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Yamigirl21 — Transcending Memories: A Bond Unsealed-Chapter 11
#ancient #anzu #atem #atemu #bakura #egypt #elna #kul #masaki #pharaoh #tea #teana #yami #yugi #yugioh
Published: 2016-05-21 18:36:01 +0000 UTC; Views: 2700; Favourites: 10; Downloads: 0
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A Yu-Gi-Oh Fan-fiction-----------------------------------
Author's Note (May 2016): Hello again everyone! How are you? Are you doing well? I sure hope that you are!
I hope you're enjoying the year so far, and that 2016 turns out to be memorable and eventful for all of you as a whole! I'm definitely hoping for the best, and that only great things are on the horizon! I'll cross my fingers anyhow. So what can I say? Though life has kept me busy in recent months, with the start of yet another new job, (which has severely delayed both my art and writing) I was happy to at least finish my last chapter before the end of 2015; though admittedly, I didn't intend to end it where I did... Truth be told, which is probably evident by the huge gap between updates, I had been struggling with Chapter 10 for several months, mainly due to the fact that it needed a great deal of changes from a prior version that I'd written! With the end of chapter 9, I, in a sense, increased the intensity as well as the stakes with the difficult circumstances that Yami and Teana have been thrust into; particularly due to the fact that neither is fully aware of what is occurring around them! As the events become heavier and even more complex, I felt it necessary that Yami be honest with her, rather than suffering in silence. Even when discussing the tale with my closest friend and honorary sister, Danni Stone, I mentioned that I had wanted him to get everything out in the open, so it would prepare the two of them for what's to come. And yet, it was a very *very* daunting task, despite the majority of it being simple discussion between the pair. After a great deal of struggle and back and forth during the process, I found that it was important to find a balance within that pivotal talk, to have *both* Yami and Teana be honest with each other; at least to the extent that they were able, in such a strained moment. I actually found that my first attempt was nothing short of a failure when trying to have Yami reveal what he did, coming across much too rigid and overly selfish; even in spite of what or rather *who* is afflicting him! However, I knew that I wanted to keep the content that I had devised no matter what! It just needed to be conveyed in the right away.... So after revision after revision, I was finally able to pen the work, which I only hope was received well...
Of course I drew a lot of parallels from previous chapters, which was indeed intentional, most notably from chapter 5, which Teana herself referenced, as well as Teana's dream from chapter 8. Though I already discussed this, ever since I watched the original Yu-Gi-Oh series, I was always fascinated by the dream that the canon character Tea aka Anzu had in episode 52, as I wondered if she had a connection to the ancient past; which was part of my original inspiration for Teana. However, what if that or even the ones Teana has had in this story weren't simply dreams? Certainly that was the case in the actual episode with Tea's premonition coming true, as seen by the eerily familiar scene of Yami leaving in the final episode. And if this is in fact the case, why would she see such things? I suppose that's something I wanted to explore in this work, as well as some of my own theories regarding her connection to everything that's occurring around her. Even in the real series, I felt that so much MORE could have been done with Tea aka Anzu, but alas.... Perhaps many of you have guessed what I have planned for my Teana from what I've hinted at in prior installments. Or perhaps not? Truth be told, I was able to delve a little bit deeper into her origin in my original version of this tale, specifically by the 11th chapter, which is where I had concluded the story the first time. Of course the story as a whole was FAR from finished, even then! But since it's inception, several of my ideas evolved naturally, and hopefully the characters have as well. As I also stated previously, I DO still intend to use the majority of what I'd written in the past, as many of those ideas are still pivotal plot points! I guess only time will tell! At this point in time, however, I'm happy to see that very very soon, I might *finally* surpass that chapter, in terms of story elements and overall length; where I remained in limbo so many years ago...
Other than that, in terms of Easter Eggs, I thought that it would be an interesting comparison having Yami refer to those moments in which Zorc overtakes him as acts performed by the “other him;” much like Yugi once thought about Yami himself in the very beginning! Yami of course has no idea what is truly happening however, and does question if this is due to some darker part of him; much like he explained to Teana in my last chapter. Given that he is fearful of what “he” might do, I couldn't help but see the similarities to what Yugi believed in the early days, whenever Yami took control of his body. Though fans surely know that it ultimately turned out well for Yugi and Yami, I suppose it’s also rather evident that this will NOT be the case for Yami and the invading Zorc! I suppose it'll be quite a journey to see how this eventually resolves itself.... Wish me luck everyone!
