Disclaimer: All Yu-Gi-Oh! characters and references belong to their respective owners. The song If Only Tears Could Bring You Back belongs to Midnight Sons 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-One
Sleeping Beauty
"Let me be the focus point," whispers the wind.
Marie nods. "As you wish, Sa-Ra. I won't argue."
Seto chuckles.
"Not over this anyway," says Marie with a smirk at Seto.
What will I do? You know I'm only half without you!
How will I make it through?
"We know, Marie. Just be careful. I don't want you to get hurt," says Seto.
Marie nods.
Joey looks over at Mai as he holds Serenity.
"I'm okay, big brother," says Serenity pulling out of his arms. She sees the look in his eyes and quickly hugs him again. She whispers, "But I'm not sure if you are… What's wrong?"
"I think… I think I care for her… as more than just a friend," whispers Joey into Serenity's ear.
Serenity smiles at her big brother. She nods her head and whispers in return, "I understand. I hope she likes you too."
Joey shrugs and turns his brown eyes away from his sister's face.
How will I start tomorrow without you here?
Joey turns his eyes to Mai's unmoving form.
Marie takes a deep breath and walks over to Mai. She sits down on Mai's right side on the edge of the bed.
Sa-Ra floats over to stand on Mai's left side. She places her right hand on Mai's forehead and her left hand over top of the sleeping woman's left hand.
Marie places her left hand on Mai's forehead and her right hand over top Mai's hand. "Ahm kum Ra."
"Ahm kum Ra. Ahm kum Dei," whispers the wind.
"Ahm kum Dei," says Marie, "Ahm kum… Osiris…"
Sa-Ra begins to glow a soft lavender light.
"Ahm kum… Osiris… Ahm kum… Isis," whispers the wind.
"Ahm kum… Isis," says Marie, "Ahm kum… Marie." The tattoos along her arms and legs begin to glow a soft golden light.
"Ahm kum… Sa-Ra… Ahm kum…"
"Mai," supplies Marie, "Ahm kum… Mai."
"Efday… Ahm… Shokrun," whispers the wind.
"Efday… Ahm… Shokrun," says Marie as her golden light brightens and starts to turn violet around the outer edges.
Whose heart will guide me while the answers disappear?
"Mai, come back to me, please?" whispers Joey burying his face in his sister's long brown hair. 'I need you here, Mai!'
"Ahm kum… Ra… Ahm kum… Anubis," says Marie.
"Ahm kum… Ra… Ahm kum… Anubis," whispers the wind.
"Mai… Mai… Mai…" says Marie starting the chant of the girl's name.
"Mai… Mai… Mai…" whispers the wind while Marie continues chanting the words, "Mai… Mai… Mai…"
"Hey guys… let's chant with them," suggests Serenity.
"Mai… Mai… Mai… Mai," several voices raise towards the ceiling. Surprisingly enough, even Bakura and Seto's voices are amongst them.
"Come back, Mai," says Marie as everyone else continues to chant.
"Mai… Mai… Mai!" chant the people as Marie and Sa-Ra glow even brighter.
The gold and violet light that surrounds Marie flows down to her hands as she mentally forces it out of her body. The light begins to shroud Mai with its intensity.
Marie removes her hands from Mai's body and pushes herself away from the bed. "Mai… Mai… Mai…"
"Mai," whispers the wind as Sa-Ra forces her glowing lavender light down her arms to her hands.
The lavender light slowly creeps over Mai's form as the brighter golden light permeates the pale flesh and joins with Mai. The light now surrounding Mai, a wondrous shade of violet, suddenly flickers and almost dies.
Is it too late, are you too far gone to stay?
"Mai!" shouts Joey breaking out of the chant everyone else still performs.
"Come on, Mai! Come back to us!" exclaims Marie trying to move forward, but Sa-Ra's extended hand stops her movements.
"Come back, Mai!" whispers the wind urgently, "Ahm kum Mai! Ahm kum Mai! Ahm kum Mai! Mai… Mai… Mai…!"
Sa-Ra places both her hands on Mai's forehead.
"Ahm kum Ra. Ahm kum Dei. Ahm kum… Osiris… Ahm kum… Isis," whispers the wind, "Ahm kum… Sa-Ra. Ahm kum… Mai… Efday… Ahm… Shokrun… Ahm kum… Ra… Ahm kum… Anubis… Mai… Mai… Mai… Mai… Mai… Mai… Ahm kum Mai! Ahm kum Mai! Ahm kum Mai …"
"Come on, Mai! Please!" exclaims Joey releasing Serenity and taking two steps forward. He stops when he feels Serenity's hand on his wrist, and he falls to his knees.
Marie quickly steps up to Sa-Ra and places her hands on the woman's shoulders. She takes a deep breath and forces herself to glow slightly again only not nearly as brightly as she had before. "Ahm kum Ra. Ahm kum Dei. Ahm kum… Osiris… Ahm kum… Isis… Ahm kum… Marie. Ahm kum… Mai… Efday… Ahm… Shokrun… Ahm kum… Ra… Ahm kum… Anubis… Mai… Mai… Mai… Ahm kum Mai! Ahm kum Mai! Ahm kum Mai … Mai!"
"It's not working," says Tristan sadly, "What do we do if it doesn't work?"
Marie clenches her eyes closed tightly as her golden light brightens and turns into a deep blue-violet around the edges. "Again, Sa-Ra… it must work this time!"
"Ahm kum Ra," whispers the wind.
"Ahm kum Ra. Ahm kum Dei," says Marie.
