Katsuya paced the alleyway as precious minutes ticked by. Anger made his hands tremble and stiffened his movements as he turned and stomped back the other way, wanting to get moving, but also unable to go until Ba-Khu-Ra arrived.
He was the worst brother ever.
His sister had been in Ishizu's hands since some point this morning and he'd been completely oblivious.
Part of him wanted to turn back and yell at Yugi. He would've known Shizuka was in danger if she'd checked her phone earlier. Instead, he'd found out far too late to do anything about it except slam headfirst into whatever Ishizu had planned.
And, as a nasty little voice in the back of his mind kept reminding him, Shizuka would not even BE in danger if it was not for Yugi.
He felt the Shadows swirling nearby and turned towards the source of the power to find Ba-Khu-Ra, Duel Disk on her arm, stepping out of the nearest dark corner with pursed lips and furrowed eyebrows. The moment she spotted him, she stopped. "I have information and you have a choice."
"I'm listening."
"I know where Shizuka is, but…"
"Then let's go." Katsuya cut her off, stepping forward.
"Ah ah ah." The Thief Queen put her hand up, "You'll want to hear what I have to say before you rush off."
"What."
It was a statement rather than a question, but the Thief Queen could understand his shortness. His sister was in danger and the desire to fight for family was her greatest motivation. Everything she had done across the millennia had been to get them their freedom and get them into the afterlife.
Instead of answering, she grasped the Millennium Ring and laid it out flat upon her palm. "Watch. Find Kawai Shizuka."
Katsuya's face paled as he watched the points glow and lift up straight, before half went one way and half went the other, suggesting two different directions. He remembered the last time he had seen the Ring do that, back on Duelist Kingdom:
When Mokuba's soul and body had been in two different places.
"So, you have a choice." The Thief Queen lowered the Ring again. "We either go and try to rescue half of your sister, without knowing if we'll be able to get to the other half before they squirrel it away. Or we can go straight to Ishizu and see what she wants in exchange for ALL of Shizuka."
"You want me to make a deal with her?" Katsuya demanded, glowering. "Can't you just Challenge Ishizu?"
"One. Battle City starts shortly and we're both competitors. Attacking her would be against the rules." Ba-Khu-Ra lied, not wanting to have to tell a member of the Pharaoh's Court that her demon refused to allow her to fight Ishizu. "The Items insist on a fair game, after all."
"Yet they let her kidnap my Imoto."
"Ishizu took Shizuka in order to keep YOU out of the way, levelling the playing field." The Thief huffed, "And she grabbed her last night, before the tournament started."
Katsuya's hands balled into fists momentarily at the reminder that while he'd been safe at home, finalising his deck, his sister had been abducted. "And two?"
"Two. This is my price for helping you find your sister. I warned you it would be steep, and I don't have the time to waste on hunting down Shizuka's components. I have an oath to fulfill if I want to keep my soul and I need to deal with that today too."
"What oath?"
"None of your business, but it puts me on your side, well, more specifically the Pharaoh's side. At least for now." Honestly it was more because she didn't want him getting on the bad side of Ishizu's Wrath and ending up dead, but she wasn't going to admit that, in case he dared to think she actually cared if he lived or died.
Katsuya let out an irritated huff, still angry at Meisa for dragging him, his sister and all his friends into danger, but nodded, "Fine, I'll see if Ishizu is willing to bargain."
Ba-Khu-Ra nodded, "Be very careful with your words when you bargain with Ishizu. As careful as you should have been when dealing with me. I can still see the use in leaving you with your soul. She may not."
"Thanks for the warning."
"You're welcome." As the Thief spoke, she called up the direction Ishizu was in and found, to a complete lack of surprise, it was in the same direction as one of the two parts of Shizuka. She turned to leave and gestured for Katsuya to follow, "Keep up. We're going to have to walk."
