Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ The Shadow of the Past; The Light of the Future ❯ Duel Practice ( Chapter 15 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Hey everyone! Sorry it took me forever, again, to get this up.

Atem: School is tough for you, don't worry about it.

*sighs* I know, but it's not fair!

Atem: Talk…

I have to pass at least two tests! Chemistry, which I can get if I study hard enough, and Algebra 2, which is impossible! *cries* I'm a hopeless cause.

Bakura: Suck it up and go to that damn tutoring thing! I've seen the problems you have, and they look like a pain in the ass!

You have no idea!

Yugi: Well, at least you have lots of free time on the weekends…

That's true…

Atem: Just start the next chapter… that will cheer you up a little.

… I better get a lot of good reviews to lighten my mood.

Guys: *sigh* …

*looks at one review* Hey! Didn't you read the last few sentences? Here: “. I looked at each one… and each one was exactly what my visions showed.” That's what's on the slabs!

“Talking”

`Thinking'

~Place/Time~

-??? POV-

`la la la' - song(s)

^Flashback^

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SEARCHING FOR NEW WORLD hito wa mina

Afureru yume o tsukamu tame

Suiheisen tobikoeta

Sonosaki nani ga aroutomo

Bokutachi wa hasshite kita

Kibou ni tobikomi Yuuki dake wasure

Hitonami ni nagasarete

Taisetsu na mono nakushita

Hai! Hai!

Boku wa yuganda kao de warau

Sore ga ima na seiipai no egao data

Kamen no naka nameda de afure

Fuyaketa kamen no mata ue ni

Kamen kabute kakushita

Heitan na senhou aruki tsuzukeru

WAAPU de kizuni mogaite Yeah!

Yume wa ima tooi misaki ni

Zutto shizuka ni tatazundeiru

Bukiyouna tesaguri demo

Kitto tadori tsukeru darou

Hai! Hai!

Boku wa itsumo shisen o sorasu

Mienai kokoro ga nigeiyouto

Temane kishita

Sore demo yoru wa hoshi o miake

Bouenkyou no zoite boku no

Ibasho itsumo sagashiteta

Heikou na senjou susumi tsuzukeru

Kare nai hanuni girishime Yeah!

Boku wa ima tooi misaki ni

Suko shizutsu chikazuiteiru

Yuki saki o miushi na demo

Kitto namiga oshite kureru kara

SEARCHING FOR NEW WORLD tamerai mo

Tomadoi mo shiiteita darou

Tachi agari fumi da saneba

Tsukamenai tada ka gaaru

SEARCHING FOR NEW WORLD hito wa mina

Afureru yume o tsukamu tame

Suiheisen tobikoeta

Kibouhou o mezashite

Hai! Hai!

Ch.15: Duel Practice

It has been three days after Bakura's attack on the palace. The former Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen's body was once more interred in the Valley of the Kings. And at the east of the palace, in the arena of the magic-users, to counter the threat of Bakura's Diabound, the priests were fighting mock battles to strengthen their monsters… and themselves!

Heba walked down the hall that leads to the arena by the Pharaoh's invitation. Yesterday, when she woke up after two hours of rest, she walked towards her closet and started to make an outfit from the pile. The Pharaoh came by to see if she was well and she assured him that she was fine. The Pharaoh was the one to ask her if she was interested in watching a ka battle. He explained how it worked and she agreed.

So, here she was in her new dress that was a very rare cotton with silver thread. How the seamstresses got this material was far from her knowledge. She wore a non-sleeve and neck top; only the chest area was covered, wrapped around her and the skirt flowed down to almost to the ground but covered the site of her feet. She wore the usual silver jewelry; placing a bracelet on and sliding the armlets to the mid-part of her upper arm, placing a small collar around her neck as well as sliding two rings on her fingers and clipping her earrings. She found a transparent veil that was twice as long as she was, but she put it to good use by wrapping is loosely around her neck, put the ends through the armlets giving it sort of a `flowy' look. She then wrapped a silver waist belt before putting that most important item, her lotus necklace; the only thing that rightfully belongs to her.

She entered the room just as Siamun started to explain the rules.

“Are you ready? For this duel, the priests will split into two teams of three! Each team will have three stones!”

