Fushicho Hime: Another story. Oh well. This is set in Egypt 3000BC in
Memphis.
I hereby don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! Or its story, characters or any related material. All those are copyright to Kazuki Takahashi.
For those who don't know, Atemu is Yami's real name.
I'm using Japanese names in this story.
I don't really care if you review or not, they'll just motivate me more.
So do what you want, review, email, just read the story. Thankies!
*
The land had been steadily getting drier and drier lately. Cracks zigzagged along the parched ground, and the air was unbearably hot.
The young prince turned his face to the setting sun. It was late, ten o'clock.
Atemu had bid his friends goodbye half an hour ago, and had now retired to his chambers.
'Jou will be coming past any minute now,' he thought bitterly.
'I wish I wasn't guarded all the time. How am I ever going to get any privacy?'
Atemu crossed his bedchamber and stepped out onto the stone balcony. The granite had been polished smooth. Nothing was too good for a Pharaoh.
'Or at least almost a Pharaoh. My coronation is in two days, and then all I'll get to do is go to meetings and do boring adult stuff. It'll be too boring!'
Atemu wished he didn't have to become Pharaoh. Sure, it was great, but it gave him too much responsibility.
The door to his chambers swung open with a creak. Turning, the prince saw Seto, his High Priest and cousin. "Don't you ever knock?"
"Nope. I wouldn't want to disappoint you." Seto walked in and sat himself down on a chair across from where Atemu was seated behind his desk.
Seto didn't bother with the formalities of touching his head to the floor or speaking to Atemu with respect. He never did, and wasn't going to start now.
"You're 15 in two days, Atemu. Do you have anything you want as a gift?" Seto smiled inwardly. If only he knew what was in store for him.
"I haven't thought about that, actually. Why? Do you have something for me?" Seto laughed, an impish look in his eyes.
"Actually I do. Guards, let her in." A woman was shown into the room.
She wore a white linen dress that stopped about 3 inches above the knee and 3 inches below her neck, with a white silk over dress that reached her ankles.
Her long blonde hair had been pinned up with a tortoise-shell clip.
Mesdemet lined her smoky eyes, giving her an elusive, seductive look.
The woman sat on Atemu's desk, showing off more than just a little leg. "Hey big boy," she said, tapping his chin with one of her polished nails.
"Erm, hello." Atemu said uncomfortably. "Seto? Do I know this, um, lady?" Seto laughed.
"Not yet, Atemu. But I believe you will get to know her quite well. This is Mai, the lead performer of your concubines."
Atemu's amethyst eyes looked blankly at Seto. "What's a conky-pine?"
Seto rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath.
"A concubine is a female woman designed for your own pleasures. They can fulfill your wildest dreams. You're old enough for your own harem now, Atemu. Happy birthday."
"What!?" The young prince cried. "I don't want a harem! Ew!"
Seto chuckled, amused at the shocked look on Mai's face. She had expected him to look pleased and chat her up, but this reaction astonished her.
"I'm sure you'll think differently once you're crowning is over."
"But it's going to be so boring!" Atemu complained.
"I don't want to do boring stuff and I especially don't want to have a harem full of porcupines!"
Seto frowned seriously at Atemu. "Every Pharaoh before you has had a harem. It's tradition. You already defy it by not marrying. Who will be the heir?"
"I don't know. I don't really care either. And I'm not having a harem. And I'm not getting married. And I'm not doing anything you say so, 'cos I'm Pharaoh and you can't tell me what to do!"
With that, he strode dramatically out of the room. "Drama queen." Seto muttered.
Less than a minute later Atemu came back in. "Um, I think you guys should go, since this is my room."
Seto rolled his eyes and took Mai by the arm. "Let's go and leave the prince alone."
"I – I...." Mai stammered, still staring shocked back at Atemu.
The prince sat down heavily on his bed. 'I'll tell my friends tomorrow....'
*
"Yes, Anzu, I realize that every king before me has had a harem, and that I should continue on the tradition."
Anzu believed Atemu should do just like all the other Pharaohs. But the young prince wouldn't listen. "I just don't want one."
Jou stared unbelievingly at his best friend. "Why not?"
"Well, they all wear these short dresses that show off their breasts and are only concerned about getting men into bed and getting paid for it."
"Exactly! That's the whole point! They're beautiful! Man, I'd give anything to be in your position."
The speaker was Honda, a rich merchant who unfortunately didn't have quite enough money for a harem.
