Duelist's Point
Chapter 25: Mysteries
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When Otogi returned to Japan from America, he heaved an immense sigh of relief. While America was thrilling, it felt good to be home again and surrounded by people who spoke his native tongue. On the car ride home, he thought about Yuugi, Jounouchi, Honda, and Anzu, excited to see them again. Usually, Otogi thought that most people his age were too immature and beneath him to befriend, but he felt at home with Yuugi's group of friends. He felt so privileged to have been assimilated into their tightly knit group, and he had been happy to help them in America throughout the DOMA crisis. It would be good to see them again.
Spirits high, he decided to drop by Yuugi's Game Shop and see if the group had gathered there today. Strangely, though, the shop front was abandoned. Confused, Otogi stared at the closed sign and checked his watch. It was a weekend… Why would the Game Shop be closed? How strange. Strolling to the back entrance, he wondered if they were just taking a day off.
As he rounded the back of the shop, he ran into a tall, dark, hooded man with a hard chest.
"Oof! Sorry!" he apologized, rubbing his head and smoothing his hair down. The man didn't say anything, so Otogi looked up, slightly anxious. "Hey, aren't you—"
"Rishid," the man said, bowing his head and sliding the hood off of his head. "You are Yuugi's friend."
"Yeah," Otogi said, holding his hand out for Rishid to shake, "I'm Otogi Ryuuji. What are you doing here? Didn't you and Malik and Isis go back to Egypt?"
"We decided to move back here," Rishid explained. "Egypt didn't have much left for us."
Otogi nodded, surprised expression still on his face. "What are you doing here, then? At the Game Shop?"
Rishid sighed, and a look of worry crossed his marked face. "Malik-sama and Isis-sama left for a Duel Monsters tournament a couple of days ago, but I wasn't able to go with them due to work. I'm anxious because I haven't heard from them since the morning they left. Isis-sama said she would call me when they arrived, but it's been days…"
"Another Duel Monsters tournament?" Otogi blinked. No wonder the Game Shop was abandoned; Yuugi must have been attending as well, and of course the rest of his friends would go with him. "What is it?"
"Isis-sama said… A man named Pegasus is hosting it, on his own island. She said she had a bad feeling about it, which is why I'm particularly worried. Isis-sama's intuition is very rarely wrong."
"Pegasus?" Otogi exclaimed. "I never heard anything about Pegasus hosting a tournament when I was in America… That's very strange, because the creator of Duel Monsters hosting a tournament—especially one that invites international duelists—is big news," he mused, then looked up at Rishid. "I know you're worried about Malik and Isis, but how does that explain why you're here?"
"I was hoping that somebody would be able to give me information or some way to contact Yuugi to find out if Malik-sama and Isis-sama are safe."
"Well, Yuugi doesn't have a mobile phone, but we could try—"
He was interrupted by a shrill ring, which startled him. Drawing a small phone out of his pocket, Rishid glanced at it before his face lit up.
"Isis-sama!" he exclaimed.
"Rishid! Oh, thank goodness. So my intuition was right, and Pegasus's tournament is nothing but trouble."
"Where are you right now? Is Malik-sama safe?"
Isis paused. "Yes," she said finally. Rishid's eyes narrowed in suspicion, but he didn't say anything. "We are in Egypt," she added.
He couldn't restrain himself—"What? I thought the tournament was on an island near America."
Isis sighed. "The circumstances of the so-called 'tournament' have brought us to Egypt. Do you remember the Forbidden Book, Rishid?"
"Yes."
"Pegasus has gotten his hands on a copy and is utilizing it for a mysterious goal. He has angels working for him and has captured many of the Pharaoh's friends. We are back ho—in Egypt to retrieve our copy of the book. It is our only chance of stopping Pegasus and rescuing the captives."
"What can I do to help?" Rishid asked simply.
Isis faltered. "I… I don't know, Rishid."
"Then I'm coming to Egypt," he announced. Otogi blinked in confusion. What were they doing in Egypt if they had been invited to a tournament in America?
"Rishid, why would you come to Egypt?" Isis asked calmly.
"It is my duty to watch over you and Malik-sama."
Isis paused for a long time, and Rishid heard someone talking quietly to her in the background. It must have been Malik. The two siblings were clearly agitated at each other, but Rishid could only hear snatches of their conversation. Malik kept saying, "I won't let you!" and Isis repeated, "Malik, be reasonable," over and over again.
At last, Isis let out a big sigh into the receiver of the phone. "Rishid?"
"Yes, Isis-sama?"
"Don't come to Egypt. We'll contact you if we need more help," she said hurriedly, sounding weary. Rishid was opening his mouth to argue when the dial tone assailed his ears. Frowning, he put the cell phone back into his pocket, thinking.
"You're going to Egypt?" Otogi interrupted his thoughts.
"Yes," Rishid said, "something strange is going on that Isis-sama did not want to tell me about. They may be in trouble. I must get to them."
"Did she say anything about Yuugi and the others?" Otogi said, chewing his lip in worry. Rishid nodded.
"Pegasus is becoming a dark sorcerer, but they do not know why. Isis-sama said he has angels working for him and that he has captured many of the Pharaoh's friends."
"Captured?" Otogi repeated, aghast, unfamiliar with Pegasus as anyone but the head of Industrial Illusions and creator of Duel Monsters – someone he had corresponded with and had been looking forward to working with. "Why on earth would Pegasus capture Yuugi and the others?"
Rishid said, "I do not know."
"Well, I'm coming with you," Otogi announced, "to Egypt, I mean. I want to help my friends in whatever way that I can."
Rishid looked at him, green eyes unreadable. He nodded. "As long as you do not deter me, I do not see a problem with that."
"I promise to help in every way possible," Otogi promised. "In fact, I'll buy our tickets." Rishid nodded again.
"Let us go, then."