And you all probably hate me. It's been months since I've last updated, and it's been months since I said I'd update. I'm sorry!!!!!! Don't kill me?
Here is the next chapter.
It's been two years since I first signed on to fanfiction! Everyone celebrate by not killing me!
Disclaimer: I no own. But I do own some Duel monster and Pokemon cards!
Enjoy!
Chapter Five
Cat's Out of the Bag
Alone in the infirmary, Neko heard a voice.
"Mewet biaw… Kitten mine…At last, you've come to me."
In the foggy landscape of her mind, the Persian at her side, Neko looked for the source of the voice. "Oh child, you can't see me." It said, fondly. The voice seemed more feminine than anything, and its tone was one of amusement towards Neko. "You will find companionship here Neko, where before you could not. That is something you've earned long ago." The female voice paused for so long Neko though it would never come back. "Here is one more gift, one to save you embarrassment in the coming trials."
That got Neko's attention. "Trials, what trials?
"Protect the Pharaoh, my child. He has the hardest ordeal ahead out of all on Earth."
"Pharaoh?"
"You will know soon enough, my own. Protect him with everything you have, and maybe this world will survive."
"Protect him from what?" Asked the trainer. There was no response. "Where are you?!" Her voice echoed, and soon her sight began to fade. She was waking up.
Neko shot up, immediately awake from her dream. The sheet pooled into her lap, as she noticed no one was around. She already had her feet swung over the side of the bed when Tristan came in the door with Bakura on his back, followed by Yugi, Tea, Joey, Duke, and Serenity.
She stayed silent and watched as Tristan placed Bakura on another bed and a doctor appeared out of the middle of nowhere.
Neko's nervous question brought everyone's attention to the fact that she was awake. "What the heck happened to him?"
"You're awake? How are you feeling?" Tea asked.
She answered flatly. "I'm fine. What happened to him?"
"He was attacked by a god card. Bakura took the brunt of the blow, but still… The fact that he's been used this whole time and really has no idea of what's going on has finally come to a climax."
Neko blinked. That made no sense. What so ever. "Eh?"
"You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?" Tea asked. Neko shook her head.
"Oh boy." Yugi sighed. "Ok, well, there are seven magical items from Egypt, called the Millennium Items…." Yugi went on to tell the story, and Neko met each and every sentence with reluctant disbelief.
"No way. Then again, I guess it makes sense. I mean, I just came from another world, so this is just another drop in the weirdness of the universe bucket." She blinked, did Yugi say pharaoh? She mentally shook her head. If it were really that important, it'd come up again. "Where's Fox?"
They blinked.
"Y'know, yellow mouse running around, really fluffy tail, could electrocute you if it wanted to." Neko shaped the air in front of her with her hands into the general shape of her individual Pikachu.
"Oh!" Serenity remembered. "That cute little thing? He's on the mezzanine deck. Still eating, last I saw him. He's got a massive addiction to apples."
"That'd be him all right." She swung her legs over the bed, steadied herself, and left the room.
The group waited, counting the seconds.
"Uh…guys, where's the mezzanine level?"
The group went their separate ways to wait out the intermission between duels. Joey went to ask -demand- that Kaiba land the airship so that Bakura could be taken to a hospital. Duke and Tristan went to the duel arena to search for the Millennium Ring, which disappeared at the end of the duel. Tea and Serenity were still with Bakura, and Yugi went to his room go over his deck again, and to just think. Neko went with him as she still had some questions.
"Why'd you decide to let me come with you?" Neko asked. The question was rather random, and combined with the fact that it was silent in the room, it surprised Yugi.
"Eh?"
"You heard me. Why'd you let me come?" For a moment, there was no answer, Yugi was thinking.
"I guess…because…I really don't know. Besides the fact that you helped us without even knowing that much and that you don't have any place to go. I could've said thanks and left you there, and yet I didn't." With that, Yugi smiled and went back to his deck. Neko shrugged and sat in the chair opposite Yugi, also studying his cards. A long moment passed and it seemed that Yugi was not paying any attention to his cards and had completely zoned out.
"Yugi…." Neko waved her hand in his face. "Yugi!" She started to snap.
"Huh? Oh! Sorry,"
"How do you play?
"Wha?"
"How do you play?"
