Ennead Afterlife: Dark Side, The Pharaoh's Alerted

It had been a long day of ruling and the Pharaoh was looking forward to just spending some time with her brother and friends and playing some games as she headed for her chambers, then, in the evening, as she had been doing for the last couple of years, she could check in on her friends in the living world before bed. Not that she was too worried about them. While Imoto still had the occasional magical issue pop up, her friends had been mostly safe since she had moved on and Yugi had temporarily retired from the competitive Dueling circuit. The only one she was particularly worried about was Kaiba and even that was more because she did not like his odds of maintaining his sanity when he realised she could not be summoned back if he completed the Puzzle again, then because she was afraid someone was going to kill him.

“Sister.” The Pharaoh grinned as her brother joined her in the corridor, “You up for Senet tonight? I'm going to beat you this time.”

“You haven't beaten me ye...” The Pharaoh's gloating was cut off by a sudden feeling of power being ripped out of her, causing a cry of pain as she stumbled and fell to her knees as a bolt of blue energy raced away from her and out of the nearest window.

“Sister!” Atem knelt next to her, looking worried, supporting her. “What just happened?”

“I...I'm not sure...” Her reply did not reassure him but it was honest as she tried to assess what had just happened. “I...I think someone just summoned Obelisk...”

“What?! But only you can do that!” Atem yelped, his face pale.

“Me or Imoto...” She agreed, pushing herself onto her feet. “And possibly one other...I need my mirror.”

“Let me help.” Her brother insisted on having her lean on him, despite the fact she felt okay bar the sudden loss of one of the God Monsters that rested within her soul. The pair headed straight for her bedchambers and the large, enchanted mirror within. The Pharaoh had begged Anubis for this mirror to the living world and she still owed him for allowing her to have it. It was enchanted so she could see, but not interact with her friends in the world of the living. Normally that was enough, but today, as she pressed her palm against it and called up it's magic worry coursed through her, “Show me the one who has summoned Obelisk the Tormentor.”

Kaiba appeared on it's reflective surface, duelling some guy who was clearly using magic at the Ceremonial Duel site where she had fought her final Duel with her sister. She did not entirely understand what was going on, but she could clearly see that Kaiba had dug up all the Puzzle pieces and it looked like his opponent wanted them. Obelisk returned to her when Kaiba's adversary, a man the CEO called Diva, fled the magical duel in favour of chasing Mokuba, but she was too caught up in what was going on to pay attention to anything except the rather satisfying head butt that Mokuba dealt out to Diva, knocking him away from the Puzzle pieces.

“Sister?” Atem asked her as she sat back, allowing the magic to fade as Kaiba jetted off to wherever he was headed next.

“One second, brother.” She murmured, putting her hand against the glass again, “Show me Mutou Yugi.” She specified, wanting to know that her precious little sister was okay. Atem let out a frustrated huff when Yugi appeared in the mirror but the Pharaoh was relieved to see her doing something as mundane as her homework.

“Your vessel is fine, sister.” Atem spoke without thinking and then backed up quickly when the Pharaoh gave him the darkest glare she had ever aimed his way.

“Imoto is much more than just my vessel, Atem. She is half of me. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her.” The Pharaoh hissed out, furious, “How many times do I have to remind you of that?”

“She's a mortal commoner.” Atem reminded her. “She's not of our caste.”

“Technically she's a noble merchant and Ra's representative on Earth.” The Pharaoh corrected him, as she got up to leave, “And when she finally joins us here, when it's her time, she will be ruling at my side as my other half, as is her right.” Atem scowled, “What?”

“She's not you.” Atem protested, “I accept your right to rule over us since you were Pharaoh, not me, but she's not Egyptian. She doesn't know our ways and customs. You can't expect our people to accept her.”

“What would it take for you to accept her?” The Pharaoh challenged, planning to deal with this when she got back, sick and tired of the constant jibes from her brother about her little sister. Especially after everything Imoto had gone through to protect the world and help her get to the afterlife.

“What did she do? To earn this level of respect and trust from you?” Atem asked.

“I've told you...”

“Told me, but not shown me. Call it up on the mirror. Let me see for myself.”

“I don't have time for this, Atem.” The Pharaoh scowled at him as she headed for the door, “I need to get to the gates. If someone magical is after the Puzzle, I might be needed.”

“You can't go back. You know that, right?” Atem pointed out as he blocked her path, “So what's the rush? Anubis isn't going to let you break through the gates even if your Puzzle gets completed again.”

The Pharaoh stared at him, trying to work out if he was serious or not. “Brother…I need to go…why won’t you see that?”

“I do, I just…” He hesitated then sighed and ran a hand through his hair, “I just don’t want you to get stuck on that side of the gates again.”

She paused at that, “Atem…”

“I know…I know I can’t stop you…That I shouldn’t stop you but…” Atem pulled her into a hug, “I can’t lose you. Not again.” She felt him trembling and hugged back, hoping to soothe his worried mind, realising that a lot of his bloody-mindedness over Imoto was him being worried about her trying to go back to the world of the living and getting trapped again.

“You won’t lose me.” The Pharaoh promised, “I just can’t leave Imoto to face this alone if there’s anything I can do to help her. Not when this is over my Puzzle.”

“Pendant.” Atem corrected sullenly as he pulled away, trying not to look like he’d been crying.

“Not anymore brother.” She sighed. “It shattered, remember? It’s a Puzzle now.”

Atem did not answer for a moment or two, then he sighed and moved aside. “Go…but I do want to meet this sister of ours one day. If she’s as amazing as you insist she is, I’m going to love her…”

“Oh you will.” She promised, “And Atem?”

“Yes, sister?” He asked, looking a little worried for her.

