Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh, never have, and never will. I do, however, own Maria Tsuconnichi or Tsucci for short. Rei belongs to my best friend, and I own this plot and the plot to the story that this is a sequel to.
Summary: Sequel to Different Classes. 5,000 years after the events in Different Classes, the whole group is reunited in Domino. Will history repeat itself, or will things be totally different? By the way, this takes place after Battle City.
… time and scene change
"Blah" talking
'Blah' thinking
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Becoming Equals
Ishtar smirked. "Actually, we don't need him. I can do it on my own, but it will take time."
Rei mirrored the smirk and leaning up, surprised Ishtar with a kiss to the lips. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get busy!"
…
A few weeks later, Ishtar was ready to cast the spell. "Do you want to invite Maria and Bakura along?" he asked.
Rei nodded. "It could help with Tsucci's memories," she replied.
Ishtar tossed Rei the phone and went back to committing the ritual to memory.
"So what's going on?" Bakura asked several minutes later, wrapping his arms around Maria. The two had just arrived in Ishtar's room, surprised by Ishtar pouring over a spell book, and Rei setting up candles in a large circle.
Rei looked up after placing the last candle. "We decided to return to the past to find out why I haven't died. Do you want to come?" she replied.
Bakura smirked. "Sure, we'll both go," he said, "How far back are we going?"
"About the year Yami became Pharaoh," Ishtar replied, finally looking up. Motioning for the other three to step into the circle, he lit the candles and stepped in the circle as well. Forming a circle with their hands, Ishtar closed his eyes and started chanting.
Maria, keeping her eyes open, noticed that a sharp gust of wind came out of nowhere and swirled around them. Bakura, feeling her start, squeezed her hand gently and opened his eyes, to look into uncertain sapphire as they lifted off of the floor and the wind grew stronger. "Relax, neither Ishtar nor I will let you fall. Just hold tight to my hand and his," he reassured gently. Maria nodded and closed her eyes.
As they entered a wormhole, Ishtar stopped chanting. "This will take us directly to Ancient Egypt! Try not to let go of each other or you may end up in a different time!" Ishtar shouted over the howling wind, "How is everyone doing?"
Bakura and Rei both replied that they were fine, but Maria gritted her teeth and shook her head. "I'm hurting all over," she replied.
"Tsucci may be splitting from Queen Maria," Rei observed quietly as Ishtar let go of Maria so Bakura could pull her close for comfort.
Maria soon lapsed into unconsciousness from the strain the time travel was putting on her, and the others started to follow suit as the wind started to become the warm breezes of Egypt.
…
Bakura was the first to awake, vaguely wondering why he had fallen asleep in his backyard in the sun. Realization hit him at that moment, and he sat up quickly and looked around.
Maria was lying on her side not too far from him, still unconscious. Rei was just starting to wake up, and Ishtar was nowhere in sight. "Rei, are you ok?" Bakura asked, crawling over to his sister and helping her sit up as she opened her eyes.
"Yeah, remind me next time to refuse time travel…Hey, you look like you did, so that means that Ishtar's ritual worked," Rei replied, focusing on Bakura, "and…I feel young again! I feel…"
"You would be 14 at this time if we went back to when Yami became Pharaoh. However, you look 18…but then again, you always did look older," he answered with a smile before turning to Maria. "I hope she will be ok. Maria was in quite a bit of pain while we were time traveling."
Rei stood and went to Maria, rolling the girl onto her back. "She should be fine. Her breathing is steady and strong, and so is her pulse. Remember, she didn't live in this time, so the travel must have taken a bigger toll on her," she replied.
Bakura nodded and scooped Maria up, still a little concerned at how limp she was. "I'll put her in the spare room across from yours. This reminds me, where's Ishtar?" he asked as he headed in through the back door and into the house.
Rei followed her brother upstairs and into the guest room after checking Ishtar's room. "None of Ishtar's belongings are in his room. That must mean that he was transported… oh shit," Rei's eyes widened as she realized exactly where he was. "Ishtar is at his home…with his father," she murmured as Bakura spun around with the same realization.
Bakura chewed on his lip. "I can't recall what day it is. I have no idea what part of the initiation Ishtar has on his back," he admitted.
