Author's Note: I used Babelfish for the German tidbits of this fic. It's handy, though sometimes I doubt its accuracy.
Access Denied
The Apple of my EyeBM
Pegasus watched Ophelia leave him in silence. Already he ached to have her by his side again, but with the Vampire Lord in such terrible condition, he worried that she might be in danger. The vampire didn't appear to be in any condition to control himself when he began to feed. Pegasus wouldn't risk exposing Ophelia to the dangers of a wounded, ravenous vampire.
The other Pegasus began to growl again, unnerved by the sudden silence. "I'm still here," came the quick reassurance, and the growling ceased once more. The nearer he approached the vampire, the stronger he picked up a sulfur smell. Wrinkling his nose, Pegasus took his sword and carefully cut his wrist on the blade. As the blood began to well up, the vampire's nostrils flared, picking up the scent. Pegasus wouldn't have thought that his doppelganger was in any shape to move, but the creature leapt, slamming the man into the ground.
The vampire made no efforts to be gentle, but Pegasus had been through worse. Compared with having a magical golden eye shoved into his head and then later ripped out again, the vampire's feeding was more like a love nip. However, had the situation been different, Pegasus wouldn't have been so willing to forgive the vampire for nearly gnawing his hand off. As it was, though, he did his best to ignore the pain and delved into his inventory for healing potions.
Healing items and the undead did not mix. If Pegasus had used a healing potion on the vampire, he would have caused more damage to the creature - maybe even killed it temporarily. With little other choice, he let it feast on his game avatar's life force.
Charred skin began to flake away, revealing tender, new skin beneath. With a shudder, the vampire shut its blind eyes, teeth sinking deeper still into Pegasus's flesh as though he were determined to leave nothing behind but a drained husk. Pegasus was eyeing his dwindling potion supply worriedly when suddenly the vampire released him. "How much more can you spare?" The creature's voice was raspy, but intelligible. His face still held the animal hunger, but his healed eyes at least contained reason again.
"I've got three potions left if you want to continue your little snack," Pegasus said lightly as he wondered how much more the vampire could put away.
The Vampire Lord Pegasus rose to his feet, grunting in pain. "Not enough. I'd drain you dry and still be hungry. I'll catch someone later. Thanks for getting me through the worst. Now let's go figure out how to prevent the end of the world."
Pegasus stared, wondering if whatever had happened had skewed the vampire's sense of humor somewhat. "End of the world, huh? I haven't been involved with anything like that since Dartz's namesake tried to summon the Great Leviathan and drown the world in darkness. So what are we facing? Ancient spirits? Mad scientists? Godzilla?"
Now it was the vampire's turn to stare, taken aback by Pegasus's flippant attitude. "Nothing quite like that. We've got to get the elemental rings back to their cities or else everything goes to hell in a hand basket. It's already started. I ran into volcano problems while leaving the Burning City. The magic in the rings makes the cities possible. With the rings gone, the cities are going to self-destruct dramatically and take most of the world with them."
Pegasus nodded in understanding as the current game plot began to make sense. Someone had stolen these rings and framed the other cities for the job, which would keep the more intelligent NPCs from going questing. The rings were probably stashed safely away somewhere, guarded by powerful monsters, waiting on players to come find them. And to encourage players to find them, cue the slow onset of Armageddon, creating a situation that was both simple and complex. Pegasus suspected that each city probably held clues to the rings' locations, and only by putting aside their city allegiances and working together would players be able to find the rings.
Pegasus and the vampire walked together in silence, each lost in his own thoughts. As the vampire stumbled, Pegasus reached out to steady him. That's when he caught sight of the fluttering of a green cloak. "Ophelia!" he called out, waving. How like the sweet girl to stop to wait on him!
Ophelia made no response to Pegasus's greeting. Something wasn't right. "Ophelia!" Pegasus shouted again. When again Ophelia didn't respond, Pegasus murmured a quick apology to the vampire and started running. As he reached his goal, he only found a cloak hanging from a tree, with no princess in sight. Desperately, he began calling Ophelia's name again and again, but no answer ever came.
As the vampire reached Pegasus, his frantic cries had stopped. Ophelia wasn't going to respond. Pegasus leaned against the tree, silently railing against whatever part of his fate seemed determined to rip away his happiness. The vampire proved to be more productive, examining the scene. "It's a set-up." Pegasus frowned and glared at the vampire, who began pointing. "Ashes and a scrap of feather cloak - makes it look like the Burning City and Floating City are working together. But look at the ground!"