"But the tournament starts…"
The alarm he had set on his phone started ringing, alerting them both that it was ten o'clock. Battle City had started. His companion just kept going, leaving him to follow or not, as he chose.
"Why can't we just do the Shadow walking thing?" He demanded as he caught up.
"Because I don't know exactly where she is, and I don't have her on a leash like I do you lot." The Thief Queen shrugged, letting out an amused huff when he scowled at her. "Ishizu's trigger happy right now. Using my magic around her without warning would get me blasted. You lot know better because you know I'd kill you."
"I know you'd try." His response made her snicker.
They both knew it was false bravado and that she could take them down in a heartbeat. Less if she let her Ka Beast loose.
As they walked, the atmosphere around them was electric. Duelists roamed the streets, hunting adversaries and the public followed, looking forward to the spectacle of holographic monsters roaming the streets. Thankfully they were mostly undisturbed, as no one wanted to risk getting jumped by a second Duelist straight after dealing with a first. Unfortunately, the increased crowds meant they had to duck out of sight to use the Ring to keep tracking their target, meaning it took longer than they would've liked.
The first duels were almost over by the time they reached the plaza where the tournament had started, and Katsuya had just spotted Ishizu in the crowds on the other side of the fountain when he heard his name called.
"Jonouchi!" Katsuya honestly would have ignored the one calling him, but the brown and purple haired teen planted himself between Duelist and target. "Oi, you've not forgotten me, have you?"
It honestly took the Duelist a moment to recognise the kid. His green jacket, yellow t-shirt and red hat were familiar, but the moment it hit him, his eyes widened. "Dinosaur Ryuzaki, it's been a while. Look… now's not really a great time."
"Yeah well, you're competing, and I want my Red Eyes back, so duel me." Ryuzaki planted himself more firmly.
"I need to talk to someone first," Katsuya started to push past the Dinosaur Duelist only for Ryuzaki to grab his arm. "Let. Go."
Ryuzaki quailed for a moment at his harsh tone and furious expression, then his own face hardened. "I only loaned you that card. It's mine and I want it back. If you don't duel me, I'll report you for theft and get you kicked from the tournament."
Katsuya internally grimaced. The rules for Battle City were clear. Being caught stealing would get a Duelist not only kicked from Battle City. It would also get them blacklisted from future Kaiba Corp tournaments. And most Japanese tournaments ran off the KC blacklist. Getting banned here would get him banned from so much more and penalize the school's Dueling club.
But Ishizu was just feet away, mostly hidden by the crowds, and Katsuya thought he could see someone with auburn hair with her.
Someone that he half-hoped was Shizuka.
He started to head towards Ishizu, willing to give up everything to protect his sister, only for Ba-Khu-Ra to get ahead of him and shake her head.
"I'll catch her." The Thief Queen promised, surprising him with the sympathy creasing her eyes and the downturn of her lips and making him wonder what the catch was.
"Thanks." He didn't have the ability to ask in such a public setting and just nodded. She took off as he looked back at Ryuzaki, "Fine, you're on."
The Dinosaur Duelist grinned in response, but Katsuya's attention was only partly on him as they stepped back to make room for the projectors. The rest was watching Ba-Khu-Ra skirt around the crowd to where Ishizu was dueling and hoping he wasn't making a mistake by trusting her.
"I'll go first." Katsuya decided without even consulting his opponent, wanting the duel to be over as fast as possible. He drew his opening hand and glanced at it only briefly before picking one card from the bunch and laying it on the field, "I summon Axe Raider, in attack mode!"
The yellow and red armoured warrior appeared in a swirl of brown and green energy, swinging his axe as the holographic system brought up its 1700 attack points.
"Your move."
"You're going to have to do better than that to keep Red Eyes." Dinosaur Ryuzaki challenged in response, "I activate Jurassic World!"
Surprised squeaks and excited yelps erupted from the crowds around them as the concrete and stone of Fountain Plaza suddenly erupted in trees and grass, becoming ancient plain. Behind Ryuzaki rose a great volcano that let off smoke so realistic that Katsuya could almost smell the sulfur.
