Chapter 8

"Dredging Up Bad Memories"

Crash! A small glass vile slipped out of Shadi's hands.

"Master…?" Void asked, looking up from his books that were spread on the floor around him, "Are you alright…?"

Shadi, who was also seated on the stone floor with herbs and scrolls scattered about, looked down regretfully at the broken vile. "I sense something just now…" he said slowly, "that I'd hoped I'd never sense again…"

"What is it?" Void pressed on.

"Two souls passing into the Shadow Realm," Shadi said bluntly, "The magical balance is being disturbed…and it is centralizing itself in Japan…"

"You don't suppose…?" Void asked, nervousness rising in his voice.

Shadi turned his gaze on his pupil, grateful to see the energy in his once empty eyes, and the color in his once deathly-pale skin. The past six months had been most beneficial for the boy – he was really beginning to come alive. And the fear in his eyes now, struck a chord in the Egyptian that he'd never known he'd had. "No…Jetsu's essence is not what I feel coming from Japan," he said.

Void breathed a sigh of relief, "No…he's gone…I'm just being stupid…"

Shadi rubbed the back of his neck and said, "I do not wish to alarm you…but you're worries may not have been misplaced…"

"I don't understand…" Void said.

"For some time now," Shadi said, beginning to clean up the shattered glass in front of him, "I have sensed your old master's essence far away from here…I said nothing until now because I was not sure that I was correct, but now I am certain."

"What??" Void asked.

"The presence I have felt is arriving here in Egypt now," Shadi said, "I do believe its destination is the home of the Millennium Rod…and the Ishtars…we shall soon be paying them a visit." He paused for a moment, as he stood to dispose of the broken vial, then changed the subject, "I am sorry, but this bit of distress has caused me to ruin the newest batch of your medicine…it will be a few days before the ingredients are ripe again. Do you have enough to last until then?"

"If I ration it correctly I'll manage, master. I have suffered much worse after all…"

Shadi nodded, "Good. Now, come…we must prepare for travel. Cairo is a good distance away."

* * *

"Hey, has anyone seen the doofus?" Joey asked, sidling into the boys' locker room before P.E. on Monday morning, duffle bag slung over one shoulder.

"If you mean Tristan, then no," Yugi said, looking up from the padlock on his locker, "I was expecting him to come in with you."

"Huh…" Joey said, frowning. He slammed his locker and it sprang open. "Well, I walked past his house this morning to meet him, but he wasn't there."

"Come to think of it, I haven't seen Tea around either," came a voice from behind one of the lockers, revealing Bakura (fully clad in dorky gym clothing).

"Gee…I wonder what they're up to…" Joey said slyly, pulling his shirt off.

"Joey!!" Yugi said, blushing slightly, "I wouldn't talk – I didn't see you all weekend and I know Mai was in town."

"It wasn't anything like that, Yug! We was just hangin' out…as friends, ya know?" the blonde told his short friend, arms outstretched in exasperation.

"Right…" Yugi said, folding up his shirt and putting it in his locker, "Friends…is that the title Mai decided on?"

"Naw, that's what I rate our current status at!" Joey replied enthusiastically, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, "I'm hopin' to get past that phase soon, if ya know what I'm sayin', right Yug?"

Bakura walked off shaking his head, "I'm not hearing this… I'm not hearing this…"

"Listen Joey," Yugi said as he and Joey trailed after Bakura a brief moment later, "Just how serious are you about Mai, anyway?"

"What'd ya mean by that?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at his best friend, "I'm as serious as she is, man!" He knew this was an evasive answer but in all truthfulness, he had never really asked Mai how serious she was about him, so it was best not to get too definitive.

"That doesn't really say much, seeing as I don't talk to Mai that often…" Yugi said, "But really…you wouldn't do anything…um, reckless…would you?"

Wheeler went red around the cheeks and turned away, 'Dunno what you're talkin' about, Yug. Not a clue…"

"Now I know you're lying," Yugi said, "I'm almost fifteen, remember? I'm not a little kid anymore. You can talk to me about this kinda stuff, can't you?"

