Catch-22: The Former
By: M14Mouse
Summary: Yu learns a lot from a very emotional attendant.
Disclaimer: Don't own them.
The mark of your ignorance is the depth of your belief in injustice and tragedy. What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the Master calls the butterfly.-Richard Bach
Once he got Teddie to bed, he joined Theo in the kitchen. Theo was sitting at the counter with a cup in his hands. He was staring at the cup like it held the answers to the universe.
"Theo?" He said as he took a seat across from him.
"I failed, sir. I am so terribly sorry," Theo said as he stared at the mug.
"Theo…"
"I failed…I failed…I failed my master. I failed my family. I failed them all. Can you forgive me, sir?"
Theo was babbling and sobbing into his mug. He reached over and grabbed Theo's hand.
"I failed you too. I failed the boy too. I failed everyone. I am a worthless attendant. I failed…"
"Theo. Calm down."
Theo stopped crying and looked at him with sad eyes.
"Tell me what happened."
"I left my sisters in the progress of their search. So, I traveled for a bit. New Orleans had some fabulous food for me to try. Soon enough, I returned to my Master's side to find a fake. What a horrible creature to think that he could fool me. An attendant!" Theo said as he grabbed a bottle from under the counter beside him.
Where did that bottle come from?
He watched as Theo poured the liquid into his mug and set the bottle beside the cup. He took a huge sip from the mug.
"I demanded to know where my Master was. He laughed at me. LAUGHED!" Theo shouted as he got up from the table and slammed his fists down.
"That was an insult. Insult! Then I asked where my sister was. Lavenza is still very young. I was worried. She just started her training and to think of that fake doing something to her makes my blood boil."
He didn't remember seeing an attendant by the door. He had no clue what happened to his sister.
"He said that he was taking very good care of her. My poor sister…I am so sorry…" Theo said as he wept. Gently, he squeezed Theo's hand.
"Theo…what happened next?"
"He said that I had a choice. I could leave and memory wipe of this event or I could "help." I would never help such a creature. So…I…and he…." Theo said as he sat down again and took a long drink from his mug.
He watched as Theo cried again into his mug.
"Theo?"
Theo continued to weep as he let go of his hand. His heart broke for Theo.
You are never going to get any answers out of him like this.
He wondered how Igor dealt with them. Igor never really said anything to Margaret while he was in the Velvet Room. He could tell that it was all about his presence. He took a deep breath and took on the pose that Igor often had in the Velvet Room.
"Theodore, that is enough." He said calmly.
Theo stopped crying and stared at him.
"Sir?"
"Tell me the rest."
"Yes, sir. So, I tried to fight the creature. I tried so hard and I couldn't. He tore me apart then shattered my powers. Lock them away and he laughed. He laughed at me and called me useless then he tossed me out. I wandered and wandered."
"Is that how you found me?"
"My powers may be shattered but I still have some of my senses. I can sense what he has done to you. Oh, sir…what have you done?"
"Kept myself in the game."
"Sir?"
"There are rules that I must follow. So, I can't speak about what happened."
Theo stared at him for a moment and wept again.
Honestly…
He had a stressful day.
I thought that this guy was supposed to be all put together.
Very stressful day for him.
He got up from the counter and went around the counter. He gently grabbed Theo's shoulder and guided him toward the sofa.
"A good night's sleep will help. We will talk about it again in the morning."
"Sir…what are you planning?" Theo said as he put his hand on Theo's shoulder to get him to sit down. Theo sat down on the sofa. He turned around and walked away for a moment. He went to the hall closet to get a blanket and a pillow. He returned to see Theo still on the sofa. He set the pillow on the sofa next to him.
"Tonight…I plan to go to bed. Tomorrow, I am going to take you and Teddie out into the city. Maybe invited some of my friends. Maybe, get you some clothes. Then we move from there." He said as he wrapped the blanket around Theo.
"Sir? How can you be so calm about this?"
"Because I don't know what he is planning. He is throwing around a lot of smoke and mirrors at the moment. Acting too soon could be dangerous."
"Acting too late is dangerous as well."
He pressed his lips together.
No, the fake Igor already said that he was still waiting for other players to show up for his game. So, whatever it is…it has to be big but he wasn't acting…yet.
"True but right now, I am going to watch."
Theo gave him this odd look.
"You remind me of my Master."
He sighed.
"Go to sleep, Theo."
"Sir?"
"Yes."
"Can I call you Master until my Master comes back?"
"Go to sleep."
He heard Isis whisper into his ear.
You didn't tell him that you plan to rip him apart.
-CATCH-
He felt the familiar pull of the Velvet Room. He made out the fake sitting on the desk again. He didn't move to approach him, instead he leaned against the wall.
"Welcome again, my friend. I see that Theodore has found you," The fake said with a smile.
I really want to punch his big nose.
Me too!
Count me in.
He smiled softly at his personas.
"More like you sent him."
The fake Igor's eyebrow rose.
"Oh?"
He wasn't going to spell it out for him. He found that gods…or powerful creatures tend to follow the same MO.
They liked to cause despair. What would cause despair and hopelessness than once a powerful being broken. He remembered one conversation that he had with Izanagi after everything.
Despair is like a poison. Slow and deadly.
Is that why they used it? To break us?
There is no greater defeat than by your own hand.
He stared at the fake long enough for the fake's smile to drop slightly.
"No matter what you thought, my boy. I didn't send him. I do give him some credit. He has some strength in him. Enough to find you. Of course, you can use him as you see fit since you didn't break any rules with his appearance. I can imagine that he will be useful in some way to you."
Asshole.
The unknown persona laughed at High Pixie's words.
"I know. Is that why you summon me or you want to talk about your app?"
"Ahh…yes. You have discovered that world now. Beautiful, is it not?"
Beautiful?
Creepy more like it.
"Interesting is the word that I was looking for."
"That is. I summon you to make sure that you have a clear understanding of the rules. You are starting to meet the players. I would hate for something to happen if you aren't careful."
Dick.
"Of course. I would like some clarification on how we know who is the winner and who is the loser."
"Quite simple. You or I are defeated," the fake said.
"When I found Igor. You?" He said.
"When the words of defeat come out of your month."
"Anything else?"
"You are aware of my attendants. Don't inference with them too much. They have their own role to play."
In other words, he doesn't want them to be aware.
He did something to them.
Correct.
"I am fine with that as long as they aren't harming him."
"Excellent. Excellent. You have definitely added something to the game. I look forward to it."
Cocky asshole.
"So do I."
-P4P5P4-
When he woke up the next morning, he saw Theo standing at the foot of his bed.
He looked a lot better than last night.
"Theo…how are you feeling?"
Theo bowed.
"I am well, Master. Thank you. Now, breakfast is ready."
He sighed.
He was really hoping that Theo would forget about that.
End of the Former
Next Chapter: The Mirror
A/N: Good, old Theo. Poor old Theo. XD But I have plans and it will be fun. I have been asked about Legend of Heroes cast and their role in the story. A part of me regrets introducing them because I won't get the focus on them as much as I would like but I know that I have some chapters dedicated just for them and Yu. The reason that I introduce them because if Yu and Rean met, they would totally get along. Again, thank you for the reviews, kudo, favorites, everything! And read and review if you wish.