Wow, sorry about the delay folks. Finals were kinda rough and for the past few weeks Lena and I have been up to our elbows in work. We finally got a chance to fine-tune this bit, and more should be on the way if the gods are smiling. *g* Thanks for being so patient with us in this. We know how cruel cliffhangers can be, and how mean it is for writers to hold off on updates. It wasn't our choice, and we are deeply sorry. On the bright side, though, more updates should appear within the next few weeks on a more or less routine schedule. Classes are out and our brains are itching for some Overlook fun!
Ok, now for the mass of responses! They might get shorter each time, but that's only cause Lena and I are working hard to answer each and every one. We appreciate all the detailed criticism, and even the shortest note is valued. Thank you everyone!
angelohaku – Glad you enjoy the freakiness of each chapter. At least we're keeping you awake, which is a good thing. *g* That was extremely mean, though, getting Lena's hopes up about adopting chibi Kaiba and all. *waves to the little tyke* He's so adorable!
Anime*2000 – Well if the Overlook had been built with a kennel service, much could have been avoided. Hehehe… and you know there's always a few critics in a group. The Yugi gang is so technologically dependent they wouldn't recognize a ghost if it came up and bit them in the ass. Of course, when things get really bad and there's no other choice, that could change some opinions …
Leland – Seto ain't playing with a full deck lately, but your right about leaving Mokuba all alone – that was uncalled for. Maybe Seto should be punished … *evil glint in her eyes* Mmmm … that sounds fun!
s.h. – Dice projectiles, huh? You think Duke can stand still long enough to aim with a psycho running after him? You think he's pretty brave! *g* But yes, the murder threat is quite real, and I don't think doors alone can save them. *evil laughter*
Amber – Sorry, but why type out your long screen name when I can save the typing time, huh? *g* Pegasus the hero? Now whatever gave you that idea? He's still flying about and freaking out after Mokuba's mind-scream. The kid doesn't know his strength, you know, and Pegsy is quite sensitive. I do agree with you in that everyone has faults. Even Yugi, our supposedly perfect hero has faults galore in this fic, and I won't spare Pegsy any at all. But Pegasus aside, you're right about the lack of real movie similarities in this fic – we're basically using the place and the ghosts, but adding most of the extras ourselves. What's the point of drawing upon a source without any elaboration? You're right about Durwent, he was quite influential in the Shining, as well as the dogman (though he was more in the book than the Nicholson film. You remember that brief moment too? That's so cool! It was my curiosity about that brief shot that got me to read the novel in the first place), hedges, etc. But remember, we're drawing on both films. There are significant parallels from each, so sometimes I get them interlaced. Lena and I both appreciated your long and insightful commentary – it's nice that you took the time to analyze and give your honest opinions. Thank you for that! I agree that the dogman is more funny than scary, but then Lena and I have warped humors as well, so that could be our own twisted amusement. The dogman is really very blatantly homosexual in the book, going around and doing *cough* all manner of things for Durwent and threatening Danny with sexual attacks. We made his lines play on that aspect, and the nursery rhyme references are drawn from the novel as well. How do we collaborate? Girl, that'll be in a separate email! I'll drop you a line later about it if you're still curious, ok? *hugs* Thanks for dropping by!
darklight – Pegasus is on his way, though Seto is losing more and more of his mind I'm afraid. The Overlook ain't a nice place for obsessive guys like him. The dogman has a history all his own, but only Seto has the means of finding anything out about it – and I doubt he'll give up that scrapbook for a close analysis, not even to me! Some characters are so ungrateful! *glares at Seto* Stop being a psycho and get back to Mokuba! *sigh* He just won't listen.
Jherrus – You know, the alcohol was Jack's big weakness and the way the Overlook got to him. With Kaiba being so … well, himself, I don't think booze will do the trick. You read this while on vacation! Wow, you're so dedicated! As for Rex and Weevil at Disney World, Lena and I joked about writing something like that. Unfortunately, though, we should have brought the laptop with us. It's hard to write about a place like that without being there. *sigh*
Metranome – Yeah, you don't want him to bite you. All sorts of infection are possible from a wacko like that, right? Oh yes, Alien Encounter was great! It's the closest I can get to an Aliens ride – I love that movie! It would be nice to cross Yugioh with that, but then there'd be the impregnation and the face-huggers and people would die left and right. I don't think it could end happily for anyone – all the characters would be dead. *sigh* Even though you're stuck at work, the fic will be here. We understand if you can't review, gluttons though we are. *g*
Firewing – Aww, thanks so much! The dogman is so much fun! He's such a freaky weirdo, writing him is great. Of course Duke and Tristan running around in a panic is hilarious too – they're a funny comedy team. We're glad you've picked up on the psychological terror that we're building, it's comforting to know that people are getting it. You've got great insight into what we're trying to do – the isolation as Seto's weakness is right on the mark! Halloran was my favorite from the Shining too, and I'm glad you like the Pegasus interpretation. He was just so comfortable peering into people's minds it made you think he'd had a natural ability from an early age. And anyway, we couldn't leave my favorite character out of the fiction, now could we? He had to have an important role! *L*
DarkFoxy – Wishing ill-events on Tea now, are we? Poor girl, and here she thought herself pretty lucky! Don't worry, we've got some fun stuff in store for her … though it'll be more fun for us than for Tea, I'm sure. You're being a fine reviewer – posting a response makes a big difference, especially if you tell us what you enjoy or don't enjoy. More action is coming up, but we have to get the psychological part and character interaction developed. It's all coming to a head soon enough.
