Hello again peoples! Sorry it's taken me so long to get the next chapter up, my computer service has not let me onto fanfiction.net for a long time, a REALLY long time (let's put it this way, the last time I was on was just after Christmas). But now I have a new computer! YAY! Ahem. Uh, anyway, I have a few notes before I begin the chapter: first of all, thank you SOOOOOOOO much for reviewing! It's helped me to write better stories knowing that there are people there to read them. Second, there will probably be some dueling in not this chapter but the next. I like watching the long, descriptive duels on the show, but I don't think I'll be wonderful at dictating them. Plus I haven't exactly memorized every card in the known world, so it would make it a little harder that way too. For those reasons, I probably will just give you the finer points of the duel and (of course) its outcome. One more thing, I'm trying to make my portrayal of Pegasus, er… accurate so if I miss anything, please alert me. Happy reading! Oh and by the way: anything in parenthesis is an authoress' note okay?
A Traitor Found, a Traitor Captured, a Traitor Set Free
Maximillion Pegasus chuckled as he sipped the red liquid in his glass (fruit juice or wine? You make the call) and gazed at the huge computer/television screen before him. "Ah these security cameras I've had installed on the boat do prove to be quite entertaining.
"Cameras sir?" Said Mr. Croquet, Pegasus' head of security was speaking now, and "I don't remember installing any-"
"Oh Croquet you're so naïve." Pegasus sighed, "The cameras are not on board the ship."
"A thousand pardons sir but I don't quite-"
"I've had just about enough of your numerous and useless apologies. One more mistake and I may have to dispose of you." Croquet looked fearful; Pegasus rolled his eye(s? I was not sure on that one) "I suppose I just shouldn't expect him to understand a genius," he thought, "it's so hard to find sufficient help these days." The silver haired man stood up, "let me try to explain this to you in words you'll understand," he stressed the last word just to impress his point upon his servant. "I have taken the liberty," he glanced at Croquet as if to make sure he followed him so far, "to install mini cameras in the clothing of some selected guests. Most of these selected few, although not all have been hired beforehand. These Elites, as I call them, act as. . . oh you could say as spies."
Croquet looked up curiously baffled, "spies sir?" Pegasus looked down at him disgustedly; obviously angry at him for arguing with his "ingenious" plan.
"Yes, Croquet, spies. As I'm sure you know quite well already without me having to remind you time and time again, this tournament was designed to keep watch on a specific person." Pegasus stopped abruptly and turned to look at his servant, waiting expectantly.
"Yugi Muto sir?" Pegasus was perhaps a bit surprised Mr. Croquet had actually answered the question correctly.
"Yes, him." "Although there is another duelist, who probably also deserves my full attention," He thought. "These spies are just a. . . precaution," Pegasus went on, "we don't want to lose track of our million dollar duelist now do we?"
"No sir!"
"Anyway, the Elites have a very special, very easy, job: stay close to Yugi and his pathetic and intrusive friends, never let him out of your sight. If they bring me good footage, they are to be rewarded most handsomely."
"How did you choose them sir?"
"A good question. I chose only those duelists who I am sure will keep the secret and who I'm almost sure won't let me down. If they do fail and are shipped off of the island, they do not collect their reward. A few of these include Weevil Underwood, Slog Tonen, S-" a knock on the polished mahogany door stopped him from continuing.
"You may enter," Pegasus said gruffly, and the door opened to reveal a tall black haired man, dressed in the black uniform and shades (why do they insist on wearing shades?) of Pegasus' guard. "Greetings, Wicket. What brings you here?" Pegasus said, turning to face the man. Mr. Wicket shifted restlessly from foot to foot, apparently not preferring to be in his employer's presence.
"This ship will arrive in approximately half and hour, sir."
"Excellent. When they arrive, instruct our guests to proceed to the castle courtyard below the east balcony immediately for the opening ceremonies."
"Right away sir," Mr. Wicket scurried out of the room without another word. Pegasus sat down again and placed his glass, now empty, beside him.
After a few moments of silence, he stood up again and turned to Croquet,
"You are to go to the left side of the courtyard just before the ceremony begins. There you will find a gathering of eight people. These are the Elites I spoke of. Give to each of them one envelope," he handed his servant eight plain white envelopes, "when this task is finished, report to the east balcony. Clear?" Croquet stared a moment at the pack of sealed papers in his hands and dared to ask the question:
"What's in them, sir?" much to Croquet's surprise, his master smiled and said simply,
"A letter and their first payment in advance."
