Author's Notes: Okay, I'll be straight with everyone: I AM a Yami/Yugi yaoi supporter, and I am a Bakura fan-girl. I do not however, support Bakura and Yami Bakura yaoi, nor do I like the Spirit of the Millennium Ring. That said, you can probably guess a few points of this fic.
Chapter 5
Amber followed the guard's directions, kicking the door once she got there. A nurse in white opened it, gasping when she saw them. "Please, my friend is hurt." The nurse nodded and grabbed a gurney, shouting to a nearby doctor. Suddenly the room was alive with activity, and people were placing Bakura on the gurney and wheeling him away. Medical terms and questions flew from all corners, and Amber felt a slight tug on her heart as she watched the unconscious teen leave her sight. But he was in trained hands now, and this century's medicine was probably more than enough to help him. So why did she feel like something was still wrong?
"We'll take care of him," the nurse assured her. "Are you two duelists here?"
"Sort of. I came here to see Pegasus."
"Oh, are you one of his associates?" Amber cocked her head to one side as she regarded the redhead. She must've appeared older than seventeen if this nurse thought she worked with Pegasus. True her fusion with the Winged Sorceress had physically aged her a year or so, but she still appeared to be a semi-normal teenage girl when her wings were folded. Then again, Seto Kaiba owned his own company, and he wasn't much older than seventeen himself. Amber had taken it upon herself to research all she could about the different time periods she found herself in. So far, the twentieth century was the easiest to fit into, with all the different fashions and looks. Most people she met merely thought she was a "Goth" child, and left her alone. If only they knew that the innocent-looking girl was really a Hunter from millennia ago…
"We're old acquaintances," Amber finally answered, hoping the answer was enough to satisfy the woman's curiosity. "Could I wait here for my friend?"
"Of course. You can have a seat over here." The nurse led her to a small seating area, and Amber curled up on the couch. She was tired after the long day, and here it seemed safe to rest for a little while. Her brother would contact her if there was any trouble, and she wanted to keep an eye on Bakura. Te'Os was still out there, and if he meant to harm anyone, it was her duty to stop him.
Joey's pacing was starting to make Tristan dizzy. He'd already completed at least a dozen circuits from the door to the beds and back again. Even though the guard had shown them and the girls to a spacious "guest room", to Tristan it was only a frilly prison cell. "I don't like this," Joey said for the tenth time.
"None of us do, Joey," Tea said. "But right now there's nothing we can do. Pegasus' men are all over the place."
"Not to mention that we're now separated," Mai added. "I don't exactly miss Kaiba, but we're going to need everyone to get out of here."
"Meanwhile, Yugi and his Puzzle Spirit are wit' Pegasus, and Bakura is wit' some winged freak!" He hadn't even meant to say that word, but it was out now, and Joey was just glad Yugi wasn't there. His small friend certainly wouldn't have approved of Joey's word choice.
"I feel sorry for Amber," Tea said, sitting on the bed.
"I don't," Mai argued. "She can more than take care of herself, and as an added bonus, she's eternally beautiful. If the Spirit of Yugi's Puzzle is five thousand years old, she can't be much younger."
"Tell me Mai, did you think she was beautiful when you first saw her?" Tristan asked with a smirk. "I seem to remember you calling her a demon."
"That was before I knew who she was." Mai was a bit embarrassed by Tristan's comment. She had screamed right along with Tea at first seeing the winged girl, and it hadn't been one of her prouder moments.
"What, so now you judge people on more than looks? I don't buy it, Mai," Joey said.
"I still hang around you, don't I?" Tristan snickered as Joey blushed.
"Look, we'll just have to trust our friends to take care of themselves," Tea said.
"I trust our friends," Tristan explained. "I just don't trust Pegasus."
Yugi was sitting at one end of a long table, fidgeting nervously. Yami stood at his side, one hand on Yugi's good shoulder. He and Kaiba were glaring silently at one another. "Why are you even here?" Kaiba asked, folding his arms over his chest.
"I came to make sure Pegasus does not harm Yugi."
