Hey there all! Wow, do the reviews keep mounting up or what? *g* Not like Lena and I are complaining. In case anyone was curious, Disney World was loads of fun. A word of advice: a spin on the tea cups does wonders for wiping that smug look off any Kaiba-lover's face. Hehehe … We carried around the video camera and did Weevil & Rex Raptor in Animal Kingdom. The Dino ride or It's Tough to be a Bug … go figure. Guess you had to be there. Anyhoo, Mouseland aside, we have finally gotten back into the mode, so the story will progress as usual. Finals are coming up, so we'll be busy, but we're still bursting with energy for this story. Y'all aren't off the hook yet, folks. *wicked laughter* And now for the responses! Hoo boy, lookit 'em all! You guys were busy whilst we were away!
Shadow's Girl12 – Lost your appetite, huh? We do tend to have that affect on people. Hope you didn't lose anything else in that little chapter, cause if your only on chapter four I can promise there's more where that came from. *g*
Tornado – Finish it? Like now? No way, dude! We've got much to accomplish before this little tale comes to a close. Just sit tight, you may like what's in store.
Mimiru – Yup, we thought of making it KY Jelly, but that may have been a bit too obvious.*L* (and those of you who got that little gag, yes, Lena and I do have dirty minds!) As for Tristan knowing what petroleum jelly tastes like … well, I know I wouldn't trust his taste buds. This is a guy who punched a boulder after all. I can't believe he's going around tasting stuff on people's pants either. Tristan! Cut it out! And people say Pegasus is crazy…
Malik Fan – Yeah, poor everyone. No one's getting off easy in the Overlook, that's for sure. Just hold out for your fav characters … they need all the support they can get.
Metranome – You know, I think his spawn attended my high school too. What're the odds, huh? *L* There may still be some of them lurking on campus too … they travel in packs you know. *ahem* But psycho migration patterns aside, we're glad you like the crazy dogman stuff. We were wondering if we'd been perhaps too graphic there, but we're glad you enjoyed it! And I think you spelled exhilaration just fine … better than me. I'm a spelling disaster! *snuggles happy Word spell checker*
darklight – Thanks so much! We like to be scary, and you're so sweet to compliment us so much! *blush* The identity of the dogman will be hinted at. Check back at chapter eight where Kaiba is sifting through the history of the Overlook. Mr. Dogman's identity is hinted at. And for those who know the story, they know the dogman's strange habits as well. *stifling demented laughter* What can I say? He's hilarious! Or maybe I've got a twisted sense of humor? Hmm… but anyway, Pegasus will most definitely be back. And Mokuba's awakening has already been written – the trick is, how far ahead are Lena and I in our writing? *grinning*
SetoKaiba419 – Hiya, dear! I know how you feel about getting distracted. I've gotten hooked on the real Duel Monsters game and the two video games all over again, so it's hard for me to pull away and write/review lately. Between that, finals, and my strange new obsession with "Hikari" from Kingdom Hearts, I'm just a scatterbrained mess lately. Hehehe… And how is the latest Harry Potter? I haven't gotten into the series yet myself, but I heard it's a great read, and that the new one is wonderful. Glad the Pikachus managed to scare. Hehehe … it's a good way to frighten Yu-Gi-Oh fans, that's for sure! As for the petroleum jelly … I'm just surprised you don't know what it is. There was a Simpsons episode where Lisa is in a beauty pageant and her mother slicks petroleum jelly on her teeth to make them glossy and shiny. It's a weird clear, odorless goo that my grandmother always keeps around the house. As far as I know it's not flammable. *g* Pegasus appears soon enough, don't worry. I can't wait to get him out here either, but he's ordered a special wardrobe and Croquet won't let us near his dressing room door so Lena and I just have to wait until the primo don chooses to appear fashionably late. *rolls eyes* But hey, a guy as sexy as Pegasus is worth waiting for, right?
Wingweaver Hope – We like weird reviews. Makes for fun readin' at two in the morning when Lena and I check our mailboxes. *g*Yes, the dogman is a freaky guy/ghost/thing, but Lena loves the Seto and Mokuba brotherly stuff as much as I do, so I think it all balances out. Strange to balance the cute with a dogman, but I ain't picky when it comes to inspiration. Besides, Stephen King invented that particular freak show, so don't blame us too much. *g* If you liked the hints of what happened to Mokuba here, do go check out SW's "Lost to Love". The latest chapter had Kaiba/Mokuba interaction that's just perfectly written. I loved it, and you might too. *g*
Anime*2000 – Are you sure? I mean, Joey's got a dogsuit somewhere, doesn't he? I guess Duke would've given it to him. Maybe Joey's desperate for a Milkbone? *giggles*
Elli – Yeah, they're in deep shit, that's for sure. Its fun to watch them run for they're lives though, isn't it? Hehehe … I know I enjoy it. Those two crack me up! *L*
angelkohku- Hiya! *waves* Ooooo…breathing hard too. That means you're really scared! Can we observe? We're curious about the exact effects of such a reaction. *g* We're flattered to be on your favorites list, how sweet! *hugs!* We do try to make it scary, but I don't know if we can compete with the Pikachus of a few chapters ago. And do keep Chibi Kaiba out of the room … don't let him get an eyeful of this little piece of work. I wouldn't want him to have nightmares … that pleasure is reserved for those old enough to enjoy them. Hehehe… Such flattery! Thank you!
