Things Unseen; Sequel to the Millennium Ritual
Disclaimer/Authoress Note: ............ Snapper Whips
Chapter 12: Someone Important
"So you know," Yami said, walking forward, "that the woman who was with you is Aura." Sadiki stared at him in silence, nodding his head. With the flick of his hand, the rest of the crew unclasped their masks and walked beside Sadiki, making Tea moved back a bit, afraid.
"You also realize that I don't take threats very seriously, don't you Mr. . ?" Kaiba asked, raising an eyebrow. Chike and Chuma stifled a giggle as Adio and Badru both punched them on the arm, glaring at them.
"My name is Sadiki of the Enari Family," he replied, "I was chosen to protect the Priestess." Yami raised his eyebrows in surprise as everyone gasped at the name.
Nudging his shoulder, Badru asked Adio, "Hey, did you ever know that his last name was Enari?"
Adio shrugged and replied, "News to me. Say, when did you decide to tell us that bit o' information, eh?"
"That's Apis Enari's last name, isn't it?" Chike asked.
"Stupid, of course it is," Chuma exclaimed, "It explains why they were giving the evil eye to each other in the duel."
"Is Apis your brother Sadiki?" Zuka asked. Sadiki was silent for a moment, not looking back.
"Leave. All of you," Sadiki ordered, "I must speak to these people in private. Be on the look out." They all looked at each other, not sure of what this was all about. But they gave no complaint as they walked out of the alleyway, talking and laughing about this or that. Yami looked behind himself, curious.
'Yami, I don't think that these people are bad,' Yugi spoke through Mind Link, 'In fact, they almost seem. . . Normal.'
'Yes, I agree,' Yami said, staring back at the man.
"So you're Apis Enari's brother, ok, I can take that. Nothing weirder than what I ever heard before," Joey said, "but what does that have to do with Aura?"
Sadiki walked passed them, stopping to where Yami and Kaiba stood. Without turning his head, he said, "Follow me." He walked out of the alleyway and into the streets as the group of teenagers followed him out into the banks of the Nile. The broken mouth mask laid glinting in the sunlight.
A shadow gathered. In the small sunlight a dress shoe stepped in front of the mask. Another step. Apis Enari grinned as he stared down at the broken mask. Bending down, he took the two pieces and examined them, watching with deep satisfaction.
Standing to his feet, he placed the mask inside his jacket pocket and disappeared in a blink of an eye.
. . .
Adio took a sip of coffee as he watched over A's sleeping form. He made a disapproving sound as he watched her groaning and eyes squeezed shut, tossing and turning in the bed. Zuka walked in and stood by Adio, clutching his laptop tight. Badru sat down on a chair across the room, polishing the steel of his sword. Every once in a while he looked back at A, shaking his head in displeasure.
"What's wrong with her, mate?" Adio asked, the happiness in his voice gone.
Zuka sighed and revealed a small accent as he replied, "I dunno. It rocks me to the very edge to see her like this. We're usually the ones who get hurt, you know?"
"Yeah, well," Badru said, taking the blade and barely pricking his finger on the tip, "it seems to me that she acted the same way as the time we first found her, before she . . . changed." This comment only made Zuka and Adio more worried, wondering if the same thing as before would happen again.
"Then let's just hope. . . That she won't do that once more," Adio murmured, rubbing his neck. Then all eyes were set upon A, watching her breath in and out, chest moving up and down. Although they didn't know it, the Fates were by her side also, a blank expression on each of their faces.
She made a groan and turned to her side, clutching the pillow against her cheek.
. . .
"Here you go Aura. Come, slowly now. . ."
"No no, it's too big. . . Too big. . ."
"Yukio, must you really--?"
"My dear Eshe, we must teach our daughter how to properly jump in the waves."
"You always were a silly man, Yukio."
"Come now, Angel, see? That one isn't big, is it not? Shall we jump?"
"Yes Daddy. . ."
"There's my courageous little girl. Oh, here it comes, ready? Now jump!"
SPLASH.
"There, that wasn't scary, now was it?"
"Again! Again!"
"Hahaha, ok my dear. Ready now? Jump!"
SPLASH.
Do you remember who you are?
No. . . Someone's waiting for me, someone important. . .
Who?
I don't know, I don't know. . .
Do you know who I am?
No, no I don't. . .
How can you forget me Aura?
My name's not Aura, it's not Aura. . .
A boy with spiky tri-colored hair. A tall man. He looks strong. Wow, that man can lift the boy really high. He's laughing. What a nice laugh. The boy looks nice, I wonder if we could be friends. . . Wait, what am I thinking? He reminds me of my brother. . . Brother?
Wait, there's a girl. She looks so sad. Wow, what long hair, gold and black. . . She kinda looks like me. Her eyes are funny-looking though. What the heck? Funny-looking? Wait. The boy's going to those other men, they look like teachers. . . What weird clothing, it looks like the pictures on the pyramid. Waitaminute, I never been to the pyramids. They're teaching the boy something. The girl's all alone. They look like royalty. Her eyes are so green. . .
"Father, when will you give me priests to work with?"
"Ha ha, my gift from above, you have no need for one."
"Atemu has them."
"He is the future Pharaoh of Egypt, you are only his sister."
"But Father, I wish to learn as wel--"
"That is enough. A woman has no need for such arts."
"If a woman has no need for that Father, why do you not embrace me as you do with Atemu?"
". . ."
"Hmm, just as I thought. You think I am a mistake, just as everyone here."
SLAP.
She's on the ground. That man isn't very nice.
"Go to your chambers, Maeve. Do NOT leave until you remember how to be a woman again."
