A/N: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF DREAMFALL CHAPTERS OR YU GI OH 5DS! ALL RIGHTS GO TO THEIR CREATORS! ALL I OWN ARE MY OCS!
Chapter 10: Clues
The two Dreamers then walked towards the library. Ayumu whispered to Yusei, "How do you get people to respect you so easily?"
"I honestly have no idea," he answered.
Yusei and Ayumi arrived at the library and saw the young Zhid looking through the books frantically, naming them off as she did and kept asking the books to not fail her. They grinned at her.
Ayumu walked up to Enu and greeted, "Hey, Enu!"
"Hey! There must be something in one of these books that'll help you find what you're looking for. I'm going to keep looking until I find it!" she told him.
"Thanks," Yusei responded. He looked at Ayumu and whispered, "We might want to find and check up on Crow."
Ayumu nodded. They slowly walked out to look for Crow, try to talk to him. They were quick to find him in a corner on a barrel. "Hey, Crow," the female Dreamer greeted, her regretfulness in her voice.
"Sorry about that, Crow. We thought you knew," Yusei told him.
"It's fine. It's not your fault. I just can't-" he stopped. He then continued not too long after, "I can't believe she's gone. But I sort of knew, you know? I felt it… in my heart. And that final time we were together, it wasn't… It wasn't like what it used to be. It was weird. Like too much time had passed and we'd drifted apart. I should've known it wouldn't last."
"I know that feeling. It's just something that you just have to learn to live with," Yusei told him. "It isn't in the same way as you, but I do understand."
"I know. And I will," Crow responded. "Were you there when she…?"
"No, we-" Ayumu paused. "They said it was quick. I'm sure she didn't suffer."
"She was already suffering. She was lost after she saved the Balance," Crow responded. "We wandered the same paths for a while, had some adventures, saw some sights, but then… things happened, and we lost each other. Anyway, did I help? With, you know, the rebel thing. Did they believe you? That you're not a spy?"
"You did and they do. It's fixed now. They'll help us," Yusei replied.
"Good. Good. Good," Crow responded. "They're not going to cut your head off?"
Ayumu gave him a shocked look. "What? No!"
"Good. Good," Crow responded again. "I wish I could've been more helpful. But it was ten years ago, and I didn't really pay attention to what April said about that Abnaxus chap."
"It's okay," Yusei assured.
"If you don't mind, I need to be alone for a little while. Clean my feathers, sharpen my beak, reflect on the nature of life. Bird stuff," Crow told the two humans.
"We understand," Yusei responded.
"I'll find you in the city," Crow told him before taking off. Ayumu sighed and Yusei grabbed her hand. She looked at him before nodding and they found their way back to Enu who was still digging through the shelves.
She turned to him. "I've been trying to find a book or scroll or manuscript or map or torn note page or ancient magical tome or pamphlet or piece of cloth that mentions the Purple Mountains or the Oular, but…" she trailed off. "No luck. It's really frustrating! This library has never let me down before. Bad library!" She sighed. "By the way, what do you do when you're not saving the world?"
"Working really," Yusei answered. "I don't do much else except playing games with my friends."
"Sounds like me nowadays," Enu responded. "But I'm not a super powerful magical like you guys."
"We're not really magicals. We're just lucky," Ayumu corrected. Enu gave an enthusiastic nod. "So, you just joined the resistance?"
"Oh, yes. No. Not really 'just'. About half a year ago? Wait, more than that. Time flies when you're having fun! Well, 'fun'," she explained putting quotes around the final "fun".
"Sometimes you need to make the best out of bad situations," Yusei told him. "It's not easy, believe us, we know."
"Right. And it's my duty. We're doing good, important work here," Enu agreed. "Also, I didn't want to end up living the life my parents wanted for me."
"I can identify with that. Kind of. I lost my parents to an explosion when I was baby. So did Ayumu," Yusei responded.
"You did?!" Enu exclaimed.
"Yeah," Ayumu replied. "But we had a foster mother and friends who became our family."
"How bad was the explosion?" Enu asked.
"It tore the city into two sections," Yusei answered. "A lot of lives were lost that day. I'm lucky I was able to survive the blast. And it was thanks to my father. Same thing with Ayumu."
"Are you guys brother and sister?" Enu asked excitedly. "I mean the eyes are so similar. And so is the hair a bit…"
"We're half siblings by what we know," Yusei answered.
"That is amazing!" Enu exclaimed. "How old are you apart?"
"About four years," Ayumu answered.
"Aww! She's like a baby sister!" the Zhid commented.
"We've had younger half siblings," Yusei responded. "We don't know them that well, though. We can talk about this later, though, if you want."
"Yes, please!" Enu agreed.
"So, no luck on the books?" Ayumu asked.
