Scene desert
"The sun rises on a new day within the western desert.
The boy wandering alongside the travelers can be seen arising from their slumber.
Taiyo looks down with half lidded eyes, feeling a weight currently on his chest.
His vision gets clouded by two red cat ears popping up at him.
Looking further down, he sees the cat goddess wrapped around in a circle, on top of him while purring in her sleep."
t"Ehh…"
"Realization hits the boy."
t"Gah! BASTETO!"
"He yells, out, feeling and seeing the girl's barely covered chest pressing down on him."
b"Nyaa….?"
"Bastet says drowsy eyed as she wakes herself."
b"Oh… Good morning Amun…"
t"Bastet… why are you on top of me?"
b"Eto…?
b"Oh sorry… I must've moved on top of you in my sleep…"
"She says, noticing how warm the boy was under her."
t"Okay…"
"Timidly, the girl got off him."
x"Oh… Pharaoh and Goddess are in love!"
"The two snap back, looking at the boy who attempted to tease them."
b"Eh..! No we're not!"
t"..."
b"Me and Pharaoh… that's ridiculous…"
"Bastet holds a scarlet blush on her face."
"Taiyo clears his throat."
t"Anyways, if everyones ready, why don't we start making our way to the city…"
b"R-right…"
"The scene changes to the packed up sun boat cruising with a full abundance of travelers."
"All finding a way to squeeze together as Taiyo stirs ahead."
b"Amuuuun! Are you thirsty!"
t"Huh…?"
t"Yeah I guess…"
"Instantly The black neko crawls on top of the people, getting to the front of the boat and passing the boy a bottle of water in between its teeth."
t"Good Kitty..."
"Tut" "Meow…!"
"Drinking the water with one hand and storing the ship with another, Taiyo takes in the sun's heat as they approach closer and closer to the city."
t"I think we're here…"
"He says as the image of Cairo comes into view."
"The travelers marvel at the arrival to their home."
"After stopping along the coast, the travelers can be seen running towards their homes, with a few citizens staying behind."
x"Thank you so much once again, Pharaoh."
x"Yes, I don't want to think what would've happened if it were not for you."
t"I uh… it's really no big deal…"
t"..."
t"I'm just happy to help."
"The sound of coos and chuckling can be heard."
"Looking over to the side, a small group of women can be seen giggling upon looking at the young boy."
"After a few seconds, Taiyo notices their gaze, giving them a bashful wave."
"The girls wave back as they continue to giggle."
"Bastet looks at the scene unfold before a realization hits her."
b"Gah!"
b"Those girls were checking you out, weren't they!"
t"Ehh… No I don't think so!"
b"They totally were!"
t"You're imagining things, besides what do you care…"
b"Ehhh!!"'
b"I don't!"
b"Idiot!"
t"..."
"The people bow their heads before turning to the direction of their city."
"Taiyo looks over at Bastet, who keeps her attention forward towards the city."
t"You wanna go?"
b"...!"
b"Really?"
t"Yea why not."
"Chirping up, Bastet smiles as bright as she could before grabbing the boy's hand and running towards the city."
t"Hey wait! Basteto!"
b"Eh? What?"
t"Don't take this the wrong way, but can you put your hoodie on."
b"Ehh why?"
t"Because, it's Cairo."
b"So?"
t"It's the capital of Egypt, there's no doubt people wouldn't figure out who you are."
t"I'd rather we didn't draw too much attention."
b"..."
b"That makes sense…"
"Bastet puts on her hood, covering her expressive cat ears."
b"Better?"
t"Yea… lets go."
"They walk into the city, going through corners and different streets. People were selling food and accessories out and about, with many citizens walking around."
b"Hoo…!"
"The two look around, absorbing the radiating culture of the city."
"Resting her head on the boy''s arm, Bastet marvels at the sight of her people in the new world."
b"Amun Amun! What is that!?"
t"Those are croquettes…"
b"Croquettes…?"
t"Yea.. It's like bread…"
b"Ohh… can I get one?"
t"Ehh I mean I don't have any money…"
"Bastet had already ran up to the salesman, who seemingly offered her two for free."
t"How did you get those?"
b"Hmm? Can you not see he was simply charmed by my feminine wiles, people can't help but to dote on me~"
"She says handing the boy one of the croquettes."
t"Okay…"
"They both take a bite, letting out sounds of satisfaction."
b"Sugoi!"
b"They're amazing! Cuisine has definitely improved over the last 3000 years!"
t"Hehe…no kidding…"
"Their eyes wander around once again, viewing the acts of the city and its people."
b"Amun look! They're playing Senet!"
t"Senet?"
b"Haaa!? You don't know Senet!"
