You want an update? Oh yeah? Well, I want more sleep! See? This is what we'd call a conflict of interest. (though the fact that you guys are reading this just proves that you've already won (shrug), thus conflict resolved)

Confession: I don't have my shounen jump translated manga with me so I just translated the title myself so it probably doesn't match the one in the actual volume, but I figured you guys would want the update no matter what. So, here you go!


—()—()—()—()—()—()—

Chyaputa 12: The Power that Repels the Darkness

—()—()—()—()—()—()—


It was at that moment, when Yugi had only just put on fresh clothes of light linen and the awkwardness between the boy and the King still stretched, that a guard raced into the room, falling to his knees. "My Pharaoh!"

The Pharaoh rose, immediately alert. "You may speak," he bid.

"My lord, we found an Inn in the city full of bloody corpses! We think it's Bakura's doing! He seems to have escaped the tomb alive!"

Yugi looked to the Pharaoh, panicked.

Perhaps it was the buzzing his ears, but the Pharaoh was compelled by some unknown tug of instinct to run to the balcony. And there, fleeing across the Pharaoh's courtyard, crowds of guard's splitting into bloody pieces in his wake, was the tomb robber, Bakura. His white hair shimmering in the moonlight.

And, as though the tomb robber had called him there, Bakura and the Pharaoh's eyes met, foe to foe. The Pharaoh knew there was only one thing to do… it was like he had been born to do it. Like it was his destiny.

The Pharaoh shoved himself away from the balcony, dashed out of his royal chambers… he was heading to the ground below, to follow Bakura whatever means necessary.

"Stop!"

Yugi had grabbed his arm and stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Release me, Yugi!" the Pharaoh ordered, fiercer than he had spoken to the boy before.

"No!" Yugi screamed, "What if this is the time you die? I have to stop you! You have to stay here! With me!"

And though it hurt his heart, the Pharaoh pushed Yugi away.

The boy's eyes watered with despair.

"You cannot ask me to do that," the Pharaoh said, losing his regal pride. The words he spoke were surprisingly hollow. "You cannot ask me to sit here like I've done all my life! He desecrated my father! He killed Mahaado!"

Yugi's hands were up over his mouth in horror. The poor boy's will was crumbling. "I can't let you die."

"I can't let my people and my loved ones suffer because of my weakness!"

Yugi winced, shuddering against the Pharaoh's words. "But—But I—"

And then, with a flash of the other Thousand Year Puzzle, Yugi was no longer Yugi. The spirit, trapped within the Puzzle for three thousand years stared at the Pharaoh… with hope in his eyes.

His face, which had never before shown expression, looked content.

Proud.

"Go," the spirit of the Puzzle urged. "I'll give you a head start. I can't promise aibou won't follow you…"

The Pharaoh didn't know what to say, he wouldn't know how even if he did, with his throat all clogged up and his eyes stinging…

So the Pharaoh turned, and ran to meet his doom.

—()—()—()—()—()—()—

"Ah… Kaiba? I think there might be something that I should tell you…" Jounouchi began awkwardly.

Kaiba was kicked forward by a guard. His wrists were tied behind his back with primitive, roughly constructed rope. He was tired, malnourished, and already sick of this savage time. For the CEO of the technologically advanced Kaiba Corporation, this, in no stretch of the imagination could be called an successful venture, despite the fact that he had managed to locate and free the blond idiot. "Is this really an appropriate time, Jounouchi?"

"Yeah… it kinda is." Jounouchi tried to get closer to Kaiba to portray this important information, but the guards prevented them from getting too near. "You see, the guy who arrested me…"

But Jounouchi's explanation died in his throat as the guard forced both of them to a stop. Kaiba followed Jounouchi's exasperated stare… to find.

Kaiba was having a horrible day.

An Egyptian noble, it looked by his clothes, had come out to greet his two prisoners. And Kaiba realized, with awful sharpness, what the blond idiot had been about to tell him. The Egyptian noble's facial features happened to resemble Kaiba's own exactly, as though he were some sort of mutated clone.

More of Yugi's ludicrous magic theory, no doubt.

Even more infuriating, his clone spoke the ancient Egyptian tongue, like everyone in this ridiculous world. The only part Kaiba could comprehended of his speech was the sound of his own name. His clone must have been talking about him, or to him, either explanations were infuriating.

So when Jounouchi responded, in the same barbaric language, continuing this lunacy, Kaiba nearly gave in to the delusion. Nearly. There was, after all, no denying that he seemed to have been relocated to a place with no sign of modern invention. Nor that Jounouchi and the Clone-Priest were having an entire conversation in that ridiculous language.

Kaiba would have none of this. "What are you saying?" Kaiba demanded of the blond idiot.

Jounouchi overreacted as usual. "What? I'm defending you!"

"You are speaking rubbish," Kaiba said.

Jounouchi got, unjustly, very haughty. "For your information, I am speaking Egyptian."

Kaiba scoffed. "You don't know Egyptian."

