Disclaimer - I do not own DGM or Bleach, just borrowing the characters for my own amusement. And hopefully for yours as well.
Chapter Twenty-Six - Mind Games
"I can't help but think that we're playing right into their hands," Lavi commented as the group made their way down the corridor. His one visible green eye scanned their surroundings warily, as though waiting for a wall to move and someone to jump out at them. He fully realized that he didn't have even the slightest measure of control over this situation and it was obvious that the Junior Bookman didn't like this fact at all.
"It's not as though we had much of a choice," Allen retorted from his position at the front of the group. He wasn't really any happier about their current situation than Lavi but there wasn't anything that could be done about it. "This is the only way that we could go… so trap or not we have to take this path. At least if we want to make it out of here in one piece."
"That's assuming that guy in the glasses was even telling the truth about the door," Krory said, a slight tremor plainly evident in his voice.
"I don't really think that he had any reason to lie to us," Allen pointed out. "It's not like he's gaining anything by letting us fight our way to the tower only to kill us there. It's just putting off the inevitable or at least that's the way they'll more than likely see it."
"I think you're wrong there bean sprout," Lavi said wryly, reaching up and rubbing at the back of his head. "They're getting to watch us suffer, which is probably a huge gain in their eyes."
"Either way that doesn't change anything," Hitsugaya pointed out, a strange edge to his voice that hadn't been there before. Being inside the tower seemed to have changed his demeanor and his strides were quick and purposeful now.
"Wow," Lavi breathed, his gaze now focused on the smaller of the two white haired leaders. He tilted his head to one side quizzically. "What's gotten into you chibi?"
"I've asked you not to call me that," Hitsugaya stated, slight irritation showing in his voice although he didn't snap at the Bookman in training as he would have done before.
"Now I know there's something wrong," Lavi stated with certainty. But before he got the chance to further elaborate on this fact the group heard a strange sound coming down the corridor toward them. All eyes focused to the end of the long hallway and they watched as several bottles rolled toward them.
"What in the world is that?" Lenalee questioned, her violet eyes focused on the bottles as they came to a stop at Allen's feet.
The white haired youth gazed down at them, taking a look so that he could hopefully answer Lenalee's question, and froze. His face took on a rather pallid look as he realized that they were liquor bottles… and not just any liquor bottles. "They're all of master's favorite brands," he muttered, more to himself than to his companions.
"Hee, hee!"
The sound of this rather demented laughter served to gain the attention of the group. They all scanned their surroundings for any signs of the owner of the voice but of course there weren't any. All any of them could see was the corridor stretched out before them.
"There is a bomb hidden within one of the bottles," a second voice announced, sounding very much amused by the situation. As well as slightly annoyed, which was a rather odd combination. "You only have sixty seconds to figure out which one it is."
"Sixty seconds hee, hee!"
"How are we supposed to know which of the bottles contains the bomb?" Lenalee said, her voice filled with worry as her gaze once again surveyed the large quantity of bottles that were on the ground at there feet. There were so many of them that it was bound to take longer than minute to check all of them, even if their entire group made an attempt.
"We look for it of course," Lavi said, picking up a bottle and finding it empty.
Lenalee nodded and the others quickly followed Lavi's lead. It may be a long shot but they definitely weren't going to succeed if they didn't even give it a try. Leaning forward they each grabbed a bottle, but none of them were the correct one.
And Allen merely stood there, the same rather traumatized expression on his face.
"Hey bean sprout," Lavi said as he picked up another bottle for examination. "Aren't you even going to help us?"
"These are all the brands of liquor that master liked to drink," Allen said, his voice sounding resolutely hollow. "And he would always send me out to get…" Reaching forward he expertly picked out the most expensive brand from all of the bottles that were assembled on the floor. "this one. I had to beg and plead in order to get the clerks to sell it to me but after awhile I would succeed. Because I had to succeed."
Lavi's single green eye went to the bottle that Allen was holding in his hand, noticing the timer on the device that was contained within. The white haired teen had actually found the right one. Unfortunately now he was just standing there holding it, apparently caught up in remembering the days that he had spent with General Cross.
"Don't just stand there Allen!" Lavi exclaimed, his eye widening in horror as the seconds ticked down. "Get rid of it."
Seemingly snapping out of his daze Allen realized what he was holding and just how little time he had to get rid of it. Eyes widening in horror he gave it a toss the only way he could think of, down the corridor. Seconds passed and then an explosion shook the building… and the sounds of screaming echoed through the corridor.
