Title: Tears And Blood
Chapter: 2
Author: Danyella Skyler Silverfire
Website: None
Rating: R
Genre(s): Angst/Supernatural/Crossover... eventually... now.
Pairing(s): Katsuya/?, Eventual Katsuya Seto... in the far distant future.
Summary: A new millennium item finds a home, and as things get more complicated, it becomes obvious that something is not what it seems.
Chapter Summery: Shadii shows Katsuya some of his life as Azibo, along with a few surprises. Also Seto finally shows up and Katsuya checks out of the hospital. (though I had kinda planed to do that last chapter)
Warnings: Major Angst ahead. I am going to be extremely mean to them but bear with me. I am going somewhere with all the angst. And just so you know I am most likely to piss off all my readers. And I'm very proud of this.
Disclaimer: I don't own them though I wish I did.
Author's Note: There is some weirdness in this chapter, Katsuya-temper, weird vision, and some blood, so just thought that I would warn you and tell you I have been plotting this chapter since the beginning so ha. Anyway I should also inform you that I do know where this is going so don't worry. And sorry for taking so long to update but in apology I made it extra long.
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Chapter Two -- Vision And Blood
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"Greetings General, I hope that you will talk to me," Shadii greeted Katsuya with a deep bow of respect.
"It's because of you I'm in here, you and this stupid Tauk." Katsuya said in a self decrepitating tone of voice.
"That is part of why I am here; to apologize to you. I had not known that you would be hurt. If I had I would have waited to talk with you until a later time. But what is done is done, and I am here to see how you are doing." Shadii said as he bowed lowly to Katsuya.
"Well, I'm in the hospital fer one, fer another my eyes are now this freaky gold color, oh, and let's not forget that, 'cause of this stupid Tauk, I keep gettin' these flashes. They're gettin' annoyin'. But don't worry about it to much, I'll deal. I always do." Katsuya muttered the last as he waved off Shadii's apology.
"I am truly sorry that the visions are bothering you, General, but that is the second part of why I am here to see you. I think I may have a way to help you with them." Shadii said straightening up.
"Oh? How's dat?" Katsuya asked intrigued in spite of himself.
"Well according to ancient legend, General Azibo was an extremely powerful precognitive as it was, but with the Tauk his gift increased a great deal and he developed an incredible control over his powers, to the point of even using it as a weapon at times." Shadii said in a highly respectful, as well as slightly awed tone of voice.
"A weapon? How can ya use visions of the future as a weapon? Mind reading yeah I can understand, but precog? Come on, stop yankin' my chain." Katsuya said in a disbelieving tone... and yet something told him what Shadii said was true, and then some.
"I am extremely serious, General. Azibo, you, had some telepathy yes but he rarely used it if he did not have to. And as to the weapon part, well that is the last of the reasons why I am here to see you." Shadii answered.
"Eh? Whatta ya mean?" Katsuya asked in a surprised tone of voice.
"The simplest way to teach you to use the Tauk is to access your memories of being General Azibo. There is none that have ever used precognitive powers like him that I am aware of." Shadii said in a serious voice.
"I dunno, Shadii, what if I was, I dunno, evil or something?" Katsuya said in a dismayed voice.
"Do not worry General, Azibo was a truly great man, harsh and sometimes unforgiving yes, but then those where the times that he lived in. Also do not forget that he was the pharaoh's friend and companion." Shadii explained
"Well, alright... let's try it... but if I find out dat I was like Yami Bakura or Marik we are getting out of there and not doing it again, got that?" Katsuya stated.
"Understood," Shadii said with exaggerated seriousness, "shall we begin General?"
"I told ya to stop callin' me that. My name is Jounouchi Katsuya, call me Jou; and yeah let's get started, the sooner begun, the sooner done, ne?"
"That is very mature of you to say G-Jou-Sama..." Shadii had to suddenly break off and duck as everything near Katsuya suddenly flew at him as the blonde yelled curses, then the monitor flew at him causing Katsuya to break off in a pained yell.
"Ahhh! Dat hurt, dat hurt! IV's are supposed to be pulled out slowly not _yanked_ out! It hurts, it hurts! It's all you're fault!" The last was directed directly at Shadii with a glare.
The door suddenly burst open showing several nurses and one doctor holding various implements of Shadii's soon to be destruction. (i.e. mops, crutches, those thingies they hang IV's on, one even had a clipboard, and Doctor Sally had a tranquilizer gun.)
Sally took in the situation like the seasoned soldier and doctor she was and lowered the gun and said in a slightly exasperated voice, "So what set you off this time, Jou-chan?"
"This has happened before?" Shadii asked peaking around from behind the door that had hit him when they burst into the room as Katsuya pouted on from his bed at being called 'Jou-chan'.
"Yes, several, Jou-chan is not the ideal patient. But we love him anyway." She said with a grin as she ruffled Katsuya's hair affectionately causing him to duck his head and try to get away from her hand to no avail.
"Hey! Dat's my hair yer messin' wit'! And yer totally ruining my image here, with the whole 'chan' thing!" Katsuya said in an indignant tone of voice.
"Oh am I ruining little Jou-chan's precious hair? Oh, I could never do that! Whatever will people say?" Sally said in a babying tone of voice.
"Will ya stop dat? I'm not a kid ya know! I'll have ya know I'm quite mature fer my age!" Katsuya said in a wounded tone of voice but ruined it with his pout.
The nurses just shook their heads at the scene before them, then turned and left the room to get back to the work the screams had caused them to abandon. This has obviously happened to many times, but then with Katsuya's temper it's not that surprising really.
Sally replaced the IV in his arm, gave him a brief lecture about controlling his temper, ruffled his hair again and left him and Shadii alone again to continue their interrupted conversation.
