Ancient Magics
By Silverdust
Chap 3. Modern Destiny-Arrival
A shining star to find your place
Destiny to live and dreams to chase
The mystery still burning deep in your soul
Searching and finding as your story unfolds
In the opaque night sky, in the a silver wind
In the raging fire your story begins
***
The sun blazed to begin its new path against the intense blue sky. White clouds rolled like fluffy sheep, lazily making their way through the spring heavens. The air was sweet and fresh with a crisp breeze. A perfect fairy tale morning.
"Hey!!!!!! How did you do dat'?!?!" cried a familiar Brooklyn accent. Joey stared in disbelief at the duel board, then up at the grinning raven-haired boy across from him. "I thought you forte was dat der Duel Dungeon thingamajig!!!"
Otogi smirked. "Who says I can't learn another game just because I created one hm?"
"Yugi's been teaching him," Tea said as Joey looked from his diminished life points back to the board. "He's a quick learner."
"Why, thank you," Otogi said graciously, winking at the brunette.
Tea rolled her eyes. "You still got that show-off streak, trying to impress the ladies."
"Hey Yugi, Ryou! Come over here!" Tristan called motioning his friends over. "You two have been acting odd lately, what's up?"
"Its our yamis," the two boys chorused together, quite by accident. They looked at each other, and Ryou, being the quiet one, let Yugi do the talking.
"See our yamis have been acting funny lately. Mine says that he feels like something is out of balance between the shadow realm and our world, he's becoming very distant, and talking to himself. Ryou's is doing the same, except he smashes things."
"Ryou," Tea asked, concerned. "Are you sure it's safe to be around him?"
"He's never really hurt me," Ryou said quietly. "He always goes into another room or tells me to leave him alone."
"I don't think Ryou's yami is going to hurt him intentionally," Otogi said, adopting a serious tone for once. "He cares for him, in a somewhat strange manner."
"I wonder what's going on," Yugi mused.
"Guys," whined Joey. "Duelin' made me really hungry so would you happen to have-"
BAM!!!!!!!
Tea growled as she swung her purse over a dazed Joey. "Can't you see we're trying to have a serious conversation!"
"Owww…"
***
I'm gonna' puke, I'm gonna' puke, Sekhmet thought as the teleportation hole took another dip. I hate this ride!!!!!!
She was vaguely aware of Kiiraa clawing and hissing at her arm. Damn, the minute I get to wherever I'm going, she's so going to have her nails clipped!
Suddenly there was an intense push and she found herself flying through a blue sky. "What the hell!!!!!!!"
Levitating, she thought. But before she could even mutter the word, she crashed into the trees below her.
Thump!
CRASH!!
Bam!
Crack!
Wham!
"SHIT!"
Whump!
"Owww," Sekhmet moaned, rubbing her backside. "I swear, this was on purpose."
"Oh sure," Kiiraa hissed, spitting out a mouthful of leaves. "I bet Ra's just up there laughing his head off."
Flash to heavens
Ra laughing his head off.
End
"Thank you Miss Sarcasm," Sekhmet growled, getting to her feet painfully. "Now where the hell are we?"
She turned to see an opening in the leaves. She glanced out and immediately jumped behind a tree. "Shit we're on a high-school campus!"
"A what?" Kiiraa asked.
"A high-school campus! High school is where modern mortal teens get their education!! I can't let anyone see me!"
She had a good reason. She was still in her goddess robes. Kiiraa looked at her, puzzled.
"What's wrong?"
"Modern clothes, I need a school uniform!"
"Magic, duh!"
"Oh yeah!"
Sekhmet rubbed her hands together. "C'mon, school uniform!"
The bright sparkles flowed from her hands, wrapping themselves around her body. There was a bright flash, and the transformation was complete. But it wasn't completely right.
Sekhmet had on modern clothes, but they were not a school uniform. Instead, she had on baggy white pants and a tank-top that were of the same material as her robes. And she still had on all her jewelry, silver cuffs, silver choker necklace studded with black jewels, and silver hoop earrings.
"Great!! This'll never do."
"Go anyways!" Kiiraa said. "Better than nothing!"
"Oh fine. But you have to come with me."
"What? They don't allow pets in school as far as I'm concerned. Besides, do I look like a normal cat to you?"
"Turn invisible or something. C'mon Kiiraa I need your wise council!"
