Chapter Nine
Trickery
Mokuba looked down the vacant hallway; his eyes in a grayish gaze were wrought in confusion as well as curiosity. The mansion seemed perfectly silent today, and for no obvious reason. It bothered Mokuba when everything was quiet. It made him feel like everyone knew something he didn't.
Mokuba began to walk down the hall. "Where is everybody?" he asked himself as he noticed that there wasn't a soul anywhere to be found. He walked on a little quicker.
He headed for his brother's office. Mokuba knew that his older brother Seto didn't go to the Kaiba Corp office today, and Mokuba hadn't seen his brother in at least two days it seemed. Mokuba wasn't all that surprised. Seto ran a company, and he was hosting this tournament. He had no reason not to be busy.
The door to Kaiba's office came to view shortly. It was closed, as usual, but it seemed unusually quiet and undisturbed. Mokuba blinked and pressed his ear to the door. There was a clacking sound inside, and Mokuba could hear Seto talking to someone. He was definitely in there.
Mokuba knocked with a tiny hand on the door, and then pushed it open. "Seto?" Mokuba asked to the room, peering into the office.
Kaiba was alone in his office, typing at his laptop on the desk. He seemed very still and undisturbed, as though he had seen something unpleasant. He looked up when Mokuba came in and he had a nervous look in his deep blue eyes.
Mokuba gave his brother a smile as he came into the room a little more. "Hey big brother!" Mokuba smiled happily. "I thought I heard you talking to someone."
Kaiba lowered his head, and Mokuba could have sworn that his brother was gritting his teeth in a very slow, nervous rhythm. "I was on the phone." He said rather solemnly.
Mokuba frowned and instantly he noticed that his big brother seemed under the weather. He approached the desk and looked up. "What is it Seto? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Kaiba lied under his breath. It was a lie, he wasn't fine, and he hadn't been for a very long time. Ever since he had had that dream with Isis he hadn't been able to do very much. He couldn't concentrate on his work, or sleep very well, and he hadn't eaten anything in hours. Kaiba had never suspected a dream would do this to someone. Why was it bothering him so much?
Mokuba wasn't convinced. "You don't look so good, maybe you should lie down for awhile."
Kaiba noticed that his eyes were drooping, and that his head was bowing softly. He was exhausted, and he hadn't had a very good sleep in a long time. Perhaps Mokuba was right. Perhaps some rest would do him some good.
"That's a good idea, Mokuba." Kaiba managed to say, and gave his brother a little smile. "I think I'll lay down and have a nap or something."
Mokuba's eyes lit up. He was so happy whenever he had the chance to help his older brother. "I'll find Marianne and she can make you some soup!" Mokuba said, rushing to the door. "You just go have a nice sleep and I'll bring you some soup!" and in no time at all, Mokuba was gone from sight.
Kaiba smiled widely. His little brother was a helpful kid, always trying to help everyone feel better in tough times. Not that Kaiba would call this insomnia of his a tough time, as he had had rougher experiences in his life.
Kaiba got up from his desk and walked out of the office slowly. He couldn't recall a time when he had been more tired. His vision was beginning to fuzz a little as his mind screamed at him to sleep. He was afraid of having another dream, that much was true. He was afraid the dream would return to him, haunt him if it had the chance. But for now, he didn't care if he had the dream of not. He needed to sleep.
He managed to get to his bedroom without falling asleep on his feet. Kaiba closed the door behind him and came into the dark room. The blinds on his window sealed the sun out. He was grateful for that. He kicked off his shoes and pulled off his jacket, and then walked to his bed and fell upon it into sleep.
A series of visions flashed before his eyes as he slept. He dreamed, and he saw himself standing in a forgotten darkness, for no reason whatsoever. He stood, unable to move. Without being able to run, walk or do anything, to remain motionless, he was getting rather confused, and not to mention impatient. If this dream was going to be significant, as he last one had been, something had better happen soon.
He heard a sound, the sound of a singing voice, a soft gentle gathering of notes and tones to float along the wind to reach him. Kaiba turned in the direction of this sound, expecting something or someone to be there, but there was no one. No one. This dream, if indeed it was a dream, was gathering itself to be quite pointless.
