Joy: Okies, people. Sorry about the delay. I didn't forget or anything, I was just taking my time, to make sure this chapter was done just the way I wanted it to be. And it is going to be a LONG chapter. Whew. Review responses!
Silver Moon Phoenix: Yep, it all gets revealed in this chapter! Enjoy!
Dark mage of sea 13: Yeah, no arguments for the time being. And I hope you like these flashbacks, Torru. I put a little action in them! =D
Sapphire: I am sorry that I haven't put Mugen in the story yet. But worry not, she will be in the next chapter. She is one of the finalists. I have already gotten a slot for her. :o)
Fallen Mercy: Arigatou for the reviews! You are super great! =D
Sakura: Yeah, I am known for the cliffies, aren't I? (evil grin)
BTW: I put the flashbacks in third person tense, but they are basically from Katilli's POV, with some outside observation. Okay, time for the chapter to begin. Here we go!
Exodia
"Very well, Katilli. You have our absolute attention," Yami assured her.
"Yes, tell us what you want us to know," Cala said.
"Are you sure about this?" Bakura asked Katilli, raising an eyebrow.
Katilli nodded. "It's time they knew the whole truth." She turned to address everyone. "All right. I think I should start at the beginning. It all began when I was a child. To be honest, it started a few years before I was of age to be married…"
--Flashback—
"Come on, brother! We have to get going! Rath is waiting on you in the training room and I get to watch!" Katilli hollered at Yami, trying to get him moving. Rath was a master swordfighter and he had been giving Yami lessons.
"Okay, okay. I am coming, Katilli." Yami said, rushing ahead of her, signaling the beginnings of a race to the courtyard. All the training sessions happened there. Katilli glared at his back, then ran after him, determined not to lose this time.
They raced through the palace, earning several glares from the nobility roaming about. They ended up out in the courtyard as planned, and Yami reached Rath first. "ARGH! YAMI!"
"Ha! Won again, sister dear! You are going to have to be quicker if you are going to beat me in a race," Yami advised, smirking at her. She gave him another glare.
Yami laughed and turned around, only to be met with Rath's own unhappy expression. He stopped laughing at once and gulped. "Young man, I expected better behavior out of you. Now your sister is known to be childish, but you are going to be pharaoh someday, and you are –"
"Childish! I am not childish!" Katilli said with a frown.
"Hmph. Then what do you call that little stunt you just pulled? And what gave you the right to interrupt? Katilli, I honestly believe you are a bad influence on Prince Yami. You should support him, not hinder him." He crossed his arms, standing over the two young people. "Now, for that little act, young lady, I think it would be wise to go off and find something to do – preferably something that did not include getting into trouble. I have a lot of things to teach Yami and he could do with you not being around to slow things down."
Katilli felt close to tears. Not bothering to even speak or look at her brother or Rath, she ran off. She let her feet carry her outside the palace walls and into the city. She did not stop running until she was deep within the market place. Why must everyone always be so unkind to me? Any husband they choose for me will probably do the same thing. What is the point of becoming anything when whatever I become is not what they want? What is the use of trying when it will never be enough?
It was at that point when she noticed a white haired boy sneaking out of a house with a bag in his hands. He looked around, as if checking to see if he was being watched. He started to walk away when a yell erupted from inside the house.
"AHHH!! THIEF!!"
The boy's eyes widened and he ran, but he was running right for Katilli. The young girl tried to avoid a collision, but they both ended up on the ground. Katilli blinked a few times, taking in the boy's soft features. His eyes, his nose, his…lips. Everything about his face was made known to her. She felt herself blush slightly as she noticed that the boy was doing the same with her face as she was doing to his.
Oh, Ra. He is so handsome… she thought. A second later, the boy picked himself up off the ground and helped her up as well. "Um…sorry about that. I tried to move, but…well…"
"Um, yeah. Don't worry about it. I was not paying attention." Just then they heard more shouting.
"Come on, let's hide in this alleyway," Katilli said, pushing him toward the alley nearby. They spotted some guards, but they didn't see them and ran past the alley. "Whew…close call. So…why did you steal that stuff?" she asked.
"I did not steal anything! I…merely borrowed a few items so that I could eat. Living on the streets of Egypt is not an easy task. But, hey! Who are you to tell me what to do! You're just a woman!"
Katilli lost it. "HOW DARE YOU! I just SAVED YOUR LIFE you ungrateful cur! And how dare you speak to me that way! I am Princess Katilli and I could have easily turned you over to those guards!"
"So why did you not? Or would they even have taken you seriously? After all, it is a woman's word against mine." The white-haired youth sneered at Katilli.
Katilli looked down at the ground, tears threatening to come once again. "You are right…they would not have taken me seriously. I am…nothing…less than nothing…to everyone." She fell to her knees, tears falling down her eyes with no hindrance.
