Author's Note: Hello one and all! SuntoryAngel here with a dreamfic! For those who don't know, many of my pieces here on FanFiction are directly inspired by the dreams I have! This one in particular was interesting not only in concept but by what brought it on. I recently contracted Covid and was severely sick to the point where I was nearly hospitalized due to the fact that I lost over ten pounds in less than ten days from how much vomiting and dehydration that I was suffering from. It was very touch and go until a few days ago when my health took a sudden turn for the better on the day we were about to go to the hospital. Since then BlueNovaNF (hubby) has been nursing me day and night then discovered that both mama and baby were back to full health. That's right! Mama and baby! We are so excited! Anyway, this little piece was inspired by one of the daydream/daze-dreams that I had while sitting listless in bed nursing a bucket or the toilet.
Hope you like! I don't own rights!
Warning of: Abuse, Drugs, Curses, and Adult Themes! Under 18, beware!
The Mummy's Curse
The sun shone high in the sky with an unrelenting haze upon a white plane whose passengers were looking forward to reaching their destination; nearly completely full of men with various styled hairs ranging from walnut to ashy blonde from various ethnicities but there was a lone female who wistfully gazed out the window at her side whose chocolate hair was pulled up into a high bun to reveal the pair of earbuds within her pierced ears. Outside the landscape was dominated by coarse sand that seemed endless and unforgiving to any who dared to venture across it but she was used to such terrains by now as her lips relished as she swiped them with the chapstick she'd brought with her. The slight hint of peaches stirring the appetite that she'd been nursing for the last hour and returned the small tube to her pocket to fix the pair sitting in front of her with a cautious gaze as they turned to face her.
They pointed to their own ears, signaling that she needed to remove her earbuds if she was to hear what they had to say, and both offered a boastful smirk when she did so after a few seconds. "Mazaki, how did someone like you mange to wiggle their way onto this trip?" Ushio Toei eyed her figure up and down for a moment, earning a twitch of her brow. He was one of the worst students in their senior class but that didn't mean he didn't have ties to get out of Japan on whatever whim he chose.
Even if it was for a small doctoral seminar at the University of Cairo.
"Who did you have to sleep with to get here, hm?"
"Now, now, Toei-san, you shouldn't go fraternizing with such a woman who resorts to use her body to get what she wants." Kokurano Toei, his cousin, snickered. Though the young man had a knack for pharmaceutical studies and chemistry, it was no mystery to the female student population as to why he had such an interest in such things. An ex-girlfriend of his had been hospitalized with severe overdose symptoms and during her near life ending hallucination episode she revealed that he had forced himself upon her with the help of several drugs only available through specific connections. Both were nothing more than self absorbed pompous individuals who greatly enjoyed in exerting their powers over those deemed lesser.
Their shared favorite target: women. And she was alone in a plane full of various other groups from countries along the way.
Her arms crossed, knowing full well that it would draw their attention to her shapely chest but cared little, and fixed them both with a sugary sweet smile that would give even an orthodontist cavities and made the sun outside seem pale while slipping into English dialect so as to catch the attention of the small group of Americans who were sitting nearby. "Who would have guessed that the two of you would chose to turn your attentions on the same girl! I'm so flattered!" The cerulean pools that were her eyes darkened a shade as the tone of her voice became ice but still light. "Sorry, boys, but perhaps you should facing forward instead of fixating on the skirt of someone you will never have the privilege of glancing under before she decides to test out her new surgical tool set by performing dual vasectomies." Satisfaction filled her as they paled, probably both reaching downwards to cover their precious nether regions while shifting back to resettle within their seats with grumbled curses of how she would be sorry for making such a threat, unable to hide back the smirk raising her lips while returning the buds to their rightful place. A few of the Americans that she'd felt stares from earlier softened, as if they weren't as afraid of her now that they had heard her use their natural language, but it was clear that they too were now weary to approach her even with that fact.
Anzu Mazaki: five feet six and two thirds inches, ninety-eight pounds, measurements at 28-22-34, is a seventeen-year-old Japanese girl. She had aspired to become a dancer as a child but quickly donned the dream of becoming a doctor when her parents passed away in a car crash. The loss of both parents had left her within the care of her uncle, a cold man by the name of Gozuboro Kaiba, and grew up with the two boys he himself had adopted, Seto and Mokuba. Growing up in such a cold environment would have left many in disheartened states but she had thrived with medical studies and was on set to graduate at the top of her class with the highest honors. Kaiba had been so engrossed with Seto that it had left her to fend for herself, which was completely fine by her, but even she couldn't have predicted the odd sense of wonderment she felt when he expressed how she had surpassed his expectations only for it to be tainted when included the fact that she was female.
