"Now boarding for Duelist Kingdom" An airy voice said over the loudspeaker. "that's us!" Yugi said as he and the rest of the gang walked forward. "I'm so excited!" Tea said. "Yeah. Hopefully we'll get this business done soon so we can party!" Joey said, laughing loudly. "Did you remember your sunscreen, Joey?" Tristan asked him. "Grr…yes, I did. Serenity made me take it." He sighed. "What is it with you people and sunscreen?" he said.
Yugi glanced behind and saw Alyssa looking around. "First time to the airport?" Joey asked, noticing the same thing. "…Hmm?" She asked. "Oh…yes, it is." She told him. "Congratulations." Tea said. Thanks" Alyssa replied, smiling.
"Oh! I'm sorry!" She said a few moments later, bumping into someone. Turning to apologize, she backs towards the group, hitting into another passerby. "Excuse me she says, turning towards them. Suddenly a wave of people leaving for the Bahamas passes through their section, carrying her away in the crowd. "Sorry! Sorry. I'm sorry. Oh! I'm sorry! Excuse me. pardon me. Might I…sorry…Um, I need thr-sorry!"
Shaking his head, Yami takes over and walks into the crowd, retrieving a very red and embarrassed Alyssa by her elbow and leading her out of the masses. They finally make it out of the swarm and back over to the group. Everyone turns to look at her, and she looks away and casts her eyes downward as she notice the Pharaoh looking at her.
"Well, I kept bumping into people and I didn't want to be rude…" she mumbles. The Pharaoh just laughs and she turns even redder. "It's okay. Now come on! We've got to be going."
They continue walking. "Aye…security." Joey groans. "Place your bags onto the belt and step away please." A woman says. The group places their various suitcases and bags onto the moving belt as they go underneath the XRAY machine. Alyssa pauses behind the woman and watches the bags go through on the monitor. "May I help you?" the woman asks her. "Oh, no, I'm fine." She says nervously, and scoots to the end.
As the luggage reaches the end, each person takes up their bags in turn and starts off. "Hey, Alyssa, where's all your stuff?" Joey asks her as she slings her bag over her head in the mail-carrier style. "Oh…" she says, playing with her hands. "Did you forget something?" the Pharaoh asks her. "We can go back. "No it's fine…" she says. "It's okay. We don't mind." Tea says. "No, it's…that is to say…well, it's …it's just… this is all I have, so…" She blushes again, embarrassed and looks away. "Oh…yeah… I forgot." Joey says. "It's nothing. Let's just go." She says quickly, studying her shoes.
"The gate's this way." Yami says, adjusting the bag he is carrying on his shoulder. "Great!" "Alright!" The group mixes in hurried, nervous tones. They continue walking throughout the airport before they finally come to their destination, where they can see a few men awaiting their arrival.
"Yugi Mutou?" A man in a dark, black suit asks them. "Yes." Yugi answers, having switched back. "And who are all of these people?" Another one asks. "These are my friends. They'll be coming with me." He states. Two of the men look at each other and nod their heads. "Okay then. This corridor leads onto the jet." One of them says. "Great." Yugi says. "Where do you want us to put our luggage?" Joey asks, adjusting his shoulder bag again. "We'll take care of that." One of them says. Each in turn hands them their bags. One of the men comes to Alyssa and tries to take her bag, but she backs up a few steps and holds onto it. "No…thank you. I'd rather hold on to it myself." She tells him. The man looks her up and down, and she can feel his gaze scrutinizing her faded clothing. "It's okay." Yami says, putting a hand on her shoulder and having once more taken control of Yugi's body. "It'll be just fine." Hesitating, she holds on to it, but concedes and allows the man to take it, removing it from her shoulder. She watches him exit down a different corridor when she feels a hand on her shoulder. "It's going to be fine. He's just going to put it in the cargo area. You'll get it when we land." The Pharaoh tells her. Feeling her cheeks getting warm, Alyssa scurries to catch up with the rest of the group. The Pharaoh merely shakes his head, smiles, and follows after.
--The doors to the Pharaoh's bedchambers are opened for her once more by one of his servants as Alyssa leans against the wall for support as her breathing returns to normal. She had run to the room from the room she had been working on. She hadn't had time to think of a song for him tonight. She had begun thinking of a melody, but she had not practiced or tried it. She hoped everything would work out on its own, and she said a silent prayer to the gods to help her.
