Pursuit and Capture
By: SilvorMoon
It would have been nearly impossible for one of Edo's casual fans to recognize him. Even someone who knew him well probably would have needed a second look, and they weren't going to get that in this murky place. Considering how recognizable he was, Edo had been forced to become something of a master of disguise for a lot of these jobs, and he had found he enjoyed it. It was fun to have everyone around him so convinced that he was someone else, when if they just paid attention, they might realize that he was nothing like what he seemed to be. It was really just an extension of the way he convinced his admirers that he was the perfect gentleman.
Tonight, though, he was not pretending to be a perfect gentleman. Tonight, he was going to be an underground duelist by the name of Brett "The Bear" Baer, who had been the star attraction in this particular circuit for the past few meetings. A wig gave him untidy brown hair, spiky in front and caught into a loose ponytail in the back, and contacts changed his blue eyes to a muddy green. Stage makeup darkened his fair skin to tan. His rough clothing was padded, to add the illusion of muscle to his slight frame, as well as to give him a place to stash a few of his tools of the trade. The heavy boots he wore had thick soles that added an inch or two of height to him. He enhanced the look by speaking in a growl laced heavily with crude words, and by adapting his usual graceful stride into a clodhopper's plod. To look at him, he could have been dragged off of any dock or warehouse in the city. There was just one thing he needed to make the look complete.
"Gear up," the man standing next to him said gruffly, and Edo silently submitted to having a variety of spiked black cuffs fitted to a variety of body parts. Two went over his wrists, two more over his ankles, another around his neck, and a third that went around his waist with a small plate extending slightly downwards, making it look like some form of demonic chastity belt. He hated wearing the thing, but it was a requirement in these kinds of twisted games. The difference was that the shady man posing as his manager was actually one of his co-workers from the police force, and the collars had all been altered to make sparks and noise, but not to actually hurt. Even so, Edo hated to think of what it would feel like if a real shock got let off down there.
Why does anyone put themselves through this? Edo wondered, as he watched his opponent putting on his own gear. This one was only a kid - he guessed it was probably a school graduate who hadn't been able to make the contacts to get into the Pro League and had been lured down here with promises of easy fame and fortune in the dueling world. Edo really hoped he wouldn't have to battle him.
Luckily, he might not have to. It had taken some time to gather all the evidence they needed to catch all the ringleaders behind this particular underground circuit, but it had finally paid off. These people had been clever enough to change their location every week - to a school auditorium, to the courthouse basement, even the social hall of a church. They didn't seem to care what they defiled, as long as it had room enough to hold everything. But they had been caught nonetheless, and before the night was over, they were going to get a rude surprise.
The announcer - a man with a clear voice who worked by day at a local radio station - announced the players for the night, and Edo stepped into the arena and listened to the door of the cage close behind him. There was no getting out for him now - or so they thought.
The duel began. Edo brought out a strong defense monster - not one from his personal deck; he had to use one that was a bit less recognizable - and then began biding his time. He let the other boy score a few hits, retaliating just enough to keep it from being too obvious that he was losing on purpose.
He's not a bad player. A pity. He deserves better than this, Edo mused. Hopefully the boy would get off with a light sentence when all this was over.
Edo was just reaching the point where he was beginning to think he would have to strike back or risk the duel ending too soon, when there was a commotion in the back of the auditorium. Various members of the audience turned to squint through the smoky air to see what was going on.
"All right, this duel stops now!" said an authoritative voice. "Everyone put your hands on the tables and keep them there! We've got all the exits blocked, so don't even think about trying to get out. You're all under arrest for participating in illegal underground dueling..."
"Sorry, kid, the show's over," said Edo to his opponent in his normal voice. He headed for the cage's gate, which his "manager" was politely opening for him. "No hard feelings, huh?"
The poor boy looked baffled. "Wait, but..."
Edo ignored him. He reached into the pocket of the coat he was wearing and took out a handful of plastic pull-ties. They were lighter and more compact to carry than handcuffs, and they would do just about as well for this crowd. Most of them weren't hardened criminals. These were the city's elite, here to enjoy themselves at the expense of those less fortunate. Edo felt no pity as he began binding their wrists. It seemed appropriate, considering what they thought the duelists they were watching should wear.
It was while he was making the rounds that he noticed a couple of people who looked vaguely familiar. Some of them had looked familiar because Edo had seen their pictures in the newspaper before - quite a few of them were local celebrities, politicians and the like. These were different, though, and he couldn't place them. That was no surprise, since most of the attendees at these events wore masks to protect their identities, so that it would be more difficult for others to report them. Since they were keeping Edo from recognizing the two men he had just finished trussing up, he removed them.
He stared a moment. Then he began to laugh.
"Of all the people I could find here..." he said.
"What's so funny?" asked one of his co-workers from where he was handcuffing a portly gentleman nearby.
"I know these guys," said Edo. "They're not from around here. Mind keeping an eye on them for a minute? I've got to make a phone call."
"Sure, no problem," his comrade replied. "I think we've got most of it under control."
Edo nodded and ambled off under the suspicious stares of the two well-dressed men. Edo had a feeling they had no idea who he was yet - no surprise, since he was still in costume - but they would probably get the idea soon enough. He found a private spot where he could talk without being overheard, and looked up a number in his autodial. The phone rang several times before someone finally answered him.
"This had better be good," said the voice on the other end. "I happen to be a very busy man."
"Yeah, and it's thanks to me that you're busy in the Pro Leagues and not busy asking people if they want fries with that," Edo retorted.
"Oh, it's you," said Manjoume. "All right, fine, maybe I have time to talk to you. What's up?"
"Do you know where your big brothers are?"
"In America somewhere," Manjoume answered. "I heard something about them making a business deal there, but I don't keep tabs on what they get up to. Why? Did they do something interesting?"
"I just arrested them."
"Good! Somebody should have," said Manjoume firmly.
"Thought you'd think so," said Edo.
"So what did they do, anyway? Their business deal turn out to be something illegal?"
"Even better," Edo replied. "They turned up at an underground duel."
There was a hiss on the other end of the line, and Edo didn't blame him one bit. It was one thing to have nowhere else to go to duel, but to actually pay to see that kind of cruelty perpetrated on someone was something that would revolt any true duelist. The lawkeeping body didn't take too kindly to it, either - often the spectators were punished more harshly than the duelists themselves were.
"They'd better get some jail time for this," said Manjoume.
"Probably not," Edo replied. "Usually it's just a fine - but it'll be all over the news by morning. Their reputation is going to be shot. They'd have been better off if they'd been caught with a prostitute. At least that's practically expected."
"So where are they now?" Manjoume asked.
"Last I saw them? Trussed up in plastic handcuffs, waiting to be hauled off to jail."
"Great. Send pictures."
"I suppose I will," said Edo. Feeling playful, he added, "Oh, by the way, I meant to tell you - I saw your friend Asuka the other day. She was out at the mall with some guy."
He was rewarded with a noise that sounded something like "Erk!", and he laughed.