"Ahm kum Dei," whispers the wind, "Ahm kum… Osiris…"
Sa-Ra begins to glow a soft lavender light.
"Ahm kum… Osiris… Ahm kum… Isis," says Marie as the tattoos along her arms and legs seemingly move and flow into changing symbols.
"Ahm kum… Isis," whispers the wind, "Ahm kum… Sa-Ra."
"Ahm kum… Marie… Ahm kum… Mai," chants Marie.
"Ahm kum… Mai," whispers the wind.
"Efday… Ahm… Shokrun," says Marie letting her blinding light flow into Sa-Ra.
"Efday… Ahm… Shokrun," whispers the wind.
"Ahm kum… Ra… Ahm kum… Anubis," says Marie as the wind whispers the same words, "Mai… Mai… Mai."
The light encompassing Sa-Ra flows down to her hands and starts to surround Mai's body to mingle with what little light remains flickering around her.
Marie removes her hands from Sa-Ra's shoulders and collapses onto the bed that Odion had been resting upon. She closes her eyes and doesn't move again except for the rhythmic rising and falling of her chest.
If only tears could bring you back to me!
If only love could find a way!
What I would do, what I would give if you
Return to me, someday, some how, some way!
If my tears could bring you back to me!
"Mai! Come back! Please, Mai!" exclaims Joey running to Mai's side and bursting into tears as he falls to his knees beside her. He places his hand on her elbow and squeezes it slightly as he sobs uncontrollably.
"Mai! Come back!" whispers the wind before Sa-Ra pulls her hands away, "Ahm kum Mai! Ahm kum Mai! Ahm kum Mai… Mai… Mai… Mai…"
The glowing light suddenly snuffs itself out.
Sa-Ra shakes her head to silence everyone's chanting.
"Sa-Ra?" asks Yugi looking at Mai with worried eyes.
"You can't do it, can you?" asks Yami, "Is it because you were the focus? Or is it because of something else?" He turns his eyes to where Marik sits on the floor still trying to cut his wrists with his earring.
"I know not what the cause, but I cannot free her from this spell," whispers the wind, "I am sorry."
Joey wails as his tears fall onto the floor. He leans over Mai and rests his head on her shoulder as he continues to cry.
Look in my eyes, you'll see a million tears have gone
by!
And still they're not dry!
Sa-Ra reaches out her hand and rests it gently on Joey's shoulder.
'Marie? Are you all right?' asks Mariko.
Joey shoves Sa-Ra away.
Mariko moves over and sets his hand on Marie's shoulder. 'Marie, can you still hear me?'
Yami raises an eyebrow at Mariko. 'Mariko? Can you hear me?'
'Of course I can… You're only two feet away from me! Baka Pharaoh!' says Mariko.
'I may be only feet from you, but I am not speaking verbally!' exclaims Yami, 'I am speaking to you the same way I speak to Yugi when I want no one else to hear!'
'Oh,' says Mariko, 'I didn't realize that. Why isn't Marie answering me?'
'Because she's unconscious, you baka!' exclaims Bakura smirking.
Mariko glares at Bakura.
'Do not argue… not now… This is too important of a time for us to be bickering amongst ourselves,' says Yami, 'Now… Marie is unconscious. Are you sure that you cannot reach her, Mariko?'
'She is not responding to me. I may be able to revive her by going into her soul room, but she… made me swear to never enter that room even if she were dying,' says Mariko, 'After all I've done, I dare not anger her by going against her strongest wish.'
Serenity rushes to wrap her arms around Joey's shoulders while Yugi goes to help her comfort him.
Seto moves to Marie's side and pulls her into his embrace. "Marie? Wake up, honey!"
'Yami? Is there a way that we could still bring back Mai even though this method failed?' thinks Yugi.
'I most certainly hope so, Yugi,' says Yami, 'I hope so.'
"Don't worry, Joey… we'll get Mai back soon," says Yugi glancing over his shoulder at Yami, "I promise! We'll bring her back!"
I've held you close inside the words I've only whisper before…"I need you, Mai," whispers Joey, "Please come back to me… I think I… I think… Mai, I… want to love you."
Yugi's mouth opens in a silent gasp as he hears the whisper from his friend. He blinks to regain his composure. 'Yami! Yami! Joey… he's… I think he's in love with Mai!'
'Does that really surprise you, Yugi? Mai is a wonderful person. So is Joey, and they do have much in common,' says Yami, 'It does not surprise me that he might love Mai. She has done much for him.'
'Do you think she loves him too?' thinks Yugi.
'Mai love Joey?' asks Bakura, 'That's a laugh!'
'I have no comment,' says Mariko.
'Yami? Why can I hear Bakura and Mariko in my head?' thinks Yugi.
'I believe it has to do with you being my Hikari. I think Ryou and Marie, were she conscious, would also be able to hear us all,' says Yami, 'As for Joey and Mai, I just hope they both end up happy.'
'Me too! I think Mai and Joey would be a cute couple!' thinks Ryou.
'You are so gay, Ryou! Only you would use the word cute!' exclaims Bakura.
'Hey! You're lucky I'm gay!' thinks Ryou. He winks at Bakura.
Bakura blushes slightly.
"Big brother? What do we do now?" asks Mokuba breaking the awkward silence that surrounds Joey's sobbing.
"I don't know if there's anything we can do… not without Marie awake. She clearly used too much of… something when she was trying to awaken Mai," says Seto, "So I suppose all we can do is wait."
"I hate waiting," says Mokuba with a sigh.
Seto simply nods and pulls Marie closer to his chest.
