Access Denied
Coming Up Roses
Siegfried frowned as Pegasus released him. He'd expected shock from Pegasus, but not this sudden pushing away. Even as Siegfried watched, Pegasus's shoulders began to shake with quiet sobs. "Sir Knight?" Siegfried murmured, sliding around so that he was face to face with Pegasus. Gently he reached out to wipe at the tears falling down Pegasus's cheeks.
"Your hands are cold," Pegasus murmured. Siegfried tilted his head to the side and smiled at that simple observation. Sometimes focusing on the small details could help the illusion of reality, and that illusion, Siegfried knew, was what Pegasus wanted deep in his heart. He wanted to believe that the form Siegfried wore was his wife returned to him, and that would make Siegfried's plan easier to follow through on.
Pegasus took hold of Siegfried's hands and stared searchingly into his face. Siegfried returned the stare, keeping his expression as guileless as possible. "It is cold out, Sir Knight, and I am not wearing gloves." Pegasus drew his hands away and pulled off his gloves, which he held out to Siegfried. "You are too kind, Sir Knight. My hands thank you."
"Pegasus, dear lady," Siegfried was told. "That is my name."
"Sir Pegasus," Siegfried murmured. "You have the eternal gratitude of my chilly fingers." Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the vampire still sulking. Let the creature pout; Siegfried had what he set out to accomplish. He'd gotten Pegasus's attention, and given the man a chance to play hero.
For a moment, a faint smile broke through the fear and need playing across Pegasus's face. Deciding to press his luck further, Siegfried stood on tiptoe and planted a delicate kiss on Pegasus's cheek. He was rewarded with the sight of a blushing knight.
"If you two are going to make kissy faces, then I'm going home!" Dartz announced. "Come or not - it's up to you. But it seems like kissy faces would be more enjoyable someplace warm." Without another word, the vampire began to stomp his way back through the snow.
In a chivalrous gesture, Pegasus offered Siegfried his arm. Though Dame Chat's home was the last place he wanted to be, Siegfried rested his hands lightly on Pegasus's arm. He hoped this visit to the house would be less taxing than his first time there. Hopefully Pegasus would keep the vampires in line.
After several steps, Siegfried found himself leaning against Pegasus for support. His feet felt like twin blocks of ice. He tried to keep Pegasus from noticing, but Pegasus was watching him so closely that it proved to be an exercise in futility. "Lady Ophelia, what is wrong?"
Sighing, Siegfried poked a foot out from beneath his gown to reveal a dainty slipper soaked through. "Tsking" softly as he realized the problem, Pegasus wrapped Siegfried's arms around his neck and picked him up to carry him "new bride" style through the forest.
Even though it did no harm for his act, Siegfried did not enjoy playing the part of the helpless damsel. He wanted to seem at least somewhat capable. Sighing, he buried his face against Pegasus's chest to keep the other man from seeing him scowling. No pants, no weapons, not even a proper pair of snow boots - this form truly was helpless.
Siegfried and Pegasus weren't even halfway back to the cottage when a group of five players stepped out of the trees. Siegfried frowned as he saw the players had weapons drawn - flaming weapons. An assortment of mages and fighters glared at the two. "A Neutral and an NPC," one of the fighters spat. "Too chicken to pick a side, huh?"
Pegasus eased Siegfried to the ground and drew his sword. He held the weapon with the ease of one who was familiar with such things, a reminder that not all duels were fought with cards. "I fight for whichever side I deem to be in the right, and if the Burning City accepts such ruffians as yourselves, then perhaps they are not as in the right as they might think."
Quietly Siegfried began to run through the commands to bring up information on the surrounding players, worrying as he saw they all had at least five levels on Pegasus. Still, being in the game as he was gave Pegasus freedom from preprogrammed moves. Skill should be able to overcome power.
The leader - an over-muscled barbarian with the screen name "Dino King" - lunged for Pegasus. Pegasus shoved Siegfried to the side, taking the first strike in the abdomen. As Pegasus's health meter dropped alarmingly, he merely smiled. "You truly are an honorless little thug, aren't you?" And then Pegasus was in motion, his blade dancing a deadly circle of silver. Slowly Dino King's health meter lowered while Pegasus remained untouched.
When it seemed as though one more hit would finish off the player, Pegasus halted, his sword still poised to strike. Three of the rest of the group began circling around Pegasus; the other threatened Siegfried with his weapon. "Call them off, dear boy, or you'll soon have other things to worry about - such as vampires."
Dino King began to laugh. "What kind of fool do you take me for? There are no vampires in Sher Woods, and even if there were, it's daytime."
