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inkuranmaricchanbrainrot[This was supposed to be an exciting class trip.
The spring semester was about to come to a close, and Inko Hakuba's first few months in high school were supposed to end with a fun trip for everyone before the summer vacation began.
Said fun trip?
Going to Egypt.
Truth be told, she'd been looking forward to this trip for weeks; it was meant to be a trip for the senior students, but after a particular incident that was not disclosed to the public, the funds and tickets were given to the first years for free (so long as the student had a usable passport) as punishment for the students in question in lieu of barring their chances at graduation.
So Inko and her class were shuttled onto a bus, put on a plane, and were sent to Egypt as a cultural studies trip.
Her very first trip, her very first trip without her parents, and to a foreign country, no less! She was being taken to a land of adventure, full of beautiful golden sands, priceless artifacts, and ancient magic and wonder.
(Of course, it was not actually like that; but nobody had the heart to tell the poor girl that when she excitedly got on the plane. She was only fifteen, less than one month off from her sixteenth birthday, and she was clearly very excited!)
Their first stop was an outdoor market near Cairo, which was clearly trying to appeal to tourists like Inko who bought into the idea of the country rather than the reality. An old woman with graying hair reached out to Inko as she passed a stall, and stopped her as she was about to walk past.
Her classmates didn't notice that they left her behind.
"Yes...?" She asked in clumsy Arabic.
"You...I've seen you before."
The woman spoke in perfect Japanese, but it was clear that she was not a native speaker. Her mouth moved in a strange way, and they didn't seem to match her words, but Inko understood her perfectly.
"I...Excuse me?" Inko blinked.
The woman fished under the counter, pulling something out and holding it to Inko.
It looked like some kind of stone, almost the size of her fist. The image of what looked to be a tiger was carved on it, and the stone...looked old.
Quite old.
"For you. Don't worry about paying."
Inko took it in her hand and held it to her chest, and it felt warm in her hand. She didn't understand what was going on, but she nodded.
"I...if you're...thank you."
She bowed quickly, hurrying to catch up to the other students that were milling around nearby at another stall.
She dreamt of a voice that night, speaking to her. It was faint and muffled, and she couldn't understand it.
It wasn't until the next day, when they went to visit the Cairo museum, that she understood the words:
"Find me."
When she and her classmates went to the museum, she found herself stopping at a stone tablet on the wall with the same tiger etched into it; it looked like he was staring right at her...but that couldn't be right! That was a carving!
And yet...
She felt the stone in her hand growing warm, almost burning to the touch as she felt it...
Phase inside her body.
And something opened up under her, swallowing her whole as she fell into an abyss to the horrified screaming of her classmates nearby.
...
And there she was, lying in her Domino High school uniform inside what looked to be an open sarcophagus, the mummy long since removed. She was in the fetal position, short hair in disarray as she hugged herself.
She was unconscious...
And she wasn't in the museum anymore.]
The spring semester was about to come to a close, and Inko Hakuba's first few months in high school were supposed to end with a fun trip for everyone before the summer vacation began.
Said fun trip?
Going to Egypt.
Truth be told, she'd been looking forward to this trip for weeks; it was meant to be a trip for the senior students, but after a particular incident that was not disclosed to the public, the funds and tickets were given to the first years for free (so long as the student had a usable passport) as punishment for the students in question in lieu of barring their chances at graduation.
So Inko and her class were shuttled onto a bus, put on a plane, and were sent to Egypt as a cultural studies trip.
Her very first trip, her very first trip without her parents, and to a foreign country, no less! She was being taken to a land of adventure, full of beautiful golden sands, priceless artifacts, and ancient magic and wonder.
(Of course, it was not actually like that; but nobody had the heart to tell the poor girl that when she excitedly got on the plane. She was only fifteen, less than one month off from her sixteenth birthday, and she was clearly very excited!)
Their first stop was an outdoor market near Cairo, which was clearly trying to appeal to tourists like Inko who bought into the idea of the country rather than the reality. An old woman with graying hair reached out to Inko as she passed a stall, and stopped her as she was about to walk past.
Her classmates didn't notice that they left her behind.
"Yes...?" She asked in clumsy Arabic.
"You...I've seen you before."
The woman spoke in perfect Japanese, but it was clear that she was not a native speaker. Her mouth moved in a strange way, and they didn't seem to match her words, but Inko understood her perfectly.
"I...Excuse me?" Inko blinked.
The woman fished under the counter, pulling something out and holding it to Inko.
It looked like some kind of stone, almost the size of her fist. The image of what looked to be a tiger was carved on it, and the stone...looked old.
Quite old.
"For you. Don't worry about paying."
Inko took it in her hand and held it to her chest, and it felt warm in her hand. She didn't understand what was going on, but she nodded.
"I...if you're...thank you."
She bowed quickly, hurrying to catch up to the other students that were milling around nearby at another stall.
