Disclaimer: All Yu-Gi-Oh! characters and references belong to their respective owners. The song To Know the Unknown 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-Four
Back to the Future
The blimp floats back towards Domino City with its numerous passengers.
"So… the only two hikaris here who haven't released their yamis are the Egyptian brat and the stuck-up snob!" exclaims Bakura as everyone sits around together.
"Watch you you're calling an Egyptian brat!" yells Malik.
"More importantly, be careful who you're calling a stuck-up snob!" exclaims Seto glaring at Bakura.
Bakura sneers at Seto.
"Ishizu, did you have a yami?" asks Yugi turning his violet eyes to the dark haired Egyptian girl.
Ishizu nods. "A woman. Her name was Isis."
"Can you release her?" asks Yugi.
"I can't, Yugi." Ishizu shakes her head. "Yami can now. He possesses the Necklace."
"Then I will release her," says Yami taking the necklace from the pocket of his jacket.
With a flash of light, a woman with waist-long black hair and silver-gray eyes appears. She wears simple tan-colored clothes, practically rags for all the good they do.
Ishizu's eyes widen in delight. "Isis!"
You don't have to tell me
Just why you went away…
The silver-gray eyes turn towards Ishizu, and the Spirit of the Millennium Necklace smiles. "Ishizu!"
"What about Seth?" asks Marik chuckling.
"I don't think so!" exclaims Seto.
A sudden beeping attracts everyone's attention to Seto.
Seto presses a hidden button on the 'KC' pin attached to the collar of his shirt. "Kaiba…"
A loud, crystal clear voice sounds from the pin. Mr. Kaiba! We've been trying to contact you!
"I was preoccupied. What do you want?" asks Seto clenching his fists.
A very large package arrived for you and Miss Twin earlier this morning. It's from Egypt, comes the voice.
"I know. I've been expecting it," says Seto, "Have it forwarded to the mansion."
Also sir, is Miss Twin with you?
"She is right beside me, actually," says Seto as Marie takes his hand and smiles. He smiles back at her.
Could you inform her that the new equipment she requested has been completed according to her specifications? It is at your private lab waiting her retrieval, comes the voice.
"It's completed? What took you so long? I gave you the specifications on that three months ago!" exclaims Marie glaring at the pin on Seto's shirt.
Seto's eyes narrow as he looks at Marie.
Unforeseen problems arose, Miss Twin, ma'am, says the voice quivering slightly.
"Very well… I will test it upon my return," says Marie, "If it isn't in proper working order, I will have your head on my desk!" She pushes the hidden button.
"Marie? Why are you giving my employees more work, and why are they doing it?" asks Seto. His irritation resounds in his voice.
"Seto, dear… I am the head of Kaiba Corp's North African division, and your employees will do what I say because they don't want to make the head of such an important division angry," says Marie smiling.
"There is no North African division!" exclaims Seto.
"They didn't know that! And when I told them that there was, they believed me!" exclaims Marie. She cuddles up against Seto. "And before you even ask how I got the funding for them to create my little project, I got it from one of your failing projects. It took me a whole two weeks of straight, non-stop hacking to break through your defenses and knock down your Blue-Eyes Ultimate Firewall. I'm surprised that your system didn't alert you to my hack, but while I was in there, I did do a small upgrade to your Blue-Eyes Ultimate wall."
"What?" asks Seto sighing.
"I made a change so that if anyone does try to hack into your system now, you will be alerted. And I added a tattoo to your dragon," says Marie, "It now has a cute little Dark Magician Girl tattooed to its butt!"
"So… what does this new equipment do?" asks Seto.
"It's something I actually created for Ishizu, but now she can't use it. So Yami will have to hook the Millennium Necklace up to it. It will use a combination of holographic technology and magic to show us what happened back in Ancient Egypt," explains Marie.
"Do you think it could even help with… the curse…?" Mariko grins at Marie.
"Curse? What curse?" asks Ryou.
"The yami-hikari curse of course," says Mariko.
Marie shrugs her shoulders.
"What do you know about this curse?" asks Malik.
"And why is it you seem to be the only one who remembers it?" asks Marik.
"Because I am the only one who refuses to fall under it!" exclaims Mariko looking at Marie.
Marie scoffs and rests her head against Seto's shoulder.
"And to answer your question, Malik… if Marik were ever to kiss you, then he would fall under the curse!" exclaims Mariko.