And as always, I thank you so very much for your patience, and especially your incredible support! It means everything to me! If possible, please continue to comment and critique as I can assure you, I read every one! Now then! On with the story!
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Chapter 11
Running as fast as her legs could carry her, Teana made a toiling, conscious effort to stop herself, to adamantly convince herself from doubling back! With mounting difficulty, she refused to spare even the slightest of backward glances! Imagining Yami catching up to her, grabbing her wrist, or perhaps taking hold of her completely, in spite of herself, that very scenario was one that a part of her yearned for beyond reason; knowing full well that she would be unable or unwilling to fight the young prince, if it did occur.
*I need to keep moving! It doesn't matter where, I can't stop! If I can just stay out of it from now on, avoid getting too close... Maybe then he'll- But gods, why did it have to come to this? To be forced to distance myself, to never see him again, when all I ever wanted was to- Why gods?! Why even allow us to meet, when in the end we'd have to-* Teana thought, as tears blurred her vision.
Struggling to breathe, coupled with the suffocating ache in her chest, Teana found herself tiring at last; incapable of taking another forward step. Vaguely acknowledging that she had entered into some cluttered, darkened alleyway, she weakly placed a hand upon the eroded mud-brick wall on her left. Though that hand shook relentlessly, it served to brace her from falling; at least momentarily.
With her back arched, she focused on stabilizing the alarming wheezing that escaped her lips; a series of strained breaths, dangerously nearing the brink of hyperventilation! Failing to calm herself with those admittedly half-hearted efforts, she pressed her back against that wall instead. Raising her head upward, she slowly inhaled and exhaled again and again. At last, she slide down that rough, textured surface, with an exceptionally deep sigh; finding herself in a sitting position upon the ground after all.
*He said he could never hate me, but maybe now that I- I really did it... I ran away from him... Even though I told myself that I would try to understand! I told Yami that too... That I wouldn't be afraid, not of him... How could I? How could I just abandon him like that? I don't even know if I did it to protect him, or myself...* Teana lamented, with no tears left to shed.
*And why does it feel- Like I've been running this whole time? Like I'm always trying to escape from- From...” Teana considered, with a strange sense of uneasiness; prompting the deepening creases of her furrowed brow.
This disturbing, growing apprehension could only compare to her previous bout of panic; the final, seizing moments of her distorted vision! Again, Teana felt those emotions pulsating, building! Before she ultimately dismissed them; forcing her eyes shut in an attempt to block them out! Yet, in that very moment, a faded black shape had appeared; suddenly materializing from the furthest recesses of her mind!
*No! I can't think about it anymore! I won't!!* Teana screamed inwardly, placing both hands on the side of her head.
*I...did it again...* She gasped, acknowledging her own automatic response. *Even now, I'm- But I can't run forever. That's what he said too. Yami... I know that's true, but- I can't help myself...*
Crossing her arms upon her bent knees, Teana leaned her forehead against them. Shamefully, she thought of nothing else but hiding away in that enclosed space; hoping that no one would be able to find her ever again!
However, even this triggered memories of her young prince; when Yami had gently and soothingly placed his hand upon her head, the last time he had come to see her. Now bittersweet, Teana recalled hastily withdrawing from him then too, but for reasons that were painfully innocent; maybe even naïve. She merely wished to contend with her fluctuating feelings: feelings of shyness, embarrassment, and of course, infatuation. Only days had passed, yet it seemed like a lifetime ago; as her emotions contrasted starkly with what she felt now.
*I'm nothing but a coward... I know that, but- What else could I have done? Even if I tried to explain myself, I- I feel like I'm losing my mind... It's either me, or the rest of the world! Gods, I don't understand what's happening! It just doesn't make sense! None of it does! It's like- I really can't tell the difference between what's real and what isn't! What I did or didn't see, what it all means, or how it even relates to-*
“Just what was it that you feared most within that darkness? Who or what were you referring to, that could invoke such a frightful response!?”
*What I fear most... It's- That “he” that I kept referring to... That's right! I did say something like-* Teana mused, with a gradual, dawning revelation.
“It was as if the knowledge was buried deep within your subconscious, hidden beneath the landscape that I initially manifested... And in time, it managed to rise to the surface; eclipsing all else...”
