Natori grunted as she was tossed to the ground. The boat ride to the palace was hell. Bastard guards. Using the fact that she was paralyzed to touch and fondle her as they pleased. Once there, they dragged both her and Mokuba inside. The two were thrown into separate rooms, and Natori could do nothing but lie prone on the unforgiving floor. Tears blurred her vision, and slid sideways onto the floor. She could hear Mokuba screaming to be let out. His words carried over to her.
"No! Let me out! You won't get away with what you've done to Tori and me! Seto'll-"
The sound of an impact reached her hypertensive ears, and she knew that he had been struck. There was a thud, followed by derisive laughter.
"Shut up kid."
Rage burned through Natori's veins. Whatever they used on her should wear off at some point, and when it did… She would make them all pay. The door to her room opened, and a number of guards, as well as Pegasus himself walked into the room. He looked at her with condescending eyes. Her own orbs told him where he could stick that look.
"Well, well. If it isn't one of the two goddesses that grace my tournament. Tell me, how are you enjoying the scenery? You fancy the beach and forests right?"
Natori glared at him with a fire that would consume everything in sight. If she could move, she would pluck those pompous eyes out of his head.
Pegasus closed the distance between them, and in his hand was a collar. She smelled her great grandfather's powers all over it, and immediately knew what it was for. Pegasus fastened the silver fabric around her neck. The effects were immediate. Natori's powers waned greatly, and her strength dwindled to almost nothing. Her vision blackened, and her mind drifted to nothingness.
Pegasus turned to the guards. "Gather the maids and have them bathe and dress her in the outfit I chose."
The guards nodded and filed out of the room. Pegasus lifted Natori into his arms and placed her onto the bed. "You'll make a fine prize my little beauty."
The distraught group sat around their camp. It was as if the life had been zapped from them. Kasumi sat far off against a tree. She hadn't said a word since Tori was taken. She simply stared at the ground, tears running down her face and dropping to the unforgiving sand.
Joey sighed. "You guys!? Sittin' 'round feelin' sorry for ourselves ain't gonna get Tori out. We gotta do somethin'! Ain't no tellin' what he's got planned for her."
"There's only one way to get her back," Yugi said. "I have to duel Pegasus for her freedom."
"We only have three days! How will you get all eight stars in such a short time!?" Teá exclaimed.
"We can do it Yug! If we work together I'm sure we'll get those stars in no time!" Joey exclaimed.
Yugi nodded. "You're right Joey. As long as we have our friendship, nothing is impossible! Let's do it!"
The sun had already started setting by this time. So the group decided it would be best to rest, if they were gonna pull it off, they needed all of their strength.
A scream caught everyone by surprise, and they looked in Kasumi's direction. She was on her feet, kissing a tall man who had seemingly come out of nowhere. They pulled back, and Kasumi hugged him tightly. Sobs racked her frame, and he held her tightly even though he wore a stoic expression. His brown hair was combed back, and his piercing sapphire eyes were filled with emotion. He was taller than Kasumi, as well as broader and lighter. He wore a navy blue shirt and pants with matching boots and a white trench coat that spread out at the ends. His full lips were straight in seriousness.
"Seto!" Kasumi sobbed. "They've kidnapped Tori!"
Kaiba growled, cradling Kasumi. "We'll get both her and Mokuba back, and Pegasus will pay dearly for what he's done."
Kasumi nodded against his chest, allowing him to soothe her broken heart. She told him about her awakening, and how her temper had gotten the best of her because of what that guard had done to Mokuba. Kaiba listen to her attentively.
"Listen to me Sumi. We'll get both Tori and Mokuba back."
"We only have 3 days."
"3 days?"
"Pyro decided."
"Pyro? Jeremiah and Akiko came to us." Teá said.
Kasumi turned to Teá, and her hateful eyes told her that Kasumi wished that she could kill her for simply addressing her. "You know nothing. Jeremiah and Akiko were only the messengers. Pyro and Demetrius are the leaders of the Sukimori tribe. Pyro leads, and Demetrius advises him. Their word is law, and the others are often used to deliver trials. If they had come themselves, there would not have been a trial, only punishment. Learn your place and do not speak on what you don't know. Naïve bitch."
"Kasumi," Kaiba called warningly, but Kasumi ignored him.
"Do not address me again, just because Seto is here, doesn't mean that I don't still have a good mind to mop this ground with you."
"Sumi?" Yugi called suddenly. Quietly. He knew that Kasumi was still angry with him.
"What?!" Kasumi growled at him.
"C-can we talk?"
Kasumi went to reject, but her stomach knotted before the word could leave her lips. She sneered, but nodded. She allowed Yugi to lead her away from the group. They didn't stop until they had reached a clearing well out of earshot of the others. Yugi turned to talk, but instead found himself staring into the barrel of a pistol. Kasumi's face was blank, but her eyes held a quiet rage within them. Attached to the barrel was a small metal cylinder, and he remembered from their conversations what that was. A silencer. It quieted the sound of the bullet leaving the barrel. She could kill him right now, and no one would know.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't blow your brains out right now. Akiko and I could go free both Tori and Mokuba just fine, without your little duel."
