Yami: this fic is EVIL
Yugi: I agree
Tea: ditto
Joey: Hey what about me? im
the dead one here!
Tristan: nobody luvs you thats
why
Joey: ;_;
Shibby: I luv you Joey!
Joey: ^_^
Mandy: hey! ::grabs joey::
Shibby: poo -_-
ANYWAY.... hey its chappie 15! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! anywayz.... moving on.... soooo.... the ficcy is winding down now.... so..... tata!
Reviez are at the bottom of the page..... pagES....PLURAL... MORE THEN ONE... ACK
Oh btw: My Mid-Term Exams are coming up, so i might not update for awhile in the beginning of January 2004... I SHALL RETURN ::sob:: newayz...
I'm Still Dreaming
Chapter Fifteen
If there's one thing that anyway will regret; it's not paying attention to the entire point of their actual existence.
The eighteen-year-old heir to the Egyptian throne, Zvallah, was sitting outside of the Game Shop, sitting on a bench across the street. He knew that his father's reincarnation lived inside the Kame Game Shop. He knew that the only way he could possibly help.... Would be to meet the present-day Pharaoh.
Yugi, unaware that there was someone waiting for him outside, left the Game Shop in lower spirits then before. His eyes were red-rimmed, and his face was tear-streaked. He had found out the night before that his partner, his savior, his friend... Jonouchi... he had died from loss of blood and head damage. And a lack of proper care. Even the wheather was gloomy; the pure white snow that had fallen yesterday afternoon was now dirty, slushy snow, what with the sudden rain and warmer temperatures.
Zvallah almost didn't have the heart to walk up to him. Yugi looked down at the Sennen Puzzle hanging around his neck, then he placed his hand on his waist. Underneath his jacket, attached to his belt, was his deck, placed in a small card holder. He took in a breath, then continued walking. He was just waling around, trying to let out his emotion.
Zvallah gulped, then stood. He started slowly, then broke into a run. He began calling his name.
"Yugi! Hey, Yugi! Wait up!" Yugi, not recognizing Zvallah's voice, stopped and turned a little, just enough so he could see over his shoulder. Yugi's face became confused as he saw Zvallah advancing towards him.
"Uhhh... Who're you?" Yugi asked, not realizing how rude he sounded. Zvallah was leaning over, panting. He straightened up, towering over Yugi. He was at least a good five or six inches higher then he was. Yugi stared at him in awe, then gasped as he looked at his eyes.
Zvallah's eyes..... His face..... The way he stood.... They all seemed familiar...
Like mou hitori no boku, Yugi thought, placing a protective hand on the Eye symbol of the Puzzle. Zvallah's eyes traveled down to the Puzzle, a grin spreading across his face.
"You don't know me, Yugi, but I'm a senior at your school," Zvallah said. It could be true, Zvallah thought. Yugi nodded.
"Oh. Well..." A little shaky, Yugi gulped. "What do you want with me?"
"I need to talk to you," Zvallah said, guiding Yugi to a bench. The two sat down on the bench, Zvallah's eyes never straying from the Puzzle. Yugi went along with it, wondering if it had something to do with everything that had been happening (Since he was eyeing the Puzzle.) Or maybe it was just... He didn't know.
Yugi looked down, and something caught his eye. His eyes widened as he noticed the ring on Zvallah's middle finger.
It was a gold band, with a green jem shaped like a closed-winged scarab on it. It looked very old; it had strain marks on it, as well as little chips and scuffs. But what goggled Yugi the most was the fact that, when he and his friends traveled to Yami's memory world, Yami had been wearing the exact same ring. It was a ring passed down in his family for years....
"The Pharaoh's ring!" Yugi said without thinking, pointing to it. Zvallah looked at it, then turned to Yugi excitedly.
"You know the Pharaoh?"
"Mou hitori no boku?" Yugi said. Zvallah gave him a confused look.
"Mou hitori no boku..... 'Another me'?" he said. Yugi waved it away.
"Yes, well, I do know him..." Zvallah leaned closer to Yugi.
"Do you know his name?"
"Pharaoh Atem?"