"Miss…Miss…MISS!" One of the servants calls to her, bringing her back to the world. "Oh…I'm sorry." She mutters, straightening up and stumbling forward. She hadn't slept in a day and half, and hadn't eaten in two. She was all out of money now, and her lunch rations were only enough to feed her parents.
She entered into the room and placed a hand against the wall for support. "Good evening, my Lord." She said, and placed her palms together, bowing as she usually did. Once she was done she leaned up against the wall. "Has the day treated you kindly?" she asks him. "Yes, it has." He answers her. "And you?" he replies, raising his eyebrows at her noticeably weakened state. "Hmm?" she asks, opening her eyes. "I'm sorry my Lord; yes, I've been well."
"Really?" he asks, not believing her, and for obvious reason. "Yes, I'm fine." She repeats. Hesitating, she tells herself that she has to confess that she can not come anymore. "What is more important?" her brain demands of her. "I…I'm afraid…that…"
"Yes?" The pharaoh asks. She sighs. "I'm afraid that my song might not be as well as usual tonight, my Lord. My hands are rather tired and sore from a few occurrences. I shall promise to have it better tomorrow." She says. "That is fine." He says to her. "Do you think you should play on it tonight then?" he asks. "I would not wish you to do yourself harm." He says. "It's a sign!" her brain says. "Tell him!"
"It should be fine." She says, quieting her thoughts. "Shall I begin then?" she asks. "Yes…you may." The Pharaoh answers, looking at her as she unsteadily straightens up.
She raises her instrument to her lips and plays a song, but not the song she intended on. Instead she poured into it her sorrows, her pressures, her longings and unanswered wishes. It was a very soulful tune, as sad as her others happy. Indeed the room was quiet once more, and many a tear was shed from those whose would normally boast possession of a dry eye.
"Rather different from your others, no?" the Pharaoh asks her, watching her for signs. "This one was not a light and merry melody that you usually come up with. Tell me; is there a grievance upon your heart?"
"No, my King. It is only that I am rather tired. I apologize; I shall try to think of something lighter and more cheerful for tomorrow." She offered, her eyes wanting to fill with tears. "Are you positive that you are alright?" he asks her yet again. "Your skin is pale and you have trouble remaining upright on your feet, and there are circles under your eyes. You look a little undernourished as well." He said.
"No!" she answered quickly…a little too quickly in fact, and he raised his eyebrows. "I mean, I am well at home, my Lord. It is only that I am tired. I shall try and rest some more."
"Take the day off tomorrow, so that you might get well." he tells her. "I would not want such a talented musician to fall prey to harm due to lack of sleep and stubbornness." Inwardly panicking, she merely said "Yes, my Lord." And left the room, leaning an arm against the wall for support.
Once outside she began thinking. "I can't disobey an order from my Pharaoh! What if he were to catch me? What then?"
"But you have nothing left. You must go." Sighing, she knew she'd have to be cautious. To disobey the Pharaoh could mean death, though she hardly thought it would be fair. She decided to wake up the next morning, work the first half and rest while thinking of a song for the next.
She entered her house and went about her normal routine of putting away that afternoon's lunch. Her stomach growled as she set it down but she did not consume any of it. She stiffened her resolve to help her parents first. She'd figure something else out later. She walked over to her mat and laid down on it. She scrunched up her eyes and nestled her head deeper into her arms.
"Why do some things have to be so hard?"
"Now, I don't know about you, but I could get used to this." Joey says as he rests his arms behind his head. Tea and Tristan sit opposite the others, while Alyssa, Joey, and Yugi sit on the back seat. The group has been talking for some time now. The Pharaoh, who somehow had enough room to sit next to Yugi speaks with him. "Did you enjoy the plane ride?" Yami asks him. "Hmm?" Yugi says, turning to look at him. "Oh yes." Yugi says. "It was great. But I think I know someone who enjoyed it more than us all." He says. The Pharaoh takes the empty seat opposite to Yugi, though none of the others notice and looks over at Alyssa, currently looking out the window. "Yes, she did seem to enjoy it."
A scene comes back to him from when they entered the plane. It was impressive, and he heard her gasp in shock. The group walked forward and chose their seats. "…so, where do we sit?" she asked as she had seen them walking around. "Wherever you want." Yugi said. "You mean…we sit here?" she said, flabbergasted. "Well…yeah." Joey said. "Where else do you think you're going to sit?" Tristan asked. "But it's so…so…" "Fancy?" Tea said. Joey collapsed into a chair and kicked it back. "Ya gotta give Pegasus credit for one thing. He knows how to ride in style."