"As it happens, I do!"

"And where could you have possibly learned ancient Egyptian? Did Yugi teach you?"

The Clone-Priest faltered. Had something in Kaiba's accusation drawn unwanted attention to the CEO? Or had the clone understood Kaiba's words? That would mean he understood Japanese. If Jounouchi had learned ancient Egyptian anything was possible.

"Seth gave it to me," Jounouchi answered, cheeks inflamed.

"Seth, is it?" Ridiculous. His name was even similar to Kaiba's. This cosmic joke was nothing if not thorough.

Jounouchi reddened further. "Hey! I didn't ask for this! He just put the language in my head with his Rod so he could torture me for information!"

"More of you and Yugi's occult nonsense," Kaiba said, unconcerned. Besides… Jounouchi looked perfectly healthy.

"What are you talking about?" Jounouchi accused. "We are in Egypt! How can you deny any of this magic stuff now?"

Kaiba remained unconcerned. "It's a very convincing illusion. If this is just more of you idiots' trickery, I suppose I'll survive."

As he was prone to do, Jounouchi seethed.

"Kaiba…" the clone, Seth, had been watching their argument with immense interest in his eyes. But despite his features, this expression wasn't anything like Kaiba's own. There was something uncontrollable in this Egyptian priest's eyes. Kaiba didn't want to be compared with such a reckless fool.

Seth was threatening Jounouchi with something in Egyptian again; Kaiba could tell from his malicious, almost childish, expression. Jounouchi glowed with humiliation and his honey-colored eyes darted to Kaiba.

"What?" Kaiba demanded. They were talking about him again.

"Nothing!" Jounouchi cried defensively, for it most certainly was not nothing. "Look, Seth, just give him the language, ok?"

"Of course," Seth said, in perfect Japanese. So he had only been speaking in Egyptian to taunt Kaiba and humiliate Jounouchi. Such immature tricks. "I will give your Kaiba the language with my Rod, if…"

Jounouchi paled. "If…"

Kaiba could see what direction this was going in. As Seth approached Jounouchi, placed a finger under his chin, and whispered in the blond's ear.

The priest's eyes flickered onto Kaiba had he hissed his condition to Jounouchi.

Jounouchi jerked away, fighting the guards that held him in place. "Fuck no!" he snarled. "No deal!"

"What did he say?" Kaiba said.

"Nothing!" Jounouchi repeated, but his flaming red cheeks told otherwise. "It's just stupid, ok? Forget about it!"

Kaiba could not possibly bear this day any further.

Seth smirked. "Do you fear your Kaiba's reproach that much, Jounouchi?"

Kaiba fumed with rage. How dare this copy use Jounouchi's name. It had taken Kaiba months to prepare himself for that humiliation…

Jounouchi lowered his eyes. "Yes. Just leave it."

Seth must have known what had occurred between Jounouchi and Kaiba. It was the only reason he would go through so much trouble to torture the two of them, which meant Jounouchi must have told this trickster something so intimate. Kaiba's rage was building…

"Then I suppose he'll have to remain half deaf," Seth answered.

Along with irritation, a strange pressure was building up in Kaiba's head.

"Not that I mind keeping our talks private," Seth said to the blond.

He touched Jounouchi's hair.

Kaiba had never touched his hair…

At the height of Kaiba's anger, the room exploded in golden light.

The guards that had been restraining Jounouchi and Kaiba, leapt back as the Sennen Rod, Kaiba recognized it as Malik's Item, pulsed with light in the priest's hands.

From the look on Seth's face, this had not been his intent. It would not be the first time the Rod disobeyed its owner. On Battle Ship, during Kaiba's duel with Ishizu, the Item had showed him an illusion that was supposed to have taken place in the past. This past.

Then a beam of light jumped from the Rod's eye into Kaiba's head.

And, in that single moment, Kaiba knew the language spoken in ancient Egypt.

Seth's expression was wide with fear. How immature.

Jounouchi gaped. "Kaiba…? Did you…"

"I did nothing, I assure you," Kaiba answered. In Egyptian.

Jounouchi's mouth gawked for a second time. "How—" and then he composed a look of disbelief. "How can you not believe in magic when you keep doing stuff like this, huh?"

"I'm sure I'll wake up soon," Kaiba responded. He didn't even care to think how this made sense. All that mattered was this incident had wiped the arrogance off Seth's childish face.

The priest rose to his full height. "That is quite enough. This conspiracy has gone farther than I could have anticipated."

"We are no conspiracy!" Jounouchi cried. "Let us speak to Yugi! He'll confirm everything I've said!"

"Yugi's here as well?" Kaiba asked.

Seth's pride had been wounded. He now watched Kaiba with a wary eye. There was no way he would listen to them now. "I'm afraid that's impossible. Yugi is a prisoner of the Pharaoh's now."

"Pharaoh?" Jounouchi repeated, his face screwing up so that his brain could think.

"Yugi said he was the Pharaoh from back then," Kaiba added, "Not that he too isn't insane."

