Spirits and Cats (Part 1)

DIMENSION: ANIME (Pays to Save the Day)

ANCIENT EGYPT:

5 year old Masika

Masika held her family's kitty lightly. The day had been normal. Ebonnee was a very sweet black kitty and she loved being petted. She meowed when she wanted attention, and she was so playful at times. She was also cute, being all black except for a strange white decoration resembling an ankh on her back foot.

Whenever other members of her family tried to play with Ebonnee, it was less than nice. For some reason, it really appreciated Masika. Her mother said it was her good luck charm. As long as her cat was alive and loved her, it was as if Bastet herself was watching over her.

What a lovely thought.

15 year old Masika

The chances? It was impossible. So many years had passed since she'd seen it. It was an all black cat, with a strange marking on the back of its foot of an ankh.

Masika's life had changed greatly since last she'd seen it. She had lost her family, ran away, met a boy named Bakura, got sold, became a wife multiple times, with her friend Bakura usually killing her owner, and then finding her a new one.

She was nowhere near her old home, yet there she had been. "Ebonnee?" She meowed and rolled over on its belly for her. Masika came closer. She heard her current husband yell something at her. She couldn't dawdle, but somehow, this miraculous cat was still her kitty. "Please bring me some good luck again."

She cared for the cat, keeping it out of danger and out of the way. Ebonnee brought no luck, but she was still her wonderful cat. A part of her past she was able to hang onto. Until one day . . .

One fateful day, Masika watched a gigantic monster, a monster that appeared like a god dragon, heading through the skies.

She heard Ebonnee meow and run. Instead of running inside, she was heading away. Ebonnee? She chased after it, not wanting anything to happen, when she saw it. Not up close, but she felt it. It moved through her soul and she heard the yowl.

When she was able to see through the dust sand, she saw Pharoah, riding on a horse with a look of nightmares upon his face. Not far from him, was the dragon god she had seen before, only now up close.

Pharoah was riding to fight something large with a god, and there was nothing she could say or do.

After all. While anyone else would be put to death for what he'd just done.

No one could touch a Pharoah. He was saving the world. Fighting. He'd never even know.

That he killed her wonderful cat.

——————————————————————

Masika held her daughter, Heba, next to her. Such a young thing, barely spoke. "It's okay," Masika comforted her little one. She felt her child's grip tighten in hers. "You must trust in the Pharoah. He will do his best." She held back a gulp. He could protect them. He would do his best. It's not like she was her cat.

Her and her child were not the cat.

Masika was a summoner. It was a proud duty to uphold. Her daughter was too young to summon, she would stay at her side as she called to the spirit of the monsters in the tablet. Behind them, she would join three others. Once they called on the monster, their lives were tied to it. The pharaoh had to use many souls in the game, but it couldn't be helped.

If they did not win, the enemy would release the monsters to destroy Egypt. Everyone was called to defend because everyone's lives were on the line. The battle had been waged strong and hard so far, with the enemy using the same strategy. She placed her hand solidly in front of her, starting to chant with the others. If she could trust another with her child, she would have. If the wrong person had gained control of her child in such a desperate time, someone just caring about themselves at the end of the world, her daughter could end up even worse than the danger she now faced.

Death was quite possible out there. Masika had watched the battle, being ready to take her turn. The Pharoah cared about his people as much as the monsters he had waged war over. When he could, he tried to have his subject summoners pull back on those that were in danger. Find defense.

Really. They weren't treated like her cat.

Pharoah Atem was a mighty pharaoh. Untold legends would live on forever of him.

If he won the battle. He will. We will. If there was one thing the Pharoah had taught his subjects, it was faith and trust in each other. Belief, not just power. He will protect us. He will not let this evil go on, he has stopped the monsters rampage before and he can save us again from the enemy. Trust.

Trust. She had to trust that she would be safe with her daughter.

The Dark Magician appeared on the battlefield before her.

DOMINO CITY: (Close to the time in the Prologue)

Seeing Kaiba and Mokuba in the Game Shop, Yugi came down with Joey who was visiting at the time.

"What the heck's going on here?" Joey questioned as Kaiba looked at the cards. "What are you doing here?"

"We are looking for a card," Mokuba said. "My brother really needs it. It's called The Ties of Friendship."

"Yeah, uh huh, really needs it," Joey joked. "The card that proved who won the first duel tournament of Pegasus'? I'm sooo sure."