"YES!" Zvallah cried, jumping up. "That's just who I was looking for!" He punched the air, his hands shaking with excitement. Yugi just gawked at him.
"Ummm.... How do you know the Pharaoh?" Yugi asked, somewhat suspiciously. He had had bad experiences with people who knew too much in the past. Zvallah stopped celebrating and smiled down at Yugi.
"Mutou Yugi.... You're looking at Prince Zvallah, heir to the throne of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt. Pharaoh Atem's son." §
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Yami looked from Asenath, to Teanna, then back to Asenath.
"This is really unnerving," Teanna said, shivering.
"I agree," Asenath said, braiding a lock of her hair nervously. Yami just couldn't think of anything he could do. He knew they were at the gates of Imenet, but they were being rejected for some unknown reason, and he couldn't figure out why.....
"There's something we have to do... We have to help someone," Teanna said slowly.
"Help someone how?"
"I don't know!"
"Who are we helping, exactly?"
"I DON'T KNOW!!"
The three stood there sullenly, in the same place they were before. Teanna fingered the silver chain around her neck nervously, looking over her shoulder frequently. Yami crossed his arms over his chest and pouted. Asenath shivered. She turned, and saw her younger brother pouting.
"Oh, stop it! Act your age, at least! You're a man!"
"Not in modern-time. I'm only sixteen, Asenath."
"Shut up." Yami stuck his tounge out at Asenath, making her stamp her foot angrily.
"Ohh, you are so annoying!"
"I'm your younger brother; it's my job."
"Listen here, brother, just because you're pharaoh does NOT mean you can disrespect me! I'm your older sister, and a priestess, and an Earth goddess! So shut up!" Yami glared at her. It was really hard for him to take her seriously when she looked only ten years old.
"Well I am the Pharaoh, whether you like it or not, and I am an Earth god, too!" Asenath glared right back at him. Teanna, still fingering the chain, watched the sibling rivalry between the two with amusement. Asenath closed her eyes, then said
"I am older then you; I've been more places then you; ergo, I am smarter then you could ever be!!"
"That coming from a ten-year-old," Yami said, his hands balling into angry fists. Teanna gasped. She could tell by the look on her old master's face that he had touched a nerve. She was actually six years his elder. She had "died" [1] when she was twenty-two. That means it was a twenty-two-year-old against a sixteen-year-old, both equally witted and smart. Not good.
Asenath closed her eyes tight, a strange aura growing around her. Yami's eyes went wide, as did Teanna's, as her body morphed in front of them. She grew taller, her hair longer, her body took a more feminine shape, her clothes changed.
The next thing they knew, a woman about six or seven inches taller then both Yami and Teanna was standing before them, her black hair in a tight bind, her spiky blonde bangs covering her angry eyes. Hands on her hips, she glared down at her brother, making him back away a little.
"So, brother," she said in a deeper voice. "Who's older?" Yami shrugged, shaking a little. He needed a good comeback...
Then it hit him. He's male. She's female. Which, in Egypt's time, meant....
Yami was superior.
He used this against her. He crossed his arms over his chest, a smug look on his face.
"I'm male; your female. Therefor, I am superior." Yami had gone too far this time. All three of them knew how wrong that ancient theory was.... But he didn't think. He hadn't thought that he would also insult the woman he loved.
Teanna got an angry look on her face, her hands in fists.
"Is that so, Yami?" she said, advancing on Yami before Asenath had time to. The realization of what he just did hit him - hard. He unfolded his arms, biting his lower lip. Both Asenath and Teanna looked pissed off. And Yami instantly regretted the entire argument.
"Oh... Did... Oh my God, I am so sorry," he said, a pained look on his face. He could see the anger radiating off of Asenath's body, which made him terrified. But what was even worse was Teanna.
Her golden-red eyes shone with tears, a hurt expression on her face. He had even told her.... That first time they were together in the garden.... That that ancient notion was wrong...