*Buried... Did I make myself forget something? Is that why I keep trying to- But, what exactly did I forget? And why? This ”he...” Is it Yami? My father? Or-!*
Forcing herself to reflect on it further, Teana was struck by an innate, debilitating fear; one that she had long since held at bay!
*That dream I had earlier today... I remember... I said something about “him” then too. And it didn't just happen today! No, he would always be there, waiting... Ever since I was-*
Tensing instinctively, her overexerted mind stubbornly resisted that thought process; the recurring vision that stood on the very cusp of lucid recollection!
“Please, please... I believe, or rather, I have the distinct sense that only you can help me...”
Concentrating solely on those words, the desperate pleas that Yami had voiced that evening, as well as in her haunting dream, Teana allowed them to steady her, to find purpose among the confusion and chaos; as she persisted onward. And though she had been quick to believe that her existence was the cause of the young prince's misfortune, that some unnatural vibe or her “cursed bloodline” had the power to bring harm to everything and everyone she touched, Teana now wondered if that really was the truth! Was there more to these frightening occurrences than what appeared on the surface? And if so, could it somehow relate to her father and what ultimately became of him?
Realizing that she had alluded to both her father and some past event, in truth, her reasoning for this, for many of her bewildering remarks, were vague at best! This led to a multitude of troubling questions, not unlike the ones that Yami asked; which she was now willing to address in some manner, at the very least.
*He said he only wanted the truth... Is this truth a part of what I can't remember? Am I really the only one who can help him find it? I can't be sure, but the one thing I do know, is that he's just as scared as I am. I could see it, even before he- This, all of this. It's killing him... He's been trying to fight it, to face it all alone. Yami...* Teana thought, placing a hand upon her heart.
*He tried… He tried so hard to explain things to me, to make sense of what's happening to him; which could now be affecting me in the same way. Just admitting what he did, admitting those fears even, that must have been- I have to try again! There must be something I can do!*
Attempting to set aside her agitation, with its physical effects, or its now apparent mental blocks, Teana hoped to finally confront what she had been running from! She would find the missing piece of the puzzle; and she would do it for both Yami's sake, as well as her own!
*Breathe, Teana, breathe…* She reassured herself, with a slight rocking motion. *You can do this. You have to!*
Closing her eyes, deliberately, she again saw that horrible, towering silhouette; its shape now much clearer and well-defined! Pushing harder and harder to remember, as her head throbbed relentlessly, this otherworldly thing soon revealed its sinister crimson colored gaze; a deep, probing gaze that slowly appeared to be closing in on her!
“No! NO!” Teana cried, as her eyes snapped open. “It's just a dream! A dream! He can't be-!” She continued, retreating further against the wall.
“Or...” Teana whimpered, finding herself frozen in place. “What if it, he, isn't a dream...?”
Capable of only one single strenuous gulp, Teana finally allowed herself to entertain that possibility. And as she felt her eyes widening, a long forgotten memory, or at least a smaller part of a whole, clawed its way from the darkest recesses of her mind...
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Waking with a start in the dead of night, an eight year old Teana rose from her bed, completely drenched in sweat! Despite the transition, she succeeded in stifling her scream; one she had nearly voiced even in the nightmarish reality she had just escaped from! Clutching her sheets tightly, as her small knuckles whitened from the strain, a shaken, winded Teana focused solely on grounding herself in the familiar setting of her modest home.
Gulping uncomfortably, she then glanced towards the other end of the room, where her parents slept. Placing a hand cautiously over her mouth, Teana's first instinct was to look to her mother, Ruia; fearful that she had managed to disturb her rest, in particular. Before relief could wash over her, that this was thankfully not the case, she then noticed the absence of her father, Djal, within that bed; or even throughout the room as a whole!
In spite of the late, evening hour, soft, dim lighting from the moon and stars streamed through the wooden blinds hanging overhead; easily confirming this fact. Yet, aside from what could be seen or could not be seen, Teana somehow knew that her father was nowhere near; that he wasn't in their home at the very least!
Curiously, for as far back as the young girl could remember, she could always sense his presence, never questioning exactly how or why. Her only thought regarding it, the only one that mattered anyhow, was that the warmth and affection that he exuded was a tremendous comfort to her. Whether she understood it or not, it was something that she relied on; a constant that staved away the loneliness that she would often feel. And from what she was capable of comprehending at such an age, it was as if the world seemed emptier when he wasn't by her side; darker somehow...