Myotismon13 – Thanks! You've been reading but not responding, huh? Well, we'll forgive you since you responded this time. *g* I agree about Pegasus – he has the slowest plane around! Glad you enjoy the creepy-factor. The Kaiba tension just keeps going like a Duracell battery! *L* You like the confrontations, huh? Well there's more where that came from. *smile* Thanks for reviewing!
lily22 – Kaiba's a classic skeptic. That's just the way he is. *shrug* Maybe Pegasus will have Croquet give him a swift kick in the ass for being such a hard-headed creep. *L* Uh-oh, I hope Lena doesn't read that. She'll take away my Pegsy plushie! *pout*
Vyctori – Yeah, that would have been karmic; but unfortunately Duke and Tristan were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Maybe Duke deserved it though, I mean he did make Joey wear a dogsuit and all. *L* Philosophers, huh? *blush* We're just interpreting what we see going on between them. Duke is such an ignored but fun character, we had to read a bit to see the deeper part of his personality. Glad you agreed with our radical approaches to things. Poor Yugi! I agree people make him too short – it's not humanly possible unless he was a dwarf or something. The artists just like to stylize I guess. Stuff Kaiba in a closet? It would be a good idea, but who could sneak up on the guy? He looks like a hobo himself with that crazed look in his eyes and the tattered clothes and all. Mokuba will come around eventually *deep foreboding voice* we hope! *L* As for Yami, we pretty much figured he can take care of himself for a while too. Yugi's more interesting anyway, and these kids have enough problems. Tea will be making more of an appearance as the tale progresses, though she just hasn't been instrumental thus far. Glad you've enjoyed the character interactions. Yes indeed we've written a lot, just haven't had time to revise until now. This is what happens when you have anal writers, I suppose.
SW – Hey there gal! You're threatening me with Pegasus angst? *laughs* By all means then, threaten away! Make good on your threats, actually … I'm always eager for more Pegsy in pain. Wow, that sounded sadistic … hehe, sorry about that. *g* Glad you're enjoying the progression so far, and don't worry Pegasus will be in the next chapter. He had to fly quite a ways, and Mokuba only called him recently. He's reacting pretty fast considering how long he usually takes to make up his mind and plan for everything, wouldn't you say? *hugs* Thanks for dropping by! You know I'm always amused by the Pegasus banter you and Amber make back and forth. *happy smile*
*Lena pushes Kabuki aside so that she can take over the typing.* Ooh! My turn, my turn!
Wingweaver Hope – Yep, Kaiba brothers make any story good. *wink* Burn the book? Well, in Seto's current state, I'm not going to be held responsible for what he does if you do burn it. *g* Poor Mokuba, but don't worry, he'll have to wake up soon or who knows what Seto will do! Oh, and btw, thanks for letting us know you changed your screen name. We wouldn't begrudge you a little anonymity, now would we? ;-) Thanks for the encouragement!
Josh – Reading at 3am? Ooh, not always a good thing. Not only do the words tend to blend together but the paranoid-o-meter is pretty high when you read spooky stories then. :-) Uzi fire? Can I get some? It looks like it must have done quite a number on your room. *Lol* Hmm, no couples showing up in this one, sorry buddy. Don't like yaoi, huh? I can understand, but I personally like both yaoi and hetero pairings. But don't get your hopes up, this is a spooky/fun fic not a relationship fic. Though Buki and I have tossed ideas around about fic ideas after this one…
BlackHoleSun – Jeez, Tea, if you're cold, you should go and get the blankets off the bed. *sigh* Silly girl, she must think that blankets on beds are only for sleeping under, and I guess she doesn't want to give the other guys any bad ideas. *wink* She's got to be a little paranoid in a hotel of men. ;-) Where can a dog/wolfman hide so fast? Why, in his very own invisible doghouse of course! *Lol*
Rinaidran Warrior - *watches as RW falls onto floor screaming and hyperventilating* Aria, Lysi, does she always do this? *starts searching around for the massive box of Weekend Detention straight jackets she keeps just for such an occasion* One of the best fics out there? Heehee, we'll give you an embroidered straight jacket with the picture of the Kaiba bros for that! Hey, you're jumping at ghosts already? We haven't even begun to fright! *maniacal laughter – but stops abruptly as Aria and Lysi drag a terrified RW away* Come back soon! We're always happy to frighten reviewers! *waves*
soccerGoalie – Glad we could inspire such excitement – or are you always this hyper? *wide eyes* Lol, we'll be updating more often now that we're finally finished with finals.
