Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Family Bonds ❯ Chapter 10: Chaotic Christmas ( Chapter 10 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Sailor Mini Venus 
Anime/Manga: Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Comedy | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 08.28.2006 | Updated On: 11.01.2006 | Pages: 4 | Words: 3.2K | Visits: 261 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Comedy | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 08.28.2006 | Updated On: 11.01.2006 | Pages: 4 | Words: 3.2K | Visits: 261 | Status: Completed
Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh, however I do own all of the Original Characters except for one and he belongs to my friend.
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“Tama-chan, where are you going?” Malik asks, spotting the tri-color haired girl opening the backdoor with her usual sleepover bag on her shoulder.
Tama pauses with one hand on the doorknob as she turns to face her cousin. “Ryou-kun invited me to sleepover tonight. We’re going to finish up the history project thing together and he’s going to help me with English.”
“Oh.” Disappointment flickers through Malik’s lilac eyes. “Well… have fun.”
“I will.” Tama says as she opens the door. “By the way, Ryou-kun said that next time he’ll pair up with you and that you’ll get to sleepover.” She giggles when Malik visibly brightens. “Tell the others where I’m at, please.”
“I will.” Malik promises.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
“Ryou-kun, stop it! Stop!” Tama giggles as Ryou hits her with a pillow several times. “Have mercy!”
“Never!” Ryou exclaims, grabbing a second pillow.
Tama shrieks loudly in reply and falls off the couch, pulling Ryou with her. The two land heavily on the floor and begin giggling. They lay there for a while, just goofing off, until Tama yawns.
“Sleepy?” Ryou teases.
“Hey, it’s eleven o’clock.” Tama says defensively, after glancing at the clock on the wall. “I have a right to be sleepy.” She yawns again and lays her head on Ryou’s chest. “…you make a good pillow.”
“Tama…” Ryou sighs. “The floor isn’t very comfortable. The couch isn’t very far.”
“Will you sleep on it with me?” Tama asks pleadingly. “Please, Ryou-kun.”
“Okay, but just this once.” Ryou agrees. He sits up, which forces Tama to sit up as well. Then the two just crawl up onto the couch and Tama wraps her arms around Ryou in a hug. Almost shyly, Ryou wraps his arms around Tama. The two fall asleep this way.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Early the next morning Tama is jerked awake when Mr. Bakura discovers her and Ryou cuddled up together on the couch. The sudden movement causes Ryou to abruptly awaken as well.
“Dad, wha-”
“I don’t want to hear a word out of you!” Mr. Bakura yells. “I should have seen this coming.” He rants as he pulls Tama roughly off the couch. “I’ll make sure you two never see one another again!” He continues.
“Dad, stop it!” Ryou screams. “Leave her alone!”
“Don’t defend the little brat, Ryou!” Mr. Bakura says fiercely, determinedly dragging Tama to the door. With a growl he jerks it open and throws Tama out into the snow. “Stay out of my house!”
Ryou is off of the couch at this point and is running toward the door. “TA-”
A loud smack echoes through the house as Mr. Bakura hits his son. Everything freezes and both of them stand in shock.
Mr. Bakura shakily reaches for his son. “Ryou, I-”
Ryou flinches. “Leave me alone!” He screams, before running past his father and up to his room where he slams the door shut. ‘I hate him!’ He screams in his mind. ‘Dad… why did you do that? Why?’
Downstairs, Mr. Bakura still hasn’t moved as he’s trying to come to terms with what happened. ‘It all comes back to that girl. It’s all her fault!’ He decides. ‘She’s a horrible influence on Ryou. I need to get him away from her. He’ll thank me someday.’
With that decision firmly in his mind, Mr. Bakura goes to his room to begin packing some things he’ll need. He and Ryou will stay with his sister-in-law until he can sell the house and get a new one.
The decision may haunt him for the rest of his life.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Kojiro paces worriedly in the living room. Just a half hour ago he saw Yaten Bakura loading up his car and getting Ryou into it and driving off. Tama still hasn’t come home.
Seto and Kiba are out at the skating rink for their day out and Mokuba has the symptoms of an on-coming cold which leaves just Malik and Kojiro as the ones who can go check on her.
Malik looks just as worried as his uncle does. He has some homework laid out in front of him and a pencil in on hand, but he’s staring out the window that the path through the fence can be seen through. Every now and then he’ll glance down at the papers and tap his pencil against one of them.