"Alright, just don't beg."
A golden light surrounded the cat-creature's body. A minute later it stopped, but she was still there.
"Kiiraa you didn't do anything!"
"Yes I did, you're the only one who can see me now. Let's get going!"
"Okay, pushy, pushy."
"Shuddup and get a move on."
***
"Okay class, who would like to learn about Galileo's theory on the earth's rotation?" said the teacher brightly. "No one? Well, it's very interesting. See, Galileo presumed that the earth was rotating on its axis so…"
Yugi yawned. He stole a glance at Joey, who was busily scribbling something on a piece of paper. He seriously doubted it was notes on the lecture. He glanced out of the window, then around the classroom again. Tea was passing a note to the girl behind her, giggling softly. Tristan was rummaging through his desk for something or other. Otogi was doing some idle thing with his dice and Ryou seemed to be catching up on lost sleep. Maybe he should try that as well…
He looked at Kaiba's desk out of curiosity. The teenager was fiddling with some techno device. Yugi's mind, trained on escaping the boredom, started to ponder how he got his tools to school unnoticed.
Yugi had decided he brought them in the morning and then left them in his desk the rest of the day, but where did he hide them when the teachers checked the desks?
Suddenly, the door banged open. Yugi looked up in surprise to see the principal standing in the open doorway. He strode over to the teacher and whispered something in his ear. Yugi saw the teacher's eyes grow wide. "Well that's unexpected…Oh well, let her in."
The principal turned back to the door and motioned someone in. A teenage girl, maybe about Tea's age, walked in unsurely. The teacher looked at her, taking in a full perspective, and nodded to the principal, who then took his leave. The teacher then turned back to the class. "It seems we have a new student. What's your name?"
"Sekhmet," said the girl, staring at the floor. Yugi felt his yami start in surprise. He was going to ask when the teacher spoke again.
"Do you have a last name?"
"Uhhh…Kiiraa!"
"Okay, interesting. Why don't you have a school uniform?"
"I just came to Japan today, I didn't have time to get one."
"Where are you coming from?"
"Egypt, I guess."
"I guess…Very well Ms. Kiiraa, have a seat in the back-row, the empty desk near the window."
"Hai, sensei."
She took her seat. Yugi opened the mind link with Yami as the teacher resumed his lecture.
//What's up?//
\\That girl, she's strange in a way…\\
//What do you mean? She seems pretty normal…//
\\Looks can be deceiving, Aibou. But never mind, its nothing. Pay attention to your lesson.\\
//That's harder than it looks//
Yugi closed the link. He looked back at the girl sitting quietly. Who is she?
***
"Hey Yug! You got fifty cents? See da machine kinda ate my money…"
"Sure Joey," Yugi said, digging out fifty cents from his lunch bag. "Here you go, but won't it eat this too?"
"Nah," Joey said grinning. "'Cause I got skills."
Yugi rolled his eyes. Tea laughed. "Sure Joey."
"Oh yeah! Well you just watch. Skeptics prepared to be amazed!" He stalked off.
"There he goes to fail once again," Tristan sighed.
Otogi smirked. "At least he tries."
Yugi wasn't really listening. He was staring at the girl, sitting at the picnic table under the oak tree. She looks so lonely, he thought. I wonder what's her story.
"Hey guys, did you notice the new girl?" he asked.
"You mean the chick?" Tristan asked through a mouthful of his sandwich. "The one from Egypt?"
Tea sighed, exasperated. "Must you males always refer to the opposite sex as 'chick' or 'babe'?"
"Ah, Tea," Tristan said, gulping down his chewed food. "It's a male testosterone trigger. Besides, your just jealous because no boy refers to you as chick or-"
BAM!!!!
"The purse strikes again," Otogi said with a sweat drop. "Tea what do you keep in there?"
"Personal items, makeup, cash, lotion, moist toilettes, a brick or two. You know the essentials."
"O…kay. Remind me never to get you angry."
"Guys!" Yugi said. "C'mon stay with the subject! Do you know anything about her?"
"Why?" Tea asked slyly. "Does our little Yugi have a crush?"
Yugi blushed. "No! Its just that Yami said he sensed something funny about her and I want to know what!"
"I'll go talk to her," Otogi said. "Besides, she looks lonely."
Tea smirked this time. "There goes Otogi, off to get a date."
