Chapter 20

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A polite knock on the door woke the four Domino High students in the hotel room. Kaiba was the first up. He wasn't exactly thrilled to be sharing a room with three other people, but they had to share a room for the realism of their cover. Apparently their room was now the 'quarantine' room as part of Ishizu's plan to separate them from the rest of the class.

Kaiba answered the door and let Ishizu in, then glanced over to the rest of the group who were still mostly in bed. Yugi was up and had his legs hanging over the edge of the bed. He had woken when Kaiba got up but decided to rest his throbbing head for a few more moments. The bed next to theirs was the girls bed. Kaiba could see Tea stretching and beginning to rise, but Serenity remained still. Kaiba, in his still half asleep state, began to worry.

He approached the side of the bed and gently pushed her shoulder, whispering her name.

"So, it's true, you two are really going out, huh?" Tea's generally disapproving tone wavered a bit. Kaiba's eyes flicked over to her briefly, then back to Serenity. Just because he was with Serenity didn't mean he had to answer all of her friends stupid questions. Only another second passed before Serenity stretched beneath him, yawning, and then turned towards him. Still asleep, she hugged him closed to her.

He didn't quite know how to react, but decided rubbing her back was a good option as he couldn't quite get up and his other arm was stuck under her. He felt her nuzzle her head into his chest, yawn again, then start to slowly release him. He smiled down at her, continuing to rub her back.

"Set..." She barely whispered. Kaiba's smile vanished. He pulled away from this 'girl' inhabiting his girlfriends body. He didn't like this whole thing at all, and wanted it over as soon as possible. Unfortunately it seemed Yugi had brainwashed her into thinking these crazy ancient superstitions would end this insanity and he was roped in to all of it. Granted, he wasn't quite sure where Serenity was getting this 'Sarah' girl from, or how she was managing to play her so convincingly; she was a horrible liar.

Maybe... No, it was crazy. The only thing he knew for a fact was that she was waking up, calling for another man, and it infuriated him. This needed to end, and if it took her feeding her superstitions for her to snap out of it, then he had to deal with it. He just hoped it worked.

Serenity's eyes fluttered open. She looked up at Kaiba and smiled.

"Good morning Seto." She said, propping herself up. He barely grunted before storming into the bathroom and beginning his morning shower. "Wh...what's the matter with him?" She looked up to Tea in confusion.

"Sweetie, normally I'd say 'he's just being Kaiba' but, you kinda woke up calling for Set." Tea giggled. Serenity wasn't amused.

"But... it wasn't me, it was Sarah." She said sadly. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Yugi, or rather Yami.

"It's alright. He'll be back to usual once Sarah gets her own body." He said warmly. Ishizu took a tentative step forward.

"Actually... there might be a problem with that." She said carefully. Serenity's head shot up. "Well, you see, the ritual to gain one's own body does in fact call for the millennium puzzle, ring and ankh, and to use them in the two temples of Khephera and Imhotep, but in order to complete the ritual, you need a personal item of great importance to the spirit from while they were still alive." Ishizu said.

"But... but-" Serenity reeled a little bit as Sarah took over. "I don't have anything! I'm a slave... I..." Sarah's eyes faded a little. Yami walked to her, making his presence known.

"We will find something for you, I promise." Sarah pulled away quickly, not entirely in control of her reactions. She was still lost somewhere in her own mind, but her body reflexively jolted away from Yami. He watched as Sarah faded back and Serenity regained control.

"I... I'm sorry, she's really..." Ishizu and Yami nodded. "Don't... Don't tell Seto, ok? If he knows he might not let us go." As if on cue, the door to the bathroom opened and a squeaky clean Kaiba stepped out. He had on a pale blue button down shirt, the top three buttons undone in usual fashion, and a pair of black dress slacks. His hair, still wet, clung to his head. He was breathtaking. Serenity felt a blush creep up on her cheeks. He just looked at her like a deer caught in headlights.

"...What?" He shifted gaze between them until someone spoke up.

