Catch-22: The Return to the Velvet Room
By: M14Mouse
Summary: It is high time that the Fake and Yu had a little chat.
Disclaimer: Don't own them. Many thanks to AKatsinTcups for betaing this chapter.
To be prepared against surprise is to be trained. To be prepared for surprise is to be educated.
-James P. Carse
What are you planning, laddie?
Yu stared at Ren's prison door. He had no idea where the twins were. If he took a guess at it, he would say that they were somewhere in Shibuya with Ren. Honestly, it didn't matter. He would deal with them when the time comes.
A gamble if you will.
I'm listening.
It is a surprise. I hate to ruin a good surprise.
Veles grumbled into his ear.
Is he always like this?!
Iris and High Pixie snickered.
Master was never like this until you came along.
Veles gave them a look as the pair giggled.
Be good.
He propped his cane against his leg then loosened the tie and collar around his neck. He felt a silver chain around his neck and pulled over his head examining the silver key hanging on the chain.
Your key.
In theory, I'm not sure if I needed it. I brought it along just in case.
Oh?
Bonds are a two-way street, Veles.
That doesn't answer my question.
You didn't ask one.
Veles grumbled.
First, he pressed his hand against the door and to push it open. It didn't move. So, he slipped his key into the keyhole. He twisted it and it made a familiar click noise. He beamed when the prison door swings open. He put his key back into his pocket and picked up his cane, pushing the door open and stepping inside.
Hmmm….
He wasn't too surprised by the appearance of Ren's Velvet Room. He got hints of it in the beginning when the Fake approached him.
It somewhat saddens him when he stared at the bars.
"Wel-…" The Fake paused when he saw him.
Veles was cackling. Iris and High Pixie were grinning like loonies. He felt a sense of satisfaction from Izanagi.
He lifted up his cane and tapped on the bars.
"Should I open the door, or should you?"
The Fake glanced at the door then at him. He waved his hand and the door popped open. He grinned and tilted his hat at the Fake. He walked toward the Fake at the desk tapping his cane on the ground and focusing his power underneath his feet.
He heard a loud snap and pop as roots grew from the ground. It twisted and turned to form a chair right in front of the Fake's desk.
He strolled over and took a seat. He propped his cane against the side of his chair and put his elbow on the armrest of his chair.
He stared at the Fake and the Fake stared back.
"Perhaps, I should applauded you on your success of forming a contract," The Fake said to break the silence.
Veles snorted.
Yu tilted his head slightly in acknowledgement.
"While I thank you, that isn't the reason for my visit."
"What is?"
"You need to do something about your attendants, or I will," He said coolly.
The Fake waved his hand in disregard.
"My attendants have been doing the job assigned to them."
"Beating up my student isn't one of them."
"They are what my guest had made them. Look at his Velvet Room," The Fake said as he opened his arms to the prison surrounding them.
He rubbed his chin before answering.
That was a lie.
"Would you like to go and tell Theodore, Elizabeth, and Margaret that?" He said.
The Fake flinched slightly.
"How the twins bond with Ren isn't my concern. How they treat him does. They harm him again. I will take action. They have been warned. You have been warned."
"Noted," The Fake said with a pause.
He will throw them under a bus if he had the chance.
True.
"Another reason that I'm here is curiosity."
"Oh?" The Fake said as he rubbed his chin.
"You have already won. You have Igor held somewhere. You have everyone dancing on your stage. So, why the game?"
The Fake grinned.
"Curiosity. I have always observed Igor with his chosen for many years. It interested me. The stage is set. It doesn't matter what the players do. Why not watch them until the final act comes to past?"
He watched as The Fake folded his fingers together and stare at him. He was right about observing Igor. He had mastered some of Igor's body language. The way that he tapped his fingers on the table. The way that he smiled liked he knew something. The way he rubbed his nose. Something he said was off. He was off.
"So, a question for the Wild Card club!" A red-haired girl said as she turned to them.
"We are a club now?" Yu said amusedly.
"Yes! There are four of us. Enough for a club!" the girl said.
"Can I not be a part of it?" Minato said as he rose his hand.
