Crimson Ruby Love

Chapter 7
Author’s note: A special thanks to Astracindel for helping me with the jokes, especially the “prostrate” one!^_^ Thank you Alaroche for betaing:D Also, from what people suggested in my reviews I took out some descriptions, to allow people to concentrate more on the main story. Please let me know what you think. Thank you!


Now purified Yami and Yugi left the Sacred Lake to prepare themselves for the evening service. Shizuka bathed too. After her Jounouchi and Seto would bathe together.

“I know just what to do to kick yer ass, Hem Netjer!” snickered an unclothed Jounouchi to himself waiting in the branches of the plumeria trees just above the pond.

The high priest undressed in the thicket of the grove passing under Jounouchi who waited above. “Not bad…” he thought to himself watching the priest below. The priest stretched his arms, flexing his well-defined pectorals.

“Bombs away!” shouted Jounouchi jumping down from the branches to land on an unsuspecting Seto who fell over hitting the grassy bank headfirst. The high priest shook the grass out of his face positioning himself on all fours. He felt a weight on him straddled over his lower back.

“I’m the Lone Ranger! Giddy up Silver!” cheered Jounouchi, his inner thighs squeezing Seto’s waistline. “Gallop horsy!!” he grinned slapping Seto’s outer thigh.

“NEIGH!! I’m not your DAMN HORSE!!” roared an enraged Seto, throwing his rider off his back into the cool pond.

SPLASH went Jounouchi plunged into the cold waters. He surfaced coughing out the water he swallowed. Then he crawled out onto the soft grass, rolling over from laughter.

He looked up at Seto expecting him to laugh too. The high priest stood erect, crossing his olive arms. His icy blue eyes glared into Jounouchi’s chocolate pools so coldly, he felt his very soul freeze over.

“Wow, my dear Hem Netjer…” said Jounouchi nervously. “It was a joke man, a joke!”

“PROSTRATE yourself before me, you idiot commoner!” commanded Seto, not the least bit amused, with such temper he even silenced the very birds in the Outer Court. Jounouchi felt as though the words of Ra smote him.

He glimpsed at Seto petrified for a few moments then doubled over in laughter falling over again. He laughed so hard, his mocha cheeks popped out like engorged apples. The high priest frowned knitting his mahogany brows together.

“WHAT!?” he growled scowling at Jounouchi.

“If I heard right, did ya say PROSTITUTE yerself before me!?” paraphrased Jounouchi grinning smugly.

Seto gasped horrified by the commoner’s lewd mind.

The honey haired blond pranced about the high priest making funny faces at him. “PROSTITUTE myself for ya!? There’s no way I’d do that, not even fer a coin!” chuckled Jounouchi sticking his sexy rear out at Seto to mock him.

The high priest howled lunging at the blond to kick him. “You think I’d be stupid enough to be your client!?” hissed he missing, running into a low hanging branch. Whimpering he rubbed his swollen forehead.

“Ya need a hand?” smirked Jounouchi about to touch him.

“DON’T TOUCH ME!!” snapped Seto, his face twisted with anger. He stared at Jounouchi menacingly. “I said PROSTRATE, not PROSTITUTE!”

Jounouchi’s raised his brows, his eyes wide. He paused standing before the temper mental priest. “PROSTATE!? Thought ya didn’t want me. First ya say prostitute…now ya want my PROSTATE!! Sounds to me like ya want me awfully BAD!!” giggled he cutely, winking at the irked priest.

“RA-DAMMNIT, YOU MORONIC BLOCKHEAD!!!” cursed Seto waving his arms at the blond. “PROSTRATE!! I SAID PROSTRATE!! LAYING YOURSELF BEFORE ME!!”

“Ya just can’t take no fer an answer, can ya? Sorry, but ya ain’t getting nun of this!” doubled Jounouchi in laughter prancing about the pond.

Frustrated Seto banged his head against the trunk of the tree whose branch he ran into. “RA!!! How can you be so cruel that you torment me with this moronic commoner!?”

“Ya okay?” smiled Jounouchi annoyingly behind the masochistic priest.

Seto turned around, eyes narrowed like an angry canine growling at the honey haired man. He pounced on Jounouchi, trying to force him on his knees. “On your knees commoner!” demanded he.

