Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Her Promise, My Sorrow ❯ No Longer an Ilusion ( Chapter 1 )

"Blah" =Speech 'Blah' =Thought (Blah) =Me Interrupting ~~~~~ =Time or Scene Change

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From the island known as Duelist Kingdom, you could see a helicopter fast approaching, carrying a young woman that was eager to land. She wore a white blouse and a red skirt. In her hand, she held a case containing her laptop and several documents. They finally landed and the woman stepped out of the helicopter.

"Welcome to Duelist Kingdom, Miss Takamura." A man with sunglasses, (Don't they all have sunglasses?) gray hair and a mustache to match greeted her. "My name is Croquet and I will be showing you to around the castle including your rooms. If you need anything, please do not hesitate to ask." And indeed, Kei did not hesitate.

"Well, I was hoping I would be able to see Crawford-sama right away." The already difficult looking man frowned, making him look even more unpleasant. "I'm afraid that that is quite impossible at the moment. Crawford-sama has yet to be informed of your arrival and it is doubtful that he is in any condition to receive guests." Kei stood up straighter and a more serious expression replaced the somewhat nervous expression that her face originally had.

"Croquet-san," she started in a business like tone. "I must respectfully ask that you acknowledge my request. I once made a very important promise to your employer that I am very eager to keep, and I swear upon Gods name that if you do not take me to see him at this moment, I will search every room of the castle myself and outdo every bodyguard if I have to. And as my surname is Takamura by birthright, you know very well I could do just that." It was true. The Takamura clan was known as the most mighty ninja clan in the country. They produced such outstanding bodyguards, that they themselves were the ones who chose who they wished to protect.

Gulping nervously, Croquet responded by saying, "As you wish, Takamura-san."

Almost immediately after that, Croquet proceeded in guiding Kei through the twisting hallways and corridors of the castle until they finally reached the entrance of the castle's owner, made up of huge, white double doors.

"This is Crawford-sama's room. I will wait outside to take you to your rooms."

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Pegasus' head whipped up from his hand and looked on as he heard a creaking sound come form the direction of the door with his one good eye. The fireplace flickered as if responding to his sudden movement. Which imprudent servant would dare disturb their delirious master? He saw a high-heeled shoe step through the doorway. The maids in the castle didn't wear high-heeled shoes, so who could it have been? He was a bit surprised as he saw a sharply dressed woman step through the door.

Pegasus scowled. She was probably another representative from the company. Why couldn't those bastards leave him as is?

"Go away!" he shouted. "The other board members can take care of the company themselves. Tell them to stop hiring people to get me working, because it's just a waste of money." The woman closed the door behind her and stepped closer. Her face was covered by the shadows, as if the woman's appearance was too ghastly and the darkness was protecting him from the hideous sight.

The mere presence of the woman was horrible enough. The man just wanted to be left alone in his misery.

"Stay back!" The shadow of a man fisted his hands into the bed sheets. Through the cascade of silver hair, Pegasus' face was twisted into a snarl, made even more grisly by the fact that his fine cheekbones protruded from his face while his smoldering eyes sank in, like a skeleton with lips and coals in the sockets. There was a phantom shadow around his eyes, making him look crazed. He could see the still shadows around the woman's face twisting, like a veil of black silk.

She was smiling.

Pegasus roared at the girl for showing him what seemed like mockery. "How dare you smile in my presence! How dare you smile while I can not!" He then let out a choked sob and his voice quieted. "Do you wish me to mock me in the moment of my greatest sorrow? Leave me in peace."

In truth, Kei could not help but smile at the sheer irony of the situation. It wasn't a light happy smile, but a grim one, though Pegasus obviously could not see that.

He heard her voice speak for the first time since she had arrived.

"I remember a time when you wished for me to be by your side instead of away." Pegasus went wide-eyed at the comment.

"What do you mean? Who are you?" "I will tell you if you permit me to come closer to you." Pegasus battled with his curiosity for a moment. Curiosity won. "Alright."

The room was so silent that he heard the sound of her footsteps, even though the thick carpeting muffled them. She stepped ever closer. She was next to his bed, and she sat down on the edge. Pegasus immediately scooted away. "Don't you remember me?" Pegasus peered ever more closely at the woman. His face moved closer to hers, inch by inch till both their noses nearly touched. Where had he seen that face before? Those eyes... Those eyes seemed so familiar.

Then the woman's face seemed to morph right before his eyes into that of a little girl's. Pegasus drew back and gasped in horror. It was the same girl from his visions! A name surfaced in his mind. It was her name.

"Kei."

Kei gave a small, but genuinely happy smile this time. "Then you do remember."

But Pegasus was terrified it seemed. He moved to the farthest corner of the bed away from her. He then proceeded in burying his face in his lap and covering his ears with his spindly hands. He started to rock back and forth

"NO! Leave me in peace, baneful vision. Why do you insist on torturing me with ghosts of the past?" He continued to sob into his lap.

Kei's eyes widened just a bit. Guilt momentarily crossed her mind and she cast her eyes down for a moment, almost too ashamed to look at Pegasus.

She looked at him again. 'I should have been there to protect him.'

With that thought finished, she kicked her shoes off and slowly made her way to Pegasus.

Pegasus cried and rocked harder as he felt the bed shift when Kei approached. "Please, just leave me in peace. I can't take anymore of this."