Pegasus followed instructions and began studying the ground. All he saw, however, were plain hoof prints . Yet something about that fact bothered him. "If the Floating City were involved," Pegasus murmured, rubbing his chin as he thought, "then why didn't they fly away?"
The vampire nodded. "Good. You do know how to use your brain." Pegasus shot the other Pegasus a glare, wondering if he'd been around Kaiba too much. The vampire had certainly picked up a touch of Kaiba's natural sarcasm. "And here's something else to think about - none of the snow is melted. There's no way the Burning City could have been involved. It's a set-up. The real question is who's behind it all."
The vampire sat on the ground and sighed. Watching him, Pegasus realized that the creature was still far from healed. If he went back to the house, he could get some of the bottled blood that the vampires kept on hand. But then Ophelia's captors would get further away. As if sensing Pegasus's consternation, the vampire grinned. "Your friend's captors might make a tasty snack, Pegasus Knight." Vampire Lord Pegasus picked something up off the ground and held it out for Pegasus to see - a single pink freshwater pearl. "Perhaps this Ophelia wants us to find her. What do you think?"
"Oh! The clever, clever girl!" Pegasus began searching the ground, letting out a cry of triumph as he found another pearl. Even if the horse tracks were lost in the snow, they still had another trail they could follow. The vampire rose again, using a tree for support, and began following. Pegasus slowed enough for the vampire to use him as a support as they tracked their prey. Occasionally, Pegasus clenched his fist around the hilt of his sword in reflexive anger. Whoever stole Ophelia would pay dearly.
"You love this Ophelia?" Pegasus started slightly at the vampire's question, realizing that for a man who generally hid his emotions, he was being quite the open book at the moment. Pegasus nodded in silent admission, though if he permitted himself to be honest, it wasn't so much Ophelia he was in love with as it was her resemblance to his late wife. By his side, the vampire began to chuckle. "Hardly a profound profession of love, Pegasus Knight."
"You're right." Pegasus sighed, keeping his gaze fixed firmly on the ground so as not to lose sight of the tracks. "It's a bit complicated, though. I've been in love with a memory for so many years, and then I find that memory given form in this world. I can't turn my back on this chance to get back what I lost when Cecilia died. I think I do love Ophelia, but she's just so perfect that I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop."
The vampire nodded, though whether or not he truly understood, Pegasus couldn't guess. Even knowing that Ophelia wasn't truly Cecilia, Pegasus still longed for her. Was it foolish to love a computer program? Certainly Weevil didn't seem to think so. And if the vampires and sphinx were any indication, then computer programs were capable of loving in return.
A guttural voice barking orders jarred Pegasus from his reverie. "You! Get those tents up! Dispatch a message to the boss! Tell him we've got his pretty! Get a fire going before I freeze my ass off!" The vampire pushed Pegasus behind a bush, and the two began creeping closer as stealthily as possible.
On their approach, they found a group of rough-looking men setting up a camp. The vampire nudged Pegasus's side and pointed. "That her?" Pegasus tracked his gaze in the indicated direction. Ophelia sat off to the side, glaring at the bandits haughtily. Without her cloak, her shoulders were bare to the cold, but she refused to acknowledge any discomfort. Even with her hands tied and snow dusting her hair, she still maintained an air of royalty.
One of the thugs approached and began running his hands over the princess's body. Pegasus started to lunge to his feet, but the vampire grabbed him and held him back down to the ground. What happened next, Pegasus almost missed. While the bandit was making his move, the princess's hands darted out and grabbed his dagger. She slashed at the man, rolling to the side to escape his flailing. By this time, the princess had the entire camp's attention, though most of the men were staring stupidly. Ophelia used the moment of stunned silence to cut the ropes binding her hands.
The bandit that had received the princess's first attack had recovered and lunged, grabbing onto Ophelia's skirts. Ophelia drove the dagger downward, slicing at the fabric until the man was left with a handful of petticoat. Before the man could make another grab, Ophelia's foot hit him right in the middle of the face in a kick that would have broken a real person's nose.
"I like her!" the Vampire Lord exclaimed in approval. Pegasus could only stare, never having realized what a little tiger Ophelia could be. This certainly wasn't his Cecilia! But she was surrounded. Pegasus rose to go to the princess's aid, and this time the vampire didn't hold him back. "See if you can't get one of them close to me before I starve," came the vampire's orders. Pegasus nodded and joined the fray.
