*~*Disclaimer!*~* Wow, this is my longest running fan fic ever! WOW! I'm impressed! Well, last chapter was the climax, and things are about to take a turn for the worst. You'll see why later. These next mass of chapters are going to run completely parallel of each other, both parts leading up to the major conclusion. I'm already excited over it! Anyway, you all know the drill...
*WHAT'S... WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME!??!?!?* Marita, wide eyed, screamed in her mind, scooting backwards away from her twin. The other girl was out stone cold, and it looked like she would be for a while. The first stood up and wobbled on her own two feet, stumbling and flailing away. It took her moments to get up and run, bumping into tables and chairs as she hurried out of the hospital cafeteria, and headed towards the lobby door and open air.
She ran. Tears streaming down her face, she ran for the life of her, her sorrow, despair and shock too much for her to bear. She ran to where ever her feet took her, not caring where she went to, just as long as it was away from Yami and the other girl.
*~~~~~*~~~~~*
*Ah, the Queen comes to me at long last.* Merrick grinned from ear to ear, watching the young woman tear out of the hospital and out the door. *I think it is high time I went to collect my hard earned prize...* He took one last look at the fallen Yami, stepping out from behind the Coke machine where he was hiding all along. Merrick's long strides out the sliding doors of the hospital soon led him to his motorcycle, its engine already revved up and ready to go. He mounted, put his helmet on, and sped away, determined to catch the one who would seal his fate as Pharaoh.
*She will be MINE.* He mused in his mind, his purplish eyes gleaming in the morning sun.
*~~~~~*~~~~~*
She stirred, unable to comprehend what had happened. *Ugh, what... happened?* She clasped her hand to her head, feeling the painful beginnings of a migraine. It took her awhile to clear the cobwebs from her mind, and even then, her memory was hazy. *Ugh... Marita... where... is she?* Realization dawned on her, slapping her in the face. "Oh god, Marita..."
The woman stood up, her long black hair tousled and tangled. Surveying the scene, her indigo eyes took in everything, and widened as she saw her fallen hero. "YUGI!"
As though he had heard her, the young boy began to stir, weakened from cheating death. "UUUHHHHH..." He moaned, trying to push himself into a sitting position, but ultimately failed.
His female companion was there immediately. "Yugi! Are you alright?" She turned him over, his head in her lap as she ripped the blue material of her tanktop for makeshift bandages.
Slowly, dark violet eyes cracked open, as the words on his lips tried to speak. "M-marita?"
She sighed, closing her eyes reluctantly. "I'm sorry, but... I am not the one you seek." she wrapped the cuts on his arm, making sure they were tight enough to stop the bleeding. "I am not Marita."
In a flash of light, Yami replaced Yugi, his lightning streaked hair flopping every which way. "No... You're not, are you?" He tried sitting up, and, finally successful, caught her hand as she wrapped a bandage around the cut on his forehead. "You're not Marita, you're someone different entirely."
The woman raised her eyes to him, shocked at the love reflecting back at her. "Yes... you're right..."
He smiled, grasping her around her waist in a gentle hug. "You... you were the woman I danced with last night... a spirit within Marita..."
"YOU!? That was YOU!?" Her voice rose slightly. "I thought you were..."
"... Yugi Motou?" The Pharaoh said, mysteriously. "No, I am not Yugi, but a spirit like you. I am Yami, and you?"
She gasped at the mention of that name. "I... I know you... I can't remember..." Thinking hard, she sat there, thoughtful, until her eyes lit up like stars. "Yes! You're the Pharaoh!"
"Correct." He replied. "And you...?"
It took her awhile to remember, for being locked away in the ancient armlet where time was an endless string of existence for her. "I haven't heard my own name in what must be 5000 years..." Her eyes seemed to look beyond time, taking her mind to another place, and another time. "I am..."
*~*~*~*~*3003 BC The Tribunal Hall*~*~*~*~*
"YAMARA! YAMARA!" His voice called, flirtatious. "You're letting up again!"
No longer a peasant girl, Yamara's eyes shone with love and laughter, reflecting off the jeweled crown she now wore as Queen of Egypt. Gesturing grandly, her flowing green and blue silk dress held in place with a jeweled necklace-collar, she replied, "Just give me awhile, Yami, and let me play!"