Kaiba shook his head. He didn't have time for this, he knew he didn't. He had to get up. He knew that sleeping in the first place was playing a risky game, not to mention useless. And now the useless dreaming? He had to wake up. He was too busy a man for games like these.
"Wake up!" Kaiba growled to himself very sternly, clenching his teeth and his fists, trying to concentrate on waking up. He tried to picture himself awake, sitting up in his bed at home. He had to wake up. "Wake up!" Kaiba told himself, loudly so that anyone around, which was doubtful, could hear him.
"Seto." came a gentle voice from behind him.
Finally! Kaiba thought to himself as he whipped around, and came face to face with Isis. He groaned. The last thing he wanted, other than dreaming the first dream with Isis, was a second dream with Isis. He faced her however, and he could see that she was clearly upset about something.
"Isis, what is all this?" Kaiba demanded, taking a step towards her, but in the blackness it seemed to do no good whatsoever.
Her fingers curled into fists at her sides, her eyes narrowed to him intensely. She was struggling to keep herself intact. "Seto why are you procrastinating?"
Kaiba's eyes flared with anger. No one dared to say he ever procrastinated anything! "Procrastinating?" he snapped, as though he didn't understand the word. "Procrastinating with what?"
"Marik has discovered the bearer of the Millennium Stone!" Isis said urgently, her eyes seemed to soften with her words. "Why won't you look for the girl? If you procrastinate in finding her any longer, I fear it may be the worst."
Kaiba's lip curled in anger, and he stamped his foot down. "Look, I never asked for this task in the first place!" he demanded, pointing at her angrily. "I'm a busy man, I don't have time for your childish fairy tales and pointless games!"
Isis remained calm. "Seto you do not understand. This is not a fairy tale, and it most certainly is not a game!" she bowed her head. "My brother is a dangerous person, and if he reaches the Millennium Stone." she let out a soft sigh. "I fear tomorrow may never come."
"Then why don't you find the fucking stone?" Kaiba shouted at her angrily. He could feel the anger rise up inside of him like a flickering flame. "I never agreed to this task, and I certainly don't need it for any reason whatsoever!"
"You say that now, Seto." Isis said, her eyes flashed with irritation. "I can promise you one thing, if nothing."
Kaiba's eyebrow rose in curiosity, and he straightened out for a moment. He studied her facial expression. The heeding look in her eyes told him that she wasn't there to lie to him. Kaiba thought that perhaps she could promise him Marik's Egyptian god card. That would have been of great use to him. He gave a tiny smile. "All right, what can you promise me?"
A taunting smile played over her lips. "Once again, as I told you before, it is nothing you could surely be interested in as of now." She fought to recoil from the burning in his eyes as she said this. "But mark my words Seto, if this task is completed, and the Millennium Stone is safe from my brother.you will receive a great gift."
"What is it?" Kaiba insisted impatiently. "Is it Marik's Egyptian god card?"
Isis laughed softly. "No Seto, it isn't." she gave the same sad smile. "But it is something you have been missing for a long time. You deserve to have it returned to you. And when this task is over, you will have it."
Kaiba thought for a moment, ignoring the rising rage inside of him. If it wasn't the Egyptian god card, than what else could Isis possibly offer him that would interest him? Something came to Kaiba's mind suddenly.
Their first meeting, when Isis told Kaiba that he had once been in possession of the Millennium Rod. Kaiba's mind screamed out the answer. Of course, Marik's Millennium Rod. And if he attained the stone as well as the rod.who knows what he could accomplish.
Kaiba smiled, and he looked up at Isis. "All right, I know what it is you have to offer me."
Isis raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really?" she chided.
"Yes," Kaiba said, grinning fiendishly. "And to attain it, I will search for the Millennium Stone."
Isis gave a relieved sigh and she nodded. "Good. I'm glad to hear it."
Kaiba laughed inside. Isis probably had a good idea what he had in mind, about this promise made to him. She didn't deny anything. She only nodded and then faced her feet.
"Just find the girl, Seto." Isis said rather urgently, the look in her eyes was undying.
Kaiba rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah." He said. "Now are we finished with this dream, or is there something else you would like to drone on about?"