"I call bathroom next." Tea called. She hopped into the bathroom, escaping from the awkward situation that was their hotel room.

"Does anyone wanna tell me what's going on?" He sighed. He hated dealing with people who's skills didn't include time management.

"Well first we go to Heliopolis, which actually stood within the perimeter of Cairo, it's not far from here. The last piece of the old temple is the Al-Massalla Obelisk. It is the focus point where we need to perform the ritual." Ishizu said. "Then we travel to Aswan, on the southern part of the Nile. The original Isle of Philae sank many years ago, but all the temples and buildings have been salvaged and reconstructed on a new isle, which has been named after the old. That is our final destination. There we will complete the healing ritual to restore their new bodies to their final form." Ishizu finished.

"Final... Form?" Yami asked.

"Yes, see, when you restore your bodies they are only temporary unless you heal the bond that has been severed between it and your soul." Yami nodded in understanding. He needed to work quickly. "We have the day free thanks to our cover. The class is in town as well, but they will be studying in the Cairo Museum. They will remain here one more day, and then progress to Philae. If we work fast, we can rejoin them in time for the next part of the ritual." Yami nodded again; it was as if she were reading his mind.

The door to the bathroom opening broke a moment of silence as everyone was contemplating the journey ahead of them. Tea stepped out into the room and glanced around. Something was bugging her. She was used to the spirits of the millennium items, so when Serenity found herself with a 'partner' of her own, Tea was surprised, but not overwhelmed. She should be excited. For Yami and Yugi, and now Serenity and this new person, Sarah. But something felt not quite right.

Kaiba sighed and rubbed his temples. It looked like all this millennium item talk was starting to get to him. Tea almost rolled her eyes. She couldn't understand how he still didn't believe all of this when there was so much proof right in front of him, but she knew for a fact that something wasn't right.

"Kaiba." Tea called. He dropped his hand from his temples and let it rest just below his jaw as he looked at her. "I need to speak with you." He rolled his eyes, making Tea almost want to hit him, but started towards her.

"Well?" He said, now separate from Yugi, Serenity and Ishizu.

"What's your angle?" She accused. He scoffed.

"What the hell are you talking about?" He didn't have time for this.

"Serenity. You've never been so much as civil to anyone before and now you're sweet and caring? I don't buy it, and neither will Joey." Kaiba scowled as she mentioned Joey. " Just look at you. You cant even hear his name without being crude. So what? Are you using her to make him mad? Are you trying to rip them apart just to sate your sadistic ways?" She said, looking him in the eye and staring him down.

"You're way out of line. And I don't care who you are, I don't like people getting in my face, so you'd best take a step back." He said, mimicking her previous action of an attempt to intimidate, only he was a bit more scary.

"And what happens when Serenity gets in your face? If you're going to continue to hate on her friends and family, eventually she'll fight for them, and what will you do to her then?" Tea dared him to answer. A growl escaped his lips.

"She's allowed." He said simply and started back towards the rest of the room. Serenity, sensing bad things happening, had approached them.

"What's going on? Are you ok?" Serenity barely finished her sentence before Kaiba's lips crushed down on hers. Almost immediately she returned the affections, getting swept away in the passion. Tea made a disgusted face, but Serenity's eyes were closed and she was too busy to react anyways. When Kaiba finally pulled back, he shot a venomous glare at Tea, who returned it, then walked to the small table in the back of the room. He didn't sit, but he did lean over the table, his back to the rest of the room.

"I... what... What just happened?" Serenity was still blinking a bit. Tea grabbed her friends hand, unsure of how to start.

"Serenity... I don't think you should be with Kaiba." She finally said, but Serenity just looked up at her questioningly. "I think he's trying to use you.." Serenity began to deny it, but Tea cut her off. "Think about it Serenity. He's been cruel, even torturous. He looks down on everyone, and treats them like dirt." She reasoned.

"He doesn't treat me like dirt..." Serenity said quietly to herself.