“Teehehe!!” giggled Jounouchi wrestling with him now in the plumeria grove, under the cool shade of the canopy. “I KNOW why ya want me on my knees, cause I KNOW what yer thinkin’!! But ya ain’t gettin‘ nun of this, Hem Netjer!”

Horrified yet again by the honey haired man, the priest lay flat on his back staring up at the light dancing in through the canopy. “You OUTLANDISH BRAZEN MAN!!” exclaimed he.

“HEY!!” remarked Jounouchi sitting relaxed against a tree trunk. “Yer the ONE who wanted ME on my knees, ya babblin’ Hem Netjer!!”

“STOP IT WITH THE ‘HEM NETJER!!’” yelled Seto who leapt at Jounouchi pushing him against the trunk. “It’s an honorific title addressed to priests, meaning ‘servant of the god’, not slang to be used by commoners like you!” his icy tone laced with anger.

“Behind ya!” pointed Jounouchi suddenly.

Seto looked behind him letting go of the blond.

“Tricked ya!” chuckled Jounouchi delighted scrambling away before Seto could catch him. He jumped in the pond with a splash.

“RA-DANGIT!!! YOU’VE INCURED MY WRATH!!” screamed at the top of his lungs like a madman running out of the grove to the pond after Jounouchi. So distracted by the honey haired man the high priest lost his footing slipping on a muddy section of the bank, tumbling backwards into the pool. SPLASH!!!

“Harharhar!!” cackled Jounouchi like a pirate, wading in the water.

Seto’s bloodshot eyes glowered at Jounouchi just above the mirror ponds surface.

“Oh damn…he means business!” gulped Jounouchi falling back in the pool.

“Is everything going well?” sang a sweet voice just above the bank. The fiery sun sinking halfway below the horizon, cast a soft golden glow on the priestess’s face. Her full plum lips smiled, meeting her cherry cheeks. The setting sun’s light flickered in the clear, aqua, navy pools of her large eyes.

The pond’s mirror surface, reflecting the lush green canopy of the plumeria trees above, sent ripples out where Seto’s waist rose from the waters. “Everything is fine…” he replied rather embarrassed.

“Anzu is my name.” Said she kneeling by the bank, her dress gathered in folds around her body. The lovely golden cloth worn as an overdress over her main linen one, was especially illuminated by the evening’s golden glow.

“A name sweet as the peach that grows from the bough of the peach tree…” replied he to her. “Seto is my name.”

“ARRGG!” muttered Jounouchi to himself watching all this from behind, his arms crossed behind his head resting on the grassy bank. “That stuck up Hem Netjer treats me like Nile mud and Anzu like baked honey bricks!”

“You are Greek, aren’t you Seto?” inquired she, her soft feminine face shimmering in the sun lit waters. She knelt by him.

“Well, my parents quite refined and cultured immigrated from Greece, making my blood Greek as well. I though, consider myself Egyptian, Anzu.” The gentle breeze blew through his mahogany hair.

“I knew you were Greek,” chimed she sweetly. Her talisman hanging from her neck just in front of Seto’s face. “The wine of the Greeks is brewed until it’s a pale olive color, much like the hue of your skin.”

“Olive skin is olive,” replied he in his deep resonant voice, sinking back a little into the pond.

“HEY!!!” rang out the raucous voice, of the kher heb from the Inner Court by the pylons there. “Ya’ll gonna hurryr bur bums up, cause the service starts soon!”

“Coming!” Anzu called back. She turned away from the bathers heading for the pylons that led to the Inner Court. “See ya later Seto, and you too blondie!” she winked at Jounouchi.

“Whaddya say!? Carrot-top!” blurted he back at her, wading towards Seto’s direction.

“Carrot-top!? How DARE you address me like that!?!?” She spun around shaking her fists at him.

“Am I sensin’ a double standard, carrot-top?” teased he lifting himself onto the bank. He rested his chin over his crossed arms.

“YES!! For I am a lady!” pointed she proudly to herself.

“So am I!” babbled the honey haired man impulsively.