Finally he stands up, unable to take it any more. “Uncle, I’m going to go find Tama.”
Kojiro stops his pacing and nods. “Do you want me to go with you?”
Malik politely declines and then heads to the back door where he wraps his scarf around his neck and then puts on his coat and boots. He pulls a pair of gloves out of his pocket and puts only one on so he can open the door easily. Once the door is open he puts the other glove on before going outside.
As he walks toward the opening in the fence, snowflakes begin to fall. Malik resists sticking his tongue out to catch the snowflakes, since finding Tama is much more important.
“Tama-chan?” He calls, stepping through the hole in the fence. “Tama-chan, are you out here?” Malik frowns when he receives no reply and his feelings of worry intensify. He looks around the Bakura’s backyard in search of his cousin’s familiar bright hair. He finally spots her curled up in a ball a few feet from the backdoor.
“Tama!” Malik shouts, running the best he can through the foot-deep snow. Eventually he makes it over to her and kneels down beside her. “Tama-chan, are you alright?”
Tama doesn’t move.
Malik taps her on the shoulder. “Tama-chan?” It’s at this time that he notices her lips are slightly blue in color and that she’s not wearing a coat. “Oh no! Tama, get up! You need to go inside!” When she doesn’t move or show any signs of hearing him, Malik does the only thing he can think off.
“UNCLE!” He screams.
Inside the house, Kojiro jumps when he hears his nephew yell. Within seconds he has his coat on and is out the back door, nearly slipping and falling on the back porch. Then he quickly makes his way through the snow and through the hole in the fence. He spots Malik and Tama immediately and curses when he sees the state of his daughter.
“Malik, go fill the bathtub with barely warm water.” Kojiro orders. “It can’t be too warm or else she’ll go into shock.”
Malik nods. “Okay.” He quickly runs back to the house to do as his uncle asks. Meanwhile, Kojiro gently picks up his daughter and carries her back to the house, all the while cursing Mr. Bakura.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
“We’re moving.” Kojiro says, later once everyone is home and assembled in the living room.
Tama is curled up on the larger couch with Mokuba, Malik, and a fluffy blanket. Seto and Kiba are on the smaller couch with concerned looks on their faces.
“Where are we going to go?” Kiba asks. “There won’t be many houses for sale with Christmas coming up soon.”
Kojiro runs a hand through his hair. “We’ll figure out something. Don’t worry.” He looks at his children seriously. “I promise that everything will work out. We’ll have a new home before Malik’s birthday.”
Mokuba yawns and snuggles closer to Tama.
“Why don’t you guys bring your blankets and pillows out here and we’ll all sleep here in the living room tonight.” Kojiro suggests. “Kiba, Seto, will you two help me?”
“Sure, dad.” Kiba replies, getting off the couch.
Seto does the same.
Come nine o’clock, everyone is fast asleep on the large makeshift bed of thick and fluffy blankets and pillows.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
December 23, 1999
“How does it feel to be ten-years-old today?” Kiba asks Malik on the evening of the Egyptian’s birthday.
Malik looks at Kiba in confusion. “Normal. Should I feel any different?”
Kiba laughs. “That’s what I said the first time dad said that to me. It’s one of those strange, confusing sentences that usually make no sense. Anyway, dad says you got a package from your sister when we were watching ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ earlier.”
“Isis sent me a gift?” Malik asks. “I hope she didn’t get caught.”
“I’m sure she’s fine, Malik.” Kiba assures. “How about we go see what she sent to you.”
Malik nods.
Everyone else, meaning Kojiro, Tama, Mokuba, and Seto, is waiting for them in the living room. Everyone is interested in what could be in the box. (it’s a mysterious box from Egypt. Who wouldn’t want to know what’s in it?)
“You need not wonder any longer!” Kiba announces as he and Malik walk into the room. “Our birthday boy has arrived!”
“Open it, open it!” Tama and Mokuba chant.
Kiba looks at his youngest acting siblings in amusement before looking over at Malik. “I believe they’re more excited than you are. Isn’t that something?”
“Actually, I think it’s normal.” Seto speaks up. “What do you think, Malik-kun?”
“Sounds normal to me.” Malik replies.
“Open it, open it!” Tama and Mokuba chant again.