"Hey!"
***
Sekhmet sighed as she watched the clouds drift across the sky. "What the hell am I doing here? I don't belong…"
Kiiraa had curled herself around her neck. "Use my name as your last name why don't you?"
"It was the first thing I could think of, jeez. Stop being so cynical."
"Shhh! Someone's coming over!"
Sekhmet turned to see a raven-haired boy walking over to her. She straightened up as he came closer. He held out his hand. "Hi, I'm Otogi."
She took it gratefully. "I'm Sekhmet."
"So, why you sitting here all by yourself? Don't you have anyone to hang out with?"
"No not really. I just came to Domino today. I'm not much of a people person anyways." She gave a weak laugh.
Otogi smiled. "Don't you have a lunch?"
"No," she blushed again. "I don't have any money."
"No problem, I'll get you one."
Sekhmet was shocked. "No really, that's not necessary! I mean-"
"Really," Otogi replied, courteously. "Its on me. Besides, you seem to nice of a person to missing a lunch."
Sekhmet blushed. "Thanks. No one's been this nice to me before."
"I can't imagine why," Otogi smirked, leading her over to one of the machines. "C'mon."
A minute later she was holding a sandwich and a pop. "Thank you Otogi for your kindness."
"Ah, it was nothing," he said nonchalantly. "I want you to meet some of my friends."
He dragged her over to the table where Yugi and co., which now included Joey, were sitting. "Hey guys, meet Sekhmet."
"Hi," said Yugi brightly. "Nice to meet you. I'm Yugi."
The brunette girl next to him gave a friendly wave. "I'm Tea."
She elbowed the brown-haired boy beside her. He looked up. "Oh, I'm Tristan."
"I'm Joey," said the blonde haired boy, who was all of the sudden really close to her face. "You wouldn't happen to be dating somebody would ya'…"
"Uhhh….."
BAM!!!!!!!
Otogi handed Tea back her purse. "Thanks."
"I'm Ryou," said the white-haired boy, quietly.
"Nice to meet you all," Sekhmet said, relieved. Finally, some friends so I won't be left out…
Tristan scooted over so Sekhmet could sit. Joey started to slide toward her, but Otogi shoved him aside and sat, guarding the girl like a little sister.
"Hey," Joey muttered angrily, getting to his feet. "Why do you get to get da' girl?"
"What happened with Mai?" asked Tea, suspiciously. "I thought she was your girlfriend?"
Joey looked at the tabletop uncomfortably. "She ,um, well she, uh…She gave me da boot."
"What did you do this time?" asked Tristan.
"I forgot to get her a present on Valentine's Day. Which just happened to be her favorite day of da' year. Besides I tink she was PMS-in…"
BAM!!!!!
"Own!!! Tea!!!!!!!!!! 'Dat
was like da 15th time you hit me with dat thing!"
"Boys are so insensitive," Tea said. "And that was only the second time I hit you Joseph. Otogi did it once."
"Don't call me Joseph," Joey grumbled. "I hate dat name. And don't start you little feminine right thing also."
Sekhmet laughed at Joey's funny character. But then something snapped in her mind. She sensed something…ancient. Almost like the Millennium Items. Wait, those were the Millennium Items!
She glanced around for the source. Her eyes rested upon Yugi, the Millennium Puzzle around his neck. Baka! Why hadn't she noticed before? And there was another sense, one of the Millennium Ring, coming from the boy, Ryou. By her readings, they both contained spirits. She would have to disguise herself well from these two.
She frowned slightly, then dismissed it and started to eat her lunch. She was starting to like theses mortals, maybe her time on Earth wouldn't be so bad after all. Kiiraa was still curled up around her neck. It actually wasn't that bad, except the times she managed to help herself to a few tidbits of Sekhmet's sandwich.
"So, your from Egypt?" Yugi asked, inquisitively. Great she'd have to put on a great show.
"Yeah, my dad was an archaeologist and he went to Egypt and met my mom. So they fell in love and married and eventually had me. I came to Japan as a transfer student. My father wanted me to experience different cultures."
"What about your mother?"
"She died."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"Nah, its alright. She died when I was little, so I didn't really know her. I was raised by some friends, because my dad had to go on his digs, so he wasn't home most of the time."
"Well that's interesting. How's it like in Egypt?"
Great, more questions.