They had not been married long, only a couple days, but every day of their new life together was an adventure. Yami had continually tried to surprise her, doing things different every single day. Today, it was something they both deeply loved: playing the Shadow Games.
If Yamara didn't take her turn now, her life pool would be open to another attack from Yami's Dark Magician. She knew she had to play, and play fast.
"I SUMMON THE POWERS OF THE DARK MAGICIAN GIRL!" She screamed, magical energies flowing from her fingertips as the dark magicks of the arcane world arched forth. Shimmering and dancing, the mystical forces picked up a stone slab on the floor, revealing a female magician in its wake.
Yami's lips pealed back into a laughing smile, knowing exactly how this duel would turn out. He knew she had just summoned one of her best monsters, and also, one of her favorites.
Speaking in unison, the two royalties commanded, "DARK MAGIC ATTACK!!!"
The Dark Magician twirled its mighty staff, glowing with energy as the Dark Magician Girl did the same. Suddenly, the two monsters arched their mystical rods, shooting a blast of energy at each other.
In an instant, it was over, however, quite ironic. The blasts arched quickly towards the other, but in the blink of an eye, both monsters switched places, trying to save the other from their own blast. Too late, both blasts hit their supposed marks, but intercepted by the monster that put forth the power.
Their life pools decreased, both Pharaoh and Queen glanced at the other, and toppled over in fits of laughter.
"HOW... how..." Laughed Yamara, her indigo eyes gleaming. "WHY do they always do that?"
"To be honest, I don't know; it must be something about the monsters themselves." Declared her lover, rising to his feet, and helping his wife to hers. They continued to laugh in each other's arms, holding tight, even as the bolt of energy struck the sides of the walls.
A figure was blown across the room, hitting the floor with a sickening THUD! Rumpled, the figure was limp, half conscious, as the room around her would not stop spinning to her. A shock of black and red hair covered her face.
There was no doubt, as flames shot up on all sides, who this fallen warrior was.
"MIDNIGHT!!!!!!!!" The Queen rushed to her old friend, cradling the Captain in her arms.
Midnight's eyes cracked open, weak from magical drain. "It's... it's bad, Yamara... no time... no time..." her eyes rolled back as her body went limp, unconscious once more.
Another blast rocked the Palace, causing some of the ceiling to fall in. Rushing past the whole in the wall, concerned for the safety of Midnight, Demona ran over, standing over her fallen love's body paralyzed.
Yami sprang into action. "Demona! What is the meaning of this?"
"It's an attack, my Pharaoh. The Egyptian Gods are tearing this palace apart, and most of the city is destroyed..." Fear shone in the young guard's eyes, unable to meet the eyes of Yami.
The Pharaoh sighed, dreading what he knew he had to do. "Yamara, tend to Midnight. Demona, Stay with your Queen, you are her only hope now..." He began to walk towards the smoking hole in the wall over yonder.
Yamara's eyes went wide, standing up, as she screamed, "NO NO! YAMI NO!" Defying his wishes, the raven-haired woman stood in front of his path, barring it from his strides. "NO."
"Yamara, I do not have TIME for this!" Usually calm and cool headed, the Pharaoh clasped his hands in hers, kissing her gently on the lips. "I must seal the Gods away, Yamara. You know for yourself that the people come before you."
"Yami, you CAN'T! You'll die! I won't let you go!" she screamed, tears rolling down her cheeks as she clung to her love.
He quietly brushed her tears from her eyes, looking deeply into her stunning indigo irises. "Yamara, as long as you hold me in your heart, I will never die." He grinned boyishly, trying to give her hope to cling to as he brushed past her. Calling over her shoulder, he replied, "We shall fall in love again; no god will stop me from coming back to you."
And, just like that, he was gone.
"My Queen..." The voice behind her raised Yamara from her thoughts, turning and staring back at Demona in acknowledgement.
"Demona...?"
"My Queen, Midnight is dying." the female guard held Midnight tightly, protectively, lovingly. "IN a matter of moments, she will slip from this plain into the Afterlife."
"Can... can we save her?"
Demona hesitated, unsure of what to say. "In a matter of speaking... yes..."
The Queen turned and stared, desperate. "What can we do?"
"With my powers... I can seal her spirit, her soul inside an item, in hopes that she may awaken to live again."
