(October 26) KNY: Okay, reposting this with a better format. I was having to deal with another word processor until I got Microsoft Word. I hope this one's easier to read!!

KNY: Okeyday! I'm back with the next chapter of "Earthbound Goddess"! Sorry for the wait, school started and then I had some family problems, but now I'm back and typing on my brand new laptop! (smiles) My birthday was a couple weeks ago. (does a happy dance)

Kiki: You really are pathetic.

KNY: (glare) Shaddup. Oh, this is Kiki, my BFF. She keeps changing her pen name, so I'll just call her Kiki!

Disclaimer: Roses are red, violet are blue... wait a second... violets aren't blue! Anyway I don't own 'em.

Ominous Signs and a Betrayal of Trust

Yami squinted his eyes as the late afternoon sun's glare entered the bedecked throne room and was multiplied many-fold by the golden ornaments hanging on the walls. The blinding light was starting to give him a headache. As much as he loved his Egyptian homeland, the summer afternoons were by far the worst times to be out and about. The snow-white silk binding his legs was soaked with his sweat and clung to him in very uncomfortable places. The ceremonial armbands and heavy crown weren't helping matters much.

He sat atop his throne, wearing an expression that could only be called sulky. He had just finished another long and boring ceremony, doing his duty of providing entertainment for the visiting foreign dignitaries and accepting all of the gifts. Yami carelessly tossed yet another golden statue into the growing pile beside him. Great, more gold. Did people not know he had enough of the stuff?! He was honestly getting to the point where he couldn't stand the sight of the yellow metal!

Yami sighed in agitation. How he wished Ra would send some excitement into his life! Of course he meant besides all the problems plaguing Egypt lately. He had more than his fare share recently, what with the droughts, rebellions, and barbarian attacks from the East.

Unfortunately, our favorite pharaoh had not heard the phrase "Be careful what you wish for". Fate had plenty of excitement in store for him.

"Your Highness!"

"What?" Yami snapped, irritably. He was not in the mood to be bothered with more meaningless details.

The guard seemed momentarily taken aback by Yami's sharp response, but quickly recovered and went on. "We have caught a murderer, my lord!"

Yami suppressed a groan of suffering and resisted the urge to massage his temples to sooth his head. This was ancient Egypt, after all. Someone was always ticking someone else off, so murder was a pretty common thing in those days. "Who was killed?" he asked, bored.

"Lord Katsuro," the guard answered, surprised at his lord's lack of concern.

"Bring the killer to me," Yami commanded, now even more irritated because now he would have to stay even longer to pass judgment on some random commoner. This guy would seriously pay for keeping Yami from his well-deserved rest. He straightened in his bejeweled throne and put on his most impressive I'm-the-pharaoh-so-you-better-bow-down-and-worship-me-unless-you-wish-to-die-a-slow-and-painful-death expression and waited for them to drag the criminal in.

"Let me go you son-of-crocodile who smells of camel-spittle! May you die the deaths of a thousand flies!!" a feminine voice cried.

"What in Ra's name…?" Yami's violet eyes widened as his gaze landed on the figure being pulled in by a rather disgruntled guard.

The silk-clad guard shoved the still cursing girl directly in front of the pharaoh's raised throne and wiped the sweat off his brow in relief. However, the girl refused to kneel, and instead stood and looked directly at Yami's face.

The young ruler experienced a sudden feeling of déja vu, as he stared at the criminal before him. Twin pools of aquamarine glared up at him, set in a small, heart-shaped face, abnormally pale for an Egyptian. Her deep violet hair looked as if it had once been in a braid, but now fell down her back in tangled waves. She held her chin up proudly, wild defiance in every inch of her pose, as she glared fearlessly at him. She had a smudge of mud on her left cheekbone, and her gown had definitely seen better days. Yami wasn't sure exactly what his guards would bring in, but this black-and-white-clad ball of fury was definitely not what he had expected.

Though she stood below his throne, she gave Yami the impression she was looking down her pert nose at him, almost haughtily. Yami opened his mouth to speak, but the girl cut him off.

"You're the pharaoh? Awfully short aren't you?" she asked, raising a delicately arched eyebrow.