"Hey!" Jounouchi snapped.

"Am I supposed to know the answers to these insane riddles?" Seth snorted.

"Ishizu, told me the same thing," Kaiba continued, focused on Seth, watching to see how he would react.

"That woman with the Sennen Tauk?" Jounouchi interrupted.

Seth reacted to that statement. Was there another with the Sennen Tauk in this world as well? It would certainly follow the pattern.

"She showed me hallucinations 'of the past,'" Kaiba continued. Seth was watching him now. Perhaps he was starting to understand how insignificant he was. "She told me, in the past, I caused the fall of the great Kingdom of Egypt."

Seth froze.

"Not that I buy into that ludicrous theory," Kaiba finished.

Seth was unreadable. He must have been terrified. If this world reflected the past, then this character with his face was Kaiba from the past. He had a lot to fear then. But before Seth could have them executed, or whatever they did to undesirables in this time…

"Lord Seth!" a messenger ran into the courtyard. Out of breath, the man shouted, "In the shrine of Wedju! Lord Akhenaden has been attacked by Bakura!"

"Bakura?" Jounouchi exclaimed.

How many other characters would be appearing here? Kaiba could only hope Mokuba had been spared this ridiculous fate.

Seth, evidently, had had dealings with Bakura before. His face grew hard. Was this other enemy distracting enough to take his attention off of Jounouchi and Kaiba? Did this world have a plot that even this priest was forced to follow?

Seth indecision seemed to be solved. He turned, about to rush off to pursue Bakura…

"Wait!" Jounouchi cried.

"Let it go, Jounouchi," Kaiba urged but the idiot didn't listen to him.

"We know Bakura!" Jounouchi shouted again.

Seth was drawn backwards. He stared at Jounouchi with a mix of horror and awe. Indeed, the idiot was memorable, Kaiba could attest to that. But this didn't mean Kaiba wanted others to look at Jounouchi the same way he did, especially this particular priest.

"We can help!" Jounouchi claimed. "Bakura is our enemy too!"

Kaiba remained silent. He had already decided to follow Jounouchi, to no matter what ridiculous end. If Jounouchi felt he had to help this sad, undeveloped version of Kaiba, then the CEO wouldn't complain.

"Guards," Seth indicated his servants, "Bring the prisoners." And he strode out of the room.

Jounouchi and Kaiba allowed the guards to shove them along in the priest's wake.

"He could have at least, untied us," Jounouchi grumbled.

"You asked for it," Kaiba said, not at all thrilled to be following his pathetic dimensional-counterpart.

Jounouchi smiled sheepishly. "Sorry to drag you along."

Kaiba had to retain some of his pride. "Be quite, idiot."

Yugi's screams had always broken the spirit's heart. But this time it was different. This time, Yugi was screaming at him. This time, the pain was excruciating.

"How could you!" The spirit had locked Yugi in his soulroom. It was only a matter of time before he escaped but when he did it would be too late. The Pharaoh was already too far away to be stopped. "How could you, mou hitori no boku! He's you! We can't let him die!"

The spirit of the Puzzle accepted the hurtful words Yugi threw at him. They were true. Everything was true. But Yugi didn't understand, because he was so innocent, what the Pharaoh needed to do, to protect his people. It didn't matter if he died, as long as his people were safe.

It was the same way… the spirit felt about Yugi.

But that didn't stop it from hurting, as Yugi pounded his tiny fists against the wall of his soulroom.

"He's going to die!" Yugi shrieked.

The spirit buried his face in his hands. The Pharaoh had to die. Yugi didn't realize it now… maybe he wouldn't till the very end…

The mental lock on Yugi's soulroom door broke. And Yugi dashed out of the room without even looking at his other half. He was going to try to save the Pharaoh. He was going to try so hard…

The spirit of the Puzzle felt Yugi take control of the body and ran as fast as his short legs could, flying down the corridors of the palace, to find the Pharaoh.

/I'm sorry,/ Yami no Yugi said, /Aibou, dear aibou, I'm so sorry./

Yugi didn't respond. His thoughts were full of the Pharaoh.

Of all the things that had happened that night, Jounouchi escaping, the appearance of the illustrious Kaiba, the Rod breaking free of his will… nothing compared to the sight that awaited Seth when he reached the Temple. When he saw his teacher, his mentor, lying with many broken bones and bruises, in a pile of rubble…

Bakura had tried to take the Eye. It looked as though he had attempted to dig it out with a knife, the eye had partially escaped the man's flesh. The old priest's face was covered in blood…

"It's alright, He's only unconscious." Kalim had arrived before Seth. Already there were medical monks hovering around Akhenaden. "It looks like Bakura failed to steal the Eye at least."

Bakura. That name had once been but a nuisance, a fly, now… now he had threatened Seth's mentor and teacher, the only man Seth respected! Seth didn't know who to hate more, his pale-skinned copy, or Bakura? Who was more of a threat to the Kingdom?