"You- You-" Asenath stammered, too angry to even speak correctly. "You.... You son of a..." She didn't finish her sentence. Yami didn't care if she had; it was the hurt expression in Teanna's eyes that killed him. He hadn't meant to insult her.... Hell, he hadn't meant to insult Asenath so badly either. Teanna just shook her head.
"I thought.... I thought that you didn't believe that," she said slowly. Yami wished she had yelled. It was so painful for him to hear her sound so sad....
"I don't Teanna, really! I didn't mean any of it! I'm just frustrated, that's all! Really!" Asenath spat at him.
"Yeah, I'm sure," she said, hurt in her voice as well. "Glad we get to know the real you, brother. All the shit about you being the 'different' pharaoh was a lie."
For the life of him, Yami couldn't figure out why they were so angry. When Jonouchi had used the same argument awhile back while fighting with Mai, she had just laughed. Even Japan had a history of thinking low of women. But these two....
Teanna wanted to forgive him. She knew he hadn't meant it; in their most intimate night together, he had told her that he didn't believe that. Her fingers were still wrapped around the cartouche hanging around her neck. Yami saw it glinting, and walked over to her, taking her hands in his.
"Teanna...." he whispered, leaning close to her. "I wouldn't lie to you. You know I wouldn't lie to you." Teanna looked down at his hands, avoiding his pleading eyes. Asenath smiled with satisfaction.
She looked up, staring into the crimson stars he had for eyes. She could see into them; your eyes reflect your soul. Which meant.... He was truly sorry. Teanna closed her eyes and leaned agaisnt him, crying.
"I'm so sorry...." Yami said softly. He turned to Asenath.
"Asenath... You're right, I was out of line.... I regret saying that, but I don't take back everything else." Asenath stared at him, and she knew she couldn't stay mad. He held Teanna closely, his hand wrapped around her wrist. Asenath looked at his hand, and noticed a ring that belonged to her father on his middle finger. She smiled as she knew what the ring was; as soon as the heir to the throne was born, he recieved a family gift from both his mother and his father....
Her heart stopped. She nearly shreiked with happiness.
"Yami! Teanna!" she cried excitedly, running over to the couple.
"Yes?" Teanna said, seperating from Yami. Asenath held up Yami's hand, the green jem reflecting the sunlight.
"The ring! Father's ring!"
"Yeah... and...?" Asenath stepped back, nearly exploding with excitement.
"You gave the ring to Zvallah, right?"
"Yeah..."
"The ring is connecting you to him! The ring and both your love for Zvallah! They're connecting you to him! That's why you could hear him! That's our ticket outta here! The Pharaoh's Ring!" §
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"So, what did you want me to do, Meretseger?" Bakura asked, leaning forwards. Ryou had been moved back to his home after waking up the day before. He couldn't get out of bed for a few days, though, which was fine by Bakura and Meretseger. Meretseger smoothed the blanket that was covering Ryou's bed out carefully, avoiding eye contact. Her clothes were mussed up in her haste in putting them back on.... Bakura still hadn't dressed himself, considering he was half hidden under the blanket.
"Well..."
"Well what?" Asenath lay down on her stomach on the end of the bed, staring up at him.
"Are you sure that Ryou's father isn't here?"
"If he was, he would have come in before, you idiot."
"I guess you're right....." Reaching into her pocket, she added "It was a little.... noisy in here..." She pulled out a silk handkerchief that was folded up. Bakura looked at it questioningly.
"What the hell is that?" Unfolding the handkerchief, she unveiled..... A Duel Monsters' deck. Bakura was even more confused then before.
"Ummm..... You gonna duel someone, Meretseger?" She nodded.
"Yes. I'm going to duel Yami."
"The Pharaoh? Are you nuts?"
"You did it."
"I didn't come out of the duel alive, though...." She shrugged.
"This isn't my deck, however," she said slowly. She took a thick wad of cards off the top of the deck and held them up. "I want you to get these cards into Yugi's deck." Bakura eyed them suspiciously.
"Okay...." he said slowly. He had already gotten his end of the bargain.... And he couldn't help but want to help her..... She was way too beautiful....
"Alright I'll do it," he said sullenly. "But I have a suggestion."
"Really?"