"Yeah, I guess so," Joey told him with a sigh, "I'm still getting' used that this, ya know? I usually only talk ta Tristan about these things, but he's not here… Nevermind," Joey said, shaking his head, "No, I wouldn't do anything without her consent. Is that good enough for ya?"

"I don't think you'd really need to worry about her not consenting," the younger boy said bluntly, "If she still kisses you like she did at the airport, I'd say you're pretty safe as far as that goes."

"Yeah, well…" the older male said, completely flustered, "She does…" he finished meekly, his voice getting softer.

"I'd say you're a little more than friends, huh?" Yugi concluded, grinning.

"HEY! MOTO, WHEELER! GET YOUR BUTTS IN GEAR!" the blast of the megaphone combined with the gym teacher's already resounding voice nearly made both Joey and Yugi deaf and they were forced to abandon their conversation for running laps. It was a pretty good trade off in Joey's opinion…

* * *

Vitani needed sleep desperately, but refused to give in to it. Falling asleep would mean falling prey to the nightmares again…and she couldn't risk that. Instead, she shoved her exhaustion to the back of her mind and plodded on. The city of Cairo was large, and it was mid-morning by the time she found what she was looking for. The home of the Ishtars was a two story stone building near the outskirts of the city, nothing out of the ordinary, which Vitani guessed was intentional. From what she had heard about them, the three siblings had never been normal, but were now attempting to seem that way and she couldn't blame them. It was all she'd ever wanted as well.

But now it seemed unlikely that she would ever get it. She sighed as she scanned the area. No one was around – they were all hurrying to get their errands done before the heat of mid-day struck. Swiftly, she picked the lock on the front door and entered. Inside it was dark and cool, with just a bit of sunlight peaking through the drawn curtains. She made short work of searching the house, and quickly came upon what she wanted: the Millennium Rod.

It was placed in a stone mold in one of the bedrooms, with a glass lid over top of it. Drawing out the wooden sword she had brought along, she smashed the glass and only then, did she realize that the sword in her hands was not wooden, but gold. Somehow, the Millennium Sword had replaced itself within her sheath. She dropped it, but even as she did, it began to glow once more, and the pounding in her head started again.

Unwillingly, her hands moved towards the Rod. She struggled, finally broke out of the invisible hold and instantly began clutching her head, moaning in pain. What's happening…? she thought weakly.

Take the Rod for me, Vitani… said a voice in her head, Take it!

"NO!!" Vitani cried aloud, "Leave me alone!!"

At that instant the door to the room swung open and she heard a young man's voice, "What on Earth?!"

She staggered towards the voice, "Help me, please…"

She fell forwards, hitting the floor as the man's voice seemed to call from far away, "Odion! Ishuzu! Come quick!"

* * *

"Hey…I think she's coming around."

"Maybe now we'll get some answers."

"Odion, please…"

Vitani rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands, and then looked around. She was lying on her back on something soft and a woman with long black hair was sitting beside her. Further back, a young man with blonde hair and a man who looked to be in his mid-thirties with a long black ponytail were watching her as well. The Ishtars: Ishizu, Marik and Odion.

She sat up quickly, which caused her head to throb painfully again, and Ishizu reached out to her, gently pushing her onto her back. "Careful now…you don't want to hurt yourself," she said.

"I…I don't understand…" Vitani murmured, "Why am I still here? Why are you being so nice to me…? I tried to rob you…"

"Yes…throwing you out was Odion's first idea," Ishizu said and the older man shrugged, "But I had foreseen your coming and wanted to ask you a few questions."

"Like what?" Vitani asked.

Marik came closer, kneeling down next to Ishizu. "Like why you were trying to steal the Millennium Rod. And what were you yelling at when I found you?" he asked, looking worried.

Vitani swallowed hard. All three of them had their eyes on her. There was no way she could lie to them – they would know. She sat up again, more slowly this time. "I work for Seto Kaiba…" she began.

"And he ordered you to do this?" Odion said.