At the moment, the answer was clear. Bakura.

"God…"

The guards had caught up with Seth's frantic pace. Jounouchi and his Kaiba were in the temple. Jounouchi looked respectfully pale and disgusted. Though Kaiba did not show a scarcity of remorse.

"Get them out of this holy place!" Seth ordered his guards. The guards shoved Jounouchi and Kaiba back outside. Give Akhenaden some peace at least.

Bakura would be punished for this. Seth would make sure of it.

Seth left Akhenaden to the medical monks and returned outside, where Jounouchi, Kaiba, and a legend of guards had gathered to see the fallen priest. The vultures.

"What are you standing for?" Seth shouted at the guards. "Bakura is still nearby! Find him!"

The guards scattered. Only two were left to hold Seth's prisoners.

Jounouchi gulped. "Who was he? That old guy in there? It looked like he had the Sennen Eye, right?"

Seth couldn't take the blonde's curiosity at that moment. "Nothing a terrorist should be concerned with."

"I'm not a—"

"Get down!" Without warning, Kaiba, though his arms were still bound by ropes behind his back, had tackled both Jounouchi and, by proximity, Seth to the ground.

A second later, the two guards that had been handling Jounouchi and Kaiba burst into fountains of blood; their flesh splattered on the steps of the temple.

Seth opened his eyes to the starry heavens, to see Diaboundo soaring directly overhead, sweeping the ground with his glimmering claws as he passed, ripping apart the bodies of all nearby guards.

Sadistic laughter filled the night.

That laugh was not hard to forget.

Under Diaboundo's protective snake belly was Bakura on horseback, escaping right out the front gates.

"Anyone who gets close is bait for the god, Diaboundo!" the villain cackled.

"Bakura!" Jounouchi cried as the Thief King rushed passed.

"His appearance has changed," Kaiba observed as he got to his feet.

"What the—" Jounouchi's eyes were fixed on the spray of corpses left by the dead guards. "I didn't even see anything. What killed those guys?"

"You saw it though, didn't you, Kaiba?" Seth accused.

Kaiba said nothing.

"Saw what?" Jounouchi asked.

"Diaboundo," Seth explained. "A Ka monster. Only those with magical abilities can see Ka. Jounouchi couldn't see Diaboundo, but you did. That's why you shielded us, that is why we're still alive."

Kaiba frowned and glanced away. "You flatter me. Saving you was an accident."

"What's a Ka monster?" Jounouchi asked, clueless. But he was distracted by something behind the priest. "Yugi? Since when can he ride a horse?"

Seth swung around. No, it was not Yugi. On the back of horse, tearing out of the palace at top speed, was the Pharaoh.

The Pharaoh was not supposed to leave the palace. The Pharaoh was a symbol, a figure of the people. Chasing after criminals was a priest's duty! What had happened to the Pharaoh since these pale-skinned people arrived?

"He is a bit changed as well," Kaiba said, but his voice was dull, as though bored.

Jounouchi squinted. "Yeah… guess he is."

"That is not Yugi," Seth argued, grinding his teeth. "That is the Pharaoh."

Jounouchi wasn't getting it. "Same thing."

Then the sky broke. Lightening shattered the folds of heavens.

Something deep in Seth's blood jerked, echoed with the thunder in the air. Power was surging through the universe, through Seth… In a second burst of light, the lightening fused together, tightened, spun, and threaded itself into a massive crimson dragon, stretching the length of the whole palace.

A god. The Pharaoh's second legendary God.

Was the Kingdom already that desperate?

"Osiris," Kaiba said.

"Here? Really?" Jounouchi was searching the sky for something his dull eyes could not find. "Where?"

Seth's insides cooled. "What did you say?"

"Osiris, the Dragon of the Heavens," Kaiba repeated. His eyes leveled and caught Seth's stare of awe. "What? Don't you know your own god's name?"

"Only the Pharaoh can control the gods by name," Seth recited through gritted teeth.

Kaiba's brow rose in interest. "Obelisk responds to me just fine."

"I don't see it!" Jounouchi cried, frustrated.

How… only the Pharaoh was supposed to know the name of the Gods… How could these fools be so calm when addressing the most powerful weapons of the Kingdom of Egypt? How did they know? How dare this blasphemer even fathom control over God? Seth was surprised lightning of holy retribution hadn't struck him in that instant.

Who were these foreigners?

"Yugi!" Jounouchi screamed. "YUGI!" Though his hands were tied and he could not see the terror that was flying above his head, the blonde bolted from Seth's side, streaking right toward another pale-skinned boy who had exited the palace doors and was now flying across the courtyard in the midst of danger.

"Idiot!" Kaiba launched himself after Jounouchi. Seth followed, though he was not used to running, especially in long robes.

"YUGI!" Jounouchi screamed, leaping over the bloody stumps of Diaboundo's victims.

Finally the boy looked up. " Jou-Jounouchi!" His course changed as he rushed now to the blonde. The two foreigners collided, Yugi throwing his short arms around Jounouchi's neck.