Excel – Wow, even more high praise! Thanks so much! Haven't found any other fic you like as much? What chars are you looking for? I can recommend some great Pegasus fiction …
SW – Hiya gal! *hugs!* Great ta see ya! Didja get my email a while ago? Just curious … I'm glad you liked our little surprises. *wicked laughter* We do aim ta please! Hey, and where'd you get that fabulous sign? I want one! I need to advertise my Pegs love as much as possible! He'll come back soon enough, but I don't know how he'll react to the ghosties without the power of his Millennium Eye. Should prove interesting. *g* And don't tell Kaiba to burn! I'm shocked, aren't you supposed to get them lovin' each other instead of starting a Blue-Eyes Bar-B-Que? *LOL* And I know … we've got more reviews that I can shake a stick at. Kinda scary but great at the same time. *happy dance*
sakuya – Now don't tell me we'll have to punish you for not reviewing? We'd really hate to do that … Oh, but how could we do that! You're just too damn cute! Ugh, I'm turning into a big softie. *sigh* Regardless, you should be getting bad vibes about that dogman. He's only the beginning ...
lily22 – Oh, don't be fooled by the humor rating. Lena and I have a different sense of humor than most posters, we've noticed. Its up to you guys as to whether or not its more successful. *g* And don't be ashamed of being scared – it'd be odd if you weren't a little. Trust me, fear is a natural reaction. Just squeeze a plushie, have some chocolate … you'll feel better. *pats lilly22 on the shoulder*
BlackHoleSun – Hehe … glad to know we surpassed the Freak-o-Meter with the dogman. Isn't he just adorable? *watches Tristan and Duke glare at her from their hiding place* Umm… maybe not cute, but he is amusing, right? Right?
Vyctori - *LMAO* That was priceless! Oh c'mon, can't we just send it? I'll type it up just for you! *batting eyes prettily* You know I'm just playing with you, dear, though if you'd wanted it I'd get it for you. There are clues in the scrapbook Kaiba found in the basement, though they haven't been entirely revealed. Lena and I have an entire time line written out with exact occurrences, ghost origins, and dates, so there is rhyme and reason behind all the madness. You found SW's influence, didja? Well, she's my fav Pegsy writer at the moment, how could I not be influenced? And anyway, Lena loves her work too, though she doesn't agree with the Master Pegasus stuff. (She's a Kaiba fan. They're just that way. *g*) We're collectively building a fanon for dear Pegsy, so building from each other only reinforces the ideas we're coming up with. *L* Glad you liked the Duke line! Lena and I laughed for a day about that. We find lots of funny lines in this fic, though people mostly don't mention or notice them. Glad it struck a chord with you – we only know what y'all like and dislike from the reviews ya know. *g* Kaiba discover the dogman? Don't you think he's been through enough? The poor guy is standing though sheer force of will!
Firewing – A fan of The Shining? Excellent! You're the first to have read the book and seen both films! We're glad you're enjoying our little homage to Stephen King. Thanks for reviewing!
DarkFoxy – Thanks so much! Glad to see you're enjoying it. There's much more to come, so you'd best buckle those seatbelts for the bumpy ride ahead. *g*
Leland – Oh, don't worry about those two. They're some of the toughest brothers ever. After all they've been through, what's a spooky old hotel gonna do, right? Right? *g*
Thorn – Hehehe… our evil plan worked! We made you worry for Tea! *L* You think the whole universe is plotting against them? Hmm … it's possible. Quite probable actually, given the circumstances. It's obvious that someone's worked up some bad karma at least. *g* And off topic, we had a great time in Mouse Land! The Haunted Mansion is still the all time best ride ever! We didn't get to Universal Studios … just didn't have time. Classes you know.
*Lena takes the keyboard from Buki's tired fingers*Lena: Trust me, folks. She needs a break!
