Chapter 12 – Memory Palace
Cold. Dankness. Musty smell of old things. A strange familiarity surrounding her. Mina woke with heavy eyes. Darkness around her, no sounds, no one near her. Mina felt a coolness against her cheek that lulled her from her daze. She raised her head, eyes trying desperately to adapt to the utter blackness around her. "Hello?" she croaked, think hard. Where am I? It did not take long to come back to her: Pegasus did something to her with his millennium item. She rolled her eyes, how many times could this keep happening? Her being trapped in shadowy magic realms – it was all becoming too repetitive for her liking. If I ever get back home, she promised herself, I'm going to beat Pegasus to kingdom come, and anyone else who dare tries to trap me again. She propped herself onto her knees as she tried to take in her surroundings, was this the shadow realm? No. She had experienced that before, it isn't something that you easily forget. Her head felt fuzzy, her throat dry and hoarse, "Spirits?" she called, but there was no response, just her voice echoing into the emptiness.
"Pegasus?" she called reluctantly, but again, no reply. "Anybody?" Mina sighed, she knew she couldn't stay where she was, she didn't even know where she was. Slowly, she pulled herself to her feet. She had to find a way out from … wherever she was. If not the shadow realm, where did Pegasus put her? Mina started to walk at an uneven pace, her feet felt as though they were being pierced by a hundred daggers with every step that she took.
Mina walked for what felt like hours in the dark, her hands trailing against the cold solid wall. A deafening silence followed her, not even a wisp of wind against her cheek. Mina was entirely, and utterly alone. Her eyes stinging and cheeks damp.
"Des yeux qui font baisser les miens
Un rire qui se perd sur sa bouche
Voila le portrait sans retouches
De l'homme auquel j'appartiens"
Mina sang in a whisper through her hoarse and croaky voice. She didn't know why, the silence was driving her mad, the sound of her own voice somehow filled the void a little. She finally slumped against the wall, too tired to continue. She buried her head in her hands. This, all of this, was too much. Mina could find no more strength to keep going. She felt utterly hopeless once more.
"Mina, Mina".
She heard an echoing voice calling out to her. She hesitated, raising her weary head. "Mina, come now sweetheart". Her breath hitched in her throat. "Mum?" Mina rose to her feet, heart skipping beats as her blood throbbed in her veins. "Mina dear".
"Mum?" Mina choked again, "Mum!" With a sudden eruption of boundless energy, she dashed forward, feet barely touching the ground as she practically galloped through the dark corridors. "I'm coming Mum!" she cried breathlessly. She ran faster and faster, her sides aching, lungs burning, feet pulsing. She travelled as fast as her body would allow her - faster even – breaking boundaries and exceeding every limit her body had. "Mina, oh Mina dear", her mother's comforting voice echoed through the long corridors. Had it happened, was it possible, had Pegasus brought them back?
Light. A sliver of light. Barely flickering. But it was light. Mina gasped in disbelief. Her parents were lighting her way. Sweat trickled down on her brow, gathering at her cupid's bow. She licked away the salty liquid. Nothing could stop her, she was a flash, hard to see, moving faster than the speed of sound. The light grew brighter. A doorway. A way out. She bolted forward, through the opening, but moved too fast – a trip – a tumble – Mina sent herself flying forward with one misstep. She cried out as Mina hit the floor hard, rolling forward. She finally stopped, her whole-body aching. Mina reluctantly opened her eyes, everything was viewed in a blurry filter of her gathering tears. She blinked them back, and everything slowly came into focus, shoes, two heels and two boots, and in those shoes two pairs of feet, and attached to those feet were two pairs of legs. Mina looked up, hardly believing her own eyes. "Mum, Dad?" She rose slowly to her feet. Every atom in her body shaking fiercely, a cocktail of emotions swimming in her brain. Her mother and father were facing away from her, but it was them. "Mum, Dad", Mina stuttered again, great big sobs sticking in her throat as happy tears leaked from her eyes.
