Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Echoes of Forgotten Times ❯ To the Point ( Chapter 11 )

Echoes of Forgotten Times
Written by Shukumei no Kagi
Notes: I had planned to have a chapter out sooner than this. Unfortunately my inspiration to write doesn't always cooperate when I want it to, so I got this out as soon as I could. Namely today. Please read and let me know what you think...
Warning: Yaoi, sorta deathfic

Chapter Eleven ~ To the Point
~
Yugi started with a gasp, his wide violet eyes showing the terror in their depths. He shook as he took a nervous step back, not able at all to wrench his gaze from the glistening tip that remained steadily pointed at him. "I won't hurt you! I was only giving out food." He said kindly though he was shuddering as the words flowed from him, the quivering of fear growing as the arrow stayed unrelentingly aimed upon him even after his explanation. Yugi had only been trying to help, he hoped that the monster would understand that. He certain hadn't meant to cause any alarm which might have triggered the creature's upset! "It's..." Yugi trailed off as the arrow drew back a fraction farther to be fired.

Terrified more now the teen stumbled back another step, his gaze finally being torn from the arrow. He wanted to see the creature even if it had a sharp pointy object pointed at him. Besides, he didn't see why it would shoot him, he'd only been trying to help feed it! Yugi noted in denial of what he was seeing.

Surely it wouldn't! He thought regardless of how his body still trembled in terror while his eyes drifted along the arrow to the pair of hands which were holding the bow.

Hands! Surprise had Yugi blinking once as he found that to be true. They certainly weren't paws or such like most of the other monsters around there had, well except for Khenemet. His curiousity started overcoming his terror in spite of the situation. He hurriedly glanced past said bow and arrow, toward the monster holding them.

Yugi started a hair in surprise as he saw the monster's shell wide open, he certainly hadn't heard it opening. Yet there it was with a young half-woman revealed from within it's mouth, her bluish fishtail flicking back and forth as she carefully adjusted her aim so that the teen was certain that it was locked upon his little nose.

"Hi!" Yugi greeted some of his worry having abated by then since the arrow hadn't been fired. "I'm Yu..." The creature drew back the string, her fingers loosening on it as Yugi realized she was about to fire the arrow. Terror shot back into place faster and Yugi recoiled with a yelp, his back slamming against stone painfully, the wall rather firmly blocking that escape away from the threatening arrow. He scrabbled futilely at the stone behind him, his wide eyes taking in the sight of the fingers slowly loosening on the bow's string.

With a nervous whimper, Yugi pressed back against the wall fully expecting to be impaled in a moment. Shutting his eyes tightly, he waited to hear the twing of the bow string firing the arrow...

Only for the moment there was silence, no twing or pain that would indicate that the arrow had been released. Yugi tightened his grip on the wall, about to take a peek, in his want to see what was going on when a giggle split the air. The sound being much louder than Yugi was ready for and he started upon the unforeseen noise reaching his ears. Yugi was more than a little startled at a sound which didn't accompany him being skewered and his eyes popped open to look at the giggling creature.

His gaze finding the tip of the arrow first rather than the creature, it's sharp point still leveled directly at him. And beyond that, was visible how the bow was still poised as if to fire it's deadly cargo, but the monster was giggling. The reason for it not being clear to him as he moved his questioning gaze toward the creature.

"What is it?" He asked with curiosity, wanting rather much to know what was so amusing to the half-woman. Getting him only a knowing giggle in reply. Yugi feeling odd at the laughter, it seemed like whatever was amusing should be obvious. But on glancing around Yugi was disappointed that he sure couldn't see what was making the creature burst out into giggles like she currently was. Curious and confused he turned his gaze back to her, questioning expression in place.

And, as Yugi watched, she cocked her head, peering past the bow in her hands. Her eyes searched over him momentarily, looking for something though Yugi knew not what. He wondered what she could possible be thinking as her giggles trailed off into nothing until her searching gaze was the only movement she made. Then, suddenly, she seemed to come alive with movement. Her tail flicking dismissively, the point dropped downward in the blink of Yugi's eyes and she finally released the tension on the string, her fingers uncurling allowing the arrow to shoot off!

