Ma'at's Apprentice: So sue me. I was originally going to work on a new story idea of mine called Angel of Darkness, but I decided I just HAD to write this idea instead. Speaking of which, you probably don't even know what I'm talking about.
Ah.
Gomennasi, my small amount of readers.
Summary: After all the trials and challenges they have faced, Yami finally had to depart for the afterlife. Yugi, who is struggling with himself, can't believe his yami is gone forever.
Or at least, that's what he thinks.
Driven by the need to see Yami again, Yugi approaches the Ishtars in hope that they will be able to help him. They do, but not in the way he expected.
Instead of Yami coming back to present Japan, Yugi finds himself whisked back in time to Ancient Egypt; where Yami as Atem reigns as Pharaoh. But that's not even the worst part. What do you do when the one you love doesn't remember who you are?
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"Mou hitori no boku!" Yugi called after the retreating figure. All around him his friends were crying as the spirit of the former Pharaoh approached the door to the afterlife. "Don't go, please!"
Yami stopped, turning around slowly. "I must, Yugi. I don't belong in this time. Not anymore. Please don't cry, aibou." Yami walked back to Yugi, cupping the younger's tear-stained face in his hands. "Be strong for me, my Little Light. My hikari. My only."
"I can't, Yami! I can't be strong... not without you." Yugi's eyes teared up as his yami's gaze softened, becoming almost tender. For a heartbeat, Yugi could imagine that the former Pharaoh loved him just as he loved the Pharaoh.
"Atem... Yami..."
"Shh. Don't cry, mou hitori no ore. Don't cry. I don't want you to ever shed tears. Not over me. Not over me." Yami's hand slid from Yugi's chin as he started back towards the glowing door.
"Yami!" Yugi called one more time. "Promise me... promise me that you'll never forget me!" Yami turned back once, his crimson eyes solemn.
"I promise, aibou." And then he was gone.
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Yugi Motou sat at a table in the local burger place; stirring his smoothie absentmindedly. That had been six months ago. He wished, for the umpteenth time, that he had told the ex-Pharaoh that he loved him. Maybe he would have stayed? Yugi hoped that wherever Yami was now... well, Yugi just wished he was happy. That's all Yugi wanted.
No, that was a lie. Yugi wanted his yami. His darkness. The other part of his soul.
And maybe, maybe, there was something he could do to bring him back.
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"Please?" The young, tri-color haired boy stood in front of a tall, somewhat imposing woman with long flowing black hair and sapphire eyes. The woman, whose name was Ishizu Ishtar, merely sighed.
"Yugi, to perform that kind of spell... you can't even begin to think about how much work it takes!" Ishizu said, begging the boy to understand. The boy, who by now we all know went by the name Yugi Motou, merely made his violet eyes go even wider... if that was humanly possible.
"Yugi, I..."
"Please?" Yugi tried again, his eyes tearing up slightly.
"Yugi, it will take me six months to prepare a spell of this magnitude." Ishizu said, caving to The Eyes. Well, who wouldn't? Those things were practically lethal weapons! Hell, Ishizu had even seen Kaiba cave to them a couple of times!
"Oh, thank you, Ishiuz!" Yugi cried, wrapping his arms around the older woman's waist. "Thank you so much!" He then scampered out of the room, leaving the baffled spell castor to sort through her belongings for the right ingredients. Her brow furrowed when she realized one of her components was missing.
"Hmm... I guess I could substitute it. It shouldn't change anything," she mumbled to herself as a resounding crash from the kitchen caught her attention. Marik ambled out shortly afterwards. Now that his evil yami was gone and he had abandoned his quest for world domination (or whatever), Marik had been a lot easier to get along with.
"Hey, sis," he said, leaning against one of the counters where Ishizu kept her ingredients. "Was that Yugi that just ran out?"
"Yes, why?" Ishizu asked with suspicion.
"Just curious." Marik held a pear in his hand. He bit into it nonchalantly before whirling around and disappearing into the kitchen. Ishizu rolled her eyes. "I'd better get working on this," she muttered to herself.
And that's just what she did.
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==Six Months Later==
Yugi Motou was practically bouncing in his seat. Why not? He had been anticipating the arrival of this day for months! His amethyst eyes glowing in a way his friends had not seen since Yami left. Yugi dived into his friend's nervous chatter. Of course, he didn't notice how nervous they were. Nay, he was too busy fantasizing about seeing Yami again. Finally, Joey had enough.