Sexism wasn't a stranger to her thanks to him but she had still managed to rise high above those who looked down on her. The world though in its Twenty-First Century still held several societies and people who still looked down upon the female gender as a lesser and incapable being only necessary for procreating or tending to their every need. She had climbed the ladder within the Student Council during her high school years, battled her elder brother Seto in endless intelligence challenging games or exercises, and she was not about to let anyone tell her what she could or couldn't do.
A tap on her shoulder caused her attention to drift away from the window where it had found itself wandering back to and offered a smile to the white haired Guidance Counselor who reminded her of a British Albert Einstein dressed in a cream colored suit complete with a red bow tie. "Mazaki, is everything alright?"
"I'm fine, , nothing I couldn't handle."
He ducked down so their heads were closer, sparing a glance to the pair who sat in front of her with a suppressed grin. "I know that, Anzu, but it is still fun to watch."
She snickered. "Trust me, it never gets old of what comes out of this mouth sometimes."
Hawkins straightened with a chuckle. "Indeed." His expression of amusement became one of great excitement as she shifted her belongings so that he could sit beside her. "Tell me, are you certain this is the course you wish to take? I know how difficult it was for you when the accident happened and I cannot help but wonder if you wouldn't be happier off pursuing the dancing you once enjoyed."
Her slender fingers entwined as one leg rose to drape itself over the other. His concern was appreciated, and maybe down the line she may be able to venture a step or two in that other direction, but for now the path had been chosen. She wasn't going to let anything stop her. "It wasn't solely the crash that killed my parents. The fact that there was no doctor available in time to perform emergency surgery to repair their spinal cords and cardiovascular cavity was mostly to blame. The closest specialist for either were more than ten hours away." The sadness that had entered her gaze morphed into pure drive and determination as she met his gaze. "I am going to practice every single medical field so that no one who ever is placed on my table or in my care dies like they did. I want to give every person the highest probability of living that I can provide."
"Your goal is admirable but it is important to keep in mind that not everything will play out according to plan." His wrinkled hand rose off the arm rest, as if debating on taking hold of her own, then it fell to rest upon his knee instead as he sighed. "Anzu, even if you were to master every medical study or procedure and perform with pristine precision there is no guarantee that the person will live. There is only so much that knowledge can accomplish." Though his tone was gentle and gaze soft, the pain of his words were visible within her being as she tensed. "It is up to the person in question if they are to recover or receive treatment in the first place."
His hidden message was received loud and clear by the young woman. The tight hold she had on the fitted athletic jacket that was the color of sea foam slowly relaxed until both her hands were resting upon the gold/cream geode patterned leggings covering her legs, the tapping of her black sneakers against the red wine colored carpet floor stilled as she offered him a nod. "I will respect their wishes when the time comes, , I will not force a patient to undergo anything they don't wish to."
He stood with a smile. So long as she understood that things can happen out of her control, something she'd been struggling sine he'd met her back when the girl had been in grade school, then it was best to support her as best he could. "Alright, I for one am ready to get off this plane."
"What are you doing back there, you old bat?! You can't just go scurrying off to flirt with the pretty lady we have on board!" A short stocky man with spikey dark gray hair partially hidden within a black bandana. Clad in overalls and thick boots, this elderly fellow was easy to miss due to just how short he was yet his presence was quickly noted from the fact his voice would loudly demand anyone's attention. Solomon Mutuo's brows were furrowed as he came to a stop beside the much taller faculty member. "I know I'm doing this for you as a favor, Arthur, but really dragging me all the way out here without so much as a thank you is a bit much." His lips lifted into a smile as he regarded Anzu. "Apologies if this so called gentleman was bothering you, young lady."
She couldn't help but hesitantly return his smile as his eyes visibly strained to remain on her face. "It's no problem at all. You're our translator and guide, right?"
"You haven't even introduced me to any of your students?!" The Guidance Counselor held up his hands as if to defend himself from the other man's shout. "Honestly! Why even call me out of the blue and have me close up my shop for a trip such as this?!"
"Now, now, Solomon, I thought it would do you good to put those skills of yours to use."
"You and I both know that I am a simple game shop owner and player! Nothing more!"
Sensing that tension was beginning to build, Anzu quickly averted his attention to herself as she lifted her device to show she had been listening to a translator app to better help her foreign language skills. "I know you must be busy but is there any chance you could help me with this? I've been working on it for the last week and think I have it down but need a bit of practice before I feel comfortable using it in public."