…
Meanwhile, Ishtar awoke and took a look around before letting his head fall back with a soft groan. "I totally forgot that I still lived with my father at this time," he mumbled, noticing that his whole stature was weaker and thinner than what he was used to.
Knowing that he was in trouble already, Ishtar rolled out of bed and crept to the kitchen, keeping a sharp lookout for his father. As he entered the kitchen, Ishtar was sent flying by a fist connecting with his jaw.
"Trying to avoid me, boy?" his father demanded, standing over Ishtar, "Think I didn't know you came home at dawn and slept this long? You should know better than to disobey me, boy."
Ishtar staggered to his feet. "Father, I can explain," he started but got sent to the floor again by a backhand.
"Don't try to fool me with lies! I see your lessons of respect haven't stuck. Maybe I should refresh them." As Ishtar was yanked up and dragged along, he could smell the alcohol on his father's breath and knew that his father was drunk.
Hearing a door unlocking, Ishtar knew exactly what his punishment was. He had the ankh, the wings of Isis, and the rectangles that would house the three Egyptian God Monster images carved onto his back from previous punishments. All he hoped was that he got the monsters this time around instead of the hieroglyphics.
Ishtar's father looked around the room with a smirk on his face. "You sure are getting familiar with this room. Tell me, would you like your punishment standing up, or laying down?"
Ishtar blinked and shrugged. "I'm going to be hurt either way. It doesn't matter." He had just finished saying that, when he was more or less thrown face down onto a stone table. Strong leather straps were fastened around his wrists, biceps, thighs, and ankles to keep him from struggling, and a wooden gag wrapped with rope was shoved into his mouth like a bit, but Ishtar spit it out. "I don't need it," he growled.
"Are you sure? There's a risk you may bite through your tongue," his father sneered. When Ishtar shook his head defiantly, his father shrugged and went about preparing the knives, sliding them into hot coals.
About 2 hours later, Ishtar's father finished his work. Ishtar now had the god monsters carved into his back, blood running onto the table and then overflowing on the floor. "Somehow I'm unsatisfied with your punishment," his father drawled, another smirk gracing his face.
Ishtar was almost unconscious with pain and didn't get what his father was saying until he felt his hair being brushed away from his neck, exposing his gold choker. Feeling his father holding down his head, Ishtar started to panic when he felt something touch his neck and his choker grow unbearably hot.
"Stop! Father! Please stop!" Ishtar begged as the back of the choker became soft and touched the back of his neck, making him scream in pain.
Ishtar's father
kept the hot knife on the choker, switching knives only when the
knife cooled, until the choker was fused around Ishtar's neck.
Removing the knife, Ishtar's father got up and left. Returning a
few minutes later, he doused the choker and burned flesh with cold
water from the Nile, thus tearing another series of screams from
Ishtar's throat. "I trust you learned your lesson?" his
father demanded.
Ishtar started to sob and nodded as best as he could, able to smell the burned flesh of his neck. Ishtar's father, satisfied with that response, untied Ishtar and left him alone to clean himself up.
…
That night found Bakura and Rei slinking in the shadows, heading to Ishtar's house to see if he was okay. They were almost at the street that Ishtar lived on, when Bakura suddenly grabbed Rei by the arm and yanked her into the reeds along the bank of the Nile. Clamping a hand over her mouth to keep her from protesting, Bakura crouched both of them down as a figure passed their hiding spot, heading into town.
Once the figure passed and was a safe distance away, Bakura released Rei and they both emerged back on the road. "What was that for?" she hissed angrily, brushing some dirt off her knees.
Bakura shushed her. "That was Ishtar's father. I thought it was Ishtar for a moment, but the wind carried the scent of alcohol to me, and we both know that Ishtar doesn't drink," he explained in a whisper, seeing Rei calm down and nod in understanding.
Both continued to Ishtar's, dashing down the street to shorten the time. Reaching the house, Rei led Bakura around to Ishtar's window. Hearing nothing, they slipped through the window and looked around. "Rei, where would Ishtar be if he wasn't in his room?" Bakura asked.
