Hey, I'm back again! Author's note's going to be much shorter this time,
though. I figure the last was long enough for a couple chapters. Last
time, I left off in a serious cliffhanger; Rena is hanging on the verge of
life and death. Yeah, yeah, I know, that's really redundant, and it isn't
like that hasn't happened already. Sorry, I couldn't think of a lot to
write, and I thought it was a good time for a brief interstitial.
Nonetheless, it's over, and it's time to continue. Oh but wait, maybe this
note will be longer! I forgot to give my story, the one that inspired me
to go back to my word processor! It was Chinese night at our house, and we
were of course eating. Then, came the fortune cookie, of which we only had
two. My youngest sister stole one and immediately popped it into her
mouth, very pleased at her cunning. So that left only one. After a very
heated game of "Rock Paper Scissors," I emerged the victor, and took the
fortune cookie down with me to my computer in triumph. So I was clicking
through files, and I found Konton, and brought up the last chapter. Then,
I decided to open my cookie, which I did, and then became very frightened,
for my fortune read, "Now is a good time to finish things long put off."
Or it was something like that. And so, of course, I did not want to anger
the great Fortune Cookie Spirits so I began to write ASAP. And now, I'm
finally back into Konton, and ready to keep going.
P.S. I missed writing those really long chapters that took you days to read, so surprise, here's one now!
Disclaimer: See every *other* chapter.
+~+~+~+~
Konton no Millennia
Chapter Sixteen: Servant of the Dark Mistress
By, Rena Campbelle
Seto had Rena by the shoulders, and was trying to shake her back into consciousness. Her head lolled to one side, and her body grew cold. Seto checked her pulse, and he felt none.
"No, Rena!" he cried.
"What happened?" said Yuugi.
Something's dragging her down, someone's in her mind! Yami said, snapping awake inside Yuugi.
"We have to save her!" said Yuugi.
Aibou, give me room! Yami demanded. Yuugi stepped compliantly aside in their mind, and Yami forced himself up into their body.
"Get back, Seto," he said, "There's nothing you can do for her!"
"No," said Seto, "That can't be!"
"It is," said Yami gently, "She's lost. Something has invaded her mind. It's pushed both herself and the Goddess out of the way. Neither can force a way in; this has to run its course!"
"But, what.what'll happen?" Mokuba asked, crying.
"If Rena is strong, the darkness will subside; she will heal. If she is not, then it will take over her body. The power of darkness will extinguish what little remains of her soul," Yami whispered.
"No!" Mokuba wailed, "Not Rena! We have to get it out!" He ran to Rena's side, putting his ear against her heart. "I can still feel it beating! We have to save her. She can't do it on her own!"
"That is what we have to find out," said Yami. "This is beyond my knowledge."
"You have to help her," said Seto. "Please. You have to keep her alive for me." Seto's eyes pierced Yami's and the two stood in silence. Yami had never heard Seto ask something so pleadingly of him before. It unnerved him, but as he looked from Seto to Rena, and then to Seto, his heart moved inside him. He could not tell if it was by his own will or by Yuugi's that he sat by her side, taking her lifeless hand in his.
"Ah nacht seture," he whispered, putting what energy he could spare into his words, "Ah nacht seture. Kymen nach ah nacht seture. Eset, nacht seture." Those words he whispered all that night, as he prayed silently for her. He sat by her on the bedside, near cowering before the evil presence that seemed to hover within and above her. It was all around, and he could feel it mocking him too. It knew it was winning, and knew also Rena's weakness. She would not last another day.
+~+~+~+~
Andre and Nazo were too stunned to speak. They had not been expecting a dead creature in their friend's room, nor were they expecting to watch her slowly wither before their eyes.
The boy sat by her bedside all through that night, and all through the next day, whispering words in ancient Egyptian, sometimes remaining deathly quiet, focusing on the hand he held. The other man, the one who had come to their camp before, never left her side, not to eat or sleep, and he stared only at Rena, lying motionless on the bed. Another little boy, much younger than all the rest sat by his brother on a chair, and every so often would get up and pace back and forth, then leave the room for small periods of time. Though he would never be gone for more than fifteen minutes at a time.
The others came and went, always visiting Rena's side at least thrice in the day. One of the girls in particular, one with long blonde hair would come and sit by her side, and always left the room in tears.
They tried to talk to the people, tried to find out just what was going on. Their responses to any questions asked though would be vague and evasive, as if they themselves didn't really understand truly what was going on.
Andre finally could not take the silence anymore, and as dawn broke over the edge of the city, he walked up slowly behind the older boy, the CEO whom he had seen earlier.
"Excuse me," he whispered, "Should we take Rena to a hospital?"
"It wouldn't do any good," he replied. "This isn't a physical wound."
"I don't understand," said Andre.
"Don't worry about it," the boy replied. "I wouldn't expect you to know."
Andre's annoyance could be heard in his voice, "You have no right to tell me not to worry. Rena is my best friend, and I want answers to why she hasn't opened her eyes since last evening!"
"We'll tell you later," Seto said, barely moving his lips.
Nazo spoke up, "I am a physician, so maybe I can help." She had been listening to the words the other boy had been chanting, and somehow they felt strangely familiar.
"Ah nacht seture, ah nacht seture. Eset nacht seture. Kymen nach ah nacht seture," the boy continued heedless of her words.
"Please," said Nazo. "I know how to help."
The older boy looked at her curiously, "How can you help?"
"In every way," she whispered. "I have seen this before. I know not where, and I don't know how I know, but I can save her."
The boy looked up at her and recognition flickered in his eyes. "You can," he said.
Nazo sighed and smiled at him, then walked to Rena's bedside and sat down beside her. She traced her finger over Rena's neck, and pulled up a leather cord necklace. At the end dangled a small token that seemed to pulse with a faint red light in her hands.
"The amulet of Imhotep," the other boy gasped, looking at her in awe. "It recognizes you."
"Yes," Nazo said. "Yes, it does. Its true power lies in the hands of its rightful healer, and through the sands of time it has drawn me to it again. And this time, I will use it for the better of another. So many things have changed, Akhten, and I hope that someday history will stop its repetition and leave our souls in peace."
Yami stared as the woman spoke, never letting her hand stray from Rena's neck or the amulet. Her eyes were cloudy and not her own as she spoke, and her voice was soft and penetrating.
Nazo continued, "Ah nacht seture, nas Eset oh ah nacht indeken yemei na seture, kymen ah nach. Oh, teruhy menusen seture." Her hands worked quickly over the amulet, and Yami watched in wonder. She moved her hands from Rena's two charkas, moving rapidly from her forehead to her heart, whispering again in ancient Egyptian. It had been five thousand years since he had witnessed a spell cast such as this like, and he had thought the art of medicine of his people long forgotten. But one thought was prominent in his mind. Nazo's words, 'Its true power lies in the hands of its rightful healer, and through the sands of time it has drawn me to it again. And this time, I will use it for the better of another. So many things have changed, Akhten, and I hope that someday history will stop its repetition and leave our souls in peace.' Never had he heard such things spoken, except by himself and by Rena. It seemed highly unlikely that another spirit could have been awakened. Yami thought he had regained his memory, but now it seemed another veil was clouding his sight into the past.
He was positive now that more kindred spirits were among them, in the same room as them. He did not understand why or how they had come together as this, but he was appreciative of their company. At last, it seemed, as he breathed a sigh of relief, at last it was that his memory could be put to rest.
+~+~+~+~
Rena was alone. Megami's voice, the dark presence's voice, and all other voices were gone, and only fragments, echoes of past proclamations, remained. She could hear nothing, nor could she see anything. It was not dark, it seemed as though her eyes themselves had gone blind and she was alone to hobble on to the next gate of another vista. She could feel nothing, not even her own heartbeat; she doubted if she was even alive. She could not speak, only think, and so she thought.
"Am I alone?" she called into her mind. "Megami are you there? Anyone? I'm lost in my own head. Now how the hell did I do that?" As she supposed, no echo came as an answer.
In her mind, she felt herself rising, as though walking through dark corridors, suppressed by her consciousness. Here where nothing reigned supreme, and all chaotic emotions were subtle, these thoughts were projected and amplified, open and unhidden in the waste that surrounded them. She envisioned doors emerging from the emptiness, tall and dark, looming like sentinels in her mind. She imagined them opening, revealing alternate vistas, shadows of memories that she had long forgotten; it was a kind of unsettling deja vous, a flicker of things that had been.
She tried to call out, but no breath issued from her presence, as essence was all she was, a lonely spirit wandering the cold halls of their own soul, hoping for warmth in reminiscence. She visited one of the rooms portrayed in her mind, and suddenly she could see once again, or imagined that she could see and was whole again. The room was dimly lit, and sweetly scented, a violin playing distinctly in the background. She was on a rose couch, when hands came up behind her and caressed her face, stroking her hair. She examined the strands that lay close to her face. Her hair was much shorter than it once was, and no longer blonde, but more of a rusty brown, with reds flickering in and out like licks of flame. Then, she looked at the hand grazing her face, pale and fair it was, surrounded by a lacy cuff of fine silk.
She started, as this memory was awakened. She dared not turn around and look behind her, only sped from the room, tearing out into the solace of the dark. She did not wish to visit any more rooms, did not want to see any more shadows. She wanted only to return to her waking world, and again see the faces of her friends looking upon her.
But one more room compelled her to come to it, for its door was unlike all the rest. Instead of being darkened and woody, it was smooth and cold, like stone. In her mind she opened it, and was again deceived with reality as things became alive and memories were awakened. The room was dimly lit, though she could tell the sun was shining. It was as though there was no alternate light aside from the sun, and the room she was in was cast in shadow, hiding from the bright face's glare.
The air was thick and heavy, a musty smell laid deep upon everything. But old it was, ancient, with bare stone walls inscribed with the language of the Egyptian gods, and idols standing in pathways, watching their world in a holy room, while true life danced outside. She guessed that it was a temple, a room of piousness in which the gods were hailed supreme, though she felt she was not alone. She heard a rumbling from behind her, the sound of stone on stone, and knew that a great door was opening somewhere. When she turned around, a man stood there gazing at her in awe, a great lust in his eyes lined with kohl. She turned around and saw behind her a maiden, a servant girl, who stood there returning his gaze an archaic smile etched across her face. But what scared Rena was that this girl was identical to herself, a mirror image in every feature but one, where her hair was brown and golden, the other's was black as night. Rena followed the girl as she made her way up to the man, grabbing his hands carefully and leading him to one of the idols and sitting herself beneath it, pulling the man next to her.
As Rena looked up at the idol she cried out, fear wrenching her for as she stood at the base of the statue and looked on, she knew it was she, and it was Megami.
She stumbled back, clutching for something to hold onto, but could not grasp anything, for she was a specter in this vision. Megami's lamented cries could be heard faintly as she kept looking on, unable to turn away as something crept silently upon him as the man drew himself upon her image. The room was filled with blackness, how could they not feel it? It was all around them, it was coming closer! The statue stood guarding them, her empty eyes haunted by knowledge unknown to them, and as Megami's cries continued, they seemed to issue from the idol's own lips, an evocative sound.
The two below heard it too, but it was too late. The evil had won, and soon would be their punishment. The room went dark as Rena grasped her head in her hands, sinking to the floor cradling her head in her knees as the powerful voice from before rang out in the dark, "Djeten! By the honor of your position, did you love your hidden mistress, enough to sacrifice your own priesthood?"
And again the whispered response came, as the blackness threatened to envelope her too, "Yes, and I still love you."
No more was spoken, and all that could be heard were Megami's broken and defeated sobs, fading out as she became one with the dark. For a moment she lost her awareness, but when she awoke, she became faintly aware of arms around her, though they she did not recognize the person who held her, at first.
They held her fast, and she gazed upon the hands that held her, pale and fair they were, surrounded by a cuff of gold. Her body froze, afraid to move, as a venomous voice said into her ear, "Akhten, I have returned. Do not worry, you will be mine soon, hold on, hold on for me. I'm coming for you."
"No," she whispered, and fought to free herself. "I am not anyone's! Let me go, let go of me." She wriggled and fought, but the arms held her securely against the other spirit.
"Soon I will hold you with arms of flesh and blood, and no one will tear you from them," it said.
"You are what has poisoned me," she said, fear laced in her voice.
"Yes," it said. She could feel it smile into her back. "I am. I am Her loyal servant, and I have kept good watch of you. And for my vigilance, I will have you. She has promised me the catalyst for the defeat of the goddess. And you will be mine, I know it."
"No!" she cried. "Megami help me!" She slowly became aware of Megami coming toward her, but the goddess was held back by something.
"I'm coming Akhten!" she cried. "I'm trying!"
"She will not come," it said simply. "She cannot come. I won't let her. She'll take you away from me, and I'm not done yet with you."
"Please let go," she said, broken and defeated.
"Not until I am done," it responded. The arms tightened around her, and she felt as though it were trying to force its essence into her spirit, trying to take over her mind.
She heard Megami cry out. "No, Akhten, let him pass not into your mind! Keep him away, and stay strong! I am coming!" But her cries lay deaf on fell ears. Rena could not hear, see, or feel. The essence was commanding her own, and she could do nothing but let it move in further.
