Yuki
By: Rogue Fox
Part Four… All The Reasons Why
I knew what that light was. And by Ra, I did not want to have anything to do with it. I had lived it once, and that was plenty, thank you. I felt my little friend, Yugi, tense at my apprehension. He knew me, sometimes too well for comfort. I was frightened and he knew it. He knew that my fear was more than enough reason for him to be afraid as well. But suddenly, I was back. Back to where it all started. Back to the faces, the people I had loved once. So long ago. Somehow, I knew it wasn't real, and I knew that it was only a matter of time before I emerged to the present. But when I saw them… my family… the people I loved… it all went out the window. I didn't care. I just wanted to hold them…
*+*+*
A child giggled somewhere in the darkness. A voice I recognized somehow. It made me think of my brothers, but not quite. It was like a little girl was giggling. Then, a little boy laughed as well. Suddenly, I was standing in a hallway made of stone. There were markings on the wall, pictures and funny letters like the ones you see in a National Geographic issue when they're showing you the inside of an Egyptian pyramid or something like that. I saw a man walking with his back to me down the hallway. Sunlight flitted in through holes in the left wall, shining on the man. He was bare-chested, wearing a white skirt, yes a skirt, that went down to his knees and he was bald. He was holding the hands of two small children, one on either side of him.
" The Pharaoh has two children who were born on the same day," a voice whispered in my ear, I turned to see a man who did not appear to see me. He was tall and, unlike the other man, very pale. He also wore a white skirt and no shirt. His hair was shockingly white. He was speaking to a shadowy man I could not make out, who seemed to be wearing some sort of Greek toga. " Legend has it," the white haired man continued. " That when a Pharaoh has two children, born from the same mother on the same day, that a great thing will happen to the empire. Whether it is good or bad depends on the stars and the children." I marveled at the white haired man, waved my hands in front of his face, but he didn't see me.
" Father, you're the best!" a little girl's voice cried. I turned to the man and his children. The man turned with the kids to see the white-haired man.
" Nepano, don't talk our guest's ears off." He said with a laugh. I gasped when I saw his eyes. His eyes were red-violet, just like mine. The man walked toward Nepano and the guest. " Good sir, these are my children. This is Ammon, my son," he said, pulling a little boy out from behind him. My eyes bulged and I gasped again. The very image of a younger Yugi poked his head out from behind his father and regarded the stranger suspiciously. His hair was black and crimson, with gold bangs that couldn't seem to decide whether or not to stand up or lay down. He was up to his father's thigh and had a playful glint in his eye. " And this is Ammon's sister, Isis." The man continued, gesturing toward a little girl almost identical to Ammon. She was slightly taller than Ammon, her eyes the same red-violet, her hair golden with crimson and black bangs that seemed to lay down more than Ammon's. Ammon wore a smaller replica of his father's outfit, while Isis wore a white dress down to her knees.
" Unless I am mistaken, you named your daughter for your Egyptian goddess?" the stranger asked.
" I did. I thought that the daughter of a Pharaoh and sister of a future Pharaoh should have a suitable name for her position. And so I named her Isis. I named Ammon so because even before his birth, he managed to hide his existence, thus earning a name that means 'hidden.'" The man said. The little girl, Isis, pulled at her father's hand.
" Father, can we go play with Eshe and Nen?" she asked. The Pharaoh patted his children on their heads.
" Go on, go play." He said. The children cheered and took off. I suddenly felt odd, like I was losing my hold on this place, as I watched the little girl who looked so much like me run off…
*+*+*
The hallway with the Pharaoh vanished, and suddenly I was in a different hallway. This one had columns on both sides and sunlight flitted in from both sides. I was suddenly aware that Yami, who had been giving me such a headache before, had gone utterly silent.
What's the matter with you? I asked him.
I remember… was the only response I got. My attention was suddenly diverted by a young boy, no older than ten, running down the hallway. It was Ammon, from earlier. He had gotten older. Apparently a large amount of time had lapsed from then to now, only a few seconds to me. Suddenly, Ammon was tackled from behind.
" Isis! Get off!" Ammon cried, shoving his twin off. Isis giggled.
" Gotcha, brother." She said triumphantly.
" Better you than Nuru or Tenok. They weigh much more than you, not that I'm saying you're light." Ammon cracked. With age, he looked so much more like me, with a few exceptions. Over all, he was the exact mirror image of Yami, if not younger.
" Hey, you two took off in a hurry. What's the rush?" another boy, who had followed the pair down the hall, asked. He was slightly taller than Isis, and his dark brown hair was left hanging from his head, not pulled back like other young men I had seen in this odd, dream-like state. He had startlingly piercing blue eyes. He looked like a boy I had seen in a picture Mokuba had shown me once. The thing was, the boy in the picture was Seto Kaiba, at the age of ten. The only difference lay in the clothes, which were standard Egyptian on this boy,
" Sorry, Nen." Isis apologized. " We were wondering if maybe Father wanted to play." Footsteps sounded down the hall.
" Hey! Why'd you guys run off like that?! You left me and Eshe and Tenok all of the sudden!" a boy with blonde hair, also hanging free from his head, called. He reminded me of Jounouchi, younger, but still Jounouchi. And I'll be danged if the girl following him wasn't a young version of Mai and the other boy wasn't Honda.
" Isis! I thought we were going to go pick desert blooms today." The girl who looked like Mai said. Isis slapped her forehead.
" Oh, sorry, Eshe. I forgot. Father mentioned that he and Nepano were going to the market today and-" Isis began, but Eshe interrupted her.
" The market? Well, we can pick blooms any old time, the market is far more important!" she cried, her face brightening so much like Mai's when someone tells her there a mall within walking distance.
" Do you think he'll let us come?" the blonde boy, who looked like Jounouchi, asked.
" That's what we're going to find out." Ammon said. The scene suddenly changed to a busy market place. The Pharaoh was walking next to the white- haired man that reminded me, in a very chilling way, of Pegasus.
" Tenok! Be careful!" the Pharaoh called as the boy who looked like Honda dodged out of the way of a speeding camel.
" Yes sir!" came his dutiful response. I followed along behind. No one seemed to see me or even notice me if I touched them. I gathered from the talk amongst the kids that the blonde boy was called Nuru. Quite suddenly, the children gathered in a small corner. The Pharaoh, smiling, and Nepano went over to see what had grabbed their attention. It was a little girl, with her brown hair cut in a ragged line above her shoulders. She narrowed her blue eyes and tried to look menacing. She looked exactly like Anzu when we were younger and she was trying to look mean. Nen grabbed Isis and Eshe by the shoulders and pulled them back a little, a small protective gesture that only made him look more like Kaiba.
" Hello. What's your name?" Ammon asked, cautiously sticking out his hand.
" Brother!" Isis snapped. Ammon paid her no attention. The girl attacked his hand, biting and clawing at it.
" Ammon!" the Pharaoh ordered, but Ammon only winced. The girl fell back from his hand, which was now a bloody mess. Ammon stood up straight and fished in a small pack around his waist, pulling out a hunk of bread.
" You must be hungry. Here you go." He said, handing her the bread. The girl looked him up and down, seemed to decide he was a friend, and snatched the bread. After she had gobbled it up, she grinned and literally tackled Ammon.
" Thank you! My name is Mariah, what's yours?" she asked.
" Um, Ammon." Ammon said. Mariah giggled.
" That's good! You're my best friend now!" she cried.
" Looks like Ammon made a new friend." Tenok cracked. Isis laughed at her brother's blush and pulled out of Nen's grip.
" My name's Isis!" she cried. The other kids were quick to introduce themselves, and the Pharaoh and Nepano only chuckled…
*+*+*
I had been calling for Yugi for some time now, even as I watched the scenes unfolding around me. I could still remember his comforting grasp on my hand before that bright flash of light, and now I longed for it again. The scene had changed. I was standing in a large room. On one end, there was a huge door guarded by sentinels. On the other, there was a great chair that was made of some sort of stone, and on the chair sat one of those Egyptian crown things I had seen in the movies, and those funny little staff things the pharaohs carried. Next the chair with the stuff in it was a woman. She was tall and wore head adornments on her straight black hair, and a delicate white dress that dragged on the ground around her. I recognized Nepano, the white-haired man that looked like Pegasus, standing on the other side of the chair. Both seemed to be crying, the woman more so than Nepano. There was also a bunch of people, all formally dressed. Some were crying silently while others were openly weeping. Suddenly, the huge door slammed open and I saw the children. Isis was chasing Ammon, and the pair was followed closely by their playmates. They stopped short when they saw the people and sensed the somber, gloomy mood.
" Oops. I think we walked in on one of Father's meetings." Ammon said, glancing around curiously.
" Let's go." Nen said, pulling on Isis's arm. He looked so much like Kaiba, with that worried look.
" No." Isis said quietly, pulling away from Nen. " Where's Father?" she asked. Ammon looked around sharply.
" Maybe he's playing hide-and-go-seek!" Mariah, my own little look alike, cried hopefully. This spawned a quick search on the kids' part. The adults simply stood by and let them search the room. Finally, Isis lost her temper. She ran up to Nepano and planted her feet firmly in front of him.
" Nepano, where's Father?" she commanded. Her tone said that she was in no mood for games anymore. Nepano looked away. " Nepano, I command you, as Princess of Egypt, to tell me where my father is." She said.
