Pegasus stood alone in his sanctuary, looking at the table in front of him. Four cards were lined up there, each one containing a soul. He picked up the one that contained Crystal and touched her sad face. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart. I thought I was doing the right thing," Pegasus closed his eye, "I miss her so badly Crystal. I kept telling myself I was doing it for you, giving you a mother again, but now I know the truth. The only reason I did this was for my own selfish reasons." He opened his eye and looked at the card in his hand. The faint picture of Wingweaver was barely visible behind her. "I love you so much Crissy," Pegasus whispered, wiping the moisture from his eye. "Now you have to relive your past all over again. Even with Wingweaver guiding you, it will be a rough journey. All my fault." He looked at her frozen face, then at the others on the table. "I'm a terrible father Crystal, you know that now. Maybe it's time I start trying to be the father you deserve."
He activated his Eye and freed the souls of Kaiba, Mokuba, and Soloman Moto. Pegasus hesitated a moment, staring at his daughter's soul. "I'm going to miss you, Crissy. You're the only thing that's helped me get out of bed these last few years." He sighed, watching the Millenium Eye's light illuminate the room. "Bye, sweetheart. I hope you can forgive me someday."
Pegasus set down the blank card and looked up at Cecilia's portrait. He hadn't done her beauty justice. "I failed you too, Cecilia. I did all of this for you, in the hopes that I could restore you, body and soul."
"How sweet."
Pegasus whirled around. "Who's there?"
The person in the shadows laughed, and he recognized the voice. "Bakura? I remember now, you're the one who possesses the Millenium Ring!"
"Yes, and I intend to own all the Millenium Items. Care to wager your Eye on a Shadow Game? I'll give you a second chance at a Millenium Item," he chuckled, "What you couldn't win from Yugi, perhaps you can win from me." Bakura walked over to the table and started to shuffle Pegasus' deck. "If you win, your deepest desires may not be out of your grasp after all."
Pegasus' eyes widened. Another chance to bring back Cecilia? It was too good to be true! Now that he'd lost Crystal, he needed the comfort of her gentle soul more than ever.
He hid his emotions and watched as Bakura placed several cards face down. "Your item allows you to see into people's minds, Pegasus; mine allows me to see into people's souls. Lets take a look at your deck and see your true nature, shall we?" He flipped one of the cards over. "The Happy Lover card. It shows that you've experienced the joys of love," a cruel smile spread across his face. "However this card is upside-down, which means your romance ended in tragedy."
Pegasus gritted his teeth in anger. "What a pity," Bakura grinned, flipping over the next card.
"This card should show me more about your present than your past. Ahhh.. The Mask of Darkness. So your recent actions were just a ploy to cover your real objectives, intentions that came from your heart." Bakura glanced at him, "Who would have thought you even had a heart? Let alone one so easily broken."
"Quiet!" Pegasus snapped at him, "Let's just play the game."
Bakura chuckled, "As you wish, but first there is one more card to be revealed. Don't you want to see your future?" He flipped the card over, "Doma, the Angel of Silence. That's fitting, since I will now silence you forever!"
Pegasus' eye widened in surprise at Bakura's vicious glee. "Prepare yourself mortal for a Shadow Game the likes of which you've never played." Their items glowed and shot out a ray of energy, meeting in the middle and warping the space around it. "This Shadow Game will be played on the landscape of our mind." Bakura chuckled at the weakness of Pegasus' retaliation. "Really Pegasus, is that all you can muster? You've been fatigued by your Shadow Duel with Yugi. Your mind is weary while mine is fresh."
Pegasus gritted his teeth and tried to hold of Bakura. He'd been set up, and he realized there was no way he could win. He slammed into the wall as Bakura overpowered him. "You are defeated," Bakura grinned, "A mere amature to one who has played for centuries!"
"You've been alive for centuries?" He gasped, "What kind of creature are you?"
Bakura smiled down at him and walked towards him. "I am the one who will possess all the Millenium Items, and I shall use their combined power to take over the entire world! You've lost the game, and that entitles me to take your item the way you intended to take Yugi's."
"No!" Pegasus begged as Bakura stretched out his hand toward him. The pain was overwhelming as Bakura's fingers yanked his Eye from its socket. "NO!"
Crystal was standing on her bedroom balcony's railing when she heard Pegasus scream. She looked towards where it had come from and spread her wings. Her wings had always been there, they'd just been invisible and untouchable thanks to the magic that she'd placed on them when she'd first returned to the real world. Apparantly she'd cause a panic or something if people saw them. She leapt of the railing and tilted her wings, flying higher so no one would see her. Crystal made a beeline for the tower she'd heard Pegasus' cry from. Most of her flight was controlled by her wings, but there was some magic involved. Then again, a girl with six wings flying around was pretty magical.
She fluttered her wings and landed on the ledge outside the window to the tower Pegasus refered to as his sanctuary. Crystal slipped through the window and gasped. "Maximillion!" she cried out, rushing over to where he lay on the floor. She shook his shoulder, and he stirred slightly. His hair fell away from his face, and she clasped her hands to her mouth to stop her cry of shock. His Millenium Eye was missing, leaving a ugly crater where it had once been.
"Crystal," Pegasus whispered, looking up at her. "Crissy, I'm so sorry."
"Shh..." she told him, gently stroking his hair. "Who did this?"
Maximillion shook his head. "Don't go after him," he told her, before passing out.
Her eyes narrowed and she ran to the stairs. Looking down them, she saw a shadow disappear around the corner, and the faint sound of cruel laughter drifted up the stairwell. Crystal cloaked her wings again, gritted her teeth in anger, and ran after the man who'd stolen Maximillion's Eye.