"That isn't what I meant. And don't give me that line about being trapped in that Puzzle. That's a lot of mystic nonsense."
"Kaiba, your unwillingness to see beyond science blinds you to the truth. In my day, magick existed everywhere, and I was Pharaoh over all."
"Well this isn't ancient Egypt anymore, and we have many kings. I happen to be one of them. Money holds the power now, not magick."
"If money holds true power, why did it not let you defeat Pegasus the first time? Aren't your fortunes almost equal? Yet he defeated you like you were a child."
"Are you telling me that you beat him the first time?"
"No, because I was not prepared for his magick. But I am this time."
"What makes you so confident?" Yami smirked and folded his arms as well.
"I was known as the Game King. I don't lose very often."
"Like I said, this isn't your world anymore. New rules for a new time."
"I defeated you, didn't I?" Kaiba clenched his fists for a moment, then shrugged.
"Beginner's luck, I suppose." Yugi heard the Spirit's sharp intake of breath, and placed a hand on his arm, looking at Kaiba too.
"Both of you, stop this. If Pegasus sees you fighting he'll use it to his advantage. We can't show any weaknesses."
"He's right," Yami agreed after a moment of silence. "Pegasus plays for power, and we can't let him have any over us."
"Are you proposing a truce?"
"For now at least." Kaiba stared at Yugi and his alter ego. Fighting with them would not free Mokuba, and Pegasus would more than likely cheat him in a duel again. Besides, he could always duel the "Game King" when they were safely back on the mainland.
"A truce, for now." He extended a hand, and Yami shook it while Yugi breathed a sigh of relief. That was relief was short-lived however, when the door to the conference room opened and Pegasus walked in. Croquet followed at his boss' heels.
"My, my, Kaiba, you certainly do have a way with people. You managed not only to bring Yugi and all his friends, but also two unexpected guests."
"I've fulfilled my end of the deal, Pegasus. Now where's Mokuba?"
"You'll get your precious brother back when I possess both the Millennium Ring and Millennium Puzzle."
"But you said-"
"I'm changing our deal. One prize for another."
"What about my grandpa?" Yugi demanded, standing up.
"Well Yugi-boy, you still owe me a duel."
"I'll duel you right here then."
"Oh no, my boy, I mean a duel in the Shadow Realm. Winner take all."
"He is in no condition to fight a Shadow Game," Yami said, stepping in front of the smaller boy. "But I will duel you." Pegasus did not appear startled by the Spirit, and a shiver went up Yugi's spine. If Pegasus somehow won and claimed the Millennium Puzzle, what would happen to Yami? He hadn't been with Yugi for long, but the young duelist was sure he would miss his dark counterpart.
"I'm afraid we haven't been properly introduced," Pegasus said as he extended a hand. "Maxamillion Pegasus, creator of Duel Monsters." Yami stared at the outstretched hand like it was a venomous snake.
"I sealed the Shadow Games for a reason, Pegasus. Why did you bring them back?" Yami attempted to read the man's thoughts, but a mental brick wall blocked all access. His Millennium Eye was definitely strong.
"That's for me to know, and you to guess about."
"Do you accept the challenge to duel me in a fair match?"
"Of course. It doesn't matter which one of you loses to me."
Amber awoke with a start when she felt a tap on her shoulder. The nurse from before was standing over her, smiling. "I'm sorry for disturbing you, but your friend is awake."
"Thank you. May I see him?"
"Of course. Follow me." The nurse led Amber to a quiet corner of the room, where Bakura was lying on a bed. There were bandages wrapped around his torso, a few healing cuts on his arms and face, and a blanket tucked up to his waist. He looked so vulnerable, but very nervous as well. "I'll leave you two alone." And then the nurse was gone, leaving them to stare at one another. The silence seemed to stretch on, and Amber fidgeted slightly. Finally she asked:
"How are you feeling?"
"It hurts to move, but I do feel much better."
"You're lucky to be in one piece. That fall you and Yugi took was pretty nasty."
