Disclaimer: I don't own YuGiOh. I'm not making any money. Nuff said.
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HIKARI STRONG
Chapter Three
Great, just great, Joey thought to herself, trying to discern what Kaiba was thinking. It was obvious what Mokuba was thinking, but the more detached of the brothers was always more annoyingly hard to read.
"Yes, that's something else we are going to have to discuss," Marik said coolly. The Kaiba brothers finally took their seats, the elders eyes never leaving Joey.
"Alright," Ishizu said. "Now that we are all here we can begin. As I'm sure you know I saw a vision recently that left me a bit disturbed." No one said anything. Kaiba simply rolled his eyes. "I saw a sorcerer casting a dangerous spell that took the life of him and his apprentice. I can't tell you what the spell was, but it was most likely forbbiden because my past self was not...happy."
Joey looked up. "Ya do realize ya just summarized the legend behind da Dark Magician and da Dark Magician Girl, right?" she remarked.
"Well," Ishizu replied, "some legends do stem from truths."
"Do you mean," Yami said, appearing shocked and betrayed, "that Mahado used forbidden arts?"
Ishizu blinked. "You remember your past, I take it?"
"Yes," Yami said. "I can't imagine Mahado going against my wishes like that."
"His intentions were good," Ishizu said, sounding defensive. "He only meant to help you in this time. And Yugi, as well."
"What does dis have ta do wit' me bein' a girl?" Joey asked impatiently.
"We're getting to that," Marik responded. "Go ahead, sister."
She nodded. "Mahado's spell was meant to give the three powerful hikaris - the three powerful beings my past self saw in her vision - the power they needed to stand alone and face an oncoming evil. That explains why the Pharaoh and Bakura were granted their own bodies and the strange marking on your wrists. They are the symbol for the sun, representing pure light."
"I have a question," Tristan announced, raising his hand as if in class. "Why wasn't Marik involved in this, then? Isn't he a hikari or whatever? He did have a super psycho evil half."
Tea threw her friend a lethal glare while Duke smacked him upside the head. However, no one could deny that the question was legitimate.
"A true hikari is granted powers, usually from a part of them lost to the past. With Yugi and Ryou it is the Pharaoh and Bakura, for example. Sometimes they are even those who simply inherit the powers of their previous life." Ishizu explained. "At least that is what we know so far." He looked to her brother, as if asking permission to continue. Marik nodded. "Marik's darker half was created of his own darkness, not someone elses."
"There's just one problem with that, Ishizu," Joey said, glancing at her wrist. "I ain't no hikari."
A knowing smile swept across Ishizu's face. "That is where you are wrong, Joey." She reached into her bag, rummaging for a bit, everyone in room looking on tensely. Then, she pulled out a pair of golden scales.
"The Millenium Scale," Yami said. "So Joey is Juno's reincarnation."
Ishizu looked thoughtful. "Was that her name? I never heard it spoken in my visions. I only saw her a few times, and almost brushed her off, though I brought this just in case. I'm glad I did so."
"That is why I'm a girl? Because some stupid sorcerer five-t'ousand years ago turned me into my past self?"
"Whatever hikari powers you possess, Joey, " Ishizu said, "apparently you must be girl to tap into them."
"I should have known this was a waste of time," Kaiba grumbled.
"Come on, big brother, look around you," Mokuba said, "The Pharaoh and Bakura could be explained somewhat logically, but can you really come up with a rational explanation about why Joey is now a girl?"
Kaiba looked at his brother for a moment then back to Joey, his face void of emotion as usual. Joey could almost see the gears turning in his head. It amused her to see the CEO so stumped.
"Who was Juno, Yami?" Yugi asked again. There was a shake to his voice that was hard not to notice.
Yami sighed. "Juno was a Roman young woman who came to my kingdom, saying she was an ambassador from her Caesar father." His expression softened. "It turned out she was running away from her fiancée. She was...something else." He smiled, looking at Joey. "Though this does explain quite a bit, Joey. You're probably the luckiest person I know, at least when it comes to dueling. Juno was the first to show us the Red Eyes Black Dragon, your favorite card."
Joey shifted uncomfortably. She was used to someone else dealing with supernatural crap and helping them through it, not being one of the ones in the middle of it. "Here," Ishizu finally said, handing her the Millenium Scale. Joey hesitated. "Take it. Perhaps it will show you something."
Warily, Joey took it, and immediately the room changed. Joey wasn't in the living room of the Game Shop apartment anymore. She was in some stone building, with pillars and painted walls. She looked around for a bit, trembling.
A young woman entered the room she was in, who looked identical to her. The same blonde hair, same height, same build. She wore a gown of some sort in a light green color, which exposed her back almost down to the tail bone. The girl approached the Millenium Items that laid sitting across the back wall curiously, keeping her steps slow and careful. Joey followed, getting closer. She notice then the one difference in their features.
The look-alike's eyes were a deep shade of ruby red.
So this is Juno, Joey thought.
Juno got closer to the shelf that held the Millenium Items, looking at them with a sense of wonder. She lifted her hand, stopping midway as her face became thoughtful, before continuing. As she reached for the Scale, it began to glow. Juno started, jumping back.
"What do you think you are doing?" asked a voice from the doorway. Both Joey and Juno whirled around and poor Joey nearly had a heart attack.
The man, besides the tan and the extreme differences in wardrobe, looked just like Kaiba.
"Well, hello there, Priest," Juno said with a grin. "Stalking me again?"
