Title: The Pages of the Sky
Author: Obsidian Swirl 71
Rating: R
Pairings: Yami-Tea/ Ishizu-Shadi/ Joey-Mai/ Bakura-Marik
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Or anything else that could be syndicated.
Summary: Seto gets kidnapped by Gypsies. Ishizu and Tea struggle with impossible loves, and an old story is about to become more than a myth.
The Pages of the Sky
Chapter I
Emergence
She watched their shining smiles curve around the corner, leaving traces of brightness in the sweep of pedestrians passing by
the turn. She impulsively wanted to follow, to languor in the remnants streaming behind them like feathered wind, but the unrelenting weight of the hour was shackled to the hem of her blue gaze.
Ishizu Ishtar, ancient priestess and guardian now of newer days, hesitated briefly against the pull of responsibility, frozen in the taste of love mingled with the day's silken threads. She never thought of love without sadness; the need to be touched lived like a desperate hostage inside her heart. It hurt like hell, jailing her love inside of hope, but releasing her prisoner would break too many things.
'Now isn't the time to think about it' she admonished, brushing away the heartache clinging to her throat.
She turned her head gracefully, fingertips still on her neck, to watch another familiar figure heading for the same corner the Pharaoh had taken a moment ago. Seto Kaiba never walked anywhere without a purposeful stride. Ishizu wondered idly if he knew who was in his trajectory.
He was such a puzzle. He wove a web of denial around himself like a force-field. Skepticism was more an art-form than a defense mechanism for him, yet he managed to be completely open and adaptable in the business section of his world.
She sighed.
'He's seen so much. I've never come across anyone else so skilled at convincing themselves to believe their own deceptions.'
Still, she sensed that he was trying to preserve an unraveling illusion. It could be very enlightening to see what transpired from such a random street kissed meeting of the rivals.
Ah. Well, she would have to see how things were going between the two later. There were other things unfolding that were more urgent. Her thoughts shifted forward into her purposes for the evening as she walked away with the uncontrived regal grace that only the wise acquire.
Every time he looked into her eyes he fell into oblivion. Just for a moment before her smile jerked him out of his senses. In secret he spent days tracing the innocent shape of her mouth.
The small curves seemed hooked into the air of his lungs; her open smile was transcendence. Still, just looking at her lips he could taste them. He knew her passions, knew she looked like morning but felt like midnight.
He watched her lips from a warm mystical land. They moved, gently saying, " … so long. Maybe once I have more than an idea."
'Damn'. She had been speaking and he had not registered a single word. The thought was unreasonably charming.
"So, do you think I made the right choice?"
Oh, of course, Julliard.
"You sacrificed a lot of your freedom to follow this road; surely you were heading somewhere you wanted to be?" he smiled,gently adding, "A school's reputation is built on the strengths of its students. I think they are lucky you are doing them the honor".
"Ow" he took the tender punch to the shoulder like a man.
"Yeah, that might be going a little far" she said wryly.
"I guess … I'm just feeling kind of intimidated right now" she said after a moment.
"The beginning of anything is an overwhelming place." He acknowledged. "But doing what you are meant to do isn't nearly as terrifying as denying it. Think of it as going to live in the home of your dream."
She was silent for a moment, letting his words enter and saturate her doubt. She looked at the ground as they walked, because every time she met his eyes she got a little lost.
Her chest constricted. Her time with Yami was made of fragile things. She had to know his thoughts about the plans for her future life because, one day, he would have to leave her life. One day, there would never be another chance to ask.
But … if he had spoken about something that happened after he was gone, then she had stolen an infinite fraction of him from time. It was a way to keep him.
Her mind still pretended they could have each other, but her heart had translated that dream a long time ago. He had walked up long steps and through a gilded entrance into blackness.
Her spirit though, was artlessly grateful for the time they had. Whatever else would come, she had made the decision to keep company with the joy in their situation rather than the sorrow. She took his hand and kissed his cheek.
"I am ready for this" she said. "I think the Dr. Seuss-like parts of all this will be good for a laugh some day. It worked for him anyway." she gave a small smile.
"Dr. Seuss?" queried Yami.