Yugi's eyes widen at those words. "You mean… if a yami kisses his hikari, then he falls under this curse?"
Mariko nods. "Isn't that right, Marie?"
"I'm afraid to say it's true. That's why I'll never let Mariko kiss me!" exclaims Marie, "That and I hate the thought of his lips touching mine! That is just gross!"
Yugi looks at Yami frightened. "Yami! You've been cursed! Because… because you kissed me, now you're cursed!"
"What?" a collective gasp falls from everyone's lips.
"Y-Y-Yugi? Yami kissed you?" asks Téa pouting slightly and looking hurt.
Yugi blushes and nods his head.
Marik bursts into laughter. He starts to sing, "The Pharaoh's under a curse! The Pharaoh's under a curse!"
"Hey, I know this song!" exclaims Malik with an insane look in his eyes. He stands up and starts to dance in circles as he sings, "The Pharaoh's under a curse! The Pharaoh's under a curse! Hi ho the dairy-o. The Pharaoh's under a curse!"
Marik stands up and hurries to drag Malik into a dance around Yugi and Yami as they both sing, "The Pharaoh's under a curse! The Pharaoh's under a curse! Hi ho the dairy-o. The Pharaoh's under a curse!"
"Ryou?" Bakura grins evilly at his white-haired hikari.
Ryou sighs. "Do I have a choice?"
"Not really!" exclaims Bakura grabbing Ryou's hand and dragging him over to dance and sing with Malik and Marik. "Come and join us, Mariko!"
Mariko grins and hurries into the circle dancing around Yugi and Yami. "Marie! You know you want to dance!"
Marie sighs. "I'm happy where I am, thank you very much!"
"Just take over control of her legs and get her over here!" exclaims Bakura.
"Oh, really? Is that how you took your hikari's innocence?" asks Marie glaring at Bakura as she stands up abruptly.
Ryou blushes.
Bakura grins. "Of course. I'm not exactly too solid like this! I can't just go and fuck him now can I? But I can take over control of his hands and give him all the sexual pleasure he needs!"
Ryou's entire body turns bright red.
Marie walks over to the group. "Okay, if we're going to do this, we'll do it right. I'll show you the dance, and then we will chant while we dance. Agreed?"
The other two hikaris nod as the three yamis glare at Marie.
"This is an American Indian dance that I learned," says Marie starting to dance around Yami and Yugi showing the others the intricacies of the dance.
"I like!" exclaims Marik.
The small group starts in on the dance following Marie. They all chant, "The Pharaoh's under a curse! The Pharaoh's under a curse! The Pharaoh's under a curse!"
"Marie? Why do you seem happy about this?" asks Yami glaring at the girl.
"Because I know the counter-curse," says Marie in a singsong voice.
"Then tell us what it is!" exclaims Yugi.
Marie shakes her head.
To know the unknownSome secrets are meant to be…
"We can't do that!" exclaims Mariko grinning evilly. He steps into the circle and glares at Yugi while the others continue to dance and chant. "Then you might try to free Yami from his curse! Besides, even though you are the only one who could cast the counter-curse, Yugi, you may not be able to!"
"The problem, Yugi, is that you don't want to hurt anyone, and if I tell you the counter-curse, someone will be hurt," says Marie frowning as she walks away from the dance. She sits down on the floor and fingers the Millennium Scale at her side.
Mariko sighs. "This is boring! I want my own body! Give me a body of my own, Marie! A physical body of my own!"
"I can't give you one!" exclaims Marie.
"I could always kiss you," hisses Mariko glaring at Marie.
"Then wouldn't you be cursed?" asks Malik as the chanting and dancing ceases.
"Close. If I kiss her, she would die from the curse," says Mariko, "That's why she'll never allow me to kiss her. That is her true reason! I want you to give me my own body, Marie! You are a healer, and you know you are capable of granting my request!"
Marie looks at Seto who raises an eyebrow at her. "Mariko, you know I am not capable of granting your request. If I do, I will die from the yami-hikari curse."
All I really need to knowIs that you're here to stay…
Mariko blinks at Marie. He whispers, "You can't die… you can't leave me alone, Hikari."
With a flash of light from the Millennium Ring, Bakura vanishes.
Marik, Isis, and Mariko all vanish with flashes of light, and for a moment, silence reigns.
The blimp lands at the Kaiba Corp test lab, and everyone heads inside to find the new device Marie's brilliant mind thought up.
