An Empty Shell
L: I'm ba-a-a-ck! After a full weekend of nothing much to do during a four-and-a-half drive to and from the city in a van full of sleeping teens and too-busy-driving-in-snowstorms driver except dream up this!!! *points to chapter dramatically*
K: Oh boy. She's hyper. I knew we shouldn't have made all that sugary Kool-Aid! O_O *whimper* Whaddaya mean, the Millennium Flute is YOUR creation, whoever said that?! *glare*
L: Translation: "We didn't know you had a Millennium Flute too. Very sorry for any similarities. We weren't stealing it since we didn't know you had one." And you're very welcome, seashell. *hyperactive grin* It was least I could do after you gave such good websites for me to visit.
K: During this chapter, we're probably going to concentrate on Bakura and me—
L: Bakura and I.
K: Not you, Laura, you're not in this story. Any way, we'll concentrate on Bakura and me and possibly some Yami and probably some Son or Blake in there somewhere.
L: And regardless of what some people might think, this will not, I repeat, WILL NOT, turn into a Yami/Kali or Bakura/Kali.
K: *shudder* Heaven forbid.
BAKURA: Hey!
K: No offense meant. You're cool, but you're not that cool.
BAKURA: Hey!
L: There will be some one-sided ??/Kali (where ?? equals MALE yami Silver Bearer, in other words Son or Blake) and possibly hints of ??/Aseliah (you remember, Kali's dead hikari and where ?? equals MALE hikari Silver Bearer, in other words Awan or William).
K: Note the one-sided, please. I am mucho too involved with my own pitiful life to share it with some guy who's got it better off.
L: Hey, where'd my lapicero go?
K: That's 'pen'. In Spanish. Laura is mucho enjoying her Spanish classes. It's probably in your binder, where you left it.
L: In my carpeta!!!!! ^-^
K: Oy.
L: My carpeta is on the mesa!! No, not the mesa. The pupitre. Or is it an escritorio? It's probably more of an escritorio. Yeah…
K: God help us.
L: Buenos noches and on with the show!!!
CELINA: BUENOS NACHOS!!!!!!!
K: *laughs weakly* Don't ask. Laura, why are you looking for your pen, any way? YOU'RE AT THE COMPUTER!!!…
DISCLAIMER: Don't own nobody but those mentioned in previous disclaimers.
Chapter 7: Ancient Egypt
Before they landed in the time, Kali said to the hikaris, quite directly and leaving no room for argument, "Into your Items."
"But… but… but…" William spluttered. Awan joined in the pleading.
"That'll hurt!!" Paz whined. Caryn nodded obstinately.
"Oh, you're all such a bunch of mindless wusses." Bakura muttered. "Why would it hurt?"
"Actually, it does have a bit of a sharp ache." Ryou told his yami.
"It'll hurt them a heck of a lot more than it will you." Kali told him and Yugi. "Just don't ask why, it doesn't make any sense."
Grumbling, the hikaris withdrew into their respective items.
"Now that that's done…" Kali said. "Reva, how's this gonna work?"
"When we land in Ancient Egypt, we'll be back in our own bodies at that time."
"Goody." Bakura muttered unenthusiastically. "How delightful."
"Joy. Happiness. Dance for gladness." Kali added just as unenthusiastically.
We need to hear some more encouraging going on, Ryou's teasing voice came floating in.
"Encouragement, my foot." Kali muttered.
"ANY WAY…" Reva roared. "We'll all at least try to be on the northern outskirts of the city in a week."
A WEEK?! The hikaris all roared in unison. I HAVE TO SPEND A WEEK IN THIS THING?!
"That would be correct." Reva affirmed, patting her Pendant. "Oh come on, it's not that bad in there, Caryn. I spent 5 millennia in there. A week is nothing."
A WHOLE FREAKING WEEK?! Awan screeched at Son. That's it, I don't wanna do this anymore! Send me back! This instant!
"Too late." Son told him.
I don't want to be in a lamp for a week! William whined.
"Hush, you." Blake ordered. "You forget that I control it now! Mwahaha…"
I'm dead, William moaned.
"No, you're not." Kali reassured him. "If he kills you, he's dead." Then she stopped and thought about what she said. A weird, awkward silence filled the air. "Any way, trust me, you'll be much safer in there."
"You'll be able to communicate with any one of us by mind, also." Reva added, before, with a soft THUD, their transporting spirits landed in their past lives.
Egyptian guards
Mud…Sand…Water…Straw…Faster!
Mud…And lift…Sand…And pull
Water…And raise up…Straw…Faster!
