and kissing his son
on the forehead.
Aria ran to the other side of Aten’s
bed. “Hello, brother! So glad you’re
awake! Hopefully now you can breathe a
little better.”
Joey put his hand on Aten’s leg.
“How do you feel, Aten?”
Aten turned his head to the side and gave a deep sigh. He gave a little smile and closed his eyes.
“Well, Ryou, he seems to be breathing much easier than he was
before,” Bakura said to his husband.
Daniel stood at the foot of the bed. “He’s a brave little
trooper. He’s not even crying.”
Malik smiled. “Aten’s a strong
kid. Aten will bounce back. He always
does.”
“Poor little guy’s all tuckered out,” Miranda said shaking
her head.
“This wasn’t a major surgery, though,” Ryou said running his
fingers through Aten’s soft hair. “Zira did say he
would sedate Aten so he wouldn’t feel anything.”
Aten opened his eyes and looked up at his father with large
eyes.
Marik bit his lip, trying to keep himself together
emotionally and trying to suppress the urge to squish his kid. “Aten, don’t you have anything to say?”
Aten blinked.
Marik sighed. Aten had not said a word to anyone in two
weeks. Chapman’s sessions were
unsuccessful. Even Robbie couldn’t get
anything out of Aten, which spooked him.
Aten would always talk to Robbie.
This silent phase was unsettling.
“Glad to see you are doing well, son,” Marik whispered.
Robbie gave his friend a smile. “I’m really glad you’re
awake, Aten.”
Aten smiled at his friend and reached out for him. Aten grabbed a hold of Robbie’s collar and
pulled him over. Aten nuzzled his
forehead against Robbie’s neck.
Marik crossed his arms and bit his lip, desperately trying
not to squish the two boys together. It
was so hard not to!
Aten released Robbie and turned to his sister. He reached out and Aria gave a smile.
“I love you, too, brother,” Aria said.
Everyone’s eyes turned to Aria.
“Your brother talked?” Malik asked.
“He said something?” Ryou inquired.
“What did he say?” Marik asked quickly.
Aria looked around. “He just said he loved me through our mindlink. Dear Ra!”
Bakura crossed his arms. “Don’t take Ra’s name in vain, Chibi Yami.”
“Yes, father.”
Aria turned her attention back to Aten, who was looking up at
her with sad eyes.
//Aten, why won’t you speak?
You haven’t said anything to anyone.//
/I….can’t./
//Why not?
Dr. Chapman has been here trying to help you.//
/I’m….a freak, Aria./
Aria shrugged. //So what?
I’m a freak, too. Your father is
definitely a freak.//
The brother and sister chuckled.
//But, seriously, Aten, you can’t just stay quiet for the
rest of your life!//
/She….was so horrible, sister!/
//Who?//
/Aunt Serenity./
Aria narrowed her eyes. “Oh, really?”
Ryou shifted his eyes between his two children. “What?
Aria, what is he saying?”
“That Aunt Serenity was mean to him.”
“Oh, Aten, what Serenity thinks does not matter.”
Joey turned to Ryou. “Serenity? I thought she left two weeks ago!”
“She came here,” Marik said.
“Aten attacked her.”
Joey’s eyes widened. “My sister? Aten attacked her?”
“Aten did a good job on her, Wheeler,” Marik said. “She deserved everything she received. That’s my boy!”
Miranda shrugged. “Did I miss something?”
“Serenity was mocking Aten because she saw Robbie and Aten
holding hands in the movie theater.”
Daniel raised an eyebrow.
“Of all the foolish nonsense! Why would she make such a big deal about
that?”
“She made Aten cry. He was so upset, poor thing,” Malik said
shaking his head.
Joey narrowed his eyes. “Well, I want nothing more to do with
her. She’s out of my life for good. After all I’ve done for her, for all I’ve
risked, it was for nothing. I tried so
hard in
Marik rolled his eyes at the memory of Serenity cheering by
the sidelines. “Wheeler, she was more
annoying than Anzu could ever be! I had a hard time deciding who I wanted to
throw off of the blimp more. At one
point, I would have tossed myself off of the blimp if she didn’t stop sounding
like Anzu.”
Aria sighed. //Aten, what that girl thinks doesn’t
matter. If you love Robbie, than that is
okay. Don’t worry about what everyone
here would think.//
/That’s not all, sister./
//What more is there?//
Aten took a deep breath.