+~+~+~+~
Yami looked up. He had felt a twitch in the room, as though energies had shifted, and he looked at Rena. Her face was pale, a look like that of pallid death had rested upon her features for some time now, but still her heart beat faintly. Nazo had continued her work for a long day now, and a second dawn was rising as she still whispered on, fingering the amulet of Imhotep and grazing Rena's heart with her gentle touch.
Nazo stopped whispering and fell silent, giving a silent prayer to Imhotep that his stone awaken, and wake it did. The amulet burned with a crimson glow and slowly, Rena drew breath in from her lips. Her ashen features became less pallid, and her breathing became steadier. But still the darkness hovered over and about them, unwilling to leave.
"I have done all I can, my friend," Nazo whispered. "All I can give you in atonement for my past sin is one final prayer, the rest is upon you. But I have faith in you, in your power, the power that defeated me, and taught me what I know now." She folded her hands and laid them over Rena's breast, whispering silently.
+~+~+~+~
She was dimly aware of words being spoken as the spirit moved itself into her. The words were soft and faint, like undertones of another world.
"Kemen ach seture na kymenius setemen na Eset sanan emeture. Eset na ankh kement an scerius djeturena."
Megami sighed, "Akhten, listen. Have strength in the power of prayer. Oan is with you, and she will protect you. Have strength in her prayers. She is giving you to Eset, do not be afraid."
Rena relaxed, letting the words flow into her as well. Slowly she felt herself becoming real, regaining her mind as the darkness pulled away.
As it left her, it called out, "Soon my Akhten. It's coming together, and so soon, you will be mine once and for all."
Megami broke her bonds, and held Rena close against her.
Rena looked up, knowing her body was returned to her, "Soon Megami, our final contest."
"Yes Akhten, soon. But my bonds are broken now and I am growing stronger. Soon I will be ready to face the Daughter of Set, and soon, you will know who I truly am. Also will you know who you truly are, my Akhten," she crooned, stroking Rena's hair.
She felt herself issue breath from her own lips, and her eyes opened slowly.
Nazo smiled down at her, and Yami came over, relief flooding into his face. Andre rushed over too, confusion apparent on his face through his happiness. Seto stood there as well, a smile on his face, though his eyes were moist. She pulled herself erect and went to him, anchoring her arms around his neck. "Don't let me go," she whispered.
"Never," he sighed into her neck. He looked up at the others, "Can you leave us alone for a moment?"
"Are you sure?" Andre asked. Nazo touched his shoulder gingerly, and with a reluctant look back at Rena, followed her out of the room.
Yami smiled at Seto and Rena knowingly, and said, "It is good have you back with us, Rena. I'll let the others know." Silently then, he turned and left.
"Just how many times am I going to have to worry about you leaving me?" he asked.
"No clue," she smiled into his coat. "But I'm better now."
"And then something will attack your head, and you'll pass out, and who knows if you'll come back after that?" he asked. "I don't want to lose you, not now when you've just come into my life."
"Seto, this is dangerous. We have to take chances if we're going to save Ryou and stop Set's Daughter," Rena said.
"I know," he sighed, "Just let me be overprotective, okay?"
She kissed him gently, "Okay." He leaned back onto the bed, and she followed, lying on top of him, resting her head on top of his chest. He pulled his arms up around her, holding her steady.
"Hey, Rena," he mumbled down to her.
"Hmm?" she smiled.
"Let's go out tonight. Just the two of us. We'll find somewhere nice to eat and we can forget about everything for one night. Does that sound good?"
She moved herself up so that she could look into his eyes, eyes that reminded her ones she had seen before, "That'd be great."
He moved down so his face met hers, and rolled on top of her, kissing her gently, pulling at her lip until it softened, and she opened her mouth for him.
Grabbing his shoulders, she drew him closer, lost in the moment, when the door flew open.
Mai ran in, blubbering like a baby, "Oh Rena! You're okay!" Then she stopped as she saw what was going on, and smirked. "Yeah, you're okay. Next time, let me know when you two plan on engaging in gratuitous sex so I know not to come in. Okay with you?"
"Mai!" Rena cried. "I was not having sex!"
She raised her eyebrow and said mockingly, "Uh-huh, that's what you said last time, wasn't it?"
Seto looked from Mai to Rena, a question on his tongue, but he bit it down as Rena jumped up and started to chase Mai around the room.
"You always think the worst, Mai!" she cried.
Mai laughed playfully. "There's nothing wrong with it, Rena! It's a natural thing in life!"
Rena shouted, and chased Mai out of the room, Mai's laughter echoing down the hallway. Seto watched in amusement, then slowly picked himself up and went to the doorway just in time to see Mai dash down the staircase, Rena in hot pursuit.
The door opened to the boys' room and Yuugi poked his head out just as the door slammed. A minute later, the door flew open and Mai came tearing out of it, breathing heavy. Rena came up right behind her, as fresh as she was when she had gone down the stairs, then grabbed Mai, tickling her sides.
"Ahhh! Stop it, stop it!" Mai cried. "I'm sorry!"
"There," said Rena, letting go. "Was that so hard?"
"Oh, get over it," Mai said, annoyed by the defeat.
Rena flexed her arms and laughed, "I am the champion!"
"Get over yourself," said Seto coming down the hall. He picked Rena up and threw her over his shoulder, walking back to Yuugi's room. Yuugi looked up at them and couldn't help but smile.
"I guess she likes a man who's willing to take charge," he grinned.
"You forget who's bigger and stronger here," said Seto.
Yuugi closed his eyes for a moment while a gold light shimmered faintly about him. When his eyes opened, he was Yami.
"That depends on which of us you're talking to," he said.
"Are you sure about that?" Seto asked.
Yami glared at him. "Positive," he remarked.
"All right," Seto shrugged. "Whatever you prefer."
"Hey!" cried Rena. "When you two are done with your chauvinism, I'm still here!"
"That's right, you are!" Seto grinned. He let her go, catching her inches before she hit the ground.
"You jerk!" she fumed. "I regret ever kissing you!"
"Now I haven't heard a woman say that before to me!" he joked.
Nazo poked her head out of one of the rooms. "Just what is going on?" she asked.
"Seto's being a jerk," said Rena. "But that's nothing new."
"It's near impossible to believe that two minutes ago you two were making out," said Mai.
"Mai, shut up!" Rena cried.
"Making out?" asked Andre, looking at Rena incredulously. "Just what have you been up to?"
Rena felt the blood rush to her face, "It doesn't matter! Just forget it."
"Excuse me, but I'm very confused," said Nazo. "Perhaps you would like to explain things before you continue your argument?"
Rena whispered a silent thank you to Nazo. "Yes, that's a good idea. You guys don't yet know what's going on. But you aren't going to believe me."
Nazo smiled, "Rena, I would believe anything you told me."
Andre laughed, "Maybe not everything, but I would believe a lot."
Rena threw him a look, but then burst out laughing instead, "Ah! So what?"
Nazo smiled, "Come on. It seems we have lots to talk about."
Yami came up to them, and helped give Rena a hand up, "Yes, we do. Do you have a while?"
"I think so," said Nazo. "But we left the Professor in town, we need to find him first."
"What?" cried Rena. "You never told me the Professor was with you!"
"If you remember Rena, we didn't have a lot of time for spare thought," said Yami. "We still don't."
Rena looked up, as everything came back, "You're right! We still have those Suits after us, and we have to.we have to." She reeled slightly.
"You've spent too much, Rena. You're tired. I think you need to lay down and get some rest," said Seto, picking her up in his arms.
"Yeah, I need a nap."
Seto rolled his eyes and sighed, but carried her into their room, laying her on the couch.
"I'll call the Professor," said Nazo. "I'll tell him where we're at, so he can come by and visit Rena. In the meantime, let's let Rena have her rest."
+~+~+~+~
Rena turned and tossed, restless in her sleep. The memories of before echoed in her mind, and she was unable to clear them away. They danced in her dreams, fear laced with defeat, and she was afraid of them. And above all, she was afraid of the voice, taunting and knowing. "I will have you..soon."
Rena woke up with a start, "What time is it?"
"Shush," said Seto, coming to sit by her side. "It's about one in the afternoon. You haven't been asleep that long."
"Are you sure?" she asked. "It feels way longer."
He smirked, "I'm sure."
"Have there been any more suits around?" she asked.
"None since the day before last. I'm wondering where they went," he said.
"As pessimistic as it sounds, I'm sure they'll be back," she sighed.
"I have no doubt that you're probably right," he said.
"Where is everyone?" she asked.
"Yuugi and all of his friends are in their rooms, waiting for you to wake up. Nazo and Andre went to fetch Professor Edward Geb; he's your teacher isn't he? Well, they went to go find him, and should be back any minute now. After that, I think it's time that we give everyone the explanation they've been wanting," Seto said, leaning back.
"But where are we going to start?" she asked. "And just what are we going to tell them?"
"Well, the truth wouldn't hurt," Seto said.
She looked at him, and then sighed, "You sarcastic."
"Person?" he supplied.
"Exactly," she grinned. "But I knew we'd tell them the truth. But how much should we tell them? I don't want them getting hurt."
"Well, it's not really my call. I'm just here to provide moral support, not to mention my dashing looks, wit, and strength," he said.
Before she could open her mouth to respond, a knock came at the door. The Professor walked in, smiling brilliantly, "Why Rena! It's so good to see you! Why didn't you call me and tell me you were coming to Egypt? We could have had tea somewhere!" He wiped his glasses on his shirtfront, then came over and took her hand, "But it's good to see you again, I'll warrant."
"It's a wonder how I can last when you aren't here," she said, throwing her arms around his neck.
"Careful, Rena. I'm a bit scruffy. It's not the cleanest of places out here, and I've yet to take a sufficient cleaning," he chuckled.
Rena laughed, "I lived in the same dirt and sand with you for goodness knows how long. I'm not too proud to give you a hug!"
"See?" Andre said, coming in. "I told you he'd find her room, help or no help."
Nazo smiled as she walked in behind him, "Well, whenever you are right, you are correct."
Andre laughed, "It's when you're right, you're right, Nazo."
"Oh," she said, and then blushed. "I didn't realize my mistake."
"Eh, don't worry about it," Andre said.
"Well, now that we're all here, could I have a logical explanation as to just what is going on?" the Professor asked. "Andre and Nazo tried to tell me some of it, and I've been trying to piece it together from what I know, but I've just drawn a great blank."
"Of course," said Rena. "But I'm going to need some help in clearing things up."
Seto stood up, "I'll go find him."
+~+~+~+~
Five minutes later, they were all assembled around the room, Rena sitting next to Seto on the sofa, Andre and Nazo sitting next to each other in the floor, Yami standing near the window, and the Professor was sitting relaxed in an easy chair.
"In all honesty, I don't know where to begin," Rena said.
"It begins thousands of years ago," said Yami to the window. "It starts with a pharaoh who reigned at the height of the power of the Shadow Games."
"The Shadow Games didn't exist," said Andre. "They were proved to be a myth a long time ago. Every archaeologist knows that." He fell silent though as Rena glared at him.
Yami turned to him briefly, "Please do not interrupt my tale, for I am wiser in the years than most self-proclaimed archaeologists tend to be." Then he turned back to the window and started again, "I was that pharaoh."
"Yugiou, darling, you're going to have to speak up if you're going to talk to the window," said Rena. "We can hardly hear you over here."
Yami turned and smiled at her. "I shall try." He returned to his position at the window. "You probably do not believe me when I say this, but I am telling in sooth. I was once the Lord of the Two Lands, King of the Nile. But my reign was brief, and I was soon to fall to an enemy. I do not remember the name of my enemy, or how my downfall came about. All I know is that my patron goddess took her will from me, and with my life's end, I brought the Shadow Games to rest. As I took my last dying breath, I created seven items, and in the final holy item, I sealed my soul away to be awakened by a catalyst I created in my own image. On that final night as my kingdom fell, I believe my goddess took for herself her own catalyst, to be united again with her own holy item, a Holy Rapier that was the mark of my goddess. And on that night, one final entity was created, by all my enemies who had lost their lives on that night. And somehow, the Daughter of their god, Sutekh, was created. Which brings us to today.
Now she has awoken to exact her vengeance on the goddess, who resides in her catalyst. Rena is the catalyst of the goddess. And now, the Daughter of Set has come after the goddess that lives in Rena, and her vengeance is deadly. I do not know more of the story, Rena would be the best to continue."
Rena sighed, and rubbed her hands together. "I'll try, though I doubt I'm much better at storytelling than you are. It started up when I joined the dig for Mana Ka'reph. The site we're at now, the one we've been excavating, it wasn't the temple. It was Mando Nashti'ora, the key to Mana Ka'reph. The true temple's whereabouts were found in a scroll buried in Nashti'ora, which was guarded by a demon gargoyle." She felt Seto's shudder against her arm and she looked at him reassuringly. "Seto finished the gargoyle and brought the scroll to me, where I was hired to translate it for him. In my stay there, we were attacked twice by two different demons sent by the Daughter of Set, confirming our fears that she was indeed after the goddess. And later, we were invited to her house to a party in the guise of a masquerade ball. It was then I saw her in her bodily form, that of Tenshino Konton. Also at the time I first discovered Megami, the goddess spoken of, and talked to her. I had known her before, but then I befriended her. Then I met the professor in Japan, and he told me of a new tomb, one I had resolved to investigate with Yugiou over there. A day later the second demon appeared and took one of our friends, Bakura Ryou as bait to come to Egypt. I had decoded the scroll not long before and after that Seto and I went together to Thebes to recover it from the true Mana Ka'reph."
