NEW A/N: Combined the previous chapters 2 and 3 into one chapter because they were both a little too short for my liking. The chapter actually works out better this way. It was an eyesore to edit this because there were so many problems. Also I added a small part to tie in some stuff in the upcoming chapter.
Numb, Pale and Cold
In an empty wooden chapel knelt a silver-haired man. His hands folded, fingers entwined, praying he did every morning. As usual, he donned a brilliant crimson tuxedo suit with white trimmings. He likes to wear his long hair pulled back into a low pony tail with his straight bangs cover half of his face, hiding a secret within. His eyes (1) were closed as he muttered something under his breath, a prayer perhaps. His arm propped against the altar, facing a large wooden cross. One of his henchmen with gray hair and a pair of sun-cheaters (2) stood next to him.
"Mr. Pegasus, Mr. Pegasus," (3) a voice from the door called out. In came a commoner running down the aisle toward the altar where the silver-haired man knelt. He stopped halfway down and leaned forward, hands on his knees, panting.
Croquet took a step forward, stopping the man from getting any closer. "Mayor Pegasus doesn't want to be disturbed when he is at prayer with the Lord."
"B-but it's important–"
"Leave!" ordered the bodyguard with his gravelly voice, cutting the man off.
The said Mr. Pegasus suddenly slammed his hands on the marble altar, causing a haunting echo, silencing both. He stood upwards and continued to pray, seemingly unbothered by the outbursts from his subordinate and the peasant. His fingers are no longer entwined but are now pointed.
"Mr. Pegasus," the man cowered in fear, "t-t-the girl, s-she disappeared." He was visibly shaking. The man eyed nervously at the back of the mayor, afraid of the how he will react to the sudden bad news.
"I know," he spoke calmly... a little too calmly. The way his voice curled –his tone– only made it worse.
Not once in this whole interaction did he turn away from the cross. Unless necessary for political or business purposes, he does not like looking at dirty things or people he deemed unworthy. It is a pity that as Mayor it is in his duties to deal with such nuisance. He designated his morning prayer as a time of day when he isn't on his duty as a governing official. It was a public rule to not interrupt this ritual unless for things of absolute importance. He is not obliged to acknowledge the situation otherwise and there will be deadly consequences for those who break his rules.
"A-and her brother i-is here t-to see you," the commoner stammered, backing away, only to trip over the slight fold on the rug. He crawled out backwards in a hurry before he gave anymore excuses for corporal punishment.
"Let him in."
"Certainly, my lord."
Just then the doors of the chapel flew open as a messy-blond haired man scurried in. He was dress in open bellowing over-coat of tan and a black pair of slacks. There was a pretty wide difference in the age of the blond haired man and Mr. Crawford. The blond was at least a decade younger than the Mayor.
Out of nowhere, he collapsed into a begging position in front of Maximillion J. Pegasus. "Please, Pegasus, let my sister go. You have no rights to keep her hostage. She may be a little stubborn about the marriage thing but you shouldn't keep her locked up. I'm begging you, sir." (4)
The eyes of Pegasus seem to momentarily flick into a dark crimson shade as whispered the last of his prayers, "Amen." He slowly turned around, the blond boy caught his attention, but he continued to keep silent. As the mayor of the town, he had learned, in many circumstances, to keep quiet and then spring forward surreptitiously, like a deadly cobra.
"Mr. Wheeler," Pegasus then said seething with hidden angry, "Your sister eloped with another man apparently. I was wondering if you knew that."
"What?" Joey's eyes widen with a bit of a shock and horror, surprised that his baby sister had the courage to run away from this madman. "How can you be sure?" Surely, Pegasus would not create such an embarrassing lie to cover up a kidnapping… would he?
"She was spotted with a mysterious man leaving town at dawn. Don't worry, a police force is already dispatched and she will pay the consequences. A rightful punishment would be given to her as an example to all foolish enough to think that they can defy me and get away with it." Pegasus chuckled sadistically. The inner evil has been release... "In the meantime, I will have to confiscate all of your family's possessions. You and your father are suspicious of treason."
Immediately, a pack of goons surrounds the young blond. They all held batons at hand and one of them had a set of handcuffs ready.