Yami places the Millennium Necklace on top of the device that looks vaguely like a duel disk. "Show us the events of the past!"
Holographic Projection
Clues to life's mysteries
Are what we hope to find
Always reachin' for a reason
Searchin' for a sign…
A baby cries into the night.
The ruby-eyed Pharaoh glares at the door blocking him from the child. His black hair falls past his shoulders.
The door opens and a young woman carries a carefully wrapped bundle out to the Pharaoh. "Your son, oh Great Pharaoh…"
The Pharaoh looks at the child. He sees the black, red, and yellow hair.
A pair of wide-open crimson eyes looks back at the Pharaoh. His hair, so soft and silky already, presses against the side of his head.
The Pharaoh smiles. "I will name him Yami… for this cursed night of his birth!"
The young woman nods her head.
The Pharaoh turns to leave, but a second cry from the room causes him to stop in his tracks. His eyes widen as he turns towards the room. He rushes inside and sees his beloved wife holding another wrapped bundle.
"I will call him Hikari, my little light in this hour of darkness," whispers the woman before her head falls to the side and she breathes her last.
The old woman who came to assist the Princess with the delivery takes the small child from her arms. She turns towards the Pharaoh. "You have two sons instead of one. This is your youngest, Hikari."
The Pharaoh looks at the boy. His hair is just like the other son's, matted down tri-colors.
The baby cries, and his violet eyes fill with tears that roll down his plump cheeks.
The Pharaoh looks at his wife. "She is dead. This child is no son of mine! He is a murderer! Drown him! Drown the usurper of the throne!"
The old woman nods.
End Holographic Projection
"There were two sons! Twins! Yugi, you were actually there in Ancient Egypt! You were the lost brother!" exclaims Téa in shock.
"They drowned my brother!" exclaims Yami falling to his knees.
"Yami!" exclaims Yugi moving to wrap his arms around Yami's shoulders.
Holographic Projection
Two four-year-old girls sit by the river playing a hand-clapping game with each other.
"We'll always be together, won't we, Nefertiri?" asks the brown haired girl. Her blue eyes stare into the lilac colored eyes of the other girl.
The girl with the lilac eyes smiles at the taller brunette she plays with. Her solid, gold-blonde hair falls down in spikes around her shoulders. She, and the other girl, both wear light colored frocks that drape over their small frames. Her name is Nefertiri, after a former Egyptian Princess. "Of course, Anzu… You are my sister! We will always be together! I love you!"
"I love you too, Nefertiri!" exclaims the brunette smiling happily, named Anzu after their great-grandmother.
"Eek! Nefie, Annie, they're after me again!" exclaims a cute tri-colored four-year-old boy as he runs up to Nefertiri and Anzu. He throws his arms around Nefertiri's neck and clamps his violet eyes shut.
"After him!" exclaims a five-year-old boy running up with another five-year-old boy. His brown hair sticks up in a point on the top of his head. He skids to a stop in front of the two girls and the younger boy, and his hazel eyes look over them mischievously. "Just hand him over and there won't be any trouble."
The second boy comes to a stop. His black hair falls loosely to his shoulders. His green eyes bore into Anzu's blue as they glare at each other. "Just give Hikari here!"
"And just what did Hikari do to get you so upset, Otogi?" asks Anzu.
The tri-color haired boy giggles. He tugs on Anzu's frock, and his entire face lights up with his smile. It really is no wonder someone named him Hikari. "I stole his hair ribbon to give to you, Anzu!"
Anzu blushes as she looks at Hikari.
Otogi pouts. "It's my ribbon! Give it back, Hikari! Hiroto, make him give it back to me!"
"I will." The brown haired boy crosses his arms over his chest.
"I don't think so, Hiroto," says Nefertiri glaring at him.
Hiroto sighs. "Nefie…"
"Fine…" Nefertiri blushes under Hiroto's gaze.
"Hikari, will you please give the ribbon back to Otogi?" asks Anzu, "You know you shouldn't have taken it from him."
Hikari pulls a black ribbon from beneath his pale shirt and he holds it out towards Otogi.
Otogi rips the ribbon away and quickly proceeds to pull his black hair into a high ponytail, using the ribbon to tie it securely. He smiles.
"Everything better, Otogi?" asks Hiroto.
"Yes! Now… let's get Hikari!" exclaims Otogi.
"Eek! Nefie! Anzu! Help me!" exclaims Hikari running away from Otogi and Hiroto as they start to chase him again.
