Chapter Twelve
The Telegram
"Argh, the nerve of that guy!" Roux muttered through her clenched teeth, her hand squeezing Joey's so hard he thought it would break under her grasp. "I mean who does he think he is, talking to people like that?"
"Well that's your typical Kaiba for ya," Joey said, shaking his head. "He thinks he's such a hot shot because he's the CEO of Kaiba Corporation." Joey mumbled. "I really hate that guy sometimes."
Yugi looked back at them. His wide, sweet eyes were full of protest. "Come on Joey, Kaiba may be kind of mean sometimes, but he has helped us out in the past afterall." Yugi said rather softly.
"You mean he's helped you out in the past, Yug." Joey said rather angrily, shoving his hands in his pockets. "What's he done for the rest of us?"
They continued walking on in silence. None of them had anything relevant to say, and after what had happened in the trading card shop, both Roux and Joey seemed a little bit steamed. And it was obvious. Neither Duke nor Yugi dared to ask them anything, afraid they would lose their heads if they tried.
Within an hour or so they were all back talking happily again. The memory of Seto Kaiba making their day miserable was gone. The four of them went to the park and they sat on the bank of a river and talked for hours. Joey and Duke sat on either side of Roux, which made her nervous, and it made Yugi laugh inside.
"So Roux, if you're coming to Tea's movie party tonight," Duke began fleeting his eyes around flirtatiously. "Maybe you can sit next to me, so when the scary parts come on, you can just hug me if you're scared." He gave her a wink.
Joey rolled his eyes and put his arm around Roux's shoulder, and he looked down at the river. "I suppose we should head over to Tea's place right about now, eh?"
Yugi nodded. "Yeah, that's a good idea Joey." He said, getting up. "I probably should go back to grandpa's house and get some stuff though."
Roux nodded. "Yeah, I should head back to my hotel and then freshen up a bit." She said, taking her arm from around Joey's shoulder and getting up off the grass. Both Duke and Joey immediately got up after her.
"You want me to come with you, Roux?" Duke asked, taking her hand. "I mean it's a long way to the hotel and it's getting dark, I bet you couldn't resist a handsome guy like me walking ya back?"
Roux smiled at Duke. "Um.you know what I thought I'd just walk alone. I mean it's not too far from here." Roux looked over the river and saw the hotel just across the river and a few blocks down. "You know I think I'll do that." She said, and headed towards the bridge. "I'll see you guys at Tea's place."
Joey took a step forward. "You want me to pick ya up, Roux?"
Roux looked over her shoulder and Joey and smiled. "That's okay, Joey. Thanks though. See you guys later!" she waved to them before walking towards the bridge.
"See ya!" they all waved, and Duke watched her walk away. After awhile he shook his head and whistled. "Yow, she is one luscious sensation, that girl!"
Joey scowled at Duke warningly. Duke put up his hands in a gesture that he was joking. "Hey, I was kidding, all right? Sheesh! Don't act like Kaiba's around!" He said as they all started walking in the direction towards Tea's house.
~*~
Roux was glad that she had walked to the hotel by herself. She liked Joey and those guys a lot, but she needed a little time to think before going to Tea's party. First off she was thinking about her cards, and how well she figured she would do now, since she had some better cards. Second she was thinking about the tournament. She was excited, and the whole city's spirits seemed to lift with the thought of it.
Then she thought about Seto Kaiba, and she frowned. She began to walk a little quicker with the mere memory of him. He had really annoyed her, how he insulted Joey back at the trading card shop, and then how he had insulted her in a way. She couldn't understand why he had said those things.
But then again she didn't know who he was period. Other than the fact that he was the one hosting the Battle City tournament. The thought made her shiver. If he was harsh in real life, she didn't even want to imagine what he was like at the duelist arena.
Roux shook her head. ~ Ugh, why am I even thinking about him this much? ~ She thought to herself just as she reached the hotel. ~ Anyone could see he's just a snobby CEO who doesn't give a shit about anybody and nobody gives a shit about him! ~
Roux walked into the lobby of the hotel, and waved to the man at the desk, who at first smiled widely for her, and then his expression fell suddenly to a solemn frown. "Oh! Miss Matuko!"
Roux looked over her shoulder and approached the desk. "Yes?"
The man rooted around on his desk, shuffling papers around and then he handed her a little envelope. "This telegram came for you a little less then five hours ago."
Roux gave the man a very worried look. Five hours? She took the telegram in her hand and looked at it, puzzled. "Um.thank you." She said softly, and then she walked over to one of the couches and sat down to open it.
It was from Max. She recognized the signature at the bottom. She read over it very quickly. It read:
Roux, Please contact me. It's an emergency. Sincerely, Maximilian Pegasus
Roux read it over a few times, and then she bit her lip. Something was wrong, she knew there was something wrong. Pegasus had something urgent to tell her. Roux folded up the telegram and approached the man at the desk. "Excuse me, may I use your phone quickly?"
He smiled. "Certainly Miss Matuko." He said, and put the touch-tone on the counter for her to use.