"Look, Yuge. I don't mean ta dampen your enthusiasm or anything, but you're freakin' us out!" The blonde said, slamming his hand down on the table. Yugi, too lost in his own world, merely smiled.
"I am? Sorry, Joey," he said.
"Yugi, are you okay?" Ryou asked, putting a hand over Yugi's in concern. "You've been acting like this all day! And while it's great to see you happy again..."
"You've been getting steadily happier these past six months, and that's great, but this... even when Yami was here you were never... this... out of it..." Joey trailed off and coughed as an uncomfortable silence met the table and the Burger Bistro. Anzu, who had been filing her nails, suddenly looked up with interest.
"What's this about Yami?" Her sapphire eyes glittered, and Yugi had to suppress the urge he felt to strangle the girl he had once considered his friend.
After Yami had left, it had become clear to the group that the former Pharaoh had been the only reason Anzu had hung around them. They had expected her to get bored and leave, but to their great annoyance she stuck around. She didn't even try and pretend to be nice anymore. She had dated Tristan for a while, before dumping him brutally. The group had tried avoiding her after that, but it was like she had a Yugi-Radar. Wherever the small, tri-colored hair boy went, Anzu could usually find him.
Which was, Yugi thought, very annoying. But still. After today it wouldn't matter. For today, if you haven't already guessed, was the day Ishizu's spell came into play.
"Yugi!" Yugi suddenly noticed Joey waving a hand in front of his face. He shook his head. "Yes, Joey?" he asked, blinking. Joey sat back in his chair, frowning.
"Just seeing if you were still alive."
"I'll only ask once more: What's this about Yami?" Anzu snapped irritably.
"We were just referring to Yugi's behaviour!" Joey said – or rather, grumbled.
"If Yugi behaved anything like Yami, he wouldn't be-"
"Oh, just shut up!" Joey swiped his hand through the air, glaring at Anzu.
"If Yugi acted more like Yami he wouldn't BE Yugi!" Ryou said, his face flushed with anger.
"Which, in my opinion, is probably a good thing." Anzu spread her hand out in front of her, yawning loudly as she studied her nails.
"Yeah? Well no one cares about your opinion!" Marik suddenly yelled across the room as he sauntered into the fast-food restaurant. He quickly slid into the last open spot in the booth all the friends were currently sharing. It was next to a window, which gave them a simply lovely view of the streets outside.
Okay, so maybe the view wasn't that great. But Joey always – always – insisted they sat at the window booth.
"Go away, Ishtar!" Joey, who hadn't quite gotten over Marik/Malik's past trickery, scowled at the blonde Egyptian who, as of five seconds ago, had managed to snatch two of his fries. Marik grinned, looking somewhat insane.
"Now that was just mean," Marik simpered, popping the fries into his mouth and chewing. "Thanks, man."
"Get away from my fries, you... fry mooching... fry stealer!" Joey sputtered.
"Oh. I'm quaking." Marik looked at Joey with an expression that said: "What that seriously the best you could come up with?"
"What do you want?" Anzu asked, eyeing Marik's lavender midriff. Marik, noticing this, sat in the booth seat across from her, muttering something in Egyptian under his breath.
"I'm here to see Yugi," Marik said.
"Me?" Yugi looked up. His eyes suddenly brightened. "Has she... did she... is it done?"
"It's ready, if that's what you mean." Marik scratched the back of his neck, looking almost nervous under the intense stares from Joey, Ryou, and Anzu. Tristan hadn't wanted to come today. Yugi knew his friend just didn't want to see Anzu. In fact, everyone seemed to know that except Anzu herself. So, they had all accepted the excuse Tristan gave them, and come without him.
"What's ready? What's he talking about, Yuge?" Joey demanded, honey eyes narrowing.
"Umm... nothing!" Yugi said, sliding out of his seat. He was on the edge, so it was easy enough. He then grabbed Marik's arm, pulling him towards the exit to the fast-food place. "Come on!" Yugi said.
Marik saluted the others as Yugi dragged him, a smirk that said "I know something you doooon't. " plastered across his face.
"Yugi, wait!" Joey and Ryou called, but Yugi had already dragged Marik away and vanished.
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Anzu sat, sipping the last of her soda. Yugi was up to something, she knew. Something involving Him. Who was Him? Well, only the most sexy and desirable man alive! Or, rather... dead, she guessed, in his case. Yes. Yugi was definitely up to something... something involving Yami. The ancient 3000-year-old-spirit/former Pharaoh. And she would find out what it was, starting... now.
