Scales of Destiny
Authors' Note: Toxic here.Well, we're only up to nine reviews, but to keep Nafaria happy I'll update. But seriously, only four different people? And this is my seventh update (including the prolouge). I expect more reviews than this. Especialy since you all we're so good at review with my Once Upon a Dream fic. Hopefully when I release my new SxS fic I'll get the same kind of feedback I did with that one. Well, to make it easier, lets say, 15 reviews and I'll try and update as soon as I get the chapter done. Sound good? Get reviewing, I know there are a lot more people reading this than those who have reviewed. I don't want a whole bunch of people stalking this story I want reviewers, okay? Even if you're flaming me, I want a review to know why you don't like it. Love all you reviewers:
Nafaria: Thank you for your persistance
blue heartsz: Thank you for the comment
candyshopper: Thank you for your comment
Cloaked Fox: Even if you called my character a Mary-sue, I appreciate your comment and your honesty.
Story Summary: The Millennium Scales have been passed from Shadi to another worthy of holding them. But as soon as she receives the mysterious Scales, she starts having bizarre dreams about things that happened thousands of years ago. Each dream ends with the same soothing voice and calming face. Can she meet this mysterious stranger in Domino City?
Chapter Summary: More of these dream visions haunt Shizuku. She has finally seen all of her past memories save her last moments of life. What happens once she sees them? Will she seek revenge?
Chapter Six
A Little History Lesson
Yugi stared, stunned, at the ebony haired girl before him. "You-you have!" he stuttered. Was Shizuku admitting that she could be, that she was, Zuka's reincarnation?
"Yeah. Things, I never did. I mean, I went to Egypt once, but I never did any of these things. I just want to know why I'm having these dreams. And, and what they mean."
"I couldn't help you. But, maybe, if he's willing to talk again, the Pharaoh can help you." Yugi closed his eyes like he was meditating, seemingly mumbling to himself.
He changed form again. The narrower stronger eyes staring, it seemed, into her, into her soul. They weren't as strong as they had been. They were weakened, filled with hope, longing, and sadness.
"Yes, what is it?" he sighed.
"So you weren't listening through Yugi." Shizuku strained a smile. She continued, "Well, I've been having these strange dreams lately. About Egypt, and, well, and you."
He blinked twice, very quickly, his only sign of surprise.
She tried to sound as if she hadn't seen it. "…and then, when I wake up, I can remember each one in detail. Like they were memories, my memories."
Atem looked at her with those large violet eyes again, something was different about them. Was that, amusement in his eyes? He was silently laughing at her. He thought her some mad-woman.
"What? Are you just going to stand there all day looking amused? Say something!"
He looked taken aback, "You're pretty good at reading people. As such with the Scales previous owner. Now, the first thing to ask is, were you watching the same person the whole time, or were you the same person the whole time in these, dreams."
"Yeah, I'm this girl, in every one of them."
Atem's heart did a back flip. "Then there is a good chance that she is one of your past lives and you are just now remembering her memories." He paused, sucking up his courage. "What did she look like?"
"She looked like me. Green eyes, black hair although a little longer, and tanner." After a thought she said "Why, did you know her?"
"Yes, I did."
"Who was she!"
"In your past life, you were Zuka Tomuu, Queen of Upper Egypt, High Priestess to the Pharaoh, and wife to the Pharaoh Atem. My wife."
An indescribable surge of passion and emotion surged through her. As if, at Atem's proclamation of her past life had inherited her every emotion Zuka had ever felt for him, and other people.
Shizuku had dropped to her knees, unable to separate the new feelings from her own. She was confused, was she the same person she had always been? Had Zuka always been a part of her, was it just, now that she knew about it, she could feel Zuka's heart beating in time with her own? What was happening to her?
Tears streamed down her face.
She saw a blurred Atem lean close to her. "What's the matter?" He smiled at her. Atem picked up her tear-stained face in his hand and turned it towards his. "Why are you crying?"
Passion roared through her veins again at the sight of his face so close to hers. Passion telling her to move her face closer, close enough to kiss him; her past love. But, she thought, are these my feelings? Or hers?
"Shizuku, what's the matter?" Atem repeated again.
"I'm…so…confused. I feel things, think things, about people I barely know. Hatred, compassion, love. I don't know who I am, anymore. I can't tell whether I'm the one feeling these things or her."