Kaiba caught up to them first. Seth, with as much dignity as he could muster strode across the plane of corpses to the pale-skinned company. But he had another reason to greet the harem-boy…

"Jounouchi!" Yugi was hanging on the taller boy's shoulders. "How—He's gone! I lost him! Oh Jounouchi I—" Appropriate tears were streaming down Yugi's face.

"Slow down," Jounouchi said, lowering himself to Yugi's eye level. "Who are you talking about, Yugi? What's going on? We just saw you ride by on a horse—"

The Rod burst into life. And though Seth knew he could do nothing to this boy because he was still protected by the fake Puzzle, a wave of shadow magic struck Yugi in the chest, driving him away from Jounouchi. The priest could not hold back any longer. He knew who to blame for this mess. "What have you done to the Pharaon, harem-slut?"

"Woah!" Jounouchi jumped in between his friend and the priest. "Take it easy, Seth. Yugi's a good guy, ok?"

Seth had no patience for this. Jounouchi was not protected by the Puzzle. Seth had to merely flick the Rod to send him to the ground.

"What the hell?" Jounouchi cried, face bound to the stone courtyard. "Get this magic-shit off me?"

"You!" Seth closed in on Yugi. The Puzzle did not save Yugi from being grasped by the front of his tunic and lifted into the air. "You vixen! You have ruined everything! Where is the Pharaoh? What have you bewitched him to do?"

"Let him go!" Jounouchi cried, though he could do nothing from the ground. "Yugi's never hurt anyone!"

"If that is so, tell me then, why has the Pharaoh abandoned his throne in our crisis?"

A shudder leapt through Seth's system. The priest was so shocked he released Yugi without thinking. His power shorted out as though it had been instantly smothered.

Kaiba had put his open hand on the Rod.

Seth couldn't breathe. Their two pairs of eyes connected. This was dangerous.

Jounouchi was on his feet and at Yugi's side in a second. "Fucking priest, what's wrong with you?"

What was wrong? Seth tore the Rod away from Kaiba's reach; his power came back almost instantly. What was wrong with the world? Something was happening. The Kingdom was dying. What time was this when the Thousand Year Items could not even be controlled by their chosen masters?

"It's my fault!" Yugi cried when the priest had said nothing.

"Yugi," Jounouchi said, holding his friend's shoulders.

Kaiba was silent and still glaring at Seth.

"But I never wanted him to leave the palace!" Yugi explained with desperate need. "I don't want him to die!"

Die? The Pharaoh… "Is that what you see happening tonight, prophet?" Seth demanded. His panic was cooling, being replaced by something else…

Yugi trembled. "I don't know when or how… I know he will die… but I want to save him. I have to save him!"

Seth's temperature grew so cold the night seemed scorching.

"Lord Seth!" Horse hooves were approaching from behind. Seth didn't have to turn. Shaada and Kalim rode into view with a legion of guards.

"Come, Seth!" Shaada cried. His horse reared into a stop. "We must rescue the Pharaoh!"

But Seth's company did not go unnoticed. "Who are they?" Kalim asked. "More foreigners? Are they in league with Bakura?"

"No!" Jounouchi argued, outraged.

Kaiba crossed his arms, much like Seth did at times. "Do we look like we are friends of Bakura?"

Shaada and Kalim went speechless at Kaiba's face.

But they didn't have time for this.

"Leave them. They are nothing but a distraction," Seth said. "Yugi."

Yugi was shocked to be addressed.

"I don't care if what you speak is the truth, or what your mission is in this world." Seth looked at Kaiba. This adolescent carried his face but nothing else. He was nothing like Seth. He understood nothing of priestly duty or honor. "My only duty is to the Pharaoh. I will save him when you cannot. I will not let him die."

"Thank you," Yugi said. His words sounded like a plea.

Seth scoffed. He ordered the closest guard off his mount and swung himself onto the horse. "I will protect the Pharaoh! For his Kingdom and for the glory of our gods!"

The guards took this as their cue to reform. Though Shaada and Kalim were still wary of the pale-skinned foreigners, they took their positions behind Seth.

In the moment before Seth led the charge to take back the Pharaoh and to defeat Bakura, his eyes found Jounouchi, still crouched on the ground next to Yugi. The blonde stared back at him, and his face was full of awe.

Seth ignored the twitch of his gut, as he kicked his horse into a gallop.

—()—()—()—()—()—()—

Malik hadn't said anything since his farewell to Dorobo. He was crouched on the balls of his feet, chain dragging on the ground, eyes glazed over. They were on a cliff just outside the realm of the city so they could watch the battle's progress. Bakura said this place was going to be the stage where their part in the battle would begin.

He had also said no one was going to die.

Ryou trembled in the bitter air of the desert of Egypt.

A pair of pale arms wrapped around him from behind, locked around his chest.

"I lied."