/Prepare yourself./
Aria nodded and opened her mindlink
to her brother. Within a moment, Aria
closed her eyes tightly as waves of images hit her from his captivity with
Charlie.
Bakura grabbed her shoulders and held her on her feet. “Aria? Daughter? Are you
okay?”
Aria reached up and grabbed her batwing spikes. She squeezed her hair tightly. Images of Charlie kissing Aten and looking
down at him flashed behind her eyes.
Yami was also there, looking down at him. She felt Yami’s
hands on her and she smelled him. She
felt something constricting around her neck, choking her and something gagging
her.
A few minutes later, Aria opened her eyes and found her
mother looking down at her.
“Baby?
Oh gods, Aria? Aria?”
Aria looked around. “What happened?”
“You fainted, sweetheart,” Bakura added. “Are you okay?”
Robbie ran to them with a wet towel. “Here you go, Aria.”
Malik held her hand. “You’re going to be okay, Aria.”
“Yami!” the girl exclaimed.
Bakura and Marik narrowed their eyes. “What about Yami?”
Aria struggled to her feet and looked down at Aten. //Yami did that to you? He dared to…..He did, didn’t he?//
Aten sniffled and blinked. /Yes./
Aria growled and narrowed her eyes. //The Shadow Realm is going to be ripped
apart until I find him, Aten!//
/Yami is too strong for you to fight alone! You need me to defeat him!/
//Bullshit. I can
fight him and win all by myself!//
/No, sister! He will
defeat you! He will hurt you! You need
me to fight him!/
Aria narrowed her eyes.
//Aten, I am strong enough without you!
How many times do I have to tell you that I don’t need your help?!//
/Aria…listen to me for a change and
stop being like your father! Yami will
kill you if you fight him alone!/
//Nobody hurts you without feeling my wrath, Aten! I am the strong one! I can fight him alone!//
/Damn it, sister! He’s
going to kill you if you fight him alone! You need me and I can’t duel right
now!/
Aria growled. //I will battle him tonight in the Shadow
Realm! You can’t talk me out of it, so
stop trying!//
/Fine. Just…whatever
you do….don’t let him touch you./
Aria shuddered. “That’s a disgusting thought, Aten.”
“Chibi Marik, are you being a hentai to your sister?” Bakura asked.
Marik grinned. “My son’s a hentai….just
like me.”
Ryou and Malik shook their heads in dismay.
“Look, Ishtar, we are not doing the
sister-brother wedding thing. That’s
just creepy,” Bakura said sternly.
Marik grinned. “I dunno. I’ve been trying to woo
“Yes, but she is MY sister,” Malik added. “And, may I add, she’s been playing ‘hard to
get’ with you for fourteen years! It’s
time to give that game up, Marik.”
“Aww, it’s a fun game,” Marik
pouted. “And I like that game. It’s one
hell of a turn-on.”
Daniel cleared his throat.
“Marik, let’s not do this in front of Robbie, okay?”
Marik walked over to Daniel and put the tip of the Millennium
Rod under Daniel’s cheek.
“Damn it….now you’re turning me on!” Marik grinned.
Daniel took Miranda’s hand and held it up. “I’m spoken for, Ishtar.”
“That’s okay. I know Miranda’s enjoying the game of ‘hard to
get,’ too.”
“Marik, I’m flattered, but I know you’re dead. I don’t go in for necrophilia.”
Marik chuckled. “Sure
you don’t, Miranda…..”
/I just want you to be careful./
Aten said quietly through the mindlink.
“I will be, Aten.
Trust me. Do you mind if I borrow
your deck? Your monsters will obey me if
I need them.”
/Hand me my deck./
Aria handed Aten his deck.
He pulled out two cards.
/Take The Helpless Child and the Ultimate Obedient
Fiend. They will follow your
instructions./
//Thank you, Aten.
I will give these back to you when I am done.//
Joey stood up and pat Aten’s leg. “I have to go. Seto and I are taking the kids
out to the summer home. We’re hoping a
change of scenery will help Hayden adjust.”
“Good luck, Joey,” Ryou said hugging the blond.
“Bye, Unkie Puppy,” Aria waved.
Joey left the room and started to approach the desk to ask
the whereabouts of his sister.
But, he had to let go of her.
She was not his sister anymore.
She was nothing more than a memory anyway before her arrival.
It was best that she stay that way.
*************************************
Joey and Seto stepped out of their limo and assembled
Hayden’s wheelchair. The teen was still
dependent on the wheelchair, much to the dismay of the couple.