Yugi started in shock, clutching uselessly at the rock behind him. The teen not having time to realize what was happening before the arrow had been freed to fly. His wide eyes just barely catching a glimpse of the streaking path, then the realization struck that it wasn't heading for him! Yugi didn't have time to see where it was aimed before the point had embedded itself into the food he'd placed in the monster's cell only a few moments before.

Startled as he was by the action Yugi couldn't help the gasp of surprise he gave. A shudder of relief passing through him a short while after as he realized that the arrow had been aimed somewhere else. Only the monster's eyes were still trained upon him though and at his reaction another giggle escaped from her.

Yugi blinked once calming under a sudden weight of curiosity. "What's so funny?" He asked as he pushed off from the wall he'd been resting against, wishing to know what had set off the creature. But for his efforts he only got a shake of her head in response. She reached out with her bow to hook the item over the arrow's shaft, then pulled her meal to her without any hesitation that Yugi could tell. "Can you talk?" He tried again, any trepidation he'd had evaporating as he wanted to know more.

The half-woman picked up the food without giving a response and lifted it into the shell. Yugi watched in silence as she snagged the water in much the same way, only minus the arrow, before pulling it further into the cell and placing it with her shell. The movement leaving silence to fill the air for, like this, she wasn't really threatening at all.

Though Yugi was worried about whether she was incapable of speech. That to him could explain why she'd be insane like Khenemet claimed, he couldn't really imagine not being able to talk with people. He figured that it would have to be rather hard considering what he did know about being alone. "Well, it is nice to finally meet you! I don't mind the arrow thing either." He said kindly to her. "Maybe you could come out of your shell more?" Yugi questioned, hopefully. His gaze bright with emotions as he faced the Shadow Realm Monster, looking for some response to his question. Only he blinked as he saw the creature reach down into the shell, straightening once she had grain resting in her hand.

He didn't get a chance to ponder that before the creature had brought her other hand up, her fingers coiling. It was the single warning she gave before flicking the grain away from herself.

And something bounced off of Yugi's nose. The teen jumped with a loud gasp of surprise which seemingly set the half-woman off giggling again and Yugi blinked a bit.

I wonder what hit me? Yugi considered, more confused about that than why the creature was so amused. But it still wasn't that nice! "That wasn't so nice!" He informed her with a pout, his eyes picking up the expression that was crossing his features. But it was just as quick in disappearing as the creature's giggles continued unabated. It was a delight to him to finally see the cheeriful monster, especially with her having such fun.

Just as easily as the half-woman had started laughing, she just...stopped. She didn't wait even a second before turning her finger to point downward and Yugi blinked, quickly glancing down in wonder at what she might be pointing at. His violet eyes, drifting over the clam shell then to the empty floor. His attention slipped back and forth over the ground in search of what she must have been pointing at, the teen's gaze continually growing closer to where his own feet rested upon the stone ground. His skimming look finding nothing but stone, until approaching his feet, just in front of which his eyes lit upon the single grain that the creature had flicked at him.

So that's what it had been! Yugi thought as he realized that she'd flicked the food at him. "Oh..." He stopped, the understanding that a bit of his food had been rejected in order to play with it sinking in and he pouted again. "Hey! I tried to make it good food. What's wrong with it?" Okay, so he didn't really mind but it was supposed to be for eating!

She giggled once more in response, softly shifting to lay within the shell. Her gaze never leaving Yugi as he stood there still. The teen didn't want to move but a restlessness settled on him and a silence filled the space. He shifted in place, resisting to move further as he wasn't sure what this was about until she lifted a thoughtful finger to her lips. "Sssshhhhhhhhhhh." She spoke to him then cocked her head while settling the bow next to herself.

The mere noise suggested to Yugi that she might actually be capable of speech and he delighted in the knowledge that there might be another person around to talk with. He hurriedly brought his gaze to meet her's, his hopeful expression meeting her thoughtful one. Yugi wanted to just bounce with joy if he was right about her talking.

"Can you..." He began in hopes of hearing her respond, only his words were cut off by another gesture for silence and he stopped quickly. Though why he should be silent, he didn't know. There wasn't anyone else around that would hear them, they weren't even doing anything but looking at each other. It just was strange and Yugi was just so curious about this monster now that his fright of her had past. He bravely stepped right up to the bars of the cage just before a soft voice rang out.