Joey, in order to protect his sister and himself from this madman, concocted a brilliant but cowardly conviction. "Wait a minute, Mister Mayor. I know my sister. Serenity would never have enough courage to run away, not from someone as great as you, especially with some guy I even don't know."
"What is it that you are suggesting, Mr. Wheeler?"
"Look here, Maxi," the boy assuaged, "Serenity might be in real danger. She might be kidnapped by some stranger or worse. There are a lot of cases of vampire attacks around here and you know those blood suckers can be pretty damn persuasive with their hypnotism and all. And since she's engaged to a powerful mayor, YOU," he gestured wildly, "they can easily use her as a target to plot against you. You know how them freaks are. They want to control the town and use us for food. You have to rescue her!"
With a light hand wave, the man in red called off the goons. A delicate smirk lay across Pegasus's face, "Hmm, I'll consider that as a possibility, Joey-boy. I will weigh out my options for now."
"If it isn't too much to ask, can you please supply me with weapons and men so I can get her back myself, sir?"
"Do as you please."
Joey was slightly relieved from his soon to be brother-in-law's (shivers from the thought) generous consideration. He left satisfied after this so-called meeting the mayor. His apprehension about his sister's predicament has been a little appeased because he is positive that he can bring her back, wherever she is. They can worry about her marriage with the mayor once she is safe with him again.
The rest of the day was rainy and gloomy. Lightning strikes the atmosphere, fuming, it shows the faces of evil deep within.
In the dark halls of the Pegasus mansion where the owner stood, alertness flashed in his weary visible eye as he look outwards into the dark images forming outside. Waiting, he seems to be, for someone particular to do his newly plotted biddings. He loved power, especially when it is in his clutches; one can simply refer to it as power-hunger.
Croquet appeared. "Mayor Pegasus, the fool was right. The thing that left with your fiancé was indeed a vampire. The police force you sent out early returned with many fatalities. They claimed that the attack was made by a human looking creature that drinks the blood of man. Your suspicions were right. There seems to be ties to him with the illustrious Seto Kaiba."
"Very well. Did you send for the bounty hunters I demanded?"
Just then the doors to the manor swung open. Two looming figures walked rhythmically down the darken halls with one lacking a shadow. They stopped before the man in red.
"Mr. Pegasus," one figure spoke, "I've received your request and I'm willing to aid you, but… that is… if a fair reward is given." Avarice dangerously glazed upon the eyes of the current speaker.
The owner of the eyes also happens to be the one who was omitting his shadow on his path. His hair strikes upwards, even in the heavy rain, it still retained its slick style. What's unique about him was his exotic skin and hair color, an Egyptian tan along with an ivory blond mixture. He bore a sly white grin with nearly visible fangs peering slightly outwards.
"What do you exactly have in mind?" said the silver-haired man, with his visible eye gleaming dangerously.
Marik Ishtar, the speaker from before, shrugged, "I was hoping that you can tell me… Maximillion."
There are two things the Mayor absolutely loathes. First is when others assume that they can give him orders, especially under his territory. The second is when he was called upon by his given name, whether by his own mother or that good for nothing mutt, Joey, or anyone under his league, he absolutely hates being called by his given name. That to him is nothing but disrespect to the 'upper', more 'important' class he is in; underlings have no rights to make a mockery of him. However, despite everything, he is still the one asking the favor; so he suppressed his anger within him with a mocking smile.
"Twenty million dollars is given to anyone who tracks down my future bride and return her back to me, also…" his voice lowered and his eye darken, "bring me the head of the bastard who had stolen her."
"Why shall I participate in such a foolish man-hunt? I am not one for monetary gains." Marik asked, sounding doubtful to take this job.
"Why Marik, my boy, you are the best slayer for this job. Your bounty hunting skills are unmatchable compared to the other vampires. Not to mention that demon involved in this is one of your all-time rival, Kaiba Seto. His carriage was seen on the street this bloody morning during the abduction my dear Serenity. The description from the witnesses matched him almost perfectly. If you destroy the king of the vampires, then you'll be the one in charged and you don't have to do his biddings anymore. And I will grant you amnesty whenever you drink from our town and the ones surrounding us, with some conditions of course… Think about it, boy, it is a good deal."