"Which is where I must interject," said the Professor. "The Key that was one of the three gifts I gave to you, did you ever use it?"
"No, I don't remember ever having done so," she said. "But it was the key to Mana Ka'reph!" She brought it out of her purse on the floor and held it up, "But the phrase on it, it says."
"It says nothing about Ka'reph," the Professor said, "And everything about the tomb of the unknown pharaoh. It was not Mana Ka'reph that you read upon the key, but "The eye of the sun, glint in the temple, unlock the secrets of Kara Ma'reph."
At this, Yami looked back, "Kara Ma'reph, the final place?" The Professor shook his head. "Then it is true," said Yami. "I am dead." He looked at Rena, "Please go on, finish the tale."
"I will," she sighed, looking at him in pity. "We found the temple in the center of the city, down a well a hundred feet deep. There traps had been laid, blessed by Upuaut, and also there was the Rogue Doll, silent guardian of their gates, and the Holy Dragons that never slept. Jeez, I sound like a bought-out fairy tale," she laughed.
"It all sounds very strange, very mythical," said the Professor. "But keep going."
"All right," she took a deep breath. "After Seto calmed the Dragons using the power of the First Prophet, we were judged by the goddess of order, Ma'at, who looked into our souls and found all of our desires, our fears, it was really disturbing. Do you believe anything I'm saying?"
"Not really," said Andre. "But I bet there's proof to go with this that's going to make me eat my words like always."
"Well, not to say you're right, but you're right," Rena said. "After the judgment of Ma'at, in which we were both found favorable, we were able to collect the Holy Rapier and get out of Mana Ka'reph. Unfortunately though, when we were trying to escape, Seto was attacked by a creature of Ammit, but I saved him." She winked at Seto, who grinned at her cynically.
"We went home after that," Rena continued, "And when we did, we were greeted with news of our kidnapped friend, sent straight to us from the Daughter of Set. He's been beaten and tortured, and I don't know just how much longer he'll be able to survive. So my friends and I all resolved to leave for Egypt as soon as possible. When we got here, we found that suited men were tracking us, and some of them are still out there. That was about the same time I went unconscious, because I felt some presence invading my mind, trying to push me out, but it was stopped, and left me alone. I think that brings us up to this minute, wouldn't you?"
"Quite a tale," said the Professor. "But is there evidence behind it?"
"Of course," said Rena. "Just one moment, I'll be back." She came back later her arms laden with items covered in burlap. She lay them down on the floor, spreading them about her. "First," she said, "Are the gifts that you all gave to me. The Amulet as Andre and Nazo saw, works." She pulled out a pocketknife from her purse, and drawing the blade, slit her palm. Fresh blood trickled down her arm dotting the floor.
Seto winced as she cut herself again, "Rena that's enough."
"I know," she said, watching as the blood fell down her arm, and drew from her purse the stone amulet. Almost immediately the stone glowed crimson and the metallic liquid sprang forth, covering her hand. After a minute it drew away, leaving her wounds untraceably healed.
"Truly an amazing thing," said Andre. "That magic could still be alive even after all these millennia."
"It is," Rena whispered. "All of these are evidence of a time long ago. The amulet, the moonstone, the Key, and above all, the Rapier." She unwrapped the sword, and lifted it up, its golden glow illuminating the room, filling it with its brightness.
"So, it does exist," said the Professor. "After all these years, everything has been true. The Millennium Items are not a myth, but indeed are among us. Then, the Shadow Games, they do exist? Sugoroku was right; they are as real as anything. Then, that means.the realm?"
"The Realm of Shadows exists as well," said Yami. "I believe it is how the Daughter of Set awakened."
"Then there is only one thing yet that we must do before we face her," said Rena.
"You must go and see the tomb of the unknown pharaoh," said the Professor.
"Right," said Rena. "It's the final clue we need to revealing the pharaoh's past, there has to be something there."
"But the walls, they were erased," started the Professor.
"I know, but maybe there's something else, maybe there's another clue somewhere that we missed. And if there is, we have to find it. We need to know just what happened those thousands of years ago. I want to know why I exist, why I am the catalyst that was so needed by a goddess. We all need to know our origin, for we are not here without purpose," Rena sighed.
"Don't you just hate it when history repeats itself," Seto said, pulling his arm around Rena.
"You aren't helping. I'm trying to be dramatic here," she grinned.
"Oh right, keep going then," he said.
Nazo smiled at them. "Then what are we waiting for?" she asked. "We should go as soon as we can, if those suited men are still following you."
"All right," said Rena, heading for the door. "Let's go!" She shoved it open with an emphatic push.
"Waah!" Jou cried, falling backwards on top of Honda, Anzu, and Mai.
"You guys!" Rena cried. "What were you doing?"
"Ouch," said Anzu, rubbing her rear. "We were trying to find out just what was going on."
"It wasn't like any of you were telling us," said Mai.
"So we listened in at the door to try and find out just what was going to happen," finished Honda.
Rena looked at them listlessly, "You guys are right. I shouldn't have left you out of the conversation. Come on, I apologize."
"Eh, don't worry about it," smiled Jounochi. "As long as we get to go with you to the unknown tomb of the pharaoh or whatever it was."
"Of course," Rena said, but she was cut short as Seto broke in.
"Wait," he said. "Where's Mokuba? Where is he? He's by himself!"
"Oh my God," Rena cried, her eyes going wide. "He shouldn't be alone!" Both Seto and Rena took off down the hall for their room, Yuugi and his friends right behind.
Seto jammed the key in the lock and threw open the door. "Mokuba!" he cried. "Mokuba! Where are you? Mokuba!"
Rena searched the room frantically, no sign of the young boy. "Mokuba! Mokuba, come on!" she shouted.
"Oh God, where is he?" Seto asked, going into another room. "I can't find him!"
"No," cried Rena. "Not Mokuba!" she collapsed onto the couch, tears in her eyes. Then, she heard it, a soft click like a telephone being picked up. Faintly, she could make out conversation. She followed it, into another off-room, to a corner.
"That's right, Nobu-san. They're two greyhound dogs, their names are Seshat and Amun. I want them flown over, yeah right away. Where? They're at big brother's house. Don't worry, they're good dogs, they'll go with you if you're nice to them. No, they won't bite you. Of course I'm sure! They won't bite! All right, good. I know, thank you. This'll make Rena really happy. Who? Oh, she's my brother's girlfriend. Yeah, don't tell him I told you, arigatou! Domo arigatou, Nobu-san!"
Mokuba was sitting in the corner with the telephone. He put it down and noticed Rena behind him. He grinned up at her sheepishly.
"Just what were you doing? And just what do you mean by 'your brother's girlfriend'? How many times do we have to go over this, Mokuba?" Rena asked, crossing her arms in front of her.
"Mokuba?" Seto asked, coming in the room. "Mokuba! Do you realize you just gave me the biggest heart attack ever? I don't want you alone! Not unless I know where you are! You realize just how much you freaked me out?"
"I'm sorry, brother!" Mokuba protested. "I didn't think I was being unsafe, I'm really sorry!"
"It's fine," Seto said, waving a dismissive hand. "But what were you doing up here?"
"I called Nobu-san at the office," said Mokuba. "I want him to fly Amun and Seshat over here."
"You what?" Seto asked.
"I thought they could help, too!" Mokuba said.
Seto sighed, running his hand down his face, "Okay, fine. But next time, let me know when you're going to do something like that."
"And next time," said Rena, "Ask me about what I want to do with my dogs."
"Gosh," said Mokuba, getting up from the corner, and making his way to the door. "You guys already sound like parents." He went out the door.
"I-oooh, if I didn't adore him, I'd hurt him," said Rena. "Parents, us? I don't quite think so."
"It's so hard sometimes to believe he's my brother," said Seto. "I certainly would never have said anything like that."
Rena looked at him, "Oh yeah right!" She sighed and left the room.
"Hey, what was that supposed to mean?" asked Seto. He shoved his hands into his pockets, "Damn woman."
"Tell me about it," said Yuugi, coming into the room.
"Yuugi or Yami?" Seto asked. "You two change so fast I can't keep track."
"Yuugi," the boy said, shutting the door and taking a seat on the sofa. "Seems like we're leaving tomorrow."
"Yeah?" said Seto.
"Yeah. It seems Professor Geb and Rena's two friends seem to be in a big hurry to leave. I think they want to find out as much about this as the rest of us. Especially Nazo. Did you hear what she said to Rena the other night?"
"I remember some," said Seto. "It was really strange, talking about how the amulet had finally drawn her to it again and how this time she was going to help Rena, and make things right. It didn't make a whole lot of sense."
"Maybe not from your standpoint," said Yuugi. "But it was pretty clear to Yami, and me too. You know how Yami is the pharaoh, and you are the incarnate of the High Priest, right? Well, Yami thinks there are more incarnates, and that this story is way bigger than we originally thought."
"What did you think? Originally?" Seto asked.
"Well, at first, we thought it would be a fight between Rena and the Daughter of Set. I wouldn't be surprised if Rena still thinks it is. But now, Yami thinks that maybe the others were involved somehow, and that this conflict revolved around each of us. And now, history has repeated itself to put to rest all that it started. And finally, the Shadow Games will be stopped. It seems, they were the beginning of this whole ordeal anyway," said Yuugi. "But I'm confused about it all. There's just too much information to take in. It's hard to understand it all. What do you make of it, Seto?"
"I know nothing about this," said Seto. "All I know is there is a goddess inside one of my closest friends, and the Daughter of Set is after that goddess, Megami."
"Megami?" Yuugi asked.
"Supposedly that's what she asked Rena to call her. Does Yami remember her name?"
"No," said Yuugi. "The only name he remembers is Akhten, but that's Rena, isn't it?"
"Yeah," said Seto. "Looks like we're both pretty confused, huh?"
"I won't deny it," smiled Yuugi. He yawned and rubbed his eyes.
"You been getting enough sleep?" Seto asked him.
"Not really, no," said Yuugi. "I've been having nightmares. You know, about Ryou, about Rena, about all of us. One in particular gets stuck in my mind. Yami's lying on the floor, I know he's dying. But as he dies, he whispers something in ancient Egyptian, I don't know what it means, and then, he fades away, except for seven sparks of light. And then, I see on a black stone slab, ghosts in the shape of priests or something, maybe they're wizards, I don't know. But on the stone is a black sword, and it glows faintish green. Then, I hear a woman's scream and this.maniacal laughter. I always wake up after that though. It's really freaky, and I've been hard put for sleep ever since."
"Hmm, well, I can get you some sleeping pills if you need them," said Seto, appalled at his own concern for the young boy.
"Thanks," said Yuugi. "I'm willing to try just about anything right now." He stood up and stretched. "Well, I'd better be going. Mai and Anzu have been bugging me to go by the pool, want to join us?"
"Thanks but no, I'm good."
"Are you sure?" he asked. "Rena's going to be there."
"So?" Seto looked at him.
"She's wearing a bikini," Yuugi grinned.
"This entices me, how?"
"Mai found it for her," said Yuugi.
"Mai picked it?"
"Mai picked it, red with strings."
"Then I'm there."
"I thought you wouldn't resist," said Yuugi. "See you at the pool."
+~+~+~+~
"Mai, I said buy me a swimsuit, not a rag with strings!" Rena cried.
"You look so sexy!" Mai whistled. "Seto's going to slip in his own saliva!"
"Oh, that's a picture I didn't need," said Rena. "Jeez, these bottoms keep riding up!"
"Rena, shut up!" Mai cried.
"Yeah, come on!" laughed Anzu. "The guys are waiting! Oh my gosh, look! Seto's out here too!"
"Well, duh," said Mai. "After all, how could he resist? Come on Rena!"
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Rena said, wrapping a towel around her. The girls walked out onto the poolside. The guys had already jumped in and were messing around when they came out.
"You don't need that," said Mai, taking the towel from Rena.
"Hey!" said Rena. "All right, you're getting dunked!" She pushed Mai into the pool and jumped in after her, pushing her blonde head under the water. Mai thrashed about like a drowning cat, and then came up, gasping.
"Rena! You-" she dived after Rena, who swam away. Rena climbed up out of the pool on the ladder, and ran to the other side.
"Whoa," said Anzu, sitting down on the pool's edge. "I'm glad I didn't caught in that crossfire."
"You spoke too soon," Rena smiled, coming up behind Anzu and pushing her in. "Ah-ha-ha-ha! I am the champion!"
"Of what?" asked Yuugi.
She shrugged, "No clue." While she walked around the side of the pool, flaunting her victory, Seto got out and snuck up behind her.
"Don't look behind you," he whispered maliciously.
"What--?" she asked, turning around.
"I said don't look!" cried Seto, scooping her up in his arms.
"No, put me down, I'm the champion!" she crowed.
"Not anymore," said Seto.
Jounochi looked up and laughed. "Cannon ball!" he cried.
Seto ran up to the pool's edge, and then leapt off, almost a good six feet, and then fell with a gigantic splash into the water. This time it was Rena's turn to thrash and splutter as she came up to the surface.
"Seto!" she screamed. "You better swim for it!"
"Aye, aye!" he mocked, and began to swim off with a brilliant breaststroke.
"I didn't know Seto could swim," remarked Anzu as Rena took off after the CEO. "That's new."