"She says before grabbing his hand and running into the playing group."
"The two look over at the two combatants, the people around them talking as they continue their board game."
t"Is this… chest?"
b"No it's Senet!"
t"What is that?"
b"Mou… Just watch dummy."
"Taiyo watches as the two continue to play."
"The goal of Senet is to move all of your pieces off the board before your opponent, symbolizing the journey of the soul through the afterlife."
"Game: Players alternate placing their pieces on the board, filling the first row. Each player has their pieces starting from the left side of the board. Typically, one player's pieces are placed on squares 1 to 5, and the opponent's pieces on squares 6 to 10.
Throwing the sticks determines how many squares you move. Each stick with the marked side up counts as one point. The sum determines the number of spaces a piece can move"
x"Little lady, care to play?"
"The player says to her."
b"Really! Okay!"
"She says, taking a seat."
"Taiyo hovers over her, steading himself to see the game unfold."
"Bastet delicately placed her hand on the smooth wooden board of Senet, her eyes flickering with a knowing glint. "
b"Nyah~ let's get this started!"
"After about ten minutes pass, Bastet can be seen taunting her victory."
b"Nyahaha! I won!"
x"Wow… impressive…"
x"Truly this victory is yours."
b"But of course, there's no one better at this game than me after all, I was there during the days of its invention…"
t"That did look pretty fun…"
b"Ho~ Would you like to play Amun?"
t"I'm good…"
t"Besides, don't you think we should get going now?"
b"Mou~ Already?"
"Taiyo starts waking away."
t"Let's get some good food first, then we'll make our way out."
b"Ehh… okay…"
"She says running up to him as they traverse through the city again."
"Seeing a sitting food shop nearby, the two sit side by side awaiting food."
"The cook dumps two different meals for the pair, one seemed like a rice bowl, the other seemed to be a bowl of green stew, alongside some Baladi Bread."
b"What is this…"
x"This is called Molokhia!"
x"A very popular dish here!"
b"..."
b"It's green."
x"The green gives it flavor!"
b"Bastet looks very unpleasant at the bowl before her, looking over at Amun."
b"Uhm Amun, you think maybe we could trade."
"Before she even realized it, Taiyon had already stuffed half of the rice dish, apparently called Koshari, down his throat."
t"Hmm?"
b"Nevermind…"
"She looks back at the bowl before jolting her head side to side."
b"Uhm.. Is there no fish here… or tuna?'
x"I'm sorry but we've been a bit short on ingredients ever since the resurgence…"
b"I see.."
"Taiyo grabs her hand and places it on the spoon."
t"Come on, you need to eat to replenish your strength."
t"I don't want you passing out on me during our ride back."
b"Ehhhh!?"
"She gulps before taking a spoon to her lips."
"Reluctantly, she nibbles on the substance, and after a few moments, sparkles glimmer in her eyes."
b"It's good!"
x"Right!"
"The two then proceed to eat their full of the dishes provided to them."
"After a few bowls get eaten, the two can be seen making their way out the city, passing by more stalls of vendors and conmen."
b"Im stuffed…!"
t"You're telling me…"
b"That stew didn't look too appealing at first."
b"But it actually had a rich and flavorful after taste!"
b"How was your dish?"
t"it was really good, I think…"
t"I'll scarf anything down if it has rice."
t"I love rice."
b"Ho~ You don't say…"
t"Yeah…"
"The two walk together as they pass stalls of paintings and jewelry, Bastet's eyes glimmer as she gazes at the various relics the vendors are selling."
"When something catches her eye."
b"Eh… wait what's that!"
"A vendor with an abundance of beetle shaped relics can be seen amongst the group. He held a sign showcasing area's of an abundance of dung beetles."
x"Get your amulet's here!"
x"These sacred beetles will protect you within the desert!"
b"Excuse me sir…!"
x"Hmmm… what may I do for you little lady?"
b"Hello sir, may I ask you, why are you promoting these beetle amulets."
x"huh, haven't you heard little lady, the Gods have returned."
