Note: It took a few days, but I finally got it up! By the way, Seto (named Seth in this story) makes his appearance in this chapter as well! Enjoy!

Chapter 3: Sharing Talents

Later that night, Jonouchi was just about ready to join his friend in the guest bedroom when suddenly, he heard a noise coming from the royal game room. It sounded like a battle, so he rushed forward to investigate. As he came closer, it became clear that there was a masculine voice speaking among the clash of steel.

"That's it… keep it up, keep it up!" Jonouchi slowed his pace, his initial alarm turning into curiosity. The voice he heard, although commanding in nature, seemed rather calm and encouraging. It did not sound like either of the royal twins, however. He slowly entered the game room and was surprised to see his new friend, the Blind Prince Atem, standing in the middle of the game room, holding a sword in his hand. A glowing ball of light lunged toward him, intending to strike him from behind. At first, Atem did not move, and that worried Jonouchi. But then, to the blonde's amazement, he turned around and struck the ball with his sword, gracefully and seemingly without effort. That was when another young man stepped forward. He was dressed in priestly robes in the style of Ancient Egypt, trimmed with a blue tunic, with a golden belt, and gold bracelets gracing his biceps and wrists. The young man had short brown hair, neatly combed to elegance, and his piercing blue eyes seemed to shine with intensity. "All right," the young man said to the Blind Prince, "that's enough with this exercise. Your echolocation skills seems to be improving."

"Thank you Seth." Atem replied in a friendly manner. "I worked so hard to hone in my hearing to that extent."

"In any case, we have one more scenario to practice with." replied the young man, whom Jonouchi figured was Seth, and once more he stepped back, and Atem went into his fighting stance. "You ready?"

"Ready!" was Atem's confident response, and soon stone soldiers moved forward to surround him.

"BEGIN!" Seth barked in command, and the stone soldiers launched themselves in attack. Immediately, Atem lifted his own sword to block their weapons and make his counterattack. Jonouchi watched in awe as the Blind Prince skillfully dodged the attacks, even though he was unable to see that they were coming. Atem struck hard at the stone soldiers, shattering them with a single swipe of his sword. One stone opponent attempted to swing its axe in a downward strike, but he quickly backflipped out of the way with grace and energy. Whoa… pretty good reflexes for a guy who can't see! thought Jonouchi as he watched the Blind Prince jumped and sliced the stone soldier in two. Soon, there was rubble everywhere, and he nimbly traveled the floor without stumbling once, striking down two more opponents in a two-in-one attack. The final stone soldier rose up from behind, but without even bothering to turn around, he knocked it down with his strong fist. Then all was silent. Seth began to applaud. "Well done, Your Highness! That's the best melee performance yet!"

"Aw man! That's… amazing!" Jonouchi finally muttered aloud in exasperation, "No wonder your father said you're the most daring man in the kingdom!"

"Oh, hello Jonouchi." Atem said with a smile, stepping away from the vanishing debris. "I didn't know you were watching me practice. That's all right, though. I don't mind it one bit."

"So this is one of the lost travelers who came to the palace." Seth mused with a smirk, "I have to admit, this mutt sure makes for a good watchdog."

"Say WHAT?" Jonouchi shouted in anger, "WATCHDOG? MUTT?"

"Calm down, don't let him intimidate you." Atem said calmly, "This is Seth, the royal High Priest, and my cousin. He helps me in my battle training." Jonouchi, still angry at Seth for calling him a 'mutt', nevertheless manages to keep his mouth shut.

"Well, anyway, that's it for today." Seth said to the Blind Prince, "It's just about time for bed and your younger brother is waiting for you."

"I guess that means I'll be seeing you tomorrow then." Atem replied with a chuckle. "You'll be there when the dancing girl comes to the palace, right?"

"Only when you'll be there." Seth said as he walked away, "Good night."

