A/N: Written for
GX bingo, the non-flash version, #018 - Pharaoh
Diversity Writing Challenge, b75 - write a human/animal interaction
Pharaoh's Yarn
He had to work harder now that his owner and friend was a spirit.
They'd talked about it before. Or, rather, his owner and friend had talked while rubbing him on the head, right on that spot that made him purr. His owner and friend understood his noises well enough, but in the manner of two people speaking different languages, and he was the same. Some words he recognised – his own name most of all – but others melted together and it was the inflexions and body gestures that gave them one meaning or another.
These discussions about his impending death were the ones where his voice were filled with sorrow and his body stiff but tender. And when he came back a bouncing, glowing ball…well, he knew that meant his owner and friend was dead.
Until that one boy kept on calling him a spirit, so he supposed that was what it was instead. And "spirit" became another word he'd learnt. And he learnt that boy's name, because he was suddenly spending a whole lot more time with him.
His name was Juudai. And the spirit that had taken up residence inside of him seemed to like following the boy around. Pharaoh didn't know why. The boy got into far too much trouble in his opinion. It made napping quite difficult – unless he was lying in the sun. He was particularly good at finding sunny patches, so Pharaoh had no problem in curling up somewhere nearby – unless people interrupted those naps. And that happened, on occasion. Too frequent for his tastes, but… he was very good at finding those sunny spots, and his owner and friend was often eager to see the next bout of trouble that boy would attract.
Pharaoh didn't mind him, all in all. The boy always had treats or toys for him, and sunny patches on lazy days. He wouldn't mind a little less flashiness and danger though. Though flashiness was something they couldn't escape on the island they were on. Duelling was steeped in everything. And "duel" was said so many times on that island that he'd long since come to know its meaning.
As for spirit – that was his owner and friend and that bouncing ball of light that slumbered in his stomach and leading him on a leash to that boy. Though, occasionally, it was the other way around. The spirit tugged him in one direction or the other, and Juudai followed along, keeping up a steady stream of chatter that was so unlike his owner and friend's relaxed tone – and yet, Pharaoh had come to understand, meant more or less the same thing.
And then there was the rare times he got to do the leading, and it was fun hearing those footsteps chasing him. Unless he was chasing a fish or a ball of yarn. Those things took precedence for him, after all. Got them into a bit of strife once, too, but it didn't end too badly so he forgot all about it soon after.
So he followed the spirit or the boy, or was followed by them, and time went on like that. And at one particular point, it turned out to be a very good thing he had because the rest of the world was suddenly cold and dark and…well, pretty much dead.
But the boy won his duel and all the light returned. And they followed him once again…this time off the island.