"Joey, don't aggravate him." Yugi came all the way over. "Grandpa doesn't have it and you know it." Mm. Maybe that was a little aggravating too, but- ///Yugi: He ripped the Blue Eyes White Dragon up from Grandpa last time he was here./// Yugi had gone a long way with Kaiba now, but having him there in the Game Shop itself again was tough.

"Name your price, Yugi," Kaiba said. "It's no use to you as it is."

"Wha-huh? The card does something?" Joey asked. "I didn't know that."

"I'm sorry it was important to you," Yugi apologized, "but I don't have it anymore. It wasn't a card I especially needed to keep."

"I don't blame you," Kaiba answered. "It looked like decoration, purely an honor piece and those aren't needed in a functional deck. Every card should have a purpose. Who has it now?"

"Oh, like we are just going to give you her name, so you can go hassle her?" Joey asked. "Nuh-uh, not Yug, we aren't giving you nothing. So stop hassling him and go away."

Kaiba was clearly irritated, but so was Yugi. ///Yugi: I can't believe he's here again. I don't like him here.///

///Atem: Yugi./// Yami's more sensible voice came from inside of him. ///Atem: Kaiba doesn't pay a visit very often. There must be a reason he is here for this card. Look at Mokuba./// Yugi followed Yami's command and looked toward Mokuba. He didn't look like he was there just for a simple card like his brother. ///Atem: He looks worried. Panicked. Mokuba doesn't speak over his brother, Yugi, but perhaps this card truly is important in a different way he can't reveal in front of Kaiba. I would trust Mokuba with the card, if we had it still.///

Yugi looked at Mokuba. Yami was right, Mokuba's eyes were so worried. What if Kaiba was there more because his brother wanted him there? ///Atem: We have to borrow that card, Yugi. We don't know how important it is. Seto's trying to do the right thing it seems.///

"Please, Yugi!" Mokuba begged. "This is really, really important!"

"Mokuba," Kaiba scolded his brother. "Forget it. If Yugi doesn't find it, we'll find it on our own."

"But Seto, she's-"

"Mokuba!" Kaiba warned him again. "Let's go."

"It's not right. They should be together." Mokuba hid his face. "She doesn't have anyone, Big Brother!"

"That's why we'll find the other card," Kaiba said as he left. "Let's go. Yugi can't help. Nothing new."

"She doesn't have anyone?" Yugi questioned them. That's not a normal phrase to use when talking about cards.

"That didn't make much sense there," Joey said looking toward Yugi. "Hey? I wonder if that card was stolen by Pegasus and not created. Maybe it wasn't his to give away. I mean? He liked making cards out of souls."

Yugi caught Mokuba's look. ///Yugi: He won't say it in front of Kaiba, Yami, but Mokuba must know./// ///Atem: Yes, Yugi, I think you are right. Your father, Kaiba and Mokuba must not be the only soul victim of Pegasus. There must be someone trapped inside The Ties of Friendship.///

"Wait a second." Joey was figuring it out too. "Hey there, hang on, Kaiba! Is there a soul trapped in that card? It didn't look like no one, not like a real human. It, uh?" He tapped his mouth. "It looked kind of whispy and girly."

"Your attention to detail is astounding," Kaiba said to him, sarcastically of course. "If Yugi can't help, then Yugi can't help. He doesn't need to know anything."

///Yugi: Kaiba won't share anything else. He's acting like it's an important card to collect, but Mokuba's acting like it's a soul on the line./// Yugi didn't like it. "Okay, I'll help, but no guarantees." He'd have to explain it as well as he could to Rebecca Hawkins. "I won't let you harass the new owner, she didn't do anything to you. If I can, I'll get the card back and I'll call you." Yugi looked toward Mokuba. ///Atem: Test him, Yugi. If it's a soul, use the word own. Mokuba is a good person who believes. See what happens./// "You, only. If I can get it."

"Me?" Mokuba pointed to himself. "Me what?"

"Only you can own the card," Yugi said casually, waiting to see his reaction.

"Yeah, you," Joey agreed. "We don't trust Kaiba."

Mokuba glanced toward Kaiba and then at Yugi. "No, it wouldn't be me. No one has the right to own that card. No one has the right to another."

Bingo! Yu-gi-ooohhh!