Isis scowled at him. "I have one last thing to say."
"And that is?"
She let out a sigh and bowed her head. "Do not fail, Seto. Please do not fail."
She faded from his view. When Seto reached out to grab her, as she faded back to the blackness, he blinked a few times and then realized he was facing his own ceiling, reaching out for something that wasn't there.
Kaiba looked around. He was back in his bedroom in his house. He sat up in a hurry and looked around. The room had been undisturbed. He had been sleeping for a little less than an hour. Kaiba looked to the night table, and a cup of hot soup was sitting there waiting to be eaten.
Kaiba smiled as he took the cup of soup in his hand. Typically he wasn't hungry at all, but Mokuba would have disappointed if he didn't drink the soup. He held the cup between his hands gingerly and sipped occasionally.
Upon sitting it down he went to the window and peered out, his eyes staring into the abyssal horizon. "I will not fail."
~*~
Maximilian Pegasus sat at the head of his dining room table, a glass of red wine in one hand, and a book in the other. A smile danced over his lips as he read in the stifled darkness, and occasional sips from his glass of wine made his eyes stir with gentle amusement.
A table set for one was laid out before him, as he was again dining with himself that evening. He didn't mind. He had the wine and his book. He would be perfectly happy eating alone.
He remembered his dinner the other night with Roux Matuko. He had quite enjoyed her company. He always had. She was such a darling person in his eyes. He understood completely why Kale had married her. Pegasus hadn't heard from her since that night. He knew she must have been out there having lots of fun with Joey Wheeler.
"Sir," came the voice of a guard, emerging into the darkness of the room. It startled Pegasus for a moment, breaking his train of thought. "I have news."
Pegasus looked up thoughtfully, and slowly putting down his book and taking a sip of his wine, he tilted his head to the side. "Yes, what is it?" he asked.
The guard stood up tall and swallowed very tightly. Pegasus wondered what the news was. What was this guard worried about? The guard cleared his throat. "Sir, it has just been reported that Kane Tori's body was found this morning."
Pegasus froze. He was certain the pupils in his eyes had disappeared altogether. The news hit him as though he had been hit in the head with a brick. He set his glass down so quickly that it nearly broke. His teeth clenched and he looked down, a look of unhappiness came over him.
"Sir?" the guard asked, as if concerned but rather curious. "They say that there wasn't a struggle, that he died painlessly."
Pegasus shook his head. "They lied." He said, and he faced the table as an overwhelming sadness came over him.
The guard was still. Pegasus sat and stared at the table. He knew all too well that Kane Tori, who had been a good friend to Pegasus during the time of his wife's death, and Roux's ex-husband would be hunted down and eventually murdered.
It wasn't right to assume such a thing, Pegasus knew this. Kane Tori had possessed a Millennium item, a golden ring with the millennium eye shaped from topaz. Kane had told Pegasus about this millennium item, how he had no idea what it was and that he bought it in Egypt as a wedding ring for Roux.
Pegasus knew far too well that if you possessed a Millennium item openly, you were a walking target for many things. Bad things, murder, robbery, trickery.
"I understand." Pegasus said after he sighed and took a moment to think about Kane.
He didn't suspect any different. The men who had killed Kane Tori would have likely killed him for the ring. Pegasus remembered the other night, how Roux talked about her wedding ring, how it wouldn't come off no matter what she did. How it remained upon her finger even after the divorce.
Roux.if the men who killed Kale Tori wanted the Millennium stone on her ring, that meant that Roux was in grave danger! Pegasus bit his lip. He had to warn her. He cared about her safety, and he knew that Kale did too. Pegasus had to tell her, no matter what.
Pegasus nodded after awhile. "Thank you. I want you to send a message to Roux Matuko at the Domino City Plaza. I must speak with her immediately!"
The guard was gone, and Pegasus was alone with his thoughts. Upon picking up his glass of wine he guessed right then and there that the men behind this murder knew that Roux had the ring. It had been a good thing she had come to Domino City as quickly as she did. If she had remained in Osaka, graver things may have happened.
A tear rolled from Pegasus' eye. He would miss Kale, but he wouldn't let his death be in vain. Pegasus would warn Roux, protect her if he could. Kale would have wanted him to.