" He's not here." Nepano said, evasively.
" Then where is he?" Ammon asked, his voice low and threatening, sounding so much like Yami's. " And why are his staffs and crown here?"
" He… he has gone away. And he's never coming back." Nepano said after a few minutes of silence. Everything and everyone froze in their places.
" N…No. You're lying. It's a game. Father's just playing a game." Ammon said. He looked to Isis, who had a look of terror frozen on her face. " It's a game, sister. Just a game." Ammon told her, as though he were trying to convince himself more than her.
" It's not a game, brother. Look at his face. He's telling the truth." Isis said. There was another dead silence as Ammon looked at Nepano's face. " It's those damn Greeks! They kidnapped him, right? Well, we'll pay whatever ransom they want-" Isis cried, her voice quaking, only to be interrupted.
" It's not the Greeks. The Pharaoh was killed in an accident involving the Shadow Games." Nepano said sharply. Then, his face and voice softened. " I'm sorry." Suddenly, the woman in the white dress swept towards the twins and embraced them. They stood stock-still and stiff in her grasp.
" My children, I'm so sorry." She cried. Ammon and Isis looked at each other, then pulled out of her grasp.
" If… if Father is dead, then that means that I…" Ammon started, unable to finish his sentence. A cry erupted from the children and Mariah flung herself at Ammon.
" No! Don't, Ammon! Please!" she wailed, wrapping her arms around his neck. Ammon looked at her gently and then removed her arms and pushed her away, as gently as he could. Isis stood by and let a few stray tears slip down her cheeks.
" I have to. Our people need me now." Ammon said shortly. He walked up to the chair, which I now figured was a throne, and stood there expectantly. Finally, after a few minutes, he cleared his throat, glared at Nepano, and tilted his head towards the crown and staffs. Nepano sighed, as though he had wanted to avoid what was coming, and slowly walked toward Ammon. Isis suddenly turned like she intended to run, but couldn't seem to move her legs. Nen came to her and hugged her tightly.
" Ammon! Please don't!" Mariah cried, weeping softly.
" I don't have a choice." Ammon said as Nepano placed the crown on his head and handed him the staffs. A few golden bangs escaped the crown and framed Ammon's young face. He can't be any older than eleven, I realized sadly. He stared sadly at the ground while his sister walked toward him, dragging Nen, who refused to let go of her, along. The other kids followed them up the short flight of stairs to stand by their friends.
" It's a truly sad day in Egypt," Nepano said softly. " When a new Pharaoh has tears in his eyes as he is crowned." I looked at Ammon and cried out for Yugi again. I was scared and lonely, as much as the young version of me was, staring at Ammon with a mix of adoration and fear in her eyes…
*+*+*
Yet again, years seem to pass in seconds before my eyes. I saw Ammon, the image of my rivals, Yugi and Yami, leaning on a stone wall. He was much older, at least sixteen now, and it showed in his physique, though slightly short. The wall incased a balcony that had a gorgeous view of the Nile. The crown I had seen placed on his head was sitting on the wall next to the staff, discarded carelessly. His gaze was intense as he stared out at the Nile, almost as though he were searching the throngs of people for someone in particular. There was a slam as the door of the throne room he had been crowned in was flung open. Nen, my image from so long ago, raced into the room.
" They're back!" he cried. Ammon's face brightened immensely.
" How long till they're here?" he asked.
" Half an hour. The people are eager to greet them, too, so their escort is taking a little longer than expected." Nen responded. He came up to stand by Ammon and look out over the land.
" It's been a long time. Almost a year." Ammon said. Nen nodded and I was reminded of when Yugi and I had stood together on the balcony over looking almost that exact scene.
" They've probably changed a lot." Nen said.
" We've changed a lot. Isis probably won't even recognize you, you've grown so much." Ammon said, laughing slightly.
" Oh, and she'll recognize you, then?" Nen said, quirking an eyebrow.
" Of course she will. I'm her brother, and we shared our mother's womb. No one knows me better than her." Ammon replied confidently. The two stared out at the scenery for a moment.
" Are you going to tell Mariah?" Nen asked finally. Ammon sighed.
" I'm going to try. That's all I can do. What about you?" he said.
" I also intend to try. It's hard, though. Like you said, I doubt she'll even recognize me." Nen said, smiling ruefully.
" Brother!" a female voice shouted suddenly.
" Well, here's your first chance." Ammon said, turning around. I recognized the girl running at him as Isis, the girl who looked so much like my own Yuki. She grabbed him around the neck and treated him to a hug.
" Looks like I'm still taller." Isis announced happily. Ammon frowned, holding Isis at arm's length.
" I'll catch up to you, I swear it. What in the world are you wearing?" he asked in a tone that said I don't like that, so change now.
" Don't you even start on the protective big brother thing already." Isis growled back. She was stunning, wearing a white skirt that dipped pretty low in the front, revealing a slender waist, and small white shirt that would be classified as a tube-top by today's standards. It brought out her natural colors beautifully.
" I think you look nice." Nen interjected. Isis paused, her eyes lighting up as she flung herself into Nen's arms.
" Nen! Oh, you've grown! You're so tall, I didn't recognize you at first!" she cried into his chest. Nen hugged her back tightly.
" I've missed you too." He said sarcastically.
" Oh, of course I've missed you! I've missed you all so much!"
" Where's Mariah and Eshe?" Ammon asked.
" AMMON!" a feminine bellow echoed across the room. Suddenly, Ammon was no longer standing. He was on the ground. Mariah had tackled him, hard.
" Um, Mariah, please don't squeeze me so hard. It hurts." Ammon said, after initial greetings and hugs.
" Sorry!" Mariah cried, immediately releasing him and allowing him to stand. At which point Eshe walked in calmly, accompanied by Nuru and trailed by Tenok. I was strongly reminded of Mai walking with Jounouchi, and Honda trailing for the fun of it. Greetings and hugs were exchanged.
" Well, how did it go? Should I tell the army to ready themselves?" Ammon asked. Isis sighed in exasperation.
" I swear, brother, we tried every trick under the sun, and some you only find under the moon. Those damned people would not be moved a bit." She said.
" What about the gifts we sent?" Tenok asked.
" They liked them, and they were impressed mostly by the cats. But still, they wouldn't hear of it." Mariah said, still attached to Ammon.
" Well, that just stinks like a Nile rat." Nuru said bluntly. Nen grimaced.
" Thank you for that elegant assessment, Nuru." He said. The scene suddenly began to fade, and I could distinctly make out laughter. I wished suddenly that I knew where Yuki was. I was scared, for myself, but also for her. She had to be seeing the girl, Isis, who looked so much like her but couldn't be her. I knew who it was. It had to be Himeko, the other girl in Yuki's head. It had to be. And suddenly, it was all so clear to me. And I got even more terrified with the realization. Himeko was the spirit of a dead girl… Yami was the spirit of a dead guy… that had to mean that Isis and Ammon, who I had no doubt were the past forms of those two, were going to die.
Suddenly, I was standing in a narrow corridor. Isis was walking down it, alone. She was humming a tune I vaguely recognized. It was a melody Yuki used to sing when we were very young. She had told me her grandmother had taught it to her. Isis was still wearing her outfit that her brother disliked, and she was so much like Yuki that I knew she was probably wearing it just to spite her brother. She strode confidently down the hall, and finally stopped at a door and flung it open. She walked in confidently, removing the hair ornament that adorned her head and tossing it aside. There was a raspy breath from a dark corner of the room, which I guessed was Isis's chamber, that the firelight didn't reach. Isis spun around, her face twisting into a snarl of hatred, contempt, and surprise.
" Anubis." She said shortly. The Egyptian god stepped from the shadows and bowed stiffly. Isis did not return the gesture. " Sent by your master, Ra, no doubt." She continued.
" The great Ra has indeed sent me, Princess of the greatest empire in the world. He has an offer, one he does not think you capable of refusing." Anubis said. Isis snorted.
" Let's hear it, then. We'll see how capable of refusing I am." She said, completely unimpressed.
" Ra wishes that you eradicate the Shadow Games. You and your brother." Anubis said. Isis laughed in his face.
" Oh, come on! You expect me to believe that pile of worthless manure? My brother outlawed the Shadow Games and visits to the Shadow Realm almost immediately after you gods allowed our father to die. Whatever happened to the gods supporting Pharaohs, anyway? You sure left Father alone when he could have used your help." Isis said, her amused voice becoming more serious as she mentioned her father.
" We are not allowed to interfere with the Shadow Games. They are beyond our power. And as for their eradication, you only think they're gone. The Games are like certain incenses. You become addicted to them, until you need them to survive. Many have continued their practice behind your back. I can give you the power to destroy them forever." Anubis said. Isis's head jerked to him, almost angrily.
" The power to destroy the Shadow Games?" she snapped.
" Yes. You and your brother." Anubis said.
" We'll do it." Isis said immediately.
" You must not be so hasty. There are conditions. You must swear on your father's honor that you will follow this through, even if it kills you and all you love. And you cannot use the power to kill without reason. The person must condemn himself. You can make him disobey rules, break his word, however you like, but you can never kill without cause. If you wish this power, have your brother make you High Priestess of Egypt. Then, the night of your recognition as just that, come to the Temple of Ra and accept your powers. I must leave." The god murmured, and was suddenly gone. A cool breeze swept through Isis's chambers, lifting silky drapes. She stared after Anubis, or more appropriately, at the spot where he had stood. Her expression told of her hatred, how she blamed the gods and the Shadow Games for all her suffering, and, for a brief second, fear and doubt about the decision she had made, but that was gone before she could pursue that train of thought.
