Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Looking Back in Retrospective ❯ Lost in Time ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh is the intellectual property of Kazuki Takahashi, and is being used in this fanfiction for fan purposes only. All situations, opinions and characters not belonging to Kazuki Takahashi are the intellectual property of Alecto Perdita.

Sefu cursed to himself under his breath. Their search had turned up nothing so far. He didn't want to go back to the palace empty handed. The Pharaoh was short-tempered enough as it was. Damn that wretched Ankhmose. Imagine. The Prince kidnapped right underneath the nose of his caretakers. It was quite an elaborate plan, almost admirable even. He just hoped to Amun-Ra that Seti didn't have any better luck. He'd be damned if he lost to that damn priest again.

He trekked up the stairs and pushed aside the curtains to his temporary lodging. "Rehema, get me a cup of…" He trailed off as he spotted the blond man studying his maps. A Hebrew, from the color of his hair. A spy maybe even.

He grabbed the stranger by the shoulder and spun him around. "Who are you? What do you think you're doing in my quarters? Are you working for Ankhmose?"

For the first time, he got a good look at the boy. Yes, a boy that was not that much older than his Rehema and with her hair too. The strangest thing was the boy's amber eyes. Sefu had never seen someone with that shade of color for eyes before. A look of shock was plastered across the boy's face as he stared up at Sefu like he was a demon.

The boy squealed something and threw his arms around Sefu. The boy was clinging to him for his life. Sefu's body went rigid. What in Amun-Ra's name was wrong with this boy? He quickly gathered his senses and threw the boy off.

He grabbed the boy's shoulders and pushed him against the wall. The boy reacted instantly and punched Sefu in the gut. Sefu jumped back and crouched low to the ground. So the boy knew how to fight… The two circled each other carefully. Neither made a move and simply evaluated each other.

The boy said something to him but there was no way Sefu could understand him. Sefu could see that the boy was quickly becoming frustrated by his inability to communicate with him. Sefu didn't particularly care. He now knew this boy was a threat. He unsheathed his sword and charged. The boy panicked and drove for the iron shield by the side of the bed. The clash of metal against metal jarred their bones. Sefu rearranged his grip on the hilt and swung again. The boy jumped back and managed to clumsily block again. Sefu almost found the situation amusing despite himself.

"Stop!"

Rehema flew through the curtains and threw herself between the two combatants and at Sefu's feet. "Please stop, Master Sefu! He is my Kin!"

Sefu lowered his weapon. "You brought him here and just left him?" He pinned his best glare on his slave. The girl could have the most ridiculous lapse in common sense at the worst times. "That's just reckless. He could be a spy."

Rehema jumped to her feet and grabbed Sefu's swordarm. Sefu winced. "I'm sorry, Master Sefu. I'll never do it again. Please don't hurt him."

Sefu sheathed his sword. "Fine. Rehema, you may take certain liberties when we are alone but remember your place in front of others.

Rehema released his arm quickly, backed away, and bowed respectfully. Sefu turned his attention back to the boy. The boy was still in a guarded position, staring at Sefu with untrusting eyes. Sefu sighed. "What's your name, boy?"

"Master, he only speaks Hebrew. He was not born here. Would it be possible to…"

"Get a language spell?" Sefu groaned. "You do realize I'll have to make a personal request to the Per-aa and deal with that infuriating priest? Are you willing to be his bridge?"

Just as Rehema opened her mouth to respond, a soldier crashed into the room. "Sir! Master Seti has tracked Ankhmose. He has the young Prince with him!"