Just then, Teana stiffened as she heard a noise; putting her immediately on the alert! Listening intently, she recognized it as the sound of footsteps; ones that appeared to be coming from the outside! Yes, without a doubt, it was that familiar, rhythmic shuffling; most audible from the left hand window by her bed. And as her eyes darted from left to right, Teana noticed that the front door had been left partially open. By her father perhaps?
*Papa... It's so late... Why would you-?* Teana wondered, as a cold chill coursed down her spine.
Though her parents had often cautioned against venturing out alone, especially at such an hour, something told the young girl to investigate... Taking great care to unwrap herself from the linen sheets that her father had tucked her into, Teana slowly placed both feet firmly on the floor. Spotting her pair of sandals near the bottom corner of her bed, she very gently picked them up, cradling them in her arms. Undoubtedly, she felt much more confident tip toeing away in her bare feet, rather than slipping into those shoes immediately. For despite everything, a part of her still dreaded the kind of wrath her mother would unleash; if she did happen to catch her!
Managing to safely cross the threshold, at the front of her home, it was then that Teana put on her sandals, not wishing to dirty her feet, or provide even the slightest bit of evidence for what she was attempting to do; just in case!
From the outside, everything was certainly much brighter as the full moon loomed high above. It was a sight that the little girl would often admire, or even find soothing; at least under normal, less worrisome circumstances... But for the moment, Teana could only focus on the task at hand, locating her father; whom she could now sense was somewhere in the area! Carefully shutting the door behind her, as she honed into that feeling, Teana prepared to turn a corner; to the very right of the building.
Doing so immediately triggered, or rather amplified her sense of foreboding, seeing that her father, Djal, was standing on the other side of her window; just as she had thought! For a brief instant, Teana let out a sigh of relief by her discovery; that he hadn't ventured very far from home after all. But as she studied him both closely and curiously, she could also see that his left hand was pressed firmly against the rough texture of that wall, while his right was positioned higher; in a tight fist just barely above his head!
Taking a step forward, in an effort to ignore that nagging feeling, one that all but insisted that something wasn't quite right, Teana was just about to call out to him! But as she opened her mouth to speak, the little girl watched in horror, as her father suddenly doubled over in pain!
“Papa?!” Teana exclaimed, as she raced towards him. “Papa, what's wrong?!”
“Teana! No! Stay back!” Djal cried, with a weak, yet desperate halting motion.
Though the meaning of that extended hand gesture was quite clear, it was the foreignness and particularly the harshness in his voice that managed to stop the little girl in her tracks!
However, as if that exertion alone had taken a tremendous toll, the young man groaned loudly, as a result, leaning his forehead against the wall's surface; in an attempt to bear it!
“I- I'm so sorry, honey. I didn't mean to yell. But why are you-?” Djal began, before he was struck with yet another agonizing bout! “You shouldn't be out here. Go, go back inside now, ok? Please...” He continued, with as much evenness in his speech as he could muster.
“Are you sick, Papa? Does it hurt somewhere?” Teana asked, as she hesitantly approached him again. “Should- Should I go get Mama mayb-?”
“NO!” Djal interrupted, as both his tone and level of urgency escalated even further! “I- I'm all right! Please, Teana. Just do as I say...” He remarked, with a grimaced expression.
“But Papa...” Teana countered, now noticing that her father's tightly shut eyes had never once turned from the wall in which he faced.
“You're not ok... I know it! Come on... We can talk about anything, right Papa? I mean that's what you said before, remember? You don't have to pretend... Let me help. There's gotta be something I can d-”
“Honey, please!!”
Turning to face her, at long last, Teana's hands flew to her mouth in disbelief; stunned by the sight of flickering red hues in her father's deep blue eyes! Doubting her very senses, the little girl wiped her own eyes with those hands, reasoning that it was only the light of the moon playing tricks on her, or perhaps lingering fatigue that had prompted such an impossible vision!
However, before Teana could react further, she watched as her father had slumped to the ground; as he began to fall face forward! Yet, before he could collapse completely, Djal's palms shot out, slamming loudly before him! And as he continued to strain and gasp for breath, with his eyes now deliberately closed, his body shuddered even more violently; while his fingers raked across the dirt and sand all around him!
