Shadows of the Blue Moon
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By Darkness-Fire
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Chapter Five: Tomb Robbing and Late Pharaohs
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There's a new transfer student in Domino High and she turns out to be Malik Ishtar's foster sister. She hates Yami to the core and vice versa. But what happens when she is assigned to sit next to him in Class 1-B?? Will Bakura and Malik try to stop her from driving the former Pharaoh crazy?? Or will they just sit back and watch Yami meet his match – in a girl who has the gift of Fire and Shadow Majic?? But meanwhile, a long-gone enemy has resurfaced from the Shadow Realm, and he altering the course of history in Ancient Egypt, 3000 years ago. Will the rivals team up to destroy him, or will they fail and let him take over both Upper and Lower Egypt??
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Darkness-Fire:
Wee woo!! 25 reviews!! Feeling extremely sugar-high!! *bounces around the room* ^^
Shadow:
*shakes head* Here goes again… *sigh*
Silverlight's Shadow – Thanks!! Nice quote, by the way!! ^^
RS – Yes, request granted!! Chappie five of SotBM posted!!
Solo-Girl – Yeah, me thinks so too, ne?
Meep – Yeah, I know that the chapters are really short… *hangs head* but I'll try to write more each time. Thanks for your review!!
Trueyamigirlfriend – You reviewed for the third time!! ^^ Yeah, it is very confusing. I went to the website you mentioned in your review too!! If you have read Yu-Gi-Oh Part 295, Bakura's spirit creature appears in its first form in the Pharaoh's court, created from Bakura's hatred. So in this way, Bakura's spirit creature is 'evil', but I wouldn't blame him. After all, watching your fellow villagers being massacred is hardly a good experience. ^^U Poor poor, Bakura.
Animefreak500 – *curious* What was it that you wanted to say?? Anyways, thanks for your review!!
Blood – I take both Chinese and English as first languages, and the Japanese as Third Language. Yeah. That's it I guess. And I know a few other phrases in other languages too.
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Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fanfics. I'll be writing the original script myself. And I wouldn't have to threaten you readers out there of stealing my OCs. ^^ *insert evil cackles*
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An arrow shot straight at a target marked out several feet away, only missing the bull's eye by a hair's width. Said target was currently impaled with several other arrows, with some also littering the ground around it. Several feet away, the girl who was aiming at the said target groaned in frustration. She and the others had already been in the Memory World for four months straight.
Kira lowered her bow down, running a tanned hand through her hair in irritation. Dammit. Bloody archery skills. If it weren't that Malik was my brother, I would have killed him for even suggesting that I should also be skilled in shooting arrows other than swordplay…
"Giving up so soon??" an amused voice came from behind her.
"I can't help it if I suck at archery," muttered Kira, recognizing the one behind her.
"Really. What can be so hard about shooting arrows?" The silver-haired tomb robber came up to her and took the bow from her hands. Taking an arrow he lined it up with the bow. Holding it to eye level, he gave a shot.
The arrow flew and shot straight at the target forcefully. Right smack in the middle.
Kira's eyes widened. "Whoa."
The silver-haired Hikari leant back in his chair tiredly. It had been four days since his Yami, Keaira and Malik and went back into the past. He wondered what they were doing now…
Yugi Motou ran up the steps to Ryou's house, and knocked on the door furiously.
The silver-haired Hikari opened the door immediately. "Yugi… So glad you're here." Ryou let the tri-coloured-haired boy into the house. "Your Yami just went back into the past…"
The two walked at a brisk pace towards the living room.
"What happened?" Yugi asked, curiously. "You didn't tell me much over the phone…"
"Well, Isis and Rishid discovered something wrong with the tab—"
Yugi stopped walking as he felt his jaw drop. Isis and Rishid were standing beside the Tablet of the Nameless Pharaoh, conversing with each other in low voices with Egyptian. The most noticeable of all was the Tablet. The Tablet was completely blank. No inscriptions. No hieroglyphics. No depictions of anything.
Isis lifted her head up as she realized that Yugi was already here.
"Ah yes. The chosen one of the Millennium Puzzle is here…" the woman said, the Millennium Tauk around her throat glistening darkly.
Ryou shrugged, as he turned to face Yugi.
"I think you should have figured out what happened to your Yami, ne?" he said bitterly.
"Why do we have to learn this archery again??" Kira muttered, as she released the arrow. This time, it went off target and promptly hit the ground several feet behind the target. She let out a few choice words.
Bakura laughed at the younger girl's frustration.
"Because, Kira, archery is a much needed skill if you need to wound or kill people at a long distance. A definite must for an assassin," explained Bakura patiently.
