ICE/SAND/GLASS
Chapter 1
Rouse Before the Storm
Silence and yellow stone decorated wast throne room surrounded by heavy columns. An almost unaudible 'swoosh' of a large feather fan going up and down could be heard from time to time; other than that, no voices or steps, nothing. All movement ceased, like everything stopped. Indeed, it was a very quiet early afternoon in the palace of god-like ruler of all Egipt… Until-
"AHA! Yugi, you moved!"
"I did not!"
"Yes, you did! Just then, you moved your nose like this, see!" The blond boy sitting on the lowest of the steps that lead to the throne made a face and moved his nose in a rather strange way.
"I never made a face like that! " Yelled the smaller boy sitting on the left and two steps higher then the blond. "You just made that up, Joey!"
"Keh, and why would I do that?"
"Because you didn't want to lose, that's why!"
Two souldiers that guarded the entrance to the room exchanged looks after hearing the last shout.
"He'll interfere, 2 copper coins."
"Deal."
"…accuse me that my legs are numb!"
"I dare! I even dare to ask you to walk and prove me wrong!"
"Yeah?"
"Yeah!"
Blond – whose name apparently was Joey - suddenly jumped to his feet and made two steps before his face connected with the floor. Few moments pass in silence between the blond who turned to lay on his back and smaller kid with a strange looking tri-color hair still sitting on his step. Then their eyes meet and both boys burst in laughter.
"Keh, what bad luck… Here you go," first soldier said paying up. Other let out a small smile and put the couns in the pouch hanging on his belt.
"Ahahaha… Oh, boy, that hurt… Now, what are we going to play next?" Joey asked rubbing his sore nose and standing up.
"I don't know."
"Oww, c'mon, Yug…"
"Stop calling me that."
"…'k, oh great Yugi, since you won you should decide what do we do next."
"Well, techinically, I lost too-"
"WHA~~~~?"
"I moved when you said I moved! So I lost!"
"Then…"
"Atem is the one who won; he chooses the next game." Small one said, turning his head to the silent figure sitting on the very throne.
Pharaoh Atem, god on Earth, ruler of Egipt and whole known world, an 18 year-old male that never in his life faced hunger or fear, sat on cold stone with a distant look in his amethyst eyes. People always noticed them first – those unearthly colored eyes. Then there was his bronse skin and crown like thorns of his tri-color hair that was almost identical to Yugi's, but much more defined and more striking. Right now, with his arms crossed on his chest he gave out the impression of a true imortal that watched all and knew all.
Still, don't let the looks fool you.
"He's sleeping with his eyes open again, isn't he," Joey asks perplexed.
"Seems like it," Yugi answers bitterly.
"Holy Ra…"
Soldier who lost the last bet couldn't resist. "They'll wake him up, again 2 copper coins."
"Na-ha, they'll leave."
"Deal."
"…oh, you came!" Yugi said in his usual cheerful tone while Joey silently snickered. "We thought you wouldn't grace the palace with your presence today, Priest."
With the last word said, unmoving god-like creature made a very ungracefull move – to be honest, he jumped out from his seat.
Everybody in the palace knew about (friendly) rivalry between pharaoh Atem and priest Seto; it's not like they hid it. From their first encounter more than a decade ago, both youths found it irresistable to clash and challenge one another. Be it some kind of intelectual debate, a sport or childish game – they done it all and kept score. Right now, Seto was in a slight advantage, since he was to become a full fledged priest in matter of days. Atem's title was heraditory, so it couldn't be taken in consideration. Something he gained with birth or/and with his predecessors sudden death, not with his own strenght and skill wouldn't be valued.
It was an unsaid rule that both respected, so pharaoh gave his best not to show any weaknesess in his rulership… At least not in front of that one overly dedicated servant of Gods.
Joey's histerical laughter was the sign and coins again changed their owner.
"Ahahaha… Y-Your face… Ahaha… Just, just now… Priceless… Ahahaha…" Blond just couldn't stop.
"What's the meaning of this," demanded Atem's velvety baritone. Ignoring the rude blond, his eyes were focused on his small look-alike that was pouting yet again.
"Don't act high and mighty when you did wrong; Gramps thought you that, remember, pharaoh?" Yugi said crossing his hands on his chest. "And it was a payback for falling asleep in the middle of the game so deal with it."
Pharaoh let out a sigh and fell back in his seat. No, he hadn't forgotten the words of his teacher; lectures of Yugi's grandpa were quite unforgetable... No, he was just tired, so tired…
"You don't have to push yourself," Yugi continued, now much softer. "By the way, you won. You choose what we do next."
"Yeah, c'mon, choose already," Joey said, not reading into the atmosphere at all.
Taking a moment to think (and to shake off remains of already forgotten dream) Atem covered his eyes with his hand that was on the armsrest.
"A story,"came suddenly. "Yugi, can you tell me one?"
"Errr… I'm not really in the mood…"
"It's been ages! Yug, buddy, you can't say no to your pharaoh, can you?"
"Joey, for the millionth time, do not call me YUG!"
"'K, 'k, jeez…"
"Yugi… Just one. "
Two pairs of amethist eyes met – one childish and wide, other sharp and serious – and Yugi's determination cracked. He gave a slight nod before going to a pile of cusions. Taking two, he went back to his place, and threw one at Joey. After making himself more comfortable, he breathed deeply and began.
"Once upon a time, in land far, far away, lived a peasant girl with unparalleld beauty. Never before had the world seen such lotus white, delicate skin, or such lips scarlet as blood or such hair dark as night's wing. Girl was blessed and her beauty grew with each passing day. With her coming of age, many suitors came asking for the girl's hand in marriage, but were all refused.
