Akikaze (Autumnwind)

CHAPTER: 4/??

DISCLAIMER: Yu-Gi-Oh! and its characters don’t belong to me. The Series would be very different if they were...Only this piece of fiction as far as the plotline and stuff goes, is mine. So don’t sue. You’ll only get an immensely high lawyer bill because I stated that this is only a piece of Fanfiction and I don’t make money with it. It’s just for fun and entertainment. Flames will be used for heating because I think that my heater’s broken yet again...

SPOILERS!!!!: Ancient Egypt Arc, Doom Saga, End of Battle City etc. (Why? I’ve watched the Anime up to Episode 186 and read the Manga up to the Chapter where Pharaoh’s Real Name was revealed and the Destiny Duel between Priest Seth(I call him that...It’s confusing if you call both of them Seto...) and the Pharaoh. So if you really mind...Don’t read. *sigh*

If questions should arise, concerning these spoilers, just drop me a review or an email and I’ll do my best in explaining things to you!

WARNINGS: Very strange grammar ‘cause I’m no native English Speaker(or writer for that fact) and chaos. And a lot of confusion concerning all the Names... Yami, Hikari, Aibou, Mou Hitori no Boku... Because I like them all I’ll just mix everything into this...But if there should be any mistakes or misunderstandings feel free to say so! I know I’m strange. And I’m damn proud of that!
What else is to say? Oh yeah! Shonen-Ai up to mild Yaoi is to be expected in later chapters as well as mild violence, language (I try to avoid that though) and a lot of strangeness. Perhaps a little bit of HET on the side (funny how the things change over the years. I was so used to write Shonen Ai/Yaoi warnings and eve everybody has to warn the people of they’re going to put in het... *g*)

PAIRINGS: Seto x Yami; Bakura x Malik; very mild Joey + Mai (only het one so far) ... We’ll see, ne? Expect lot’s of strange pairings though. On the side... Main pairing wil stay Seto x Yami and Priest Seth x Pharaoh Atemu (I call him that because as a German...I can’t bring myself to write “Atem” because it means ‘Breath’ in German...And that would be just...Odd...)

ARCHIVES: Fanfiction.net ; If you want to put this fic up onto your site please ask me!

Sign Language:

//Hikari to Yami// - e.g. Yuugi
/~ Yami to Hikari ' - e.g. Yami
/Thoughts/
“Speech”
**Ancient Egyptian** - e.g. in letters
“** Spoken Ancient Egyptian **”


Did I forget something? No? Ok...On with the fic! Please enjoy!


~*~*~*~


Chapter 04 – Arriving in Nidanuka

Finally, they reached the end of the stairs and stood in front of the door leading to the deck and the open area of the restaurant. Traveling on a ship without enjoying the nice air and weather wouldn’t be fun and would be wasted time. Yami turned around to face Seto and to say something when the door behind him swung open and knocked him over so that he was lying on top of the lanky CEO, his face buried in the crone of the others neck and his hand resting on Seto’s bare, the other still hadn’t buttoned his shirt completely, chest. Loud gasps could be heard from behind them.

Yami’s face turned a bright shade of red when he and Seto scrambled to their feet again, or rather Seto scrambling to his feet again and lifting Yami up in the process. “No...This...This isn’t...This is not what it looks like!!”, he turned and came face to face with Joey and the others. Most of whom were grinning like idiots. “Sure it is.”, Duke stepped forward and patted hn thn the back. “Way to go, buddy!”, Varon cheered but was promptly stared down by a very pissed looking Seto. “He can barely walk on his own. Someone just HAD to open the door way too forcefully.”, he threw a sharp glare at Joey, who had been standing next to Varon and Mai, behind Duke. The blond Duelist, who still hald the doorknob, made an attempt to lunge forward and punch Kaiba and the two of them were about to start one of their almost regular bickering sessions until Ystepstepped in. “Se-Kaiba! ... Joey! Please...Not here...And...Not...Not now.” He looked at the tall, brown-haired youth almost pleadingly because he felt his legs give in again. And the door *had* hit him rather hard. But he wouldn’t want Joey to know that because the blond would certainly feel guilty for it.