"I have to go," she said, standing up and abandoning her drink. "My, uh... mother told me that I had to be back by a certain time." She grabbed her pink jacket and threw it over her yellow tank, the one she knew made her look sexy. ((A Note from Ma'at's Apprentice: Or at least, she THOUGHT she knew. Ra. *Shakes head*)) Joey and Ryou looked relieved, though Anzu was too busy plotting ways to draw Yami away from Yugi to notice.
Yes. With no real circumstantial evidence she had come to the conclusion that Yugi was going to see Yami... somehow.
And when he did, she was going with him. And not even the combined power of the three god cards would be enough to stop her!
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"Yugi! Yugi! Stop!" Marik called.
"Why?" Yugi asked, panting hard.
"Because we passed the house!"
"...Oh."
==Some Time Later==
Yugi Motou stared at the puzzling symbol Ishizu had drawn on the floor of her spell-room... or whatever she called it. Actually, Yugi didn't know much about this room. He'd have to ask later... maybe.
"What is she doing?" Yugi asked Marik. They were sitting atop the strange symbol; looking at a matching symbol she had drawn on the wall. The symbol itself was a weaving of intricate patterns; but the star which the patterns intertwined through was five-pointed, crossing in the middle. A circle was drawn around it, and that was what Yugi, Ishizu, and Marik was sitting in.
"Sshh!" Marik said. "She must have no distractions. This is the most important part of the spell. If it gets messed up, disastrous things could happen." Marik had crossed his legs, unlike Yugi and Ishizu who were both kneeling. Ishizu mumbled a few strange words, then stood up. A few scented candles burned around the room; for effect, Yugi thought.
"Come, Yugi." Ishizu drew Yugi over to the drawing on the wall. However, upon further inspection, Yugi realized that the drawing on the wall was, in fact, different than the one on the ground.
For right in the middle of one of the star points was a hand print.
"Place your hand here!" Ishizu told Yugi. "Quickly! We haven't much time!"
"Much time?" Yugi asked in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"Hurry! And whatever you do, DON'T TAKE YOUR HAND OFF THE STAR!" Ishizu sounded almost panicked suddenly, and Yugi thrust his hand towards the drawing. His hand fit perfectly in the outline, but that wasn't what startled him. As soon as his skin made contact with the smooth stone, a green light shot out; outlining the design in an eerie light. Five green lines shot out from his hand. They extended in a straight line, each of them making contact with a star point. Yugi was breathing fast, his eyes wide. A white light started to surround his hand next, expanding in a circular pattern like holy fire.
Then the burning started.
Yugi squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the pain, but it felt as if his hand was being consumed by white fire. Which in a way it was, but still. He cried out in pain, and was about to remove his hand when he heard Ishizu screamed at him again, telling him not to.
"Ignore the pain! Ignore it!" Ishizu cried as Yugi screamed again, tears leaking from the corners of his eyes, which he kept closed.
"I-I can't!" Yugi felt like he could pass out any moment.
"You have to! For Yami!" Marik, who had been silent until now, suddenly called out.
Yami... Yugi squeezed his eyes shut even tighter and pictured the crimson-eyed youth in his mind. Yami's smile, the fierce, determined face we wore when duelling, and finally the tender expression he had given Yugi just before he had left for the afterlife.
Hold on just a bit longer, aibou! A bit longer! Yugi heard Yami's voice as if he were speaking to him. So, he swallowed the pain and scrunched up his face, holding his hand in place. ((A Note from Ma'at's Apprentice: I rhymed! Yay!))
Just a little bit longer... ((Another Note from Ma'at's Apprentice: Now I have that song stuck in my head.))
"YUGI!" Yugi's hand suddenly dislodged from the star as Anzu, who had burst in through the door, tripped over a candle and crashed into him.
"What have you done?" Cried Ishizu.
Then all hell broke loose.
A dark light shot out from the star, striking a random place in the room and bouncing off walls. Green electricity seemed to crackle and fizzle around the design itself, and the room started to vibrate.
"What's happening?" Yugi cried. Anzu, who had by now picked herself up, stood petrified with fear.
"Yugi... the seal... touch..." Ishizu's words were lost. Yugi, thinking she was telling him to touch the seal again, stumbled over a fallen stool until he stood in front of the strange marker again.
Please, Ra, let this work, he thought desperately as he closed his eyes and pushed forward.
And if he thought it was hell before, it was nothing compared to what happened next.