Sefu swore under his breath. The gods must be unhappy with his sacrifices. Seti: 27, Sefu: 3.

~~~

Jounouchi soon found himself traveling with a band of ancient Egyptian soldiers on horseback across the desert. While most of the other servants and slaves remained behind at the town, Rehema seemed to follow her master everywhere. He knew Sefu was still suspicious of him so Sefu wouldn't leave him behind either. Jounouchi remembered Rehema translating something about proving himself.

Jounouchi shifted uncomfortably on the saddle. He felt ridiculous clinging to the back of Sefu's second-in-command. He didn't dare loosen his grip in fear of falling and being trampled by the rest of the army racing behind him. Rehema was currently riding alongside Sefu and Jounouchi couldn't help but wonder about their relationship. She did have a startling amount of freedom as a slave.

About half an hour later, though it was hard for Jounouchi to tell time now, they came to a sudden halt on a cliff overlooking the Valley of the Kings. A single man stood by the edge, waiting for them. The small army dismounted and surrounded the man but they kept a cautious distance. Sefu was the only one who stepped forward to confront their foe.

Jounouchi lingered behind the soldiers, just out everyone's line of sight. He would have sworn the opponent was an albino had it not been for the man's tan complexion. The young man looked older than Jounouchi, probably around Sefu's age. He had the whitest hair Jounouchi had ever seen. It would have been beautiful if it wasn't so dusty and mud-streaked. The man's dark amber eyes were fierce and feral. The double cross scar on his left cheek was a sign this one was a fighter.

Sefu was trying to negotiate with the enemy but the man only appeared to become more bemused with every passing word. Jounouchi still couldn't help but think about how Sefu reminded him of Ryuuji. He shook his head. It couldn't be a good thing to be reminiscing about his ex like that. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Rehema inching closer to the white-haired man. She drew a dagger he had never noticed before from the sheath at her waist.

The white-haired man suddenly burst out in laughter. His shadow appeared to lengthen under the mid-day sun, creeping toward the soldiers. He turned abruptly to his side and barked something at Rehema. Rehema froze in her place with her eyes fixated on one spot next the white-haired man.

It was then that Jounouchi finally noticed the little boy their foe was keeping a tight grip on. Jounouchi had never seen anyone with those shades of black, red, and gold hair before. It certainly shouldn't be natural. The little boy couldn't be older than five. His clothing must have been a rich thing once, but dust and mud had ruined the fabric beyond repair. Jounouchi felt his heart melt at the sight of tears in those guileless violet eyes.

The man tightened his grip on the back of the boy's neck. The boy whimpered audibly in return and the army tensed in both anticipation and fear. Sefu's tone was fast becoming more hostile and furious. Jounouchi shifted his weight and glanced around. There had to be something he could do to help. He rummaged through the pockets of his jacket. His Japanese-Arabic dictionary…a tourist pamphlet…about thirty Egyptian pounds…Shizuka's wristwatch…a disposable camera…a Swiss army knife… He never knew he had this much room in his pocket before. He fingered the camera. It was too bad it wasn't a Polaroid camera. He could have done that trick usually seen in movies.

He decided to give it a try anyway. He hated standing around and doing nothing, especially since a child was in danger. He turned the dial and raised the camera. He pushed his way to the front of the line and began taking snapshots of the man. The man hissed at the angry sound of the shutter and the bright flash. Jounouchi's muscles tensed as the man moved his hand away from the boy's neck and to his weapon. Jounouchi chucked the camera as hard as he could at the man's face. His foe unsheathed his blade and sliced the projectile in half. The camera exploded in a bright flash of light [1].

Jounouchi took the opportunity and dove forward. He grabbed the child by the waist and rolled out of the way of the man's blade. Rehema dove at the man, her dagger flashing through the air. The man smirked and grabbed Rehema's arm. With a surprising amount of strength, he threw her over the cliff.

"Rehema!" Jounouchi watched in horror as the young woman vanished over the side. He glared hatefully at the man now approaching him. The child clung to his side, sniffling and shaking. Jounouchi pulled the little boy closer.

The blade flashed through the air as the white-haired demon sliced through the soldiers that attempted to get in his way. Jounouchi reached down and covered the boy's innocent violet eyes. There was absolutely no need for one so young to see so much bloodshed. Sefu charged at the man from behind but ended up on the dusty ground with a wide gash across his thigh.

"Fuck you, you son of a goat!" Jounouchi screamed in Hebrew. He felt silly screaming such ridiculous profanity.

To his surprise, his opponent answered in Hebrew, watching with amusement as Jounouchi's eyes widened. "I'd prefer not to."

Jounouchi threw himself over the boy, acting as a shield, and waited for the blade to descend. It never came. The feel of cold metal slice through his flesh and crushing his bones never came. The child sheltered under him squealed in what sounded like joy. He looked down and the boy was pointing up, screaming, "Seti! Seti!"

Jounouchi looked up and stared in disbelief. Toady was certainly a strange one but this was just impossible. A creature…of some sort was standing between Jounouchi and the man. Its large sword was locked with the other man's. With a burst of strength, the creature threw the man back, sending the blade spinning through the air.

The boy broke away from Jounouchi and ran towards someone standing over Sefu. The new arrival rose to his feet, smirking at the scowling Sefu on the ground. The child threw himself around the man's leg and clung for his life. The man frowned slightly as he rested his hand on the child's hair.

Rehema grabbed his shoulder and held Jounouchi still. Her eyes scanned up and down, checking for any injuries. She looked bruised and scratched but in one piece. "How do you feel?"

"I should be asking you that! He threw you over the cliff!" He felt an urge to hit the young woman over the head for her uncaring attitude.

"I'm fine. You, on the other hand, Ankhmose nearly diced you to pieces. You're just lucky Master Seti arrived in time." She glanced up. "Get down!"

They hit the floor and the spot they stood on just seconds ago exploded, leaving a small crater behind.

"Shit." Jounouchi muttered.

The white-haired man, Ankhmose Rehema had called him, glared at Jounouchi. "I won't forget this boy. I don't know who you are but I'll make you pay for interfering." He threw one last glace at the other men and disappeared. Jounouchi blinked. The man just vanished into thin air.

"What?"

Rehema shook her head and offered him her hand. "Don't ask. Just be glad we've recovered the Prince. Our morning star would have been most displeased if we hadn't. That would be an understatement actually."

"The Prince…?"

"Yes, the Prince."

Jounouchi looked over to where the child, the Prince, was speaking to the man who rescued him. Jounouchi gulped and his hand flew to his ring. It was the man from the night before, his attire still a regal blue. Their savoir suddenly looked in their direction and a strange buzzing noise, like radio interference, sounded in his head. He shook his head and looked down. The stone on the ring looked like it was glowing again.