"Oh Mina, give us a twirl", her mother said, still with her back turned from her. Mina's face turned, "What?". She hesitantly walked in a circular motion so that she stood before them. It was them – her mother and father. Her mother with her hair cut neatly and falling in soft brown curls on her shoulders. Pale face, adorned with long lush lashes and rosy pink cheeks. Dressed in a tweed skirt, light long blouse and a sensible pair of shoes. Her father, with his scruffy black hair and day-old stubble. Glasses falling to the brim of his nose. Top button undone, and tie loosened. A cigarette hanging from his mouth, one arm wrapped around his beloved wife. No ghost or illusion, they were solid, breathing, moving slightly. "Mum, Dad, it's me, how is this even possible –
"You look splendid darling, bit on the short side isn't though?" her father interrupted her. Mina's stomach dropped, and she opened her mouth. "Oh dad, it's the style! It's just above my knee!" Her voice answered, but she hadn't spoken. Mina looked up and saw herself approach them. She was smiling brightly, skin bare bar the faintest tint of pink on her lips. Her hair was bone straight and clipped back with silver butterfly pins. She wore a dark purple dress – so familiar – because it was the one she wore on the night of her sixteenth birthday. She twirled on her tiptoes, laughing gleefully – not a care in the world. Whilst the real Mina felt a heavy pain crash into her chest as she was forced to watch the living memory enfold before her, and she was reminded of all that she had lost. It is easy to tell yourself that you must move on, that it is in the past, when it is only in your brain. It is another thing entirely to have to watch it play out in front of you. "Don't forget your jacket poppet", her smother smiled, and stepped forward. She tucked a stray piece of hair behind the Dream-Mina's hair, "My baby girl, all grown up".
"Mum", she whined, "It's just Smokey-Joe's. Hardly a nightclub, I'll be home by half ten".
"I know sweetie, I know", her mother laughed. Mina smiled and embraced her mother and father in a tight hug as they all laughed. Mina stared, both tortured by what she saw but unable to look away. This was a happy memory, something that should be remembered fondly. But right now, Mina felt her heart fill with envy as she gazed upon her younger self. "You didn't know what you had", she hissed through gritted teeth, her dream-self broke away from her parents, clutching her purse and fixing her hair. "You're taking it for granted!" Mina screamed and lunged forward – but as she did everything disappeared – and she was left alone in the dark once more. She hit the ground, but quickly brought herself to her knees, "You took them for granted!" she roared again. There were no tears left, instead she burned with anger. Two months after that night, her parents would be lying dead in a pool of their own blood. And she would be left alone to fend for herself.
"I thought that memory would be pleasing to you", Mina heard someone speak, and she looked up, expecting to see Pegasus. Instead, another person stood in the doorway.
"Yugi?"
He shook his head and stepped forward. Taller than Yugi, slightly tanned, stern-faced. "Spirit", Mina spoke bitterly, and stood to full height. "You're the spirit of Yugi's millennium puzzle".
"Yami", he told her, "and you are Wilhelmina De Noir".
"Yes, now where the hell am I?" she snapped.
Yami stepped forward, towering over her in height. "Do you remember how you got here?"
Mina grimaced, "Pegasus did it".
"Did what?" Yami questioned her further, and Mina grew irritated, couldn't he connect the dots himself?
"Pegasus put me in here", she snapped.
"No", Yami shook his head, "Pegasus planned to extract your soul and temporarily trap it in the shadow realm, I stopped him by bringing you instead to here". Mina's eyes widened at the realisation, "I'm in the millennium puzzle?"
"Yes", Yami answered, "It can be very daunting, at first, I thought a happy memory from your past would relax you".
"Well you were wrong", Mina hissed, begrudgingly brushing away the tears with her sleeve, embarrassed to be perceived as being so weak.
"I'm sorry to have caused you distress", Yami apologised, "that was not my intention".
Mina shrugged her shoulders, and Yami walked back into the corridor. "Follow me, we shall talk somewhere safer".