Hope you all enjoy this chapter, it's kind of long, but I'm sure you all won't complain. *s* Enjoy, but please remember to leave a review as you go, it's a good way of letting us know to hurry up with the next chapter. Lol.
Lena & Kabuki
*****
Chapter 16:
Joey added an old rag to the bucket before wiping his brow and grinning in the grimy dustiness of the garage. The walls were wood-paneled and decaying, decked in moldering skirts of organic material which was intent on slowly consuming the small space. Shredded papers and cardboard boxes littered light-starved corners, having long ago outlasted their purpose and been converted by unseen rats into ragged nests. Joey wiped his palms on the back of his jeans before zipping his coat again despite the fact that he was pouring with sweat from the laborious walk. He and Yugi had been scrounging around for at least fifteen minutes, rummaging through the piles like burglars. "Well, that's all of it. I guess you an' Tea will have yer work cut out for ya. Where're you guys gonna clean, anyway?"
"The third floor. No one's been up there yet and we think it should be explored." Yugi shrugged, strapping his snowshoes on over his shoes.
Joey gave the smaller boy a strange look, "I thought you an' Yami decided that we shouldn't explore any of the other rooms."
Yugi simply gave him a side-long smile. "Well, Yami's not here at the moment, is he? Besides, we had to start somewhere and we thought it'd be better to start at the top instead of the bottom." Yugi stood, wobbling for a bit before regaining his equilibrium. "These things sure are hard to walk with."
Joey decided to ignore the quick subject change. "Yeah, but without 'em we'd just fall through the snow." He took a last look around the garage, stretching his long arms over and behind his head with a satisfying pop. He closed his eyes with a sigh. "I'm ready ta get outta here, Yug. Think we've got everything?"
"Yeah, all we should need anyway. Hey, what's that?" Yugi pointed into the darkness. A table stood unnoticed in a corner behind an old workbench, shrouded in shadow and cloaked in a thin dust-caked canvas cloth.
Joey shrugged, peering into the shadows. "I dunno, Yug."
"I'm gonna find out." The petit boy waddled on his snowshoes across the cement floor, reminding Joey of a beached penguin.
"Is that really a good idea?"
Yugi was beside the bench by then, and Joey had to squint to see the outline of his hair in the overwhelming darkness. The only blot of color was the brightness of his Pikachu jacket, the yellow figures glowed a dim green in the dark. It made Joey almost laugh despite the circumstances. He watched as Yugi carefully positioned the snowshoes so he could stand near the cloth.
"I know what I'm doing." It occurred to Yugi that he wouldn't be able to move very fast in such awkward footgear, but he had already made up his mind. He didn't want to make another trip out to the garage. Yugi had seen how much snow had fallen in such a short amount of time, and for all he knew this might be the last visit they'd be able to make. It was best to check everything and gather all they could in a single visit.
As Yugi grasped the cloth Joey winced. "Didn't you learn anythin' from the meat locker back there?" His complaints came too late, however, as Yugi had already begun pulling the cloth, slowly at first then more quickly until the material fell away to reveal a squat machine mounted on a desk. Joey crept closer, shuffling up beside his friend. "What is it?"
"I think it's a really old radio. My grandpa used to have one, but he said it never worked right, so we threw it away." The King of Games took a deep breath, puffing out his cheeks as he blew across the surface of the metal. A large cloud of dust instantly filled the air, making the two boys gasp and wheeze for a moment.
"Ah, Yug!" Joey coughed, nearly falling backwards as he tried to escape the dense cloud. "Why'd ya hafta go and do that for?"
Between the chokes and tearing eyes, Yugi whispered hoarsely. "Sorry, Joey, I thought that maybe we could use it to call for help."
"Like … how?" Joey leaned forward, the dust having sufficiently cleared so that he could see what the radio looked like. The silver box had a couple of large black knobs on the front and a grill that covered the speaker. A microphone stood atop it, a dusty, cobweb monolith. He knocked on the rectangular metal with a dull clang. "Do we need ta plug it in or does this rust-heap take batteries?"
"Well, I don't know." Yugi's violet eyes scanned the bench for some Duracells while Joey reviewed the places they'd already explored. There was no hiding place that presented itself, and all Yugi could find were the fossilized remains of a sparrow. The King of Games thought for a moment and then brightened. "Kaiba would know how it works. I'm sure he could get it working."
"Ya think so? You don't think it's kinda outdated for him?" Joey asked from across the garage.
"Nah, he'll figure it out. All we have to do is tell him he doesn't know what he's doing. He'll make sure it gets going."
Joey laughed, the sound reverberating within the musty garage. "You crack me up, Yug. Check an' see if it has a wire or somethin'."
Yugi began examining the thing as best he could, pushing aside cobwebs and dust-bunnies. "I found a cord let me see where it goes." He squatted down on his haunches, being unable to kneel in snowshoes.