"Yes. I suggest that, instead of dueling the Pharaoh, you should duel little Yugi instead." Meretseger gave a chuckle.
"Why?"
"Because he's so kind-hearted. And with these cards..." Bakura took them and looked at them. His face became confused.
"What the... Where the hell did these come from?" he said. He took one out of the pile and showed it to her.
"Look! Look at this card's name: The Dangerous Theif card. That's my ancient title! And...." he stared at it in surprise. "Thats me on the card! Wait.... No, that's Ryou on the card! What the fuck is he doing with my title on a card?!" Meretseger silenced him.
"Listen, these are special soul cards. Whenever Yami - or Yugi - plays one, it'll be like playing the soul of his friend. If the card is attacked, his friend will feel the pain. And if it's defeated, his friend will fall into a coma-like state. The only way to wake them up would be to win." She pulled the Trusted Friend card out of the pile. She frowned at it.
"This is Jonouchi's card. The good it'll do, that bastard's dead already." She sighed. "Oh well, I guess the others will just have to do...." She put them together in the pile. "You have to do this, Bakura." Bakura rolled his eyes, taking the cards.
"Alright... As long as I get to see them in action. But wait... How do you guarantee that he'll use them?" Meretseger smiled. She pulled a card out of her other pocket, holding it up in the air.
"With this," she said smugly. "See the little white symbol in the corner? That symbol is different then any other kind of card in the game. That symbol is reserved for these cards only. And this magic card..." She showed it to Bakura, "will force him to discard all his cards except ones with this symbol." Bakura was impressed with her plan. Except....
"How will you even get him to agree with the duel?"
"That's the easy part. I have control over who goes to Imenet...."
"You do?"
"... As long as they're buried in the Valley of the Kings, [2] I do. And I know that Yugi wants the Pharaoh and his wife to cross over to Imenet, so I can.... well.... I can prevent that from happening. With that threat, he'll have to accept." Bakura nodded.
"You seem to have covered every aspect of this."
"I have a lot of free time. Now, when can you switch this...?"
"Tonight. Jonouchi's wake is tonight, so Yugi-tachi will most likely be there." Bakura placed the cards on the side table next to Ryou's bed. "Before Ryou gets there, I can... cause a detour so I can take control and lead him here...."
"Oh, that's right! You're in his body!" Meretseger laughed. A thought suddenly came to her mind....
"You know you just lost his virginity, right?" §
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Yugi stared at him.
"Wait... You're... the Pharaoh's son?" he said slowly. Zvallah nodded as he sat down again. Yugi blinked, staring at him.
"If that's true-"
"-which it is-"
"-How can you be...."
"Alive?" Zvallah said for him. Yugi gulped and nodded. Zvallah shrugged.
"I was trapped in the Card with Asenath, and when she was released, so was I. I came here to see if I could find someone to help me get both my mother and my father back to this country." He crossed his arms angrily. "They've disapeared to Egypt. At the gates of Imenet."
"The afterlife? The West Banks?" Yugi said in awe. "So that's where they are...."
"Yeah, exactly," Zvallah said. "I know you're my father's reincarnation, so I have to ask you: Do you have any way of communicating with him?" Yugi shook his head. Zvallah's face fell.
"Aww, dammit...."
"Sorry, ummm.... What was it again?" Yugi asked.
"Zvallah. It means 'little gift' in... some language...." Zvallah smiled at Yugi.
"How could I do anything, though?" Yugi asked. Zvallah shrugged.
"Hey, you can duel, right, Yugi?"
"Yeah..."
"Well....." Zvallah stared ahead. "Meretseger is planning a duel. She wants to duel my father... But now she wants to duel you..." He trailed off, a slightly confused look in his eyes. "Or maybe she doesn't.... Ahh I can't hear her..."
"What? Meretseger? Do you mean the goddess Meretseger? Wants to duel me? How do you know this?" Zvallah smiled.
"I've been trapped with Asenath for three thousand years, who has a connection with Meretseger, so I developed one as well."
"What?" Zvallah sighed.
