Domination

Domination: Chapter 12


“But he’s okay? I mean, if he’s hurt as bad as he says he is, then surely he needs help?”

Yami attempted to soften his expression to reassure the white-haired teen, but he had difficulty given that he was currently feeling as anxious as Ryou.

“Bakura regained some of his strength and healed the majority of his injuries whilst with me in the Shadow Realm. I want to help him, but I still don’t know exactly where he is. He said he’s trying to get into the forests in the south, away from the mountains, but he could still be anywhere. I’m afraid there’s not a lot we can do for him at the moment.”

Ryou nodded silently at that and cast his eyes to the pavement again as they continued walking. Yugi, walking close on the other side of his Dark, immediately put a supportive hand on his elbow, the spirit smiling thinly at the action and glancing at his Hikari before once again becoming lost in his own thoughts.

It was approaching noon and Yami had finally decided to meet Pegasus and find out what exactly the older man had to say to him. He didn’t particularly want anyone there to hear as well, but at Sugoroku’s insistence, he had settled for seeing the man with the eldest Motou.

Yami didn’t know how the situation was going to turn out and didn’t want to endanger his friends, but if it was safe and merely difficult he was certain that he was going to need some guidance and support afterwards. He needed an adult with him more than anything. He had been dubious about Sugoroku accompanying him considering what had happened the last time with Pegasus, but his adopted Grandfather had significantly helped him manage this morning and he didn’t want to give up on that kind of support just yet.

Sugoroku had been more than happy to accompany him despite his feelings towards Pegasus. He had good reason to hold a lot of animosity towards the man, but now was not the time for that. It would be selfish to satisfy his own feelings at the expense of Yami’s, and it was his adopted grandson whom needed support now. He understood Yami’s decision to ask him to meet Pegasus with him over his friends, and now walked a short way behind them as they talked. Yami was a guardian and to bring his friends, his natural charges into a situation that would perhaps turn out to be dangerous, was not an idea that he would naturally warm to.

There was also the nature of all of this; disturbingly graphic as the doctor’s appointment illustrated. As the only adult who had been permitted into the small circle, Sugoroku was the most experienced and mature and thus better equipped to tackle whatever could arise. But then, he would have helped however he could even if it had not been asked of him. He had to admit that he was secretly pleased that his helping could be active now, not silently waiting as he had done before.

Yami had been able to get an early appointment with a doctor for a blood test the day before, and had gone to it with Yugi and Sugoroku. Ryou and Joey, not entirely happy with staying at the Game shop during the appointment, opted to stay in the waiting room whilst Yami was inside. Despite being very uncomfortable, Yami managed having a sample of blood taken and answering the physician’s questions quite well, Yugi staying with him the entire time and mentally soothing his Dark when he began to feel uncertain. It wasn’t really the test that worried Yami, but the results that he would receive in a few days.

Still, it was over now and thus out of his hands. As Joey had said to him, whatever would be would be and there was nothing he could do to change that. Yugi assured him that everything would be fine no matter what and they’d take on anything together if there were a problem. Although comforting, these words of encouragement just forced Yami’s mind to dwell on the issue, something he was opposed to at the moment. He had more pressing concerns to fret over, namely Pegasus.

The café where the duellist had agreed to meet them was around the corner now, and Yami was acutely aware of that short distance. He tightened his jaw and didn’t break his pace though, only stopping when he finally reached the corner.

“We’ll be close-by if you need us,” Joey assured, clapping a hand on Yami’s shoulder as he motioned with his head to a shop across the road, Yami acknowledging the action with numb detachment. Yugi nodded and sent a wave of support through the link before going with Joey and Ryou. Yami watched them cross, feeling distinctively abandoned for some reason, until he had to suppress a flinch when Sugoroku placed a gentle hand on his arm.

“Come on, better sooner than later,” he murmured although he gave no sign that they should move. There was no force through his hand and his eyes were solely on the side of Yami’s face as the spirit watched his friends.

Nodding, Yami resolved himself and stepped out of the shadow of the building. Walking directly into the sunlight, he noted with some relief that the café was small and quiet with only a few chairs and tables set outside and barely a handful of customers scattered about. He spotted Pegasus immediately thanks to his distinctive red suite, the older man briefly raising a small glass of wine to him as they approached.