"But you're a tomb robber and you know how to…"
"Hey, I do need to kill the palace guards every now and then to stir up the palace a bit. How was I to enter the palace dramatically if I was already bruised by those good-for-nothings? The look on the Pharaoh's face when he first saw me lugging in treasures and his father's mummified corpse…" Bakura said. Kira only rolled her eyes. "Here…"
He guided Kira's hands to hold the bow and arrow properly.
Kira released the arrow. The shot hit the target dead center.
Damn.
To hell with it all.
Bel um Fal snatched the Millennium Puzzle off the table next to his bed, and tugged it haphazardly over his head. The Puzzle glowed a deep blue once, before fading off to nothing, as if it was mocking him. The young Pharaoh glared at the Puzzle, straightening his robes as best as he could before hurrying out of the grand room that acted as his bedroom.
He shouldered a dark blue cape as he practically flew down the twisting corridors, snapping at everyone who was unfortunate enough to get in his way. Why he woke up late for the early morning court session… Seto was going to have him taken off the throne…
The cape billowed behind him, as the Pharaoh burst through the doors of the royal hall. A certain blue-eyed high priest noted with vindictive pleasure that the Pharaoh was certainly not looking up to be as royal as all Pharaohs should be. Uncaring, Bel um Fal swept past by him and settled onto the throne, though still looking very windswept.
Bel um Fal had tried in vain to tidy up his hair, and it was even messier and more spiky then usual, the golden spikes sticking up in more directions than ever before. His ornately-embroidered robes were ruffled. Very unbecoming of a Pharaoh.
Mahaado raised an eyebrow when Seto snickered quietly to himself. The holder of the Millennium Ring had long known that Seto wanted to have Yami taken off the throne. Today would be another reason for Seto to try to resign Bel um Fal from his post. He crossed his arms and shot an expectant look at the young Pharaoh.
Bel um Fal blinked momentarily, before he remembered what he was supposed to do. He stood up and addressed the court, before sitting down again, some of his High Priests shooting him disapproving looks. The young king narrowed his crimson eyes in annoyance. "Is there a problem or is there something on my face??"
The priests, afraid of getting executed, shook their heads vigorously.
"Then let's begin the court session," snapped Bel um Fal, already impatient. He hated these court sessions. All he had to do was to sit and look all imperial in his throne, while one by one, convicts were brought before him and his six Priests, the holders of the Millennium Items.
Karibu, the holder of the Millennium Scale, snorted in distaste at the Pharaoh's palace etiquette. Seto only smirked all the wider to himself at the Pharaoh as a convict was brought against them to testify if he was indeed guilty or otherwise.
"What do you mean my Yami just went back into the past again??" Little Yugi exploded in exasperation.
"Yugi, please…" Ryou winced at his voice.
"It was destiny, O chosen one…" Isis said calmly, her blue eyes cool and collected.
"Destiny is all crap. The last time he went in there he nearly got himself killed. The last time he went in there it took months for him to recuperate from his injuries! And don't you dare say that it wasn't Bakura's fault!!" Yugi shouted hysterically, rounding on Ryou who was just opening his mouth to speak.
There was an uncomfortable lapse of silence.
The short teenager buried his head in his hands. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "Just that the schoolwork… it's been getting heavier by the day and Yami… he was the first friend I had ever had before I met Joey and the others…"
Yet another arrow swooshed through the air and hit the target dead-on.
"I did it, yes!!" cheered Kira.
Bakura just stood there smiling, and got an extreme shock as Kira proceeded to hug him in exhilaration that she had successfully mastered archery. The silver-haired tomb robber flushed a deep red and turned away to hide his blush when the girl let go of him finally.
An amused cough from behind them alerted them to another presence.
The blond assassin joined them, smirking knowingly at Bakura's blush. Bakura scowled at him.
Malik shrugged, and turned to Kira. "Hey Kira, ready for the big catch??" The question only earned him a confused look from the hazel-eyed girl.
"Uh, what?"
Bakura sufficiently recovered himself and reassumed his gruff manner. "Akunamukanon's tomb. We strike at night, when those guards are not as alert and when they change shifts," he explained.
"Why is the tablet all blank then??" Yugi asked, thoroughly confused. I don't think it was like that when we entered the Memory."
"Because we think that Marik had struck a deal with Anubis, the god who lords over death. Using the powers granted to him, he managed to force his way through to the Memory World without going through Bel um Fal's walls of labyrinths and entering it via the True Door. He set his trap then, and the Pharaoh and the others fell into it, activating the trap that erased all traces on the Memory Tablet and thus enabling him to rewrite history as he sees it," Isis said, fingering her Millennium Tauk, her voice deadly soft. Was there a tinge of fear in there? Yugi couldn't tell.