Malik laughs. “Alright, I’ll open it!” He says, picking up the box. Or rather, trying to pick up the box. It seems to be too heavy for him to lift, so he decides not to pick it up and instead sits on the floor beside it and begins pulling off the brown paper around it. Then he has to peel off the tape holding the box shut. Once all of that is done he just lifts the flap of the box reveal… packing peanuts!
“Yay! Packing peanuts!” Tama exclaims.
Seto sighs. “Tama-chan, the last time you played with those you nearly choked on one because you wanted to find out if they’d taste like normal peanuts.”
Everyone in the room laughs, even Tama.
“I only did that because you all dared me to.” Tama says defensively. “Therefore, it’s not my fault.”
“Sure, Tama.” Kiba says jokingly. “Now hush about the peanuts so we can see what Malik got.”
Everyone’s attention goes back to Malik as he rummages through the packing peanuts to pull out an envelope. He opens it and pulls out a letter to read out loud. “‘Dear Malik, I hope you are well on your birthday and that this package reaches you safely. Father has fallen ill recently, which is why I am able to send this to you. In this box are items that you would have received if you were here. I’ve also included a book that explain’s our family’s history.’” Malik pauses for a moment. “‘A word of caution to you, my brother. One of the items in this box can be very dangerous when used for the wrong reason. Please don’t make me regret sending it to you. Love, Isis.’”
“Wow…”
“D ouble wow…”
“Triple wow…”
“Quadruple wow…”
“…”
Everyone turns to look at Tama.
“What?” She asks. “Do any of you know what comes after ‘quadruple’?”
“Quadruple plus one?” Mokuba offers.
Everyone laughs at this, but soon calm down since they still want to know what’s in the box.
Malik begins pushing aside the packing peanuts to find out what else is in there. The first package he pulls out contains gold arm bands that are too big for him at the moment. The next package holds a pair of gold earrings. The third package is extra arm bands. The fourth one is more interesting.
Malik holds up the item for everyone to see, the gold rod cool against his hands. At the top of it is a ball with the Eye of Horus on it and “wings” coming off it.
“What is that?” Tama asks curiously.
Malik checks the small note that came with it. “Sister says that it’s called ‘the Millennium Rod’. She also says that it’s one of seven and that in the past it was said to have belonged to an Egyptian high priest.”
“I’ve heard of these.” Kojiro mentions. “I think… Malik, did she say the name of the high priest?”
Malik checks the note and frowns. “Yeah… but the last part of the name is blurred. It looks a lot like Seto’s name… It says ‘S-E-T’ and then another letter.”
“This is so neat!” Mokuba exclaims. “It’s too bad Ryou-kun isn’t here.”
“Who?” Tama asks.
“Ryou-kun.” Mokuba repeats, thinking Tama didn’t hear him the first time.
Tama frowns. “Who’s that? One of your friends from school?” She guesses.
Everyone looks at Tama in confusion while Mokuba continues to remind her who it is.
“You know. Ryou-kun. White-haired, brown-eyed, huggable Ryou-kun who lived next door to us.” Mokuba says.
“I-” Tama’s eyes widen and she drops her head into her hands with a cry of pain. The dragon pendant around her neck glows slightly. She tightly closes her eyes and murmurs, “ No no nononononono…”
“Nee-chan, what’s wrong?” Seto asks fearfully. He rests a hand on her shoulder.
Tama’s eyes snap open and turn violet. She shoves Seto away as she jumps up yelling, “Leave me alone!” Then she runs upstairs to her and Malik’s new room and slams the door shut.
Everyone is so focused on Tama that nobody notices the soft sine of the Millennium Rod or the way Malik’s eyes darken and his hair spikes up slightly.
When questioned later, Tama doesn’t even remember the incident and Ryou’s name still doesn’t ring any bells. Malik’s own memory of the whole thing is hazy at best.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
January 1, 2000- Jordan, New York
Nine-year-old Ashling Phoenix awakens with a gasp at 5:28 in the morning. She sits and stares out into the darkness for a moment before slipping off the lower bunk and climbing up the ladder leading to the top bunk. “Liam!” She whispers loudly. “Liam, wake up!”
Liam’s blue eyes groggily open. “Ash?” He questions. “What’s wrong?”