"Asenath - my aunt - she is the Earth goddess Meretseger. She looks like her, has her knowledge, has a bit of her power. Meretseger took Asenath over years and years ago... You didn't know that?"
"You did?" Zvallah nodded.
"Yeah. When Asenath disappeared and 'died', she was actually captured by bandits, who wanted to draw out the goddess Meretseger. Meretseger took over her body.... So now.... She's..... She was.... Trapped."
"Where?"
"In the Sennen Card! Weren't you listening?" Yugi held up his hands in a defensive position.
"Yeah, yeah, I heard you...." he lowered his hands. He looked up at Zvallah. He couldn't get over how much he resembled Yami... Zvallah frowned and sighed, staring out ahead. He turned back to Yugi, his eyes scared.
"Does Meretseger know about this connection....?"
"No. She doesn't know about mine... Of course, I can be wrong, I mean, does Meretseger even know how to duel?" Yugi shrugged. He hoped that Zvallah was wrong; how could he defeat an ancient Egyptian goddess?
Wait....
"An Earth goddess?" Yugi asked, slightly confused. Zvallah rolled his eyes.
"Yes. She's Meretseger's human form."
"Oh. Does the Pharaoh..."
"Yes, my father is an Earth form of a god." Yugi stared in amazement. Yami? A god? Well... He was a god once.... [3] But.... Yugi couldn't believe what he was hearing as the full body of this conversation sunk in.
He was speaking to the son of a three-thousand-year-old Pharaoh, whom he knew fairly well. They were talking about an insane goddess who took over an innocent girl's body, who wanted to duel Yugi. And, the add to the insanity, thinking of dueling made Yugi remember his friend's death. Which Yugi thought wouldn't happen for many years...
Yugi's eyes filled with tears as he remembered. Zvallah noticed.
"What's wrong?" he asked, putting his hand on Yugi's shoulder.
"N-nothing." Yugi wiped his eyes and looked up at Zvallah. "Ummm, if you don't mind my asking.... What god is the Pharaoh the human form of?" Zvallah smiled.
"Okay.... Thinking about the way he looks and acts and everything... The god is..."
"Yeah?"
"Osiris. Lord of the Dead." §
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There was no one home at the Game Shop that night.
There really should have been.
A shadowy figure was carefully pulling one of the broken skylights out of the window, piece by piece. As slowly as he could fall, he lowered himself into the room, squatting on Yugi's desk. He reached into his pocket, and pulled out a thick wad of cards. He carefully pulled the top sixteen or so cards from the deck sitting on the desk, and replaced those cards with some of his own.
As quietly as he came, he left, putting the skylight back in, and the skylight fixing itself in a flash of golden light. §
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After Zvallah had told Yugi about the secret Yami had been harboring, he jumped up, and disappeared in a flash of colored light, leaving Yugi in his confused thoughts.
He decided NOT to tell his friends about Yami's secret, but he did want to tell them about meeting Zvallah. He also told them about Asenath. The small group of them were sitting in the park, on the dry grass underneath a tree. Winter was on it's way to end, and most of the snow had melted away. The was still some little snipits of it, but it was pretty much gone by now.
Anzu, Honda, and Ryou listened with interest. Otogi was still at the wake. Besides, the only thing he knew about this whole mess was his friends were spending a lot of time in the hospital.
"And.... This is all true..." Ryou said slowly. He had no idea of what his yami had been doing, so he knew as much as the others. Yugi nodded.
"Yes... At least, I hope it is. I mean, I don't wanna wake up and find this all a dream.... although Jonouchi might still be alive, ne?" Yugi said slowly. He shook his head.
"It's all so overwhelming, isn't it," Anzu stated. She put her head in her hands, her hair falling over her fingers. Yugi looked at her, but he wasn't really seeing her. In his mind's eye, he was seeing that picture of his friends tacked to his wall. The one when they were all so happy, before any of this mess had even started…. Anzu closed her eyes.
"In Asenath's apartment," she started, "A sketchbook was sitting on a table. I was looking through it, and she had sketched various places around Domino." All three boys looked at her quizzically, but decided to let her finish.