The CEO took a deep breath. “...Into the Restaurant. Now.” And with that, he opened the door. Yami looked at the others and smiled lightly, “I’ll see you later then. Ja na.[1]” before following the taller Duelist to the open restaurant area with Mokuba in tow.

In the hallway, the other’s looked after them with rather dumndednded faces. “Man...he has to be really sick to let Kaiba take care of him...”, Joey scratched thck ock of his head until Mai whacked him playfully. “Well, Joey...Think about it for a minute. 1.) He doesn’t have much of a choice up there. The only people who are allowed to be with him for more than 30 minutes are either Kaiba or Pegasus. And trust me, I’d do the same. Pegasus is such an old creep. And 2.) cut the poor guy some slack! Didn’t you hear Duke yesterday? He told you Yuugi had been crowded angiangirls and then he couldn’t even get the rest he needed because of that stupid coward. Oh and he didn’t eat anything since the food he’d had yesterday had been poisoned, ne? So how would you act in his situation, without anything in your stomach, after a rough evening and night and possibly morning too and now a bunch of people making fun of him because he was shoved onto his rival, someone you and *just by conscience*, hate with a passion andoey oey lifted his hands in defense. “Okay, okay Mai! I got it!”, his expression turned serious then. “I admit I really wouldn’t feel peachy after something like that. In fact, I wouldn’t have handled this kind of situation as well as he did. Yuugi really is a tough guy. I’ll apologize to him later...Let’s hope he gets better soon so that he can join us.”

Varon and Duke also looked down with rather guilty faces, making mental notes to apologize to the King of Games as well at a later time. After this matter had been successfully handled, they took off again, towards the swimming pool, following Serenity’s earlier suggestion of having fun to get their minds off of the Duels for a while and the topic was dropped.

Only Tea seemed to be bothered by it. /He almost called him S..An..And in Kaiba’s presence, too. This has never happened before...And his denial before he even turned to look at us.../ It wasn’t a big secret, that she hadrushrush on Yuugi and his ‘other side’ and her jealousy had been more than obvious when Rebecca had crossed their path in America.

“You’ll never win his heart because he already gave it away...It belongs to another, like it has been back then, 3000 years ago. This is the path Destiny has chosen for him. And nobody will be able to go up against Destiny. No mere mortal anyway. Don’t interfere and no harm shall come to you.”, the strange voice startled her and she turned to look at whoever had just spoken to her but Tea only faced air. There was nobody in the hallway behind her and the distance to the door was to big to have managed it in such a short amount of time. /What was th-...No...I’m...I must be hearing things again.../, she told herself and ran to catch up to the others, who were already waiting for her.


Meanwhile, Yami, Seto and Mokuad sad seated themselves at a rather secluded table, which was still outside but not in the ‘popular’ areas. Still, it supplied the right amounts of both, shadow and sun as well as a good location, not too windy but not without a the occasional breeze either. Perfect, as to be expected from a perfectionist such as Seto Kaiba.

While the elder Kaiba was talking to the waiter, Mokuba turned over to Yami. “How are you feeling now, Yami-san?”, he had switched the honorific because he suddenly felt a different air around the Duelist his brother viewed as his ultimate rival. Something very similar to the ‘air’ around his brother but Mokuba couldn’t quite place his finger on it yet. The spiky haired Duelist, surprised by both, the honorific and the fact that suddenly both Kaiba brothers started to call him by the name he’d given himself to prevent confusion between Yuugi and him, gave the ravenhaired boy a small smile before answering the question. “Better. Thanks for asking, Mokuba. But...Haven’t you eaten yet? I thought you and the others...?” Shaking his head in denial the younger Kaiba explained, “I didn’t eat anything because Nii-sama told me to wait for you. I accompanied the others and drank something while they were ng. ng. And...I don’t mean to be rude but...How can Joey and Tristan...How can two persons eat so much in such a short amount of time? I’ve never seen anyone eat so much less so fast!”

