.
Everything was sealed. Their task was now complete but...
'He won the duel. He is now a prisoner of a world where he is a total stranger. An era that is unknown to him despite all the time he has lived there.'
She was walking towards her host's bedroom. The sunlight streaming through the plate glass window bathed the corridor in a disk of golden light. Dry and hot Egyptian wind blew through the Ishtar residence and produced a strange music. Nevertheless, hearing that ethereal sound made the memories of previous events shuffle powerfully in her mind.
.
The Chosen One, Yuugi, lowered his arms. His stunned gaze was fixed on his opponent... Did he lose? Did he really fail in helping his Other self to be at peace? Only sounds of swallowing could be heard in the temple room.
Seto Kaiba's cold voice suddenly tore up the veil of silence. "That was exactly what I was expecting. Come on, Mokuba, we've got nothing to do here!"
Then he moved towards the exit. The second one to react was Anzu, who fell to the ground, panting. "Yuugi," Jonouchi whispered. For a long time, nobody spoke.
"Everything... All of this is finished," the Pharaoh eventually murmured, the words falling from his lips like a long sigh and echoing in everyone's minds.
Malik and Ishizu stepped forward.
"Sorry," they uttered. The Eye of Oujat was now closed, as the Pharaoh's eyes. "...My King," Ishizu added.
Silence filled again the void they all felt.
Atemu walked towards Yuugi and helped him standing up. Tears were flowing along the pale cheeks, so he ran a finger over to collect them. "You did your best, Aibou. Don't worry."
"I really would have liked to help you, Mou hitori no boku," Yuugi whispered.
A slight smile appeared on Atemu's face. "But you have helped me, Aibou. You made me understand that the most important thing is to live with my loved ones—the people who have assisted and supported me throughout my existence. I thank you."
Yuugi timidly looked up at Atemu before finally mirroring his serene smile.
A serene smile which slowly made its way through Ishizu's mind, leaving within it a strange feeling, as did the victory of the One who had been the cause of their imprisonment for centuries.
.
At least, a smile which was intended to be serene, she recalled, watching over the door.
.
She knocked on the door three times, and tucked the few dark locks that dangled in front of her face back behind her ear. The door opened, revealing a man with star-shaped hair. He—although not smiling—invited her to enter.
"Ishizu," he greeted her, then showing her a leather-padded chair. "Please, have a seat".
This she did, resting her hands on her knees while straightening her back.
"May I please ask you what are your plans regarding tomorrow?" she asked after a carefully placed pause.
Having meanwhile seated on the opposite chair, Atemu turned his eyes to let them gaze through a window. "I think I'm going to return to Japan with Yuugi and the others. I suppose I'll have to start living my own life now I have a body..."
Ishizu nodded. "I understand." Again, a new pause before she made to slow down her pitch. "However, I beg you to come with me to the town hall, tomorrow. The Egyptian Government has agreed to prepare your documents, but they will be issued only in your presence."
"...That's why you've proposed us to stay at your house for some time," he finished for her. His crimson eyes slightly crinkled in a thoughtful expression as he gazed at the fine silver watch on her wrist.
She crossed her hands. "I thought that staying longer in Egypt would please you."
"That's true," the former ruler replied in a tone that seemed to be tinged with a certain frustration. The same frustration he concealed from the others after his victory against his former vessel, three hours ago.
"Pharaoh... I am sorry for what happened."
A tired look entered his eyes. "This does not matter anymore, Ishizu," he sighed. "This was Fate, and I have no choice but to accept it."
He laid his hand on his chest, where his Sennen Puzzle once hung. She looked down, considering the marble coffee table that separated them.
"Anyway..." he murmured, as if looking for his words. A breeze came into the room, flapping the sails of a window. Atemu did not move his eyes away from hers. She was surprised how quickly his eyes could change their expression. From weary, they became emotionless. "I am happy to see you again, Aishisu."
She raised an eyebrow in confusion. "...Aishisu?"
The Pharaoh's expression remained still as he continued. "Haven't you ever imagined that you could be linked to those lives in the past?"
