Necropolis demon
Disclaimer: YuGiOh is not my property because I still haven't found a way to brainwash the world into thinking that it is.
Necro: Chapter 20 for you guys, right here! The end is near…Also, I'd like to apologize for this fic's deteriorating standards. Ryou Lover 4325 you're right, this IS starting to become a little messy and forced like a book report. I'll try to change that, sorry again…he he I'm just kind of tired.
Destined DuelChapter 20 Explanations
Nam led Malik and Mana to his home to see Ryou and Seth who were still having breakfast with Nam's father Namu. Upon arriving at the front door of his home, Nam immediately called out to his father about their guests.
"Father! I'm back from the market place with some people." The child called out as he and the two teens from the market place headed towards where the older Ishtal was having breakfast.
Ryou was simply eating, chewing some bread and enjoying his meal when all of a sudden a pair of tanned arms circled around his neck for a crushing hug, "Ryou, finally, I found you!" Malik hollered, embracing the pale youth who was now choking.
When Malik finally let go of Ryou, the white blond looked up and smiled at finding his friend there, "Malik!" he said, "You found us and you're safe!"
"I'm glad we found you! I thought for sure you were in some deep trouble."
"We're fine, thanks to Mr. Ishtal…you haven't met him yet haven't you?" Ryou spoke, gesturing towards the older Ishtal who watched the scene with a peculiar look on his face; who were these people who barged in all of a sudden?
All throughout the scene, Seth remained quiet and observant while Mana spoke to Ryou; "So you're Ryou," she said, "so…Malik…I'm still a bit confused about all this…he's the real Ryou right?"
Malik nodded while everyone in the room listened, it was a serious moment and Namu listened carefully, curious to know the identity of the girl accompanying Malik really was, "Since you're the real Ryou…I forgot to ask, who's the Ryou back at the palace?" Mana asked, recalling that she had forgotten to ask about that small detail about the fake Ryou… who WAS the Ryou back at the palace if he wasn't the real one?
Upon hearing that a fake Ryou was in palace grounds, Seth immediately stood up, "Bakura! He's in the palace?" he spoke urgently, knowing that during their time together, Bakura had been stuck with a body duplicate to Ryou's…and who else could possibly pretend to be Ryou other than someone who's actually the white blond's twin?
"Ba…Kura? THE thief king Bakura? What's he got to do with the fake Ryou? I'm confused…Malik?" Mana replied as everyone turned to face Malik.
"Ok…ok, here's the truth. By some mystical power of the shadow realm…thief king Bakura's appearance has been altered into that of Ryou's…and well…he's at the palace pretending to be Ryou. As far as anyone there knows, Seth's the only one missing, thief king Bakura's somewhere else, Ryou is safe within palace grounds and the pharaoh's back in good hands." He explained.
"So…Bakura's pretending to be me?" Ryou spoke up.
"Yes, he is…why he's doing it, I don't know…sorry." Malik replied.
The information divulged seemed too much for them. It was absolutely confusing so everyone was silent for a while until Namu who had been the most silent amongst them spoke up, "All this talk of the palace and the thief king…I'm guessing that all these things you are talking about are of political significance." He said then looked at Mana, "You! I'm guessing that you are an apprentice or a novice…am I right?" he asked Mana in a straightforward manner in which Mana replied with a quiet 'yes'.
"Ah…I understand everything now…or at least, most of what is needed to be understood."
"Sir…you need not worry about our dilemma, it isn't of any great significance." Seth spoke, "Please, we ask you to forget about all you've heard…the pharaoh would most probably not wish to know that a civilian has heard and understood part of this…conversation."
"Ah yes…. of course, the pharaoh would not want such a thing…tell me, who are you again young man?" the older Ishtal asked Seth, knowing fully that the high priest was really a high priest.
There was an air of serious significance before Seth Spoke, "Tell me…how long have you known?" the priest questioned, this time, not hiding the authoritative tone he'd been so accustomed to using as a priest.
"Known that you were a priest pretending to be a commoner who coincidently bumped into the pharaoh's honored guest? Since the start high priest Seth, since the start. From the moment I saw you and the pale one alone in those tunnels…I knew."
While confrontations and explanations took place at the Ishtal home, at the palace, mayhem was about to stir. Mahado and the mirror image of Ryou, Bakura, walked through a pair of heavy double doors with guards standing by into a bright four-walled room that stretched forward at a long parallel line. The room was lit with the light from various torches as well as the natural sunlight from outside. At the very end of the room sat Pharaoh Atemu on his throne, looking regal and rested.