***
Kyrii stood in silence, looking out over the side of the boat for a few seconds, closing her eyes in thought. She looked over at Yugi and saw his eyes were closed also. A light breeze played across their faces and gently lifted their hair as they sailed into the wind. Kyrii decided that this was a good time to slip away; she didn't want to be asked any more questions. "I would have to lie," she thought grimly, "again." She was just about to turn, when an icy shiver ran down her spine, they were being watched by someone, or something. Someone was spying on them; she could just feel it.
By now, Kyrii was used to spies, and she knew exactly how to catch them. Rather than turning abruptly, she slipped on foot carefully to the side, slowly and smoothly. She turned her body in one quick, even motion and walked casually towards the shadows directly across from where she thought whoever it was was hiding. She stayed half in, half out of the shadows, to let her eyes get used to the semi-darkness.
When she was sure she could see as well as she could, she glided to the side, merging with the shadows surrounding her as she went. Cloaked in darkness, she moved forward slowly and silently as a giant cat would as it stalked prey. She stopped a second and listened, and as she thought, she could hear faint breathing a few feet away and, if she looked hard enough, she could see the dark shape of something human. She looked at the shape, sizing it up. It definitely wasn't a guard, it was too short for that, and the person, whoever it was, was hunching over, not maintaining the regal stature that was the signature of every adult on the ship. Kyrii looked harder at the person, but before she could study her or she further, the person moved suddenly to the side, a sign that they would be try to escape soon.
"If that's the way you want to play…" Kyrii thought and swooped suddenly out of her hiding place to grab the unsuspecting victim by the collar and, with surprising ease she lifted person up off the ground. Shouts of protests filled the air for but a moment before Kyrii clamped her other hand firmly her captive's mouth and dragged her prey further along into the deepest part of the shadows, where they were the least likely to be detected. Not surprisingly the boy, for boy it was though Kyrii could not yet tell whom yet, struggled violently, kicking, flailing, and shouting muffled curses, but Kyrii's grip on his collar was strong and would not be dislodged that easily.
"Keep still you pathetic worm," Kyrii hissed, "and I'll consider letting you go unharmed when I'm finished with you." This silenced the boy and he reluctantly stopped fighting his captor. "Good," Kyrii told him, and relaxed her grip ever so slightly and lowering him onto the ground. "Now, tell me what you were doing, quietly now, or I may have to hurt you." She slowly removed her hand from his face, allowing him to talk but glaring at him warningly, discouraging vocalizing anything above a whisper.
" I was. . . just taking a little stroll. . ." the boy began carefully, but he didn't have time to finish the sentence before Kyrii's hand raised as if she were about to strike him.
"Do not toy with me, pestilence," she nearly spat the words at him, "I am in no mood to be lied to. Tell me what you were really doing."
The boy stared back at her for a few seconds then Kyrii could make out a small smile through the darkness as he shifted positions bending back slightly to look up at her. "Alright," he said. "The truth is, I had been. . ." he hung his head, ashamed but kept his slightly bent back position, "stealing." He reached into his pocket and pulled out three cards, all very rare and valuable (you fill them in here, as I said before I don't know every card in the world. . .) and all obviously not his, Kyrii had seen such cards being traded from another person on the ship.
"Just a thief," Kyrii thought to herself, "I've wasted my time on at thief." Enraged, she threw the boy to the ground and his face was forced into the light. Kyrii realized, to her horror, which it was: "Syro?" she could barely breathe the name. Of all the people, it had to be him, one of her biggest enemies and competitors, not to mention the fact that he was one of the stronger duelists in the tournament.
Syro got up and brushed himself off, "me." He said calmly and looked up at her, bending slightly backwards again to get a good view of her face. "You know you'd do well to stay out of my way, Kyriia," he stressed her name as if it were poison to his tongue, "because when we face each other later, I will be the only one left standing. Count on it." Anger seemed to run through every vein in Kyrii's body as she stepped into the light and lunged at him. "You little-"
She didn't notice it, but the Star around her neck was glowing and light bled, although faintly, through her cloak. But Syro noticed, and he liked very much what he saw. "Temper, temper," a twisted smirk crossed Syro's face as Kyrii lifted him off the ground again. He didn't fight her but he shifted positions slightly in her grip so he was looking at her from a different angle and said, "You wouldn't want the guards to catch you would you now, Kyriia?"
Kyrii narrowed her eyes, what he said was true, the absolute worst thing that could happen would be if she got caught by one of the guards and brought to him, she almost shuddered out loud at the very thought. "You will tell them nothing. Nothing." She whispered harshly as her glaring, icy eyes met his calm, brown ones.