Chibi Arwen – LOL! So your kitties are giving you the creeps, eh? I'm sure Duke and Tristan wish it was just a friendly feline pawing at that door. Heehee! Well, that's our aim, to scare the pants off our readers… or at least scare them out of their seats! Kudos to Kabuki's excellent writing abilities for that little quote. Oh, that is perhaps the funniest thing I've heard concerning this part! You thought the dogman was going to be friendly and help them out, hm? Tsk, tsk, you should know better than that. :-) Though it would have made for an interesting twist of plot. Don't worry, we'll try to post faster in the future. *Waves as Duo carries Chibi Arwen away* Have fun in your new padded home!
soccerGoalie – Well, we're glad we were able to strike a chord with you! Hm, gut us like a fish? *listens to soccerGoalie's disturbing conversation to herself* Well, it seems like you have the capabilities to do so… so we'll be sure to keep these posts coming! Sorry, but we simply can't have Yami Bakura in the hotel – can you imagine all the trouble he'd get into? Nope, this group's stressed-out enough.
Well, thanks to everyone for reviewing, and hope you all come again to enjoy more frights and spooks with our favorite group of duelists! Now we'll return to our previously-scheduled program. Thank you for listening to Buki-Lena radio…
--Kabuki & Lena
*****
Chapter 15:
The tiny light bulb swung back and forth, and Tristan followed it with his eyes, succumbing to complete boredom. He let out a sigh as Duke flicked the hanging bulb once again, the light and shadows fighting against the walls. Duke arched his back and swung his arms behind his head to stretch out the stiff muscles.
"Well," he moaned as his back popped a couple of times. "I suppose the coast is clear, don't you? I mean it's been…" he grabbed the string of the bulb to hold over his watch. "About fifteen minutes, and we still haven't heard a peep from McGruff outside."
Tristan was sitting on the table, legs drooped over the edge and leaning his elbows on his knees. He hung his head at Duke's comment, "Really, Duke. If you want to try it, then please, be my guest. But I really don't think we're out of the woods yet."
"Hm." Duke scoffed, pulling the squeaky chair away from the now bulging wooden door slowly. "We'll see. You can thank me later after I get us out of here." He unbolted the lock and put a hand uncertainly to the doorknob. He looked a final time to Tristan, who had now dismounted the tabletop and was standing at his side.
"I'm with you, buddy. Let's get out of here!"
Duke smiled, gripping the handle more firmly. "Right!" But just as he was about to turn the slippery metal knob, it turned for him. Fear gripped his heart, and he put both hands onto the doorknob and instead of trying to open the door, he found himself trying to keep the door closed. "Shit! I knew this was a bad idea!"
Tristan's eyes went wide as the two trapped duelists heard the low throaty growl of the dogman outside, vigilant and patient in his task. "Let me in, little piggies! Don't make the bad old wolf break the door down."
Duke groaned, struggling to hold the knob steady in his sweaty palms. "Damnit! Doesn't this geek ever give up?" The knob turned again, sharply this time, so that Tristan and Duke had to throw their bodies against the door to keep their attacker at bay. Duke growled, his face pressed close to the old wood as he struggled to keep his feet firmly planted. "Leave us alone, you psycho!"
"Mister Durwent wants to see you, little piggies, so don't make this difficult. The more you hide the more I want to dig into you hammy haunches!" The man-beast howled and beat with ferocious vigor, mad laughter quaking through the door. "Don't you know? You're our guests!" The door buckled as a massive weight was thrown against it, pushing Duke and Tristan backwards for a moment before they scrambled back into place, holding the door as well as they could. The light bulb jangled crazily from its thin wire as another barrage seemed to shake the entire room. "C'mon, fellas, don't be shy!"
Tristan growled, suddenly backing away from the door and shrugging out of his jacket, "That does it! I'm gonna kick his ass!"
Duke, who was still attempting to brace the door against the mad wailing howls of the dogman, could only gape at his companion. "Are you crazy? Tristan, I don't think that's an ordinary guy outside."
"Bullshit." Tristan rolled up his black shirt sleeves. "No ghost packs this much of a punch. I think it's a trick, maybe like that fake boulder Tea, Yugi, Bakura and I ran into on Pegasus' island."
"You can't be sure!"
"I'm gonna have to find out then."
"Don't be such a dumbass!"
"I don't see you doing anything, Duke. That door won't hold much longer. Are you just gonna hide here until he gets through? I say we surprise him, open the door suddenly and attack the jerk when he least expects it."
"I'm not gonna let you do that." Duke winced as another barrage landed upon the door, splintering the wood at the hinges. "Look, you know how you were trying to convince me that something ghostly was happening? Well I'm convinced. Nothing human could do this, Tristan! Please, just help me hold him off until –"
"Until what? Until he finally breaks through and we're too tired and scared to fight back?"
"There's gotta be some other way."
"There isn't! We've gotta make a stand, Duke, so are you with me or not?"
