Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Vampire Hunter D.
I apologize profusely for how late this is!
Please enjoy!
Chapter Thirty-Four: Belated Valentine's
The people of this part of the continent seemed to be fond of burrowing underground to create cities of their own. However, unlike the previous outpost, these people seemed to be doing well for themselves. Bakura, D, and Claire were ushered to whatever fate awaited them regarding this game (Bakura was the participant of course, not one of their captors seemed to show any cruelty or make demands of the younger detainees), and as they were, they were greeted with bright neon lights that patterned the deep halls. These halls lead to a large common area that had been layered in bricks and poured cement. From their perch at least ten meters above the clean ground of the place, staircases carved into the walls on either side, the newcomers looked on in wonder. Clearly these people had prepared for their time underground, as the putting sound of a generator could be heard over the buzz of discussion. For this common area was full, acting as the market place for this underground society.
Pillars hugged the sides of the walls, ending in arches that stabilized the surrounding cavernous hall. Smaller entrances peppered the outer edges further back into the room, signaling that much more of this city of sorts was hidden by solid doors that creaked open here and there as people milled to and fro. All the life that was once above seemed condensed in this space, large for what it was, yet terribly small in comparison to what the world once beheld.
It was a place filled with gritty beauty and incredible sadness.
As they stared in awe of this spectacular light show and conclave, they were abruptly pulled apart, the children to one side of the cluster that had captured them, Bakura to the other. The eldest of their trio understood the position, and with a great amount of will, refrained from struggling against their captors. The last thing Bakura desired was to give them a reason to kill him now; no doubt these others thought the children would be easy to manage, if on their own. He would cooperate long enough to participate in whatever bizarre attempt of chance-based justice they had cooked up. Considering his background, he figured all would be well if he complied. Plus, there were innocents down there and he had been through worse. He would play their game, if only to ensure he would be able to protect the others a little longer.
Observing Bakura's reaction, D emulated it in his own fashion. Emotion drained from his face. At his age, he now resembled a doll that had been brought to life, sweet-faced and compliant. Yet, the glint in those stone black eyes held an eerie stare that made more than one of the men who had separated their party look to each other nervously. They were unused to such a look and seemed more accustomed to the way Claire reacted.
In truth, her reaction was the most honest; and almost amplified, as if she were expressing what the three of them felt in tandem. She shrieked as hands were placed upon her and thrashed from side to side as she was pulled from the adult she trusted. Unlike D, who had calmly let himself be guided to the left of one of the unnamed men (therefore needing no restraint), she had to be lifted bodily into the air to make her actions less potent. Kicking at the air with such might that it shook even her kidnaper, she let out the most horrendous and heart-wrenching cry that either of her two compatriots had ever heard be expelled from her small form. It stunned the boy, now frozen and immovable; it caused a great agony within Bakura, now wracked with guilt in his decision. Yet, what else could he have done to ensure either of their safety? It also brought attention to their group, as people from below in the great, brightly-colored cavern, looked up and watched the spectacle.
Noting the alarm growing on the crowd's collective faces, the woman who seemed in charge of this particular imposing bunch stepped forward, a bright smile flashing like the neon lights below. To Bakura, those exposed teeth seemed as friendly as a shark set on it's prey. It must not have been so for the crowd beneath them, for they seemed to calm at her presence, and beam back. The cavern echoed with their cries of welcome for their returned.
She turned to Bakura and winked, seeing his expression. "I'm a fan favorite," she explained. "You'll see what I mean soon enough."
Bakura could only nod as she turned back to the sea of spectators, her predatory grin still displayed. The woman raised her hands high over her head and waved. When the crowd cheered, Claire, who had nearly suspended herself upside down with her struggling, stopped, baffled by the reaction. The realization of their position seemed to hit her, that there would be no chance of escape, not with so many working against them.
"My fellow citizens of the Underground, I bring you great news!" She exclaimed joyously, as if she were some great announcer for a game show. The comparison did nothing to lighten Bakura's mood.
"Before you," the woman continued to the crowd, waving her arms in his direction, "you see a new challenger of the Arena of Choice and Chance!"
The crowd cheered at the news, which confused the children further. Bakura kept his face devoid of fear, but inwardly blanched at the woman's actions. She was hyping up the crowd, diverting their attention from Claire's previous struggle. Putting them in the limelight for whatever trial he was in for.
"Come he has, to prove himself one of us, and not one of the horrid members of The Arid Sea!"
"Death to those fuckers!" yelled one from the masses. There was laughter and shouts of agreement. Whatever these people of The Arid Sea were, they would find no love here. Bakura wondered who those people were, and why they were so hated. He doubted they were the people he saved. That underground village looked hardly able to handle itself, let alone start anything with another village that had far more in the way of resources.
"Language!" the woman chastised, and the crowd roared with laughter again. "There are children present! Ones who have been above all of these years, exposed to the dangers of wild animals! Starvation! Dehydration! And of course…"
"Those of The Sea!"
More of the citizens of the city below them were beginning to come and listen as the crowd before them set to booing the name of their foes. Calculating and glee-filled dark eyes met his brown ones. She was making her point; if they were members, they would be torn limb from limb down here. So long as Bakura's group could continue proving they were not, which was probably the most honest they could have been in their tale, they would be fine. This brought some relief to the young man, no matter how miniscule. He gave her a look of impassive innocence; for once feeling confident of something.
The severe-looking woman gave him a curious look before turning back to her rapt audience. She certainly was a favorite. "Show these frightened kids that there's safety here!" she continued, albeit with more compassion than her previous words had provided. "No longer do they have to be exposed to such horrors! I mean…" she paused, leaning toward the group as if to tell some great secret, "I should know what's up there, right?"