Jaimen jumped out of the car and ran to the
trunk for his schoolbag full of toys.
Donny handed the child his schoolbag.
“Do you need help with the suitcases, Donny?” Jaimen asked with his large, sparkling blue eyes.
“No, no. I can handle this.
You run along with your daddy.”
Donny picked up the luggage carefully. He carried the first two pieces of luggage
into the mansion.
Seto and Joey wheeled Hayden through the kitchen where the
ramp had been installed.
“This is going to be great, Hayden! Just a weekend of
relaxation!” Joey said.
“We’ve even brought your toys with you, Hayden. We know you and Jaimen
have hardly played together since you came back to us.”
Mokuba and Jeanie walked into the house. “Just a nice family trip.”
Donny entered the kitchen and carried the two pieces of
luggage upstairs. He found the door to Seto’s room already opened.
He stepped cautiously into the room and saw the bedsheets shifted haphazardly around the bed. “Housekeeping is getting careless.”
He quickly made the bed and returned to finish bringing up the
luggage.
Seto wheeled Hayden through the Dining Hall. Hayden shifted restlessly in the chair. Seto looked at the table and saw a white
stain on the edge of the table. He walked up to it and tried to scratch it off
with his nail.
“Housekeeping is getting careless.”
Seto wheeled Hayden into the Living Room and put him by the
window. “I’ll be right back, Hayden.”
Seto ran off to unpack his luggage. He found Joey upstairs licking his fingers
and trying to remove a white stain from the bedsheets.
“We really have to talk to housekeeping about these
stains! I found them all over! The wall….the kitchen
table….everywhere!”
“Yeah, I found a white stain on the Dining Hall table.”
Jaimen ran into the room. “Done unpacking! I’m
going to go play with Hayden!”
Seto turned. “I don’t want you playing alone with him. Have Donny take you and Hayden outside to
play.”
Jaimen jumped. “YEAH!”
Jaimen ran out and down the steps eagerly.
“Donny! Donny!”
Donny ran out of the kitchen with his weapon drawn. He hid it
when Jaimen ran into the kitchen. “Jaimen, you scared
me! I thought something was wrong!”
The bouncy pre-teen bounced on his toes. “Can you take Hayden
and I outside to play?”
“Yeah, sure.
I’ll go get Hayden. Meet you
outside.”
Donny found Hayden in the living room. “Let’s go get some fresh air, Hayden.”
Donny wheeled Hayden outside. “Isn’t it nice out here,
Hayden?”
“Uhh….”
Jaimen ran around the open field that
comprised the
Hayden watched him run.
Hayden’s POV
I never ran like that.
I wanted to. I dreamed I did.
But dreaming I could run free is all I could do.
In my uncle’s grasp, I couldn’t run. I couldn’t play.
All I could do was lay on my back
and let my uncle’s clients use me like a toy.
That’s all I was.
Jaimen ran around the yard freely.
Why should he get to run wild and free?
That’s no fair!
I’ll get him for this!
****************************
Normal POV
After dinner, Seto and the family retired to the Music
Room. Joey walked to the piano and
scratched at the white stain on the wood.
“It’s here, too! What
the hell is this stuff?”
Seto shrugged. “I don’t know, but at least it comes off with
a little scratching.”
Joey went to the fireplace and lit it. “Mmmm…a
nice toasty fire!”
Jaimen walked into the room with an armful
of his toy planes and Hayden’s cars.
The chibi dropped the toys on the
floor and went to Donny. “Donny, can you
help get Hayden on the ground so we can play with our toys?”
“Okay, Jaimen, just be careful
playing with Hayden, okay?”
“I promise.”
Donny chuckled. “Okay.” The military man grabbed Hayden from
under the arms. The red-haired boy
struggled with the strong man, making guttural grunts and protests.
Donny put Hayden on the floor in front of the fire.
Jeanie and Mokuba sat on the couch close together.
“Seto, play something on the piano,” Mokuba said. “You haven’t played anything in a long time.”
Seto sat at the piano and cracked his knuckles. “I hope I
remember how to play.”
“It’s like riding a bicycle, Seto,” Jeanie laughed. “Once you
learn, you never forget.”
The CEO looked at the keys and took a deep breath. He put his fingertips to the keys and
remembered how Gozuboro would whip him when he failed
to play just right.
Joey took a book from the shelf and sat in front of the fire
and read.
Mokuba grinned. The entire Kaiba
Family was under one roof alone. He had
his girlfriend, his brother playing the piano, Joey, and the two Kaiba children playing on the floor.