The genuine curiosity made Yami laugh lightly. “A very good question, Mokuba. I asked myself the same question every time I see the two of them eat. Now imagine the lunch packages of those two in school.” Now Mokuba bursted out laughing, too, tears of mirth in his eyes, joining the chuckling Yami, who already held his sides. “Seriously...No wonder they’re always broke...They have to buy too much food! And now I understand what Mai meant by never lending them any money..."


It was good to see Yami laugh again, Seto hid his smile behind the Menu while still talking to the waiter. The man seemed to be a bit nervous around him, well, so there were people who actually still feared him. But he went easy on the man. /Mokuba can be really good in cheering someone up again. He does it for me from time to time...I don’t know where I’d be without him./ He made a mental note to take Mokuba out again after this Tournament was over for cheering Yami up for him because he, depending on the bright teen himself, hadn’t known what to do himself. Another positive thing he had noted about the laughing pair was, that they got along very well. /Mokuba trusts Yami...And I have to say, I do too. For the fist time in my life...I have to admit that there is somebody who I can really trust...Someone who I’d trust enough to take care of Mokuba for me. Willingly and not like the time he had to turn to Yami for help himself. I had been in no place to decide that then./ And coming from Seto, this was really something. He had never even thought of entrusting the wellbeing of his brother to someone else. Not even the ‘bodyguards’.


Back to Yami and Mokuba’s conversati“Mh.“Mh...So there are quite a few familiar faces around here after all. I thought I’d not only seen Varon...I’ll be looking forward to the friendly matches between us this time.”, with the three former Doom Soldiers as opponents the Tournament wouldn’t be that easy after all. And Yami always looked forward to a challenge. Mokuba nodded, “Yeah. But there are rumors about some really strong players. Raphael told me they were able to stay at 4000 LP all the time throughout all of their Duels, too! Without a magical boost or something...And they didn’t attack with one Monster either. I looked into the Duel Disc System and found out, that they had quite a few monsters and cards on their graveyards already but still hadn’t lost Lifepoints.” Yami smirked and took out his ever present deck. “It’s nothing really impossible, Mokuba. If you’re skilled enough. Or are playing against a very, very weak opponent. And...If you trust your Deck and your Cards. The Cards can help you to accomplish something like that. You just have to trust into themnd tnd they’ll repay you for that trust. I’ll show you what I mean...Here...Shuffle and Lay down five Cards you chose by conscience. After that, put a sixth one in top of the Card in the middle. All of them face down, please.”, he handed the deck over and Mokuba did like he was told.

Now, the six cards were lying on the table, face down. Yami closed his eyes. “The first Card you laid down...Is Kuriboh. You were and still are curious about what this is all about, aren’t you? Ah, I forgot to mention that I’ll tell you the Name of the Cards and what every single one of them means in this situation.”, he still had his eyes closed, while Mokuba turned the card over and revealed. “Kuriboh...”, the teen gasped. But he didn’t have any time to stare in amazement because Yami continued. “The Card on the opposite site of Kuriboh is...Oh... The Mystical Elf. People are watching over you and try to keep you as safe and as happy as possible.’re ’re a lucky boy...”, Yami smiled and shifted slightly in his seat, to get into a more comfortable position. “The two Carn thn the middle...Are...The Dark Magician, upside down and the Devil’s Sanctuary. You were worried about your brother and me and you still are. You don’t have to worry about us, Mokuba...I assured you I was fine.”

The cards on the table proved that Yami had been right all the time and Mokuba nodded, even though Yami couldn’t see it because his eyes were stilosedosed. “Well...Let’s move on then. Oh...The other two Cards tell me, your brother has something in store for us....I know you’re listening, Seto...So...Did you, by chance, order Sundaes and for Mokuba a Milkshake as well as Ice Tea for us...? The Cards are Graceful Charity and Snow Elf by the way.” Dark purplish-blue eyes widened and Mokuba turned over to where his brother was sitting, arms folded in front of his chest, a smirk on his lips.


