Sakakku
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Notes: I write about Serenity's trials from experience. I ride horses, and being saddlesore is one of the most drawn-out forms of discomfort there is (if I miss a lesson, I'll get saddlesore the next time I ride). I presume camel saddlesore is even worse due to the larger gait. Plus, Serenity has allegedly spent far more time than I ever have on a horse. I've only ever spent three hours at a time. Picking up from the last chapter, she's been on the camel a couple days (I don't specify because at this point, my own timelines are severely confusing me). Ouchies…
This chapter, last chapter, and the next few all happen in the same day. We're approaching the end but not quite there yet.
Odion considers himself a failure because not only did he betray his masters, he couldn't even succeed in helping Téa escape. He's a failure at both a bad guy and a good guy. Which I find rather funny, but…
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Chapter 21
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She would be okay. She would be okay.
Sure, she might suffer from bruises from the darned camel for the next, oh, twenty years of her life, and walk bowlegged for forty years longer, and still feel the ground lurching under her for as long as she lived, but she would be okay.
When had she developed a sarcastic sense of humor, anyway?
Serenity swallowed. She'd picked this trait up from a year of living with Mai: using sarcasm to cover up the ever-growing anxiety and penetrating fear worming into her heart. But even the impending doom of Marik and Bakura was slightly belittled by the utter discomfort of sitting astride a camel for five hours a pop, twice a day.
Worse yet, the caravan had made an unexpected detour after intercepting with another rider, this Rare Hunter coming from Akuma. They'd loaded a cargo of fruit at a port by the seaside. She'd gotten to smell the sea air, which was nice, and the girl she'd been riding with- Melanie was the Hunter's name- had steered her for a short walk around town. Her legs had just begun to uncramp when Melanie announced that the caravan was leaving again. So she'd gotten that short break, and nice fruit during the journey to Akuma, but the expected journey length had been doubled.
She'd had a chance to talk to some of the Rare Hunters, primarily Melanie but occasionally others when the caravan camped for the night. She was amazed to find how shockingly normal they were. They didn't seem like bad guys! And they certainly weren't as awful as the ones Mai had told her about were, back in their old village. She was sure now that Rare Hunters weren't bad or evil, maybe- just misguided. She wanted desperately to talk to them passionately about their current situation, but of course she had to be super-careful. They couldn't find out that she was Joey Wheeler's sister.
So when she gratefully dismounted at Akuma, bade farewell to Melanie and her camel (she pet the beast grudgingly, knowing it wasn't the camel's fault her legs hurt so much but not feeling ready to forgive it just yet), and allowed herself to be led in the palace by the Hunter's, she was feeling more relaxed. She was sure that she could keep knowledge of Joey and Yugi and Yami undercover, and the Hunters weren't really all that awful. Two of them walked on either side of her, a man and a woman. She believed that they were married; she'd had a few short conversations with them. There were a few other men walking behind them, joking under their breaths as they entered their home city. They occasionally directed their remarks at her, and seemed proud when she giggled; it was almost like they were part of a family.
"Shizuka," a male's voice murmured in her ear. She cocked her head at the alias she had given them. "You don't have to worry about anything; you don't have anything to hide. Just tell Marik and Bakura the truth, and you shouldn't have any problems. I know you're a sweet girl. You'll be able to leave with your friends soon."
"Thanks, Dill," she said gratefully, recognizing the voice. This only reinforced her theory- even if Dill was wrong about her.
"Master Marik will see you right away," a voice announced from in front of them.
"He will?" Dill sounded surprised. Apparently most people didn't waltz in to talk to them. Serenity, for her part, was glad; she didn't fancy waiting. She was beginning to grow nervous again. It seemed like there was something she was forgetting.
"Lately, things have been rather loose- that's a nice way of saying chaotic- around here," the first Hunter muttered softly. "Any other day you'd have to wait. But ever since the prisoner-"
He broke off suddenly. "Through this door!" he announced.
Wondering what he could mean, and feeling the puzzlement of her companions as well, Serenity nevertheless trudged through after the Hunters, feeling their guiding hands on her shoulders.
