Chapter 56

The opening Ahna had found led into a long, dark and winding corridor. There was something about it which gave Mokuba the creeps, although he wasn't totally sure why. But then it wasn't like there was much about this whole crazy situation which made a lot of sense to any of them, so why shouldn't this passageway be super creepy for absolutely no reason?

There were low murmurings of conversations on and off between the others as the passageway began to open out into a rocky chamber. At the far side of the chamber, stood just in front of another passageway, was the redhead. In her arms was Crovell. Mokuba felt a strange tingle of satisfaction to see his brother was telling the truth and his eyes automatically turned towards Joey.

'You again,' Joey took several steps towards her only to find himself up against an invisible wall. 'Just what the hell do you think you're doing with my son?'

'I'm doing his bidding, of course,' a strange smile tugged at her lips, 'I am his creation after all.'

'And what exactly is his bidding right now,' he narrowed his gaze.

'That I talk some sense into you.'

'Sense about what exactly?'

'What do you think,' she half turned away from him in a nonchalant manner. 'My Master can see glimmers of possible futures and there's one he's very interested in. But for it to happen you have to calm down and stop acting like it's your right and responsibility to tell others how to behave.'

'If this is about Tristan and Kaiba I have every reason...'

'No, you do not and you get that arrogance of yours about it from the First. I understand your concern. I know there is a chance people could get hurt from this situation. But life is about risk and the freedom to take those risks, regardless as to whether or not they pay off.'

'So you're saying I should just stand back and watch Tristan and the Pure get hurt?'

'You don't know for sure they will get hurt,' she shook her head. 'No one knows anything for sure right now, not even my Master. But he does know there is a greater possibility everything will turn out just fine if you back off and let whatever needs to happen, happen.'

'You say that like it's easy,' Joey's jaw line hardened.

'And you say that like someone who needs to be in control,' she tilted her head to one side. 'You've spent a lot of time ranting and raving about how Kaiba struggles to separate himself from the Pure, but you yourself are not much better. The First has altered you just as much as the Pure has altered him, so I don't understand what the problem is here.'

'I still know my own mind, even when I know the First is influencing my behaviour I still know my own mind; I doubt the same is true of Kaiba.'

'Perhaps he doesn't, but shouldn't he be allowed to learn what he needs to learn on his own?'

'I'm not sure he can.'

'Then help him. Guide him.'

'He wouldn't want my help.'

'Maybe not directly, but there are other ways you can help him. Antagonising him isn't going to do either of you any good and you know it. Hell, you've already seen it. So just calm down and handle this situation with a little more restraint.'

'Fine,' Joey made a noise of disgust and turned his head away. 'I can't believe my own son is lecturing me about restraint after everything he's just put us through.'

'Are you saying my Master's game was excessive?'

'What do you think?'

'I think my Master is Chaos, therefore this game was restrained for him. Now,' Crovell disappeared from her arms and reappeared in Joeys, 'since you have given me your word you will show some restraint, I guess it's time for you to prove it. My time is finally up and they are waiting for you.'

'You look sad,' Catilin took half a step towards her as the redhead's body slowly became translucent.

'I have fulfilled my purpose, there is no reason for me to feel sorrow,' she lowered her gaze, 'and yet... Please, tell Téa there's nothing she could have done; this was always meant to be my fate. Her concern for my wellbeing meant a lot to me, but I am not real, she is.'

With that the redhead completely vanished. For a few long moments the group just stood awkwardly around and Mokuba found himself not totally sure what to make of the whole situation. Then the whole group gave a mutual sounding sigh and made their way forward, the invisible wall no longer blocking their path. The passageway they found themselves walking through was more cavernous than the previous one. It felt a little like it someone had a hand in enhancing its structure rather than just creating it from scratch. They must have been walking for a good ten minutes before the passageway opened out into an equally cavernous chamber. A chamber the Mokuba recognised. A chamber with the Yatnuh depicted on its floor.

'Giya,' his jaw almost dropped open. 'Are you seriously telling me we've been on Giya this whole time?'