The priest scowled. "If you were not so suspicious, I would not have to," he told the blonde as he approached her. He glared when he saw the state of the Millenium Scale. The artifact was casting a triumphant glow across the room. "What did you do, Roman?"
"I didn't do a thing," Juno replied in irritation. "I did not even touch it."
The scale flash suddenly, before reappearing in Juno's hands. It then shrank down, becoming no bigger than her hand.
"It has chosen you," the Kaiba look-a-like said. He did not sound happy. "Why, in the name of Ra, would it choose you?"
Juno looked a little smug. "Well I am quite a likable person. Unlike you, Priest."
The priest glared. "That Pharaoh must be informed." he snatched Juno's wrist. "You will tell him what you were doing sneaking around like a common thief."
"I honestly do not understand why you dislike me so much," Juno told him, trying to get her wrist free. The priest pulled hard on it suddenly, bring the blonde to his chest.
"I do not trust you," he growled.
Juno rolled her eyes. "Of course."
Then the image faded, and the scale in Joey's hand did the same as the one in the vision, shrinking down to a smaller size. Yugi brought her some rope, similar to what Ryou had on his Millenium Ring, so she could tie it around the neck.
"Geez, Kaiba, even yer past self was an asshole," Joey informed the billionaire. Kaiba glared.
"So...all this has to do with a spell cast five thousand years ago in order to give us powers we need?" Ryou asked.
"That's we know so far," Marik answered. "But Mahado had a reason for it. As my sister said, her past self saw three powerful hikaris along with a great evil. An evil unlike anything we have ever faced. It is why you were granted these powers." He paused, looking from Joey, to Yugi, to Ryou. "The hardest part about this is in the end you may be on your own."
"You mean, we can't help at all?" Tea asked.
Marik shook his head. "Whatever this is, Yugi, Ryou and Joey have to stand alone. At least that is what Ishizu saw. It is perhaps why the Pharaoh and Bakura were given their own bodies yet their memories restored. You can support them, of course."
Joey, Ryou and Yugi exchanged looks with each other. Joey immediately hated this entire situation. She hadn't exactly been on the sidelines, but she had never been the hero either. Not to mention she had never liked dealing with magic. She frowned, staring at the Millenium Item that now hung across her chest.
And of course there was the fact that she was a girl.
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After Marik and Ishizu had left, the rest of the group ordered pizza. Yugi invited the Kaibas to stay, but Seto declined, saying he had to go to work. Mokuba managed to coax his brother to allow him to stay. Exposing a secret or something or rather had something to do with it.
"So...um, Joey?" Tristan asked carefully. Joey looked up from her pizza, already not liking the tone in her friend's voice. "What are you gonna tell your dad? And about school?"
Joey swallowed. She hadn't thought of that. Her father was already pissed at her, and there was a good chance if she showed at her house in her current condition her dad would completely lose it.
"You could always cook up some story about how she was always a girl and she just hid it for whatever reason," Bakura suggested in a bored tone. Everyone stared at him.
"That's actually a very good idea, Bakura," Ryou said, blinking.
"Yeah," Tristan added, still sounding concerned. "But...what about your dad?"
Joey sighed. "Don't worry about it, Tris. I'll figure something out."
"You could just stay here, Joey," Yugi said with a smile. "I mean, you being girl doesn't change the offer."
"Yeah, but Yami does change things," Joey said quietly. "Not only would it be cramped with da three of us in one room but since I'm a girl...it kinda complicate things."
Tea bit her lip. "You could stay with me." Joey's eyes widened. She now wondering how much Yugi and Tristan had told the brunette. The blonde shook her head.
"You know yer mom won't allow that," Joey reminded her. "Besides, how would ya explain this anyway?"
"Um...well..."
"What about my place?" Duke asked.
"Oh no, Dice-Boy!" Joey told him. "I ain't going anywhere near ya when ya just checked me out!"
That's when Mokuba piped up, "You could stay at the mansion, Joey."
Joey nearly choked on her food. Tristan dropped his plate. Bakura suddenly started laughing, earning him an elbow from Ryou.
"Thanks, kiddo, but I don' think yer brotha' would be too happy 'bout dat," Joey said, now merely picking at her pizza.
A devious grin appeared across Mokuba's face. "You'd be surprised," he said casually. He seemed to realize he said something weird before continuing. "Besides, I have my ways. And we have plenty of room so you can have you're privacy."
Joey frowned again. "I just realized I don't have any other clothes. Just a spare pair, my school stuff and my deck 'r all in my backpack."
"Seto does give me an emergency credit card," Mokuba said slyly.
"Mokuba, I don't-,"
"Oh my God!" Tea shrieked. "Oh my God! We can go shopping!" She practically jumped Joey and began shaking her. "I can actually go shopping with an actual girl!"
"I hate you all," Joey grumbled.
"Come one, Joey, the mansion is huge. Seto probably won't even notice you're there. And don't say anything about imposing because where filthy, stinky, unnecessarily rich." Then Mokuba put on the biggest puppy dog eyes ever imagined. "Plus...I can always use someone to play video games with when Seto's at work."
Joey really wanted to say no, that this was a bad idea, that Kaiba would murder them all. Had Mokuba's eyes always been so big and sad. Joey cursed her new feminine hormones.
"Fine," Joey sighed. "But I'm warnin' ya. Yer brotha' is not gonna like this."
The smirk on Mokuba's face could easily rival his older brother's. Joey began to wonder whether or not she should be worried.
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Yeah...Joey should be very worried. I love manipulative/matchmaking Mokuba