Seto doubled over in laughter, sinking into the water besides Jounouchi. “Hahaha! I knew you were female. By Ra, did you know he’s a Victoria’s Secret model who poses in lingerie?” He whipped out a sexy catalogue flipping to a page that showed a voluptuous lady posing. Jounouchi’s brows flew past his hairline seeing a photo of his face cut and pasted, placed over the model’s original face.

“WHAT THE HELL!?” demanded he fuming over Seto’s shoulder.

The high priest laughed so hard he choked on some pond water. Two angry, mocha skinned hands, grabbed the sides of Seto’s head dunking him underwater. They wrestled a bit until Seto broke free resurfacing again. He broke out into his typical haughty laughter.

Anzu’s wondered if Jounouchi was female. Jounouchi noticed her glance. “Listen up, lady. If yer lookin’ at my parts to see if I’m really female, ya ain’t seein’ nothing cause their…private!!”

“Private? I thought they were public.” Remarked Seto smartly at him.

The honey haired man fell over, hitting his head on a hard rock protruding from the shoreline.

“I’ve hung some towels on the tree branches. See you in the temple soon.” Laughed she musically leaving to meet the ono cao called her.

The bathers climbed out, drying themselves with the linen towels the priestess hanged on the plumeria branches. Seto looked to his side to see a glorious full view of Jounouchi’s well-toned body^_^.

“You’ve got a cute ass.” Teased Seto seductively. He caught Jounouchi off guard.

“What!?” stammered Jounouchi dropping his towel. “That’s SEXUAL HARRASEMENT, man!!

“What in the name of Ra are you babbling about?” muttered Seto wrapping the linen towel around his slender waist.

“Ya said I gotta cute ass, Hem Netjer.” Jounouchi rolled his eyes back leaning over to pick up his white towel.

“Hehehe,” chuckled the high priest, running a hand through his dark mahogany hair. “Your minds in the flippin’ gutter. I said you had cut abs, blondie!”

“Meow.” Purred a sweet feline voice. Bast rubbed soft her tiger fur against Jounouch’s leg, purring affectionately. Her large malachite eyes longed for his attention. He knelt over on the cool soil scooping Bast into his arms. Her whiskers ticked his face.

“You’re such a sweet girl, Bast.” He kissed her on her pink button nose, stroking her striped fur. “It’s too bad Hem Netjer here ain’t as nice as ya, girlie. Huh? What? Ya want Hem Netjer to be nice to me too?”

Seto’s eyes popped out in disbelief. “You’re talking to a cat.”

“Of course, yer my girl, right kitty Bast?” He nuzzled his nose to hers. “Eh? Ya think Hem Netjer has an attitude? I totally agree sweetie.”

“Great! Now the cat insults me too.” grumbled he leaving the Outer Court, to the area where Anzu left. Beyond the Outer Court only purified priests could enter, but today the kher heb permitted the visitors invited by Bast.

Jounouchi and Bast came too, climbing a small stairwell. They passed the second pair of pylons that divided the Inner and Outer Courts. They entered a long rectangular hall, beyond the Outer Court called the Hypostyle hall. The floor of the Hypostyle hall slanted gradually upwards towards the main sanctuary. The slanting floor symbolically recreated the shape of the Primeval Mound, where the gods appeared at the beginning of Creation, the First Time or Zep Tepy in Egyptian. On the ceiling of the Hypostyle hall were decorations of stars and birds, representing the sky. Jounouchi gazed at the forest of awesome columns around him, some of which reached 79 feet. The column shafts decorated with hieroglyphs and carved reliefs, colorfully painted, depicted deities and religious symbols. The only light illuminating this dark forest, flooded in from small windows set high up below the ceiling. Jounouchi’s spirit felt solemn watching the light hit the beautiful columns.

“Meow!” Bast’s nimble body leapt out of his arms onto the large stone floor. He ran after her through the rows of columns, until she vanished into the shadows.

“Bast? BAST!!” he called out cloaked in darkness.

“Big brother? Over here!” echoed the distant voice of Shizuka.

He found her in one of the small rooms that surrounded the Hypostyle hall. Those small rooms were used for conferences, study centers, libraries, storage, or as dressing rooms where the priests prepared themselves for the services. Outside the temple grounds were other annexes, the residences of the temple staff, classrooms for workshops and other functions.