'The secret playground,' Catilin giggled and clapped her hands together with bemused excitement.

'The what?'

'The playground Win created for Set,' Tristan's voice sounded to the right of them.

'Win created a playground for Set?' Joey frowned as the group turned their attention towards the pair casually leant against the back wall of the chamber.

'Before he died, obviously,' Tristan gave a nervous laugh.

'He made it when he found out the First was gonna have a baby,' Catilin bounced on her heels. 'He wanted to surprise her with it when the baby was born but...'

'He died taking that secret to the grave with him,' he gave a heavy sigh and lowered his head slightly.

'How come you know all this and I don't,' Mokuba frowned at him, 'I thought Catilin was the only one who had access to Win's memories.'

'That's not completely true lus braysta,' he rolled his eyes, 'we all have dilute amounts of Win's memory; Catilin just got the bulk of it.'

'So then how did you both end up with memories of this place?'

'We didn't,' he shrugged, 'I'm a telepath, remember? I read Catilin's mind the second she showed any knowledge of what that place was.'

'You know that's a pretty invasive way of using telepathy, right?' Joey shot him a look. 'You're as bad as the Pure.'

'Exactly, so stop treating me like a little kid.'

'I'm not treating you like a little kid,' he jutted his chin out, 'I'm just trying to look out for you.'

'I can look out for myself, thank you very much.'

'Sorry if I don't completely believe you there, but you were committed for multiple suicide attempts not so long ago. And that's before you even consider the fact you can't even remember who you are half the time. So I apologise if you think I'm being too overprotective or... whatever, but you're my best friend and I think I need to be.'

'Didn't you just promise Crovell you wouldn't be though hiet braysta,' Catilin grinned at him.

'Yeah,' Mokuba turned towards the blond guy, 'I distinctly remember hearing that. You promised you wouldn't be like this and you're already breaking that promise; what kind of example is that to set your son?'

'Oh come on, I'm not even allowed to be a little bit concerned about him?' Joey made a noise of exasperation. 'He is in love with the guy who stood around and did nothing when his soul card was destroyed.'

Tristan made a weird, jarring noise of shock as everyone else instantly shifted their gazes away. Mokuba couldn't say he hadn't expected Joey to do something rash, but this level of bluntness was both unfair and uncomfortable for everybody.

'What? Why is everybody looking like I just said something I shouldn't?' Joey's face was filled with a calm but arrogant look. 'It's not as though everyone here doesn't know what I'm saying is true.'

'Yeah, but you had no right to say it,' Tristan glared at him. 'How dare you interfere with someone else's business like that?'

'Please, you make it sound like I'm playing matchmaker here. Trust me, I'm not. Kaiba isn't exactly my first choice for you,' Joey held firm. 'I just want you to know what you're letting yourself in for.'

'How do you know what I'm letting myself in for?' Tristan shook his head, before flicked his gaze towards Mai. 'Did you tell him?'

'I had to,' Mai shifted her gaze away. 'I'm sorry.'

'Well I'm not,' Kaiba's voice was strangely calm and level. 'Since you all already seem to know what's going on I see no point in keeping it a secret.'

'Does that mean...' Mokuba hesitated.

'Yeah, it does, but... let us deal with this first before the rest of you wade in and try to... whatever. This is... what it is, okay? But let us get used to it first and then we'll take it from there.'

'That almost sounds like you're planning on taking things slowly,' Joey half narrowed his gaze, 'considering the circumstances that's a very sensible decision.'

'You expected something else?'

'I know how rash my sister... err I mean the Pure can be. She doesn't always think things through or take things at an appropriate pace.'

'I am not the Pure, Wheeler,' Kaiba rolled his eyes, 'stop expecting me to behave the way she does.'

'Stop imitating the way she behaves so well and I might be able to.'

'Whatever Wheeler,' he folded his arms and lowered his head, 'can we just leave now.'

'I think that's the most sensible thing I've heard all day,' SK's tongue skated across his lips as he made his way towards the entrance to the chamber. 'I don't know about everyone else, but I'm just dying to get back to reality.'