Unsure of what to do, as she vaguely acknowledged the quivering of her own petite frame, the little girl still managed to rush to her father's side, in spite of her panic; clutching the material of his long, upper right sleeve. “Papa, I'm here...” Teana whispered, with a voice that rivaled her agitation. “It's going to be ok...” She continued, in an attempt to reassure them both.
In response, Djal slowly began to rise to his knees; latching on to the little hand that held him with his left! Startled by both the quickness and the strength of his grip, one that was on the very brink of being hurtful, Teana soon realized that Djal's ragged breathing had begun to subside; the tenseness of his muscles lessening, bit by bit.
This persisted for what seemed like an eternity, with the young man refusing to let go! And all the while, Teana could only hope, waiting both silently and patiently; for what she prayed would be a complete recovery! Finally, Djal swallowed hard, exhaling deeply; as he opened his eyes to gaze at his daughter again.
“Papa... Papa, you're all right!” Teana exclaimed, as she peered into his now visibly clear blue eyes. “I mean, you are all right now, aren't you?” She asked timidly; equally dreading and anticipating how he would reply.
“I am... Thanks to you...” Djal assured, with a voice that was both soft and recognizable.
Releasing the little girl's hand at last, as he looked down on it, remorsefully, Djal then placed his own hand upon her right shoulder; squeezing it gently.
“Me? But I didn't do anyth-” Teana began, as she gazed at him quizzically. “Are you sure you're ok, Papa?” The little girl pressed further, hesitantly resting her hands upon his cheeks. “Maybe I was just seeing things, but I coulda swore I saw-”
Unable to describe her misgivings, for fear of how they might sound, instead, Teana opted to examine her father's eyes; looking for even the smallest inkling of what she thought she'd seen!
And yet, in doing so, the little girl could only determine what she already knew: that before her was the same man, in his mid-twenties, who was both her best friend and devoted caregiver. Despite his fatigue, he was still strikingly handsome, at least by “grown-up” standards, appearing both strong and able. However, in comparison to many of the other men who resided in their village, her father was certainly “different,” as the little girl would often hear them say; particularly due to his short and usually well kept white hair... This was coupled with the blue eyes that she herself shared; which was also a common topic for discussion. Perhaps the only thing that was similar between him and the others, was his darkened skin tones and the clothing that he wore: a beige, long sleeved, linen shirt, loosely tied at his collar, a skirt of the same material that rested above the knee and slippers.
Soon, Teana noticed his expression changing into a deep frown; as he was noticeably uncomfortable by her scrutiny. And with an awkward and seemingly forced half smile, Djal finally allowed himself to pull away.
“I- I'm fine! I promise, honey.” He tried reassuring her again; scrambling to regain his composure. “It is going to be ok.” He continued, taking one of the little hands that remained in mid-air. “And I can prove it to you too. Come here, now...” Djal beckoned affectionately, slowly using that hand to urge his daughter towards him.
Accepting his invitation, Teana hugged her father tightly; desperately! She now gave in to not only her sense of uneasiness, which had lingered since she'd first awakened, but the even more disturbing feeling that Djal would somehow vanish, if she released him too soon! Yet, even then, she could hear that his heart beat was erratic, despite what he had told her, further substantiating that it hadn't been a dream, or a nightmare!
“Whoa, hey.” Djal remarked with a touch of weary playfulness. “That's quite a hold you have there, little lady!”
Rubbing her back soothingly, Djal faced his daughter directly; confident that he could now calm her with an expression, if not his words.
“Sorry... I didn't mean to- But that was scary, Papa. Really scary...” The little girl admitted; fidgeting nervously.
“I know it was.” Djal replied, sorrowfully. “And I'm the one who's sorry; that you had to see tha-”
“You didn't look so good back there...” Teana interrupted, biting her bottom lip. “Now too. You look- Tired... And you're all sweaty and stuff.” She said candidly, repositioning his matted white locks from his forehead.
“Yes, I'm sure I-” Djal began again, suddenly noticing her own appearance. “Oh... I could say the same for you too...” He fretted, as he also wiped the perspiration from her brow.
“Did you have a bad dream?” The two said in unison.
Blinking in surprise, the pair simply smiled at each other, helping to ease the tension, as Teana rushed into her father's arms once more.