"Is Yugi all right? I don't remember much about what happened before."
"He's fine, or at least he was when I left. I don't know if Pegasus has found him yet."
"That man is evil. Yugi will need our help."
"My brother is with him, so don't worry."
"Brother?"
"The Spirit of Yugi's Puzzle is my brother. I carry the Millennium Ankh, see?" She held up the gold item, and Bakura watched it pulsate with a soft glow. It made him feel warm and fuzzy, and he liked that.
"So now there are four Millennium items on the island. You'd best guard yours, because Pegasus wants Yugi's and my Millennium items. I daresay he won't stop until he gets all of them. By the way, where are we?"
"In the medical wing of the castle." Bakura paled slightly and swallowed the lump in his throat. He didn't want to be on this island, and it was only because of his Ring that he was. Curse that Spirit and all the evil he brought with him! He curled his hands into fists, ashamed at himself for being so weak. It was then that he realized he was not wearing a shirt. His cheeks burned with embarrassment as he tried to pull the blanket higher. He felt bad enough without having to worry about being half-nude. Te'Os had told him many times how unsightly his body was to others, especially the Spirit. To have a girl staring at him made it worse.
"Thank you for helping me."
"You're welcome," Amber replied with a smile. Then she saw him moving the blanket and placed a hand over his. "Are you cold?"
"No, I'm covering up. You don't need to see my scrawny body." He saw her frown slightly, running her hand lightly up his arm. The touch made him shiver and drop the blanket as the hairs on his arm stood straight up, but Amber didn't seem to notice.
"Who told you that your body was scrawny?"
"The Spirit. Said he couldn't stand the sight of it."
"Probably because he looked the same." Now Bakura stared at her with a puzzled look on his face. "Te'Os used to say that his body was both a blessing and a curse. That was how he came to be in the palace, after all."
"What do you mean? I thought he was a thief?"
"He was, and a clever one at that. But he never built up the muscles that other tomb-robbers seemed to possess. He'd find alternate ways in instead of smashing through the heavy stone doors. But he wanted more than just robbing tombs. He wanted to be someone powerful, someone people respected. At least, that's what he told me."
"Told you? You were friends?" Amber blushed fiercely, looking at the floor for a moment. She wasn't so sure she could tell this story after all, but she should try.
"You know what a concubine is, right?"
"A female slave kept as a lover, I believe. Kings and sultans used to keep as many as a hundred or more in their palaces." Bakura suddenly had a horrible thought. Had Amber been a concubine to Te'Os? Was that why she didn't mind seeing him half-naked?
"Concubines could also be male, though it was rare," Amber finally said, looking away. "And they weren't always slaves, but also companions or even bodyguards." Was she really going to tell him her little secret? A secret she had partially kept hidden from her own brother? Bakura's eyes widened when he realized the meaning of her words, and a blush crept halfway down his chest. Amber thought he looked cute.
"You mean-"
"I first saw him in the prisons when I went to see my uncle, the chief guard. Te'Os had been caught in my father's tomb, probably attempting to loot it. His punishment was death, but I begged my uncle not to kill him."
"Why?"
"Because he looked so vulnerable, and so alone. Whether he was using me to get free or whether he really did care, I'll probably never know. But he sounded so sincere about changing his ways, and back then I was very naïve, so I believed him. I paid his debt with my own gold, and Te'Os came home with me to the palace. Almost a year went by, and I'd like to think the two of us were happy. I knew I was. He was sensitive, eager to learn, and very gentle."
"He sounds like me, but he hates that I'm like that."
"Like I said, I doubt I'll ever know if he was pretending the whole time, but it doesn't matter anymore. When I became a monster, even he could not accept me. He ran from my chambers in disgust and fright. The next day he was caught stealing treasures from the palace, and my brother had him arrested."
"Amber, Te'Os is evil. You mustn't think your appearance caused him to revert to being a thief," Bakura explained.
"What else am I supposed to think? My own brother couldn't even stand to be near me. I was a constant reminder of the consequences of the Shadow Games."