*****
The snowshoes were really helping, but the strange way they had to walk, sort of half waddling half wading through the drifts of white, was already making Yugi's legs sore. He knew that were Yami still around, he would have chided the boy on the need to improve his physical condition, perhaps through weight training or aerobics. Yugi hated to admit it, but the thought of so much exercise made him even more tired. He paused to lift his left leg a little, letting the excess snow slide off before he continued. Joey was moving just as slow, and Yugi was grateful that the sky still retained some daylight and that the snowstorm had stopped, if only temporarily. He watched Joey pause for a moment, shaking his own show shoes free of the clumps and allowing Yugi a chance to come up beside him. The shed wouldn't have been far at all if not for the snow. It was easily within sight, mockingly close. "This is harder than it looks."
Joey nodded, taking a few moments to catch his breath in the frosty air, expelling a puffy white cloud with each panted exhale. "Yeah … Mokuba an' I didn't hafta do this before, but I guess it's snowed since he an' I were out earlier."
Yugi nodded. "It was snowing a little when you and Kaiba were fighting." A harsh wind picked up again as though in response to the mention of the battle, swirling snow from trees and ground alike. The white gale gathered and pressed full force against the entrance of the hotel, depositing a fresh amount of snow in offering to the double doors. Yugi sighed. "Maybe it didn't snow, Joey, but that wind sure makes up for it. I think it's blowing the snow in from the mountains and that path we took. It's all flat land once you get up here."
"Yeah, ya'd think the hotel was designed to keep people inside." He paused in his business of knocking the snow from his shoes and pant legs. "C'mon. We can talk better in the shed."
The shorter boy nodded, following as best he could on such short legs. He wasn't really too short by the standards of his school, but all his friends seemed so much taller and he wished once again fervently that he could hurry and hit a growth spurt. The shed was just a few yards away, but it seemed that they were walking for ten minutes or more before they finally reached the entrance. Joey lifted the garage door, the skin of his hands was cracked and his fingers were shaking in the cold as the two hurried inside. Once the door was shut, the two removed their snowshoes and plopped down on the cool cement floor, allowing their bodies to rest before making the trek back to the hotel. Yugi noticed Joey was refusing eye contact, and he wondered what could be bothering his friend. He slid forward a little, coming close enough to stare straight into the face of his friend in a type of unspoken challenge. Joey, not wanting to reveal his hidden fears, was too stubborn to look away, and his eyes were haunted. The look in his friend's eyes only confirmed Yugi's worry. "Joey, what's wrong? You can tell me. We're still best friends even if the hotel is trying to hurt us."
"Ah, I know that, Yug. It's just … well, I was thinkin' bout what I said earlier an, well, do ya really think the hotel was designed to keep people in? I mean, to kill them and make them stay forever?"
"I don't know." It was Yugi's turn to look away, staring at the three snowmobiles wistfully. "It seems that way. I don't think the hotel keeps everyone, though. I think it takes on … assignments, maybe?"
"Assignments? Whoa, now yer sayin' there's somethin' bigger goin' on around here?" Joey sat back against a tool rack, carefully so as not to jar the gardening equipment that hung there. "That means we've got our work cut out for us."
"No, no, I think that's wrong too." Yugi frowned, a small crease appearing at the top of his nose between and just above his eyebrows. If he kept worrying, it would become a permanent part of his normally delicate facial features, a small crease of worry, earned through so much change and threat at such a young age. "Not assignments, but …projects maybe?" he shook his head. "I don't know how to describe it, but the hotel selects specific targets. I'll bet most of the people who came here never sense anything."
The blond was busy brushing snow from his coat before the cold wetness could seep closer to his skin. "You mean like Tea? She still hasn't seen anything, an' I'll tell ya somethin' else too, Yug: she doesn't believe us either."
"Well she sorta does, Joey, it's just that … well it's kinda hard to believe even if you've seen something, you know?"
"Not for me. I see it an' I believe it. There ain't no deep questionin' goin' on with me, Yug. I know what I saw."
"I know you do, Joey. Trust me when I say I believe you."
Joey grinned at his friend, punching him playfully on the arm. "I trust ya, Yug!"
Yugi winced, clutching the place Joey had struck. "That hurt, Joey." He stated matter-of-factly.
"Oops, sorry bout that." Joey managed a lopsided grin and pushed some of the blonde wisps of hair from his eyes. "I guess I don't know my own strength."
"It's ok. No harm done." Yugi smiled and leaned forward to rest his head on his knees. The Pikachu jacket still looked ridiculous on him, and every time he moved his arms wrong or bent his elbows the sleeves inched their way up his forearm, revealing more of his school uniform and making him colder. If he'd known it was going to snow over the weekend he might have packed some better clothes, but as it was he'd only brought along variations of his school clothes. He hadn't thought he would need anything else for a simple weekend. "Joey, can I ask you something?"
