PART 4 [Field Trip]

(Nicole's POV)

"Nikki, I am telling you. I am pretty sure you would enjoy the Ancient Egypt exhibit that is at the museum at the moment." Yugi stated while we all were sitting at the diner after school celebrating my accepting Kaiba's job offer. He had mentioned the exhibit before, but it was just not my thing. I wasn't sure how many more times I could tell that to him nicely.

"Look Yugi, I love the enthusiasm, but seriously a bunch of dead people and the carvings talking about said dead people is just not my thing." I tried to put him down gently.

"But that's not why I think you'd enjoy it Nikki!" He tried to debate.

"Why would I like it? Give me a really good example?" I pointed out setting my chin into my hand.

He leaned forward lowering his voice, "What if I told you duel Monsters can be traced back to Ancient Egypt?"

"D-Duel Monsters? You're kidding right?!" I gasped in disbelief.

"Nope! For once, he is not!" Joey shrugged.

"So, you guys are saying we can go to the museum and find items from ancient history that give hint to modern day Duel Monsters?" I asked with my attention peaked.

"Exactly!" Yugi grinned, "So, are you interested yet?"

"You can say that." I paused checking the clock on my phone 4:30pm, "How late is that museum open."

"I think it is open until seven or so? Want to check it out?" Tea replied looking at her own watch.

"If you guys don't mind, I think Tristan and I are going to stick around here and keep eating." Joey spoke up.

"That's fine! Just don't eat all of the restaurant's supply Wheeler!" I teased grabbing my bag to go.

Yugi, Tea, and I took the city transit system to the downtown district that held the museum. I was quite surprised to see that it was so large. It almost reminded me of one of the Smithsonian buildings in D.C. Yugi knew the way to get straight to the Ancient Egypt section. Though I wasn't interested at the start, I was presently surprised with all the colorful items scattered about in various cases once we arrived.

"Oh look! I think this is makeup!" Tea grinned looking at a set of ground minerals and ivory looking pens.

"Yes! I'd say it's eyeliner by the looks of it." I thought out loud.

"How women managed to wear that stuff is crazy!" Yugi spoke up in what I could only assume was wonder.

"It's wasn't just women that wore it Yugi. Men of the time wore it just as much as women. The khol and minerals in the powders helped keep the sun and such out of their eyes." I found myself speaking without thinking. Where did I get that from?! I must be remembering some old school lesson or something.

"Wow Nikki! I thought you said you didn't like history?" Yugi asked with a small grin. I couldn't quite place the look, but I almost wanted to think he was... impressed?

The comment made me faulter just a bit. "I-I'm not. I am more a computer gal. But I have had a couple trips to museums and such."

"Look at these wigs! Can you imagine wearing those every day!? That must have been torture!" Tea cringed tapping the glass with her finger.

"Eh. They weren't worn everyday though..." Where is this coming from?! And why can't I seem to stop talking!? "They were saved for festivals and ceremonial occasions. Not to mention priests and such usually shaved their heads to show their cleanliness and devotion to the gods. So, I would think they were more itchy than hot when they did have to wear them."

This is getting scary. I need to shut up now! The voice in my head screamed. I made it a point to follow Tea and Yugi and watched the two talk back and forth as we saw more and more cases filled with trinkets and pieces of everyday life. As strange as it felt, I recognized most of this somehow? I could have sworn I had never seen this stuff, but it was as if I had? My silence was broken when we came up on the end of a row of cabinets and something caught my eye.

"Oh Yugi look at this!" I couldn't help but exclaim as we happened upon a collection of what looked like instruments. A harp, flute, and tambourine bells were setting in the case in what I could only assume was exquisite condition considering it was a couple thousand years old. "They're instruments used by a tshanshur!"

"A what?" Tea questioned confused making me realize my own words. What did I just say?! What language is that?

"A tshanshur." Another voice spoke up catching me off guard. "I'm surprised you would know the Arabic translation young lady."

Arabic?! I don't know Arabic!

Looking back, I noticed a very tan woman with dark hair standing not too far behind us. She had a metal-like head dress and a weird Egyptian necklace that almost reminded me of Yugi's to a point.

"Pharaoh, what are you doing here?" She asked surprised as she got a look at the three of us.

"Wait a second," I spoke up confused, "You must have him confused with someone else. His name is Yugi not Pharaoh"

She looked at me as if startled, "I beg your pardon?"

"Ishizu, this is Nikki. She moved here from the states. She seems real interested in your exhibit."Yugi told her

"Hold on," I spoke up as his words sank in, "Her exhibit. So, she's the one who runs the exhibit?"

"Yes, I am," she stated looking back towards me, "My name is Ishizu Ishtar. I collected these artifacts and put them on display here. Many duelists come here to see about duel Monsters in the past."

"Speaking of that," I asked, "I've looked around this whole wing, and I've found nothing that even resembled Duel Monsters."

"Ishizu, could you show her the tablet?" Yugi asked.

"Why would that be Pharaoh?" she asked.

Yugi asked to speak to her alone for a minute. What's wrong with saying whatever here? Who knows! Why bother with it. Not like I have already filled my weird quota of the day already! I thought to myself as Yugi excused himself and Ishizu to talk in the next room.

(Yugi's POV)

I asked Ishizu to talk to me privatively for a moment. The two of us walked to the next room and closed the door. "Ishizu, there's something different about Nikki. Yami says he senses an ancient prescience around her. It's not a Millennium item though."

"So, you want to find out if there is another character in the ancient struggle other than Kaiba and yourself." Ishizu concluded.

"Yes, she has something to do with the past we just know it. You should have seen her in the exhibit. She knew what everything was and what it was used for before she read the boards. She told me History was not her subject. I know it somehow, I just do. She's connected to Yami somehow." I insisted.

"I noticed that. Do you know if she is familiar with Arabic?"

"N-not that I know of... I know she knows English and Italian. I think she is in French class. But I don't think she knows any other languages." I explained. Which only proves my point more. How does she know words and things from Egypt if she has never studied it before?! "What was a t-tshanshure anyway? Nikki seemed to know the phrase?"

"There were women in ancient times that excelled in their musical talents. These women were known as a Chantress or as is said in Arabic tshanshur. As to how and why your friend knew the Arabic version I don't know, and it is interesting. I noticed her knowledge didn't seem to be even known to her. It's like it was something that was second nature from experience instead of book-knowledge."

"Exactly! Yami wants to see if it is maybe because she has something to do with the past he can't remember." I pointed out getting a little excited.

"Alright Pharaoh We'll show her the relic tablets. If you find out she has any connection to the past, tell me right away. That kind of information could alter the path of your destiny." She told me. The two of us nodded in agreement and headed out the door...