Shizuka sat in front of a wooden dresser applying makeup to her face. She dipped a cosmetic stick into a jar of kohl framing her lovely emerald eyes. She powdered her porcelain cheeks with a light layer of ochre. She smiled. Her full red lips broadened greeting her brother.

“Ya look so stunning Shiz!” smiled Jounouchi watching her twirl in her new long flowing linen dress. It fell to her ankles and draped over her wrists.

She grinned throwing her arms around her brother. “Get dressed big brother, service starts soon!” rejoiced she.

Jounouchi was just about to when a somber Yugi entered the dressing room. He painted his cherubic face with the same lovely makeup Shizuka wore. He dressed in a clean linen tunic gathered loosely around his twig like body. Now washed and cleaned, he turned into an exquisEgypEgyptian doll. The doll hung his head in shame.

“Miss Shizuka, can ya recap the reading?” he asked quietly. This wasn’t Yugi’s usual self. Jounouchi and Shizuka knew something happened.

“Uh…sure.” Shizuka reached into her bag by the dresser taking out her Tarot deck. She pulled out the cards used in the reading. “The Emperor is Yami. The KnightSworSwords is Seto. The Lover’s Card means Yami and Seto are lovers. The Tower represents destruction, that’s when I had the vision of the town destroyed by the gold dragon. The Devil means Yami and Seto are shackled by evil, but it’s an evil they can overcome. The Three of Swords says a division between Yami and Seto is possible. The Wheel of Fortune foretells that their own destines are in their hands, and their actions will determine their future.”

Shizuka felt the Three of Swords hum with a strange energy. “It seems this card holds a vision for me…” Upon a red heart in place of the left sword stood Yami. Opposite on the right stood Seto. Each reached out to the other with outstretched arms yet something blocked them. The image of Yugi, the middle sword appeared between them.

“Yugi…you knew didn’t you? That’s why you asked me about the reading. Am I right?” she asked placing her porcelain hand on his sloping shoulder.

Still as a statue, he didn’t move or respond. Even his breathing stopped too. Jounouchi saw his pained magenta eyes simply stare out at the space in front of him. Down his cheek rolled a tear. “I am the sword that divides them. If their relationship fails work out, it’s all my fault!”

Before Jounouchi said a word, Yugi stormed out of the dressing room back into the Hypostyle hall.

“YUG!!!” called out Jounouchi running after him.

The youth darted into one of the library rooms, slamming the door behind him. Jounouchi pounded his fists against the old wooden door.

“OPEN UP YUG!! OPEN UP!!” demanded he banging on the door.

Jounouchi felt something soft brush against his leg. Bast. She meowed clawing at the wood grain to open it.

“Even yer worried too, huh girl?” He knelt over to hold her wanting to cry.

“Big brother!” Shizuka stopped by her brother to catch her breath. “The kher heb wants us to join him for the service!”

“Without Yug!? NO WAY!” opposed he strongly.

“We can get Yugi later. We have to go, now.” She took his free arm pulling him away.

“YUG! We’ll be back.” Jounouchi’s voice resounded through the dark hall, striking a rueful note.

Jounouchi and Shizuka hurried to meet the kher heb, who waited in front of the main sanctuary along with Anzu, Yami and Seto. The pharaoh and high priest were decked out in new kilts, wireshreshly applied makeup and myrrh oil scenting the air around him.

“Where’s Yugi?” The youth’s absence worried Yami.

“Oh it seems you’ve taken a liking to him, Yami.” Commented Seto harshly. He crossed his arms. He shot towards Yami that ice-cold glare Jounouchi knew all too well.

Yami froze, captured by Seto’s glare.

“I knew when you met him your heart was lost in his gaze. So why did we even get that reading?” questioned he coldly. That icy tone from their days as opponents returned to his now hostile voice.

“This isn’t good! Yugi must of slept with Yami!” thought Shizuka intuitively. “He feels guilty for dividing them. Now’s he’s suffering.”

“What are you looking at, girl!?” Seto lashed out at Shizuka.