"Amber, how long have you been alive?" The dark-haired girl looked at him for a moment, her brow wrinkling as she thought about it.
"A little over five thousand years. But it's not polite to ask a woman her age."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"
"I'm teasing, Bakura. I might be old, but I don't look a day over twenty."
"I know. And I find it hard to believe that no one in that time has said you aren't a monster." Amber blushed, and Bakura couldn't help but smile.
"I stay with people who only know me as the Pharaoh's sister, so they treat me with the utmost respect. Only two of them see me as anything other than royalty."
"You know others like yourself?"
"If you mean half-human half-monster, then no. If you mean other Millennium item holders, then yes."
"There are more Millennium items?" Bakura was starting to sound worried again, but Amber still didn't detect Te'Os. She knew the Spirit would be attracted by all the power starting to gather, but he was taking his sweet time.
"There are seven in all, and two are safely back in Egypt. You shall meet the guardian of the Millennium Scales when I deal with Pegasus."
"I doubt I could travel to Egypt just for that."
"He'll be coming here, actually. The Scales are how people are judged. I'm only a Hunter after all."
"Hunter?" Amber waved her hand in an attempt to dismiss the question.
"Long story, I'll tell you another time. Right now, you should rest." Bakura nodded and closed his eyes, drifting off a few minutes later. Amber tucked the blanket around him, and then kissed his forehead lightly. "You truly are Te' Os' light side, Bakura." Standing up, she turned to find the nurse, when something brushed past her, and she stopped cold. Magick, gods, and demons had been a common part of her life, and Amber knew the touch of a soul as easily as she knew her name. It came again, softly, almost beckoning her. The Millennium Ankh glowed softly, and the soul touched it, causing a wave of images to flood Amber's mind: A young blonde woman sitting for a portrait, an elaborate dinner party, and a ring being slipped onto a delicate finger. The soul pulled back after a moment, and Amber dropped to one knee to collect herself. Never had she felt such loneliness, such helplessness from the dead. This soul was in pain, and it wanted help. 'How?' Amber asked in her mind, the Ankh lighting up once more. The soul touched it and sent two words:
'Follow me.' It then tugged softly, pulling the Millennium Ankh, and Amber followed in silence. They went across the room and through a door into what looked like a small, darkened chapel. Stained glass windows of various flowers broke up the white walls, and a small altar stood in the front of the room, effigies and icons scattered across it. But the soul pulled onward, leading her to a door almost hidden in the wall. Only the gold handle made it semi-visible in the darkness.
'In here?' The answer was a tug towards the door, so Amber took a breath and pulled the handle. The door opened on well-oiled hinges, and she stepped inside. A soft electronic hum filled the room, and there was a large machine that took up most of the space. It looked like a giant plastic tube attached by wires to a computer. Still the soul tugged on her, urging her towards the six-foot tube. Frost covered the outside, blocking her view of the contents.
'Look,' came the soft voice. Amber decided that it was definitely female, but what was it doing here? And then a horrible thought hit her: What if there was a body inside the tube? Could the soul have been ripped from it by Pegasus, only to wander the castle searching for release? She knew he imprisoned souls, but could this one have been a failed experiment? Even had she not known about Pegasus' Shadow Games, this would've been enough to sentence him to the Shadow Realm. Wiping away a section of frost, Amber peered inside. A young woman, probably on her mid-twenties, lay inside. Her blonde hair was arranged in thick curls, and she wore a lacy white dress that resembled… A wedding gown? Had she not been in the icy tube, one would've thought she was merely sleeping.
"By Ra, what has that madman done to you?"
"What are you doing in here?" The sudden voice whirled Amber around, and she fought to keep her wings from flaring. The redheaded nurse stood in the doorway, and clipboard in her hands. "You really shouldn't-"
"Who is she?" Amber interrupted. "What happened to this poor woman?" Did all the medical staff know about this machine? How could they let this continue? The nurse sighed and smiled sadly.
"Her name is Cecilia, and she's Mr. Pegasus' wife." Amber felt the soul beside her brighten, like it was smiling.
