Sakakku
Notes: I've been skipping a lot of filler details. I'm going by the assumption that you can piece a lot of plot elements together. It's just that this chapter and the next chapter are really 'filler' chapters, so I can get to the action-packed ones ahead. And I doubt people want to read a lot of filler junk.
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Chapter 22
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After a few hours of walking, Pegasus had begun murmuring things like "I remember this!" and "Good Lord, I passed through here…". Mokuba, discovering the downside of holding the torch (it was heavy!), had returned it to Ishizu and was wandering in and out of the four adults. A few times, he'd darted ahead of them. He found an immensely tall, smooth, dark door that seemed to be calling to him. Curiously, Mokuba placed both hands on the door, feeling something hot surging under his palms. His face drew nearer.
"Don't do that!"
He jumped back, abruptly breaking contact and losing the growing warmth.
"Mokuba, do not do that," Shadi cautioned. "I once led Pegasus behind that very door."
"That's where we got the tablet for the museum…" Ishizu pondered, tiredly brushing the Millennium Necklace with two fingers.
"That's where I first laid eyes on the Egyptian God Cards," Pegasus murmured, stopping in his tracks and staring with horrified fascination at the door. "That's the tablet with their likeness. That talk about their past. That show the Pharaoh and the Priest- I remember seeing it. I remember taking those pictures… and oh, all the people that died."
"Mister Pegasus?" Kimo touched his elbow.
Pegasus didn't respond. His eyes remained fixed on the cold stone, and he took a step forward.
"Pegasus!" Shadi stopped his swift walk and turned to face him. Ishizu, slightly behind, stared at him, but her eyes were glazed over and Mokuba didn't think she really realized what was going on.
"Mister Pegasus," Kimo said more insistently.
Pegasus still didn't answer, but his head suddenly tilted to the side. "Cecelia…?" he murmured, half-questioning. His eyes slowly focused in on something appearing closer to him, and he stretched his arms our, trying to embrace something none of them could see. Then in the next second it was gone, and he was back to normal.
"Oh… dear," he said, placing a hand on his head. "No one look at that door!"
"I wasn't planning on it," Shadi said dryly.
"What happened?" Kimo and Mokuba asked at the same time; Kimo concerned and Mokuba confused.
"It's just…" Pegasus shook his head ruefully. "Never mind. The power in there still lingers. It was about to draw me in, but Cecelia intervened."
"O-oh," Mokuba said doubtfully, tagging along as they began to move again. He'd given up on chatter; the four of them were all lost in their own thoughts. He chewed on his tongue and let his own mind wander. After a while, and endless more hours of walking, his brain grew as numb as his feet. Shadi would let them stop every few hours, and for some reason when Mokuba woke up he could smell something in the air and his feet felt tingly and new, but after a while his entire body and mind was growing fatigued and ready to collapse.
"We're here," Shadi announced. Unfortunately, 'here' didn't look like anything special and he wasn't stopping anyway. Mokuba picked up the pace all the same, entering the same room Shadi just had.
"Hey! Where are we?"
"This is the place I first got my Millennium Eye," Pegasus said, placing a hand over his glass replacement eye. "Shadi was so kind as to 'put it in'." This was greeted by an undignified snort from Shadi himself.
"I have led you here because this entrance-" Shadi pointed a slim finger at a wide staircase- "Leads to the outside. I cannot say if it has been built over, but years ago when I was here, it came out in a temple. I would doubt Marik and Bakura did anything to that."
"We can use this room as a gathering place," Ishizu said tiredly, and it was only now Mokuba realized just how pale she was. "There are shelves we can use as beds for the injured."
"The injured?" Mokuba and Kimo asked in alarm, and in unison once again. Pegasus appeared troubled, but something seemed to have dawned in Shadi's eyes.
"Ishizu," he asked slowly. "Have you been receiving any visions?"
"Hundreds," she murmured, moving to one of the shelves she'd referred to and easing herself onto it, putting her head in her hands. "I have a lot to tell you- and then… I think I shall sleep…"
"What is it, Ishizu?" Shadi asked, managing to be the first one to her side although Pegasus and Kimo had been standing closer. The three men crowded around her. Mokuba started to walk to them, but something across the room caught his eye. A cold shiver went up his spine, and he ignored the three of them talking.