"I guess it's my cue to go back to the guest bedroom." Jonouchi said sheepishly. "I'll see you in the morning." He had just started leaving when he felt Atem's hand pull him back.

"No, wait!" Atem said, "Let me come with you."

"Are you sure about this?" Jonouchi asked.

"You don't have to worry about me," Atem replied, "I know the way around my home, so I have no need for a walking stick."

Jonouchi smiled gratefully. "Thanks Atem."


As the two walked down the hallway leading toward the guest bedroom, it became noticeable to the blonde that Atem was deep in thought. And it looks as though he was ready to cry. "What's up Atem?" Jonouchi asked, "Is something bothering you?"

Slowly Atem turned his head toward his new friend, his milky-veiled eyes brimming with tears. "Jonouchi… there's something I need to tell you. This is the first time I've ever talked about this to a foreigner, but for some reason I need to let it out." They stopped for a moment, and Atem continued, "Do you remember Father telling you about how I am the most daring young man in the entire kingdom?" Jonouchi nodded, so Atem said with a sigh, "Well, there is a good reason for that. I wanted to prove myself to the world."

"To…prove yourself?" Jonouchi asked.

Atem gave a single nod, before saying, "For as long as I can remember, my blindness has always been my worst liability. When Yugi and I were children, we spent the first seven years of our lives in the palace, trying to adapt to my condition. It was no surprise that I discovered my gifts during that time. Then came the day that caused me great pain and misery." His tears began to flow down then. "You see, the first time I ever left the palace… it was the only time I was ever ostracized by my own people!"

Jonouchi stared in shock as Atem started weeping. "That's terrible! It must have been a scary experience."

"Actually, I wasn't scared at all…" Atem said, surprising his friend.

"You weren't? Seriously?"

"Seriously. Even today, I know nothing about feeling fear. What I did feel on that day, however, was pain, sorrow… and rejection. I still remember the sensation of other children shoving me into the mud, laughing at me and calling me names… I even recall the pain I felt when one of them kicked me in the stomach. Yugi tried his very best to protect me, but they started beating him too. If one of the guards hadn't shown up, who knows what would have happened to us! And if that wasn't bad enough, I overheard the adults talking about me. Sure, some expressed pity, but others spoke as if I were some kind of a royal abomination! They said that I am unfit to do all the things that they can do, because I can't see and they can!" Atem started sobbing like never before, the memory itself seeming to mock him. "It was horrible! Their voices were filled with anger and hatred toward me, all because I am blind!" Jonouchi couldn't help but feel sorry for his sad friend. Even though it happened only once, it must have left such a deep scar in his heart. Slowly, Atem's sobs subsided, but the sorrow had yet to leave. "By the time my family and I returned to the palace, I had already started crying like never before. I was so ashamed of myself for not being able to see. Later that same day, my father finally confessed the awful truth of my origins, of the terrible curse that robbed me of my sight."

"How did you take it?" Jonouchi asked.

"Not very well." Atem replied, "I kind of lashed out on him, blaming him for my blindness and for the terrible things that happened to me because of that. After that, I basically wound up crying myself to sleep. To this day, I still feel a deep sense of shame towards myself, even though I managed to find acceptance. As long as the curse continues to stand, I will remain blind, and the shame would continue to rest in my heart. As a result I will always feel the need to prove myself to the world. This is why I take part in many daring adventures around my kingdom." By then, Atem's tears were starting to fade and there was a moment of silence.

Finally, Jonouchi spoke. "Atem… You didn't have to tell me all of this. But you know, I'm glad you did. It takes a lot of guts to let it out, and you've got guts. But why me, of all people?"

Atem turned his head in the direction of the blonde and he smiled. "Of all the foreigners who come to my kingdom, you're one of the first foreigners I've met who is willing to talk to me, and to Yugi, as a normal person. I'm sure my brother would agree; we are bound to be great friends." Jonouchi couldn't help but return the smile, even though he knew his friend couldn't see it. Once again the two young men started to walk toward their destination. They were almost there when Atem said, "Oh, there's one more thing I need to tell you."