"I am sorry to cause you distress Jou-s..." Shadii paused at the low growl emanating from low Katsuya's throat, "Jou. Please accept my most humble apology. Shall we try this again?"
At Katsuya's nod, Shadii went to stand at Katsuya's side and put the Ankh against Katsuya's forehead causing them both to enter a moonlit forest clearing. (think his dream from the previous chapter) The only real difference is Shadii was there and Katsuya's clothes were different. Now he wore his usual ensemble. Odd considering it was the first time he could ever remember wearing anything even resembling it here.
"Heh." Katsuya muttered looking over at Shadii who was looking around curiously.
"What is it Jou?" Shadii asked turning towards his companion curiously.
"Nothin' really. I've just been here before. Which is odd considerin' I _know_ fer a fact dat this place don' exist in real life." Katsuya said leaning over to look at a rose bush.
"How do you know this. This looks like an ordinary forest to me." Shadii said softly.
"Ya don' have much experience with forest's do ya? Well fer one this is a jungle. And these type of flowers don' grow anywhere in real life dat I ever heard of." Katsuya said gesturing towards the roses.
"They look like ordinary roses to me." Shadii said confused.
"Well fer one their wild roses. Wild roses don' grow to the size of my head. Fer another, this is a jungle, dat means a lot of rain, and roses need very little of that. Also there's the fact dat this is a jungle, which mean's lot's of plant life suckin' the nutrient's out of the soil." Katsuya said picking one of the roses and holding it out to Shadii, "Then there's the color. This is the color of dried blood, ya know brown-red? Roses don' normally come this color, let alone wild ones. Ya don' have much experience with plant's do ya?"
Shadii blushed, "Well I am from the desert. How do you know so much about that sort of thing though? I thought you lived in cities your entire life."
Katsuya shrugged and started striping the thorns from the stem of the rose before replying, "Well I have, but ya see there's this wonderful invention called television, and I watch a lot of documentaries. So dat explains dat."
Shadii looked at Katsuya surprised, "Oh." Before he could say anything else something wet hit the top of his head. Shadii turned his head up just in time to have several more of them. Rain. Perfect. "I don't think I'm very happy right now." Shadii said as the skies let loose their fury drenching them both.
Katsuya just laughed and headed for the path that wound between the giant trees. "Come on. It'll be drier under the trees. Still wet, but drier."
"You have the oddest soul room I've ever had the... pleasure of entering." Shadii said dryly, which is surprising how wet he was.
Katsuya just laughed and walked past the cairn's that had bright green balls of light floating above them, that flanked the beginning of the stone slab path. "Ya made a joke. I'm impressed. Didn' think ya had a sense of humor."
Katsuya quickly noticed that Shadii wasn't following him anymore so he turned and saw that Shadii was standing just off the start of the path staring at him or maybe over his shoulder. Katsuya looked behind him. Nothing there. What is he staring at then. "Shadii? Somethin' wrong?"
"Uhmmm...Jou?"
"Yo."
"Why do you have an animal's ears and tail?"
Katsuya stared at Shadii blankly for several moments before slowly reaching behind him and felt... fur. Huh. Then he felt the top of his head. Fur. Huh. "This should, be creepy. But oddly enough...it's not as annoyin' as I woulda thought." Katsuya said flatly, then he suddenly perked up. "Anyway let's get goin'. I think I know where we need ta go."
"Are you not bothered by the fact that you have an animal ears and tail?" Shadii asked confused.
"Ya would think so, but after seein' the stuff with Duelist Kingdom, and Battle City, I kinda came ta expect the odd stuff. So why not this?" Katsuya said with a shrug.
Shadii just looked at him quizzically once more before following him. After several minutes of silence Shadii finally asked the question that had been bothering him, "Jou? Where are we going? And why do you think that we need to go there?"
"As I said, I've been here before, and this is my soul room right? Even if it's not really a room?"
"Yes."
"Well, there's a place I've been to here dat I think we can use ta see this past life of mine. And so dat you can see what this 'General' was really like." Katsuya said with a shrug.
"Oh. That is most thoughtful of you Jou." Shadii replied.
After a few more minutes of walking they emerged into another clearing (the one where Katsuya met Yukio) and approached the pool at the base of the waterfall. Shadii looked around taking in the new scenery.
"It's beautiful." Shadii said in a quiet, awed voice. "I never imagined that your soul room would have this seeming."
Katsuya just smiled before saying, "Don' let the looks deceive ya. A jungle, while beautiful, is also extremely dangerous at times. And it's not just the animals ya got ta worry about. It's an interestin' combination, beauty and danger. Kinda intoxicatin' in a way."
"An interesting way of looking upon it, Jou. Insightful as well." Shadii said looking at Katsuya.
"Feh. I'm a fatalist. Don' seem it do I?" Katsuya said with a self decrepitating smile. "Anyway let's get on with this okay?" At Shadii's nod he gestured towards the mirror still pool that he sat by, which was odd considering that there was a waterfall at one end of it as well as the rain. "This is what I was talkin' about. According ta what I've seen, mirror's are used fer seein' thing's so we'll use this. 'Sides it should keep us from wakin' anything up that we shouldn't. Like my Yami."
"Very astute. Very well, let us begin." Shadii sat down in front of Katsuya.
"Cool." At that Katsuya dropped the rose into the water causing it to ripple, and with each ripple it showed less of the bottom, and more of something else.
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Vision - Katsuya's POV
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_//They looked onto a balcony that looked out over a bustling city as the sun set in the desert to the west painting the sky a glorious panoply of colors. Two man where standing there discussing something calmly. Ignoring their conversation for the moment Katsuya studied the two men more closely. One of them was supposedly his past life apparently, but the thing was he couldn't tell which. So he decided to try to figure it out, because quite frankly it would be highly embarrassing to admit that he couldn't tell who he was, even if it was his last life.
