Tomoyo Hanasake's Home
"Here. Why?" Yuugi looked up at the big house of Hanasake's. "Why would it be here?"
"Hey? I remember this place, I know I do." Jounouchi was trying to piece it together. "We, uh? Hanasake?" He looked back at Yuugi. "Hanasake. He's our friend. We haven't seen him in years. What happened to him? He was there in school. Up until your grandpa's incident right?"
"Tomoyo Hanasake, I remember him too," Atem said. "You had spent time with him."
"He was a friend," Anzu agreed. "He even invited us over. He loved zombire, his dad always picked it up for him. What? Why didn't we remember him until now?"
"Yes, that is strange. He was never at school again either."
"After Pegasus, things happened fast. Still, it doesn't make sense we all forgot him." Yuugi hated that this was where he felt it. The game. "The game is here though. We have to check it out."
"How do we do this?" Jounouchi asked. "Do we knock on the door and say how have you been, or do we sneak around and assume something bad is going on with Hanasake? Because I want to get in and get out."
Yuugi understood. Jounouchi wanted to stay with Mai, and get Shizuka from Kaiba. He was there though because of the Dark Magician with Atem. If things went bad, he knew he could help.
Someone came out of the front door, which made the option easy to see. He adjusted his glasses. "Yuugi? Jounouchi? Anzu? Wow." He smiled. "I haven't seen you in years. How have you been?"
He wasn't rippling any kind of an evil vibe. "We were just reminiscing and thought about you," Yuugi said. "Wondered if you still lived here or not."
"Oh yes, the house was left to me about six months ago," Hanasake said. "I'm staying here right now until I figure out what to do with it."
"Well, so, where'd you disappear to?" Jounouchi asked. "Haven't seen you in a long time."
"My dad," he said. "He stopped getting me Zombire and quit his job to give me attention." He smiled. "The extra time wasn't good for everyone though. My mom and him got divorced and I stayed with her. Sorry I didn't tell you. I? I don't like goodbyes," he said shyly.
Definitely nothing unusual about him. He still feels the same. The game is in here though, I feel a strong presence. Yuugi walked up closer. "Well I always appreciate hello's."
"Yeah, um? I'm not the only one who surprised you," Hanasake said. "I didn't know you and Anzu had twins. Or, really close brothers and sisters in age? You're almost identical."
"Sure, yeah, sorry about that," Yuugi faked. "Well, why don't we come in for a little while? It's been a long time since we've sat down and talked."
Good idea, Yuugi. What you may be sensing might be something else, but it's strong like the Dragon Cards. We need to find out what it is. Atem followed after him along with Anzu, Satiah and Jounouchi.
"Whoah." Yuugi didn't have to look far. "What's your line of work?"
"Translation and archaeology," Hanasake said. "When I went to live with my mom, I found a passion I didn't know I had because we started with my Aunt. She got me interested in it. It turns out, I had a talent for it."
"Oh?" Now that was interesting. "Translate anything good lately?"
"I'm working on translation for a Predynastic text. Speaking of which, I hate to dash?" he apologized. "If you sit and wait we can catch up, but I have a client back here who's been waiting."
Maybe that's the culprit, Yuugi.
"Sure, we don't mind." Satiah and Anzu stayed while Yuugi, Atem and Jounouchi all started to move behind Hanasake covertly. When they reached the room for the meeting, they saw it. The client was holding the Dragon Cards, with the seal on them.
They all went backward.
"Easy," Jounouchi said when they went back to the waiting room. "I'll ambush them right outside the house."
"He just murdered thousands if not millions of innocents," Atem said. "Yuugi. You stay with the others to keep Hanasake busy. Jounouchi. Come with me."
Yuugi sat down to wait with Anzu and Satiah.
"Maybe you should go too?" Anzu suggested to Satiah. "You have the Pharaoh's power."
"The what?" Hanasake came back in the room. "Did you say Pharaoh's power? That's a funny phrase." He sat down. "Hey, where'd Jounouchi and your brother go?"
Atem and Jounouchi. "They had to run, sorry," Yuugi apologized. "So do you enjoy your job? I do mine."