“I didn’t know you became a Fortune Teller, Yami...And I hate to admit it...But you’re right.”, Seto shot a challenging glance over to Yami, who returned it with one of his own. “You put down your Deck and I’ll prove it.”, Yami grinned smugly while putting the six card into his deck again. The brown haired Duelist had already placed the deck onto the table, though. “Draw them. And I’ll believe your little ‘Magic Show’ over there. Don’t think I haven’t heard of the rumors. How you can look into a Duelists’ soul by lookat hat his deck.”, he spread the cards in a neat line and waited. He’d looked them over beforehand to make sure the cards wouldn’t be in a special ‘order’. Yami flexed his fingers. “You’re just too stubborn for your own good, Seto.”, the youth with the tri-colored hair closed his eyes again, quickly selecting three cards and holding them up so that Mokuba and Seto were able to see them and away from himself. “Impossible...”, the rest of the words wouldn’t come over his lips. Smiling triumphantly, Yami put the cards down again. “They’re your Pride and Soul, Seto...And they only answer your call. You’re the Mater of the Dragons after all. Before you ask, they showed themselves because the Cards always show the Truth. It’s true, that they mirror the Duelists’ soul.”


Later in the afternoon or rather early evening, the list of Duelist, from this ship who would be participating in the Tournament, was announced officially as well as the arrival on Nidanuka Island in approximately another 12 to 15 hours, depending on how the weather would be, since it had started to rain an hour ago and there was the possibility of a Tropical Storm.

Studying the list of names Seto and Yami found quite a few familiar names:

Name Level (max. 20) Deck

Mutou, Yami (m) 20 Dark/Magic
Kaiba, Seto (m) 20 Power/Dragon
Pegasus, Maximilian (m) 19 Toon
Tenraku, Shuzai (f) 19 Myth
Kyoin, Jay (m) 19 Dark/Occult
Kokuyongan, Kaeru (m) 18 Miracle
Devlin, Duke (m) 18 Gamer
Raphael (m) 18 Guardian
Varon (m) 18 Armor
Amelda (m) 18 Army
Valentine, Mai (f) 18 Female Warrior [2]
Tsunami, Marko (m) 18 Sea
Wheeler, Joey (m) 18 Fighter/Warrior
Senta, Kilian (m) 17 Spirit

Terrency, Clea (f) 07 Royal
o’ Connor, Giselle (f) 07 Dream
Fuuzaki, Sarah (f) 05 Emotion


Seeing the last three names made Seto raise an eyebrow. “...They’re actually letting someone who doesn’t even have HALF of the Top’s Ability participate? How on Earth did those girlss ths the preliminaries?” Yami smiled halfheartedly, “Lottery. Rings a bell? Or just because of the sole fact that there is a lack of girls...” Mokuba voiced his opinion then, “Or they just bought themselves into the Tournament. I mean, judging by the ‘regular crowd’ here on this ship...And the people we passed earlier reeked of money.” He’d been amused by the fact that his brother and Yami had such a huge club of Fangirls but they got annoying after a while with their attitude and all. /They’re just going for looks and money. Not for what’s inside. One of them would never ever attract the attention of my brother in ‘that’ way. Nor of Yami.../

There was a minute of silence before Yami nodded and Seto grunted in agreement, “Yeah...That has to be it. Well then, we’re going up again, Mokuba. We’ll meet in the hall before we arrive.” The siblings shared a hug and Seto turned to go but didn’t miss how his younger brother hugged the startled Game King before disappearing into the crowd. “Come on, Yami. Let’s get you out of here before our way is blocked again.” Yami complied and turned, following Seto to the door.

After the door had closed behind them, Yami sat down, making himself comfortable in one of the plush chairs. “Seto...”, he began with a serious voice, “I think...We need to talk. The two of us.” The other nodded in agreement, expression equally serious. Settling himself down in the chair opposite to the one Yami was occupying, he looked at the other expectantly. “You started this...So please begin.” This wasn’t the only reason though. Seto wouldn’t have known were to start because he was still torn on the inside about this particular issue.

