Chapter Text
Bakura's absence was abnormal. Unnatural in every way to Jun. Sleep did not come to him that night, when Yami Marik had stolen not only Bakura's soul but the Millennium Ring. Yami Bakura had infused himself it turned to be within Yugi's Millennium Puzzle, but he could certainly do without him.
Jun's half-lidded eyes roam the ceiling as if that held all his answers to his fears. Bakura's too good for the shadow realm. I hope his sanity is strong to counter against any illusions with all he endured his entire life, there were always those cracks.
Just as he is on the verge of sleep, a violent jolt caused him to fall off his bed with poor Tallulah yelping when he lands on her tail.
"Ah, I'm so sorry girl," he soothed petting her ears with great affection. "Not exactly a good way to wake up is it?" he huffed.
As they emerge from their room, he let out a string of curses when he's slammed against the wall opposite. Ryuzaki called out to him, latching onto his arm when he too fell forward. "Mother of Dragons, what the hell is going on?!" Ryuzaki shouts.
"It better not be Yami Marik, I swear, I'll kill him." Jun hissed through his teeth, rubbing his aching head.
"Jun-san, Ryuzaki-san!" Yugi's voice called out to them, the real Yugi. Behind him Honda, Anzu, Jounouchi, Ryota and Otogi attempt to keep their balance.
All made their way to the front of the airship, holding onto whomever and whatever they could forming a chain. When Yugi could at last reach the door handle, he shouted for Kaiba. Tallulah lifted her head, ears in a point staring towards an island upon Ryota's observation. "Is that where the finals are?" he asked, Kaiba.
"Alcatraz's computer has refused access!" One of Kaiba's goons declared. Jun blinks in surprise.
"One of the most brutal of prisons is our….final stage?" Why did that not seem eerily fitting?
"Our foster father, Kaiba Gozabura, attempted to conquer the world using the great military industry he founded. These ruins are a symbol of his dream. After he died, my big brother changed Kaiba Corporation into a gaming industry."
"And…my father helped build that tower." Jun remembered as Mokuba stated he was right.
Just mentioning Gozabura's name filled Jun's stomach as though sour fruit had been eaten. His father, Haru Ishikawa never did stand him. They would lash out at every business meeting, with Haru coming home often bitter and angry. He was alone at the time to, when he worked for Kaiba.
A man with hopes and dreams like anyone else with his sleeves rolled down, his hair an awful disarray of spikes falling in front of his eyes. Some alcoholic drink on his desk, one after another. Luckily, when he was a kind enough man, Pegasus offered Haru a deal to help him promote Duel Monsters. Saving their father from the deepest of depression. The meeting of their mother of course changed Haru drastically for the good. Gozabura never did offer his congratulations on becoming a father, Pegasus did.
"He acted as if my father never even existed," Jun finished. Shaking his head with a sigh. "Of course, that was back when our uncle had humanity in him."
"Enough of the history lesson, Ishikawa, Mokuba," Kaiba growls out mentioning both.
Jun had grown used to it when Jounouchi raised a threatening tone in his voice. Smiling warily. "It's alright Jounouchi, he's just a sour-puss remember?"
"Yeah, I know. Hey where's Bakura anyway?"
His heart. A piece of it had vanished when Bakura's soul had, after Yami Marik. Though he wants to shed a tear it is all masked, though Yugi frowns his way when Tallulah lowered her head. "Uh, Bakura's sleeping. He's not feeling too well."
"Ohhhh, I get it! You two were up all night, weren't ya?" Jounouchi made air quotations that Jun was fairly certain he had no idea how to properly use them.
Jun had hoped Honda would not see his blush, scowling when his other acquaintance wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Don't look so bashful, Junie! Bakura's a good catch! C'mon, fill us in on the details."
Shrugging out of his grip Jun whacked them both upside their heads. "OW!" They cried in unison.
"What the hell?!" Jounouchi complained.
"Serves you right butting in on my personal life like that, not to mention Ryota's still here." He casts an apologetic look Ryota's way, as Anzu gave them another scolding herself. Ryota gave a patient smile. Any emotions he may feel for their growing relationship were kept hidden, deep into the depths of his soul.
"I've been waiting for you… and I welcome you Duelists as well," A boy's voice rang clear. Jun swiveled his head towards the source, Ryuzaki describing he was on one of their computer screens. And he looked some like Kaiba.
"Answer me! I asked who you were!" Kaiba demanded.
The boy closed his eyes and allowed a smirk to cross. "Ever the impatient one are we, Seto Kaiba? My name is Noah and I'm far greater than you."
"Little punk… you sure like to hear yourself talk!" Kaiba hissed.
Something was rising from the ocean. Waves became plumes as that something emerged, revealed to be a tower. All looked to one another in confusion, more so when the airship began to be pulled into the building by a force none could see or feel. Shizuka clung close to Jounouchi, her eyes big and filled with natural fear. They were used to this, she was far from. Noah's face appeared once more on the screen. "I'm starting to hate that brat," Ryuzaki growled. "Draggin' us to this place."
"My we have a variety here! Yugi Mutou himself, nobody Katsuya Jounouchi, fourth best Jun Ishikawa, fish-boy Ryota Kajiki and of course, Seto Kaiba…" Noah's mocking infuriated Jounouchi, Jun, Ryota and Ryuzaki. Their blood bubbling.
Kaiba ordered Mokuba to stay put, hollering back at Noah. His gaze of burning flames of ice direct. "Noa, what are your intentions? Just tell me!"