Tea gave a sarcastic gasp. "Shocking … scandalous even. The literary neglect." she tsked shaking her head ruefully.
"There's a library in the neighborhood; maybe we should make use of it?" she said grinning crookedly.
"We could read in the park." Yami contributed. "Although, it might be considered a good plan to get lunch on the way."
That was a rather good suggestion on his part he felt. Even if Tea's shining laugh did distract him from savoring the
righteousness experienced by the bearer of an undeniable truth.
"Hmm" she giggled. "I've been wondering if you and Yugi agree on the menu."
"There are things we both love to taste." Yami smiled at the blush that swept across her cheeks. "Mostly" he continued, then laughed, "but he keeps trying to simplify my culinary standards. Apparently, my sense of refinement is obstructing my cheeseburger nirvana or something. It's kind of working, but I'll deny I ever said that if anyone asks. I do have an image."
Her laughter this time was interrupted.
"Yugi" hailed a dark voice.
Yami turned at the sound of his name to face the commanding approach of a young man whose presence was as dark as
his voice.
"Kaiba? I didn't expect to see you again so soon." He let the unspoken question hang on the nearby lamp post.
"Why would you expect to see me at all?" Kaiba smirked.
"It would seem we have a tendency to get caught up in the same events." Yami explained patiently.
'Not to mention, at some point you will conclude the time has come for a rematch' he refrained from saying.
"Not that nonsense again. Spare me any reference to your obsessive little psychosis, Yugi." Kaiba said scornfully. "I don't
have time to baby sit your imagination."
"Why is it Kaiba, that someone as rational as you cannot accept such clear and overwhelming evidence that our
connection to the past is real?" Yami asked, his gaze penetrating. He was irritated by the other man's refusal to accept
reality. He determined that there was no reason he should be suffering from Kaiba's foolishness. Of course, that had never
stopped him before.
"Why so resentful Kaiba?" Tea added. "You've spent enough time with Yami to know he's an honorable and truthful
friend."
"I see you've brought your groupie along Yami." Kaiba sneered coldly.
"Hasn't anyone ever taught you how to speak to people Kaiba?" Tea vexed.
"Whatever." Kaiba responded.
'How obnoxious' she thought.
'Typical' Yami thought, a dangerous glint in his eyes 'he gives nothing unless it is grudging.' He let out a long mental sigh.
Every time things seemed to get better with him, he would suddenly reject any semblance of friendship that had been formed,
and they were back at a cold and empty beginning.
"I thought you moved to New York. Did you come all this way just to insult us in the street?" Tea flashed.
"Yes" Kaiba spoke disdainfully "I missed you degenerates so much I had to travel thousands of miles just to exchange these
sparkling bits of conversation in person. The only thing missing is Wheeler here barking at traffic."
Tea snorted. "I see you're still recycling the same bitter comments."
"I'm just embracing the contentment I feel from pointing out the obvious." distain still dripping in his voice.
"Enough Kaiba! We have been your friends even if you do not return the feelings. Your arrogant childishness is undeserved."
Yami said sharply.
"I'll be sure to inform you if I ever give a damn." Kaiba returned.
"What's going on Kaiba?" Yami demanded, reacting to the edginess in the CEO's demeanor.
Seto Kaiba narrowed his electric cerulean eyes, tension visible in the line of his jaw. "You seem to be operating under some illusion that your desire to be involved in my business is appreciated, Yugi."
"Unbelievable" Tea hissed.
"Fine Kaiba. Have it your way." Yami withdrew. An argument would only give the other man an excuse to avoid the
understanding they needed to reach.
"Yugi, the only way I have anything is my way." He stated with imposing coldness. Blue eyes hard. The same eyes that gave
Yami a sense of home. He couldn't consciously recall his ancient life, but he felt some ghost of it in Kaiba's aura.
"How very limited" Yami stated sympathetically.
"Hmmh … well hopefully we can avoid the misfortune of crossing paths in the future." Kaiba said retiring the conversation.
There was no trace of regret, not a phantom of indecision in his expression or bearing as he abruptly parted company with the small space of sidewalk that had been their brief magnet.