“I had a weird dream.” Ashling whispers. “We were in it and so were some other people including that Damian boy we met last summer when we visited grandmother and grandfather at the lake.”
Liam rubs his eyes. “Damian… he’s the one you thought was cute because he had purple hair.”
Ashling smacks her twin on the arm. “Did not! Now help me get the book and I’ll tell you about the dream.”
“How about you tell me about the dream now and we’ll figure out things later at a proper time to be awake.” Liam suggests.
“Okay… it started out as just you and me sitting outside but then more people started joining us. The first one was this really tan boy with light blonde hair. He sat down and…” She blushes slightly. “… and kissed me on the cheek. Next there were some more people who I think the boy was related to. There were two girls; one with black hair and the other with red, light blonde, and black hair. There were… three boys; one with brown hair, one with black hair, and one with red and blonde hair.” Ashling pauses to go over what she’s said. “We’re all sitting there talking and slowly more people arrive. There was Damian, Riley, Max, a blonde boy, another boy with brown hair, a brown haired girl, two boys with white hair, two boys with spiky red, black, and blonde hair, another boy with light blonde hair, a girl with reddish-brown hair, two boys with turquoise hair, another boy with black hair, another boy with brown hair, a girl with red, black, and blonde hair, another boy with black hair, and a girl with light brown hair.”
“I never cease to be amazed by your selective memory.” Liam comments. “Okay, so you had a dream about a bunch of people neither of us know. Is that all?”
Ashling shakes her head ‘no’. “There were cats and dragons and lots of gold. And food. I think there was some strange, large red bird flying above us and either a wolf or a dog laying by some bushes or a tree.”
“…” Liam stares at his twin for a moment.
“What do you think it means, Liam?” Ashling asks.
“That’s we’re going to have too many friends in the future.” Liam says. “Go back to bed, Ash. We’ll talk about it later, I promise.”
Ashling sighs. “Okay… goodnight.”
“Goodnight.”
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Shiro: Wow... this is the longest chapter I've done so far.
Bast: It's a miracle. Lets throw a party!
Shiro: Lets not and say we did. That way Kitsune will be confused about how we managed to organize a party and have it in just one hour.
Bast: Going back to your old game of 'Let's torture Kitsune' are you?
Shiro: That sounds about right.
NEXT CHAPTER- more visions, tragedies, and high-school bullies.
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Chapter 10
December 4, 1999“Tama-chan, where are you going?” Malik asks, spotting the tri-color haired girl opening the backdoor with her usual sleepover bag on her shoulder.
Tama pauses with one hand on the doorknob as she turns to face her cousin. “Ryou-kun invited me to sleepover tonight. We’re going to finish up the history project thing together and he’s going to help me with English.”
“Oh.” Disappointment flickers through Malik’s lilac eyes. “Well… have fun.”
“I will.” Tama says as she opens the door. “By the way, Ryou-kun said that next time he’ll pair up with you and that you’ll get to sleepover.” She giggles when Malik visibly brightens. “Tell the others where I’m at, please.”
“I will.” Malik promises.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
“Ryou-kun, stop it! Stop!” Tama giggles as Ryou hits her with a pillow several times. “Have mercy!”
“Never!” Ryou exclaims, grabbing a second pillow.
Tama shrieks loudly in reply and falls off the couch, pulling Ryou with her. The two land heavily on the floor and begin giggling. They lay there for a while, just goofing off, until Tama yawns.
“Sleepy?” Ryou teases.
“Hey, it’s eleven o’clock.” Tama says defensively, after glancing at the clock on the wall. “I have a right to be sleepy.” She yawns again and lays her head on Ryou’s chest. “…you make a good pillow.”
“Tama…” Ryou sighs. “The floor isn’t very comfortable. The couch isn’t very far.”
“Will you sleep on it with me?” Tama asks pleadingly. “Please, Ryou-kun.”
“Okay, but just this once.” Ryou agrees. He sits up, which forces Tama to sit up as well. Then the two just crawl up onto the couch and Tama wraps her arms around Ryou in a hug. Almost shyly, Ryou wraps his arms around Tama. The two fall asleep this way.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Early the next morning Tama is jerked awake when Mr. Bakura discovers her and Ryou cuddled up together on the couch. The sudden movement causes Ryou to abruptly awaken as well.