“There there, now. There's nothing to be afraid of, Teana...” Djal breathed, placing a hand upon her head. “Not while I'm here...”
“I'm glad you're here, Papa.” Teana whimpered, feeling her eyes beginning to water.
“Don't worry about a thing, ok? I won't let anything happen to you. No matter what...”
Feeling relief wash over her, Teana sighed deeply, savoring her father's warmth, before stepping away to address him again.
“Papa, your nightmare. Was it a bad one? Were you- What's it called? Doing that walking sleep thing? It's something like that, right?” Teana asked, curiously.
“No! I mean yes! I mean- It was bad. Like being trapped in a nightmare...” Djal said ominously, averting his gaze once more. “But never mind that... What was yours about?”
“Mine? Um, well...” Teana considered, briefly. “I don't really wanna think about it too much, but... I think I saw- A monster...” The little girl recalled, with her own grimaced expression. “It was scary... Even in my dream, Papa! I was really really scared!”
“You saw a monster...” Djal echoed, with an unnatural calm.
“Uh huh. It was kinda hard to see, but I knew he was there... He was trying to find me, so I ran! I kept trying to get away, but I didn't know where to go or where to hide! It was so dark, and he was so big, Papa! Bigger than even three- No, four of our houses! And the one thing I could see in that shadowy place-” The little girl thought again, “ Was his glowy red eyes....”
Though Djal remained silent, his eyes narrowed at the little girl's final remark.
“I know it sounds dumb.” Teana shrugged, with embarrassment. “To be scared of monsters, being eight now and all, but-”
“No! No it's not!” Djal insisted. “I don't think that at all! Believe me! It's just that-”
With a slight tilt of her head, Teana couldn't help but notice her father's expression changing again; as his eyes widened in revelation!
“It can't be... No...” Djal muttered under his breath. “Please gods, not her too...”
Watching her father's fists clenching in anguish, Teana felt yet another cold chill coursing through her; as she was unsure what to make of his strange reaction.
“Papa?” The little girl probed. “Why are you-”
“Teana! You have to promise me! Please!” Djal exclaimed, as he gently yet firmly took hold of both her shoulders. “Promise me that you'll always be a good girl! A happy girl! Especially after today!”
“A good girl? After today? Papa, I don't-”
“Please listen, Teana! Because this is important, ok? It's not going to be easy. In fact, I know it won't be... But you can't allow yourself to get too upset, or too angry either! Don't let any bad feelings take control of you! Not ever! If you can do that, if you can focus on making yourself calm, whenever that starts to happen, then you'll be safe. That monster will never be able to reach you, no matter how hard he tries… Do you understand me?”
“I- I do but- Papa, this monster... It's not, real... Is it?”
“Teana! Please! Promise me now!” Djal pleaded, with an even greater sense of urgency.
“O-Ok Papa, I promise. I'll try really hard. And I'll be good for you, no matter what.” Teana awkwardly agreed, hoping that her father would once again return to his normal self.
“That- That's good. I'm so glad...” Djal remarked, hugging his daughter, with as much tightness and desperation as she had exhibited!
“I'm sorry, honey... If only you weren't- I'm so so sorry...”
“Why are you sorry, Papa? You didn't do anything wro-”
“It's all my fault... It's because of me that you're-” Djal continued, with a now unmistakable and audible grief.
“Come on, Papa... Don't be sad, please?” Teana urged, in spite of her confusion. “It's- It's not good to be like that, right? You just said so! You told me no bad feelings. So we both gotta try, together. And- I want you to be happy too, Papa. Ok?” She reminded, as her little hand now stroked his back in reassurance.
“Yes, of course you're right...” Djal said softly.
Pulling away, just slightly, he then rested his forehead against hers; sighing deeply.
“That's my girl... You're my precious, brave little girl. Don't forget that...” He remarked, wistfully, gently kissing her forehead.
“I won't forget Papa. No matter what…”
“It's getting late, isn't it?” Djal concluded, looking up at the sky.
“Silly. It was already late.” Teana said, playfully sticking her tongue out.
“I guess that's true, huh? We should go back inside now. We both need- Some well-deserved rest...”
“Will tomorrow be better, Papa?”
“Yes... Yes, it will be. And remember! It's a big day!” Djal announced, thankful for the shift in topic.