~~~

The Pharaoh Tepemkau Kheperpehtyra Menmaatra Atemu Merysi nearly jumped up from his throne when the doors of Great Audience Hall swung open violently. He shifted in his seat and locked eyes with one of his High Priests. He was aware that his Queen had not moved at his side. He scanned the group to find his son, the Prince Teremun, clinging to Seti's robes. His gaze moved to the rest of his officials gathered in the Hall. Waving his hand in a dismissive manner, he declared, "You are all dismissed."

The Hall cleared out in a matter of seconds. All that remained was the Pharaoh, his wife, his guards, and the entourage that had brought his son back.

"Father!" His son broke away from the group and rushed toward the dais where the thrones were set.

Merysi met his son at the bottom of the set of stairs and ignoring all etiquettes, he enveloped the boy in a tight embrace. "Teremun… My precious ray of light…"

His wife, Jamila, finally arose from her throne. Her long blond hair swung gracefully as she moved to his side. Unlike Merysi, she retained what was thought to be the proper level of propriety.

"Mother…" Teremun greeted in a much more subdued manner.

"I hope this experience has taught you something." She said as she turned to examine the group before her. "You might not be so lucky next time."

"Karis-"

Jamila cut her son off. "Karis has already been punished."

"But-"

Merysi shook his head. They were going to argue if he didn't stop them. He never understood why his wife couldn't be more intimate with their son. He supposed that their marriage would always be a political and unloving one in Jamila's eyes.

"Shush, Teremun. Karis is fine but she needed to be punished for her negligence." He laid a hand on his son's hair- his son had inherited his hair and his wife's eyes - and ruffled it affectionately. He turned back to the group who had safely retrieved his precious child.

Sefu dropped to his knees. "Forgive me. I allowed Ankhmose to get away. I am ready to receive my punishment."