"Will it work?"
"It is the same ritual that the Pharaoh will perform to seal away the evils of this world."
There was no hesitation in her answer. "Do it."
*WHAT'S... WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME!??!?!?* Marita, wide eyed, screamed in her mind, scooting backwards away from her twin. The other girl was out stone cold, and it looked like she would be for a while. The first stood up and wobbled on her own two feet, stumbling and flailing away. It took her moments to get up and run, bumping into tables and chairs as she hurried out of the hospital cafeteria, and headed towards the lobby door and open air.
She ran. Tears streaming down her face, she ran for the life of her, her sorrow, despair and shock too much for her to bear. She ran to where ever her feet took her, not caring where she went to, just as long as it was away from Yami and the other girl.
*~~~~~*~~~~~*
*Ah, the Queen comes to me at long last.* Merrick grinned from ear to ear, watching the young woman tear out of the hospital and out the door. *I think it is high time I went to collect my hard earned prize...* He took one last look at the fallen Yami, stepping out from behind the Coke machine where he was hiding all along. Merrick's long strides out the sliding doors of the hospital soon led him to his motorcycle, its engine already revved up and ready to go. He mounted, put his helmet on, and sped away, determined to catch the one who would seal his fate as Pharaoh.
*She will be MINE.* He mused in his mind, his purplish eyes gleaming in the morning sun.
*~~~~~*~~~~~*
She stirred, unable to comprehend what had happened. *Ugh, what... happened?* She clasped her hand to her head, feeling the painful beginnings of a migraine. It took her awhile to clear the cobwebs from her mind, and even then, her memory was hazy. *Ugh... Marita... where... is she?* Realization dawned on her, slapping her in the face. "Oh god, Marita..."
The woman stood up, her long black hair tousled and tangled. Surveying the scene, her indigo eyes took in everything, and widened as she saw her fallen hero. "YUGI!"
As though he had heard her, the young boy began to stir, weakened from cheating death. "UUUHHHHH..." He moaned, trying to push himself into a sitting position, but ultimately failed.
His female companion was there immediately. "Yugi! Are you alright?" She turned him over, his head in her lap as she ripped the blue material of her tanktop for makeshift bandages.
Slowly, dark violet eyes cracked open, as the words on his lips tried to speak. "M-marita?"
She sighed, closing her eyes reluctantly. "I'm sorry, but... I am not the one you seek." she wrapped the cuts on his arm, making sure they were tight enough to stop the bleeding. "I am not Marita."
In a flash of light, Yami replaced Yugi, his lightning streaked hair flopping every which way. "No... You're not, are you?" He tried sitting up, and, finally successful, caught her hand as she wrapped a bandage around the cut on his forehead. "You're not Marita, you're someone different entirely."
The woman raised her eyes to him, shocked at the love reflecting back at her. "Yes... you're right..."
He smiled, grasping her around her waist in a gentle hug. "You... you were the woman I danced with last night... a spirit within Marita..."
"YOU!? That was YOU!?" Her voice rose slightly. "I thought you were..."
"... Yugi Motou?" The Pharaoh said, mysteriously. "No, I am not Yugi, but a spirit like you. I am Yami, and you?"
She gasped at the mention of that name. "I... I know you... I can't remember..." Thinking hard, she sat there, thoughtful, until her eyes lit up like stars. "Yes! You're the Pharaoh!"
"Correct." He replied. "And you...?"
It took her awhile to remember, for being locked away in the ancient armlet where time was an endless string of existence for her. "I haven't heard my own name in what must be 5000 years..." Her eyes seemed to look beyond time, taking her mind to another place, and another time. "I am..."
*~*~*~*~*3003 BC The Tribunal Hall*~*~*~*~*
"YAMARA! YAMARA!" His voice called, flirtatious. "You're letting up again!"
No longer a peasant girl, Yamara's eyes shone with love and laughter, reflecting off the jeweled crown she now wore as Queen of Egypt. Gesturing grandly, her flowing green and blue silk dress held in place with a jeweled necklace-collar, she replied, "Just give me awhile, Yami, and let me play!"
They had not been married long, only a couple days, but every day of their new life together was an adventure. Yami had continually tried to surprise her, doing things different every single day. Today, it was something they both deeply loved: playing the Shadow Games.