"The girl currently had her hoodie up, hiding her ears from the crowd."
x"Many of us merchants have begun capitalizing on this you see, returning to the ancient religious norms of our culture."
x"Selling Ankhs, Eye of Horus necklaces and such, including these amulets."
x"These amulets are replicas of the ancient Scarab you see."
x"In fact, there have been reports of sightings of it throughout the desert."
b"Seriously!?"
x"Yep…"
x"If you're interested, you may take one of these amulets yourself, it's said to lead travelers to the true divine relic."
b"Ehh? Are you sure?"
x"Of course, if you're willing to pay the right price…"
b"Oh…"
b"Of course…"
b"Uhm.. So how much do these go for?"
x"3000 Egyptian Pounds."
"..."
b"What!"
b"3000 Egyptian Pounds!!"
x"I'm afraid that's the going rate."
"Bastet with teary eyes looks over at Taiyo, who nods his head sideways as a response."
b"Where are we supposed to get that much money…"
t"I mean we don't really need that thing, like I said, I don't really care if we find this scarab or whatever…"
b"But!!"
"Bastet tries to come up with a solution as fast as possible."
b"What if we trade!"
x"Trade?"
b"Yes! People in my time used to trade way more than exchanging currency."
b"If we give you something of equal value to this than maybe we can…"
x"I see…"
x"Well what did you have in mind…"
b"Eto…"
"Bastet looks through her cloak, trying to see if she had anything on her person she could trade with."
b"No…"
x"That's too bad…"
x"Oh… wait a minute, what about those?"
b"??'
"Bastet's eyes shift over to where the man was pointing to see he was referring to the crook and flail held behind Taiyo's belt."
t"These…?"
"The boy says, touching the two treasures."
x"But of course… That crook and flail is unlike any I've seen before…"
x"It looks as if it was carved from the purest of Gold."
x"I'd be more than happy to give you one of my amulets in exchange for those."
"Lifting them up from his belt, Taiyo studies them closer. A flare emitting from the two steel sticks."
x"trade huh…"
"A memory of the boy's training days stirs up."
scene vault
s"Here, take these."
t"What's this?"
s"These are the crook and flail."
"Taiyo looks down at the staff with a curved top, resembling a shepherd's staff and its counter being a rod with three beaded strands."
"Twirling them around in the air, he starts initiating the movements of a farmer."
t"So am I gonna be growing crops now or something?"
s"Not exactly…"
s"The crook and flail hold a symbolic significance in the ancient Egyptian world."
t"How so?"
"..."'
s"The crook and flail is the sign of the King."
t"...!"
t"The… king."
s"Yes, the crook and flail is used by the pharaoh to exude kingship."
s"The Crook, represents Heka, Authority and Leadership**Divine Protection*"
s" It symbolizes the pharaoh's role as the shepherd of his people, guiding and protecting them. "
s"The Flail, represents Maát, Power and Discipline*Agricultural*"
s" It represents the pharaoh's power to rule and the authority to administer justice and discipline."
s"When acted together, it carries the united aspects that the Pharaoh must represent, thus used as one…"
"Taiyo still isn't sold on this whole Pharaoh narrative, he feels uncertain about being handed such a sacred relic."
s"Please, carry this with you during your journey, I'm sure it'll prove vital during your encounters…"
"Now back with the merchant, Taiyo reluctantly puts the short staffs back behind his waist."
t"I'm sorry, but I can't in good conscience trade you that…"
x"I see… Very well, If you have nothing to trade then please do move along…"
b"Wait!"
"Bastet says, sounding desperate."
x"...?"
b"We uh… I uh…. I'm a Goddess you see!"
x"Ho~?"
t"Dammit… Basteto…"
"The girl says, removing her hood to show off her kitty ears."
x"Oh wow…"
b"Yes, I am Bastet! The Goddess of protection."
x"It's an honor to meet you Goddess, truly."