"I'm pretty sure it was her brother," Edo continued innocently. "Taller than her, long brown hair, wearing a Hawaiian flowered shirt - does that sound like him?"
The relief on the other end of the line was palpable. "Yeah, that's him."
"Thought so," said Edo. "I talked to her for a little while. She says she misses the old crowd. Maybe you ought to go visit her."
"You could be right," Manjoume agreed thoughtfully.
"Well, I've done my good deed for the day," said Edo, "so I'm going to let you go. Any messages you want me to give your brothers?"
He was rewarded by a stream of colorful invective. Edo listened with an amused smile as it went on and on.
"Thanks," he said. "I didn't know some of those words."
"You're welcome," said Manjoume. "I guess I owe you one."
"Of course you do," Edo answered smugly. "But I'll claim it later. Right now I've got work to do."
He turned off the phone and headed back out to the main action. There was, predictably, a commotion going on, as various important personages complained that they were too important to be arrested and hustled off in police cars. The Manjoume brothers were being particularly vocal, demanding diplomatic immunity. Edo didn't even try not to laugh as he approached them.
"You really don't know anything, do you?" he asked them. "Dueling law is universal. We can ship you back to Japan to be tried if you want, but you're not getting off the hook no matter where you go. I advise staying here. It'll save on airfare."
The two of them gave him identical sour looks.
"Who do you think you are, talking to us like that?" said one of them.
"I happen to be Edo Phoenix. Maybe you've heard the name," Edo drawled.
"What? You aren't..." The elder brother stared hard at Edo's face, and his eyes widened. "It is you!"
"Wow. I totally wouldn't have figured that out on my own," said Edo, rolling his eyes. "It's amazing you haven't gotten yourselves arrested sooner. If it were up to me, I'd have had you both put away a long time ago, just on general principle."
Another policeman strolled up to the table. "Okay, you two, time to go. We've got first- class accommodations ready for you celebrities."
"Wait, not just yet," said Edo.
The brothers looked at him warily, as if hoping for but not quite expecting a reprieve. Edo took out his cell phone.
"Your little brother asked me to get pictures of you two getting put behind bars," Edo told them. "Say cheese!"
The two of them glowered, looking ready to pop from sheer fury. The policeman marched them out of the room, and Edo followed cheerfully behind them, snapping pictures as they went.
Rain came down - not fiercely, but persistently, as though it knew its job and was determined to get it done thoroughly. Saiou made his morning trip to the mailbox at a run, his feet splashing along the wet front walk. He reached the end of the path, snatched the mail out of its box and tucked it firmly under one arm, and then dashed back to the house again. Even moving at top speed, he still returned with his hair slicked against his back from the damp, and the cuffs of his pants were soaked through.
"You could have at least worn a raincoat," said Edo, as Saiou took off his sodden shoes at the door.
"I don't mind," said Saiou. "It's only a bit of water."
"You're going to be damp all day," Edo said, "and you know it, too."
Nevertheless, he took the mail away from Saiou and began sorting it while Saiou began wringing water out of his hair. Edo wondered, as he sorted disinterestedly through the junk mail, why Saiou had never tried to cut it. It was surely a nuisance to him, but he never showed any inclination to do anything about it. Still, he really wouldn't look like himself if it were cut short...
He was distracted from that line of thought by finding a letter with his name on it. Edo inspected it and found no return address, or anything else that would reveal where it had come from. A closer inspection led him to the conclusion that there was nothing inside but paper, probably a single sheet, so with a shrug, he tore it open and pulled out the contents.
"Oh for God's sake!" he exclaimed.
"What have you got?" asked Saiou, coming up behind him.
In response, Edo waved a piece of paper at him. Someone had scrawled the word "BLOOD" in large red letters across it.
"What do you make of this?" he said.
"I believe it's paint," said Saiou. He took the paper out of Edo's hand. "Obviously someone's poor attempt to scare you."
"Hm," said Edo. "Funny thing to write on a threat. Why not write die or doom or something like that?"
"Those sound like something from your deck," Saiou observed, with a hint of humor.
Edo's puzzled expression brightened. "You know, you could be on to something. If this has something to do with DD, then it could be a reference to-"
"The Bloo-D," Saiou finished.
"Exactly," said Edo. "I feel like we're getting warm, with this. Thanks for the hint, whoever you are." He folded up the paper. "I'll just hang on to this."
"Best to put it away, then, or you'll lose it," said Saiou.
Edo nodded and carried it off to his room, where he stashed it in a desk drawer amid a jumble of other odds and ends that he meant to get to eventually. He slammed the drawer shut a bit harder than was strictly necessary, but that could hardly be held against him. He was annoyed. Not only was someone apparently bent on killing him, but they were doing it so badly. If he had been up against a clever, challenging opponent, he might have been able to enjoy it, but to go up against someone whose ideas seemed to be limited to sending childish threats and hiring teenaged street thugs.
What was even more irritating was that so far, he hadn't actually managed to find this person and do anything about them yet. If they had been someone of any importance, it would be easy to find a few contacts and work his way to the source of the problem, but finding one lone nutcase in a city full of people who, as far as Edo was concerned, were nearly as crazy, was going to be a difficult job. He might never know who he was up against until they were face to face, and then it might be too late...
As Edo returned to the living room, a scowl still fixed on his face, he almost didn't realize what the object in his path was. He blinked at it a few times until his distracted mind caught up to the present and informed him that Saiou was holding a neatly folded umbrella in front of him.
"Shall we go for a walk?" he asked.
Edo smiled slowly. "You always know the right thing to say."
"It's part of my job," said Saiou modestly.
He opened the door, letting in a gust of rain-scented air as he flicked the umbrella open with a graceful gesture. Edo took his place beneath it and fell into step alongside Saiou. They followed a winding path into the garden. The sound of the rain pattering on the umbrella soothed Edo's nerves. The damp garden was full of green scents and the smell of damp earth. It was relaxing just to walk through it without speaking, his hand not quite touching Saiou's as it rested on the handle of the umbrella. As he relaxed, his worries and frustrations began to dissipate as well.
I'll find the guy somehow. I can't miss him, with Saiou helping me. He wouldn't let me get hurt. If anyone were going to hurt me, he'd know a week in advance and give me a warning.
Saiou seemed to sense his thoughts - no surprises there - and gave him a small smile.
"Feeling better now?"he asked.
"Yeah. Thanks," said Edo. "Days like this, I'm glad I came here. If I were still a professional duelist right now, I'd have a lot of people hanging around who would bring me whatever I asked for, but none of them would think to cheer me up by telling me to go walk in the rain."
"None of them could get away with it," Saiou pointed out.
"True. Walks in the rain are only for you."
"For us."
"Yes. That's it exactly," said Edo.
They paused a moment, admiring a particularly picturesque bit of scenery, but mostly just not caring whether they were making any forward progress or not. Edo sighed a little.
"Do you think I could get away with just staying here like this?"
"You would get bored," said Saiou. "I know you. You aren't happy without a challenge."
Edo laughed. "You know me too well."
"I've picked up a few things," Saiou agreed.
"And you still put up with me?"