Hayden watched Jaimen separate the
planes and the cars.
“Okay, Hayden, we’re going to play ‘Highway’! You run your cars over the floor and my
planes will fly over to make sure everyone is driving really, really
safely! Okay? Go on, Hayden! Make your cars drive!”
Hayden stared at the car in his hand and moved it along the
floor quietly. Jaimen
stood up and ‘flew’ his plane over Hayden’s car.
“This is Jaimen ‘1’ to Ground
Control! Traffic is all clear from what
we see from two thousand feet!”
Hayden took a second car in his hand and made it swerve
unsteadily. “Uhh…..” Hayden made the one car slam head-on into
another car. Hayden let out a series of
painful screams.
Joey and Seto stopped what they were doing and watched Hayden
make the car that was hit tumble.
Joey raised an eyebrow. Is this what Hayden remembers of the
car crash that killed his parents?
Hayden was the only survivor of the car crash that claimed the lives of
his twin sister and his parents.
Jaimen’s plane “hovered” over the scene of
the accident. “Emergency! Crash on
Hayden stared at the car that laid
on its side. His eyes blankly stared at it.
//MOMMY! MOMMY!// his sister screamed.
//AUGUSTINE!//
//ARCHER! HAYDEN! KEARA!//
Hayden closed his eyes as he remembered the car bursting into
flames. He remembered their screams…the
heat of the flames.
Hayden opened his eyes and saw the cars on the floor. He grabbed the car that was hit and threw it
into the fire.
“Hayden!” Joey exclaimed as he stood up and grabbed the poker
to fish the car out of the fire.
“Hayden, don’t throw your toys into the fire!” Seto growled
at the boy.
Hayden snarled back and grabbed Jaimen’s
legs. He took Jaimen
and threw him towards Joey.
The blond let out a scream as he was tossed partially into
the fire. Seto and Mokuba stood up and
grabbed a blanket.
“LAY DOWN, JOEY!” Seto screamed at his lover.
Joey fell to the floor and rolled around, trying to
extinguish the flame on his clothes.
Seto pat Joey down to extinguish the flames. When the flames finally died down, Seto held
Joey in his arms, hugging him tightly and rocking him.
“Joey, does it hurt?”
Joey winced. “No, but it’s a little sensitive from the
heat. We put it out pretty quickly.”
Jaimen ran to Joey sitting on the floor. He
wrapped his arms around Joey’s neck and kissed him on the cheek
repeatedly. “Other
Daddy! Are you okay? Huh?
Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine, Jaimen.”
The CEO wrapped his one arm around his son. “Are you hurt?”
The child looked up at his father with large blue eyes. “No. I’m fine.”
Seto narrowed his eyes at Hayden. “Donny, put Hayden in his chair and take him
upstairs. You are not to leave his side
for the rest of the night, do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, Mr. Kaiba.”
Donny picked up the struggling Hayden and put him in his
wheelchair.
Jeanie ran over to Joey. “Joey, are you okay?”
Joey nodded. “I’m fine, Jeanie. Can I….have a moment alone with Seto?”
Jeanie took Jaimen by the hand and lead him out of the Music Room. Mokuba followed them out discreetly.
Seto looked down into the sad brown eyes. “Oh, Joey,” the CEO whimpered as he brought
his lover close to him. The brunet
wrapped his arms around his angel and sniffled. “When is this going to end?”
Joey buried his face in Seto’s neck
and sobbed. “We tried so hard, Seto.
Where did we go wrong?”
“I don’t know, love…..I just don’t know.”
************************************
Aria smiled up at her mother.
“Goodnight, mother. Pleasant dreams.”
Ryou leaned down to her. “Goodnight, my little angel. Sleep tight.”
Bakura leaned down and growled into her ear. “Goodnight, my little chibi!”
“Goodnight, father.”
Malik and Marik entered the room. Both gave her a kiss on the cheek.
“Let me see that growl, Chibi
Bakura!” Marik growled at the chibi.
The girl barred her teeth at her other father.
“She’s a chip off of the old block,” Bakura said proudly.
Ryou pat her on the head.
“Sleep tight, honey.”
Aria turned on her side and closed her eyes. The adults filed out of her room and shut the
door behind them.
Aria opened up one black and red eye. “Perfect!”
Her hair spiked and her nails sharpened. Her canines
lengthened. “Let’s go track down that
pharaoh.”
