Joey and Kira walked side by side to school, enjoying the beautiful morning. Kira was dreading the school day, frowning at how mad the Headmaster of the school would be since she missed school for a month.
"What's on your mind, Kira?" Joey asked finally. "You've barely said a word since we left the hospital yesterday."
"I am just worried," Kira admitted to him.
"About what?"
"About many things but mostly about Yugi and Yami." Kira sighed. "Knowing what I know now, I fear for them."
"By the way..." Joey hesitated. "Where have you been for the past month? We were all worried about you."
"Well..." Kira sighed. "I kind of ran off to Egypt."
"Egypt?" Joey repeated, wide-eyed. "Why'd you do that?"
"Well, Egypt seemed to have all the answers. I know a guy there," she explained. "However, he didn't have all the answers I was looking for."
"Oh." The blond blinked in confusion. "Well, we all missed you, Kira."
She smiled. "I missed you too."
They quieted as they finally reached the school and entered for the day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kira gasped in relief as the school day ended and put everything in her backpack. Quickly she stood up and made for the hallways, wanting to speak to Yugi on the walk home from school. She had missed him terribly and they had not spoken since the hospital.
But as she came around the corner she saw him talking to Téa by the doors to the school, standing under the roof to avoid the rain. Kira ducked back around the corner, not wanting to interrupt their conversation. She sighed as Yugi suddenly ran out into the rain, calling behind him how he would meet Téa tomorrow for something.
With a frown, Kira walked the opposite direction feeling slightly crestfallen. Yugi had made no attempts to talk with her, or speak with her in her mind for that matter. Was he mad at her for leaving or did he have a lot on his mind? Did he not feel anything for her any longer? He had with no doubt changed since the Duelist Kingdom tournament.
Kira regretted leaving in the first place. Just as she was beginning to leave the school, a voice sounded in her head.
'Kira Ellen.'
She froze in her step, looking around her. Since she had left, other voices had been sounding in her head, many of them dark and sinister. But this one sounded friendly, almost curious.
'Who are you?' Kira asked, looking around for anything out of the ordinary. Everyone around her seemed preoccupied in their own conversations.
'Meet with me tomorrow. At the Egyptian History Museum. I have much to tell you.' The female voice told her before disappearing into silence.
Kira narrowed her eyes and swallowed. If Yugi was hanging out with Téa tomorrow then he would be okay without her guidance for a day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next day, as planned, Kira walked into the Egyptian History Museum. A long-sleeved dark blue jacket glided lightly behind her as she entered the familiar space, matching with her black pants and lacey white shirt. Before traveling to Egypt, she had come to this place first in search of answers. Nothing here had been helpful.
She nervously thumbed her deck in her hand as she walked through the Museum.
'This way!' the voice called, coming from a staircase in the corner.
Kira turned to it before carefully making her way to the steps. One by one, she stepped down, braced for anything that might jump out at her. Instead, a beautiful woman waited at the bottom, her dark hair decorated with gold accents and a golden necklace shimmering around her neck.
The Millineum Necklace.
"Hello," Kira greeted, dipping her head at the lady who seemed peaceful.
"Your highness," the woman replied, suddenly bowing to her. "I am honored to be in your presence."
Kira nodded, stepping closer. "You seem to know who I am. Who are you?"
"I am called Ishizu, my lady," the woman told her with a smile as she blinked blue eyes. "I am humbled by your power, Lady of the Light."
"Should I be threatened by yours, holder of the Millineum Necklace?" Kira countered, eyeing the piece around the woman's neck.
Ishizu shook her head. "I am no threat to you or your company, your highness."
Kira narrowed her eyes. "My company?"
"Why, the pharaoh and your friends, my lady."
"I assume by the pharaoh, you mean Yami," Kira said. "You've been watching us."
"I have, like everyone else interested in our affairs, Kira Ellen." Ishizu nodded. "Shadi told me of your visit to Egypt."
"You know Shadi?"
"Yes, and I am sorry to have missed you during your journey to my home. I was conducting some business shortly before your arrival."
Kira nodded. "Well, we are meeting now. Why have you brought me here?"