Atemu shook his head sadly. Gold locks of hair fell over his face, hiding his downcast eyes from his friends.
"No you wouldn't." He said, and stared miserably at the floor.
A delicate hand squeezed Atemu's shoulder. He looked up into Shizuka's gentle face.
As Jou's younger sister she spent almost all her time in the barracks, tending to soldiers.
"It'll be okay, Atemu. We're your friends, and we'll stick by you no matter what."
Atemu smiled his thanks at the girl. A murmur of agreement went round his friends.
Almost all of them had been able to get time off work when Atemu had called for them.
Seto was off practicing magic, but he complained loudly that the spells were old and he had already done them before. Atemu knew though that his cousin could always be trusted.
Anzu was able to take a break from being Atemu's personal scribe. She was always on hand to record anything and everything that happened in the young prince's life.
As the head of guard Jou was normally patrolling the walls of Memphis but had sneaked off when he went for a toilet break. He was always stealing bread rolls from the palace kitchens, complaining that he was underfed.
Honda didn't have any work and just went about as he pleased. He often went to market to trade his goods with other merchants.
Shizuka spent a lot of time running around and fetching things for Jou's men. She had a heart of gold and thought the best of everyone.
Atemu excused himself from his friends and headed back up the palace steps.
He had things to do.
*
Hurtling down the many corridors of his palace was one of Atemu's favorite things to do.
Another was sliding down polished stone banisters.
Atemu gave a whoop of delight as he slipped of the rail and skidded into a pair of huge wooden doors.
Stepping back, he rubbed his nose, wincing. "Ow," he said out loud.
'That wasn't the most intelligent thing to do now was it? A proper boring Pharaoh wouldn't be caught dead doing that.'
Atemu spent the rest of the day flouncing around the palace and practicing looking down at his servants and acting posh.
*
As Ra landed in the west ready to begin his journey through the underworld, Atemu trudged up flight after flight of stairs.
He stopped outside a large ornate gold door. Pushing it open, he entered.
It was the tallest tower in the entire of Egypt, taller even than the Obelisks at Karnak.
There were open windows on all side of the circular room, allowing moonlight to stream through.
In the original building process, priests had demanded it for astrology purposes, but Atemu's uncle had declared it would be for Shadow monsters only.
Atemu looked up at the ceiling and smiled. The whole thing depicted Ra's journey across the sky. A dark shadow represented the west and the entrance to the underworld.
"Dark Magician," Atemu called softly. A magician in a purple robe emerged from the gloom.
"Yes, Pharaoh?" The magician seated himself by Atemu, back pressed against a stone slab.
"Don't call me that, Magician. The coronation is two days away yet."
"As you wish, Atemu. I sense you are anxious about something?" Atemu closed his eyes.
"Yes. Once I become Pharaoh, will I have to stop doing things I like and hanging out with my friends? It isn't going to be any fun, being Pharaoh."
"You must remember, Atemu that you have within you a great strength of which has not yet emerged. In due time, something good will come of your being Pharaoh."
The Dark Magician tapped Atemu's shoulder.
"Look at me, young one. As Pharaoh you will have great power. You will not have to do anything you do not want to. But you must not forget your duty to your people."
"But what about a duty to myself? Don't I get any time to just be me?"
"You shall always be you. Don't forget who you are, or your destiny. You are not meant just to rule. You are meant to save."
"That's right." A girlish voice said. Atemu looked up to see the Dark Magician Girl smiling down at him.
"You're destined to do great things, Atemu. The blood of your ancestors runs intense through your veins."
The pink and blue clothed magician knelt, her forehead resting on the cold granite floor.
The Dark Magician followed suit, bowing in respect.
"Long live Pharaoh Atemu."
*
"Seto! What did you do to him!?"
The prince's astonished cry rang out across the near-empty gardens.
"I didn't do anything! He just came in and tripped. Stupid fool. It was his fault."
Atemu, Anzu, Honda, Shizuka, and a very angry looking Seto were gathered around a large grey animal.
The hippo grunted and glowered at Seto.
"How could it of been his fault? You're the only one who does magic around here!"
Seto glared at Anzu, who stood her ground and glared right back.
"Just look at him!" Honda exclaimed.
The beast turned its massive grey head and snorted gratefully. Woodpeckers sat on his shoulders and picked bugs out of his ears.
It had a short, stubbly tail that waved pathetically around, but it had a cocky and arrogant look about it that was oddly familiar.