Ryou breathed. His own arms were folded in his chest, the Sennen Rod pounded its dislike for him through his skin. His only comfort was the cool body supporting his back.

The mouth at his ear ticked his flesh. "I should have said, no one you know is going to die tonight."

Ryou swallowed.

Two monsters were flying through the streets of the Pharaoh's city. Osiris, the Dragon of Heaven, in brilliant fiery red, rippled close to the ground, defending the people below. And Diaboundo, Dorobo's monster…

"Come one, come all! It's the Pharaoh's Death Parade!"

Diaboundo shifted in and out of the blackness of the sky, sometimes disappearing altogether, sometimes erupting from the ground below.

"Now Pharaoh, let's begin the Killing Game!"

Diaboundo's attacks were aimed at the city below. Though Ryou could not see the people burn, their terror filled his ears. Along the manic laughter of the King of Thieves.

"This is your mission," the mouth told Ryou.

Though Ryou was paralyzed with fear, he still felt the allure of that mouth.

"You must observe all that I have done."

Ryou leaned into the body behind him.

"You must know what you are…"

Ryou finished the thought in his head. '…falling in love with.'

Yes, it was terrible. As the smoke from the burning flesh below funneled into columns of gray smoke. The smell reached Ryou, poisonously faint at first, then the city was a furnace of chard human flesh.

The Thief King was getting closer. "What's wrong? Can't your precious God defeat one sinner, Pharaoh?"

Dorobo and the Pharaoh were in sight now. They had left the boundaries of the city but were not yet at the "battle point", where Ryou, Bakura, and Malik lay in wait.

Malik stirred but only to get a better view of Dorobo.

Both the Pharaoh's and the Thief King's horses were exhausted, sweat shined from their flanks. Dorobo, who had been out front, took the high ground. Diaboundo was nowhere in sight, but Osiris curved high into the sky above the Pharaoh, poised to strike.

"Are you angry at me, Pharaoh?" Dorobo taunted. "Do you grieve for your lost citizens? Let me tell you this, Oh-sama-yo. The blood on my hands tonight, the thirst of death, this is the will of your 'holy' Thousand Year Items!"

Though he was still too far away for Ryou to see his face, the Pharaoh crumpled in his saddle.

"How can the Items be God's Justice? If when you collect them all you gain the infinite powers of Hell?" Dorobo was serious now. "Such an immature King cannot hope to withstand the weight of those horrible Items. Hand over your Puzzle. If you do it nicely I won't murder anymore of your precious city."

Malik was standing now. Bakura did not stop him from creeping to the very edge of their cliff, leaning with all his might toward Dorobo. Ryou was all the more willing to stay back, away from the fighting, in the arms of…

The Pharaoh, incredibly, seemed to be obeying the Thief King's order. He had taken off the Puzzle and held it out to his opponent.

Ryou's breath hitched.

"Not yet," Bakura said, next to his ear. "Wait…"

At that second, Osiris dropped out of the sky, aiming for the Thief King. At the same moment Diaboundo slid through the ground below the Pharaoh and enclosed him in a ring of claws…

Malik cried out.

Ryou flinched.

"Do not look away," Bakura commanded.

Ryou had never planned on it.

"Clever, clever, Oh-sama-yo!" Dorobo cried, his murderous glee returning. "But I can't fully claim your Puzzle while you're still alive."

Ryou did not blink.

No one was going to die tonight. No one was going to die tonight. No one was going to…

"Muut," Dorobo ordered.

And as Diaboundo's claws were about to fall onto the Pharaoh's flesh…

Dorobo screamed.

A third monster, man-shaped, had leapt into the fray, seemingly out of nowhere, and cut off Diaboundo's hand before it could attack the Pharaoh.

"Bakura," Malik growled.

Ryou could practically feel Bakura's eyes roll. "You didn't expect him to escape entirely unscathed, did you? This is a war."

Malik sulked. "I would have liked if he could kept the use of both his hands."

Ryou's eyes were fixed on a new line of horses that had charged out of the city gates only moments before. They looked like a bunch of Egyptian Nobles. But there was not a pale Japanese face among them.

"The priests have come to save their King," Bakura explained.

For someone who no longer was connected to Ryou's head, he sure read his mind well.

"Pharaoh, are you alright?" Cries of concern went out as the priest rejoined their King.

Dorobo cursed and kicked his horse up and along the very cliff where they stood. Diaboundo disappeared back into the black of the sky. When Dorobo rode up to the three of them, crouched behind the rocks of the cliff, it was clear that his right hand was so limp that he could not even direct the reins of his horse with it.

Malik ran up to his horse, silently taking Dorobo's lifeless hand and pressing it against his cheek.

"Well? Are these not the new players you were prattling about?" Dorobo scathed. "Kill them!"

The arms around Ryou tightened. He didn't complain. Even if it was only to irritate the Thief King. "Incorrect. The new players are far more bothersome. You can handle a few extra priests, can't you?"