Merysi watched as Rehema shifted uncomfortably. He knew the slave to be an uncharacteristically outspoken one but even she knew to remain quiet in this situation. He shook his head. "Stand, Sefu. I am just glad that you have returned my son safely. Ankhmose will be dealt with properly the next time."

"Actually," Merysi's gaze moved to meet Seti. He had not expected his priest to speak up so soon. "Sefu did not do so much as to retrieve your son as the slave there." The Priest gestured to a member of the party Merysi would have never noticed before.

"He is not a slave." Rehema protested weakly as Seti turned his glare onto her.

Merysi studied the young man that Seti had claimed to have saved his son. Seti did not give credit to others readily. The boy's clothing was foreign. He would not meet Merysi's gaze, perhaps knowing who he was faced with. The boy did not look Hebrew but then again, Rehema did not look it either. Was the boy someone's slave? He also noticed his wife staring at the boy with much interest. He did not care who his wife decided to bestow her affection upon but he could definitely see why the boy was captivating.

"Your name, boy."

The boy looked around in confusion, as if unsure who the Pharaoh was addressing.

"My lord," Rehema stared at the ground. "He only speaks Hebrew. He is a foreigner."

Merysi turned away and made his way back to the throne. "Very well, have a language spell prepared as soon as possible." He looked over his shoulder at Seti. "I'll leave that to you, Seti."

"Of course, my lord."

Merysi did not need to turn around to see the bitterness in Seti's eyes. He could hear it in the other man's words. This rift that had developed between them… It might prove to be irreparable.

~~~

Jounouchi stared at his surroundings in bewilderment. He was in an ancient royal palace of the Pharaoh himself. The architecture and décor was astonishing. The Pharaoh was quite impressive himself. Although the king was only a bit over five feet, the way the man carried himself more than made up for his lack of height. The Pharaoh wore a strange golden pendant around his neck. It was in the shape of an upside-down pyramid with the same Wadjet eye symbol he had seen on the man dressed in blue's wand.

The Prince took much after his father. He had his father's wild hair but his eyes were guileless. Jounouchi wondered if those eyes would always be like that. He hoped so. The Pharaoh's ruby red eyes were just the slight bit disconcerting. It reminded Jounouchi far too much of the color of blood but it added to the general exotic appearance of the king.

Then again, all the men around him were no less than impressive. The man in blue who have rescued them named Seti, Jounouchi had gathered as much from the way everyone addressed the man, was over six feet tall with bronzed-toned skin. Ryuuji had always been handsome in Jounouchi's eyes and now he had witnessed Ryuuji with a tan. Jounouchi had to suppress the smile threatening to break across his features. Maybe this wasn't so bad.

While the party continued their report to the Pharaoh, Rehema had moved quietly to his side. She laid a hand on his forearm and squeezed. He smiled. He knew Rehema would always be there to support him.

"The Per-aa is quite pleased with you. Perhaps he can help you get home."

Jounouchi breathed a sigh of relief. He had been startled before when the king had addressed him. He had been unable to respond as he did not know their language. "I hope so. Tou-san and Okaa-san and Shizuka must be so worried."

"Tou-san?"

Jounouchi shook his head. Japanese was his native language and habits would be hard to break. "My father, my mother, and my sister."

"Oh."

They lapsed into silence. Jounouchi listened to the conversation before him. He had no idea how he would have gotten anyway in this Time if it wasn't for Rehema. He looked toward the blonde woman seated besides the king. He now saw where the Prince inherited his amethyst eyes. The tall blonde woman would have been a supermodel in his Time. Even Jounouchi, gay as he was, could see she had all the right curves in all the right places.

"She's blonde…" Jounouchi muttered.

"Our queen is a princess from the neighbor kingdom, of the Sea People [2]. She was given as a gift to our Per-aa."

Jounouchi shifted nervously again at the mention of other human beings being passed around like objects. His gaze drifted even more to the side and he was once again shocked by what he saw. There, standing next to the Pharaoh, was his best friend Honda Hiroto. The boy seemed older and more serious than Jounouchi had remembered. The muscles… His friend had been built but not that buff.

"Who is that?" Jounouchi directed Rehema's attention to the Honda look-alike.

"Him? He is Bakari. He is the Captain of the Per-aa's House Guardians."

Jounouchi had to wonder again if he was truly dreaming. There was no way two people from thousands of years ago could look so identical to his friends from his Time.

He felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned and jumped. Seti was looking down at him with those incredible blue eyes. He had no idea when the other man had moved to his side.

Rehema tugged at his t-shirt. "We will go with Master Seti. You must be able to speak our tongue before you meet with the Per-aa."

"Meet with the Per-aa?" Jounouchi squeaked.