"Seto can do a lot of things I wouldn't give him credit for," said Yuugi. "He's much more different than I thought he was."
"Yeah, no kidding," Anzu laughed. "Who would have thought Seto could act so normal?" Yuugi smiled at her. She was dressed in a simple navy blue one piece, but it framed her figure perfectly. Her hair was wet and hung loose around her shoulders, and she was smiling, right at him. He melted when she looked at him like that, like he was the only person in the room.
"Yeah," he said, smiling back at her.
She blushed and looked away. "Um, Yuugi," she started. "I heard Seto might be taking Rena out to dinner tonight. How about we go get something, you know, together?"
He couldn't believe himself, but he stammered, "Uh, yeah. That sounds like fun!"
"Great," she smiled. "And Yuugi?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, I was wondering, you're going to think I'm a complete loser for asking, but, well, is Yami going to be there?" she asked.
"Well, he's just about everywhere I am," Yuugi responded, his heart sinking to his feet. And this time he had thought it was him that Anzu wanted to go have dinner with, when like usual, it was Yami.
"I was just curious," she said, blushing harder and leaning back in the water.
"Yeah, I understand," he murmured. "You still like him don't you?"
She looked at him, surprised, but before she had a chance to answer Jounochi came crashing over, Honda nearly on top of him.
"Jounochi, you pervert! Give it back, or I'm calling the police or something!" Mai squealed. "Ah, you perv!" She was huddled in the corner of the pool, her arms wrapped tightly around her chest. Jounochi had stolen her swim top.
"Jou!" Anzu cried. "That's horrible!" She took off after him too, and Rena helped join in the chase. Finally, the two girls cornered him and were splashing him near to death when Honda got up out of the pool and grabbed Jou from behind while Anzu snatched the pink bikini away and ran it back to Mai, who ducked down underneath the water to put it back on.
When she came up, her face was red, both from embarrassment and rage. "Katsuya Jounochi, I am never speaking to you again, you malodorous pervert!"
Jounochi blanched and swam over, "No, Mai! I was just joking, you know what? I'm a bastard, I'm sorry! Please, you have to speak to me!"
She turned away from him and got up out of the pool, and he followed up after her, still begging for forgiveness. "Please Mai," he said. "I'll do anything, just say something! Ridicule me, bash me, just let me know you know I'm here!"
"This is sad," said Anzu. "She's putting him through the worst."
"In a big way," Rena added, concealing a small smile.
Finally, Mai stopped and turned around to face Jounochi. "Fine, I'll talk to you," she said.
"Oh thank you-," Jounochi started but she cut him off with her hand.
"But," she smiled at him. "But, you have to make up for it."
"Anything," he pleaded.
"That's what I like to hear," she grinned. "There's a silk wrap in one of the stores. It's so cute, and it would set off my eyes and compliment my shoulders just right, but I don't have enough money to buy it."
"Say no more," said Jounochi, running to his pants and pulling out his wallet. "Just lead the way."
"Great," she flashed him her most brilliant smile and walked off, Jou right behind.
"Oh, there is nothing funny about this," Rena grimaced. "She has got him wrapped around her little finger. Poor Jou."
"Yeah," said Anzu, "But it's funny in a sad, pathetic way."
"Oh well," said Honda. "It's his own fault." He swum up behind Rena, and dunked her head down.
Gasping, she dove back up. "Hey!" she cried. "Not fair!"
"Too bad," Honda taunted, swimming away.
"Come back here!" she called, swimming after him. "Guys, come on, help me out here!" Seto took off after Honda, and Yuugi jumped in too. After lots of persuasion, even Anzu joined in the chase. Then, Mokuba came padding over.
"You guys ditched me at the kiddie pool!" he cried. "Thanks a lot!"
"Sorry, kid," said Seto. "How about you help us chase Honda instead?"
Mokuba looked at him carefully, "I don't know."
"Come on!" laughed Yuugi. "It's fun!"
"Aw, five on one is definitely not what I call fair," said Honda.
"Then I'll rescue you!" shouted Mokuba, jumping off the edge of the pool, and landing on top of his brother's back.
Seto floundered for a moment, then grabbed his younger brother, and held him up in the air, "What were you saying?"
"Let me down!" the little boy protested, trying to wriggle from his brother's grip. "I was just kidding!"
"Oh were you now?" Seto asked, letting his brother down easily. "Then you can redeem yourself by helping us all dunk Honda!" All five surged the poor brown-eyed boy at once, pushing him under the water. He came up coughing and sputtering, and very displeased.
"All right, all right!" he gasped. "I give up!"
"Now you owe an apology to the lady," said Yuugi.
"Do I owe her that much?" Honda asked. "Last time I recall, she was doing her fair share of dunking."
"No one said this was a fair trial," said Seto.
"I wish they had," said Honda. But flashing Rena a goofy smile, he got out of the pool and knelt down, his arms out before him. "Oh, please forgive me, my exalted goddess, and I pray that I may avoid your awesome wrath."
"Um, I'll think about it," Rena giggled. "But for now, mortal, you are forgiven."
"Gee thanks!" he said, jumping back in the pool.
And so it went for the rest of the afternoon, all of them jumping around and splashing, acting like normal teenagers. For once, they weren't worried about their futures or their pasts, the most of their problems were just who could swim faster than the other, or which girl had a more graceful dive, or which guy could make the biggest splash. It was for these rare instances that they were the most grateful to have, for it brought them closer together as friends, and helped ease the tension of the coming days.
+~+~+~+~
Mai was leaning back on her sofa, flipping through channels when she heard the knock at the door. For a moment her heart skipped a beat as she remembered the suited men that Yuugi had said were still after them. Cautiously, she crept up to the door, and peeked out the eyehole. Rena stood on the outside, rubbing her arm uncomfortably. Squealing, she threw open the door and let her inside.
"Hey, Rena!" she smiled. "Come on in! Can I get you something? Or," she giggled. "Can room service get you something?"
"No thanks," Rena said. "Actually, I wanted a little bit of advice."
"From me?" Mai asked, unsure of if she was telling the truth.
"Yeah," said Rena. "Seto is taking me out tonight, and I kind of wanted help picking out an outfit."
Mai squealed again, leading Rena back to her closet, "Of course I can help! What else am I good at?"
Rena smiled, not certain how to respond to Mai's self-derision. "You actually have good clothes with you, Mai?"
"Of course I do," she scoffed. "Come on, what do you take me for?" Immediately Mai reached in and pulled out a long black dress with a small slit up the side. Following it came several others, a dark navy gown, a pastel blue one, and a deep purple dress with a long sweeping skirt, and finally, with a successful sigh, Mai pulled out her piéce de resistance, a little red number with thin straps and a low neckline.
"This," she said. "Is what you need to wear."
Rena looked at her. "Mai, I let you dress me up in a little red bikini. The little red dress is out of the question. I think I like this one the best." She pulled up the violet dress and held it up against her, modeling it in the mirror.
"I guess it works," said Mai. "But you're going to have to do something about this skirt. And not to mention, it just has the strap around the neck, and look at the back here, it's really low. Do you like that look?"
"There's no doubt in my mind you can fix the skirt," Rena said. "And as for the low back, I'll live. But it looks good, doesn't it?" She twirled in the mirror, and then turned around to go in the changing room.
"It looks fine," said Mai. "I can pin up that skirt so it isn't dragging behind you, and yeah, it really does set off your eyes." She walked around Rena, as if sizing her up. "Are you sure you don't want the red one? It'd make your legs look really good."
She sighed, "I'm sure Mai!"
+~+~+~+~
"Brother, please?" Mokuba asked from the couch.
"For the last time, you're not coming with us," said Seto. "Rena and I are going out by ourselves tonight."
"But who's going to watch you guys?" Mokuba asked. "Someone has to make sure you guys stay off of each other."
"Is an eleven year-old boy trying to tell me how to handle my life?" Seto asked, cocking his brow.
"Okay, that didn't work," his brother sighed. "Then, how about this?" Seto tried to hide his bemused smile as Mokuba continued. "If you guys leave without me, I'll be here all by myself. What if I get kidnapped?"
"You're staying in Yuugi's room."
"Dammit," the boy sighed, and fell back onto the couch.
Seto glared at his brother, "What?"
"Sorry," he muttered. There came a knock at the door, and Seto went to open it.
"Hey," said Yuugi, coming in. "Mokuba still here?"
"Unwillingly," Seto remarked.
"Don't worry about it," the boy smiled. "He can come with Anzu and I for dinner."
"Good," said Seto, turning to leave. "I'm going now." He turned on his heel and walked curtly out the door.
"You're welcome," muttered Yuugi under his breath. Putting a smile on, he said to the boy, "Come on, Mokuba! Let's go out on the town!"
+~+~+~+~
He looked at his watch, "Damn woman. Figures she'd be late."
"You know what? Damn yourself," Rena retorted, coming up behind him.
"Well-whoa," he whistled, giving her a good once-over. She was in a slinky violet gown, the skirt fixed expertly by Mai so that it was pinned to rise just above her ankles to meet purple lace-up sandals. The front scooped down just enough to be enticing, but not advertently so, and he could tell the back was low. It was apparent Mai had done her make up as well, leaving her eyes fairly alone, depending upon the dress to bring out their natural highlights, but her lips were full and pouty, done up to perfection.
She smiled at him strangely, and almost insecurely reached up to pat her hair, which was curled and in a fashionable up-do, held back with a jeweled hairpiece. It was strange, seeing her check herself in such a way, making sure she looked presentable, a gesture he had never seen before from her. It was almost as if she were trying to impress him. He smiled at that thought and offered her his arm. She took it politely.
All of a sudden, someone came running up to them, and a bright light flashed in their eyes.
"Ha ha!" cried Jounochi as he waved a camera in the air. "I got a picture of the lovebirds on their first date. This one's going straight to the scrapbook! Ha!"
Seto looked at Jounochi with all the malice he had, and said in a low voice, "It's going to take everything I have not to kill you."
Gulping, Jou looked from Seto to Rena, who only nodded her approval and mouthed, "Run." Run, he did. Taking off like a shot, Jounochi turned the corner and ran out of sight.
Seto smirked as the young man sprinted off. "I suppose he took me sincerely."
"I bet he did," Rena smiled. "Now come on. You have to buy me dinner. And you still owe me a dance."
"That was three months ago, maybe more."
"Then it's high time you paid me back."
"No."
"Please?" she looked at him pleadingly.
"I'm buying you dinner, I don't have to dance."
"You should."
"I'm not," he replied flatly.
They kept on quibbling slightly, playing off of each other through the evening, and through dinner, which, of course, was held at one of the priciest restaurants in the city. Finally, as a special outing, Seto suggested they take a walk along one of the streets that had grown quiet in the fading light.
"I'm never eating Egyptian food again," he said, pointing to Rena. "And I'm never taking another one of your suggestions ever."
"It wasn't that bad," said Rena. "It's actually pretty good once you stop thinking about it."
"Well, I prefer to know what I'm eating when I eat it," said Seto. "Next time, we're eating regular food."
"Regular food?" Rena laughed. "You think you Japanese are any better? You think fugu is a delicacy, and it's a puffer fish, in which if not cooked properly the kidneys of the male and the ovaries of the female contain a deadly poison to which there is no known antidote? Isn't that a fish that Mother Nature is telling us to leave the hell under water? And squid, I mean, you eat them, tentacles and all! Aren't you afraid one of those suckers are going to get stuck on your esophagus on the way down?"
Seto laughed, snaking his arm around her waist, "But at least it isn't American."
"I'll take a big sloppy hamburger and French fries any day next to dying from fish poisoning!" she cried.
"Oh come off it," he smiled, tickling her sides.
"Stop it!" she said, shying away. "No fair!"
"Who said I play fair?" Seto asked, grabbing her waist again.
"No," she laughed, running away as best she could in the dress.
Seto chased after her, grabbing her around the waist with both arms and lifting her up, spinning her around, and then setting her back on the ground so that she faced him.
She poked him in the gut, "Take that!" She laughed unabashedly, a free and joyous sound.
As he watched her laugh, Seto felt himself fall for the woman with disheveled hair and a tousled dress. As she laughed, even snorted, he decided that Rena was what he wanted. She complimented him perfectly with her charming smile, her wit, and her kindness. She was beautiful to him, inside and out, and finally, a cold wall in his heart fell with an icy thud. He felt connected to her in every way, as though he had known her all his life, and had loved her even longer. He wanted to be hers alone, and him to be her only one. He wanted to hold her and care for her, and protect her now more than ever. When she finished, Seto took her head and cupped it in his hands. "Take this," he said softly. Closing his eyes he kissed her, gently, on the lips, parting them sweetly, and giving her a kiss she would remember and carry with her, both in the life, and in the death.
She put all she could give in that kiss, it meant so much. He had shown her love for the first time, and though she might not have recognized it, she knew her own love in her own heart was telling her to reach for that one moment, if it be only for a second. She wasn't going to lose him, not Seto. She loved him too much to let go willingly, and even then, her very soul forbade her from turning away from this man, nay, more a quintessential god meant only for her, so that she may not be alone in her heavenly trek in a Holy baroque. She gave him more as she spread her lips, letting him taste what he would of her, and slowly he moved downward, grazing the nape of her neck, and trailing back to her ready, giving mouth.