The boy blinked, not expecting this kind of reaction. He knelt down in front of the girl and wrapped his arms around her hesitantly. "Well…do not cry about it. That will solve nothing. And I am sorry to have caused so much pain to one so beautiful and brave as you."
"Me?" the girl whispered. "I am neither of those things. You must have me mistaken with someone else."
"No, I am sure it was you of whom I spoke. Now…get rid of those tears and we shall talk for a while. It looks as though you are not willing to rush home. Another thing we have in common."
--End Flashback—
"Who was the boy?" Caru asked, totally fixated on Katilli's story and very curious.
"You are rushing too far ahead, Caru…but I suppose that is okay. Let me tell you…"
--Flashback—
The two talked far longer than they realized, for when they paused for a moment, Katilli noticed that the sun was about to go into it's bed for the night. "Oh no! I have to return to the palace! I am so sorry for cutting our conversation short." She stood quickly from her spot on the floor.
The white-haired stranger did the same. "I am sorry for it as well. You know, princess. You have made me feel like I have never felt before. I once thought myself void of any pleasant thoughts or emotions…but meeting you has changed me. I want for us to meet again, though I know that may be impossible, for you are royalty."
"Never say never. I am sure our paths will cross again. I have a strong third eye." They exchanged goodbyes and Katilli turned to go, but stopped herself. "I apologize, but I do not even know your name."
"My name is Bakura."
--End Flashback—
"Bakura!" Yami interrupted. "You and Bakura knew each other?"
"Peace, brother. And we more than knew each other. Though a lot of people knew about Bakura as the years went on…"
--Flashback—
Two years past. Katilli and Bakura went on many secret meetings, mostly late at night. Bakura's thievery was becoming more well known with each passing month, and Katilli was sure he would be caught one day. But whenever she would bring it up, Bakura would laugh and tell her not to worry. "After all, who would be able to capture the Thief King?"
"Do not press you're luck, Bakura. Anything could happen."
As their meetings continued, their love for each other began to blossom. Soon the rendezvous were also a chance to exchange kisses and favors of love. Bakura courted Katilli for many months with no one even knowing about it. Then came the day that Katilli was dreading more than anything. The day her father called her into the throne room to talk about her future. About her husband. The husband he had chosen for her.
"There you are, Katilli. Come in so that you may meet your future husband." Katilli took a deep breath and stepped into the spacious room. Her father was, of course, seated on his throne, with Yami by his side. In front of her father was the sorcerer apprentice, Seto.
Katilli bowed respectfully to her father. "I have come to see my chosen husband, my pharaoh."
"Good. This is Seto. He is the apprentice to our High Priest and also his first born son. But there is one more title he will hold soon, Katilli. The title of husband, for in three years time, you shall become his wife."
Katilli looked over at Seto, taking in his features. He looked almost too shocked at seeing her to speak. Then he came forward and bowed a bit. "Princess Katilli, I am honored and pleased to become your suitor. Even the beauty of the Nile pales in comparison to your own. Allow me to be for you both a lover and a keeper of your heart.
But you can never hold my heart, Seto. For that belongs to Bakura.
--End Flashback—
"You fell in love with HIM?!" Yami cried out, completely shocked. Bakura smirked.
"She did more than fall in love with me, pharaoh."
Yami raised a curious eyebrow. Katilli sighed. "Allow me to continue…"
--Flashback—
Another two years past. Katilli had told Bakura about her being betrothed to Seto, and he had told her that perhaps it was for the best, since Seto could give her things that he could not. Katilli told Bakura that she would never stop loving him, no matter who her father made her marry.
Shortly after that discussion, the pharaoh, Katilli and Yami's father, become quite sick. It was named to be some exotic disease of which there was no cure. Three months later, the pharaoh was dead. Yami became the new pharaoh, with Seto as his High Priest and most powerful sorcerer.
Katilli tried to find love for Seto, with their wedding date coming ever so closer, but she found she could not find the same love for him that she felt for Bakura. To her, Seto seemed more interested in power, an interest that grew with each passing day, till that fateful day that changed everyone lives forever.
Katilli was walking along a palace hallway when she heard a commotion from the Room of Shadows. That room was supposed to be off limits to everyone except the royal family and their personal mages. Curiosity overcame her. Is Yami in there having a duel with his mages? Or with Seto?" She had never seen a Shadow Duel before, and was very eager to find out what the secrets were all about and why Yami seemed reluctant to allow her to see a duel.