"..."
b"So…"
x"...?"
b"Can I have an amulet?"
x"3000 pounds."
b"Ehh! But I'm a Goddess! The symbol of your faith! Don't you want to shower me with praise, or worship?"
x"Believe me, I have pledged my faith to you and the Gods. But that doesn't change the fact I'm running a business here."
x"Besidess, shouldn't a Goddess be surrounded by riches? I find it strange you don't have the compensation to support your own followers…"
b"Gasp!"
b"Fine! Have it your way!"
b"Hmph!"
"Bastet immaturely stomps away, getting both upset and angry at her short interaction with the merchant."
"Now standing in the background, she can be seen blowing air in her cheeks as she waits for Taiyo."
"Now alone with the merchant, Taiyo looks back at the stubborn looking girl and the man trying to make an honest living."
t"Look, I know you don't know us or anything, but do you think you can cut her some slack?"
t"Part of the reason we came out here is to find that scarab thing, I'd rather not have him be all grumpy during our ride back to Luxor…"
x"That's quite kind of you boy, but like I said, I'm running a business here, so I cannot… just…"
"Taioyo looks back at Bastet for a quick second making sure she couldn't hear him."
t"Look, between you and me, she's kind of an airhead…"
t"She really didn't mean to insult you or anything, she just really wants to find that scarab for some reason."
t"Besides, it might be in your interest to get on her good side now…"
t"she is a goddess afterall…"
x"Look boy, I already said no, so why don't you…"
x"Daddy Daddy!"
"A small boy can be seen running up to the merchant and hugging him."
x"Hurut!"
x"There you are my boy."
"The father and son hold each other before the boy looks up at the googled wearing man."
x"Pharaoh! What are you doing here…"
t"...!"
t"Oh… You're the kid from before…"
"Taiyo recognizes the boy amongst the group of people he had just finished rescuing…"
"Daddy this is who me and mommy were telling you about, this is the Pharaoh!"
"He saved us all from those Demons!"
x"Really! This is the boy…"
"The man's eyes scan over Taiyo once again, thinking he looked far too young to be some demon slaying champion."
"Bowing his head, he thanks the man accordingly."
"Thank you for saving my boy Pharaoh. You have my deepest thanks."
t"It's no problem, really…"
"..."
"Thinking things over, Taiyo tries to find a way to continue the previous conversation."
t"Hey, about the amulet, you think we can maybe forge some type of deal…"
x"Deal…?"
t"Neither one of us have the funds to pay for it now, nor anything to trade…"
t"But chances are me and her are probably going to be Tomb raiding soon…"
t"I can make you a promise that if we find anything valuable, i'll deliver it to you as soon as possible."
t"What do you say?"
"The man thinks over his request for a moment."
"If it were anyone else, he wouldn't have even considered it. But this boy, being the one to save his boy, as well as being the new Pharaoh."
"Not to mention, the sense of honesty and genuinity emitting from his voice."
x"Alright… we have a deal…"
"Taiyo smirks at the subtle victory."
t"Cool!"
"Now walking towards the red haired minx, Taiyo sees she's holding the same angry expressions with her arm crossed."
b"What's got you so giddy?"
t"Hehehe!"
t"Nothing…"
"The two of them make their way to the boat, where the sand cruiser makes its way through the deserts dunes."
"WIthin the boat, Bastet sits in the back still notably ticked while Taiyo stirs."
t"Here!"
"He says throwing something back at the girl without turning."
"Having quick reflexes, she catches the incoming object with ease."
b"What's this…"
"Her eyes settle on the colorful metal object that landed on her hands."
b"Ehh!? He gave you an amulet!"
t"Yep."
b"How…!"
t"I was able to strike a deal with him, no big deal…"
"Silence filled the boat for a moment of hesitation."
b"Why…"
t"...?"
b"Why did you get this for me…"
"Feeling uneasy from the question, Taiyo was left with no words to answer the cat girl…"
t"I don't know…"
t"..."
t"I just did…"
b"Hoo~"
"Taiyo can feel her smirk behind him."
"Slowly she makes her way up to him, taking her time with each step…"
b"Amun…!"
"Taiyo can feel regret stirring up."
t"Yea…"
"She walks up so that she's right next to him, then without warning she leans up and kisses him on the cheek."
"..."
"Taiyo was not one you would call a novice when it came to being around pretty women."