Yami nodded in response and fidgeted for a moment to find a good point to start off. He decided on something after a while and finally spoke, “Well...First of all...Where did you get the Millenium Rod? I do not remember giving it to you...” Ra be damned if he knew the answer to that. /...Here I go again./, he siginwainwardly. “Honestly...I don’t know. It was just there. Like...It came b-... to me.”, did he just nearly say ‘back to me’? But now that he thought about it, the Rod really felt familiar in his hands. As if it had belonged to him from the start...Was still bound to him somehow.

It seemed as if Yami had thought along those lines as well. “It came back to you then...Then you must be...Oh Ra...”, he lowered his head, covering his mouth with a hand, holding back the tears. Another vision had just passed his inner eye. /Oh Ra...Why are you showing someone like me such mercy? You gave him back to me...But...Does he know who he was? Who...Who he is?/ His gaze lingered on the lean form opposite to him. The rod had been the last proof he’d needed. “Seto...Do you remember something...Anything? About...Your previous life? Our...Previous life? About Khemet...Egypt...”

Did he? Seto closed his eyes letting himself drift off and opening up his soul. Never before, had he allowed himself to do that. But now, he was curious and driven by something coming from the inside. A nagging feeling he’d felt before but ignored every single time. Now though, it had become almost unbearable and the only way to find relief was to give in to that feeling.


(Vision Start)


Long hallways with pillars. Sunlight was streaming through the open areas and it was hot. Why they were running? The teachers were after them again. “** Catch us, if you can! **”, he shouted and took a small hand into his own, pulling the other along with him. Together, they raced through the long corridors and outside, into the gardens. “** We’ll split up now...You know where to go, ne? **”, he let go and looked behind them. “** I will be there Seth! See you then! Don’t get caught! **”, the smaller boy smiled and took off towards the opposite direction.

Seth himself made his way through the lush green garden, disappearing from the view of the guards and tutors who were following them. “** Your Majesties! Royal Princes! Where are you? Come out now! It’s not the time to be running around in the gardens! **” He snickered lightly. They would never find them. It was always the same. “** We know the place better than they do. **”, he whispered to himself and let himself drop onto the grass, near the Lotus Pond.

Veron, on, another figure flopped down next to him, their head resting upon his stomach. “** Are you sleeping, Seth? **”, a voice asked him and crimson eyes turned towards him. Opening his own pair of deep, blue ones, he gave the younger one a smile. “** No. I was just resting. You’re getting faster day by day, you know? We were quicker today. **”, he smiled when he saw how the face of the younger one, whom he regarded more as a brother than a cousin, lit up at his praise. “** I have a good teacher after all. Why won’t they let you teach me? Do they think you’re still too young? Or is it because we’re family? I don’t believe Uncle’s excuse saying we have to learn different things because one of us is becoming a Priest and the other Pharaoh. It’s the same all over! We even have the same tutors! **”, the Prince with the tri-colored hair pouted, letting out a huff and snuggling closer to his cousin. “** And they won’t let me call you ‘brother’ either. [3] Adults are mean. **” Seth laughed. “** I wonder... **”


(Vision End)


Gasping at what he’d just seen, Seto slapped a hand in front of his mouth. /What the...That was Yami when he was small and...Me...?! We were that close...?/, he was shocked beyond belief at what he felt right now. The same feeling. The same relationship he now shared with Mokuba. And he’d really shared something that deep with Yami? No...There was...There was something else, something that was different from the feeling of just ‘brotherly love’. Something ‘more’. But what?

The next vision would answer this question. Even though the answer was not, what he’d expected.


(Vision 2 Start)


Heated flesh brushed against heated flesh on top of silk sheets. Two tanned bodies were entwined with each other and moans and gasps could be heard. “Seth! ... My Priest...Please...”, the voice was deep and husky, almost hoarse from screaming and moaning by now. “Beg...My Pharaoh...Let me hear that voice of yours begging me...Submit to me...And only me...Oh almighty Ruler of Khemet and Descendant of Horus...” More moans. “Stop teasing me...Please...I’ll do whatever you want...” Harsh breathing, another gasp. “Very good...This is what I wanted...Now I’ll reward you.”