Sugoroku remained a step behind Yami the entire time, nodding his head to Pegasus when they finally stopped at the table and letting Yami dictate what they should do. As it was, the spirit had remained standing and had crossed his arms as he meet Pegasus’s gaze. Absently, he closed off his bond with Yugi as a precaution against anything that may happen.

Pegasus shifted almost imperceptibly, an uncharacteristic action for the man. The movement displaced some of the hair from his face for a few moments though, allowing Yami to see that he now wore an eye patch over the socket the Millennium Eye had once resided in. Red and with a white lining and strap, it fit with his outfit perfectly and Yami allowed himself a mental smile.

He knew that Bakura had stripped Pegasus of his power and had assumed that the thief had taken the Eye as well, but looking now it seemed that Pegasus had recovered well from the incident. Judging by the design of the patch, he had also found some humour in it, laced with bitterness as it may be.

“Would you care to sit down?” he finally said, looking from one Motou to the other and motioning to the two chairs opposite him. He had obviously expected Yami to bring someone with him.

Yami didn’t break eye contact as he took a place on the metal seat, Sugoroku sitting a few inches to his right. He was watching carefully for any sign of contempt or mocking or even aggression. He saw none though, merely a sympathetic and slightly unnerved man. As for the sympathy, Yami would have much preferred the aggression. Pity was an emotion he shunned vehemently.

There was silence for a few moments and deciding that this was not going to be the best way to proceed, Sugoroku took it upon himself to break it. Pegasus seemed as uncertain as Yami was and neither was exactly helping the other along.

“Nice patch.”

Pegasus’s gaze snapped to him with wry amusement at the blunt comment, and he tipped his head to expose it partially as he smiled. “I’m thinking of getting a parrot to match it.”

Yami watched the exchange curiously. Surely with all the history between the three of them, this was highly unsuitable? It broke the tension though, and the spirit saw no reason now why he shouldn’t just dive right in. Pegasus didn’t seem to have anything malicious in mind, especially considering his last comment, and it wasn’t as if he had anything left to lose. Indeed, all he could do now was gain.

“Why did you want to speak with me?”

Attention back on him, Yami resisted the powerful urge to fidget and held his stare. He’d faced this man in far more frightening situations; he could ask him questions now. Granted, he hadn’t been as emotionally shattered then, but still, he wasn’t as weak as his subconscious was insisting.

The glass gently touching down on the metal table was painfully loud, Pegasus watching the liquid inside settle as he seemingly composed himself to begin.

“First, I wanted to say that I’m truly sorry for all that has happened to you.”

Yami bristled at the pitying comment, although it didn’t sting as much as it perhaps should have. He respected this man despite everything that had happened; he had been a worthy adversary and from what his friends had told him, had fought viciously for what was essentially a good cause.

“I found out in, as I’m sure, the same way that others have. I spoke to Kaiba about it but he had already handled the matter,” Pegasus continued smoothly although his usually placid expression was fractured, belaying emotions that his voice did not so eloquently relay.

Yami nodded in acknowledgement. Pegasus must have called Kaiba within the last few days, as it was only fairly recently that the clip had been destroyed. But then, Kaiba could have known it was there for some time and it could have taken weeks to dismantle the program. Or perhaps he had just left it until he had a convenient moment to cease its display to the world.

He shook himself mentally, cutting off the potentially disastrous train of thought. Kaiba wouldn’t do such a thing and Yami had come to trust him. He was just allowing himself to become immersed in thoughts and feelings that he did not want nor was capable of stomaching at the moment. His focus should be here and now.

Pegasus had not interrupted his mental digress, noting that Yami was absorbing everything slowly and sceptically. Which he had every right to. He didn’t want to force or rush anything now, not when the stakes were high and the situation delicate.

Sugoroku watched Yami tactfully, noting Pegasus’s quiet observation of the young man and his subsequent silence. It pleased him that he would not need to curb the usually talkative man’s speech, force him to let Yami progress at his own time. Unconsciously, he placed a hand softly on Yami’s shoulder, pleased when he did not flinch.

When cerise eyes met his again, Pegasus deemed it safe to continue. “I wanted to tell you that I, and indeed your friends and family, are not alone in our sympathies over these, ‘events’.”

Frowning, Yami and Sugoroku exchanged a confused look before waiting for Pegasus to continue. He seemed a little more relaxed now that the initial icebreaker had passed; keen even to pass on this piece of information.