"And I summon Two-Headed King Rex." The double headed purple dinosaur roared at its opponent as it emerged from the tree line, "My field card gives it an extra 300 attack points, taking it up to 1900 attack points right from the start. Now, my King Rex, attack!"
Katsuya only had a moment to glimpse the attack and defence scores before the creature was sweeping towards him and snapping its great jaws around his warrior, ripping it in two and taking 200 of his life points before the warrior could even react.
"I'm no joke, so you'd better take this duel seriously if you want to beat me." The Dinosaur Duelist warned as Katsuya's life points dropped to 3800 and the shards of his warrior faded away. "Your move."
Katsuya gritted his teeth to bite back a rude response. Ryuzaki wasn't wrong. He was in a tough position and allowing the chaos outside the duel to distract him would cost him the tournament before it'd even begun.
He took a deep breath, took one last glance towards where he had seen Ishizu, then turned his focus to the duel and drew. His hand wasn't awful, he just needed to concentrate and win this. "One card face down and a card in defence mode. That's it."
"Are you even trying?" Rex demanded, his face twisting in anger at the thought of being brushed off. "My Rex will devour your puny defence!"
As he gestured forwards, his twin headed dinosaur lunged for the set defence card, which flipped up to reveal a bird-like humanoid, whose 1000 attack points were no match for the great lizard, until a card flipped up behind it, revealing: "Kunai with Chain!"
At Katsuya's call, a chain weapon appeared in Hayabusa Knight's hands. It launched the blade of the weapon, which wrapped around the Twin-Headed King Rex. It slammed to the ground, now in defence mode.
"Just go." Ryuzaki grumbled.
"I'm taking this duel seriously," Katsuya promised, his Hayabusa Knight switching to attack mode as he spoke. "I'm not going to just let you win. And to prove it, I'm equipping Hayabusa Knight with my Lightning Blade!"
The energy-wreathed blade appeared in the knight's hand, giving it an extra 800 attack points.
"Destroy his Rex!"
Hayabusa Knight lunged forward and slashed at the great lizard, who bellowed before shattering into a million pieces.
"And because Hayabusa Knight can attack twice in one turn, he now attacks your life points!"
Ryuzaki had just enough time to yelp before the knight was on him. He brought up his Duel Disk to shield his face on instinct and the sword slammed into it, ripping 1800 life points from his total.
"Your move."
Ryuzaki grimaced as he checked his Duel Disk for damage and saw that his total stood at 2200. He hadn't expected this to be a challenging duel. Jonouchi was a new duelist. He might've gotten to the semi-finals of Duelist Kingdom, but it could've been beginner's luck.
Everything fell into place as he drew. The smirk he gained unnerved his opponent.
"I Special Summon two Gilasaurus from my hand!" Ryuzaki laughed, grateful to his deck for providing a way to turn this around easily as his raptor-like creatures appeared on the field with 1700 attack points. "Which, by the way, allows you to summon two monsters from your graveyard."
Katsuya only had one Duel Monster in the graveyard, but he wasn't concerned. There were two Gilasaurus, but his Axe Raider also had 1700 attack, so he summoned it in attack mode to back up his Hayabusa Knight.
"But that's not all." The Dinosaur Duelist continued, "For my normal summon this turn, I tribute both of my Gilasaurus, for my Black Tyranno!"
Both raptors skittered back into the grass to be replaced by a huge, snarling black tyrannosaurus rex whose maw revealed the sharpest teeth Katsuya had ever seen and whose tail lashed back and forth as it considered the source of its next meal. The system flagged up that Jurassic World made its attack total 2900.
"Tyranno, attack Axe Raider!" The warrior, who had only returned to the field seconds ago, was unfortunate enough to become lunch for a second time as Ryuzaki's Black Tyranno snapped him up in its jaws and crunched down, sending it back to the graveyard and costing Katsuya another 1200 lifepoints.
