Chapter Seven- Spectulations

The three cousins were in Alexandra's room. Miraculously, Shadi had managed to get Arianna up to the attic without incident. As the little girls got adjusted to each other, Shadi told them what was going to happen tentatively. "In a few hours, I will be bringing some friends back with me to get you out. All I need for you to do is have a lot of strength. Arianna, you're ten so you can help the younger two. Hold off the aunts as long as you can. They're bound to realize you're together by noon. "

"Why tan't we go nows?" Kassandra asked from her place in Alexandra's lap.

"Because it is too dangerous for me to risk." Shadi replied gently,patting her head. "It won't be much longer, small one." He straightened up, and looked at the fearful faces of the girls. "Trust me when I tell you, their day of reckoning is at hand." Shadi shimmered and disappeared again.

Alexandra looked at her cousins. "I want him to be my Daddy."

"Whys? He's weird…" Kassandra said with a pout.

"He isn't. He's just magical. Did you see the ankh around his neck? It looked almost like Alexandra's." Arianna spoke up now. "Do you think he might be an old family member?"

"That's impossible. Shadi said he was old." Alex told her older cousin softly. "But……"

"He does seem to really like you, Alexandra. And you told me that he didn't have family. Do you suppose he sacrificed it to guard these Items?"

"Maybe." Alexandra fell silent for a long moment. "Do you think he'd let me live with him?"

"There's a slim chance, but don't put your hopes on it." Arianna advised, before gasping, and shushing them. "It's the aunts!"

The two older girls started to move furniture against the door. Kassandra just watched, fearfully. "Dey hurts us…."

"No. They won't hurt us anymore. We must be powerful together, or they wouldn't have needed us all together." Arianna declared, shoving a trunk into the door.

"Open this door, you little brats!" Amelia commanded, trying to shove it open.

Kassandra clung to Arianna's hand tightly. "Where Sadi?"

"He went to get help. Don't cry." Arianna held her close. "Alex….how do you suppose they'll get past them?"

"I don't know….." Alexandra said softly, her voice trembling.

"When I get in there, you're all going to be very sorry! And I'll start with the baby!" Amelia raged.

"No!" Kassandra broke into tears, burying her little face in Arianna's bloodied night shirt.

"Shhh….." Arianna glared at the barricaded door. "You'll never touch us!! Shadi's gone to get more help!"

"That's ridiculous! Shadi is dead!"

"Is not either!" Alex spoke up. "And when he gets back you're going down!"

"That's what you think, Wretch!" Amelia's footsteps could be heard thundering down the stairs again.

The three girls held on to each other's hands fearfully. "I'm not afraid of her." Alexandra spoke up bravely. "Or Agatha."

"Or stinky Claudia!" Arianna added, with a giggle.

Kassandra snuggled into Arianna's lap, clutching her shirt tightly. "I misses Mommy….."

"What happened to your Mommy?" Arianna asked softly, feeling terrible for the smallest of their group.

"Her died…..in tar cwash." Kassandra looked up at her. "Where's your Mommy?"

"She can't take care of me. She's really sick. My Daddy died. " Arianna looked over at Alexandra, who'd been pretty quiet. "What about you, Alex?"

"My parents were killed by an armed robber. I was only a baby."

"I'm sorry." Arianna patted her cousin's shoulder. "How come we weren't allowed to meet? Do you think they all knew something?"

"I don't know." Alexandra admitted tiredly. She laid down on her cot now. "I'm tired. Aren't you?"

"I sleepies…" Kassandra went to curl up next to her older cousin.

Arianna laid down on the pile of blankets Shadi had given her. "I just hope they get here soon."

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The groups had returned to Yugi's shop the next morning, as planned. Everyone looked well rested, and determined to complete their task. Shadi came to get them a few minutes before noon. "I am so very glad you have all rested." He told Marik and his siblings.

"It wasn't easy to get to sleep, but once we did…." Marik let it drop there, with a smile.

"I know the feeling, man." Joey put in. "All I need now is some food, and I'm ready to go."

"I thought that might happen." Yugi smiled at his friend. "I had Grandpa get some doughnuts this morning."

"Awesome!" Tristan and Joey wasted no time digging into the box. "These are excellent!" Joey pronounced.

"Joey, you've got strawberry filling on your lip." Serenity giggled, reaching over to wipe it off for him.

"Thanks, Sis." Joey gulped down the rest of his doughnut. "Alright, Joey Wheeler's ready for some aunt crushin'!"

Rakura sighed. "Idiot." He looked up at Shadi. "So do you have a plan of entrance or what?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. We're going to enter through Alexandra's room." Shadi told the old thief. "The plan is to get the girls out through the window, but if that fails, we're going to have to take them the front way."

"Right." Yami agreed. He looked around. "We're ready."

"Good. Follow me." The guardian led the way out of the shop, and they walked to the bus stop.

"A bus? Isn't that wasting time?" Tristan asked worriedly.

"Do you want to walk the fifteen miles, Mr. Taylor?" Shadi asked.

"Fifteen miles?! Then they're not in Domino?" Joey asked.

"I never made the claim they were." The Egyptian guardian countered, as he boarded the bus that had approached.

The others exchanged glances, as they followed him.

"Do you suppose he knows you have to pay for these things?" Joey asked Serenity.

"He put a wad of money in the driver's hand. I think he knows." Serenity replied, as she sat down beside Mai.

"Joey, Shadi's not stupid you know." Mai commented, as she shook her head.

The bus started on down the street, as the friends settled for the ride. Shadi stared out the window of his place in the back of the bus. He was hoping they wouldn't have to stop for too many more extra passengers, as they were pressed for time.

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Shadi led them off the bus almost two hours later. "We are still a few minutes from the house, but this is where we should meet back."

"Agreed. Should we somehow get split up just come back here." Rishid replied with a nod.

"Come now. Time is growing short." Shadi turned, and led them down the walk.

"I hope we don't have to do anything too drastic." Bakura said softly to Yugi.

"That goes double for me too." Yugi said with a nod.

"You two have no idea the type of women we are dealing with!" Rakura spoke up from Bakura's Item.

"Then why don't you tell us?" Bakura said with slight irritation.

"They're witches. They're a lot older than they look. And those girls are witches too, though slightly weaker."

"W-witches?!" Bakura blinked at his Item.

"Yes, you moron, witches." Rakura repeated.

"It's not true, is it, Shadi?" Yugi asked.

"There is a possibility, but only for the aunts. The girls are too young." The guardian replied, as he stopped them. "Here."

The group stopped behind him, staring up at the house. "That house isn't as large as you made it sound." Joey told Shadi.

"I assure you, it's a lot bigger than it looks inside." He led them around the back, where a trellis stood, leading to Alexandra's room. "The three girls are in Alex's room. I told them I would be bringing help to get them out, so there should be no dispute from them. " He looked at them now. "I'll go up,and let them know you're coming. Come up in a few minutes." He disappeared now, and went to the young girls.