"That was a bit to close for comfort," Lavi commented, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow.
"Come on," Hitsugaya said, seemingly oblivious to how close they had just came to being blown up. Taking the lead he strode down the corridor, intent upon finding the exit to this accursed place.
"Maybe it's different if you're already dead," Lavi thought to himself, shaking his head as he and the others fell into step behind the Shinigami Exorcist. That was the only way that he could explain Hitsugaya's complete lack of a reaction to the fact that they were nearly blown to bits.
They trekked along for about fifteen minutes without interruption before the next trap was sprung. A wall suddenly appeared behind them, followed immediately thereafter by a wall in front of them. "Now you're trapped," the voice from before called out.
"Trapped, hee, hee!"
Suddenly a bunch of western style playing cards fluttered to the floor, completely confusing everyone. At the sound time a creaking overhead signaled the fact that the ceiling was actually collapsing down upon them. "The only way to stop the ceiling and keep from being crushed is to produce the poker hands that I call out to you."
A gleam appeared in Allen's eyes as he heard this pronouncement and he knelt in the floor in front of the pile of cards, many of which were actually upside down. "This will be easy," he said, his voice containing an air of confidence.
Within the span of about thirty seconds Allen had produced every poker hand that had been called out to him. Much to the shock and amazement of both his comrades and the unknown enemies who seemed to be playing these twisted games with them.
"Very good," the voice called out, sounding more irritated than amused at this point. "But I think we'll drop the ceiling on you anyway."
At this point the ceiling's slow descent sped up rather rapidly, the huge slab of concrete slamming down upon them. Reaching up Allen managed to stop it's descent with the claws of his left hand while Lavi used his hammer to break through the wall that was in front of them. Without a second to spare they gained their freedom. A cloud of dust rose up where they had been mere seconds before.
"That was too close," Krory muttered, his eyes wide and beads of sweat dotting his face.
"Show yourselves!" Allen demanded, beginning to grow annoyed with all of these mind games.
"In time Exorcist," the voice replied, paying no heed to Allen's angry tone. "Continue on."
None of them were happy with this order but all of them realized that they had no choice in the matter. The path behind them was blocked so they couldn't go back even if there had been any hope of finding a way out that way. The only way to go was forward.
"Just keep moving forward…"
Both Allen and Hitsugaya turned to stare at one another as they uttered the same phrase under their breaths.
"Come on," Hitsugaya said after a moment, feeling decidedly uncomfortable under Allen's scrutinizing glare. "Let's get a move on. We're not accomplishing anything by just standing here."
Allen was still beyond confused as to how Hitsugaya had been familiar with the phrase that Mana had repeated to him many times in the past. In all of his travels he'd never heard another person use it, until now. And he couldn't keep himself from wondering if there might not be some kind of connection between the two.
Not that there was really time to dwell on this fact as the corridor opened up into a large room. The group of Exorcists cautiously stepped inside, wondering as they did so exactly what new obstacle would be placed in their path. Or if perhaps they were about to finally come upon the owners of the voices that had been taunting them this entire time.
"What in the…" Lenalee's voice trailed off as she gazed around this rather oddly furnished room. It was bare except for a keyboard that was positioned in the center.
"What are we supposed to do with that?" Krory questioned as they all gazed at the keyboard.
"A series of notes will sound," the voice called out in answer to the question. "And must be repeated in order or else the whole room goes boom."
"Boom hee hee! And after that no more Exorcists!"
Allen turned to the others of the group, a frown upon his face. "I don't think I'll be very much use in this situation. By any chance can any of you…"
He didn't have time to complete this question however as a sequence of notes echoed throughout the room. Panicked expressions appeared on all of their faces, all that is except for one. Seemingly lost in his own world Hitsugaya made his way over to the keyboard, placing his hands upon the keys and playing back the notes.
The sequence was correct but as the so called game continued the combinations became far more difficult. And yet the white haired boy effortlessly repeated each and every one of them.
"Damn Exorcists!" the two voices screamed out in unison as a door appeared at the far end of the room.
"I didn't know that you could play the piano Toushirou," Allen commented as they made their way toward the door.
"What are you talking about?" Hitsugaya questioned, turning to Allen with a slightly confused look in his eyes.
A/N - End of another chapter, hope that you enjoyed.