~~~

Seti lead the two blonds down a winding hallway. On occasion, he would glance over his shoulder at the boy. He remembered how the boy had shielded the Prince with his own body. Had the boy truly cared for Teremun's safety or was it all a ploy to get close to the Pharaoh?

His expression darkened at the thought of his illustrious cousin. The Pharaoh and he had always had a difference in philosophies but the Pharaoh had never so blatantly ignored his input as of the late. Seti became more and more disgruntled by the recent change in their relationship. What irked Seti the most was he had no idea what had brought about this change between them.

So lost in his thoughts as he was, Seti did not notice the priestess who had joined in step with him until she spoke.

"I shall take them from here, Seti."

Seti had always been good at disguising his emotions. Surprise was one of the ones most easily concealed. "The Per-aa has commanded me to perform the spell." He glared at his fellow Millennium Item holder.

The High Priestess Isis was their Seer but with the Mother Goddess as her patron, she cast powerful spells as her visions were accurate. He had a slightly higher tolerance for her presence than some of the other High Priests like Karimu but he was in too sour a mood already.

"Please allow me, Seti. There is something of great importance I must discuss with Katsuya."

"Katsuya?"

"The boy, Seti. That is his birth name." Isis turned to Rehema. "Follow me, dear."

As Isis led the two into a room to the side, Seti noticed the ring on the boy's left hand. He stared at the closed doors for a moment. Had that just been his imagination? The ring looked identical to the ring he wore, the one his teacher had given him upon his death bed. Seti turned his hand over to examine the lapis lazuli on his ring and the dragon engraved into the stone. Turning the band on his finger, he read the hieroglyphics that said "I am the Catalyst for whom Time waits."

Seti had never understood the true meaning of this sentence. He glared at the door. It was just like Isis to make him wait and wonder. Perhaps he did not tolerate the priestess as well as he originally thought.

~~~

Merysi smiled and tucked his son into bed. No, it was not a very kingly task but it was habit by now. There were no words to express how glad he was to have his son back. A shadow fell over him and a hand was laid on his shoulder.

Shimon Mura was his uncle, his mother's eldest brother. He had been a trusted advisor to his father and now to Merysi. He had also been the first to wield the Millennium Ankh. Although the older man had long passed the Item to his successor, Shadii, a bit of its power would always remain with him. Shimon may be considered old now, having lived through more than seventy floodings of the Nile, but by no means had his wits or intelligence suffered. Merysi was eternally grateful for this.

Merysi led his uncle to his private chambers just down the hall from his son. Jamila had her own rooms on the other side of the palace. They had ceased to share a set of rooms after his wife gave birth. It also left the two to pursue who they wished. Shimon and he would be able to discuss the pressing matters of state privately there.

Shimon waited until the House Guardians, the Pharaoh's personal guards, vacated the room. "It has been confirmed. There was a leak. Ankhmose had help to take the Prince from within the palace."

Merysi narrowed his eyes. He had suspected as much from the beginning. He also had suspicions about who had given this aid… "Have the soldiers caught in connection with this been questioned yet?" Merysi threw off his cloak and settled into a low sedan chair.

"We were unable to do so."

Merysi threw Shimon a meaning glare.

"They died before we could question them. It was magic."

Merysi rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "He's trying to cover his tracks. We now have someone in high position with the power to manipulate and terminate at will looking to overthrow me. What better way than to kidnap my son and heir and use him as leverage against me. No doubt they would kill Teremun after they were through with me."

"You don't think…"

"As much as I hope it was not true, we have to face the facts, Shimon. Seti fits the description too well. He is also my cousin on my father's side. He is also of royal blood. If it was not for me and Teremun, Seti would rule instead. Seti has been very distant as of late. It is true that he has always been an insufferable man but this restlessness that I sense within him cannot be a good thing."

"We do not have enough proof." Shimon furrowed his eyebrows in concentration. "Even Maat [3] needs proof of one's guilt."

"It is a pity that the Millennium Items cannot affect each other as they affect others. We shall have to keep a close eye on Seti. I only hope this is not true."

"How would you think to watch him? We cannot allow Seti to discover we suspect him. The results would be disastrous in spite of his allegiance."

Merysi smirked. Shimon rarely saw that expression except during the Games. "That boy that helped save my son, Seti actually acknowledged him. We can use him."

"Will he be willing to be a spy? Can he be trusted?"

"Shadii shall inform us as to that. I shall visit him in the morning. We have no other choice, Shimon. I wish there was some other way but the kingdom is in jeopardy."

Shimon bowed his head in respect before quietly backing out of the room. Merysi rested his hand on the Millennium Puzzle.

"You have always caused so much trouble for me. What have you brought to my threshold this time?"

He felt silly asking an inanimate object. It was a question he needed to ask but had no one to ask of.