She rounded the corner and ran right into Croquet. He steadied her and asked her if Pegasus was alright. "We heard him cry out."
"He's unconsciuous," Crystal said bluntly, "and I was going after his assailant. Did you see him?"
"No," he said, sounding surprised, "Nobody came down the stairs."
"But I heard him! He couldn't have vanished into thin air!"
Croquet frowned, "I don't know what to tell you Miss Crystal. Excuse me, I need to see to Master Pegasus' safety."
"You're a bit late for that," she muttered to herself, standing to the side so Croquet and a few other bodyguards could get by. Crystal looked back down the stairs frowning, before following them. Where had the man that attacked Maximillion went?
Crystal watched in silence as one of the bodyguards put Pegasus' arms around his neck and picked him up, like he was giving Maximillion a piggy-back ride. Crystal followed everyone back down the stairs, her hands clasped in front of her. Walking with all these men in black, she felt like she was part of a funeral procession.
The sand whipped around the folds of her dress, stirred by the wind running across the desert. She was dressed in black, as was everyone around her, with a see-through veil over her nose and mouth. Not a word was spoken as the procession walked towards where her father's body would be laid to rest. Her hands were clasped in front of her, and she was struggling to hold back tears. If she'd been just a little faster, she could have healed the assassin's wound her father had recieved before his soul slipped away. Don't blame yourself for this, Crystal. The only one to blame is the one who commited this heinous act. Wingweaver told her, her gentle mind sending soothing emotions to her. Wingweaver's understanding finally pushed her over the edge and she let her tears trickle down her face, her shoulders shaking silently.
A gentle hand took hers, and she heard her brother's soft voice, "It will be alright Crystal," he comforted. Her brother was going through the same grief she was. She was older; she should be comforting him, not the other was around! Crystal just couldn't muster the strength to be positive. "No pain lasts forever."
She couldn't meet his eyes, but she squeezed his hand to acknowledge what he said. Crystal looked towards the front of the procession where her father's sarcophagus was being born by several servants. Pain may not last forever, but for now all she wanted to do was wallow in her grief.
Crystal's eyes widened and she paused to lean against the wall, clutching her chest. Her heart ached so badly, she wanted to tear it out! The pain lasted only a few seconds, but that short amount of time had made her eyes bright with tears. Crystal held her hand out in front of her, the ghost of her brother's touch still lingering. A tear escaped her eye and slid down her cheek as his memory faded again. When would she remember his face? She wiped her eyes and started back down the stairs again, her hands still pressed over her heart, as if to protect it from another blow. Her father had been assassinated, and she'd been too late to heal him.
She locked the pain of her failure away and asked Wingweaver a question that had been bugging her. What is that tap thing in my soul room, Wingweaver?
That is your connection to the supreme being of light, the Creator of Light herself. Your ability to perform magic comes not from me, but from the Creator. There is a great darkess in you that you are holding at bay, keeping it from causing chaos and killing countless innocents. Wingweaver's voice was prideful. That tap is a gift from the Creator for containing the evil within you, and to help you keep it within you.
Why would I have died from turning it? she asked.
The Creator of Light is the one who guards the afterlife, and letting too much of her power into you will separate your soul from its body in its effort to get closer to the light and love there. Wingweaver explained. That is also why you could faintly hear your parents voices.
I didn't hear my brother.
That doesn't mean that he hasn't passed away, Crystal. Wingweaver told her.
Crystal shook her head, then noticed she'd almost reached the end of the stairs. He is alive, and I will find him.
Wingweaver sighed softly, but didn't argue.
Crystal stepped out into the sunshine, blinking. She should have swiped one of the guards sunglasses when she was with them.
She was surprised to notice that Yugi and the gang were standing outside. "Crystal!" Yugi exclaimed, smiling, "Your soul was released?"
"Yep! So was Seto's."
"Do you know if Pegasus released my grandpa and Mokuba?" he asked.
Crystal shook her head, "I'm not sure, you might find some clues in his sanctuary though. I can't help you look right now."
"Yeah we saw. What happened to him anyway?" Joey asked.
"He looked pretty bad," Tea added.
She closed her eyes, "Someone has stolen his Millenium Eye."
They all gasped, "No way!" Joey exclaimed.
Crystal nodded. "I tried to follow the person who did it, but I lost him. It's like he vanished into thin air!" she groaned, "This has not been a good day. First I find out my dad is crazy, then I lose my soul, then my dad is knocked out by a man who is still running around my home." Not to mention her recent memory. She rubbed her temples. "I need a nap."
"You okay?" Tristan asked.
"Yeah," Crystal reassured them, "I really should get going." She took a step forward, but paused and looked at Yugi. "Thanks for fighting for me, Yugi. You should be careful, though. Whoever stole Maximillion's Eye may also come for your Puzzle."
He nodded, "I will,"
Crystal smiled and place a hand on his forehead, "Be safe," she said in her native tongue, placing a blessing on him and hoping it would help. "May no evil harm you,"
His eyes widened in surprise at the strange language. Before Yugi could ask her what she said, Crystal turned and walked towards the castle.
As he watched her go, Yugi saw the setting change. She was walking across the desert, wearing a ivory dress with a gold circlet around her head. He blinked and it faded. She was just Crystal again, but he wondered what she had been before Pegasus erased her memories.
Crystal's jaw was set in determination. Now she would get the answers to her questions. It didn't matter if she had to slap him awake. Crystal was going to get the answers she had been searching for since Pegasus had adopted her.
Peas and carrots review :) Oh yeah, I have a question. How would you spell Joey's nickname for Yugi. Yuge, Yuig, ? I'm confuzzled, plz help me!