"Sounds not, there is some. Unless slipped might not be, only just not that way." The sudden words filling the air almost too quickly for him to catch, but they were definitely there. Spoken calmly by the half-woman archer, her head nodding in time with her words.

Yugi wasn't even helped by the words which she'd voiced and he blinked blankly at her for a moment, not quite able to catch up with his own thoughts as they faltered over what she'd said. "I don't understand. Sorry. But...what is it you mean?" He asked not fully noting how he brought his hands up to clutch at the bars between him and the monster.

However she just giggled in reply, her head nodding to him as the clam shell began to close. Her mouth never moving to answer him as she started to be cut off from his view. "Please?" He questioned without losing any hope as the half-woman vanished under the layer of shell and Yugi blinked as he was able to do nothing, he couldn't even get into the cage. He peered in puzzlement a last time through the lips of the shell. Why wasn't she answering? Had he done something improper?

Yugi was confused by myriads of questions but none were voiced before the shell had clamped shut without a sound, fully cutting him off from the creature and any way to satisfy his confusion.

It was a long moment for which he stood there, waiting to see if the shell would open again. He didn't know what else he'd say though if she did. She'd certainly given him a scare! Yugi didn't think that she was bad though, probably bored and he could relate to that. Either way he was thrilled to have finally gotten to see what was inside the clam shell...

Even if he didn't know what she meant by her words.

Yugi blinked as he slowly loosened his grip upon the bars of the cage, backing away from the place that held the half-human creature. He eagerly hoped to get another chance to speak with her! Maybe next time would be a bit more understandable!

Yugi smiled happily at the thought which led to another, that being that he was finished for the day finally. It was that idea which finally brought him out of his thoughts. He'd be able to go see how Khenemet had been doing in her search for a new kalasiris for him now.

Yugi spared a last look at the clam shell, he didn't mind that the creature wasn't talkative. He was just delighted to have seen it, no matter how confusing the encounter. And just wait until he told Khenemet. Yugi could have skipped from the eagerness but he only turned from the cage, moving to set one foot in front of the other as he started off at a good pace to find Khenemet. Though he did spare greetings for the monsters he past on his way out. Soon to be ascending up the stairs, returning to the kitchen first to set the trays and baskets down, out of the way until he could wash them. Then he turned, rushing out before realizing that he didn't know where to look first.

The thought bringing him stumbling to a stop in the middle of the pillared hallway. Where would linens be? He wondered as he looked around, they'd have to be somewhere accessible right? His mind piecing together those thought, he slowly decided that such a place would have to be one of the two bedchambers.

However he didn't see how it could be his own. He should know since he woke up there every morning. And each time there wasn't anything there that would be of interest to Khenemet... So wouldn't that just leave the room off of the bathing chambers?

Checking first would work better, he told himself before he would try to ponder where else to look. That idea made more sense to him than standing around, especially since the bedchambers seemed to him like the most logical place. So he stepped forward, turning past the pillars to plod down that hallway and into the next. From which he entered into the neighboring door into the bathchambers, heading for a rug pulled across the leftmost wall.

The faded coloring in the wall length fabric didn't really hold Yugi's attention, he hadn't even noticed the rug until his second day there when he'd gone to wash dishes. It was curiosity that had made him look behind it the first time. This time Yugi just lifted the rug and ducked underneath, the thick fibers cutting out the light of the flickering flames and sending the teen into darkness.

Not concerned at all about that, he placed his hand to the stone wall, feeling a crack beneath his thumb. A crack which signaled to him where the door was and Yugi gave it a push, half stumbling as the object gave with unexpected ease at his touch. The lack of support sending him tumbling into the bedchambers, Yugi only had the briefest chance to catch a glimpse of the lit interior before linens fell over his head.

Yugi blinked soundless, digesting what had just happened rather quickly. The faint glow of light reaching him even under the blanket of white and knowing that it was there lended comfort he didn't need for just having a cloth tossed over his head. That was as another person there reacted with more than just a gasp.

"Oh! That wasn't expected..." Khenemet's voice reached the covered teen just before the cloth was tugged away, affording Yugi a clear view of the rug covered walls. A room that was livelier than his own, though the colors were darker than the rest of the dwelling...the colors of more a black and red nature with even the normal lamps being stained with a darkening rust. "So very sorry, Yugi." Khenemet spoke up from where she was sitting on the ground, his gaze landing on her and noting that her own darker side blended in with the dark rugs.