"Nothing. Sorry. And I've read most of these before. I can't remember coming across any of those words you mentioned," she replied. "There's not much else to do here in the evenings except read. I don't really have any female friends or friends my age. It gets lonely. Anyway, I've been through all the encyclopedias and travelogues, but…"
"Nothing about the Purple Mountains or the Oular?" Yusei finished with his question.
"Nothing. I mean, the Purple Mountains sounds colloquial. It may have a different name officially. But the Oular, there should be something about them. It's a magical race?" Enu replied.
"They didn't look human, at least," Yusei answered.
"Weird there's nothing about them. They must be very isolated, or…" Enu trailed off.
"Or?" Ayumu prodded.
"Or someone's trying to hide something," Enu suggested. "Which would be weird and very hard to pull off. Forget I said that."
Ayumu chuckled. "Alright," he agreed. "I guess I'll have to look elsewhere, though."
"Oh no! I'm so sorry. I really thought I'd find something. I feel terrible, I-" she stopped before quickly continuing, "Do you want to be my friends? I already asked you that. I'm coming on too strong, aren't I? I am, I can tell. Stop it, Enu!"
"Not at all, Enu. It's… It would be great to be your friend," Yusei reassured.
Ayumu nodded with a smile. "Thanks for the help."
"Much good that did. I really wish I could-" she was cut off when a old man that the two Dreamers remembered as Blind Bob called out walking in. They turned to the events taking place.
"For the love of the festering demon-shrimps of Jaharva… Do I have to do everything in this place?" the man asked. "I didn't spend all those years living on the streets of Marcuria, pilfering food and liberating fat purses to deal with this shite. I swear, I'd be better off going back to sleeping in Abnaxus' stone tree, if I can't even get a mattress that isn't flea-and-maggot infested. Do your bleedin' jobs, people! Is that too much to ask?"
"Sorry about that," Enu called. "Disregard him. Not important. There must be something in this library. I'm not giving up! I'm going to keep digging until I find something!"
"Alright. We'll go talk to him. See if the old guy knows something," Yusei stated.
"We'll let you know what we find," Ayumu commented.
"Okay," Enu agreed before turning back to her work.
The two siblings walked over to the old man. "Blind Bob?" Yusei greeted.
"Eh? What? Who's ask-?" he stopped for a moment. "Well, blessed be me striped breeches! You're the young ones who brought me mulled wine back when I hit rock bottom in Marcuria! What in the name of the Eight-Eyed Octo-God of Tartillus are you doing here?"
"We were about to ask the same question. But… not in the same words," Ayumu replied.
"Oh, I left my life of beggaring behind. Cleaned meself up, joined the resistance. I'm a general now," Blind Bob answered. "I'm making a difference!"
"What happened to your theoretical blindness?" Yusei asked. "The last time we saw you, you said something about that."
"Cured! I was blind, theoretically, but now I can see," Blind Bob answered. "To be honest, some days I wonder if I ever was theoretically blind, or if it was hypothe metaphysical." Ayumu gave him a confused look, not knowing the word. "You know, just in my head, like."
"Oh, uh-" Ayumu began but the elder cut him off.
"It was simpler being Blind Bob and restorting to beggaring and vagrancy than taking a long, hard look at myself in a speculum. Particularly on account of the blindness. I wish my old pa could've lived to see me. He always believed in me, even when I didn't. To the bitter end, he told me I had potential. I nodded and wept and promised him I'd try my best. Then, as he drew his last, ragged breath, I stole his purse and his breeches. Well, pa, I'm sorry about the breeches. I'm making something of life now. Making something of myself! I'm no longer Blind Bob! Call me Bob-who-can-see," Bob interrupted.
"Alright," Yusei agreed slowly. "Are you an actual general?"
"Aye. See these stripes? General Bob, that's me. I takes care of the logic-sticks around here, so the place don't crumble to pieces," Bob replied. "Shepherd's busy with the strat-ee-gering. Kian sorts out who to murder, and how. Likho makes a fine job of being contrary. And Enu keeps everyone's spirits up. I mean, when she's not shooting Azadi soldiers in the eyeballs with her bow and arrow. Me, I make sure the larder's stocked, the sheets are cleaned, relatively speaking, and that the piss pots are empty. Can't go to war on a full bladder."
Ayumu gave a small, singular, amused laugh. She then returned serious and asked, "How did you even end up here? With the rebels, I mean."
"Not long after you and I met, I overdosed on mulled wine. Spooked me good, that did. I figured I had two choices. Either spend the remainder of my days in the gutter, stinking of foreign spices and currants. And, to be honest, there didn't seem to be a whole lot of days left. Or I could clean myself up, try to amount to something after a lifetime wasted on wine, women, and various gutters. The moment I looked up, I saw how the Azadi were running magicals out of Marcuria. I couldn't ignore it. It was disgraceful! I mean, magicals always treated me with kindness and respect. I felt I owed them. So here I am, doing my part and paying my debts. Aside from the gambling and bar tabs, mind you. And I feel twenty years younger to boot!"