The shorter of the men stood at 5'10" with a slimly built, yet sturdy body. He had darkly tanned skin crossed with a couple of scars, his black hair was in a single pony tail with the rest of his head shaved, and he had wide eyes lined in kohl* but his head was tilted in such a way that it was impossible to tell his eye color, there was a slight smile on his lips as he looked down on the city. He was wearing a finely woven linen kilt, and leather sandals. He also wore heavy gold bands on each arm, as well as two heavy bracelets; gold bands covered his lower legs, a wide gold belt, and the multicolored neck collar that reached halfway down his chest was all beautiful work, and quite obviously extremely expensive. He had a presence that demanded respect, the presence of someone who was used to being listened to, and with good reason, his noble carriage alone would have done that but there was something else, some intelligence in his eyes, that reinforced the aura.
His companion was 6', muscular with broad shoulders, rather heavily scarred, and blind in one eye from a scar that started on his cheekbone and ended in his hairline. His skin was a deep rich brown where it wasn't covered in pale scars. His black hair caught in long braids that reached mid-back and had intricately carved ivory and ebony beads along their length, his head was slightly turned away from Katsuya, although his wide lips where pressed tightly together. He wore a finely tooled leather kilt, leather bracers that covered his entire forearm, a sword (think Ardeth's from 'The Mummy's Revenge'), and dagger opposite the sword hanging from a heavy belt, leather sandals, a boiled leather breast plate, and a black cloak flowed down his back with a part wrapped loosely around his neck. He had a heavy gold band wrapped around each bicep, and he had to gold bands on each ankle. His stance screamed competence as well as a healthy dose of arrogance, and harshness, he obviously knew how to use the weapons he wore and more than likely more than those. All in all he was a rather imposing and somewhat frightening image standing next to his shorter companion. Yet there was something else about him... something that screamed dangerous, deadly... something coldly distant from his surroundings.
"The gods have been generous to you my friend, another son, what is this your fourth?" the taller black skinned man asked to his friend. As he leaned against the edge of the balcony with his arms crossed across his broad chest, his head still turned slightly watching the glorious sunset.
"It is my fifth, the gods have truly been generous on bestowing their gifts upon my family. The gods have been generous to you as well, my friend. Just not in the same way," the shorter man said in an amused tone. "You have a beautiful and healthy daughter, and your wife is pregnant with your second child. Your wife is also the most beautiful woman in all the blessed lands under the greatest of gods Amun-Ra." He stated patting his taller companion on the shoulder.
"I do not deny this my friend. A daughter is a glorious and precious gift from the gods, but I still yearn for a son to pass my knowledge onto, to train." The darker man said in a slightly distracted tone of voice as he silently accepted his friends gesture.
"You would have that and more if you took on another wife, my dark companion. You could have many children, like myself." The man told his friend in the long suffering tone of someone who had been down this line of conversation before.
"One wife is enough for my friend. I am quite content with only her." He gave a slight laugh before continuing, "Besides, I have enough trouble contending with her temper as it is, I do not think I would be insane enough to bring in another woman. Besides, she would make me a eunuch if I tried."
"True. My sister has always been possessive. She always found it difficult to share when she was a child. But she has always been a gentle soul. Much to gentle at times for our times."
The two men were interrupted by the arrival of a beautiful woman with shoulder length soft black hair, unusual sapphire blue eyes surrounded in kohl with blue eye shadow, and a smile on her bright red lips. She was wearing a white pleated linen dress, gold bangles on her wrists that clicked against softly as she walked, gold anklets, and heavy gold earrings that caught the last of the light and seemed to glow softly through her hair. She was leading a black haired little girl with delicate features and wide blue eyes, wearing just a linen kilt through the gauzy curtain onto the balcony. As stepped onto the balcony and came closer to his line of vision it became startlingly apparent to Katsuya that she was heavily pregnant but that it did very little to detract from her beauty, in fact it seemed to add to it giving her a soft maternal glow and contented smile.
"Greetings Honored Brother, Honored Husband," she said in greeting in a soft gentle voice that for some reason immediately soothed him of his slight agitation for some reason, "I am sorry to interrupt you as you discuss important matters, but it is almost Aishisu has requested that her honored father tell her a story before she goes to sleep." The little girl smiled shyly up at the two men as she held onto her mothers hand in a tight grip.
"Of course beloved sister, a father should indulge his daughters, and treat them as the delicate gifts that they are. We can continue our discussion tomorrow." The lighter man said with a smile for the woman and child apparently his sister and niece from what he gathered from the conversation between the two men. "Spend time with your family my friend, we will continue tomorrow." He said turning to his companion.
"Of course. I live to serve my pharaoh." The man answered with a slight smile on his lips as he bowed his head to the shorter man. At the man's nod he turned and took a step to the woman and smiled as he embraced her in a tender hug and kissed her deeply, "Greetings Nathifa*, you look more beautiful by the day." Releasing the woman he scooped up the little girl, "Greetings daughter."
"Greetings Honored Father. You will tell me a story tonight?" The little girl questioned in a soft hopeful voice.
"Of course, my Pharaoh." With a bowed head to the shorter man again, who obviously the pharaoh he turned walked through the gauze still holding his daughter. As he held the gauze open for the woman the light from the torches in the room light his face and his eye seemed to glow molten gold for a moment before he followed her and the vision/memory faded.\\_
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Katsuya shook his head as the memory/vision lost its grip on his mind and he found himself back in his hospital room, "Dat was...weird. What the hell! Dat was me? I dun look anythin' like dat!"