Some nodded with the severity of those in a congregation, the woman as their priest. Others laughed along with what appeared to be some inside joke. Neither response brought much comfort to Bakura; was this sort of people snatching the norm for this underground establishment, or were they just blind to the sheer distress still stamped upon Claire's fearful expression? Who were these people, he wondered, as the children were guided away from the main focus of the crowd. He gave the two a reassuring smile, remaining calm and assured that they would see each other again. The woman continued to explain in her gameshow fashion, her voice amplified by the structure they inhabited.
"We will take them to our Great Counsel to make sure big guy over here, " She thumbed at Bakura, who was more confused at being called "big" when so many others around him sported height and muscle beyond his own than the concept that this group was not run by some crazed dictator, "is cleared for the Arena CnC. And then, you all better be prepared for a show!"
The crowd cheered once again before she waved them off to continue their daily grind. Turning to Bakura, she chuckled to herself and patted his shoulder, pulling him in close. He felt uncomfortable with her familiarity, but he would not press the matter considering his position. Allowing her to lead, surrounded by the likes of Beau and unnamed muscle (Jim having taken the lead in guiding the children and their jailers elsewhere), they made their way to what he assumed was the Great Counsel.
"What a welcome, huh?" The woman beside him cracked a wry smile, shaking him a little as they walked. "Figure that's all you really needed to see of our city here, to figure some stuff out."
"They seem to like you very much," Bakura replied, unsure of what she wanted him to say.
"You bet! It's like I said, I'm a fan-favorite. Name's Jael, by the way. Just realized I never properly introduced myself."
Bakura introduced himself and Jael looked at him with interest, an entomologist eyeing her fascinating and rare new specimen. He did not appreciate the stare.
"Keepin' your last name, I see. Cool, cool. We don't do that much down here, since we tend to replace it with stuff we are known for. You've got some crazy kiddos by the way. You see how high that little girl kicked?"
"Replace it?"
"Yeah. What's the fun in being remembered for a name that means nothing nowadays? Gimme my stage name any day!"
"And what is that?"
She paused. "What is what? A stage name?"
He shook his head. "No, what is yours?"
Jael cackled and smacked him on the back. As he reeled from the sting of her swing he noticed that they were no longer being followed. That might have been because of where they now stood. Great doors embedded into stonework modified with care loomed in front of them, a reminder that even underground, once could feel miniscule. He looked up at them in awe, and then back at Jael.
"Sweet, right? You're 'boutta meet our Grand Counsel, who, I might add, I'm pretty close to if I do say so myself."
"So, you are very important here?"
"Aren't we all?" she asked, rapping her knuckles against one of the thinner panels on the door.
Her method was precise: three taps, a pause, four taps, and a final hard knock. The door creaked open and before the two of them appeared a room that had a high table decorated with flowing fabrics and low, warm, lighting. Jael motioned for him to step forward, which he did. The closer he came, the better he could see the shadowed figures features. There were seven in all; all dressed in outfits Claire would have adored had she been privy to this Counsel. A fascinating array of the bizarre and the fashionable, with each member having a mask that covered various parts of their faces. Yes, this was a very different place than the ones they had previously run across.
The council member on the far right rested their chin upon laced fingers. They had on them a pink shirt bunched at the upper arm with what appeared to be loose and colorful rubber bands. A brown vest was the most neutral thing the individual wore. Their short hair was hidden by the massive size of their mask, which looked to be of a brilliant metal, and covered all but their mouth and eyes. Thin lips stretched into a greeting.
"Welcome," they said, their voice booming throughout the room. Bakura could have sworn he had felt the reverberations in the air. "Always good to see you, Iron Jael. I see you have found someone new. Are they friend or foe?"
"Friend, probably," proclaimed another closer to the left. This one had a lilting voice, with a high bun. Chestnut curls wrapped around the edges of their rounded face, with a delicate mask of glittering material webbed across their eyes. Pale blue seemed their motif. "Iron tends to handle those of the foe variety with swift judgement."
"A swift hammer to the head, you mean," the center most seated chortled, dressed entirely in green, their hair no less the vibrant color. Their mask had a fancy feather taped to the side of their mask. Literally taped on, with black electrical tape. "Or gun, whichever's required."
"I appreciate your confidence in me," Jael called up to the collective above. She bowed low, fanning her arms out at her sides. Bakura wondered if they all acted this way to lighten what was an unpleasant topic. "I only hope you'll think of me in the next batch of games."
"Probably will bet on you then as well," the one beside the green bedecked individual drawled, covered head to toe in orange. To their immediate left, an individual boasting a yellow hard hat nodded enthusiastically.
"Only if you want to win," she boasted, and once again clapped a hand on Bakura's shoulder. "This guy right here was found in the disputed territories. He had two kids following him and claims he's not of The Sea. Just likes to talk about it."
'I still don't even know who or what The Arid Sea is,' Bakura thought bitterly to himself, yet remained silent. He was still on good ground so far, no need to muck it up with demands. Even if he rightfully deserved the information.
There were two others who had not spoken, sitting at a point at the table where shadows obscured the furthest seated; the one dressed in a deep blue getup that looked as if it were meant for a burlesque show, still somewhat visible without their shifting toward the light, chose this time to speak. Their mask the only side-mask present, covering half of their pointed features allowing for their grave grimace and piercing gaze to be expressed enough that Bakura was glad he had said nothing.
"Why would he like to talk about The Sea if he was not a part of it?"
Perhaps this was the correct time to say something. He would rather explain it than have Jael screw up any part of their story. "We were just talking about the sea, as in the ocean. We came from that area. This is the first time any of us have ever traveled to this place."