It was Jou.
I hereby don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! Or its story, characters or any related material. All those are copyright to Kazuki Takahashi.
For those who don't know, Atemu is Yami's real name.
I'm using Japanese names in this story.
I don't really care if you review or not, they'll just motivate me more.
So do what you want, review, email, just read the story. Thankies!
*
The land had been steadily getting drier and drier lately. Cracks zigzagged along the parched ground, and the air was unbearably hot.
The young prince turned his face to the setting sun. It was late, ten o'clock.
Atemu had bid his friends goodbye half an hour ago, and had now retired to his chambers.
'Jou will be coming past any minute now,' he thought bitterly.
'I wish I wasn't guarded all the time. How am I ever going to get any privacy?'
Atemu crossed his bedchamber and stepped out onto the stone balcony. The granite had been polished smooth. Nothing was too good for a Pharaoh.
'Or at least almost a Pharaoh. My coronation is in two days, and then all I'll get to do is go to meetings and do boring adult stuff. It'll be too boring!'
Atemu wished he didn't have to become Pharaoh. Sure, it was great, but it gave him too much responsibility.
The door to his chambers swung open with a creak. Turning, the prince saw Seto, his High Priest and cousin. "Don't you ever knock?"
"Nope. I wouldn't want to disappoint you." Seto walked in and sat himself down on a chair across from where Atemu was seated behind his desk.
Seto didn't bother with the formalities of touching his head to the floor or speaking to Atemu with respect. He never did, and wasn't going to start now.
"You're 15 in two days, Atemu. Do you have anything you want as a gift?" Seto smiled inwardly. If only he knew what was in store for him.
"I haven't thought about that, actually. Why? Do you have something for me?" Seto laughed, an impish look in his eyes.
"Actually I do. Guards, let her in." A woman was shown into the room.
She wore a white linen dress that stopped about 3 inches above the knee and 3 inches below her neck, with a white silk over dress that reached her ankles.
Her long blonde hair had been pinned up with a tortoise-shell clip.
Mesdemet lined her smoky eyes, giving her an elusive, seductive look.
The woman sat on Atemu's desk, showing off more than just a little leg. "Hey big boy," she said, tapping his chin with one of her polished nails.
"Erm, hello." Atemu said uncomfortably. "Seto? Do I know this, um, lady?" Seto laughed.
"Not yet, Atemu. But I believe you will get to know her quite well. This is Mai, the lead performer of your concubines."
Atemu's amethyst eyes looked blankly at Seto. "What's a conky-pine?"
Seto rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath.
"A concubine is a female woman designed for your own pleasures. They can fulfill your wildest dreams. You're old enough for your own harem now, Atemu. Happy birthday."
"What!?" The young prince cried. "I don't want a harem! Ew!"
Seto chuckled, amused at the shocked look on Mai's face. She had expected him to look pleased and chat her up, but this reaction astonished her.
"I'm sure you'll think differently once you're crowning is over."
"But it's going to be so boring!" Atemu complained.
"I don't want to do boring stuff and I especially don't want to have a harem full of porcupines!"
Seto frowned seriously at Atemu. "Every Pharaoh before you has had a harem. It's tradition. You already defy it by not marrying. Who will be the heir?"
"I don't know. I don't really care either. And I'm not having a harem. And I'm not getting married. And I'm not doing anything you say so, 'cos I'm Pharaoh and you can't tell me what to do!"
With that, he strode dramatically out of the room. "Drama queen." Seto muttered.
Less than a minute later Atemu came back in. "Um, I think you guys should go, since this is my room."
Seto rolled his eyes and took Mai by the arm. "Let's go and leave the prince alone."
"I – I...." Mai stammered, still staring shocked back at Atemu.
The prince sat down heavily on his bed. 'I'll tell my friends tomorrow....'
*
"Yes, Anzu, I realize that every king before me has had a harem, and that I should continue on the tradition."
Anzu believed Atemu should do just like all the other Pharaohs. But the young prince wouldn't listen. "I just don't want one."
Jou stared unbelievingly at his best friend. "Why not?"
"Well, they all wear these short dresses that show off their breasts and are only concerned about getting men into bed and getting paid for it."
"Exactly! That's the whole point! They're beautiful! Man, I'd give anything to be in your position."
The speaker was Honda, a rich merchant who unfortunately didn't have quite enough money for a harem.