“Dad, wha-”
“I don’t want to hear a word out of you!” Mr. Bakura yells. “I should have seen this coming.” He rants as he pulls Tama roughly off the couch. “I’ll make sure you two never see one another again!” He continues.
“Dad, stop it!” Ryou screams. “Leave her alone!”
“Don’t defend the little brat, Ryou!” Mr. Bakura says fiercely, determinedly dragging Tama to the door. With a growl he jerks it open and throws Tama out into the snow. “Stay out of my house!”
Ryou is off of the couch at this point and is running toward the door. “TA-”
A loud smack echoes through the house as Mr. Bakura hits his son. Everything freezes and both of them stand in shock.
Mr. Bakura shakily reaches for his son. “Ryou, I-”
Ryou flinches. “Leave me alone!” He screams, before running past his father and up to his room where he slams the door shut. ‘I hate him!’ He screams in his mind. ‘Dad… why did you do that? Why?’
Downstairs, Mr. Bakura still hasn’t moved as he’s trying to come to terms with what happened. ‘It all comes back to that girl. It’s all her fault!’ He decides. ‘She’s a horrible influence on Ryou. I need to get him away from her. He’ll thank me someday.’
With that decision firmly in his mind, Mr. Bakura goes to his room to begin packing some things he’ll need. He and Ryou will stay with his sister-in-law until he can sell the house and get a new one.
The decision may haunt him for the rest of his life.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Kojiro paces worriedly in the living room. Just a half hour ago he saw Yaten Bakura loading up his car and getting Ryou into it and driving off. Tama still hasn’t come home.
Seto and Kiba are out at the skating rink for their day out and Mokuba has the symptoms of an on-coming cold which leaves just Malik and Kojiro as the ones who can go check on her.
Malik looks just as worried as his uncle does. He has some homework laid out in front of him and a pencil in on hand, but he’s staring out the window that the path through the fence can be seen through. Every now and then he’ll glance down at the papers and tap his pencil against one of them.
Finally he stands up, unable to take it any more. “Uncle, I’m going to go find Tama.”
Kojiro stops his pacing and nods. “Do you want me to go with you?”
Malik politely declines and then heads to the back door where he wraps his scarf around his neck and then puts on his coat and boots. He pulls a pair of gloves out of his pocket and puts only one on so he can open the door easily. Once the door is open he puts the other glove on before going outside.
As he walks toward the opening in the fence, snowflakes begin to fall. Malik resists sticking his tongue out to catch the snowflakes, since finding Tama is much more important.
“Tama-chan?” He calls, stepping through the hole in the fence. “Tama-chan, are you out here?” Malik frowns when he receives no reply and his feelings of worry intensify. He looks around the Bakura’s backyard in search of his cousin’s familiar bright hair. He finally spots her curled up in a ball a few feet from the backdoor.
“Tama!” Malik shouts, running the best he can through the foot-deep snow. Eventually he makes it over to her and kneels down beside her. “Tama-chan, are you alright?”
Tama doesn’t move.
Malik taps her on the shoulder. “Tama-chan?” It’s at this time that he notices her lips are slightly blue in color and that she’s not wearing a coat. “Oh no! Tama, get up! You need to go inside!” When she doesn’t move or show any signs of hearing him, Malik does the only thing he can think off.
“UNCLE!” He screams.
Inside the house, Kojiro jumps when he hears his nephew yell. Within seconds he has his coat on and is out the back door, nearly slipping and falling on the back porch. Then he quickly makes his way through the snow and through the hole in the fence. He spots Malik and Tama immediately and curses when he sees the state of his daughter.
“Malik, go fill the bathtub with barely warm water.” Kojiro orders. “It can’t be too warm or else she’ll go into shock.”
Malik nods. “Okay.” He quickly runs back to the house to do as his uncle asks. Meanwhile, Kojiro gently picks up his daughter and carries her back to the house, all the while cursing Mr. Bakura.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
“We’re moving.” Kojiro says, later once everyone is home and assembled in the living room.
Tama is curled up on the larger couch with Mokuba, Malik, and a fluffy blanket. Seto and Kiba are on the smaller couch with concerned looks on their faces.
“Where are we going to go?” Kiba asks. “There won’t be many houses for sale with Christmas coming up soon.”
