Chapter 15

Almost as soon as they'd entered the Kaiba mansion, Yugi had suggested they split up. His explanation for why it was such a good idea was so rushed Téa wasn't even sure it actually existed. For what felt like an eternity she just stood in a kind of frozen stupor in the middle of the hallway.

'Can I help you?'

The sound of his voice startled her so much an embarrassingly loud gasp escaped her. Laughing nervously, she turned to see Tristan watching her from the doorway of one of the rooms leading off of the hallway she was in.

'Well... yeah,' her lips twitched into an edgy smile, 'I wanted to apologise... for what I said earlier.'

Tristan's face filled with the look of a confused little boy and he simply shook his head at her.

'Are you saying you won't accept my apology?' Téa took half a step towards him.

'I don't understand what you're talking about,' there was a little boy lilt to his voice. 'Who are you?'

'You're kidding, right?' The words came out in strained laugh.

Again he just stared at her and shook his head. Cautiously Téa took several steps towards him, coming to a stop a couple of feet away. Her eyes then scanned him a few times, just to check this wasn't some kind of joke or payback or... whatever.

'Are you a friend of his?' Tristan's eyes studied her with an uncertain curiosity.

'What?'

'Are you a friend of his? Is he important to you too?'

'Important to me...?' Téa shook her head and gawked at him. 'Are you talking about Kaiba?'

'I... I don't know; I don't remember. But I know he's important and that's all that matters.'

A noise somewhere between a laugh and a sob escaped Téa as she placed a hand over her mouth.

'You look sad, have I said something to upset you?' Tristan's voice toned with innocence. 'I didn't mean to.'

'Tristan...' her voice sounded as dry as her mouth felt.

'What does that mean?'

'You... you don't even know...' she took a step back. 'Do you remember anything? Anything at all?'

'I remember that I have someone important,' a soft smile filled his face, 'someone I know will take care of me no matter what. I know it in here,' he placed both of his hands over his heart, 'it's the only thing I have and the only thing I need.'

There were several questions Téa knew she wanted to ask, but given the circumstances felt she might regret them later. Instead she decided to play it safe and keep the questions on as neutral a level as possible.

'Do you know what's wrong with you?'

'He said something bad happened; something which makes me like this sometimes,' he tilted his head to one side. 'He says if I just stay calm and don't get upset about things, then everything will come back to me.'

'Did... did he say what this bad thing was?' Téa pressed her lips together.

'I didn't ask and he didn't tell,' Tristan shook his head. 'Why would I need to know?'

'Because it's reduced you down to a blank slate,' she could hear hysterical anger creep into her voice. 'What if he was the one who did this to you? What if it's his fault you're like this?'

'He wouldn't,' he sounded genuinely hurt by the idea.

'How do you know when you can't remember anything?'

'Because I know,' he beat his hand against his chest like a child playing Tarzan.

'No you don't,' she gritted her teeth. 'All this time I just thought he was being controlling and possessive, I didn't realise he was being manipulative and brainwashing as well. Of course it makes perfect sense for the controlling megalomaniac to be so selfish he has to find some way of making sure no one else plays with his toys.'

'Shut up,' Tristan glared at her, 'stop saying mean things about him. Shut up.'

'He has you completely wrapped around his little finger, doesn't he?' Téa's face filled with a look of disgust. 'You know he doesn't actually care about you, right? You're just the closest thing he's ever likely to have to a real friend and he doesn't want to share.'

'Shut up, you don't know anything, shut up,' he stamped his foot like a little kid.

'You need to come with me,' Téa grabbed hold of his arm.

'No,' he pulled back from her, 'I'm not going anywhere with you. You're mean and horrid and I don't like you. Go away.'

'This is for your own good Tristan,' she made to grab his arm again, but he just slapped her hands away.

'Go away, leave me alone,' he pulled himself back into the room and slammed the door.

'Tristan,' she tried to push the door open, but it was pretty obvious he was using his weight to keep it closed. 'Tristan I just want to help you.'

'I don't want your help, go away,' Tristan shouted through the door.

'Tristan...'

'I hate you, I hate you, go away, leave me alone, go away!'

Almost as soon as she'd entered the room her head had started to spin. Her hands went out for the first solid object she could find to lean her weight against as dots started to appear in her vision. She felt sick. More than sick. To make things worse the dots in her vision were becoming bigger, blurring together into a head spinning mess. Her head swarmed with a feeling both light and nonsensically heavy at the same time. She barely felt the weight of her body collapse beneath her as she slipped into a state of unconsciousness.

'I can't believe the way he's acting,' Ahna raged as she and Covo made their way towards the kitchen. 'It's like he woke up this morning a whole different person. I mean even when we were together all he could talk about was her. It's how I knew they were destined to be together and why I was so uncomfortable with the darkness's plan.'

'Mai has been knocking him back a lot lately,' Covo pulled a face, 'maybe it's been getting to him more than any of us realised.'

'No, I don't believe that for a second. No one who knows Veronie like I do would believe it. The Veronie I know would walk on hot coals for Mai and a few knock backs to ill timed proposals are not going to change that. That person I spoke to this morning... that wasn't Veronie.'

'Maybe it was the First,' Covo pressed his lips together. 'I mean, Veronie might not act like that, but the First would, right? Isn't she kind of emotionally invested in their relationship too? Maybe she's upset about something and is acting it out through Veronie somehow.'

'Hmm, I hadn't thought of that,' Ahna pressed her lips together. 'It is possible I guess.'

By this time they'd reached the kitchen. The first thing Ahna's eyes were drawn to was the body lying almost lifelessly on the ground. Her heart stopped dead in her chest as every inch of her froze.

'Oh my god, Mai,' Covo's voice was as sharp as an intake of air.

'Covo go fetch Veronie,' Ahna forced her attention towards him, 'now.'

Macar sprinted his way through the corridors towards the garden. Everything in him was praying Joey was still out there somewhere and would be easily found. The last thing he wanted was to have to search every inch of the Southern Palace for the guy. It was one of those situations where time was of the essence. It didn't take him long to burst out into the garden and his eyes darted around for less than a minute before he spotted Joey.

His heart stopped dead in his chest and a spike of highly charged emotions shot through him. Joey was stood just in front of one of the flowerbeds, with his arms wrapped around some scantily clad ash blonde girl. Disbelief rolled into anger as he watched Joey kiss her. Everything in Covo wanted to storm across the garden and hit Joey for his betrayal, but there was no time for that.

Fuelled with a strange kind of angry determination, Covo raced his way back down the network of corridors to the kitchen.

'Where's Veronie?' Ahna's eyes lifted to meet with his. 'Couldn't you find him?'

'Oh I found him alright,' Covo spat out the words, 'but I don't think he's going to be any help to us right now.'

'What?' Ahna laughed nervously. 'What's that supposed to mean?'

'It means he tricked us all into thinking he's a great guy, when really he's just a selfish bastard.'

'Covo, how can you say that?'

'If you'd seen what I just saw you'd have no trouble believing me on this one,' Covo gritted his teeth.

'What... what did you see?'

'I saw him cheating on Mai.'