Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me. Yu gi oh is the property of its copyright holders Kazuki Takahashi Etc.

"Hurry back to the land of the living

Things have changed since you've been gone

The world is turning in the land of the living

Take a deep breath life goes on."

- Pam Tillis, Land of the Living

Once You Speak my Name: A Meeting of Two Minds

"Sorry sir!"

"Kids today," an old man huffed as he watched the person who narrowly missed ploughing into him continued barrelling down the street.

Said person unaware of the rather inaccurate criticism simply dashed around a corner and continued his pursuit of a paper fluttering in the wind.

"Got you!" He yelled jumping up and grabbing the newspaper from the air. After dislodging himself from the well trimmed bush that had broken his fall he sat down on some stone steps and quickly scanned the ads. He sighed in frustration as finished. Nothing, again. Is there no one is this city who can give me a job? At this rate I'm going to be sleeping in this…where am I anyway?

He noticed the shadow looming over him and turned around. Craning his head up he looked up at the large red walls of the Museum of Cairo. It was then he noticed the rather large group of people gathered the entrance. I wonder what's going on. He got up from the steps and made his way over to the crowd. Why he felt the need to visit the museum when there were more important things to do was mystery. Still he paid the fee and went in.

People were everywhere. Pressed together in tight groups sipping champagne and pointing to something in the centre of the room, he approached it to see a mummy displayed in a glass case.

There was something very familiar about him. Something about how the wrappings covered the sharp angles of his head, the hands so carefully positioned across his chest. He gasped loudly as it finally dawned on him. That's me!

He pressed one hand against the case to keep from falling over in shock. Regaining his self-composure he scanned the room with quick movements of his eyes, no one he noticed seemed to hear his slight outburst. People just continued to talk about the artefacts and what kind of live he must have led. The unveiling was, by all accounts, a great success it appeared. Unbeknownst to him the one who should have been enjoying it the most though stood in a large office on the far side of the museum.

"Mr. Hopekkins, you can't do this! Not after all we've been though look at what we discovered!"

An older man with a cue ball head, bushy moustache, and small rounded framed glasses stood up from his chair and placed his hands firmly on either side of his desk.

"Do not presume to tell me what I can and can not do. You found that tomb by sheer luck and if you can not prove to me that there are anymore in the area I will have to pull my funding."

"But-"

"Good day, Mr. Mutou."

"You-"

"I said good day."

Taking the hint he turned on his heel and walked out, the door slammed closed behind him.

"Bastard," he swore and stormed down the hallway.

All that time and effort and he put it down to beginner's luck. He knew he was the youngest member of the society to be out over seeing excavations he didn't need to be reminded every time he went in there!

He continued walking down the hall his polished dress shoes clicked against the floor. He would have to let so many people go. Many experienced people and by forced to hire amateurs. Ugh…they would be green kids fresh out of college. He knew what they were like, having been one himself not so very long ago. From what he could piece together anyway.

Looking back on it there were things everyone wished they'd done differently to prevent it. That they should have gone up later in the day when visibility was better, or worn better gear, or known that the rock was unstable, but they hadn't.

"You're sure it's this way, Mike?"

"Trust me, boss, I know this place like the back of my hand."

It all happened in an instant. The rock underneath his foot gave way. He cried out in surprise as he lost his balance and fell head first down the incline. Those with him could stare in horror as he continued down the slope tumbling over rocks and dirt finally coming to rest in heap at the bottom and blood began pooling around his head.

He moved his fingers across the healed wound that had had him waking up in a hospital bed two days later.

"Hey, Mike, he's awake!"

"That's great! You really had us worried, boss."

"All right everyone out!" A nurse yelled coming in, and all but throwing the men out of the room before shining lights directly in his eyes and asking questions.

"What is your name?"

"Yugi Mutou."

"Do you know where you are?"

"A really ugly hospital room."

"A proper answer, Mr. Mutou, please this is a serious matter."

"Cairo, Egypt."

"Do you know your birth date?"

"June 4. Is there a reason for all these inane questions?"

"As a matter of fact there is. I am trying to see how bad your injury is. Do you remember what happened?"

"A little bit. I remember climbing up some rocks and losing my balance. After that, nothing."

The nurse nodded and went back to her tests.

The doctors had told him he was in good health and sent him home, but it didn't take long to find out that the fall had caused more damage than they thought.

He arrived home and immediately went into the bathroom to shave two weeks worth of beard from his face. He really had to start remembering to bring the kit with him to the site. Finishing up, he decided to check his email certain it would be full after his impromptu vacation. He clicked on the newest entry and frowned at the subject. News from the Game shop?