Slaves
With the sting of the whip on my shoulder
With the salt of my sweat on my brow
Elohim, God on high
Can you hear your people cry:
Help us now
This dark hour…[a]
Kali and Bakura, with Ryou safely tucked away in a corner of Bakura's mind to silently observe, landed in the middle of the day's work.
What a wonderful time to come in, Kali noted grimly as she stumbled and the whip of a nearby guard lashed out to tear at her sunburned back.
No kidding, Bakura agreed. I definitely wish it was later, or at least earlier, or just not now.
That looks painful, Ryou offered as he saw, through Bakura's eyes, Kali struggle to stand up again, biting back screams of pain.
No, Bakura told him sarcastically. It's the most wonderful feeling in the world. In fact, it's so wonderful, the guards are liberal with it and we're going to get that wonderful feeling many times before the day's end.
Shutting up now, Ryou meekly said.
Gleaming in the moonlight
Cool and clean and all I've ever known
All I ever wanted
Sweet perfumes of incense
Graceful rooms of alabaster stone
All I ever wanted[b]
Meanwhile, Reva and Loella, with Caryn and Paz observing from a secluded corner of the yamis' minds, came to Ancient Egypt as high-class maidens.
Mmmm, I could get used to this, Paz groaned happily as servants gave Loella her manicure and facial and other such beautifying treatments.
Don't you already get this treatment every day?, Caryn asked logically.
Do I look like I care?, Paz asked. This is still nice. Don't tell me you're not enjoying it.
I am, Caryn was quick to agree. I'm not so sure about Reva, though.
"Ouch!" Reva yelled, as the young slave girl doing her manicure accidentally scraped her ring finger with the file. (A/N: note that Loella has servants and Reva has slaves. There is a difference.) "Silly slave, watch what you're doing!"
"Yes milady." The girl, looking no older than 12, whispered and was quick to clean the barely visible wound and continued. "Terribly sorry, milady."
"Make sure it doesn't happen again," Reva ordered sternly.
"Yes milady."
Hey, girlies, how're you doin'?, came a cheerful English voice.
Having fun, William? Caryn asked affectionately. So what has Blake been occupying himself with?
Do you really want to know?, William groaned. One thing is for sure: I NEVER want to see another ray of sun again. We have been standing outside ALL day in this stupid bazaar.
Poor baby, can't handle a bit of sun? Awan's voice floated in the conversation. At least you're covered by that canopy.
How do you know I'm under a canopy? William asked, surprised.
I'm right across the bazaar. I can see you.
Oh, well whaddaya know? There you are. Hi over there!
Oh, boy, their conversation sure was happy, Bakura grumbled as he limped back to the slave district with Kali long after the sun had set on Egypt. 'Hi over there!' 'I can't handle all this sun!' Geez. They should try being a slave for a day. THEN they'll be begging to go back.
Ryou had decided it was wisest just to shut up and let Bakura rant. Kali, too, was unusually silent. Yugi? Ryou called privately. Yugi, are you there?
… that…calling…
Yugi? Why do you sound so far away?
…must…or…
Yugi? Ryou called worriedly. Bakura, why can't I hear Yugi?
Probably because Yugi's hidden in the Puzzle, which is currently in Mr. High-and-Mighty's palace, which is guarded by a hundred or so spells, charms, Duel Monsters, and mental-power guards. Bakura snapped.
You should be able to hear him fine any way, Kali said, frowning. I don't like where this is going.
I don't know what you guys have been doing all day, but why aren't you talking with us? Blake whined at Kali.
Because I'm tired, and irritated, and in pain, and trying to figure out how to override Yami's mental blockage. Kali growled. Don't bother trying your charming routine on me, Blake. Right now, I can't care less.
But Kaaaaaaaaaaaaali, Blake started.
Blake! Son snapped. Leave her alone.
Shutting off the mental connection to everyone else, Kali sighed as she turned into a dark building made of mud, really.
"Kali!!" came the happy shriek of a young girl.
"Kali, you're home!!" 3-year-old Anais Zona shrieked. "Come play with me! Itari's too busy to play with me and Mama's still at the palace and Cyrus is too little."
"Rac— Anais, sweetie, I would love to play with you, but Re— Kali's really tired right now, okay?" Kali answered gently. "Is Elijah still sleeping?"
"Elijah?" Anais asked in confusion.
"Cyrus," Kali corrected herself quickly. Oh boy, this was getting confusing. Itari and Anais both knew the family only by their given Egyptian 'slave names'. It was only Kali and Mama who knew their true names. Mama forbade their use, claiming that if the Pharaoh found out they weren't 'conforming', that they would all be killed. Anais and Cyrus were both born into slavery, and Itari had been too young when they had been captured to recall freedom. Itari didn't even remember dear Joshua, who had died in the capture. Their father Obayana had died not long before Cyrus' birth. Then it became Kali's responsibility to do the outdoor slavery, to keep Itari from having to work.
