Reviews from the Peanut Gallery:
ice suzaku: Well, it did take me a while... (sweatdrop) But I finally have updated, so think of it as me being your genie and granting your wish!
SukiLovesAnime: I'm very glad you like it! It's always nice to hear such kind feedback.
RobinIV:Thanks. Yeah, I kind of liked doing that to Atem-kun, even though he's my boyfriend's Yami. I mean, how many Pharaohs have YOU been able to see walk into a lamppost? (wink)
ANAYAS-CREATOR: Unfortunately, no. (pouts) Kara was NOT pleased.
SGCred: No, I'm not appearing in this one. I thought I better leave Sahara and Atem to their own thing. Besides, it might make some difficulties either weaving Sahara into the other stories or keeping the stories distinctly apart. And love always wins!
shadowfox313: Thank you so much! I read your reviewright when I was feeling down, and you really cheered me up. (glomps you)
Rainbow Guardian Angel: Ah, the joys of embarassing a Pharaoh...and sorry, Mizumi, but Sahara WAS Atem's ancient love...and I'll just assume you two are going to get right mad at who tries to "steal" Atem in this chappie.
Mystic Chaos: You're right, but thanks. Hopefully you'll enjoy this one better.
Shantina and Tochi Enterprizes: I SHALL, I SHALL, I SHALL! (lol)
exoticprincesses: PLEASE don't jump! Here's your chappie! And I'm glad you liked the beginning.
olifantje-emma: Sure, even though it wasn't exactly "soon"...thanks for the support!
Chapter Four: Of Shame and Confusion
(((The Next Day)))
POV: SaharaYami and I went to town the next day to meet some friends of his in town. I had my first good look around this city, and was quite impressed by what I saw. The shops were filled with trinkets and treasures galore, and I couldn't help but look into all of them.
Finally, we stopped at a pizza place, and at a table outside were Joey, as well as two girls and another boy.
One of the girls there had a very sweet aspect to her and had long auburn hair and puppy-like brown eyes, and the other was the height of fashion, with long blond hair and dynamic purple eyes. The guy accompanying them had pointy brown hair and plain brown eyes, with a street-wise aura similar to Joey.
"Hey, Yami, over here!" Joey beckoned us over.
Yami and I sat down between Joey and the auburn-haired girl, and helped ourselves to the large pepperoni pizza put in the center.
"Y'all, this is Suzanna," Joey introduced me quickly, "She's stayin' with Yami at the Game Shop until she goes home to Egypt."
"Egypt, huh?" asked the blond girl, "Do I detect a hidden reason you invited her, Yami?"
Yami scowled at her, and I smiled.
"It's a pleasure to meet all of you," I said.
"Same here," said the redhead, "I'm Serenity…I'm Joey's sister."
"I'm Mai," said the blond.
"And I'm Tristan," said the boy, "First question: are you single? Second question: Are you looking…? OW!"
Both Yami and Joey had whacked him in the back of the head. I covered both hands over my mouth to try and stop myself from laughing.
"Yes and no," I told him.
"Huh?"
"Yes and no," I repeated,"I don't have a boyfriend, but I'm not looking. Sorry."
Tristan looked disappointed only for a moment, and then grinned. "Okay, just curious."
"So…what are we going to do today?" asked Joey.
"Go to the mall?" asked Mai immediately.
"NO," Yami and Joey said together.
"Go to the arcade?" asked Serenity.
"We did that yesterday, though," muttered Tristan.
"Let's let Suzanna decide, since she's our guest," Yami hinted.
"Yeah," agreed Joey, "Whatcha want to do, Suzanna?"
I blinked. "Uh…"
The others were all looking at me.
"Uh…maybe…maybe we could go see a movie or something?"
"Hey, there's an idea," said Tristan.
Joey grinned. "Alright then, onto the movies!"
POV: Yami
When we got to the movie theatre, we saw a long list of movies to watch, and we couldn't agree on any of them. Joey and Tristan wanted to see "Battle of the Androids: Part 3", but Mai protested that she left the movie theatre in the first fifteen minutes of the first one for the movie's quality. Then again, her and Serenity's choice, "Perfect Match" didn't seem very appealing either.
But when Suzanna pointed out another, we all were down for it. It was called "The Prince of Egypt," and Mai said she heard it got good reviews.
We all sat down in the movie theatre together toward the front. Joey was juggling popcorn, candy and drinks for the five of us, and we were only got all we ordered just as the movie was going to start.