"Do you think we should bring it with us? What if it needs batteries? Miss Sweeney took all our electronics and stuff … I don't think anyone has any —"
"Hey, we can plug it in!" The boy stood a few feet away from where he'd found the radio, a grin spread across his features. "The cord's a little chewed up, but I think it'll be ok. If we can't get it to work then we're no worse off than before, but like I said, Kaiba can probably get it working. You never know, maybe it'll be helpful."
"I dunno, Yug … it looks kinda old and rusty." Joey gave it a critical stare. "It may be another piece of trash to carry back to the Overlook."
"It can't hurt to bring it along. If we can contact somebody, we might be able to get Mokuba some medical attention. He wasn't looking too good, and I'm worried about him. Besides, Kaiba would get it working if he knew it would help Mokuba. He'd probably appreciate our help."
Joey couldn't imagine Kaiba appreciating anything Yugi or his friends did for him, but it was in Yugi's nature to be nice and that instinct had never steered him too far wrong before. He shrugged. "If ya want it then take it. But I don't owe Kaiba any favors after the stunt he pulled. You can be the good Samaritan. Besides, my arms hurt from trimming earlier."
"I'm sure I can get it, Joey. I didn't expect you to carry it." Yugi grabbed the box, wrapping the cords around the frame and hefting it beneath one of his arms, the microphone dangling over his shoulder. He teetered on his snowshoes, his eyes going wide as he swayed backward for an instant before righting himself. "It's heavy!"
"Well what'd y'expect?" Joey laughed a little at the sight of Yugi in his Pikachu jacket struggling to carry a metal box while balancing himself on his snowshoes. "You really do look ridiculous, Yug."
Yugi rolled his eyes, hefting the box to a more comfortable position against his hip. "Just grab the cleaning stuff, Joey."
"No, I mean it! I wish I'd brought my camera!" The blonde grinned and clapped his short friend on the back, nearly toppling him over.
"Joey, you're such a dweeb!" The two friend's laughter echoed off the moldy walls as Joey opened the side door. Once they peered out, however, Yugi's face took on a look of determination. "It's almost dark. We'd better hurry before the snow starts up again." He didn't voice what he was really thinking, that if the darkness came too fast they might become lost in the snow-covered world until they finally succumbed to a chilly demise. The prospect of him and Joey freezing to death left Yugi terrified, but worse that that was the thought that they would never find Yami, that the spirit would remain lost forever, separated from him as well as the Puzzle.
Joey too was concerned about the oncoming dark, but he skirted the topic easily, unwilling to further frighten his friend. The two friends left the garage and Joey closed the door firmly before glancing back to the other boy. "We'd better get back. I've still gotta finish up my chores too. Tomorrow's our last chance to finish up everythin'." He pointed in the distance as they trudged along, the taller blond moving slower to keep time with his companion despite the threat of the setting sun. He had no intention of leaving his friend alone in the blizzard, whether they became trapped in the night or not. "D'ya see that swing set over there by that big drift a snow?"
Yugi squinted against a sudden gust of wind then nodded as the snow abated and his vision cleared. "Oh, is that where the hedge maze is?"
"Yup, an' I gotta get it done before ol' One-Eye gets back." Joey covered up his left eye, carrying the bucket of supplies in the other hand, as he attempted to look smug and pompous like Pegasus, but only managed to look ridiculous.
Yugi smiled, clutching the radio to his chest as he willed his aching legs to move faster. He'd already given up trying to look cool by holding the bulky thing under his arm. "You just be careful, Joey. No one will be around to help. Are you sure you don't want me to –"
"Ta help me? Nah, Yug, I can handle it by myself. But thanks."
"Are you sure?"
"'Course I'm sure! I know what I'm doin'! I'm gonna tie a string ta my waist and tie th' other end ta the front door so I don't get lost in the snow." He beamed, "I saw some guy do that in a movie once. Pretty smart, huh?"
Yugi nodded, his eyes wide at the image. "I hope so." The two trudged along in silence for a while, Yugi shocked that his friend would even think to try a stunt he'd only seen done in the movies. Both friends were intent on inching their way toward the massive columns of the Overlook. The shadows had deepened, and the daylight seemed to be slipping away fast. "You won't get much done before dark. Are you sure you don't want to come with Tea and me? We'd appreciate the company."
"No can do, Yug. I told ya that I'm gonna trim the hedges, an' I'm gonna do just that." After what felt like hours, the two boys finally reached the entrance and Joey accompanied Yugi up to the front door. The stairs were covered in snow, and with the snowshoes they wore, both boys had no trouble mounting the slippery slope without having to guess the placement of the concealed stairs. Joey grinned once they reached the top and stretched his arms over his head. "That's a workout, huh? Man, I wish we had a sled or somethin' — even the stairs'd be fun then!"
"I don't know, Joey," Yugi stared out over the grounds warily. The hedge animals stuck up out of the snow like drowning circus performers, their evergreen foliage in stark contrast to the blankness of the snowy landscape. The setting sun had colored the snow a brilliant orange, bright as dragon fire. "I get a bad feeling out here."
