Secret Admirer
Riddle Six: The Final Challenge of the Scavenger-Treasure Hunt
.nachzes black-rider

Dedication: To Willowwind Adurois, who has been my best friend for six years. May you continue to bless my life with your presence for six years to come, and more.

Téa's cerulean eyes widened as she glanced round the RV lot, her hair blowing about in the wind. "Oh my," she said finally. "How are we ever going to find that clue?" She laughed weakly, Yugi joining in. "Well," she said, some of her old spunk returning, "let's start looking. Yugi and I will take the right, and Joey, you and Tristan can search the left. If one group finds something, have the sales booth make an announcement, and we'll all meet over there. Okay?" The other three nodded, and Téa closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and exhaling, then opened her eyes, grinning. "Alright—everyone, let's do the friendship cheer." The four stuck their right hands out, forming a circle around them, and Téa uncapped a marker, quickly drawing a happy face on the backs of their outstretched hands. "Great," se said, re-capping the pen and smiling wide. "Let's go!" The four cheered and broke apart, Yugi and Téa heading in one direction, Joey and Tristan in the other.

xOxOx

A good half an hour later, both Yugi and Téa were beginning to get frustrated. "This," Yugi panted, climbing down from the top of some cupboards in a trailer, "is useless, I swear." He jumped out of the trailer and plopped down on the ground next to Téa, attempting to run his hand through his hair, and grimacing when his fingers got stuck in a snarl. "We're never going to find anything," he sighed, squinting up at the sun.

"Hey," Téa said, prodding him in the side with her elbow and grinning. "Cheer up," she told him. "What about the heart of the cards?" Yugi laughed, the chuckled half-consisting of a groan at the bad pun. Téa grinned at him, and stood up, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "C'mon," she coaxed, holding out a hand, "it's not over until it's over."

"Brilliant deduction, Sherlock," Yugi groaned, accepting the hand up. Looking up at her, a sad sort of smile flickered across his lips. "Whoever he is, Téa, I hope he's serious," the boy said. Téa smiled back.

"I hope so too, Yugi," she said softly. "I hope so too."

"WILL TÉA GARDENER AND YUGI MOTO PLEASE REPORT TO THE SALES BOOTH! THAT'S TÉA GARDENER AND YUGI MOTO, PLEASE REPORT TO THE SALES BOOTH!"

Both teens perked up, and Téa grinned at Yugi. "Looks like Joey and Tristan have found the note," she said.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Yugi asked, grinning. "Race you to the sales booth!"

"Hey, not fair!" Téa shouted after him, "You got a head start!" And she took off running after him.

xOxOx

"So what did you find?" Téa asked breathlessly, blue eyes eager. "What does the note say?" Joey rolled his eyes and handed Téa the square of cardstock. "'Good work, Téa Gardener. Show this to the man at the sales booth for your prize for this round, and, should you with to continue, your last clue. Love, your Secret Admirer.'"

"Ooh, love," Tristan mocked, poking Téa in the rubs and giving her a sly grin. In response, Téa sent him a warning glare, which the brunet pointedly ignored, continuing on as if oblivious. "Maybe he's going to ask you to marry him," he teased. At this, Joey let out a loud wolf whistle, thus sealing his fate. Angrily, Téa slapped both boys upside the head, and turned to the sales booth, handing the card to the man standing there and trying to force a smile.

"Please excuse my friends," she said. The salesman nodded and left, presumably to go get Téa's prize, and the girl turned to the gang, rolling her eyes at Joey and Tristan, who were still rubbing their heads and attempting to spear her with the evil eyes. "Oh grow up, you two!" she told them as the salesman came back with another white-and-blue striped box, identical to the one the jewellery had come in last time. "Thanks," Téa told him, taking the box and smiling. Opening the box she frowned slightly, lifting out a brand new car key on a gold decorative key ring studded with what looked like tiny sapphires and diamonds forming the cursive letters 'TG', and, on the reverse side, a large diamond heart surrounded by impossibly small, deep blue sapphires. "What on Earth…" Téa said, puzzled.

"Hey Téa," Joey said, "you dropped something." He handed her a piece of cardstock, which she took, confused, with a murmured thank you.

"'This key is for the brand new Saturn Sky convertible (custom painted metallic blue; licence plate F-R-N-D-S-H-P) parked in your driveway'!" Téa read, eyes widening.

Collectively, the boys' jaws dropped. "He-y," Joey whined, "how come she gets a car, and we don't?"

Tristan looked incredulously at his friend, and immediately whacked the blond on the back of the head, sending him reeling forward with the force of the blow. "Because this dude wants to impress Téa, not you, you doofus!"

"Ouch," Joey grumbled, indignant. "You hit harder than Téa," he informed his friend.

Téa watched all this with a slightly dazed look in her eyes, snapping out of her stupor when Yugi suddenly appeared in front of her, his little hand waving frenetically in front of her face. "Yoo hoo," he called, "Earth to Téa! Are you in there?"

"Huh?" Téa said, jolting awake. Yugi giggled.

"I was asking if you were ever going to put your new car keys away and read us that riddle," he said, smiling.

"Oh, uh, yeah, sure," Téa said, placing the key ring back in the box and prying the cardstock square up from the bottom. "Okay," she said, "'Old fashioned romance / We live to serve / The HoneyMoon / Lives on here / Where am I?'"

"Okay," Yugi said, "that sounds—"

"Wait," Téa told him, "there's more. 'You know me on sight / By voice / By stance.'" She faltered a little over the next part. "'Enemies, yet allies / It's so easy to forget / Who am I?'" Her face had gone white by the time she had finished reciting the riddle, making Yugi's eyes widen in alarm.

"What is it, Téa? Are you okay?" he asked anxiously.

The brunette nodded and swallowed, voice coming out thick and odd when she spoke. "What's the answer to the first riddle?" she asked, tone shaky. Yugi frowned.

"Téa," he said, "what's wrong?"

The brunette shook her head vigorously. "Nothing," she insisted, "it's nothing. What's the solution to the riddle, Yugi?"

"It's a restaurant—La Lune de Miel—the HoneyMoon, in French."

Téa sighed and looked up at the sky again. "I guess I'd better get going then," she whispered.

"What do you mean, 'I'?" Yugi asked, confused.

"Yeah," Joey agreed.

"What happened to 'we'?" Tristan accused.

Téa smiled—a sad smile, oddly reminiscent of Yugi's before. "No, guys, this was meant to be my challenge from the start."

to be continued…