(Vision 2 End)


/What in Hell...?!/, he was too shocked to notice he hadn’t sworn in the name of Ra this time. This particular revelation was just too much for him. The sounds he’d heard were too obvious. But why would they have done that? Had he really shared such a relationship with the other youth back then? If he did, what kind of relationship had it been exactly? You couldn’t judge by just that little snipped. It was too little to make yourself an image. He could of course jump to conclusions. Like the fact that they’d been bedmates. But even so, he still didn’t know what EXACTLY Yami had been, no WAS for and to him. Only one thing he knew for sure. That the former Pharaoh was someone who he held dear and someone who was important to him.

Crimson eyes were resting on Seto’s form when the young CEO had drifted off to his memory world and took in every expression on the other’s face as well as his body language. /He does remember. But what? Please...Tell me...What do you remember, Seto? Do you remember the other you? The old you? Seth...?/, he clutched his Puzzle, wishing he could look into Seto’s mind with it like Pegasus had done with the Eye or like Malik had with the Rod. And possibly Seto now too. Yami was dying to know something but a part of his mind was sure, that the usually secluded brunette wouldn’t tell him. /Am I rushing him? Yes...I think I am. He needs time to think this over...Hopefully, he will do it this time and come to a conclusion...And to belief what has once been./


Time to switch the topic. Seto thought. He would have to think these matters over when he was alone and not in the presence of that certain ‘spirit’ who troubled him so deeply. “Pharaoh...”, he unintentionally used the old title, “What happened to the other you? What happened to Yuugi, Yami? I thought he’d been sealed away but the way you were weeping before...” It was not exactly the gentlest and best approach to a topic like this but Seto was not exactly a person of words either and very direct with most of his problems or questions. He didn’t like to beat around the .
.

Freezing at the name and the question he’d been told and asked, Yami tried to look away, hiding the uneasiness which crept up in him. “So you know what happened...”, he started, willing his voice to be firm but he couldn’t keep the slight tremble out of it. “Yes...He...He took Yuugi away from me. He sealed him inside the Puzzle. Well, that was perhaps my and Yuugi’s doing...But still...I can’t reach him anymore. Can’t hear him. He’s gone...And I...I feel empty without him.”, closing his eyes briefly, he remembered how his Aibou had sacrificed himself once again to safe him and his soul. “He jumped right in, Seto...He sacrificed himself again...I’m not worth of his sacrifice! It’s my duty to keep him save and yet...I’ve failed him again. Why can’t I keep my promise? Why??” His head jerked up again, looking at the other pleadingly, questioningly as if Seto knew the answer to all of his questions and could soothe the feeling of self-hatred inside of him.

In fact, Seto really did know something. Even if it wasn’t exactly what Yami wanter war was it? “Why do you think that you’re not worth it? Because you share a body? Of course, I’d feel bad...I don’t want to imagine how it would be to lose Mokuba that way. But...I wouldn’t drown in self-hatred ‘only’.” He emphasized the last word. “The first thing I’d do would be...To seek vengeance. Try to get him back and avenge him...I wouldn’t be able to life or die knowing my and Mokuba’s death had a reason or a meaning to it...I’d feel bad because Mokuba’s sacrifice would’ve been meaningless or worthless. YOU told me that, in fact...Remember? During the VR Game’s final battle...Yuugi loves you...And because of that he wanted to keep you safe. Just like you would’ve done. He’s strong. You’re strong. And he is counting on you. To safe him and bring him back...And the most important thing...He knows, that he is not alone. He knows other’s will help him and safe him. Be true to your own words, Yami...Show me that what you taught me wasn’t wrong...I want to belief it. I really do. So please...”

Pleading. Seto Kaiba sounded almost like he was pleading Yami to...The former Pharaoh could hardly believe his ears. His rival’s words weighted so much. And they had taken some of the burden away and some of Yami’s doubts. Closing his eyes, he let a smile come to his lips. “You’re right, Seto...I shouldn’t do this but move on...And find a way to safe him. That’s the least I can do.”, he opened his eyes again, looking out of the small window of the suite. “It’s getting late...I think we should go to sleep i wan want to enter the tournament at full strength. And the Capitain said we’d arrive soon.”