Nefertiri and Anzu race after the boys yelling.
Hikari trips and falls towards the river. He hits his head on a rock and loses consciousness.
"Hikari!" screams Anzu hurrying to his side. She kneels beside him and tries frantically to wake him up.
"Otogi, Nefie! Run back to the house and get Master and Mistress!" orders Hiroto kneeling on Hikari's other side.
"Hikari! Please, wake up!" exclaims Anzu.
Otogi and Nefertiri run back the way they had come. They return after a few short minutes with a man and woman.
"Mommy, please, help Hikari!" exclaims Nefertiri looking at the woman with pleading eyes. She grabs Anzu's shoulders and pulls her sister away from the boy.
The man kneels beside Hikari and touches him. His breath hitches, and he shakes his head. "I'm sorry, children, but the Gods have called Hikari to them now."
"What?" asks Otogi.
"Tell the Gods to bring him back!" exclaims Anzu.
"They need him now. They cannot give him back to us," says the man, "I'm sorry, daughter." He pulls off his worn shirt and covers Hikari with it.
End Holographic Projection
Everybody's wonderin'Tryin' to understand
"My… my brother lived… He didn't drown," says Yami as silent tears mar his face, "but he still died… without me ever having the chance to know him!" He shakes Yugi away from him and sits down with his legs crossed in front of him. His crimson eyes close to try to hide his tears.
"Is it just me… or did those other children look familiar too?" asks Tristan breathing heavily.
"I believe that Téa is the reincarnation of Anzu. The elder Anzu looked just like Téa before her death," says Mariko, "I believe the other two boys were you and Duke."
"Yugi died and I couldn't protect him," whispers Yami before bursting into uncontrolled sobs.
Yugi crawls into Yami's lap and wraps his arms around his darker half. He nuzzles Yami's chin with his head, and he looks at Yami's face with his large, violet eyes. "I didn't die. I'm right here, Yami! I didn't die!"
Yami opens his eyes and looks at Yugi. He quickly throws his arms around Yugi and pulls him into a tighter embrace. He whispers into his lighter half's ear, "I love you, Yugi! I love you so much and I don't ever want to lose you!"
Yugi's eyes widen to abnormal proportions. "Yami…"
"Oh, look!" squeals Marik, "There I am!"
Yugi lightly kisses Yami's cheek and holds the taller spirit tightly in a comforting embrace as everyone turns their attention once more to the holographic scenes being played for them.
Holographic Projection
Marik walks around the sand dunes tapping his stick roughly on the ground at his feet. His bleached blond hair falls in oddly cut spikes down past his shoulders, and his purple eyes, like the orchids of other countries, scan the ground as he moves. "Dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit! Why does it always have to be in the middle of nowhere? Why couldn't that stupid Pharaoh…"
A scream interrupts Marik's monologue, and he turns towards the sound.
"There's an orphanage by the river in that direction. The master's daughters have just come of age… That must be one of them screaming," says Marik. He abandons whatever he had been doing and runs towards the sound of the scream. He crosses over a sand dune just in time to see thirteen-year-old Nefertiri falling to the sand with a man bearing down on her.
Nefertiri opens her mouth to scream again, but in her fear, no sound emerges.
"Don't be a fool, girl! Move it!" exclaims Marik marching aggressively towards the other man.
Nefertiri scrambles to her feet and runs away from both Marik and the unknown man.
"You will leave this place and never return! This girl is not yours and she will never be! Leave her in peace!" yells Marik.
"She will be mine… after I kill you!" exclaims the man, "Then I'll kill her!"
Nefertiri stops running when she hears these words. She turns back to watch with her mouth hanging open.
The man pulls out a knife and flings it towards Marik.
Marik jumps out of the way but the knife imbeds itself in his shoulder rather than his heart as the aim had intended. He falls to his knees.
"Kind master!" exclaims Nefertiri racing to Marik as quickly as she can, which is surprisingly fast. She presses her lips to his as she yanks the knife from his shoulder.
Marik widens his eyes at the method in which she chose to silence his scream of pain. He blinks as Nefertiri pulls away from him. He looks at Nefertiri in confusion. "I don't understand you… who are you?"
But all the revelations
Are castles in the sands…
"Nefie," says Nefertiri standing up and turning towards the man who threw the knife. Her body glows with a pink light as she holds the blade of the knife in her right hand. "Now… you pay."