Katsuya winced as his total dropped to 2600, pinned for now as he switched his Knight to defence mode. "Hayabusa in defence, one card in face down defence and two cards face down. Your move."
"Then I win," Ryuzaki crowed, confusing Katsuya as the three cards appeared on the field. "When all your monsters are in defence mode, I can attack your life points directly."
Katsuya's jaw dropped as he realised exactly what he had opened himself up to.
"I'm disappointed. If this is you trying, I never should've let you borrow my dragon! Tyranno, end this duel!"
The huge tyrannosaurus lunged for the Duelist on the other side of the field, who braced and activated his trap, "Skull Dice!"
The dinosaur froze in midsnap, its huge jaws on either side of Katsuya as a tiny imp with devil horns appeared, holding a huge red die in its hands. Katsuya could not see what it rolled, but Ryuzaki watched it with unblinking eyes as the die was flung into the air, bounced across the floor and landed on a four.
The Dinosaur Duelist cursed under his breath as his Black Tyranno's attack points dropped by 400, just enough to save Katsuya from defeat as the great maw snapped closed, the holographic teeth passing through his opponent and taking 2500 lifepoints.
The relieved laugh from his opponent as Katsuya shuddered and watched his life points stop before 0, made those watching the duel grin. Ryuzaki himself could not deny he probably would've been as happy in Jonouchi's position considering that a one, two or three would've taken him out of the competition.
"You realise I'm going to win on my next turn?" Ryuzaki asked, his eyes narrowing as his dinosaur returned to his side of the field.
Katsuya was fully aware. If he left his monsters in defence mode, the dinosaur would eat him for breakfast. However, putting them in attack mode would get them eaten, and with only 100 life points left, he would still lose.
He needed a miracle.
No.
He just needed some luck.
He drew.
"I tribute my Red Eyes B. Chick for the real thing," He called as he flipped up his face down defence monster, revealing an egg which hatched upon arrival, revealing a tiny black dragon, who let out the most adorable bellow before vanishing from the field to the tune of the adult dragon's roar. Red Eyes Black Dragon took the field, its 2400 attack points making it weaker than Tyranno.
"You still can't win." Ryuzaki pointed out, "You're just stalling now. You might as well give me that dragon now."
"I can, if Lady Luck likes me." Katsuya flipped up his other face down card, revealing Graceful Dice.
As a tiny fairy appeared holding a blue die, Ryuzaki wished he'd destroyed Hayabusa Knight instead of getting greedy and going for Jonouchi's life points. While it was unlikely that the creature would roll a 5 or 6, if it did, then his dinosaur would be destroyed and he would lose.
Both Duelists watched as the fairy tossed the die up into the air, it rolled across the floor and settled at the feet of Tyranno on a six.
"There's no way…" Ryuzaki complained as Red Eyes' attack points grew by 600, taking it to 3000, just enough to destroy the dinosaur opposing it.
"I switch Hayabusa Knight to attack mode." Katsuya continued, not relishing the victory like he normally would with the danger to his sister at the back of his mind, "And Red Eyes destroys your Tyranno!"
The dragon built up a fireball in its throat, causing its jaws to glow briefly before the flames raged forward, consuming the dinosaur and destroying 100 of Ryuzaki's life points.
"Good duel, man," Katsuya tried to offer.
"Just end it." The Dinosaur Duelist was in no mood to accept his condolences when the duel had not been won with skill but with sheer dumb luck and just turned his head away.
"Hayabuza Knight, attack him directly!" The blade of the bird-knight slammed into the Duel Disk twice, ripping another 3600 life points from Ryuzaki and ending the duel.
The Dinosaur Duelist stalked across the plaza as the field card faded away and slammed the Map Card he'd lost into Katsuya's palm, unhappy with the duel and with the behavior of his opponent.
"Hey, Ryuzaki?"