Kei did not listen to his word. She was now by his side. Kei wrapped her arms around him and placed her hands behind his head so her hands were entangled in the silver strands of hair. Pegasus froze as he felt Kei's arms on his back.

"Do you remember, Aniki, when you would come up our little hill crying and I would hold you like this? Then you would always apologize about subjecting a little girl to the sins of the world." Pegasus garbled voice reached her ears. "Then you would tell me that you didn't mind, everyone should have someone to share their burdens with." He looked up at her in bewilderment. Kei's eyes widened a bit as she stared into Pegasus' eyes. While the right iris was the same golden-orange color she remembered it, the left one was yellow. She gently ran her thumb under it, being as gentle as she could incase she would be able to rub off the others skin in his delicate state.

"What's wrong with your eye, Aniki?" She used the term once again, hoping to comfort him further. "I'm blind in that eye, Kei-chan. It's a long and painful story I would rather not like to speak of." Pegasus closed his eyes, remembering the painful memories. "Alright," said Kei in a quiet voice.

"I never did comprehend how a child could understand my feelings." Kei smiled and stroked Pegasus' hair. "Not all children are children on the inside. Some are very mature, or are simply forced to grow up fast."

Pegasus tentatively reached a hand up to touch her face. His fingernails had grown long from weeks of not cutting them. They pushed into the soft cushion of her cheek. "Are you really here, after all these years?" "Yes Aniki. I'm finally done with my training. I'm here to fulfill my promise and be here for you." Pegasus looked hopefully at Kei. "Then you're not here as a company worker?" Kei looked away slightly. "Well, that much is true." Then a disheartened look appeared on Pegasus face once more. "Then you lied. You're just here to-" Kei interrupted. "No. I just applied for the job offer sent out by Industrial Illusions to be aloud on this island. I don't care whether you sell the company or just not work anymore as long as you allow me to stay here." Pegasus panicked and placed his hands around Kei's head as he brought it to his chest. "Please don't leave me, not again." He held her close, as he feared she would leave him for good this time. 'Stay with me forever.' Kei smiled softly as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "I'll stay as long as you want."

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Kei left Pegasus' room after a long time of just him holding her. For a short time, she though he had fallen asleep. That theory was quickly put to rest when she a heard a quiet voice say, "You can go to your room now." She gave Pegasus one last hug and whispered into his ear, "send for me when you want me." With that, she got up from the bed, picked up her shoes, and left the darkened room.

Needless to say, Croquet was a bit perturbed at the fact that Kei was disheveled and she was carrying her shoes. "Please, don't ask." Kei said this as if she had read the man's mind. And as she thought, he didn't. She was immediately shown to her room. "If you are ever needed, I will come to fetch you. Otherwise, you are to stay in this room. If you wish to be shown to the gardens, please ask. Food will be delivered directly to your room. Enjoy your stay." Kei frowned after the door shut. 'It's like a prison in here.'

The room, um, well, it certainly looked nice. The carpet was very soft and was white. There was a lovely walk in closet at the end of one wall. On another was a beautiful vanity with a three-sided mirror with bureaus on either side of it. The mirror itself was edged with a vine and ivy design made from cherry wood. Next to it was a lovely Japanese screen designed with Sakura's that she could change behind of she chose to. The walls were white. No, scratch that. They were an incredibly light green. It seemed that someone had painted designs of ivy and flowers on the walls. It must have taken a group of people to get it finished in a good time range. One wall was just one very large window. In the center was a pair of glass doors that led to a terrace. On the terrace were a table and a pair of chairs at the sides with a canopy standing over it, protecting it from rain or shine. In the center of wall parallel to the terrace, was a four-poster bed with a canopy and curtains. The bedspread, the curtains and the pillow covers were all made of emerald green silk. The bathroom was made of white marble swirled with black.

Despite her being a Takamura, a very rich family indeed, it was more than she was used to. For the past 15 years, she was trained in simple surroundings, and she was often given simple foods while she slept on a simple futon. When they weren't training they're bodies, she and her other 'relatives' were being trained in history, the arts, table manners, dancing, the application of stage make-up, technology, medicines, and of course, politics. She was now done with that and she didn't have to train anymore.

She wasn't a true Takamura bodyguard, however. After all, she was only a foundling. They never trained her body or mind to the degree that true Takamura's were trained. She wasn't always taught all the other things her 'cousins' learned. And she, in turn, would learn things others didn't. Like wearing normal make-up, taking care of your hair and nails, or which clothes were the best. Though she was just as intelligent, she wasn't as fast, and she wasn't as strong as the others were unless she was angered. That was when she would act like she was possessed and have the strength to match the respect that her last name held. In fact, she had been raised to be a kind of trophy wife. Either that, or a glorified secretary.

Her luggage was already in the room. She had picked out casual clothing, not really feeling like wearing suites all the time. She was also taught the art of wearing disguises, so she could either look like a partying diva, or a serious businessman, much emphasis being on the word 'man'.

It was turning dark outside so she flipped a switch that she assumed turned on the lights. They did. Her dinner was brought up to her. It was, well, it was much more richer than what she was use to. She had been given simple food and clothing to make her humble. She then took a shower and dressed in Chinese style bedclothes. She was rather fond of Chinese style clothing. With that done, she turned out the lights, and looked forward to a night where she didn't have to be worried about being ambushed by ninjas.

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