At that point she went around looking at the seats. "They're all so nice." She said as she heard Yugi laugh. "I don't know which one I'm supposed to go in." "Well why don't you just sit here?" Yugi asked and gestured to one of the seats near him. She went over and sat down. "You sure you don't mind?" She asked him with hopeful eyes. "Of course not. It's fine." He said. She looked happier than she had since they'd met then, and she settled into the chair.
A movie screen had come down and she had gotten excited. An older film played that he had seen before, but she watched with attention as she had never viewed it. Halfway through the video, she had fallen asleep on his arm. It had been the Pharaoh's then, but she hadn't noticed in her excitement. Yugi looked across and knew that was what the Pharaoh was thinking about.
"So what's up?" he asked him bluntly. "Hmm?" The Pharaoh said, breaking out of his trance. "You like her then?" he asked him, a slight smile on his face as if he were teasing? "What? Oh…no…" The Pharaoh said. "She's pretty." Yugi commented to him. "Oh yes, she's very attractive." The Pharaoh replied. Yugi chuckled as he saw the Pharaoh enter into another spell.
The limo slows to a halt and they saw the driver get out. "Eh? What's he doin?" Joey says. The driver disappears for a few minutes before some members (namely Tristan and Joey) become a little irritated. "That's it. I'm going to check and see what he's doing." Tristan says. "Me too." Joey says. They get out of the car and walk over to the store. Stretching her arms out, Alyssa says "Might as well stretch our legs while we've stopped." She opens her door and climbs out, the others following suit.
They walk around for a few seconds before Joey return. "I don't get it. Where could he have gone?" Joey asks. "What do you mean?" Tea says. "No one's here!" he says. "What?" The Pharaoh asks. "No one!" Joey repeats. "Oh, I'm sure there must be someone here." Tea says. "No. I checked. The buildings all locked up and it's dark inside."
At this point, Tristan returns. "He's not in the little boy's room." He says. "Where could he have gone?" Tea asks. "He couldn't just disappear into thin air."
A low roar can be heard in the distance. "What's that?" Alyssa asks, shielding her eyes with a hand and looking down the road. "It looks like it's coming this way." Yugi comments to Yami. Only a minute later a motorcycle gang can be seen tearing up the road. "Get inside!" Tristan yells running toward the building. "But, the buildings are locked!" Joey says. "What?" Tristan asks, but it is too late. The bikers have caught up with them and chase them into a tight circle, their backs to each other.
"Well, well, well, what have we got here?" One of them says. "Looks like a couple of tourists." Another answers. "Tourists on our turf." Another says. "Turf? What do you mean 'turf'?" Tea asks. "This is just a broken down convenience store on the side of the road!"
"But it's our broken down convenience store on the side of the road." A different one says. "We should teach them a lesson for messing with our property" another member adds. At this the group gets slightly tighter. It does not go unnoticed by the Pharaoh that Alyssa takes a step in front of him, as if protecting him, as he had switched to protect Yugi.
"Guys, guys, guys." The first one says. "You know how we treat travelers. We give them a warm welcome." "Yes. Let's be 'ospitable, eh?" one of the bikers repeats. "I agree." Says the third. "Yes…a warm welcome indeed." The leader comments and pulls out a chain. The others of the group take out their own weapons, ranging from clubs and chains to knives. Everyone gets into fighting stances, preparing to take on their attackers. "Raaar!" the leader waves, pulling back his chain. Suddenly a whizzing sound is heard, and the man's chain breaks in two.
"What?" The group asks as they see their leader fall to the ground. He gets up a second later, furious, and a scratch mark bleeding on his face. "Get them!" he shouts and the gang moves in. Quickly Yami, Yugi, Tristan, Joey, Tea, and Alyssa scooch around towards the car. The girls climb in as Tristan climbs into the driver side door. "Have you ever driven one of these before?" Tea asks him nervously. "No, but I'm gonna learn." He says, shifting the car into drive.
"Joey! Get over here!" the pharaoh calls out, standing by the door as Joey crouches down to the ground and picks something up. He looks up as another new biker drives past him and takes whatever was in his hand. Alyssa bursts out of the door and runs to grab him, pulling him along. "We've got to go!" she tells him. Both dive into the car as the Pharaoh climbs in and shuts the door. They are quickly sucked to the back of the seat as Tristan floors the gas pedal, tearing them away from the perilous scene.
Through the back window, they see the run down gas station explode…