"No!" Vitani said quickly, "No I chose to come here myself…"
"Who were you planning to give the Rod to?" Ishizu asked.

"Kaiba…" Vitani admitted, "It rightfully belongs to him after all…"

"That's true," Ishizu nodded, "But when I offered it to him he turned it down. He chose to deny his ancestry."

"Well, I don't know about that part," Vitani said, "But I do know he believes in the magic – he wants to have it now – to bring his hologram-technology up to a new level."

"I see…" Ishizu said, "Yet I sense that you know the dangers of a Millennium Item…why would you risk the health of Kaiba and those around him by presenting him with this."

"Because it would make him happy," Vitani said without thinking. She clapped a hand over her mouth immediately afterwards, but Ishizu was smiling knowingly.

"Who would want Seto Kaiba to be happy?" Odion snorted.

"Odion!" Ishizu said, "Please…try to show some restraint." He frowned at her, but was silent. She turned back to Vitani, "I am sorry, but we cannot let you have the Rod. I only offered it to Kaiba because it was his by birthright, but truthfully, I was relieved when he turned it down. I don't think he would ever be able to control the fierce negative energies that swell within it."

"I think each Item would be subordinate to its true owner," Vitani said firmly, and she noticed Marik turn slightly red.

"I'd like to share your optimism," Ishizu said, "But I'm afraid I cannot. I'm not willing to risk any more lives by releasing the Rod's power once again. You have come here in vain."

Vitani turned away angrily, staring out the nearest window at the empty, dusty street.

"We will not turn you out on the street, however," Ishizu said, rising to her feet, "You are welcome to spend the night and catch the morning flight back to Japan." On that note, she and Odion left the room, leaving Marik standing there, still flushing angrily.

"If each Item is subordinate to its true owner, then why do you still have the Sword?" he asked, feeling his temper rise. The young Egyptian man had been fairly well behaved after the incident at Battle City, but even that memory could not curb his enthusiasm or anger at times, "I want to know what you were yelling about before! Does the Sword no longer listen to you?"

Vitani jerked her head back around to glare at him, ready to say something – anything to get him to leave, but one look at his face and she saw a piece of herself in him. Her anger faded from her expression, replaced with a more subdued, sullen look. "How much do you know about me, Marik?" she asked.

"I know that your name is Vitani Icari. You were the servant to Lord Jetsu for two years, before the Pharaoh destroyed him six months ago. I also know that the Millennium Sword was his possession, not yours," Ishtar told her, holding his arms straight down at his side.

Vitani leaned back against the cushions of the futon. "I suppose there's no point in denying any of it," she said, "I'm not proud of who I was – but I'm not that anymore…at least…I thought I wasn't…" her voice trailed off and she searched his face imploringly.

"And what does that mean? Yami killed Jetsu over the summer. The Shield was the only thing left acknowledging his existence. I heard that someone stole it soon afterwards…" Marik added thoughtfully, sitting down in one of the chairs across from the couch.

"Yes…the Shield was stolen from the Egyptian officials that recovered it from the wreckage of the Pyramid," she nodded, "But I'm beginning to think that it was not the only Item he wove his influence into…" Slowly, she unsheathed the Sword, running the fingers of her free hand down the blade, staring at it intensely, as if trying to see inside it.

"If you can't control the Sword, I suggest you leave it here with the Rod. My sister and I can look after it." Marik leaned forward, trying to get Vitani's attention off of the Millennium Item she was fingering, "A very dangerous magic was used in combination with that Item, you know. He knew more about the dark magic of Egypt's past that any of us."

"I know he did…" Vitani said, "But I don't think you or your siblings can protect me from it…from him…" She dropped the blade on the floor with a soft clang, as if suddenly afraid to touch it.

"Him? His influence may remain, but Jetsu Maeda is dead, Vitani," Marik stood and started towards the door, "I believe it's time that you realized that and got on with your life. I'm sorry, but like my sister said: the Rod stays here. And I recommend you leave the Sword as well." With that he left, leaving Vitani all alone in the living room.

