Okay I'm back w/ another chapter! In this chapter Yami and Yugi are left in the dark about what has happened...but next chapter...Yami finds out who resurrected Meera. DUN DUN DUN! So stick around:-) On w/ chapter 9!
9-Hatred and Tears
Yugi awoke the next morning and was alarmed to find that Yami was still not home. Now that he was fully alone in the house he jumped at every little sound and decided to call Joey. When his friend answered he sighed with relief.
"Joey? Hey it's Yugi..."
"Wats up, Yuge?"
"Ummm...there's a problem, you know the 'other me?' Well, I lost him."
"Lost him? Huh?"
"He hasn't been home since yesterday afternoon, I have no idea where he is. He went to the museum and..." Yugi's voice wavered. He was genuinely worried about his darker half.
"Hey, just calm down buddy, we'll find him. He probably just went somewhere."
"Where? Do you think he left?"
"Why would he leave?"
"I don't know..." Yugi's voice faded off and he sat there with a blank look on his small face.
"Ok, I'll come over. I'll just say I forgot a school book or something."
"Joey, school gets out in two days. Your mom's not gonna buy it."
"I'll make somethin' up."
"Ok. Thanks Joey." Yugi smiled slightly and then hung up with a sigh.
***
The night had been brutal for Yami. He was still in a state of shock from what he had scene. Basically, when he realized that the young woman was Meera, he was able to merely stare in awe until he blacked out. Now, he woke up inside a cold, dim chamber, the walls were damp and the roof was made of carved stone. The chamber was closed in all around. It was like a cage and Yami was the bird.
He had contemplated his situation the rest of the night, which wasn't long, and now morning had set in. Or was it even morning? The chamber had no windows. Yami swallowed hard and his stomach turned. He needed food, water, anything. Much to his surprise, he was not chained down. It wouldn't have mattered though, because he was too weak to stand. Yami realized that under normal conditions, but with no food or water, he would be able to last longer. But the capture had taken much out of him. And he had so many questions. Could he have been hallucinating? How could Meera be alive? Perhaps, if he had found a way to be preserved, so had she? But he would have to wait and see.
Glancing around the chamber he noticed nothing that resembled a door. The ceiling was 15 feet above his head, high and menacing. He heard water dripping and was immediately drawn to the noise. Dragging himself along he followed the noise to the corner of the chamber and felt the cold drops fall onto his face. The water probably wasn't clean, but he didn't care. Cupping his hands he caught a few precious beads and slurped them down. The water tasted old, like that from a well and he coughed before crawling back to his spot again. Suddenly a thought dawned on him...if the chamber was shut on all sides, where was the dim light coming from?
He felt the wall which he leaned on with his hands and ran his fingers over the cracks in the stone. Perhaps the light was seeping in from the outside? Yami got a sudden chill as a breeze blew in from an unseen spot. He heard something that seemed to be coming from the very ground, a terrifying rumble and then a loud screech.
This screech was followed by something nearer to him, a series of footsteps coming from his right. Glancing over, he heard the footsteps stop, and then a grating noise echoed through the chamber as a great door slid open. Yami had not seen this door, it had been hidden seemlessly in the wall. Bright light poured in from torches and he saw a figure outlined against the light. It was a large man, carrying a tray.
"Here. I will be back soon."
As soon as he left, Yami dove towards the tray. He didn't care anymore who was giving this to him, he needed it and he wouldn't be stubborn. There was a cup of water, just one cup, sitting in the center of the flat sheet of rock. Yami gulped it down, savoring every last drop and was happy to have relieved his parched throat. In a few minutes, his headache was gone and now he had to wait. But he was still weak from hunger and exhaustion. Soon, just as the man had promised, he returned. Now he was followed by two others.
"Up!" barked the first man.
Yami knew that he would probably be kicked if he didn't listen, so he tried to get to his feet. But halfway up he stumbled and fell with a groan.
One of the men rushed forward and roughly pulled him up, as if he weighed as much as a feather.
"Come on." With this, he grabbed the back of the Pharoah's shirt and made him stumble out of the chamber, into the much brighter hallway. Yami looked at the men. They were all clad in black and whites suits. Most likely, she had hired them all. Yami knew that his questions would soon have answers and he both looked forward to this, and dreaded it.
After about five minutes of twisting corridors and rough pushing and dragging, they arrived in the great hall again. Just as it had been last night, there were guards on both sides, and sitting in the great golden throne, was Meera. Her face lit up as she saw the Pharaoh being dragged by her henchmen.