Jounouchi saw Shizuka’s emerald eyes well in pain. He moved in front of her standing between her and Seto. “Her name’s Shiz, not ‘girl’ ya rude Hem Netjer!” Jounouchi scowled menacingly at the High Priest.

“Control yourselves, both of you!” commanded Yami angrily. “We were led here by Bast. Now let us to listen to what the kher heb has to say.” Yami bowed deeply before the kher heb, who waited patiently in front of the sanctuary doors.

The kher heb nodded. He dressed in a white hooded linen robe covering his muscular frame. The pleats gathered about his hands and feet. The hood hid his hair, revealing only his handsome face. On his forehead, he wore the same sun circlet as Anzu identifying him as a priest of Ra. Just below the thin gold band, his sharp defined brows slanted downward, accenting his exotic oriental eyes. He rimmed his eyes with kohl paint. The outer layer of his irises was a dark blue black, blending into the main obsidian black color. The light streaming in from the high windows of the Hypostyle hall, sparkled in his deep black pools, with a glint of kindness.

Over his dark brown skin with dark umber undertones, the powdered ochre emphasized his high cheekbones. The angles of his face were soft, but his nose sharper and pointed. The red ochre applied to his earthy brown lips, terra cotta colored, tinted them to an even darker red, bringing out his warm smile.

“Welcome to Ra’s temple.” Welcomed he in his deep, inviting voice. “I’m Honda, the ker heb priest. Today I invite you to our evening service since Bast led you to our temple. She’s no ordinary cat, but the incarnation of the goddess Bast herself. That’s why your coming here is significant today.”

“When we first met her, I saw a vision of her as the goddess Bast standing on a lotus!” recalled Yami remembering that vision.

“Really? The goddess revealed herself to you for she desired to lead you here. It is said when Ra’s Eye foresees a cataclysmic event, he sends Bast here in the form of a cat. Bast is to guide us so we may avoid whatever tragedy Ra foresaw.” Explained Honda pointing to the nearest column. “Those events are depicted on the Column of Mysteries.”

The first scene on the column showed Ra’s Eye looking over the horizon. Next, Bast descended into her mortal feline form, appearing by the Pharaoh’s throne. A group of purple robed figures opposing the Pharaoh’s were to his right. The next vivid scene displayed the seven Millennium Items gathered around the depiction of a door. The pharaoh’s forces and the purple robed ones each vied for the Millennium Items. After that, a battle took place between the forces of light and dark. The Pharaoh leading the forces of light, waged war against purple robed army leg by a single figure. Above that figure, a gold dragon hovered above unleashing its fury on the pharaoh’s troops. So powerful was its attack, it lambasted entire towns into obliteration.

“NOOOOO!!” cried out Shizuka in terror, remembering that dreadful vision. The shock of death on the people’s face, the opening of the dragon’s jaws, a person reaching out to her as he disintegrated into a column of golden light.

“LADYYY!!” screamed Honda, reliving the vision with Shizuka. He sunk to his knees grasping his head in pain. Just as Shizuka saw the helpless man consumed by the golden column, she turned around reaching out to him. He took her hand only to see her shriek silently, disintegrated by the light.

“SAVE MEEEE!!” yelled Shizuka, crying out with closed eyes.

“It’s a dream, a dream! Wake up Shiz!!” Jounouchi held her, shaking her.

“Kher Heb, open your eyes!” Anzu knelt by Honda putting her hands on his shoulders.

Both Honda and Shizuka opened their eyes. They stared at each other, then at everyone speechless.

“We’re really going to die, big brother!” wailed Shizuka, now in tears. She buried her head into her brother’s chest.

“Yer not, it’s a vision, its not real.” Trembled Jounouchi. He hugged her tightly.

The kher heb caught his breath, breaking out into a cold sweat. He wiped his forehead with his robe’s sleeve to brush away the sweat. Anzu helped him up.

“What we saw is not real right now, but a cataclysmic event depicted on this column. What we are seeing is visions of the future. It is the day when the forces of light led by the Pharaoh battle the darkness led by the purple robed one who commands the dragon. In other words, the final battle between good and evil. If evil were to triumph that dragon may not destroy only us, but the entire world as well.” Spoke Honda ominously. His breathing was labored and heavy, still shaken up by the dreadful vision.

