Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ God Speed, Sweet Dreams ❯ God Speed, Sweet Dreams ( Chapter 1 )

by WSJ

WSJ: is giggling madly and appears to be on a sugar high but... not quite

Kaze: whom WSJ recently kidnapped from High Crystal Guardian What is wrong with you now you demented authoress!

WSJ: still giggling Broody-sama-sama-sama-sama-sama-sama- gets hit on the back of the head when Kaze chucks a shoe at her -sama finally got around to putting up the fic I appear in! XD Everyone go look it up and leave nice reviews, okay?

Kaze: glances over the fic SJ is getting ready to write Oo; ...Someone get me out of here. Please?

Disclaimer: SJ does not own YGO or the song.

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Pegasus sighed softly, sitting back in his chair. Looking away from his computer screen the 24-year-old millionaire stretched his arms over his head, wincing slightly as his back cracked loudly. Settling back into the padded seat he took a sip of wine from the glass that sat on a round Funny Bunny coaster next to his keyboard and looked over his work in satisfaction. Finally, everything was ready for his Duelist Kingdom tournement. All that was left was to mail the invitations.

Setting the glass back down, Pegasus pulled open one of the lower drawers in his desk, his expression softening a little as he pulled out the two framed pictures that sat within. Absently Pegasus brushed his long silver hair behind his ears, displaying the Sennen Eye that no one was in the room to see. Almost revrently he reached out to touch the faces on the photos, but pulled his hand back at the last moment, shaking his head sharply. The motion displaced the hair he had just pulled back, and it swept forward to cover his vision in a glimmering silver veil, obscuring the pictures from his view.

But even with his eye closed, he could still see them. Both pictures had been looked at so often for so long that their images were burned into his minds' eye. He dreamed of those faces every night, and soon enough... soon enough he would have them back.

The first of the pictures was of a young woman of about twenty, her long blond hair spilling around her shoulders and her blue eyes laughing delightedly as a younger, twenty-one-year-old Pegasus nibbled at her neck playfully. Pegasus could almost hear the ring of her soft voice... 'Pegga stop, that tickles!'...

The other picture was much, much older, taken in a time that was long ago and far away, long before Pegasus had moved to Japan. A woman in her mid-thirties with long, shimmering pale blond hair sat on a stone bench in front of a fountain, her deep brown eyes filled with love as she looked not at the camera, but at the small, silver-haired 7-year-old who sat at her feet with sidewalk chalk strewn about him, creating his masterpiece. Pegasus could hear her voice too, gentler, not so full of passion as the other one's had been. 'Such a good artist for such a little boy, my Little Winged Unicorn...'

"Oh Cynthia..." Pegasus sighed, brushing a tear out of his eye as he pushed his hair away to again look at the pictures. "Oh mother, how I miss you both..."

Dragon tales and the water is wide.
Pirates sail and lost boys fly.

Seven-year-old Pegasus Crawford, his silver hair flying behind him, giggled giddily as he turned another corner in the hall, his footsteps ringing on the marble floors. He could hear his mother just behind him, laughingly calling for Pegasus to slow down so the "Tickle Monster" could catch him.

Turning another corner Pegasus ran toward a tall oak door and pushed it open, his steps muffled instantly by the thick carpet that covered this room. He ran for the sofa with the intent to hide behind it, but just as he was about to dive behind the side his mother pounced on him, all but tackling the little boy on to the couch. "Got'cha!"

Pegasus shrieked in laughter and tried to curl up as his mother pinned him to the cusions, running her fingers mercilessly across his sides. "Mother, mother no! Not the ribs! Noooo, not my feet Mama!"

Pandora Crawford laughed and went in for the "kill", sliding her fingers under her son's chin to get at the particularly ticklish skin on Pegasus's neck. "Mwahahaha, there shall be no escape for you!"

Pegasus burst into giggles again, kicking his feet wildly in an effort to get his mother to stop her assult. Finally she did and the boy set panting, his eyes alight even as he continued to giggle now and then. "No fair Mama, you're bigger an' faster then me!"

Pandora laughed again and leaned over to hug her son, pulling him up and into her lap. "Yes, but one day you'll grow big and strong Pegga, I promise."

"If I drink my milk, right?" Pegasus asked, squirming around to look at his mom. "That's what Cynnie says."

Pandora chuckled and nodded. "Yes, milk is a good thing. I love you my Little Winged Unicorn."

"I love you too mommy." Pegasus said happily, snuggling down in her arms. "Hey, the Funny Bunny movie is on TV tonight! Can I watch it?"

Pandora chuckled and gave her son another squeeze before letting him get up to go turn on the big TV. "All right, but don't tell your father I let you stay up so long."

" 'Kay," Pegasus promised, already channel surfing ruthlessly.

Fish bite moonbeams every night:
And I love you.

About half-way through the movie, cuddled down in his mother's arms, Pegasus began to yawn widely. Chuckling, Pandora picked him up into her arms and carried him toward his bedroom despite his muffled protests, which were punctored by more loud yawns. Entering the gold-themed room Pandora laid her son gently on the bed, letting him squirm under the covers. She handed him his Ruff Ruff McDog plushie, and then pulled the covers close around him.