"That's always a plus," Yusei responded. "Just wondering, but have you heard of the Purple Mountains?"
"Oh, aye! Aye, of course. Everyone's heard of the Turtle Mountains. They're-" Bob replied but Ayumu stopped him.
"Uh, no. 'Purple', not 'turtle'," she corrected.
"That's what I said, turtle," Bob retorted.
"Um…" Ayumu trailed off.
"Right, of course, you don't know. Why would you?" Bob responded. "My apologies, lassie. See, I have a serious P-deficiency. It's been a lifelong struggle. The Turtle Mountains? No, never heard of them. Sorry."
"What about someone called Abnaxus?" Ezra asked.
"Abnaxus? Now there's a name I haven't heard spoken in years. Where do you know it from?" Bob replied.
"Sorry, we just overheard-" Yusei stopped and sighed softly. "Actually, we met Abnaxus. Kind of. We dreamed about him. Or maybe it was more like a vision."
Ayumu continued, "It sounds crazy, we know but-"
"Sounds completely sane to me, youngins'. Abnaxus turning up in visions? That's exactly the sort of fellow he was. Persistent, unpredictable, and not a little annoying," Bob interrupted but the response relieved the two. "I met him when he was the Venar ambassador to Ayrede. This was before the gutters, when I was still a dapper chap on the Marcurian party circuit. We hit it off, seeing as I was going blind, theoretically, and he saw everything, past, present, and future. Years later, as he was leaving town, he entrusted me with a key to his home. Said to take care of it. I'd sleep there from time to time. Very uncomfortable bunk. Musty smell of ancient books and foreign weeds. I didn't care much for it, to be honest."
"A key? To Abnaxus' home?" Ayumu questioned.
"They called it the Abode back then. Abnaxus' Abode," Bob replied. "Primitive accommodations but luxurious location. Prime real estate. Central, with a garden view. Very quiet at night."
"Do you still have the key?" Ayumu asked. "Sorry, it's important."
"Oh, aye. I carry it with me everyday. After all, it is a magic key. Figured it might do my lumbago some good," Bob replied.
"What about his Abode?" Yusei pressed.
"Also still there, and not hard to find. Sits right circle in the center of the City Green. Abnaxus carved it out of a petrified tree with his own, morbidly huge hands. A few years ago, the authorities turned it into a historical landmark. Of course, no one can get inside, on account of the Venar magic," the elder explained. "Not without the key, at least."
"The key… Can we-?" Ayumu began but Bob cut him off.
"Oh sure," he answered to the uncompleted question and handed it over to her. "Heavier than it looks, ain't it? More powerful than iron. Worth its weight in precious stones, and then some. This magic goes back to the first magic. None of that modern hocus pocus. You feel it in your fingers when you hold it. Tingles, don't it?"
"It… does. Sorry, I know this is asking a lot, but can I-?" the girl was cut off again.
"Borrow it? Aye, why not? It's done the lumbago no good, and I don't have much use for the place now that I've a proper bunk here," Bob answered, once again to the unfinished question. "But keep it safe. Abnaxus left most of his belongings behind and entrusted me with their care. I'd hate to betray his trust."
"We will," Yusei assured.
"Good," Bob responded. "Well, I had better get back to work."
Yusei and Ayumu nodded before heading back to Enu. "Hey, we've made some progress. Blind Bob- I mean, the General gave us the key to Abnaxus' house. We might find what we're looking for there," the male Dreamer told her.
"That's great! Oh, I wish I could come with you, but there's this whole furry thing I've got going on. It's a big no-no in the city these days," Enu responded.
"Sorry, Enu," Ayumu told her.
"It's fine," Enu responded.
"Thanks again for the help," Yusei told her.
"Are you leaving? Already? I mean, we just met, and… and-" Enu began. "You'll come back though, right?"
"Probably," Ayumu replied.
"Okay, because there's so much I want to talk to you about and I'll let you go now, thanks for talking to me, Yusei, Ayumu. I miss you already. Shut up now, Enu! Okay, thanks, bye!" Enu responded.
They gave her a small grin before running out to talk to Shepherd about their leaving. When they met her, she asked, "You spoke with the General. Did you find what you were looking for?"
"We got a start," Yusei answered.
"Good. I've asked them to ready a boat for you. Whenever you're ready, it'll take you into the city," Shepherd informed. "I may not fully understand your roles or exactly where you're from, Yusei, Ayumu. But there's something about you that- I've learned to have faith in the Balance. The Balance provides. The Balance guides. It's guiding you now. And you must let it take you wherever it leads, like a leaf on the river. Bend to its will."
"We'll try," Ayumu responded.
"May your gods favor your journey. You'll be in my thoughts and dreams," Shepherd told him.
"Uh, okay. Thanks, I think," Yusei responded before she turned back to her task at hand. The two siblings turned and headed down the tunnel they came through and to the waiting boat.