The next few scenes were a blur to me. I saw Isis grabbing her brother by his shoulder and dragging him out of a meeting with some important looking people. I saw Ammon yelling at Isis, and Isis yelling back. I saw Nen, Mariah, and Ammon, all shaking their heads, and Isis, Eshe, and Nuru trying to convince them of something. Finally, Tenok said something, and apparently, the decision was made. The next thing I saw was Isis and Ammon, standing before Ammon's throne while people applauded. Nen was standing near Isis, looking totally enraged. Finally, the speed slowed as I saw the group walking into a big, important looking room. There were statues everywhere, and a few torches burning while the group walked in. Isis walked up to the altar, wearing a new head ornament and that outfit that annoyed Ammon so much. She said something in a low husky voice I couldn't understand and the scene changed yet again. Now, Nen was standing alone. He was angry, in a room decorated with writing on the walls and beautiful works of art. I guessed he was in his own chambers. The door opened suddenly, and Isis entered.
" Nen? Are you in here?" she called, sounding almost afraid.
" I'm here." Nen said curtly. Isis walked up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder. He jerked away from her. Isis let her head hang.
" Nen, why do you hate me?" she asked. Nen sighed almost inaudibly.
" I don't hate you." He growled.
" Then why do you avoid me, why won't you let me touch you? Why do you hate me?" Isis wailed.
" I don't hate you!" Nen suddenly cried. Isis stood back, shocked by the force of his outburst. " I hate what you've become! You've become a monster, Isis! You're totally consumed by your anger and hate, and it's going to kill you, I know it!" Nen continued. He wheeled around to face Isis. " Isis, I… You mean everything to me. I can't stand seeing you like this. If you die, then I die as well. I've felt this way about you as long as I can remember. I… I love you." He said, dropping his gaze to the floor.
" Nen, I had no idea." Isis murmured after a moment.
" That's why I hate this plan of yours so much!" Nen cried. " I can't stand the thought of losing you." He whispered. Isis approached him, slowly, seeming afraid that he might push her away. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around him and leaned against him.
" I won't die, Nen. I promise you. After this is over, after we've done what we're going to do tonight, you and I… we can put this behind us and live together in happiness. The two of us." She whispered. Nen wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly.
" I won't let anything happen to you." He promised. I had a bad feeling about this…
*+*+*
The scene was changing again. Now it had become a different room. In it, Mariah was quietly sitting while Ammon, across the room, glared at the far wall.
" I don't like this." Ammon said finally. Mariah sighed.
" I don't either." She agreed. She paused, then spoke again. " Ammon?" she tried tentatively.
" Yes?" Ammon responded distantly.
" Can I tell you something?" she asked softly. Ammon looked at her, a gentle softness creeping over his hard features. I was struck by how much he looked like Yami once again, but there was something else there, a little bit of someone else… Me? Was there a little bit of me in Ammon?
" Of course you can." He said gently. Mariah stood suddenly and walked to him. She knelt in front of him.
" Ammon, when you and your friends found me in the market place, I was a starving orphan with no hopes, no dreams, no future. I was a little rat on the streets that could barely speak. But when you handed me that bread, even though I had attacked you, you gave me far more than a full stomach. You gave me something beautiful. I was too young to understand it then, and I promised myself that someday I would repay you for everything you did for me, taking me into your home, your heart, and your family. As I grew up, I realized that you were so much more than a friend to me… You were my savior. You had pulled me from certain death and given me a chance at life. And I…" Mariah broke off, her courage faltering. I wanted to reach out and touch her, she looked so much like my own precious Anzu, but I didn't dare. Ammon reached up and touched her face.
" Don't say anything. I know." He said. Mariah laughed quietly, even though there were tears in her eyes.
" What if you die tonight, Ammon? You know it's perfectly possible, what with all the risks we're taking." Mariah asked.
" I promise I won't die." Ammon said solemnly.
" How can you promise me that?" Mariah asked, looking at him with disbelief.
" I can because I know I won't die." Ammon said. Mariah rolled her eyes.
" You always were arrogant, but this is ridiculous. I think you're putting way too much confidence in the powers Ra gave you." She said. Ammon smiled and gently caressed her cheek.
" After this is all over, Egypt will still be here. And her people need a queen. The last one was a let down, and I was hoping maybe you could fill the job…" Ammon said, letting his voice trail off. Mariah threw her arms around his neck and murmured her acceptance.
The room they were in faded suddenly. The group was back in the temple with all the statues, which I had earlier assumed was the Temple of Ra. I was with them, and carrying a heavy sense of foreboding in my heart that Yami was not easing.
I don't want to see it again… he moaned. I ignored him and concentrated Isis. She looked so much like Yuki, with only small differences. She was wearing the outfit that annoyed Ammon and carrying a long staff that was intricately decorated with Egyptian markings. I noticed Nepano, holding a torch and standing behind the group. Nen didn't look very happy, but Nepano put him to shame with the glare he was giving Isis. I got a really bad feeling from him. He was planning something, something bad. Isis suddenly climbed up the stairs to the altar. Ammon followed her a few steps, but Nepano rushed up and dragged him back.
" This is her duty. She must do this alone." He growled. Ammon snarled at Nepano and jerked his arm out of the older man's grasp.
" I know!" he snapped. Isis tapped the wall behind the altar three times, and murmured something in a language I couldn't understand. The wall vanished into blackness. One of the other girls let out a startled shriek.
" This is the way. If we want to do this, we go in and destroy the Shadow Games from the inside out." Isis said, turning and facing her friends. Ammon walked up to stand beside her. " We won't think any less of you if you turn back." Isis added.
" This is your last chance, and we'd actually prefer it if you did turn back." Ammon said.
" Quit the theatrics. We've been friends for most of our lives, and we're most certainly not going to abandon you now when you need us most." Nuru said, smiling. I noticed how he held Eshe's hand. He reminded me of Jounouchi, telling me that he'd always be my friend. It didn't help that he looked so much like Jou. " I'm not saying we're not scared out of our minds, and that some of us aren't too happy with this plan, but that's too bad. We're here and we're not leaving." I grinned as Ammon smirked at Nuru.
" Okay, enough friendship speeches. Let's go." Isis said, whirling around and diving head first into the blackness. Her friends, who came in pairs and trios, followed her. Finally, Nepano was left. He glanced around. I didn't like the look on his face. Finally, the older white-haired man, with a look so startlingly like Pegasus when he had a devious plan it gave me chills, stepped into the black portal.
The group stood in darkness. There was no fading of scenery, the change was sudden and abrupt. Suddenly, Yami started yelling like a madman in my head.
Not here! Anywhere but here! I don't want to see it again! He cried. I could feel my headache returning and ignored him, concentrating on the group before me. I noticed Nepano was missing.
" Well…" Mariah said slowly. Isis chuckled and raised her staff.
" I summon the Shadow Games!" she called. Her voice had an odd echo to it. Such power echoed off of it. Nepano suddenly appeared in front of Isis, his arms crossed. Isis cocked an eyebrow at him and looked really annoyed. " I called the Shadow Games. Exactly what are you doing here?"
" Come, come, Isis. You're such a bright, pretty girl. You always suspected, didn't you? You just didn't think it was possible that I could have done it." Nepano said. There was a very pregnant pause as Isis's eyes grew wide. Ammon was the first to respond. He sounded so like Yami, I did a double take at him to make sure it wasn't Yami I was seeing.
" Tell me you're not saying what I think you are." He said, his voice silky and calm like Yami's when he was so mad he couldn't even see straight. I could see Isis balling her fists at her sides.
" Traitor." She spat suddenly. " You're right. I did suspect you. I just didn't think you would kill your Pharaoh and your best friend. You're not even worthy of the title of traitor. You did kill him, didn't you? It wasn't an accident. Father was playing a harmless game with you, and it got out of hand. Father paid the ultimate price for your addiction, didn't he?" Nepano was silent for a long moment. I felt angry, I felt Yami's anger, but I saw Ammon's anger. His eyes were filled with sadness, anger, and hate. But the truth of the situation he had led his sister, love, and friends into was dawning on him. He knew that he had tumbled right into a trap. And somehow, he seemed to lock eyes with me. I still don't know to this day whether or not he truly saw me, or whether, if he did see me, I was in my own body or Yami's. His eyes told me that he knew. He knew it was over.
" We were fools. This is a trap, isn't it? We're not supposed to leave this place alive, are we?" he asked, his eyes still locked on mine. I felt my tears begin in my eyes. I felt his pain as though it were mine. He broke the spell to look at Isis. He wanted so badly to protect her, her and Mariah and all the others. But he had lost the game this time. He had lost before the game had even begun.