"Running the Game Shop and designing games, yes, I heard," Hanasake said. "I didn't know Anzu was there though. WIth a sister too. Neat."
"Where's your client?" Anzu asked. "I thought you'd sit down and talk after they left?"
"Oh yes, clients come in and leave through another door on the side." Hanasake gestured to Satiah. "So, your name is Satiah? You're rather quiet. No need to be shy."
"I prefer not to speak in every situation." Satiah looked toward Anzu.
"I see. You had a strict childhood didn't you? A certain set of rules. A certain time to speak. I was lucky, my parents both loved me. Rules against me were more hollow but I didn't cause trouble. I was a good kid." He smiled at her. "I used to be more like you though. I was so defenseless, even Yuugi could have beat me up if he wanted to."
Yuugi noticed Hanasake had become a lot more talkative than in their school years. That was good. "You should come by the Game Shop some time again. We could catch up. Maybe play a game or two?"
"Oh, I love games," Hanasake announced. "Yep. Monster World is one of my favorites. I know a lot of people are into duel cards, but I loved Monster World. I have a whole set up with it." He looked back toward Anzu and Satiah. "I still can't get over the fact you have a twin sister."
"Yes. It's neat," Anzu said. "Long story."
"I like long stories. Hang on?" Hanasake looked behind him. "Did you hear that? It sounded like a scream."
Sounds like the other me taking care of things with Jounouchi. If Atem hadn't come back, more people would definitely have been lost to that vicious game. It may have been optional, and with Kaiba and Shizuka, most likely they could have triumphed eventually. "Maybe a scream. I don't know."
"Oh." Hanasake was less responsive to the scream now. He was still staring at Satiah. "Do you like archaeology, Satiah? Recovering the past?"
Satiah didn't respond at first. "I prefer to leave the past buried usually. It's better to focus on the future. Only if the past is associated with helping the future do I bother with it."
"I can't place your accent," Hanasake said again. "Is that American? Egyptian?"
"Egyptian American." Yuugi noticed that Hanasake was focusing a lot on Satiah.
"Hang on, I have something for you to see. Let me get some refreshments, and I'll share some interesting things with you. Especially about your puzzle box Yuugi. You should know it's past." He left and came back with glasses for everybody filled with soda. He personally handed one to Satiah. "Here you go." He passed one to Anzu and then to Yuugi. "Okay. Don't worry, this is just a copy of the original information. Anybody want some chips?"
"I think we're fine." Be polite, find out what he wanted to share, and get out. The Dragon Game should have been dealt with by now, yet Yuugi still felt something wrong. I can't just go up and kiss Anzu again. He got up and followed Hanasake out the door. Hanasake was a good friend. But? Maybe there is something else in here.
"Critical."
Hm? Critical? Yuugi found him at a safe. "Did you say critical?"
"Oh yes," Hanasake said as he pulled something out of his safe. "I always say critical when I open my safe. It's? It's a habit." He closed it. "There are all kinds of egyptian notes right here on your puzzle."
Why would he say critical when it opens up?
When what opens up, Yuugi?
Atem was close enough to hear Yuugi now? Good. Hanasake says critical when he opens his safe. Kind of strange. Unless the last number reminds him of a critical. The frozen dice numbers. Could they be a safe code, the dice? Could it end in 00? Could it be the combination to his safe, Atem?
"Are we going or not?" Hanasake asked. "I wanted to show you some interesting things about your old puzzle you used to wear all the time." He held up the papers as he closed the safe back up.
"What's the rest of those papers for?" Yuugi asked, noticing more in the safe.
"Oh? That's my current work for my client," Hanasake said. "It's over a predynastic scripture tome. I still have a long way to go but I never leave anything out in the open." He went into the room with the papers he had to share with Yuugi.
"Do you have a bathroom?" Yuugi asked. "Of course you do. I mean, um? Can I use it? I've got to get into that safe.
Yes, Yuugi, get in there.
"Sure, down the hall." Hanasake gestured toward the end of the hall. "I'll wait for you."
Yuugi waited for him to start to leave. He peered out to see him go past the hall. The house was a decent size, but no mansion. He didn't have much time. He went over to the safe. Two criticals, a fumble, a six, and a twelve. That was five numbers. Ends in critical. There weren't many numbers, but finding the right combination of even a small set of numbers. I have to do it and get back.