"Years passed. Stories about her were heard in every corner of the land and her beauty was still unsurpassed. Even more men came to her but she refused to leave her little house and garden on the top of the hill.
"One day she was watering the rose bush that grew under her window when a very old woman approached her asking for some water. Girl was dejected by ugly, wrinkled skin on that woman's face and dirty travelling clothes, but she was well brought up and couldn't refuse such a simple request. Girl lead her to the well next to the house and took out a bucket of fresh cold water before offering her a cup. As granny settled her thirst, girl couldn't resist but to watch her own perfect reflection in still full bucket of water.
"Thank you, my child, said the old woman. I traveled so long and asked many but none wanted to help such an ugly, dirty thing. For your kindness I must repay you.
"What I want, you can't give me, said the girl.
"My, my, why such sadness touches your perfect face? Tell me what worries you; maybe I have the cure in my sack, woman insisted.
"I want… I want eternal beauty. I don't want to see my face wrinkled and old, or my eyes dull, or my body weak and scrawny.I want to stay like this.
"Old woman took her sack off her shoulder and after a moment of searching took out and gave the girl a plain-looking hand mirror. Here you go, my child. Look yourself in this mirror as if it were the water from your well. With this, your wish will come true. Now, I bid you farewell and hope you won't regret what you wished for. With that said, the ugly woman left, leaving the girl angry and perplaxed. She thought that she was swindled; how could that thing give her what her heart desired the most? Still, not being able to throw it away, girl decided to keep it; Maybe it will come in handy someday, she thought. But before putting it away, her eyes cought a glimse of her reflection. Before the day ended, girl forgot about the encounter and the mirror…
"Months and months passed, they turned into years, decades… Everyone around the girl matured but her face and body stayed the same intact by transition of time. Being vain as she was, she didn't notice that people around her changed until one day she looked at her mother and saw an old white-haired granny with not even enough strenght to support her body to stand up.
"Panic and fear moved in the girl's heart and mind. Finally, she was avare that something was wrong and nobody, not even her parents, could tell her the reason.
"Girl's father died. Then her mother… All of her friends were raising children and grandchildren, and not having enough time for never-aging girl. They envied her for her gift of eternal youth. Others thought it was a curse; either way, she was shuned and forced into staying in her small house on the top of the hill. She was all alone.
"More years passed. All of the girl's former friends were long gone; their grandchildren having grandchildren of their own. She was still the same. In those days even her flawless skin couldn't ease her loneliness.
"One night girl woke up from an awful dream about some old woman and the plain-looking hand mirror. Frightened, she franticly searched the whole house only to find her worst fear being true. On the bottom of her closet was he small box in witch lay the forgotten gift. How could she forget? How could she desire such a thing? Realising what she had done, her eyes spilt bitter tears-"
"YOUR HIGHNESS!"
Spell cast over audience in the throne room was broken with that one shout. All eyes were now on the rushing figure in armor, falling to his knees 50 feet from the throne. Young pharaoh recognised him as one of his war generals.
'What in the name of-' he thought but said, "Speak!"
"Your Higness, a large number of refugees has gathered in front of the city gates!"
"Refugees? What are you speaking about? We're not engaged in any war!" Atem's voice became a shout at the end. His ill mood returned in full force now that his peace was disturbed.
"It's true. Your Highness they are from-"
"My pharaoh." That new voice, clear and cold as wind in the desert at night could belong only to one person.
"Seto," pharaoh turned to his left to see the owner of said name. "Can you explain this?"
"No. But something is coming."
"The refugees? I heard."
"No, not that."
"Then, wh-"
Loud shouts and running feet could be heard in the hallway leading to the throne room, then a loud, ear-tearing screech…
Something flew into the room, something large and golden. Too fast for human eye (and a pair of god-like ones) to see that 'something'made its way over their heads, then circled around the ceiling before starting to descend.
"My pharaoh, I should adwise you to order the soldiers to not to attack."
Said soldiers were pooling around the edges of the room, readying their spears and waiting for the right opportunity. Atem now saw what caused such commotion in his palace.
Graciously gliding down in spirals was a bird… And such an odd one. Never before had the teen ruler seen anything similar to it. Rich, golden feathers decorated its head, wings and back and turned into marble white on its belly and legs. Mighty six foot wings carried that oval body with no extra swings. It was hipnotising; the way that bird used the nonexisting wind… The way it moved…
"Do not attack!" Pharaoh found his voice in the moment when dagger-like claws scrached stone floor. Spears came to a halt. "Seto, what is this?"
Priest was already on the move. With his long-legged stride, in took him few seconds to be face to face with the oddly tame creature.
"General, please finish what you wanted to say before I interrupted you,"Seto suddenly turned to now standing soldier not too far from the place where he was kneeling just a few minutes ago.
"The refugees… They are from the West, Your Highness."
"Urala…" Atem's lips spoke the name that caused a painful throb in his chest. His feet moved on their own, running past then behind the throne and out the balcony. He saw briliance of his capital, strenght of city walls and – desperate wave of bodies approaching over the horison.
'What happened to you, dear sister?'
AN: Thanks for reading the first chapter! This multi-chapter crossover fic is dedicated to author here named Sister Of The Pharaoh. She waited so patiantely for this! Thank you for having faith in me m(ToT)m
Story used in this chapter is something I heard when I was younger, but because it was so long ago I forgot the name of the author as well as the name of the story… I will try to find it though, because I am sure that it is part of literature for first four elementary school grades… That sums up my search on, let's say, around 25 books or so xD
I DO NOT OWN YU-GI-OH OR YU YU HAKUSHO -sadly, just a fan.