"Aw Yug, ya know you can ask me anythin'." Joey winked, nudging the younger boy. "Unless it involves a date with Serenity." Joey laughed and Yugi couldn't help but join him despite his embarrassment.
"Uh, that wasn't what I had in mind."
"Alright, well then I guess you can ask me just about anythin'. It's just that I see how you an' her look at each other."
"Knock it off, Joey, I'm serious!" But he couldn't help the laughter that escaped every time Joey nudged him, giving a knowing look as though he really expected Yugi to ask Serenity out on a date. Surely Joey knew that Yugi hadn't even thought of Serenity as anything more than the sister of his best friend. "Great, now I forgot what I was gonna say!"
"I'll bet it had somethin' ta do with the hotel." Joey stood, arching his back to stretch out his spine and shoulders. "Let's talk while we look for the cleanin' stuff, ok?"
Yugi thought for a moment then stood. "That's a good idea, otherwise we'll be sitting out here for hours chatting about Serenity. I just wanted to know – what were you and Kaiba fighting for anyways?"
Joey was already rummaging through a cardboard box that looked to have seen much better years at the turn of the century. "What, ya couldn't hear?"
"Not with this wind. It blew all the sound in the wrong direction."
"Ah, well…" Joey made a surprised sound and rattled the box noisily, reaching in despite all the animals that might have used it as a nest, and retrieved a can of Lysol. "I figured they'd have somethin' around here. See? Let's see what else we can find." He shook the box a few more times before deciding it was a waste of time and moved on to another. "What were ya sayin'? Oh yeah! The wind! I didn't think about that, but it makes sense. So you guys didn't hear anythin'?"
"We heard words here and there, but nothing really." Yugi poked at a snowmobile thoughtfully. The machines were waxed and polished, a large iconic eye flanked by two letter I's on either side that were emblazoned in gold print upon the dark blue and purple surface. He assumed it was the symbol for Industrial Illusions, though he'd never seen a symbol for the company before. It made him wonder at the use of the Sennen Eye in the insignia – it was braggish and almost too conceited. But, the more he thought about it, the more Yugi wondered if he'd like a symbol of his own on all his possessions, a pyramid maybe with the two letters of his initials on either side. It was kind of a cool idea, and he gained a better opinion of Pegasus' choice in logos. "So what was the fight about?"
"If you'll quit spacin' out and help me search I'll tell ya." Yugi grinned sheepishly and began to rummage through the small space behind the tool rack. "That's better." Joey grinned. "Anyway, we were fightin' over Mokuba. It's always about Mokuba with Kaiba, don't ya know that?"
"Mokuba?" Yugi looked at his friend in confusion. "Why would Kaiba be mad about him?"
"Cause he thought I was musclin' in on his racket as a big brother."
"Oh." Yugi blinked. "That's weird. Why would he think you were trying to take Mokuba from him?"
"I dunno. The guy's a loony, that's for sure." He sighed, running a hand through his dirty blond mane. "But I don't mean that ta say he hurt Mokuba. He was mad at me, not the kid. Man, I almost feel sorry for the poor guy who hurt the kid, though. Kaiba always goes nuts if anyone threatens to hurt Mokuba, and I dunno what he'll do now that Mokuba's actually hurt."
********
Seto opened the bathroom door a crack, eyes darting about the servants' quarters suspiciously as he prepared to exit the humidity of the washroom. He smirked to find the main room empty; it was good that Duke and Tristan had found something to do. He didn't want to have to dress Mokuba in front of anyone, especially if his suspicions of what had really happened to Mokuba in the kitchen turned out to be true. He turned to pick up his little brother from where he'd left him seated on the floor of the tub, his black hair curled and dripping into the warm soapy water and sticking to the slick white porcelain as he leaned propped up against the back of the tub. His shoulders were slumped as his arms were sprawled in the water, floating limply. He looked terribly small as his eyes stared past the tiled wall on which they were focused, as though the poor child were lost in some terrible nightmare Seto could never hope to comprehend.
He sighed and pulled the drain on the bathtub, wrapping his brother with a blanket before gathering him into his arms, ignoring the throbbing pain from his wounded limb. He brought the child into the main room and gently lay him down on the bed they had so briefly shared the night before.
"I don't know if you can hear me, Mokuba. In fact, by all logical standards it's probably impossible." Seto sighed as he rummaged through the drawers looking for a clean pair of clothes. Sometimes he hated his own logical mind, the way it picked out every pessimistic detail in any situation. "But even if you can't hear me, perhaps you can sense that I'm here." He pulled out a blue and yellow striped sweatshirt and a pair of worn child-sized blue jeans that looked as though they would keep Mokuba warm, and returned to the bedside.