Aria jumped out of bed and stood in front of her bureau. “Shadow Powers of the Night, Open a portal so
that to the Shadow Realm I may take flight!”
A black portal opened for her as the Shadow Realm’s purple
haze flooded the room.
She stepped into the Shadow Realm, looking around nervously.
The Earthbound Spirit appeared before her. “The
King of Thieves daughter! Why are
you here?”
“I’m looking for the son of a bitch pharaoh,” she said
happily. “Have you seen him?”
The Earthbound Spirit started to descend into the ground when
Aria grabbed his arms and held him up.
“Where is he?”
“I do not know.”
She poked the spirit’s forehead with her finger. “Look,
buddy, I am tired, cranky, and I still have these fucking period cramps. As I told the pharaoh, don’t fuck with
me! Tell me where he is now!”
She felt something crawl around her ankles. She looked down. “The
Mystical Ferret!” The little
albino ferret twitched his nose at her.
“If anyone knows how to ferret out the pharaoh, he can help me!”
The Earthbound Spirit released himself from her grip and he
descended into the ground.
“Big help he was…..stupid card. Guess which card is coming out of my deck,
Earthbound Spirit! Let’s go, Mystical Ferret.”
Aria reached into her gown’s pocket and grabbed her
deck. She shuffled it as she walked.
“PHARAOH, YOU COME OUT HERE
The White Magical Hat appeared. “My lady, why are you here?”
“Have you seen the pharaoh?
The Earthbound Spirit was less than helpful.”
“I have seen the pharaoh standing by the
Aria gasped. “That’s where my brother was held captive!”
The White Magical Hat agreed.
“He is there plotting his next scheme.”
She threw herself at the White Magical Hat, hugging him
tightly. “Thank you so much, White Magical Hat!”
“I…am your….servant….my…..lady,” the monster squeaked from
her tight hug.
“Only one thing can get me to the
A loud roar sounded overhead.
The White Magical Hat stepped back as the large black dragon covered in
spikes landed on the ground. “My mistress…..I have come to serve you.”
The dragon lowered it’s head and
nuzzled against her.
The White Magical Hat kneeled before the large dragon. “Your Grace….”
“What did you want with my mistress?”
“She is Lord Bakura’s daughter, I
was concerned about her safety with the pharaoh here.”
Aria climbed up on her dragon’s head and settled on a small
patch of scaly skin above his head.
“Thank you for your help, White Magical Hat! Goodbye, Mystical Ferret!”
The dragon jumped into the air and took flight.
“My brother is still in the hospital. He told me that the pharaoh hurt him.”
The dragon growled. “Your brother has seen his share of
nightmares. That is certainly a sin.”
“I will not let this go unpunished, Nightmare Dragon!”
“Be careful, my lady. When yamis are in the Shadow Realm, their
power increases. The air and aura
of the Shadow Realm rejuvenates them and their strength. Pharaoh Yami is a strong opponent in the
mortal world. He could be unbeatable
here.”
Aria laughed as she gripped onto the spikes. “Impossible! I whooped his sorry ass all over
Domino!”
“My lady, he is stronger here. This is where he is at his peak condition.”
“Well, I’m getting rejuvenated, too! I’m yami.”
The dragon growled as he saw the temple in the distance. “You
are half yami. You were born of mortal
blood, but conceived by yami seed. That
makes you more than mortal, but less than invincible.”
Aria grinned. “I can take care of myself, Nightmare Dragon.
Don’t you worry.
The pharaoh doesn’t stand a chance!”
The Nightmare Dragon landed in front of the temple. Aria
looked up at the large temple. She put
her hand to her head and swooned. The dragon leaned down and held her up.
“It looks like….Yami’s palace back
in
The dragon growled. “We destroyed this temple, mistress. The Unfaithful Guardian was in this temple
and we destroyed it.”
Aria narrowed her eyes and darted up the stairs. “I’m coming,
pharaoh!”
Her white spiky hair flapped behind her, the ribbons
loosening on the batwing spikes.
She arrived in a large, empty chamber. Her footsteps echoed in the large room as her
bare feet pat on the tile.
“Yami, I know you are here!” Aria growled as the Sennen Eye appeared on her forehead.
Yami stepped out of a door at the furthest end of the
room. “Well, if it isn’t the daughter of
the King of Thieves? What brings you
here?”
“You touched my brother, pharaoh! I won’t let you get away with this!”