He broke away slowly, leaving soft kisses on her face, and rested his head atop hers, drawing her closer in his arms.
"I'm not letting you go," he whispered.
She smiled up at him, "Then getting home is going to be a little bit difficult."
"We'll manage," he grinned.
And high, way above the treetops, a single hawk soared, watching the two as they returned home, a smile in her golden eyes, and a single feather loosed from her wing, coasting down smoothly to the spot where they had stood. Then turning, it careened from sight and memory.
~Okami kurai no meshitsukai
__________________________________
Wow, there you go! And please, if you like the story, I need some conversation, e-mail me at Moongrl_14@hotmail.com. I'd love to hear from you!
P.S. I missed writing those really long chapters that took you days to read, so surprise, here's one now!
Disclaimer: See every *other* chapter.
+~+~+~+~
Konton no Millennia
Chapter Sixteen: Servant of the Dark Mistress
By, Rena Campbelle
Seto had Rena by the shoulders, and was trying to shake her back into consciousness. Her head lolled to one side, and her body grew cold. Seto checked her pulse, and he felt none.
"No, Rena!" he cried.
"What happened?" said Yuugi.
Something's dragging her down, someone's in her mind! Yami said, snapping awake inside Yuugi.
"We have to save her!" said Yuugi.
Aibou, give me room! Yami demanded. Yuugi stepped compliantly aside in their mind, and Yami forced himself up into their body.
"Get back, Seto," he said, "There's nothing you can do for her!"
"No," said Seto, "That can't be!"
"It is," said Yami gently, "She's lost. Something has invaded her mind. It's pushed both herself and the Goddess out of the way. Neither can force a way in; this has to run its course!"
"But, what.what'll happen?" Mokuba asked, crying.
"If Rena is strong, the darkness will subside; she will heal. If she is not, then it will take over her body. The power of darkness will extinguish what little remains of her soul," Yami whispered.
"No!" Mokuba wailed, "Not Rena! We have to get it out!" He ran to Rena's side, putting his ear against her heart. "I can still feel it beating! We have to save her. She can't do it on her own!"
"That is what we have to find out," said Yami. "This is beyond my knowledge."
"You have to help her," said Seto. "Please. You have to keep her alive for me." Seto's eyes pierced Yami's and the two stood in silence. Yami had never heard Seto ask something so pleadingly of him before. It unnerved him, but as he looked from Seto to Rena, and then to Seto, his heart moved inside him. He could not tell if it was by his own will or by Yuugi's that he sat by her side, taking her lifeless hand in his.
"Ah nacht seture," he whispered, putting what energy he could spare into his words, "Ah nacht seture. Kymen nach ah nacht seture. Eset, nacht seture." Those words he whispered all that night, as he prayed silently for her. He sat by her on the bedside, near cowering before the evil presence that seemed to hover within and above her. It was all around, and he could feel it mocking him too. It knew it was winning, and knew also Rena's weakness. She would not last another day.
+~+~+~+~
Andre and Nazo were too stunned to speak. They had not been expecting a dead creature in their friend's room, nor were they expecting to watch her slowly wither before their eyes.
The boy sat by her bedside all through that night, and all through the next day, whispering words in ancient Egyptian, sometimes remaining deathly quiet, focusing on the hand he held. The other man, the one who had come to their camp before, never left her side, not to eat or sleep, and he stared only at Rena, lying motionless on the bed. Another little boy, much younger than all the rest sat by his brother on a chair, and every so often would get up and pace back and forth, then leave the room for small periods of time. Though he would never be gone for more than fifteen minutes at a time.
The others came and went, always visiting Rena's side at least thrice in the day. One of the girls in particular, one with long blonde hair would come and sit by her side, and always left the room in tears.
They tried to talk to the people, tried to find out just what was going on. Their responses to any questions asked though would be vague and evasive, as if they themselves didn't really understand truly what was going on.
Andre finally could not take the silence anymore, and as dawn broke over the edge of the city, he walked up slowly behind the older boy, the CEO whom he had seen earlier.
"Excuse me," he whispered, "Should we take Rena to a hospital?"
"It wouldn't do any good," he replied. "This isn't a physical wound."
"I don't understand," said Andre.
"Don't worry about it," the boy replied. "I wouldn't expect you to know."
Andre's annoyance could be heard in his voice, "You have no right to tell me not to worry. Rena is my best friend, and I want answers to why she hasn't opened her eyes since last evening!"
"We'll tell you later," Seto said, barely moving his lips.
Nazo spoke up, "I am a physician, so maybe I can help." She had been listening to the words the other boy had been chanting, and somehow they felt strangely familiar.
"Ah nacht seture, ah nacht seture. Eset nacht seture. Kymen nach ah nacht seture," the boy continued heedless of her words.
"Please," said Nazo. "I know how to help."
The older boy looked at her curiously, "How can you help?"
"In every way," she whispered. "I have seen this before. I know not where, and I don't know how I know, but I can save her."
The boy looked up at her and recognition flickered in his eyes. "You can," he said.
Nazo sighed and smiled at him, then walked to Rena's bedside and sat down beside her. She traced her finger over Rena's neck, and pulled up a leather cord necklace. At the end dangled a small token that seemed to pulse with a faint red light in her hands.
"The amulet of Imhotep," the other boy gasped, looking at her in awe. "It recognizes you."
"Yes," Nazo said. "Yes, it does. Its true power lies in the hands of its rightful healer, and through the sands of time it has drawn me to it again. And this time, I will use it for the better of another. So many things have changed, Akhten, and I hope that someday history will stop its repetition and leave our souls in peace."
Yami stared as the woman spoke, never letting her hand stray from Rena's neck or the amulet. Her eyes were cloudy and not her own as she spoke, and her voice was soft and penetrating.
Nazo continued, "Ah nacht seture, nas Eset oh ah nacht indeken yemei na seture, kymen ah nach. Oh, teruhy menusen seture." Her hands worked quickly over the amulet, and Yami watched in wonder. She moved her hands from Rena's two charkas, moving rapidly from her forehead to her heart, whispering again in ancient Egyptian. It had been five thousand years since he had witnessed a spell cast such as this like, and he had thought the art of medicine of his people long forgotten. But one thought was prominent in his mind. Nazo's words, 'Its true power lies in the hands of its rightful healer, and through the sands of time it has drawn me to it again. And this time, I will use it for the better of another. So many things have changed, Akhten, and I hope that someday history will stop its repetition and leave our souls in peace.' Never had he heard such things spoken, except by himself and by Rena. It seemed highly unlikely that another spirit could have been awakened. Yami thought he had regained his memory, but now it seemed another veil was clouding his sight into the past.
He was positive now that more kindred spirits were among them, in the same room as them. He did not understand why or how they had come together as this, but he was appreciative of their company. At last, it seemed, as he breathed a sigh of relief, at last it was that his memory could be put to rest.
+~+~+~+~
Rena was alone. Megami's voice, the dark presence's voice, and all other voices were gone, and only fragments, echoes of past proclamations, remained. She could hear nothing, nor could she see anything. It was not dark, it seemed as though her eyes themselves had gone blind and she was alone to hobble on to the next gate of another vista. She could feel nothing, not even her own heartbeat; she doubted if she was even alive. She could not speak, only think, and so she thought.
"Am I alone?" she called into her mind. "Megami are you there? Anyone? I'm lost in my own head. Now how the hell did I do that?" As she supposed, no echo came as an answer.
In her mind, she felt herself rising, as though walking through dark corridors, suppressed by her consciousness. Here where nothing reigned supreme, and all chaotic emotions were subtle, these thoughts were projected and amplified, open and unhidden in the waste that surrounded them. She envisioned doors emerging from the emptiness, tall and dark, looming like sentinels in her mind. She imagined them opening, revealing alternate vistas, shadows of memories that she had long forgotten; it was a kind of unsettling deja vous, a flicker of things that had been.
She tried to call out, but no breath issued from her presence, as essence was all she was, a lonely spirit wandering the cold halls of their own soul, hoping for warmth in reminiscence. She visited one of the rooms portrayed in her mind, and suddenly she could see once again, or imagined that she could see and was whole again. The room was dimly lit, and sweetly scented, a violin playing distinctly in the background. She was on a rose couch, when hands came up behind her and caressed her face, stroking her hair. She examined the strands that lay close to her face. Her hair was much shorter than it once was, and no longer blonde, but more of a rusty brown, with reds flickering in and out like licks of flame. Then, she looked at the hand grazing her face, pale and fair it was, surrounded by a lacy cuff of fine silk.
She started, as this memory was awakened. She dared not turn around and look behind her, only sped from the room, tearing out into the solace of the dark. She did not wish to visit any more rooms, did not want to see any more shadows. She wanted only to return to her waking world, and again see the faces of her friends looking upon her.
But one more room compelled her to come to it, for its door was unlike all the rest. Instead of being darkened and woody, it was smooth and cold, like stone. In her mind she opened it, and was again deceived with reality as things became alive and memories were awakened. The room was dimly lit, though she could tell the sun was shining. It was as though there was no alternate light aside from the sun, and the room she was in was cast in shadow, hiding from the bright face's glare.
The air was thick and heavy, a musty smell laid deep upon everything. But old it was, ancient, with bare stone walls inscribed with the language of the Egyptian gods, and idols standing in pathways, watching their world in a holy room, while true life danced outside. She guessed that it was a temple, a room of piousness in which the gods were hailed supreme, though she felt she was not alone. She heard a rumbling from behind her, the sound of stone on stone, and knew that a great door was opening somewhere. When she turned around, a man stood there gazing at her in awe, a great lust in his eyes lined with kohl. She turned around and saw behind her a maiden, a servant girl, who stood there returning his gaze an archaic smile etched across her face. But what scared Rena was that this girl was identical to herself, a mirror image in every feature but one, where her hair was brown and golden, the other's was black as night. Rena followed the girl as she made her way up to the man, grabbing his hands carefully and leading him to one of the idols and sitting herself beneath it, pulling the man next to her.
As Rena looked up at the idol she cried out, fear wrenching her for as she stood at the base of the statue and looked on, she knew it was she, and it was Megami.
She stumbled back, clutching for something to hold onto, but could not grasp anything, for she was a specter in this vision. Megami's lamented cries could be heard faintly as she kept looking on, unable to turn away as something crept silently upon him as the man drew himself upon her image. The room was filled with blackness, how could they not feel it? It was all around them, it was coming closer! The statue stood guarding them, her empty eyes haunted by knowledge unknown to them, and as Megami's cries continued, they seemed to issue from the idol's own lips, an evocative sound.
The two below heard it too, but it was too late. The evil had won, and soon would be their punishment. The room went dark as Rena grasped her head in her hands, sinking to the floor cradling her head in her knees as the powerful voice from before rang out in the dark, "Djeten! By the honor of your position, did you love your hidden mistress, enough to sacrifice your own priesthood?"
And again the whispered response came, as the blackness threatened to envelope her too, "Yes, and I still love you."
No more was spoken, and all that could be heard were Megami's broken and defeated sobs, fading out as she became one with the dark. For a moment she lost her awareness, but when she awoke, she became faintly aware of arms around her, though they she did not recognize the person who held her, at first.
They held her fast, and she gazed upon the hands that held her, pale and fair they were, surrounded by a cuff of gold. Her body froze, afraid to move, as a venomous voice said into her ear, "Akhten, I have returned. Do not worry, you will be mine soon, hold on, hold on for me. I'm coming for you."
"No," she whispered, and fought to free herself. "I am not anyone's! Let me go, let go of me." She wriggled and fought, but the arms held her securely against the other spirit.
"Soon I will hold you with arms of flesh and blood, and no one will tear you from them," it said.
"You are what has poisoned me," she said, fear laced in her voice.
"Yes," it said. She could feel it smile into her back. "I am. I am Her loyal servant, and I have kept good watch of you. And for my vigilance, I will have you. She has promised me the catalyst for the defeat of the goddess. And you will be mine, I know it."
"No!" she cried. "Megami help me!" She slowly became aware of Megami coming toward her, but the goddess was held back by something.
"I'm coming Akhten!" she cried. "I'm trying!"
"She will not come," it said simply. "She cannot come. I won't let her. She'll take you away from me, and I'm not done yet with you."
"Please let go," she said, broken and defeated.
"Not until I am done," it responded. The arms tightened around her, and she felt as though it were trying to force its essence into her spirit, trying to take over her mind.
She heard Megami cry out. "No, Akhten, let him pass not into your mind! Keep him away, and stay strong! I am coming!" But her cries lay deaf on fell ears. Rena could not hear, see, or feel. The essence was commanding her own, and she could do nothing but let it move in further.
+~+~+~+~
Yami looked up. He had felt a twitch in the room, as though energies had shifted, and he looked at Rena. Her face was pale, a look like that of pallid death had rested upon her features for some time now, but still her heart beat faintly. Nazo had continued her work for a long day now, and a second dawn was rising as she still whispered on, fingering the amulet of Imhotep and grazing Rena's heart with her gentle touch.
Nazo stopped whispering and fell silent, giving a silent prayer to Imhotep that his stone awaken, and wake it did. The amulet burned with a crimson glow and slowly, Rena drew breath in from her lips. Her ashen features became less pallid, and her breathing became steadier. But still the darkness hovered over and about them, unwilling to leave.