"People do not look always identical to their previous lives except in a few cases, like your friends, Yugi, Ryou, Malik, and Seto. That is why I was so in doubt of who you were." Shadii answered calmly.
"Oh, that explains it..." Katsuya paused as a thought occurred to him, "Hey wait a second, I thought Yami Yugi was the Pharaoh, so who was the guy the past me was talkin' to?"
"That was his father, General Azibo was his friend and companion, he left Egypt not long after he died." Shadii explained.
"So, you mean to tell me that I'm older than the others? Older than Yami Yugi?" Katsuya demanded.
"Yes. By at least 25 years in that life. I wish to thank you for allowing me to see you as you were as General Azibo." Shadii said with a bow to Katsuya.
"No prob' Shadii. Heh, wait 'til the others find this out. Take that Kaiba!" Katsuya muttered the last part with a smirk.
"I shall see you later then Jou."
"Of course, now I'm kinda curious about the General. Wonder what he was like." Katsuya said distractedly as Shadii turned and left the room leaving Katsuya to turn the vision over in his head.
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Later that day - Hospital hallway
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Katsuya sat in the wheelchair as doctor Sally wheeled him down the hall towards the exit.
"Try not to be sent back here like that again, okay Jou-chan?" she asked in a motherly tone, "But don't let that mean you don't keep in contact either. I like you. You remind me of a few people I know."
"Don' worry Sally. I don' intend to get hit by a car again, dat hurt, a lot." Katsuya said tilting his head back to look up at her face. "It made me realize somethin' though."
"Oh? And what might that be?" Sally asked in a curious tone at what lesson in life this experience had given him with his rather...unusual look on life.
"Dat I don't like pain, it hurts." Katsuya said with a completely serious expression.
Sally burst out laughing as they exited the hospital, "I would say that that is true. You defiantly remind me of someone. Well here you go Jou- chan." Sally said stopping him in front of a black limo.
"A limo? I thought Yuug was giving me a ride? Did he rent it fer me or somethin'?"
"Something came up, so I was forced to come pick you up, mutt." A cold voice said from the open window of the limo.
"Kaiba?! What are ya doin' here? Shouldn' ya be at work, or somethin'? And stop calling me mutt! I ain't no dog!" Katsuya burst out angrily.
"I am on my way home to spend time with Mokuba, if you must know. And since no one else could give you a ride home today I was forced to." Seto answered stepping out of the car after closing the window.
Katsuya stood up and growled at Seto. As he opened his mouth to say something he was interrupted by Sally, "Jou-chan no fighting. Your still on the mend, especially your ribs, so I'm making this an order, got that? I don't want you sent back here for aggravating your injuries by fighting." She stated in a completely serious manner.
"Yeah, I got it. But I can't just let 'im..." Whatever else Katsuya was going to say was interrupted by a vision that the Tauk suddenly slammed into the forefront of his mind, causing his eyes to glaze over briefly as his conscious mind slowed and processed it so that he could understand what he was seeing. His eyes cleared as he blinked, then widen right before he threw himself at Seto causing them both to fall to the ground just as there was a loud bang.
Sally quickly tried to trace down the source of the bang with her eyes, and a gun she had pulled from somewhere on her person as Seto and Katsuya lay sprawled on the ground next to the limo. "Whoever took that shot was good," She muttered under her breath as she couldn't find where the shot came from. "Get in the limo you two. Unless you want to be shot at again," she said in a louder voice, as she followed her own advise.
"Get off me mutt, and do as your told." Seto demanded pushing at Katsuya causing him to role off of Seto and onto his back with a groan, before Seto grabbed Katsuya's arm and pulling him into the limo with himself and slammed the door shut.
"Dat's what I get fer saving someone's life, huh? Well see if I do that again." Katsuya said sourly as he struggled to sit up from the floor of the limo, but for some reason his muscles refused to respond the way they should, almost as if they knew something he didn't.
"Jou-chan how did you know about the shot?" Sally asked in a suspicious tone of voice.
"That's what I want to know mutt." Seto demanded in a sharp, clipped voice. "And why did you tackle me?"
"I jus' kinda saw it in my head, ya know? I was standing dere about to tell off moneybags 'ere, when I suddenly got this image of a bang and Kaiba falling over with blood on his chest. I thought better safe than sorry so I tackled 'im." Katsuya said as he finally managed to sit up though he waved slightly. "See if I do dat again. Now my back hurts."
Worried Sally knelt down next to Katsuya and put a hand to his back to steady him before frowning at the sticky, warm, wet sensation on her hand. Sally pulled her hand back and looked at it full of dread at what she would find, yet still praying she wouldn't.
"Jou-chan, I think you need to go back inside the hospital." Sally said in a completely serious tone of voice.
"Wha'? Why?" Katsuya asked confused, yeah his back hurt but that's no reason to worry, he'd had backaches before. Though none quite like this.
"Because you've been shot." Sally said showing him her blood covered hand.
Katsuya stared at Sally's hand in shock as the pain from his back suddenly increased exponentially causing his eyes to role up into his head and him to go limp.
And Katsuya knew no more.
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Kohl* - pretty much eyeliner, used to cut down on glare from the sun on the sands of the desert, also to keep the eyelids from getting sunburned.
Nathifa* - Egyptian name, mean's Pure. And she is from another series. Guess who.
Review replies:
Shadowxmen - Sorry that the mystery person wasn't who you hoped for but at least you where partially right, ne?
Katsuya Jono - Glad you liked it.
areka hakai - I'm glad you liked it.
crazytomboy1 - I'm glad you liked the dream. So did I.
Kage Kashu - Glad for you're help or else I would never be able to write in Katsuya's accent. Anyway thanks for being my rubber wall and beta.
Jounouchi Katsuya Haku Jono - Well now you know. Hope you liked this chapter.