Aria held up her arm and shoved her deck into the duel
disk. Her eyes narrowed and her hair
spiked. The child’s canines sharpened and she grinned.
“Well, pharaoh, let’s see if you can beat me this time…you
and your pathetic excuse for a deck!”
Yami narrowed his eyes and put his deck into his own duel
disk slot. “You have a lot to learn,
little girl! You should know better than to challenge a king in his realm!”
“My father is the King of the Shadow Realm, pharaoh! I have been raised with his stories of how he
gained the monsters’ trust. How he went
from a poor, broken man to the Lord of the Shadows!”
Yami laughed. “You are right, Aria. They were stories, but
nothing more than fairy tales. And I’m
the one who reduced him to that poor, broken…insect he was.”
Aria snarled. “Enough! No more lies!”
“Your father fought me for power over the Shadows. He won.
I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED BY A LOWLY COMMONER AGAIN! IT’S TIME TO DUEL,
The two drew their cards.
Their Life Points began at 8000.
“Let me show you how
Aria laughed. “You expect to beat me with a monster with zero
attack and defense points? You must be
getting senile, old man!”
“I’m not done ye! I play “Sanctuary in the Sky”!
Aria drew her card. “I play Mirage Dragon (1600/600) in
attack mode! You can’t activate trap cards during the battle phase. I place two
cards face down. End turn.”
Yami drew a card. “I play “Pharaoh’s Servant” (900/0) in
attack mode! I activate the magic card
“Back to Square One”! I discard one card from my hand like this….and now your
Mirage Dragon goes to the top of your deck.”
Aria growled as she put her Mirage Dragon on the top of her
deck. ‘Damn!’
“I equip my ‘Pharaoh’s Servant’ with the Malevolent Nuzzler, bringing his attack up to 1600!”
“NO!”
Yami smiled. “Oh, yes!
Go, Pharaoh’s Servant! Attack Aria directly!”
The zombie ran towards her and attacked her. Her Life Points
dropped to 6400.
“Now that my ‘Sanctuary of the Sky’
is also in play, my ‘Agent of Force’s attack points become the difference
between our Life Points! His attack is now 1600! But, there is more! The Agent of Force-Mars! Attack Aria directly, further raising your
attack strength!”
Aria raised her hand and a magic card appeared. “I play
‘Block Attack!’”
Yami raised his hand. “’Mystical Space
Typhoon! Your ‘Block Attack’ is
useless!”
The monster attacked Aria directly, sending her falling back
on her ass.
Aria’s Life Points dropped to 4800.
Aria staggered to her feet.
“Ow!
That hurt!”
“Maybe you should go back to playing with your dollies,
Aria. This is no game for infants! My “Agent of Force” now has an attack power
of 3200!
Aria growled. “I’ll show you what an infant can do! Do you end your turn?”
“For now.”
Aria drew a card. ‘Aten’s
card! ‘The Helpless Child’! Perfect!’
“I summon ‘The Helpless Child’ (0/0) in defense mode!”
The three year old child kneeled in front of Aria with his
arms crossed against his chest. “I
protect my Master’s sister. No harm
shall come to her.” The child’s sad,
painful eyes looked up at Yami, pleading.
The former pharaoh looked down at the child in tattered
clothing with a vicious glare. “So you
borrowed weak cards from your brother’s deck?
No surprise.”
“I end my turn, pharaoh.”
Yami picked up a card and grinned. “This is my lucky day! I
activate ‘Divine Wrath!’ I discard from my hand and I get to negate the effect
and activation of an effect monster…and ‘The Helpless Child’ is an effect
monster! ‘Pharaoh’s
Servant!’ Attack ‘The Helpless Child’!”
The child looked up sadly and screamed loudly as the monster
destroyed him.
Yami grinned. “’The Agent of Force! Attack Aria directly
again!”
Aria was attacked again, her Life Points dropping to 1600.
Aria fell to her knees, panting heavily. ‘What is wrong with
me? I’m losing! I’ve never lost before!’
“Poor little, misguided girl!
Falling to her knees before my superior dueling
skills!”
“I won’t let you get away with hurting Aten!”
“Are you going to stop me?”
Aria staggered to her feet, her knees threatening to buckle
under her. “I will never stop hating you
for what you did to my brother….and for what you did to my father….I will and
cannot ever forgive you for hurting my family.”
“You were always a thorn in my side, Aria! Even back in
Aria drew a card. “I summon “Horus
the Black Flame Dragon LV4” (1600/0) in attack mode. I attack your ‘Pharaonic Protector!’”