With those words, the knife flies from Nefertiri's hand, not being thrown but being thrust by the power of the pink light. The blade sinks deeply into the man's heart, and he falls to the sand as his blood drenches it.
Nefertiri turns back to look at Marik and she kneels beside him. "Please do not move."
"What are you?" asks Marik staring into the blood red eyes of the young woman before him.
Nefertiri places her hands on Marik's wound and squeezes her eyes closed.
Marik gasps as his pain ebbs away and his wound seals itself with just a small white scar remaining to tell him he had in fact been injured this day. He looks into Nefertiri's lilac-colored eyes as she opens them again.
Nefertiri smiles at her handiwork.
"Nefie? What have you done?" asks Marik.
"My name is Nefertiri. My sister Anzu and I have both been blessed by the Gods with a healing light," says Nefertiri, "We can heal people. Although neither of us have had proper training to use that power."
"And can you also use this power to kill?" asks Marik.
Nefertiri starts to turn towards the man, but she stops herself. "Apparently yes."
"It is forbidden for any to take a life," says Marik hanging his head, "Even if it was in defense as this case is… you must leave here. You must go far away if you wish to keep your life."
"But where could I go?" asks Nefertiri.
"I heard that your sister… Anzu is it… is supposed to go away to learn to control her healing light and become a priestess and healer. Take her place," suggests Marik.
"Take her place?" Nefertiri blinks repeatedly as this new option sinks in. She smiles. "Thank you… I think I will… but what about you? You were also involved! What will you do?"
"Don't worry about me. I will hide in plain sight," says Marik, "Now go. Speak to Anzu. You must leave here immediately!"
Nefertiri quickly kisses Marik's lips again. Then she turns towards the orphanage and runs away as fast as she can.
Marik hurries quickly over the sand dune and thumps the ground with his stick again. He finds the hidden entrance to the tomb, and he quickly enters. "Why that fool of a Pharaoh decided that he had to have his tomb built upside down and buried within the sands of the Sahara is beyond me! What sense is there to have an upside down pyramid? And why would he need his tomb to be hidden? Come to think of it… why would he need someone to guard his tomb before he has even died? Does he hate me? Am I supposed to go crazy from loneliness?"
End Holographic Projection
"You were such a softy, Marik!" exclaims Malik rubbing Marik's nose with his own.
Marik captures Malik's lips in a heated kiss. "Am not!"
"Yes, you are. And you're only slightly crazy from loneliness!" exclaims Malik cuddling in Marik's arms.
Holographic Projection
Nefertiri runs to the riverside. She smiles when she sees Anzu there, sitting on her rock like she usually does when she wants to be alone. "Annie?"
Anzu turns to look at Nefertiri. She smiles. "Hi, Nefie!"
Now that you've come back
There's nothing more to say…
"Anzu… something's wrong," says Nefertiri sadly. She hangs her head.
"What is it?" asks Anzu with widening eyes. She jumps off her rock.
"Someone's dying…"
"We have to help them!" exclaims Anzu.
"Yes… We do," says Nefertiri. She shoves Anzu into the river.
Anzu splashes around in the deep water and screams. "Nefie! Help me!"
Nefertiri falls to her knees in tears. "I'm sorry, Annie… I'm sorry, Anzu!"
Anzu continues to splash around in the water until her lungs fill with the icy water and her spirit passes on to the world beyond.
End Holographic Projection
Téa screams and clenches her hands over her chest. Her eyes widen. "Help me! Nefie, help me, please!"
Marie rushes to Téa's side and grabs her shoulders. "T-bird! T-bird! Snap out of it! Snap out of it! You are not Anzu! You are Téa Gardner, my T-bird, my sister! You are not Anzu! You are not dead! Do not live that memory! Do not live that memory!"
Téa screams as she stares into Marie's violet eyes. "You… You killed me, Nefertiri! You killed me!"
"Dammit, T-bird! Snap out of it!" exclaims Marie letting the tears roll down her cheeks, "I am Camaro!"
Téa struggles in Marie's arms. "You… murderer! Murderer! Murderer! Murde…"
Marie forcefully takes Téa's mouth with her own, silencing the brunette's rant with a cruel kiss. She pulls away after a moment when Téa calms down.
"Camaro? Marie… I felt like I was drowning!" exclaims Téa. She starts coughing up water and spitting it onto the floor in front of her and Marie.