From beneath the overhang of a nearby store, a man sauntered out onto the sidewalk. He leaned against the brick wall beside him and lit his pipe. His dark eyes trailed the three figures now aimed in two directions for a long moment before he slipped into the adjacent alley, footsteps whispering.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A spiky shadow stepped out from the shades of darkness. A fiercely beautiful boy moved down the sidewalk with war-like grace and ringing steps.
'Every night is ancient' he thought. 'A soul, no matter how old or lost, can always find its home in the night.'
He stared hard at the moon, as if, seeing only a little farther would reveal her secrets to him, but his enchantress always whispered a little to the east.
'I know it is the feeling of being captured by the moon I remember. … The way my life has been captured by my own mind.'
Being in that hallway, stretching along the walls … It gave him a scraped sort-of feeling. Like filmy vertigo.
/ Yami?/ the concerned voice of his other.
It's alright aibou. I was just thinking how familiar the moon is. The night always makes me feel nostalgic.
/ The sky looks incredible. Like being inside a dragon's eye./
'Like the stars battled and bled' Yami thought leaning into the cool electric wind. The night was a room of the darkest red and purple velvet, the dome draped in violet zephyrs, as if the moon had smoked opium. A night with intentions.
/You are thinking about Egypt tonight?/ Yugi asked after a moment.
Hmmm. Just that the sky is more eternal than any kingdom. It's looked down on all my answers.Even as an astral voice he sounded haunted, a little sad, but self-assured as always.
They stopped at an intersection. The lighting was a little hazier in this section of town, but Yugi could see well enough to know Joey was late as usual.
Yami was not feeling very patient, which was also usual. What the hell does he do to get ready that takes him so long?
/ Ha, I think he uses a complicated method of t-shirt selection./ Yugi said lightly.
They both snickered. Of course, they were late too. Just not as late. Yami's spirits lifted as they waited; the night was just too beautiful for sadness.
"Yug" the form of Joey Wheeler manifested behind the voice.
"Hey Joey, you're making better time these days." Yugi said, coloring his voice with playful sarcasm.
"Hey, I have a responsibility to share my beauty with the world. It's outta my hands." Joey quipped.
"Damn, no wonder it took forever." Yugi replied.
"Watch it." Joey growled.
Yugi gave him a well rehearsed look of innocence. "Watch what?"
"Watch the mockery, man, the mockery." Joey shook his head.
I know it's one of my favorite pastimes Yami threw in to Yugi who nearly choked on his laughter.
Joey sighed, then tried to trip Yugi while he was occupied with his laughter. "I may have to kick your blasphemous ass. No way around it. " he babbled as they reached the arcade.
"Define blasphemous, Joey." warbled a new voice. "Ten bucks he gets it wrong Yugi."
"Tristan" Joey growled again.
"Where's your sister, man?" Tristan laughed.
"Not here" Joey said distressed but satisfied.
"Too bad. I'll have to call her later." Tristan smiled brightly.
"Stay away from my sister!" Joey yelled. This had both of the other boys laughing. Joey glaring, which was cause for more laughter.
"Hey." Tristan said finally. "Guess who pulled up in his limo a few minutes ago?"
"Oh yeah," Yugi sobered. "Kaiba's back in town. I ran into him this afternoon."
"Yeah, he pulled up with Mokuba. What's he doing here?" Tristan asked. "I thought he moved to America."
"I'm not sure, but I think something's up." Yugi said. He filled them in on the confrontation Yami had had with him earlier.
"What the fuck is that guy's problem?" Joey said exasperated.
"Ah, the age old question." Tristan nodded.
"In general …" Yugi shrugged. "Odds are we'll find out what's going on with him at the moment though." He said pushing open the arcade door.
They walked into the dark, techno-lit room and the pulse of the crowd's energy. The colliding spirals of gaming sounds swam through the music in shredded ribbons, tangling in the hair and eyelashes and fingers of the newly arrived. The tendrils of sound and light pulled them into the depths of the room, searching for familiar faces as they moved along.
"God dammit" Joey swore, glaring across the pool tables at the back of Seto Kaiba's head. "Speak of the devil, and he's playing my game." Joey bitched.