"Aww, Yug, you getta bad feelin' everywhere. Yer just upset cause ya gotta go clean under beds for Tea. Trust me, Yug, I've been out here all day an' nothin' weird's happened at all. If ya ask me, it's safer out here than in th' Overlook."
"I hope you're right, Joey."
"Trust me. Nothin's gonna happen! You just go an' help Tea, buddy." Joey fished around in the snow for a moment before giving a lopsided but triumphant grin. He pulled upward, revealing a frosty snow-covered mound that, once shaken briskly, revealed a pair of hedge clippers. "I'm gonna go on an' get started before the sun sets. You an' Tea watch out for each other, okay?"
"We will, Joey. You just watch out for yourself. I don't like you alone out here." Yugi stared at the drifts of snow with a deep foreboding. Fresh flakes hadn't begun to fall yet, but he knew it was likely that by morning their deep tracks would be completely covered.
"Yeah well, it's gotta be done, Yug."
The two were about to part when one of the massive double doors swung open, revealing a disheveled and grunting Tea. She shivered and peered around the door, wisps of snow swirling in the threshold between the outdoors and the Overlook's interior. "There you are! I was so worried, where have you two been?" She blinked, looking from one boy to the other before her eyes settled on the large rectangular metal box Yugi clutched to his chest. "What's that? I hope it's a space heater. We're almost out of firewood."
Yugi shook his head, snow sliding from amidst the pointy spikes that served as the boy's hair. "No, this is a radio. It's old but we thought maybe Kaiba could get it working so we can contact somebody."
Tea rolled her eyes. "It's freezing in here! Is there any firewood outside?"
Joey sighed. "Yeah, Yug an' I'll get some."
"Thanks you guys! I don't mean to be a pest, it's just really cold!"
"No problem." Joey glanced around before his gaze fell on a suspicious looking snowdrift on the porch. Putting the hedge clippers aside for the moment, he trudged to the pile with Yugi at his side. It took a while to rub the snow away, but at the first crinkling sound the two knew they were not digging in vain. "I knew it, there's a tarp under here! I thought I'd seen it earlier…"
Yugi nodded, brushing the snow away to reveal more and more of the black plastic covering. He lifted one corner from the bottom and beamed. "I think we found the firewood, Tea." The two boys removed a few of the logs, placing them near the door with an audible thump. "They're heavy!"
Joey nodded, wincing as he tried to lift a particularly big log. "Ooph! Ah, Yug, I think we're gonna hafta leave this one out."
"Are you still hurting from too much trimming, or is it really from your fight with Kaiba?" Yugi struggled but managed to shakily lift the heavy burden from the pile, placing it with a snow muffled thump near the door. He had to smile at the insulted and shocked look Joey gave him. It made Yugi feel good to be able to lift something that Joey couldn't, especially in front of Tea. "Maybe you really should come upstairs with us."
Tea nodded, peering around the doorframe as she picked up a few pieces of kindling. "I still have bandages around somewhere. We can take care of you, Joey. Come with us. I'd feel safer if we didn't split up anymore. I don't think we should leave each other alone."
Joey leaned against the railing, his breath coming in condensed clouds on the frozen air. "Tea, you know I've gotta trim those hedges. Ms. Sweeny'll freak out if I neglect 'em, and with the snow comin' in so fast, I may not be able ta get 'em done tomorrow."
Tea scowled, clutching the wood to her breasts. "I think you're being pretty stupid, Joey."
"What? I'm tryin' ta do my part here! At least I'm gettin' work done instead of complaining all the time."
"That's not fair, Joey -- I made breakfast!"
Yugi shook his head. "Please, just calm down guys. We can't let the work get to us. It's got to be done, and the sooner the better. Besides Joey's right, the weather is looking pretty bad."
The blond duelist shook his shaggy head, wiping his reddened cheeks with his gloved hands. "Yer right, Yug. Sorry bout that, Tea. I'm just not lookin' forward to all that trimmin', that's all."
Tea sighed. She didn't quite know what to make of her friends. She suddenly felt very selfish, arguing when Joey and Yugi had already been through so much. Joey had done more work and been through more bad experiences than anyone else, and poor Yugi had lost Yami but still was willing to help out. Tea really had no reason to argue with them. As much of an idiot as Joey was being, she couldn't stop him and if Yugi didn't see a problem with it, then she'd just have to let him do what he wanted. She'd given up trying to understand men long ago. "I'm sorry, both of you. Joey, you do what you feel is right, but please be careful. I don't want anything to happen to you out here."
Joey made a half-hearted victory sign and grinned. "I promise I'll be careful. An' don't worry bout me, I'd rather deal with a few overgrown weeds than th' Overlook any day!"
Tea smiled and nodded. "If you're sure, then I won't argue with you anymore. Please watch out though. The snow is going to start coming down hard again and I don't want anything to happen to you. Promise me that if it starts getting too bad out there, no matter how much more of that silly maze you have left, that you'll come inside, okay?"