As the priest and the thief strolled towards where all the other priests were at, one could see that the room was designed for strategic meetings and discussions. Aligned along the walls near where the pharaoh sat supreme were blocks of sandstone and gravel chiseled to form plain seats similar to those in a Roman council.
The other priests sat at their respective places and Bakura could see such familiar political faces. There were a selected few from the crowd who had golden items too; these were the past bearers of the millennium items. Pharaoh Atemu himself had an item as well, which was an upside-down pyramid that hung loosely around the neck and on it was seemingly the eye of Horus or the like.
The pharaoh hadn't had the chance to glance at 'Ryou', he didn't even notice the teen there since he was too busy speaking and responding to those few advisers who discussed something with him for a moment before the actual meting.
So, Bakura just sat there quietly, waiting for the actual political discussions to start, he did notice though, a priest who seemed to be watching him peculiarly. Said priest had a millennium item too; the millennium eye, this priest sauntered towards Bakura and Mahado's side with that curious and suspicious look still plastered on his face as he approached closer to Bakura who was thinking how odd the priest was to be staring at him.
"I need to speak with you, " said the suspicious priest with the eye, not actually addressing Bakura but Mahado. Mahado nodded and excused himself before following his fellow priest to a secluded corner of the room.
When Mahado returned, he did not seem so nice and polite when he spoke to Ryou, "All right then…who are you?" he questioned Bakura in a tone that Seth would have been much likely to use. Noticing how Mahado suddenly changed character, everyone quieted down to watch, even the pharaoh.
Everyone kept silent and watched Mahado who stood before a completely relaxed Ryou sitting on one of the stone benches, "Who am I?" the white blond replied innocently, "I am Ryou. Why? Is something the matter?" he inquired politely, doing the perfect impersonation of Ryou.
"Don't spin your webs of lies to us you vile snake!" the priest who had spoken to Mahado spat venomously, "You are not the Ryou whom we know! Everyone, it has recently come to my knowledge…that we have an imposter in this room!" he bellowed, sneering at Bakura who sat there placidly.
Several gasps and angry expressions rose but no one made a move to attack yet; this was a delicate situation, "now, I ask you again, who are you?" Mahado questioned once more. Throughout this scene, Atemu merely sat quietly, internally debating with himself whether or not to free the imposter or have him executed… a crime such as spying on official meetings was punishable by death…Atemu knew that the fake was most probably Bakura, which was exactly why he wasn't so sure if he could have the man executed…
Bakura had been a useful ally during their encounter with that 'thief king' imposter at the desert…the pharaoh even guessed that it was probably Bakura who had plotted their escape plan… he at least owed the thief king a chance to be freed.
But…this was a criminal we're talking about, the king of thieves in fact…you can't just free a man like that can you? A man who wants to kill you?
'Ryou' had refused to acknowledge the fact that he was an imposter so the priests did what was needed; the millennium eye was used and so Bakura's thoughts were scanned…and revealed…
"YOU! You're…"
"Oh well…yes, I am. I am indeed…Bakura the thief king." The once innocent Ryou smirked evilly and laughed, taunting the inhabitants of the room.
"Quick, seal all the exits!" Mahado hollered, immediately the guards moved swiftly to close the double doors. Bakura, being fast on his toes darted through the room with such speed that the guards after him couldn't catch up.
He dodged and jumped overhead from soldier to soldier but got stricken down by one who had, by luck, struck his arm with a blade, leaving a deep slash there that constantly bled.
"Agh!" The thief slowed down for a second but resumed in his swift movements, clutching his arm in pain and finally escaping through one of the high windows by expertly jumping and using one of the guards' shoulders as a stepping stool to reach the top.
Amidst all the confusion Atemu sat there, struggling with himself whether or not to free the sneaky thief… he did owe Bakura for his services to Ryou…Ryou! Where was the real Ryou?
"Wait, stop that thief!" Atemu ordered but it was too late, the thief had fled and was now being chased by Mahado who led a considerable amount of troops to capture the villain.
"Prepare my chariot! I must go after that thief!" the pharaoh quickly got up from his seat but was stopped by his priests.
"Pharaoh, we cannot allow you! Drawing you out of the palace could be part of the thief king's plan to lure you into a trap he has set!" reasoned a female priestess.
"Please your highness, you must stay here for your safety!" pleaded another priest.
"But!" despite all his efforts and even his authority over his servants, Atemu had been forcibly locked up within palace walls. Though his priests did this to make sure he was safe and even though they sincerely apologized and vowed to punish themselves for going against the son of the gods Atemu felt…betrayed.