"Patience grasshoppa" Yugi giggled.
"Hey! You guys want to play a game of doubles?" yelled a loud and familiar voice wrapped in a British accent.
They turned to wave their acceptance at their silver-haired friend, Ryou Bakura . A delicately bruised light framed him, frosting him with the softly falling petals of angelic virtues. A perfect illustration of deceiving appearances. His dark side was a storm.
"Hey Bakura" they said in turns.
"How's your evening been my fine fellow?" Tristan chuckled.
"Keen" grinned Bakura. "How about you lads? Feeling lively?"
"Yeah, the evenings lookin' up." Joey said watching a group of girls drift past.
"Yeah," Bakura chortled racking the balls, "I had my eye on a bird earlier, but she flew away on another's arm." He sighed.
"That slays me." Joey said dryly, causing another round of chuckling.
"A dark haired beauty; she ran off somewhere with twins if you can believe it." Ryou added.
"Well, there's no shortage of girls Bakura." Tristan stated. "And they have all kindsa hair."
"Hmph" Bakura snorted a quick laugh. "Spotted that did you?"
Yugi grinned but said nothing. As far as he knew, he was the only one of his friends that knew Bakura wasn't really interested in girls.
"Well, let's carry on shall we?" Bakura invited.
Joey smirked, feigning contempt. "Eager to lose, my friend?"
"Care to put your money where your mouth is, Wheeler?" asked a voice that was both smoke and silver. A feminine voice that was etched into his dreaming and waking states of awareness.
"My, my … Mai." He smiled. Mai Valentine to be exact, feel the love.
"My yourself. Any room for a lady in your game?" she smiled back.
"Absolutely." Yugi chimed in. "You can take my place. I'm going to play some of the new games."
"Yes" Bakura mouthed. Mai had a certain rep. as a pool player. "What was that Joey?" Bakura asked with barely contained glee.
"Just laugh yourself silly, Bakura. We're not getting beat by a girl." Tristan assured him sarcastically.
Mai smiled in anticipation. "This is gonna rock."
Yugi wandered off toward the video games. Right now the pharaoh felt the need for speed. He noticed that Kaiba had moved on to another game, presumably in the backroom since he wasn't visible anywhere. Nope, over by the DJ, talking to a set of identical twins? Weird. Kaiba socializing.
Must be the guys Bakura was talking about. Looks like they prefer Kaiba's company to the companionship of dark haired beauties.
/ Ha. Joey will have to wait for someone else to get through with "Vampire Crusades" now/
Yeah, me. But I don't think he cares anyway, Yugi.
They watched with identical amused expressions as Joey missed his shot and turned a fierce shade of pink, shrugging off the good natured ribbing in the aftermath.
/Mai and Bakura are going to clean up./
Metaphorically speaking.
/ Thou art right / Yugi rolled his eyes.
Yami took over and was immediately drawn into a skirmish with the game. He was always absorbed completely by any struggle he met, deliberately or otherwise, until he overcame it. Anyone can sense the edge of obliteration, only a warrior loves to dance with it.
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Seto Kaiba had no trouble finding his "hosts" for the evening.
They seemed to have no trouble finding their tongues. "Glad you made it, Seto; you're running a bit late. But you do look pretty. " The pair of them grinned.
Mr. Kaiba was much too schooled to flinch at the familiar use of his name. It hadn't inspired warm and cozy feelings either, though. He regarded them with articulate scrutiny.
The twins had shoulder length black hair, smart ass smiles, and were shorter than his six feet and four inches of height. But, what anyone would notice first was the amber, almost orange, color of their eyes. Eyes laced with a penetrating humour that most people probably appreciated.
He fixed the brother that had spoken with his classic "you're boring me and wasting my time" expression. "Let's be clear. I'm here for one reason, and I'm pretty sure you two are clever enough to remember it."
The twins shared a quick glance.
"Arben, you remember what it was right?" asked the twin to his right.
"What?! You were supposed to remember it, Artani." Arben claimed incensed. "I do everything."
Artani seemed to notice their company didn't share their cheerfulness. "I don't think he cares for our banter."