"Ah, don't mother me so much, Tea. It's embarrassing!" Joey pushed a few stray strands of blond from his eyes. "I promise, okay? But the longer I stand around talkin', the less work I'll get done." He began fishing about in his pockets for the rolled up rope he'd pilfered from the garage. Once retrieved, Tea and Yugi watched as their friend tied one end of the lifeline to the doorknob of the Overlook's main entrance and the other around his waist.
Yugi kicked the excess powder from his snowshoes, feeling a little useless. "Are you sure about this, Joey?"
"Yeah, I'm sure! Jeez, quit naggin' me, both of you! I don't wanna go out there, but I have to, alright? You guys make it worse than it is, now get goin', you two. I'll find you in a little while." Joey grinned, brandishing the hedge clippers like a sword. "Have fun with the dust bunnies, Yug!"
Yugi rolled his eyes as he slipped the snowshoes off, his wet sneakers squeaking on the wooden floor as he entered the lobby. "Yeah right. Tea just wants a short person to sweep out the small places."
Tea grinned. "Well, you're the shortest person around, Yugi!"
*****
The haze of dreams and the horrific images of the raw, disgusting creatures from the kitchen faded slightly though the memory would always be etched in Mokuba's mind. Slowly the blackness faded into the white plastered ceiling. His pupils dilated slowly as with a shaky hand, Mokuba pushed aside a stray strand of ebony hair and slowly pulled himself into a seated position. He noted with frustration the tight knot in his belly that flipped around as he sat up, making him feel terribly nauseous.
He draped his small legs over the edge of the bed, feeling the cold wood freeze his naked feet. His head was fuzzy but slowly his mind began to clear as the young boy attempted to even out his breaths. Where was he? Not at home, that much was certain. The familiar duel-monster memorabilia and soccer trophies that decorated his large bedroom at home were gone and he was left with the sort of faded flowery furniture he would expect to find in a little girl's room.
"Se - to?" His throat was dry and it was difficult to get the words out, but Mokuba was determined to find out what was going on. He felt his belly do a flip-flop again, like a dying fish left on the side of a dock, and he moaned as he forced himself to his feet. Instinctively his eyes darted around looking for the toilet. He pitter-pattered across the slick wooden floor as he ran into the bathroom and flipped the porcelain lid, clutching the bowl as he gagged, releasing the tight knot in his belly into the clear water. He flushed it away gratefully, his vision becoming immediately clearer and his body relaxing once again. He stared up at the gold light fixtures above the bathroom mirror, the fine brass knobs at the sink and the sloping neck of the tarnished swan that served as a faucet. The room wasn't familiar, and his face sank as realization hit him like an anchor. He realized that he was indeed within the bowels of the Overlook, the same terrible creatures from his dreams still slipped around downstairs, and everyone was still in the same danger that they had been in when he'd cried out, sprawled on the cold kitchen floor.
He felt another wave of nausea attempt to sweep over him at the disgusting thought, at the sadness that tried to overwhelm him, but Mokuba prided himself on his resilience. Even if Seto only thought of it as a stroke of good luck each time Mokuba outsmarted some would-be captor, the bushy-headed boy knew his own talents and abilities to be the true reason for his miraculous escapes. He forced his body to obey his will and set about the task of finding some shoes and to help his recklessly arrogant big brother before he was too late. He loved Seto to death, but he'd long ago come to accept his brother's overwhelming ego and protectiveness as a price to pay for his affection. He looked down at his fresh striped sweatshirt and clean blue jeans in a bit of confusion, when had he changed clothes? He noted the pile of his old dirtied clothing in the corner of the room with various other assortments and overnight bags dropped off like a mark by others in the group – an old t-shirt of Joey's, a pair of socks left by Tristan, and his own soiled garments laid on top, neatly folded and stacked in accordance to size. Mokuba smiled and shook his head -- it was the cleanliness of that little pile that told him who had taken care of him. His brother could be so anal at times. He found his tennis shoes beside the bed, stuffed with a fresh pair of socks which he donned, tying the long laces in haste as he tried to leave as quickly as possible.
He wondered if perhaps he was pushing himself a bit too much as he stood, however; because the world began to spin again and his head threatened him with a nasty headache. He sat down on the bed with a grunt, clutching his aching skull with his right hand.
::Mokuba.::
The boy jumped, his eyes searching around the room. "Who's there? Hello?"
::Mokuba … Mokuba Kaiba …::
The voice was different with every breath. It was not a sexless thing, but it hung in that range of hearing, not quite a woman and not quite a man. The eeriness of it made the boy shiver, and he scanned the room slowly with his wide blue eyes. "Who are you?"
::Come play with us, Mokuba. We so want you to come play.:: Now a child's sing-song voice, a little girl laughing at him as though coquettishly inviting him to the playground. ::We like to play, you should come join us.::
On the silver-framed mirror above the old-fashioned cherry wood dresser a blotched red image materialized, dark and glistening like blood as it oozed from the reflective glass, streams running into each other to form letters. Mokuba felt his pulse quicken as he realized the word that it spelled, the word from his dream: REDRUM. He recoiled, wincing at the violent slashes of red against the hazy orange sunlight captured on the reflective surface. It couldn't be real … but then he shook his head quickly. He'd almost fallen into the same trap as the others by doubting the reality of the Overlook. It was what the hotel wanted them to do. It would be so much easier for it to control those that did not know to fear it. The laughter of the little girl continued a disembodied and hovering presence, mocking him in the dark room like a blasphemous thing. It invaded the last sanctuary of the Domino High School students. Mokuba glared, wishing he had a face to argue against. "Why won't you leave us alone?"