Chapter: 2
Author: Danyella Skyler Silverfire
Website: None
Rating: R
Genre(s): Angst/Supernatural/Crossover... eventually... now.
Pairing(s): Katsuya/?, Eventual Katsuya Seto... in the far distant future.
Summary: A new millennium item finds a home, and as things get more complicated, it becomes obvious that something is not what it seems.
Chapter Summery: Shadii shows Katsuya some of his life as Azibo, along with a few surprises. Also Seto finally shows up and Katsuya checks out of the hospital. (though I had kinda planed to do that last chapter)
Warnings: Major Angst ahead. I am going to be extremely mean to them but bear with me. I am going somewhere with all the angst. And just so you know I am most likely to piss off all my readers. And I'm very proud of this.
Disclaimer: I don't own them though I wish I did.
Author's Note: There is some weirdness in this chapter, Katsuya-temper, weird vision, and some blood, so just thought that I would warn you and tell you I have been plotting this chapter since the beginning so ha. Anyway I should also inform you that I do know where this is going so don't worry. And sorry for taking so long to update but in apology I made it extra long.
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Chapter Two -- Vision And Blood
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"Greetings General, I hope that you will talk to me," Shadii greeted Katsuya with a deep bow of respect.
"It's because of you I'm in here, you and this stupid Tauk." Katsuya said in a self decrepitating tone of voice.
"That is part of why I am here; to apologize to you. I had not known that you would be hurt. If I had I would have waited to talk with you until a later time. But what is done is done, and I am here to see how you are doing." Shadii said as he bowed lowly to Katsuya.
"Well, I'm in the hospital fer one, fer another my eyes are now this freaky gold color, oh, and let's not forget that, 'cause of this stupid Tauk, I keep gettin' these flashes. They're gettin' annoyin'. But don't worry about it to much, I'll deal. I always do." Katsuya muttered the last as he waved off Shadii's apology.
"I am truly sorry that the visions are bothering you, General, but that is the second part of why I am here to see you. I think I may have a way to help you with them." Shadii said straightening up.
"Oh? How's dat?" Katsuya asked intrigued in spite of himself.
"Well according to ancient legend, General Azibo was an extremely powerful precognitive as it was, but with the Tauk his gift increased a great deal and he developed an incredible control over his powers, to the point of even using it as a weapon at times." Shadii said in a highly respectful, as well as slightly awed tone of voice.
"A weapon? How can ya use visions of the future as a weapon? Mind reading yeah I can understand, but precog? Come on, stop yankin' my chain." Katsuya said in a disbelieving tone... and yet something told him what Shadii said was true, and then some.
"I am extremely serious, General. Azibo, you, had some telepathy yes but he rarely used it if he did not have to. And as to the weapon part, well that is the last of the reasons why I am here to see you." Shadii answered.
"Eh? Whatta ya mean?" Katsuya asked in a surprised tone of voice.
"The simplest way to teach you to use the Tauk is to access your memories of being General Azibo. There is none that have ever used precognitive powers like him that I am aware of." Shadii said in a serious voice.
"I dunno, Shadii, what if I was, I dunno, evil or something?" Katsuya said in a dismayed voice.
"Do not worry General, Azibo was a truly great man, harsh and sometimes unforgiving yes, but then those where the times that he lived in. Also do not forget that he was the pharaoh's friend and companion." Shadii explained
"Well, alright... let's try it... but if I find out dat I was like Yami Bakura or Marik we are getting out of there and not doing it again, got that?" Katsuya stated.
"Understood," Shadii said with exaggerated seriousness, "shall we begin General?"
"I told ya to stop callin' me that. My name is Jounouchi Katsuya, call me Jou; and yeah let's get started, the sooner begun, the sooner done, ne?"
"That is very mature of you to say G-Jou-Sama..." Shadii had to suddenly break off and duck as everything near Katsuya suddenly flew at him as the blonde yelled curses, then the monitor flew at him causing Katsuya to break off in a pained yell.
"Ahhh! Dat hurt, dat hurt! IV's are supposed to be pulled out slowly not _yanked_ out! It hurts, it hurts! It's all you're fault!" The last was directed directly at Shadii with a glare.
The door suddenly burst open showing several nurses and one doctor holding various implements of Shadii's soon to be destruction. (i.e. mops, crutches, those thingies they hang IV's on, one even had a clipboard, and Doctor Sally had a tranquilizer gun.)
Sally took in the situation like the seasoned soldier and doctor she was and lowered the gun and said in a slightly exasperated voice, "So what set you off this time, Jou-chan?"
"This has happened before?" Shadii asked peaking around from behind the door that had hit him when they burst into the room as Katsuya pouted on from his bed at being called 'Jou-chan'.
"Yes, several, Jou-chan is not the ideal patient. But we love him anyway." She said with a grin as she ruffled Katsuya's hair affectionately causing him to duck his head and try to get away from her hand to no avail.
"Hey! Dat's my hair yer messin' wit'! And yer totally ruining my image here, with the whole 'chan' thing!" Katsuya said in an indignant tone of voice.
"Oh am I ruining little Jou-chan's precious hair? Oh, I could never do that! Whatever will people say?" Sally said in a babying tone of voice.
"Will ya stop dat? I'm not a kid ya know! I'll have ya know I'm quite mature fer my age!" Katsuya said in a wounded tone of voice but ruined it with his pout.
The nurses just shook their heads at the scene before them, then turned and left the room to get back to the work the screams had caused them to abandon. This has obviously happened to many times, but then with Katsuya's temper it's not that surprising really.
Sally replaced the IV in his arm, gave him a brief lecture about controlling his temper, ruffled his hair again and left him and Shadii alone again to continue their interrupted conversation.