The sound of guns stopped anyone from doing anything. Yugi held Jun/Tallulah and Ryuzaki behind them acting as their guard. Despite how small he was, it impressed Jun a good deal recalling how he saved Honda and Jounouchi from that bully, Ushio.
"Uh…I think he's serious," Jun pointed out. As if that needed to be said. "Not letting us go."
All duelists were more than welcome Noah had added on. Nahaelu had ran out quick to see what was taking place, jaw slight slacked and ready to question when Yami shook his head 'no' to him. Someone needed to watch over Odion and Mai. And…if Bakura would return from the shadow realm.
Nahaelu was ready to join in. He had that special fire within, that not even Yami Marik could extinguish no matter how many times he tried. But to see his pharaoh's expression, Nahaelu choose wisely not to argue returning to Odion next. Ishizu would look after Mai.
"I think that we should do what he wants for the time being," Yugi chimed. Many in agreement.
Kaiba begrudgingly gave in to Noah's order. The brat had no doubt mistaken Honda, Otogi, Shizuka and Mokuba as duelists forcing them into this disaster.
"Shizuka, go back inside." Jounouchi stated firm. "It's not safe."
"She's safest with us wouldn't you think? That Yami Marik creep is still with us," Ryota exclaimed. "She should be fine if someone shows her the basics of dueling."
Shizuka looked towards her brother with a gentle smile. "He's right Jounouchi. I can take care of myself to y'know."
They proceeded down a long corridor. Jun held his head up high as they walked, his stomach pooling with nerves of what lay behind that door at the very end. "What do you want with us, Noah?" Yugi demanded.
"You'll find out soon enough, that some people are very eager to see you again." Noah's voice echoed. Aggravating Tallulah as her teeth barred.
After entering another door, Jun could hear Anzu state she could not see anything. Half-tempted to conjure forth an orb of light for them, they gasped.
"Kaiba Seto and his little friends….among others."
The first voice is male. Gruff, business like. Jun's skin prickled as Jounouchi muttered something about seeing them before, when it registered to Yugi first. His eyes widening. "Y-You're the Big Five!"
"The big who?" Ryota raised a brow.
"Five goons who tried to overthrow my brother! They captured Yugi and his friends along with Seto and forced them in a virtual reality." Mokuba explained, his hands shaking at his sides. Though of anger or fear or perhaps both, none could say for certain.
"Ah man…don't tell me…." Ryuzaki cursed.
"That's correct Little Kaiba," another of the goons stated. "It's time for our revenge at last! We wandered the virtual world for ages after that. In a world where you lose all sense of whom you are. It was maddening. The sights we would see, the visions….all of it was our own personal Hell we did not deserve!" Konosuke Otta lamented.
"You're not the only one we hate either," Shuzo Otaki added. "The rest of your little friends will share your fate!"
The same fate! Jun was unsure if he wanted to laugh at the incredulous grudge, a grudge that would even make 'Uncle Pegasus' flinch. They merely brushed off Anzu's declaration of it being unfair. Then, his body was strange. Jun could not describe in exact words, other than it felt as though one part of him remained behind and another…another whom knew where.
"This is really freaky," Jun uttered. "I hate science fiction."
Birds were chirping. They were as real as on Earth. A dragonfly buzzed by his face, though when he tried to catch it his fingers went right through. Ryota knelt by a nearby stream only to flinch when his hand went through the water, nothing dripped off his finger-tips.
Wind blew through their hair, a light breeze of early summer. Ryuzaki blinked as he sniffed the air next. "Everything smells normal."
"But it ain't," Jounouchi reminded. "It's all an illusion."
The shadow of a T-Rex fell over them. "It's vision is based on movement…" Ryuzaki stated in a whisper. "Keep. Still."
"That includes not making a sound." Anzu hissed out.
It sniffed each one of them. Eyes not once leaving their still forms. When it opened its jaws, it blinked in confusion to find Kaiba still standing. It tried the same with Jun only for his teeth not to break him apart. Realizing there is no point in trying any more, the T-Rex walked off searching for more prey.
"I…can't…move….wait, now I can." Jun breathed out, shaking his head. "Man…."
A shriek from Anzu mixed with Ryuzaki echoed off the trees. Jogging to catch up to the others, they could see Kaiba dressed in his Duelist Kingdom attire. "What is this-?!" Kaiba even gasped. "Me?!"
They were ignored for sometime by Fake Kaiba until he stepped into the clearing. Jun blinked in confusion, raising his brow when Yugi recognized Total Defense Shogun standing opposite of the Fake Kaiba.
"I'll activate the spell card: Flute of Summoning Dragon!" High above the Dragon Ruler it appeared, falling until its owner caught it in a firm hold. Using it to summon the Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
Once more they were moved back into their previous room, hearing the five goons cackle and mocking the fear felt and seen. When stating they would be part of a new test Jun bit out first. "What if we say no?" he growled out.
"An excellent question: Should you refuse, your bodies will be ours!"
Cries of disbelief escape. They were not going to take his body! The thought made him want to vomit, shaking from head to toe. "Jun…Jun, relax alright? We can do this, we've done it before." Yugi tried to sooth.
"Easy for you to say, you're used to this virtual reality mess. Ryuzaki, Ryota and I aren't!" Jun cried.
"Jounouchi, move!"
Otogi noticed something was wrong with the floor, reaching his friend too late. A white circle had appeared sucking Jounouchi within it. Tallulah barked in panic when the same happened to Honda, then Shizuka and Anzu. Jun had barely clutched Yugi's hand in time, sucked in with him along with Tallulah. Ryuzaki and Ryota were next to fall, along with Kaiba and Mokuba.