"Why are you traveling this way with children?"
"Doesn't seem wise."
"How'd they not run into The Sea?"
"Who even travels nowadays?"
A flash of irritation filled him. "It's better than the alternative," he interjected.
Oops. Some slight attitude had slid in there. He glanced down and noted that he had even crossed his arms in that statement. Quickly undoing them, he let them fall uselessly at his sides. However, the damage was done. Those that had spoken leaned into each other, whispering. 'What's wrong with me?' he fretted, as Jael even looked to him in surprise.
The one council member who had not spoken was the only one who did not appear offended by his attitude. In fact, they leaned forward, and out of the shadowy corner they sat in. A butterfly mask of iridescent shades of purple flashed in the low light. Red lips moved to an introspective purse as they tapped their index finger to their chin. Bakura squinted, trying to decipher what they looked like, and what their actions might mean. As he did, he noted that their golden curls fell in a familiar fashion. Deep purple eyes observed him with curiosity. His eyes widened in surprise. Could it be?
"The alternative being?" the one in the pink shirt inquired. He was obviously angered.
Bakura could only shrug and respond with, "It wasn't safe where we were anymore."
"Where were you, then?" the one in green asked.
"If I may?" the butterfly masked interrupted, raising a well-cared for hand, as Bakura opened his mouth to respond.
"Sure. Go ahead," the one in yellow remarked, waving their hand at Bakura. "Although if this is how we are going to be treated, I'm assuming Jael thinks he's better for the physical games. I don't like those types too much." They received a glare from the individual in green.
"Don't be hasty." The butterfly masked individual turned back to Bakura, who had listened to the voice intently and almost had collapsed in relief. Who would have thought? After all this time, what were the chances?
"Tell me," a voice filled with confidence, and a hint of teasing, spoke in a language he knew very well, "When did you get children?"
Another shrug. "When the world fell to pieces. I adopted them. I'm glad to see you are okay."
A gentle smile from her lips brought the rest of the Counsel into a shocked disbelief. Jael looked between the two, realizing what the others did not immediately. Nothing that she could have said would have outweighed this revelation. He was safe.
Somehow, they knew each other.
"I suppose pretending to be dead would be in poor taste, now, hm?"
"It was before, but his face was just so worth it."
The children were guided down a long tunnel that seemed to have no end to their young minds. Bright lights of varying colors decorated the unending hall; bent tubes creating images of animals, random home appliances, smiling lifeless faces. Yet for all the perceived glamor and vibrancy of this underground life, neither Claire nor D found solace in them. As they relayed their story, they silently prayed and hoped that what they provided was close, or close enough, to what Bakura might have divulged to whoever these people would make him meet with.
Captors loomed over them with vapid smiles as they listened to the children's tale. This friendliness, feigned or real, did nothing to quell the distrust either of them felt. Inwardly, D boiled with rage at their captors' false and benign faces. As they replayed their life stories, edging on half-truths when necessary, his anger only intensified. Why was it always like this? None of them had any right to demand this information from them; for demand it was. When armed individuals ask where you come from and what you're doing, only an idiot would put up a fight. D might have had the ability to fight them off, seeing as who he was, but Claire had no such advantage. He also had to consider Bakura's safety. So, he sat in silent hatred of his position, stewing as his mouth relayed a tale he was sick of telling.
Claire's head kept making tiny jerking motions as she glanced at D's stone-like expression. Having traveled with him for some months now, she was able to pick up on some of the more obvious details of his actions and note that there was something going on underneath the calm surface features. His fingers twitched ever so slightly, a sign of a wish to clench them. He was blinking slower than he did normally, a sign he was trying to maintain the look on his face. She might not have known if it was sadness or anger. She did know his temper. Eventually, whatever was bothering him would come to the surface. She hoped that he would keep the façade up just a little longer. A plan was formulating in her mind and she needed him to be the calm one in the situation. If she had been like the others, maybe she would have been trusted more. As it was, she knew she had blown it, but did not feel any guilt. After all, she had an idea.
Finally, they came to a place where it seemed that children occupied. Or a place that seemed like it was meant for children to occupy. Game boxes and children's books filled shelves perched by doors, many in dismal condition, overused, or salvaged from wreckage. These doors were closed, but one near the end of this hall, which opened to a room full of toddlers at play—with friendlier appearing adults caring for them—was where Jim had them pause. He waved to one of the adults in the room, who gave him a brief wave back, and a surprised look at the pair behind him. Claire refrained from sticking her tongue out at those who looked on at them and was aided as D grabbed onto her hand as they were lead into this room.
"You'll be safe here, I promise," Jim said, standing by the door, the symbol of their freedom. "I know it doesn't seem like it now, but you're better off in here than out there."
They sat there silently as the adults who had ensured their safe deposit into this, for lack of better terms, jail cell, filtered out. Jim gave them an honest smile, and stepped out of the room, calling back at them with another promise.
"You'll be able to meet lots of new people, soon. Make new friends, and all of that. Just gotta go through some technical stuff you don't need to worry about. Just hang out here for now."
The door swung close.
The two remained silent as they heard the foot falls disappear. There were muffled and minute sounds of babbling and happy squeals coming from their right, enough to know that if they spoke, they'd hear voices, but nothing of substance. Claire gathered her senses and surveyed the room, something D's perceptive mind had already done. There was a bed, large enough for one child to nap on, and a table lamp beside it. It glowed with a warm light, allowing her to see that there was a desk off to the side, and a paper with writing on it sitting atop it. She left her motionless friend to read what was on it. Or she would have, if something more interesting had not attracted her attention.