"Won't I?" Syro chuckled, eyes flashing amusement mixed with contempt, "and what's to stop me?" Syro grunted as Kyrii jerked him roughly upwards so his face was level with hers and look directly into his eyes.
"Because if you do," the girl said in a soft, dangerous whisper, "If you so much as breathe a word to anyone I will personally make sure to rip the tongue out of your useless head, is that perfectly clear?" the brightness of the glow from the Star around Kyrii's neck was increasing with her anger level and Syro smiled slyly.
"Crystal." Quick footsteps met both pairs of ears and Kyrii dropped Syro automatically. She pushed him, not too gently, out into full light and glided back into the shadows, whispering,
"You will tell them nothing." With a final glint from the Star, she faded from view as she slipped into another room.
Once he was sure Kyrii was gone, Syro just smirked and shook his head. He acknowledged the guards who had come around the corner seconds after Kyrii had hidden with a little nod, and continued to smile quietly to himself. He then turned his attention to Yugi, who was still watching the distant island grow bigger and bigger on the horizon. Syro shifted his weight a little and stepped just a tiny bit closer to his foe to look at his opponent from a better angle. He, too, eased himself into the shadows to watch from a distance.
***
The ship bumped gently into harbor and the ramp was lowered so all the duelists could get out. Kyrii was among them, head down, not wishing to attract any unnecessary attention from anyone. From the corner of her eye, she saw Syro, walking with Rex, Weevil, and Slog, talking to them in a low voice. "I'm watching you; Syro Brant." Kyrii thought grimly, "I WILL find out whatever it is you're hiding." Before she could think any farther, a voice called her name,
"Kyriia! Over here!" Kyrii looked around and saw Yugi waving to her, his small group of friends with him.
"Blast," Kyrii thought fiercely, "So much for my cover." She pushed her way through the crowd and lifted her head only when she came to the place Yugi was standing and looked down at him, a slightly forced smile on her face. "Hello, Yugi." She said, and nodded to his other friends.
"Hiya Kyr!" Joey said to her, grinning. Kyrii flinched slightly at the nickname, but quickly replaced her mask of calmness and nodded to Joey again in response. The blond nudged her, "Pretty exciting huh?" he asked her.
"Exciting. Right. Don't I wish," Kyrii thought and shrugged in answer. Joey seemed a little curious.
"You don't talk much, do you?" There was a question she couldn't avoid so she answered simply,
"I suppose I just don't have much to say."
But that was a downright lie and she knew it. She could talk about how much she missed her family, even though she didn't know exactly who or where they were. She could warn everyone about the strange actions of Syro and his cronies and what she guessed they were up to lately. Most of all, she could go on and on for hours on end about how much she hated this tournament, this island, this whole situation, especially the man running it all. She could try to explain all this to the four friends assembled in front of her, but if she did it would have terrible consequences. They could find her and bring her to him and that would be the end of her life, or worse. A chill ran up Kyrii's spine and a sudden breeze whipped her hair in her face. She knew what she had to do; it was doing it without losing all she held dear to her that was the problem.
But how could she? After all, she was just one person against at least a hundred. What could she do to stop all of them? "Probably nothing," Kyrii thought bitterly as all these thoughts chased each other around and around in her head. "He is smarter than I am, has more people working for him, and had much more power on his side than I could even begin to comprehend. The chances of me pulling this off and living through it are a million to one." But then her thoughts turned to something else. She would have no chance of finding her answers if she didn't try. A million to one chance was minuscule, but it was still there. Frantic, the sensible part of her concerned with her life tried once more to get her to give up this foolish quest of hers with one last thought: "You'll never do it. All the odds are against you." But then, the quiet curious part of her, the part that cared about her family, responded with a mere eight words. "Since when have I ever listened to odds?"
With that, Kyrii's mind was made up. She would beat everyone in her way, she would get into that castle, she would beat that dirty rat Pegasus and she would pry him for everything he knew about her until she was satisfied. Or she would die trying. Her sensible voice told her she would die trying, but she didn't care. Kyrii surfaced from her ocean of thought and looked up at Yugi and company. Fire burned in her eyes and her heart and breathed "Let's do this."
And that's a wrap for chapter 4! They FINALLY got to the island! Yay! Ahem, anyway, reviews would be much appreciated! Just give me a little time and the next chapter will be on its way soon, ok?
~Yamicat~