“You became very famous during my Duellist Kingdom tournament, or more precisely your alter-ego Yugi did,” he began, gesturing vaguely as he spoke. “However it’s not my policy to disclose contact details, so any fan-mail that people sent automatically came to me. I’ve stored most of it, giving it away whenever a duellist asked for it, but I’m still in possession of everything that was sent for you. And being the Game King and the overall winner, you received a lot.”

Yami was not entirely surprised by any of this. Duellist Kingdom had been widely publicised as it was such a massive venture; indeed the first of its kind until Battle City.

“Holding Battle City, Kaiba no doubt found the same sort of thing, but he is nowhere near as charitable or sentimental as I and it has doubtlessly all been destroyed now,” Pegasus added, smiling thinly to himself. Indeed, that was the case. He had asked when they had spoken, and he had picked up on a tiny thread of regret when the CEO had told him.

Yami felt the need to speak now, the uncomfortable niggle that had started when Pegasus had started this topic overriding his will to let the man finish. “As much as I would appreciate the gratification of reading such mail, I think it would be better that you passed it on to Yugi. I am not the Duellist that I was, nor do I believe I will be in the near future.” His words were tainted with bitterness but he was generally accepting of this fact. He had crumbled before his longest rival merely months ago, and that embarrassing night had done well to ram his condition as a Duellist as well as his mental state right home most effectively.

A look of pain flickered over Pegasus’s face for a bare instant, reflected anguish at Yami’s words. He raised a hand to stop any further, determined to prevent this conversation from following such a wretched tangent.

“The amount of mail decreased dramatically when both tournaments finished, but over the last few weeks it’s picked up again.”

Yami felt sick, and Sugoroku saw it in the sudden drop in his skin tone. Pegasus paused almost out of respect for a sudden sense of unease before continuing carefully. “I haven’t opened any of it, nor would I. I think you should have it. It might, help,” he finished helplessly, anxious to say anything that would condemn Yami’s state as fact. He wasn’t sure how the fiery spirit would react to that.

“I agree,” Sugoroku murmured suddenly, causing Yami to look to him in mild surprise. The elder man gave him a sympathising look. “Not everyone wishes harm. It would do you good to remember that, and to know that not everyone believes that you are as worthless as you seem to have come to believe you are.”

Now Yami did fidget, and strongly wished that Pegasus wasn’t present to hear that. Sugoroku had very efficiently cut to the heart of the matter; when it came down to it, Yami simply felt that he just wasn’t worth the trouble he was putting his friends through. He didn’t feel deserving of the risks Yugi was taking in trying to get as involved in all of this as possible, of the countless hours that Bakura had spent with him and the effort that everyone else was putting into maintaining his spirits. He felt far better now than he had a short time ago, yes, but that feeling of unworthiness left over from the initial attack would be hard pressed to be removed, and at present it was still deeply seeded and troublesome.

Pegasus placed a hand at the stem of the half-empty glass, subtly bringing their attention back to him. “I did not wish to intrude or else I would have told you sooner, but there is a lot of it now and I believe it would do far more good than harm. If you wish, I can have it delivered by the morning.”

Yami contemplated Sugoroku’s earlier words as he stared at Pegasus’s open and compassionate face, deciding whether or not to accept this offer. He was fearful of what the letters might contain, but if that many people had truly witnessed the act of his… defilement, and then taken the time to write to him through Pegasus with the hopes of him eventually reading it, he had to know what they thought of him. It wasn’t out of pride or anything remotely like it, but a dangerous sense of curiosity instead, a profound desire to know if the situation was honestly as bad as he thought it was.

Finally, he nodded firmly and forced a small, grateful smile. It was uncomfortable to do so, but he held it through his words, which were genuine. “Thank you. I would appreciate that.”

Pegasus’s mouth broke into a grin, grateful and warmed. “Excellent. I’ll have them sent out post-haste. I do not wish to linger upon your time any further, but if you need anything that I may be able to help you with, don’t hesitate in asking.”

Noting that the other man had not finished his wine and how restless Yami was starting to become, Sugoroku uttered a soft thanks and extended his arm to grasp Pegasus’s hand as he stood. He seemed surprised as well as pleased at the action, shaking the proffered hand firmly before releasing it and returning his hand to his lap. Yami took the moment to rise from his own seat, casting his gaze about himself to see if Yugi was anywhere about.

He felt very agitated and he couldn’t begin to fathom why. He was immensely relieved at how the conversation with Pegasus had gone but now he had a terrible sense of foreboding knotting coldly in his stomach. The scar between his neck and shoulder had begun to prickle as well, although if he had imagined that before it started acting up, he could not tell.