A deafening roar lanced through the room, knocking Yugi backwards. A loud "NO!" was uttered from Ishizu. "Yugi, Anzu, Marik! Get out of here!" Marik, who had been cowering behind a desk, immediately bolted for the door. Ishizu followed, screaming at the remaining two occupants.
"No, wait!" Yugi screamed suddenly as he saw balls of shadows begin to swirl around the room. Anzu, who still hadn't moved, fainted dead-on.
"Anzu!" Yugi crawled over to Anzu. "Anzu, get up!"
"Yugi, get out of there! The spell has gone wrong, I can't control it!"
"I can't leave her here!" Yugi cried, even though this was all her fault in the first place. He was just about to reach her, when suddenly something gave his foot a violent tug. He turned around and screamed when he saw that one of the Shadow-things had gotten him.
No! No, this wasn't happening! "Yami! Yami!" Yugi cried in terror, half expecting his other half to suddenly appear and blast the foul creature to the Shadow Realm.
But Yami didn't appear.
"Yami! Yami, please! Help me!" Yugi sobbed, tears streaming down his face. Was he going to die? Probably.
"Yami!" He called again, just as the shadow-thing picked him up. Anzu was suffering a similar fate, only she was unconscious.
Lucky bitch.
The last thing that raced through Yugi's mind was the image of his yami. Smiling, happy... his yami... oh, his heart ached to think that he would never see him again. So, taking his final breath, Yugi called the name, the real name, of the one person who meant more to him than anyone else in this world.
"ATEM!"
Then there was a bright white flash, and Yugi saw no more.
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Ishizu looked out from around the doorframe, Marik across her on the opposite side. Suddenly the blonde Egyptian darted forward, his lavender eyes wide with disbelief. "They're gone! Both of them!" He said incredulously. "Where? How? What happened?"
"When Anzu disrupted the spell... I don't know what happened, but they're gone. The seal took them."
"Took them where?"
"Where else? Back to the World of Memory."
"World of Memory?"
"Yes. You see, the last thought Yugi had was of Yami. Or rather... the Pharaoh. Atem."
"You mean...?" Marik sucked in a breath.
"Yes. Instead of Yami coming here, they have gone back to Yami."
"You don't seriously mean..."
"Yes. They've gone back. Back in time. Back to Ancient Egypt."
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Ma'at's Apprentice: And there you have it. I'm sorry for the weak ending; the original closing stages I had thought up deserted me just as I started typing the part where Yugi and Anzu got teleported. So yeah.
I think I cried writing the first part of this fic. You know, the part where Yami leaves. Sorry. That was just depressing. And I think Yami's angry at me...
Yami: You! FanFiction author!
Ma'at's Apprentice: ... *Swears in Egyptian and bolts*
Yami: Get back here! You'll pay for being so mean to my aibou!
Ma'at's Apprentice: Geez, I said I was sorry!
Yami: Sorry isn't good enough! When I get my hands on you... *Lunges*
Ma'at's Apprentice: *Sidesteps* Well, I think this would be a good time to end this. I am unfortunately preoccupied at this current moment in time, as you can see. *Dodges a lamp* I believed I have learned a very valuable lesson from this.
Yami: Oh really? *Throws another lamp* Do tell.
Ma'at's Apprentice: Never anger a yami.
Yami: Someone, give the girl a medal. *Is about to chuck another lamp when he hears Yugi crying* *Drops the lamp and runs over to Yugi, gently wrapping his arms around him* Shh. Mou hitori no ore... hikari... aibou... don't cry...
Yugi: *Hugs Yami and sobs*
Ma'at's Apprentice: I am experiencing an emotion my computer programming identifies as guilt. I feel sad, now D: *Wipes a tear with a 'kerchief*
Anyways. This chapter, being the prologue/first chapter, is definitely going to be shorter than the others. Don't worry, they'll get longer!
Well, please R&R. I know I'm a little stiff, but please don't judge me. I'm new, and I'm always stiff in new places. I'll loosen up, you'll see! *Epic poses* -coughcough- Anyways... I realize I forgot to do the disclaimer.
And since I don't want to get my butt sued (that would suck) I'll post it here.
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh!, so stop bothering me about it D: It makes me feel sad and contrite that I don't.
And for those lemony-obsessed people out there, I'm probably going to write one later ^^
Thanks for reading, and please review. Reviewers get... umm... cookies. Because I'm unoriginal like that.
-Ma'at's Apprentice.