"Oh its beautiful! The Nile is beautiful, especially at sunset, when the light and sky just paint the water, and the silhouette of the pyramids against the sun is so very lovely. I'll miss it greatly during my stay."
"That brings up the question," said Joey, suggestively. "Where would a pretty little thing like you be staying, hm?"
Uh-oh.
"Uh, I don't really know. I just got here and, um, I don't have any money, so I guess I'll have to sleep in one of those boarding homes."
"Oh! You can't stay there!" Otogi said alarmed. "A lot of nuts go there., who knows what they could do to you."
Sekhmet felt on the verge of tears with all the support, but what other choice did she have? "Guys, I don't have a choice."
"Maybe you could stay with one of us?" suggested Tristan. "Only not me. We don't have a spare room."
"I would let you stay with me," Yugi said apologetically. "But Gramps is painting the guest room."
"My mom is not very good with visitors," Tea sighed. "Sorry."
"A friend of mine lives with me," Ryou mumbled. "But he gets weird sometimes, it's not safe."
"If I let you stay with me," Otogi said. "You'd be mobbed by fan-girls on your way to school. Besides my business partner would probably try too get a date with you so…"
"You could stay with me," said Joey suggestively. "Long nights, all alone…"
"That would almost be as bad as the boarding house," said Tea, irritated, getting her purse ready. Joey gulped and withdrew.
"Guys, thanks and all, but I'll take my chances," Sekhmet sighed. Everybody shook their head and continued their deep contemplation, except for Joey, who muttered darkly.
Yugi brightened all of the sudden. "Hey guys! I got it!"
"What?" chorused everyone.
"Kaiba said he owed me one a while ago, AND he has a big house…"
Everybody caught on to the idea and nodded in agreement, except Sekhmet, who had no clue what was going on, and Joey, who was outraged. "WHAT!!!!! YOU WANT HER TO STAY WITH THAT DIRTY SLEAZEBALL!!!!!!!!!"
"Its better than her staying with you," Tea shot back. "At least Kaiba won't try any funny stuff."
"How do you know!? He could be worse!"
"He has more self control," she sniffed, then turned to Yugi. "So where is he?"
"Inside the class, working on his laptop," said Yugi. "C'mon let's go!"
"Wait," said Sekhmet. "Who is this Kaiba guy?"
"You'll see," said Yugi, and they raced off.
***
"Damn, who do these stockbrokers think they are," muttered Kaiba, busily clicking and typing on the small machine. "These prices are outrageous. One of these days I swear I'll sue…"
Suddenly his muttering was disturbed as the door banged open and a familiar spiky-haired boy ran in breathless. Kaiba looked up in shock, before quickly regaining his composure. "Yugi! What's going on?"
"Kaiba," panted Yugi. He panted for a few more moments, regained his breath and walked up to the CEO's desk. "You know a couple of days ago you said you owed me one?"
"Yes," Kaiba said suspiciously, he didn't like where this was going…
"Well, it's time to pay off."
Kaiba sighed. Damn, he thought Yugi would forget. Oh well, he always kept his word, whether he liked it or not. "What do you want Yugi?"
"He wants you to stop calling me Chihuahua," cried Joey skidding in behind Yugi. "And to wear a dress for the rest of the week!"
Kaiba turned to Yugi with his eyebrows raised. "What?"
"No," said Yugi, laughing. "See, I have this new friend, she moved in from Egypt-"
"Oh, the transfer student," said Kaiba drumming his fingers on the desk impatiently. "What about her?"
"She needs a place to stay, and I was thinking, since you have a big house and all."
"Sorry Yugi, I can't."
"But Kaiba! She has no money!"
"So? She can stay in the boarding house."
"Kaiba! There are horrible people there that could do all manner of things to her that I don't want to think about. Come on! Put yourself in her shoes!"
Kaiba stopped typing for a few moments. Memories of the orphanage ran through his mind. Endless nights of fear and longing for a home so far away…
"Fine she can stay," he resented, harshly, angered by his own weakness,
"Thank you Kaiba!" Yugi said overjoyed. "You won't regret it. It'll only be a few weeks until she gets a place for herself."
"Yeah sure, tell her to meet me after school, in front of campus."
"Okay, thanks again."
"Only because I owed you Yugi. I won't be doing anything else in the future."
"Sure. Bye!"