" It's amazing. People say gods and pharaohs are so powerful, but it's amazing how a single man like me can maneuver both those powerful creatures just where he wants them and get rid of them all-" Nepano paused to snap his fingers. " Just like that." He paused again and pointed to Isis and Ammon. " You two were always in my way. The throne would have been mine. No one expected your idiot mother to survive her pregnancy. Everyone, all the best healers, even your own father thought that she, the delicate little thing that she was, would die and take you children with her. But she survived somehow, and gave the Pharaoh two healthy heirs in the process. I tried to kill you in your cribs, tried to have you kidnapped, everything I could think of, but the gods were with you. So I killed your father. He was an idealistic man, and he realized my true motives too late. Now, I have come for you. For you, Ammon, who wouldn't even cut your hair when you were crowned, for you, Isis, who was always too inquisitive and intelligent and lucky for your own good, and all the rest that you've dragged into this. Well, my luck is about to change." Nepano paused and smiled, then twisted his expression to one of sorrow. " Such a terrible accident that took the lives of the young Pharaoh, his sister, and his dear friends. Such promising youths they were, too. I had great expectations of all of them. I shall miss them terribly." Nepano laughed, ruining his act.
" You are one sick man." Nuru said quietly.
" If you think we'll just lay down and die, you're very mistaken." Nen said threateningly. Suddenly, a ball of dark energy surged and Nepano. The white- haired Pegasus look-alike barely dodged it. My eyes flashed to Isis and Ammon. Isis had balled her fists together in front of her and was charging another attack. Ammon glared at Nepano and smirked characteristically.
" You waited to long, Nepano. You waited too long. You see, we've learned how to fight back. That was your mistake." He said calmly.
" Dark Eternity!" Isis shouted, releasing her dark energy at Nepano, who threw up his hands and managed to deflect the ball to the surrounding darkness. White-hot light flashed as the twins engaged in a battle against their father's friend. Nepano was obviously more experienced, but youth has its advantages. Finally, a sharp energy wave caught Isis in the side. She fell and Nepano pressed his attack. Ammon was kept at bay by another wave of energy. Then, just as Nepano was about to deliver the killing blow, grinning maniacally, something leapt in the way. I saw too late that it was Nen. Isis screamed. Then the massacre began. Her power overflowed, unchecked and unhindered. Ammon tried to contain her, then fell to protecting those of his friends that had survived the battle this long, but his energy would not last much longer. Nepano countered the powerful flow of emotional energy from Isis with a blow of his own, but the attack was lost among the flow. Isis finally managed to control herself, but the white- hot light stayed for a few minutes. When I was finally able to focus my eyes, Isis was slouched over Nen's crumpled body. I could tell from as far away as I was that Nen was not breathing. Only a few feet away from me lay Eshe, her long blonde hair fanned out behind her head as a trickle of blood was drying on her mouth. A ways to my left was Tenok, laying with his head at an odd angle. I could tell his neck had been broken. They looked so much like my own friends, I immediately began to cry. I tried to wipe my eyes. I wondered who had killed them. Isis, in her uncontrollable despair or Nepano, in his mad rage? I doubted anyone would ever know. Mariah and Nuru had managed to stay alive, although Mariah wasn't standing and didn't appear as though she would ever be able to again. Isis lifted her head from Nen's chest and reached to close his eyes.
" Sleep, my love. For I won't be long behind you." She whispered as she closed his wide eyes, closed them for eternity.
" Eshe!" Nuru cried wildly. He turned to Ammon, who was looking Mariah over, his face expressionless. " Tell me she's not dead!" he demanded. Ammon refused to look him in the eye.
" Then I can't tell you anything, because anything else would be a lie." He whispered. Nuru stared at him for a long time, then ran at Nepano.
" I hate you! You took away two of my best friends and the only woman I'll ever love! I hate you, and I don't care if you kill me too!" he screamed. I turned away, unable to watch the young man that looked so much like Jou die. When I did turn back, he lay crumpled before Nepano, who was bloody and panting. Mariah sobbed and Isis stood up, still staring at Nen. Suddenly, Mariah fell silent. I turned back to Ammon and Mariah. Ammon had his hand stretched out and pressed to her chest. Mariah's eyes slowly closed.
" Forgive me, Mariah. You would have never walked out of here alive anyway. I only wish to end your pain." Ammon said. His voice sounded hollow. He gently lay Mariah down and stood, walking over to join Isis.
" You have succeeded in taking away everything we loved. Our father, our friends, our beloved's. We will never forgive you." Isis said. Her voice rolled from her lips so smoothly and quietly, yet it dripped with anger and hatred. The Shadow Realm suddenly vanished, and the scene I was watching slowly began to fade, until all that was left was Yami's moans…
*+*+*
I cried silently as I watched Isis walk just as silently into a large room. There was a raised stone platform in the middle of the room and Isis approached it. On the platform lay Nen. He was totally dressed up in Egyptian finery, and I had no doubt that poor Isis had not spared her lost lover any expenses. His features were still fresh and lively. He looked so much like Seto.
I loved him so much… Himeko muttered in my head. It felt like someone had ripped my heart into tiny pieces, to see him laying dead before me. she whispered. Her words confirmed my sad suspicions. This was her past, this was the pain and rage and terror that drove her. Isis suddenly sank to her knees and laid her head on Nen's chest. She sobbed for a moment.
" Nen… We could have been happy, you and I. We could have been husband and wife… I promise I won't let your death be in vain. I promise, Nen, I will make your killer pay dearly for what he's done to us. Even if it costs me my life." She murmured. A door opened from somewhere behind Isis and Ammon stepped into view. " I trust you've been in mourning." Isis muttered, not taking her eyes off Nen's still and lifeless form.
" Yes." Ammon said simply. " She doesn't look dead." He suddenly added. Isis lifted her weary gaze to meet his. " She looks like she's only sleeping. I keep thinking to myself, 'It won't be long now before they wake up and smile and ask me how I slept.' But I have to keep reminding myself that they're not going to wake up."
" Did you make sure that Nuru and Eshe are buried together?" Isis asked, ignoring Ammon's statements.
" Yes. They were going to get married, you know." Ammon said. I sensed that he had been maddened by the deaths of his friends. " Those two were good together. It's not fair."
" Shut up, Ammon. You speak like a madman." Isis said, her voice threatening.
" I had to kill her. You know that, right? I had to kill Mariah myself. Her spine had been crushed at about the middle of her back. She would live what was left of her life in agony. I couldn't bear to see her like that, so I killed her myself. What does that make me, sister? Am I as bad as Nepano? Am I a murderer?" Ammon asked, looking at Isis with tears in his eyes and a mad smirk on his face.
" You don't realize what you're saying, brother." Isis cried, grabbing Ammon by the shoulders. " The grief in your heart has maddened your mind-"
" Oh, I'm not mad, if that's what's worrying you. I just don't know what else to do. I did kill her, though." Ammon said, perfectly calm.
" You couldn't have killed her. You told me that you loved her-" Isis protested.
" Of course I loved her. How could I not? It was my love for her that drove me to kill her. I loved her too much to see her in that agony, so I ended it for her and took all the pain upon myself. Now I feel every tear as sharply as she felt every blow against her poor, broken body." Ammon said, tears running down his face and over his smirking lips. " I'm a killer, aren't I, sister?"
" No!" Isis screamed. " You aren't! You gave her the rest and peace she deserved. I'm sure she's grateful to you." She told him.
" They're waiting for us." Ammon said, nodding to Nen.
" They're waiting for us to join them in the after life. We won't live, will we, brother?" Isis asked suddenly.
" No. We'll give everything we have to destroy Nepano, and then we'll go to them. I can hear them calling us now." Ammon said. There was a pause as Isis listened. I listened as well.
" What if we can't destroy him?" Isis asked.
" You know the answer to that." Ammon said.
" We'll leave a catalyst." Isis answered herself. " We should cast the spell then." The scene suddenly went fuzzy, and faded away. The next clear thing I saw was back in the dark place they called the Shadow Realm. Isis and Ammon both gripped something small in their hands, facing Nepano head to head.
" You two fools. You left catalysts for you to use incase I should ever emerge again." Nepano said, frowning. " No matter. I hate to disappoint you, but there will be no great battle here today. I've already sealed your fate. You are cursed. Your bodies will shrivel and die while your soul is slowly sucked from you and incased in those little symbols you carry. The battle you seek will happen, but not this day."
I watched in horror as Isis began to die before my eyes. She wilted before me, reaching for her brother, but her arms had grown to heavy to lift. Something cloudy was ripped from her body and stuffed into a small golden orb by invisible hands.
" The joke's on you, Nepano! You think we came unguarded? I cast a reflect spell! You are effected by your own curse!" Isis cried, even though her body had obviously died. Nepano promptly began the process of dying.
" See you at the dawn of new age, Nepano!" Ammon cried. And then I knew how my companion in my head had met her end.
That's how it happened? I asked.
Yes. You are the catalyst I created. Himeko muttered. I felt consciousness drifting from me. I vaguely saw the room I had been in before the light had flashed and men in black suits advancing. I tried to lift my arms in defense, but my body wouldn't respond. I tried to look for Seto, but my eyes closed of their own accord. Just before I drifted away, I heard a laugh that was too familiar for comfort…
AN: Hey all. First of all, I want to thank you for all the reviews. Even though certain people can sure be rude. Thank you for the advice. I realize that this part may be a little confusing, so here's something that will help a little. Any other questions, please e-mail me right away at A5whale@aol.com.
