Syaoran

Chapter 26-Akira

" He's going to go mad." Pegasus said quietly. " He's waking up pretty soon."
" He'll go crazy." I agreed. " What can we do to help him?"
" Well, we have the cards, we have the magicians." Seto stood up.
" Hey, why don't we just let Syaoran transform into Tarkot or somethin?" Jou asked. " I mean, he's his reincarnation, after all."
" You baka." Anzu scolded. " Just because Syaoran's Tarkot's reincarnation doesn't mean he can just switch back and forth like Yami and Yugi!"
" Well," Syaoran came to Jou's defense, surprisingly, " I can, sort of, if what I think works, but first of all I don't know if Tarkot knows Japanese, and second," He suddenly blushed. " If you see Tarkot you'll think I'm cute. I'm not very sure it's a good idea. Also, Yami might not react the way you want him to."
" Tarkot might not react the way you want him to either." Pegasus pointed out. " But I think it would be good for the little Pharaoh. The only thing that's haunting him now is that he thinks Tarkot is mad at him and that's why he died. If we can somehow show him that Tarkot forgives him, which I'm sure he does because Syaoran is, then it will be very good for him."
" It's worth a try." Syaoran looked at Anzu. " Never underestimate Jounouchi. He comes up with the strangest ideas. And they sometimes work."

We laughed, despite the situation.



" Okay..." Jou blinked. " Now first of all, you're tellin me that you don't really like this idea, and then you're sayin that you don't know how to do it?"

Syaoran ignored Yue's glare. " I can use the Return Card, although it will take a lot of energy, and all this switching of souls is mostly the items' job. I have no idea where to begin. We could use some Egyptian item, like Ryou's ring. A piece of it, at least. But I don't know how it will affect Akira. For all I know he might be trapped in there again."

I didn't really like that but since it was for Tarkot, we took off one of the pieces. Nothing happened.

" Well, that's a good start." Syaoran sighed, holding the small pyramid. " I can place this in the center. The Return Card over here...the Time Machine over here, and...The Book of Spells, or whatever it's called," Syaoran arranged the cards, " And the Time Card here. I just hope this works.

Hui shi shu muo,
Hui dao Ta Ke-"

It was all it needed really, and there was a surrounding flash. We all covered our eyes at the light. When it finally dimmed we looked cautiously, hoping that the spell was right.

Syaoran was smart and he had a logical mind. What stood before us was Tarkot. But now that I looked at him again at this time I realized that Syaoran was right.

Tarkot was a pale fellow. He was older than Syaoran, the age that he died, which was thirteen. He had longer hair than Syaoran, all the way down to his shoulders, but it was in a short hair style so he still had a boyish look. He was not cute at all. There was nothing cute about him. He did not have any baby fat around his cheeks or the soft smoothness that Syaoran had around his face. Instead his features were sharp and well defined, his eyebrows thick and his golden eyes gleaming, giving him a dark and fierce impression that I suppose all of us Millenium Spirits have. He was rather tall for his age and his frame was thin, with strong hands and long legs. He was dressed in white, a slave's attire, with a bundle of cloth on his left shoulder, with a long flowing capelike thing that covered his left arm. It was part of the cape along the back, which gathered into wrinkly cloth that was tied back to the knot. He had a belt of white cloth that was limp and loose, and ended with a knot that was attached to more cloth with beads on them, and it was flapping loose around his legs.

No. Tarkot was not cute. But he was a handsome child.

" Akira." He called. " Where am I?"

I started. How long had I last heard Egyptian words?

" You are in the land without Kings." I told him. " In the future, in the body of your reincarnation."
" Reincarnation." Tarkot answered. " Egyptian stories do not speak of reincarnation."
" And yet they are."
" How did I get here?"
" Your reincarnation summoned you."
" Why?"

I hesitated.
" Remember what happened before you came?" I asked.

Tarkot was silent for a moment.
" Yes." He answered. " The Pharaoh was at my bedside. As were all that I knew."
" You died." I told him. " The Pharaoh was hurt with guilt."
" As he should be." Tarkot answered. " What happened to him?"
" It was exactly as you foretold." I said after a moment's pause. " The Shadow Games helped him to his doom."
" And the puzzle?"
" He is now the spirit."

Tarkot looked at the others. " Who are they?"
" They are friends of the Pharaoh's half reincarnation."

Tarkot's gaze lingered upon Yue and Kero. The two guardians shifted uneasily. They both knew that Tarkot was not someone to be messed with...anymore.
" And those two?" He asked.
" Those are the guardians of your reincarnation."

Tarkot held the eyes of the guardians for a long time.
" You still did not answer the question." Tarkot said finally. " Why am I here?"
" The Pharaoh is in pain." I answered quietly. " He needs what comfort you may give."
" And why do you suppose I should comfort him?"
" Because I know you well."

At this point I realized I did not just meet Tarkot once. I was actually friends with him. Tarkot's eyes lingered on Ryou.
" You, too, are the spirit within an item." He looked at the ring. " The Millenium Ring."
" The Pharaoh condemned me." I said quietly. And all of this was said in Egyptian.

Tarkot was silent for a long moment before asking, " Where is he now?"

We led Tarkot into the room where Yami was. Yami was awake, fully, and was crying into Yugi's shoulder, his sobs and wails filled with regret and horror. At the sight of the Pharaoh, thus weakened, I instinctively felt distaste for him. So weak. So fragile. But I quickly suppressed this feeling. He had done great wrong and suffered great pain. And pain can weaken anyone.

Tarkot watched Yami and studied Yugi, who gasped silently and stared at Tarkot, wondering what happened. Of course he wasn't Syaoran.

Yami turned his head, as if aware of our presence, and froze at the sight of Tarkot. His face turned several shades of white and he gaped like a choking fish, unable to comprehend at first. I wondered if we had made a mistake, but Tarkot was quick, and just as Yami let out an anguished shriek Tarkot had rushed to him and wrapped his arms around him, holding him in a warm embrace.

Yami couldn't speak at first and could only sob helplessly, but soon I heard Egyptian words.
" I'm sorry, I'm so sorry-"
" There's nothing to be sorry about." Tarkot answered gently. " Don't cry, Pharaoh. I'm not angry. I was only a slave, after all." Tarkot chuckled sadly.

Yami Yugi withdrew sharply out of the embrace and glared at him through his tears.
" Don't ever say that." He snapped, then sniffled. Tarkot smiled.
" I have no idea what you got yourself into at this time." Tarkot answered. " But I do know that your life isn't as bad as I was afraid it would be. That is enough to make me content."

Yami just looked at him bitterly. " Then why did you leave me?" He asked quietly.

Tarkot paused at this question. I hoped he would give the right answer.

He didn't answer. Instead he wrapped his arms around Yami again and buried his head into Yami's shoulder. Yami understood and blinked his tears away, returning Tarkot's embrace. But he held him tightly, and when I looked in the Pharaoh's eyes I saw that they were full of despair.




Tarkot stayed with us for a while because we didn't know how to call Syaoran back again. He never learned Japanese but he knew who the people were and could guess what they were saying. He disliked Yue and Kero and really liked Seto. He didn't like snow, which was quite cute of him, so he was never accepting when it came to refrigerators.

Out of all of us he was still the youngest, other than Mokuba, who Tarkot also spends most of his time with, and I got constantly freaked because Tarkot was so much like Syaoran.

One day Tarkot found the Syaoran cards and to our surprise was very interested in them, not knowing that they are the source of Syaoran's despair. He laughed at the pictures with delight.

Then he placed them in a mysterious order, without any Duel Monsters cards, and what should stand before us but Li Syaoran.