"This is Shizuka Kawai," Dill presented her. Pressure was put on her shoulder; she obligingly kneeled, feeling a cold shudder of sudden, strong disgust. She must be in front of Marik now. The same scum who had imprisoned her brother.
"Greetings, Hunters," a lazy voice drawled.
"Greetings, Master Marik," the Hunters chorused.
"And greetings to our young visitor, Miss Kawai."
"G-greetings, Master Marik," she said in a soft voice. A tap on her back signaled that it was all right for her to stand up now.
"Shizuka Kawai was seen with the criminals Yami and Yugi Moto and Mai Valentine shortly before they were chased from our Central Village No. 5. However, she was in their company only by accident. Two of her other friends, identified and with spotless records, had intended to meet Shizuka in C.V. No. 5. Yami and Yugi Moto and Mai Valentine seem to have abducted the girl but abandoned her when they were spotted in that same village. We have questioned Shizuka fully about this incident and are ready to clear her of all charges and send her off with her friends, but I know the necessity of formal questioning by Your Graciousness."
"Thank you, Dill," Marik said, still in the same low, creepy drawl. "We'll let Miss Kawai speak for herself now, however. Miss Kawai, how did you come to be in the company of the former Pharaoh, now the most despicable villain of the era?"
He's not a villain! Struggling to control the rising irritation, she began to respond softly, but felt the Rare Hunters around her scatter. Confused for a second, she suddenly felt a hand on her head. Marik. He scared her; even her astute hearing hadn't noticed him approaching close enough to touch.
"You look… oddly familiar," Marik murmured softly.
In a split-second, all the blood rushed from her face. How could she be so stupid? On the docks, he'd been there, he'd seen her!
His hand slowly ran down her hair, catching her red locks between his fingers. She bit her tongue.
The hand reached the small of her back and worked its way up, grazing over her shoulder and finally tracing her jaw line and smoothing over the bandages on her eyes. "And how did this happen? Are you blind, Miss Kawai?"
"Yes," she whispered. "I am."
"A shame to happen to such a lovely young lady." His hand splayed flat out over her face, covering her mouth, eyes, and most of her forehead. She tried not to breathe, because he would feel it.
"Now, Miss Kawai… where should I know you from?"
"I don't know, sir," she managed, surprised that her body was still functioning at this point. Her words were slightly muffled under Marik's hand, and he lifted it slightly. She dared to suck in a little air.
She heard someone enter the room from the opposite wall she'd come in. "Marik, what are these Hunters doing here?" someone growled.
Marik turned, letting his hand slip off Serenity's face. She heaved a short sigh of relief, though her troubles were far from over.
"Who's that?"
"I was hoping you could tell me," Marik answered smoothly. "She claims to be a Miss Shizuka Kawai, but I've seen this face before. Do you know where we might have met this girl?"
"Do I know? Of course I know!" The voice could only belong to Bakura. He sounded a mixture of angry and exuberant. "That's Serenity Wheeler! Sister of convict Joey Wheeler!"
"You leave my brother alone!"
She didn't realize that she'd shouted those words until they escaped her lips. Even then, she was slightly disbelieving. Surely she couldn't be that foolish?
"I do believe you're right, Bakura." His hand clamped back down on her shoulder, much rougher. "Miss Wheeler. Such a pleasure to meet you again."
"Get away from me," she whispered furiously. All she got in response was a laugh.
"Let's see, Miss Wheeler. We'll have to get a special room for you. Don't worry, I know just the Hunter who will take care of you in the meantime. Dagget! Fetch me Mel."
Until Mel arrived, and Marik sent them to a secure room where they were to wait for further instructions, Serenity endured the awful silence. For the first time, she was glad she couldn't see. She didn't want to have to look at the shocked and disappointed Rare Hunters, who had believed that she was their friend. Even worse than the silence was when Marik periodically broke it, chucking to himself as if hearing some evil joke only he could.
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"Akuma," Mokuba said aloud, testing the word. "It sounds scary."
Ishizu and Shadi exchanged looks. The boy was right. Akuma: Devil.
"We won't approach Akuma directly," Shadi said, folding his hands as he walked.
"We won't?" Pegasus asked dubiously. This was news to him. Kimo didn't say anything, but he appeared a little surprised as well.