D's expression, in an instant, had melted. She watched as his face went from sour to outright enraged. He swung once at the air, his fist creating a brief whistle and light gust of wind, which was paired with an almost soundless hiss of anger. Effectively amused and bemused, she kept her eye on him as he balled his fists, glaring at them with the same intensity as a cobra about to strike.
"I swear," he fumed, "when I grow up, I am going to absolutely refuse to ever explain myself to anyone. If I don't want to, I won't. I won't! I won't!"
"It's not that big of a deal?" Claire expressed, leaning against the desk.
"I don't care! I hate this! I am sick and tired of this! I just want to go home!"
"Go home?" That was something new to Claire, and it made D look down at his feet, unsure of his own meaning of that statement.
This even roused the symbiont to converse. "Well, can't say I've heard you say that in a long time."
"Not like, a literal home," D grumbled, storming to the bed. He sat on it, feet perched on the edge of the mattress. "You know what I mean!" He snapped, holding his left hand to face him.
"Nah, can't say I do."
"I think I do," Claire interjected, lifting the paper to read it. She squinted, and then raised an eyebrow at its contents. "You're just as sick of it as I am that we keep running into stupid people who won't just leave us alone."
"Yeah."
"Wanna go back to hangin' out with Bakura, and goin' wherever the heck we are goin'?"
"Yeah."
"Want to stick it to these Outies, right?"
"…yeah, no—maybe?"
She nodded, tossing the paper in his direction. He caught it with his right and read it as she spoke.
"I've got an idea. It's a little rough around the edges right now, kinda gotta get the lay of the land and stuff, but we could probably easily ditch these people. It's all about finding Bakura first. Then we can get the heck out of here. You up for it? Or do you need a lil' time out?"
D gave her an unamused look, crumpling up the paper and chucking it at her head. Upon it had been a quick message, and both better understood their personal situations. For it had read—
-Time Out Time-
I have been sent to the Time Out Room because I _. What I should have done was _. I will_ next time.
I will say sorry when I can.
"Are these people for serious?" Claire asked, giggling as the paper hit her square in the forehead. "Act all scary and stuff, but then have people write stuff like that?"
"Might make it easier to fool them," D offered.
"Exactly!" Claire ran over to him and sat beside him. "I need you to keep doing what you're doing. They already know I'm 'time-out' material, I kinda blew that—I was scared—but you're a 'good kid'. Meaning you'll be able to trick them. I keep their attention, you do what you do best, be sneaky and think like an old-person. We find a way out, we find Bakura, and we get out of here!"
D wanted to believe such a thing was possible. However, they needed more planning than their former off-the-cuff stunts. All of those had failed; they were lucky Ewan and Samuel had been so pleasant. He rubbed his upper lip in thought.
"So…how do we go about doing this, though?"
"I just said it."
D looked at her as if she were as mad as the person who had picked the banana patterned blanket that rested below them. This bed was certainly made for someone of a younger mindset than they. He shook his head at her response. Long locks covered his visage. "You honestly think it's going to be so easy? These people aren't stupid. They aren't like that other town. They have a lot of 'stuff,' too. Weapons, manpower; do you really think that the three of us have a chance to fight then all off if something goes wrong with one of our half-baked schemes? That's how we got here in the first place. We knew we couldn't fight them off."
"If we sneak out, though!"
"How? That's what we actually have to talk about. How are we going to do that? How do we not know this place is bugged, as well? If they are listening to us? Somehow if we pull this off and if we run off without any explanation? They might just think we are with that Arid Sea thing."
"Nuh uh…" Claire pouted. "We're sneakier, anyway. And we have less people. If we are quick and stuff, we won't get caught."
"Yeah, right. Go ahead with your plan as it stands right now. See how that goes."
"You aren't even letting me try! You have to help, too!"
He rolled his eyes at her. "I'm not saying your ideas are bad. I'm saying it's not much of a plan. We need more. We need to know what we are really going to be up against. We can't assume we are going to win."
"…Didn't you escape your dad's place fine?"
"Yes. Because I planned for it far ahead of time. I knew the area well…and I was able to upload a virus to the security systems—but you can't just do that with people."
"Well how'd you get past the people?"
"I didn't. Bakura-sama did. I had just tried to help him escape."
"Not with his special magic thingy, right?"
"No."
"Did he plan it a whole lot?"
D shrugged. "I don't know."
Claire hopped off the mattress and picked up the crumpled-up paper. She considered it before chucking it at D. The boy effortlessly batted it away. She scowled and stuck out her tongue.
"No fair."
"Imagine you have to fight someone. Do you think that's going to be fair?"
"Ow…" his left hand said and snickered.
"You guys act like I didn't have to survive by myself for years," Claire accused, prodding her finger against the top of D's lowered head. He tilted it up slightly to eye her with annoyance, but she poked him again for the effort. "I'm not stupid. I'm a kid. You're a kid. We gotta be able to use that to our advantage somehow. And since we know absolutely nuthin' about these people we have to…improvise."
"How."
She slapped the sides of her own head, shaking it in aggravation at the boy. "Oh my God, you are so boring it hurts."
"I just don't see the plan. I only see an outline."
"I don't see you coming up with anything to make it better."
The boy shrugged, and the girl threw her arms into the air, defeated for the moment. She sat back down beside him and picked at the fluffy pillow that rested on the headboard. Fluff fluttered through the air as she flicked it around, trying to think like her friend. Maybe he would consider her input then.
Silence reigned for what felt like hours, but what was truly only thirty minutes, before D spoke up again. "Wonder what this Arid Sea crap is all about," he mused. Claire giggled.
"Oooh…you said something bad! Fifteen time-outs for bad talk."
"It's just the word 'crap'? You've said it before."