"Now more than ever," said Saiou.
"You know," said Edo, "when I came here, I really did mean to only stay a couple of weeks - long enough to scout out a place of my own. But now that I'm here, I can't imagine anyplace else I'd rather be."
"I wouldn't want you to leave," Saiou answered quietly.
"You're sure?" asked Edo. "I know I can be kind of a jerk sometimes..."
"Not to me. You've already done so much good for me since you came here," said Saiou. "You helped me find something I thought I had lost forever."
"You would have figured it out on your own eventually."
"I don't think so," said Saiou. "But be that as it may, I've been happy since you came here. Probably happier than I've been in years. I wouldn't mind if you never left."
"That's what I want, too."
There was a breathless moment as they both stood looking into each other's eyes. The rain pattered gently down on the umbrella and hid the rest of the world with a silver curtain. The two of them could have been alone in the universe. An expression crossed Saiou's face as though he were going to say something, but he turned away instead. Edo quickly moved so that they were facing each other again.
"Come on, spill," he said. "What is it?"
"It's nothing," said Saiou.
"If it was nothing, it wouldn't matter whether you said it or not," said Edo. "Humor me."
He placed a hand on Saiou's face, preventing from dodging again. Saiou closed his eyes and sighed.
"Go on," Edo urged. "I may not be a mind reader, but I know you. Even if you try to hide something from me, I'll figure it out. So you might as well say it and get it over with."
"Very well. When you put it that way..." said Saiou. "What I was going to say is... I love you."
Edo grinned. "There, see? I knew that already."
"You did?" said Saiou. There weren't a lot of things that surprised him, but obviously that had done it. "When did you...?"
"When I had the nightmare, and you stayed with me," said Edo. "Maybe it was because we were both half-asleep at the time - I think some of your thoughts were spilling into mine. I heard you thinking it."
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"I was waiting for you to get up the courage to tell me. I figured you would, when you were ready," said Edo. "Besides, I wanted some time to think about it. It is a little awkward finding out your best friend is in love with you - it takes some getting used to."
"A little awkward," Saiou repeated, looking crestfallen.
"A little," Edo agreed. "But I thought it over, and I decided it's okay. Because there's really no one else in the world I care about more than you. I can't imagine ever wanting anyone else in my life. So it's probably a good thing you feel the same way."
"Edo..." said Saiou softly, and didn't get any further than that, because Edo had tugged him a bit closer, just close enough to kiss him, and he was discovering that this was enough to occupy all his attention. The umbrella slowly slid from his grip and landed on the ground.
A few minutes later, a stray gust of wind found its way into the garden and sent the umbrella tumbling and rolling off to some forgotten place where they would never see it again, but neither of them opened their eyes or even noticed that it was gone.
"Phoenix, pay attention!" the chief snapped, and Edo guiltily fixed his eyes to the front once more.
"That's better. Just because you're a washed-up celebrity doesn't mean you get a free pass to goof off," said the chief, and continued with his speech.
Edo endeavored to pay attention to it. The barb about being a washed-up celebrity stung - not because he really believed he was washed up, but because he hated to think anyone thought he had only gotten the job because he was famous. He had worked hard to prove that he could hold his own with the best of them, but there were always rumors that his capture rate was due to the superiors giving him cream-puff assignments, or that all the real work was done by his backup team and all he ever did was stand around and look pretty. He knew it wasn't true - he voluntarily took some of the most dangerous and delicate missions that came up, and had nevertheless maintained an excellent success rate. Still, unless they were one of those who volunteered for those same missions, it was hard for him to prove to other people that he was actually working. Convincing his mind that listening to the chief lecture counted as "working" was also a job.
His daydreams had been more interesting to him by far, no matter how unproductive they might have been. It had been some days since he and Saiou had taken that walk in the rain, and Edo was still working his way through the finer details of this new situation. It was surprisingly like the old situation. The two of them had never really been the most demonstrative of people - it would take more than a little thing like a love confession to make them start clinging to each other and spouting poetry. It was enough that the knowledge was there. The only outward signs were occasional small moments - their hands touching for a few seconds over the dinner table, or one of them running his finger's through the other's hair as they passed each other. Also, they hadn't slept in the same bed, or even the same general area, since that conversation. It wasn't something they had talked about. They both just seemed to feel that it would be inviting the temptation to things they weren't ready for yet, so they maintained a careful distance.
A guy could dream, though... even if doing it during meetings was a bad idea.
Fortunately, he hadn't missed very much - the talk was essentially what they got every time they ran one of these sorts of missions. Tonight there would be yet another attempt to nail down the counterfeit ring they had been chasing, and no one wanted any mistakes. They wouldn't live it down if they actually managed to find these people only to have them slip through their fingers because someone did something foolish. This wasn't the kind of mission Edo liked - he preferred the ones where he actually got to engage his target in a battle of wits. This was going to be straightforward: gather around the building where they suspected the operation was taking place, guard all the exits, and then burst in and arrest anyone they could lay hands on. It wouldn't be the most fun Edo had ever had, but if it got the desired result, he wouldn't complain.
Once they had been over the plan so many times that even Edo's wandering mind had managed to piece together all the details, the group departed for their destination - a warehouse in one of the seedier parts of town. On paper, it was being used to store furniture; in reality, they suspected it housed the printing machinery needed to make the copy cards. Even in the unlucky event that there was no one home, they were at least hoping that they might be able to confiscate the machinery.
The team gathered in a parking lot within sighting distance of the warehouse and began dividing themselves up.
"You two keep an eye on the roof," Chief Barnes was saying. "You three guard the back exit. Phoenix, you feel like kicking in a few doors?"
"Always," he agreed.
"Then we'll go in through the front. All right, everyone, get in position. Move out!"
The team began breaking off into singles and sets, preparing to block each of the building's exits. Edo paced, anxious to get going, but there was no point in going to "kick in doors" as his superior put it, unless there was already someone there to catch the prey when it was flushed out. Edo knew that, but he still hated waiting. His footfalls made a steady sound like the ticking of a clock as he walked back and forth, his eyes fixed steadily on the lit windows of the building in front of him.
There was a hiss of static, and then a voice speaking through the chief's radio: "In position. Awaiting your orders."
"Hold tight. We're going in," the chief replied, and turned to Edo. "Ready?"
"Always," Edo agreed.
They edged their way to the front door, trying to avoid well-lit areas. There weren't very many of those around, in this part of town - even the street lights gave off little more than a sickly glow that lit only a few yards of chipped sidewalk. Edo felt his pulse rate pick up as they approached the entryway. He pressed his ear to the door, listening for signs of life. He could hear an electric hum, and more faintly, something that sounded like human voices. He nodded to the chief, who nodded back, and they both stepped away.
Then they kicked the door down. The two of them together packed a powerful punch, and the rickety old door came apart with a satisfying spray of dust and splinters.
"Everybody freeze! You're under arrest!" Chief Barnes bellowed. His voice echoed around the spaces of the building, with no response. There was no one there.