“So it’s a vision of what’ll happen if evil triumphs over good. This is what the Tower tried to tell me during the reading. When I saw the Devil’s card, I thought the purple robed figure represented Sekhemet, the sun goddess of destruction, but I may be wrong.” Considered Shizuka looking through her cards again.

“What does that mean?” Seto studied her cards feeling baffled.

“Hem Netjer, when does Sekhmet destroy?” she questioned.

“Well, only when travelers are foolish even to venture into the desert. The sun’s so hot, its rays could kill people there.” He replied, wondering why she asked such an obvious question.

“Does Sekhmet deliberately try to kill people who don’t wander into the desert?” Her emerald eyes asked him, inquisitively.

“No…of course not. She’s not truly an evil goddess, only a goddess who represents the destructive aspects of the sun.” he answered still confused.

“That’s exactly why I think the purple robed figure represents someone else, a god or goddess truly evil unlike Sekhmet, who desires the total annihilation of humankind.” Everyone understood Shizuka clearly now.

“What about the two people sitting by Sekhmet’s feet, bound by chains? Aren’t they Seto and I?” wondered Yami seeing the Devil’s card.

“During the reading, I thought they were symbolic of you and Seto, but I now feel they’re people we haven’t met, but soon will, enslaved by the darkness.” Shizuka concentrated on the Devil card’s energy to understand its imagery.

“This is gettin’ so damn complicated Shiz!” Jounouchi sighed feeling his head might blow up.

“Ha! To a simple minded commoner like you it is!” Seto mocked him.

“Ya wanna piece ‘o me, Hem Netjer!?” snarled Jounouchi, ready to fight him. He moved into fighting stance, raising his fists at the high priest.

“KNOCK IT OFF!!” ordered Yami fiercely, dividing them.

“How DARE YOU order me!” retorted Seto. Yami saw resentment in his cold icy pools. “I was STUPID to think we shared a relationship other than that of dueling.”

“WHAT are you talking about!?” Yami’s normally friendly eyes narrowed, filled with anger. His crimson pools burned hotly.

“I knew since you laid eyes on that street rat, you took a liking to him! You even spent a whole HOUR in the Sacred Lake with him! What the HELL is going on, Pharaoh!?!?” His mahogany eyebrows furrowed together out of rage. His vehement voice reverberated through the Hypostyle hall striking fear the pharaoh’s soul.

All eyes turned to Yami who stood there in silence.

“You…you slept with Yugi didn’t you your lordship?” thought Shizuka to herself. “Yugi feels guilty for separating you two, and he suffers in agony. You were suffering inside too, your lordship? Did you feel Seto would never love you back no matter how hard you loved him back? Drowning in your own pain, you turned to Yugi did you not? Now Seto’s heart is broken because of what you did.”

“You both cry out inside, but if you don’t work together to battle this evil, we may all die in the end.” Spoke Shizuka mournfully in her angelic voice.

Seto turned his icy gaze to her. “I don’t give a camel’s ass if the world is blown up! We all die in the end, so what does it matter!? All I want to know is, what the hell is going on between Yami and Yugi!!”

“Nothing!” replied Yami quickly under his breath. His whole body tensed as he spoke.

Swallowing his rage, Seto averted his gaze.

“Well…” Honda’s warm voice shattered the eerie silence. “Now that Bast led all of you here, let’s celebrate and start the service!”

“Honda, you always try to cheer people up, especially after a serious fight. Isn’t it better to let them be?” suggested Anzu smiling sweetly.

“If ya let ‘em be, they go around actin’ like Hem Netjer here with a serious attitude problem.” Jounouchi grinned light heartedly, nudging Seto in the shoulder.

“Don’t touch me!!” hissed the high priest under his breathes. He pushed the honey haired man away from him.

“Big brother, you should really leave him alone.” Whispered Shizuka. They moved away speaking privately.

“I’m sure singing and dancing to please Ra will make everyone feel better. Let’s head in.” Anzu and Honda opened the doors to let everyone into the main sanctuary.

“I need to talk to Yug.” Jounouchi said to Shizuka before dashing off to the library room to find Yugi.