Yugi lifted his hands. "S-Sumi look… I know… I hurt her. I know, and I'm sorry… But please don't do this… I want to save Tori! I love her! Sumi please…!"
Kasumi was unfazed. "You love her… If you love her then why the hell were you tonguing Teá the other night!? Huh?! But you love Tori right?!"
"It was a moment of misunderstanding!" Yugi exclaimed. "Misplaced emotions! I had thought that I had feelings for Teá, but I didn't. It was Tori that I loved, that I still love. I kissed Teá, but it felt so wrong. Holding Tori in my arms… Felt so right. It felt like she was where she belonged… In my arms. Kissing Teá made my stomach turn and it felt like I was cheating. I've been trying to apologize ever since… I love her, and I just want to get to the palace, so I can both save and show her. I want to save her. I want to show her how much I love her. Show her what she does to me… I want to apologize to her, but I want to apologize to you too. Kasumi, I am so sorry for breaking your heart by breaking hers. I know that she is your sister by heart, and I am sorry for breaking your trust in me for her."
Tears streamed down Kasumi's face, and she lowered the gun. Yugi didn't move until Kasumi made the gun vanish, and when she did, he simply hugged her. Her sobs reached his ears. He knew how much Kasumi loved Natori, and he definitely knew that she had every intention of pulling that trigger. Had he not won her over just now, he would have surely been dead.
"I love her… So much…" Kasumi whispered brokenly. "It pains me… So much… Keeping secrets from her…"
"What do you mean?" Yugi asked.
"I'm immortal too. I have been Natori's faithful guard since we were children… I was there in Cairo… I know what she had gone through…"
Yugi was floored with the revelation. There had been many times on the ship, where Natori had cried about Kasumi's eventual demise. He would hold her while she sobbed for hours, broken hearted that one day she would lose her best friend. But after what Kasumi had just told him…
Natori had been worried for nothing. Rage shot through Yugi so fast that it had caught him by surprise. He pulled away from Kasumi and took a step back. He couldn't believe that Kasumi was keeping something so mind shattering from her best friend!
"Why are you hiding that from Tori?!" Yugi asked harshly. "She cries about your death everyday as if you had already died! She cherishes every moment she has with you because she doesn't know when it'll end! She'd be thrilled about having you at her side forever and you're keeping that from her?!"
"Natori would be thrilled to have me at her side forever until she realizes that I know about her past! She will command me to tell her and as the crown jewel of the Sukimori tribe I can't refuse her! It'll break her psyche, and she'll go insane! She sits up panting and clutching her head from the bits and pieces that she dreams about! She isn't ready to relive that. I will not be the reason why she loses her mind. She's already so fragile… Tethering the edge… As long as I can help it, she will not fall. I will not lose her… Not again…"
Yugi both knew and didn't know what Kasumi meant. Natori had told him that she had suppressed memories that had indeed dated all the way back to ancient Egypt. All she knew was that she had undergone extreme trauma, and the next thing she knew, she was here. In this time. From the way Kasumi looked, he could tell that it was a very devastating day for her.
"Even Pyro and the others wish that they too could forget that day. They try not to think about it, but when she asks, I know it resurfaces for them. Please Yugi, I'm asking you to keep this a secret. She can't know."
Yugi sighed. "OK… I'll keep it a secret, but I'm doing it for Tori… I don't want to lose her either."
There was a rustling in the bushes, and Kaiba stepped out into the clearing. He walked over to them and gently grabbed Kasumi's arms. "If you're quite done here, I need to talk to you."
Kasumi's blush could've rivaled that of a cherry. "Yeah… We're done. You should go check on everyone else Yugi."
"Oh… Um, OK…" Yugi replied, his face cherry red as he exited the clearing. When he had made it back to camp, he'd discovered that someone else had decided to join their entourage. Bakura. His snow white hair reached his shoulders, and his brown eyes were lit with kindness. He was tall, but slender.
"Hi Yugi!" He chirped. "The others were just telling me about Miss Natori. Are you OK?"
As if you really care…
"Yeah, I just need to get her back. Both her and my grandpa."
"I'm sure that as long as we have each other, we'll be sure to rescue both Natori and your grandfather!" Bakura replied.
Yugi wrinkled his brow. He didn't know why, but for some reason, he didn't… Like Bakura. It wasn't because of Natori's unfortunate run in with someone named Bakura. He would never dislike someone just because they shared a name with a bad person. But just now… The way he had said Natori's name… The tone he had used was so… Lustful. He didn't like anyone thinking like that about his Tori. She was his, and he didn't like anyone thinking lustful things about her. No one but himself. However, he kept that emotion to himself, and sat down next to Joey. Jeremiah and Natori had made enough food that there was plenty leftovers, so the group ate that. While they were eating, they conversed amongst themselves.