"Bring him here. At my feet." Meera looked at his figure, limp now, but still muscular and beautifully tan. He had not lost his looks but he seemed different. Not as...soft? Perhaps her antics in the past had taught him a lesson.
So I'm not hallucinating... thought Yami. He felt panic rising in him again. Just seeing the traitorous woman made dread wash over him like thick oil, covering him and keeping out the light. She was evil then, and she was evil now.The men pulled him over and held him with his arms behind his back. One of them kicked him so that his knees buckled and he fell forward, as if he was bowing in front of her. But he was still restrained. Now he was forced to look up.
"My, last night, you looked so, shocked? I'm sure you have questions, but those will be answered in due time. Tonight I will have you brought to my chamber. Perhaps we can talk, there. I don't doubt that you are the same man that you used to be? Just not a pharaoh." Meera snickered.
"How did you get here? You were dead!" exclaimed Yami, frantically, not wanting to believe anything.
"Shhh..." Meera got off her throne and bent down. She held a finger to his lips and then started walking back and forth on the step.
"I told you I'd answer later. Now I just want you to get aquainted. This, Yami, is my home. Ever since I came back. There are so many things I want to tell you! And I've used my powers since then! Many years ago, I was a mere...witch...but now I am a sorceress, Yami. Do you like magic tricks?"
Yami gritted his teeth. "Stop playing games! Tell me why I'm here!"
"I said, later." With that, Meera's eyes widened and Yami felt something happening to him. He felt his throat tighten, completely against his control, like an invisible hand was choking him. He found that he couldn't speak, could barely breath.
"That's better," smiled Meera, looking down at the gasping pharaoh. "I will make you wait for the answers."
Yami looked up at her with pleading eyes as the invisible grip on his throat tightened. He was still being held by the men.
Meera seemed unmoved by his desperate look and just stared down at him with a stone gaze. After about a minute, she snapped her fingers and the hand disappeared. Yami gasped and was able to get air. For about thirty seconds she allowed him to breath before she started to speak again.
"You see? You listen to ME now. You do as I say or you will not stay alive...as long." With this, she looked into his eyes and saw the spite in them. Those amythest eyes which she had always been a slave to...she would break his spirit.
As though seized by a primal instinct, she took his chin in her hand and savagely kissed him once, closing her eyes, holding him still as he resisted. Yami was locked in the fiery kiss which sent warmth through his body, though he would rather be frozen than be exposed to this. They both remembered the taste of eachother from back when they were together; now Meera delighted in making him squirm and Yami loathed her touch. It was a way which she could show him who was in control...and something in her told her to do it. She had missed him, in a way...but now she was in it for revenge. When she pulled away, thoroughly satisfied with the look of hatred in his eyes, she motioned for the guards to take him back to his cell.
After he was dragged off, Meera laughed to herself. "That was pleasant!"
The only thing which she did not enjoy about that encounter was the fact that he still would not bend to her. She would have to fix that. The sorceress motioned for her second in command, a girl of about seventeen, who briskly walked over. Her name was Hapsheti and she was dressed in old, Egyptian garments, and wore many peices of jewelry and a chain around her neck with a small golden ball hanging from it. Her large, hoop earrings jingled when she walked. Wringing her hands together she asked politely, "Yes, Meera?"
"Make sure that he gets no food tonight...and prepare the dragons."
"Of course, Meera." The young girl walked away slowly. When she had seen the grief-stricken look on the prisoner's face she had felt instant remourse for him. But she could not tell this to Meera. She would be punished if she showed any mercy for the captive.
Soon Hapsheti had arrived at the entrance to the dark halls, down which danger lurked. Meera had such a crazy idea in resurrecting those beasts. The dull roaring floated down the hall like beckoning calls. Hapsheti looked for a torch on the wall and took it out of it's holder. She chose the third hall, down which the greatest beasts walked. Cautiously, she preceded down the hall until she came to the very end. In huge stone cages in the middle of a gigantic room lay two dragons. They towered as high as the ceilings, but one was laying down peacefully. This dragon was black but his eyes, when open, were a beautiful shade of ruby. The other dragon was awake and calling loudly.
This dragon's scales shown ivory and it's eyes were a shiny sapphire. As soon as it saw Hapsheti it shifted it's weight and bared two huge front fangs. Hapsheti was unphased by this display of teeth, she had been around these beasts for a very long time and she knew that these dragons would never hurt her. She fed them, and was basically like a mother. Meera only visited them when she desired to see them duel eachother. Proof of these duels were shown on their hides, where long, crooked white scars crisscrossed. The legendary Red Eyes Black Dragon and Blue Eyes White Dragon would normally never duel, but under Meera's roof, there was never peace.
