Sakakku
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Notes: Many people guessed that Weevil was the boy who overheard Yugi and Serenity way back in Chapter 6, and that Rex was his friend. (Or they guessed the other way around. I know I said Mai would remember and dislike the boy; she would remember and dislike Weevil too [from Duelist Kingdom; you can either pretend they ran into each other or if you've seen the longer version of Yugi's duel with Weevil, she was watching], even if at first glance it seems like Rex. -) Kudos to you. Weevil and Rex are sort of second-class citizens; although due to their skills at Duel Monsters, they kept their decks; they have to be in the same housing as the third-classers.
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Chapter 12
xXx
"Hey. Open up."
Weevil waited impatiently; Rex always did take forever getting to the door. He knocked twice more before the door swung open, revealing a groggy Rex Raptor.
"Don't tell me you were sleeping?" Weevil sneered.
Rex glared pointedly at the sky; it was still dark. The sun was only beginning to peep in the far east. "What are you doing here, Underwood? I thought you weren't going to visit until next month?"
"Yeah, well, change of plans." Weevil shrugged his way inside. Rex locked the door and followed him into the 'living room', which was still dark. Rex made as if to shove aside the dingy curtains covering the window, but Weevil grabbed his arm.
"What are you doing, bug?" Rex demanded, reflecting even as he did how odd their friendship was.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Weevil smirked. "After all, that's the mistake that brought me here…"
Rex scowled, but sat down. "Okay, what do you mean?" he asked against his will. "You opened your blinds and…"
"Not me," Weevil said superiorily. "Yugi Moto."
Rex raised his eyebrows. "Yugi Moto?" he asked doubtfully.
"Yugi Moto," Weevil repeated. "You know how I live next to his friends? Joey Wheeler's sister and Mai Valentine?"
Rex scowled at Mai's name, remembering how she'd played him for a fool. "Yes," he said sourly.
"Well, Yugi Moto showed up at their house not one week ago," Weevil said with an important air.
"How do you know?"
Weevil rolled his eyes. "He shouted his name for Serenity Wheeler to hear. No doubt she heard; I did, all the way across the street. Then they went inside and kept talking, and the window was open. I saw a lot. Heard a lot. Found out a lot."
"Well?" Rex demanded. "Tell me already!"
So Weevil began outlining all he'd learned from Yugi and Serenity's brief conversation. Yugi and Yami's separate bodies; their time spent in the desert. The quest for the return of the Pharaoh; the journey they were about to take.
"Are you sure about this?" Rex asked doubtfully. "Yugi and… and Yami? There's two Yugi's?"
"I'm positive," Weevil stated. "I saw Yugi's other half. The Yami half. He and Mai came in a few minutes later. Unfortunately, one of them wised up, and they drew the curtain over the window and lowered their voices the rest of the night. I'm pretty sure they left at dawn, because they were gone by the time I woke up the next day."
"Huh," Rex snorted, absorbing everything. Then: "So why'd you come here?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Weevil asked disparagingly. "So you can come with me."
"Come with you?" Rex asked doubtfully.
"Yeah," Weevil said.
"I don't think…"
"Figures." The boy sneered. "I should have known you'd be too afraid."
Rex was instantly on his feet. "I am not afraid."
"Prove it." Weevil smirked up at him. "Come with me."
"Well, I…" Rex started, then caught sight of the look on Weevil's face. "Come with you where?"
"To Akuma, of course," Weevil said in exasperation.
"Why? To tell on Yugi?"
"Raptor, your skull is as thick as those Pachy-dinosaur things."
"Pachycephalosaurus," Rex said indignantly. "It is not."
Weevil rolled his eyes. Rex glared at him and repeated his question: "So you want to tell on Yugi?"
Weevil sighed and closed his eyes a minute. "Revenge…" he said dreamily. "Yugi humiliated me in a duel, and so did his little friend Joey later on. You'd think that reporting them to Marik and Bakura would be the best form of revenge, wouldn't you?" When Rex nodded, Weevil scowled. He didn't even have to open his eyes to see his friend. "You're a dunce. You don't understand. Reporting them to Marik and Bakura would do what? Land them in prison, get them sent to that Shadow-Realm? They'd either escape or rot away. And I wouldn't be able to see it. I wouldn't be there, reminding them that I'm the superior one.