"And you let them fall into this, this trap??"
Isis nodded solemnly. "Whether they had entered the World or not, the trap would still be activated eventually, and Marik will still rewrite history."
"Court dismissed," the young Pharaoh announced, after the last convict had been brought away. The High Priests bowed, rather begrudgingly, and left the Royal Court. Bel um Fal slumped wearily in his seat, kneading his temples with his fingers.
"Are you all right, My Highness?" Simon asked, a look of genuine worry on his wizened face.
Yami nodded silently, as he stood up from his throne and left the hall himself, worried thoughts creasing his eyebrows.
Three shadows crept around the sand dunes of the cold desert night, avoiding being seen. The three hid behind a sand dune nearest to the heavily guarded opening to the tomb of the late Pharaoh, Akunamukanon, Bel um Fal's father.
Kira peered over the dune nervously, her hand clasping the hilt of her dagger. Her hair was tied up into a high sleek ponytail, a slight halo glowing on her silver streaked golden hair in the dim moonlight. She wasn't exactly sure if she could remember where all the traps were in the tomb when she had first robbed it. Her grip on the ornately carved dagger tightened.
Bakura gave her a forced smile. He himself knew that if they failed and fell into one of the traps, it was game over for all of them. The silver-haired tomb robber turned to Malik, and nodded.
The assassin nodded, taking in the silent cue. He perched his bow on the edge of the sand dune and lined his arrow up with it. This particular arrow was laced with a rare poison that would move faster with the blood circulation if the victim panicked. Malik would distract the guards from the tomb, letting Bakura and Kira in to rob it bare. He squinted a lavender eye slightly, taking aim.
There was a strangled gurgle as the poisoned guard keeled to the ground and fainted, never to see the light of day ever again. Malik smirked as he revealed his hiding place to the guards, the bow still in his hand. The other guards growled in anger as they saw their fallen comrade on the sands and gave chase after the blond.
Bakura and Kira slinked into the tomb successfully, and Malik gave a rare smile.
Running for only a short distance, he whistled shrilly. There was a neighed reply and a chestnut stallion came galloping into view, snorting as it rounded his master once, before letting the assassin jump onto its back. Malik grabbed tufts of its long mane of silk-spun golden as clucked once, twice into its ear. The horse whinnied, its flank heaving, as it broke into a swift canter, daring the guards to come ever closer.
The guards still followed blindly, into the night, not caring where the horse was leading them. Then, when they were a long distance from the tomb, the stallion turned abruptly, rearing up high and brought his hooves crashing down onto the ground. One of the guards was knocked unconscious by the hard hooves, lying sprawled out onto the ground.
Malik brought his bow up again, and lined up three arrows at once. Taking superb aim, he released the arrows and they struck three of the guards. The rare poison quickly worked on the writhing guards, as their eyes rolled to the back of their heads and collapsed onto the golden sands.
Curses were yelled as Malik merely threw back his blond head and laughed. He gave a firm tug on the horse's mane and it wheeled around, quickly breaking into a full-out gallop and disappeared amidst the sands, leaving the guards with three dead and one unconscious.
When the remaining guards turned to make their way back to the tomb, they discovered that they were now already hopelessly lost. The stallion and its master had led them through so many twists and turns, that it was already virtually impossible to get back to the tomb without taking a long time to figure out where they had come from. The desert winds had already blown over their tracks, covering them with a fresh layer of golden sand.
Back at the tomb, Bakura and Kira waited for the cue to tell them that the coast was already clear from Malik. Then they spotted it. There was a flash of golden red, far away in the west. The flash took the form of a writhing griffin, shaped from fire, with a proud head of an eagle, wings that flared, and a lion body, and the tail of a scaly cobra. It flashed thrice before dissipating into the night air. Malik's spirit creature, Sef, had signaled that the coast was clear.
Bakura ordered Diabound, a creature with the torso of a human, the headdress of a Pharaoh, and the lower body of a snake, to break down the metal-like barriers that first blocked their way from the treasures and the mummified Pharaoh.
Bel um Fal jolted awake. He had just finished the last of the petitions for tomorrow when he had fallen asleep on the table. He was feeling very uneasy today, for what reason he did not know… his crimson eyes half-closed again, as his thoughts lulled him to sleep…
NO!!
He jolted awake again, his eyes wide open. He had remembered something.
Today was the day the tomb of his late father was to be robbed!!
Just then, a shadow crept up from behind him, and solidified into a human. But he was not quite a human.
He was Marik.