The young ruler looked on silently on his throne when she walked up to the side, which made him look and blush and quickly look away.

“You may summon one monster each.” Siamun continued. “You may use the sealing stones to call monsters from the shrine, or use the spirits of your own ka. The team that defeats all of the opponents' monsters wins!” He said the last sentence excitedly.

“DIAHA!” The priests called.

One team had Akhenaden, Seth, and Shada while the other team held Mahado, Isis, and Kalim.

“Let's go!” Seth started off. “Duos, my spirit ka! Mirror of my soul! I summon you!” A huge man-like monster appeared.

“Monster ka sealed in the stone slab…” Shada called. “Zerua, come forth!” A monster with a human body, with the exception of the bird-like claws on its hands and feet, and a wild hawk-like bird for a head.

“Magus of Illusion!!” Mahado called as his ka came up.

“Holy Emanation Spiria!” Isis called out as her ka, a female-like monster with feathered wings, came out as well.

When the summoning was done for now, Siamun started to talk. “Mahado's team has two personal spirits… not one of their three stone slabs has been released. If I know Kalim, he must have a trap monster hiding in one of them!”

Heba watched in surprised interest.

“Even in a training battle…” Seth said. “I'll destroy anyone who stands against me! Duos! Attack the enemy!” He pointed to Mahado's ka.

“Have you forgotten the power of the magus, Seth?!” Mahado said as Seth looked alarmed. “Spell-binding Phantasm!” The mage monster looked like it was powering up.

“It's not that easy, Mahado!!” Seth called.

“I choose this moment to summon a ka!” Akhenaden said, as a stone slab came up. “Dark Ushebti!!”

`No!' Mahado thought. `It'll take Duos' place!' The spell attack went to the Dark Ushebti instead of its intended opponent.

“The ushebti are sacrificial substitutes!” Seth explained. “And so the Dark Ushebti absorbs the spell intended for my ka! And now I can continue my attack!” Duos came charging up once again.

“I won't let that happen.” Isis said. “Take this Seth! Spiria's special power… the Rainbow Barrier!” Her ka went in-between the two monsters and let out a rainbow-like shield.

“What?!” Seth said. “A shielding wall! I can't get to them!”

“Ho, ho…” Siamun said. “Mahado's side has good teamwork. Every time Seth tries to crush them with raw strength, they use their special abilities to turn him aside.”

Heba nodded. “I really like that idea, working together.” She said. “Almost feels familiar…” She looked lost in her own mind for a moment.

Atem looked at her for a moment before looking back at the battle.

“I'll handle this Seth!” Shada said. “Zerua, use your power! Dispel Magic!” His monster gathered some energy and threw it towards the barrier.

`No!' Isis thought. `He canceled my spell!'

“The Rainbow Barrier is destroyed!” Shada said.

“I've been waiting for this!” Kalim said. “Trap Monster!” The stone slab raised and a huge spider appeared. “Desert Trap-Door Spider!” The monster attacked by spewing webs out of its mouth, causing to trap Zerua.

“He caught in the spider's web!” Shada said.

“Priest Shada…” Seth said. “Thank you for destroying the Rainbow Barrier. Now let my return the favor…” As soon as he said this, his monster attacked and destroyed Zerua.

“What?!” Shada said, completely shocked.

“What?!” Mahado said, equally surprised. “He attacked his own team's monster?!”

Seth slightly chuckled. “Each time Duos sacrifices one of his allies, his power doubles!” He explained. “I'll destroy the Dark Ushebti as well…” His monster cut the said monster in half. “To triple Dous's attack power!!” Dous seemed to grow with more power. “I'll take care of all of your spirits at once!” The other three looked alarmed as he called out his attack. “Dous Aura Sword!!” The monster's sword grew and became fiery. “Aura Crush!!” Dous attacked all three monsters at once and were all destroyed, leaving Mahado's team slightly groaning from the pain they had endured.

“Very well, that's enough, Seth!!” Siamun said. “You win.”

Seth looked over at the other team. “Priest Mahado! What kind of spirit is that to protect the pharaoh's tomb?! That was pathetic! You need to strengthen your ba!”

Heba clenched her small hands to a fist and they started to shake. `You won! Isn't that enough?!' She thought.