Trickery
Mokuba looked down the vacant hallway; his eyes in a grayish gaze were wrought in confusion as well as curiosity. The mansion seemed perfectly silent today, and for no obvious reason. It bothered Mokuba when everything was quiet. It made him feel like everyone knew something he didn't.
Mokuba began to walk down the hall. "Where is everybody?" he asked himself as he noticed that there wasn't a soul anywhere to be found. He walked on a little quicker.
He headed for his brother's office. Mokuba knew that his older brother Seto didn't go to the Kaiba Corp office today, and Mokuba hadn't seen his brother in at least two days it seemed. Mokuba wasn't all that surprised. Seto ran a company, and he was hosting this tournament. He had no reason not to be busy.
The door to Kaiba's office came to view shortly. It was closed, as usual, but it seemed unusually quiet and undisturbed. Mokuba blinked and pressed his ear to the door. There was a clacking sound inside, and Mokuba could hear Seto talking to someone. He was definitely in there.
Mokuba knocked with a tiny hand on the door, and then pushed it open. "Seto?" Mokuba asked to the room, peering into the office.
Kaiba was alone in his office, typing at his laptop on the desk. He seemed very still and undisturbed, as though he had seen something unpleasant. He looked up when Mokuba came in and he had a nervous look in his deep blue eyes.
Mokuba gave his brother a smile as he came into the room a little more. "Hey big brother!" Mokuba smiled happily. "I thought I heard you talking to someone."
Kaiba lowered his head, and Mokuba could have sworn that his brother was gritting his teeth in a very slow, nervous rhythm. "I was on the phone." He said rather solemnly.
Mokuba frowned and instantly he noticed that his big brother seemed under the weather. He approached the desk and looked up. "What is it Seto? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Kaiba lied under his breath. It was a lie, he wasn't fine, and he hadn't been for a very long time. Ever since he had had that dream with Isis he hadn't been able to do very much. He couldn't concentrate on his work, or sleep very well, and he hadn't eaten anything in hours. Kaiba had never suspected a dream would do this to someone. Why was it bothering him so much?
Mokuba wasn't convinced. "You don't look so good, maybe you should lie down for awhile."
Kaiba noticed that his eyes were drooping, and that his head was bowing softly. He was exhausted, and he hadn't had a very good sleep in a long time. Perhaps Mokuba was right. Perhaps some rest would do him some good.
"That's a good idea, Mokuba." Kaiba managed to say, and gave his brother a little smile. "I think I'll lay down and have a nap or something."
Mokuba's eyes lit up. He was so happy whenever he had the chance to help his older brother. "I'll find Marianne and she can make you some soup!" Mokuba said, rushing to the door. "You just go have a nice sleep and I'll bring you some soup!" and in no time at all, Mokuba was gone from sight.
Kaiba smiled widely. His little brother was a helpful kid, always trying to help everyone feel better in tough times. Not that Kaiba would call this insomnia of his a tough time, as he had had rougher experiences in his life.
Kaiba got up from his desk and walked out of the office slowly. He couldn't recall a time when he had been more tired. His vision was beginning to fuzz a little as his mind screamed at him to sleep. He was afraid of having another dream, that much was true. He was afraid the dream would return to him, haunt him if it had the chance. But for now, he didn't care if he had the dream of not. He needed to sleep.
He managed to get to his bedroom without falling asleep on his feet. Kaiba closed the door behind him and came into the dark room. The blinds on his window sealed the sun out. He was grateful for that. He kicked off his shoes and pulled off his jacket, and then walked to his bed and fell upon it into sleep.
A series of visions flashed before his eyes as he slept. He dreamed, and he saw himself standing in a forgotten darkness, for no reason whatsoever. He stood, unable to move. Without being able to run, walk or do anything, to remain motionless, he was getting rather confused, and not to mention impatient. If this dream was going to be significant, as he last one had been, something had better happen soon.
He heard a sound, the sound of a singing voice, a soft gentle gathering of notes and tones to float along the wind to reach him. Kaiba turned in the direction of this sound, expecting something or someone to be there, but there was no one. No one. This dream, if indeed it was a dream, was gathering itself to be quite pointless.