Both guide and counselor felt their jaws hit the floor in shock. She'd only been learning the language for a week and the volume that she had shown them was a highly advanced?! Solomon had heard his friend often speak of a young woman who was gifted with intelligence but never in his wildest adventures had he met an individual absorb a skill as this one! A chuckle rumbled within his chest as he took Hawkins' vacated seat. "Clearly you don't need the practice with that language, you may even be better than I am at this point, but I have a real challenge you might like." He grinned with pride while crossing his arms. "We still have a few hours so how would you like to learn an ancient language known only to the ancient kings of Egypt?"
Blinking, she glanced to the Guidance Counselor who watched with great interest from the aisle, then returned her gaze to Solomon as he waited for her answer. All of the study materials she'd brought with her were completed, including the advanced homework and papers that had been assigned by her college credit classes, so what else was she supposed to do? Earbuds were properly placed back within their case, joining the chapstick from earlier in her pocket, and gave him a bright smile while offering him her tablet. "I'm game."
Back and forth it was passed for the next hour; he would draw a strange picture then pass it to her once writing the correct pronunciation for it. To and fro, from one to the other, until the young woman reached back to tighten the bun of chocolate hair on her head and wiggled her fingers in a dramatic fashion before they darted across the screen. Practically beaming, she handed it to him with flare and earned a series of claps as he commended her quickly learning how to portray her name and that she wanted to help.
"By Jove, Mazaki, that is quite the impressive feat!" Hawkins cast a glance upwards, finding that nearly all of the other passengers had been curiously watching the pair from a distance. "It would not harm any of you to learn a bit of another language," he called in Japanese so that they would understand him, "as displayed by Mazaki here, learning more than one's original language may come in handy down the line." Returning to his natural British English, he met the gaze of his elder friend and the young woman. "There is still some time left before we reach the airport. Excuse us, Mazaki, there is much we have to discuss before then." And the pair were gone with a wave.
She rested back within her seat with a sigh, feeling that little hunger that was her intellect restlessness settle finally after the last month leading up to the trip. Tiredness fell over her like a pleasant blanket that threatened to carry her off into dreamland if not for the shake of her head when feeling the gaze of a familiar pair. Best to stay awake until they arrived at the hotel. ' words rang in her ear loudly as she inhaled deeply to calm her nerves. Perhaps he was right and that she should pursue something that brought her genuine joy instead a sense of fulfillment or purpose for once.
Just as she was about to reach for the earbuds when a chill passed down her spine while nearly pressing her face against the window's glass. A nap sounded good but something outside had caught her attention just then. There, amongst the sandy dunes and blistering heat…was that a person? Maybe she was just tired and was imagining things? Cerulean eyes narrowed, attempting to bring into view the small black thing that she'd spotted amongst the sand below. It was casting a shadow so it was definitely real. No matter how much she strained her eyes though it remained out of focus as if it were nothing more than a mirage
The fine hairs across her being rose into pinpricks as an unfamiliar voice incoherently whispered in her ear, the chill passing down her spine as if an icy finger was slowly trailing its tip down the length of her back. She tried to look away from the black figure but found herself stuck. What must have been its head rose, fixing her with such brilliant crimson eyes that made her sanity question the existential plane she was in, and felt the heart in her chest seize as the aircraft suddenly whined loudly.
Screams erupted as it fell into a nosedive, spiraling as it headed straight for the waiting ground below, each passenger clinging to either their neighbor or their own seat as all color drained from their faces. All sense of direction was stolen as a twister appeared as if from nowhere to swallow up the plane. The windows were covered in sand, the electricity of the navigation and steering was lost, the air permeating with the high pitched shouts or screams from those around her as she sat frozen with wide eyes locked on the center aisle. In the center of the chaos, walking calmly as if they were simply taking a late afternoon stroll, a pitch black blur made its way towards her, it's blazing crimson eyes never wavering from her own as it came to a stop beside her seat.
Voice and breath abandoned her as without use of words it warned her to not let go of her seat no matter what happened.
A lurch, a sickening crunch, and then there was silence as the part of the plane that she was sitting within fell away from the rest to fall into darkness that rose like a serpent from the sand to swallow her whole.
. . . .
"A-Arthur?!" Solomon called, squinting through the clouds of black smoke coming from the engine and side of the plane as the groups slowly spilled out to gather around the aircraft. Various individuals were covered in minor wounds from cuts to scrapes but there were a few who were nursing dislocated joints or broken bones as they were helped from the aircraft by their peers. "Arthur!" He quickly moved to the small group of Japanese youth when an answering call came, finding his old friend being cared for by one of the older students as he shouted for each by name.
"Is everyone accounted for?" The American teacher who had come with his group approached. "I don't appear to be missing anyone."
Other groups, including the one from China and a tiny one from the Philippines, also voiced that they were not missing anyone.