Marik involuntarily twitched. Those words hit right into his most vulnerable spot, his life time rivalry against his opponent, Kaiba Seto. Kaiba, a pure-blood, the head of the most powerful vampire clan in the universe; no one can withstand him under a challenge. Or so everyone thought.
Marik's lifelong goal was to defeat him, but almost every time he tried, it was without much success. In fact, if it wasn't for his sister, he would probably have died centuries ago. He trained long and hard and killed many lesser beings just so he can absorb their powers. Then one night upon a chance encounter, their last duel, he was actually close to beating him, the great Seto Kaiba. He was so close, how could he have let him cowardly escape? How? That was the last time he saw him. There were rumors about his mysterious disappearance around this part of the woods but no one really knows what really happened though. Until now.
Marik was speechless. Why would a powerful vampire king, whose fear by all, run off with someone as lowly as a mortal? It doesn't make any sense.
Reality slowly took toll and Marik suddenly realize his current situation. His desire in defeating his rival grew in an unsteady rate. He gave a soft nodded in accepting the job when another question hit him.
"What if we find her changed?"
"Who?"
"Your fiancé, what if we find her changed?"
Mr. Pegasus eye spark dangerously, "Have me know that she have a painless death. Bring back her body and let it be buried in the Pegasus graveyard."
Marik nodded silently and took a step back. The other figure was in isolate when the other two conversed; now it is his turn to negotiate. He had snow white hair and extremely pale skin; his eyes were deep violet from a terrible loss of someone dear. He knows no love now. The ebony robe he dress himself in draped gracefully on the ground sweeping in the wind and rain.
"Ah, Mr. Bakura, my, I've been meaning to talk to you, yes," said the silver haired man gleefully, "you might have known already what your job for me will be, judging from my conversation with Mr. Ishtar there. As a warlock of illusions, I just thought that you may be interested," Pegasus paused, "maybe you desire some fortune or how about a decent challenge."
"I have no vendetta again the vampire king nor do I care for money." His eyes flickered emotionlessly. Ryou Bakura was not shaken, therefore he was not interested. He has no need for fame or fortune, which is but a mortal's desire.
"Ah, I see then, how about this?" Pegasus tossed him a mysterious small metal object from his pocket.
With lingering fingers, Bakura caught it. He stared at it, wide eyed, and with that his demeanor cracked marginally, he interrogated, "Where did you get this?"
A sly smirk lit Pegasus' face. It was amazing how a simple metal object, the size of a coin, can easily manipulate someone so strong. Mr. Crawford chuckled inwardly, feeling power surging through his veins.
"An old friend gave it to me," he replied and then he added, "If you ever want to see that person of interest again I suggest you help me, after all, you'll be the one getting the better end of the bargain."
Bakura's fist tighten to the point when his knuckles turned white (paler than he already was) and he shook uncontrollably with his head down, "Fine, I'll join your frivolous man-hunt."
"That's very pleasing to hear. I advise that it is best to get start then. A couple others have begun before you so you will have some small time rivalry. Might I also recommend that you work together since you both have somewhat similar goals."
Marik shook his head with a smirk, "Always telling people what to do."
"Well, it is my job," retort the silver-haired man as he watch the two figures disappear into the shadows once again.
To be continued…
(1) Can Pegasus close both of his eyes or only the one that doesn't have the Millennium object in it? It has been a long time since I have seen the series so I don't remember if they ever explained that.
(2) The sunglasses were invented way back and almost every culture in the world has their own variation of them before becoming the universal thing we know today. It gained popularity around the 1900's when celebrities started using them. Before that, they were prescribed to people with Syphilis due sun sensitivity being a symptom… maybe. Don't know how much I can trust the information from Wikipedia. The word "cheaters" was an American slang for glasses in the early twentieth century apparently.
(3) I kinda regard changing their names back to the English version because Mr. Crawford sounds so much cooler and intimidating. Pegasus J. Crawford rolls off the tongue better than Maximillion J. Pegasus.
(4) Originally, I had Joey speak with a "Brooklyn" accent but it is a real nuisance to write as much as it is kind of funny to read. This is the 1910's so I think I am going to eliminate it. Though it kills a little of his fun personality. I will try to change it back if you guys prefer otherwise.
For any questions, suggestions or comments please leave a review.