Ammon = Past version of Yami and Yugi
Isis = Past version of Himeko and Yuki
Nen = Seto Kaiba
Nuru = Jounouchi
Eshe = Mai
Tenok = Honda
Mariah = Anzu
Nepano = Pegasus
By: Rogue Fox
Part Four… All The Reasons Why
I knew what that light was. And by Ra, I did not want to have anything to do with it. I had lived it once, and that was plenty, thank you. I felt my little friend, Yugi, tense at my apprehension. He knew me, sometimes too well for comfort. I was frightened and he knew it. He knew that my fear was more than enough reason for him to be afraid as well. But suddenly, I was back. Back to where it all started. Back to the faces, the people I had loved once. So long ago. Somehow, I knew it wasn't real, and I knew that it was only a matter of time before I emerged to the present. But when I saw them… my family… the people I loved… it all went out the window. I didn't care. I just wanted to hold them…
*+*+*
A child giggled somewhere in the darkness. A voice I recognized somehow. It made me think of my brothers, but not quite. It was like a little girl was giggling. Then, a little boy laughed as well. Suddenly, I was standing in a hallway made of stone. There were markings on the wall, pictures and funny letters like the ones you see in a National Geographic issue when they're showing you the inside of an Egyptian pyramid or something like that. I saw a man walking with his back to me down the hallway. Sunlight flitted in through holes in the left wall, shining on the man. He was bare-chested, wearing a white skirt, yes a skirt, that went down to his knees and he was bald. He was holding the hands of two small children, one on either side of him.
" The Pharaoh has two children who were born on the same day," a voice whispered in my ear, I turned to see a man who did not appear to see me. He was tall and, unlike the other man, very pale. He also wore a white skirt and no shirt. His hair was shockingly white. He was speaking to a shadowy man I could not make out, who seemed to be wearing some sort of Greek toga. " Legend has it," the white haired man continued. " That when a Pharaoh has two children, born from the same mother on the same day, that a great thing will happen to the empire. Whether it is good or bad depends on the stars and the children." I marveled at the white haired man, waved my hands in front of his face, but he didn't see me.
" Father, you're the best!" a little girl's voice cried. I turned to the man and his children. The man turned with the kids to see the white-haired man.
" Nepano, don't talk our guest's ears off." He said with a laugh. I gasped when I saw his eyes. His eyes were red-violet, just like mine. The man walked toward Nepano and the guest. " Good sir, these are my children. This is Ammon, my son," he said, pulling a little boy out from behind him. My eyes bulged and I gasped again. The very image of a younger Yugi poked his head out from behind his father and regarded the stranger suspiciously. His hair was black and crimson, with gold bangs that couldn't seem to decide whether or not to stand up or lay down. He was up to his father's thigh and had a playful glint in his eye. " And this is Ammon's sister, Isis." The man continued, gesturing toward a little girl almost identical to Ammon. She was slightly taller than Ammon, her eyes the same red-violet, her hair golden with crimson and black bangs that seemed to lay down more than Ammon's. Ammon wore a smaller replica of his father's outfit, while Isis wore a white dress down to her knees.
" Unless I am mistaken, you named your daughter for your Egyptian goddess?" the stranger asked.
" I did. I thought that the daughter of a Pharaoh and sister of a future Pharaoh should have a suitable name for her position. And so I named her Isis. I named Ammon so because even before his birth, he managed to hide his existence, thus earning a name that means 'hidden.'" The man said. The little girl, Isis, pulled at her father's hand.
" Father, can we go play with Eshe and Nen?" she asked. The Pharaoh patted his children on their heads.
" Go on, go play." He said. The children cheered and took off. I suddenly felt odd, like I was losing my hold on this place, as I watched the little girl who looked so much like me run off…
*+*+*
The hallway with the Pharaoh vanished, and suddenly I was in a different hallway. This one had columns on both sides and sunlight flitted in from both sides. I was suddenly aware that Yami, who had been giving me such a headache before, had gone utterly silent.
What's the matter with you? I asked him.
I remember… was the only response I got. My attention was suddenly diverted by a young boy, no older than ten, running down the hallway. It was Ammon, from earlier. He had gotten older. Apparently a large amount of time had lapsed from then to now, only a few seconds to me. Suddenly, Ammon was tackled from behind.
" Isis! Get off!" Ammon cried, shoving his twin off. Isis giggled.
" Gotcha, brother." She said triumphantly.
" Better you than Nuru or Tenok. They weigh much more than you, not that I'm saying you're light." Ammon cracked. With age, he looked so much more like me, with a few exceptions. Over all, he was the exact mirror image of Yami, if not younger.
" Hey, you two took off in a hurry. What's the rush?" another boy, who had followed the pair down the hall, asked. He was slightly taller than Isis, and his dark brown hair was left hanging from his head, not pulled back like other young men I had seen in this odd, dream-like state. He had startlingly piercing blue eyes. He looked like a boy I had seen in a picture Mokuba had shown me once. The thing was, the boy in the picture was Seto Kaiba, at the age of ten. The only difference lay in the clothes, which were standard Egyptian on this boy,
" Sorry, Nen." Isis apologized. " We were wondering if maybe Father wanted to play." Footsteps sounded down the hall.
" Hey! Why'd you guys run off like that?! You left me and Eshe and Tenok all of the sudden!" a boy with blonde hair, also hanging free from his head, called. He reminded me of Jounouchi, younger, but still Jounouchi. And I'll be danged if the girl following him wasn't a young version of Mai and the other boy wasn't Honda.
" Isis! I thought we were going to go pick desert blooms today." The girl who looked like Mai said. Isis slapped her forehead.
" Oh, sorry, Eshe. I forgot. Father mentioned that he and Nepano were going to the market today and-" Isis began, but Eshe interrupted her.
" The market? Well, we can pick blooms any old time, the market is far more important!" she cried, her face brightening so much like Mai's when someone tells her there a mall within walking distance.
" Do you think he'll let us come?" the blonde boy, who looked like Jounouchi, asked.
" That's what we're going to find out." Ammon said. The scene suddenly changed to a busy market place. The Pharaoh was walking next to the white- haired man that reminded me, in a very chilling way, of Pegasus.
" Tenok! Be careful!" the Pharaoh called as the boy who looked like Honda dodged out of the way of a speeding camel.
" Yes sir!" came his dutiful response. I followed along behind. No one seemed to see me or even notice me if I touched them. I gathered from the talk amongst the kids that the blonde boy was called Nuru. Quite suddenly, the children gathered in a small corner. The Pharaoh, smiling, and Nepano went over to see what had grabbed their attention. It was a little girl, with her brown hair cut in a ragged line above her shoulders. She narrowed her blue eyes and tried to look menacing. She looked exactly like Anzu when we were younger and she was trying to look mean. Nen grabbed Isis and Eshe by the shoulders and pulled them back a little, a small protective gesture that only made him look more like Kaiba.
" Hello. What's your name?" Ammon asked, cautiously sticking out his hand.
" Brother!" Isis snapped. Ammon paid her no attention. The girl attacked his hand, biting and clawing at it.
" Ammon!" the Pharaoh ordered, but Ammon only winced. The girl fell back from his hand, which was now a bloody mess. Ammon stood up straight and fished in a small pack around his waist, pulling out a hunk of bread.
" You must be hungry. Here you go." He said, handing her the bread. The girl looked him up and down, seemed to decide he was a friend, and snatched the bread. After she had gobbled it up, she grinned and literally tackled Ammon.
" Thank you! My name is Mariah, what's yours?" she asked.
" Um, Ammon." Ammon said. Mariah giggled.
" That's good! You're my best friend now!" she cried.
" Looks like Ammon made a new friend." Tenok cracked. Isis laughed at her brother's blush and pulled out of Nen's grip.
" My name's Isis!" she cried. The other kids were quick to introduce themselves, and the Pharaoh and Nepano only chuckled…
*+*+*
I had been calling for Yugi for some time now, even as I watched the scenes unfolding around me. I could still remember his comforting grasp on my hand before that bright flash of light, and now I longed for it again. The scene had changed. I was standing in a large room. On one end, there was a huge door guarded by sentinels. On the other, there was a great chair that was made of some sort of stone, and on the chair sat one of those Egyptian crown things I had seen in the movies, and those funny little staff things the pharaohs carried. Next the chair with the stuff in it was a woman. She was tall and wore head adornments on her straight black hair, and a delicate white dress that dragged on the ground around her. I recognized Nepano, the white-haired man that looked like Pegasus, standing on the other side of the chair. Both seemed to be crying, the woman more so than Nepano. There was also a bunch of people, all formally dressed. Some were crying silently while others were openly weeping. Suddenly, the huge door slammed open and I saw the children. Isis was chasing Ammon, and the pair was followed closely by their playmates. They stopped short when they saw the people and sensed the somber, gloomy mood.
" Oops. I think we walked in on one of Father's meetings." Ammon said, glancing around curiously.
" Let's go." Nen said, pulling on Isis's arm. He looked so much like Kaiba, with that worried look.
" No." Isis said quietly, pulling away from Nen. " Where's Father?" she asked. Ammon looked around sharply.
" Maybe he's playing hide-and-go-seek!" Mariah, my own little look alike, cried hopefully. This spawned a quick search on the kids' part. The adults simply stood by and let them search the room. Finally, Isis lost her temper. She ran up to Nepano and planted her feet firmly in front of him.
" Nepano, where's Father?" she commanded. Her tone said that she was in no mood for games anymore. Nepano looked away. " Nepano, I command you, as Princess of Egypt, to tell me where my father is." She said.