"Serenity, humans are creatures of habit. And Kaiba's no exception. He's being nice because he wants something. Once he's done, he'll treat you just the same as everyone else. Serenity, this relationship, this thing, it's not real-" Tea was interrupted by Kaiba slamming his fists down on the small table.

"That's enough. I just sat by quietly while Yugi fed her his bullshit, but I'm not going to sit through you smearing my name to my own girlfriend. You've got it in your twisted little mind that I'm the big bad boogieman here to rid children of their damned dreams, and I could care less, but don't go forcing your stupid unfounded opinions on other people." He near screamed at her, twisting his body to face her. Tea's face turned red and she began yelling back at him, all the while Serenity was between them trying to calm her friend and her boyfriend.

After a few minutes of the arguing continuing almost endlessly, Serenity admitted defeat. She stood between them, her head hung low. She didn't know what to do. She felt so strongly for Kaiba, but... she had to admit, a cold calculating multimillionaire decides that simple poor plain Serenity is the girl he wants? It sounded like a dream. Too good to be true. And right now that dream was fighting viciously with one of her best friends.

"Um... Guys?" Yugi tried to interrupt, noticing Serenity's stature. He tried again to get their attention, but to no use. Suddenly Serenity took off, unable to take the shouting anymore. The two were so busy fighting, that the barely noticed her leave the room until she had slammed the door. Ishizu volunteered to follow the girl, believing she needed some distance from the two arguing parties, and leaving Yugi to deal with them. Once she saw Serenity stopped at the balcony at the end of the hall, she decided to go back to the room, and give her the privacy she needed.

When Ishizu got back to the room, the shouting had stopped. Kaiba was looking out the window, arms folded in front of him, and body leaning against the window frame. Yugi had taken a seat at the small table Kaiba had been at earlier, and Tea was sitting on the bed closest to the door. All three heads shot up the second Ishizu entered, but once Serenity's absence was known Kaiba turned his attention back out the window.

"She's getting some air just down the hall." Ishizu announced, putting Tea and Yugi at ease. Yugi got up, feeling anxious because of the tension and started shuffling around the room. He went to sit next to Tea when he tripped over something. Looking down below the bed, his eyes widened.

"Is... Is that?" Yugi raised the millennium rod. Kaiba, curious and bored, glanced over.

"Huh, I must have taken it by accident when we were leaving." Yugi gave a half smile at Kaiba and raised the rod to him.

"I guess it's yours then." Kaiba stared at the rod for a second. This was one of those things that Yugi and Serenity claimed had spirits in them. He considered not touching it, but then scolded himself for being superstitious. He was in no way going to fall into the same mind spell the rest of them had been under. He reached out and grabbed the rod, looking at the golden markings. He traced his fingers over the top of it, taking in all the cracks and crevices. Somehow, the thing felt familiar to him. Kaiba thought harder about where that feeling would come from, but was cut off by a bright flash from the piece.

Serenity welcomed the warm breeze and let it tug and play with her hair. The air was salty and dry, but clean and just different. Being outside, and taking in such a wonderful view calmed her nerves. She breathed in deeply, sighing out her stress.

"Heh, my lucky day." Serenity froze as she heard the voice behind her. It was familiar, and not in a good way. She didn't even have time to turn around before she was grabbed from behind. A damp cloth was pressed firmly against her mouth as she attempted to scream, and the world started to turn and go black.

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Wewt, Cliffhanger. Alright, so what'd you think? Also, I know some of you might say 'But wait, Heliopolis was the city of the dead! The temple to Ra was there!' Before the mythology of Amun Ra, there was the creation myth involving the god Khephera. Some time after that, the myth went that Ra succeeded Khephera as the main deity, which just meant everyone started worshiping Ra instead and eventually built a larger better temple over the old one. So yeah, Heliopolis was Khephera's place too. Also, Imhotep is a lesser God of healing, under Isis on the Isle of Philae... Can you tell I like mythology? Anyways, fun facts of the day are over now.

R+R+E~3