Yami had to open and close his mouth several times while the court had a sudden coughing fit.

One guard strode forward, sputtering with anger. "How dare you speak to the pharaoh like that?! It's disrespectful, demeaning, and-" His tirade was cut off as the girl fixed her unsettling gaze at him as if she held a blade to his thick, corded throat.

"How dare I speak to him like that?" her aquamarine gaze held a smoldering look of pure fury that belied her calm words as she spoke to the guard. "He's the one protecting that DOG! What kind of ruler allows men like that son-of-a-snake to break universal law and go around killing innocent women and cats, and yet denies divine justice?! Can you answer me that, stupid man?!"

The guard gulped and edged back from the girl, not just because of her words. There was something eerily inhuman about her gaze. He could have sworn her pupils slitted like a cat's for a second there.

She closed her eyes for a moment, composing herself, and turned back to Yami who had yet to say anything since she had entered. She raised an eyebrow as if expecting him to say something.

"Who are you? And what did you mean by 'killing innocent women and cats'?" Yami asked once he finally reconnected his brain to his mouth.

"I'm rather hurt that you don't remember me, my lord," she answered, stressing the words 'my lord' sarcastically. "After all, you just saw me the other night."

Yami had been racking his brain for the past few minutes trying to remember where he had seen her before, but her comment clicked in his head. "You're the dancer from the House of Nine Jewels!"

She spread her black-and-white skirts out in a slight curtsy. "I'm honored you remember my modest performance, my pharaoh." She peeked up at him under demurely lowered lashes, and though her posture and voice were humble, her kohl-lined eyes glittered mockingly. "I am called Cat-eyes. And as far as what I meant by 'killing innocent women and cats', I think it should be perfectly obvious what I meant."

Part of Yami wanted to order her death right away for making a fool of him in front of his own court, but not a very big part. She represented a challenge, and Yami Moto never backed down from a challenge.

"I shall retire for the night to consider the murderer known as Cat-eyes's punishment. For now," Yami smirked, "Keep her in the dungeon."

He soon regretted that decision for as his guards took Cat-eyes away, the look she gave him set the fear of the more violent gods into him.

Curse them all to Anubis's realm and back! Cat-eyes was so angry she could hardly see straight. How DARE they treat her this way?!

She sighed and looked around the dingy, damp cell they had locked her in. Water dripped from the ceiling and landed with an unpleasant splat on the cold, moss-covered stones. One would think there wouldn't be enough moisture in Egypt for there to be mold, but the Fates seemed determined to make her day miserable. She wrinkled her nose in distaste at the smell of filth and urine that seemed to hang in the air. She didn't even have a window to look outside. On the bright side, it was cooler that it would have been if she had been closer to the outside. Yeah, that was a real consolation.

Oh well. It wasn't like she would be there for any length of time, anyway. She'd had her revenge so it was time to go. And with that, she closed her eyes and prepared to cast the spell that would free her from that human world and put her back in her celestial home.

Oh no you don't, came a voice from behind Cat-eyes.

Who's there?!, she snapped, turning around sharply, but she relaxed when she saw who it was.

Who else would it be, little sister?

Sekhmet What in Ra's name are you doing here? Cat-eyes asked the image of her sister. It wasn't the real Sekhmet, just a projected image, but it still had her glittering scarlet eyes and her revealing red gown..

I simply came to congratulate you on completing your first act of divine vengeance.

I thought to have him die at the hands of his own 'daughter' would be rather ironic.

I know, but still, revenge is usually my forte. I don't know how you stood it for fifteen years here. I mean come on, all these mortals around, you have to eat, and you can feel pain? You even gave up your divine powers!

Aww, big sis, you sound worried about me.

Sekhmet just rolled her crimson eyes. You know what I mean, Bastet. Who was the cute mortal you were 'talking' to in the throne room? A smirk graced the divinity's golden tan face, exposing a single fang as she shifted in a way that would make any human man faint.

Cat-eyes snorted softly at her sister's antics. You always were such a flirt, Sekhmet, from gods to mortals. You'd love them, then break them. In answer to your question, that was Egypt's current pharaoh, Yami of the Moto family. I didn't think you were that out of touch.