No, she never had such an idea. She only knew that she spent the most part of her life cloistered in a tomb, with her family —at least with the few people that remained after her mother's death and the incident with 'Malik' —with the purpose of preserving and protecting the secret of the Pharaoh.
The very same Pharaoh, in fact, who was slowly nodding at everything she said. She then fell silent and watched him, waiting for him to explain.
During his journey in his memories, he said, he had met six priests holding the Sennen items on his Council. One of them was named Aishisu, looking just like her. The Pharaoh paused, gazing at her intrigued expression and then at her neck, where a strange golden necklace that contained something mystical once hung. "... And I remain convinced that you inherited the Tauk not because of chance … but rather Fate."
Somehow, they had uttered this last word at the same time with a reverent tone. They then began to consider each other seriously.
Ishizu kept back a sigh. His gaze was fixed on her and she felt compelled to reply. "I... admit that I am surprised to discover about a past self of mine, but I believe you, Pharaoh," was what her mind briefly formulated.
He smiled. "Ishizu, it would be more convenient for you to call me by my name."
His name? His real name? He was giving her this privilege?
"I feel honored..." she prudently said.
"This is nothing, Ishizu. I'm no longer king, now, and I do not reign over any kingdom anymore. We are now all on the same road, so it is natural that we familiarize ourselves with each other. Moreover," he continued, unfolding his arms, "I want to thank you for everything you done for me. I never would have found my memories without your help. I am sorry to have imposed this burden to your family for so many generations."
"It was our duty as tombkeepers," she answered, managing to keep back a long sigh.
Noticing that her shoulders had nonetheless somewhat dropped, she quickly straightened them, chasing off weariness and perhaps also some unsettling feelings, new to her but unwanted.
Atemu stood up. "Ishizu ..."
"I am confident that you will get used to this world." She stood up in turn, thinking that the discussion was now ended, then, with a faint smile: "I believe in you...
"...Atemu," Ishizu finished, hesitant to take speak so familiarly with Him.
"I don't doubt that for one second," he replied, a little haltingly, "Even if I do have trouble, I know I can count on you."
Suddenly, he had moved so close to her that she could distinguish almost all shades of purple in his irises.
Atemu noticed the barely visible flush of pink rising in her cheeks with some amusement.
Meanwhile, Ishizu, who felt that embarrassment was affecting her too greatly, tried not to let her feelings show. A distance must be kept, she thought as she stepped back... Her back soon bumped against the wall of the room.
Chills traveled down her spine. She made a hoarse sound when he began to stroke her face. "What are you doing?"
His fingers were busy drawing invisible paths along her cheek. "Now that I am thinking about it ... I have never taken the time to stop to admire you, Ishizu. You, the woman who helped me throughout my quest on my past ... You have beautiful eyes. They seem to contain within them a certain mystery that I never managed to uncover."
She swallowed hard.
His hand lingered on the basis of her neck. "Now everything is finished…" Her breath was becoming shorter and shorter.
"... Even if it is now useless, I always thought you were made to wear it."
Her eyes widened. "To wear it ?"
His other hand, which had ventured in the pocket of his pants, pulled out the tauk. Ishizu watched as he fastened the glittering jewel around her neck.
Thus, the millennium necklace went back on its place, around the neck of its former owner. The neck whose skin had retained the visible mark of once wearing it, even after she had given it to Yuugi. She finally lifted up her eyes to her Pharaoh -no, Atemu.
She raised a tentative hand to the tauk. "...How can I thank you..."
"You are welcome. Since my return to Egypt, I could not help but notice that you missed your necklace, although it no longer had any power to offer. Yuugi and I have therefore decided to give it back to you."
Her amazed gaze fell on the golden ornament and then again towards the one she was facing. He was still smiling at her.
"My duel against my double made me understand something. Staying in this world gives me a unique chance to get closer to people I had never taken the time to know."
He brushed her cheek.
"I would like to get to know you better, Ishizu."
Ishizu stared at him, thinking that his face took an entirely different brightness when smiling. She touched her tauk, as if wanting to reassure herself about something.
Atemu moved away from her, letting her return to the door.
Before walking out it, she flashed him a slight smile.
.