Soul Battle
Chapter Five – Memories of The Past
Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Yu-Gi-Oh, and I'm not making any money from this fic
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kyla lay on her back on her bed, staring up at the ceiling, rubbing at the finger marks on her right arm just above the elbow.
This hurt even more, Kyla thought to herself. Maybe it was because I got a crack in my armour today. Because I almost let myself feel. I guess I was right. If I had changed today, then this would have likely driven me to insanity.
Kyla rolled over, wincing slightly in pain, and opened the top drawer of her dressing table. She took out her diary and a pen.
Anyone finding and reading Kyla's diary wouldn't understand the writing in it. Kyla had come up with a simple code to discourage people – every other word was written backwards, and the other words had the letters 'T' at the beginning of them and 'P' at the end. There was also no spacing between the words, except for when Kyla was starting a new paragraph.
Kyla thought for a moment, chewing on the end of her pen. (It was a habit she had). Then, she started writing:
TdearPyraid
TIPdnuofToutPyadotTthatPuoyRTisPgnivael,TandPtahtTNiaPdlotThimPtahtThePdluohsTgoP.ITwon'tPtimdaTthisPotTanyoneP,tubTI'mPyllaerTworriedPtuobaThimP.TahwTifPehTgetsPtruh?TIPt'nowThavePdlotThimPwohTIPyllaerTfeelPtuobaThimP.
NeeraNTstoppedPemTfromPgniwohsTanyPsgnileefTtoPaiN.TactuallyP,ehsTcheatedP.EhsTusedPymTownPstnemugraTagainstPem.TIPt'nodTthinkPtahtTthatPsawTveryPriafTofPreh.TokP,ebyamTshePsiTrightP,tubTshePsawTthePenoTwhoPdetnawTmePotTletPymTfeelingsPwohsTthroughP,hguoht.TIPsseugTshePsahTaPdoogTreasonProfTsayingPtaht,TbutPtiTwasPdnikTofPgnisufnocTasPotTwhatPehtTreasonPsaw.
Kyla stopped writing, and put her pen and diary back into the drawer. Then, she slipped under her covers, and let sleep overtake her.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nareen's hand slid up Bakura's back to rest lightly on the back of his neck. She pressed firmly, forcing him into a deeper kiss.
Nareen felt Bakura tremble under her hands, and she smiled inwardly. It seemed that her sensuality hadn't yet deserted her, then.
Nareen felt Bakura's tongue touch gently against her lips, and she obediently opened her mouth to allow him access.
Bakura's eyes were closed, but Nareen's were open. She wanted to watch Bakura's every reaction. She had to know if he was becoming bored, and therefore know if she had to change her approach at all.
There didn't seem to be any problem at all. Bakura's hands tightened on Nareen's back, and he pulled her closer to him.
They were in one of the corners of the temple, standing in some shadows so as not to be immediately obvious to anyone entering the temple. It was the only place where they could really be together.
Bakura pulled gently back from Nareen, slowly opening his eyes. Then, he tilted his head to one side with a quizzical expression on his face. "Nareen, why do I get the feeling that you're keeping something from me?" he asked, frowning slightly.
Nareen blinked, and put a confused expression on her face. "Bakura, what do you mean?" she wanted to know. "I'm not keeping anything from you. Why would I be?"
Bakura opened his mouth to say something, but was stopped by a friend of Ina and Nareen called Riana entering the temple.
"Nareen?" Riana called softly. "Are you here? There's been another murder."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kyla woke up with a pounding heart. The dream, which she now knew to be one of Nareen's memories, had made her feel scared right at the last bit.
This memory is before the one with you and Ina talking in the temple... Right? Kyla silently asked Nareen.
Of course, Nareen replied, amused.
Who's the murderer? Kyla demanded.
Oh, I can't tell you that, Nareen replied with a silent laugh. I wouldn't want to spoil it for you.
Stop teasing me! Kyla scolded.
Nareen merely laughed.
Kyla suddenly thought of something. Nareen, you mentioned the other day that you changed too late, she commented. What did you mean?
Nareen was silent for a long moment, and Kyla was able to feel that the question had pained her.
I couldn't stop Bakura from turning to darkness, Nareen replied finally. He was too far into it by the time I was able to change.
Oh... Kyla said quietly.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nia sat on her window seat, looking out at the moon and admiring its bright light. She wondered if Yugi was looking at the moon too, where he was.
And I hope that Ryou will be all right, too, Nia thought to herself. I wonder if I made the right choice, telling him that he should go with Yugi and the others.
Of course you did, Nia, Ina's voice said in the girl's mind.
I'm not so sure, Nia replied. I'm kind of worried. After all, Yugi told me about his grandfather. This Pegasus person sounds really dangerous.
