The once barren sitting room had been transformed into a breakfast buffet. Traditional Egyptian staples such as cheese and fava bean paste sat alongside common Japanese offerings such as rice and grilled fish. There were even a few western options in the mix. A multicultural buffet sure to please both the Egyptian hosts and their Japanese visitors.
As soon as they saw the food, Honda and Jounouchi dug in with gusto, blowing through their first helpings and rushing back for second. The rest of the group dined at a more sedate pace, casually conversing amongst themselves as they waited for the last of their number to arrive.
Otogi was sitting towards the edge of the group, eating and listening more than he was talking. He was just about to try a piece of bread spread with a strange, brown paste when the sound of new voices drew his attention to the stairs. Descending from above were the final three members of their group. He grinned at them and waved, calling, "Hey, we were just beginning to worry about you guys."
Anzu and Yuugi both returned the wave, smiling sheepishly as Ishizu said, "These two took a wrong turn and found themselves in the west wing. Luckily, my necklace deemed their peril worthy of a vision."
"Wait, really?" Marik asked, giving the item in question a baffled look. "That might be worthy of the top ten."
"Top ten?" Jounouchi echoed around a mouth full of rice, earning several disgusted looks.
Marik didn't join in the judgement, though. Instead, he explained, "Top ten weirdest visions. Number one is currently the time it told her that I'd snuck out of bed to play video games, which was just cruel! The thing's supposed to help protect Egypt, not tattle on me!"
"That vision was perfectly reasonable. The health of a future item bearer was in danger," Ishizu replied regally as she helped herself to a cup of coffee.
"More like the stupid necklace has adopted its bearer's overprotective habits," Marik muttered, slouching down in his seat as Rishid subtly smiled and asked if anyone would like him to start a fresh pot of coffee.
Once all of her guests had helped themselves breakfast and taken seats somewhere in the sitting room, Ishizu clapped her hands twice and stood up. "I hope that you were all able to quiet your minds and relax your bodies after your long journey. My brothers have given me the abbreviated version of your trials and, I must say, you have all done better than I could have hoped given your lack of training. That you all made it through the ordeal with your lives intact is a testament to both your ingenuity and your favor with the gods.
"Unfortunately, your trials are not yet over.
"As you are all now aware, the nameless pharaoh sealed away a great evil three-thousand years ago. This act saved the world, but it did not stop the threat forever. Throughout the years, the bearers of this necklace have been graced with visions warning us that the seal would one day break. The nature of those visions varied, but over time, the message they carried became clear: our only choice is whether it breaks on our terms or those of the enemy."
This announcement was followed by a poignant silence. Reactions varied between looks of fear and looks of determination as silence ruled the room.
After a conversation with Pharaoh, Yuugi spoke. "How do we defeat this dark god, assuming that's what comes with breaking the seal?"
"It is," Ishizu replied. A soft frown turned down the corners of her mouth as she confessed, "But I am afraid that we do not know the answer."
Yuugi slumped in his seat, the first tendrils of despair beginning to make themselves known. If the Ishtar's couldn't come up with a plan after three-thousands years, what hope did he have? Images of the puzzle laying smashed on the ground flashed through his mind.
Before he could sink too deeply into depression, Ishizu added, "However, we believe that the knowledge lies with the one who lives inside your puzzle."
Throughout this whole affair, Pharaoh had been hovering to the side, listening intently. At this, he perked up, face morphing into a mask of confusion.
The same emotion was reflected on Yuugi's face, making it so that the assembled group only became aware that the duo had switched places when Pharaoh spoke. "I am sorry, but I do not know how I can be of help to you. My memories are lost to me. I do not even know my true name."
Ishizu started, staring at Pharaoh in wonder. Then she bowed and greeted him, "My pharaoh, it is my honor to welcome you to the land of your birth."
"Thank you, but please, do not concern yourself with formalities. There are far more pressing concerns before us. Explain your plan and how I am involved," he commanded with a wave of his hand.
"It is as you said," Ishizu agreed, rising back to her full height. "We have long known that your return would bring about the final confrontation. What we did not know was what your role would be. We had hoped that you would bring with you the long hidden knowledge of the enemy, but feared that this might not be the case had your memories been taken by the spell. Though this may appear to be what has happened, we now have reason to hope that you still retain that which you believe to be forgotten."
Pharaoh learned forward in his seat, looking intrigued. "And what reasoning has led you to think this?"
"You are still in possession of both your ka and the seat of your ba," Ishizu explained.
From his chair, Marik rolled his eyes and mouthed, "Told you."