A woman's alto laughter now joined the girl's, high and crisp as an autumn breeze, the taunting voices mixed and mingled into a psychotic cacophony of noise. Mokuba wondered for a moment if the sound was coming from the hollow corridors of the hotel or from within himself – as though his own mind had betrayed him. As though the battle would be lost even before it had truly begun. The laughter died away, and the voices returned in a torrential flow, alternating between the masculine and the feminine with serpentine ease, lifting one mask after another, like a child playing dress-up.
:: … Come play with us… ::
:: … We've been waiting for you, Mokuba… ::
:: … won't you come play?::
:: … You know we like you… ::
:: … Yes, we like you and your friends… ::
:: … we like all of you, so come and play… ::
:: … Don't be shy, come play… ::
:: … play with us! ::
"Stop it! Go away!" Mokuba clutched his ears, trying to shut out the maniacal voices even though they reverberated in his own mind. He was surprised the first time Pegasus had done it, the first little glimmer of conversation, but this was terrible. It was too much, and Mokuba knew he was too inexperienced to handle the strain. As the pressure increased, he was tempted to hide from it again, to run away to the comfort of his own mind and shut out the world like before. But then he thought of his brother and he thought of Yugi, he knew what the hotel wanted and he had to warn them. To tell them before it was too late. It was his job, his duty to his friends and his brother. If he didn't have the strength to do it now, who would?
The voices continued, the words merging into a steady hum, each voice taking on a rhythm indistinguishable from the others, melting into a solid force, working its way into his mind. The sound was pounding, like one of the big drums in the school band, and Mokuba felt his resolve beginning to waver. A high pitched hysterical laugh tore across the flood of voices, and Mokuba knew he needed to force them away before they overwhelmed him and took him over, made him one of them. The Overlook was determined, but the boy was powerful, and instinct took over as his energies focused and blasted outward in a soundless cry that would have impressed even Yami were the spirit nearby -- ::GO AWAY!!::
The mirror over the dresser cracked straight across through the letters and the voices paused. Mokuba gasped as he gathered his strength, unconsciously ready to assault the hotel on his own terms. He was tired of being pressured, tired of being used, and even though he had no idea how he'd made the cry that stopped the spirits, he was ready to do it again if it would make them quiet. The air crackled with energy, and Mokuba waited patiently listening like a hunter …
But the moment was broken almost as quickly as it had begun. He heard footsteps in the hall for an instant before the tiny click of the doorknob announced the presence of a newcomer. Mokuba released the breath he'd unconsciously been holding, his concentration shattered as he gazed at Tristan, half expecting the biker to be a physical mirage conjured by the hotel.
Tristan stared at the boy with wide eyes; he'd fully expected Mokuba to be unconscious laid out on the bed like a soulless little doll. But the boy sat on the bed amidst rumpled sheets, fully dressed with his unkempt mop of black bushy hair framing his pale face. His gaze narrowed though when he saw the boy's eyes. Tristan had seen plenty of duels since his best buddy had gotten into Duel Monsters, and as a side coincidence had seen Kaiba duel on several occasions. Mokuba's gaze, the sparkle in his large irises, and the way his ebony hair hooded a pair of determined blue eyes, all made the small boy look bigger somehow than he truly was. In fact, the more Tristan stared, the more he realized how closely the Kaiba brothers were related. It made Mokuba look disturbingly like his older brother did when he dueled, that same icy determination and sense of his own strength. Tristan felt an odd sense of deja-vu sweep over him and he had to shake himself. "Mokuba?" To be honest, he couldn't think of anything else to say.
Mokuba stared at him with weary surprise for a few moments before looking past him into the mirror. The cracked surface was illuminated with the dim rays of sunlight, but the letters had vanished. He sighed, trying to control his breathing as he looked up at the older boy. "It's okay, Tristan. I'm fine now."
Tristan watched with a creased brow as the young boy transformed into the cute child again, oblivious to the strange metamorphosis. He noticed briefly that the room smelled of ozone, the same weird smell that permeated his nostrils after a heavy downpour in downtown Domino City. His face scrunched up as he looked about the room, expecting some small fire or something. He was about to ask Mokuba what was wrong when he thought he heard a woman's sharp laughter behind him echoing down the second floor hallway. Tristan spun around, turning to the paisley carpet of the corridor, his eyes darting back and forth down the dark passage. "What was that?"
Mokuba sighed, a soft crease forming between his eyebrows as his eyes went downcast. "They're getting stronger."