"To talk with you and the great phraoh, of course."
"Well Yami or Yugi isn't here so..."
"But he will be, soon." Ishizu smiled knowingly. "We will wait for him."
Kira looked back down at the necklace. "What just does your Millineum Item do, Ishizu?"
"Why don't I show you?"
Suddenly Kira was thrown into another time, sending her gasping as the walls of an ancient building surrounded her.
'Where am I?' Kira asked her, looking around to find the woman gone. 'When am I?'
"This is wonderful!" a voice closeby said loudly.
Kira ducked beside a railing nearby, peering out over the top to realize she was on a balcony overlooking a lower floor. Below her were the Millineum Items, all placed on the outline of a sarcophagus and shining in the light. With his back to her was a man and next to him was a woman.
"I made them myself with the blessings and power from my mother," she said. "How do you like them?"
"Extraordinary," the man said, sounding happy. "Just as I imagined."
"Perfect," said the woman. "Only powerful bearers of magic can control these items. They must be used carefully and smartly."
"I promise to do so," the man told her with a smile. "Thank you, Keerah."
The woman turned and suddenly Kira realized that girl looked exactly like her. "Of course, my pharaoh. I created the Millineum Puzzle just for you."
"Atem will be excited to know you have completed your mission," the man said with a smile. "Visit us later tonight and we shall celebrate."
Kira gasped as she was thrown back to the present. "Whoa! What was that?"
"That was the past," Ishizu told her. "I showed you the past."
"Was that woman me?" Kira exclaimed and the woman across from her nodded. "Did I create the Millineum Items?"
"In your past life, you did," Ishizu said with a small smile. "How else could I speak to you in your head? How else could you have a relationship with the pharaoh as you do?"
"So I am connected to all of those items?" Kira pointed at her necklace.
"Your light is in all of them. Thus you are connected to each item. You are their creator...."
Kira shook her head. "But how could this be? I don't... I haven't..."
"Light magic is very powerful. Almost as powerful as life itself," Ishizu told her with a smile. "Wait here for a moment." The woman turned to go back up the stairs, leaving Kira alone to her thoughts. Kira stared at an old form of hieroglyphics on the wall, the pieces reminding her of what she and Yugi saw in Yami's mind while they were with Shadi.
"Check it out!" a new and familiar voice sounded behind her.
Kira spun around to see Téa and Yami standing at the bottom of the staircase behind her.
"Kira?" Yami asked in surprise.
"Yami? Téa?" Kira blinked, looking between the two. "What are you doing here? Are you two uh...." Kira noticed how they both were dressed differently than their normal attire. "Are you on a date?"
"A date?" Yami repeated, clearly not knowing the term.
'No! Kira!' Yugi's voice cried in her head and she sighed in relief at hearing it. 'We aren't on a date! I mean they aren't on a date... I mean....'
"No!" Téa quickly told her with an awkward smile. "I'm just helping Yami out with some stuff."
Kira narrowed her eyes slightly at Yami. "I've never seen you in this form outside of the dueling arena."
Yami nodded, slightly smirking. "I just noticed the same thing. This is nice..."
Kira's cheeks reddened and she turned her back on them. "What brings you down here anyways?"
"We are looking for answers about Yami's past," Téa told her and then looked up at the hieroglyphics Kira was staring at. "And I think we just found some of them!" The stone held two carved figures, one resembling Yami and Yugi. Kira closed her eyes as her friend continued. "That guy looks just like you! Is this thing for real? It's freaking me out!"
"It's real," Kira told her and side glanced at Yami. "And yes that is you Yami, playing an ancient form of Duel Monsters, a long time ago..."
"How do you know this?" Yami asked. "I know that you are right, somehow, but it seems as if you are certain."
"During my time away, I tried to learn as much as I could about you, about the Millineum Items, and about the dangers wanting to hurt you. Although I didn't find out all I wanted to know, I did learn more than I needed," Kira explained, turning to him. "You have a very important destiny. We all do."