Jonouchi turned to face him, curious. "Well, what is it?"

"There's this one wish," Atem sighed, "this one dream that I want to fulfil more than anything: That someday, somehow, I would finally find a way to break this curse upon me, so that I would finally be able to see. Considering the circumstances, such a wish is lofty at best. So until that day comes, I will have to keep proving my worth."

"I see." Jonouchi said, just as the entrance to the guest bedroom came into view. "Well, anyway, it's time to get to sleep. Tomorrow's a big day, with the dancing girl and everything."

"It sure is." Atem commented, "Thank you for the conversation we had. It's as though a piece of the heavy weight has been lifted off my shoulders."

"No problem, Atem." Jonouchi replied, "See you in the morning."

"All right." Atem said, "Good night." And with that, Atem made his own departure to join his little brother in slumber.


The next day, the royal twins joined up with their father and their cousin Seth to await the dancing girl's arrival. Jonouchi and Honda were with them, and they were starting to get a wee bit impatient. "When is she gonna be here?" grumbled Jonouchi.

"Yeah, what's taking her so long?" Honda complained.

Pharaoh Akunumkanon did a small chuckle and said, "Patience, you two. She will be coming any minute now." Atem grinned, but it soon became an expression of concentration when he turned his head toward the entrance of the throne room.

"Huh?" Yugi said in confusion, "What's up Atem?"

"Bells." Atem simply said, "I hear bells approaching." He smiled again. "There's no doubt. It must be her." Before long, the others also began to hear the pleasant sound of bells.

"Well, it's about time." Seth replied with a smirk.

"All right!" Jonouchi shouted excitedly, "Let's get this party started!" The jingling bells became louder, and sure enough, a feminine figure came forward. As she stepped out of the shadows, Yugi's eyes widened in wonder. She had a slim, graceful figure, and oh such a lovely face to match! Her straight chocolate brown hair reached her shoulders, and her bright blue eyes seemed to light up the entire throne room. Her outfit was an enchanting belly dancer's attire, all of which was colored soft pink and pastel violet. A sash of the two colors covered her bosom, and the skirt that reached her ankles was made up of several loose sashes of the same two colors, held up by a golden belt decorated with small flat disks ringing like bells, while her stomach and navel were completely exposed. A necklace of similar disks graced her neck, her ears were decorated with large golden earrings, and she had golden armbands on the tops of her biceps, below the shoulder, and five golden bracelets were grouped together comfortably around each of her wrists. Her thin anklets were covered in tiny round bells, and on her feet were sandals of soft leather. She smiled at everyone present and at first, Jonouchi and Honda were speechless.

"By what my echolocation is telling me," whispered Atem to his brother, "The dancing girl sure is a true beauty."

Yugi blushed at the comment, whispering in reply, "Yeah… You couldn't be more accurate." The dancing girl came closer to where the throne was, making the younger Prince blush even more furiously.

"Whoa, she gorgeous!" Honda said.

"Aw yeah!" Jonouchi whistled. It was then that she knelt down before the group reverently.

"Greeting Pharaoh Akunumkanon," she said, her lovely voice echoing in the halls, "I am Anzu, and this is my first time here in your kingdom. It is such an honor to be able to dance in your presence."

"And it is a pleasure to welcome you to my kingdom, Anzu." The Pharaoh replied with a smile. "I look forward to watching your performance today." His eyes then shifted to a small group of musicians, complete with hand drums, a tambourine and a sistrum. "Of course, we can't have a dance performance without music. So I hope you don't mind dancing to the songs of these musicians."

"Not at all." Anzu said cheerfully, and she stood up. "There is one thing though. Is there a flute player who can add to the music?"

At the mention of a flute player, Atem reached into his belt and took out a wooden vertical flute with golden designs painted on its surface. "I can play! That is, if you want me to." Atem suggested, "I would let my brother do it, but I think he's distracted right now."