He was stuck in the Royal palace while Mahado was out there chasing after Bakura and while the real Ryou was out there, probably with Seth guarding him instead of him…why did it have to be so hard to do your job as a suitor to a person you love? And why did he have to be locked up!
Back at the Ishtal home, the exact moment when the soldier's blade struck Bakura's arm, Ryou winced in pain and whimpered, "Agh!" he heard in his mind, through the link he and Bakura shared.
"Ow! My arm! It hurts!" Ryou immediately clutched the spot where his arm ached because of his connection to Bakura.
"Ryou? What's wrong?" Seth questioned.
"It…it's Bakura…he's hurt." Ryou replied… then, in his mind, he saw images.
Bakura fleeing from the palace as soldiers go after him…Bakura stealing away one of the palace's horses…Bakura riding towards the edge of town as fast as he could through the streets, causing havoc while the guards gain after him…Bakura and a trail of soldiers outside town…
Soldiers…with weapons, after Bakura and…Mahado's leading them!
Ryou snapped out of the vision, Bakura was in trouble, "Bakura! There's a dozen or more soldiers after him and Mahado's leading them!" he said in a hurry, worried about what conflict was about to take place outside of town.
"Bakura? We have to help him!" said Malik, confusing Namu and Mana about whose alliance he was with, the pharaoh or the thief king? "Where is he Ryou?"
"Somewhere west of the city, just a short distance away from a shrine of some sort" answered the pale teen.
"Let's go!" with that, Malik and the others except for the other two Ishtals exited the house in a hurry to get to where Bakura was.
Once the group of teens was gone, Namu's eyebrows furrowed as he spoke to his son, "Nam, alert the others at the tavern…tell them that we've found Bakura and that he's being chased by the pharaoh's men outside of town. Gather our best fighters…we cannot let Bakura die!" with that, the young boy scurried out of the house to send out the order to those loyal to the thief king while his father sat there alone in the house, quietly contemplating about his friend.
"Bakura…what a hitch you've gotten yourself into," he muttered to himself, chuckling softly due to worry…
At the palace the pharaoh had no choice but to stay within the protection of his guards for he had not been allowed to leave the premises so as to keep him safe. Atemu grudgingly strolled throughout the hallways with an extremely angered expression, how could he find his loved one if he was stuck in the palace?
With nothing else to do, the tri color haired teen walked off to go to Ryou's room to at least bask in the scent or any tinge of Ryou's presence that was left in the room.
Upon entering the room, Atemu immediately caught sight of Ryou's belongings on a table. He sauntered towards the foreign objects and rummaged through them, finding a notebook with odd blue-inked words scribbled in its pages; this was actually Ryou's journal about Ancient Egypt that he had written upon first appearing at the palace.
Had Atemu understood the symbols used in what Ryou had written, he would have wept… for in those pages were nothing but longing thoughts for Seth…thoughts of adoration and such strong emotions that would have broken Atemu's heart if he knew that the one he so adored…actually adored his priest.
Long and hard, the pharaoh stared at the pages, desperately trying to understand what his love had written…he kept on wondering if it was about him or if it had anything about love or that sort…oh if only he knew…
A white kitten with blue eyes nuzzled against the king's leg, drawing the attention of the pharaoh. "Hello there little one." Atemu spoke, picking up the kitten, which he knew was Ryou's…for at this moment, he cherished everything Ryou owned and touched.
The kitten merely 'meowed' in response, pawing the hand that held it tenderly, "Oh how I wish to see your master…you must miss him too don't you?" the king asked the cat, having no other companion to talk to.
As if the animal understood, it gave a somewhat agreeing 'meow'…it even seemed to sadly smile… "I can do nothing but…pray for the safety of Ryou… it makes me weep to know that…I can never give him as much attention as I would wish to give him…." The king spoke almost to himself softly.
"Had I been a priest or an apprentice or even just a commoner…I would have lavished Ryou with my attention and love. Though I may only give him water instead of fruit and wine…I would much rather that than be chained solely to my duties…"
A 'meow' of understanding…
"It's sad…I'm the son of the gods yet…I cannot even protect and nurture the one whom I love…Oh Ra, in a way you've damned me with my royal blood! For I cannot even stake it for my love!"
In that room…the pharaoh merely wept in anguish…his love for Ryou burned like poison in his veins…and he could do nothing to let it out and fulfill his heart's wish…
Necro: The last part was a filler mainly because I saw that this was a short chapter and that I totally forgot about the stuff Ryou left behind at the palace…so yeah, I made Atemu go through Ryou's stuff just for the sake of making this longer…hope you all don't mind.
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P.S if you like S.Kaiba/Ryou, go check out my other fic The Game.