Hello, Yugi

Bet you never thought your old grandfather would be so techno savvy did you? I pick it up used and Joey helped set it up. Something about paying me back for all those Duel Monsters cards and lessons. And you young whippersnappers and your faster ways to talk to people I will never understand why we need a symbol for at. I'm grateful Joey was willing to talk me through it so I could send this to you, but never tell him I told you that!

Yugi closed the window in utter confusion. Grandfather? Joey? Who is that? He stared at a picture on the desk. It showed what appeared to by a younger version of himself giving two peace signs to the camera. Three people were crowded around him in the same pose. But he didn't even know their names let alone when the picture might have been taken. He swung the chair around to look at the other pictures that adorned the wall and found himself surrounded by the faces of people he didn't know. Papers stood in black frames praising him for things he didn't remember doing.

Why don't I recognize any of this stuff! He thought franticly, his hands clenched his hair as he let his head fall between his knees to try and stop the world from spinning out of control.

He had what the doctors called retrograde amnesia. They told him he would be unable to recall events before the accident possibly forever and after much confusion and denial he accepted it and began to focus on what he could remember. He knew where he was and why he was here and every person on his team, but everything that happened before arriving in Egypt was empty.

They had recommended he look up anyone from his hometown, talk to them ask them to tell him about his life before the accident. To check old photo albums and mementos anything that might help jog his memory. He hadn't done that. He'd looked at all the things in his house of course it was rather hard not to, but he never told anyone else what had happened. Something in side of him told him not to, to wait and let them come back on their own if they ever did.

He snapped out of his thoughts with a small shake of his head this was not the time to dwell on personal problems. He was the guest of honour after all and they were expecting him to be pleasant. With that in mind he plastered a smile on his face and went to greet people.

XXX

Two hours later Yugi felt like his face was frozen and his fingers were ready to fall off. Thankfully people were getting their fill of this discovery and were starting to trickle out of the museum. As the crowds parted Yugi noticed a man standing by the case housing the mummy. He frowned in concentration trying to think of where he had seen him before, and he realized he'd seen him when he'd first come in the room and that he had not moved from that spot, just staring at the mummy.

Yugi looked the man over. He was young a few years younger than himself, perhaps 25? His hair was almost identical to the way he'd had his several years ago, long black spikes outlined in red with blond streaks running through them. His eyes were sharp and deep red as if he had outlined them in kohl. Between that and the dark colour of his skin Yugi would have passed him off as a local, if not for the fact that he seemed to have no idea where he was. His bright blue jeans didn't mesh with the dark dress pants of the others in the room. His shirt while white lacked sleeves, displaying his well toned arms, and his belt with its gleam of plated gold just screamed liberal thinker in a place filled with stuffed shirts.

He approached the person and stood beside him.

"I see you enjoy being in the presence of a king."

The man looked over at Yugi and half smirked before answering. "Yes he is very captivating."

"It will be nice when this is over. A man of his stature should be able to rest in peace, not be ogled at like same circus sideshow act."

Nice to see at least one person here has some respect for the dead or not in this case I guess.

"Are you here to study this new piece?"

"No it's just that's always interested me. A life long fascination really."

Yugi smiled at him. Wow, someone who enjoys this just for the sake of it I haven't met someone like that in quite some time.

"What's your name?"

He looked at the floor as he realized he was faced with a dilemma. To tell him he had the same name as the mummy on display, oh that would go over so well indeed, but what other name could he give that he might actually remember? Yugi cleared his throat to remind him he still needed to give an answer.

"Sorry lost in my thoughts for a moment. Adam my name is Adam."

"Well, Adam, it's nice to meet you," Yugi said and held out his hand. Adam accepted the gesture.

"Likewise."

They lapsed into a comfortable silence as Yugi debated whether or not to voice his offer. Why not? He thought. I have to get new people anyway, might as well try to get someone who really likes these kinds of things.

"You know I plan to continue working the site of the tomb. And I'm looking for people with an interest in studying these kinds of things." He pulled out a card and handed to Adam. "Let them know if you're interested." With that he walked off leaving Adam to his thoughts.

Adam just stood there dumbfounded. He was willing to offer him a job just like that?! With no questions asked, no desire for experience, not even a simple background check! It was too good to be true. He stared at the small white card with the name Yugi Mutou embossed in gold letters in the corner. He turned around and watched him leave the room. He certainly seemed like a nice man if a bit weird.

Perhaps spending the day here wasn't such a bad idea after all.

(End Chapter 2)