He felt an all too-familiar crease form between his eyebrows as he stared at his brother. Mokuba had always been able to get himself into trouble, it seemed as though it just came naturally for his poor sibling. Even when they were children, Seto remembered having to fight the boy's fights for him. In fact it was that same over-protectiveness that would always anger his brother, for Seto would hardly ever allow him to even leave the house without some sort of tracking device or communicator in case he got into a bad situation. Kaiba knew all too well Mokuba's uncanny ability to sniff out danger and plunge into it head-first. Around KaibaCorp, the boy had earned the less than complimentary title of Boy Hostage, a phrase that always made his kid brother squirm.
Dutifully, Seto sat down on the bed behind the comatose boy, leaning Mokuba's body against his chest as he pulled the kid's arms and head through the t-shirt. "I've been thinking a lot, Mokuba. I've had a lot of things going through my mind." He stared at the boy regretfully before ruffling his limp black hair. "I wish I'd been able to talk to you, before you were hurt. I'm sorry. But I'm going to change all that. As soon as you wake up, it'll be like it was again. I promise you that. I won't let anyone hurt you again, not Pegasus, Joey, whoever attacked you in the kitchen, or anyone else – I won't let them hurt you any more." Seto felt the ache in his arm increase as he pulled the shirt around Mokuba's head, easing the stray ebony strands from the confinement of the fabric. The pain flared, and he was forced to relax his arm, allowing the white heat to subside for a moment before he moved onto his brother's pants. The pain had indeed gotten worse since the fight with Joey; he still couldn't believe the bastard had struck at his weakness like that. It was a low and dirty way to fight an opponent in Seto's opinion. He thought about how much fun it would be to beat up the hard-headed blond after they finished the detention and his wounds healed. He tried to lift his arm again, but the muscles in his bicep screamed out in pain. Seto winced again, but decided that if his brother was conscious he'd more than likely hate being seen by Duke and Tristan with his pants off. Swallowing his pain, Seto stood, laying his brother's head down on the bed gently, and moved on to the boy's pants.
As he finished dressing his brother, however, he felt a flood of dizziness sweep over him like a wave. His head swirled and the walls of the room bulged and convulsed. Seto fell to his knees and let his head drop to the edge of the bed as he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to focus his thoughts once again. He came to the unsettling conclusion that he hadn't slept since before the bus ride, and for a few moments he feared that his body would give out on him, that Duke and Tristan would return and find him collapsed on the floor from sheer exhaustion. But as Seto opened his eyes again, wondering if he could just climb in bed with his younger brother, something caught his eye, focusing his attention. Poking out from one of the many pockets of his dirtied trench coat, he saw the familiar worn leather of the scrapbook he'd found downstairs, seducing him as it attempted to fall from his pocket and garner his attention. Seto cocked his head to the side, his dizziness suddenly vanished as his fingers slipped eagerly around the scrapbook's cover, pulling it gently from the cradling fabric. His other hand graced over the find detailed letters in awe, some sort of strange power seeming to emanate from his fingertips. A slow devious smile slithered across his face. He suddenly felt as though he'd been deprived of its wealth of knowledge, distracted from his true goals. He wanted to read it, to explore it, to find the secrets of the Overlook Hotel and exploit them for his own demands.
He got to his feet with determination and began to turn to sit near the light from the window to read, but the frail form of his brother on the pure white linen of the bed caught his eye. The boy's ebony hair stood out starkly against the bed sheets and Seto sighed in irritation as he realized where his priorities truly lay. Somewhere deep inside of himself Seto was surprised by his reluctance as he returned to his brother's side, gently putting the boy under the covers and tucking the sheets in tight around him. He ruffled the boy's black locks for a moment and took one last glance into his eyes as he stood next to the window and pulled out the booklet. He flipped eagerly to the first page, his eyes hungry for the information and dark secrets he would find hidden away within the old yellowed pages. But even as desperate as he was for the forbidden knowledge, for some reason, Seto kept finding his gaze lingering back to the motionless form on the bed, the black unruly mess of hair disturbingly still on the fluffy pillows. Seto sighed once again and decided that the only way he would be able to read the scrapbook in all its completeness would be if he went somewhere else. Surely there was someplace in the Overlook where he could find some peace and quiet, but what if Duke and Tristan returned? He thought back to his brother and to the unknown assailant that had wrought the wounds on his frail body. For some reason it didn't seem nearly as important now as it had a few minutes ago, somehow he almost felt as though the boy deserved it, as though he were asking for it…
Seto clutched the side of his head in confusion – why was he thinking such things? His brother could never deserve to be hurt like that. He swallowed hard, noticing how dry his throat had become over the course of the day and wondering if he could run downstairs to grab a glass of water or something before he had to go fight whoever the group thought had hurt Mokuba. He shrugged nonchalantly as he opened the front door to the servants' quarters, smiling one last time at the lump in the bed that was Mokuba. "Good night, kid. You sleep well."