Nodding in agreement, Seto rose and walked over to the curtain and pulled it open a bit. “In case something happens again. Or of you need me or something like that. I hope you don’t mind?”, he asked, raising an eyebrow questioningly. Yami shook his head. He didn’t. In fact, he felt safe with Seto in such close proximity. It wasn’t an uncomfortable and uneasy feeling anymore. Quite the opposite of that. The King of Games felt safe around the other Duelist and at ease. It was a comfortable air. “No, I don’t mind. Just go ahead and open it.” He too, rose from his seat and walked over into his half of the suite. “Sleep well, Seto...And sweet dreams.”, he waved and disappeared into the bathroom, to change for the night and take another quick shower before that. It had been hot on the deck earlier and he wanted to get rid of the sweat and possible dirt.

Later that night, Seto was lying in bed but he wasn’t sleeping even though his eyes were closed. He was brooding. The visions still troubled him greatly. Especially the second one. /This is why I didn’t want to believe or remember all that stuff. It’s just too damn confusing!/ He gathered everything he’d found out until now and began to sort it out. /Let’s see what I have...Damn...This is like solving a complicated Puzzle! With too many missing pieces!/ There were a few main ones though:

1.) He knew he’d been something like a Priest or even High Priest back in Egypt
2.) Isis and that Shadow Figure had told him he’d been very powerful back then
3.) He’d been in the possession of the Millenium Rod
4.) He’d spent his childhood with the crimson eyed pharaoh and hey’d gotten along very well
5.) His name had been “Seth”
6.) Royal Blood had been running through his veins and he was somehow related to the Pharaoh
7.) He’d slept with the former Pharaoh

The latter of them all disturbed him greatly. Not only had he slept with the crimson eyed teen in their former life but it had also seemed as if he’d been the dominant one. /”I” didn’ve ave as much power as “he” as as a Pharaoh...And that’s why “I” took satisfaction from his begging in bed...Because in bed “I” had the power over “him”...The only one who’d ever had power over the almighty one...Must’ve been a very nice feeling...Wait! What the hell am I thinking???/, he felt himself blush at those thoughts and the following images, which crept into his mind. The memory pictures shifted and he saw himself, from today and Yami in his bed in the Kaiba Mansion in the same position, him leaning over the crimson eyed Duelist having won the battle for dominance in bed and not on the ‘battlefield’. His blush deepened and he rolled over, clenching his eyes shut. /I have to sleep...I NEED to go to sleep.../

Lucky for Seto, sleep did claim him a short while after that and he drifted off to a pleasant dream, centering around a certain youth with tri-colored hair who was lying not very far away from him and who’d also still been awake for quite some time.


Yami hadn’t been able to sleep as well, his thoughts swirling around in his head like crazy. But not only thoughts, memories had returned to him as well. Mostly rather unimportant ones yet not entirely unimportant to him. They had been parts of his, rather short, childhood, considering the fact that he’d become Pharaoh at the age of 12 already. The thing which bothered him most had been the fact that Seth had been there as well and that he’d called him either “Brother” or “Cousin” at some occasions and that meant that they were related in a way. /But why did I feel so happy and content...After he’d called me those things back...? Especially after he’d said “brother”...[4]/ It felt odd, thinking of him and Seto being related to each other. /I’d take the place of Mokuba...But...No...That would feel wrong in so many ways...And...It felt different. It’s not the feeling I get when Yuugi talks t and and says that he loves me in a ‘brotherly’ way. It’s deeper./ He raked a hand through his hair. /Ra...I really do l-l... No I can’t say it!! Hell, why are you gods doing this to me?!/ He’d asked himself this question over and over again, accusing the unseen deities every time. /Perhaps because I’m technically one of them, too. The Embodiment of the God Horus on Earth.../, he quickly pushed that thought aside. Too crazy. Even for him. /I should stop now...Stop thinking and confusing myself. This won’t lead anywhere anyway. I’ll have more than enough time to think about this, Seto and everything else later during the tournament and have the Duels to relax in between.../, satisfied with that, he closed his eyes, waiting for sleep to claim him and his nearly restless mind to guide him to the dream world, where a dream of happiness and joy awaited him and where he could forget his worries for a little while.