Yugi blinked once more, not feeling a need for an apology even as he grinned to Khenemet and shook his head. "I didn't mind! You just startled me." Yugi explained as he brought his gaze focusing upon her expression, feeling bad at seeing a nervousness in her features but it was slowly relaxing with his words. "There wasn't anything wrong with that. I just entered at the wrong moment." He added feeling sadder as those words caused more worry to appear with Khenemet.

"Bakt is not so forgiving." Khenemet said softly but smiled to him, words which worried Yugi but as he opened his mouth to reply Khenemet beat him to it. "Are you done feeding them? If so, can I measure you? I'll need to make you a new kalasiris it seems." Her words being a swift change of subject, one Yugi didn't notice as his attention shifted to her last words. A new kalasiris?

"Won't that be a lot of work?" Yugi asked as he sincerely didn't want to put Khenemet through so much trouble when his old one was still wearable...at least for a little while. Even if the tears were getting worse it would last long enough for him to get used to them. Yet somewhere in between those thoughts he was still reminding himself that he hadn't told her about the archer yet. He was almost impatient with his enthusiasm! He opened his mouth, more than ready to tell about his close call, only he didn't get the chance to form words before Khenemet did.

"No, not at all. I have plenty of time to do this. Are the others fed?" Khenemet questioned once again waiting until he'd spoken his 'yes' before holding the cloth out to him more calmly than she'd been moments before. "Then put this on...I have to see the right size to make it." She said smoothly while setting the white fabric into Yugi's arms for trying and Yugi wrapped his arms around it, his jaw still hanging open from before but he quickly snapped it shut. Thinking to do as told, but he wanted her to know, he was too eager to share his news!

"I saw her today!" He burst out, his eyes alight with cheer as the words flowed. The subject change startling Khenemet though while Yugi continued explaining. "She had a bow and arrow and everything! Pointed it right at me too! I thought she was going to fire it but she hit her food instead. Then told me 'sounds not, there is some. Unless slipped might not be, only just not that way.'" Yugi hugged the cloth to himself even tighter as he beamed too at Khenemet, his gaze bright and wide with emotions. And for a change she was matching his wide eyed gaze, though her's was more stunned.

"Huh?" She questioned slowly, her tone almost pathetically weak as she spoke though her gaze remained strongly confused. Though the teen's infectious mood was starting to show on her features, a twitch of a smile starting there in response.

"The one you said is insane." Yugi supplied before pausing to think about how what he'd said must have sounded after her request for him to try something on. The two things simply not quite fitting together in such a short span of time. Especially since the archer's words hadn't made sense to start with anyway. Now that he was thinking about it though, he wondered if Khenemet knew what it might mean. It wouldn't hurt to ask at least. "Any idea what she meant?" He queried anxiously as he shifted the cloth around in his grip, trying to get comfortable but not being ready to settle down and try on the cloth just yet.

His question though was met by a brief silence from Khenemet. Yugi could see why most would need to stop to think about the statement, so the seconds slipping past without a word didn't worry him until the moments grew longer and longer. Only the distant look on Khenemet's face gave away that she was still thinking. But that worried Yugi. "It's not that important..." He offered in hopes of snapping her out of it, though it didn't really work.

Quietly he turned his attention to the phrase too. 'Sounds not, there is some. Unless slipped might not be, only just not that way.' Yugi remembered the words once again, pondering what they could mean even as Khenemet began to shake her head in denial, ending her own silence when Yugi was about to begin his. Though right then Yugi was quickly realizing that he was just as clueless as she was, the statement didn't make any sense to him whatsoever... "I'll just ask her later then." He responded cheerily, fully intending to do that as soon as the archer gave him the chance. Though by then he couldn't get the words out of his head, they just repeated again against his will. The thoughts beyond his control for a moment Yugi clutched at the cloth, biting his lip as he was unsettled by the continuing words.

'Sound not, there is some. Unless slipped might not be, only just...'