"His wife? I don't remember him marrying." Surely the newspapers would've covered such an event. It wasn't everyday the creator of Duel Monsters got married.
"Before Mr. Pegasus created his card game, he was simply another millionaire. Miss Cecilia had known him since childhood, and they were wed nearly five years ago."
"You seem to know a lot about them." The nurse smiled again and went to the machine, writing a few things on her clipboard.
"I was hired when Miss Cecilia took ill, soon after their wedding. But even the most brilliant doctors couldn't find a cure, and she began slipping away. Mr. Pegasus was distraught when she died, and no one could console him. He traveled the world, desperate to try and bring Cecilia back, but everyone said it was impossible. But then he went to Egypt, and when he came back, it looked like he'd found an answer."
"Oh?" Amber knew Shadi had encountered Pegasus in Egypt, and that was who had given the millionaire his Millennium item. But what could he have learned about bringing back his dead wife? And what did it have to do with the other Millennium items? If only she could remember the separate powers each Item contained, it might help her unravel this mystery. Suddenly the door swung open, and Pegasus entered the room. He stopped short when he saw Amber, and she saw fear fill his eyes.
"YOU!" he shouted, taking a step back. The nurse clutched the clipboard to her chest and stared at her boss. She'd never seen him so… Afraid? But what threat could this girl pose to him?
"Hello again, Pegasus. I do hope you don't intend to shoot and run this time."
"How did you get in here?"
"A soul led me here."
"A soul? But there aren't-"
"Your wife's soul showed me this room. I don't know why, but she feels lonely and helpless. What have you been doing to make her feel that way?"
"LIAR!" Pegasus yelled, launching himself at Amber. The nurse screamed and fled the room, and Croquet entered a moment after she left. He saw his boss standing in front of his wife's suspended animation tube, fists up like he expected an attack. And standing not three feet away was the Hunter, her wings slightly flared and the Millennium Ankh around her neck shining brightly. It took only a second for him to draw his gun and aim it at the monstrous girl, sighting for her head.
"Move and I'll shoot."
"What makes you think that bullet will do any more damage than the last one?" Amber asked him, her eyes never leaving Pegasus. "I'm immortal, after all."
"We'll see how immortal you are with lead in your brain."
"Shooting me will not stop your boss from being judged. He's committed a serious crime by restarting the Shadow Games. I'm here to hold him for judgment."
"You wouldn't understand why I'm doing this. Whatever ends I go to are justified. Nothing matters to me more."
"What, than bringing back your wife Cecilia? People have died because of you, Pegasus, and I'm here to stop that. Let her soul go, and you might find her again. But if you trap her here than she will remain for all eternity."
"I'll never let Cecilia go. Fate took her from me, and I intend to have her back."
"Do you have any honor in you, Pegasus? You've cheated your way to power, and you see nothing wrong. Tell me, if you get your wife back, how will you explain all this to her? She's seen everything you've done, and she's suffering for it."
"Cecilia will understand that I just wanted her back. She'll be happy."
"You're mad, and the time has come to end this madness."
"I agree, and I have an idea to solve this dilemma." Pegasus was slowly regaining his composure, and he flipped his hair over his shoulder, exposing the Millennium Eye. "You say I've never dueled honorably, and I'd like to amend that. I challenge you to a duel tomorrow. A Shadow Game, if you desire."
"I detest the Games, but I will play you. If I win, you must agree to come with me for judgment with no other struggles."
"Fine. And if I win, you will surrender your Millennium Ankh to me."
"My item? What do you want with it?"
"Let's just say that all seven will provide the means to resurrect my Cecilia. Do you accept my terms?"
"Yes, I accept."
"Excellent, after I take the Millennium Puzzle, I will then take your Ankh."
"The Puzzle? You're dueling Yugi?"
"No, the Game King inside the Puzzle." Amber began laughing, folding her wings back down until they rested around her like a cape.
"If you're challenging my brother, you won't be around to challenge me."
"We'll see about that. Croquet, show our new guest to her quarters."
