Disclaimer: All Yu-Gi-Oh! characters and references belong to their respective owners. The song Ordinary Girl belongs to the artist and the company that recorded it and was used in this story with the best of intentions. Story elements © Hideki LaShae. No money was gained in the writing of this story.

WARNING: This story contains sensitive cultural practices and references that might offend some readers. The views and opinions of the cultures which condone these practices are not shared by this author, but they are included in this story for awareness purposes only.

Time to Duel, Mariko!

By

Hideki LaShae

Chapter Twenty

Guardian of the Throne

She's just an ordinary girl
In a magical world
Now she's on the trail of trouble
And the adventure has just begun…

Marie looks at Sa-Ra. "It's time to revive Odion!"

"Let me be the focus point," whispers the wind.

"Okay, Sa-Ra." Marie nods.

A familiar song starts to come from the radio that Seto had turned on earlier. It is an old song, one that was once thought of as forsaken and even forbidden in some cultures.

Marie's eyes perk up as she hears the music, and she turns to look at the radio.

Sa-Ra floats towards the radio. She looks back at Marie with a smile upon her face. She begins to dance, spinning herself in small circles.

"I remember this song! I… used to dance upon the wind as Mast-An played the harp for the Pharaoh and the Gods!" whispers the wind excitedly.

"Mast-An?" asks Yami, "Who is Mast-An?"

"She is the Spirit of the Harp," whispers the wind, "trapped now within the card of that name."

"Mast-An… she is the Spirit of the Harp? And she used to play this song?" asks Yugi smiling at Yami.

"She used to play this song while I danced and danced and the loveliest of us all… the Lady of Black Magic… would sing," whispers the wind, "Her voice resounded with her magic! Blonde hair and violet eyes…"

Yugi's eyes widen and he pulls out his deck. He rifles through the cards until he finds the Dark Magician Girl. "Sa-Ra! Is this the Lady of Black Magic?"

Sa-Ra looks at the card and nods once before shaking her head.

"That was the Lady of Black Magic when she was still a child of fifteen," whispers the wind as Sa-Ra returns to her dance, "Come, Marie, and dance with me!"

"Hey, why not? When in Ancient Egypt, walk like an Egyptian!" exclaims Marie shrugging her shoulders, "I thought this song had been forbidden by the Cat Goddess!"

"That was long ago," whispers the wind, "Perhaps she has lifted her ban upon it."

"Okay, so it looks like you're doing the traditional harem dance, right? Dated back thousands of years," says Marie, and Sa-Ra nods.

"T-bird? Do you think you could teach it to Stingray quickly so you could both dance with us?" asks Marie smiling, "And in the meantime, I'll drag Ishizu out here to dance with Sa-Ra and myself!"

"I can teach Stingray. After all, the harem dance isn't overly difficult," says Téa blushing, "Just slightly embarrassing when around your friends! Come on, Stingray!"

"Right!" exclaims Serenity moving over to Téa with a smile and a slight blush.

Marie hurries over to stand on the right side of Sa-Ra and she quickly picks up the pace of the exotic belly dance. "Ishizu, dance or I will not try to bring back your brother!"

"You…!" Ishizu's eyes widen.

"The term you are looking for is bitch!" exclaims Marie doing a kick.

Ishizu moves to Sa-Ra's left side and shoots a glare at Marie before picking up the dance. "I was thinking more on the lines of spiteful vixen."

Seto laughs. "Don't deny it, Marie! You know it's true!"

"Fire, wind, lightning, water," whispers the wind.

"Fire burns… wind blows… earth quakes… water flows," sings Ishizu as she closes her eyes and performs the dance.

"Okay, I think I got it," says Serenity nervously, "Let's join them!"

"Stingray, to my side! Sa-Ra, take point!" exclaims Marie, "T-bird, to Ishizu's side!"

"You know, if she's going to be a member of the Hot Rods, she has to have a car name too!" exclaims Téa moving to Ishizu's left side. She watches the others for a moment before joining in the dance.

Serenity hurries over to Marie's right side and starts in on the dance, moving just a few seconds after Marie so that she can see which move to do before she acts upon it.

"I am not joining your dance group," says Ishizu, "At least not as a full-time member!" She winks at Téa.

One day you'll find
Your whole life has changed…

"Let the music flow into you, become a part of you," says Marie looking at Serenity.

"So… how about Jaguar for your temporary name?" asks Serenity looking over at Ishizu.

"Jaguar it is," says Ishizu with a nod.

A familiar hook in the music causes all five young women to move seductively, erotically to the music while all the young men stare in shock. The timing of the dance moves becomes more in tune with each other and the music.

"Fire, wind, lightning, water," whispers the wind with a singsong voice.

"Fire burns… wind blows… earth quakes… water flows," sings Ishizu.

"The ancient fire… this disenchanting tale," sings Marie, "The wind that hides away this life… The earth that bends but will not break… The water that brings us life…"

"Fire, wind, lightning, water," whispers the wind.

"Fire burns brightly in the night… wind blows fiercely all day long… earth quakes change the way we live… water flows from here to there," sings Ishizu.

"Of Isis and Osiris… of Ra and Anubis… All Gods that we adore… All Goddess we need… We dance today to honor you," sings Marie.