"He grew up alongside a girl named Wendy, someone he considers his dear childhood friend, his big sister. A woman most people would say is beyond stunning."
"Blushing was not something he did often."
"But right now, the boy was blushing as bright as a tomato."
t"HEY!"
t"What was that for!"
"The red-head quickly takes her seat back in the back of the boat, smiling innocently back at the scarlet faced boy."
b"Nyehee! I was just showing you my gratitude~"
b"Oh~ Are yous seriously getting flustered from that, Amun~"
t"...!"
b"It was just a kiss~…"
t"Gah…! Whatever…"
"Taiyo says, looking straight forward as they try to make their way to any suspecting tombs."
"The two traherse east in the Sahara desert, looking out for any unusual activity as well as any hidden tombs on their way."
b"Those croquettes were really yummy."
t"Yea they were, kind of reminds me of crepes."
b"Crepes?"
t"You've never had a crepe?"
b"I don't think so…"
t"Seriously… they're so good."
b"Hoo~ well maybe you can make it for me sometime."
t"Ehh, I don't know about that, I've never tried to make one before."
b"Oh…"
t"..."
b"Hey?"
t"Yeahum…"
"Why wouldn't you trade the crook and flail…?''
"There's a pause."
t"I don't know…"
"Bastet can be seen tilting her head…"
t"Sobek was pretty adamant on me keeping a hold on it…"
t"With how much sentimental value it has, I wouldn't feel right just giving it away…"
b"Hoo~"
t"..."
b"You know… I'm surprised you didn't use it during your flight earlier…"
t"What do you mean?"
b"Well the crook and flail together is meant to exude kingship."
t"Right."
b"It's also a physical outlet for those Kings to exude their authority."
b"Their Magic."
t"...!"
b"You didn't think Sobek gave those to you cause he wanted you to start cradling sheep out here right."
b"When used properly, those two staffs act as an efficient weapon for controlling magical attacks."
b"Though I suppose you didn't use much magic during that fight huh…"
t"Yeah…"
"Taiyo recollects the previous battle."
"So many raw punches and kicks were thrown, the enemies crushing under his overwhelming power. Though he did attempt to use magic at some point, it ended up being the only attack that didn't land."
t"I'm not too good at magic yet… aside from Shu."
b"That's nothing to be ashamed of, Magic takes many years to fully master."
b"I'm surprised how well you've mastered Shu in such a short amount of time!"
b"You really move like you're one with air itself."
b"But in terms of other magic, I suppose you'll just need more time to grow adept to it."
t"What about you?"
b"Hmm?'
t"What kind of magic can you do?"
b"Oh… Well you've seen most of what I can do already…"
b"Control cats, create shields, and fire magic."
t"Yeah… I guess I have seen you do all that already."
b"My magic, like all other gods, is partial to my title."
b"I have a collective shared connection, a clairvoyance if you will with all of my kitties. I'm able to detect and imbue my protection with them at will."
t"Wow… I'm surprised you didn't bring any more along with you then."
b"I would never put any of my precious babies in danger!"
b"This desert is the last place I would send any of my kitties."
b"Except for Tut of course!"
b"Tut's a special and tough little guy aren't you!"
"She says while brushing the little cat's head."
t"Oh…"
"Taiyo then thinks of the last facet of her powers. Bring a hand to his face while thinking of his own"
t"Fire magic…"
b"Yes, that aspect of my origin I received from Daddy."
t"Ra huh…"
"..."
b"The Bennu uses its fires to heal your wounds, but outside of that you haven't really produced any flames huh…"
t"Flames are… hard."
b"I found it hard too…"
t"Really?"
b"Mhmm."
b"I spent a long time training in order to master what I can do now…"
"Bastet lays her head on the side of the boat as she begins reminiscing."
b"When I was a kid, Lady Isis trained me in the ways of Magic."
b"She taught me everything I know…"
t"Isis… Goddess of Magic."
b"Mhmm… She knows every single magic spell there is, some say she breathed the concept of magic into existence."
t"Damn…"
t"You have a lot of respect for her huh…"
b"Of course, she is my senior after all…"
b"A powerful, elegant, and beautiful Goddess…"
b"The type I aspire to be…"
t"..."
"Taiyo thinks about all the Gods he's met so far."