Hapsheti approached the Red Eyes's cage and slid through the wide bars. She walked over to the sleeping form and stroked the smooth scales. The dragon awoke and immediately drew itself to it's full height and stared down magestically at the small form below. It knew what it meant when Hapsheti came in the cages. It was time to duel.
****
"We should tell them."
"Tell them? Why?!"
"We need help and you know it Yuge. There's no way that we are gonna be able to find him by ourselves, and don't they deserve ta know?"
"I guess so..." Yugi's voice trailed off. He and Joey had been thinking about the possibilities for two hours while snacking on Doritoes. Now they had come to the conclusion that they wouldn't go to the police until they knew he was either kidnapped or in danger, that he could have either left town, visited somewhere, was drunk in an alley or was in some sort of trouble. Yugi had grown panicky, for he had ruled out many of the possibilites and had called and re-called the museum to no avail. Joey had tried to keep him calm by cracking jokes and reassuring him that Yami was fine; he was capable of fending for himself. Now Joey saw that his friend was near the breaking point.
"What if we never find him though? Even if we tell them it won't do us any good..." Yugi sighed deeply and now his eyes became glazed and he looked at the floor. He was fighting inside with himself; he didn't want to cry in front of Joey, but that's all he felt like doing. This worry was eating him alive and he just wished that his grandfather was back to help him...
A single tear made it's way down his cheek and he stifled a sob. More tears welled up in his eyes and Joey frowned deeply. He sat next to Yugi on the couch and patted him on the back.
"Hey, hey...please don't cry, we'll find him. Be tough. C'mon Yuge just relax."
"I-I can't. Joey...will you tell them? I'll go call some more places where he might be," whispered Yugi in a shaky voice.
"Hey, what are friends for? I'll invite everyone over here. Is that ok?"
"Yeah..."
"Alright. I'll be back."
With another wistful look at his friend, Joey went into the kitched to call the others. Yugi blinked the tears out of his eyes and steeled himself. His frown turned into a serious expression and he sat back. He would find him. No matter what. And there was no way that he would let anyone get in the way.
***
Evil Meera! Good Yugi! Poor Yami! Please R&R!
9-Hatred and Tears
Yugi awoke the next morning and was alarmed to find that Yami was still not home. Now that he was fully alone in the house he jumped at every little sound and decided to call Joey. When his friend answered he sighed with relief.
"Joey? Hey it's Yugi..."
"Wats up, Yuge?"
"Ummm...there's a problem, you know the 'other me?' Well, I lost him."
"Lost him? Huh?"
"He hasn't been home since yesterday afternoon, I have no idea where he is. He went to the museum and..." Yugi's voice wavered. He was genuinely worried about his darker half.
"Hey, just calm down buddy, we'll find him. He probably just went somewhere."
"Where? Do you think he left?"
"Why would he leave?"
"I don't know..." Yugi's voice faded off and he sat there with a blank look on his small face.
"Ok, I'll come over. I'll just say I forgot a school book or something."
"Joey, school gets out in two days. Your mom's not gonna buy it."
"I'll make somethin' up."
"Ok. Thanks Joey." Yugi smiled slightly and then hung up with a sigh.
***
The night had been brutal for Yami. He was still in a state of shock from what he had scene. Basically, when he realized that the young woman was Meera, he was able to merely stare in awe until he blacked out. Now, he woke up inside a cold, dim chamber, the walls were damp and the roof was made of carved stone. The chamber was closed in all around. It was like a cage and Yami was the bird.
He had contemplated his situation the rest of the night, which wasn't long, and now morning had set in. Or was it even morning? The chamber had no windows. Yami swallowed hard and his stomach turned. He needed food, water, anything. Much to his surprise, he was not chained down. It wouldn't have mattered though, because he was too weak to stand. Yami realized that under normal conditions, but with no food or water, he would be able to last longer. But the capture had taken much out of him. And he had so many questions. Could he have been hallucinating? How could Meera be alive? Perhaps, if he had found a way to be preserved, so had she? But he would have to wait and see.