A bestial roar began to echo among the trees. Dartz dropped down behind the player that had Siegfried cornered. The player fell to the vampire's sword in just a few quick strikes. Meanwhile a blur of golden fur and feathers launched itself into the players surrounding Pegasus. Once the excess players were eliminated, Dartz crept over to Dino King, his face illuminated in a hungry leer. "After that work-out, you will be a fitting treat."
"What work-out?" the other creature snorted. "I fought more in that bout. One did fall to thy claws, while three fell to these mighty paws."
Dartz growled in annoyance at the sphinx. "But I had to find you and lead you back here! That took more work, so I deserve to finish him off!"
The sphinx laughed softly, amused by the vampire's arguments. "I see. So he is to be for thee a finder's fee? How silly!"
While the beasts argued over who would get the final kill, Siegfried watched the prisoner. "Don't. Please don't..." Dino King murmured pleadingly to Pegasus, his breath coming in quick, panicked gasps. "Don't turn me over to Dartz! I don't want to lose my soul again!"
"Aw! I missed the fight!" A new player joined the motley assembly, trooping out of the trees with a magic staff at the ready. He cut quite a dashing figure as his magician's robes billowed around lean body, but Siegfried had seen this mage in real life and knew that he was nowhere near as magnificent as he'd made himself in the game.
With a delighted laugh, the sphinx bounded through the snow to the wizard. "Oh, Weevil Mage! I was all the rage! To me the enemies fell! I fought so well!"
Weevil threw his arms around the beast, kissing her soundly. "I'm sure you were the best fighter here, Kitten," he murmured, running his fingers through the sphinx's hair. The fierce sphinx began giggling like a love struck teenager. Siegfried wanted to gag at the sappy sight
"Weevil?" Dino King's gaze turned to the mage; hope stirring faintly in his voice. "Weevil, it's Rex! Hey, be a pal and call these weirdos off!"
Weevil pretended not to hear, though Siegfried couldn't help but notice the satisfied smirk on the boy's face. He enjoyed having his friendly rival at his mercy. "So, Pegasus, who's the hottie?" As soon as the words were out of Weevil's mouth, the sphinx sank her teeth into his shoulder. "Ow! Kitten!" Weevil yelped.
"Thine eye did start to rove. I can't have that, love." If the sphinx managed to look any more innocent, Siegfried decided, then a halo would be flashing over her head. Weevil began to stammer apologies to the love of his young life, but she silenced him with a kiss. "Introduce us to your friend, else Dartz might give him an end."
"Yes, Kitten," Weevil murmured, giving the creature's neck a quick nuzzle. The boy ran through the introduction quickly, emphasizing to his friend that yes he had just attempted to player kill the real Pegasus, and no this Dartz was not going to feed his soul to an ancient beast intent on world destruction.
Weevil paused in his introductions as he reached Siegfried. "I am Princess Ophelia," Siegfried murmured, executing a perfect curtsy. He noticed Pegasus raise an appreciative eyebrow. Of course such a beautiful lady would be more than mere nobility. "Sir Pegasus rescued me from the gaping maw of the Vampire Lord."
Siegfried hoped he wasn't laying it on too thick, but his worries were set at ease as Pegasus put away his sword and swept him off his feet. "You never mentioned you were royalty." Pegasus's whisper tickled at Siegfried's ear, setting him off in a ladylike titter of amusement. He hoped that laugh wouldn't follow him back into the real world. Siegfried greatly preferred his manly chuckle.
"You never asked," Siegfried countered.
"A valid point, my lady. Though one hardly expects to find princesses throwing snowballs at vampires."
Being a naturally vain man, Siegfried rarely gave thought to the appearances of others. So long as he was at his most beautiful, what did everyone else matter? Yet being nestled in Pegasus's arms, it was hard not to make a study of the man's face.
Siegfried decided that Pegasus's eyes were his best feature, at least in this incarnation. They didn't exude sex appeal - Pegasus wasn't a hero in one of those silly bodice-ripper romance novels that Siegfried's mother was so fond of, after all. No, Pegasus's eyes were merely pretty, but filled with amusement and intelligence. They were the right shade of brown to remind Siegfried of warm cocoa on a cold day.
Idly, Siegfried wondered if the eyes of Pegasus's game avatar matched the eyes of the real Pegasus. Of course, Siegfried had heard the rumors that Pegasus was horribly disfigured, and that was why he only ever showed half his face. But the man was quite eccentric, and Siegfried felt that the way Pegasus wore his hair was simply one of his many odd little quirks. No one who had spent as much time in the limelight as Maximillian Pegasus would be able to hide such a deformity for long.