"Now, saving them. That's different. If I save them, if I help them- they'll be in my debt. And you know Yugi. He would never forget it. It would torture him night and day, knowing he could never repay this." Weevil's smile wasn't altogether pleasant, but it was real. "Besides," he continued, squinting one eye open. "This world? Not up my alley." When Rex didn't say anything, he opened both eyes and stared Rex down from behind his glasses. "Come on, Raptor. You dinosaur enough to take on the challenge?"
xXx
Odion, where are you…
In all honesty, Téa had to admit that she wasn't expecting him to bring her lunch for a few more hours. But she was desperately afraid for him, ever since he'd announced his intention of helping her escape.
She was willing to do anything to take her mind off her anxiety; even take up the loathsome trade of sewing. During the time Odion had been gone, Mel had attended to her. She was a rather sullen, impersonal woman with long, black hair that fell to the floor in curls. It was quite beautiful, not at all suited to the pale, sunken face underneath. In any case, Téa hadn't spoken to the Rare Hunter at all; she was afraid Mel would realize that Téa was used to chatting so casually with Odion. Besides, the woman had scared her. But one day, Mel had come in with an old-fashioned sewing kit and three bolts of cloth, with a curt "Masters Marik and Bakura wish for you to learn this trade." The sexist pigs.
Téa was currently sitting at the small, polished table, glancing over the array of materials in disgust. At first, she'd let the bright cloths sit, untouched, with the needles and scissors and things Téa really didn't recognize lying on top. She'd spent many long hours glaring at them balefully, wishing for a soccer ball or tennis racket or something productive. When Odion had come back, she'd completely forgotten about them. But now she approached the pile, bored out of her mind. Touching them, she was surprised to learn that the cloths Marik and Bakura had provided her with were of silk. Deep black, searing purple, and stunning blue. She grimly wondered how much damage the tiny scissors would do to them.
But on second thought, she changed her mind. Running her fingers over the cloth thoughtfully, she thought of Odion's escape plan. All the clothes she had were white, tan or yellow; she was pretty sure they'd give her away. Perhaps she could sew herself a cloak?
She dubiously picked up the blue. Black would be the best, she knew that, but she couldn't bear to touch it. It was too dark and depressing. And purple reminded her of the Rare Hunters, so blue it was. It would be dark enough to escape by anyway. Assuming Odion's plans got that far.
xXx
Odion moved swiftly down the halls. His companion, a short and stock boy with brown hair cut into a cap-style, hurried to keep up with him. "Yes, I was told to lock Téa Gardner's room," he said. "What of it?"
Odion stopped in his tracks and whirled around. "Wait," he said, striding to the nearest door. "Come in here."
The boy, looking confused, ducked inside it. "Storage room?" he asked, turning around.
"Yes," Odion said, gesturing at the shelves of dried plants. "For spells. I believe that you'll be using this later, right?"
"Marik mentioned something about a storage room," the boy admitted. "This is it?"
"I believe so," Odion nodded. "That was not why I called you in here, however. Geoff, I spoke with your mother before… before. She assured me that you would help me."
"Help you?" Geoff asked, his brows raising.
Odion seemingly ignored the question. "You and your sister were brought here to use your modest magic to lock up this palace and these dungeons; to perfect the security. Which rooms were you assigned?"
"The north end of the dungeon, Malik's quarters, Téa Gardner's room, and several other rooms at the north side of the palace," Geoff recited. "Kaya has Ryou Bakura's rooms, the south side of the dungeon, and I think she's supposed to take care of the rooms to the south-east and south-west of the palace."
"Okay. You were told to lock Téa's rooms. Marik and Bakura won't hurt Master Malik, but I don't know what they'll do to Téa if it means they can hurt the Pharaoh. I intend to get her out of here within the fortnight."
"How?" Geoff demanded. "Do you have any idea the risk you're taking?"
"Yes," Odion said seriously, crossing his arms. "And that's why I know I cannot do it alone. I don't ask you to put your life in danger, Geoff. I ask you to help save an innocent girl."
xXx
"Agh!" Téa gasped. She'd been pleased in a distant, sarcastic way to find that she was pretty good with sewing, considering her past experiences had been limited to repairing tiny holes and hemming. Of course, she hadn't expected to be perfect at it; she'd just stabbed her finger with the needle.