Glancing around the chamber he noticed nothing that resembled a door. The ceiling was 15 feet above his head, high and menacing. He heard water dripping and was immediately drawn to the noise. Dragging himself along he followed the noise to the corner of the chamber and felt the cold drops fall onto his face. The water probably wasn't clean, but he didn't care. Cupping his hands he caught a few precious beads and slurped them down. The water tasted old, like that from a well and he coughed before crawling back to his spot again. Suddenly a thought dawned on him...if the chamber was shut on all sides, where was the dim light coming from?
He felt the wall which he leaned on with his hands and ran his fingers over the cracks in the stone. Perhaps the light was seeping in from the outside? Yami got a sudden chill as a breeze blew in from an unseen spot. He heard something that seemed to be coming from the very ground, a terrifying rumble and then a loud screech.
This screech was followed by something nearer to him, a series of footsteps coming from his right. Glancing over, he heard the footsteps stop, and then a grating noise echoed through the chamber as a great door slid open. Yami had not seen this door, it had been hidden seemlessly in the wall. Bright light poured in from torches and he saw a figure outlined against the light. It was a large man, carrying a tray.
"Here. I will be back soon."
As soon as he left, Yami dove towards the tray. He didn't care anymore who was giving this to him, he needed it and he wouldn't be stubborn. There was a cup of water, just one cup, sitting in the center of the flat sheet of rock. Yami gulped it down, savoring every last drop and was happy to have relieved his parched throat. In a few minutes, his headache was gone and now he had to wait. But he was still weak from hunger and exhaustion. Soon, just as the man had promised, he returned. Now he was followed by two others.
"Up!" barked the first man.
Yami knew that he would probably be kicked if he didn't listen, so he tried to get to his feet. But halfway up he stumbled and fell with a groan.
One of the men rushed forward and roughly pulled him up, as if he weighed as much as a feather.
"Come on." With this, he grabbed the back of the Pharoah's shirt and made him stumble out of the chamber, into the much brighter hallway. Yami looked at the men. They were all clad in black and whites suits. Most likely, she had hired them all. Yami knew that his questions would soon have answers and he both looked forward to this, and dreaded it.
After about five minutes of twisting corridors and rough pushing and dragging, they arrived in the great hall again. Just as it had been last night, there were guards on both sides, and sitting in the great golden throne, was Meera. Her face lit up as she saw the Pharaoh being dragged by her henchmen.
"Bring him here. At my feet." Meera looked at his figure, limp now, but still muscular and beautifully tan. He had not lost his looks but he seemed different. Not as...soft? Perhaps her antics in the past had taught him a lesson.
So I'm not hallucinating... thought Yami. He felt panic rising in him again. Just seeing the traitorous woman made dread wash over him like thick oil, covering him and keeping out the light. She was evil then, and she was evil now.The men pulled him over and held him with his arms behind his back. One of them kicked him so that his knees buckled and he fell forward, as if he was bowing in front of her. But he was still restrained. Now he was forced to look up.
"My, last night, you looked so, shocked? I'm sure you have questions, but those will be answered in due time. Tonight I will have you brought to my chamber. Perhaps we can talk, there. I don't doubt that you are the same man that you used to be? Just not a pharaoh." Meera snickered.
"How did you get here? You were dead!" exclaimed Yami, frantically, not wanting to believe anything.
"Shhh..." Meera got off her throne and bent down. She held a finger to his lips and then started walking back and forth on the step.
"I told you I'd answer later. Now I just want you to get aquainted. This, Yami, is my home. Ever since I came back. There are so many things I want to tell you! And I've used my powers since then! Many years ago, I was a mere...witch...but now I am a sorceress, Yami. Do you like magic tricks?"
Yami gritted his teeth. "Stop playing games! Tell me why I'm here!"
"I said, later." With that, Meera's eyes widened and Yami felt something happening to him. He felt his throat tighten, completely against his control, like an invisible hand was choking him. He found that he couldn't speak, could barely breath.
"That's better," smiled Meera, looking down at the gasping pharaoh. "I will make you wait for the answers."
Yami looked up at her with pleading eyes as the invisible grip on his throat tightened. He was still being held by the men.
Meera seemed unmoved by his desperate look and just stared down at him with a stone gaze. After about a minute, she snapped her fingers and the hand disappeared. Yami gasped and was able to get air. For about thirty seconds she allowed him to breath before she started to speak again.
"You see? You listen to ME now. You do as I say or you will not stay alive...as long." With this, she looked into his eyes and saw the spite in them. Those amythest eyes which she had always been a slave to...she would break his spirit.