"Atem!" Yugi said through clenched teeth in a hushed tone. By now, he was blushing like crazy.

"That would be great! Thank you!" Anzu giggled, but she became serious once she got into her starting pose. One musician starting beating the hand drums, and another shook a tambourine. Yet another one shook her sistrum, and the Blind Prince took it as a cue to start playing. He took the flute to his lips, and sweet music began to resonate within the throne room. The music was a slow pace at first, and Anzu began to move from her pose. Her arms seem to flow like a gentle wind, and soon the pace became a bit faster. The real dance has begun. Anzu twisted and turned to the music, all with fluid grace. Yugi was enchanted. To him, she was like ripples upon water, her body moving effortlessly across the floor.

At last, Anzu concluded her dance, and the music stopped with perfect timing. The others applauded her performance, while Jonouchi and Honda wolf-whistled for a job well done. "That was delightful!" Akunumkanon happily complemented.

"Impressive!" Seth said.

Yugi stood up and stepped forward to the dancing girl in excitement. "Anzu, That was amazing!" he gasped, "On behalf of my father, Pharaoh Akunumkanon, I highly praise your skills in dancing!"

"Thanks!" Anzu giggled, "And pleased to meet you, Prince Yugi. I'm delighted to know you enjoyed my performance!" Yugi found himself blushing at the complement. Then he found himself wondering why. Facing Atem now, Anzu said, "And you must be Yugi's brother, Prince Atem. Thank you so much for the music. You're very talented with the flute."

"My pleasure, Anzu." Atem replied, stepping forward, "But when it comes to talent, there's a lot more where that came from. I have but one request though. Do you mind if I touch your face?" Anzu let out a gasp of shock, but he calmly stated, "I know the thought of me getting into your personal space disturbs you at this moment, but in order to know what you look like, I have to do this at least once."

"Know what I look like? By touching my face?" Anzu shouted, "I don't understand! Why do you need to touch--" Her tone of voice soon became quiet. "Wait a second…" She looked deep into Atem's eyes and when she saw the milky-white veil that completely covered them, she finally understood. "You're…you're actually blind…"

"That's right Anzu." Atem confirmed, "And because I am blind, it is necessary that I must do it. Now please, let me ask again: Do you mind if I touch your face?"

Anzu recovered from her bewilderment, and shaking her head she answered, "N-no. Not at all." And she closed her eyes, allowing the Blind Prince to navigate his fingers over her lovely face. Atem inwardly smirked to himself; she was just like what his echolocation had revealed to him. All the more reason to tease his little brother. Once he withdrew his hand, Anzu smiled at him. "Sorry about that outburst Your Highness. To be honest, I've never met a blind man before."

"There's always a first time for everything Anzu, so there's nothing to worry about." Atem said with a smile, "And please, call me Atem."

"All right Atem." Anzu said, "So what other talents do you have?"

"Is it all right if I show you one of them?" Asked Atem.

"Sure." Anzu replied, "Go right ahead!"

Atem turned his head toward his cousin. "Seth, hand me the bow and arrows."

Seth, understanding what was being planned, smirked and said, "Of course Atem." He went to the side and when he came back out, he brought out a bow and some arrows and gave it to the Blind Prince. "Let's do this outside, shall we?"

"Good idea." said Atem. By then, Jonouchi and Honda started staring at them with curiosity. Nevertheless, they followed the others outside. Atem stood in front everyone, arming his bow with an arrow. Seth, on the other hand, had some clay disks in his hand.

"All right Atem, are you ready?" Seth shouted.

"Ready!" Atem called out as he pulled back the string. Immediately, the High Priest threw a disk very high, at a very long distance. Atem stood still as the disk flew, before he let his arrow fly. The arrow hit its mark. Jonouchi and Honda stared at their friend with wide eyes. Needless to say, they were truly surprised.