Kaiba shook his head. He didn't have time for this, he knew he didn't. He had to get up. He knew that sleeping in the first place was playing a risky game, not to mention useless. And now the useless dreaming? He had to wake up. He was too busy a man for games like these.
"Wake up!" Kaiba growled to himself very sternly, clenching his teeth and his fists, trying to concentrate on waking up. He tried to picture himself awake, sitting up in his bed at home. He had to wake up. "Wake up!" Kaiba told himself, loudly so that anyone around, which was doubtful, could hear him.
"Seto." came a gentle voice from behind him.
Finally! Kaiba thought to himself as he whipped around, and came face to face with Isis. He groaned. The last thing he wanted, other than dreaming the first dream with Isis, was a second dream with Isis. He faced her however, and he could see that she was clearly upset about something.
"Isis, what is all this?" Kaiba demanded, taking a step towards her, but in the blackness it seemed to do no good whatsoever.
Her fingers curled into fists at her sides, her eyes narrowed to him intensely. She was struggling to keep herself intact. "Seto why are you procrastinating?"
Kaiba's eyes flared with anger. No one dared to say he ever procrastinated anything! "Procrastinating?" he snapped, as though he didn't understand the word. "Procrastinating with what?"
"Marik has discovered the bearer of the Millennium Stone!" Isis said urgently, her eyes seemed to soften with her words. "Why won't you look for the girl? If you procrastinate in finding her any longer, I fear it may be the worst."
Kaiba's lip curled in anger, and he stamped his foot down. "Look, I never asked for this task in the first place!" he demanded, pointing at her angrily. "I'm a busy man, I don't have time for your childish fairy tales and pointless games!"
Isis remained calm. "Seto you do not understand. This is not a fairy tale, and it most certainly is not a game!" she bowed her head. "My brother is a dangerous person, and if he reaches the Millennium Stone." she let out a soft sigh. "I fear tomorrow may never come."
"Then why don't you find the fucking stone?" Kaiba shouted at her angrily. He could feel the anger rise up inside of him like a flickering flame. "I never agreed to this task, and I certainly don't need it for any reason whatsoever!"
"You say that now, Seto." Isis said, her eyes flashed with irritation. "I can promise you one thing, if nothing."
Kaiba's eyebrow rose in curiosity, and he straightened out for a moment. He studied her facial expression. The heeding look in her eyes told him that she wasn't there to lie to him. Kaiba thought that perhaps she could promise him Marik's Egyptian god card. That would have been of great use to him. He gave a tiny smile. "All right, what can you promise me?"
A taunting smile played over her lips. "Once again, as I told you before, it is nothing you could surely be interested in as of now." She fought to recoil from the burning in his eyes as she said this. "But mark my words Seto, if this task is completed, and the Millennium Stone is safe from my brother.you will receive a great gift."
"What is it?" Kaiba insisted impatiently. "Is it Marik's Egyptian god card?"
Isis laughed softly. "No Seto, it isn't." she gave the same sad smile. "But it is something you have been missing for a long time. You deserve to have it returned to you. And when this task is over, you will have it."
Kaiba thought for a moment, ignoring the rising rage inside of him. If it wasn't the Egyptian god card, than what else could Isis possibly offer him that would interest him? Something came to Kaiba's mind suddenly.
Their first meeting, when Isis told Kaiba that he had once been in possession of the Millennium Rod. Kaiba's mind screamed out the answer. Of course, Marik's Millennium Rod. And if he attained the stone as well as the rod.who knows what he could accomplish.
Kaiba smiled, and he looked up at Isis. "All right, I know what it is you have to offer me."
Isis raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really?" she chided.
"Yes," Kaiba said, grinning fiendishly. "And to attain it, I will search for the Millennium Stone."
Isis gave a relieved sigh and she nodded. "Good. I'm glad to hear it."
Kaiba laughed inside. Isis probably had a good idea what he had in mind, about this promise made to him. She didn't deny anything. She only nodded and then faced her feet.
"Just find the girl, Seto." Isis said rather urgently, the look in her eyes was undying.
Kaiba rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah." He said. "Now are we finished with this dream, or is there something else you would like to drone on about?"
Isis scowled at him. "I have one last thing to say."