"The places were all places around this city that…"
"That what, Anzu-chan?"
"…That we had been in before."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, she drew places like Touyashiya Pier, the Game Shop, our school, Domino Center, random alleyways, Downtown… She even sketched places in Tokyo like shops and apartments and the Prep School…. I swear, the entire Battle City was laid out in that pad." She looked up at her confused friends, all three of whom looked at each other, slightly confused.
"Umm, Anzu, what does that have to do with anything…."
"I mean, she could have done something to us to get those places out of our heads…"
"Yeah…" Anzu sat up straight.
"She did, did she? Before we were at those places?!" Yugi gasped, Honda swore, and Ryou was stunned. "Exactly. All the drawings were dated years before Yugi even solved the Sennen Puzzle!"
"But how…"
"I don't know!" Anzu cried, throwing her arms up. "It's something I don't know and no one else seems to know, so don't ask me!!" She leaned against the bench, her eyes closed, and tears streaming down her face. Yugi placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Anzu-chan…." He said softly. "It'll be alright, honestly." Anzu looked up at him, tears still shining brightly, like little crystals of ice in her brown eyes.
"Are you sure?" Yugi nodded.
"I promise." Anzu smiled. Yugi sat back and looked at Honda and Ryou. "I promise you, all of you, no matter what happens, we'll be alright." He closed his eyes. "Now, we even have an angel on our side." No one spoke after this last comment. Ryou looked out at the park, the melting snow making everything look wet, mushy and unpleasant. He crossed his arms over his chest, wondering how they got into this mess in the first place…
The four sat on the bench, all just thinking, hoping, maybe wishing for things to get better.
It'll be alright, honestly…. I promise you, all of you, no matter what happens, we'll be alright.
Anzu looked up at the clear sky.
"I wonder what that woman… Meretseger…. What's she gonna pull next?" The other shrugged.
"I hope it's nothing too dangerous," Ryou said softly. "I don't want anyone else to die."
"Neither do we…"
"Well," a voice said suddenly, "That's just too bad!!" All four of them looked up and around, trying to see where the voice came from. "Heh heh…" The horrible truth sank into them.
It was Meretseger.
She was standing in front of them, wearing the same black leather outfit that Asenath had worn. She smiled, her hands on her hips, glowering at them with a sinister glare.
"Meretseger, I presume," Yugi said, standing up. The others followed.
"Well, aren't you strong," she said softly. "I would have thought you would be broken about now…. Hmmm, that bastard was wrong. Well, tomb robbers aren't always trustworthy anyway…."
"What do you mean?" Ryou asked, stepping forwards.
"Exactly what it sounds like," Meretseger said, turning her icy stare onto Ryou. "That moron Bakura told me things about you… Well, at least he was right about some things…." Yugi stood in Ryou's defense.
"I don't know what you did to Bakura, or why he's even helping you," he saif angrily, "But I know that Ryou would never agree to helping him, so don't even try it." Meretseger frowned, clearly pissed off. She had been hoping to drive them against Ryou, but it didn't work.
"Damn…." She whispered. Then she shrugged. "Well, so you won't be divided. Oh well, more fun for me." She snapped her long fingers loudly. The scenery around them began to dissolve turning into darkness. The sound of rushing wind went through their ears as they spun around and around, eventually landing in a darkened area.
"Ohhh…." Honda moaned, sitting up on the hard ground. "Damn, was that fast…."
"Ow ow ow ow," Anzu muttered, rubbing her head. She looked around, the faint light of one torch all the light she had.
"Hey…. Where's Ryou and Yugi?" she said suddenly. She reached out, crawling on her knees, trying to feel for them. They might have been knocked unconscious from the fall….
"I found Ryou!" Honda called suddenly. He made a groaning sound, and Anzu could hear something dragging on the floor. "Wow, he's heavier then I thought."
"Is he okay?" Honda felt his forehead. He could feel Ryou's breath on his arms, so he knew he was still alive. He felt warm, sticky liquid on his forehead, and it was running down his face….
"He's bleeding," Honda said in a worried voice.
"How fast?"
"Not very."