Roux followed Max's number, which was at the bottom of the telegram. She poked out his number on the touch-tone phone, and waited as it rang. She read over the telegram again as she waited. Something must have been seriously wrong.
"Hello?" came a voice from the other end of the phone.
Roux looked up. "Hello, Max?" she thought it was him. She was pretty sure it was.
"Just a moment please, miss." Said the voice. It was a guard. Roux let out a soft sigh. Usually she was rather embarrassed when she thought someone she knew answered the phone, and it didn't turn out to be the person in mind.
But this was no time to be embarrassed. She was worried.
"Hello?" came Pegasus' voice. She could easily recognize it.
"Max?" Roux asked into the phone, holding it rather tightly. Her voice was wrought in worry.
"Roux, oh thank god I was able to reach you in time." He said. He sounded relieved. "I assume you got my telegram?"
"Yes I just got it now," Roux said, looking at the slip of paper in her hands. "Tell me Max, please, what is it you have to tell me?"
Pegasus sighed over the phone. "Roux I can't tell you over the phone. I must meet with you in person." He paused for a moment. "Are you okay to meet with me tonight?"
Roux bit her lip. "Umm." she thought about Tea's party. They would be kind of upset perhaps if she arrived late, and Joey would have been worried and given her a lecture about being late and not calling or something. But this was important. If Max had something urgent to tell her about, she might have had to skip Tea's party altogether. "Yes, tonight's fine."
"Excellent." Pegasus said calmly. "I'm coming now, I'll be at your hotel in less than ten minutes."
"Okay, I'll be waiting." Roux said, and they said their goodbye to each other and hung up the phone. Roux sat down again on the couch and looked out the window by the front of the hotel. She was watching for Pegasus' car.
Roux was shaking. She was nervous and a little bit scared. It sounded like something horrible had happened that he just absolutely had to tell her about. Sooner as opposed to later.
She waited patiently, picking at her fingernails to try and distract her. When she looked up, the limo was waiting outside. She knew it was Max's because of the little silver horse with wings seal that was on the side of the limo. She smiled softly and skipped towards the door.
Roux got outside and went towards the limo. The driver had gotten out, and he recognized her and opened the door for her to step inside. She thanked him and shuffled her way into the back seat.
The door shut behind her.
She found herself sitting on a thickly upholstered seat, her feet comfortable on the carpeted floor. Pegasus sat straight across from her. He was deadly pale. He looked sick.
"Max." Roux said urgently, reaching forward to touch his face. She thought he was as white as snow.
"Roux, I thank you for meeting with me so quickly." Pegasus said urgently. "There is something.rather disturbing that I must tell you."
The Telegram
"Argh, the nerve of that guy!" Roux muttered through her clenched teeth, her hand squeezing Joey's so hard he thought it would break under her grasp. "I mean who does he think he is, talking to people like that?"
"Well that's your typical Kaiba for ya," Joey said, shaking his head. "He thinks he's such a hot shot because he's the CEO of Kaiba Corporation." Joey mumbled. "I really hate that guy sometimes."
Yugi looked back at them. His wide, sweet eyes were full of protest. "Come on Joey, Kaiba may be kind of mean sometimes, but he has helped us out in the past afterall." Yugi said rather softly.
"You mean he's helped you out in the past, Yug." Joey said rather angrily, shoving his hands in his pockets. "What's he done for the rest of us?"
They continued walking on in silence. None of them had anything relevant to say, and after what had happened in the trading card shop, both Roux and Joey seemed a little bit steamed. And it was obvious. Neither Duke nor Yugi dared to ask them anything, afraid they would lose their heads if they tried.
Within an hour or so they were all back talking happily again. The memory of Seto Kaiba making their day miserable was gone. The four of them went to the park and they sat on the bank of a river and talked for hours. Joey and Duke sat on either side of Roux, which made her nervous, and it made Yugi laugh inside.
"So Roux, if you're coming to Tea's movie party tonight," Duke began fleeting his eyes around flirtatiously. "Maybe you can sit next to me, so when the scary parts come on, you can just hug me if you're scared." He gave her a wink.
Joey rolled his eyes and put his arm around Roux's shoulder, and he looked down at the river. "I suppose we should head over to Tea's place right about now, eh?"
Yugi nodded. "Yeah, that's a good idea Joey." He said, getting up. "I probably should go back to grandpa's house and get some stuff though."
Roux nodded. "Yeah, I should head back to my hotel and then freshen up a bit." She said, taking her arm from around Joey's shoulder and getting up off the grass. Both Duke and Joey immediately got up after her.
"You want me to come with you, Roux?" Duke asked, taking her hand. "I mean it's a long way to the hotel and it's getting dark, I bet you couldn't resist a handsome guy like me walking ya back?"
Roux smiled at Duke. "Um.you know what I thought I'd just walk alone. I mean it's not too far from here." Roux looked over the river and saw the hotel just across the river and a few blocks down. "You know I think I'll do that." She said, and headed towards the bridge. "I'll see you guys at Tea's place."
Joey took a step forward. "You want me to pick ya up, Roux?"