“Priest Seth.” Kalim said. “I admit that we lost… but… what value is there in winning if it means sacrificing your own allies?!”

“War isn't won by the number of soldiers or the number of words.” Seth said. “I'll listen to you after you become a more worthwhile opponent.”

Heba watched and heard this and had thought it might be true, but some part tells her that this is not now it's suppose to work.

The young ruler saw the confusion and hurt expression on her face and had an idea. “Priest Seth!” He called.

“My lord?” Seth said.

“A battle strategy that relies on strength sometimes reveals unforeseen weakness…”

Heba blinked in confusion. `Really?' She thought.

“Is that so…?” Seth said. “True power would never mean hurting your allies… your friends.” The Pharaoh continued, making the young girl look at him in both surprise and a spark to believe in what he said.

“Really.” Seth said. “Then what is power? It may be presumptuous of me, but I would appreciate instruction from the Great Pharaoh! Would it be possible to duel right here and now?”

“Seth!” Siamun exclaimed. “You insult the Pharaoh!”

Atem got up from his seat. “Very well!” He said calmly.

“Great Pharaoh!” Siamun said.

“Atem?” Heba quietly said, which made him look over and winked at her.

When the two of them were on the arena platform floor, and everyone gathered around, the young ruler spoke. “All right! Let's do it Seth!”

“By all means…” Seth said. “I shall enjoy seeing the power of the Gods…”

“I won't summon one of the Gods.” The young king said, making his opponent looked shocked.

`Gods? What do they mean?' Heba thought as a small flash came but quickly gone. `A memory?'

“One stone tablet is all I need.” Atem said as the stone slab rose up.

“No God?” Seth said. “But my spirit beast Duos… Are you sure?”

“You don't need to hold back, Seth.”

“Oh I don't? Well then…”

“DIAHA!” They both called out.

“I summon Duos!” The monster appeared once more.

“Great Pharaoh!” Everyone, but Heba, called, completely worried about their king.

“This is the ka I choose!” The Pharaoh said when the stone started to carve the appearance of the monster.

“Ahh… A monster is appearing on the stone slab!” Isis said.

The monster that appeared in the stone slab was a Kuriboh.

“What?!” Kalim said.

“That little thing?” Mahado said.

Seth was equally surprised and confused by this monster choice. `Is he making fun of me?!' He thought. `Then by my power, I'll crush that slab before that ka can even be summoned!!' He then called the attack. “Aura Crush!!” His Duos destroyed the slab into pieces. `I did it!!' He thought.

“You think so…?” The Pharaoh said with a knowing smirk.

`Wha-?!' Seth thought as he looked at the pieces. `A monster is appearing on each fragment of the shattered slab!' Soon enough each piece, big or small, has the carved picture of Kuriboh on it.

“This ka has a special power.” The young king explained. “When its sealing slab is broken, it multiplies.” He placed his hands on his hips and smirked. “If you attack without thinking, you lose! I summon the monsters now!” As soon as he said that, nearly hundreds of cute, furry monsters popped out of the stone pieces and gathered around Dous's sword.

“What?!” Seth said as he thought. `I can't use my sword!'

“See!” The Pharaoh said. “Power is a fragile thing.”

Seth looked completely shocked at the sudden defeat.

“The victor! Pharaoh Atem!” Heba said cheerfully, making everyone look at her and the young king smile.

“I hope you learned something from this!” He said, slightly teasing.

Heba nodded. “In fact, I think I've seen that move somewhere before.”

He blinked. “Really now?”

She looked thoughtful for a minute then her eyes lit up. “Uh huh! I've seen it before, but the monster was different but was just as strong as Duos! And I remember that it was a tough duel too!”

“You have duel monsters where you're from?” The Pharaoh asked, making her nod in response.

“Seems so! Since I remember seeing different kinds of monsters.”

Everyone, except the Pharaoh, seemed a bit confused and, to Seth's opinion, a bit worried.

Atem, on the other hand, liked the idea that there was someplace besides Egypt that has the same game. “Do you remember how you play your version, or is it a bit much to remember?” He asked when he went up to her.

“Hmm…” She looked thoughtful for a moment while the priests talked quietly among themselves.