At Katsuya's sheepish tone, the other teen paused to look at him. "Seriously, good game and thanks."
"For what?"
"For getting my head in the game. You'd have kicked my ass without it." Katsuya nodded, "And I'll take good care of Red Eyes Black Dragon."
"You'd better." Ryuzaki huffed, noting that the girl who had been with his opponent was heading their way with two others and that Katsuya had stiffened. "Good luck?"
"I might need it." The Duelist's tone turned guarded as he wheeled around, his heart pounding in his chest as he saw his sister standing at Ishizu's side, head down and movements unsteady.
"Give her back." He demanded.
"I suggest we move this conversation out of public ears," Ishizu nodded towards the nearest alleyway at his hiss.
"No magic, no mayhem." Katsuya tried to warn.
"You're in no position to be bargaining." The Bearer of the Millennium Rod shook her head, "Now come on."
Katsuya glanced at Ba-Khu-Ra who shrugged and followed Ishizu without questioning her, causing him to scowl. Ishizu wasn't wrong, clearly his fear was right and Ishizu had done something to his sister, and he didn't have the magical capacity to undo it. Yugi might, but he couldn't approach her without further endangering Shizuka and Ba-Khu-Ra would've offered already if she was willing.
...Leaving him with no choice but to follow her.
Once they were out of sight of the Duelists and public, Ishizu smirked and turned to Shizuka. "Go to your brother, dear."
His sister's approach was jerky and unstable and Katsuya darted forward to pull her into his arms. With a small chuckle, Ishizu waved the Millennium Rod and Shizuka fell like a puppet whose strings had been cut. Katsuya let out a terrified yelp as he caught her before she could hit the ground, scooping her up into his arms where she lay limp in a bridal carry, barely breathing.
"Sh… Shizuka? Shizuka! Imoto!" He shook her again and again, breath coming in an uneven pant as anger fused with panic and he glared at Ishizu, his emotions bringing to life the very dragon he had just won. It erupted into the alleyway, barely fitting as it snarled at the Item Bearer, red eyes glowing like the fire building in its maw. "What did you do to her?"
"Your sister dared to Challenge me and paid the price. Her soul is sealed away where you can't reach it." Ishizu stated calmly, unafraid of the dragon when she could easily overpower its summoner, "Now put your Ka Beast away and let's make a deal."
"I oughta…"
"I am in control of the situation right now." Ishizu's eyes flickered amber for a moment as her voice darkened and her eyes narrowed. "Put the dragon away or lose your sister."
Katsuya ground his teeth together but took a deep breath and envisioned pouring the energy back into a vessel, the way he'd practiced with Yugi. When the dragon was gone, he stared at Ishizu, trembling in his fury. "What do you want from me?"
"One duel."
"I'll kick your ass."
"Not against me."
Confusion pulsed through Katsuya for just a moment at Ishizu's words, then his eyes widened, "You want me to fight Yugi. For you."
"Clever boy." She nodded, "You'll duel her once. On my terms. And no matter who wins, if you give it your all and actually try to win, you'll have your sister back."
"I won't kill her."
"You don't have to kill her if you win," Ishizu smirked. Clearly, he wasn't aware that her snake's venom would do that for him. Yugi's desire to hide the danger to her soul was about to cost her dearly.
"You just need to duel her on my terms, when I call you."
"Why not now?" He demanded, his heart weighing a million tons in his chest at the idea of having to fight his girlfriend for the safety of his sister.
"Because she has other lessons to attend first. You're going to be the grand finale. The last step between her and Hekigan." The Item Holder stated, as if he should be honoured that she'd chosen him for this. "Unless you don't want your sister's soul back, of course."
Katsuya swallowed hard. He couldn't fight Ishizu and win. Not when she had Shizuka's soul hostage. Then he remembered Ba-Khu-Ra's warning about being careful with words. "What terms for the duel?"