In his first attack, Pegasus managed to hurl one of the bandits into the bushes where the Vampire Lord waited. He barely had time to notice a pair of hands dart out to grab the bandit before he was fending off the next attack. Pegasus took full advantage of his sword's reach, keeping the bandits at bay. "Princess!" he called out cheerfully.
"My hero comes!" Ophelia chuckled, grabbing a second dagger from the belt of one of the fallen bandits. "I was starting to despair of ever seeing you again, Sir Pegasus."
"Well, I was going to jump in sooner, but seeing you in your bloomers stopped me in my tracks, love." Pegasus grabbed another bandit and hurled him towards the vampire. That looked to be the last of them, unless some had been smart enough to run away. Pegasus drew Ophelia into his arms, savoring the victory. "And where did such a refined princess learn to fight like that?"
"A lady must have many skills, Sir Pegasus," Ophelia murmured.
While Pegasus cradled the princess against him, the Vampire Lord came out of hiding and began rummaging through the camp. "Horrible, disgusting, foul!" the vampire complained, grabbing what looked like an abandoned bottle of whiskey. He pulled the cork out of the bottle and took a swallow, gargling. After he spat, he glared balefully at Pegasus. "Those disgusting apes have never heard of bathing! Ugh! I can still taste their flesh!" The vampire took another pull at the bottle.
"I thought you told me he wasn't a picky-eater," Ophelia whispered, an amused smile gracing her lips.
"No, love," Pegasus said, keeping his voice soft so as not to offend the vampire who was busily ranting about being poisoned. "I told you that at that moment he wasn't in any shape to be picky. Apparently even the undead have standards, however." Ophelia buried her face against Pegasus's chest, shoulders shaking with barely suppressed laughter.
The shaking soon turned to shivers of cold. Pegasus led the princess to the fire pit the bandits had set up, and started up a fire. Then he went to the abandoned horses and began rummaging through their packs. He couldn't find any suitable clothing, but he did return with a couple of saddle blankets. Ophelia wrinkled her pert nose at the smell of horse on the blankets, but she bundled up with no more complaint than, "Horrid beasts."
"You don't like horses?" Pegasus mentally added this fact to his list of ways that Ophelia differed from Cecilia. Cecilia had loved all creatures. Ophelia might wear his wife's face, but she was proving to be a far different creature than Cecilia had been. Not that Pegasus minded - the differences were an excellent reminder that this wasn't Cecilia he was dealing with.
"Ne- No," the princess muttered, stammering from the cold. "Bad experience." She leaned over, resting her head against Pegasus's shoulder. Pegasus wrapped an arm around the princess, enjoying the way she seemed almost tailor-made for cuddling against him. Until Ophelia, Pegasus had forgotten how nice it felt to hold a woman in his arms. She was warm and soft, and they fit together like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.
"If you won't ride," Pegasus murmured, "then I shall have to walk you home." Ophelia glanced up at Pegasus sharply, a protest already forming on her perfect lips - a protest which Pegasus silenced with a kiss. When they broke apart, Pegasus added, "I want to make sure you arrive home safely. If anything should happen to you..." Ophelia laced her fingers with Pegasus's, regarding him in silence before nodding. She would not fight this request.
The Vampire Lord, obviously feeling better, watched the two thoughtfully. Seeming to reach a decision, the creature nodded to himself and approached. As Dartz had done earlier, he took hold of Pegasus's hands and brushed his lips against the vein in a sensual farewell. "Wait here, other me. I will send proper transport for your princess."
The vampire spun his wings out of the growing shadows and took off. Idly, Pegasus wondered if the vampire's magic could create other things as well. It wasn't his business, though. "You are truly a rose among weeds," the princess murmured, squeezing Pegasus's hand.
"As are you, my princess." Ophelia shivered again and Pegasus pulled her against him. Whatever else Pegasus might say about the princess, she certainly wasn't shy - fighting bandits, parading around sans half a dress, pulling Pegasus's head down to meet her mouth in a fierce kiss. One kiss turned into two, and Pegasus stopped counting after that. All he needed was the moment. Nothing else mattered.