"Whoa… pretty good aim for a guy who can't see!" Honda said in exasperation.

"Wait until you see what he can do with a sword!" Jonouchi muttered.

"Okay, let's take it to the next level!" Seth shouted, and he threw five more disks all at once, and each disk started to separate from one another. Atem did nothing at first, but quickly took five arrows and launched them all together in one shot. When he heard the rapid domino effect of shattering disks, he smirked in satisfaction.

"Okay! Forget 'pretty good', Honda." Jonouchi stammered, "This is very good aim for a guy who can't see!"

"Wow! That was incredible!" Anzu cheered, "How did you do that?"

"It's my echolocation at work." Atem replied with a smile. "This is just one of the gifts I have to make up for my lack of sight."

"Awesome!" Anzu said, "You're really something else! When I get back to the Delta, I'm going to tell everyone about you!"

"The-the Delta?" Honda gasped suddenly, "You come from the kingdom at the river's delta?"

"Well, yeah." Answered Anzu in a matter-of-fact sort of way, "Why do you ask?"

"No way! That's where we're going!" Jonouchi exclaimed in excitement, pointing to himself and Honda, "It's our first time traveling there, actually. You see, I have a little sister who moved there in order to set up a basket weaving business, and we were on our way to the Delta to visit her, when we got lost in the desert. If it weren't for Pharaoh Akunumkanon and his twin sons, who knows what would have happened!"

"Well, in that case, would you guys like to come back with me?" Anzu suggested, "I'm just about ready to leave anyway."

"Really?" Jonouchi said, "Thanks Anzu! You're a really big help!" Atem, though, expressed intense curiosity. He stepped toward the dancing girl.

"Anzu, you said you're from the Delta." he said, "What's it like?"

"Oh, it's a wonderful place." replied Anzu, "There are many prosperous farms, and the fishermen traveling the river and the sea are known to sing incredible songs as they catch fish." Atem listened with great fascination. For most of his life, he had never traveled beyond the borders of his kingdom, in spite of being known as a daring adventurer. That's it, his mind was made up. He turned in the direction of his father, and what he said surprised everyone.

"Father, I too want to go with Anzu and experience the kingdom at the river's delta."

Akunumkanon stared at his eldest son with wide eyes. "What? Are you serious Atem? The world outside this kingdom is particularly harsh for a blind man like yourself!"

"All the more reason to prove myself worthy in the eyes of that world. I am more than capable of facing whatever danger lurks outside. Please Father, let me go with her."

Akunumkanon was speechless at first, but then he let out a sigh of defeat and said, "Very well Atem. I will let you go beyond the kingdom."

"In that case," Yugi spoke up, "I'm going too!"

"No Yugi!" Atem shouted in concern. "I will not let you get hurt like you did long ago!"

"I want to help you, Atem!" Yugi shouted in determination, "Don't you get it? I'm your brother, and I want to take part in the same daring adventures you do! I want to prove myself to the world just as much as you do, so please! Let me go with you and help you out!"

Atem's expression grew soft. "All right Yugi. I think it's about time we team up."

"Thanks Atem!" Yugi said, giving his older brother a hug, "I won't let you down!"

"Yeah! You guys actually get to come with us!" Honda cheered.

"I can hardly contain my own excitement!" Jonouchi said.

"Seth," Akunumkanon said to the High Priest, grabbing the latter's attention. "My boys may be able to take care of themselves, but nevertheless I want you to go with them. Just in case."

"No need to worry, Uncle." Seth murmured sternly, "I'll make sure the twins are safe in their journey."

The Pharaoh nodded and said to the group, "Good luck everyone. And be careful."

"We will, Father." Atem said, "Thank you."

Note: And so, the adventure begins! By the way, the sistrum is that Ancient Egyptian set of rattle-like bells shaped like an ankh, in case you don't know already. Anyway, the next chapter reveals the beginning of a certain villain's wicked plot. Until next time!