His trench coat swished about his legs as he slipped from the room and stealthily closed the latch behind him as he entered the hallway, as though he thought loud noises would accidentally rouse the boy from his pleasant slumber. He felt the comforting weight of the scrapbook in his pocket and patted it once in reassurance. He began to make his way down the hallway and had reached the elevator when he heard some strange whispers coming from a few doors down. He moved further down the hall, his curiosity overwhelming him and soon reached some strange medical room that seemed to have been converted by whatever groups Pegasus had hired to restore the Overlook Hotel. Seto balled his fists, prepared to fight as he tried the handle to the door. It was locked, but he could have sworn that he'd heard Tristan and Duke talking from within. Why would they have locked themselves in the medical room? Were they trying to hide something?
"Duke? Tristan? Are you two in there?" Seto cocked his head to listen, but an uncertainty nagged at his mind that it could be something worse behind the simple wooden door.
"Seto? Seto is that you?" The unmistakable voice of Duke broke through the thick silence and Seto sighed with relief. He heard large amounts of furniture get dragged across the wooden floor with heavy squeaks and what seemed like a short argument coming from inside, but Kaiba couldn't quite make it out. Tristan seemed angry or worried about something, and Duke was arguing against him, their voices nearly indecipherable as they exchanged furtive whispers. What was the problem? What did they have to fear? Some hobo that liked to … hurt … innocent children? If anything, that should make them fearless of the disgusting man they were searching for, so why were they hiding like cowards in the medical room? His anger brimming forth, Kaiba banged hard on the doors to get their attention.
"If you're in there, why don't you open the damned door? Why the hell are you being such pathetic simpering little cowards? Is this how you plan to watch over my brother, Tristan?" Seto growled with irritation.
"Yep, it's definitely Seto." Duke answered in reply, the lock on the doorknob finally clicked as the door creaked open and Duke slowly emerged from the room, smiling from ear to ear at being free from the tiny prison. "Whew, I'm glad it's you! You must have scared him off."
"Scared him off?" Seto's eyes widened and he glanced down the hallway. He thought of his little brother alone in the servant's quarters and feared the worst, all thoughts of the scrapbook's untold secrets vanishing for the moment. "Mokuba …" He growled, setting his sights on Tristan once again. "Where did he go?"
"No way, this isn't someone we should be trying to find." Duke's eyes darted from side to side as Tristan exited the small medical room, shrugging on his jacket once more in a manner exaggerated by his anger. Duke glanced at him, then continued, his emerald gaze still sweeping the hall. "This was something too weird for words."
"Oh really." Kaiba leered. "Nothing's too weird for words, unless you have a very limited vocabulary; but then, I already expected that." He smirked, his gaze casually regarding the two boys, watching them as a predator watches its prey. "Try me."
Duke looked to Tristan who only shrugged, "Be my guest. You seem to have all the answers lately."
"Great, leave me with the tough explanations." The dicey duelist sighed before meeting Kaiba's inimitable gaze once more. "It was a guy …"
Kaiba nodded. "Go on."
"… in a … dog suit, but he was really vicious and he chased us in here! He was like a wild animal or something, and definitely a crazy bastard!"
Seto stared for a long moment, and then began to laugh, the eerie sound reverberating off the deteriorating walls. Duke rubbed the back of his neck, looking to Tristan. "Care to help me out here?"
The biker nodded grimly. "He's telling the truth. We both saw him, and he chased us in here. Look," he gestured to the door, "There are still claw marks here from where he was scratching and yelling at us!"
Kaiba nodded, smirking despite himself. "So you're telling me, that a man in a dog suit scared the two of you enough to warrant barricading yourselves into an old office?"
Tristan glowered, "I would have attacked it, but Duke was too chicken shit to give me a hand."
Duke merely sighed as Kaiba shook his head, chuckling low in his throat. "Are you sure it wasn't Joey? I hear he's on the loose."
Tristan growled, raising a fist. "It wasn't Joey! It was a --"
"Cut the crap, both of you." Seto tried to cross his arms, but the pain flared again and he was forced to simply stand menacingly, glaring at the two with as much fury as he could muster. "So, was this Duke's little hobo again? Aren't we supposed to be catching him instead of hiding from him? You're both pathetic. I don't know why I thought I could rely on either of you for anything."
Duke stepped forward, emerald eyes blazing. "I'm just about sick of your shit, Kaiba. This was something serious screwed up chasing us around!"
Seto stared him down, his body tensed in rage. "Whoever he is, he hurt Mokuba. I cannot allow him the satisfaction of surviving."
"Whoa, hold on." Duke shook his head, stepping forward and between the two somewhat. "First of all we don't even know what he is. Kaiba, you didn't see him but there was something unnatural about him."