"Well, aren't you ever-so fair and charming a pair." Both Pegasus and Ophelia started guiltily as the sphinx stepped out from among the trees. Ophelia hastily readjusted the tattered remains of her dress. At the sight of the monster, the horses began to whinny in fear and pull at their tethers - survival instincts telling them that anything part lion meant danger. Ophelia shuddered and nestled closer to Pegasus. The sphinx merely regarded the beasts with a disdainful eye. "Those charming snacks are due for heart attacks."
Grinning, Ophelia added, "Well, brains they lack, and if they keep that up, their heads they'll crack." Delighted over someone playing along with her rhymes, the sphinx pulled Ophelia into a hug, crushing the princess against her bosom. With a touch of hesitance, the princess returned the hug.
When the embrace ended, the sphinx turned her attention to Pegasus. "I hear thou hast need for a dependable steed, not like those lack wits who only eat, run, and -" The rest of her rhyme was lost as Pegasus hopped up and covered her mouth, having realized the rhyme's logical conclusion. The princess did not need her pretty ears fouled by such language. As he pulled his hand away, the sphinx sullenly muttered, "Everyone crits."
Ophelia tittered softly, her laugh like the tinkling of perfect silver bells to Pegasus's ears. From her mischievous grin, Pegasus suspected that she also knew how the sphinx had been going to finish that rhyme. Still, at least he'd tried to protect the princess's innocence. Consoling himself with that thought, Pegasus helped Ophelia onto the sphinx's back, and then carefully took a seat behind her. He knew better than to try to ride one of the horses while in the sphinx's company.
The sphinx took off in a ground-eating gallop. Even when burdened by two passengers, she ran more swiftly than a horse. The scenery flew by in a blur, and Pegasus dearly hoped the creature knew to avoid low-hanging branches. In a relatively short time, the sphinx slowed to a stop outside the castle gates.
Guards met the group at the gate, weapons drawn as they regarded the sphinx. Obviously monsters weren't welcome here. The sphinx growled at the hostile game sprites, her tail lashing angrily as she paced back and forth in front of the gate just safely out of reach of the weapons.
Realizing that this was as close as they could approach in the sphinx's company, Pegasus dismounted and helped the princess to clamber down. "You were a much better ride than any horrid horse would have been," Ophelia murmured, giving the sphinx's side a quick pat. The sphinx smiled and ruffled Ophelia's already mussed hair before turning and dashing back amongst the trees.
Pegasus watched the sphinx leave, a solemn regretfulness weighing upon his thoughts. The creature had been a great help, yet because she was a monster, she was always viewed as a threat. The unfairness of the situation bothered Pegasus. Apparently it bothered Ophelia as well, for she was marching straight for the most decorated of the guards, waving a finger at him. "You! The next time that creature comes, she is to be treated as a guest!" The guard opened his mouth to protest, but Ophelia cut him off. "I know what she is, but she is a noble creature, and I will not see her treated in such a manner again. Is that understood?"
At some point during the harangue, the guard seemed to realize that this was a losing battle and simply began muttering, "Yes, Princess," at appropriate intervals. Pegasus followed as the guard began leading Ophelia inside, doing his best to stifle a smile. Cecilia had always hated injustice as well.
When they reached the throne room, Ophelia finally went quiet. A man that Pegasus could only assume was the king stared down at them, his face an angry mask. "What is the meaning of this, Daughter?" the king demanded.
"I was captured by bandits, Father." Ophelia's voice was soft and contrite, her expression downcast. "Sir Pegasus rescued me from their clutches."
The king rose from his throne and approached. "You have disobeyed me, Ophelia," the king growled in his deep, rumbly voice. "You were told not to leave the palace grounds. Until the ball, you are to be confined to your rooms. Under guard. I cannot wait for your betrothed to get here. Maybe he will be able to keep you in line."
Pegasus's mind nearly shut down at the word "betrothed." He'd told his vampiric double that he was waiting for the other shoe to drop, and drop it had - like a twenty-ton anvil. Ophelia - his Ophelia - was engaged! Pegasus sighed, wondering if he was merely a last fling for the princess before she tied the knot.
Ophelia clenched her fists and glared. "Don't give me that look, young lady!" the king snapped. "You will wed Prince Henry, and that is final. Now to your room!" As the princess stormed off, Pegasus almost wanted to laugh in relief. It was an arranged marriage! Ophelia no more wanted to wed than he wanted her to. "For rescuing my daughter, Sir Pegasus, here is an invitation to the ball two nights hence."