She dreamt of a voice that night, speaking to her. It was faint and muffled, and she couldn't understand it.
It wasn't until the next day, when they went to visit the Cairo museum, that she understood the words:
"Find me."
When she and her classmates went to the museum, she found herself stopping at a stone tablet on the wall with the same tiger etched into it; it looked like he was staring right at her...but that couldn't be right! That was a carving!
And yet...
She felt the stone in her hand growing warm, almost burning to the touch as she felt it...
Phase inside her body.
And something opened up under her, swallowing her whole as she fell into an abyss to the horrified screaming of her classmates nearby.
...
And there she was, lying in her Domino High school uniform inside what looked to be an open sarcophagus, the mummy long since removed. She was in the fetal position, short hair in disarray as she hugged herself.
She was unconscious...
And she wasn't in the museum anymore.]
no subject
Date: 2024-02-14 11:32 am (UTC)It would be rude to get too comfortable, after all.
She flushes at his words, biting her lip but still keeping her stature straight.]
/O-Oh...Na...tria toooold...a-about...Ka./
[They were manifestations of the soul, though he was...different. He was a manifestation of her soul, and while he was dependent on her individual ability to wield Ka effectively, he was an entity of his own. Inko likened it to a family Kami, and while he disagreed, he said it was a simple enough explanation for now.]
/I...w-will...stay./
[She hated struggling with the words and relying on him for help, though. She was going to ask Naturia to teach her how to speak the language while she had time to.]
no subject
Date: 2024-02-14 11:46 am (UTC)/Good.
It's also best you don't head out on your own until you're able to mask your Ka. The Pharaoh's men are looking for people with strong Ka which makes you a prime target. We'll need to dress you plainly and.../
[He sighs dramatically.]
/I'll need to teach you how to blend in to the crowd./
no subject
Date: 2024-02-14 11:54 am (UTC)Though...
The image of cruel eyes flashes for a moment. She shivers, shaking it off.
Where did that come from?]
/Maaaask?/ Like hide?
[She needed to hide Naturia's presence. That made sense; he always hid whenever she was in the presence of people, but she couldn't control when to get him to come out or not.
He was just...
Always there.]
/Blend...iiiiiin....L-like.../
[She'd...look like him?
In her mind, he was the pinnacle of standing out from a crowd. He was beautiful, powerful, and carried a regal aura that she'd never seen before. He was amazing...!]
/...You? I'd...looook like you?/
no subject
Date: 2024-02-14 12:20 pm (UTC)/You don't want people sensing it./
[Gentlemanly as ever, Bakura scratches his chest lazily.]
/Not exactly but there are ways to carry yourself so you don't stand out in a crowd. To where you can just disappear without a trace. That will take some work but clothes will help a bit with that./
no subject
Date: 2024-02-14 12:26 pm (UTC)Inko's eyes sparkle, and then she...begins speaking. Very quickly. No hint of hieratic to be seen, but her arms are waving about and she looks so enthusiastic that it's like the light shines behind her eyes.
Naturia has to hop out, sighing--
It stops her in her tracks and she smiles sheepishly.]
//In her home country, there are warriors that blend in and sneak around under the cover of darkness. She was getting ahead of herself and thinking that what you were talking about had anything to do with that.//
[She nods.]
Kunoichi.
[She uses the phrase specific to women since this would be her in this position.]
/Ssssorry. W-will...do my best...to be.../
[She glances over at Naturia, and it looks like they're having a silent conversation.]
/'Stealthy'./
no subject
Date: 2024-02-14 12:36 pm (UTC)Kunoichi. What an odd word. Of course, the rest of her language is odd sounding too. He sighs, running his fingers through his hair.]
/Yes, stealthy is a way to think of it. This isn't something to get excited over. You either do this or the wrong person is bound to find you./
no subject
Date: 2024-02-14 12:39 pm (UTC)She nods.]
/Y-yes...I...wiiiill do myyyy best,/ Bakura-sensei.
[She had to do her best.
Not just her best, but succeed. If she didn't...
Who knew what would happen?]
no subject
Date: 2024-02-14 12:45 pm (UTC)[He sits up, reaching across to grab Inko by the chin as he leans in close. His violet eyes gaze into Inko's but there's no kindness behind them.]
/Because I refuse to have anyone ruin my life long plan.
Not even a woman lost in time./
no subject
Date: 2024-02-14 12:56 pm (UTC)Simply...sadness.
Tears prick the corners of her eyes, but she doesn't move away.]
Okay.
[She doesn't speak in Hieratic, but the soft sound of her voice and the single syllable should be clear enough what she means.]
no subject
Date: 2024-02-14 01:13 pm (UTC)There's a long moment of silence as Bakura simply sits there, thinking to himself on how to go about all of this. Finally he breaks it with a question:]
/Tell me when you're hungry./
no subject
Date: 2024-02-14 01:22 pm (UTC)He's so closed off. He acts so cold, even when he already went out of his way for her and helped her. Truly, he's a kind person at heart; he could have easily left her, but he didn't.