"You were living the memory of the past," says Marie, "You were drowning."
"Things like this usually don't happen," explains Bakura, "but Anzu was apparently very betrayed by her sister killing her. The emotions she felt during her death stayed with her spirit during its reincarnation into the girl, Téa."
"So I am re-feeling the death that my… spirit felt thousands of years ago?" asks Téa. She sighs and shakes her head. "I don't want any of this… I don't want to be the reincarnation of Anzu…"
"None of us really want to be a part of this, but we all have a role to play," says Ryou, "We all have something to do now. And we all need to be strong for each other."
"Okay… I can do that," says Téa.
Holographic Projection
Priest Seth and Mariko both look up at a man with dark blue eyes and black hair.
"You aren't trying hard enough, you stupid brats! Working with this power should be an easy task for the both of you! You will work until you get it right or you will not eat!" shouts the man angrily.
Priest Seth and Mariko glare at each other. They raise their hands and the glow of their power surrounds them. Their power flares brilliantly, and when it fades, both boys lie in crumpled heaps on the floor… Mariko lies on his back spread out and shaking his head dizzily while Seto lies on his stomach with one knee beneath him.
End Holographic Projection
So I don't need to know
The unknown…
"Mariko… just what were we trying to do?" asks Seto.
"Kill each other using the Shadow Magic," says Mariko, "We were never strong enough to defeat each other like that. We never really wanted to."
Holographic Projection
Otogi and Hiroto walk into the Pharaoh's palace with their hands and feet in chains. They kneel in front of the Pharaoh and don't look at him or the two guards on either side of them.
"Two new slaves… Oh Great Pharaoh!" exclaims the guard on the right.
"More? Send them to the gardens to help that other new slave!" exclaims Pharaoh Yami.
The guards bow to Pharaoh Yami and lift the two teenaged boys to their feet roughly. They escort them out to the garden and remove their chains. They shove the boys towards a blonde haired beauty.
"Hello," says the blonde looking at Otogi and Hiroto with stunning lavender eyes. She smiles.
"Hi. I'm Otogi, and this is my brother, Hiroto," says Otogi.
"We're not really brothers… We were raised in an orphanage together," explains Hiroto.
"My name is Ammaim. I was just brought here as well," says the woman, "Have you ever tended a garden before?"
"Yeah, at the orphanage," says Otogi kneeling down in the dirt beside Ammaim.
Hiroto kneels down and begins weeding. "It's nice to meet you, Ammaim!"
End Holographic Projection
Mai stares at the hologram. "She… she… she… she looks like me!"
"Probably because you are the same person," says Joey, "Damn… it seems like everyone here is the reincarnation of someone from the past!"
"Everyone except you and me, big brother," says Serenity smiling at Joey.
Holographic Projection
As long as my heart beats
I'll always love you…
A blond boy with honey-brown hair runs down an alley, listening to the screams coming from within. "I'm coming, Zuka!"
"Help!" screams a slightly younger woman as a man rips her clothes off.
"Get away from my sister!" yells the boy lunging at the man. He shoves him away from the brown-haired girl.
"Nouchi!" exclaims the girl covering her body with the remains of her clothes.
The blond boy keeps pounding his fists into the man who was attacking his sister. "No one ever touches my sister! Shizuka! Get out of here! Run!"
"What about you, Jonouchi?" asks the girl trembling.
"I'll be fine! Run!" exclaims Jonouchi, "Run, Shizuka!"
Shizuka runs away as fast as she can.
The man punches Jonouchi back with immense force, and Jonouchi hits the wall and passes out.
The man lifts Jonouchi over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and carries him away. He takes him to the palace and has him thrown into a cell. "Let's see you protect that slut next time!"
"Who are you taunting this time?" asks Priest Seth walking down the hallway.
"A street rat!" exclaims the man. He smirks.
Priest Seth looks into the cell. "A mutt? You brought a stray mutt into the palace? Why? What did the mutt ever do to you?"
"He interrupted my fun!" exclaims the man, "Why do you care?"
"Who is he? Where is he from? Hair like that is uncommon here!"
"He's just a street rat! He lives alone with his sister, a very hot little lady! Honestly, we could keep him in this cage forever, and she'd be the only one to notice he's gone!" replies the man.
"Very well… chain him and take him to my chambers. The Pharaoh promised me a new slave… as a coronation present for becoming High Priest," says Priest Seth, "And I choose this boy to be my slave." He quickly walks away.