She leaned over to say good night, and her hair tickled at his face, making him giggle a little. "Good night mommy."

"Good night, my Little Winged One."

Giving her son a good night kiss, Pandora straightened up. Stooping by the bed she turned on Pegasus's night light, and then walked toward the door. "See you in the morning."

Pegasus nodded as she turned out the light, already half asleep.

Godspeed, little man.
Sweet Dreams, little man.
Oh, my love will fly to you each night on angels wings.

A small smile still hovering on her face, Pandora walked the long halls of the Crawford manor toward the library, which was usually where she spent her evenings between the time she put Pegasus to bed and the time she herself went to bed. She'd always refused to have a nanny, no matter how many times her husband Drake suggested it. "I don't want my little boy growing up with a mother that's always too busy, like I did," she always said. "Besides, he's already got a father that pays him no attention."

Pandora sighed softly as she entered the library, her private sanctuary. Settling down in an overstuffed armchair she picked up the book she'd been reading last night, but found she couldn't concentrate. Finally she gave up and just sat, silent tears drifting down her cheeks as she fingered her wedding ring. Pegasus was the most precious person in her life, and she thanked God every day for sending him to her.

But Drake... He was away on a business trip all this week. And there were no presents sent through the mail, no letters, not even a phone call. Either he'd forgotten, again, or he'd just been too busy to bother.

"Happy anniversery Pandora..." Pandora muttered out loud to no one but herself.

Godspeed; sweet dreams.

"Mama?"

Pandora's head jerked up as she hurridly wiped tears off her cheeks. "Y-yes Pegasus? Is something the matter?"

Pegasus walked into the room from where he'd been timidly standing by the door and made his way over to her, a look of concern on his face. "Mommy, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"It's, it's nothing dear one," Pandora said quietly, although she could see from the look on his face that her son didn't believe her. "Go back to bed dear."

He gave her a long, skeptical look, and then reached up to hug her around the waist. "I love you mommy." he said seriously, his brown eyes looking up into hers before he turned and trotted back toward his room. Pandora gave a shuddering sigh, smiled softly, and then went back to her book.

The rocket racer's all tuckered out.
Superman's in pyjamas on the couch.
Goodnight moon, we'll find the mouse:
And I love you.

The years passed, and time marched on. The sun rose and set, seasons changed, and all things grew older. But some things never changed.

It was a hot night in August when Pandora was again saying good night to her little boy, although he was not so little anymore. Already at fifteen Pegasus was taller then his mother, his lanky build and long silver hair contributing to his classmates' taunting cries of "Pretty boy, pretty boy". But this was at his home, and those cries were far away, for now.

Bending over where his mother sat on the couch, Pegasus gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Love you mom," he said cheerfully, dropping a skillfully folded paper crane into her lap.

"Oh, Pegga, thank you," his mother said, looking up at him over her shoulder to where he stood behind her. She frowned as she noticed the suddenly serious look on his face. "What's wrong?"

Pegasus sighed and came around the edge of the couch, plopping down beside her. He folded his legs up under him and pulled his silver braid over his shoulder, absently playing with the end of it. "Mom... do you think there's any girl, anywhere, meant for a guy like me?"

Pandora blinked, slightly startled. Over the years she and her son had only grown closer as Pegasus's father drifted far away. Pandora and Pegasus often had heart-to-heart talks, often about the teasing Pegasus endured at school or their mutual frustration concerning the ever-away Drake Crawford. But... Never anything like this. Pegasus had had "the Talk", of course, but this was the first time he'd ever broached the subject of girls with his mother. "What do you mean?" she asked, tilting her head in a gesture that her son had inherritated from her.

Pegasus looked down moodily, playing with a loose string on the couch. "I'm... I'm different mom. All the guys at school are these huge, brainless jocks, and all they do is spend their time either bashing each others brains out or drooling over some empty-headed bimbo cheerleader. Is that how I'm supposed so be!"

At the utter revulsion on his face, Pandora covered her mouth with her hand, trying not to laugh at her son's mean, but accurate, description. "Oh my Little Winged One..." she chuckled, employing her nickname for him. "You are an artist, a genius, you're not supposed to be like anyone else. I promise, there are girls out there that dream just as much as you. Someday you'll find her,"

"Do you really think so?" Pegasus asked without much hope in his voice. "All the girls I've ever met (except for you of course, mother) have either looked at me like I've some kind of freak or just totally ignored me. Is it really so bad that I'd rather dance then play football? That I'd rather draw then dribble a basketball? That I'm more brain than brawn? Is muscle really all girls look at anymore?"

Pegasus looked almost on the verge of tears, and Pandora reached out a sympathetic hand to stroke his cheek. "Oh my boy... She's out there, you have to keep believing that. After all, I didn't marry your father for his looks, I married him for his smarts."

"And look where it's gotten you," Pegasus muttered bitterly, causing his mother to sigh. Pegasus got up from the couch and forced himself to smile at his mother. "Thank you mother. Love you."

"Love you too," she said quietly, secretly hurting for the sake of her son. She let out another quiet sigh as he left, headed for his own room and bed. "Sweet dreams..."