Kojiro runs a hand through his hair. “We’ll figure out something. Don’t worry.” He looks at his children seriously. “I promise that everything will work out. We’ll have a new home before Malik’s birthday.”
Mokuba yawns and snuggles closer to Tama.
“Why don’t you guys bring your blankets and pillows out here and we’ll all sleep here in the living room tonight.” Kojiro suggests. “Kiba, Seto, will you two help me?”
“Sure, dad.” Kiba replies, getting off the couch.
Seto does the same.
Come nine o’clock, everyone is fast asleep on the large makeshift bed of thick and fluffy blankets and pillows.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
December 23, 1999
“How does it feel to be ten-years-old today?” Kiba asks Malik on the evening of the Egyptian’s birthday.
Malik looks at Kiba in confusion. “Normal. Should I feel any different?”
Kiba laughs. “That’s what I said the first time dad said that to me. It’s one of those strange, confusing sentences that usually make no sense. Anyway, dad says you got a package from your sister when we were watching ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ earlier.”
“Isis sent me a gift?” Malik asks. “I hope she didn’t get caught.”
“I’m sure she’s fine, Malik.” Kiba assures. “How about we go see what she sent to you.”
Malik nods.
Everyone else, meaning Kojiro, Tama, Mokuba, and Seto, is waiting for them in the living room. Everyone is interested in what could be in the box. (it’s a mysterious box from Egypt. Who wouldn’t want to know what’s in it?)
“You need not wonder any longer!” Kiba announces as he and Malik walk into the room. “Our birthday boy has arrived!”
“Open it, open it!” Tama and Mokuba chant.
Kiba looks at his youngest acting siblings in amusement before looking over at Malik. “I believe they’re more excited than you are. Isn’t that something?”
“Actually, I think it’s normal.” Seto speaks up. “What do you think, Malik-kun?”
“Sounds normal to me.” Malik replies.
“Open it, open it!” Tama and Mokuba chant again.
Malik laughs. “Alright, I’ll open it!” He says, picking up the box. Or rather, trying to pick up the box. It seems to be too heavy for him to lift, so he decides not to pick it up and instead sits on the floor beside it and begins pulling off the brown paper around it. Then he has to peel off the tape holding the box shut. Once all of that is done he just lifts the flap of the box reveal… packing peanuts!
“Yay! Packing peanuts!” Tama exclaims.
Seto sighs. “Tama-chan, the last time you played with those you nearly choked on one because you wanted to find out if they’d taste like normal peanuts.”
Everyone in the room laughs, even Tama.
“I only did that because you all dared me to.” Tama says defensively. “Therefore, it’s not my fault.”
“Sure, Tama.” Kiba says jokingly. “Now hush about the peanuts so we can see what Malik got.”
Everyone’s attention goes back to Malik as he rummages through the packing peanuts to pull out an envelope. He opens it and pulls out a letter to read out loud. “‘Dear Malik, I hope you are well on your birthday and that this package reaches you safely. Father has fallen ill recently, which is why I am able to send this to you. In this box are items that you would have received if you were here. I’ve also included a book that explain’s our family’s history.’” Malik pauses for a moment. “‘A word of caution to you, my brother. One of the items in this box can be very dangerous when used for the wrong reason. Please don’t make me regret sending it to you. Love, Isis.’”
“Wow…”
“D ouble wow…”
“Triple wow…”
“Quadruple wow…”
“…”
Everyone turns to look at Tama.
“What?” She asks. “Do any of you know what comes after ‘quadruple’?”
“Quadruple plus one?” Mokuba offers.
Everyone laughs at this, but soon calm down since they still want to know what’s in the box.
Malik begins pushing aside the packing peanuts to find out what else is in there. The first package he pulls out contains gold arm bands that are too big for him at the moment. The next package holds a pair of gold earrings. The third package is extra arm bands. The fourth one is more interesting.
Malik holds up the item for everyone to see, the gold rod cool against his hands. At the top of it is a ball with the Eye of Horus on it and “wings” coming off it.
“What is that?” Tama asks curiously.
Malik checks the small note that came with it. “Sister says that it’s called ‘the Millennium Rod’. She also says that it’s one of seven and that in the past it was said to have belonged to an Egyptian high priest.”
“I’ve heard of these.” Kojiro mentions. “I think… Malik, did she say the name of the high priest?”
