Chapter 6. Ol' Bug Eye
Well, dat's the last of da salt. Sighed Joey. He felt his glonecklace, where four gold rings hung below his adam's apple. He had gotten in a duel with some random goth between dinner and bed last night, and although they rather reminded him of himself when he started, he didn't feel too bad about eliminating them.
=^-,-^= This is me raising Joey though the ranks without having to write a duel!
He grinned to himself as he remembered the last thing he said to them before taking the rings: And dat eliminates you, AND ya bad eyeliner from da tournament! He threw a triumphant fist into the air and cried, I rock! Dead Duelist finals, here comes Joey!
Yay. You swept up the salt. And the crowd goes wild. Purred Angelie blandly.
Argh! Angel-face, you got a death wish?
Bring it, little man. She replied with a laugh.
Why you- He growled, lunging at her. She put one finger on his forehead and disdainfully muttered, SOMEone get this dog a leash.
Angelie, why are you so mean to Joey?
Well, if someone else said something stupid once in a while, I'd be happy to insult them.
=^-,-^=I'll work on that.
Suddenly the air turned rank with a familiar laughter and despairing cries of someone who they tricked.
Oh no-- Moan Téa, who didn't seem to like ANY of these duelists they met before.
Oh yes! Laughed Weevil Underwood, stripping rings from his opponent.
Not fair! You cheated! Whined his beyelined opponent.
I don't need to cheat. I am the greatest duelist there ever was!
Then you must have changed since last we dueled. Called Yugi.
Yugi Muto. I must say I had hoped to see you again. Who are these new additions to your entourage? He eyed Neko with an evil grin.
This is Neko and that's Angelie. And I have no entourage!
Is that so? Well are they duelists? Or are you bringing larger numbers of spectators to these tournaments?
Of course I duel! Snapped Angelie. I almost got into the finals at Duelist Kingdom and came in fourth at Duel Til Midnight! She fluffed her already quite poofy hair. And did just as well in many other tournaments, probably before you even started, little boy! Neko examined her boots. I missed the cut-off for the Duelist Kingdom finals by half an hour. I might have beat all of you, you know.
With the skills you've been showing so far? The rest of us can duel without leaning over, you know. Muttered Angelie.
So how did you get into this tournament anyway? I thought it was goths-only? Asked Yugi with interest. Weevil laughed.
They let me in because I was such a prestigious duelist.
They let you in because they thought you looked like that on purpose. Sneered Angelie.
=^-,-^= Yeah, yeah, yeah, Need to pay back Wheeler for that time in Battle City, Yeah yeah, bet it all, yeah yeah yeah, duel duel, amazing luck, yeah yeah yeah, heart of the cards, yeah yeah, stack your deck, yeah yeah, Angelie mocks evenly, yeah yeah yeah, beat you anyway, yeah yeah, go Joey, Yeah, out of the tournament, Joey qualifies for the finals. On to the real plot!
What?! Joey, I think this is a first! You qualified for the finals before I did! Good job! Remarked Yugi.
Heh, I might even beat you yet. Joey grinned.
Like THAT'S happening.
Hey, I made fun of Bug-eye! I made alot of fun of Bug-eye! While the entourage' as it were, bickered, Yugi gave Yami a psychic shoulder tap.
Hey, Yami, He began.
Yes, Yugi?
It just occurs to me that you don't get to play with people your own age much.
What do you mean?
Well, you seemed to be getting along very well with Mau, and it occurred to me that maybe you might like to talk to her, y'know, when you're not dueling. He grinned at his alter ego.
This is like the last time- when you set me up to go on a date with Téa-
No, no, no, no date. I just thought you'd like to have some friendly conversation with someone who could relate to you--the whole sealed in gold and eternally protecting the earth bit. But if you're not interested-
I never said that.
Well are you or aren't you?
Am I or aren't I what?
In what? Are you insinuating-
Stop playing thick! Snapped Yugi. He breathed a bit, and then turned back to Yami.
I'm sorry.
It's alright. I don't even know why I did that. Yes, I think I would like to have a conversation with Mau. Yes, I'd love to. Yugi tapped Neko on the shoulder, making her jump.
Hey, Neko?
Yeah, Yugi?
Yami was wondering if he might maybe be able to talk with Mau, if that's alright.
Oh, sure. I can't worry about her if he's going to to watching her, I mean, he'll stop her if she tries to... yeah, it's alright with me. Let's go and sit over by that karaoke bar. There's some tables over there.
I hope you don't mind. Sometimes I have to force him to have fun.
Well, this is as good a place as any. Maybe we should come back here after the tournament. I mean, you and Téa and Joey and everyone. And me. Your entourage. They smiled.
That sounds like fun. The beams off the comb and the puzzle coruscated around the room, crossed each other, bounced off the opposite object and came to a halt with the elder duelist facing each other.