"Bakura, how did you get here? I didn't see you on the boat or anything!" Tristan asked.
Bakura smiled. "I was on the boat, but mostly stayed in my room."
"I've never seen you duel before…" Teá said.
Bakura but smiled, and pulled out his deck.
"What kind of cards do you like dueling with?" Yugi asked.
"I like the shadow world cards!" Bakura exclaimed.
Yugi wrinkled his brow. He recalled a conversation he had overheard between Natori and Kasumi one day during class. It was the day that Bakura had entered their classroom.
Natori crossed her arms. "I hate him."
Kasumi turned to her. "Tori you can't hate him just because of his name."
Natori shook her head. "That's not why," she had begun to tremble slightly. "He… Reminds me of something… Someone… A dark part of my past that I've suppressed… He is darkness… His aura is black… Nothing excites him more than harming the weak and innocent… If he's a duelist I'd bet that he enjoys the shadow cards… I bet he's sacrificed more than his fair share of friends to get what he wants… Betrayal is not unknown to him, and I bet he has no problem taking the lives of millions of people… He needs liberation in my opinion… Before he becomes a problem."
Kasumi looked back to Bakura, and then she turned back to Natori. "Understood."
"Truly?"
Kasumi nodded. "I've infiltrated his heart, and all that you have mentioned is there, hiding behind false smiles and kindness with an agenda. I'll be sure to keep you far from him."
At first, Yugi chose to ignore them. He knew that both girls were cynical in nature. He'd figured that it was Natori's own mind making up things, and Kasumi simply agreeing because she didn't want to argue. But now, knowing what he knows now, he couldn't dismiss them anymore. Something was wrong with Bakura, and for some reason, he now believed that Natori had been dead on about him. "The shadow cards…"
"Yugi?"
Yugi looked up, and saw Bakura tossing his deck from one hand to the other. "Would you like to duel with me? We don't have to play for star chips."
Yugi's eyes narrowed. Not playing for star chips, he was quite sure that was because they would be playing for something much more important. But he nodded, and sat across from Bakura on the fallen tree stump. Everyone's vision swirled suddenly, and everything went black.
Natori had since awoke. It was late. She had been bathed, and had been dressed in a purple silk night gown. The night gown stopped at her mid-thigh, and the dress was low cut. Her breasts were quite revealed, making her further believe Pegasus to be a pedophile. She sat on her bed, staring at the door hostilely. If she had even a small amount of her energy, her stare alone would burn a hole through the wood. But the silver silk collar around her neck prevented any kind of power. She couldn't even spread her aura. Sighing, Natori stood and walked over to the door. She wanted to get out of here! If only to see if Mokuba was OK. She hadn't heard a peep from him since he was struck by that guard. Natori's fists clenched. The second she came across that guard, she was whooping his ass. Footsteps neared her door, and Natori hurriedly got back onto her bed. She resumed her previous position, and watched as the door opened. Pegasus walked in, as arrogant as ever, along with two guards. Natori simply crossed her arms and rolled her eyes, looking away.
"Good evening miss Natori, I see you're wearing the night gown I brought for you. Are you enjoying your stay?"
Natori glared. "Loosen this collar and I'll show you just how much I'm enjoying my stay."
Pegasus laughed. "I'm afraid I can't do that, my dear. I feel a lot safer with you wearing that."
"I bet you do." Natori growled.
Pegasus sat on her bed, and motioned the guards out. Once gone, he turned to her. "Are you ready for what I have in store for you my dear?"
Natori recoiled at the thought of his intentions. "I am not human. You cannot have my soul, and if you touch me, you'll surely die a slow, and painful death."
Pegasus cupped her cheek. She wanted to slice that hand off. "While you are quite tempting, what kind of host would I be if I didn't save the best prize for last? The winner of this tournament will not only receive whatever their hearts' desire, they will also get to spend one night with you, my beauty."
Natori's face drained of color. She began to tremble. "Y-you bastard…"
Pegasus chuckled. "What's the matter? Is it not a lovely idea?"
"You must have lost your goddamned mind! I am not yours to do with what you please!"
"And should Yugi-boy win? Would you still be so adamant about being gifted to him?" Pegasus asked.
"Of course I would!" Natori shot back, surprising him. "If I want to do anything with anyone it will be because I want to! Not because I was some pawn in your sick, twisted game! You don't have the slightest inkling of what that feels like! How dare you?!" Natori turned away then, the tears she were fighting back beginning to slide down her cheeks.
Pegasus but smiled. "I'm sure that you'll come to enjoy yourself."
"Creep." Natori hissed. "What have you done to Mokuba? He has never been this quiet."
Pegasus chuckled. "What life remains in a soulless body?"
"Get out." Natori hissed savagely. Just because she was temporarily powerless, didn't mean that she still wasn't physically powerful.
Pegasus knew that, and obediently left the room. When the door closed, Natori curled into a ball, and let her frustration out. She cried herself to sleep that night. Poor Mokuba! Pegasus would pay in blood.