" He's not here." Nepano said, evasively.
" Then where is he?" Ammon asked, his voice low and threatening, sounding so much like Yami's. " And why are his staffs and crown here?"
" He… he has gone away. And he's never coming back." Nepano said after a few minutes of silence. Everything and everyone froze in their places.
" N…No. You're lying. It's a game. Father's just playing a game." Ammon said. He looked to Isis, who had a look of terror frozen on her face. " It's a game, sister. Just a game." Ammon told her, as though he were trying to convince himself more than her.
" It's not a game, brother. Look at his face. He's telling the truth." Isis said. There was another dead silence as Ammon looked at Nepano's face. " It's those damn Greeks! They kidnapped him, right? Well, we'll pay whatever ransom they want-" Isis cried, her voice quaking, only to be interrupted.
" It's not the Greeks. The Pharaoh was killed in an accident involving the Shadow Games." Nepano said sharply. Then, his face and voice softened. " I'm sorry." Suddenly, the woman in the white dress swept towards the twins and embraced them. They stood stock-still and stiff in her grasp.
" My children, I'm so sorry." She cried. Ammon and Isis looked at each other, then pulled out of her grasp.
" If… if Father is dead, then that means that I…" Ammon started, unable to finish his sentence. A cry erupted from the children and Mariah flung herself at Ammon.
" No! Don't, Ammon! Please!" she wailed, wrapping her arms around his neck. Ammon looked at her gently and then removed her arms and pushed her away, as gently as he could. Isis stood by and let a few stray tears slip down her cheeks.
" I have to. Our people need me now." Ammon said shortly. He walked up to the chair, which I now figured was a throne, and stood there expectantly. Finally, after a few minutes, he cleared his throat, glared at Nepano, and tilted his head towards the crown and staffs. Nepano sighed, as though he had wanted to avoid what was coming, and slowly walked toward Ammon. Isis suddenly turned like she intended to run, but couldn't seem to move her legs. Nen came to her and hugged her tightly.
" Ammon! Please don't!" Mariah cried, weeping softly.
" I don't have a choice." Ammon said as Nepano placed the crown on his head and handed him the staffs. A few golden bangs escaped the crown and framed Ammon's young face. He can't be any older than eleven, I realized sadly. He stared sadly at the ground while his sister walked toward him, dragging Nen, who refused to let go of her, along. The other kids followed them up the short flight of stairs to stand by their friends.
" It's a truly sad day in Egypt," Nepano said softly. " When a new Pharaoh has tears in his eyes as he is crowned." I looked at Ammon and cried out for Yugi again. I was scared and lonely, as much as the young version of me was, staring at Ammon with a mix of adoration and fear in her eyes…
*+*+*
Yet again, years seem to pass in seconds before my eyes. I saw Ammon, the image of my rivals, Yugi and Yami, leaning on a stone wall. He was much older, at least sixteen now, and it showed in his physique, though slightly short. The wall incased a balcony that had a gorgeous view of the Nile. The crown I had seen placed on his head was sitting on the wall next to the staff, discarded carelessly. His gaze was intense as he stared out at the Nile, almost as though he were searching the throngs of people for someone in particular. There was a slam as the door of the throne room he had been crowned in was flung open. Nen, my image from so long ago, raced into the room.
" They're back!" he cried. Ammon's face brightened immensely.
" How long till they're here?" he asked.
" Half an hour. The people are eager to greet them, too, so their escort is taking a little longer than expected." Nen responded. He came up to stand by Ammon and look out over the land.
" It's been a long time. Almost a year." Ammon said. Nen nodded and I was reminded of when Yugi and I had stood together on the balcony over looking almost that exact scene.
" They've probably changed a lot." Nen said.
" We've changed a lot. Isis probably won't even recognize you, you've grown so much." Ammon said, laughing slightly.
" Oh, and she'll recognize you, then?" Nen said, quirking an eyebrow.
" Of course she will. I'm her brother, and we shared our mother's womb. No one knows me better than her." Ammon replied confidently. The two stared out at the scenery for a moment.
" Are you going to tell Mariah?" Nen asked finally. Ammon sighed.
" I'm going to try. That's all I can do. What about you?" he said.
" I also intend to try. It's hard, though. Like you said, I doubt she'll even recognize me." Nen said, smiling ruefully.
" Brother!" a female voice shouted suddenly.
" Well, here's your first chance." Ammon said, turning around. I recognized the girl running at him as Isis, the girl who looked so much like my own Yuki. She grabbed him around the neck and treated him to a hug.
" Looks like I'm still taller." Isis announced happily. Ammon frowned, holding Isis at arm's length.
" I'll catch up to you, I swear it. What in the world are you wearing?" he asked in a tone that said I don't like that, so change now.
" Don't you even start on the protective big brother thing already." Isis growled back. She was stunning, wearing a white skirt that dipped pretty low in the front, revealing a slender waist, and small white shirt that would be classified as a tube-top by today's standards. It brought out her natural colors beautifully.
" I think you look nice." Nen interjected. Isis paused, her eyes lighting up as she flung herself into Nen's arms.
" Nen! Oh, you've grown! You're so tall, I didn't recognize you at first!" she cried into his chest. Nen hugged her back tightly.
" I've missed you too." He said sarcastically.
" Oh, of course I've missed you! I've missed you all so much!"
" Where's Mariah and Eshe?" Ammon asked.
" AMMON!" a feminine bellow echoed across the room. Suddenly, Ammon was no longer standing. He was on the ground. Mariah had tackled him, hard.
" Um, Mariah, please don't squeeze me so hard. It hurts." Ammon said, after initial greetings and hugs.
" Sorry!" Mariah cried, immediately releasing him and allowing him to stand. At which point Eshe walked in calmly, accompanied by Nuru and trailed by Tenok. I was strongly reminded of Mai walking with Jounouchi, and Honda trailing for the fun of it. Greetings and hugs were exchanged.
" Well, how did it go? Should I tell the army to ready themselves?" Ammon asked. Isis sighed in exasperation.
" I swear, brother, we tried every trick under the sun, and some you only find under the moon. Those damned people would not be moved a bit." She said.
" What about the gifts we sent?" Tenok asked.
" They liked them, and they were impressed mostly by the cats. But still, they wouldn't hear of it." Mariah said, still attached to Ammon.
" Well, that just stinks like a Nile rat." Nuru said bluntly. Nen grimaced.
" Thank you for that elegant assessment, Nuru." He said. The scene suddenly began to fade, and I could distinctly make out laughter. I wished suddenly that I knew where Yuki was. I was scared, for myself, but also for her. She had to be seeing the girl, Isis, who looked so much like her but couldn't be her. I knew who it was. It had to be Himeko, the other girl in Yuki's head. It had to be. And suddenly, it was all so clear to me. And I got even more terrified with the realization. Himeko was the spirit of a dead girl… Yami was the spirit of a dead guy… that had to mean that Isis and Ammon, who I had no doubt were the past forms of those two, were going to die.
Suddenly, I was standing in a narrow corridor. Isis was walking down it, alone. She was humming a tune I vaguely recognized. It was a melody Yuki used to sing when we were very young. She had told me her grandmother had taught it to her. Isis was still wearing her outfit that her brother disliked, and she was so much like Yuki that I knew she was probably wearing it just to spite her brother. She strode confidently down the hall, and finally stopped at a door and flung it open. She walked in confidently, removing the hair ornament that adorned her head and tossing it aside. There was a raspy breath from a dark corner of the room, which I guessed was Isis's chamber, that the firelight didn't reach. Isis spun around, her face twisting into a snarl of hatred, contempt, and surprise.
" Anubis." She said shortly. The Egyptian god stepped from the shadows and bowed stiffly. Isis did not return the gesture. " Sent by your master, Ra, no doubt." She continued.
" The great Ra has indeed sent me, Princess of the greatest empire in the world. He has an offer, one he does not think you capable of refusing." Anubis said. Isis snorted.
" Let's hear it, then. We'll see how capable of refusing I am." She said, completely unimpressed.
" Ra wishes that you eradicate the Shadow Games. You and your brother." Anubis said. Isis laughed in his face.
" Oh, come on! You expect me to believe that pile of worthless manure? My brother outlawed the Shadow Games and visits to the Shadow Realm almost immediately after you gods allowed our father to die. Whatever happened to the gods supporting Pharaohs, anyway? You sure left Father alone when he could have used your help." Isis said, her amused voice becoming more serious as she mentioned her father.
" We are not allowed to interfere with the Shadow Games. They are beyond our power. And as for their eradication, you only think they're gone. The Games are like certain incenses. You become addicted to them, until you need them to survive. Many have continued their practice behind your back. I can give you the power to destroy them forever." Anubis said. Isis's head jerked to him, almost angrily.
" The power to destroy the Shadow Games?" she snapped.
" Yes. You and your brother." Anubis said.
" We'll do it." Isis said immediately.
" You must not be so hasty. There are conditions. You must swear on your father's honor that you will follow this through, even if it kills you and all you love. And you cannot use the power to kill without reason. The person must condemn himself. You can make him disobey rules, break his word, however you like, but you can never kill without cause. If you wish this power, have your brother make you High Priestess of Egypt. Then, the night of your recognition as just that, come to the Temple of Ra and accept your powers. I must leave." The god murmured, and was suddenly gone. A cool breeze swept through Isis's chambers, lifting silky drapes. She stared after Anubis, or more appropriately, at the spot where he had stood. Her expression told of her hatred, how she blamed the gods and the Shadow Games for all her suffering, and, for a brief second, fear and doubt about the decision she had made, but that was gone before she could pursue that train of thought.