"I am sorry to cause you distress Jou-s..." Shadii paused at the low growl emanating from low Katsuya's throat, "Jou. Please accept my most humble apology. Shall we try this again?"
At Katsuya's nod, Shadii went to stand at Katsuya's side and put the Ankh against Katsuya's forehead causing them both to enter a moonlit forest clearing. (think his dream from the previous chapter) The only real difference is Shadii was there and Katsuya's clothes were different. Now he wore his usual ensemble. Odd considering it was the first time he could ever remember wearing anything even resembling it here.
"Heh." Katsuya muttered looking over at Shadii who was looking around curiously.
"What is it Jou?" Shadii asked turning towards his companion curiously.
"Nothin' really. I've just been here before. Which is odd considerin' I _know_ fer a fact dat this place don' exist in real life." Katsuya said leaning over to look at a rose bush.
"How do you know this. This looks like an ordinary forest to me." Shadii said softly.
"Ya don' have much experience with forest's do ya? Well fer one this is a jungle. And these type of flowers don' grow anywhere in real life dat I ever heard of." Katsuya said gesturing towards the roses.
"They look like ordinary roses to me." Shadii said confused.
"Well fer one their wild roses. Wild roses don' grow to the size of my head. Fer another, this is a jungle, dat means a lot of rain, and roses need very little of that. Also there's the fact dat this is a jungle, which mean's lot's of plant life suckin' the nutrient's out of the soil." Katsuya said picking one of the roses and holding it out to Shadii, "Then there's the color. This is the color of dried blood, ya know brown-red? Roses don' normally come this color, let alone wild ones. Ya don' have much experience with plant's do ya?"
Shadii blushed, "Well I am from the desert. How do you know so much about that sort of thing though? I thought you lived in cities your entire life."
Katsuya shrugged and started striping the thorns from the stem of the rose before replying, "Well I have, but ya see there's this wonderful invention called television, and I watch a lot of documentaries. So dat explains dat."
Shadii looked at Katsuya surprised, "Oh." Before he could say anything else something wet hit the top of his head. Shadii turned his head up just in time to have several more of them. Rain. Perfect. "I don't think I'm very happy right now." Shadii said as the skies let loose their fury drenching them both.
Katsuya just laughed and headed for the path that wound between the giant trees. "Come on. It'll be drier under the trees. Still wet, but drier."
"You have the oddest soul room I've ever had the... pleasure of entering." Shadii said dryly, which is surprising how wet he was.
Katsuya just laughed and walked past the cairn's that had bright green balls of light floating above them, that flanked the beginning of the stone slab path. "Ya made a joke. I'm impressed. Didn' think ya had a sense of humor."
Katsuya quickly noticed that Shadii wasn't following him anymore so he turned and saw that Shadii was standing just off the start of the path staring at him or maybe over his shoulder. Katsuya looked behind him. Nothing there. What is he staring at then. "Shadii? Somethin' wrong?"
"Uhmmm...Jou?"
"Yo."
"Why do you have an animal's ears and tail?"
Katsuya stared at Shadii blankly for several moments before slowly reaching behind him and felt... fur. Huh. Then he felt the top of his head. Fur. Huh. "This should, be creepy. But oddly enough...it's not as annoyin' as I woulda thought." Katsuya said flatly, then he suddenly perked up. "Anyway let's get goin'. I think I know where we need ta go."
"Are you not bothered by the fact that you have an animal ears and tail?" Shadii asked confused.
"Ya would think so, but after seein' the stuff with Duelist Kingdom, and Battle City, I kinda came ta expect the odd stuff. So why not this?" Katsuya said with a shrug.
Shadii just looked at him quizzically once more before following him. After several minutes of silence Shadii finally asked the question that had been bothering him, "Jou? Where are we going? And why do you think that we need to go there?"
"As I said, I've been here before, and this is my soul room right? Even if it's not really a room?"
"Yes."
"Well, there's a place I've been to here dat I think we can use ta see this past life of mine. And so dat you can see what this 'General' was really like." Katsuya said with a shrug.
"Oh. That is most thoughtful of you Jou." Shadii replied.
After a few more minutes of walking they emerged into another clearing (the one where Katsuya met Yukio) and approached the pool at the base of the waterfall. Shadii looked around taking in the new scenery.
"It's beautiful." Shadii said in a quiet, awed voice. "I never imagined that your soul room would have this seeming."
Katsuya just smiled before saying, "Don' let the looks deceive ya. A jungle, while beautiful, is also extremely dangerous at times. And it's not just the animals ya got ta worry about. It's an interestin' combination, beauty and danger. Kinda intoxicatin' in a way."
"An interesting way of looking upon it, Jou. Insightful as well." Shadii said looking at Katsuya.
"Feh. I'm a fatalist. Don' seem it do I?" Katsuya said with a self decrepitating smile. "Anyway let's get on with this okay?" At Shadii's nod he gestured towards the mirror still pool that he sat by, which was odd considering that there was a waterfall at one end of it as well as the rain. "This is what I was talkin' about. According ta what I've seen, mirror's are used fer seein' thing's so we'll use this. 'Sides it should keep us from wakin' anything up that we shouldn't. Like my Yami."
"Very astute. Very well, let us begin." Shadii sat down in front of Katsuya.
"Cool." At that Katsuya dropped the rose into the water causing it to ripple, and with each ripple it showed less of the bottom, and more of something else.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Vision - Katsuya's POV
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
_//They looked onto a balcony that looked out over a bustling city as the sun set in the desert to the west painting the sky a glorious panoply of colors. Two man where standing there discussing something calmly. Ignoring their conversation for the moment Katsuya studied the two men more closely. One of them was supposedly his past life apparently, but the thing was he couldn't tell which. So he decided to try to figure it out, because quite frankly it would be highly embarrassing to admit that he couldn't tell who he was, even if it was his last life.