"Fifty Million Time Outs for you."
"A hundred million for you."
"Fifty Billion!"
"Infinity."
"…"
"Okay, that was a little unfair."
"Only a little?" she ribbed, nudging him with the pillow in her hands. He gave her a small smile and pushed it away and was about to feint and grab hold of it to hit her with the furry monstrosity when they both heard footsteps coming toward their room. Claire's face fell at the sound.
"I dunno what that Sea thing is all about," she said, finally answering him. Her voice was low and almost impossible to hear by anyone that was not like D. "But I really don't like that everyone assumes we are, or that we are with, the bad guys."
"I know that feeling," he empathized.
"Yeah, and with the way you're acting, you're probably going to feel that all of your life," his hand snickered, putting its two cents in.
Before the door opened, Claire snatched D's left hand, which was currently balled into a tight fist. "If you aren't going to be nice, don't say anything right now," she hissed at it. It was all she was able to state before the door creaked open, and their half-baked plan was put into action.
No other ideas had been provided, after all.
After some swift explanation to the shocked Jael and colorful congregation of leaders, Bakura found himself walking beside a very familiar face, being guided down a hall that bespoke of the splendor this town had managed to create in such small quarters.
Kujaku Mai (known to her fans in this strange city as Mai Valentine, a pun that was not lost on Bakura) had not lost her elegance or confidence in this new world; people they passed waved to her and cried their praise of her without the thought of how they looked. It did not take long for Bakura to recognize that she was also the favorite leader of this Counsel, as people freely came up to her to ask for considerations and aid, which she dealt with swiftly before tugging the confused young man along. Her pace was one of great purpose, and he marveled that she could move at such a speed with the height of the heels she wore. She was dressed like some fantastic purple bird, her plumage the long flowing fabric, her legs and midriff accentuated with her usual flash of skin. She seemed made for this place with the way she capered through the halls, waving and smiling and tugging him further in.
"I'm so happy to see you," she confessed, leaning in when there was a moment to breathe. "I thought you all might be dead. Even seeing one familiar face…but anyway we'll continue in here."
She nudged him into a room that even in the dark bespoke of surprising splendor. Even before she flicked the light on with one manicured finger, he could see the glimmer of a chandelier in the long mirror that was just across from the door they were entering. When lit, the room looked as if a magpie of particular tastes had decorated it. Everything looked spotless and in place. Bakura marveled at such a place as much as he was baffled by it. He had so many questions.
The mirror sat behind a personal bar, one that Mai hurried to after closing the door for their privacy. She waved for him to sit on one of the cushioned stools, which he did, before pulling out a bottle of what looked like a reasonably priced whiskey. Or at least what would have been reasonable in the world before the currency they used had become obsolete. She shook it and smiled at him, before walking to the other end of it to pull out a glass.
"Oh, no," Bakura said, "I couldn't. There's been so much that's gone on, I think it would be better if I just had some water."
"Come on, I'm sure you've earned it."
"I really shouldn't."
"I wouldn't do anything to put you in harm's way."
"I know, but…"
"I insist."
Bakura eyed the bottle, then back at Mai, knowing this battle was lost. He sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "Fine, one drink. If you insist."
A tinkling laugh filled the air as she poured him a shot. The amber liquid filled the glass, and even though he was not a fan of the spirit in question, Bakura did appreciate the gesture. She had not been stingy with the pour.
"Catch!" she called and slid the drink over to him. He caught it, the liquid sloshing in its container but remaining in the glass. Bakura considered it for a moment before directing his question at his unforeseen ally.
"I don't mean to be rude and not fill you in immediately with what I know of our friends, but I have to ask. Who, or what exactly, is The Arid Sea?"
Mai sighed, her fingertips disappearing behind her butterfly mask. Rubbing her temples seemed to give her little relief, and she took off the mask in annoyance as it did little to help the mild massage. Whoever they were, they did seem to be a big problem.
"The Arid Sea…how to start. So, you saw how the land around here seems…dry, at least?"
Bakura nodded, downing the shot to get it over with. It stung as it slid down his throat. He quickly cleared it to refrain from a coughing fit. "Yeah, we noticed there was a lack of water up there."
"It wasn't always like that. I've done my fair share of traveling. Competitions and conventions, as you know, all of that. This place was a little smaller than say, Domino, or Vegas, but it was still a sweet town. Pretty view with a lake nearby for swimming—although I was one for sunbathing. Anyway."
"It had just been my luck that when all of the craziness of the world ending I managed to pick such an out of the way place to travel. Really worked in my favor, in all our favors. We were able to come together and maintain some order, with little to no casualties."
"There were casualties?"
She squinted at him. "There are always idiots out there that think that any attack on them lets them do whatever they want with complete disregard of other people. We've dealt with those kinds of people before." Taking his chin between her thumb and forefinger she tilted his head to get it into better light. "What happened to your face?"
"I'll explain later," Bakura said. "The short story is along the lines of there always being idiots out there."
She nodded, hopping over the bar to take a seat beside him. "The whole underground thing was just someone's idea of a precaution. In case anything crappy happened up here, we'd have some place safe to hide out until it sorted itself out. I wasn't in charge, then. We've sort of been doing the rounds. I'll explain that later, too."
"One day there's a crash from something that came from the sky. What it was, no one knew. Someone thought it was a meteorite, another bunch of people thought it was a satellite kicked out of orbit. A few people left to go check it out and never came back. So, we all just stayed here and made do with what we had. A few days later we all started noticing that water was disappearing at a rapid pace. Underground water seemed fine; pumps that we were able to make function still churned out water, but the water above ground was just evaporating at a crazy pace. It stopped raining." She paused in thought before taking a drink. "It hasn't rained over us in a good couple of years. Thank God for the aquifers, right?"