Godspeed, little man.
Sweet Dreams, little man.
Oh, my love will fly to you each night on angels wings.
Godspeed; sweet dreams.

"Mom! Hey mom!"

Pandora turned away from the stove as her son entered the house, but then winced and put a hand to her left shoulder. There was that pain again... She really should go see the doctor about that.

More years had passed, and Pegasus had grown into a tall, lithe, seventeen-year-old artist. Not only did he draw, paint and sculpt, but he was a poet too. What he'd always lacked in the physical department he'd always made up in the arts department. Unfortunately, very few girls ever saw him for what he truly was. At best the girls at his high school treated him civilly, if only for the sake of the money he would one day inherrate. At worst, he was a freak and a loser, to be avoided at all costs.

So when Pegasus all but danced home from school soon after his seventeenth birthday, Pandora was almost overjoyed to hear the happiness in his voice. She was standing in the kitchen cooking dinner for the both of them, giving what few servents they kept the night off. Time had not been as kind to her as it had her son. Her hair was liberally streaked with grey now. Not the natural, shining grey of Pegasus's hair, but the dull grey that only comes with age. Her figure had mellowed out, and crows feet were beginning to stamp their tracks around her eyes. But to Pegasus, she was the most beautiful woman in the world.

Well, second most beautiful.

"What's wrong dear?" Pandora asked as her son tossed his bookbag and coat into the corner and waltzed around the kitchen table a couple times, humming the music to "All I Ask Of You", from Phantom of the Opera.

"What's wrong?" Pegasus asked, his voice dreamier than usual. "Nothing at all, nothing at all! I met a great girl today mom, she just transferred in. She's an actress mom, and she's beautiful! I figured since she was a transfer student she might not know about what a freak I am yet, so I screwed up my courage and asked her out. And she said yes! Her name's Cynthia. Oh mom, I think I'm in love!"

"How wonderful!" Pandora exclaimed, her eyes lighting up in joy. "Oh Pegga, I'm so happy!" Suddenly she froze, her eyes glazing over. She clutched at her left shoulder again before slowly starting to tip over, gasping for breath. Pegasus cried out and jumped forward, catching her easily and kneeling so that she was laying against his lap.

"Mom? Mom! Mother?"

"I - I'm here." she said faintly, reaching up a trembling hand to clasp him. "Just know... I always... loved you... no matter what... my Little Winged Unicorn... No matter... what..."

"No, don't close your eyes mommy! Stay with me, please! Mommy!"

God bless Mommy and Matchbox cars.
God bless Dad and thanks for the stars.
God hears "amen" wherever we are:

"I promise Mr. Crawford, it was a painless death."

"I told you doctor, don't call me that. It's just Pegasus, okay? I won't be called by the same name my father is."

"Speaking of your father, sir, will he be making the arrangements for the funeral?"

"No. He probably won't even come home. I'll handle it all myself."

"As you wish, Mr. Pegasus."

"Good-bye mother... I love you..."

And I love you.

"Pegga?"

She stood behind him as he stared down at the grave, almost afraid to touch him. He looked so sad and forelorn, more like a kid then the man she knew. With an almost painful slowness he turned toward her, and she could see the pain in his brown eyes, the eyes she'd fallen in love with.

"Don't call me that, Cynnie," he said softly, his voice strained. "Mom called me that." He was carrying a single red rose, and as Cynthia watched he kissed it gently, then dropped it into the open grave, which several workmen were getting ready to fill. Turning away and blinking back what looked suspiciously like tears, Pegasus put an arm around the blond girl's shoulders. "Come on, let's go."

Godspeed, little man.
Sweet Dreams, little man.
Oh, my love will fly to you each night on angels wings.
Godspeed;
Godspeed;

Pegasus sighed whistfully as he brushed away a tear, setting the pictures back in their drawer and gently sliding it closed. He straightened up and put back on his proverbial mask as a knock came at the door. His Sennen Eye gleamed slightly, and he brushed his hair safely in front of it. "Come in Croquet,"

The manservant came in and bowed, slightly creeped out by the way his master always seemingly knew when he was at the door, and knew who he was. "Invatations have been sent my lord. Sourses confirm that Yuugi Motou will be at Duelist Kingdom. And a bonus, sir, it seems Ryou Bakura has plans to join us as well, invited or not."

Pegasus smiled, but it was quite unlike the smiles of his bygone, forgotten days of youth when his mother had loved him and Cynthia had been there. That was his past, but if he had anything to say about it it would be in his future too. He couldn't help the slightly malicious laugh that escaped him, causing Croquet to shiver.

"Excellent."

Godspeed; sweet dreams.

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WSJ: ;; sniffles Meep... I just want to say, momentarily, that Pegasus and I aren't really so different... sighs and shuffles off to drown her angst in POTO music

I wrote this because whenever there's a Peg-angst fic, it usually focuses on Cynthia. I just couldn't help but wonder if there was someone else that influenced him just as much, and when I heard this song, I was hooked. Make sure you leave me nice reviews, okay? Ja!

God bless minna-san!