“There's another country that plays this game?” Shada whispered.

“It's a good lead to where she might've come from.” Kalim said.

“It may be, but that would mean that this place could start a war against us.” Seth said.

“How can you be sure?” Isis said sharply, as if he said something insulting.

“Well, Isis, how about you tell us her future?” Seth snapped.

“… I can't…” She said.

“What do you mean?” Siamun asked.

“Ever since she awaken from that night, I couldn't recall her past or future, therefore, I can't figure out where she came from or how is her staying here is affecting us.”

“So she's someone to question?” Seth asked.

“No, the reason Seth, is that she has not done any harm for any purpose.” Isis said.

“We'll just have to wait and see how it will turn out then.” Mahado said, agreeing with her, along with Kalim, Shada, and Siamun.

Secretly, the five have grown to like the young girl and treat her with almost the same respect as they would for the Pharaoh. Seth on the other hand was a bit more suspicious. Akhenaden though, was caught in-between. He admired her for her strength and hidden courage she showed the first night she arrived, but he was also weary of the idea that she might be an enemy from some foreign land.

While the priests had their discussion, Atem listened interestedly to Heba as she explained the difference between his way of dueling to hers. “Cards?”

She nodded. “The rules are that you need about forty cards in a deck containing monsters, magic, and traps.”

“Sounds simple enough.”

“Better than dragging a huge stone around.” They both laughed.

“Very true! So tell me, what are the stakes normally?”

She thought for a moment. “Normally it would be the opponents strongest or the most favored card.”

“Normally?”

“Well, it's just a feeling, but when I see a duel, the stakes are usually from giving back a person's freedom or stop some lunatic from conquering the world.”

He just stared at her. `She's been though a lot before coming here.' He thought. “You must be pretty strong to do all that.”

“Oh no! I couldn't do that! I'm not that strong!”

He smiled. “Then who was it, if not you?”

She thought for another moment. “My friends…” She looked up and had a small smile. “I could barely see their faces, but I know their voices by heart.”

“I hope you remember soon, it sounds like you got much to tell.”

She giggled. “It seems so. Well, I better find Mana, we're suppose to practice our heka for a bit.”

“Aren't you passed that level?”

“I still need to maintain my magic, otherwise…” She remembered what happened before.

He noticed the look and gently grabbed her hand. “Do not trouble yourself from that mistake and think about now.” He said as he kissed her hand. “And besides, I think your heka is just fine as it is. Free and untamed, like the wind.”

She blushed and smiled before bending down and pecked his cheek. “Thank you.” She said happily. “See you later then!” she waved then ran towards the door.

“Uh… Heba?!” He called, making her stop.

“Yes?” She said when she turned to face him.

“Uh… um… You look beautiful today!” He said nervously, which was rare for him.

She blinked a couple times before smiling. “Thank you. You don't look bad yourself!” She said as she waved and went out the door.

Atem stared at the door for a moment before he sighed and turned to look at the priests and his vizier, who were giving him strange looks. “What?”

Siamun smiled. “Well I for one am glad you found an interest besides games.”

Atem thought about this before blushing. “It's not what you think!” He said.

“Oh, then what is it then?” Siamun asked with a knowing look.

“It's just… uh…”

Mahado shook his head. “My king, we have all seen what happened between you two.”

“What ever do you mean?” Atem said crossing his arms and a slight pout look.

“Yesterday she gave you a kiss before starting her lessons. And today you returned that by kissing her hand.”

Siamun cut in. “And you did commented on how beautiful she looked.” He smiled. “Sounds like an innocent crush.”

The Pharaoh became red to the face. “Can we drop this!” He got up and walked towards the doors. “Let us continue with our duties in the throne room!”

“Don't you think that was risky to put the king on the spot?” Shada asked.

Siamun shrugged. “If it were, he would've done something.”

The priests sweat dropped and sighed.

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Feeling sad and lonely

Cause I can't find you

Call your telephone

Ad there's never no answer

Said you love me

Kissed me

We were in heaven

Said I'm sorry

Love you, want you forever

Every night I look at the sky

Call your name

And wonder where you are

Every night I look at the sky

Baby, miss you

Won't you come back