The next few scenes were a blur to me. I saw Isis grabbing her brother by his shoulder and dragging him out of a meeting with some important looking people. I saw Ammon yelling at Isis, and Isis yelling back. I saw Nen, Mariah, and Ammon, all shaking their heads, and Isis, Eshe, and Nuru trying to convince them of something. Finally, Tenok said something, and apparently, the decision was made. The next thing I saw was Isis and Ammon, standing before Ammon's throne while people applauded. Nen was standing near Isis, looking totally enraged. Finally, the speed slowed as I saw the group walking into a big, important looking room. There were statues everywhere, and a few torches burning while the group walked in. Isis walked up to the altar, wearing a new head ornament and that outfit that annoyed Ammon so much. She said something in a low husky voice I couldn't understand and the scene changed yet again. Now, Nen was standing alone. He was angry, in a room decorated with writing on the walls and beautiful works of art. I guessed he was in his own chambers. The door opened suddenly, and Isis entered.
" Nen? Are you in here?" she called, sounding almost afraid.
" I'm here." Nen said curtly. Isis walked up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder. He jerked away from her. Isis let her head hang.
" Nen, why do you hate me?" she asked. Nen sighed almost inaudibly.
" I don't hate you." He growled.
" Then why do you avoid me, why won't you let me touch you? Why do you hate me?" Isis wailed.
" I don't hate you!" Nen suddenly cried. Isis stood back, shocked by the force of his outburst. " I hate what you've become! You've become a monster, Isis! You're totally consumed by your anger and hate, and it's going to kill you, I know it!" Nen continued. He wheeled around to face Isis. " Isis, I… You mean everything to me. I can't stand seeing you like this. If you die, then I die as well. I've felt this way about you as long as I can remember. I… I love you." He said, dropping his gaze to the floor.
" Nen, I had no idea." Isis murmured after a moment.
" That's why I hate this plan of yours so much!" Nen cried. " I can't stand the thought of losing you." He whispered. Isis approached him, slowly, seeming afraid that he might push her away. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around him and leaned against him.
" I won't die, Nen. I promise you. After this is over, after we've done what we're going to do tonight, you and I… we can put this behind us and live together in happiness. The two of us." She whispered. Nen wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly.
" I won't let anything happen to you." He promised. I had a bad feeling about this…
*+*+*
The scene was changing again. Now it had become a different room. In it, Mariah was quietly sitting while Ammon, across the room, glared at the far wall.
" I don't like this." Ammon said finally. Mariah sighed.
" I don't either." She agreed. She paused, then spoke again. " Ammon?" she tried tentatively.
" Yes?" Ammon responded distantly.
" Can I tell you something?" she asked softly. Ammon looked at her, a gentle softness creeping over his hard features. I was struck by how much he looked like Yami once again, but there was something else there, a little bit of someone else… Me? Was there a little bit of me in Ammon?
" Of course you can." He said gently. Mariah stood suddenly and walked to him. She knelt in front of him.
" Ammon, when you and your friends found me in the market place, I was a starving orphan with no hopes, no dreams, no future. I was a little rat on the streets that could barely speak. But when you handed me that bread, even though I had attacked you, you gave me far more than a full stomach. You gave me something beautiful. I was too young to understand it then, and I promised myself that someday I would repay you for everything you did for me, taking me into your home, your heart, and your family. As I grew up, I realized that you were so much more than a friend to me… You were my savior. You had pulled me from certain death and given me a chance at life. And I…" Mariah broke off, her courage faltering. I wanted to reach out and touch her, she looked so much like my own precious Anzu, but I didn't dare. Ammon reached up and touched her face.
" Don't say anything. I know." He said. Mariah laughed quietly, even though there were tears in her eyes.
" What if you die tonight, Ammon? You know it's perfectly possible, what with all the risks we're taking." Mariah asked.
" I promise I won't die." Ammon said solemnly.
" How can you promise me that?" Mariah asked, looking at him with disbelief.
" I can because I know I won't die." Ammon said. Mariah rolled her eyes.
" You always were arrogant, but this is ridiculous. I think you're putting way too much confidence in the powers Ra gave you." She said. Ammon smiled and gently caressed her cheek.
" After this is all over, Egypt will still be here. And her people need a queen. The last one was a let down, and I was hoping maybe you could fill the job…" Ammon said, letting his voice trail off. Mariah threw her arms around his neck and murmured her acceptance.
The room they were in faded suddenly. The group was back in the temple with all the statues, which I had earlier assumed was the Temple of Ra. I was with them, and carrying a heavy sense of foreboding in my heart that Yami was not easing.
I don't want to see it again… he moaned. I ignored him and concentrated Isis. She looked so much like Yuki, with only small differences. She was wearing the outfit that annoyed Ammon and carrying a long staff that was intricately decorated with Egyptian markings. I noticed Nepano, holding a torch and standing behind the group. Nen didn't look very happy, but Nepano put him to shame with the glare he was giving Isis. I got a really bad feeling from him. He was planning something, something bad. Isis suddenly climbed up the stairs to the altar. Ammon followed her a few steps, but Nepano rushed up and dragged him back.
" This is her duty. She must do this alone." He growled. Ammon snarled at Nepano and jerked his arm out of the older man's grasp.
" I know!" he snapped. Isis tapped the wall behind the altar three times, and murmured something in a language I couldn't understand. The wall vanished into blackness. One of the other girls let out a startled shriek.
" This is the way. If we want to do this, we go in and destroy the Shadow Games from the inside out." Isis said, turning and facing her friends. Ammon walked up to stand beside her. " We won't think any less of you if you turn back." Isis added.
" This is your last chance, and we'd actually prefer it if you did turn back." Ammon said.
" Quit the theatrics. We've been friends for most of our lives, and we're most certainly not going to abandon you now when you need us most." Nuru said, smiling. I noticed how he held Eshe's hand. He reminded me of Jounouchi, telling me that he'd always be my friend. It didn't help that he looked so much like Jou. " I'm not saying we're not scared out of our minds, and that some of us aren't too happy with this plan, but that's too bad. We're here and we're not leaving." I grinned as Ammon smirked at Nuru.
" Okay, enough friendship speeches. Let's go." Isis said, whirling around and diving head first into the blackness. Her friends, who came in pairs and trios, followed her. Finally, Nepano was left. He glanced around. I didn't like the look on his face. Finally, the older white-haired man, with a look so startlingly like Pegasus when he had a devious plan it gave me chills, stepped into the black portal.
The group stood in darkness. There was no fading of scenery, the change was sudden and abrupt. Suddenly, Yami started yelling like a madman in my head.
Not here! Anywhere but here! I don't want to see it again! He cried. I could feel my headache returning and ignored him, concentrating on the group before me. I noticed Nepano was missing.
" Well…" Mariah said slowly. Isis chuckled and raised her staff.
" I summon the Shadow Games!" she called. Her voice had an odd echo to it. Such power echoed off of it. Nepano suddenly appeared in front of Isis, his arms crossed. Isis cocked an eyebrow at him and looked really annoyed. " I called the Shadow Games. Exactly what are you doing here?"
" Come, come, Isis. You're such a bright, pretty girl. You always suspected, didn't you? You just didn't think it was possible that I could have done it." Nepano said. There was a very pregnant pause as Isis's eyes grew wide. Ammon was the first to respond. He sounded so like Yami, I did a double take at him to make sure it wasn't Yami I was seeing.
" Tell me you're not saying what I think you are." He said, his voice silky and calm like Yami's when he was so mad he couldn't even see straight. I could see Isis balling her fists at her sides.
" Traitor." She spat suddenly. " You're right. I did suspect you. I just didn't think you would kill your Pharaoh and your best friend. You're not even worthy of the title of traitor. You did kill him, didn't you? It wasn't an accident. Father was playing a harmless game with you, and it got out of hand. Father paid the ultimate price for your addiction, didn't he?" Nepano was silent for a long moment. I felt angry, I felt Yami's anger, but I saw Ammon's anger. His eyes were filled with sadness, anger, and hate. But the truth of the situation he had led his sister, love, and friends into was dawning on him. He knew that he had tumbled right into a trap. And somehow, he seemed to lock eyes with me. I still don't know to this day whether or not he truly saw me, or whether, if he did see me, I was in my own body or Yami's. His eyes told me that he knew. He knew it was over.
" We were fools. This is a trap, isn't it? We're not supposed to leave this place alive, are we?" he asked, his eyes still locked on mine. I felt my tears begin in my eyes. I felt his pain as though it were mine. He broke the spell to look at Isis. He wanted so badly to protect her, her and Mariah and all the others. But he had lost the game this time. He had lost before the game had even begun.