The structure was pretty tall. Hieroglyphics were carved on every square inch of the surface, creating an elegant and imposing landscape. What caught Mokuba's eye, however, were the smooth impressions in the surface, where placeholders had been removed.
At one point or the other, he'd seen all the Millennium Items. Now his eye roved across the indentations, placing the Items to the correct placements. Ring, Rod, Necklace, Eye, Key, Scales, and the Puzzle went in the center. Tentatively, he reached out a hand and traced the edges of the Puzzle's spot.
"Is this where they came from?" he asked loudly, interrupting the other's conversation.
Shadi looked over. "No…" he said, closing his eyes briefly. "It is only where they were stored throughout the Millennium."
Mokuba started to say something, but Ishizu called him over. Silently, the other three adults left, exiting through the stairway and disappearing through the door. He stared after them, bewildered.
"I've sent them on various missions," she explained. "Shadi, to fetch Odion… Pegasus, to pick up Yami, Yugi, and Mai… Kimo, to get medications for Mai. She is ill, but I know certain herbs that can help and Kimo is least likely to be identified."
"To get Odion, Yami, Yugi, and Mai?" Mokuba asked blankly. She smiled gently at him.
"They are all here- as is your brother."
"Seto?" he asked, straightening up quickly.
"Yes. And I must ask you a favor, Mokuba. I need to stay here and rest. I know it will be safe for you- I have seen it- please, venture into the city and get him."
"Really?" he asked excitedly. "I'll go! I will!"
She patted his arm. "Thank you, Mokuba. Just go straight until you've passed seven streets on your right, then take that right turn. Go one block and wait- Seto and a friend of his shall be coming by shortly."
"A friend of his?" Mokuba asked dubiously. "I don't think he has any friends…"
She laughed softly, for whatever reason, but was already starting to settle herself down. "I really must rest…" she said. "The others will be back soon. Mokuba?"
"Yeah?" He was halfway to the stairs, but turned his head backwards.
"Be safe," she murmured.
"Thanks," he grinned. "I will be."
xXx
"Odion."
Odion's head jerked up. The man with the turban was standing directly in front of him. He hadn't even seen him approach. The man looked vaguely familiar, like he'd seen him long ago…
"I am a friend," Shadi told Odion. "I have been sent by Ishizu. You are to come with me."
"Ishizu!" Odion scrambled to his feet. He'd been sitting, legs stretched out, hands rested in front of him, in the corner of the alley. "You say you were sent by Ishizu?"
"Yes." Shadi eyed the man suspiciously. Ishizu had spoken of Odion fondly. But… of course, she meant it in a strictly 'brotherly' way, didn't she? He didn't see why Odion was so great, anyway. He was a Rare Hunter. He hadn't always stuck by Ishizu.
…Damn. He was just being jealous, wasn't he? This wasn't supposed to happen.
"How can I trust you?" Odion asked in a deep, sad voice. Shadi shrugged. He didn't care if the man didn't want to trust him.
Damn. He was doing it again.
"Come with me. For… Ishizu," he finally said.
xXx
"What are you whistling?" Seto asked testily.
Ezra shrugged. "Ominous music?" He shot her a look. "To… lighten the mood?" she offered. He rolled his eyes. "Oh, you need to lighten up," she muttered. "You're getting me nervous."
"What would you rather me do?" he said, raising his eyebrows. She shrugged.
"I don't know… you could try not sulking, glaring, and generally acting like the world's about to fall to pieces."
"We've entered Akuma," Seto growled softly. "We're in the heart of enemy territory. This must be taken seriously."
"I know," she said in frustration. "It's just your attitude! You can be serious and cautious without being cold and stiff, you know."
"Hmmpf," he grunted, drawing his trenchcoat closer around his frame. She heaved a silent sigh.
"Do you know where you're headed?" she asked after a moment.
"I always know where I'm going," he shot back.
"Okay, let me rephrase that… where are we headed?" Ezra stifled a grin. He, predictably, didn't respond.
"Biiiig brooooother!!!"
The whispered squeal was accompanied by a small blur shooting out from the shadows and latching itself onto Seto's leg. The tall brunette, finally caught unawares, went toppling to the ground. Ezra froze, torn between worry that something was wrong/they were being attacked and the logical part of her brain telling her that the two boys were hugging and that attackers usually didn't call their victims 'big brother' anyway.