The shorter of the men stood at 5'10" with a slimly built, yet sturdy body. He had darkly tanned skin crossed with a couple of scars, his black hair was in a single pony tail with the rest of his head shaved, and he had wide eyes lined in kohl* but his head was tilted in such a way that it was impossible to tell his eye color, there was a slight smile on his lips as he looked down on the city. He was wearing a finely woven linen kilt, and leather sandals. He also wore heavy gold bands on each arm, as well as two heavy bracelets; gold bands covered his lower legs, a wide gold belt, and the multicolored neck collar that reached halfway down his chest was all beautiful work, and quite obviously extremely expensive. He had a presence that demanded respect, the presence of someone who was used to being listened to, and with good reason, his noble carriage alone would have done that but there was something else, some intelligence in his eyes, that reinforced the aura.
His companion was 6', muscular with broad shoulders, rather heavily scarred, and blind in one eye from a scar that started on his cheekbone and ended in his hairline. His skin was a deep rich brown where it wasn't covered in pale scars. His black hair caught in long braids that reached mid-back and had intricately carved ivory and ebony beads along their length, his head was slightly turned away from Katsuya, although his wide lips where pressed tightly together. He wore a finely tooled leather kilt, leather bracers that covered his entire forearm, a sword (think Ardeth's from 'The Mummy's Revenge'), and dagger opposite the sword hanging from a heavy belt, leather sandals, a boiled leather breast plate, and a black cloak flowed down his back with a part wrapped loosely around his neck. He had a heavy gold band wrapped around each bicep, and he had to gold bands on each ankle. His stance screamed competence as well as a healthy dose of arrogance, and harshness, he obviously knew how to use the weapons he wore and more than likely more than those. All in all he was a rather imposing and somewhat frightening image standing next to his shorter companion. Yet there was something else about him... something that screamed dangerous, deadly... something coldly distant from his surroundings.
"The gods have been generous to you my friend, another son, what is this your fourth?" the taller black skinned man asked to his friend. As he leaned against the edge of the balcony with his arms crossed across his broad chest, his head still turned slightly watching the glorious sunset.
"It is my fifth, the gods have truly been generous on bestowing their gifts upon my family. The gods have been generous to you as well, my friend. Just not in the same way," the shorter man said in an amused tone. "You have a beautiful and healthy daughter, and your wife is pregnant with your second child. Your wife is also the most beautiful woman in all the blessed lands under the greatest of gods Amun-Ra." He stated patting his taller companion on the shoulder.
"I do not deny this my friend. A daughter is a glorious and precious gift from the gods, but I still yearn for a son to pass my knowledge onto, to train." The darker man said in a slightly distracted tone of voice as he silently accepted his friends gesture.
"You would have that and more if you took on another wife, my dark companion. You could have many children, like myself." The man told his friend in the long suffering tone of someone who had been down this line of conversation before.
"One wife is enough for my friend. I am quite content with only her." He gave a slight laugh before continuing, "Besides, I have enough trouble contending with her temper as it is, I do not think I would be insane enough to bring in another woman. Besides, she would make me a eunuch if I tried."
"True. My sister has always been possessive. She always found it difficult to share when she was a child. But she has always been a gentle soul. Much to gentle at times for our times."
The two men were interrupted by the arrival of a beautiful woman with shoulder length soft black hair, unusual sapphire blue eyes surrounded in kohl with blue eye shadow, and a smile on her bright red lips. She was wearing a white pleated linen dress, gold bangles on her wrists that clicked against softly as she walked, gold anklets, and heavy gold earrings that caught the last of the light and seemed to glow softly through her hair. She was leading a black haired little girl with delicate features and wide blue eyes, wearing just a linen kilt through the gauzy curtain onto the balcony. As stepped onto the balcony and came closer to his line of vision it became startlingly apparent to Katsuya that she was heavily pregnant but that it did very little to detract from her beauty, in fact it seemed to add to it giving her a soft maternal glow and contented smile.
"Greetings Honored Brother, Honored Husband," she said in greeting in a soft gentle voice that for some reason immediately soothed him of his slight agitation for some reason, "I am sorry to interrupt you as you discuss important matters, but it is almost Aishisu has requested that her honored father tell her a story before she goes to sleep." The little girl smiled shyly up at the two men as she held onto her mothers hand in a tight grip.
"Of course beloved sister, a father should indulge his daughters, and treat them as the delicate gifts that they are. We can continue our discussion tomorrow." The lighter man said with a smile for the woman and child apparently his sister and niece from what he gathered from the conversation between the two men. "Spend time with your family my friend, we will continue tomorrow." He said turning to his companion.
"Of course. I live to serve my pharaoh." The man answered with a slight smile on his lips as he bowed his head to the shorter man. At the man's nod he turned and took a step to the woman and smiled as he embraced her in a tender hug and kissed her deeply, "Greetings Nathifa*, you look more beautiful by the day." Releasing the woman he scooped up the little girl, "Greetings daughter."
"Greetings Honored Father. You will tell me a story tonight?" The little girl questioned in a soft hopeful voice.
"Of course, my Pharaoh." With a bowed head to the shorter man again, who obviously the pharaoh he turned walked through the gauze still holding his daughter. As he held the gauze open for the woman the light from the torches in the room light his face and his eye seemed to glow molten gold for a moment before he followed her and the vision/memory faded.\\_
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Katsuya shook his head as the memory/vision lost its grip on his mind and he found himself back in his hospital room, "Dat was...weird. What the hell! Dat was me? I dun look anythin' like dat!"