Rei thought, racking her brain for the answer. "I remember that if he didn't feel like sleeping in his room, he would sleep in a huge cushion in the living room," she replied, taking the lead and heading to the living room.
Sure enough, on the cushion that could probably hold all three occupants of the room comfortably, lay Ishtar asleep, eyes scrunched up in pain. "Ishtar, wake up," Rei urged softly, shaking his shoulder gently.
Ishtar stirred and opened his eyes slightly. "Rei? What are you doing here?" he asked, voice almost gone due to his screaming.
"Did you get carved?" Bakura asked, getting to the point.
Ishtar flinched and nodded slightly before gasping in pain. Bakura sighed and scooped Ishtar up gently, feeling poorly wrapped bandages under the thinner male's shirt.
None of them said anything until they reached Bakura's dwelling. There, Bakura sat Ishtar on the floor of the living room and then went upstairs to check on Maria. Once he got back down, Rei had gotten Ishtar's shirt and bandages off and was busy cleaning the newest carvings.
Ishtar hissed as Rei applied salt to keep the wounds from being infected and then wrapped his chest and torso in bandages. Feeling Rei tap his shoulder to let him know she was done, Ishtar went to turn his head to look at her and ended up letting out a hoarse scream of agony and clasping his hands around his neck loosely.
Bakura immediately came over to Ishtar and pried his hands away, swearing when he saw the choker fused and blackened skin above and below the fuse. "Rei, go get my long knife. Ishtar's skin is actually bonded to the choker," he swore.
Rei hurried to comply and came back with the knife. Bakura motioned for her to keep Ishtar still and pressed gently on the front of the choker, but not enough to really restrict Ishtar's breathing. Then, with careful precision, Bakura slid the long knife into the space between the choker and the back of Ishtar's neck, cutting away the charred skin and ignoring Ishtar's sobbing pleas to stop.
Then Bakura put the knife in the fire to heat and while he waited, treated the burns around Ishtar's neck, the blonde teen trying to hold himself still while Bakura slid protective cloth between his neck and the choker. Finally with the knife heated, Bakura carefully and slowly heated up the choker and reshaped it into its three original circles and scraped the stubborn flesh from the gold before cooling the gold with water that he had Rei fetch.
"There," he sighed finally, "you're treated. Just try not to press on you choker until your neck is healed. Excess pressure will make those medicated pads stick to your skin.
Ishtar smiled in thanks and leaned against Rei once she moved him to the couch and fell asleep.
Rei smiled softly at the sleeping blonde before turning to her brother. "I'll look after him. You go take care of your precious angel," she teased quietly.
Bakura smiled in reply and headed upstairs. Entering Maria's room, he stretched out onto the bed next to Maria and watched the girl sleep. Apparently she was merely sleeping now, for her expression had morphed into one of contentment from expressionless.
Bakura smiled at the prospect of Maria being awake tomorrow and kissed her lightly, taken aback when Maria wrapped her arms around his neck and responded to the kiss. "Morning," she murmured once they broke apart.
"How are you feeling?" he asked softly, propping himself up with his elbow. Maria lazily blinked and then focused on him.
"I feel better than when we were in that wormhole. Rei was right. Ria's soul split from mine. That's why I was in so much pain. By the way, I like this form of yours," she answered, running a finger over his scars.
Bakura chuckled and standing, scooped Maria up and headed into the hall. "Why thank you my dear. Come, let's go into my room. The mattress is softer," he stated in a low purr as he headed out of the room and to his bedroom.
Maria smiled and looked around the room once Bakura placed her on the bed and set about getting ready for sleep. "Any rules that I should know?" she asked.
Bakura glanced at her after hanging up his red coat. "As a matter of fact, there are. One, I could care less if you go in the basement, but never go into the second basement unless I say you can. Two, same rule applies for this room. Don't come in unless I give you permission. Three, for your own safety, don't go anywhere without me, Rei, or Ishtar until you know your way around…okay?" he stated.
Maria thought about the rules and decided that they were simple enough to follow. Nodding, Maria smiled as Bakura joined her on the bed and pulled her close. With a content sigh, she drifted back off to sleep.