Atem sat down and took Shizuku in his arms. "You, Shizuku Atoma, and Zuka Tomuu, are the same people. You feel the same things. That's why destiny brought you to Domino. So you could meet the people Zuka kept in her company. Know them like she knew them." He wiped a tear off her face and played with her hair, "Feel about them the way she felt about them…"
He gave her a gentle smile "You just have to realize that your life isn't being controlled by her emotions. Just guided. Your life is taking the course it is meant to. The course it will take throughout the eons. Be happy."
She looked at him through blurred, wet eyes, and smiled. The torrent of emotions subsided, letting her think, letting her feel what she knew was her own feelings.
Atem bent down and kissed Shizuku's forehead. "I never could stand to see Zuka cry. I guess it's the same with you."
Shizuku blushed and realized it wasn't Zuka putting feelings into her heart. She did feel something towards Atem. "I…I should probably go now. Tea doesn't like it if I stay at Yugi's too long after school." Atem helped her up, chuckling at some inward knowledge she knew nothing of. "Well…thank you…goodbye."
She turned towards the door but couldn't move as Atem grabbed her hand. "Don't forget the memories. They are what will guide you towards happiness. Don't forget the knowledge you've gained from them." He grabbed her up in his arms and kissed her passionately. "Most of all, don't forget me."
He shut the door behind her, and watched her from the window as she walked back home, towards Tea's.
:-:
After constant prodding, Shizuku excused herself from Tea's room so she could get some sleep. She placed the Scales in their normal spot on the mantelpiece and lay down on the bed.
After a few lingering thoughts about Atem and the happenings that afternoon, Shizuku slipped very peacefully into a dream.
The Scales hummed happily on the mantel.
:-:
Shizuku, Zuka, opened her eyes and peered down at the woolen blanket underneath her.
The warmth of love and compassion spilled over her as she looked at her husband Atem. He was taking off his jewels. 'Relieving himself of the weight of royalty' he called it.
She saw him shake suddenly. A shiver. Maybe he was cold.
"Oh no, my Pharaoh, you're shivering," She piped up as Atem lay down on the bed. "I couldn't live with myself if I let you go through the night like this."
"Zuka I'm fine." He demanded, it almost sounded like a plead.
She just rolled her eyes. He always thought she shouldn't burden herself with silly things like getting a blanket. That he was always 'fine'.
Zuka got off the bed, with some difficulty because of her seven month swollen stomach, and walked out the door and into the hall.
Servants bowed to her and muttered an automatic "Good evening my Queen."
She silently said goodbye to them all, and thanked them for being so good to her. She wished she could have told Atem goodbye, to ask for his forgiveness for doing this. She knew he would have understood if she had told him what she had seen, but she also knew he would never agree to it.
She found where they kept gifts given to them and grabbed the purple blanket she had foreseen. She walked back to the room, hoping her vision wouldn't come true; but they always did, so this one must as well…
She heard the amplified cackle of a man, Priest Seth, and she froze. Even with all the notification she could need, his voice still sent chills down her spine.
"So, Queen Zuka. Here we are. But, I assume you have already foreseen this, have you not?" A tall lean man stepped from the shadows.
"Nothing gets by you. Does it Seth? Yes I foresaw this whole night. Fortunately, for you, I know by now that nobody can cheat death, no matter how many times you come close, it was all meant to be." She said it so smoothly.
"Any last words, then?" Seth grinned "Although, you don't deserve them. You never deserved those powers of the Scales." He stepped closer, "You never deserved your title." He steeped closer again. He was so close she could feel his breath against her face and she the rage in his eyes. "You never deserved this crown!" Zuka didn't flinch when he grabbed her crown from her head and threw it on the ground. For emphasis he spat on it and rubbed it in with his foot.
She looked upon him with hatred and said confidently, "My last words: We will see each other again." All the warning in the world couldn't stop the shrill scream that erupted from her as Seth plunged the Millennium in her heart.
Zuka slumped, hands on her belly, whispering. A glow encased her and quickly vanished into the Scales she had been hiding. She dropped on the ground, black blurring the edges of her vision.
"I'm sorry...my pharaoh…" She whispered. She couldn't see anymore, but she heard the dim sound of footsteps and a voice that sounded, all too painfully, like Atem's.
'Goodbye…for now…my love…' She thought as death slowly eased the pain of her wound, and encased her pale form.