He could have left her for those men.
But he didn't.
He likes to play at being aloof, but...
She bites her lip and nods.
It's getting easier to pick up on words and consistent language transitions, though she knew she was a long way off from learning the language at any level. Naturia still has to translate it to her...]
/Yes./
[A pause, as she mentally asks for the right words to say.]
/And...thank...you.../
[A pause.
A soft, gentle smile.]
/For...saving my life./
no subject
Date: 2024-02-14 01:36 pm (UTC)Saving a life.
... That's not something he's ever done before. He's left people to die all the time but saving someone?
He must be getting soft for a pretty face.
The thief waves his hand dismissively and lays down, placing his arms behind his head.]
/It's whatever. I'm only doing it because of your "unique" situation./
no subject
Date: 2024-02-14 01:53 pm (UTC)/I know./
[He was kind. She was sure of it: nobody would go out of their way if they weren't kind.]
/L...et me know if I...can help. With the cooking. I can cook well./
[Granted, she's only used modern appliances, but she's willing to learn. She has to give back for all Bakura has given her.]
no subject
Date: 2024-02-14 02:00 pm (UTC)/What are you? A servant?/
no subject
Date: 2024-02-14 02:12 pm (UTC)/Ser...vant?/
[She repeats the word again, making sure it stuck. Theoretically, she knew what he meant, but it was a strange thing to hear.
Her, a servant?]
/No...? Ev...everyone learns...how to cook where I am from. It is.../
[She pauses, hearing Naturia's translation and commisserating mentally with him on how to properly say what she means.]
/Part of schooling. It teaches...independence./
no subject
Date: 2024-02-14 02:23 pm (UTC)[He wrinkles his nose, ignoring the fact that she told him everyone learns how to do it in her time.]
/So you are from a well off family./
no subject
Date: 2024-02-14 02:28 pm (UTC)She thinks of the small apartment she lives in, and her parents that are barely home.
She shakes her head.]
/Not at all. School is..../
[A pause.]
/For everyone. A-all...classes? Go to school. It is law./
no subject
Date: 2024-02-14 02:33 pm (UTC)[He can barely read and write and is almost 20. That's more than most common folk can do though.]
no subject
Date: 2024-02-14 02:42 pm (UTC)/Education is very....important for my people. Even the Emperor cannot get into a good school if....he does not pass the exam. I just started..../
[What was a good way to describe high school?]
/Young Adult School. We have...six levels of education: Baby School, Child School, Older Child School, Young Adult School, Adult School, and Scholar School./
[Kindergarten, Elementary School, Middle School, High School, University, and Postgraduate studies.]
/You have to learn a lot, because there is a lot of...advanced technology in my time. Like/ Computers and Televisions.
no subject
Date: 2024-02-14 02:47 pm (UTC)Somewhat. He scratches his ear and looks bored with her explanation. Which he is because it doesn't pertain to him.
So Inko only gets a grunt in response. He's aware of technology in the ancient sense but has no idea what those other words she said are.]
/Sounds miserable./
no subject
Date: 2024-02-14 02:51 pm (UTC)/School...is fun. I like learning. We have a lot of interesting devices, like.../
[Her camera.
It's a bulky kodak brownie camera that automatically develops photos; it's extremely durable, and managed to survive her trip into the past and then some. She also has some extra batteries and film--she had to thank her past self for being prepared when she went to the museum, she supposes.
She reaches for her knapsack and digs through it, pulling out the device and holds it out.]
/This. It...automatically makes portraits without having to paint./
no subject
Date: 2024-02-14 02:59 pm (UTC)But Inko might want to stop him before he pulls it apart. Oops.]
/How? It's just a box. Is it magical? Does it steal your soul?/
no subject
Date: 2024-02-14 03:03 pm (UTC)Gently, she takes the camera and pulls it and his hands towards herself to urge him to hand it back.]
/It is not magical. It captures light and it reflects onto special paper. I can show you, if you want./
no subject
Date: 2024-02-14 03:15 pm (UTC)Take a picture of the wall. I don't want to chance it if it does pull your soul out.
no subject
Date: 2024-02-14 03:24 pm (UTC)Of course.
[She stands, moving towards the back of the room in order to get a good shot of one of the tapestries and a pile of pillows. It looked nice, and had a very cinematic feel to it.
Like a movie.
She aimed, focused...and snapped.
Within seconds, there is a whirring sound, and a photo comes out the front.]
Oh, it looks lovely!
[The lighting was perfect, and everything looked hazy, almost dreamlike. She sits back down, holding the photo out to Bakura.]
See? It does not suck out your soul!
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