"I have done all I can, my friend," Nazo whispered. "All I can give you in atonement for my past sin is one final prayer, the rest is upon you. But I have faith in you, in your power, the power that defeated me, and taught me what I know now." She folded her hands and laid them over Rena's breast, whispering silently.
+~+~+~+~
She was dimly aware of words being spoken as the spirit moved itself into her. The words were soft and faint, like undertones of another world.
"Kemen ach seture na kymenius setemen na Eset sanan emeture. Eset na ankh kement an scerius djeturena."
Megami sighed, "Akhten, listen. Have strength in the power of prayer. Oan is with you, and she will protect you. Have strength in her prayers. She is giving you to Eset, do not be afraid."
Rena relaxed, letting the words flow into her as well. Slowly she felt herself becoming real, regaining her mind as the darkness pulled away.
As it left her, it called out, "Soon my Akhten. It's coming together, and so soon, you will be mine once and for all."
Megami broke her bonds, and held Rena close against her.
Rena looked up, knowing her body was returned to her, "Soon Megami, our final contest."
"Yes Akhten, soon. But my bonds are broken now and I am growing stronger. Soon I will be ready to face the Daughter of Set, and soon, you will know who I truly am. Also will you know who you truly are, my Akhten," she crooned, stroking Rena's hair.
She felt herself issue breath from her own lips, and her eyes opened slowly.
Nazo smiled down at her, and Yami came over, relief flooding into his face. Andre rushed over too, confusion apparent on his face through his happiness. Seto stood there as well, a smile on his face, though his eyes were moist. She pulled herself erect and went to him, anchoring her arms around his neck. "Don't let me go," she whispered.
"Never," he sighed into her neck. He looked up at the others, "Can you leave us alone for a moment?"
"Are you sure?" Andre asked. Nazo touched his shoulder gingerly, and with a reluctant look back at Rena, followed her out of the room.
Yami smiled at Seto and Rena knowingly, and said, "It is good have you back with us, Rena. I'll let the others know." Silently then, he turned and left.
"Just how many times am I going to have to worry about you leaving me?" he asked.
"No clue," she smiled into his coat. "But I'm better now."
"And then something will attack your head, and you'll pass out, and who knows if you'll come back after that?" he asked. "I don't want to lose you, not now when you've just come into my life."
"Seto, this is dangerous. We have to take chances if we're going to save Ryou and stop Set's Daughter," Rena said.
"I know," he sighed, "Just let me be overprotective, okay?"
She kissed him gently, "Okay." He leaned back onto the bed, and she followed, lying on top of him, resting her head on top of his chest. He pulled his arms up around her, holding her steady.
"Hey, Rena," he mumbled down to her.
"Hmm?" she smiled.
"Let's go out tonight. Just the two of us. We'll find somewhere nice to eat and we can forget about everything for one night. Does that sound good?"
She moved herself up so that she could look into his eyes, eyes that reminded her ones she had seen before, "That'd be great."
He moved down so his face met hers, and rolled on top of her, kissing her gently, pulling at her lip until it softened, and she opened her mouth for him.
Grabbing his shoulders, she drew him closer, lost in the moment, when the door flew open.
Mai ran in, blubbering like a baby, "Oh Rena! You're okay!" Then she stopped as she saw what was going on, and smirked. "Yeah, you're okay. Next time, let me know when you two plan on engaging in gratuitous sex so I know not to come in. Okay with you?"
"Mai!" Rena cried. "I was not having sex!"
She raised her eyebrow and said mockingly, "Uh-huh, that's what you said last time, wasn't it?"
Seto looked from Mai to Rena, a question on his tongue, but he bit it down as Rena jumped up and started to chase Mai around the room.
"You always think the worst, Mai!" she cried.
Mai laughed playfully. "There's nothing wrong with it, Rena! It's a natural thing in life!"
Rena shouted, and chased Mai out of the room, Mai's laughter echoing down the hallway. Seto watched in amusement, then slowly picked himself up and went to the doorway just in time to see Mai dash down the staircase, Rena in hot pursuit.
The door opened to the boys' room and Yuugi poked his head out just as the door slammed. A minute later, the door flew open and Mai came tearing out of it, breathing heavy. Rena came up right behind her, as fresh as she was when she had gone down the stairs, then grabbed Mai, tickling her sides.
"Ahhh! Stop it, stop it!" Mai cried. "I'm sorry!"
"There," said Rena, letting go. "Was that so hard?"
"Oh, get over it," Mai said, annoyed by the defeat.
Rena flexed her arms and laughed, "I am the champion!"
"Get over yourself," said Seto coming down the hall. He picked Rena up and threw her over his shoulder, walking back to Yuugi's room. Yuugi looked up at them and couldn't help but smile.
"I guess she likes a man who's willing to take charge," he grinned.
"You forget who's bigger and stronger here," said Seto.
Yuugi closed his eyes for a moment while a gold light shimmered faintly about him. When his eyes opened, he was Yami.
"That depends on which of us you're talking to," he said.
"Are you sure about that?" Seto asked.
Yami glared at him. "Positive," he remarked.
"All right," Seto shrugged. "Whatever you prefer."
"Hey!" cried Rena. "When you two are done with your chauvinism, I'm still here!"
"That's right, you are!" Seto grinned. He let her go, catching her inches before she hit the ground.
"You jerk!" she fumed. "I regret ever kissing you!"
"Now I haven't heard a woman say that before to me!" he joked.
Nazo poked her head out of one of the rooms. "Just what is going on?" she asked.
"Seto's being a jerk," said Rena. "But that's nothing new."
"It's near impossible to believe that two minutes ago you two were making out," said Mai.
"Mai, shut up!" Rena cried.
"Making out?" asked Andre, looking at Rena incredulously. "Just what have you been up to?"
Rena felt the blood rush to her face, "It doesn't matter! Just forget it."
"Excuse me, but I'm very confused," said Nazo. "Perhaps you would like to explain things before you continue your argument?"
Rena whispered a silent thank you to Nazo. "Yes, that's a good idea. You guys don't yet know what's going on. But you aren't going to believe me."
Nazo smiled, "Rena, I would believe anything you told me."
Andre laughed, "Maybe not everything, but I would believe a lot."
Rena threw him a look, but then burst out laughing instead, "Ah! So what?"
Nazo smiled, "Come on. It seems we have lots to talk about."
Yami came up to them, and helped give Rena a hand up, "Yes, we do. Do you have a while?"
"I think so," said Nazo. "But we left the Professor in town, we need to find him first."
"What?" cried Rena. "You never told me the Professor was with you!"
"If you remember Rena, we didn't have a lot of time for spare thought," said Yami. "We still don't."
Rena looked up, as everything came back, "You're right! We still have those Suits after us, and we have to.we have to." She reeled slightly.
"You've spent too much, Rena. You're tired. I think you need to lay down and get some rest," said Seto, picking her up in his arms.
"Yeah, I need a nap."
Seto rolled his eyes and sighed, but carried her into their room, laying her on the couch.
"I'll call the Professor," said Nazo. "I'll tell him where we're at, so he can come by and visit Rena. In the meantime, let's let Rena have her rest."
+~+~+~+~
Rena turned and tossed, restless in her sleep. The memories of before echoed in her mind, and she was unable to clear them away. They danced in her dreams, fear laced with defeat, and she was afraid of them. And above all, she was afraid of the voice, taunting and knowing. "I will have you..soon."
Rena woke up with a start, "What time is it?"
"Shush," said Seto, coming to sit by her side. "It's about one in the afternoon. You haven't been asleep that long."
"Are you sure?" she asked. "It feels way longer."
He smirked, "I'm sure."
"Have there been any more suits around?" she asked.
"None since the day before last. I'm wondering where they went," he said.
"As pessimistic as it sounds, I'm sure they'll be back," she sighed.
"I have no doubt that you're probably right," he said.
"Where is everyone?" she asked.
"Yuugi and all of his friends are in their rooms, waiting for you to wake up. Nazo and Andre went to fetch Professor Edward Geb; he's your teacher isn't he? Well, they went to go find him, and should be back any minute now. After that, I think it's time that we give everyone the explanation they've been wanting," Seto said, leaning back.
"But where are we going to start?" she asked. "And just what are we going to tell them?"
"Well, the truth wouldn't hurt," Seto said.
She looked at him, and then sighed, "You sarcastic."
"Person?" he supplied.
"Exactly," she grinned. "But I knew we'd tell them the truth. But how much should we tell them? I don't want them getting hurt."
"Well, it's not really my call. I'm just here to provide moral support, not to mention my dashing looks, wit, and strength," he said.
Before she could open her mouth to respond, a knock came at the door. The Professor walked in, smiling brilliantly, "Why Rena! It's so good to see you! Why didn't you call me and tell me you were coming to Egypt? We could have had tea somewhere!" He wiped his glasses on his shirtfront, then came over and took her hand, "But it's good to see you again, I'll warrant."
"It's a wonder how I can last when you aren't here," she said, throwing her arms around his neck.
"Careful, Rena. I'm a bit scruffy. It's not the cleanest of places out here, and I've yet to take a sufficient cleaning," he chuckled.
Rena laughed, "I lived in the same dirt and sand with you for goodness knows how long. I'm not too proud to give you a hug!"
"See?" Andre said, coming in. "I told you he'd find her room, help or no help."
Nazo smiled as she walked in behind him, "Well, whenever you are right, you are correct."
Andre laughed, "It's when you're right, you're right, Nazo."
"Oh," she said, and then blushed. "I didn't realize my mistake."
"Eh, don't worry about it," Andre said.
"Well, now that we're all here, could I have a logical explanation as to just what is going on?" the Professor asked. "Andre and Nazo tried to tell me some of it, and I've been trying to piece it together from what I know, but I've just drawn a great blank."
"Of course," said Rena. "But I'm going to need some help in clearing things up."
Seto stood up, "I'll go find him."
+~+~+~+~
Five minutes later, they were all assembled around the room, Rena sitting next to Seto on the sofa, Andre and Nazo sitting next to each other in the floor, Yami standing near the window, and the Professor was sitting relaxed in an easy chair.
"In all honesty, I don't know where to begin," Rena said.
"It begins thousands of years ago," said Yami to the window. "It starts with a pharaoh who reigned at the height of the power of the Shadow Games."
"The Shadow Games didn't exist," said Andre. "They were proved to be a myth a long time ago. Every archaeologist knows that." He fell silent though as Rena glared at him.
Yami turned to him briefly, "Please do not interrupt my tale, for I am wiser in the years than most self-proclaimed archaeologists tend to be." Then he turned back to the window and started again, "I was that pharaoh."
"Yugiou, darling, you're going to have to speak up if you're going to talk to the window," said Rena. "We can hardly hear you over here."
Yami turned and smiled at her. "I shall try." He returned to his position at the window. "You probably do not believe me when I say this, but I am telling in sooth. I was once the Lord of the Two Lands, King of the Nile. But my reign was brief, and I was soon to fall to an enemy. I do not remember the name of my enemy, or how my downfall came about. All I know is that my patron goddess took her will from me, and with my life's end, I brought the Shadow Games to rest. As I took my last dying breath, I created seven items, and in the final holy item, I sealed my soul away to be awakened by a catalyst I created in my own image. On that final night as my kingdom fell, I believe my goddess took for herself her own catalyst, to be united again with her own holy item, a Holy Rapier that was the mark of my goddess. And on that night, one final entity was created, by all my enemies who had lost their lives on that night. And somehow, the Daughter of their god, Sutekh, was created. Which brings us to today.
Now she has awoken to exact her vengeance on the goddess, who resides in her catalyst. Rena is the catalyst of the goddess. And now, the Daughter of Set has come after the goddess that lives in Rena, and her vengeance is deadly. I do not know more of the story, Rena would be the best to continue."
Rena sighed, and rubbed her hands together. "I'll try, though I doubt I'm much better at storytelling than you are. It started up when I joined the dig for Mana Ka'reph. The site we're at now, the one we've been excavating, it wasn't the temple. It was Mando Nashti'ora, the key to Mana Ka'reph. The true temple's whereabouts were found in a scroll buried in Nashti'ora, which was guarded by a demon gargoyle." She felt Seto's shudder against her arm and she looked at him reassuringly. "Seto finished the gargoyle and brought the scroll to me, where I was hired to translate it for him. In my stay there, we were attacked twice by two different demons sent by the Daughter of Set, confirming our fears that she was indeed after the goddess. And later, we were invited to her house to a party in the guise of a masquerade ball. It was then I saw her in her bodily form, that of Tenshino Konton. Also at the time I first discovered Megami, the goddess spoken of, and talked to her. I had known her before, but then I befriended her. Then I met the professor in Japan, and he told me of a new tomb, one I had resolved to investigate with Yugiou over there. A day later the second demon appeared and took one of our friends, Bakura Ryou as bait to come to Egypt. I had decoded the scroll not long before and after that Seto and I went together to Thebes to recover it from the true Mana Ka'reph."
"Which is where I must interject," said the Professor. "The Key that was one of the three gifts I gave to you, did you ever use it?"
"No, I don't remember ever having done so," she said. "But it was the key to Mana Ka'reph!" She brought it out of her purse on the floor and held it up, "But the phrase on it, it says."
"It says nothing about Ka'reph," the Professor said, "And everything about the tomb of the unknown pharaoh. It was not Mana Ka'reph that you read upon the key, but "The eye of the sun, glint in the temple, unlock the secrets of Kara Ma'reph."