Edo slipped past his superior and began walking through the room. There was an electric fan propped on a table near the front of the building, giving off the hum Edo had heard through the door. A television sat nearby, blaring out the evening news, and Edo turned it off in annoyance.
"Wrong place again," said the chief with a muttered curse.
"Right place, wrong time," Edo corrected. He was examining the litter strewn around the table. There was a cup of coffee sitting there, and it was not quite cold yet. A further inspection revealed the remnants of a pizza in a trash can. "They were here not too long ago. We must have just barely missed them."
"Huh. Looks like you're right," the chief agreed. He walked slowly across the empty floor. Then he stopped. He picked up something off the floor - some small dark scrap that Edo had only observed as a piece of litter. Once it had been lifted up where he could see it properly, he recognized it at once. It was a card - the Black Magician. "We just missed them, and they knew we were coming. The damn punks are laughing at us!"
Edo was forced to agree. He couldn't imagine any other reason why anyone who had cleaned this place out so thoroughly would leave behind such a valuable card, right in the middle of the room where they would be sure to find it.
The chief muttered savagely under his breath a while longer, and then turned on his radio to tell the rest of the crew that they'd missed out again. Edo couldn't quite hear the replies, but he could tell they sounded disappointed. He kicked the leg of a table, but it didn't make him feel any better.
"These guys better wish we find them soon," he said, "because the longer this goes on, the more I want to cut them into tiny little pieces."
"You'll have your chance," said the chief, but he didn't sound very sure of himself. Edo couldn't really blame him.
These guys are like ghosts. If I didn't know any better, I'd swear they were magical.
But of course they weren't. Saiou would have told him if it were. Which made it all the more annoying, because it meant he was being outsmarted by ordinary human beings. He would have preferred to have magic to blame it on.
It was a downcast group that returned to the station that night. All of them had been so convinced that this, surely, was the night they would have their big breakthrough.
"I just don't know what we're doing wrong," the chief muttered. "We were so close..."
There were murmurs of commiseration. From the back of the room, one of the newer recruits said, "I know what we could do."
Everyone looked at him, most of them with suspicion. He blinked a little at them, but he went on determinedly.
"I saw on TV one time where the police couldn't find any more clues, so they hired a psychic," he said. "People do it, seriously."
"You're outta your mind," said one of the others. "That only works on TV."
"No really, it's true," said the new recruit. "The psychic told them where to look and they found the guy. It was a true story."
"A lucky guess," someone scoffed.
The chief snorted. "You know what? Right now I'd take advice from a dancing monkey if it could help us catch these crooks."
"Well, I don't know any dancing monkeys," said Edo, "but I do know a psychic. Do you want me to ask him?"
A few people laughed. Someone said, "Nice one, Phoenix." Edo maintained his calm.
"He's a Tarot reader, actually," he said. "He's very accurate."
"Huh," said the chief doubtfully.
Edo shrugged. "He said he'd help if you got stuck, so I thought I'd mention it."
"He did, huh? Well, what the hell," said Barnes. "If he's not busy, bring him around sometime. He can't do any worse than the rest of us."
"I'm sure he'll be delighted to hear that," said Edo with a touch of sarcasm.
"Hey, it's been a long day, okay?" Barnes said. "Listen, if you're really serious, I'll listen to whatever he has to say. All right?"
"Fair enough," said Edo. "I'll ask him when I get home tonight, and see if he's not too busy."
"What is he going to be busy doing? Reading tea leaves?"
Edo gave him a warning look. "He doesn't read tea leaves. I told you, he's a Tarot reader. But his day job is working for Industrial Illusions as one of Pegasus's personal research assistants, so don't go treating him like some kind of crazy hack. Got it?"
"Right. Whatever," said the chief. He was obviously tired of the subject, so Edo decided not to push it any further.
He did tell Saiou, though. He wanted the criminals caught as much as anyone did, and if Saiou couldn't help, no one could... unless, of course, Saiou was too busy with his own work to have the time to travel all that way. However, when Edo arrived home that evening, he found Saiou standing next to a fax machine with a satisfied expression on his face as he fed papers through it. Edo caught glimpses of arcane diagrams and peculiar symbols sketched all over them.
"And if that doesn't please him, nothing will," said Saiou. He glanced up from his work to smile at Edo. "Hello. How was work?"
"Not so great," said Edo, dropping into a nearby chair. "We missed the guys we were trailing by that much. If we'd been another hour earlier, we would have caught them. It drives me crazy!"
"Do you want help?" asked Saiou. "I just finished a job for Pegasus, so I have a bit of free time."
"That's what I was hoping you'd say," said Edo. "I talked to the chief today, and he's so strung out over this thing, he's ready to listen to anyone who might be able to help."
"I wouldn't do it for him," Saiou replied, "but if it will help you..."
"Believe me, it will."
"...then I would be happy to."
"Great," said Edo. "You should come to work with me, anyway, just to see what it's like. Reading it out of my mind doesn't count," he joked.
"Now, you know I don't read your mind," said Saiou, "unless it's important. But I would like a look at your workplace, if only out of curiosity."
"I'll give you the grand tour," Edo promised.
"I'll look forward to it," said Saiou.
That was how, the next day, Saiou arrived at the station. He came in a taxi, rather than on his motorcycle, so as not to do any damage to the sleek suit he was wearing. With his usual contrariness, he had opted to look as little like a fortune teller as possible, instead wearing dark slacks and an elegantly tailored jacket, along with a serious tie - remnants of his days as the manager of one of the most famous duelists in the world. He had a briefcase with him, too, though the only things it contained were some things he was working on for Pegasus and a paperback novel he'd been reading. It added to the image, though, and the image he wanted today was less "all-seeing mystic" and more "reputable businessman". The former look was fine when he had been a child and earning his pennies telling fortunes for people who actually wanted an all-seeing mystic, but he was going to have to do better than that if he didn't wan the chief of the dueling police to think he was a crackpot with delusions.
He was rather pleased to find that Edo was there waiting, looking pleased to see him. Accompanying him was a sturdily built red-headed man with keen eyes and a heavy jaw. Saiou guessed that this must be the chief.
"Is this your fortune-teller?" the man asked, gesturing at Saiou.
"Something like that," said Edo. "Chief, this is Takuma Saiou, an old friend of mine. Saiou, this is Chief Barnes."
"An honor," said Saiou with a bow.
Chief Barnes looked a bit bemused at this show of courtliness, but he shrugged it off and said, "Come on inside. Did Phoenix tell you what the problem is?"
"The broad outline, but the details be appreciated," Saiou replied, as he followed the two of them into the building.
The chief led them into a private room for interviewing suspects, and they all made themselves comfortable, or as comfortable as they could in the stark surroundings, in the chairs surrounding a scarred old table. Saiou took out his cards and began shuffling them as he listened to Chief Barnes explain the situation to him. His expression remained placid throughout.
"So, I take it that what you wish to know is where these people are hiding now," said Saiou.
The chief nodded. "That, and I'd love to find out how they've been staying one or two steps ahead of us all this time."