The biker didn't need to ask what Mokuba meant, he no longer doubted that the dogman had been some strange creation of the hotel. Wordlessly, he shut the door, fastening the deadbolt with grim determination. He wasn't going to risk another attack by that damned weirdo in a dogsuit. "Okay, Mokuba, you've gotta level with me now. What the hell's been going on?"
The boy started twirling the black tendrils of his hair between his fingers, and Tristan couldn't help but smile as he turned away from the door. It was becoming more and more obvious to him that the kid had been cooped up with the group of duelists for too long. When a kid starts picking up Duke Devlin's habits, you know the world's caving in. He closed his eyes momentarily as he thought of Duke being alone in that room with Kaiba. As much as he couldn't stand the pirate wannabe, he couldn't help but worry for him. But he knew the guy had chosen his own fate, and the only way he would learn would be through experience. So Tristan resigned himself to reluctant babysitting, settling himself on the bed next to Mokuba, ready to listen to what the poor kid had to say.
Mokuba stared at his sneakers, examining the tiny lines of the stitching as though it were a complex mathematical problem. "We've taken too long, Tristan. We should have left the first night."
The tall biker sighed, "I know, Mokuba. But we couldn't leave, we have a duty to stay here, you know. You don't want to be stuck doing this again next weekend, do you?"
"Ms. Sweeney had no idea that this would happen. We should have left with Pegasus. He would have taken us."
Tristan scoffed, "Yeah, right! Like I really believe that. He was the one that arranged for us to be here!"
"No, he didn't. Something else did. Not Ms. Sweeney, not the school board, not even Pegasus. I don't know what it was, but you're wrong, Tristan. Pegasus didn't want to leave us here, but he felt he had to."
The older boy gave him an odd look, "Why?"
"Adults are complicated," Mokuba pulled his feet onto the bed in a cross-legged position, picking at the shoelaces and avoiding Tristan's inquisitive gaze. "They never really do what they want to do. They think about it, but then they talk themselves out of it. Pegasus knew it was a bad idea for us to stay, but he thought we could handle ourselves. I don't think he knew it would be this bad."
Tristan just stared at the boy, "How do you know that?"
Mokuba simply ignored him, "It's like my big brother. He always wants to do things the right way, but he doesn't because he's too scared or too afraid of how people will see him. Then because he was scared in the first place, he does the exact opposite of what he wants. And later, he feels awful about it, but convinces himself that it was the right thing to do."
The biker wasn't sure if he should be taking notes or figuring out a way to have Mokuba committed. Was everybody going nutty? First Pegasus nearly fell apart the first night, then Kaiba got into a fight with Joey, and then Yugi's puzzle spirit went missing, and suddenly Mokuba had gone all Yoda. Tristan wondered absently if he and Duke were the only sane ones in the group. But of course, there was always the issue with the dogman – the second supernatural encounter he'd had with Duke that the other duelist simply wouldn't believe. It was enough to make Tristan doubt his own sanity. The dogman had certainly seemed real enough – anything that had the strength to pound on a solid door would have to be made of flesh and blood, right?
"Tristan, can I ask you something?"
The taller boy was drawn out of his stupor, a bit confused that someone as seemingly wise as Mokuba would have a question. "Sure, I guess."
"What's redrum mean?"
"Red drum?"
"No, not drum. Rum. With an 'R'."
"Oh," Tristan thought for a moment. He couldn't think what redrum could be and if anyone else had asked he'd probably have laughed and told them he wasn't a dictionary. But the dark-haired child next to him was pale and looked nearly anemic with fright. Obviously the poor kid was sick and suffering from some kind of shock. That would account for the strange behavior and the fact that Mokuba was busying himself by psychoanalyzing Kaiba and Pegasus – what a wack-ass. He thought it was best to humor the boy until Kaiba and Duke returned. After all that Mokuba had said earlier, Tristan wasn't at all sure he knew how to handle the boy. "It kinda sounds like something a pirate would drink." He looked at the boy a moment, hoping to draw out his humor and change the subject. Things had been creepy enough for his taste. He asked in a teasing voice, "Do you like pirates, Mokuba?"
Mokuba rolled his eyes, jutting his jaw out as he glared at Tristan. "I'm not a dweeb, Tristan. Don't placate me like I'm a little kid."
"Okay," Tristan smiled, glad to finally pull Mokuba away from the tedious task of examining his shoes. "Look, Mokuba, I'm just trying to answer you as honestly as I can. I don't exactly know what you're getting at. It sounds like something you'd watch on TV or order at a theme bar." He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't really hang out with kids too much."
"I can tell." Mokuba picked up an edge of the sheets on the bed, twisting it and twirling the fabric tighter and tighter in his small hands. "This isn't a kid thing, though. It's important. Redrum is important, ok, and I need to find out why so I can stop the hotel."
Tristan gave the boy a quizzical look; he never knew watching out for a kid would be so complicated. "Alright, I get it. Well, we don't have any way of looking the word up here, but maybe we can just talk about it. Where did you hear it?"
"I … I don't know."
Tristan was quickly learning that Mokuba was a terrible liar. "So you know it's important but you don't know where you heard it from? That makes it hard to understand."