"How perceptive." Kaiba interjected. "You mentioned a name. You better hope you didn't use that name to engineer some sort of prank." Anger had begun to seep around the edges of his tone.
"On to business then." Arben intoned. "Get yourself a drink and meet us out back in ten minutes."
Kaiba glared at him. "A little dramatic, don't you think. Well, let me return the favor." He turned on his heel to go, but Artani stopped him with a hand on his arm.
Sincerity had replaced the mischief in his orange eyes. "We are trying to honor a very old debt made to your mother. Please understand there are good reasons to ask for a little ... discretion."
Seto hung a promise in his eyes. "If you are fucking with me or my family … regret will not come close to what you'll feel."
They both seemed to think nodding was the proper response. "Ten minutes" Arben affirmed.
There was a moment of maintained eye contact, then the twins turned and slid through the crowd to the front door. Gone, for the moment.
Seto sighed and went to get a drink. It was actually the only ten minute occupation in the arcade.
"Jack and coke." He told the bartender.
A drink of simple elegance. He reserved his complexity for other matters. He sat at the bar and turned to watch the room.
Mokuba seemed to be … was he flirting with that girl? She was eighteen at least! He shook his head. Ha, there was the mutt. Getting his ass kicked at pool. Damn, he was starting to miss New York.
"Your drink, sir." Smoke sketched the honey tinted light around the bartender that seemed to highlight his dark eyes with cosmetic warmth. He looked to be a man in his early forties, scholarly, but with a dangerous set to his shoulders that only an experienced eye would notice. Of course, it made sense for a bartender to be able to handle any … "occupational hazards".
Seto tipped the man and took a swallow of his drink, sitting back to think about the reason he was here.
His grandfather had been a gypsy; he knew that from childhood stories. He was having a hard time imagining, though, what his mother would have made them promise to give him.
Why now? She had died of pancreatic cancer, but why not leave it with his dad? She couldn't have known that he would follow her only days later, the victim of a highway accident.
His thoughts ran in circles like this for the next few minutes; then it was time to stop wondering and go get the answers that were waiting for him behind the back door. He finished his drink and stood up feeling a little light headed. A symptom he attributed to inhaling too much of the smoky ambiance.
He made his way to the back exit, the feeling of intoxication growing with each step, and stumbled through the door into the clear night air. He managed to make out three loosely ranged figures in the alley before the concentric veering of his sight tumbled over into unconsciousness.
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Yami moved among the games the way a kid stalked candy. Staying for long moments at selected games, he would suddenly move on again looking satisfied. He ended up back at "Vampire Crusades'.
They really put the man hours in on the graphics Yami huffed at Yugi's inner amusement.
"Yugi?"
Yami turned to view the young speaker. 'Damn.' And the source of his sudden blood sucking demise.
"Hey Mokuba." He said warmly. "Good to see you."
"You too Yugi. It's nice to be home a little while. I'm kinda worried though; have you seen Seto around?" Mokuba asked, his moonstone eyes troubled.
"Not long ago. Why? Having trouble finding him?" Yami asked kindly.
"Yeah." Mokuba answered. "Do you think you could help me find him?" he asked shyly.
"Ok, Mokuba. Sure. Let's look around. Where's the last place you saw him?"
"In the backroom. He was getting a drink." he added. "About thirty minutes ago."
A few minutes of searching turned up nothing. An hour of searching with the rest of the guys and Mokuba making phone calls turned up even more nothing.
'Where the hell would he have gone without Mokuba?' Yami wondered, worried as well now.
The answer was no where that he wanted to go, and Yami had a feeling that the mystery that had attached itself to Seto Kaiba was about to be unveiled.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------There was at least one other soul conspiring with the night sky, ensorcered in old wisdoms of scrying for portends and reassurance. She stole a moment to be held in the thrall of the blushing moon and Lothlorien woods she navigated.
A thousands times since she was a little girl, Ishizu wished she was close enough to drink the moon.
Music and warm light floated soft in the leaves. The snapping dance of campfires brought her attention back to the reason for her midnight hike.
She had to know why they were here. To have come so far was a declaration of purpose; the shape of that purpose, however, remained elusive.