Yami’s
lifepoints fell to 7200.
Yami snickered. “Since you destroyed my monster equipped with
Necklace of Command, I get to activate one of its effects. I randomly discard one card from your hand to
the graveyard.”
Aria gasped. “What?!”
“Discard the fourth card to the right. Put it in the graveyard.”
Aria’s eyes went wide and her hand trembled to pick it up.
“What did I choose?” Yami asked with a cocky smile.
“My…Nightmare Dragon!”
Yami laughed. “Put it
in your graveyard, Aria!”
Aria shook her head and narrowed. “Just because I had to
discard my Nightmare Dragon does not mean I’m going to lose this duel!”
“You keep thinking that, child. I just eliminated your best card! You have no hope left! I’m going to win this
duel!”
Aria looked at the cards in her hand. ‘I don’t believe it! Yami’s winning!’
Yami drew another card.
“I sacrifice my ‘Pharaoh’s Servant’ to summon ‘Mobius
the Frost Monarch’ (2400/1000). Because
I tribute summoned him successfully, I can destroy up to 2 magic and trap cards
on the field! I pick the magic and traps
on your side of the field!”
The cards in front of Aria dissolved.
“Oh no!” Aria gasped.
“I equip ‘The Agent of Force’ with the ‘Silver Bow and Arrow’
Raising his attack to 1900!! Attack Horus!”
The Agent of Force attacked Horus bringing
her Life Points down to 1300.
“Mobius the
Frost Monarch!
Attack Aria directly and eliminate her Life Points!”
The monster attacked her directly and she dropped to her
knees.
Her Life Points fell to 0.
“I…I lost.”
Yami stepped towards her. “You are a traitor, Aria! You thought you could defeat me? You thought you could avenge your baby
brother? You have a lot to learn,
child.”
Aria fell on her hands. ‘How did I lose? I NEVER lose!’
Yami looked down at the girl.
“There’s only one way to deal with traitors, Aria.”
Yami removed a dagger from behind his back. He grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled
her up.
The pharaoh wrapped his arm around her and held her close to
his body. He pressed the blade to her
young neck.
“This feels familiar….doesn’t it, Aria?”
Aria’s eyes opened wide. “Oh my god!”
“This is how I killed you back in
“Leave….Aten….alone!” she choked.
“Now, why would I want to do that? You don’t have to worry about Aten any more,
Aria.”
A loud roar sounded outside.
“Your dragons cannot find their way in here! Your Nightmare Dragon cannot destroy this
temple no matter how hard he tries. This
place is protected by an ancient magic only known to the most
powerful and influential families in
“
Yami Marik ran into the room armed with his Rod. “YAMI! LET GO OF
HER!”
“As I asked before. Why would I want to pass up the
opportunity to kill this child when she will be my destruction?”
Marik removed the dagger of the Millennium Rod. His hair twitched and spiked in fury.
“How did you make it in here?” Yami asked.
“It’s a good thing I have excellent hearing! You said that no COMMON people can enter this
sacred place an only the most powerful and influential families in
Yami grinned, pressing the blade against her skin. “I do not
think so, Yami Ishtar.”
“Daddy Marik!”
“Say goodbye before I slaughter her to secure my future!”
Yami Marik raised his hand as a ball of dark energy appeared.
“I said to put her down!”
The ball of energy shot quickly at Yami and Aria. The pharaoh
released the girl as both of them were sent crashing into the wall. Aria hit the back of her head and collapsed unconscious
on the floor.
Marik raced to the girl and touched the back of her head. “Aria, girl?”
Yami reached for the fallen dagger and rose to his knees. The
pharaoh brought down the dagger and Marik turned.
Marik grabbed his arm and struggled. Yami Yugi.
Marik and Yami rose to their feet, trying to push the other back.
Marik twisted, throwing Yami off balance. The blond threw
Yami to the floor and slammed his foot on his stomach. Yami coughed and curled up into a ball,
rolled over, and sunk his teeth into Marik’s leg.
Marik staggered back, his hand still on Yami’s
arm. The blond leaned down and the king
kicked him twice on the side of the head.
Marik released his grip on the pharaoh. Yami rose to his feet
and clenched his fists.
“You’re a traitor to the nobility!” Yami snarled as he
punched Marik.
The blond yami wiped his bloody lip as he struggled to
maintain his balance.
Yami grabbed the dagger as Marik blocked his strike with the
Millennium Rod.