The man chains Jonouchi quickly and takes him to Priest Seth's personal chambers. He shoves the now awakened teen into the room, and he closes the door as he leaves.
How the universe began
What the future holds
Why do fools fall in love?
What happens to our souls?
Jonouchi falls to his knees and looks at the man with blue eyes and brown hair who stands before him. "What am I doing here?"
"Silence, mutt!" exclaims Priest Seth.
Jonouchi growls at Priest Seth.
"My name is Seth. I am the High Priest, and you, young slave, now belong to me!"
"I'm not a slave! I was born free!"
"You're a slave now!" shouts Priest Seth, "No one will miss you. You will do what I say! And you will see your sister again. If you do not do what I tell you to, then you will never see her again!"
Jonouchi slumps his shoulders and hangs his head in defeat. "What do you want me to do, Master?"
"If I unchain you, will you try to run away?"
"Will you promise me that I will get to see my sister again if I obey you?" replies Jonouchi.
"I swear… if you obey me you will see her again. If you do not obey me, you will die and you will never see her again," says Priest Seth.
"Then I will not run away. I will do whatever you ask," whispers Jonouchi.
Priest Seth removes the chains and steps back away from Jonouchi. "Undress and get in the bed."
Jonouchi's eyes widen.
"You are my slave… and you will bed me if I demand it, and I demand it!" orders Priest Seth.
Jonouchi clenches his eyes shut and starts to remove his clothing.
End Holographic Projection
Joey clamps his hands over Serenity's eyes just as the holographic images fade. He breathes deeply and tries to shake himself from his shock.
Seto closes his eyes and collapses to the floor.
"Seth… Ra!" exclaims Joey, "I was Jonouchi… Serenity was Shizuka… and Seth turned Jonouchi into a concubine!"
Marie moves slowly away from Téa and tries to revive Seto from his faint. She settles for nuzzling up against him when he doesn't wake up.
To know the unknown
It doesn't mean that much to me…
Seto slowly opens his eyes. He pulls Marie closer to him. "Is this insane trip down historical lane over yet?"
"Not yet," says Bakura, "It's starting a new scene."
"I was a Priestess of the Cat Goddess. I performed the union of Yami and Nefertiri," says Isis, "Hokun… my slave… was reincarnated into Odion. He was always at my side. He was quite helpful to me. I couldn't have survived without him."
"Why don't I remember being in Ancient Egypt?" asks Odion.
"Your reincarnated spirit has not been awakened to its past," says Ishizu, "I don't remember either."
Holographic Projection
Nefertiri kneels beside Yami at an altar.
Isis stands behind the altar with a man who looks very much like Odion kneeling behind her.
Yami takes Nefertiri's hand, and the wedding ceremony begins.
End Holographic Projection
Yami growls and clutches Yugi closer to him. "Isis? Did I love Nefertiri?"
"From what I understand… you were empty… you had no love for anyone in your heart," says Isis, "You chose Nefertiri as your bride because she could give you an heir. And she did. Your son, Kwame, was still an infant when the final battle began."
Yugi rubs Yami's arms to soothe him.
Holographic Projection
Shizuka stares at the palace gates as Ammaim walks out of the gates with Otogi and Hiroto.
The three slaves follow a guard into the marketplace with Shizuka following behind.
Shizuka slips up beside Ammaim. "I need your help."
Ammaim looks at Shizuka in fear. She whispers, "Who are you?"
"My name is Shizuka. My brother, Jonouchi, was kidnapped and taken to the palace. I need your help to get inside so I can rescue him," whispers Shizuka.
"Jonouchi? I've met him," whispers Ammaim blushing, "I am Ammaim."
"Can you help me get inside the palace?" whispers Shizuka.
"I will get in trouble… I could be killed," whispers Ammaim.
Shizuka hangs her head. "Please…"
"If I help you, you must help me. When you free Jonouchi, you must free me as well," whispers Ammaim.
Shizuka raises her head and smiles. "Agreed."
"You must dress like a slave to enter," whispers Ammaim.
"I'll meet you outside the gates," says Shizuka with a swift nod of her head, and in an instant, she vanishes.
Ammaim looks around for Shizuka as everyone heads back to the palace gates.
Shizuka appears at Ammaim's side wearing the same outfit as the blonde haired woman only her clothing is filthier than Ammaim's. "Will this do?"