Pegasus accepted the invitation with an automatic bow, his thoughts still on Ophelia and her plight. As far as Pegasus was concerned, Ophelia should be free to follow her heart, but then his opinion was slightly biased. Once he was dismissed, Pegasus logged out of the game, grinning as his agile mind began developing the beginnings of a plan. And to think, only yesterday he'd been complaining about being bored!
As Pegasus stepped out of the virtual reality pod, his eye lit upon the files Siegfried had brought. Pegasus didn't really want to set a precedent for going over the Tenmas' heads. He'd handed them the reins to Industrial Illusions, and now it was up to them to sink or swim. Still, if they were turning away perfectly good business ventures, then perhaps a bit of discreet behind-the-scenes hinting would do no harm.
Of course, all of that was providing that Siegfried's ideas weren't complete tripe in the first place. Pegasus hadn't read a word of these files earlier. He'd just been pretending while he tried to decide whether or not to interrupt his state of semi-retirement. Plucking one of the folders off of the stack, Pegasus turned to the ever-present Croquet. "Be a dear and take the rest of these to my room. Then go see if the Schroeder boys would care for a bite to eat. You did let the kitchen staff know we have guests, yes? Good man!"
Satisfied that his duties as a good host were being taken care of, Pegasus opened up the folder and began to read as he made his way to the dining room. "Duel Pets," Pegasus murmured to himself, already intrigued. The idea was simplicity itself, building on the virtual pet fad from a few years back. A card reader such as what the duel disks were equipped with would allow players to raise and, of course, battle their favorite Duel Monsters. Magic and trap cards would give even the weakest monster an advantage in battle, and once a monster had reached a certain level it could be tributed for one of the stronger monsters.
Thoroughly engaged, Pegasus moved through his home by pure instinct. If anything had been blocking the hallways, he would have tripped over it. Pegasus reached the dining room while in the middle of a list of various monster special effects and how they could be adapted to the game. It was only when he realized that the cook was clattering around, taking longer to serve the food than normal, that he remembered that he had guests.
Hastily, Pegasus closed up the folder; amused at the way both boys were watching him as though their very lives hung in the balance. Putting on his usual enigmatic smile, Pegasus chose to ignore the boys to smile at his cook. "Everything looks and smells absolutely wonderful, Agnes. Thank you." It didn't escape Pegasus's notice that Siegfried's eyes never left the folder. "I'm afraid I never talk business at the table," Pegasus informed him, leaving the folder out in plain sight as a continuous taunt. Pegasus knew he was being infuriating, but he liked being infuriating.
Pegasus took a long moment to study the table, knowing that his guests would have had their manners so well drilled into them that they wouldn't start eating until he did. Soup, pasta, salad, and wine waited for the tasting. A surprisingly loud rumble interrupted the uncomfortable silence, and both Pegasus and Leon turned to stare at Siegfried. The elder Schroeder blushed the color of the soup - a delightfully tantalizing roasted tomato and pepper bisque. "Meine entschuldigungen," Siegfried muttered, so flustered that he slipped into his native language. Though he quickly added in English, "My apologies."
Pegasus waved off the boy's apologies, noting how he continued to stare at the food. Finally, Pegasus picked up a spoon and sampled the bisque. Though scrupulously well-mannered and genteel in his eating habits, Siegfried began tucking into the food as soon as Pegasus had taken that first taste. "Ziggy-boy, might I inquire as to when you last ate?"
Siegfried went still, and even without the power of the Millennium Eye, Pegasus knew that he was wondering what faux pas he might have made to bring about such a question. The boy managed a sheepish smile as he carefully twirled some pasta about the tines of his fork. "I had wine with you, Herr Pegasus, and coffee on the plane. Before that, yesterday, I enjoyed a sandwich for my midday repast. I have a tendency to forget about little things like food and sleep when I'm working, Herr Pegasus."
Pegasus found himself chuckling over Siegfried's admission. "You and Kaiba-boy are like two peas in a pod, Ziggy-boy. Work, work, work, and more work. While you're here, I want you to use this as vacation time. That means sleeping regular hours, eating regular meals, and for God's sake, try to enjoy yourself a little bit." A ringing phone interrupted Pegasus's speech. Blushing yet again, Siegfried took out his cell phone and checked the number. Then, he immediately passed the phone to Leon. As soon as Leon saw the number on the phone, he tried to pass it back.
The back and forth continued until Pegasus rose from the table and grabbed the phone. "Hello?" Immediately, a woman began demanding loudly, in German, to speak to Siegfried. Smirking, Pegasus held the phone out to the boy. "It's for you."