"My Pharaoh, I've been expecting you." It seemed that Ishizu returned from her absence, smiling at Kira as they all turned around to face her. "Now that you both are here, we can begin."
"Who are you?" Yami asked her curiously.
"I am Ishizu, and I have uncovered many mysteries about you and these ancient carvings using the magic of my Millennium Necklace," she told him.
Yami nodded in amazement. "Another Millineum Item."
"Like your Millennium Puzzle, this necklace affords me certain powers. With it, I have gazed five thousand years into the past to a time when evil sorcerers had threatened to destroy the entire world. However, there was one king who possessed a magic powerful enough to stop this evil threat with the help of an almighty power from the gods."
"And who was this king?" Yami questioned as if he knew the answer.
"The pharaoh who saved the world was you, Yami," Ishizu told him before looking to Kira. "And by your side stood the Lady of the Light, a tamer of light magic strong enough to create and bond with the Millenium Items." Kira looked down as Yami's stare went to her. Ishizu continued. "And now the time has come for you to rescue mankind once again."
"To rescue mankind from what?" Yami asked. "How do you know the world is in danger of being destroyed again?"
"My Millennium Necklace also shows me visions of the future." Ishizu paused and close her eyes, clutching her chest sadly. "Oh, my pharaoh. The events of the past will occur once again, and that same great evil will return to threaten us."
"So how do we stop it?" Kira asked her, once again facing the stone tablets.
"Together," she replied. "As you both did before a long time ago."
"Yes but how?" Kira repeated.
"Yes, and how will we recognize this evil?" Yami added.
"I know that your memory has faded, my pharaoh and that you seek many answers." Her reply seemed to speak to Yami. "I also know a duel monsters tournament is beginning. If you win it, you will find your answers." She met Kira's gaze before turning to leave. "Including yours, my lady." No one said anything as she paused at the staircase. "When you return home, you'll discover an invitation waiting for both of you. Farewell, King Yami. High Praise, Lady Kira." Then she was gone.
Téa was still with shock. "Wow you were this powerful Egyptian King who saved the world five thousand years ago. And Kira, you created the Millineum Items?"
Kira shook her head. "No, not me. As Ishizu said to me earlier, it was a past version of myself." She closed her eyes. "The Lady of the Light is a being, not a spirit. Throughout time, I have somehow become her." She looked up to meet their stares. "I know little about myself, but I do know that I can help stop dark magic that is coming our way. Of that, I am sure." Kira looked back at the tablet, staring at the opponent in the engraving facing the pharaoh image. "Even if it means helping you take down someone I care about."
Téa followed her gaze. "Is that Kaiba?"
"It is!" Yami exclaimed.
"But wait..." Téa looked between Yami and Kira. "That would mean that he was the ancient evil sorcerer."
'Could it be that I'm supposed to face Kaiba in order to save the world again?' Yugi asked as Yami gripped the Millenium Puzzle. 'Kira, would you be able to handle fighting against someone you've known your whole life?'
'I have to be Yugi.' She sadly thought. 'The world depends on it.'
'There's only one way to find out. I've got to win that tournament!' Yugi agreed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kira, Téa, and Yami walked out into the city after reading the invitation Yugi had received when they returned from the Museum.
"The invitation said the tournament would be announced tonight," Téa commented as she noticed the crowd beginning to grow in the streets. Kira eyed the duelers uncertaintly. "Ishizu was right."
"I don't know if everything she said is true, but I do know this," Yami said. "I must enter and win the tournament in order to fulfill my destiny."
Kira sighed. "Something about the way Ishizu suggested we attend this tournament doesn't sit right with me. Maybe I'm just being paranoid."
"Just promise me you'll be careful Yami, 'cause I'm sure there's still danger ahead," Téa told him. "You and Kira really should stick together. If what Ishizu said is true then you need to be there for one another."
"Yes," Yami agreed. "Whoever is after the Millennium Puzzle is still out there. But you must trust me, Téa. This deck has never let me down before. As long as Yugi and I stay connected to one another, and Kira protects the Millennium Puzzle from darkness, I'm confident we can use this deck to win this tournament, unlock the mystery of my ancient past, and realize our destiny."