The act went unnoticed by his sister, who continued, "This gives us hope that you may still possess some attachment to your ib as well."
This statement was mostly met with blank stares, but Pharaoh recognized the word from his studies. "My heart?"
At this, Marik made a strange noise and began to wave his hand in a rocking motion that clearly meant "kind of".
Ishizu turned to her brother and treated him to an annoyed glare. "Would you like to take over teaching?"
"No, no! You're doing fine! Continue. Please," he insisted, motioning for her to keep speaking.
In reply, she smiled and said, "Then keep quiet."
He nodded his agreement and minmed zipping his lips shut before giving her a double thumbs up while Rishid just sighed and sipped at his coffee.
For her part, Ishizu rolled her eyes and then returned to her lecture. "Yes, my pharaoh, the Egyptian word 'ib' is often translated as 'heart', but that translation is not exact. While the ancients were wise in many things, they lacked our modern understanding of the body and its various parts. They were under the mistaken belief that the physical heart performed the functions of both the heart and the brain.
"For them, your heart held your memories. It was the source of all of your thoughts and emotions, even in death. Though we now know that this is not the case in a physical sense, the metaphysical elements hold true. The only thing we cannot say with certainty is if the ib is indeed tied to a physical organ.
"Before I continue, I must ask, do you all now understand the purpose of the ib?"
Nods and various sounds of agreement came from the assembled group.
Ishizu smiled and continued, "Excellent. Then I can now explain our idea. The entire plan hinges on this concept, so please, do not hesitate to ask questions.
"After your sacrifice, your cousin, Seti III, set about trying to free you. His efforts were many and eventually resulted in the creation of a spell centered around the ib. The spell takes the memories, emotions, and thoughts contained within and uses them to create a construct from piecing those items together. This construct can then be entered and explored."
"So it's a place?" Jounouchi interrupted, looking confused.
"In a sense, yes," Ishizu agreed. "Though not a physical one. It is a metaphysical construct we call a 'memory world.' For those of us who enter this construct, it will seem as if we have gone back in time, but this is not the case. It is not a doorway to the past, merely a window that we can look through. It will also not be a fully accurate reflection of what once was. It will be the world as the owner perceived it.
"If the owner has truly forgotten something, we will not find it there. This was Seti III fate. By the time that the spell was created, there were few yet living whose ibs might contain memories of that which was lost. All of these were explored and some knowledge was gained, but it was limited at best. Nothing close to what was needed if they hoped to win the day.
"We have not used this spell since. There has been no one whose memories might reveal the truth. With the return of our pharaoh, though, that is changed. If you will allow us to perform this spell on you, we may finally learn that which was lost."
Ishizu finished her lecture with a small bow and then stood waiting, looking at Pharaoh expectantly.
He didn't reply right away. Instead, his gaze grew distant as he lost himself in thought. After a minute or so, his eyes darted to look at his partner and he asked, "What do you think?"
"It's your call. They're your memories," Yuugi replied with a shrug.
"And you are my advisor. Advise me," Pharaoh retorted with a wink, making Yuugi laugh.
"I don't remember taking that job."
"It is an important sub role of the partner position."
"Yes, of course, how could I forget?" Yuugi teased. Then he rested his chin in his left hand and began to think. A few moments later he offered, "Well, the obvious first question is 'what are the risks'?"
Pharaoh parotted the question and Ishizu replied, "Unknown, but potentially life and limb. The goal of this spell is to give you as much knowledge as possible of the enemy. This may mean that you come into contact with him and we cannot say what the consequences would be should you perish. That event has never happened in a memory world."
Pharaoh nodded solemnly and turned back to Yuugi with a questioning look.
"At least she's being honest," the smaller teen muttered with a sigh. Then he looked at his partner and said, "I don't like the thought of risking our lives, but I don't see another choice."
"Who said you will be risking your life? You do not need-"
"If it's possible for me to go, I'm going," Yuugi interrupted with a glare. "And before you start complaining, remember, this dark god threatens the whole world. Would you really put my life before everyone else's?"
"Turnabout is not fair play, partner," Pharaoh pouted, but it was clear that the matter was settled. After a final, worried glanced at Yuugi, Pharaoh turned back to Ishizu and said, "How do we go about creating this memory world?"
Ishizu smiled serenely and then turned to her eldest brother. "Rishid, if you would please bring out your item."
He nodded and then, to the visitor's surprise, removed his shirt. There, hidden under the fabric, was a pair of scales strapped to his chest with an elaborate harness.
"The millennium scales are not easily hung from a chain like many of the other items," he explained as he began to remove the harness. "This is the easiest way for their bearer to carry the item with them while still being able to use both of their hands."