Malik checks the note and frowns. “Yeah… but the last part of the name is blurred. It looks a lot like Seto’s name… It says ‘S-E-T’ and then another letter.”
“This is so neat!” Mokuba exclaims. “It’s too bad Ryou-kun isn’t here.”
“Who?” Tama asks.
“Ryou-kun.” Mokuba repeats, thinking Tama didn’t hear him the first time.
Tama frowns. “Who’s that? One of your friends from school?” She guesses.
Everyone looks at Tama in confusion while Mokuba continues to remind her who it is.
“You know. Ryou-kun. White-haired, brown-eyed, huggable Ryou-kun who lived next door to us.” Mokuba says.
“I-” Tama’s eyes widen and she drops her head into her hands with a cry of pain. The dragon pendant around her neck glows slightly. She tightly closes her eyes and murmurs, “ No no nononononono…”
“Nee-chan, what’s wrong?” Seto asks fearfully. He rests a hand on her shoulder.
Tama’s eyes snap open and turn violet. She shoves Seto away as she jumps up yelling, “Leave me alone!” Then she runs upstairs to her and Malik’s new room and slams the door shut.
Everyone is so focused on Tama that nobody notices the soft sine of the Millennium Rod or the way Malik’s eyes darken and his hair spikes up slightly.
When questioned later, Tama doesn’t even remember the incident and Ryou’s name still doesn’t ring any bells. Malik’s own memory of the whole thing is hazy at best.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
January 1, 2000- Jordan, New York
Nine-year-old Ashling Phoenix awakens with a gasp at 5:28 in the morning. She sits and stares out into the darkness for a moment before slipping off the lower bunk and climbing up the ladder leading to the top bunk. “Liam!” She whispers loudly. “Liam, wake up!”
Liam’s blue eyes groggily open. “Ash?” He questions. “What’s wrong?”
“I had a weird dream.” Ashling whispers. “We were in it and so were some other people including that Damian boy we met last summer when we visited grandmother and grandfather at the lake.”
Liam rubs his eyes. “Damian… he’s the one you thought was cute because he had purple hair.”
Ashling smacks her twin on the arm. “Did not! Now help me get the book and I’ll tell you about the dream.”
“How about you tell me about the dream now and we’ll figure out things later at a proper time to be awake.” Liam suggests.
“Okay… it started out as just you and me sitting outside but then more people started joining us. The first one was this really tan boy with light blonde hair. He sat down and…” She blushes slightly. “… and kissed me on the cheek. Next there were some more people who I think the boy was related to. There were two girls; one with black hair and the other with red, light blonde, and black hair. There were… three boys; one with brown hair, one with black hair, and one with red and blonde hair.” Ashling pauses to go over what she’s said. “We’re all sitting there talking and slowly more people arrive. There was Damian, Riley, Max, a blonde boy, another boy with brown hair, a brown haired girl, two boys with white hair, two boys with spiky red, black, and blonde hair, another boy with light blonde hair, a girl with reddish-brown hair, two boys with turquoise hair, another boy with black hair, another boy with brown hair, a girl with red, black, and blonde hair, another boy with black hair, and a girl with light brown hair.”
“I never cease to be amazed by your selective memory.” Liam comments. “Okay, so you had a dream about a bunch of people neither of us know. Is that all?”
Ashling shakes her head ‘no’. “There were cats and dragons and lots of gold. And food. I think there was some strange, large red bird flying above us and either a wolf or a dog laying by some bushes or a tree.”
“…” Liam stares at his twin for a moment.
“What do you think it means, Liam?” Ashling asks.
“That’s we’re going to have too many friends in the future.” Liam says. “Go back to bed, Ash. We’ll talk about it later, I promise.”
Ashling sighs. “Okay… goodnight.”
“Goodnight.”
-F-A-M-I -L-Y--B-O-N-D-S--F-A-M-I-L-Y--B-O-N-D-S--F-A-M-I-L-Y--B-O-N-D-S-
Shiro: Wow... this is the longest chapter I've done so far.
Bast: It's a miracle. Lets throw a party!
Shiro: Lets not and say we did. That way Kitsune will be confused about how we managed to organize a party and have it in just one hour.
Bast: Going back to your old game of 'Let's torture Kitsune' are you?
Shiro: That sounds about right.
NEXT CHAPTER- more visions, tragedies, and high-school bullies.