At this, Yami looked back, "Kara Ma'reph, the final place?" The Professor shook his head. "Then it is true," said Yami. "I am dead." He looked at Rena, "Please go on, finish the tale."
"I will," she sighed, looking at him in pity. "We found the temple in the center of the city, down a well a hundred feet deep. There traps had been laid, blessed by Upuaut, and also there was the Rogue Doll, silent guardian of their gates, and the Holy Dragons that never slept. Jeez, I sound like a bought-out fairy tale," she laughed.
"It all sounds very strange, very mythical," said the Professor. "But keep going."
"All right," she took a deep breath. "After Seto calmed the Dragons using the power of the First Prophet, we were judged by the goddess of order, Ma'at, who looked into our souls and found all of our desires, our fears, it was really disturbing. Do you believe anything I'm saying?"
"Not really," said Andre. "But I bet there's proof to go with this that's going to make me eat my words like always."
"Well, not to say you're right, but you're right," Rena said. "After the judgment of Ma'at, in which we were both found favorable, we were able to collect the Holy Rapier and get out of Mana Ka'reph. Unfortunately though, when we were trying to escape, Seto was attacked by a creature of Ammit, but I saved him." She winked at Seto, who grinned at her cynically.
"We went home after that," Rena continued, "And when we did, we were greeted with news of our kidnapped friend, sent straight to us from the Daughter of Set. He's been beaten and tortured, and I don't know just how much longer he'll be able to survive. So my friends and I all resolved to leave for Egypt as soon as possible. When we got here, we found that suited men were tracking us, and some of them are still out there. That was about the same time I went unconscious, because I felt some presence invading my mind, trying to push me out, but it was stopped, and left me alone. I think that brings us up to this minute, wouldn't you?"
"Quite a tale," said the Professor. "But is there evidence behind it?"
"Of course," said Rena. "Just one moment, I'll be back." She came back later her arms laden with items covered in burlap. She lay them down on the floor, spreading them about her. "First," she said, "Are the gifts that you all gave to me. The Amulet as Andre and Nazo saw, works." She pulled out a pocketknife from her purse, and drawing the blade, slit her palm. Fresh blood trickled down her arm dotting the floor.
Seto winced as she cut herself again, "Rena that's enough."
"I know," she said, watching as the blood fell down her arm, and drew from her purse the stone amulet. Almost immediately the stone glowed crimson and the metallic liquid sprang forth, covering her hand. After a minute it drew away, leaving her wounds untraceably healed.
"Truly an amazing thing," said Andre. "That magic could still be alive even after all these millennia."
"It is," Rena whispered. "All of these are evidence of a time long ago. The amulet, the moonstone, the Key, and above all, the Rapier." She unwrapped the sword, and lifted it up, its golden glow illuminating the room, filling it with its brightness.
"So, it does exist," said the Professor. "After all these years, everything has been true. The Millennium Items are not a myth, but indeed are among us. Then, the Shadow Games, they do exist? Sugoroku was right; they are as real as anything. Then, that means.the realm?"
"The Realm of Shadows exists as well," said Yami. "I believe it is how the Daughter of Set awakened."
"Then there is only one thing yet that we must do before we face her," said Rena.
"You must go and see the tomb of the unknown pharaoh," said the Professor.
"Right," said Rena. "It's the final clue we need to revealing the pharaoh's past, there has to be something there."
"But the walls, they were erased," started the Professor.
"I know, but maybe there's something else, maybe there's another clue somewhere that we missed. And if there is, we have to find it. We need to know just what happened those thousands of years ago. I want to know why I exist, why I am the catalyst that was so needed by a goddess. We all need to know our origin, for we are not here without purpose," Rena sighed.
"Don't you just hate it when history repeats itself," Seto said, pulling his arm around Rena.
"You aren't helping. I'm trying to be dramatic here," she grinned.
"Oh right, keep going then," he said.
Nazo smiled at them. "Then what are we waiting for?" she asked. "We should go as soon as we can, if those suited men are still following you."
"All right," said Rena, heading for the door. "Let's go!" She shoved it open with an emphatic push.
"Waah!" Jou cried, falling backwards on top of Honda, Anzu, and Mai.
"You guys!" Rena cried. "What were you doing?"
"Ouch," said Anzu, rubbing her rear. "We were trying to find out just what was going on."
"It wasn't like any of you were telling us," said Mai.
"So we listened in at the door to try and find out just what was going to happen," finished Honda.
Rena looked at them listlessly, "You guys are right. I shouldn't have left you out of the conversation. Come on, I apologize."
"Eh, don't worry about it," smiled Jounochi. "As long as we get to go with you to the unknown tomb of the pharaoh or whatever it was."
"Of course," Rena said, but she was cut short as Seto broke in.
"Wait," he said. "Where's Mokuba? Where is he? He's by himself!"
"Oh my God," Rena cried, her eyes going wide. "He shouldn't be alone!" Both Seto and Rena took off down the hall for their room, Yuugi and his friends right behind.
Seto jammed the key in the lock and threw open the door. "Mokuba!" he cried. "Mokuba! Where are you? Mokuba!"
Rena searched the room frantically, no sign of the young boy. "Mokuba! Mokuba, come on!" she shouted.
"Oh God, where is he?" Seto asked, going into another room. "I can't find him!"
"No," cried Rena. "Not Mokuba!" she collapsed onto the couch, tears in her eyes. Then, she heard it, a soft click like a telephone being picked up. Faintly, she could make out conversation. She followed it, into another off-room, to a corner.
"That's right, Nobu-san. They're two greyhound dogs, their names are Seshat and Amun. I want them flown over, yeah right away. Where? They're at big brother's house. Don't worry, they're good dogs, they'll go with you if you're nice to them. No, they won't bite you. Of course I'm sure! They won't bite! All right, good. I know, thank you. This'll make Rena really happy. Who? Oh, she's my brother's girlfriend. Yeah, don't tell him I told you, arigatou! Domo arigatou, Nobu-san!"
Mokuba was sitting in the corner with the telephone. He put it down and noticed Rena behind him. He grinned up at her sheepishly.
"Just what were you doing? And just what do you mean by 'your brother's girlfriend'? How many times do we have to go over this, Mokuba?" Rena asked, crossing her arms in front of her.
"Mokuba?" Seto asked, coming in the room. "Mokuba! Do you realize you just gave me the biggest heart attack ever? I don't want you alone! Not unless I know where you are! You realize just how much you freaked me out?"
"I'm sorry, brother!" Mokuba protested. "I didn't think I was being unsafe, I'm really sorry!"
"It's fine," Seto said, waving a dismissive hand. "But what were you doing up here?"
"I called Nobu-san at the office," said Mokuba. "I want him to fly Amun and Seshat over here."
"You what?" Seto asked.
"I thought they could help, too!" Mokuba said.
Seto sighed, running his hand down his face, "Okay, fine. But next time, let me know when you're going to do something like that."
"And next time," said Rena, "Ask me about what I want to do with my dogs."
"Gosh," said Mokuba, getting up from the corner, and making his way to the door. "You guys already sound like parents." He went out the door.
"I-oooh, if I didn't adore him, I'd hurt him," said Rena. "Parents, us? I don't quite think so."
"It's so hard sometimes to believe he's my brother," said Seto. "I certainly would never have said anything like that."
Rena looked at him, "Oh yeah right!" She sighed and left the room.
"Hey, what was that supposed to mean?" asked Seto. He shoved his hands into his pockets, "Damn woman."
"Tell me about it," said Yuugi, coming into the room.
"Yuugi or Yami?" Seto asked. "You two change so fast I can't keep track."
"Yuugi," the boy said, shutting the door and taking a seat on the sofa. "Seems like we're leaving tomorrow."
"Yeah?" said Seto.
"Yeah. It seems Professor Geb and Rena's two friends seem to be in a big hurry to leave. I think they want to find out as much about this as the rest of us. Especially Nazo. Did you hear what she said to Rena the other night?"
"I remember some," said Seto. "It was really strange, talking about how the amulet had finally drawn her to it again and how this time she was going to help Rena, and make things right. It didn't make a whole lot of sense."
"Maybe not from your standpoint," said Yuugi. "But it was pretty clear to Yami, and me too. You know how Yami is the pharaoh, and you are the incarnate of the High Priest, right? Well, Yami thinks there are more incarnates, and that this story is way bigger than we originally thought."
"What did you think? Originally?" Seto asked.
"Well, at first, we thought it would be a fight between Rena and the Daughter of Set. I wouldn't be surprised if Rena still thinks it is. But now, Yami thinks that maybe the others were involved somehow, and that this conflict revolved around each of us. And now, history has repeated itself to put to rest all that it started. And finally, the Shadow Games will be stopped. It seems, they were the beginning of this whole ordeal anyway," said Yuugi. "But I'm confused about it all. There's just too much information to take in. It's hard to understand it all. What do you make of it, Seto?"
"I know nothing about this," said Seto. "All I know is there is a goddess inside one of my closest friends, and the Daughter of Set is after that goddess, Megami."
"Megami?" Yuugi asked.
"Supposedly that's what she asked Rena to call her. Does Yami remember her name?"
"No," said Yuugi. "The only name he remembers is Akhten, but that's Rena, isn't it?"
"Yeah," said Seto. "Looks like we're both pretty confused, huh?"
"I won't deny it," smiled Yuugi. He yawned and rubbed his eyes.
"You been getting enough sleep?" Seto asked him.
"Not really, no," said Yuugi. "I've been having nightmares. You know, about Ryou, about Rena, about all of us. One in particular gets stuck in my mind. Yami's lying on the floor, I know he's dying. But as he dies, he whispers something in ancient Egyptian, I don't know what it means, and then, he fades away, except for seven sparks of light. And then, I see on a black stone slab, ghosts in the shape of priests or something, maybe they're wizards, I don't know. But on the stone is a black sword, and it glows faintish green. Then, I hear a woman's scream and this.maniacal laughter. I always wake up after that though. It's really freaky, and I've been hard put for sleep ever since."
"Hmm, well, I can get you some sleeping pills if you need them," said Seto, appalled at his own concern for the young boy.
"Thanks," said Yuugi. "I'm willing to try just about anything right now." He stood up and stretched. "Well, I'd better be going. Mai and Anzu have been bugging me to go by the pool, want to join us?"
"Thanks but no, I'm good."
"Are you sure?" he asked. "Rena's going to be there."
"So?" Seto looked at him.
"She's wearing a bikini," Yuugi grinned.
"This entices me, how?"
"Mai found it for her," said Yuugi.
"Mai picked it?"
"Mai picked it, red with strings."
"Then I'm there."
"I thought you wouldn't resist," said Yuugi. "See you at the pool."
+~+~+~+~
"Mai, I said buy me a swimsuit, not a rag with strings!" Rena cried.
"You look so sexy!" Mai whistled. "Seto's going to slip in his own saliva!"
"Oh, that's a picture I didn't need," said Rena. "Jeez, these bottoms keep riding up!"
"Rena, shut up!" Mai cried.
"Yeah, come on!" laughed Anzu. "The guys are waiting! Oh my gosh, look! Seto's out here too!"
"Well, duh," said Mai. "After all, how could he resist? Come on Rena!"
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Rena said, wrapping a towel around her. The girls walked out onto the poolside. The guys had already jumped in and were messing around when they came out.
"You don't need that," said Mai, taking the towel from Rena.
"Hey!" said Rena. "All right, you're getting dunked!" She pushed Mai into the pool and jumped in after her, pushing her blonde head under the water. Mai thrashed about like a drowning cat, and then came up, gasping.
"Rena! You-" she dived after Rena, who swam away. Rena climbed up out of the pool on the ladder, and ran to the other side.
"Whoa," said Anzu, sitting down on the pool's edge. "I'm glad I didn't caught in that crossfire."
"You spoke too soon," Rena smiled, coming up behind Anzu and pushing her in. "Ah-ha-ha-ha! I am the champion!"
"Of what?" asked Yuugi.
She shrugged, "No clue." While she walked around the side of the pool, flaunting her victory, Seto got out and snuck up behind her.
"Don't look behind you," he whispered maliciously.
"What--?" she asked, turning around.
"I said don't look!" cried Seto, scooping her up in his arms.
"No, put me down, I'm the champion!" she crowed.
"Not anymore," said Seto.
Jounochi looked up and laughed. "Cannon ball!" he cried.
Seto ran up to the pool's edge, and then leapt off, almost a good six feet, and then fell with a gigantic splash into the water. This time it was Rena's turn to thrash and splutter as she came up to the surface.
"Seto!" she screamed. "You better swim for it!"
"Aye, aye!" he mocked, and began to swim off with a brilliant breaststroke.
"I didn't know Seto could swim," remarked Anzu as Rena took off after the CEO. "That's new."
"Seto can do a lot of things I wouldn't give him credit for," said Yuugi. "He's much more different than I thought he was."
"Yeah, no kidding," Anzu laughed. "Who would have thought Seto could act so normal?" Yuugi smiled at her. She was dressed in a simple navy blue one piece, but it framed her figure perfectly. Her hair was wet and hung loose around her shoulders, and she was smiling, right at him. He melted when she looked at him like that, like he was the only person in the room.
"Yeah," he said, smiling back at her.
She blushed and looked away. "Um, Yuugi," she started. "I heard Seto might be taking Rena out to dinner tonight. How about we go get something, you know, together?"