Even though he did get the feeling of hearing screams somwhere in the back of his mind. Screams of pain and screams for help, coming from ‘across the hall’ where the Soulroom of his Aibou was, still behind the large kekkai. Yami’s soul always went back into the puzzle while he slept because the golden object was his source of strength and life, being a spirit and all, depending on it. But part of him now stayed in the body, in case the Puzzle was taken and because he couldn’t completely enter the puzzle now, something blocking him off. The body was his energy supply now and when it had adjusted to him completely, it would replace the need for the energy the puzzle gave him.

That, he didn’t know yet. But would discover it soon enough to make him worry even more since the body technically didn’t belong to him but had still adjusted to him and his soul. The former Pharaoh would feel guilty again for snatching away a body which wasn’t even his own and because that meant that Yuugi would perhaps not ‘fit in’ again if he returned.

Right now though, he knew none of this and his mind was resting and momentary at ease.

A few hours later, it was still before sunrise, the Island came into view and the crew announced that they’d be stopping soon, for the Duelist to go from board. It didn’t take long for the at least 400, some were staying to watch the Duels, people to gather on Deck. Only about 100 or 200 of them would actually enter the tournament today, the other 200 having to watch and stay on the Island until the next ship stopped by to take them home. There wouldn’t be one until next week, since the last one had already left, after dropping off the Duelist from another part of the world. But right now, everyone was standing quietly – some were still too tired to make much no- on- on deck.

Just in time to watch the sun rise over the hills and mountains of the island lying in front of them. It looked to be partially man made and rather large for an Island which wasn’t even registered on the maps and which was very unknown among the people. Even for a private island. If it was this large it must’ve appeared on maps, at least one.


But this fact went by unnoticed by the people, who were watching the sunrise, which signaled the beginning of not only a new day but a new tournament and challenge as well, in silent awe. Among them were, of course, Yami and Kaiba, who were sharing the same thought that moment. //This feels like watching Khepri[5] crawl into the sky from the balconies of the Royal Chambers...Or from the steps in front of the Temple...With him...So long ago...//

To be continued...

[1] – “Good bye” or “See you” in Japanese

[2] – Couldn’t think of a better name...sorry...Suggestions welcome!

[3] and [4] – It’s said that the Egyptians called their significant other “brother” or “sister” as an endearment. I think it’s because relationships of this sort were very common in Egypt. Marriages and Relationships within one family. Cousins and Sisters alike...^.^ Some Pharaoh e.g. married his own Cousin. Love runs deeper than blood(and gender), ne?

[5] – The Sun Disc. Or Sacred Scarab. Ra would be Khepri in the Morning, travelling over the sky

~*~*~

Please R/R!

I’m back again!
Sorry for the long wait. But I already announced that I’d be gone for a while at the end of the last chapter. This chapter, again, turned out differently than I’d originally planned it. Hope you like it anyway. The next chapter is one of my favorites (until now...) and it’s something I had intended to do do later but it fitted in so nicely...

About Spoilers and confusing facts and stuff...I said, I mix everything up, putting in a little bit of everything and twisting some of the facts to fit them into the story...So please don’t hit me! If it does bother you so much, drop me a note! Please Review! Otherwise I won’t know if I should continue to post this fic or how to continue it (in some ways). I really love constructive criticism which helps me to develop the storyline and my writing style furhter. One of my beta-readers already corrected some of my mistakes and advised me how to write my speech better and more efficiento evo everybody could get it and it would be easier to read. Flames are welcome too btw.! It’s damn cold over here!

Hopefully, the next cer wer will be up in about a week or two...Trying to keep my Sunday rhythm. Or at least around the weekend, meaning Friday-Monday.


Happy Late Asian New Year!!
(Year of the Monkey – 22nd January)