There was slow, slightly mournful music toward the beginning, and I shot a side look at Suzanna. She looked oddly hopeful, as if she was hoping this movie would achieve something of great importance.
As I thought this, she noticed I was looking at her. I blushed slightly (thank Ra the lights were dimmed), but I caught her sweet smile.
It was then that sand flew around the screen, and the next thing I knew, we were watching slaves labor in the fields, with Egyptian overseers yelling orders and cracking whips. And a strange, Hebrew song played as we watched them…
This was the story of Exodus.
POV: Sahara
My eyes widened in complete and utter horror. I didn't know this was about the Hebrew uprising!
I looked quickly at Yami. He looked shocked too. I think everyone was.
I felt awful as his crimson eyes darted across the screen.
How could I do this to him? How could I force him to watch this? I thought something with Egypt might help him remember, but this won't do anything but hurt him!
I blinked back tears of embarrassment and shame.
I'm hurting the man I love, and thanks to my foolishness my feelings shall always be a hidden secret. He'll never have a clue I love him, for all he'll remember of me is the pain of watching his people kill and torture!
I blindly ran out of the theatre. I didn't care where I was going…I just wanted to get away.
I ran into the girls' bathroom and collapsed near the sink.
I look at myself in the mirror. My eyes were already red, but I didn't care. I bowed my head on the counter, and I let myself cry silently. What in the seven hells have I done?
"Suzanna? Girl, you in here?"
I turned as Mai ran in.
"You okay?"
I bowed my head as the tears left my cheeks.
I felt arms encircle me. Mai held me close as I cried.
"Shh…there, there, honey, it's okay…"
I looked up at her. "No it isn't...Yami-"
"Was worried about you," Mai finished for me, "He was really worried…but I told him I'd talk to you."
"But…but…"
"Look, honey," Mai said bluntly, "We all know you were trying to thank Yami for everything he's done for you…and I think it's kind of obvious you like him."
I stared at her for a moment, before smiling sadly. "I suppose you, of all people, would recognize the signs."
"We women all can," Mai chastised playfully, "And look, I think Yami likes you too. He's kind of introverted about these things, but I don't think I remember Yami standing up for anyone as bravely as he did for you, particularly someone he's never even met."
I tried to stop myself from blushing. Yami did probably have an involuntary liking to me as I was his past lover, but still…it was just favoritism, like a child choosing a favorite pet or doll.
"Now," said Mai, "You ready to go back in? I think we're missing some of the good parts."
I couldn't help but smile truly that time. I nodded. "Alright."
((After the Movie))
POV: Yami
Well, I'm kind of glad that movie was over. I actually liked some parts of it; the lasting brother relationship was very touching.
Mai suggested going to the mall almost two seconds (record time!) after we left the movie theatre, saying Suzanna needed some new clothes if she was going to stay with me for a while as an excuse. Unfortunately, Joey, Tristan, Suzanna and I couldn't think of a good argument against that, so we headed downtown.
We arrived in the center of the food court, and Joey and Tristan immediately started toward a pizzeria, only to get lectured by the rest of us about already eating at the movies.
Serenity and Mai immediately grabbed Suzanna and headed toward a series of makeover and clothing shops, leaving Joey, Tristan and me alone. Without hesitation, we headed toward the game store.
After thoroughly exhausting our wallets and stuffing bags with new Duel Monster packs and the new editions of Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy, the girls returned…
I was speechless.
Suzanna was beautiful.
Her brown hair was layered with streaks of blond and was held back with a butterfly hair ornament, and she was wearing a jean jacket over a yellow flowered top, a blue skirt and high-heeled black boots.
/Yami, you're drooling. Say something./
Stupid mind link.
I shook my head a little as Suzanna sat next to me awkwardly.
"You…you look wonderful," I actually had trouble sounding confident.
Suzanna bowed her head shyly. "…thanks…"
"HEY, YAMI!"
I could almost hear the classic Jaws theme before I felt myself being glomped from behind.
Not NOW…!
POV: Sahara
A girl with short brown hair and bright blue eyes was cheerfully glomping Yami, talking excitedly.
"Oh, it's been too LONG, how ARE you, what's been HAPPENING…"
"Hello, Tea," Yami struggled to breath.
Tea then let go of Yami and stopped talking excitedly as her eyes fell on me.
"Oh…and who's this?" she asked neutrally.