"It won't do much good if I know her. It'll be another sentence like that." Yugi was thankful as Khenemet's reply cut off his musing, only to have silence fall as Yugi tried to deny to himself that fact but the other female monster had seemed just as odd as Khenemet was making her out to be...both now and before.

"Maybe. But she isn't bad." Yugi supplied in answer, beaming as his opinion about her wasn't going to change. He didn't care if she made no sense, even if Khenemet only shrugged noncommittally before giving nod to indictate what he held. His violet eyes drifted down in response to follow the gesture until they landed upon the linens he was still clutching tightly to himself. A useless gesture though, the cool fabric giving him only a little comfort but it was still interesting for him to feel beneath his palms the cloth that would eventually make his new robes.

He fingered the smooth weave more, noting the chilled silkiness that it held even this early on. His violet eyes traveled over the wrinkles and folds which creased the fabric, examining the cloth for a moment before Khenemet spoke. The girl having finished waiting for him.

"Could such as that be tried on now?" Khenemet solicited quietly, her voice unimposing but Yugi dropped his head sheepishly. He hadn't meant to put off Khenemet's continual request for him to try it on! He guiltily nodded in answer, uncurling his hands from the linens enough to slide them to the top edge of the fabric. Clutching the cloth there, he started wrapping the layers around himself. The liquid-looking linens felt huge around Yugi as he kept wrapping, nearly totally being swallowed by the cloth. Only one of his arms and head still were free, even his feet were thoroughly encased by cloth. The edges trailing a good hands width upon the ground, already stirring up dirt from the stone floor. That was clear by the second time he slipped the cloth about himself.

"I think this is going to take a bit." Khenemet said in a nearly strangled whisper, her body tensing rather abruptly as Yugi nodded without looking up. He only vaguely noted her sudden unease for he was more concerned with the fact that he still had lots of cloth to use up! Yugi was fairly certain he wasn't even halfway through the wrapping. "It was the smallest unused stuff!" Khenemet squeaked out defensively with the sound of shifting robes reaching the younger teen, the odd movement getting him to look up.

"At least it's something to do." Yugi returned quickly, concern flickering into being as he saw Khenemet with her face buried in her hands. "What is it?" He asked while pausing for a moment from his wrapping, the motions not as important as checking on her. But he was part-way through the third layer as he waited for her answer. Plus going further would make it harder to get off if he needed to remove it in order to comfort her. But the girl shook her head without lifting it up from her palms.

"Nothing...nothing. Just continue." She said then glanced up from her hands, though her eyes were sparkling with...something. Yugi wasn't aware of what exactly to make of it but Khenemet seemed in good humor now. Amusement seemed better than being nervous, he just didn't know what was amusing about today. Whatever it was, was beyond him. First it was the archer monster and now Khenemet... "It would be good if we could try a different subject...please!" She pleaded over Yugi's thoughts, an unexplained laughter in her voice catching his attention and the teen blinked curiously at her but he nodded.

"Sure! If you want... But what were you thinking about?" He said cheerily while dropping his focus back to the linen he was supposed to be wrapping. Finding that the last layer had come undone while he'd been distracted for that moment. He sighed softly for that meant an extra layer of a long sheet to wrap. There wasn't any reason to waste a moment that Yugi knew of and he started to wrap the fabric around and around...

"We're getting low on stored water." She commented.

Yugi paused with the memory that the layers had come unwrapped before when he'd stopped, making it to take who knew how much longer. Yugi might not mind but there were other things that could be done later if he finished and he continued wrapping so as not to lose his place. "There seemed enough for a few more days." He answered Khenemet though his gaze was focusing clearly on the fourth layer of linen in his grasp as he wrapped it around himself. The sound of Khenemet clearing her throat then added to the noise of the fabric's rustle and Yugi blinked, not understanding why she'd done that but silence fell as he struggled with the ungainly material. Yugi waiting for more of a word from Khenemet as he finished that layer and went on to the fifth.

"There's no worry about waiting a bit longer." He said distractedly, pointing that out to her as he tugged the cloth over one shoulder. By then the warmth of the room was being trapped under the cloth. It grew warmer bit by bit especially since one layer was all that was needed. "Though Bakt could be back before then." He finished as he began on the sixth layer and Khenemet still hadn't responded.