"Well, basically, it's a game of numbers. The monster cards have two numbers, an attack and a defense. As long as a monster has a higher number, it has the possibility of winning. Of course, there are many things that can change that, along with different effects that can change the whole play of the game."
"Wow. Complicated."
"Not really, once you get used to it."
"I'll take your word for it."
There was another moment of silence while they looked at the cards. "This one looks like Jigglypuff." Neko commented, pointing at the Kuriboh. Yugi raised his eyebrows.
"A Jigglypuff is a pink, round fluffy ball of attitude. They can sing, and their songs put you to sleep. I've heard a tale of one Jigglypuff going around and singing to audiences, and then getting mad when they all fall asleep."
"That's interesting." Yugi commented.
"It is. But I'm not too surprised by it. Pokemon are just as smart as humans. They probably have the same kind of dreams we do."
"What are Pokemon used for?"
Neko smiled. This was her territory in a world of unfamiliarity. "Anything, really. Trainers, like me capture Pokemon and battle them against opponents. Some are thought of as simple beings, while others are best friends to humans. Others are used in the police force, entertainment, human resources, the arts, and so many other things."
"So Pokemon were a part of the everyday lifestyle."
"Yeah, even more so with my family."
"Why?"
"Oh, Dad was a Pokemon professor. They dedicate their lives to studying Pokemon and finding everything they can about them. He's the reason I'm a trainer in the first place…" She stared off into space for a moment, realization rearing its ugly head. "Oh God! He thinks I'm heading towards the Cinnibar Islands! He has no idea what's happened to me, he'll worry about me, things will go into frenzy…and I can't get home!" She stared at the floor, frustrated at her situation and missing her Dad even more. Yugi remained quiet, as he had no way to help Neko.
The mood was somber when the wall rippled like water and a man wearing a white turban and something similar to a loose white drape came through. Yugi looked up, saw the man's reflection in the window and whipped around.
"Shadi!"
"You've learned much since we last met. Your strength in spirit has grown, and you've come to terms with your 'other self'. That it is not another side of your personality, but another soul all together. And you have also begun to learn the fate of this soul. I am here to give a message to the Pharaoh, the soul that which you are the vessel. You cannot let Marik win the god cards. The world would be plunged in darkness if it happened."
Yugi nodded, all determination. "It won't happen."
Shadi's gaze shifted to Neko, who glared back. "Bastet's guardian is here as well. The world has hope. You must hold strong, for you are the knight at Pharaoh's side." Shadi turned to leave. "I wish you both well in the times to come." The wall rippled again and he was gone.
"Why do I have the feeling I'm gonna wish I was never born?" Neko asked, sighing.
"He tends to do that to people." Answered Yugi.
"All duelists please report to the main concourse for the next match of the Battle City finals!" The intercom announced, interrupting, the twos thoughts.
"The bingo machine will select the two duelists for the next round of the Battle City finals!" Mokuba announced to the group crowed around the chooser.
It was a slightly tense moment as the balls bounced around and around. Yugi did not have to worry about dueling Marik this round, but everyone else was fair game.
"And we have…" One ball came out. "Duelist number 2, Joey Wheeler!" Another ball came out. "Against him plays duelist number 7, Marik Ishtar!"
"Yeah! Now I finally get ta stick it ta da bad guy! You are so goin' down Marik!" Joey's rant went on and on. Marik just glared back intently.
On the dueling platform, the two duelists set up for their duel. Joey was fired up, shuffling his deck a little too much, and Marik was set. Below, Yugi was nervous. He knows that Marik has the Millennium Rod, and is probably planning on using it to win.
The duel began.
Neko, again, was shocked at the reality of the game. The monsters looked so real. They even seemed to breathe! Now that she had some understanding of the basic rules, watching a duel made sense. She mentally smirked as she started to create her own strategy in her head.
The duel progressed, and it was going downhill for Joey. His prediction of the duel ending with his win in eleven turns was sorely mistaken. He had had the lead for about the first three turns, and then Marik turned the tables on him. Violently. To give Joey that last little bit of courage, Yugi changed. Neko knew something had happened. The differences between Yugi and Yugi with these changes sent shivers down her spine. She glanced at him, and decided that it wasn't Yugi at all.