"Me too. I have enough jobs as it is," Ren said.
He glanced over the pair. Ren was adjusting his glasses and trying really hard not to smile. Minato was adjusting his headphones, but he knew his friend well enough to know that he was interested.
She pouted as she threw a piece of popcorn at the pair.
"I'm game," He said.
The red-haired girl gave him a big smile.
"Then you get to answer the question first. What was your first impression of Igor?"
"His nose was big…"
His eyes widen. He didn't remember that. Who? When? Where?
Veles?
Contracts are a funny thing, laddie. You never know what the effects will be.
Contract
Igor…
He started to laugh.
"He made you sign a contract, didn't he?"
The Fake's eyes widen slightly.
"I am going to take a guess to say when you approached him for this game. He wouldn't start it without you signing one," Yu laughed.
He continued to laugh as the Fake's eyes become hard and dark.
"You are quite clever," The Fake said.
He waved his hand as his laugh turned into a chuckle.
"Not really. I'm merely satisfying my curiosity. I bound by our contract after all. So, nothing will come of this revelation."
"Of course," The Fake said as he leaned back in his chair.
"If you don't mind, may you answer a question."
"Of course," Yu said.
"Why did you come here? I was going to summon you soon enough."
"Simply to throw you off your game."
High Pixie hissed.
Why are you telling him this?
The minute I stepped foot here, he knew.
Laddie is right. Yak Bratty isn't one to let this moment slip through.
"…And to tell you about the twins since I will probably have to take action at one point or another."
The Fake nodded his head.
"Interesting. Very well. I won't do anything when the time comes. It would be a good lesson for the twins to learn."
"Thank you. I'm glad that we had such a wonderful and productive conversation," Yu said as he got up from his seat. He picked up his cane and tapped the tip on the ground. His "chair" disappeared back into the ground leaving no signs of the roots having been there.
He couldn't leave a mess in Ren's Velvet Room.
It would be rude.
Yu started to walk toward the exit then paused for a moment. He looked over his shoulder to look at the Fake.
"Oh, one more thing," He said.
"Yes?" The Fake answered.
"I know from experience that we are approaching the end of this game. So, I'm going to say this once. Harm any of my students, friends, or family. You wouldn't have to worry about Ren or Igor. You will be dealing with me and I will destroy you utterly," He said pleasantly as he turned around and approached the exit to the Velvet Room.
"Are you threatening me, boy?" The Fake groaned.
"I don't make threats. I make promises."
I formed a contract with the scariest lad alive.
The Fake stood up from his chair. He felt the temperature in the room dropped and the lights darken. He stared at the Fake and tapped his fingers on his cane. He could clearly hear Veles eating popcorn in his head.
"You have no idea who you are dealing with," The Fake groaned.
"Oh, I think that I do. You cast illusions and wear masks in order to fool others, but I see you as truly are. Another god. Another fool. In truth, I am tired of you and your little charade. Your impression of Igor is terrible, and you are starting to look silly to me. Next time we meet, I expect your true form or something close to it. You still need to able to fit into the Velvet Room, Yaldabaoth." He tipped his hat and grinned at Yaldaboath's shock expression. He could hear High Pixie's voice in a panic.
How…What…Why?!
First clue was the shadow we fought, and second clue was Veles butchering his name. Yabby was enough for me to connect the dots.
Veles started laughingand clapping.
But…why?
To remove his mask, of course.
That is why the laddie pissed him off. It gave him an opening to nail him to the wall…so to speak.
Izanagi's voice rang clear.
He can no longer hide in the shadows. This is where the true game begins.
End of The Return to The Velvet Room
Next Chapter: The Trip
A/N: So, that happened. I had this planned pretty early on but a thing that I debate about if Yu reveal that information to Yabby or not. I realize that Yu could tolerate so much of Fake Igor before he does something about it. So, it happened. Okay, I am playing Royal now and I am not impressed at all. I like the little moments that they added but the drop in the audio is driving me up the wall. Anyway, thanks for the reviews, kudos, favorites, etc. You guys are awesome.