Don't worry about it, Ina said. You did have the choice to go with them, remember? You decided not to go.
I remember, Nia sighed.
It's late, Ina said then. You should probably be in bed getting some sleep now.
I guess you're right, Nia admitted. She drew her curtains, switched off her light, got into bed, and was soon fast asleep.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"And he's really nice and kind!" Ina exclaimed enthusiastically. "He doesn't flaunt his power at all!"
Riana's eyes glazed over a little. She had been listening to Ina go on about Pharaoh Yami for quite some time, after all.
Nareen had left quite a while ago. Riana would have gone, too, but Ina was her friend, and Riana had ever been polite.
"You got what you wanted, then?" Riana asked when there was a pause in what Ina was saying. "I mean, you did say that you thought he was cute. In fact, you went on and on about that for days, after all." But Riana smiled gently, to show that she was only teasing Ina.
Ina blushed at that, and then laughed a little. "I guess I was a little unbearable to live with," she admitted.
Riana gave a gentle smile. "Why don't you tell me about the first time you met the Pharaoh?" she suggested.
Ina returned the smile, and thought back to that day.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ina had been performing some small duties in the temple that day. Just basically cleaning and tidying up.
Ina, Nareen, and Riana always worked in the temples. It wasn't that they wanted to be priestesses... They each had their own reasons.
For her part, Ina enjoyed the sense of peace that was always in the temple. She felt safe there. It was her haven.
Ina knew the probable reason why Riana liked working in the temples – the red-head enjoyed helping people out when she could, and also liked being with Nareen and Ina. As to Nareen's reason? Well, that was for Nareen to know, and the other two to only guess at.
Ina started carefully laying the flowers she carried in her arms neatly on one of the altars, being careful not to prick herself on the thorns of the white and red roses. She managed to do that a lot, and nearly always ended up with sore fingers.
Ina hummed softly as she worked. Strewing the flowers on the altars had quickly become her favourite chore, and she always took as much time over it as possible.
Ina turned, still with a large amount of flowers in her arms, to move to another altar. Then, she paused, realising that she was no longer alone in the temple, and her eyes widened as she realised who was in there with her.
Pharaoh Yami was standing there, watching her with his dark crimson eyes. Horrified, Ina tried to kneel, or curtsy, or anything with her armful of flowers. How long had the Pharaoh been standing there for?
Yami held up a hand to stop Ina's efforts. "Don't worry about it," he said.
"But... You're the Pharaoh!" Ina protested, her eyes wide. "I have to bow to you! Or kneel. Or curtsy."
"You don't usually worry about rank, though," Yami commented. "I've seen you. You welcome anyone into your circle of friends."
He's been watching me? Ina thought, feeling slightly panicked. Out loud, she said, "But you're the Pharaoh!"
Yami's eyes sparkled with mischief. "What if I ordered you not to bow to me?" he suggested. "Or kneel. Or curtsy."
Ina blinked, a little startled. Then, she grinned. "Well, I guess I can't ignore an order from you," she laughed.
Yami smiled, and then looked around. "Where are the two girls who are nearly always with you?" he wanted to know.
"Oh, they're both doing other things," Ina replied. "Riana's doing some duties in her home, and I think that Nareen's with Bakura... Or possibly someone else."
"You want help with those?" Yami asked, gesturing towards the flowers in Ina's arms.
"Oh, no. It's all right," Ina said brightly. "I like putting the flowers on the altars. It's other tasks, like cleaning the statues, which I don't particularly like. Besides, the Pharaoh can't be seen doing any work!"
Yami just smiled, and came to help Ina anyway.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Riana smiled as Ina finished. "You are right, Ina," she agreed. "He really doesn't seem to flaunt his power."
Ina nodded vigorously.
"But be careful," Riana went on, her gaze catching and holding Ina's. "No matter how he acts, he is still the Pharaoh. His kindness could turn to cruelty at a moment's notice."
Ina opened her mouth to say something, but was prevented by the arrival of one of Yami's servants, Ishi.
Ishi walked straight up to Ina. "The Pharaoh wants you to go to him now," he said shortly.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nia woke up just as her alarm went off. That's not fair, she silently accused.
It's hardly my fault that you have to get up this early, Ina replied indignantly.
I guess you're right, Nia sighed. But I really want to get to the end of these dreams!
You and me both, Ina said. Some of those memories are really painful.
I don't see why I have to experience these dreams anyway, Nia grumbled as she got ready for school.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Read and review, please!
For those of you struggling with the coded diary entry, the 'T's and the 'P's are basically spaces. So, rewrite the entry, substituting spaces for the 'T's and 'P's. Then, write every other word backwards.
If you're still having trouble, e-mail me, and I'll send you the uncoded version