Atemu shook his head sadly. Gold locks of hair fell over his face, hiding his downcast eyes from his friends.
"No you wouldn't." He said, and stared miserably at the floor.
A delicate hand squeezed Atemu's shoulder. He looked up into Shizuka's gentle face.
As Jou's younger sister she spent almost all her time in the barracks, tending to soldiers.
"It'll be okay, Atemu. We're your friends, and we'll stick by you no matter what."
Atemu smiled his thanks at the girl. A murmur of agreement went round his friends.
Almost all of them had been able to get time off work when Atemu had called for them.
Seto was off practicing magic, but he complained loudly that the spells were old and he had already done them before. Atemu knew though that his cousin could always be trusted.
Anzu was able to take a break from being Atemu's personal scribe. She was always on hand to record anything and everything that happened in the young prince's life.
As the head of guard Jou was normally patrolling the walls of Memphis but had sneaked off when he went for a toilet break. He was always stealing bread rolls from the palace kitchens, complaining that he was underfed.
Honda didn't have any work and just went about as he pleased. He often went to market to trade his goods with other merchants.
Shizuka spent a lot of time running around and fetching things for Jou's men. She had a heart of gold and thought the best of everyone.
Atemu excused himself from his friends and headed back up the palace steps.
He had things to do.
*
Hurtling down the many corridors of his palace was one of Atemu's favorite things to do.
Another was sliding down polished stone banisters.
Atemu gave a whoop of delight as he slipped of the rail and skidded into a pair of huge wooden doors.
Stepping back, he rubbed his nose, wincing. "Ow," he said out loud.
'That wasn't the most intelligent thing to do now was it? A proper boring Pharaoh wouldn't be caught dead doing that.'
Atemu spent the rest of the day flouncing around the palace and practicing looking down at his servants and acting posh.
*
As Ra landed in the west ready to begin his journey through the underworld, Atemu trudged up flight after flight of stairs.
He stopped outside a large ornate gold door. Pushing it open, he entered.
It was the tallest tower in the entire of Egypt, taller even than the Obelisks at Karnak.
There were open windows on all side of the circular room, allowing moonlight to stream through.
In the original building process, priests had demanded it for astrology purposes, but Atemu's uncle had declared it would be for Shadow monsters only.
Atemu looked up at the ceiling and smiled. The whole thing depicted Ra's journey across the sky. A dark shadow represented the west and the entrance to the underworld.
"Dark Magician," Atemu called softly. A magician in a purple robe emerged from the gloom.
"Yes, Pharaoh?" The magician seated himself by Atemu, back pressed against a stone slab.
"Don't call me that, Magician. The coronation is two days away yet."
"As you wish, Atemu. I sense you are anxious about something?" Atemu closed his eyes.
"Yes. Once I become Pharaoh, will I have to stop doing things I like and hanging out with my friends? It isn't going to be any fun, being Pharaoh."
"You must remember, Atemu that you have within you a great strength of which has not yet emerged. In due time, something good will come of your being Pharaoh."
The Dark Magician tapped Atemu's shoulder.
"Look at me, young one. As Pharaoh you will have great power. You will not have to do anything you do not want to. But you must not forget your duty to your people."
"But what about a duty to myself? Don't I get any time to just be me?"
"You shall always be you. Don't forget who you are, or your destiny. You are not meant just to rule. You are meant to save."
"That's right." A girlish voice said. Atemu looked up to see the Dark Magician Girl smiling down at him.
"You're destined to do great things, Atemu. The blood of your ancestors runs intense through your veins."
The pink and blue clothed magician knelt, her forehead resting on the cold granite floor.
The Dark Magician followed suit, bowing in respect.
"Long live Pharaoh Atemu."
*
"Seto! What did you do to him!?"
The prince's astonished cry rang out across the near-empty gardens.
"I didn't do anything! He just came in and tripped. Stupid fool. It was his fault."
Atemu, Anzu, Honda, Shizuka, and a very angry looking Seto were gathered around a large grey animal.
The hippo grunted and glowered at Seto.
"How could it of been his fault? You're the only one who does magic around here!"
Seto glared at Anzu, who stood her ground and glared right back.
"Just look at him!" Honda exclaimed.
The beast turned its massive grey head and snorted gratefully. Woodpeckers sat on his shoulders and picked bugs out of his ears.
It had a short, stubbly tail that waved pathetically around, but it had a cocky and arrogant look about it that was oddly familiar.
It was Jou.