" It's amazing. People say gods and pharaohs are so powerful, but it's amazing how a single man like me can maneuver both those powerful creatures just where he wants them and get rid of them all-" Nepano paused to snap his fingers. " Just like that." He paused again and pointed to Isis and Ammon. " You two were always in my way. The throne would have been mine. No one expected your idiot mother to survive her pregnancy. Everyone, all the best healers, even your own father thought that she, the delicate little thing that she was, would die and take you children with her. But she survived somehow, and gave the Pharaoh two healthy heirs in the process. I tried to kill you in your cribs, tried to have you kidnapped, everything I could think of, but the gods were with you. So I killed your father. He was an idealistic man, and he realized my true motives too late. Now, I have come for you. For you, Ammon, who wouldn't even cut your hair when you were crowned, for you, Isis, who was always too inquisitive and intelligent and lucky for your own good, and all the rest that you've dragged into this. Well, my luck is about to change." Nepano paused and smiled, then twisted his expression to one of sorrow. " Such a terrible accident that took the lives of the young Pharaoh, his sister, and his dear friends. Such promising youths they were, too. I had great expectations of all of them. I shall miss them terribly." Nepano laughed, ruining his act.
" You are one sick man." Nuru said quietly.
" If you think we'll just lay down and die, you're very mistaken." Nen said threateningly. Suddenly, a ball of dark energy surged and Nepano. The white- haired Pegasus look-alike barely dodged it. My eyes flashed to Isis and Ammon. Isis had balled her fists together in front of her and was charging another attack. Ammon glared at Nepano and smirked characteristically.
" You waited to long, Nepano. You waited too long. You see, we've learned how to fight back. That was your mistake." He said calmly.
" Dark Eternity!" Isis shouted, releasing her dark energy at Nepano, who threw up his hands and managed to deflect the ball to the surrounding darkness. White-hot light flashed as the twins engaged in a battle against their father's friend. Nepano was obviously more experienced, but youth has its advantages. Finally, a sharp energy wave caught Isis in the side. She fell and Nepano pressed his attack. Ammon was kept at bay by another wave of energy. Then, just as Nepano was about to deliver the killing blow, grinning maniacally, something leapt in the way. I saw too late that it was Nen. Isis screamed. Then the massacre began. Her power overflowed, unchecked and unhindered. Ammon tried to contain her, then fell to protecting those of his friends that had survived the battle this long, but his energy would not last much longer. Nepano countered the powerful flow of emotional energy from Isis with a blow of his own, but the attack was lost among the flow. Isis finally managed to control herself, but the white- hot light stayed for a few minutes. When I was finally able to focus my eyes, Isis was slouched over Nen's crumpled body. I could tell from as far away as I was that Nen was not breathing. Only a few feet away from me lay Eshe, her long blonde hair fanned out behind her head as a trickle of blood was drying on her mouth. A ways to my left was Tenok, laying with his head at an odd angle. I could tell his neck had been broken. They looked so much like my own friends, I immediately began to cry. I tried to wipe my eyes. I wondered who had killed them. Isis, in her uncontrollable despair or Nepano, in his mad rage? I doubted anyone would ever know. Mariah and Nuru had managed to stay alive, although Mariah wasn't standing and didn't appear as though she would ever be able to again. Isis lifted her head from Nen's chest and reached to close his eyes.
" Sleep, my love. For I won't be long behind you." She whispered as she closed his wide eyes, closed them for eternity.
" Eshe!" Nuru cried wildly. He turned to Ammon, who was looking Mariah over, his face expressionless. " Tell me she's not dead!" he demanded. Ammon refused to look him in the eye.
" Then I can't tell you anything, because anything else would be a lie." He whispered. Nuru stared at him for a long time, then ran at Nepano.
" I hate you! You took away two of my best friends and the only woman I'll ever love! I hate you, and I don't care if you kill me too!" he screamed. I turned away, unable to watch the young man that looked so much like Jou die. When I did turn back, he lay crumpled before Nepano, who was bloody and panting. Mariah sobbed and Isis stood up, still staring at Nen. Suddenly, Mariah fell silent. I turned back to Ammon and Mariah. Ammon had his hand stretched out and pressed to her chest. Mariah's eyes slowly closed.
" Forgive me, Mariah. You would have never walked out of here alive anyway. I only wish to end your pain." Ammon said. His voice sounded hollow. He gently lay Mariah down and stood, walking over to join Isis.
" You have succeeded in taking away everything we loved. Our father, our friends, our beloved's. We will never forgive you." Isis said. Her voice rolled from her lips so smoothly and quietly, yet it dripped with anger and hatred. The Shadow Realm suddenly vanished, and the scene I was watching slowly began to fade, until all that was left was Yami's moans…
*+*+*
I cried silently as I watched Isis walk just as silently into a large room. There was a raised stone platform in the middle of the room and Isis approached it. On the platform lay Nen. He was totally dressed up in Egyptian finery, and I had no doubt that poor Isis had not spared her lost lover any expenses. His features were still fresh and lively. He looked so much like Seto.
I loved him so much… Himeko muttered in my head. It felt like someone had ripped my heart into tiny pieces, to see him laying dead before me. she whispered. Her words confirmed my sad suspicions. This was her past, this was the pain and rage and terror that drove her. Isis suddenly sank to her knees and laid her head on Nen's chest. She sobbed for a moment.
" Nen… We could have been happy, you and I. We could have been husband and wife… I promise I won't let your death be in vain. I promise, Nen, I will make your killer pay dearly for what he's done to us. Even if it costs me my life." She murmured. A door opened from somewhere behind Isis and Ammon stepped into view. " I trust you've been in mourning." Isis muttered, not taking her eyes off Nen's still and lifeless form.
" Yes." Ammon said simply. " She doesn't look dead." He suddenly added. Isis lifted her weary gaze to meet his. " She looks like she's only sleeping. I keep thinking to myself, 'It won't be long now before they wake up and smile and ask me how I slept.' But I have to keep reminding myself that they're not going to wake up."
" Did you make sure that Nuru and Eshe are buried together?" Isis asked, ignoring Ammon's statements.
" Yes. They were going to get married, you know." Ammon said. I sensed that he had been maddened by the deaths of his friends. " Those two were good together. It's not fair."
" Shut up, Ammon. You speak like a madman." Isis said, her voice threatening.
" I had to kill her. You know that, right? I had to kill Mariah myself. Her spine had been crushed at about the middle of her back. She would live what was left of her life in agony. I couldn't bear to see her like that, so I killed her myself. What does that make me, sister? Am I as bad as Nepano? Am I a murderer?" Ammon asked, looking at Isis with tears in his eyes and a mad smirk on his face.
" You don't realize what you're saying, brother." Isis cried, grabbing Ammon by the shoulders. " The grief in your heart has maddened your mind-"
" Oh, I'm not mad, if that's what's worrying you. I just don't know what else to do. I did kill her, though." Ammon said, perfectly calm.
" You couldn't have killed her. You told me that you loved her-" Isis protested.
" Of course I loved her. How could I not? It was my love for her that drove me to kill her. I loved her too much to see her in that agony, so I ended it for her and took all the pain upon myself. Now I feel every tear as sharply as she felt every blow against her poor, broken body." Ammon said, tears running down his face and over his smirking lips. " I'm a killer, aren't I, sister?"
" No!" Isis screamed. " You aren't! You gave her the rest and peace she deserved. I'm sure she's grateful to you." She told him.
" They're waiting for us." Ammon said, nodding to Nen.
" They're waiting for us to join them in the after life. We won't live, will we, brother?" Isis asked suddenly.
" No. We'll give everything we have to destroy Nepano, and then we'll go to them. I can hear them calling us now." Ammon said. There was a pause as Isis listened. I listened as well.
" What if we can't destroy him?" Isis asked.
" You know the answer to that." Ammon said.
" We'll leave a catalyst." Isis answered herself. " We should cast the spell then." The scene suddenly went fuzzy, and faded away. The next clear thing I saw was back in the dark place they called the Shadow Realm. Isis and Ammon both gripped something small in their hands, facing Nepano head to head.
" You two fools. You left catalysts for you to use incase I should ever emerge again." Nepano said, frowning. " No matter. I hate to disappoint you, but there will be no great battle here today. I've already sealed your fate. You are cursed. Your bodies will shrivel and die while your soul is slowly sucked from you and incased in those little symbols you carry. The battle you seek will happen, but not this day."
I watched in horror as Isis began to die before my eyes. She wilted before me, reaching for her brother, but her arms had grown to heavy to lift. Something cloudy was ripped from her body and stuffed into a small golden orb by invisible hands.
" The joke's on you, Nepano! You think we came unguarded? I cast a reflect spell! You are effected by your own curse!" Isis cried, even though her body had obviously died. Nepano promptly began the process of dying.
" See you at the dawn of new age, Nepano!" Ammon cried. And then I knew how my companion in my head had met her end.
That's how it happened? I asked.
Yes. You are the catalyst I created. Himeko muttered. I felt consciousness drifting from me. I vaguely saw the room I had been in before the light had flashed and men in black suits advancing. I tried to lift my arms in defense, but my body wouldn't respond. I tried to look for Seto, but my eyes closed of their own accord. Just before I drifted away, I heard a laugh that was too familiar for comfort…
AN: Hey all. First of all, I want to thank you for all the reviews. Even though certain people can sure be rude. Thank you for the advice. I realize that this part may be a little confusing, so here's something that will help a little. Any other questions, please e-mail me right away at A5whale@aol.com.
Ammon = Past version of Yami and Yugi
Isis = Past version of Himeko and Yuki
Nen = Seto Kaiba
Nuru = Jounouchi
Eshe = Mai
Tenok = Honda
Mariah = Anzu
Nepano = Pegasus