"Ja?" Siegfried sighed into the phone, looking every inch like someone being dragged to the gallows. "Ja, Mutter," he began repeating whenever his mother, whom Pegasus could still hear quite clearly, paused for breath. Pegasus had thought Ophelia could deliver a scathing harangue, but she was an amateur in comparison to the tongue-lashing Siegfried was receiving. Suddenly, Siegfried changed his tune with a soft, "Nein, Mutter." Instantly the shouting renewed itself. When Mama Schroeder had to once again pause to breathe - the woman had the lung capacity of a bellows - Siegfried launched into an explanation. The German words were too quick for Pegasus to follow, his experience with the language being rather rusty, but he did catch the word for "business" repeated several times, along with his own name.
With a cheerful grin and a wink, Leon offered Pegasus a bit of sage advice. "Never marry an opera singer, Mr. Pegasus. Your ears will thank you." Ah, that explained the strength of the woman's voice. Once again she was bellowing at Siegfried. Leon paid no attention, having most likely heard it all before. "Guilt trip," Leon explained as he went back to eating. "Apparently my charming brother forgot to let our mother know that we were leaving. She's always worked hard at keeping him under her thumb, making sure he'll be the perfect little corporate executive for father. It really irks her whenever Siegfried slips the leash." The CEO in question slumped down, resting his chin on the table and holding the phone away from his ear with a look of abject misery.
Seeing as how he'd caused the misery by answering the phone, Pegasus figured that he might as well put a stop to it. He plucked the phone out of Siegfried's hands and told Mama Schroeder in slow, precise German that they were trying to enjoy a nice meal, but he would see to it that Siegfried called her back afterwards. At least, that's what he hoped he said, though he couldn't shake the faint worry that he might have told the woman that he hoped elves would do obscene things to her in the middle of a busy thoroughfare. Quickly he turned the power off on the phone before the woman could begin screaming at him. "Your accent is atrocious, Herr Pegasus," Siegfried murmured with a grateful smile.
"Thank you, Herr Pegasus. Why, you're welcome, Ziggy-boy." Only the faintest hint of sarcasm tainted Pegasus's voice. "Now eat before your dinner gets any colder, or it'll be my turn to deliver a motherly scolding. And do call your mother back when you finish your dinner. I don't want you to make a liar out of me."
After dinner, under Pegasus's watchful eye, Siegfried turned his phone back on and began dialing. While Siegfried was under verbal attack, Leon took out his Duel Monsters deck and began shuffling through the cards. Smiling, he drew a hand and began playing against an imaginary opponent. Pegasus watched the boy for a few minutes, noting his tactics. Then he reached into a pocket sewn inside his jacket and took out his own deck. "Care to go a round, dear boy?"
Recognizing the honor of being invited to duel against the game's creator, Leon gathered his cards back up and once again shuffled. Then he offered his deck to Pegasus, as Pegasus did the same with his own deck. Leon handled Pegasus's deck with such reverence as he cut the cards that Pegasus found himself grinning. "Really now, dear boy. They're cards, not holy relics." Still, Leon's respect for the cards was pleasing, even if the boy didn't know the true history of the game.
The decks were passed back to their owners, and the game began. Since he no longer had the Eye to use as a crutch, Pegasus had to rely on skill, and he'd made a few changes to his deck to augment his playing style and strengthen his toons. Leon took the first move, setting a monster and two cards face down.
Pegasus nodded in approval, knowing that the boy was playing conservatively until he had a feel for Pegasus's playing style. On his draw, Pegasus felt a surge of triumph. "It looks like you're going to receive a taste of my most devastating card early on. I'll start by playing Spell Economics. This continuous spell will let me use magic cards without having to pay any life points if they have such a cost. And what do you know? My next card would normally cost me one thousand life points. Allow me to introduce you to Toon World - minus its nasty little price tag, of course. And then we'll just summon up the Toon Gemini Elves. Lucky for you they can't attack on the turn their summoned, hm?"
Even though this was just a tabletop game with no holograms, Pegasus could still sense the spirits of the monsters in the cards. He didn't know whether the ability came from having possessed the Eye for so long or if it was simply the true spirit of a Duelist in touch with his creatures, but whatever the cause, Pegasus was glad to have retained that small bit of magic.