Seto closes his eyes and listens to the music. "I understand the lyrics. This is a very old language, but I understand it. It's beautiful."

"Yes… this was a song to honor the Gods. The Cat Goddess forbid anyone to perform it because she wasn't pleased that her name wasn't specifically mentioned," says Mariko, "She is only referred to as the Cat Goddess, not by her actual name."

"How is it that you remember life in Ancient Egypt, Mariko?" asks Yami.

Mariko trains his eyes on the dancers. "The girl, Ishizu… in the past she was Isis, not the Goddess just named after her. This one used the Millennium Necklace to help me remember. She didn't even realize she was doing it at the time."

"So she helped you… You hadn't actually remembered of your own accord?" asks Yami.

"No," says Mariko, "Though I wish I had."

"I never thought I'd see Serenity dance like that," says Tristan blushing as he watches the girls dance in now perfect harmony.

"Uh… wow," says Yugi staring at Téa dancing and blushing.

Thus you blush head to toe
When you catch sight of her…

Yami sets his hand on Yugi's shoulder and smiles down at his lighter half. "Yes, Yugi. That one word describes this perfectly."

A soft golden light highlights the bodies of all five dancers like a spotlight moving with them and reflecting their innermost desires.

Odion sits bolt upright in his bed and gasps for air.

The girls stop dancing, and Serenity, frightened by Odion's sudden outburst, rushes to clutch at Marie's arm.

"Odion? Is it true? Are you back?" asks Ishizu taking a step towards Odion.

Odion looks at Ishizu with his dark eyes. "Ishizu? How did I return from the Shadow Realm? The last thing I remember is Master Marik coming to send me away because I had failed him!"

Ishizu moves to quickly hug Odion. She shakes her head. "I don't know! I don't know how it happened, Odion! But I'm so glad that you're back! You can help me now. We intend to return my brother, and I will need your help to protect him once again!"

"I will do as you request," says Odion nodding his head. He hugs Ishizu in return.

"I have heard of this," whispers the wind, "It was an ancient practice… ancient even back in the days of the Pharaoh. It would seem that the power and magic beneath this music is very strong."

"It must come from the fact that the music is so old, stemming back in Ancient Egypt," says Téa chewing on her nails as she thinks, "The magic we used was probably buried so deep within those ancient words, those old notes, and maybe even the well established, traditional dance moves we were using. That harem dance has been around for ages!"

"You mean we released him through some sort of dance magic?" asks Serenity, "That is just unreal!"

Your powers may grow
Each time you win…

Sa-Ra nods her head.

"Dance magic can be powerful," whispers the wind.

Serenity shivers fearfully and hides her face in Marie's neck. She whispers, "I don't know if I can be a member of the Hot Rods if dancing can do things like this."

"Shush, dancing doesn't do this on its own," whispers Marie into Serenity's ear, "It takes a lot more than just movements and music. It takes someone in harmony with the magic, someone supportive of the energy that would be channeled through them and then released. Someone like Sa-Ra and maybe even Ishizu."

"Yes, there is magic within music, and it can be very powerful if used correctly," says Yami, "but I do know that most often it is not used correctly if at all. Music's true power is almost never unleashed."

"How do you know that, Yami?" asks Joey.

Yami shrugs his shoulders. "It just came to me."

"Ishizu…?" Odion pushes Ishizu away and looks into her dark eyes.

"Yes, Odion?" asks Ishizu narrowing her eyes.

"Were you dancing?" asks Odion, "To that forbidden song?"

Ishizu nods before hanging her head. "I know it is forbidden, but… they insisted…"

"What were you thinking at the time?" asks Odion.

"Besides the lyrics to the song, I was thinking of how we would soon be bringing Marik back from his prison," says Ishizu, "Why do you ask?"

"That is how you brought me back," explains Odion pushing himself to his feet, "You were never allowed to dance when you were young because your family has a strong lineage of magic users… the women all specializing in dance magic, using their actions and desires to bring forth a new reality. Your mother hoped you would never uncover that ability, so she never let you dance to the old music."

"I've danced to the modern music on many occasions and nothing has ever…"

"That's the difference," says Yami, "The choice of music."

Odion nods. "The music of today has no substantial power behind it. No one still remembers how to put magic into the lyrics and notes."

Ishizu blinks in realization. "So you came back because I was here."

She's just an ordinary girl…

"So it would seem," says Yugi shrugging his shoulders and smiling.

Ryou yawns as he wakes up again. He sits up rubbing his eyes. "Did I miss something?"

Bakura grumbles and sits up beside Ryou on the bed they share.

"Just the sexiest dance in the universe," jokes Duke winking at Marie and Serenity even though neither girl is looking towards him.

Joey brushes a blonde hair away from Mai's closed eyes. His action catches Marie's attention.

"Sa-Ra! We have work to do!" exclaims Marie pushing Serenity away slightly, "Joey, can you take your sister?"

Joey nods and steps forward. He gently takes Serenity's wrist and pulls her into his open arms. He strokes her hair calmly as his heart pounds in his chest. He tries not to show his emotions, but his eyes speak loudly with their desire to see Mai awake once again.

Sa-Ra looks at Marie and nods her head.

"We can awaken the woman now," whispers the wind.

Your heart will show you the way…