Fear of the past (second part of "You are one of us --- Alternative take on False Light for @enneadau)
Aaru, the royal palace where Sakhmet's family lived:
Things had calmed down since the outcome of Battle City, but it did not mean that the nightmares was gone.
"Out of all times for the Tomb Keepers to not be around as her protectors, the timing really is bad. It is bad enough with knowing that Mewet must face the King of Atantis and Zorc at some point, but Anubis' history with the royal family is terrifying on a more personal level."
Akefia, the son of Sakhmet and Mahad, was not the only one who dreaded what might happen next, with how Anubis had been so close to the Kame during the night hours in the living world. Even with Sakhmet setting up her wards, they all knew that he would wait for a good moment to attack.
On the other hand, the Kaiba brothers had perfectly valid reasons for keeping the Ishtar siblings locked up, and to be honest, even with how regretful they were over their actions, said sibling trio was quite likely to be some very good...
well, pawns for Anubis to use against Sakhmet and Yugi, because of the information they could have given that sorcerer, like how the Queen of Games dueled, her preferred cards and so on.
"Worst of all, he might use uncle Atem against them..."
He rubbed a eye slightly, reminding himself to take a brief nap later before the Very Important Meeting in the afternoon.
A sound from the balcony made him look up from the paperwork he was supposed to sign.
"You are looking like back during Battle City, not allowing yourself enough sleep."
"I was planning for a nap once this is done. And you know by now that there is a doorway right over there."
It was Amt who entered, climbing inside like it was no trouble. As a Jackal, he had found the breaking-and-entering skills of his maternal family useful in different ways, because some souls from newly deceased people apparently were not very willing to come along to the Afterlife.
"Amane and my Mewet is back safe and sound in England since a few hours ago, and is now in the Flamel Manor."
Oh. That was good news. Because this meant that Shadi, or those teenagers who had been under his care before his death, had not been near them.
The very thought of what the the inhabitants in Afterlife Kul Elna, the ones who had died before That Night, might do if the current reincarnation of Priest Shada tried to finish what Ishizu and Hanaq had came so close to do, was terrifying to just imagine. Their reaction to the way Lilith had died because of a in-between reincarnation in the early 19th century, and how close Amane's near-death had came to end the blood line of Kul Elna alltogether, was a clear warning.
"I am worried about him coming after Mewet and Yugi," Akefia admitted as he used some magic to form a small magic ball from one of his rings, a memory of Prince Atem and Princess Sakhmet happily spending time together in the last few days before their fateful 13th birthday, blissfully unaware of how short time they had together as twins in their own lifetime.
Amt did not need to ask why Akefia meant, or missed how the eyes of the man known to history as Pharaoh Atem II, grew darker in sorrow at looking in the memory. He had been here in the palace for a different errand during the night hours of the Living World, and neither parent of Sakhmet had reacted well to seeing the murder of their lost son being able to enter the very home of their missing daughter's reincarnation.
"Anubis killed your uncle, it is valid to fear him."
How could Amt not understand a core of what Akefia felt? After all, his own maternal aunt Esi had died young, and her soul ritually sacrificed to the Shadow Realm, because of someone who had never regretting doing so? If Akhenaden had been able to reincarnate, and using her soul against Ba-Khu-Ra like Anubis likely planned to do with Prince Atem, while Amt himself could only watch, unable to help in the living world because he was a Jackal and dead since a very long time ago?
"Sometimes I wonder what a difference it could have been, if Akhenaden had died while my mewet and uncle grew up. Maybe aunt Nepthys and uncle Thoth might not have died so young."
Amt crossed his arms, mirroring Ba-Khu-Ra for a moment by doing so.
"A lot less trouble for Yugi and her friends to worry about, no doubt. Like his soul not being sealed inside the blasted Millenium Eye and giving him a position to hurt the reincarnation of the niece that brought his reigh behind the scenes to a end. And Anubis not being what he currently is."
Like so many things related to the creation of the Shadow Realm though the Seal which had Sakhmet's True Name as its key, Anubis was connected in some form to Akhenaden, and how his actions 3 000 years ago in Kemet was still affecting people in the present era. It was rather understandable that she might wonder if there ever would be a end to hers and Yugi's trouble related to magic and the past having some link to her uncle.
"Anyway, see you later at the meeting. My great-grandfather and the others are on their way."
The son of the Thief Queen was out though the balcony again, before Akefia could remind him about the doorway again.
"At least we are not like in the past, now when the truth about the Day of False Betrayals is finally known..."