"That is actually an easier question," said Saiou. "Cards are better for that sort of thing than at giving directions, but I will do what I can. Would you happen to have a map of the city and its environs? It will make things easier."
"Wait here," Barnes said, and disappeared, reappearing a few minutes later with a map in his hands. It was much folded, and had a coffee ring on one corner. "Will this do?"
"Perfectly," said Saiou.
He spread the map out in front of him, and then spread the cards over top of it. He laid them out in a pattern, studied them a moment, then reshuffled them and did it again. He took a pen out of his pocket and made some marks on the map. The process repeated several times, while his onlookers watched with intent and curious silence. From time to time, Saiou would mutter things under his breath, things like, "East, west, north, south" or "What do you mean by that?" or occasionally a stern "Behave." This went on for the better part of an hour, before he finally marked a circle on the map. Then he leaned back in his chair in an attitude of exhaustion, his breathing as though he had just finished carrying a heavy load.
"Do you need a drink or something?" asked the chief, sounding slightly concerned.
"Caffeine would help," Saiou admitted. "I'd prefer tea, but coffee or cola would do. And something with sugar in it."
"I'll get it," said Edo, and disappeared into the hallway.
He reappeared moments later, carrying two cans of soda and an armload of candy bars, which he deposited on the table in front of Saiou.
"Sorry there's no tea," he said. "The only kind they had was the flavored stuff that tastes like lemonade."
"This is fine," said Saiou. He opened one of the drinks and downed it in thirsty gulps. The chief waited patiently for him to finish before he spoke again.
"So, any idea where these guys are hiding?" he asked at last.
Saiou set down the empty can and pointed at the circle he'd drawn on the map, which encompassed a nearby bay.
"They're here, somewhere," he said. "I think there is... a garage of some sort, where boats are repaired. That is where they are now. They think they have escaped you. They are certain that you will not find them again quickly."
"I see," said Chief Barnes slowly, looking at the map thoughtfully. Edo leaned forward to have a good look, too. He was aware of that part of the city; it was fairly run-down, but since he rarely found any duelists there, respectable or not, it wasn't a place he went very often. He had to admit, it would probably make a good place to hide printing equipment. Apparently the chief thought so too.
"A good place for an easy getaway," he was muttering. "Soon as they got wind we were coming, they could pile onto a boat and sail off for almost anywhere."
"One good reason you ought to catch them before they can decide to do that," said Saiou. He had polished off one of the candy bars and started another one while the others had been examining the map, and he sounded almost like his usual self again. "If I were you, I would be very cautious about who you tell when you prepare to leave. Someone in your department is carrying tales."
"Is that a fact?" the chief said doubtfully.
"I couldn't say who, since I am unfamiliar with all of them myself," said Saiou. He finished the candy he was eating and opened the second can of cola, which he sipped at a more decorous pace than the first one. "Given a chance to meet them, I could do better."
"I see," said Chief Barnes. "Do you mind if I talk to Edo for a moment?"
"Be my guest," said Saiou, waving a negligent hand.
The chief stood up and all but dragged Edo out into the hallway. They stood well away from the door to the interview room, where, Edo was quick to note, there was no chance of Saiou overhearing them. He gave his superior a wary glare.
"Well?" he said. "What do you think?"
"I never thought you were the kind to be taken in by a clever fake."
Edo bristled. "Saiou is not a fake."
"I know he's your friend, but open your eyes. He didn't do anything in there that couldn't be showmanship and guesswork. Anyone could look at that harbor and realize it's full of big empty buildings, and if we go there and don't find anything, then obviously it's because they slipped away again."
"But he told you how to stop them from finding out!" Edo protested.
"He jumped to the most obvious conclusion."
"He said he'd tell you who it is..."
"Provided we would let him look at everyone in the department so he could pick someone at random," said the chief. "Sorry, kid, but I think this guy is full of it."
Edo gritted his teeth. "You think wrong. Saiou's genuine."
"Well, he sure hasn't proved it yet."
"Then ask him," said Edo. "Go ask him something he couldn't know unless he were real. Make him prove himself."
"Fine. I will."
They returned to the interview room. Saiou had finished the last of his snacks and now appeared to be dozing in his chair, but he straightened up when they walked in.
"I trust that you feel better now that you have vented about my deficiencies," he said, "but I would appreciate it if, from now on, you would not talk about me behind my back."
The chief had the grace to look guilty. Edo flashed him a smug smile.
"Told you so," he said.
"He could still be guessing," said Chief Barnes, shifting uneasily.
Saiou gave him a long cool stare. "Your name is Anthony Paul Barnes, named after your father's brother. You have a wife and two children, you wanted to be a professional duelist but your wife didn't think it was an appropriate career for a grown man. You had dinner at Ragazzi's Italian Restaurant last night. Lemon chicken with capers. Shall I tell you anything else?"
"Yeah, what color socks was I wearing?"
"What difference does it make? You don't remember," Saiou replied.
Barnes gave a bark of surprised laughter. "Well played."
"So do you admit he's real?" said Edo.
"Well, it's either that or he's a damned good researcher," said the chief.
"Oh, please," Edo said, rolling his eyes. "What does he need to do, hypnotize you and make you do the hula?"
"Don't tempt me," said Saiou. "I've wasted too much energy already trying to get directions out of a deck of cards. I don't have it in me to mind-control anyone right now."
Barnes looked from one man to the other. "He couldn't... you couldn't really..."
"Not at the moment," Saiou said.
"But ask around," Edo added. "Ask Mr. Kaiba. I bet he remembers a few things."
"You don't say," said the chief. "Well... I'll definitely look into that tip, anyway."
"My advice is to prepare as usual, but let it be known that you're not moving out until a few days after you actually plan to leave. Watch to see who makes any extra telephone calls or sends any e-mails."
The chief nodded. "Not a bad idea. Well, I've got to hand it to you - you've got a functioning brain in there. Which is more than I can say for some people."
"You have no idea," Saiou agreed. He yawned, and tried to stifle it. "Excuse me. If you are done with my services..."
"We're done," said the chief. "Go home and take a nap."
Edo laughed. "That's my line."
"I do feel a bit drained," Saiou admitted, and he looked it. Even after his dose of caffeine and sugar, he still lacked energy.
"I'll call you a cab," said Edo.
"No, I can manage," said Saiou.
"I'll do it anyway," Edo replied, in a tone that forbid argument, even if Saiou looked like he was in any shape to argue, which he did not. He meekly submitted to letting Edo lead him out of the building.
"What did you do to yourself, anyway?" Edo demanded. "You're not usually this burnt out after you do a reading."
"I don't usually try to make them give me directions, either," said Saiou as they exited the building. "They're not made for it, and it took a good deal of my power to pry the answers out of them. I'll be all right once I've slept."
"I'll hold you to that," said Edo. "I'll see you at the hotel later, all right?"
"I won't wander off," Saiou promised.
Edo made sure that Saiou was safely ensconced in a cab before he returned to work. Privately, he wished that Saiou could have stayed, but he obviously wouldn't have been good for much of anything until he'd rested up a bit, and possibly had a real meal with some actual nutrients in it. Still, maybe once the chief accepted the idea that Saiou's powers were real, he would be called in more often...