"Kali!" Nova Zona called desperately as she burst into the house. "Good, you're here. We don't have much time. Gather up some blankets and take the girls and Cyrus and get out of here now. Use the catacombs of Pharaoh Phineas XI and get to the deserts as quickly as possible. Pharaoh has decreed that all slave families' children under 15 are to be disposed of in the Nile."
"But Mama," Itari started to protest. "Why can't just me and Anais and Cyrus go? Kali's 17, she doesn't need to escape."
"Because the catacombs are a labyrinth and because…" Nova paused and glanced at Kali, who had taken some of the blankets, knotted them into a pack of sorts. "The Pharaoh wants to have you return to the palace, Kali."
"Never!" Kali hissed venomously.
Just then, Cyrus awoke with a wail and Nova picked up her last son and crooned quietly to him.
"Yal-di ha-tov veh ha-rach
(My good and tender son)
Al ti-ra veh al tif-chad
(Don't be frightened and don't be scared)
My son, I have nothing I can give
But this chance that you may live
I pray
we'll meet again
If He will deliver us"[c]
Kali gently pried the baby from her mother's desperate grasp, wrapped him in a blanket snugly, grabbed a hold of Anais' hand and Itari followed as the four fled and disappeared into the entrance of the catacombs just as guards of the Pharaoh came thundering on their stallions into the slave quarter.
One guard burst into a house next to Bakura's, where a family of three lived: a grandfather, a widowed father and his 14-year-old son. With a fight, 'Jamal' came kicking and screaming as his father called desperately after them to have mercy.
Another entered Bakura's house, looked around and snarled "Your age, slave boy?"
"17," Bakura answered coolly.
You're not 17, Ryou said accusingly.
In this time period I am. Bakura snapped. We all lost two years or so when we were sealed. Kali! Guards are coming around to get kids!
I KNOW that! Kali howled distractedly. Why do you think I'm running around the catacombs, attempting to find my way out of the city, with my little sisters and brother in tow?
The guard finished trashing the house, looking for hiding children and went across to where the Zonas lived. The yells that ensued were enough to shatter glass, if there had been any in the quarter.
"Worthless, deceitful whore!" the guard yelled as Nova was dragged out by her hair. "You are guilty of high treason to the reign of Pharaoh Yugioh!"
Oh, man. Bakura groaned.
What? A whole clamor of voices in Bakura's head demanded.
What's going on down there? Son asked.
We can hear the screaming from clear down here, Loella added.
And I just saw the royal carriage-thing go by, Blake interjected.
Come on, what's going on here? Reva demanded.
A quiet, regal voice said "Kill her and continue on your task. It is only a slave."
"Yes, Pharaoh."
A bloodcurdling scream pierced the night's young hour and the severed head of Nova Zona rolled over to stop at Bakura's feet.
Oh, yuck. Oh, gross. Oh, ew. Ryou whimpered, sounding as if he was about to puke or cry or both.
What happened? William asked immediately. Ryou?
They… they…
They decapitated someone. Bakura finished for his traumatized hikari. Her head just landed at our feet.
EW! Most of the voices all chorused together.
You guys? Kali's tentative voice came, shaken, lost and grieving. I… don't think I'm going to come back with you guys at the end of this week.
What?! Son yelped. First of all, WHERE ARE YOU, KALI?!
I'm… somewhere. Kali answered vaguely.
Kali, you HAVE to come back with us! Blake begged. We're not leaving without everybody, and it's not safe for you to stay here.
Stop fussing over me, Blake, Kali snapped. It's getting old. I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Kali, Itari, Anais and Cyrus emerged from the dank catacombs into the cool breeze of the desert night.
"I'm tired, Kali." Anais whined.
"I am too." Itari admitted.
"We can't stop now," Kali said, looking behind her. "We can't stop until we can no longer see the city or the catacombs or any sign of civilization."
"That would take you a while," a voice came from behind them.
Whirling around, Kali was confronted with a guard's sword at her throat and a gloating Yami.
… going… Kali?
Yugi, don't try and get out from the Puzzle now. Kali ordered. You don't really want to know what's going on.
"Did you really think you could escape me, slave?" Yami asked imperiously. "Guards, take care of the children."
"No!" Kali screamed, trying to shield her sisters and brother as guards went after them.
"What is going on here?!" a surprised voice came.
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A/N: Review! And then there's probably two or three more chapters of this and then… onto "The Trials of Rebeckah Zion"!!
[a] Deliver Us, Prince of Egypt Soundtrack
[b] All I Ever Wanted, Prince of Egypt Soundtrack
[c] Deliver Us, Prince of Egypt Soundtrack