Perhaps one day soon, though, Siegfried would know for certain what Pegasus was hiding. Siegfried shut his eyes and smiled, his thoughts drifting to daydreams of a merger between Schroeder Corp and Industrial Illusions. He could see himself and Pegasus standing before a crowd of reports and shaking hands as the announcement was made to the world, with poor Kaiba drifting unnoticed at the edge of the crowd. Such a wondrous day that would be!
"You have a lovely smile, Princess." Pegasus's words jerked Siegfried out of his daydream. Siegfried allowed a faint blush to color his cheeks. Blushing on command was a skill he had mastered easily. All one had to do was create an appropriate mental image. Few things could make Siegfried blush, but humiliation was one of those things, and he briefly allowed his mind to conjure up a world of scornful laughter if his little escapade were discovered. Yet, he kept that smile Pegasus admired fixed firmly on his face; a dainty blush and a smile were perfect for creating the illusion of being enamored.
As Dame Chat's home came into view, Pegasus paused and turned towards the fool child that had tried to kill him earlier. "Rexy-boy, be a dear and toddle off into town to get the princess something to wear that's more appropriate for the weather." The pleasant smile fell from Siegfried's face as he realized that Pegasus was going to send this little peasant to pick out Siegfried's clothing. What was the man thinking? The boy obviously had no fashion sense. Just look at him! He was bundled in animal skins like a filthy barbarian! As if reading Siegfried's mind, Pegasus added, "And do make sure you pick out something nice, or else I'll be even more put out with you."
The boy began to sputter indignantly. "Me? Why do I have to go shopping for the girly stuff? Make someone else do it!"
"Because you annoyed me with that whole player killing nonsense," was Pegasus's simple reply. "This is part of your penance. If you don't do it, I'm sure my friends here would be delighted to hunt you down whenever you're logged in the game." To emphasize Pegasus's point, both Dartz and the sphinx began to growl menacingly. "So, what will it be, Rexy-boy?"
"Geez! I'm going, I'm going!" Muttering imprecations under his breath against monsters, multi-billionaires, and stupid princesses, Rex altered course towards the town. Siegfried hoped that the boy would find something for him in lavender, for that was his favorite color. But Siegfried highly doubted that he would be that lucky.
As the group entered into the house, the beautiful, blessed warmth was the first thing Siegfried noticed. Siegfried sent out a silent prayer of thanks to the gods of flame for the fire crackling merrily away in the fireplace. He watched with faint amusement as the monsters began puttering around with domestic tasks.
The sphinx strode purposefully into the kitchen, and soon Siegfried heard the telltale rattling around of dishes that told him tea was being prepared. In a home where two of the three inhabitants lived on a diet of blood, it seemed logical that the kitchen would fall under the dominion of the creature that most likely preferred a bit of variety in her diet. The familiar clattering reminded Siegfried of the days when his father would be in a rage over something or other, and Siegfried would take a book and hide out in the kitchens. He'd learned to love the noise and the smells, though he'd never learned to cook. Such menial tasks had always been beneath him.
While the sphinx took over the kitchen, Dartz and Weevil began moving the couch closer to the fire. Once they were satisfied with the couch's position, they motioned for Pegasus and his royal burden to sit. Pegasus did so, and Dartz began helping Siegfried out of his cloak, which was soon hanging by the fireplace to dry out. The slippers soon followed suit. Dartz even parted with a blanket from a pile of the things before burying himself under the rest.
With a contented sigh, Siegfried nestled against Pegasus. Though it was only mid-afternoon in the game, evening was fast approaching for Siegfried in the real world. He managed to stay awake long enough to enjoy a mug of hot herbal tea. Afterwards, though, the day's exertions combined with the comfortable warmth began to take its toll as Siegfried's eyelids grew heavier and heavier.
Siegfried certainly hadn't meant to fall asleep, but he realized that's what he'd done as the crack of a log splitting in the fire jerked him awake. For one disoriented moment, Siegfried wasn't sure where he was, but as his eyes settled on Pegasus everything came back to him. Upon realizing that his "princess" was awake, Pegasus averted his gaze, a guilty flush reddening his cheeks. That was all it took for Siegfried to realize that Pegasus had been watching him the entire time that he'd been asleep. Siegfried felt himself blushing as well, and not on purpose this time. There was something flattering in that kind of attention.