Mina hesitated, she did not trust the Spirit, Yami, seeing the lengths he will go to meet his ends. But still, she couldn't just very well stay there. Once more, she found herself at the mercy of a man with unclear intentions, and vast millennium powers. Mina debated herself, and she walked forward and met Yami in the corridor. He leads her through the maze of corridors and hallways, each one becoming more illuminated with light as Yami walked through them and darkened just as quickly as they lost his presence. And so, Mina stayed close by his sid3e, not wanting to immerse in darkness again.
"In here", Yami directed her, bringing them into a much larger room than before. She walked ahead of him and turned on the balls of her feet to face the Spirit. "Well?" she asked, almost with a tone of impatience – it's not as if she had somewhere pressing to be.
"You are aware of Yugi's current duel", he began, "and the stakes that are at cost".
"I know bloody damn well what's at stake", Mina snarled, "my own life hangs in the balance – as well as so many others".
"So, you know what must be done", Yami continued to press her.
"I'm not an idiot, Yugi has to win the tournament and face Pegasus", she growled in response.
"Yes, but he will not let me help him", Yami confided, "and he needs me to win".
"That's debatable", Mina sneered, "I think Yugi is skilled enough to win this on his own".
Yami narrowed his gaze, "Not with these high stakes, are you truly willing to risk it?" He took a step closer, closing the distance between them. "There have been many occasions in which you would have found it impossible to proceed without the help of your own Spirits".
"That's different", Mina retorted sharply, raising her chin, never breaking eye contact "I am always in control".
Yami raised an eyebrow, "Mina. You do not trust me, and I realise that I was wrong before – I should not have been willing to risk the life of Seto Kaiba. But he is not blameless in that situation. He is the one who stepped onto that ledge, I did not gamble with my own life, or with Yugi's, or his Grandfather's".
Mina drew her lips into a thin line, she couldn't dismiss his logical reasoning – but that did not stop her blood boiling even at the mention of Seto's name, as irrational as it was. "I did not know that the life of Mokuba was at stake", he continued, and placed a hand gently on her shoulder. His face softened as he gazed at the teary-eyed girl. "Mina, I understand why you do not trust me – but I must beg you, Yugi will not allow me to guide him in his duel against Mai. He is conflicted, and it is showing in his decisions. If he loses, we lose everyone, you included. I want to help you. I want to reclaim the souls of Solomon Moto, Mokuba and Seto Kaiba. I want to give you your freedom. But I cannot do that without you".
"Me?" Mina replied, her own voice much gentler as she came around to his reason, "What I can do? Especially from in here", Mina gestured around her. Yami reached out his hand, "Follow me". Mina was cautious, but a part of her knew that he was telling the truth. She took his hand, and he drew her near him. He walked them through another door, another, then another. She found herself in utter blackness when he finally released her hand.
"Where are we?" she asked, her voice echoing around them.
"Yugi's subconscious", Yami answered her. "Yugi!" he bellowed.
Everything fell silent for a moment, and then, an answer, "I told you spirit I can't trust you to do this!"
"Yugi!" Mina gasped in alarm. There was a pause, "Mina, is that you?" Yugi's voice rang out in the darkness.
"Yes Yugi, it's me! Pegasus tried to trap my soul in the Shadow realm, but the spirit of your millennium puzzle saved me. You have to listen to me – I know it sounds mad, but you have to let Yami help you win this duel", she told him.
"How can I do that?" he asked her, "He almost hurt Kaiba, he will go too far to win".
"I realise that I was wrong now!" Yami exclaimed, "Yugi, I want to help you, let me help you. We can do this Yugi".
"You can trust him Yugi", Mina called, "He'll be with you through this. And so, will I".
"We'll do this together", Yami agreed.
"Yes", Mina smiled, "Together".
In a flash, Yugi appeared beside them. The three smiled at one another, placing their hands in front of them, one on top of the other. "Let's duel!"