Hey, I've been busy! Sekhmet cried indignantly. There have been many wars recently, and I've had to go to work.

Yes I had noticed the unusual amount of fighting lately. I have a bad feeling about this. May Ra help up us all if the Serpent is going to rouse up more trouble. He's been awfully ambitious lately. Cat-eyes furrowed her brow and chewed on her lip thoughtfully, one of the human habits she had picked up in the last fifteen years.She winced as a sharp tooth cut into her lip.

Have the humans noticed anything?

Well, the pharaoh seemed stressed.

Yeah, stressed and hot! Sekhmet wiggled her thin eyebrows suggestively.

Stay away from him, sister.

The scarlet-clad goddess pouted childishly. Oh fine, fuddy-duddy. You always ruin all my fun. Why can't I? I've done it before.

You know the Law as well as I do. Mortal must not love immortal. You'll just end up hurting him.

He's just a silly human! Why do you care so much? Don't tell me you actually like it here? Sekhmet's eyes widened in exaggerated shock.

Don't be so melodramatic. Cat-eyes sighed tiredly, massaging her forehead. And Sekhmet was supposed to be the older, more mature sister. Huh, yeah right. Why do you think I'm about to leave?

Hmm, but I've rather enjoyed watching you down here. I think I'll keep you here for a while.

WHAT?! You can't do that!!

The elder goddess smirked. Oh, yes I can. You're mortal now remember? It also looks like someone down here has taken a fancy to you. Daddy-dearest is not going to be happy, much less Horus, since someone is going to try to take his 'little kitten' away. Good luck, little sister.And Sekhmet's image faded in maniacal laughter.

"SEKHMET!!!!" Cat-eyes screamed after her departing sister. "TRAITOR!!"

Cat-eyes fell to her knees, numb with shock. She had forgotten that the other gods had power over her when she was in a human form! STUPID!!

Yami paced back and forth across the elegant marble floor of his room, restless as a caged tiger. What to do about the Cat-eyes girl? He certainly couldn't execute her, not when she posed such a mystery.

What was her reason for murdering Katsuro? He wanted to know, but that wasn't the only reason he couldn't have her killed. What was it about her that fascinated him so? Yami growled lowly in agitation and slammed his fist down onto the expensive ebony dresser, fortunately, it didn't break. He hated not understanding something, even if that something was himself.

Was it simply the questions she posed? Was she just a reprieve from his normal, dull life? She was unlike any girl he had ever met.

Could it be the way she had glared fearlessly at him and then mocked him? She knew who he was, yet she didn't seem to care. That irritated him something fierce, but at the same time intrigued him.

He sighed in irritation and, for lack of a better word, flopped on his silk-sheeted bed. He promptly sank into the overly soft mattress, leaving nothing but an arm sticking out which Yami used to pull himself out. He got back onto his feet and glared at the man-eating bed and resumed pacing.

He wasn't one to be swayed by a pretty face, but Yami had to admit, Cat-eyes was a beautiful young woman. Her namesake suited her well. She was every inch the mysterious beauty that always appeared in scrolls and story-tellers' tales. If she was the damsel in distress, maybe he was the brave hero who saved her and she fell in love with! The thought brought a momentary smile to the youth's face before he shook his head and dismissed it as a mere fantasy. He hardly even knew the girl! And besides, she hardly fit the traditional 'damsel in distress' stereotype. Plus she was a killer.

Yami gripped his chin, deep in thought. What to do, what to do. Maybe if he had another chat with her, he could figure out what to do.

"Guard, have the criminal Cat-eyes prepared for an audience with me," Yami commanded to the guard standing outside his room.

The guard bowed low. "As you wish, my lord."

KNY: ...

Kiki: KNY?

KNY: ...

Kiki: Say something!

KNY: ...

Kiki: Will you talk if I give you Yami? (hands KNY Yami)

KNY: ...

Kiki: Duo?

KNY: ...

Kiki: Legolas

KNY: ...

Kiki: Yuki?

KNY: ...

Kiki: Kurama?!

KNY: ...

Kiki: Oh I give up! (leaves)

KNY: I am now alone with five of the hottest guys on the planet! (smirks and drools) Oh, R&R!!