"And that is?"
She let out a sigh and bowed her head. "Do not fail, Seto. Please do not fail."
She faded from his view. When Seto reached out to grab her, as she faded back to the blackness, he blinked a few times and then realized he was facing his own ceiling, reaching out for something that wasn't there.
Kaiba looked around. He was back in his bedroom in his house. He sat up in a hurry and looked around. The room had been undisturbed. He had been sleeping for a little less than an hour. Kaiba looked to the night table, and a cup of hot soup was sitting there waiting to be eaten.
Kaiba smiled as he took the cup of soup in his hand. Typically he wasn't hungry at all, but Mokuba would have disappointed if he didn't drink the soup. He held the cup between his hands gingerly and sipped occasionally.
Upon sitting it down he went to the window and peered out, his eyes staring into the abyssal horizon. "I will not fail."
~*~
Maximilian Pegasus sat at the head of his dining room table, a glass of red wine in one hand, and a book in the other. A smile danced over his lips as he read in the stifled darkness, and occasional sips from his glass of wine made his eyes stir with gentle amusement.
A table set for one was laid out before him, as he was again dining with himself that evening. He didn't mind. He had the wine and his book. He would be perfectly happy eating alone.
He remembered his dinner the other night with Roux Matuko. He had quite enjoyed her company. He always had. She was such a darling person in his eyes. He understood completely why Kale had married her. Pegasus hadn't heard from her since that night. He knew she must have been out there having lots of fun with Joey Wheeler.
"Sir," came the voice of a guard, emerging into the darkness of the room. It startled Pegasus for a moment, breaking his train of thought. "I have news."
Pegasus looked up thoughtfully, and slowly putting down his book and taking a sip of his wine, he tilted his head to the side. "Yes, what is it?" he asked.
The guard stood up tall and swallowed very tightly. Pegasus wondered what the news was. What was this guard worried about? The guard cleared his throat. "Sir, it has just been reported that Kane Tori's body was found this morning."
Pegasus froze. He was certain the pupils in his eyes had disappeared altogether. The news hit him as though he had been hit in the head with a brick. He set his glass down so quickly that it nearly broke. His teeth clenched and he looked down, a look of unhappiness came over him.
"Sir?" the guard asked, as if concerned but rather curious. "They say that there wasn't a struggle, that he died painlessly."
Pegasus shook his head. "They lied." He said, and he faced the table as an overwhelming sadness came over him.
The guard was still. Pegasus sat and stared at the table. He knew all too well that Kane Tori, who had been a good friend to Pegasus during the time of his wife's death, and Roux's ex-husband would be hunted down and eventually murdered.
It wasn't right to assume such a thing, Pegasus knew this. Kane Tori had possessed a Millennium item, a golden ring with the millennium eye shaped from topaz. Kane had told Pegasus about this millennium item, how he had no idea what it was and that he bought it in Egypt as a wedding ring for Roux.
Pegasus knew far too well that if you possessed a Millennium item openly, you were a walking target for many things. Bad things, murder, robbery, trickery.
"I understand." Pegasus said after he sighed and took a moment to think about Kane.
He didn't suspect any different. The men who had killed Kane Tori would have likely killed him for the ring. Pegasus remembered the other night, how Roux talked about her wedding ring, how it wouldn't come off no matter what she did. How it remained upon her finger even after the divorce.
Roux.if the men who killed Kale Tori wanted the Millennium stone on her ring, that meant that Roux was in grave danger! Pegasus bit his lip. He had to warn her. He cared about her safety, and he knew that Kale did too. Pegasus had to tell her, no matter what.
Pegasus nodded after awhile. "Thank you. I want you to send a message to Roux Matuko at the Domino City Plaza. I must speak with her immediately!"
The guard was gone, and Pegasus was alone with his thoughts. Upon picking up his glass of wine he guessed right then and there that the men behind this murder knew that Roux had the ring. It had been a good thing she had come to Domino City as quickly as she did. If she had remained in Osaka, graver things may have happened.
A tear rolled from Pegasus' eye. He would miss Kale, but he wouldn't let his death be in vain. Pegasus would warn Roux, protect her if he could. Kale would have wanted him to.