Something on the other desk was arranged differently from before.
"Amt, did you use my kohl while I looked at the memory of the royal twins?!" he called out loudly, raising from the chair to see if the other man was still within sight.
Meanwhile, Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen had found some brief free time before that same meeting, and he took a chance to be with his youngest child.
"Not one of your happy days, Thoth?"
The youngest prince was a happy baby, but even he had bad days and at the moment, refused to release the robes of his father from his tiny fists, making it clear that his father had to keep carrying him in his arms. Not that Akhenamkhanen minded much.
"Alright, lets have a walk together."
The nursemaid in change of his youngest when Tiamat was not in the nursery, and a few guards, followed him.
On the way towards the gardens, he found that his three oldest sons was outside one of the audience chamber, looking hestiant to enter. That they were actually eavesdropping thought a thin gap in the doors, suggested that they were not planning to go inside there.
"Mewet and some of the the Tomb Keepers are in here," Maahes whispered, as a few voices was heard from the inside.
"If Shadi have the brains to do a Shadow Game, then he should be smart enough to realize that a school roof is not a good place to choose as site for it! Had not Katsuya saved Yugi and Anzu then, Shadi would have caused the End of the World by Yugi dying in the fall from the roof!"
Tiamat did not raise her voice, but it was sharp like a whip. And both her husband and three oldest sons knew that tone as a warning of her being in a bad mood.
"Half a hour?" Anhur asked as the three princes quickly chosed the doors shut in union.
"Half a hour," his brothers agreed as one, and their father nooded, while Thoth gave them a confused look, wondering where his mother could bee because her voice had been heard just a moment ago.
"Should give her enough time to rant about that Shadi does not have a steady record of keeping harm away from your sisters."
Those who had seen Tiamat's reaction back then, knew that Shadi could count himself lucky for that those in the Afterlife could not touch him. Even Amt had admitted that he had wanted to slam the flat side of his weapons upon the head of Shadi in that moment, because Yugi's death would mean the Seal breaking and the lost souls of Kul Elna possibly never joining the Afterlife as Sakhmet once had promised Ba-Khu-Ra so long ago.
"You will find me with Ahmose if we are needed before the meeting," Khepri told his father, before the Pharaoh stopped his eldest quickly with a hand on his shoulder.
"You still have some of that hair spray to make your bangs look more like your siblings. From earlier when you tried to make Thoth more familiar with how Sakhmet sounds and looks like in her true form. Because you are not wearing any hair clips right now."
Khepi was quite alike most of his siblings, but took after Tiamat's straight hair more than them. It was that similiarity, and a little use of a glamour magic, that he had used before. After all, Thoth had been only three months old at dying, and naturally would not be expected to remember the older twin siblings who had been gone from the family for so long.
"Oh. I will need to damp my bangs and wash it out before the meeting."
"Queen of Games, Queen of Games, big sis is the Queen of Games..." Princess Nepthys sang for herself, wearing a cycle helmet as well some protection pads on her elbows and knees just in case, as she held out a fishing rod with a piece of roasted meat, making the Red Eyes Baby Dragon in front of her pulling on her tricycle with a rope in its mouth.
"Princess, have you seen....Princess?!" Djau, the Egyptian past life of Katsuya, expressed in surprise at seeing what the youngest princess was doing.
"You and some of the other guards from Sakmet's time are so good at causing accidental funny background events," Amunet laughed from where she was partly hidden in the shadow of a pillar, using a modern-day video camera to make video clips which Yugi would have found sent to her laptop and cell phone if it had been possible, as Djau found himself chasing after the youngest princess and the dragon before something happened. Because while Djau and Katsuya was different just like Sakmet and Yugi were, Amunet belived that Yugi would have a good laugh at seeing the past-life of her boyfriend having his goofy moments as well, and keep it private for his pride.
"Oh, this was a good background event!"
In his haste to avoid having Nepthys accidently falling into the bathing pool by a sharp turn on the tricycle getting into higher speed by the Red Eyes Baby Chick naturally wanting that tasty piece of meat before Djau got his hands on it, Djau was the one to trip into the pool instead by stepping over the edge.
"Sorry, Djau..." the youngest Princess apologized, looking dismayed over what just happened.
"At least I got that planned bath for today," he muttered as he climbed out, "never a boring moment around here."
Not that this prevented a small tug-of-war between him and the baby dragon over the meat, as the nurse arrived to see where her change had went on the tricycle just moments earlier.