For a moment Kaiba's eyes glazed, as a dark memory fluttered across his mind – pain, falling, and the hideous slinking thing that reached one clawed hand forward in the dark. He shook his head, fingering the cuts on his hand absently as he blinked the memory away. "I'm tired of the ghost stories you both seem so fond of telling."
Duke glared at the blue-eyed duelist, but Tristan stepped forward, meeting Seto's mockery with a good measure of his own pent up rage. "Maybe you should lie down then, cause it only gets creepier. I'm tired of your smartass comments, to tell the truth." Tristan sneered, poking Kaiba in the chest with one finger. "Now shut up and listen for once, damnit!"
"Don't. Ever. Touch me." Kaiba smacked the finger aside with his good arm. He was in no position for another fight, but he couldn't stand for anyone pushing him around.
"I'll touch you all I want if it'll knock some sense into you." Duke gave Tristan an odd look, but the taller boy continued unabated. "What is it with you lately? Usually you're an asshole, but not this much of an asshole."
"Mind your own goddamn business."
"Actually," Tristan smirked, "I think it is my business. In fact, I think it's everyone's business if you're dead set on going around attacking people for no good reason."
Duke sighed, "Actually, I think we should be more worried about the hotel attacking people for no good reason."
Kaiba snorted. "This hobby horse again, huh?"
For a moment Duke's face went blank, then his attitude seemed to shift. He was all fun once more as he grinned at Kaiba, leaning cockily against the battered doorframe, "I just think it's weird that some guy in a costume attacks us when we're walking toward that room." He aimed one thumb over his shoulder and further down the darkened hall. "I think Room 217 has some kind of secret, and the sooner we check it out the better."
"Are you crazy? What about what just happened here?" Tristan countered. He wanted to ask about what Duke had said in those blurred moments in the medical room, about his final acknowledgement of belief in the ghostly nature of the Overlook; but he didn't dare bring up such a topic in front of Kaiba. Mokuba had been left alone in the servant's quarters, and Tristan wanted to get to the boy quickly in case the dogman showed up again. He didn't have time to argue wholeheartedly against the mismatched duo. "Haven't you paid attention to anything that's been happening?"
"You're the one who ran away from a puddle of water while I was buried under a flight of stairs."
Tristan growled, "You're a creep, Duke."
Kaiba rolled his eyes. It figured he'd be stuck with the two losers – as though everyone in Yugi's little gang wasn't a loser. "That's enough out of you both. If you're done whimpering then I'm ready to check out Room 217." His blue eyes darted to Tristan, "Get to my brother. Make sure he stays safe, or else you'll wish that you'd died in that broom closet of an office. Got it?"
Tristan met the icy gaze for a moment, finally turning away, his jaw clenched. "I'll do as you say, Kaiba, but for Mokuba's sake, not yours."
"Suits me just fine. Run along now. Duke and I have some unfinished business to attend to."
*********
In the spacious lobby, Tea watched the light dying in the mountains. The logs fell away in a shower of sparks in the hearth, and the sunlight cast a final orange glow over the entirety of the snowy landscape. For a moment the snow looked warm, as though the whole world was ablaze, and Tea could ignore the seeping cold which had been steadily gnawing at her willowy frame since they'd left the school bus. She shivered and wished for the umpteenth time that weekend that she'd thought to bring a jacket as she huddled in one of the many leather chairs.
Beside her, a Tiffany lamp glowed with an amber hue which tried and failed to match the splendor of the sunset. She stared at the window, at the setting sun, and wondered if the weekend would ever end. There was no sense of time at the Overlook Hotel, and she was beginning to feel that she and her friends had been sealed in another world, an alternate reality where time had ceased to matter.
She'd followed with her eyes the retreating forms of Yugi and Joey as long as she could, but the wind had grown too fierce, and the snow had been blown straight at her, threatening to leave not a friend but a trembling statue to greet her companions when they returned. Reluctantly she'd closed the door and gone to the windows. She hated to let her friends go out in the lull of the storm, but there'd only been two sets of snowshoes, and she couldn't slow them down by trudging through the frosty blanket the old fashioned way. Besides, everyone knew she was far underdressed for the blizzard. She wouldn't be able to endure being outside of the hotel for longer than a few moments.
Tea hugged her knees to her chest and wondered why there were no blankets around the hotel, in the linen closets. She'd searched before going to sleep the previous night, but nothing could be found that would ease the cold she felt. She sniffled and rubbed her forehead wearily as the embers smoldered in the fireplace. She was sure she was on the verge of getting a cold.
She stared at the bare windows, the tall rectangular sheets of glass seeming to stretch up into the darkness as the world beyond began to darken. In the distance, framed by unnamed mountains, Tea watched the sunlight stream through the trees and waited eagerly for the sound of snowshoes on the front porch.