He couldn't believe himself, but he stammered, "Uh, yeah. That sounds like fun!"
"Great," she smiled. "And Yuugi?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, I was wondering, you're going to think I'm a complete loser for asking, but, well, is Yami going to be there?" she asked.
"Well, he's just about everywhere I am," Yuugi responded, his heart sinking to his feet. And this time he had thought it was him that Anzu wanted to go have dinner with, when like usual, it was Yami.
"I was just curious," she said, blushing harder and leaning back in the water.
"Yeah, I understand," he murmured. "You still like him don't you?"
She looked at him, surprised, but before she had a chance to answer Jounochi came crashing over, Honda nearly on top of him.
"Jounochi, you pervert! Give it back, or I'm calling the police or something!" Mai squealed. "Ah, you perv!" She was huddled in the corner of the pool, her arms wrapped tightly around her chest. Jounochi had stolen her swim top.
"Jou!" Anzu cried. "That's horrible!" She took off after him too, and Rena helped join in the chase. Finally, the two girls cornered him and were splashing him near to death when Honda got up out of the pool and grabbed Jou from behind while Anzu snatched the pink bikini away and ran it back to Mai, who ducked down underneath the water to put it back on.
When she came up, her face was red, both from embarrassment and rage. "Katsuya Jounochi, I am never speaking to you again, you malodorous pervert!"
Jounochi blanched and swam over, "No, Mai! I was just joking, you know what? I'm a bastard, I'm sorry! Please, you have to speak to me!"
She turned away from him and got up out of the pool, and he followed up after her, still begging for forgiveness. "Please Mai," he said. "I'll do anything, just say something! Ridicule me, bash me, just let me know you know I'm here!"
"This is sad," said Anzu. "She's putting him through the worst."
"In a big way," Rena added, concealing a small smile.
Finally, Mai stopped and turned around to face Jounochi. "Fine, I'll talk to you," she said.
"Oh thank you-," Jounochi started but she cut him off with her hand.
"But," she smiled at him. "But, you have to make up for it."
"Anything," he pleaded.
"That's what I like to hear," she grinned. "There's a silk wrap in one of the stores. It's so cute, and it would set off my eyes and compliment my shoulders just right, but I don't have enough money to buy it."
"Say no more," said Jounochi, running to his pants and pulling out his wallet. "Just lead the way."
"Great," she flashed him her most brilliant smile and walked off, Jou right behind.
"Oh, there is nothing funny about this," Rena grimaced. "She has got him wrapped around her little finger. Poor Jou."
"Yeah," said Anzu, "But it's funny in a sad, pathetic way."
"Oh well," said Honda. "It's his own fault." He swum up behind Rena, and dunked her head down.
Gasping, she dove back up. "Hey!" she cried. "Not fair!"
"Too bad," Honda taunted, swimming away.
"Come back here!" she called, swimming after him. "Guys, come on, help me out here!" Seto took off after Honda, and Yuugi jumped in too. After lots of persuasion, even Anzu joined in the chase. Then, Mokuba came padding over.
"You guys ditched me at the kiddie pool!" he cried. "Thanks a lot!"
"Sorry, kid," said Seto. "How about you help us chase Honda instead?"
Mokuba looked at him carefully, "I don't know."
"Come on!" laughed Yuugi. "It's fun!"
"Aw, five on one is definitely not what I call fair," said Honda.
"Then I'll rescue you!" shouted Mokuba, jumping off the edge of the pool, and landing on top of his brother's back.
Seto floundered for a moment, then grabbed his younger brother, and held him up in the air, "What were you saying?"
"Let me down!" the little boy protested, trying to wriggle from his brother's grip. "I was just kidding!"
"Oh were you now?" Seto asked, letting his brother down easily. "Then you can redeem yourself by helping us all dunk Honda!" All five surged the poor brown-eyed boy at once, pushing him under the water. He came up coughing and sputtering, and very displeased.
"All right, all right!" he gasped. "I give up!"
"Now you owe an apology to the lady," said Yuugi.
"Do I owe her that much?" Honda asked. "Last time I recall, she was doing her fair share of dunking."
"No one said this was a fair trial," said Seto.
"I wish they had," said Honda. But flashing Rena a goofy smile, he got out of the pool and knelt down, his arms out before him. "Oh, please forgive me, my exalted goddess, and I pray that I may avoid your awesome wrath."
"Um, I'll think about it," Rena giggled. "But for now, mortal, you are forgiven."
"Gee thanks!" he said, jumping back in the pool.
And so it went for the rest of the afternoon, all of them jumping around and splashing, acting like normal teenagers. For once, they weren't worried about their futures or their pasts, the most of their problems were just who could swim faster than the other, or which girl had a more graceful dive, or which guy could make the biggest splash. It was for these rare instances that they were the most grateful to have, for it brought them closer together as friends, and helped ease the tension of the coming days.
+~+~+~+~
Mai was leaning back on her sofa, flipping through channels when she heard the knock at the door. For a moment her heart skipped a beat as she remembered the suited men that Yuugi had said were still after them. Cautiously, she crept up to the door, and peeked out the eyehole. Rena stood on the outside, rubbing her arm uncomfortably. Squealing, she threw open the door and let her inside.
"Hey, Rena!" she smiled. "Come on in! Can I get you something? Or," she giggled. "Can room service get you something?"
"No thanks," Rena said. "Actually, I wanted a little bit of advice."
"From me?" Mai asked, unsure of if she was telling the truth.
"Yeah," said Rena. "Seto is taking me out tonight, and I kind of wanted help picking out an outfit."
Mai squealed again, leading Rena back to her closet, "Of course I can help! What else am I good at?"
Rena smiled, not certain how to respond to Mai's self-derision. "You actually have good clothes with you, Mai?"
"Of course I do," she scoffed. "Come on, what do you take me for?" Immediately Mai reached in and pulled out a long black dress with a small slit up the side. Following it came several others, a dark navy gown, a pastel blue one, and a deep purple dress with a long sweeping skirt, and finally, with a successful sigh, Mai pulled out her piéce de resistance, a little red number with thin straps and a low neckline.
"This," she said. "Is what you need to wear."
Rena looked at her. "Mai, I let you dress me up in a little red bikini. The little red dress is out of the question. I think I like this one the best." She pulled up the violet dress and held it up against her, modeling it in the mirror.
"I guess it works," said Mai. "But you're going to have to do something about this skirt. And not to mention, it just has the strap around the neck, and look at the back here, it's really low. Do you like that look?"
"There's no doubt in my mind you can fix the skirt," Rena said. "And as for the low back, I'll live. But it looks good, doesn't it?" She twirled in the mirror, and then turned around to go in the changing room.
"It looks fine," said Mai. "I can pin up that skirt so it isn't dragging behind you, and yeah, it really does set off your eyes." She walked around Rena, as if sizing her up. "Are you sure you don't want the red one? It'd make your legs look really good."
She sighed, "I'm sure Mai!"
+~+~+~+~
"Brother, please?" Mokuba asked from the couch.
"For the last time, you're not coming with us," said Seto. "Rena and I are going out by ourselves tonight."
"But who's going to watch you guys?" Mokuba asked. "Someone has to make sure you guys stay off of each other."
"Is an eleven year-old boy trying to tell me how to handle my life?" Seto asked, cocking his brow.
"Okay, that didn't work," his brother sighed. "Then, how about this?" Seto tried to hide his bemused smile as Mokuba continued. "If you guys leave without me, I'll be here all by myself. What if I get kidnapped?"
"You're staying in Yuugi's room."
"Dammit," the boy sighed, and fell back onto the couch.
Seto glared at his brother, "What?"
"Sorry," he muttered. There came a knock at the door, and Seto went to open it.
"Hey," said Yuugi, coming in. "Mokuba still here?"
"Unwillingly," Seto remarked.
"Don't worry about it," the boy smiled. "He can come with Anzu and I for dinner."
"Good," said Seto, turning to leave. "I'm going now." He turned on his heel and walked curtly out the door.
"You're welcome," muttered Yuugi under his breath. Putting a smile on, he said to the boy, "Come on, Mokuba! Let's go out on the town!"
+~+~+~+~
He looked at his watch, "Damn woman. Figures she'd be late."
"You know what? Damn yourself," Rena retorted, coming up behind him.
"Well-whoa," he whistled, giving her a good once-over. She was in a slinky violet gown, the skirt fixed expertly by Mai so that it was pinned to rise just above her ankles to meet purple lace-up sandals. The front scooped down just enough to be enticing, but not advertently so, and he could tell the back was low. It was apparent Mai had done her make up as well, leaving her eyes fairly alone, depending upon the dress to bring out their natural highlights, but her lips were full and pouty, done up to perfection.
She smiled at him strangely, and almost insecurely reached up to pat her hair, which was curled and in a fashionable up-do, held back with a jeweled hairpiece. It was strange, seeing her check herself in such a way, making sure she looked presentable, a gesture he had never seen before from her. It was almost as if she were trying to impress him. He smiled at that thought and offered her his arm. She took it politely.
All of a sudden, someone came running up to them, and a bright light flashed in their eyes.
"Ha ha!" cried Jounochi as he waved a camera in the air. "I got a picture of the lovebirds on their first date. This one's going straight to the scrapbook! Ha!"
Seto looked at Jounochi with all the malice he had, and said in a low voice, "It's going to take everything I have not to kill you."
Gulping, Jou looked from Seto to Rena, who only nodded her approval and mouthed, "Run." Run, he did. Taking off like a shot, Jounochi turned the corner and ran out of sight.
Seto smirked as the young man sprinted off. "I suppose he took me sincerely."
"I bet he did," Rena smiled. "Now come on. You have to buy me dinner. And you still owe me a dance."
"That was three months ago, maybe more."
"Then it's high time you paid me back."
"No."
"Please?" she looked at him pleadingly.
"I'm buying you dinner, I don't have to dance."
"You should."
"I'm not," he replied flatly.
They kept on quibbling slightly, playing off of each other through the evening, and through dinner, which, of course, was held at one of the priciest restaurants in the city. Finally, as a special outing, Seto suggested they take a walk along one of the streets that had grown quiet in the fading light.
"I'm never eating Egyptian food again," he said, pointing to Rena. "And I'm never taking another one of your suggestions ever."
"It wasn't that bad," said Rena. "It's actually pretty good once you stop thinking about it."
"Well, I prefer to know what I'm eating when I eat it," said Seto. "Next time, we're eating regular food."
"Regular food?" Rena laughed. "You think you Japanese are any better? You think fugu is a delicacy, and it's a puffer fish, in which if not cooked properly the kidneys of the male and the ovaries of the female contain a deadly poison to which there is no known antidote? Isn't that a fish that Mother Nature is telling us to leave the hell under water? And squid, I mean, you eat them, tentacles and all! Aren't you afraid one of those suckers are going to get stuck on your esophagus on the way down?"
Seto laughed, snaking his arm around her waist, "But at least it isn't American."
"I'll take a big sloppy hamburger and French fries any day next to dying from fish poisoning!" she cried.
"Oh come off it," he smiled, tickling her sides.
"Stop it!" she said, shying away. "No fair!"
"Who said I play fair?" Seto asked, grabbing her waist again.
"No," she laughed, running away as best she could in the dress.
Seto chased after her, grabbing her around the waist with both arms and lifting her up, spinning her around, and then setting her back on the ground so that she faced him.
She poked him in the gut, "Take that!" She laughed unabashedly, a free and joyous sound.
As he watched her laugh, Seto felt himself fall for the woman with disheveled hair and a tousled dress. As she laughed, even snorted, he decided that Rena was what he wanted. She complimented him perfectly with her charming smile, her wit, and her kindness. She was beautiful to him, inside and out, and finally, a cold wall in his heart fell with an icy thud. He felt connected to her in every way, as though he had known her all his life, and had loved her even longer. He wanted to be hers alone, and him to be her only one. He wanted to hold her and care for her, and protect her now more than ever. When she finished, Seto took her head and cupped it in his hands. "Take this," he said softly. Closing his eyes he kissed her, gently, on the lips, parting them sweetly, and giving her a kiss she would remember and carry with her, both in the life, and in the death.
She put all she could give in that kiss, it meant so much. He had shown her love for the first time, and though she might not have recognized it, she knew her own love in her own heart was telling her to reach for that one moment, if it be only for a second. She wasn't going to lose him, not Seto. She loved him too much to let go willingly, and even then, her very soul forbade her from turning away from this man, nay, more a quintessential god meant only for her, so that she may not be alone in her heavenly trek in a Holy baroque. She gave him more as she spread her lips, letting him taste what he would of her, and slowly he moved downward, grazing the nape of her neck, and trailing back to her ready, giving mouth.
He broke away slowly, leaving soft kisses on her face, and rested his head atop hers, drawing her closer in his arms.
"I'm not letting you go," he whispered.
She smiled up at him, "Then getting home is going to be a little bit difficult."
"We'll manage," he grinned.
And high, way above the treetops, a single hawk soared, watching the two as they returned home, a smile in her golden eyes, and a single feather loosed from her wing, coasting down smoothly to the spot where they had stood. Then turning, it careened from sight and memory.
~Okami kurai no meshitsukai
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Wow, there you go! And please, if you like the story, I need some conversation, e-mail me at Moongrl_14@hotmail.com. I'd love to hear from you!