The British professor turned Guidance Counselor suddenly stood, using the younger student who supported him to walk towards the plane as two figures in uniform appeared. Both pilots had managed to land without much damage to the plane, but that didn't explain the single person sized hole that was in its side. The twister had come out of nowhere according to the seasoned pilots, which was rare being as it had occurred out of sandstorm season, but the thing they were most concerned about was the engine. Something had caused it to misfire which resulted in their current situation yet they couldn't explain the hole in the plane's side. Nothing had shown on its radar so the odds of something impacting it was minimal at best.
Just what had caused it?
Luggage was being unloaded, deeming the plane unfit to fly, and one pilot had already begun to work on calling for assistance. Their traveling group would not last long in the desert heat without proper protection or supplies. The tanned man with tattoos covering his face slowly drew the cell phone away from his ear to lock gazes with his partner. "Marik, what are our coordinates?"
The younger of the two, with wild hair messily spilling from around the pair of goggles he used to keep it out of his face, regarded the darker colored Egyptian with concern. "Odion? What's the matter?"
"You saw the map and was in charge of the radar, Marik, what are our coordinates?"
"I- We're near the Valley of Thebes." Understanding dawned on the pilot as their complexions paled while conversing lowly in their native tongue.
Solomon, curious as to why they had taken on a different language, approached and fell into conversation with the pair. He too paled and hurried to where Arthur was waiting with curious anticipation. "Help is on the way but we may be here a while being as none dare to fly over this part of the desert willingly." The elder game shop owner and Egyptologist asked to accompany them on this trip wrung his hands as sweat appeared across his brow.
"What is it, old friend?" Arthur's brows furrowed when no answer came. "Solomon?"
"You know I am not one for superstition but this is something beyond that." He took a deep inhale through his nose. "Those two, the pilots, spoke of an ancient city that was once prosperous thanks to the efforts of their pharaoh who ruled justly and with a heart of gold. His love for the people knew no bounds but it left him vulnerable in more ways than one. Legend has it that he was betrayed by one he trusted that resulted in not only his death but the sinking of the gold covered city where the subjects slowly starved or killed off by the lack of sunlight and fresh air. The locals whisper of how the pharaoh himself had cursed this land to swallow any and all people not carrying the sand within their blood."
He was about to deter and lightly chastise his old friend for believing such notions but Arthur Hawkins felt his words stall within his throat when he spotted the genuine spark of belief and concern within Solomon's gaze. "Calm down, old chap, it was simply an accident and nothing more. We must check on the rest of the students and the other groups."
At that moment, one of the Chinese members unleashed a bone chilling wail as he clung to his head while falling into the sand. Cracks sounded when his spine rose in angles that weren't humanly possible as his wide eyes rolled backwards into his skull. Ever so slowly, as if watching a movie with altered speed settings, the cushion of muscle that covered his being shrank bit by bit as his screams climbed the scales that would make even opera and aria singers envious. The pilots, their fellow peers, even the instructors of each individual group found themselves speechless as the youth writhed in agony for several minutes then fell silent as all the moisture seemed to evaporate from their body until the only things left were the skeletal frame and wrinkled husk of skin. He fell still finally as the black clouds of smoke rising from the aircraft blanketed the sun and cast the whole traveling party within its shadow. Silence reigned for several minutes until a dry gust of wind blew away the clouds and once again they were left in the harsh gaze of the sun above. Several of the Chinese members were huddled together a short distance from where their companion fell but none made a move to approach once they saw how much he had become a mere shell of his former self. The other members, namely the Americans and one from Venezuela, shared in the fear of what had just transpired. However there were a few who had watched the whole scene with mild fascination that shouldn't be mistaken as disrespect. A warning sounded from the Chinese group when a few of the Russians made to approach but silence fell once more as a single member separated from their own group from the Philippines to respectfully bow his head while using their spare blanket to cover the deceased. Only then did the instructor of the Chinese group nodded that they carefully began to examine the body. Not even a drop of blood was found within his veins.
Even the logic of both Solomon and Arthur were put into question as each group was given a brief run down of how the youth had suffered rapid severe dehydration that led to ultimate organ failure. "Disturbing indeed." His hand rose to stroke his chin as he thought carefully over the information given. "With the worst of situations or conditions, it would still take at least a full twelve hours before anyone were to exhibit such levels of dehydration within a desert yet it took mere minutes for that fellow there. Mazaki, what do you make of it?" His gaze slowly combed over the students who had gathered around him, expecting her to appear then voice her opinion, but found no sign of the young woman. "Has anyone seen Mazaki?" Dread settled within his gut the longer each student shook their head while looking to each other.
Chao for now! See you next time!