But there were plenty of other things to keep his mind occupied that night. He spent most of his working hours helping his team chase down a small party of Ghouls who had been stealing cards from students at the nearby Duel University. Edo always enjoyed Ghoul-baiting. He didn't even have to disguise himself - he could just stand out in the open simply being himself, and they would come out and find him. The prospect of getting their hands on fabled cards like the Bloo- D always proved too much for somebody, particularly if he feigned reluctance to duel them and let them think he had left the Pro Leagues because he'd lost his knack. They would insist on dueling him, as though that would make a difference whether they were arrested or not. There were few things in life that gave him greater pleasure than using his Bloo-D card to dispense some justice to wrongdoers; it felt as though he were using the card in the way it was truly meant to be used. He imagined his father approved.
It was nearing the end of the night, and he was standing guard as the night's haul was being marched into the station, when he became aware that someone was watching him. He turned around to see that same gangly boy who'd asked about his missing deck earlier.
"Can I help you?" asked Edo tiredly, anticipating annoyance. Why did these people have to show up just at quitting time?
"I was wondering if you'd found my deck yet," he said.
"Not yet," said Edo.
"Oh," said the boy, his face falling. "I heard you'd caught a bunch of people, so I thought maybe you had."
"Well, we haven't finished checking through all their cards yet, so it's possible something will turn up," said Edo, trying to maintain his patience, "but we won't know until we look. If we find your cards, we'll let you know. Okay?"
"All right," said the boy. He hung his head, and then brightened. "Hey, what time do you get off work? Maybe I could get you a cup of coffee or something. I used to be a really big fan of yours..."
He rambled on, and Edo stifled the urge to roll his eyes.
God save me from idiot fanboys! In their own way, they were worse than the girls. The girls fussed and flirted, but they generally treated him as an untouchable idol. Only rarely did they take the notion that just because they knew the rules of dueling, that they were somehow a step away from being Edo's best friend.
"Listen, I'd love to," he said, "but I don't have time tonight. I've got a friend who's not feeling so good and I want to go check on him."
"Oh, yeah, that guy you live with," said the boy. "Okay, maybe another-"
"Hey, you! Pretty-boy!" a voice called, cutting through all the hubbub. "What has a guy got to do to get noticed around here?"
"Who said you're worth noticing?" Edo shouted back, grinning. He thought he'd never been so glad to see Manjoume. He managed to extricate himself from the attentions of his fan with an offhand excuse and went to join his friend. "What are you doing here?"
"Very important business," said Manjoume. "Actually I got called in for legal reasons. Those stupid brothers of mine are trying to implicate me."
"In what?" asked Edo. "You were nowhere near the scene of the crime."
"Who knows?" Manjoume replied. "They just want to make sure that if they suffer, I suffer with them."
"If it's necessary, I'll go to bat for you," Edo promised. "I'll tell them I called you first thing and you didn't know anything about it."
"Thanks," said Manjoume. "I don't think anyone believes them, but you never know."
"Lawyers can do crazy things," Edo agreed. He grinned suddenly. "I guess this means you owe me another favor."
"Hmph," said Manjoume. "And what kind of favor would that be?"
"Well, you do owe me a rematch..."
"I'll take you on any time! I beat you once and I can do it again," Manjoume declared.
"Not tonight," said Edo. "I have things to do." He glanced around and was pleased to find that his fan had taken himself elsewhere at last. Edo made a mental note to keep his eyes peeled in case he showed up again.
Manjoume smirked. "Like what - watching the rest of us on TV while you dream about the days when you weren't washed up?"
"No, no, that comes just under 'trimming my toenails' and just above 'polishing my bowling ball' on my list of things to do," Edo retorted.
"Do you actually own a bowling ball?"
"No," said Edo. "Tells you where you rank, doesn't it?"
"You just keep telling yourself that," Manjoume retorted. "But if you change your mind, I'm going to be playing at the arena all next week. If you turn up, get a message to me and I'll make sure you get a good seat so you can see how a real duelist does it."
"That won't be necessary," said Edo, "but if I think of a friend who could use some lessons in elementary dueling, I'll bring him down to watch you."
Verbally sparring with Manjoume put him in a good mood, and Edo was feeling quite cheerful when he signed out for the day. He was looking forward to the evening, too. His hours were irregular - he generally came when he was called and left when he was no longer needed - and he had gotten off somewhat earlier than usual tonight. He would have more than the usual amount of leisure, and even more so because he didn't have to drive home. Saiou, with his usual foresight, had insisted on taking hotel rooms and returning home the next day, probably anticipating that he would be too exhausted after his tracking exercise to want to do anything but sleep. There was actually still a tinge of light left in the western sky when he arrived at the hotel. Edo took the elevator to his floor and went to see how Saiou was doing.
He found his friend seated on the edge of his bed, combing out his hair. He had changed out of his suit into something more casual, in the form of loose black trousers and a kimono- esque jacket, of the sort he wore when he was planning on spending the day hanging around the house. His eyes were fixed out in middle distance, not registering Edo's entrance. Edo smiled.
"I think your hair is as straight as it's going to get," he said.
Saiou turned dreamily and managed to get his gaze focused.
"I have discovered that repetitive movements are an aid to meditation," he said.
"And that's why you grew your hair out?"
"No," said Saiou. "I grew it out because when I was young, I didn't want to cut it myself, and I had other things to spend my money on. But it is useful when I want to meditate."
"Fair enough," said Edo. "Maybe I'll grow mine out. My consciousness could do with raising."
Saiou laughed. "Far from it. You're sharper than any three people you're likely to meet - and what's more, you know it."
"Present company excepted," said Edo. "Though, speaking of people I'm not likely to meet, guess who I ran into tonight."
Saiou thought about it. "Manjoume Jun."
"No fair - you cheated," said Edo. "But yeah, it was him. He offered me free seats to one of his duels next week. What do you think? Win or lose, he's usually fun to watch."
"I think I would enjoy that," said Saiou. "It occurs to me that it has been some time since I was in a stadium watching the game. To tell the truth, I've missed it more than I thought I would."
"Then we should go. I'll tell him to save a spot for us," Edo replied.
"I will look forward to it," said Saiou. Then he laughed suddenly. Edo gave him a quizzical look.
"What's so funny?" he asked.
"It's not funny," said Saiou. "I only just realized... I think this would be the first time you've asked me out on what might be termed a date."
Edo laughed too. "You're right, it is funny." Somehow, the idea of the two of them engaging in the traditional courtship behavior struck him as funny - not to mention superficial. They knew each other too well for the usual posturing and courting. But it would be fun to go see a duel together. And maybe... "Have you had dinner yet?"
"Not yet. I've been dozing most of the afternoon," Saiou replied.
"Well, most of the good places should still be open if you wanted to go get something," said Edo. "We don't get to eat out often enough."
Saiou raised an eyebrow. "Is that your way of saying you don't like my cooking?"
"I'd have to be out of my mind to say that. If I did, you'd make me eat my own," said Edo.