Uh-oh, the girl's not moving.
SLAP.
The boy's coming, but he's not doing anything. Stop him, please stop him.
"And you, Atemu. Do YOU have anything to say to me?"
". . . No sir."
"Stand up wretch. Take your papyrus and leave."
She's standing up. She's taking her paper and stuff and walking out of here. The teachers want to help, but they aren't. . . Her eyes are puffy. She's stopping by the boy. What? What's she saying?
". . . I hate you, Atemu."
SLAP.
"Learn to behave correctly in front of your Pharaoh, Maeve."
Someone needs me. . . Someone important. . .
Do you know who that is Aura?
No.
I need you Aura.
Yami looked out the window, a sad look upon his face. Even at this moment, he couldn't believe how he was convinced to do so. As he looked across the chamber, he saw Ryou, Tristan, Joey and Tea sitting by each other, talking quietly. Kaiba and Mokuba sat by Yami, each looking quite flustered in their own thoughts. Making a tent with his fingers, Yami closed his eyes softly.
"Don't worry, I'll protect her," Sadiki said as they were all crowded out of the limo. Yami hesitated; how does he know? The wind was moving briskly as the sun started to set.
Kaiba glared. "How can I trust a person like you to keep your promise?" he asked with suspicion. Sadiki stared back at him, not frightened. He rolled up his sleeve and outstretched his wrist, an insignia of a bird and pyramid on the center of his wrist bone. Ryou's eyebrows rose, but just for a moment.
"This is the Enari Crest. It proves my loyalty to the balance of Pharaoh Atemu," Sadiki replied, sighing. "I am bound to this task."
Raziya poked her head out of the limo, saying, "Ah, don't take 'im too seriously. He's always like that. I'm bound to my crew, I'm bound to my friends, I'm bound to this French fry. . ." Sadiki turned around and as quick as a bug Raziya went back in, disappearing.
Sighing once more, Sadiki continued, "My family was waiting for this to come. Our purpose was to protect the balance, and the only way we can do that is ensure your safety. And right now, someone's threatening it. You must leave."
"But you haven't even told us enough information. We don't know what this balance is, or who's the person threatening it!" Joey cried out.
"I can't tell you. . . I'm sorry, but it will be better if you didn't know anything at all," Sadiki murmured, looking down.
"Sadiki, you know you can't make me leave when I know my sister's spirit is out there," Yami said, angry but respecting the man's motives.
"I know. But if you want to save her," he almost yelled, looking up, "You must leave her in my care!"
Yami was silent.
"I'm a fool," Yami whispered, "I'm such a fool." Kaiba's eyes shifted over to him, but kept silent with his own thoughts.
"I just can't believe that Aura, that stupid girl, is still alive," Kaiba laughed a little nervously, crossing his arms. "Well, at least my business in Egypt is finally done. There's no need to go back now." Yami frowned, turning away toward the window.
"Don't you care at all Kaiba?" Yami asked, his face blank.
"No," Kaiba said, hesitating a little.
He frowned once more. 'But why,' Yami thought, 'why wouldn't Sadiki tell anything to us about this balance? What is disturbing it? Why is it so important. . . that we leave?'
'Yami, I'm worried. It's obvious that Sadiki doesn't want to tell us something. But what is it?' Yugi asked in mind link, looking worried.
'What that something is. . . Frightens me the most,' Yami replied, absentmindedly reaching into his jacket pocket to take something out.
"Please buckle your seat belts ladies and gentlemen. We shall be taking off for Japan in just a few minutes," the intercom said throughout the airplane. Yami blinked as he felt something in his pocket. Something velvety. The engines started.
He took it out and found a handkerchief in his hand. Yami's mouth stayed intact, unable to speak. The cloth. . . He moved it around until he reached the corner with the insignia on it. There, he saw something that was somewhat familiar. Yami squinted at it for a moment. Suddenly his eyes shot open wide, shocked at what he saw.
There was a bird and pyramid behind it on the insignia.
'T-the Enari Crest!!' Yami thought, heart beating fast. 'But how. . ?' A spark went through his ruby eyes as he remembered what Sadiki said.
Sadiki of the Enari Family. Apis Enari. . .
'H-he was the one. . . who dug up her grave!' Yugi gasped. 'Of course! How come we never saw it before? This crest was on the invitation he sent to us!' Quickly Yami dug out his invitation in his pocket and compared the two items. He found the same identical crest. 'Ishizu knew this too! She couldn't tell us because those twins bumped into us just as she was about to explain!'
'And if Sadiki said that something was disturbing the balance, and that we needed to leave Aura to his care. . .' Yami thought slowly.
'The disturbance is Apis Enari!!'
Yami looked out the window and saw that the plane was slowly rising up to the sky. No. . . Yami banged his fists against the window.
"NOO!!"
. . .
A motorcycle sped across sand dunes as dusk was upon them. The person driving it was also with someone else, holding her tight as they went across another dune. It would have been silent that night had not for the rumbling engine of the bike. The woman with the cyclist looked up at the man through her helmet, coughing a little. The motorcycle started to go faster as light began to grow in front of them.
"S-S-Sadiki, where are we g-going?" A whispered, shivering while stifling a yawn at the same time. Sadiki held her close as he stopped his bike toward a clump of huts. People who were before dancing around the powerful fire had now stopped, staring at the newcomer. The Nubians' skin gleamed with the color gold against the flames, watching him. Some whispered amongst themselves, the elderly alarmed.
Sadiki took off his helmet and A's helmet and scanned the crowd, saying, "Somewhere safe, A. Somewhere safe."
To be continued. . .