She held the finger up ruefully before her eyes, squinting. A small bead of red blood appeared. She was wondering if there was something to blot it with, staring absently at the wound, when she noticed something swirling in it. Shivers running up her spine, she slowly moved the finger.
There it was again. As she stared into her own blood, it seemed to focus. Reflecting in the red depths, she saw her own face gazing blankly back. And hovering over her left shoulder was a woman. A blonde woman, with soft blue-grey eyes. She was dressed in gold and outlined in silver, and light glittered off her whole being.
Slowly, Téa turned to look over her shoulder. Nothing. She turned quickly back to the drop of blood, but it was back to being a clear red. After a few seconds, she got up and blotted the wound on a handkerchief.
Enough.
xXx
"You know, someone is planning on helping Miss Gardner escape," Marik said lazily.
Bakura sipped his wine. "I felt it. Any speculations on who it is?"
"No," Marik frowned. "I suspected someone would, of course. I believe dear Téa has recently become our most important prisoner."
"You know, I think you're right," Bakura said, frowning thoughtfully. "There are our lights…"
"They're weak and useless," Marik said abruptly. They always left this topic as soon as possible. Whenever they began discussing the hikaris, something funny would stir inside them. It felt like something was clawing from within- and neither of them liked it.
"Well, we have Odion to keep an eye on her," Bakura said decisively. "And perhaps you can order a few extra guards around her corridor. She won't escape."
"Hmm…" Marik murmured, furrowing his brow in concentration. "Something strikes me as odd about this situation. I believe you're right, Bakura; we'll just keep a close eye on her."
Bakura downed his glass of wine.
xXx
"You have no idea how glad I am that you're here," Téa greeted Odion.
Despite her warm words, Odion frowned as he entered the room. She was sitting on the bed, leaning back against the headboard. Her eyes were staring straight ahead, rather unfocused, and her hands were folded neatly in her lap.
"Are you okay?" he asked her gently.
"I'm very, very glad that you're here," she repeated. The woman she'd seen in her… she shivered… the woman in her blood had scared her more than anything had in a long time. Even worse, if possible, was the creepy feeling accompanying it. Like the woman was trying to tell her something important that she just wasn't getting.
"Listen, Téa," Odion said, placing the tray of food gently on her legs. She didn't seem to notice. "I've been talking with some friends. I swear to you that I will do everything in my power to get you out of here by the time two suns have passed."
Her eyes slowly shifted to him. "Everything in your power…" she repeated in a small voice. "And if you cannot?"
Odion looked at her a long time. "Téa, you know I would gladly lay down my life if it meant you could walk free," he said quietly.
A tear slid down her cheek: "You're such a friend…" she mumbled, but abruptly her mood changed. "But you can't do that!" She leaned forward, nearly spilling the food on the tray, and Odion hastily reached forward to steady it. Her hand clamped on top of his. "Odion," she said, deliberately enunciating each word. "Odion, if it comes to that- if we're about to be found- you have to leave me."
"Téa-" he started to say, but she shook her head violently.
"You have to promise me," she said agitatedly, "before I leave this room with you, you have to promise me that, if we're about to be captured, you'll leave me behind and get yourself out of this palace."
"Téa, I cannot-"
"Then I'm not coming with you," she said firmly.
"Téa."
"Odion."
They stared at each other in dead silence. Téa set her jaw, refusing to let another tear escape her eye.
Odion broke contact first. "If worst comes to worst, you wish for me to leave your side?" he asked slowly.
"I wish for you to save yourself," Téa emphasized. "Promise me that."
"I…"
"Promise me that, Odion."
"I promise, Téa. But I also vow that it will not come to that."
She couldn't hold the tears back anymore. "God, I hope not," she choked out, fumbling with her robes. Odion quietly removed the tray from on top of her legs and placed it out of the way; he then handed her a handkerchief from the table next to her bed.
Téa eventually cried herself to sleep, burrowing deep under the sheets. And all through the night, long after Téa had fallen asleep, Odion stood by her bed. His arms were crossed and he glanced down at her solemnly; a silent, strong, and loyal guardian.