Noble friend, Said Mau in her familiar low purr, It is wonderful to see you again. I hadn't expected this honor until at least the finals.
Nor had I. Are you sure that Neko will qualify?
Oh, yes. She already has seven rings, and in only three duels. Considering how I lost the first one, that is excellent dueling.
Excellent persuasion, more like. How did you make Mai bet her three rings to your one? Mau smiled and turned her face away demurely, keeping her eyes level with Yami's.
I pointed out that either way, the room we shared with Téa, Angelie and Gaia would become considerably less crowded if one of us got eliminated. The two laughed like old friends, and she continued, The other young gentleman didn't seem to care that I only bet one to his three for some reason. I think he was a bit preoccupied with my bosom. Yami snorted with laughter.
Mau, your morals, or lack thereof, is disturbingly refreshing.
Refreshing, noble friend? Don't let the children hear you speak that way, it'll ruin your goody-goody reputation. They laughed again.
Children, eh? Asked someone singing Karaoke and taking a breath during the instrumental break in Night and Day, You two having an anniversary or something? You look good for your age.
You have no idea... Laughed Yami.
No.. we just met... three days ago? Yeah, three days ago. We're talking about some young friends we have.
He said, getting closer to the center of the stage, Can't win em all. The crowd laughed politely, and the singer continued, Night and DAY!! You are the one... Yami looked back to Mau.
So, what do you plan to do after the tournament?
Directly after, or after I leave The Giza?
Directly after, why not.
Well, after two thousand years of solitude and eighty years of searching, I've narrowed down the list of suspects considerably. The spirit in the Millennium Eye has to be my husband.
Are you sure?
Noble friend, I wouldn't say it if I wasn't. So I have to confront him and challenge him to a duel.
That will be difficult, won't it?
Yes, it means that I must win the finals and beat all other duelists. But I have no fear. She smiled at him. Yours was the first real challenge I had met in all those years, noble friend. He smiled, and she continued, Well, my point is, I'm going to dispatch my husband.
You heard me now and you heard me when we dueled. I've been searching to two thousand years for this man, and now that I'm this close, there's nothing that will stop me: I've found him, and now I will destroy him. She smiled, but did not seem to notice how very mood-breaking talking about killing your husband was. But enough about this unhappy subject. I hate talking about him. I hate searching for him. And I hate the close calls I've had. She looked directly at him. Have you yet encountered the Rod?
Yes, I'm afraid I've made a few brushes with it, but I've not yet met it bearer directly.
=^-,-^= That's because this is only what would happen if Kaiba's lawyers had any sense in their heads.
The Rod holds the Pharaoh of the upper kingdom of Egypt. I am searching for the ruler of the middle kingdom... I was so close... I showed him mercy. I left him be. I wonder if I might regret it someday.
You might. Everything has a consequence. He replied quietly.
Heh. Well, I guess it's not really worth worrying about is it? Either it will or it won't and either way it's left my hands.
But what if it does come back, and you do regret it, what then?
I will attempt to mend the mistake as best I can. That's all that can be done.
And once you destroy him, what good will your vengeance have done you? Granting him death while you remain behind to watch the eternity pass? He touched her hand. Immortality is lonely, Mauhucomchere. She looked at the reflection of a murderess in his purple eyes, which grew soft as he spoke to her.
Need it be, noble friend? THAT was not quite the way I meant for that conversation to turn! He thought.
Yes. It needs to be that way. Your husband couldn't have left you and your child because he didn't care for you. He had to save the world, Mauhucomchere. That's why the items where created, is it not?
Noble friend, She answered softly, I both agree with you and strongly feel you are wrong. The items were made to keep shadow games from destroying the earth, but no one needs to be lonely. He realized his hand was still on hers and drew it away.
Mauhucomchere, the items where made to save the world. The smallest distraction in that cause could bring the whole world to ruin.
So love and friendship and everything else are mere distractions? That doesn't sound like you at all.
I don't like it, but that's the way it is. And no, love and friendship and everything else aren't mere distractions, they are what must be fought for. He took her hand again, this time grasping it above the table. Love and friendship are the only good things in this world that stay consistent through the ages, the only weapons man has in the battle against the dark.
I am the dark. Must I be fought with friendship and love? She whispered with her eyes closed.
It is the only way I could fight you... He felt her gentle breath on his face, growing with each breath warmer, deeper, closer.
Hey guys! Been looking all over for you! Called Téa, running up with the group behind her. In one movement, their hands dropped and they both leaned back into their chairs. Mau nervously smoothed her hair and her clothes, a slight amount of color rising in her pale cheeks, almost enough to make her look normal. Yami faced the others, trying to keep an expression-what was it? Shame? Disappointment? Arousal?- from showing.
What was THAT about? Asked Yugi.
Ooh, mommy, Grinned Angelie, Watch the sparks fly!