"Good, See if you can stop the bleeding. I'll find Yugi…"
"Anzu?" A call came from higher then the ground. Anzu crawled forwards, her eyes adjusting to the vast darkness. She felt the wall…. Or at least, she thought it was a wall. She stood up, her hands feeling along the wall, until, of course, it…. Ran out. As she felt the wall disappear, she groped for something to hold onto, and fell forwards onto what seemed like a stone platform.
"Yugi?"
"Anzu? Honda? Ryou?"
"Yugi-kun?"
"Ryou's hurt."
"Oh! Is he okay?"
"He's just unconscious, he'll come around soon….."
"Don't let him breathe any dust, Honda, or he might start coughing!"
"Alright, alright…."
"Where are we, anyway?"
"A tomb?"
"Feels like it…." Anzu trailed off, leaning forwards on the platform. Suddenly, the unlit torches around the room burst into flame, hurting all their eyes.
"Ow!"
"Ah, bright!"
"Who turned on the lights?"
"I did," a voice said from the opposite end of the platform. The room they were in was huge, with a thick, stone platform in the center. Anzu was leaning on it, and Yugi was standing on the platform. Honda was near the wall, underneath a torch, Ryou's torso in his lap.
Meretseger walked out onto the platform. She held out her forearm, waiting for something.
"Uhh, what's going on…."
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!
"What the hell?" A flash of light, and a…. Duel Disk appeared on Meretseger's arm. She smiled as it beeped and flashed, getting ready for a duel. Another Duel Disk appeared, this time on Yugi's arm. Yugi stared at it as it beeped and flashed also, a deck in place.
"Are you guys gonna duel?" Honda asked. Anzu just stared. Meretseger smiled.
"Well, I know you're a good duelist, Mutou Yugi, crowned King of Games in three different competitions," she said. "Not only that, but you were a game master in a previous life…. Previous few lives….."
"Huh?"
"Nevermind!" she snapped, irritated. "We're going to duel, Yugi, you against me, in this ring."
"This is a ring?" Yugi said, looking around. Meretseger sighed and rolled her eyes. She pointed to a giant stone block shoved into what looked like a doorway.
"See that? That's the doorway to a hallway. At the end of the hall is a secret door into the Temple of Souls, [4] which means yes, this is a dueling ring. Now," she said, looking at Anzu, who had backed away, and Honda, who was glaring at her. "I see we have two visitors, why not add one more!" She pointed at the floor next to Anzu. Red light, scaring the shit out of both Anzu and Honda, flashing brightly, and a body appeared, lying on the floor.
It was Zvallah. He opened his eyes, sitting up, holding his head. His eyes widened as he saw where he was.
"What the hell… Where am I?"
"Zvallah!" Yugi cried, turning around to face him.
"Yugi-kun!"
"Zvallah?" Both Anzu and Honda said, Looking at him. Zvallah turned to them, surprised they were there. Angrily, Meretseger snapped.
"What the-WHOA!"
Fwoomp!
Zvallah cried out in pain as he fell to the floor, shaking. He looked up at Meretseger, glaring at her. His eyes were shooting daggers at her, but she didn't care.
"Zvallah! Are you alright?"
Smack! The sound of someone being slapped echoed throughout the vast room. Yugi staggered a little, holding his face, his cheek turning red. He looked back at her.
"Pay attention, you son of a bitch," she ordered. "We're going to duel right here, right now. If I win, the people I've captured stay here, forever."
"Who did you capture?" Anzu asked timidly. She was trembling with fear for Yugi, Honda, Zvallah, Ryou… All of them.
"Why should you care? You should know," Meretseger spat at her. "The Pharaoh and his wife. And his sister. All captured. They don't know it, but they're trapped. There's nowhere that they can go where they are…." She crossed her arms.
"And if you win," she said, nodding to Yugi, "I'll let them go. Deal?"
"Why should he barter with you?" Anzu yelled at Meretseger. "It's your damn fault that Jonouchi is dead! For all we know, he could be agreeing to his death sentence!"