"Mokuba," Seto whispered, his voice thick with emotion, standing up and easily scooping this new person up. "I'm so glad you're okay, kiddo."
"I'm great!" he said happily. "I'm so happy to see you!"
"That's good." Seto carefully set Mokuba down. "Because you are so grounded after all this is through. I know I told you to stay home."
Mokuba's mouth fell open. "That's not fair," he declared. "It's not like I came here alone anyway!"
"Oh?" Suddenly, Seto appeared tense. He beckoned for Ezra to join them, backing into the shadows. Anuba followed silently. "Mokuba? You'd better tell me everything."
xXx
"Bring her in, quickly! There are beds in here!"
Hearing Pegasus's voice, Ishizu groggily sat up. She hadn't slept much, but it had been enough to revitalize herself from the trials of the Millennium Necklace.
"Ishizu!" Yugi's voice sounded. Her vision cleared, and she hastily stood up. Yami and Pegasus shuffled by her, carrying Mai Valentine and gently placing her on a shelf. Her skin was pasty; she looked ill.
"Hello," Yami said softly as he tended to Mai. She nodded at him, then looked up at Yugi. He was glancing around the room in wonderment; behind him, Kimo appeared on the stairs. Catching sight of Ishizu and Mai, he hurriedly brushed his way past Yugi to get to them, causing the violet-eyed boy to blink in further surprise.
Yugi had been shocked enough to see Pegasus, showing up at the last minute, when they were lost in the middle of Akuma, wondering what to do with Mai, offering them a solution and a place to go. This whole place was almost too much.
"Kimo, give me those herbs," Ishizu said urgently. She snatched them from him, rudely dumping the contents of small leather carrying bag out; she started shredding the leaves up and wadding them into balls. These she placed on Mai's wound, still open.
"These work wonders," she assured Yami.
"I think she would have been okay anyway," he said, nodding. "The bite wasn't bad. She just had some light long-term effects… among them, this unconsciousness. Also, her mouth has been foaming slightly…"
"To be expected," Ishizu murmured. "Well, these herbs should get rid of even those."
"So I can't believe all the people that are here," Yugi said, stumbling down the stairs and wandering up to them.
"Not all are back yet," Ishizu said, looking around the room. "And some who are in the city cannot come. And then… there are some here who must leave soon, if our goal is to succeed."
xXx
Half an hour later, Seto shocked them both.
"Ezra, take Mokuba back to Ishizu and Shadi and the others."
"But I don't know the way!" she protested, confused.
"You mean I should take her," Mokuba said, scowling at Seto. Kaiba appeared unrattled.
"I mean, Mokuba, lead Ezra to the underground tunnels. Ezra, you watch over Mokuba. Make sure nothing happens to him."
Both of them opened their mouths to say something, and both of them seemed to change their minds and protested something different.
"And where are you going?" Ezra asked pointedly, just as Mokuba piped, "What about you, Big Brother?"
"The Palace, of course," he said smoothly, rising to his feet and watching as the two of them struggled up. "You knew that's where I was headed."
"Actually, no," Ezra muttered, trying to stand although her leg had fallen asleep. "Like you ever told me anything."
Suddenly, her hand was yanked and she was jolted to her feet. Flustered, she gazed up at Seto Kaiba's serious face as he released both her hands and Mokuba's. "I'm trusting you to take care of my little brother," he muttered seriously. "Please. Don't let me down."
Her mouth fell open slightly as he scanned the alleyway, and disappeared without another word. "Well-" she started to say, rubbing her neck.
"My big brother does things like that a lot," Mokuba volunteered. "He likes to make a big impression on people. You're just lucky you're not one of his employees."
She tilted her head to give the smaller boy a fond smile. "Well, since we've never been properly introduced," she said lightly, holding out her hand. Mokuba smiled proudly and shook it. "Hi, Mokuba."
"Hi, Ezra!" he said happily, clutching her hand even after the handshake and giggling as Anuba nudged the back of his leg with her cold nose. "I'll show you the way back to the 'base'. We should hurry there."
He led her through the streets and finally into a temple. She would have liked to look around it- it was very big, ancient, and beautiful- but he seemed anxious. They snuck into a back room and tilted a hidden door aside, and crept down a staircase.
"Hello!" Mokuba greeted everyone, in a loud voice that echoed throughout the room. "We're back!"