Ishizu raised an eyebrow as the Thief Queen behind Katsuya let out an amused snort, pleased he had taken her advice. "You're questioning me? Who's more important? Your sister, or the Pharaoh?"
"If I'm going to agree to betray my girlfriend, it's only fair I know the details."
"Agree to duel for me and I'll tell you. I don't have to tell you until then because I hold all the cards."
Ba-Khu-Ra couldn't help but be impressed. She had not thought that Ishizu could be this brutal and calculating. At the back of her mind, she could sense the demon taking notes on ways to traumatize the Pharaoh and her court.
'We're supposed to be siding with Yugi, remember?' Amane mentally poked her, her amusement dying a little. 'We should do something.'
'Like what?' The Thief Queen demanded, 'I don't know where the soul is at this moment so I can't step in now and Zorc won't let me attack Ishizu.'
'So, we have to let this happen?'
'Blame the demon. Besides, it's not like she's hiring him to kill the runt.'
Amane's disappointment radiated over the bond, but Ba-Khu-Ra didn't respond to it. Instead, she watched as Jonouchi fought with himself over what he should do. She already knew what he would pick. There was truly only one response he could give right now.
And she'd made the same choice herself all those millennia ago.
"Fine." Katsuya spoke with an all too familiar bitterness. "I'll duel."
"Then repeat after me:" Ishizu's vicious smile widened as the Shadows reached out from her and surrounded Katsuya, who took a step back and twisted so his sister's body was protected from the magic.
"I, Jonouchi Katsuya, agree that in exchange for Ishtar Ishizu protecting and returning the soul of my sister, Kawai Shizuka, I will not attack Ishizu, I will duel against the Nameless Pharaoh, currently known as Mutou Yugi, on Ishizu's terms. I will do my utmost to defeat her and I will not warn her about the duel in advance, nor will I talk to her before I am called to duel by Ishizu."
"You're making this magically binding?" Ba-Khu-Ra demanded, her eyes narrowing as she tried to work out how to get around it without damaging Katsuya's soul.
"I don't believe he'd honour his oath otherwise." The other Item Bearer shrugged, then turned back to Katsuya, "Well?"
Katsuya's trembling increased as fury and helplessness flooded through him. He did not want to make this oath. He did not WANT to fight Yugi.
But there was no choice.
One duel against Yugi, in exchange for Shizuka's soul.
And he could NOT leave his sister with no soul.
"I, Jonouchi Katsuya," His shoulders sank and his head drooped, his voice shaking as badly as his body. "Agree that in exchange for Ishtar Ishizu protecting and returning the soul of my sister, Kawai Shizuka, I will duel against the Nameless Pharaoh, currently known as Mutou Yugi on Ishizu's terms. I will do my utmost to defeat her and I will not warn her about the duel in advance, nor will I talk to her before I am called to duel by Ishizu."
As the magic encircled him and wrapped around his neck, wrists and ankles, like a prisoner's shackles that weighed heavily on his soul, Ishizu nodded, pleased. "Good boy. It'll be interesting to watch her freak out. I'll talk to you later."
"You said you'd tell me the terms!" Katsuya protested, taking a step forward again.
"The terms don't matter now, you agreed to the deal." The Item Holder snapped back at him, "You don't need to know anything until it's time for you to fulfil your oath. Go enjoy your little tournament. You need Map Cards if you're going to go to the semi-finals after the duel after all."
As she turned to leave, Katsuya let out an angry snarl, "You're going to pay for this, bitch."
"No. I'm not." Ishizu turned around at his insult, her eyes narrowed and flooded with amber as she glared at him, "It's Yugi who's going to pay. With either her life, or yours."
"What?!" Katsuya's eyes widened as he realised what he had agreed to.
"I was going to save you the pain of knowing until it was relevant, but since you can't be polite, I'll tell you." The words were a hiss as her magic held him in place, "Yugi's soul is dying. I poisoned it. If the Pharaoh fails to reach the quarter-finals, or loses a duel before she reaches Hekigan, her doll dies."