She could pass as one of the Romany. She was blessed with her mother's dark and mysterious beauty, indeed she had been accused of being a gypsy more than once. Owning a museum required quite a lot of travel, sometimes bordering on the adventurous. She considered this to be the sweetest occupational hazard that could be dreamed up. She was ready to enter the Gypsy camp in spirit.
It was fortunate that the camp was large; there was a good chance she could pass through unnoticed but hopefully enlightened. She absently brushed the filmy red shirt she wore and stepped among the tents.
Her first steps were shifting, strangely unsettling, and surreal. … Like a dream caught in a lurching night. And she did seem to be gathering some odd looks. Still, she ventured slowly through the tapestry of campfires and slow smoking dervishes. The textures of commotion seemed hung in an impossibly long moment, and she instinctively blurred herself into more shadowy edges of conversation.
A rhythm snagged the back of her mind, turning her towards a circle of drums. Wild and haunting, deep and exposed, heavy mischief and drowning flame. Music slipped in and out of her like a bright devil, and she burned in a cadence that belonged to another world.
'Something …' She shook her head and something inside shifted into harmony with the earth magick swirled around the camp.
'Too late' she realized.
"Spiuni" came a hard voice.
She turned calmly to face the angry blue gaze of her accuser.
"You are a spy" he hissed. "Or do you come to find a husband?" he asked, hostility clenched in his jaw.
"Nicu." The man turned his jet black head at the name. An older woman approached them; a sense of power stirring in her wake.
"Marona." Nicu replied. "This woman is a spy." Turning to glare at Ishizu again.
The old woman, Marona, chuckled keenly. "Oh, she's more than that." She tightened her lips and gave Ishizu an appraising look.
"You would have had better luck in a different shirt." She scolded. "That color is only worn by a woman on her wedding day."
She paused. "Well chovexani, … What do we do with you?" her tone ominous.
A short middle aged man with a sweet face pushed through their small audience.
"What is this Marona?" he demanded. "Why is she here?"
"Yes." Nicu snapped. "By all means, let's have the tale."
Anyone who was nearby in the camp had stopped what they were doing and gathered around to discover the details of the commotion.
"The truth please, Ishizu. The wards were set to identify any stranger of … ability." Marona said firmly.
Ishizu's eyes widened slightly at the use of her name. This woman was a bit of a surprise. She decided on the truth, some of it anyway.
"I am simply curious to know what brings a caravan of the Romany into Japan." She stated." "You have taken pains not to draw attention to yourselves, yet you are prepared to counter even magical interference. Why are you here?"
Marona was silent a moment. "I am not satisfied that you have accounted for the reason why you are here. I am certain it is not simple curiosity. As for why we are here, that is our concern."
"Nicu." She ordered. "Make our guest comfortable somewhere."
That was fine by her; she had no doubts that she could leave when she wished. This way she might still get information. Nicu marched ahead of her, (foolish) leading her to her "place of comfort".
A small group emerged from the wooded trail leading into the camp. She narrowed her eyes. They were dragging someone. A man … and tall. A feminine shadow left their group and headed toward the main campfire as the rest of the tiny caravan stumbled towards her and her "host".
'Someone who lost a battle with his shotglass?' she wondered, watching as they drew closer.
'What … ? That is Seto Kaiba! God, what do they want with him?' Her mind began racing. 'Does this involve business? There is nothing random in the possibilities here, but how does it fit?'
"Have you become a married man in the two hours we were gone, Nicu?" asked the man on the right. She blinked. There were two of them. Both of their faces decorated with amusement and curiosity.
"No. Did you have any trouble?" Nicu demanded, face stoic.
The other twin tsked. "He didn't even grin, Arben."
"I know, Artani. I have a theory that it is not possible for his facial muscles to achieve a grin." Arben said watching Nicu's face.
The one called Artani sighed. "That expression is achieved quite often, though."
Nicu ground his teeth.
"It was fine, Nicu. Where do you want him?" Arben prodded.
"Put him in Nicolae's tent." He directed.
Then, he grabbed Ishizu's arm and steered her towards the tent closest to them. She was confused on many points at the present, but one thing she was sure of. She had no intention of escaping without some answers.
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