Back in the duel, Marik's trap-monsters were near impossible to kill, until Joey tribute summoned Jinzo to the field. His effect made the three Embodiments of Apophis go poof. A few attacks later, and Marik's Life Points are at 400, while Joey's are at 200. Marik says Joey still can't win.
The duel again turns for the worse. Marik summons the Mystical Beast of Selket. The scorpion-like monster eats Joey's high level monsters. As it eats it becomes more powerful. Everyone is grossed out at this revelation.
Joey now has no more monsters. But he knows he's going to win. Neko, among others, was confused. They could tell from the look in Joey's eyes that he knew he'd win, but they didn't know how. Neko had seen this look in other Pokemon trainers. Fire that raged, in the humans and the Pokemon. Determination to stand, even after opponent had thrown everything they had.
Oddly, Marik didn't attack with Selket directly. No, he did something completely unexpected, and something that shot fear directly into everyone's spine.
He summoned Ra.
The card that he had placed in the Temple at the beginning of the duel, he brought out. It shined with a gold nimbus, barely outlining its power. He sacrificed Selket as a tribute, as it had eaten three monsters.
There was a short bit of silence before the golden dragon appeared in the clouds. He was so big only his head could be seen. He roared, shaking everyone to their core.
Marik ordered him to attack.
It didn't work. Rage permeated the playing field, but it wasn't coming from either of the duelists. It was Ra. He was furious that a forgery of his physical representation was played. Ra's attack backfired, shooting lightning down at the duelists. Marik was hit on the head first.
Namu, behind Yugi and Neko, started to clench his head in absolute pain.
Joey was next. He dropped to the ground like a rock. The group rushed to help him but was held back by Roland, "If you help him, he will be automatically disqualified. They both have five minutes to get up. After five minutes, whoever is still unconscious will lose the duel." The five minutes began to rush by for the group. Joey wasn't moving. Neko was torn between cheering for Joey, and keeping an eye on Namu, who was squeezing his head. Marik begins to get up, but falls again. Just before time runs out, Joey is up on his feet. Namu is almost screaming in pain. Joey rushes to Marik, and helps him up. Marik woke slightly and whispered, "You fought well, Mr. Wheeler. I am sorry to have deceived you, but I am not Marik. My name is Odion, and I only fought to protect Master Marik. His darkness is coming, and I can no longer keep it at bay." At these last words, Odion fainted, and Namu, now the real Marik, screamed.
Neko jumped back, extremely threatened. Her breath quicked and her heart pounded. She could feel the Persian inside her stir, and she knew she couldn't hold it back this time. She wouldn't.
Marik's face contorted, veins popping out, and his eyes becaome huge and disfigured. He laughed, a cackle coming from deep in the stomach. "Finally, I am free. Odion held me back, but no longer! That shadow was useless, a worm.
Compared to me, the Marik you knew was harmless, a trickster, nothing more. But me, I love the Darkness, very much." He grinned, licking his lips, as if in anticipation. "You, my dear," He whispered, smirking at Neko, "Are my first conquest."
That was the straw that broke the camel's back. All this time, Neko had been slowly backing up in fear. But now the Persian took over with a vengeance, bloodlust in its eyes.
It roared, showing canines an inch long that could easily rip skin from bone. She leaped, fully intending to kill Marik right then and there, but was pushed away with the power from the real Millennium Rod. She turned, growled, but did not leap again.
"So, you do have some bite in you after all. I'll get you later." With that, Marik sauntered from the platform and left.
Sensing no more threats anywhere nearby, the Persian decided it was safe enough to let Neko return.
The transformation went more slowly than before, the magic reluctantly coming out. Soon though, there was Neko, completely clothed and crouched in front of ten unnerved and wary people. (Later Neko would realize that this was the gift that was given to her in the dream) Neko, scared out of her wits, was wondering why Persian let go of the magic here.
'They're gonna hate me, just like everyone else. Why must I be the one cursed with this?'
A few minutes passed, and Yugi, now Yami, (but Neko didn't know that) walked up to Neko. She winced, expecting some kind of blow. None came.
Yugi had a kind look on his face and said, "No one will hurt you while I'm here." He reached down and held out a hand for Neko. She hesitantly took it.
Review! Flames used to power up Charizard to toast you.