The two blades clashed.
The sound of metal clanging together echoed in the room.
“You betrayed more people than I ever did! You betrayed your people! You betrayed your
country! You defiled the name of
Yami tried to stab Marik, but the blond stepped aside. “You spit on your noble lineage when you
joined Itemri to murder and pillage!”
Marik narrowed his purple eyes. “There is one difference
between us, Pharaoh Yami. You hurt the
most innocent of your population. Itemri and I kept
the poor alive with what we stole. You
slaughtered the poor for sport!”
The pharaoh lunged at Marik again as the blond caught him
again.
“You…can’t defeat me…Ishtar!”
“I…can’t let you….kill….Aria!”
Aria’s closed eyes fluttered. Her fist clenched.
Yami kicked Marik in the hip.
Marik elbowed Yami in the gut and punched him.
With a final swing, he slammed the Millennium Rod against the
side of Yami’s head.
Yami fell to the ground unconscious.
Arik panted as his tongue tasted his own
blood in his mouth.
He staggered over to Aria and kneeled beside her. He turned her on her back.
Marik swallowed hard as his head began to swoon with the
taste of his own yami blood.
His eyes scanned her and for the first time noticed what a
beautiful woman she was becoming. Her white spiky hair spread around the floor
around her. Her features were becoming
more adult. Her nipples were budded from
the frigid air of the Shadow Realm. Her slightly protruding belly attested to
her increased appetite. Her legs, long
and thin, were spread on the ground.
Marik closed his eyes as he felt his bloodlust kicking in. He
slapped himself across the face.
“THIS IS
Aria gave a moan and her eyes slowly opened. “Daddy…..Marik?”
Marik opened his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank the gods you are alright! Why did you come here alone?”
“For Aten.”
“Your brother put you up to this?”
“No…I did this…for revenge,” she said struggling to sit up.
“I defeated him before! But…I lost!”
Marik sighed. “But you are in the Shadow Realm! That increases yami energy. You are only half
yami because of your mother. Aria….Yami
could have killed you if I hadn’t come to save you.” He tipped her head up
gently. “And Aria…that
would break your mother’s heart.”
Aria’s bottom lip trembled as she looked up at Marik with
large, teary brown eyes. “I’m sorry, Daddy Marik!” her voice cracked.
Marik brought her against his chest. “Let this be our little secret, okay?”
“Okay. *sniff* I love you, Daddy Marik.”
Marik bit his lip. Aria, unlike her brother, hardly ever said
‘I love you.’ When Aria said it, she
really meant it.
“I love you, too, Aria. Can you stand?”
Aria stood with her step-father’s help. Outside the Winged
Dragon of Ra was
lowering its head to the Nightmare Dragon.
“Mistress! You are unharmed!”
“I saved her by luck,” Marik said. “Up,Winged Dragon of Ra!”
The golden dragon moved its lowered head to his master. Aria
climbed up on its head.
“She’s riding home with me,” Marik said as he climbed on top
of his god monster.
The Nightmare Dragon followed Ra out of the Shadow Realm
Badlands. Aria kissed her spiky dragon goodbye and stepped through the portal
to her bedroom.
“Go to sleep, chibi yami.”
“Goodnight, Daddy Marik.”
The blond kissed the girl and shut the bedroom door behind
him.
He breathed a sigh of relief. He went to the bathroom and
brushed his teeth quickly.
‘It’s a good thing I detected a gateway to the Shadow Realm
open. I wonder why Bakura didn’t notice
it.’
Marik heard the headboard of Bakura’s bed slam against the
wall and Ryou’s desperate moans and pleas.
‘Well, that answers my question……Freaks.’
He staggered into his room where he found his naked husband
laying in bed half awake.
“Where did you go?”
“Sorry, Malik. I had to…check something in Aten’s room.”
The yami stripped and slipped into bed beside his lover. He
shifted closer to Malik and pressed himself against the other man.
He draped his arm over Malik’s hip
and started rubbing the curve of Malik’s
buttock. The yami leaned over and kissed
his husband’s neck hungrily sucking on the flesh.
He rolled his lover on his back and crawled on top of him….
************************
Yami opened his eyes and groaned in pain. The side of his
head hurt.
Ishtar.
Yami staggered and struggled to his feet.
“Ishtar?!”
He looked around. Aria was gone.
Yami let out a scream. “I WAS SO CLOSE! Ishtar,
your days are numbered! I will get you
for this!”
Update: Sunday