"I suppose."
"Once we started noticing that, people who were great with construction began setting up the first great hall that you probably were brought in through. They did it quickly, too. It wasn't meant to be as permanent as it became, so some of the newer stuff, the tunnels, the ACnC, all of that came when we realized staying down here until we figured out what to do about the situation above was the best idea. This place was made to help the remainder of the town stick together and feel safe doing it. As that happened, some people we didn't recognize came along and started attacking us. They shouted about some great Arid Sea and how we all had to bow to the will of the gods. Once, we caught a prisoner, one of these strange people. He seemed out of their mind, but rational enough to give his own interpretation. He claimed they weren't gods, but aliens."
"Aliens?"
"I know, right?" she laughed and poured herself another glass. She silently offered to pour him another, but he declined. "Of all things to say, aliens."
"How do your people differentiate between those people and…ones who aren't?"
"We have had the great graces to be a unit of individuals who could manage maintaining the status quo of the world before. We had people who could maintain generators we found; construction workers to build what we needed; people to use the tech when it was repowered. No one has been able to get a hold of anywhere else, so we've just been doing what we can. What we can do is listen. Around the time that the attacks from these people were the worst, some of ours were sent up to set up cameras and audio devices to pick up on when they would show up. The cameras were destroyed when found, but luckily no one found the hidden mics."
"So, you just listen for them?"
"Trust me when I say that's usually all you need. If someone is going on about The Sea, they usually are armed and ready to lay their lives down for their gods or aliens, or whatever it really is that they follow."
"What if someone is just talking about something else?"
She gave him a sheepish grin. "You mean like you, talking about the ocean."
"Yeah."
Crossing one leg over the other, Mai swiveled to face him. "The furthest anyone has traveled in about a year that wasn't one of them was from the next town over. The one that was destroyed because of those bastards. The one that we also bugged. Much of the destruction above us wasn't from the war that the politicians had, but from the ones who lost their mind to The Arid Sea. It was unfortunate that you were caught up in all of that and I will ask you for forgiveness for my people's actions, but can you really blame our caution?"
Bakura shook his head, gazing at the glass that rolled between his fingers. Comparing this place to all of the others he had traveled through, first with D, then with Claire in tow, the only other one it could compare to was Domino. Domino had held more people, but this place, he would argue, might have been running smoother than even what Kaiba had managed. They had been cautious of him, but there were smiles everywhere. People looked fed. They looked happy.
"You seem like a great leader," he said. "You all do."
"Aw, thanks," Mai joked, clearly pleased by his compliment. Her smile was ear-to-ear. "We try."
"How do you guys manage all of this?"
"You won't believe it."
"Try me."
"It all started with dissent."
"Dissent."
"Yep. Opposition, disagreement, discord. The whole shebang."
Bakura scratched his head. "I'm afraid I don't follow. How would that create unity?"
"Come on, Bakura-kun. I'm sure you know full well."
"I really haven't the faintest idea."
She laughed, flicking the mask at him. He caught this as well, admiring the craftsmanship even as he was made even more confused by the gesture. He looked at her, and put it up against his face, sticking out his tongue playfully. She laughed again.
"You haven't changed much, have you? Always the quiet but lighthearted one."
"I don't know much about that," Bakura replied, looking at himself in the mirror. With that mask, he could have imagined himself an entirely different person underneath. In this world, such an opulent thing seemed both ridiculous and a sign of power. "I think I've changed a bit."
"You didn't lose your head coming over here and being offered to the games."
"About that…" he looked at her, dropping the mask to his lap. "What's that all about?"
"Oh, you know…the dissent."
"Come again?"
"Anger and discomfort can usually be solved by distraction and entertainment. Not only that, but entertainment that displays the strengths of people? Cunning, strategy, brute strength, teamwork; you know, the things that make good leaders? Get the people on your side, and they'll follow you."
"Wait, what?" The young man shook his head in disbelief. "That's how you pick your leaders?"
"You sound so surprised for someone who's dealt with how serious games can get. Think about it. It's fun. If you mess up later on, or bet on the wrong person, someone else can take your place, who might be better for the job. It lets everyone have a voice, and it's been working so far. And you'd be shocked at how people here just hate underhanded tactics. If they think that something is rigged, or someone is cheating versus just a clever ruse? Oh, you don't want to be that person. Everyone was sick of crooked politicians before. Now, you're pretty much ostracized for anything deemed too unnecessary."
"And you're for that?"
"To survive? Might as well. What else have I had to look forward to?"
"If it works, right?"
"Strangely enough, it does."
They sat there for a moment without speaking. The air around them was warm, but not uncomfortable. Beside the alcohol, Bakura could also see an abundance of water. When they had been walking to what he assumed was her quarters, he had also smelled food. Cooked, relatively fresh smelling. Yes, this was working, as odd as it was. If they had not been brought in the way they had, he was certain he would have enjoyed it as a brief reprieve from the harsh world above. Maybe would have considered it a place for them to hide out in for a while. At least until it became difficult to hide D's needs. As it stood, Bakura's heart still beat quickly, his palm that held the glass damp with sweat.
"What do they expect from me from these games?"
She reached for his shoulder with a compassionate gesture. "You'll be fine. We've dealt with far worse. If you participate you are just showing you are willing to work with us. That's something those of The Sea always refuse to do. And don't forget, it is called the Arena of Choice and Chance. There's always an aspect of danger, but you get to choose what. Not what I would have called it but that's how things are."
"So, if I just play one of the games, we are safe to leave?"
"Leave?"