Yami, sensing another presence in the room, whipped round to come face-to-face with a smirking spirit. Yami was about to lunge at him and try to strangle him for all the trouble he had caused when Marik coolly held up a hand to discourage him.
"What do you want?" Yami spat, anger flashing in his eyes.
"Why, Pharaoh, to remind you," Marik said, his dark violet eyes reflecting calmness. Yami shot him a murderous glare. "It is the day when Bakura and Kira rob your father's tomb, have you forgotten that?"
"How could I have forgotten that??" Yami spat again, louder this time.
"Ah, Pharaoh, surely you know of the consequences of this incident?"
"What??"
Marik wagged a finger at him, smirking all the more. "Remember what had happened the last time? Bakura got into trouble with the whole of Egypt when he deliberately lugged Akunamukanon's corpse into the Royal Court. Mahaado, in a bid to catch the Tomb Robber, lured him to the tomb where rumours where said that the late Pharaoh was to be buried again. The Tomb Robber killed him in the end… Imagine young Mana's hurt when she received news that her teacher was dead…"
Yami's heart lurched.
"Now, now… You couldn't bear to see young Mana hurt now, can you??"
The Pharaoh had always a soft spot whenever the protégée of the Priest of the Millennium Ring was concerned. He had grown up with her all his life, and were bosom friends with each other. News of her teacher's death had made a huge impact on her, as she had seemingly shrunk in on herself. It wrenched at Yami's heart whenever he saw her like that…
"You're lying."
"Oh, am I now? Don't tell me you really don't have feelings for the Dark Magician Girl??"
The Pharaoh growled and made a mad lunge for Marik, as Marik merely laughed at the fuming young king and retreated back into the shadows. Yami's hands caught on air where it should have been Marik's throat, and he dropped his hands to his sides, slamming a hand on the table as he upset several documents and scattered them all over the floor.
He gasped heavily, his golden bangs falling into his crimson eyes, which were now filled with worry and confusion. Dare he command Mahaado to stay in the palace rather then going out to kill Bakura and get killed himself?? Or would he let the Priest of the Millennium Ring go on with his plan and see Mana depressed over everything when she knew that her mentor was never coming back??
He didn't know. He didn't want to know. Ever.
With a triumphant roar Diabound crashed through all of the barriers with a powerful thrust, before disappearing back into Bakura's body. The spirit creature had cleared a path for them through the narrow passageway.
They reached an even narrower passageway and a sign drew their attention. The hieroglyphics were bordered by Exodia the Forbidden One, with its large bronze hands closing over the text.
Dare disturb the Pharaoh's eternal sleep,
The result shall be that you tear and weep,
What you had sown you shall reap,
Through your limbs and body death shall seep.
Bakura let out a disbelieving snort. "Load of shit," he muttered, continuing on his way with Kira trailing behind. They reached a chamber with a passageway in the middle. On either side was a steep drop into a dark forbidding abyss.
Kira started forward, before Bakura let out a shout of warning. Kira's foot triggered a secret switch, and Bakura pulled her away from where she was standing not a moment too soon – A large murder axe came swooshing by a second later where she had originally been.
"Thanks," Kira said, slightly shaken.
"Be more careful next time. You could have been killed."
Kira nodded soundlessly, as Bakura leapt up onto the top of the axe, and motioned for her to jump on. Kira sucked in a deep breath, as she gave a flying leap and successfully landed on the axe too. She breathed a sigh of relief.
A few minutes later, they were already on the other side of the chambers. They continued forwards, dodging several arrows and bottomless pits, before they came to a closed door. Bakura tentatively pulled at one of the handles, before jumping out of the way as the doors opened of their own accord.
There, a sarcophagus with the face of the late Pharaoh engraved on top with countless jewels and gems embedded in it, stood in the middle of glittering treasure. The faces of Bakura and Kira quickly lit up.
"Now… what say that we pay the Pharaoh a visit the first thing the very next day??"
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To be continued:
Shadows of the Blue Moon
Chapter Six: Breaking and Entering
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Bakura, Kira and Malik have successfully got their hands on Pharaoh Akunamukanon's treasures. They pay a little 'surprise visit' to the young Pharaoh of the eighteen dynasty and his six High Priests, bent on stirring up unrest in the Palace. Will Bel um Fal (Yami) play along with them, or will he fall prey to Marik's trap and stop them from playing out how history was supposed to end??
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Darkness-Fire:
Finally I managed to get past all my homework and get off my lazy butt to write this fifth chappie of SotBM!! Yes!! *does little victory dance of sorts*
Shadow:
*sweatdrops* Please read and review.
Sef:
*unfurls wings and lets out a screech*