"It would be fatal," Shadi said dryly.
"Well- I know, but what other options have we got?"
In response, Shadi abruptly stopped walking. The others followed suit, looking expectantly at him. "Mokuba," the Egyptian said, pointing at a cluster of boulders. The five had been walking through rocky sands for the last few hours. "Go climb on the third rock and gaze down."
Blinking, the black-haired boy did so. "There's a few holes in it," he said, bending over. "What do you think made them?"
"The ancient peoples," Shadi said solemnly, causing further mass confusion.
"Here," he finally said, heading over. "I'll take over, young Mokuba."
" 'Young,' " Mokuba muttered as he hopped to a different rock. Then they were all silenced, even Ishizu, as Shadi put his fingers into the worn holes and heaved upward, revealing a narrow, dark tunnelway.
"What is that?" Pegasus exclaimed.
"You know. You have been here before."
The white-haired man blinked, shifting his hat. "This can't be the same city!"
"Yes, Maximillion Pegasus. This is the underground city you and I ventured in those many years ago, before any of this began."
Pegasus shifted uncomfortably. Under here, they had discovered the ruins of the three Gods, and it was from those depictions that Pegasus had resurrected their black power.
"If it hadn't been you, it would have been someone else," Ishizu muttered in his ear. He jumped slightly and looked at her. "You can't shift all the blame onto yourself," she added. "…even if Shadi is sometimes over-fond of doing that."
"I heard that, Ishizu," Shadi said sternly, and the two looked up guiltily. Mokuba burst out giggling. "So, are we going down?" he asked excitedly, hopping around.
"In the dark?" Kimo finally spoke up. "Once we get more than fifty feet, we won't be able to see a thing."
"I have torches," Shadi said serenely, pulling long sticks out from beneath his robes and ignoring everyone else's gaping.
"How'd you carry those all this way?" Mokuba asked as Shadi also removed a jar of oil and rudely ignored his question. Ishizu sighed irritably, fingers unconsciously brushing over her Necklace. Although she'd kept it hidden in villages, she'd begun wearing it once they reached the barren desert and refused to tell anyone why.
Shadi's fingers moved swiftly, clutching something of them none of them could see, and suddenly one of the torches was on fire. He handed that to Kimo and lit one for himself off of it. Pegasus didn't seem to be moving; his face was quietly thoughtful, so Ishizu took the third torch and lit it.
Shadi proceeded first into the staircase and Pegasus immediately stumbled after him. "Why are there stairs here? I remember we had to slide down that awful rope last time we entered the underground city."
"There are different entrances," Shadi said in a tone that clearly implied 'duh,' if he were a rebellious teenager living a few years ago. The corner's of Ishizu's mouth quirked as she followed Pegasus; Mokuba behind her and Kimo bringing up the rear.
"Does this mean that the city you and I first met in was actually Akuma?"
"It has been renamed since. Yes, it was what is present-day Akuma."
"So Marik and Bakura chose to build their city in the very same place I received my Millennium Item? With that statue thing that had the placement for the Items and everything?"
"Yes," Shadi said tightly.
"But why?"
"Historical value. Ancient power. The God Cards probably drew them there."
He was getting annoyed, Ishizu observed faintly. Lately, the slightest things irritated him. These were always the slight signs that Shadi felt he was under tremendous pressure.
"Can I hold a torch?"
Ishizu broke off her train of thought and glanced behind her to see Mokuba Kaiba's large, beseeching eyes. "Pleeease?"
She smiled despite herself. "I'm sorry, Mokuba, but I don't think that's a very-"
"No," Shadi interrupted from the front.
She glared at his back a moment, then handed Mokuba the torch. "Be careful with it," she cautioned quietly. "Don't swing it about."
"I won't!" Mokuba said eagerly, taking it in both hands reverently.
Shadi spun around to fix Ishizu with a stern look; she responded with an innocently bland stare. He scowled and swung back around, partly to show his disapproval but mostly to hide his smile.
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Notes: I took what we learned in the episodes about the two separate places- where Pegasus got the Eye and the tombs Shadi led them to- and had them all connect underground. Pegasus has just realized this.