Towards evening, Maria woke up and carefully sliding out from Bakura's arms, crept downstairs. Smiling when she spotted Ishtar asleep on a couch, she turned and wandered into the kitchen.
"Good evening Maria," Rei said from where she was kneeling by a cook fire.
Maria smiled and joined her. "Does everyone always sleep till night?" she asked.
Rei shook her head. "I've been awake since what would be three in the afternoon, Bakura will be up in about a half hour, and Ishtar normally is up during the day since his father has him running chores. However, his father is a psychopath and uses the tomb keeper's initiation as punishment. Ishtar was given a good portion yesterday, so Bakura wants him to stay here now and not return home. And if you're wondering, he should only be napping. He was awake a few minutes ago," she explained.
"I heard my name. I hope nothing bad was said about me," Ishtar stated as he leaned against the doorway.
Rei twitched an eyebrow. "Ishtar, you know Bakura's going to flip if he sees you up."
Ishtar rolled his eyes. "I don't care. I've dealt with this pain for four times before this, I know my limits," he snapped.
"Yes, but you've never had to deal with third degree burns on your neck, so I would take it easy if I were you," Bakura growled in reply from behind Ishtar. Ishtar jumped and whirled around, causing him to hiss in pain at the sudden movement.
"I told you so," Bakura added as he brushed by Ishtar and grabbed an apple from a bowl. Turning to Maria, he smirked. "You weren't as quiet as you hoped. I woke up at hearing you open my door."
Maria stuck out her tongue in reply and returned to helping Rei with the meal.
…
Two months had passed since the four had returned to the past. Maria had quickly gotten to know Thebes and had even ran into Queen Maria, Queen Maria recognizing the other and giving her a tour of the palace, giving Maria a chance to meet Yugi and Pharaoh Yami.
"Good but not good enough," Bakura laughed as Maria made a lunge for him and he blocked it. He was currently teaching her how to defend herself better so she could start wandering Thebes alone.
Maria panted and pushed her bangs from her sticky forehead. "It's not fair. You are so much better and stronger than me! Why can't I spar with Rei?" she demanded.
Bakura didn't answer for a minute and then rushed at Maria, easily overpowering the girl and pinning her to the wall of the house. "Because, Maria, if you are out in Thebes alone and you get jumped, it's most likely going to be by a very strong male," Bakura started and shifting a little, pinned Maria with his whole body. "You would be in a predicament similar to the one you are in now, and you wouldn't be able to break free. Chances are that something bad, like rape, would occur then."
Maria strained every which way, trying to get free and gave up when she realized that he was right. Bakura, seeing this, released her and stepped back. "That's why you're training with me. Training with Rei would essentially be pointless," he finished softly.
Maria nodded and then grinning, swept Bakura's legs out from under him and pinned him to the ground as he landed.
"What the hell…" Bakura started, but was cut off when Maria leaned down and kissed him softly.
Maria pulled back with an impish smile and answered Bakura's unspoken question. "Rule number one, never let your guard down, lest your opponent take advantage of that moment of weakness," she recited with a laugh. She would have continued, but Bakura used his strength to switch their positions.
"I see you learn fast. However, that was a cheap shot, so I must regretfully punish you," he replied before tickling Maria, his girlfriend shrieking in laughter.
Meanwhile, Ishtar sat in his room on the window seat, gazing at the clear view of the Nile his window offered. With a sigh of contentment, he gazed around his room and then frowned. So far he had listened to Bakura and hadn't returned to his home, but with each passing day, he started to miss his most prized possessions, thinking his room was too bare.
'I wonder…' he thought and then thought about where the other members of the house were. Rei just left for the market a few minutes ago, and by the sounds of laughter, Bakura and Maria were in the backyard. 'Maria probably cheap shotted Bakura again,' he thought. He was glad Bakura finally found someone. Making up his mind, he wrote a quick note and left it on the kitchen table for Rei before leaving the house and heading at a swift jog towards his home.
Reaching the house, Ishtar figured that his father wasn't home, seeing as it was a little after midday. Entering quietly, he made it all the way to his room before he was hit on the back of the head, thus rendering him unconscious.
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YSF: (Dramatic music) He's a psycho! Two chapters in one day, happy me. Read and Review!