Roux looked over her shoulder and Joey and smiled. "That's okay, Joey. Thanks though. See you guys later!" she waved to them before walking towards the bridge.
"See ya!" they all waved, and Duke watched her walk away. After awhile he shook his head and whistled. "Yow, she is one luscious sensation, that girl!"
Joey scowled at Duke warningly. Duke put up his hands in a gesture that he was joking. "Hey, I was kidding, all right? Sheesh! Don't act like Kaiba's around!" He said as they all started walking in the direction towards Tea's house.
~*~
Roux was glad that she had walked to the hotel by herself. She liked Joey and those guys a lot, but she needed a little time to think before going to Tea's party. First off she was thinking about her cards, and how well she figured she would do now, since she had some better cards. Second she was thinking about the tournament. She was excited, and the whole city's spirits seemed to lift with the thought of it.
Then she thought about Seto Kaiba, and she frowned. She began to walk a little quicker with the mere memory of him. He had really annoyed her, how he insulted Joey back at the trading card shop, and then how he had insulted her in a way. She couldn't understand why he had said those things.
But then again she didn't know who he was period. Other than the fact that he was the one hosting the Battle City tournament. The thought made her shiver. If he was harsh in real life, she didn't even want to imagine what he was like at the duelist arena.
Roux shook her head. ~ Ugh, why am I even thinking about him this much? ~ She thought to herself just as she reached the hotel. ~ Anyone could see he's just a snobby CEO who doesn't give a shit about anybody and nobody gives a shit about him! ~
Roux walked into the lobby of the hotel, and waved to the man at the desk, who at first smiled widely for her, and then his expression fell suddenly to a solemn frown. "Oh! Miss Matuko!"
Roux looked over her shoulder and approached the desk. "Yes?"
The man rooted around on his desk, shuffling papers around and then he handed her a little envelope. "This telegram came for you a little less then five hours ago."
Roux gave the man a very worried look. Five hours? She took the telegram in her hand and looked at it, puzzled. "Um.thank you." She said softly, and then she walked over to one of the couches and sat down to open it.
It was from Max. She recognized the signature at the bottom. She read over it very quickly. It read:
Roux, Please contact me. It's an emergency. Sincerely, Maximilian Pegasus
Roux read it over a few times, and then she bit her lip. Something was wrong, she knew there was something wrong. Pegasus had something urgent to tell her. Roux folded up the telegram and approached the man at the desk. "Excuse me, may I use your phone quickly?"
He smiled. "Certainly Miss Matuko." He said, and put the touch-tone on the counter for her to use.
Roux followed Max's number, which was at the bottom of the telegram. She poked out his number on the touch-tone phone, and waited as it rang. She read over the telegram again as she waited. Something must have been seriously wrong.
"Hello?" came a voice from the other end of the phone.
Roux looked up. "Hello, Max?" she thought it was him. She was pretty sure it was.
"Just a moment please, miss." Said the voice. It was a guard. Roux let out a soft sigh. Usually she was rather embarrassed when she thought someone she knew answered the phone, and it didn't turn out to be the person in mind.
But this was no time to be embarrassed. She was worried.
"Hello?" came Pegasus' voice. She could easily recognize it.
"Max?" Roux asked into the phone, holding it rather tightly. Her voice was wrought in worry.
"Roux, oh thank god I was able to reach you in time." He said. He sounded relieved. "I assume you got my telegram?"
"Yes I just got it now," Roux said, looking at the slip of paper in her hands. "Tell me Max, please, what is it you have to tell me?"
Pegasus sighed over the phone. "Roux I can't tell you over the phone. I must meet with you in person." He paused for a moment. "Are you okay to meet with me tonight?"
Roux bit her lip. "Umm." she thought about Tea's party. They would be kind of upset perhaps if she arrived late, and Joey would have been worried and given her a lecture about being late and not calling or something. But this was important. If Max had something urgent to tell her about, she might have had to skip Tea's party altogether. "Yes, tonight's fine."
"Excellent." Pegasus said calmly. "I'm coming now, I'll be at your hotel in less than ten minutes."
"Okay, I'll be waiting." Roux said, and they said their goodbye to each other and hung up the phone. Roux sat down again on the couch and looked out the window by the front of the hotel. She was watching for Pegasus' car.
Roux was shaking. She was nervous and a little bit scared. It sounded like something horrible had happened that he just absolutely had to tell her about. Sooner as opposed to later.
She waited patiently, picking at her fingernails to try and distract her. When she looked up, the limo was waiting outside. She knew it was Max's because of the little silver horse with wings seal that was on the side of the limo. She smiled softly and skipped towards the door.
Roux got outside and went towards the limo. The driver had gotten out, and he recognized her and opened the door for her to step inside. She thanked him and shuffled her way into the back seat.
The door shut behind her.
She found herself sitting on a thickly upholstered seat, her feet comfortable on the carpeted floor. Pegasus sat straight across from her. He was deadly pale. He looked sick.
"Max." Roux said urgently, reaching forward to touch his face. She thought he was as white as snow.
"Roux, I thank you for meeting with me so quickly." Pegasus said urgently. "There is something.rather disturbing that I must tell you."