"Calm yourself," Meretseger said in a warmer tone. "I also just want to see how well he duels." Yugi nodded. Anzu opened her mouth to protest, but Yugi shook his head.
"No, Anzu," he said softly. "Mou hitori no boku's happiness depends on this. And so doesn't…. My life. He stared at her.
"If you lose," he said slowly, "Not only will you set them free, but you'll get rid of that Sennen Card as well." Meretseger's face became enraged, but then it changed again, and she smiled.
"Alright. It's a deal then…. Also if I win, I get your lives."
"No," Yugi said defiantly. "You get my life – not theirs."
"Fine! Now, if you're done being so picky…."
"Yugi-kun…." Anzu whispered, sliding to her knees. "Please…."
"Be strong, Yugi," Honda said softly. Zvallah was lying on the floor, motionless, breathing hard, his eyes closed. He had been giving all the energy he had to Yugi, so he would be strong to endure this. The reason he was so strong when she arrived…..
"…Let the duel begin," Meretseger hissed, holding up her arm. Yugi did the same, feelinga surge of courage and strength wash over him.
However, if Zvallah gave him any more strength….
He would cease to exist.
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weeeeeee!!!!!! Newayz…..
~*Footnotes*~
[1] Asenath had "died" when she was 22: her body had died, but then a new one was created from the tears and ash of her sorrow. Also the sorrow of all the people who had been sp surprised and sad at what the Pharaoh had accomplished…
[2] Valley of the Kings: all of the dead Pharaoh's from the New Kingdom up are buried here. WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE~!
[3] Yami is a god: Pharaoh's are considered to be gods. That's what Yugi meant.
[4] Temple of Souls: that place where Akunadin protected all the tablets with kaa's in them for the Pharaoh and priests to use in battle… Kinda like a giant deck or holder-thingy^_^
~*End Footnotes*~
WEEEEEEEEENESS~~~~
So… how was it? Good? I hope so…. The next chappie is the duel!
WE! REVIEW TIIIIIIIIIIIME!
Reviewz:
YumeTakato: its spelled Zvallah and your right! He is goin after yugi!
Jeshone: ^_^;;; uhh, sorry, no hallucination there. I REALLY luv killing people of! Wait… uhh… *sweatdrops* not REALLY killing people, juss ya know writing it off…stuff like that…. Well you should read "When Angels Fall" then, cuz Jou dies in the first chappie, and well…. Actually hes in the entire story but still…. Also… hate to break it to ya, but Isis goes off with someone else in mah ficcy… *^_^* but thanks newayz! Please come back! *huggle*
YoSta: oh don't put yourself down! You can find out all this stuff in books and sites!! That's where I got lotsa my information from! Yea, I LUV both Ryou (He's SOOO KAWAII OMG HE'S SOOO COOL AND SWEET) and Bakura (HE IS SO DAMN SEXY) so… yeah. ^_______^ *drools*
Black Mistress: my plot isn't good…. it changes every chap! O well.. isn't Janime's site awesome? How does she do it? HOW HOW HOW I ASK YOU?!?!?!?! *cough* ahem…. Im okay…*dances away*
Yugiohchix2008: ^_^;;; uhhh, Jess? Can you say *coughtherapycough* newayz… I see you liked it! And I really luv the CD you gave me! Im listening to it right now! Its really nice to listen to while typing… it forces me to use words I don't know the meaning of! Nah JKJKJK!!!!
Chibi Momoko: ooo I luv your name!! Neywayz… yeah… I made that up as I went… at first it made no sense so I had to change it… good thing I did, too, or you'd be saying "What the f*** does that mean?!" along with… me…. Dot dot dot….
MarikzAngel: yes im sure. At least, according to a well-respected YGO website, it's ATEM/ATEMU (not quite sure which yet….) so im going with Atem^_^ that name sounds like something else tho…cuz when I read it I was like "damn where have I read that same name???" MUST….GO…..FIND OUT!!!!! *runs*
Well… tata for now!
HAPPY BELATED HOLIDAYS!!! WOOOOOT!!!!
Shibby-One
"That's not a pie! That's the cat food!"~My Grandma, X-mas Eve