Dorobo's eyes burned as he looked upon Ryou and Bakura. He turned his attention to Malik instead, who was being so receptive to his injury. "What are you doing?"

"Infuriating my other half," Malik said, mouth buried in the Dorobo's dead palm. "Just doing my part for the battle to come."

"Is that so?"

Malik gasped in surprise as he was suddenly lifted into the air by the grip Dorobo's working hand on the front of his shirt, strewn across the saddle, and violently kissed by the King of Thieves.

Ryou thought it was ok to look away now. Though that didn't stop Malik's moan from reaching his ears.

He opened his eyes again when he heard Malik get dropped back on the ground.

"How is the little demon now?" Dorobo asked.

Malik breathed, his legs wobbled to stay standing. "Livid."

And Dorobo trotted off along the cliff, heels bouncing.

Malik dropped to the ground. "Oooh man. I think I love him."

Bakura said nothing. Ryou's stomach squeezed.

Oh Malik. Poor, poor, Malik.

—()—()—()—()—()—()—

"But you don't even know how to ride a horse!" Jounouchi cried, as he watched Yugi struggle to get onto the massive horse's back. "What if it throws you off and smashes your skull or—"

"I don't care," Yugi said, jumping for the saddle to pull himself up, but the horse kept moving away from him. "I need to find the Pharaoh, Jounouchi-kun. I have to…" Yugi fought the oncoming sobs again.

Yugi was ignoring the cold half of his mind. The spirit of the Puzzle had shut himself in his room, out of guilt. Yugi was… But he couldn't address that problem at the moment. Not until the Pharaoh was safe. Seth's promise wasn't enough, Yugi needed to know… he needed to do anything he could to protect him.

Even so… the spirit of the Puzzle hadn't said anything in a long time.

"What are you waiting for?" Kaiba asked. "I'm surprised you haven't jumped in by now offering to help Yugi up, idiot."

Jounouchi stuttered. "Look, Yugi could get hurt—"

"That never stopped you from assisting him before," Kaiba argued. "Help him."

Yugi was amazed. Kaiba had never supported him before, why was he so willing to help him now? Then Yugi saw the pained look on Jounouchi's face.

"Kaiba…" Had the blond's voice trembled?

"I'll follow." And Kaiba strode to a nearby stall and took the reins of another horse, as though he had been riding all his life. "You ride with Yugi."

Jounouchi gulped.

As panicked as Yugi was, he marveled at this strange exchange.

Without saying another word, Jounouchi grabbed Yugi's leg, pushed it up, and swung it over the horse's back. Then he pulled himself up behind Yugi, holding the reins.

"Let's go get your Pharaoh."

Yugi grasped onto the saddle for dear life.

Apparently Kaiba knew how to ride. But Yugi couldn't imagine where Jounouchi could have learned, except perhaps that the blonde watched a lot of American movies. But Jounouchi managed to irritate the horse enough into a fast cantor. They were away from the stables, across the courtyard, and out the gate before long.

The Pharaoh's battle left many obstacles to avoid in the street, burning piles of wreckage, collapsed walls in the streets, screaming villagers that were running to the palace walls for protection. Through the rough ride on the horse, Yugi peered up at the sky and saw flashes of color, or an explosion in the town down the street.

They were still too far away. They had to go faster. Yugi's heart was knocking against his brain.

It took too long to get to the edge of the city. The Pharaoh's city was burning, scarred right down the middle. Their horses wielded around looking for signs of battle.

"There!" Yugi pointed at the sky were Osiris was soaring towards some rocky cliffs.

"Alright horse!" Jounouchi screamed at the animal and flapped his legs at the animal's sides. The horse got the spirit of the idea and jumped back into his jostled trot.

They rounded a corner and spotted the priests.

And the Pharaoh was among them.

But just as Yugi allowed his hope to resurface… there was an eruption of energy in the sky…

That beheaded the Dragon of Heaven.

And in the distance, the Pharaoh's body shuddered and then fell from the saddle, his royal cloak fluttering.

"NO!"

Yugi screamed.

He had kicked the horse as hard as his tiny legs could manage. The animal was so spooked by Yugi's initial scream that it bolted for the priests. Yugi didn't even notice as Jounouchi toppled off the horse behind him. He watched as Osiris' charred corpse withered and dissolved with the hollow gust of the wind. Yugi clutched at the saddle of the horse as it raced to the priests, passed the priests…

It reared on its back legs and Yugi fell hard on the ground below. But the Pharaoh had collapsed from his horse as well, his shocked body crumpled on the ground not far away…

Ignoring the pain in his limbs, Yugi rushed to the King of Egypt's side. The boy from the future took the Pharaoh's head in his lap and cradled it.

"No, no, no, no…" Yugi sobbed. "I've failed, I've failed you…"

"What are you doing to the Pharaoh!" The priests were outraged. "Get away from the Pharaoh!" But Yugi didn't move.

"STOP!" Yugi dimly recognized Jounouchi's voice. "Yugi only wants to help!"