:-:
Shizuku sat straight up short of breath, groping at her heart. After being 100 percent sure there was no blood, no wound, she tried to catch her breath. After that was done, she put her head back on her pillow and thought about the dream.
How did Zuka know she was going to die? What was that strange glow around her? Why couldn't someone save her?
Rage filled her at the next thought; Priest Seth. There was no doubt in her mind that he was Seto Kaiba's past life.
"I guess this is what Zuka meant by 'we will see each other again' but how did she know. She knew so many things. Some before they happened. How am I supposed to live up to that?"
Atem flashed into her mind. "I wonder. She loved him so much; did he love her as much? Did ever love someone else? Did he stay a widower or did he remarry? I wonder…"
:-:
Sunlight spilled over Shizuku's still sleeping form. She moaned, turned over, and snuggled the sheets again, refusing to wake up.
Once again, the light shined in her eyes, no matter where she turned it found her. She stuffed her head under her pillow and…light?
She groped around and placed her hand firmly on a wrist before flinging the pillow off of her head and giving Tea the nastiest look she could manage at that hour of the morning.
"Good morning!" Tea replied
"It'd be better if I was sleeping."
"Well I'd get up, it's 7:20 and Yugi will be here in ten minutes." With that Tea walked out of the room and shut the door.
At 7:29 Shizuku appeared out of her room and stuffed a piece of toast in her mouth before nibbling away at it.
"Hi Yugi!" Came Tea's voice from the other room. "I think Shizuku is ready, although I just woke her up ten minutes ago." Boy, did she like to talk…
"Hey Yugi," Shizuku walked out of the kitchen to greet him.
"Hey," He was fiddling with some paper in his hand.
"Shall we be going?" Tea chimed
Yugi waited for Shizuku to get out before handing the paper to her. "It's from the Pharaoh." Seeing her slow reaction time, and the toast still protruding from her mouth he said with a smile "Not a big morning person are you?"
Shizuku just grunted in reply.
:-:
"Very good Shizuku," replied her math teacher "You have the rest of the period to yourself," he passed by her completed assignment and sought out someone to yell at for making a stupid mistake or miscalculation.
Shizuku pulled out her book and opened it to where she left off. A thin piece of paper fell out.
"Right. I forgot Yugi had given this to me." She opened the note up to reveal a series of dots and squiggles. No, not dots and squiggles. She remembered now. An alphabet, one that Atem made up to talk to Zuka in private before they were married.
Hopefully she could remember it. She closed her eyes and focused on that memory. Yes, I remember it now.
'Meet me at the park after school. –Atem'
How was she supposed to get there without someone giving her a ride? It was half way across town! It dawned on her. All she had to do, now, was wait.
:-:
The bell had rung and Shizuku was making sure she took longer at her locker than normal. Dropping books, spilling papers at random moments. (Although not all of them were planned) And just as she had almost given up. Guess who show up?
"Hey, Shizuku…" Tristan did his best imitation of suave.
"Hi Tristan." She faked a big smile.
"You free right now? We could go somewhere. I have a ride."
"Well, you know, I really would love to," She said, grabbing a book from her locker, "but, I promised Tea I would meet her at the park instead of going somewhere."
"Yeah, ok." Tristan turned and walked a few steps before facing her again. "Do you have a ride?"
"Well, I wasn't sure where it was so I was just going to walk around until I found it." Shizuku lied masterfully, putting on her best innocent voice.
"Walk! The park is half way across Domino! Here, you let those feet of yours rest and I'll give you a ride. Here's a helmet." He tossed her one out of his bag.
"Can we stop at Tea's first? I'd love to get out of this hideous uniform." Shizuku said before heading out and hopping on the back of the motorcycle.
:-:
Atem picked lazily at the grass beneath him, wondering if Shizuku could have even read that message.
When Atem was about to give up and call it a failed attempt, a pair of arms wrapped themselves lazily around his neck.
"Boo."
"I was beginning to think you weren't coming." Atem smiled.
"Now why would that worry you," Shizuku said, sitting down by him, "you'll live thousands of years. What would it matter if I didn't show up one day at the park?" She put her head on his chest and looked up at him.
"Because," he placed a stray strand of hair behind her ear, "I wouldn't be able to do this."
He bent down and kissed her, not letting go. It seemed like forever and a day until they parted, but her heart was telling her to try for forever and two days next time.