A suitable amount of thanks and farewells now exchanged, Sugoroku placed a hand on Yami’s arm, breaking him out of his sudden spell of alarmed distraction. Questioning him through his expression whilst still in earshot of Pegasus, Yami responded by nodding curtly at the seated man and then crossing the street. Sugoroku knew that Yugi, Joey and Ryou had gone into the shop, which Yami was determinedly heading towards, but from the other’s stance it seemed that Yami was almost fearful that they wouldn’t be there now.

As it was Yami had dropped the mental shields he had held through the conversation in the hope that that had been the cause of this feeling in his gut. When he was met with nothing but an empty silence, his fear of foreboding had increased, quickening his pace even more as crossed the road.

Very soon they’d discovered that his fears had been well placed. Attempting to calm Yami, Sugoroku had reasoned that they may have returned to the shop for something, perhaps thinking that their meeting with Pegasus would take longer and so they wouldn’t be missed. Apparently Yami wasn’t confident in that reckoning, his pace increasing all the way back to the shop until he was running, leaving the eldest Motou far behind.

He ceased sprinting abruptly outside the shop with pain filled gasps for air, a dozen muscles cramping from the abuse he had suddenly put them through and the flecks of black in his vision reminding him that he was not as fit as he used to be.

The shop itself looked fine; the closed sign was still in place and all was quiet. Still feeling greatly disturbed, Yami circled the shop to approach the house from the back. He stopped before he even reached the gate into the small garden and was taken aback by the scene before him.

Joey sat lent against a fencepost holding a hand to his bloodied nose, Anzu hovering over him obviously distressed. Yugi and Ryou were nowhere to be seen, and the door leading into the kitchen had been seemingly obliterated, large shards of wood littering the grass outside. Yami broke back into a run for the final few meters, dropping to his knees next to Joey as his throat constricted from something else other than fatigue.

“What happened?” he demanded, taking in Joey’s dishevelled and bloodied state before glancing about once again for any sign of Yugi.

The blond opened his mouth to speak beneath his reddened palm, his face contorting in pain as he decided better of it. Anzu spoke for him, her voice shaky as she wrung her hands nervously in front of her, speaking to both Sugoroku and Yami now. The eldest Motou was now standing close to them in the garden on the other side of the fence, listening as he scrutinized the area fearfully after checking that Joey was generally intact.


“Tristen and I-we came to apologize for the other day and ran into Yugi, Ryou and Joey. Ryou said his Ring was going haywire and that whatever was doing it was in the house.” She faltered and Yami had to restrain himself from shaking her out of frustration.

“Yami Malik… He, he took Yugi. We tried to stop him but he was too strong. Tristen ran after him but we don’t know where they are,” she finished, pointing in the direction they had run off in.

Yami swallowed heavily, all pain in his muscles forgotten. Rising to his feet, he approached the house with dread as he spotted a shock of white against the scorched walls. Ryou was standing in the shattered doorway, his back tight and a barely perceptible tremor running throughout his frame. With Sugoroku shadowing him, Yami stopped beside the Hikari and felt his heart sink and pulse rise at what he saw.

Blood. Lots of it. It was sprayed quite deliberately up the walls and scattered in small puddles all about the tiled floor. His senses naturally did what his mind refused to, extending to perceive that which mortals could not. His shock was palpable when he discovered that it was more than one person’s blood here.

Bakura’s signature in the drying fluid was far more powerful, more of his blood decorating the room than Yugi’s, whose signs were far weaker. Bakura’s blood felt older as well, not freshly spilt but collected and deliberately laid. Yugi was attacked here, Yami Malik’s threat collected and scattered here.

All of these assessments took place in Yami’s mind within two seconds and when the shock had dissipated enough through the third, he was gone, running in the general direction that Anzu had given him and seeking out both essences as he moved. It had gone too far this time. Yami Malik had taken this a step further than it had to go, and to his core Yami knew that he would pay today.

Today, one way or another, this would all end.


****

(Huge sigh of relief) Well, I’m glad that one’s done! Hopefully that was worth the wait, and I shant make any estimates about the update-time for the next chapter as it’s the most complicated one out of the series, I reckon. I promise vengeance though, so there’s something to look forward to.

Reviews? I know it’s been a while but there’s no need to blank me. ^^;;