"You're right. That would be very foolish," Saiou agreed. "Very well, then - we will dine out."
He began to stand, and Edo offered a hand to help him. The two of them found themselves standing face to face, only inches apart from each other, so Edo did what seemed to him to be the natural thing and tugged Saiou a bit closer so he could kiss him. They spent a contented moment that way before drawing apart again. Even then, they stood there a moment simply enjoying being close to each other. It was Edo who pulled away first.
"I guess if we're going out, I should get cleaned up a little first," he said. After all, dueling was not always neat work, and he was feeling a bit dusty and sweaty. A quick shower and a change of clothing would do him a world of good. He gathered some fresh clothing from a drawer and began carrying it into the bathroom. As he walked, the sleeve of the jacket he was carrying dragged across the nightstand where Saiou had left his deck, and cards scattered themselves across the table's surface. One fell on the floor, and Saiou went to pick it up.
"Anything important?" asked Edo.
"The six of cups," Saiou answered thoughtfully. His eyes went distant, as they usually did when he was consulting with his cards. "It is usually having to do with memory. Have you forgotten something?"
"How would I know if I did?" Edo retorted.
"A point, I'll grant you," said Saiou. "I suppose it will come to you, if it was important."
"Probably," Edo agreed. Going over the past few hours in his mind, he couldn't think of anything that had happened to him that would merit worrying about. As far as he was concerned, it had been a perfectly ordinary day.
Saiou's right. It will come to me, he decided, and got ready for his shower.
Several hours later, Edo woke up. He lay still a moment, staring up at the ceiling and listening to the city noises outside the hotel window. Street lights shone dimly through the half-drawn curtains, casting eerie greenish lights and shadows around the room. Edo drank it all in; he may have loved living in Saiou's mountain hideaway, but at heart he was still a city boy.
A glance at the clock told him that it was a bit past three in the morning, but Edo felt wide awake anyway. This was his time, the deep night when no one who was up to any good would be out and about, the time he could do what he did best. Moving very quietly, so as not to disturb Saiou, Edo crept out of bed and began exchanging his pajamas for his daytime clothes. A glance over his shoulder determined that Saiou was still tucked soundly in his own bed, dead to the world - or at least fully occupied with some other one. Satisfied that no one would notice he was missing, Edo quickly tugged the rest of his clothing on and went to retrieve his Duel Disk and cards. He was feeling quite pleased with himself, until he started for the door and realized someone was blocking it. Saiou stood directly in his path with his arms folded across his chest.
"Er... hi," said Edo. "When did you wake up?"
"When I heard you thinking of sneaking off without me," said Saiou. "Going for a late- night stroll?"
"Something like that," Edo agreed.
"Some things never change," said Saiou, shaking his head. "I would have thought you would get enough of that at work."
"I don't get to do it alone, though. I thought it would be fun to go and pick my own targets for a change," said Edo. He hesitated a moment before adding, "I wouldn't mind if you wanted to come with me, though."
Saiou considered a moment.
"You'll have to wait while I change," he said.
Edo grinned. "Fair enough."
A few moments later, the two of them slipped out of the deserted hotel lobby and into the night, Edo in his neat white suit and Saiou dressed in somber blacks and violets. They faded into the night scene like a moonbeam and a shadow.
Edo paused on a corner to glance back at Saiou.
"Which way?" he asked.
Saiou didn't need to be told what Edo was trying to find. He paused a moment, eyes closed in concentration.
"That way," he said, gesturing. "Go two blocks and turn right."
Edo nodded and set out in the direction Saiou pointed him. The directions led him to one of the more business-oriented parts of town, a street lined with shops. It might have made for a pleasant place to spend a day out, but now it was deserted, its windows dark. Occasionally a lone car on its way to somewhere else would pass by, its headlights sweeping over the empty street, but otherwise Edo and Saiou were alone.
Only, they weren't entirely alone.
Edo spotted them first - just a flicker of movement at the edge of the circle of light cast by one of the street lamps. He froze, watching. The building in question was a small game store that sold cards and other toys, and the movement belonged to one of what he now realized was several men, who seemed to be intent on undoing a ventilation grid on the side of the building. Edo grinned.
"Evening, boys," he said, striding into view. "Let me guess - you're the maintenance crew, and you're here working overtime, is that it?"
A flash of shock went across the men's faces, which was all too quickly replaced by vicious grins.
"Hey, look at this," said one of them, elbowing his companion. "The cute widdle kid is out in the scawy dark! Did he get lost?"
"Heh, looks like he's out with his girlfriend," said the other pointing at Saiou.
Saiou tilted his head, looking at the man as though he were a rather interesting specimen, and he was wondering if perhaps this was a new strain of the species.
"I believe this person is a bit confused," he said to Edo.
"Obviously," Edo agreed cheerfully.
"Perhaps I should put his mind into a more ordered state."
"Be my guest," said Edo.
The men looked at each other with disbelief written on their faces.
"Do these guys think they can take us on?" one asked the other.
"No," said Edo. "We know we can take you on. So if I were you, I would pack up my things and go home. I don't have any patience with thieves."
"Oh yeah? Well, we don't have any patience with smart-mouthed little faggots," the man snapped back.
Edo smiled beatifically and spread his hands in a gesture of invitation.
"Have at me," he said.
They rushed him. Edo stood motionless until the last possible moment, then ducked under the first punch thrown at him, darted past the first attacker while he was still looking around in confusion, and drove an uppercut to the jaw of the man behind him, who staggered backwards looking stunned. Edo might have looked small and delicate, but beneath his neatly pressed suit was an athletic body. He'd always taken ruthless pleasure in disproving people who thought that he couldn't fight unless there were cards involved. What he lacked in weight he made up for in speed and accuracy. Now he wove easily amid the larger, heavier men, looking like nothing more than a pale blur.
It didn't take long for people to decide that Saiou looked like an easier mark. It was a fair assumption to make, since he was still standing perfectly still and watching the proceedings with a detached air. However, as they surrounded him, he raised his eyes, which were suffused with an unearthly light. He gave them a smile that would have sent more sensible men fleeing into the night. Even these backed away a little and eyed him warily.
"You were rude to my companion," said Saiou in a tone of deadly calm. "Perhaps you should apologize."
"Like hell we will!"
One of the men finally worked up the courage to come at Saiou, brandishing a knife. Saiou made a quick movement, and the knife leaped out of his hand and sailed across the street.
"What the fuck?" the man exclaimed, staring at Saiou with wide eyes. Saiou simply regarded him calmly.
"That was uncalled for," he said mildly. "I am growing annoyed with you all. Go away."
"Make me," said one unwise person in the group.
Saiou's smile widened. "Very well."
The glow around him intensified, rippling around him like purple flames. The young man he'd been speaking to stiffened suddenly, blinked a few times, then looked around in confusion. With a sudden snarl, he flung himself at his gangmates, attacking them wildly, and everything dissolved into confusion as the rest of the group tried to figure out whether to fight back. Edo used the mixup to dive back into the fray, attacking from behind while they were distracted by their teammate. Saiou added to the chaos by occasionally changing who was attacking who, making allies turn against each other at random intervals. Once he had the hang of that, he summoned the knife he'd tossed away earlier and sent it whizzing around like a particularly large wasp, flicking and prodding at people, leaving thin trails of blood wherever it passed.