Shizuku caught her breath and said, "Well then. I'm glad I didn't miss out."
She paused and finally said. "So, why did you want me to meet you?"
"I'm not entirely sure. I guess I wanted to make sure you were all right. Are you?"
"Yeah… I'm ---" Shizuku stopped suddenly. Something inside was telling her to ask questions. Questions that had formed in her mind after last nights dream. "Why?" she said suddenly.
"Why what?" Atem said, puzzled.
"Why did you let her go? You knew something was wrong that night. You knew she had been acting strangely. You knew she was keeping something from you. Why did you let her go like that?"
"What-"
"Wait. No. I want to know. How did she know?"
"How did who know what?" He looked at her "You're speaking in riddles, Shizuku."
"How did she know she was going to die?"
"Who?" Atem asked quizzically
"Zuka, she had known for months. Had seen it in her dreams repetitively so she wouldn't forget. They haunted her." She looked up at Atem "How'd she know?"
"Shizuku, what do you know of Egyptian beliefs?" He asked softly "Do you know of the Ba? Of the Goddess Ma'at and the deity Anubis and the God Thoth?"
"I know Ma'at is sort of like the ruler of Egyptian heaven you could say. Anubis judges the worthy and unworthy to pass over to the other side with the Goddess Ma'at. And Thoth…all I know is that he is the one, souls are brought to for the judgment."
"Precisely." Replied Atem, "Now do you know what the Ba is?"
"Oh! Yes, the Ba is simply the soul of the deceased."
"Good," he paused "now, in Egypt, we believe there were a pair of scales in the transition between life and death. These scales were the tools to judge people's souls."
"Is that what my Scales do?"
"Not exactly, but I will tell you their connection soon enough. Now, what is Ammut?"
"Ammut is the part-crocodile, part-lion, and part-hippopotamus creature who sit near Ma'at and before Thoth."
"Do you know about the Feather of Truth?"
"No," Shizuku said, caught up in Atem's little history lesson. She absolutely loved Egyptian mythology and legends.
"In the Book of the Dead, legend says Ma'at carries a feather on her head, which is also known as The Feather of Truth."
"Ok…"
"Now, after one dies, according to Egyptian custom, the Ba hangs around the scales, and the deceased itself will be brought upon the God Thoth to be judged, with a scarab beetle placed over the heart to keep it silent throughout the judgment.
"Anubis will ask questions concerning the sins of the deceased, and if necessary, the deceased will attempt to deceive the gods in order to pass through this ordeal and pass to blessed eternity. The Feather of Truth would be placed on one end of the scales and the deceased's heart on the other. Basically, if your heart is weighed upon it and it stays at the same level as the feather, you will be judged as worthy to pass over.
"However, if Anubis caught the deceased lying, or the deceased had done unforgivable sins during his or her life, the heart will slowly gain weight and once the heart's side hits the ground, you will be considered unworthy and you shall be consumed and devoured by Ammut."
"Ok. I still am not sure what this has to do with my Scales though."
"The Scales possess powers that could be used to judge a person's heart for punishment on sins they may have committed. That is what your scales do. Zuka was burdened with dealing with the criminals and traitors of our land. When someone was brought in, she would test them to see if they were guilty of the said crime. If so, they were, well, you need not know how we dealt with traitors in the Days of Shadow."
"But what does that have to do with Zuka knowing."
"Are you sure she knew?"
"I could read her thoughts. My thoughts, I guess…" Shizuku puzzled
"She never said anything, but I might have feared she had Seen."
"Seen? Seen what?"
"As the Scales represent the scales in the afterlife, they also deal with Ba." he started "Zuka could sometimes See, one's deaths. It was her heaviest burden to deal with. She never ignored her visions. She always wanted to help the person in them. She knew she couldn't save them, but she wanted to make sure the good people went to Ma'at."
"That would explain her thoughts, her actions."
"What were her last thoughts, Shizuku? The last thing she saw, heard, said? I want to know."
"She saw the Scales…they we're glowing…she had been glowing too. She had heard footsteps and a voice she thought to be yours. Her final words were that she was sorry, sorry for not telling you." Shizuku stopped, trying to remember the last one, when a voice told her.
"Her last thought…was…'Goodbye…for now…my Pharaoh.'"
Atem gave her a gentle kiss on the brow. "Thank you, I needed to know."