Kira smiled as Téa said, "And you can count on my help."
Suddenly a laughing sounded in Kira's head and she winced, looking around accusingly. Yami also stiffened beside her.
'Did you hear that?' Yugi asked her.
'Yeah and unfortunately it's nothing good...' Kira frowned.
Yami scanned the area cautiously as Téa asked them, "Hey what's the matter? Is everything okay? You two look like you've seen a ghost."
Yami turned to her and nodded. "Yes. Téa, it was nothing."
Kira smiled sadly. "Yeah, just my paranoia again."
"Hey, Yugi!" The shout caused Kira to jump in fright. "There you are. Oh and Kira too!"
"Oh my, it's Mai," Kira said, sighing in relief that it wasn't an attacker as the blonde raced over to them.
Téa groaned, her shoulders dropping. "Oh joy."
Mai smiled. "I know you guys missed me."
Téa faked smiled back. "It's a shame we don't hang out more often."
"Yes, it is, isn't it?" Mai put her hand on Téa's shoulder before pulling her into a crushing side hug. "You're looking snazzy, Téa." The blonde looked at Kira. "And so do you, beauty Kira! That new outfit totally compliments you. Every boy three miles from here will be drawn to you like a moth to a flame! And now that you are officially broken up with Kaiba, you can have any guy you so choose! Ah, you're so lucky!" She paused as she noticed Kira's blushing face and Yami's stare at the ground. "Unless you have finally come to your senses and have chosen to be Yugi's girlfriend."
Yami deadpanned. "I assume you are here to enter the tournament."
"But of course." Mai let Téa go. "I presume you and Kira got an invitation also."
"Yes, we did, but it didn't say who it was from," Yami answered for them. "Do you know who is hosting this tournament?"
Mai crossed her arms. "I have no idea. It's a mystery. Nobody seems to know. Everyone I spoke to got an anonymous invitation. But there is a buzz going around that it's someone with a ton of cash and an obnoxious attitude."
"Aw," Kira winced. "You can't mean... oh, it's Kaiba..."
"Uh!" Yami looked at Kira. "That must be why Ishizu told me to enter. If the events of the past are to happen again, I must face Kaiba in this tournament."
"What are you two mumbling about?" Mai asked.
Kira sighed. 'This is what the telepathy is for.'
Yugi almost seemed to laugh. 'You are right.'
"Anyway no one knows for sure who it is that's throwing this thing," Mai said.
'It's Kaiba...' Kira thought and looked up at the sky. 'I know it is.'
Yami nodded, at her thoughts and Mai's statement. "I suppose we'll find out soon."
Kira looked around her. "At least we know for sure that it isn't Pegasus."
Yami nudged her, also scanning the area. "Speaking of, this is beginning to look like Duelist Kingdom all over again."
Mai nodded. "There are certainly a lot of familiar faces in this crowd."
Kira flinched as other duelists pointed their direction and whispered their names. Her shoulder's sagged as two, in particular, seemed to be noticing their arrival. "Oh no, not him again."
Everyone followed Kira's gaze and Téa groaned, "Uh, that's Weevil Underwood and Rex Raptor."
The two boys mischievously stood side by side, admiring them from across the street. Kira frowned as Rex gave her a wink and Yami glared in his direction. To intimidate him, Yami grabbed her hand and shielded her from his view.
'Don't worry, Kira!' Yugi urged. 'That creep won't get anywhere near you.'
Kira smiled at Yami. 'Thanks.'
Mai nodded towards a green-haired boy close by. "And over there's Espa Roba. They say he uses psychic powers to duel."
Téa pointed at another familiar face sitting nearby and eating a fish. "And Mako's here too!"
"If what Mai said earlier is correct, then this tournament is going to have a new wrinkle," Yami pointed out with narrowed eyes.
The screen in front of them suddenly flashed on, displaying a face Kira knew all too well as she said, "And there he is now."
Kaiba.
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I do not own "Yu-Gi-Oh" or its characters and plot. I am simply adding to the original story with new characters and a few alterations. This a work of fan fiction.
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