"I'm sure Yuugi won't take long." Anzu took the reigns, knowing Yuugi probably spotted something if he said he wanted to use the bathroom. "Your life must be really fascinating now, why don't you tell us about it?"
"It's just there." Hanasake eyed Satiah again. "Do you want some more soda? Food?"
"No."
"She's great." Anzu couldn't let him get up to go to the kitchen. Whatever Yuugi was doing, he was going to need a distraction. "Have you ever been to America? I've lived there for a long time now." Probably not the best interest but she needed something. "You must have gone all over, lucky you." He was still a lot more focused on Satiah though.
Yuugi went out the backway his clients went out with the prize. Sorry Hanasake, there's no way you can do that job. He found Atem and Jounouchi.
"That was easy," Jounouchi said to Yuugi as he came over with the papers. "What's that?"
"Direct translations that guy you just fought was having done." Yuugi gave it all to Atem. "Here. Did you at least get his name before he was destroyed?" Yuugi asked. He knew Atem wasn't going to be pulling punches, and neither was Jounouchi.
"Yep." Jounouchi pulled out his wallet. "Got his name, address and everything else in his wallet before we took care of him. All of him. If people hadn't been living nearby, I don't think Atem would have stopped."
Sounded like Atem. "Great. I have to get back before Hanasake knows I left." Yuugi headed away again and back into the house. He strolled through the halls. We stopped it all before it even started much. There was some real loss of life in Australia. Huge numbers of casualties they couldn't prevent, but now the world would be safe. When he reached the room with the others, he walked in casually. "Sorry."
"Well? There's deodorizer, so it's fine." Hanasake looked toward the others. "Did you want to know about your puzzle? It came from an ancient egyptian tomb of the Unknown Pharaoh. People died to get it. People who discovered it died too."
Oh. He didn't sound like he knew a whole lot new. The faster I get out of here, the better. "Oh yeah, my grandpa had a lot of that detail."
"Oh. Did you find out the name of the pharaoh at the time? Does your grandpa know?" He asked.
"I never found out the name," Yuugi lied, not wanting to wrap Hanasake into anything. "Grandpa is gone now too."
"Oh? Oh, I'm sorry." Hanasake stood up. "I know that hurt. Um? I better get back to work now, but it was great seeing you again." He nodded toward Satiah. "It was really nice to make your acquaintance."
Yuugi and Anzu both waved goodbye as they left with Satiah. They headed back to the car where a triumphant Jounouchi and Atem were at. It was always apparent when they accomplished something great. Each of them always had a smirk on their face.
Tomoyo Hanasake put away the snacks and food, and then pulled out his phone. "I messed up but I covered as best as I could," he said, his voice no longer the same. "There is a traitor somewhere, Yuugi Mutoh knew the combination to my safe. Not only that, but Atem split from Yuugi Mutoh, he has his own body. If that wasn't bad enough, there is a strange woman that looks just like Anzu Mazaki. She's not on our side, she isn't on any record of coming back to a host, nothing." He slid his glasses back up on the bridge of his nose. "I know Hanasake's past but I don't know who she is. Something's wrong. I need to get this information to the Greatest Pharaoh."
"So there's a traitor in the kingdom? Terrible, but there's nothing anyone can do now anyhow. No reason to bother Pharaoh. Let's hope the traitors straighten up once the new dynasty begins."
"Yep, but we are down one item too." Hanasake licked his lip. "That ridiculous group that stumbled upon us that got a hold of one of the Pharaoh's treasure items? Seto Kaiba managed to steal it from them. Of all things, the rod. That's a big coincidence."
"Hanasake. Someone probably is, that is a lot of coincidences, but who cares? The Greatest Pharaoh of All Time cannot be stopped by a single item or any of their parlor tricks. Besides, it's done. I will be arriving soon, and with his favorite item, Bakura will be too. Let's focus on the task."
"Okay." He was right. There was nothing out there that could stop the Greatest Pharaoh. If the traitors continued, the Pharaoh would deal with them.