"Yes, leave." Bakura's eyes leveled with hers. "As a friend from our past lives, I need to tell you something. It may seem bizarre, but I'm going to tell you everything, from the moment the bombs hit to when your people found us. I'm not going to leave a single thing out."
"Well I'd hope you wouldn't."
"To start: Jounochi, Yugi, and Anzu were fine for the most part the last I saw of them, just so you know."
She seemed relieved to hear that. "Thank goodness…but it sounds like you started with the good news."
He laughed. "I did, sort of."
"Well, don't spare me."
It was as if the air around him had abruptly become too warm. As if the room was too small and the lights too bright. The walls too thin. Bakura felt his stomach revolt as he began to divulge everything. He took in a deep breath and willed himself to regain control, to not throw up, to not run. For she knew him, however briefly. Knew of the improbability of the Millennium Items, and the strange, unexplainable magic. She also had spent less time with the spirit, and never once did he feel her focus shift to fear of him. From the blast of the explosion that sent him into the deep oblivion of unconsciousness where he was awakened to his new life as a science experiment to the other band of underground dwellers that had nearly escaped their own doom, he spoke of everything. Regaled every positive experience and confessed to every failure. He entrusted her with it all. The only thing he refrained from explaining were the dreams that plagued him with little explanation. He wanted to confront whatever that was, personally. Also, it was probably the only thing that would give her pause.
With her fingers interlaced, she listened. Surprise and concern filled her features, however, she remained in rapt attention until he ceased to speak. Afterward, she tapped the toe of her shoe against the metal of the stool he sat upon, digesting this information.
"So, I get aliens, and you get vampires?" She said, half-question half-statement.
"It sounds just as crazy, but it would seem so."
"And now you can use that strange magic, but the Items are…"
"They've been gone ever since Yugi defeated the Pharaoh. Your guess is as good as mine as to why any of this is happening."
"…"
"…"
"You sure you don't want another drink?"
Bakura considered it and chuckled. "If what you say is true, that I really have nothing to worry about, sure. Just…anything but that whiskey."
She returned the laughter. "Aren't you lucky I'm the picky sort."
"You, if anything, don't seem to have changed much," Bakura noted, offering her his empty glass.
"Well, thank you. That is something that I like to hear."
In another room, at a later time, D held fast to Claire's hand. His grip was controlled to ensure she understood what he wanted without unintentionally breaking her hand. She had almost blown her own idea by overdoing the theatrics, and nearly landed herself back in that time-out room before they could even get a better look at the underground town around them. As it was, even with his most calculated and disarming look, D had almost been unable to sway the minds of the adults now in charge of them. Thankfully, one of the ones who had not experienced Claire's flailing wrath had noted that if the two of them saw all was well, that she might calm down.
Now they sat in a rather large room, beside children of their own age who eyed them with their own brand of distrust. Jim was there, sitting beside D. He was technically off-duty but had offered to keep an eye on their "newest members". Another, larger adult, one that he did not know the name of, sat upon the other side of Claire. The woman had the appearance of no-nonsense, and her gaze constantly shifted to the young girl who had made such a spectacle of herself. They believed Claire to be squirrely (truthfully, she was), and they wanted to take no chances on her bolting and giving the other children a bad example. D doubted any of these kids wanted to be in her position. As it was, she sat half in her chair, half out, with a pout that bespoke of her dedication to the cause and to her own annoyance. D sighed and gave her fingers the gentlest squeeze. She sat upright and glared at him. He simply looked back before turning his attention to the room they were in.
It was like some curious colosseum. Seats, pathways, doorways had all been built into the dirt and stone, filled in and paved with concrete in some places. The chairs were of the same type in each row, but each column was different. It was as if they knew they would not be able to maintain uniformity but tried their best anyway. The seats he and Claire were on were of rounded out plastic, something akin to school chairs that he had seen in a book. Some seats below him were wooden. Below that were cushioned, but older.
There were fancier seats above him, and fancier still in a place that was in perfect view of the whole arena. Seven chairs, each in a different style, each brightly colored, and yet somehow, they did not clash. As he examined these seats, seven people who were wildly dressed filed in, filling the seat of the chair that they matched. He nudged Claire who followed his pointed finger, and her eyes widened in delight. It was as if she were seeing a rainbow come to life.
"Are they, like, dancers?" she breathed, and D shook his head.
The woman beside her considered the girl's movements warily, but Jim beamed with what D assumed was a real smile before answering her. His eyes lit up much like Claire's had.
"No, those are the members of the Counsel."
"What's a counsel?" she asked. This was the first time she had not spoken bitterly to her captors.
D let her carry on as he telepathically relayed what he could remember of the underground city's layout to his hand. He did not expect it to take him seriously, or listen at all, but it helped him recall possible exits. Claire might have wanted to run with her plan the way it stood, not thinking of how they would meet Bakura again until they did, but D wanted to put his mind to work. It was the only safe weapon he had to work with. All of their items, such as Claire's gun and his sword, had been confiscated long ago. He was not about to blow his cover as anything other than human, either.
"They're the ones in charge," Jim explained. "And they are chosen because they are the best at what they do, for now."
"For now?"
"You guys are about to watch something fun! Like how you all probably used to watch TV or movies! This is how we have fun, and sometimes, how we choose who is going to be a part of the Counsel for the next year."
Claire frowned. "I don't get it. If they are in charge, why don't they stay in charge?"
"Shhh!" One of the children seated below them shushed as the lights dimmed.