There was another silence then as he worked, this time running out of linen as he tucked in the sixth layer. Yugi glanced to the measly couple of finger-widths of cloth which were left unwrapped, knowing without a doubt he wouldn't be getting a seventh layer out of the fabric. "All done!" He exclaimed, proud at having accomplished that before he'd gotten too hot. But the heat collecting under the layers of cloth was starting to get rather uncomfortable and he hurriedly glanced to Khenemet. He intended to ask if they could hasten it now that it was on. But he stopped, eyes widening as his gaze was greeted by the sight of Khenemet trembling. "Khenemet? What's wrong?" The teen looked down to see if he'd wrapped it up wrong. Though as far as he could tell it looked right with the cloth looped over his left arm to keep it up.

I really don't get it, he thought plaintively.

"Um...er...uh...." Khenemet twitched suddenly, twisting rather violently away from Yugi now that he'd finished. The movement caught the corner of his eye and he brought his attention back to her, his eyes looking up to her face as he noted hearing the strain in her voice. The violet gaze finding her form barely in time to witness the noise being followed by a shudder. Such making no sense to Yugi, the strange actions not having any clear cause that he could see. His gaze turned both questioning and concerned at the lack of response, though they grew more so as several shakes passed through his friend.

He didn't even like how her breathing was becoming sporadic.

"Khenemet? What is it? Please tell me, I'm worried." He said with his tone turning pleading in his desire to know what exactly was going on.

Khenemet just shook her head, shuddering again and she rather audibly swallowed before giving in. Letting Yugi watch as she turned back, his eyes lighting immediately upon the tears which were glistening in her hazel ones. The little driplets of water alarming him. Yugi wondered a bit desperately what could have caused her to react like this, he wanted to help... He started to reach out to do just that, his intent to comfort her halting as she shook her head again in denial. Yugi stopped the gesture at the movement, though he wasn't sure if she didn't want him touching her or if it was from the dazed expression on her face.

"Well..." Khenemet trailed off briefly to a noise that Yugi started at upon recognizing it as a gasp of laughter, but she shook herself fully this time not just her head. Yugi blinked as the sound was stiffled and Khenemet setting her features into an expression that Yugi couldn't identify. It was only then that she continued. "Well at this size it should be roomy enough for whatever anyone could ever possibly want to do under there. Especially those older." She choked out, her face set firmly even if her voice was cracking with laughter. But her features twitched soon after under Yugi's watchful gaze, the motion lasting for only a moment. Though Yugi didn't know what to make of this movement or the stiffled laughter, it was nearly beyond his comprehesion. There wasn't an idea in his own head about what was going on in her's.

He blinked questioningly at her, confused, his expression asking a question that his voice didn't get a chance to. Yet his only answer came in the form of Khenemet suddenly dissolving into fits of laughter.

"Huh?" Yugi questioned uncertainly, only able to make out a comment about his own size in the girl's former statement. Was he being teased? By Khenemet? The thought stung, especially considering his size and he stared with hurt eyes at Khenemet. "I'm not that small!" He protested with a cute pout, his expression sobering Khenemet for a moment. But only a moment and then she clutched her middle, laughing even harder.

"It's....better that....you....don't know until...you're older!" Khenemet gasped out and Yugi made a face both in disappointment and annoyance. Though his cute features were enough to get a final word from Khenemet about it, despite how Yugi saw that she was nearly still doubled up laughing at the time. "You'd...be....cute all red....if I....did tell....you...." She hinted, slowly managing to bring herself under semblance of control, but her words set Yugi thinking.

Though he didn't really understand what she meant.

What would turn him red?

"It's something....little kids....aren't supposed to...know about...." Khenemet gasped between her laughing.

That hint Yugi needed, realizing after a moment of thinking what the girl must mean and not easily either. "Oh..." A flush creeping up on him at the thought, not wanting to think of such things and he hung his head sheepishly. "It's not funny." He said with another pout which was broken with a little spout of her laughter. "At least not much..." He corrected his protest before his slight laughter joined Khenemet's, trying to forget his thoughts on that matter.

Then they'd be able to get back to measuring, he sincerely hoped.


To Be Continued

A/N: Review please! And as a note...Red Archery Girl is no one important. Unless someone wants to make a suggestion, she's just Red Archery Girl.