As Leon studied his cards for his next move, Pegasus realized that the repetition of "ja, Mutter" from Siegfried had ceased. The boy still held the phone and Mama Schroeder could still be heard, but his attention was drawn to the duel. "Would you like to challenge me next, Ziggy-boy?" Siegfried nodded, turning off the phone without even bothering to give his mother even the slightest farewell. Pegasus was pleased to see Siegfried rid the room of that distraction. The game between Pegasus and Leon proceeded with the two staying neck and neck. Pegasus came out the victor, though he would have freely admitted that luck had as much to do with it as skill.
Once Leon gathered up his cards, he changed seats with Siegfried and a new game began. In the first move, Pegasus took a guess at the theme of Siegfried's deck. "Wagnerian opera? How unique! I love how you both use decks that honor your heritage." After that, Pegasus permitted the conversation to turn to business as he grilled Siegfried about the Duel Pets concept. The boy managed to play well enough considering Pegasus kept his attention divided between the game and the discussion. As Pegasus wiped out the last of Siegfried's life points, he waved a finger at the boy. "You realize that if I agree to allow you to use my precious game, then I'll expect you to behave yourself. I won't put up with any of these little tricks that you like to pull on Kaiba-boy."
The fact that Siegfried and Leon exchanged guilty glances didn't escape Pegasus's notice. The boys were apparently already up to something. Watching them scramble to put a stop to whatever trick they had in store might be fun, Pegasus decided. Of course, that was providing the game didn't monopolize all of Pegasus's time.
Pegasus gave an idle wave to one of the few constants in his life - the ever-present Croquet. "Coffee, please. We'll continue our negotiations in the sitting room. Much more comfortable in there. Would you care for some coffee, Ziggy-boy?"
"Ja," Siegfried answered, turning to Croquet. "Cream and sugar. Please." The "please," Pegasus noted, was nearly an afterthought. Young Siegfried certainly came from a background where he was accustomed to giving orders rather than making requests. Dealing with Croquet would be a good experience for the boy, then. Pegasus was the only one Croquet ever took orders from, and even then he had to keep in mind that there would come a point when Croquet might balk.
As Croquet left the room, Pegasus was surprised to see Leon follow. Siegfried rose with a languid smile, and Pegasus followed suit. Pegasus took the lead, with Siegfried following close behind. Annoyingly close, to be perfectly honest. The boy was practically tripping over Pegasus's heels. To keep Siegfried from stepping all over him, Pegasus slowed and took hold of the boy's arm, maneuvering him so that they walked side-by-side. "So, Leon mentioned that your mother used to be involved in the opera," Pegasus said in a half-hearted attempt at small talk.
"Ja," Siegfried murmured with a pained grimace. "That is where she and father met. I think she hoped that I would be a girl with a perfect soprano voice that she could make follow in her footsteps. She might have still tried to push me in that direction, but I managed to bribe my voice instructor with my allowance to tell her that I would never be able to maintain the volume for stage singing."
Pegasus found himself chuckling over this minor bit of duplicity as they reached the sitting room. It sounded like a stunt that he, himself, might have pulled. Working with Siegfried certainly seemed like it would be more fun than working with Kaiba, who the world knew had the sense of humor of a chunk of granite.
Next to the gardens and his studio, the sitting room was Pegasus's favorite room. He'd made it as comfortable as possible, as it was where he did most of his research. Ancient books, most the only copies in existence, rested on tables set in easy reach of the various leather chairs and the sofa. Pegasus settled on the sofa and watched as Siegfried began to browse the room. After examining several of the book titles, the boy turned to his host. "Do you truly believe in these sorts of things, Herr Pegasus?"
Pegasus affected disinterest as he picked up one of the many arcane texts. "Hm? Oh, I suppose the subject of magic interests me a little." He brushed his hair back out of his face for the briefest of moments, permitting Siegfried a brief glance at his whole face. The action was rewarded with a sharp gasp and a quick fumbling as Siegfried tried to keep from dropping the book he'd been examining. The boy really was far too easy to unnerve. "You should know what you're getting into when you involve yourself with Duel Monsters, Ziggy-boy. It really is so much more than a game, and your little Duel Pets might not be what you expect."
A knocking interrupted Pegasus, and he shot an irritated glance at the door. Croquet entered without waiting for permission, and began setting up for what he obviously suspected would be a long night of conversation. A full pot of coffee on a hot plate was set on the table. Cream and sugar followed, as well as a plate of sweet cakes. Then full mugs were passed to the men. Pegasus arched an eyebrow at the sight of the pale mixture in Siegfried's mug. "What, pray tell, is that?"