“It will?” The little girl mused. “Oh yeah! Tomorrow's the festival, right Papa? I've heard people talking about it! The pharaoh's supposed to come out to see everybody, isn’t he? Will we- Get to see the prince too?” Teana asked meekly, fidgeting again.
“Well, I can't make any promises about that one, but it's sure to be an eventful day indeed... But little princesses need their sleep first, ok? Come on. Let's go in...”
As the young man took his daughter by the hand, together, the two wearily doubled back towards the entrance way. They intended to not only forget what had happened, but they made a silent vow to carefully safeguard their secrets; ones they sincerely hoped would never resurface again. And yet, within those quiet moments, neither had the slightest inkling that Teana's mother Ruia, had awakened long ago. Lying perfectly still, upon her side of the bed, she had managed to hear each and every word...
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Chapter 12a:
Transcending Memories:A Bond Unsealed-Chapter 12a
A Yu-Gi-Oh Fan-fiction
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Author's Note (January 2017) : Hello again everyone! How are you? Are you doing well? I sure hope that you are! :) Well, here I am again! It's been quite some time, hasn't it? My goodness! I truly must apologize for that... But alas, as a whole, 2016 was not a year that I will look back on, fondly. :( Mostly this was due to a number of issues in my personal life, which I won't get into here. And yet, with the start of 2017, I hope that I will not ONLY be able to devote more time to this beloved story of mine, but that I can also find my way back to many of the things I love, such as art and a
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Comments: 12
Heartstopping, conflicting, and a few tear jerking moments I've just read. I do <3 how there was a father/daughter moment that sounded, oh, so sweet; what saddens me is that her parents are no longer here. 
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Aw, though it's super late in saying so, I really do appreciate your comments! This story still means the world to me and it warms my heart that there is still interest in it after all this time. Thank you so so much!
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It's wonderful that you've managed to share another chapter with us, Kathie. Given hoe hectic your life has been this year it shows true dedication to your craft that you're still striving to work on stories (and art!) despite it all. You're truly admirable!
I've been looking forward to reading about Djal after everything you've mentioned about him previously. And after this flashback I can definitely understand why he was popular in your original version of this story. Djal is obviously a very caring father to Teana. Given how much we've seen her struggle with society in the present day, it's heartwarming to see that she once had this person who cared about her dearly, even if the story hasn't yet revealed what happened to him. The mysteries of Djal don't stop there though, with the hinting that he could be tied to Zorc or perhaps even Kul Elna. I'm definitely curious to see what will happen with him. Admittedly his advice to Teana to always block out the negative feelings isn't psychologically sound under normal circumstances, I get the impression that in this case it's probably to stop other forces from preying on Teana like they might have done with him, so once again you can see how much he cares for Teana's safety, even if he doesn't feel he can explain it right now. And I don't blame him for that either, since whatever's happening to him is troubling and that's a lot to put on an eight year old kid.
And of course this chapter ends on another mystery with Ruia and how she might respond to what she's just heard. I wonder if we'll see that in the next chapter or if the flashback will finish and we'll return to present day Teana. Either way I'll be looking forward to seeing it whenever you're able to share.
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I'm always so fascinated by character back-stories. It one of the things I look forward to when seeing a new character, and while this particular flashback didn't explain a lot about Teana's past it was still intriguing to see a glimpse of how her fears began and why she thinks the way she does now.
And it was so nice to see her with her father! I'm a sucker for the father-daughter relationship ^_^ which makes me worried about Ruia hearing their whole conversation. We, as the audience, don't know how she's going to react or how long she's been dealing with Djal's curse so it feels rather tense watching this family, especially considering Teana's parents are no longer with her.
Reading Teana go in to that alleyway reminded me of your original writing of this story. I believe there was a similar part where she was running away from Yami and escaped in to an alley only to find herself in trouble. I was nervous that was going to happen again here in the re-written version, but I'm glad that the flashback will make it seem like it doesn't happen right away (if that scene does in fact happen next chapter). And if Teana does get attacked, I hope it's in your plan to have Yami get there quickly before anything bad happens ><
Overall this was a great chapter 
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I'm just now catching up on a number of messages around here, but I wanted to thank you yet again for your wonderfully thought out critiques on my work, my friend. 👍: 0 ⏩: 1
In truth, I wanted to write more of that chapter, but I felt that this was a good place to end it, since things are going to shift a little in the next. Actually I guess it won't hurt to mention that your assessment was right, and that I did have some rather ominous plans for Teana in that particular alleyway..... My poor dear. I can be so cruel sometimes! ><
And yeah, I remember feeling that Djal and Teana had a special bond. The funny thing is that I originally planned on Djal only being a filler character, but he kinda took on a life of his own and I found that he really wanted to be more integrated into the main plot! I don't suppose you've ever heard of an author named Saki Hiwatari, have you? ^_^ She was the author of one of my favorite stories, the manga/anime "Please Save My Earth" and she would always talk about how the characters seemed alive to her in a sense, and how they would sometimes take over, in spite of what she planned for the work. I guess to a lesser degree, it was kinda like that!