"Quite nicely," whispers Ammaim leading Shizuka into the palace, "I just hope that you will not be noticed."
Shizuka smiles.
Hiroto and Otogi head back to work in the garden while Ammaim leads Shizuka at a slower pace around the flowers.
Nefertiri walks out to the garden, and her eyes rest on Shizuka. She smiles. "Hey, slave! Come here!"
"That is Princess Nefertiri, wife of the Pharaoh," whispers Ammaim leading Shizuka over to Nefertiri and kneeling.
Shizuka kneels.
Nefertiri lifts Shizuka's chin to look at her face. "I have not seen you here before. Who is your supervisor? What do you do here?"
"Gardens, milady," says Shizuka in a whisper.
"Not anymore! Now you will attend to me!" exclaims Nefertiri, "Come!"
Shizuka follows Nefertiri into the palace.
"You will help me dress and brush my hair, and most importantly, you will help me keep my secrets secret," says Nefertiri, "Do you understand?"
"Yes, milady," whispers Shizuka.
End Holographic Projection
Everyone watches the movie with interest, wanting to know what happened to their ancient selves.
Holographic Projection
Otogi and Hiroto walk into the private chambers of Pharaoh Yami and Princess Nefertiri. They see the Egyptian rulers lying on the bed. Then they notice the other figure in the room…
Shizuka stands in the room with a bed sheet wrapped around her body.
Otogi and Hiroto both blush as they kneel before the rulers.
"I have sent for you to please my bride," says Pharaoh Yami looking at the two slaves, "She has requested a performance tonight… One of you will pleasure this slave while we watch…"
Shizuka blushes and looks away from the other slaves.
"Which slave would you prefer, Shi?" asks Nefertiri.
Shizuka hangs her head. "I cannot choose between them, milady. I have grown to care for them both deeply."
Nefertiri raises an eyebrow. "You love them?"
"Yes, milady."
Nefertiri looks at Pharaoh Yami.
Pharaoh Yami smirks. "Well then… we shouldn't make her choose. They can both have her…"
End Holographic Projection
"That is so sick!" exclaims Serenity hiding her face in Joey's shoulder, "Can't we change the channel?"
"I wish!" exclaims Joey.
Holographic Projection
Jonouchi's eyes widen as Nefertiri and Shizuka enter Priest Seth's bedchambers. "Zuka?"
"As promised, mutt… you are granted the privilege of seeing your sister again," says Priest Seth smirking, "She is the personal slave of Princess Nefertiri now."
Jonouchi quickly pulls Shizuka into an embrace.
"Nouchi! I have missed you so much!" cries Shizuka happily as tears roll down her cheeks.
Nefertiri moves into Priest Seth's arms and kisses him before she whispers into his ear, "They haven't seen each other in so long. Perhaps they should get better acquainted now that they are together again."
"What do you suggest?" whispers Priest Seth.
"Nouchi… Shizuka… show us how much you missed each other," says Nefertiri smirking evilly.
Jonouchi and Shizuka look at each other with questioning eyes.
"Jonouchi?" asks Shizuka.
"Well… you are opposite sexes, aren't you?" asks Nefertiri, "And what would a man do with a woman?"
"You know what happens if you don't obey, mutt!" exclaims Priest Seth.
Jonouchi takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Zuka…"
"Nouchi?" asks Shizuka.
Jonouchi pulls Shizuka into an open-mouthed kiss. He pulls away slowly when breath becomes a necessity.
"Don't stop on our account," says Priest Seth pulling Nefertiri onto the bed.
End Holographic Projection
"Et tu, Seto?" asks Joey glaring at the CEO.
"Don't blame me for something that prick did!" exclaims Seto, "I may be his reincarnation, but at least I'm not that cruel!"
Holographic Projection
Bakura slips through a secret entrance into an ancient tomb. He slips down the darkened hallways with the stealth of a cat. The torch in his hand sends forth just enough light for him to see. He enters the burial chamber and begins to fill a sack with the precious items that were intended for the Pharaoh who rests there to use in the afterlife.
End Holographic Projection
Ryou looks at Bakura with pride in his eyes. "You were a good thief, weren't you?"
Bakura nods. "Only caught once!"
"I've seen enough," says Yami rising and taking the Millennium Necklace back from the holographic projector he connected it to.
So I don't need to know
The unknown…
"I agree," says Yugi.
"Let's get out of here," says Mokuba.
Everyone heads out of Kaiba Corp's lab.