If Yamara didn't take her turn now, her life pool would be open to another attack from Yami's Dark Magician. She knew she had to play, and play fast.
"I SUMMON THE POWERS OF THE DARK MAGICIAN GIRL!" She screamed, magical energies flowing from her fingertips as the dark magicks of the arcane world arched forth. Shimmering and dancing, the mystical forces picked up a stone slab on the floor, revealing a female magician in its wake.
Yami's lips pealed back into a laughing smile, knowing exactly how this duel would turn out. He knew she had just summoned one of her best monsters, and also, one of her favorites.
Speaking in unison, the two royalties commanded, "DARK MAGIC ATTACK!!!"
The Dark Magician twirled its mighty staff, glowing with energy as the Dark Magician Girl did the same. Suddenly, the two monsters arched their mystical rods, shooting a blast of energy at each other.
In an instant, it was over, however, quite ironic. The blasts arched quickly towards the other, but in the blink of an eye, both monsters switched places, trying to save the other from their own blast. Too late, both blasts hit their supposed marks, but intercepted by the monster that put forth the power.
Their life pools decreased, both Pharaoh and Queen glanced at the other, and toppled over in fits of laughter.
"HOW... how..." Laughed Yamara, her indigo eyes gleaming. "WHY do they always do that?"
"To be honest, I don't know; it must be something about the monsters themselves." Declared her lover, rising to his feet, and helping his wife to hers. They continued to laugh in each other's arms, holding tight, even as the bolt of energy struck the sides of the walls.
A figure was blown across the room, hitting the floor with a sickening THUD! Rumpled, the figure was limp, half conscious, as the room around her would not stop spinning to her. A shock of black and red hair covered her face.
There was no doubt, as flames shot up on all sides, who this fallen warrior was.
"MIDNIGHT!!!!!!!!" The Queen rushed to her old friend, cradling the Captain in her arms.
Midnight's eyes cracked open, weak from magical drain. "It's... it's bad, Yamara... no time... no time..." her eyes rolled back as her body went limp, unconscious once more.
Another blast rocked the Palace, causing some of the ceiling to fall in. Rushing past the whole in the wall, concerned for the safety of Midnight, Demona ran over, standing over her fallen love's body paralyzed.
Yami sprang into action. "Demona! What is the meaning of this?"
"It's an attack, my Pharaoh. The Egyptian Gods are tearing this palace apart, and most of the city is destroyed..." Fear shone in the young guard's eyes, unable to meet the eyes of Yami.
The Pharaoh sighed, dreading what he knew he had to do. "Yamara, tend to Midnight. Demona, Stay with your Queen, you are her only hope now..." He began to walk towards the smoking hole in the wall over yonder.
Yamara's eyes went wide, standing up, as she screamed, "NO NO! YAMI NO!" Defying his wishes, the raven-haired woman stood in front of his path, barring it from his strides. "NO."
"Yamara, I do not have TIME for this!" Usually calm and cool headed, the Pharaoh clasped his hands in hers, kissing her gently on the lips. "I must seal the Gods away, Yamara. You know for yourself that the people come before you."
"Yami, you CAN'T! You'll die! I won't let you go!" she screamed, tears rolling down her cheeks as she clung to her love.
He quietly brushed her tears from her eyes, looking deeply into her stunning indigo irises. "Yamara, as long as you hold me in your heart, I will never die." He grinned boyishly, trying to give her hope to cling to as he brushed past her. Calling over her shoulder, he replied, "We shall fall in love again; no god will stop me from coming back to you."
And, just like that, he was gone.
"My Queen..." The voice behind her raised Yamara from her thoughts, turning and staring back at Demona in acknowledgement.
"Demona...?"
"My Queen, Midnight is dying." the female guard held Midnight tightly, protectively, lovingly. "IN a matter of moments, she will slip from this plain into the Afterlife."
"Can... can we save her?"
Demona hesitated, unsure of what to say. "In a matter of speaking... yes..."
The Queen turned and stared, desperate. "What can we do?"
"With my powers... I can seal her spirit, her soul inside an item, in hopes that she may awaken to live again."
"Will it work?"
"It is the same ritual that the Pharaoh will perform to seal away the evils of this world."
There was no hesitation in her answer. "Do it."