"People do not look always identical to their previous lives except in a few cases, like your friends, Yugi, Ryou, Malik, and Seto. That is why I was so in doubt of who you were." Shadii answered calmly.
"Oh, that explains it..." Katsuya paused as a thought occurred to him, "Hey wait a second, I thought Yami Yugi was the Pharaoh, so who was the guy the past me was talkin' to?"
"That was his father, General Azibo was his friend and companion, he left Egypt not long after he died." Shadii explained.
"So, you mean to tell me that I'm older than the others? Older than Yami Yugi?" Katsuya demanded.
"Yes. By at least 25 years in that life. I wish to thank you for allowing me to see you as you were as General Azibo." Shadii said with a bow to Katsuya.
"No prob' Shadii. Heh, wait 'til the others find this out. Take that Kaiba!" Katsuya muttered the last part with a smirk.
"I shall see you later then Jou."
"Of course, now I'm kinda curious about the General. Wonder what he was like." Katsuya said distractedly as Shadii turned and left the room leaving Katsuya to turn the vision over in his head.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Later that day - Hospital hallway
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Katsuya sat in the wheelchair as doctor Sally wheeled him down the hall towards the exit.
"Try not to be sent back here like that again, okay Jou-chan?" she asked in a motherly tone, "But don't let that mean you don't keep in contact either. I like you. You remind me of a few people I know."
"Don' worry Sally. I don' intend to get hit by a car again, dat hurt, a lot." Katsuya said tilting his head back to look up at her face. "It made me realize somethin' though."
"Oh? And what might that be?" Sally asked in a curious tone at what lesson in life this experience had given him with his rather...unusual look on life.
"Dat I don't like pain, it hurts." Katsuya said with a completely serious expression.
Sally burst out laughing as they exited the hospital, "I would say that that is true. You defiantly remind me of someone. Well here you go Jou- chan." Sally said stopping him in front of a black limo.
"A limo? I thought Yuug was giving me a ride? Did he rent it fer me or somethin'?"
"Something came up, so I was forced to come pick you up, mutt." A cold voice said from the open window of the limo.
"Kaiba?! What are ya doin' here? Shouldn' ya be at work, or somethin'? And stop calling me mutt! I ain't no dog!" Katsuya burst out angrily.
"I am on my way home to spend time with Mokuba, if you must know. And since no one else could give you a ride home today I was forced to." Seto answered stepping out of the car after closing the window.
Katsuya stood up and growled at Seto. As he opened his mouth to say something he was interrupted by Sally, "Jou-chan no fighting. Your still on the mend, especially your ribs, so I'm making this an order, got that? I don't want you sent back here for aggravating your injuries by fighting." She stated in a completely serious manner.
"Yeah, I got it. But I can't just let 'im..." Whatever else Katsuya was going to say was interrupted by a vision that the Tauk suddenly slammed into the forefront of his mind, causing his eyes to glaze over briefly as his conscious mind slowed and processed it so that he could understand what he was seeing. His eyes cleared as he blinked, then widen right before he threw himself at Seto causing them both to fall to the ground just as there was a loud bang.
Sally quickly tried to trace down the source of the bang with her eyes, and a gun she had pulled from somewhere on her person as Seto and Katsuya lay sprawled on the ground next to the limo. "Whoever took that shot was good," She muttered under her breath as she couldn't find where the shot came from. "Get in the limo you two. Unless you want to be shot at again," she said in a louder voice, as she followed her own advise.
"Get off me mutt, and do as your told." Seto demanded pushing at Katsuya causing him to role off of Seto and onto his back with a groan, before Seto grabbed Katsuya's arm and pulling him into the limo with himself and slammed the door shut.
"Dat's what I get fer saving someone's life, huh? Well see if I do that again." Katsuya said sourly as he struggled to sit up from the floor of the limo, but for some reason his muscles refused to respond the way they should, almost as if they knew something he didn't.
"Jou-chan how did you know about the shot?" Sally asked in a suspicious tone of voice.
"That's what I want to know mutt." Seto demanded in a sharp, clipped voice. "And why did you tackle me?"
"I jus' kinda saw it in my head, ya know? I was standing dere about to tell off moneybags 'ere, when I suddenly got this image of a bang and Kaiba falling over with blood on his chest. I thought better safe than sorry so I tackled 'im." Katsuya said as he finally managed to sit up though he waved slightly. "See if I do dat again. Now my back hurts."
Worried Sally knelt down next to Katsuya and put a hand to his back to steady him before frowning at the sticky, warm, wet sensation on her hand. Sally pulled her hand back and looked at it full of dread at what she would find, yet still praying she wouldn't.
"Jou-chan, I think you need to go back inside the hospital." Sally said in a completely serious tone of voice.
"Wha'? Why?" Katsuya asked confused, yeah his back hurt but that's no reason to worry, he'd had backaches before. Though none quite like this.
"Because you've been shot." Sally said showing him her blood covered hand.
Katsuya stared at Sally's hand in shock as the pain from his back suddenly increased exponentially causing his eyes to role up into his head and him to go limp.
And Katsuya knew no more.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kohl* - pretty much eyeliner, used to cut down on glare from the sun on the sands of the desert, also to keep the eyelids from getting sunburned.
Nathifa* - Egyptian name, mean's Pure. And she is from another series. Guess who.
Review replies:
Shadowxmen - Sorry that the mystery person wasn't who you hoped for but at least you where partially right, ne?
Katsuya Jono - Glad you liked it.
areka hakai - I'm glad you liked it.
crazytomboy1 - I'm glad you liked the dream. So did I.
Kage Kashu - Glad for you're help or else I would never be able to write in Katsuya's accent. Anyway thanks for being my rubber wall and beta.
Jounouchi Katsuya Haku Jono - Well now you know. Hope you liked this chapter.