"In the space-like plane, he met Ra, Thot, Khonsu, Isis, Osiris, Sobek, and his mother Mut…"
"And of course…"
"He looks back at the girl sitting behind him."
"Bastet."
"Taiyo had studied upo on Egyptian mythology during his studies, though still not grasping everything, he had a general idea of the gods and their way of order."
"Bastet… the Goddess of Protection."
"She had fewer stories directly dedicated to her."
"A goddess who was far younger than her counterparts."
"From his interactions with her, Taiyo feels she's no different than your average girl."
"If anything, she acted more childish than he did."
"Which spawned a question."
t"Hey… how old are you?"
b"3,717."
t"...!"
t"You're 3,717 years old!"
b"Eh… why are you surprised?"
"..."
b"I told you I originated in the middle kingdom."
b"I lived back during the old egyptian reign… They've written stories about me…"
b"Naturally it's because I existed back then…"
t"Seriously…"
t"So your…"
t"You're like Ancient…"
"Bastet tugs one of the boy's large hair strands."
b"Hey!"
b"Take that back!"
t"Ehh!!"
t"Take what back, that you're an old lady."
"Bastet pulls the boy's hair strand harder."
t"Ouch!"
t"That hurts dammit!"
b"I AM NOT AN OLD LADY."
t"You're 3,717 years old!"
b"Yes… but mentally I'm only 17!"
t"Eh??"
"Bastet lets go of his hair, walks back and sits down."
"She crosses her arms and prepares to explain."
b"During the middle kingdom, the other gods took an oath."
t"I'm aware."
b"When they all retreated, I was tasked to retreat into heaven as well."
b"Along with…"
t"..."
b"Nevermind… that."
b"But to give you the gist, I was put into a sarcophagus… preserving my mind and body to be reawakened in this era."
b"I was basically asleep for over 3000 years…"
t"Wow…"
t"I had no idea…"
b"Well now you do…"
"..."
b"Anyways, I have no clue what happened to everyone else after the gods retreated."
b"When I woke up, Daddy was there…"
b"Along with others like Taweret and Sobek…"
b"But there's still a couple who are unaccounted for…"
t"..."
b"But then… we found you…"
t"!"
b"And then Thot received the messages from the Oracle…"
b"And well… you know the rest from there…"
"The two rode in silence for a short while, Taiyo struggled to find the right words."
t"I'm sorry."
b"Nyah?"
t"Being put to sleep, and waking up in the future. The world must seem so different to you know…"
t"A Lot of the people you used to know are either gone or…"
pause
t"Look… I'm just saying… I get how it feels to be a fish out of water…"
b"..."
t"If you ever want to know more about the new world…"
t"Or maybe just a part of it…"
t"I wouldn't mind talking with you about it."
t"It would be nice learning about how things are now…"
t"Maybe you could even come to Japan with me one of these days…"
b"Ho~ Amun are you… asking me out?"
t"Actually, forget I asked."
b"Nyehehe… I'm only teasing!"
b"But to your information, I do already have plenty of knowledge of the new world!"
t"...?"
t"How so?"
b"The sarcophagus that I was put to sleep in, was imbued with mystic scriptures created by Thot."
b"It's magic that interjects basic information of humanities and the world's development."
b"It's like I watched a quick movie of the world's events before I woke up!"
t"Hah!? So you know what movies are!"
b"Of course I do!"
b"It's basically theater but with magic."
t"Well it's advanced technology really…"
b"Same thing…"
t"No."
t"Well, do you know about smartphones?"
b"Eh? What's that?'
t"It's a… well a device that lets you communicate with others…"
b"Hoo!~"
b"That sounds like fun! I want one…"
t"They cost a lot of money…"
b"What!!"'
b"Mou~ Why do things all cost so much money now!"
t"That's just the economy."
t"In this world, you can't do anything without money."
b"That's stupid."
t"I agree."
t"We're coming up to one of the tombs here."
b"Nya… really!"
"Taiyo stops the boat slowly once they reach the outside of a run down-looking tomb."
t"It looks as if the sands have all but consumed this place…"
t"This one doesn't look too good, maybe we should…"
b"Mou! Amun we're already here!"
b"Let's just check it out already!"
t"Fine."
""The two walk inside the sandy chamber beginning their tomb raiding endeavor."