It took very little time for the thugs to realize they had chosen the wrong targets. They scrambled and staggered into the night, still looking as though they had no idea what had hit them. Edo laughed as they disappeared. His jacket had gotten torn in the scuffle, and he had a graze across one cheek where someone had almost scored a hit on him. He felt wonderful. As good as it was to dispense justice within the confines of the law, there would always be a part of him that enjoyed the role of the lawless vigilante. He looked to see how Saiou was taking it all, and his breath caught in his throat.
Saiou stood at the center of a nimbus of violet light, in much the same way he had the night he had thwarted the man with the gun. That night, though, his expression had been one of confusion and fear. There was nothing like that tonight. He stood in an attitude of utter self- assurance, aglow with victory, exulting in his power. The look of confidence and savage joy in his eyes made Edo's heart beat faster.
Their eyes met, and for a moment the world seemed to freeze. Edo wasn't aware of crossing the distance between them, but he couldn't possibly miss it when he and Saiou ended up with their arms around each other, kissing each other intently. They had kissed before, but never like this - they had always been gentle with each other, restrained, never pushing or demanding. This kiss demanded, and promised. When Edo finally pulled away, he was panting slightly.
"I think... we need to go back to the hotel," he said.
Saiou looked at him with grave eyes, though there was a flush of color in his cheeks that was usually absent.
"Are you certain that's what you want?" he asked, and Edo was willing to bet that he wasn't talking about the change in geography.
Edo met Saiou's eyes.
"Yes," he said. "I'm sure."
Saiou nodded. "Then we should go."
They went. The two of them hurried through the empty streets, sometimes running as though they feared time would run out before they got there, sometimes slowing to look at each other, to touch each other reassuringly, and then glance away again as self-consciousness overtook them. The reception area of the hotel was empty as they entered it, but they darted through it quickly anyway and slightly guiltily, as though afraid of getting caught. It was only when they reached the safety of the elevator that they kissed again, feeling their hearts racing from the run. When they reached their floor, they parted reluctantly and walked the last few yards down the hall to their room. They slipped inside and closed the door, and there they stopped. The room was empty and quiet. Their breathing sounded unnaturally loud in the silence.
"So... what should we do now?" asked Saiou.
"I guess... um," said Edo, suddenly ill at ease. This had seemed a lot easier when they were still far away.
"You know, you don't have to do this if you aren't ready," said Saiou gently. "I won't be upset if you change your mind."
"No, I'm okay. This is just... different," said Edo.
"It is not so very different," Saiou replied. "We're just getting to know each other a bit better, that's all."
Edo smiled. "You always know the right thing to say."
Feeling somewhat more at ease, he began undoing his shirt. Then he stopped.
"Could you... not watch? It's kind of embarrassing," he admitted.
Saiou obediently turned his back, and Edo, still feeling somewhat awkward, did likewise. He hadn't let anyone see him naked since he was young enough to need his parents to help bathe him, and it felt odd to be so vulnerable, even in front of the one person he trusted most. He took his time divesting himself of his clothing, folding it up neatly so that he would have something to do with his hands besides fidget. When there was nothing more he could do, he turned slowly around again.
Saiou was not watching him. He was looking out the window. Moonlight glittered in his eyes and on his hair, and glowed on his fair skin. Edo was struck all over again at how unearthly he looked, more like some fair creature of the stars than a mortal being. The Saiou turned a little and gave him an uncertain smile, and he was only human again. Edo stepped closer to him and wordlessly took his hands, tugging him gently towards the bed.
They lay down next to each other, with a feeling that was almost like relief, grateful that not even such a small distraction as standing to take their attention from each other. They reached out to touch each other with light, experimental touches, as though they had turned into new beings and were intent on learning the geography of each other's bodies, determined not to let a single detail be overlooked in the dark. Edo felt Saiou's hands run through his hair, felt their fingertips skimming over his cheeks and lips. He let his own hands slide over Saiou's shoulders and chest, gently encouraging him to go further.
"How much do you trust me?" Saiou whispered.
"Completely," said Edo.
"Enough to trust me with your mind as well as your body?"
"With anything."
"Then let me..."
He didn't finish the sentence, but Edo felt a sort of shiver, an electric prickle that ran through every nerve in his body for an instant. He wondered briefly just what had been done to him, but he wasn't worried. He was sure Saiou would do nothing to him that would harm him in any way. He relaxed as Saiou began to run his hands over him again. The touch was light but strangely penetrating: wherever it went, it seemed to sink beneath his skin and linger there, leaving a warm sense of pleasure wherever it went, until every nerve felt charged with it. Edo could feel himself shivering at the intensity of it; his hands clutched of their own accord at the bedsheets.
Share with me, a voice in his mind suggested.
"Yes," Edo whispered.
At his word, his perspective of the world shifted. Everything was suddenly doubled, giving him the disorienting sense of being in two places at once, and he almost panicked before he realized that he was doing just what he'd agreed to: sharing. He was feeling what Saiou felt, and Saiou felt what Edo felt, physically and emotionally. It was like looking into a pair of reflecting mirrors, seeing the image repeated infinitely. The feelings shared between them doubled and redoubled, building off of each other, not only the physical sensations but emotions as well. Bodies and minds intertwined ever more closely until there was nothing else Edo could think of but the dizzy exhilaration of being caught up in such love and joy, and his body trembled with the strain of trying to contain the pleasure that was building inside him until it had to overflow...
Edo finished with a bitten-back cry, and then collapsed against the mattress, feeling both utterly drained and beautifully warm and relaxed. Saiou lay a short distance away from him, breathing heavily, his normally pale skin appearing flushed even in the wan light. For a few minutes, they rested that way, a few inches apart, not touching, re-establishing themselves as two separate people. At length, the languorous haze in Edo's mind cleared a little, and he turned onto his side to gaze at Saiou through half-lidded eyes. Saiou looked back at him, saying nothing, and though their minds were no longer touching, Edo could guess what he was thinking. They had done something that could not be taken back; whatever happened next, they could never again pretend they were just friends. Maybe it had been too much, too soon; maybe it had been the wrong choice; maybe they should have waited.
"Hey, Saiou?" said Edo softly.
"Yes, Edo?"
"Did you know your eyes glow in the dark?"
Saiou was surprised into laughing.
"No, I didn't know that," he said.
"Well, they do."
He reached out to brush a sweaty lock of hair away from Saiou's face, and then let his arm drape around Saiou's chest.
"I want to do that again soon," said Edo. "But not tonight."
"Not tonight," Saiou agreed, smiling gently. "Goodnight, Edo."
"Goodnight, Saiou," said Edo.
The last thing that registered with him was that Saiou was stroking his hair. Then he was asleep, falling deeply into pleasant dreams.
To Be Continued