Slowly Katilli crept into the room, and what she saw truly shocked her beyond her senses. There was Seto, High Priest of Egypt, dueling someone very familiar to her. It was her dear friend, Caliana. Caliana was a newly appointed lady of the court since the death of her father, and from that time on, Katilli and Caliana became fast friends. Caliana was also a skilled sorceress, though her skills held little recognition with men. Why is she dueling Seto?
"Caliana? What is going on? Seto?"
Both people turned and looked at her in shock. Then Caliana broke the silence. "Katilli, you must run! Sorcerer Seto has betrayed us by summoning the monsters within the palace courtyard. I managed to stop him and corner him here, and now we are dueling. Please flee! Go and get the pharaoh!"
"I do not thing you will be getting anyone after this, girl!" Seto hissed, beginning a powerful summon. Katilli could feel the increase of Shadow power in the room. It was deafening. Then…it came. A monster so powerful that nothing could stop it. Yami had told her about this monster, but she had never seen it when it was released.
Exodia!
"Now you will not be around to reveal anything of my plans. ATTACK!"
"NO! KATILLI!"
A flash of light enveloped the entire room, then all went black…
Katilli awoke to find herself in her bedchambers. She looked over to find Yami sitting by her beside. "B-Brother?"
Yami nodded, a look of worry on his face. "I was concerned that you would never wake up, sister. Sorcerer Seto has betrayed us. And…" his voice trailed off.
Katilli suddenly remembered what had happened before she blacked out. Did Caliana step in front of her? "Yami…where is Caliana? What happened to her?"
"Katilli…Caliana is dead."
Katilli felt like a ton of weight had been taken onto her shoulders. "That can't be…"
"I fear it is, dear Katilli. Caliana stepped in front of you and took the full blast of Exodia. She is…gone. I saw it with my own eyes. I stepped into the room right when it happened. Exodia only got one hit before disappearing along with that traitor Seto. I am so very sorry, Katilli."
--End Flashback—
So that is why you hate Exodia so much. The monster was responsible for your friend's death.
Yes. I am sorry I have never told you, aibou.
No worries, Katilli. Please continue.
"With Sorcerer Seto's betrayal came the beginning of the end of my life, for it was part of a prophecy that I found out about shortly after the battle in the Room of Shadows. After the sorcerer turned into a traitor, the only way to stop him was by creating all powerful items that when used together, could face any adversary and beat them down with ease. But in order to create those items, a sacrifice of a female royal was necessary. My sacrifice. But I was not willing to be sacrificed without completing the one task that I had not yet done in my life…"
--Flashback—
"You are sure you want to go through with this? I mean, a thief and a princess?"
"Oh hush. You are more than worthy to me. And look at the alternative," Katilli countered.
"Good point, princess," Bakura agreed with a smirk.
It was then that Bakura and Katilli were secretly married. They consummated their marriage that night, of course, and the next day, Katilli awoke early, very unwilling to go to the palace but having little choice. But a big surprise awaited her when she returned. All the nobility snubbed her even more than usual and the pharaoh called her into the throne room
Yami had somehow found out about the marriage, much to Katilli's horror. She feared she would be punished by her brother for this, but he resigned that she had married the Thief King, and thus the only thing that could be done is to allow the marriage to continue. "But this is only because I truly want you to be happy in these times, sister."
Katilli knew what she meant. The time for the ritual was coming, she felt the foreboding presence of death by her side as the weeks went by. She tried to shrug it off with the power of her love for Bakura. She cherished every moment with him as though it were her last. "The only thing I regret is that you will be unable to be present at the end, anata."
"Neko, I will be by your side, now and for all time." He saw she was hurting and it made him hurt as well, but she would not back out from her duty.
The day of the ritual, Katilli and Bakura met for the last time. They shared their everlasting love. Bakura told her that they would always be together. "Not even death will separate us, Neko."
--End Flashback—
"The ritual was conducted that very day. That day, I was sacrificed to create the Items."
"That was so sad!" Merina said. "Joy, did you know about any of this?"
"No. Katilli and I never talked about her past. I was always under the impression it was not pleasant," Joy answered.
"Well, some parts were not, but other parts were pleasant enough to dull the bad. Bakura, you make me complete, just as you did all those millennia ago." Bakura smiled proudly.
Moon Shadow looked over at Yami. "What do you think of all this, Pharaoh Yami?"
"I – I – To be honest, I cannot think of anything to say!"
Joy: Hahahaha! Yami is speechless! That was great! That was my longest chapter to date, I do believe. Almost 3000 words! Whew! I am worn out! I hope you all liked that chapter.
The next chapter is called: 'The Finalists'. The finalists all met at the designated place. Now, I think I stated earlier that there would only be eight finalists, but I upped the number to ten so that the schedule of duels could be a bit more even. Everyone gets a duel that way. Hope you don't mind. If you do, let me know and I can come up with something else. Till then, review and see ya later!