"This is Suzanna," Tristan introduced me, "She's staying with Yami until…OW!"
Serenity had poked him in the ribs.
"She's staying with Yami?" her voice became oddly cold, "I see…"
She looked straight into my eyes, her eyes blazing with obvious hatred. I looked back reproachfully.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Tea," I greeted in a pleasant tone.
"Likewise, I'm sure," Tea's voice contrasted well with mine, being thoroughly icy.
Tea grinned at the others, before saying, "Well, I've got to be going, so…SEE YEA LATER!"
She hugged Yami quickly, shot me a dangerous glare, and then darted off.
I watched her leave. That girl's jealousy will definitely be a problem, but I'm not going to let her ruin my time here as a mortal when it's so mucked up as it is.
WHAM!
Without warning, we were all thrown backward by an incredible force. I covered myself with an invisible shield to stop myself from whamming against the wall.
It was then that my goddess ears picked up a small, choked scream.
A child!
My eyes scanned through the smoke, and it was coming from a deep ashy hole where the corner of the food court had been.
A child was in there!
Without thinking, I jumped into the ashy hole, covered from mortal eyes by the smoke, and, using my magic, clawed the heavy debris aside to find the kid. He had long black hair and looked about ten years old.
I quickly picked him up and hoisted him onto my back, before climbing out of the hole to try and find the others.
POV: Yami
I looked up to see a huge hole where the corner of the food court had been, ashy and broken.
I heard murmurs around me like "What was it?" "Are we under attack?" and "A bomb, I can't believe it!"
Joey helped me up, and Tristan, Serenity and Mai soon joined us.
"Suzanna?" I called, seeing she wasn't there.
I heard a cough, and through the smoke she came, carrying a boy on her back.
"Here!" she said weakly.
We helped her with the boy, and as I took him off her back, I recognized him.
"It's Mokuba!"
"Kaiba's brother?" asked Joey.
Mokuba opened his eyes. "What…happened? All I remember is being trapped and calling for help…"
"Suzanna must have saved you," Serenity told him.
It was then that a voice called, "Mokuba! Mokuba!"
"That's Seto!" Mokuba realized, before calling, "I'm over here, big brother!"
Kaiba appeared through the smoke and rushed over to his brother.
"Tell me, are you alright?" he asked.
"I'm fine," Mokuba told him, "Thanks to Suzanna."
"Suzanna, huh?" Kaiba looked at her with his classic cold glare.
Suzanna nodded. "That's what I'm known as."
"And what are you asking for in return?" snapped Kaiba.
"Nothing at all, Seto Kaiba," Suzanna said in a oddly casual tone, "I keep a special eye out for children, you could say. I need no payment, as it is my profession. I wouldn't ask you to pay me for your being head of KaibaCorp, so you can expect I will not ask you to do the opposite."
Kaiba eyed Suzanna for a moment in subtle silence, before he smirked.
"Well, aren't you just a goddess," he said coolly.
Suzanna smiled subtly in return.
"Well, aren't you just a gentleman," she replied in a similar tone.
But I barely heard her, for strange words echoed through my head in response to Kaiba's…words that belonged to neither Yugi nor me…
((Flashback))
"my sister, who you know as Suzu, is the long forgotten goddess of innocence, Sahara…"
((End))
I held my head as things came back into focus.
/What was that, Yami/ asked Yugi.
/I…I don't know, Yugi…it must have been a flashback…/
/And there are those names in your dream…/ Yugi pointed out, /Suzu and Sahara./
/They must be the same person/ I realized, /And do you find it a coincidence that I started to remember this person right before this happened? Bombs don't come from nowhere…/
/But what about Suzanna/ Yugi asked, / She also came around the same time./
/No, she's trying to help me find out about my past/ I reminded him, /She already told me she doesn't know anything./
There was a slight silence.
/You seem confident she's telling the truth, Yami./
I felt a surge of anger. /What, you think she was lying to me/
/No, no! I just meant you're usually the one who is skeptical of people. You trust her more than most, and you've only just met her./
I didn't know how to respond at first.
/You're right/ I finally admitted, /You're right, I do trust her more than most…probably because she means more to me than most…but I barely know her…and yet, I feel like I've known her my whole life…/
I let my sentence hang, feeling like a fool.
/Gosh Yami, I didn't know you felt like that/ Yugi said quietly.
I sighed mentally. /I don't blame you. I don't even know how I feel myself./