"Coffee," Siegfried answered simply, taking a sip and doing everything he could to keep from looking at Pegasus. "Leon made sure it's just the way I like it. He knows I am finicky with my coffee." Pegasus suspected that Siegfried was "finicky" about a great many other things as well as the boy stared fixedly at his mug.
Smiling, Pegasus propped his chin on his hands and watched Siegfried. The boy - no, young man - held a beauty that left Pegasus's fingers itching for a pencil. Pegasus had always enjoyed capturing beautiful things on paper and canvas, though after Cecilia's death that urge had faded somewhat. The Eye had used Pegasus as a tool to bring Duel Monsters to the world; it had needed Pegasus's talent and filled his head with visions that he'd needed to give form to before he went crazy.
Not that Pegasus had objected to being an outlet for a fate decreeing the return of the Shadow Games. Once he'd realized that the creatures he'd been painting were no mere visions of a deranged, grief-stricken mind, Pegasus had thrown himself into the work eagerly, feeling proprietariness for the monsters akin to that which a parent feels for a child.
But now, once again, Pegasus felt the urge to paint simply for the enjoyment of beauty. He knew that Ophelia had to be the cause - seeing Cecilia's face again, even if only as a game sprite, had thawed things in his heart that he'd thought frozen dead forever.
Pegasus rose to retrieve paper and pen, which he normally used for making notes during his studies. When he resettled, he began sketching Siegfried. Almost immediately, Pegasus realized that the sitting room was the wrong setting, but he could change that as he worked. As he drew, he began relating to Siegfried the true history of Duel Monsters; it was a history he would have shared with Kaiba when they'd first began their mutually beneficial business arrangement, but the Eye had allowed Pegasus to see that there was no way Kaiba would ever willingly acknowledge the existence of magic.
Siegfried still wasn't looking at him, Pegasus noted. He'd had no idea that the charming fellow would be so put out by a missing eye. At least he listened, though, which was more than Pegasus could ever say for Kaiba. Siegfried's gaze never wavered from his mug, except when he took a sip, and then he merely stared at the floor. As he talked, Pegasus set aside his sketch and stood, pacing the length of the room. He grabbed a series of photographs over which he'd pored many hours and dropped them in Siegfried's lap. "You don't have to believe me, Ziggy-boy, but I do feel that it is only fair to warn you. Even though the Shadow Games have supposedly ended, the spirits of the monsters still exist."
Siegfried flinched at Pegasus's nearness, wincing as a hand darted out to catch him under the chin. Pegasus turned the boy's face carefully. "I am not a hideous monster, and I would greatly appreciate it if you would stop treating me like one." With a shaking hand, Siegfried reached out to brush aside Pegasus's hair. Pegasus shut his one good eye, giving the boy silent permission to stare. He knew full well that the ravages of the Eye weren't pretty. After all, he had to wake up with this face every day. When Pegasus felt his hair fall back into place, he opened his eye again. "You've had a long day, Ziggy-boy. Take those," he pointed to the photographs, "and study them. Think on what I've told you and make certain that you truly want to involve yourself with my game and its dangers."
Pegasus turned his back on Siegfried - a sign that his lecture was over and that the boy was dismissed. He listened as Siegfried shuffled around, gathering up the photos and scurrying out of the sitting room. "Someone really needs to make a school to teach people what Duel Monsters is truly about," he muttered to himself once he heard the door close. "Too much work for me, though. Maybe I can get Kaiba-boy to do it. He likes work."
Of course, there were other things to do, such as rescue a princess from a marriage she didn't want. Pegasus settled back on his couch, and began working on his briefly abandoned sketch. He carefully blocked in a rose garden around Siegfried's form. Roses had been Cecilia's favorite. Pegasus wondered if Ophelia liked them too. Realizing that he was only putting off the inevitable, Pegasus took out his cell phone and began browsing through his programmed numbers until he found the one he wanted. One ring... Two...
"If this isn't important, then someone's fired," a gruff, familiar voice snarled.
Pegasus smirked, knowing that he was about to pester one of his favorite targets. He carefully made certain that he sounded utterly, sickeningly chipper as he said, "Kaiba-boy! How wonderful to hear your dulcet tones again. Do you think I could borrow your boyfriend?"