Thank you again too for being so understanding. I really will have to try to repay you someday, for being such a great and encouraging friend! I can't say that enough! Well, I'm finally FINALLY catching up around here and really soon I plan to write a new journal talking about life and what I've been up to. And of course I plan to have new works of all kind up soon. I'm really trying to get back on the ball so with any luck, things will be a little more normal than they have been. I hope you've been taking care and that you're enjoying your holiday season! Until next time!
It's always nice to hear back from you, my friend 
Knowing that my suspicion is confirmed now has me so anxious for the next installment. I still remember what you had originally written on fanfiction.net so I'm very curious to see what sort of changes there will be, but I know it will be good no matter what! ^_^
I have heard of "Please Save My Earth" and have even seen a few clips online, but have never read/watched it all the way through. It's one I've been meaning to get to in my long list of series I want to see. I understand how characters can seem alive to the author/artist. I have so many of my own original characters that sometimes feel like they have a mind of their own when I start putting them on paper in some way 
Anyway, again it's always so good to hear from you! I'm looking forward to future works you have in store and of course the next chapter to Transcending Memories
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Oh poor Teana
And they are the sweetest father and daughter ever!
Uh oh, Ruia heard everything! What will she do? We all know she can be mean and Neema pointed out she regretted giving birth to Teana, now that she heard her husband and daughter's conversation and now knows Teana has the same power as Djal that made them outcasts, Ra knows what she will say to them or do since she blames them for her being an outsider in the village. Watch yourselves Djal and Teana, Ruia might finally be at her breaking point and might do something that caused Teana to become an orphan.
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Those are some good questions girl. Sorry it's taken me so long to address them. Life has been pretty crazy lately, but I hope things are starting to settle down at long last. I also HOPE to have a new chapter up before year's end. I'll be pushing for it at least! As for why this is affecting Teana and why it affected Djal, I guess with them it has more to do with who they are, really. Millennium items seem pretty potent as is, but I always imagined they'd be more affecting to someone with a blood tie. That's also why I always thought Bakura was so affected too. Sure, he had a lot of anger and sadness over what happened to his people, but with all those negative emotions and with a direct link to Zorc and the items, without anyone to ground him, I don't think he ever stood a chance.
I always really liked Djal. He was handsome, and strong, and I felt his love for his daughter almost the moment after I created him. I still feel like I need to get a better grasp of his character as it's been a long long time since his conception, but I felt I made some good headway in that chapter Thank you!
Ruia is another story altogether. I really really need to try to wrap my own head around what I ultimately planned to do with her exactly. I remember my original ideas, but the story changed quite a bit from the first draft, so I think I may need to analyze and rethink her position carefully. Hmm....
Anyways, as always I appreciate your support and your incredible patience. I'm sorry again it's taken SO long to get back on here, but I hope to be more active very very soon! Don't give up on me ok?
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Ah I see, I also heard Takahashi based Kul Elna on a real place where it was once a rich land filled with nobles who built things for kings but when war broke out they lost their money and soon had to start stealing to survive.
I love this man
Ruia is starting to scare me, I worry for Djal and Teana now and what she will do to them.
I will always support you
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Yay you're back!! 
I do understand how real life can rear it's head though..I am glad when you CAN come on..also when you have a minute I have something funny to tell you about.
All in all this is a good background chapter..looking forward to when you get to the really good stuff.
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I'm super behind on messages here! I'm sorry! But thank you for commenting and for your patience. Life has been pretty hectic these past several months but I hope sometime soon things will start to calm down some. I'd like to get more written and posted too, before the end of the year if at all possible. Here's hoping at least! Thanks again!
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