"Yugi isn't a doll and I said I wouldn't kill her." Katsuya snarled, furious at the news and wishing Yugi had told him. He wouldn't have even approached Shizuka and Ishizu until he had a hold on Shizuka's soul if he'd known.
"And you won't. The poison will, should you win." Ishizu's shadow took on a serpentine, demonic form as she spoke. Her tone was low and cold as ice as she stalked forward. "But you agreed to duel on my terms and my terms are that the Pharaoh either wins and saves her doll's life or loses and grants you yours."
Katsuya's face paled.
"Think about it." The Item Holder continued to taunt, "Who's the Pharaoh going to pick? Her sister and the world? Or the life of some punk who has a criminal record and chose to betray her?"
Katsuya's heart pounded in his chest. Just like he'd not had a choice, Meisa wouldn't either.
Now he understood why the Shadows had settled on him like a prisoner facing execution.
He had sworn to kill Yugi or die.
"And you can't refuse to duel now, because you're sworn to duel in exchange for me protecting and returning your sister's soul. Refuse to duel or break your oath and I will know instantly and feed her to the darkness." Ishizu warned him, "You're just a fly in my web and I'm sorry it came to this, but she needs to learn. Sometimes friends or family need to die for the greater good."
She turned to Ba-Khu-Ra, "If she'd been willing to kill you, I wouldn't need to teach this lesson. So, congratulations. This is your fault for befriending her."
Able to see that Katsuya was in shock, the Thief Queen let her own energies loose, already having found the loophole and determined to drive off the bitch so she could talk to him about it. She strained against the bindings the demon had on her soul to overwhelm the darkness unleashed by Ishizu and tried to hide the shaking it caused as she snarled out, "Leave. You have your own Map Cards to gather, unless you want me to devour your soul here and now."
"You're right." The Bearer of the Rod turned to go. "I do have other places to be."
"W… Wait!" Katsuya called weakly, making Ishizu pause and look back. "Even if… if I lose, you'll release Shizuka, right?"
"That's what I swore," Ishizu nodded as she released Katsuya and turned away. "I'll call when I need you. Have a good day."
The moment she was gone, leaving at a pace that suggested that she didn't want to face Ba-Khu-Ra right now, the Thief Queen moved to where she could see Katsuya's face. The teen was white as a sheet and his eyes were scrunched shut, his whole body trembling. She put her hand on his arm and he jumped a mile and stared at her with wild, furiously terrified eyes.
"The Pharaoh wouldn't kill you anymore than she'd kill me. She'll find a third way." The Thief Queen spoke with a surety she did not feel, not when she could easily remember the blade that'd pierced both her and the Pharaoh on the morning they'd been sealed. "But I have a fourth option. One that stops the duel from happening at all."
"I… I'm listening." His voice trembled and he clutched his sister closer to his chest. Ba-Khu-Ra's heart ached as she beheld him.
As much as she wanted the Pharaoh to suffer, this was too low for even her.
And her oath to side with the Pharaoh allowed her to help, where normally the demon would stop her.
"You're bound while she is protecting Shizuka's soul. So, find where your sister's soul is, get it back, and you're free from the oath." She pointed out and watched hope and colour trickle back into his face, "You start looking for Ishizu's brothers while I get your sister's vessel somewhere safe and I'll start my own hunt once that's done. I might even put her soul back where it belongs if we find it, just to spite Ishizu."
"Wh… What's the cost?"
"For this?" With the demon pushing on her soul, Ba-Khu-Ra could not give her help away for free, but she'd never liked messing with those who were fighting for family. "We'll discuss it later, but be sure, you're no use to me dead so I'm not going to screw you over."
"G… Good." Katsuya took a deep breath, able to feel the knot in his chest loosening now that there was hope. "Be careful with her?"
"I swear, she will come to no harm with me." The Thief Queen promised as she took Shizuka from her brother gently, "Good luck."
"You too."