“Thank you.” She darted for the door, pausing as she slipped out to promise, “I’ll be back soon.”

Clanverse: Trouble at Tenshi's School - A Clanbrat section

“By the Gods.” Tenshi breathed, “There’s too many.” She wheeled around, staring at her, well they were joking called the ‘Princess’s Guard’ by those in the group who could now hear the Duel Monsters. She was all too aware that, unlike her older brother, Atem, she would be the one to take her Father’s Throne. She loved games, and was skilled in all of them, but she worried, secretly, that she didn’t have what it took to rule over the Duellists, the Shadow Realm and the Monster Realm.

“I’m telling you now, some of us might not survive this.” Tenshi admitted, “I was hoping some of the Obelisk Blues might be here too, but perhaps they’ve already started getting the dorms sorted.”

“We’re here, Princess!” Ruby Dragon swooped out of the sky to inform them, four of the five Obelisk Guard racing towards her, she shook her head, she was even beginning to think of the teaching group as Guards. She had to stop that, everyone knew Guards were often the first to be killed.

“Where’s Ayumi?” Tenshi growled.

Kent was ready to answer, “Kaiba Ayumi has started getting the dorms set up, Princess.”

Tenshi let it go this time. “How many of you can feel the enemy pushing at the Mirror Wall we set up a couple of weeks ago?”

All of her friends put their hands up.

“Can any of you tell me how many without sending a Dragon to look?”

Only Dawn nodded, “There’s forty of them, Tenshi, and at least two thirds of them are Dark Duellists.”

“That’s over thirty.”

“How many do we number?” Kat asked.

“There are twelve Guards, thirteen if you include Ayumi.” Faith Wheeler answered for Tenshi, “Princess, we follow your orders.”

“Not you too, Faith.” Tenshi looked despairing.

“I think it’s time to be honest with who you are, Pharaoh’s Child.” The Harpy Lady Sisters scolded her, “Now is not the time to fight it.”

“Fine, I’ll play Princess for now.” Tenshi growled at them, she turned back to the group, “The orders from the Pharaoh are to go to ground somewhere safe. They’ve gone after Hogwarts too so we’ll have no Auror backup for at least an hour. I’ll have to hold them until then…” Tenshi looked pale at the thought.

“Please,” Michael growled, “You expect us to go into hiding while you do the fighting, what sort of Guards are we then?”

“Sod what sort of Guards, what sort of friends are we?” Faith growled, “If you’re fighting, Tenshi, so am I.”

“I can’t ask you to fight with me.”

“You don’t have to ask.” Dawn said, “I’m fighting, and you’ll see everyone else will too.” Dawn looked across the group and they all stilled, “Listen to me carefully, if you choose to fight, there is a large chance you could be killed, these Duellists aren’t like the ones you face in school or in Tournaments, the Dark Wizards and Witches coming won’t hesitate to attack, torture and kill you if they get the chance. Tenshi won’t ask you to fight, but for her sake, I’m asking, no pleading with you, to help us fight to protect the lives of all of our friends on the island.”

The Sliphers all grinned at each other, “Please.” Jake said with a laugh, “House pride, right? The Slipher Guard will fight with you.”

“As if we’re gonna be outdone by a bunch of Slipher Slackers.” Kent laughed, joking, though if it had been anyone other then a Guard who’d said it, there would have been trouble, “I think I speak for the Obelisk Guard when I say we’ll fight.”

“Ra Yellow Guard are awaiting your orders.” Faith said, looking at Tenshi.

“Me? Lead?” Tenshi yelped, “But I’m…”

“You’re the best one for the job.”

“Rhodes Sensei!” Tenshi bowed. “What’re you?”

“You asked Snow to get all of the Guard, am I not included?” Alexis laughed, “Besides, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Alexis?”

“Sorry, I forgot, are the Teachers…?”

“Wands drawn, Duel Monsters summoned through Wand Magic, but they’re spreading themselves too thinly, our Mirror Wall won’t hold them forever.” Alexis bowed to Tenshi, “I await your orders Princess.”

“I can’t deal with the Princess thing right now.” Tenshi growled, “Fine, but I still think there are better leaders among you lot.” She closed her eyes, thought for a second, then decided, “Slipher Guard, you’re to evacuate the Slipher dorms to Ra Yellow’s, Ra Guard, you’re to protect Ra’s dorms along with half of Slipher Guard, choose among yourselves who’s  to stay and who’s to join Obelisk Guard, Dawn, Lily and me at Obelisk Blue’s dorms. The school buildings aren’t important, not compared to lives.” Snow reappeared at her side, “Have you been to Ayumi?”

“She says the Teachers are aware that the Guard exist and have ordered us back to our dorms.”

“There’s a simple answer to that. No.” Tenshi growled. “We have to fight. There’s no way the Teachers alone can fight them.” She sighed, “Tell Ayumi that she may go back to the dorm but the Guard will fight.”

Snow was back in less then five seconds, the Inaba White Rabbit seeming amused, “Ayumi says please, a Kaiba never runs and you should know that, she will meet us at Obelisk’s Dorms.”

“Alright, do you all know your places?” Tenshi asked.

“Tenshi, they’ve broken through!” Dawn screeched around the same pitch as her Harpies.

“Move!” Tenshi bellowed.

The Guard moved, summoning as they ran, splitting up and heading for their targets, hoping to reach them before the bad guys did.

Tenshi growled as she ran, summoning her strongest monster as she did so. “Please say we’re not too late, please say we’re not too late…”

Blue Eyes White Yearling was airborne and fighting broomstick riding bad guys.

“Attack!” Bellowed seven voices at the same time, their monsters attacking in synchronisation, the practice paying off.