"Welcome everyone!" came a booming voice from below them. Amplified by the surround sound speakers, the voice of an unfamiliar person who had taken center stage echoed through the chamber. D and Claire were stunned to further silence. How passionately these people took this entertainment to heart! The man-power to build this place, the technology used. The crowd went wild; even the children around them clapped and hooted playfully. This was nothing like what either had experienced in the world above them, not even D, who had had the benefit of living in Domino City for a time. If there was a heart of humanity still beating as strong as it had before the devastation, they had found it.
If only they had found it on better terms. As it stood, both children watched in awe of the glamor, but their minds were elsewhere. This pair wanted nothing more than to find one person in this vibrant and gaudy world. Until then, all of this was just fantastic fantasies. Pretty falsehoods; nothing of substance to believe in.
The announcer spoke of some technical things, apparently this was also the chance everyone got to be exposed to news all at once. There was a mention of a lack of rain (apparently a norm for these people), about new construction, about how not to forget to send your belated valentine's something special (this for some reason garnered a laugh from the crowd and a wave from the woman dressed in purple; it only confused D who was almost certain that they were nearing on April) and then it was back to the entertainment.
"Finally," one of the kids sitting below them whispered to another. "This stuff is so boring. Its much more fun to watch the games."
"I wanna be in the games when I'm old enough," said the other.
"Me too."
'Want to?' D questioned internally. 'Why would anyone want to be in something like this? Where they take people, who were minding their business, and force them into some sick—'
'You planning on listening to the rules, buddy?' his left hand interjected, shaking D out of his train of thought. The boy refocused and realized he had missed some of the more pertinent information. Claire was sitting straight up in her seat, biting at her fingernails. With her free hand, she now had his in a violent grasp. Everyone else seemed calm, or excited. The pair were the antithesis of the mood within that chamber.
"Here are our contestants for the Arena of Choice and Chance today! Welcome them with a warm round of applause!"
The crowd boomed with screams and shouts of affirmatives, clapping their hands and banging their feet against the ground. It was deafening. Claire huddled against D, unused to such a reaction. She was used to being the loudest individual. Not even the music she blared when they shared the CD player was quite as ear-splitting.
A line of ten people was ushered into the ring. Nine of them were all smiles and waves. Only one of these nine were familiar to the children. She led the pack, pumping her arms into the air, a wild grin on her face. Riling up the crowd, just as she had with the one earlier. Those in the middle had varying levels of energy, but they all looked enthusiastic. The tenth person, following the others in line, offered the crowd a tentative smile and wave when they realized what they were supposed to be doing. This was the person Claire and D wished to see. Only these children could tell that the smile upon his face was a façade, having felt the warmth of a real one. They both leaned forward and shouted his name; they were drowned out with even more cheers for their efforts.
"Here are your challengers for today!" The announcer cried, brandishing their arm as a pointer. "Iron Jael, always one for the games! We all know what category she'll be playing at!"
"Strategy!" The crowd hollered. The woman, Jael, laughed and after flipping over a card she was carrying to show the announcer she placed both thumbs up in the air.
The announcer read the card and nodded before handing it back. "Strategy it is! We'll see if she's going at it alone, or if she'll have challengers! Two members on the council have bet their seats on her. Oly the Vibrant and Bright Ray, you've no doubt chosen well. We'll see if that changes as the game goes on. Next up we have…"
Names of the other challengers blasted through the speakers, each mentioning the category of game they would play. Arrow of Andres, Physical; Judith the Fair, Physical; The Fighter Randy, Individual Puzzle…none of these made much sense to the two children, aside from the surface definitions. But everyone had some sort of stage name, and everyone picked from one of the categories: Strategy, Physical, Group Puzzle, Individual Puzzle, Skill, Wild Card, and Racing. Each was attributed a color, based on each representative on the Counsel. Not every category was filled every time; not every seat bet corresponded to their color. Whatever internal structure there was happened to be lost on the boy who watched beside his friend as each name was called and categorized. The nine, having played before, moved to their strengths. This time it seemed that Racing, Group Puzzle, and Wild Card were going to be empty. Soon, there was only one left.
And he looked oh so pale under the glow of the spotlight.
"And as all of you can see, we have a new contender!" the announcer continued. "Some of you might have heard we have some new folk that we are welcoming into our fold! To prove that they aren't a pack of spies from…well you know where, a brave challenger has stepped up to prove their newfound loyalty to our cause!"
'Stepped up?' D fumed to himself. 'Or forced?'
His face did not betray his feelings, but it was a good thing that there was a loud cheer from the audience at that moment, as Claire spat words D had not even known she had picked up over their time together.
"Therefore, he is Nameless, until he has made a name for himself! So, lets see what he has chosen!"
The audience watched with bated breath as the unassuming man with the scar on his face passed his card to the announcer. D watched as Bakura briefly searched the crowd, probably for them, before resting on the Counsel. The woman in purple watched him expectantly. The boy wondered why.
"He has chosen…Wild Card!"
The crowd roared with a new vigor that once again made little sense to the new attendees. Some of the other challengers did not look as pleased. The woman that they knew, looked ecstatic.
"Everyone knows that this means that at least one of our other challengers needs to participate, and that it is decided by the Counsel what type of game it is. So?" The announcer looked around. Only one hand shot up. Iron Jael.
"I'll happily introduce our newest member to what the Wild Card Games stand for," she said, hovering over the microphone for an instant. The crowd went wild again.
"So that is settled. Now there is more on this card and it states…" To many, the announcer's expression did not change. To the one with the sharpest eyes, there was definite shock now imprinted upon a pallid visage. What had been written on that card?
"This is quite a gamble…" their voice shook slightly. "On top of this, there is a seat bet upon our newest member…"
"By Mai Valentine."
The crowd came to an abrupt silence. Whatever that silence meant, D thought to himself, he hoped it was a good omen.