Yugi could not hear the rest of the argument, his ears had filled with a high anxious buzz.

"…Yugi?"

The Pharaoh was still alive. Though his body was broken and his spirit was almost gone. How much of his soul had he sacrificed to summon the God of the Heavens?

"Oh god," Yugi moaned, touched the Pharaoh's face.

"If you like your King then leave Yugi alone!" Jounouchi cried. "He's going to help!"

"You foreigners have destroyed the Kingdom!"

Yugi heeded them no mind. The Pharaoh's strained face filled his vision. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm supposed to save you…" the boy sobbed.

The King's eyes were glazed. "Maybe you're not…"

"Don't say that!" Yugi cried, tears were dribbling down his cheeks.

"Tell them Seth! Tell them about Yugi! About you for god's sake!"

"What is he talking about, Seth? Are you in league with these pale-skins?"

The Pharaoh smiled. "I left the palace... never done that before…my city looks different up close…"

"No, it doesn't end here," Yugi said. "I won't let it."

/Aibou…/

And the light rekindled in Yugi's heart.

"I can use my soul," Yugi said.

The Pharaoh's expression of defeat sunk into one of terror. "No, Yugi don't. You can't. You don't know what—"

Yugi stroked the Pharaoh's head. "I know how. After all, part of your soul is still with me."

The Pharaoh grabbed Yugi's arm with the last of his strength. "Don't—please…"

Yugi smiled, though his cheeks were still sticky with tears. "I have to. For you."

And still holding onto the Pharaoh, the Puzzle around Yugi's neck glowed.

/Which one do you want, aibou?/ the spirit of the Puzzle asked.

"Ra," Yugi decided, looking up at the night sky. "To repel the darkness."

It was poetic.

And even though Yugi had carried the Puzzle for two years now, he was not at all prepared for the power that went surging through his flesh. The Puzzle was alive with energy. Yugi was alive. He must have left the ground, Yugi, the Pharaoh in his arms, the spirit of the Puzzle in his head. The pulses of power around him were almost solid.

Light shattered the night.

Golden limbed, Ra rose from the horizon.

Dawn had broke, revealing the ugly Diaboundo, pinned against the rays of light.

On cliff above, the white-haired King of Thieves was pale with terror.

"Yugi…" the Pharaoh gazed, not at the newly born god, but at him. "How do you always amaze me?"

"We did it together," Yugi said, still cradling him.

And maybe it was because the sun had risen, but the Pharaoh's face looked full of life again. He even got to his feet, Yugi roped in his arms.

The King of Egypt commanded. "Ra, God of the Sun, strike down this sinner!"

The golden God shown, and then embodied itself in flames. It twisted in the air, its fire scorching the sky, and then descended upon Diaboundo.

As the King of Thieves' soul-monster erupted into flames, so did its master. As if he had been too close to a gallon of gasoline, the white-haired Thief was aglow with fire. He fell from his horse writhing in pain, screaming from the powers of Ra…

Yugi flinched, but turned farther into the Pharaoh's hold.

The King of Egypt grasped Yugi's face with joy. His copper skin lit by the new sun. "You saved me, little one."

Yugi's heart leapt.

Everything was ok now. Yugi had saved him.

And then there came another scream.

Yugi looked back to the cliff and saw a bronze figure in bright modern clothes rushing to the Thief King's burning side.

"You've killed him! YOU'VE KILLED HIM!"

Yugi gasped. "Malik…?"

Indeed the heir of the tomb guardians was screaming, as though it were he that was in pain. And across the desert, his livid eyes found Yugi's… "I'LL KILL YOU MUTOU YUGI!"

And then Ra went out.

The entire company was suddenly aware of the thickness of the air and the heaviness of the clouds blocking out the sun.

The burning coal that was the defeated Diaboundo, rose back into sky. The light was out. Ra was screeching, dying? How?

And then Yugi felt, as though his own life had been cut short, severed from his body, his strength left him. The Pharaoh winced as well, and the two collapsed to the ground. Yugi was weak, so weak. At that exact moment, Ra vanished, set, like the sun, back into the horizon from where he came. Who… who had done this?

"Looks like we're just in time."

Before the company of priests, stood Bakura. The modern-day Bakura that Yugi had known through school and battles on the dueling field. In jeans and a striped T-shirt, his pale skin and white hair… and black eyes.

"Now, now," Bakura observed the scene, from his past counterpart on the cliff, to the priests, to Jounouchi and Kaiba standing by Yugi. "This isn't how this battle is supposed to go at all. You are the most annoying glitch, Yugi."


—()—()—()—()—()—()—


ZOMGsoexciting,ikr?

Seriously. That's a real nail biter, if I do say so myself. Hope you guys enjoy the anticipation! Who knows when I'll update next! Oooo… the mystery…

Badass award for this chapter goes to Kaiba! Because he's one sultry bamf. Though Bakura comes in a close second because of that killer late line. (and because he holds all my love, but you know that's all the time)

If you enjoyed it, prove it~!