~~~

When Jounouchi awoke, the stone ceiling was dark overhead. The moon had already risen well over the horizon from what he could see in his position on the bed. The room was cast in shadows. He lay still and stared at the ceiling. It wasn't just a bad dream.

"You are awake."

The room suddenly became lit when fire sprang to life on the torches lining the wall. He hadn't noticed the woman seated by the window earlier. She had blended too well with the shadows. She rose to her feet and approached the foot of the bed.

"I…understood you…"

Jounouchi was even more surprised by the foreign words that tumbled off his tongue. He clasped a hand over his mouth before trying again. "I can speak…"

The woman smiled kindly upon him. "Yes, I see that the spell has worked."

"Sugoi! I know ancient Egyptian!" Jounouchi then frowned after hearing his words. Part of his sentence had been in Japanese.

"Language spells do not impart knowledge of a language. Rather they help you to relate words of one language to its equivalent in another through a bridge. Rehema is your bridge."

Jounouchi furrowed his brow. "I still don't get it."

"Rehema knows both Hebrew and the tongue of Kemet. Through her, you are able to find links between Hebrew and our language. Words that do not exist in Kemet are expressed through your native one. It is to help facilitate your learning of our language."

"I think I understand now…"

The woman sat at the edge of his bed. He found it impossible to look away from her. While she could have been considered quite beautiful with silken black hair and expressive dark eyes, she was not truly captivating in that manner. His gaze lowered to her neck where a golden necklace with the same eye symbol rested against her throat.

"Forgive me but my presence is inevitably entrancing. Power is naturally drawn toward power. I am here to explain why you are here, Jounouchi Katsuya."

His head shot up from his analysis of the bed sheets. "Who are you? How did you know my name?"

She gave him a knowing smile and he finally noticed the steady power that shone in her eyes. She couldn't possibly be human…

"Oh, the High Priestess Isis is very much human but I, her patron goddess, am not. She is a loyal and willing Vessel. This was the only way I could communicate with you."

"What?"

"I am the goddess Isis and I am the one that brought you here."

Jounouchi's mouth opened and closed but he was still unable to voice his shock. An ancient Egyptian goddess had dragged him thousands of years into the past… No, it couldn't be true!

"I know you do not really believe me, Katsuya, but it is true. You will return to the year 1997 when your task is done here. You will return to no more than a day after you disappeared from that Time."

This…goddess…knew exactly what year he was from. "Why? How?"

The goddess looked slightly ashamed. "We made a mistake. You were supposed to be born first in this Time and then reincarnated with the others later on. Time passes differently for us gods. We are outside the continuum so we lose track easily. We were not watching you very carefully. You came into existence almost three thousands years after you were supposed to. It just made a mess of everything. The only way to correct and salvage what we could was to send you back in Time, to when you should have existed."