Vitani watched him go, disappointed. Of all people, she'd thought he'd have understood. For the first time that morning she had heard Jetsu's voice, egging her on as she attempted to steal the Rod. It had been as clear as if he'd been standing beside her. But he was dead, so that could only mean she was going crazy…or was she…? She looked back down at the Sword and was horrified to see that it was glowing slightly red. She scrambled off the couch and back against the far wall, watching it anxiously. She hadn't meant to bring it – she had made certain that it was stashed away in her room back at Kaiba Manor…so how was it here?? It's true…she thought, no one can save me from him… I'll never be free from him…

"Be strong, Vitani," came a commanding voice from the doorway. Odion walked into the room without looking at the young woman and made his way over to the Sword. It had stopped glowing, which made the tall, well-built man frown. He picked up the Item and offered it hilt-first to her, "Have courage; He will not be back. His memory can haunt your dreams, but only if you let him. Show no fear and those that seek to challenge you will fail."

Vitani took the blade and sheathed it, not looking away from his piercing gaze for an instant. "I'll try…" she said, "But what if –"

"There must be no doubts," Odion cut her off, "Doubts only lead to weakness, Vitani. Banish him from you thoughts now. Be who you choose to be – not who your past dictates."

She nodded, still held as if mesmerized by his eyes – where had she seen such strength before…? "I will…" she said.

Odion looked skeptical that she was telling the truth, but turned and left the room without a second look at her. He could only offer her advice; it was up to her how she used it.

* * *

By the time night fell, Vitani could hold off sleep no longer, no matter how hard she tried. She finally slumped over on the couch from exhaustion near midnight. But the instant she had closed her eyes, they snapped open again, now dark green. She sat up and stealthily climbed the stairs up to the room where the Rod was held.

Ishizu was fast asleep when the door to her room was pushed silently open, and Vitani's shadowed figure crept inside, Sword sheathed. The glass on the case for the rod had not yet been repaired. She reached inside, but her wrist was caught by another thin hand. It was a deeper voice than Vitani's that grunted in annoyance as she turned to face Ishizu, who now seemed to have been faking sleep.

"My necklace warned me you would try this again," she whispered, "And it also told me that you are not Vitani. What do you have to say to that, Maeda?"

"Your Necklace is a pathetic excuse for a Millennium Item, Ishtar," Jetsu pulled the Sword out of its sheath and pointed it at Ishizu, "It just pales in comparison, doesn't it?"

"I won't let you get away with controlling her," Ishizu said, not flinching.

"You have no say in the matter. I am the master, not her. Just like old times…" Jetsu said smirking frigidly.

"She will fight you."

"She's already tried. No one can fight the inevitable and be successful. Now as much as I've enjoyed this little conversation, I believe its time I took the Millennium Rod and departed." He reached back for the Millennium Rod, never taking his eyes off of Ishizu, but he did lower the Sword.

"Do you really think you can live through her forever?" Ishizu asked him as he backed towards the open window.

"I won't need to," Jetsu responded, finally turning away from her, "Soon she'll be dead. With just a little bit of help from an old friend, I'll be able to return to a body of my own. Enjoy life, while you can." He leaped out of the window and down to the streets two stories down. It took mere seconds for Lord Jetsu to disappear into the night, out of Ishizu's gaze.

The former tomb-keeper hung her head, and was silent a long moment. Then a voice from behind her made her snap to attention, "All is not lost, Miss Ishtar." She turned to see Shadi standing in her doorway, visible only by the moonlight pouring through the open window.

"You…" she said.

"Can you really be surprised to see me?" Shadi asked her.

"I suppose not," she shrugged, leaning back against the windowsill, "But what do you mean all is not lost? Is there anyway we can destroy him without the girl losing her life as well?"

"Jetsu was within one soul of destroying the world last time. I don't intend to give him a second chance…even if there are sacrifices involved," Shadi told the elder of the Ishtar siblings, his hard stare fixed upon the window from which Jetsu had left.

Ishizu nodded sadly, "I understand…what do you intend to do?"