Dreams = Reality?

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! If I did, 4Kids wouldn't have dubbed it.

Warnings for this chapter: Not any I can think of, no pairings there yet. But they're coming.
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Yuugi awoke slowly; the first thing reaching his conscious mind was a dull pain in the back of his head. The next thing to hit him was the realization that he wasn’t in his bed. Cautiously opening his eyes, he confirmed that thought upon seeing a very large room, the walls of a rich crimson etched in gold, and dark draperies hanging at each corner of the oversize bed. He stared around the room silently, his mind trying to piece together the events that led to him awakening in this strange place. The first thought was of the dream.

“But that’s impossible. It was just a dream.. wasn’t it?”

“What do you think, Yuugi?”

A deep voice drew his attention to the door. There, standing casually, framed by the arched doorway, was one of the three that had helped him earlier.

Yuugi stared at him widely. “But, how.. I don’t..”

Smiling, the stranger walked over, and sat down at the foot of the bed. “Calm down Yuugi, we’ll explain everything to you, I promise. My name is Atemu. Nice to finally meet you.”

Yuugi’s eyes widened at him. “How.. how do you know my name?”

Atemu smiled warmly. “As I said everything will be explained. Walk with me?” He stood, offering his hand to the younger teen calmly.

Yuugi blinked, staring at Atemu’s outstretched arm silently. Completely caught off guard by the question, Yuugi could only numbly nod and accepted Atemu’s hand nervously. Although all nervousness was lost in Atemu’s warm smile, not that Yuugi would ever admit it aloud. Standing, with a little help from Atemu due to the dizzy feeling his headache was giving him, he allowed Atemu to lead him from the room.

Atemu smiled at Yuugi as he led him through many winding hallways, slightly amused by the look of awe on the younger one’s face. “Welcome Yuugi, to Amenti.” The confused expression that he received sent a word flashing though his mind. ‘Adorable.’ He smiled gently at Yuugi, tugging on his wrist ever so slightly to edge him a bit closer.

“Don’t worry. You’re safe here, Amenti is a peaceful country.”

“Where.. exactly IS Amenti?”

Atemu paused. He had been expecting the question, that much was true, but he had yet to come up with a simple way to explain it.

“Oh, we can explain it, Yuugi.” A soft voice drifted to them from down the hall. Yuugi stopped, recognizing it instantly.

“Ryou?” He turned to look over his shoulder and smiled as the owner of the voice approached them.

“Yes Yuugi, I suppose it has been a while, hasn’t it..”

Yuugi nodded, with almost a slight frown. Or was it a pout? “Yes. Everyone said that you just suddenly went missing. I was worried about you.”

“Ah, but you shouldn’t have.” Yuugi turned to see that the one named Malik was also there with them. Atemu smiled, tightening his grip on Yuugi’s wrist before letting go, drawing his attention.

“Yuugi, let them explain everything to you.” He turned to Ryou. “And if you would escort him to the shrine once you are finished?” Ryou nodded. “Of course, Atemu.” He smiled.

Nodding, Atemu turned to walk down the hallway again, Yuugi staring after him, a little confused. Shrugging it off, he turned back to Ryou and Malik. “So, what happened? Why did you disappear? Wait, does that mean that I did too?”

Ryou laughed, with Malik staring at him blankly. “One question at a time, Yuugi.”

Yuugi blushed slightly. “Ah, sorry..”

“It’s no problem.” Ryou placed a hand on his shoulder reassuringly. “We had the same problem when we came here. Especially Malik.”

Malik crosses his arms, looking away slightly. “I wouldn’t talk if I were you, you came here first, so no one can comment on your reaction.”

Ryou blushes slightly from embarrassment. “Okay, you have me there.. Anyway, Yuugi, come with us. We can show you around a little as we explain.”

Yuugi nods silently, and follows Ryou as he walks through a doorway, Malik trailing after him. He gasps, freezing in place as he sees before him a vast indoor garden filled with many strange and exotic flowers and plants.

Ryou smiles at his reaction. “I thought you’d like this room. Okay, there’s a bench right there, so we can sit and talk in here. Alright?”

Yuugi nods, and walks over with them towards a simple wooden bench.

Malik stands beside the bench, next to Ryou silently.

Ryou hesitates for a moment before speaking. “Yuugi, when did your Dreams start?”

Yuugi stares at him wide-eyed. “How do you know about those?”

“Please, just answer my question. Then I can answer yours.”

Yuugi nods slightly, thinking. “A few days.. maybe four or five..”

Malik nudges Ryou slightly, grabbing his attention. “The same as you?”

Ryou nods. “Yes.. Yuugi.. Those Dreams, they are why you’re here.. They’re why we’re all here.”

“I.. I don’t get it.” Yuugi gives him a puzzled look, tilting his head very slightly to the side.

Malik sighs. “Look.. for some odd reason, we were prophesized to come here. Those two you were running from.. they are like mine and Ryou’s alternate versions here..”

Yuugi pauses, absorbing the information. “So.. Atemu.. is mine?”

Ryou nods. “Yes. We don’t know the prophesy exactly.. but it has something to do with the three of us.. uniting with our other ‘selves’ by means of some .. items or something?”

Yuugi nods slowly. “Okay.. I think I get it. So, we’re stuck here in some alternate reality until this prophecy or whatever is over?”

Ryou sighs, nodding. “It seems so. Although.. I really wouldn’t mind staying. Here, no one is treating us as badly as they did back home..”

Yuugi stares at him. “But, what about our friends?”

Ryou pauses. “I know.. I was simply saying. Well, come on.. Atemu wanted to meet in the shrine..” He stands, walking farther into the room.

Yuugi, curious, follows after him. “What.. kind of shrine?”

Malik walks right next to him. “You’ll see.. Actually, from what Ryou said about you.. I think you might actually like it..”

Yuugi gives him a questioning look, before they suddenly stop, the ground shaking violently beneath them.