As though seized by a primal instinct, she took his chin in her hand and savagely kissed him once, closing her eyes, holding him still as he resisted. Yami was locked in the fiery kiss which sent warmth through his body, though he would rather be frozen than be exposed to this. They both remembered the taste of eachother from back when they were together; now Meera delighted in making him squirm and Yami loathed her touch. It was a way which she could show him who was in control...and something in her told her to do it. She had missed him, in a way...but now she was in it for revenge. When she pulled away, thoroughly satisfied with the look of hatred in his eyes, she motioned for the guards to take him back to his cell.
After he was dragged off, Meera laughed to herself. "That was pleasant!"
The only thing which she did not enjoy about that encounter was the fact that he still would not bend to her. She would have to fix that. The sorceress motioned for her second in command, a girl of about seventeen, who briskly walked over. Her name was Hapsheti and she was dressed in old, Egyptian garments, and wore many peices of jewelry and a chain around her neck with a small golden ball hanging from it. Her large, hoop earrings jingled when she walked. Wringing her hands together she asked politely, "Yes, Meera?"
"Make sure that he gets no food tonight...and prepare the dragons."
"Of course, Meera." The young girl walked away slowly. When she had seen the grief-stricken look on the prisoner's face she had felt instant remourse for him. But she could not tell this to Meera. She would be punished if she showed any mercy for the captive.
Soon Hapsheti had arrived at the entrance to the dark halls, down which danger lurked. Meera had such a crazy idea in resurrecting those beasts. The dull roaring floated down the hall like beckoning calls. Hapsheti looked for a torch on the wall and took it out of it's holder. She chose the third hall, down which the greatest beasts walked. Cautiously, she preceded down the hall until she came to the very end. In huge stone cages in the middle of a gigantic room lay two dragons. They towered as high as the ceilings, but one was laying down peacefully. This dragon was black but his eyes, when open, were a beautiful shade of ruby. The other dragon was awake and calling loudly.
This dragon's scales shown ivory and it's eyes were a shiny sapphire. As soon as it saw Hapsheti it shifted it's weight and bared two huge front fangs. Hapsheti was unphased by this display of teeth, she had been around these beasts for a very long time and she knew that these dragons would never hurt her. She fed them, and was basically like a mother. Meera only visited them when she desired to see them duel eachother. Proof of these duels were shown on their hides, where long, crooked white scars crisscrossed. The legendary Red Eyes Black Dragon and Blue Eyes White Dragon would normally never duel, but under Meera's roof, there was never peace.
Hapsheti approached the Red Eyes's cage and slid through the wide bars. She walked over to the sleeping form and stroked the smooth scales. The dragon awoke and immediately drew itself to it's full height and stared down magestically at the small form below. It knew what it meant when Hapsheti came in the cages. It was time to duel.
****
"We should tell them."
"Tell them? Why?!"
"We need help and you know it Yuge. There's no way that we are gonna be able to find him by ourselves, and don't they deserve ta know?"
"I guess so..." Yugi's voice trailed off. He and Joey had been thinking about the possibilities for two hours while snacking on Doritoes. Now they had come to the conclusion that they wouldn't go to the police until they knew he was either kidnapped or in danger, that he could have either left town, visited somewhere, was drunk in an alley or was in some sort of trouble. Yugi had grown panicky, for he had ruled out many of the possibilites and had called and re-called the museum to no avail. Joey had tried to keep him calm by cracking jokes and reassuring him that Yami was fine; he was capable of fending for himself. Now Joey saw that his friend was near the breaking point.
"What if we never find him though? Even if we tell them it won't do us any good..." Yugi sighed deeply and now his eyes became glazed and he looked at the floor. He was fighting inside with himself; he didn't want to cry in front of Joey, but that's all he felt like doing. This worry was eating him alive and he just wished that his grandfather was back to help him...
A single tear made it's way down his cheek and he stifled a sob. More tears welled up in his eyes and Joey frowned deeply. He sat next to Yugi on the couch and patted him on the back.
"Hey, hey...please don't cry, we'll find him. Be tough. C'mon Yuge just relax."
"I-I can't. Joey...will you tell them? I'll go call some more places where he might be," whispered Yugi in a shaky voice.
"Hey, what are friends for? I'll invite everyone over here. Is that ok?"
"Yeah..."
"Alright. I'll be back."
With another wistful look at his friend, Joey went into the kitched to call the others. Yugi blinked the tears out of his eyes and steeled himself. His frown turned into a serious expression and he sat back. He would find him. No matter what. And there was no way that he would let anyone get in the way.
***
Evil Meera! Good Yugi! Poor Yami! Please R&R!