"Why am I so important?"

"Katsuya, you are a link in the chain. Each link is just as important as the next. Without one link, the whole chain fails. Forgive us, this would not have to happen if we had not lost track."

"What am I supposed to do here then?"

"Nothing. You are simply here to observe, Katsuya. Nothing more. You will not and cannot change anything that happens here. It is what you will carry back to the future that matters. That is all I can tell you. Oh, and Katsuya, don't tell anyone your real name. Tell them your name is Jabari, anything. Do not allow them to find out who you really are until the last moment possible. You will make many enemies here and Ankhmose is just the first of them. You must not allow them to have any leverage against you. You will know when the Time has come for you to return."

Jounouchi scrambled across the bed to Isis. He feared the goddess would leave her Vessel soon. He needed his questions answered, all of them. "Wait, how will I know? How long will this take?"

She laid a cool hand on his cheek. "You will know, child. I only fear that you may not want to leave when the Time comes but you must leave. Remember that. You do not belong in this Time." She tapped the ring on his finger. "This is your way home. There is a clue written in the hieroglyphics on the band. Guard it with your life."

Jounouchi glared down at the ring. "I should have known it was you." He looked back at the goddess. "But why wouldn't I want to leave? What do the hieroglyphics say?"

"My Time is up, child. Take care and you have my blessing." She leaned forward and kissed his forehead. He felt a strange warmth rush through his blood. "I am the Catalyst for whom the hands of Time stop."

She stood. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Katsuya."

Jounouchi knew the goddess had already left her Vessel. This was the human priestess speaking to him. Power did not ooze from every pore of her being and her every word like the goddess.

"Come see me if you should ever require aid. My patron demands that you are well taken care of."

Jounouchi flopped back onto his bed. He listened to the door close behind Isis and then there was only the silence to accompany him… It was one of the heart wrenching sort…

*To Be Continued*

[1] Disposable cameras have capacitors that store large amounts of power for the flash. That is why if you want to use the flash on disposable cameras, you have to wait for the flash to charge. Capacitors are also the reason why you are told to never take apart disposable cameras on your own. My illustrious physics teachers wanted to show one to us and took apart a camera. He nearly shocked himself when he poked the capacitor with a mechanical pencil. Since Ankhmose (Thief Bakura) sliced the camera while the capacitor was charging, it discharged a brighter flash then usual and a power discharge.

[2] Queen Jamila is Phoenician. The Sea People refers specifically to those settled in Lebanon. Carthage was not founded until around 814 BC, about 400 years after the time period of this story. Jamila is the youngest princess of the king of Tyre on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

[3] Maat is the goddess of truths.

Chapter 3 - Blue and Red Eyes
Jounouchi knew it was one of those days to stay in bed. No good could possibly come after everything that had happened. He is first accosted by Seti and then the Pharaoh offers him a proposition that he has no choice but to take. He puzzles over the startling developments in his life in the company of Teremun, Seti, and the priest's slave. Yet another new arrival with amazing power comes onto the scene. The power behind Ankhmose is watching and planning its next move carefully.

All the hints have been dropped. Most of the characters do have reincarnation counterparts later in Time. Feel free to guess any of them. If you're wondering what the hieroglyphics on either of Jounouchi's or Seti's ring says, they were both mentioned in the chapter. Big hints as to what will happen there.

Okay, so why Merysi and Seti? I did use Atemu as one of Merysi's five names but I think Merysi fits his character better in this story. I just like Seti better. I don't like naming characters after gods. Isis is an exception, seeing as she is a Vessel for the goddess.

More name meanings and history of Egypt and Phoenicia have been added to the Notes page.

CC questions:
1. How important is historical accuracies in your enjoyment of this story? Does it detract from the story in any way?
2. Thoughts on the characterization. Any signs of OOC?
3. Additional thoughts/rants/flames (the last will be disregarded anyway but take your best shot).

Thanks ahead of time for all reviews!