Slowly, Siegfried sat up and began taking stock of his surroundings. Through the window, he could see that full dark had settled upon the game world. Dartz had gone, presumably to hunt. Weevil had also left. Only Pegasus and the sphinx remained with Siegfried. The monster pointed to a pile of clothing. "Rex brought thee these. Now thou should stay warm with ease."
Reluctantly, Siegfried rose from the couch and began gathering up the clothes. As he recalled the difficulties he'd had getting out of the dress at the castle, Siegfried decided maybe a bit of assistance would be in order. "Kitten?" he asked hesitantly. He hadn't remembered the beast having a name, yet he'd distinctly heard Weevil address her as such.
Much to Siegfried's surprise, the beast began to laugh. "Only Weevil Mage calls me thus. 'Sphinx' will do if name me thou must."
"Sphinx," Siegfried murmured to correct himself. "Might I ask your assistance?" Of the three self-aware creatures, the sphinx was the one he felt was the most intelligent. Her speech might be archaic and programmed to rhyme, but her mind was as agile as a squirrel bounding among tree limbs.
The sphinx rose to her feet, stretching before beginning to ascend the staircase to the cottage's single bedroom. "Follow, Princess, and I shall help you dress." Siegfried did as the beast bade, marveling at how easily she maneuvered her bulky through the cottage's relatively small space.
Once the door was closed, the sphinx began picking at the lacings on Siegfried's dress. As she worked, she kept a close eye on Siegfried, a faint smirk touching her lips as though she kept an amusing secret. When at last she pulled the dress off, she broke her silence; her words almost sent Siegfried into a panic. "Thou art like us; a lucky thing for Sir Pegasus. Take care, for he has been hurt deep, though I know not what secrets his heart does keep."
"I... I don't know what you're talking about!" Siegfried insisted, unable to bring himself to meet the monster's gaze. He'd underestimated the creature, and though she thought he was a game character, the sphinx had edged a little too close to the truth for comfort.
"Oh, that is rot!" the sphinx scolded mildly as she began helping Siegfried into the clothes Rex had brought. "But tell your secrets I will not. Thy secret is thine, not mine. Just know there are others. Thou hast a sister and brothers."
"I'm not like you," Siegfried muttered stubbornly, being honest for once even though the beast would never believe him. The sphinx did not bother trying to correct Siegfried again. She merely chuckled to herself as though he were nothing more than a child whose hand had been caught in the cookie jar.
As soon as he was dressed, Siegfried wasted no time in escaping the confines of the room. Pegasus rose from the couch as Siegfried came into view, his expression filled with a pure adoration usually reserved for visions of heavenly hosts. "I must be away, Sir Pegasus," Siegfried stammered quickly, wanting to get away from the prying eyes of the sphinx. "The palace is probably in an uproar."
"Will I see you again?" Pegasus asked, and for a moment Siegfried almost smiled. He'd never thought of the great Maximillian Pegasus sounding like a character from a cheesy romance movie until that moment.
Siegfried stood on tiptoe and lightly kissed Pegasus's cheek in what he hoped was a chaste, princessly sort of kiss. "Tomorrow, Sir Pegasus. I will try to return here so that we may take lunch together."
Once their farewells were said and Siegfried felt he was a safe enough distance from the cottage, he logged out of the game, leaving the princess to find her own way home. He made his way out of his computer room to his private bath chamber, where he began drawing a bath for himself. Normally, Siegfried would have had a servant take care of this menial task, but tonight was not a normal night. Tonight, Siegfried wanted to be alone with his thoughts.
Once the pool-sized bath was filled, Siegfried stripped and slid into the water. In his mind's eye, he could still see Pegasus watching him with a look of total longing. And for the first time since he'd come up with this plan to get close to Pegasus, Siegfried began to have his doubts. Being in business meant being ruthless, but were there some areas that should remain taboo? Was he crossing into those areas? Did his actions make him a monster, or could he spin the situation somehow to seem the saint?
How badly was Pegasus going to end up hurt?
It was that last thought that bothered Siegfried the most, oddly enough. Now that he had begun this little foray into Pegasus's heart, he could see no way to keep from hurting the man. Siegfried could not play the part of Ophelia forever, yet if she just disappeared or was reverted back to her original file configuration, Pegasus would be losing his love a second time.
The jangling of the phone jarred Siegfried from his reveries. The phone was kept near the bath because sometimes Siegfried conducted conference calls while he enjoyed a leisurely soak. "Ja?" Siegfried answered.
"Siegfried, you stupid shit! What the hell are you playing at now?" the voice at the other end of the line bellowed.
"And a good evening to you as well, Herr Kaiba," Siegfried responded mildly.