Perfect World

Atemu x Mahaado, dark and twisted!

Title: Perfect World

Summary: To know about darkness, wouldn’t you need some
experience in it? And there must be a reason why he’s called the Dark Magician…

Notes: Er, stole lots of things from Full Metal Alchemist,
guess that makes this a crossover, hai? AEAU.

I know Yami’s real name, but Mahaado doesn’t, so he calls
him Yami, er, Prince.

Chapter 1

            He was
perhaps twelve, no, younger, slightly, when the Prince fell ill. He was so ill
that the Pharaoh could not cure him. So all he could do was watch helplessly,
helplessly as the life drained from that frail body. He did not cry, though
Mana did, and while the sickness sapped his Prince’s strength, he dug furiously
through the books and studied, searching for a solution, any solution, to save
his friend…

            He found
one.

            Of course
it had a price, all things had a price, didn’t they know anything,
foolish, foolish men? Didn’t they know that no knowledge could be hidden
forever?

            Didn’t they
know of equivalent trade?

            To battle
with Ka, one must use one’s Ba to support that Ka, or if one is more skilled,
one can give one’s heka to the Ka as well…

            But to join
Ba and Ka, ah, that was a forbidden ritual.

            And to create
Ba… that was trespassing in the realm of the gods. But it didn’t matter.
Nothing did. He had found a way, and he would use it.

            It wasn’t
easy, not for a child, but Mahaado was no mere child, he was a
Priest-in-training. But even that might not count for much, if not for…

            If not for
the Ring…

            The Ring
was beautiful, so beautiful, and his master, the priest he was apprenticed to,
was a fool. Priest Donkor did not know the true power of the Ring…

            But the
Ring called to him, and it whispered in his mind with a voice Priest Donkor was
deaf to. It whispered of certain spells that could be used, despite their
price.

            And Mahaado
listened, and learned, and never told…

            Pharaoh
Akunumkanon sighed as he watched the Healers work over his ailing child. Oh,
they were the best healers in his kingdom, and of that he had no doubt, but how
he hated seeing his son suffer so…

            There was a
timid sound of footsteps. The Pharaoh raised an eyebrow. Priest-in-training
Mahaado, his son’s faithful friend…

            Mahaado
peeked in, blue eyes landing upon the Pharaoh as he paled and hastily went on
his knees.

            “Pharaoh,
Life, Health, Strength be to you for Ten Thousand Years!”

            “Rise,” The
man said tiredly. Only then did the bone-deep weariness of keeping vigil by his
son’s bedside take its toll. He swayed slightly, but righted himself.

            Perhaps… a
short rest to clear his mind… and rest…. Yes, he had been sitting by his son’s
side for almost a week… and there was much to be done…

            “Keep watch
over my son, Mahaado.”

            “Yes, my
Pharaoh…”

            The Pharaoh
left, leaving his son and the Healers were too busy bowing and flustering to
pay much attention to the Prince, and there were other patients to tend as
well, and besides, hadn’t Pharaoh insisted they leave?

            Thus, no
one was watching when the Priest-in-training drew a piece of reddish crystal,
glowing with unearthly light, from his clothing and held it to the prince’s
lips. “Here, my Prince…”

            The mouth
opened and teeth chewed, and eyes opened, amethyst tinged with surprise.
“Mahaado, what is that?”

            “I have
more,” Mahaado smiled, opening his hand, upon which rested more, slivers of
ruby and black, delicious… the Prince’s eyes settled on them greedily and
within moments, had consumed all of them…

            He felt
power coiling in his body, dark and sweet and delicious like the gem-like candy
he had eaten…

            And the violet
color washed from his eyes and replaced them with wine and blood… and as
Mahaado helped him stand he felt a sympathetic vibration within his friend’s
skin, electricity arcing and dancing and wonderful…

            “The Prince
has awoken!”

            “The
Prince!”

            Akunumkanon
stirred sleepily, snapped out of the nap that had hit him almost as soon as he
had left the Healers. What? The Prince?

            Was
something wrong with his son?

            He placed
the Puzzle around his neck and rushed down the hall to the Healer’s Chambers,
fully intent on putting them all to death if they had killed his son…

            Only to
find his son standing, and glory be to Osiris, and to Ra and Isis and Horus,
the sickness had faded from his son!

            Mahaado
smiled a secret smile as the Pharaoh embraced his son, and if no one remembered
that Yami’s eyes had once been violet, well, who would care?

            Who would?

            He didn’t.

            It was
wonderful, this new ability of his. His father attributed to it as a gift from
the gods, but Yami knew better. He wasn’t a fool.

            The stones
were warm inside of him, healing the small injuries he acquired day to day… and
he knew that Mahaado felt the same.

            They were
human, still, only… not. Slightly higher, better healing, sharper in some ways,
Mahaado’s power was a knife-blade instead of a candle flame now, and his own
skills in gaming had improved…

            Yes, soon,
very soon….

            He found
his workroom in disarray and a trembling girl. Mana. His friend, and now his
apprentice, now that he had become Priest of the Sennen Ring…

            “Mana…”

            “I’m sorry,
Teacher.” The girl looked afraid. “But I thought it was just candy, and it
would not hurt if I had a piece… but then, I couldn’t stop!”

            Ah… so she had eaten the rest.
There had only been four, five pieces. Not much of a loss. He and Yami had
already finished most of it…

            They had
more chance than she, but no, he did not feel anger. Perhaps she would be
useful in the future, and not only as a friend.”

            “Did you
enjoy them?”

            Mana
blinked in surprise, she had expected a lecture from her stern teacher. Although
he was only a few years older than she, he had always been so mature for his
young age… and so serious…

            But she
could not lie. “Yes.”

            “Then
perhaps this is one aspect of magic you can manage not to screw up. Tomorrow,
we will make a fresh supply…”

            Better safe
than sorry after all…

End Chapter 1

Completed 10/6/05