When the scales had been freed, he took them in hand and then looked at Pharaoh. "To test this theory, I must ask that you and your vessel separate. Otherwise, this test may only prove that Yuugi is in possession of his ib."
"I suppose," Pharaoh reluctantly agreed. Then he and Yuugi switched places once more. When the switch was done, Yuugi removed the puzzle from his neck and walked across the room until he felt their link break.
"Our link is gone now. As far as we know, that means we're separated," Yuugi said, turning to face Rishid. "What happens now?"
"Now I will use my item's special ability," Rishid replied as he held the scale out towards the millennium puzzle. "Its ability allows me to test if a person has lived a life in service to order and truth instead of chaos in and lies. The source of this information is the ib, so if Pharaoh can be tested, then his ib is at least partially intact."
Silence fell as Rishid closed his eyes and activated his item. A moment later, the scales moved and Rishid smiled. "You have been judged worthy, my pharaoh. More importantly, your ib is intact. The spell can be cast."
As Yuugi walked back to his puzzle, Anzu glanced between the Ishtars and asked, "What happens now?"
"A lot of boring lessons and possibly a wardrobe change," Marik replied with a grin as Ishizu once more assumed her lecture stance. All around the room, the assembled group made themselves comfortable. They had a feeling that they were going to be here for a while.
Several hours later, Yuugi found himself once more in his room. He was lying on his back, staring up at the ceiling, processing the avalanche of information they'd gone over in the past six hours. His brain felt like mush and, as much as he wanted to set Pharaoh free, he was glad that Ishizu had insisted that they wait until tomorrow. There was no way any of them were going to be in top shape without a good night's rest.
The thought made him sigh as he turned his head towards the room's window seat. Pharaoh was once again sitting there, staring out at Egypt.
"Are you alright?" Yuugi asked.
Pharaoh shrugged, making a noncommittal hum. "I do not know. A part of me is excited that I might finally learn the truth of my past. Another part is terrified of what my memories might unlock. I know nothing of who I once was. What if it turns out that I was someone terrible?"
"You sacrificed everything to save the world," Yuugi pointed out. "I'm pretty sure that means you'll be at least somewhat decent."
This earned a small smile from the Egyptian. "A sound argument, as always, but I am afraid that my fears are not born of logic. I do not think that I will know peace until I have been made whole by reclaiming that which was lost to me."
Silence fell between the duo as they both lost themselves in their own musings. Eventually, Yuugi got up and came to lean against the wall beside his partner. When Pharaoh looked up curiously, the smaller teen focused his gaze on the ground and bit his lip. He brought his hands to rest on the puzzle's golden surface, nervously running them over the smooth metal as he whispered, "You know, if this doesn't work, I- I'd give you all of my memories, if you asked."
Pharaoh said nothing and Yuugi felt a flush creeping over his features. "Sorry, that was sil-"
He broke off mid-sentence as transparent bronze hands came to rest on top of his own solid pale ones. He looked up to see his partner standing there, smiling softly. "If only it were that easy.
"Every one of your memories has been a precious gift, but there is something within me that knows they are not mine. Something that refuses to use them as substitutes for that which I lost. While your memories have given me knowledge, context for the world in which you live, they have not provided an understanding of how I view the world. Many things still confuse me. Primarily emotions and social interactions. Trying to understand these concepts through your memories is like... like hearing someone tell you a story instead of going through the adventure on your own."
"Of course," Yuugi murmured, ducking his head. "Like I said, it was a silly idea."
Pharaoh reached out, placing his hand below Yuugi's chin. Though there was no pressure in the touch, Yuugi raised his head anyway, coming to stare into soft, purple eyes. "It is not 'silly'. It is a wonderful dream. If I could erase the threats that stand against us and become complete simply by sharing your memories, I would do so without hesitation."
The intimacy of the moment made Yuugi's flush deepen and he found himself at a loss for words. Luckily, Pharaoh didn't seem to notice as he stepped back and returned to his seat, motioning for Yuugi to join him.
Once the duo was sitting side-by-side, Pharaoh changed the topic. "Before you shower or take a nap, I think that we should discuss what Ishizu suggested when we parted ways. Are you comfortable giving her the eye?"
Yuugi considered this and then shrugged. "Not entirely, but I think that it's the best option we have. If Kaiba or Pegasus or some other threat shows up while we're in there, Rishid and Ishizu will need to be able to focus on keeping us safe. They can't do that if we've left a random item unguarded in our room just because we don't know the Ishtars all that well. I don't like trusting them so fast, but we don't have the luxury of time. We have to trust our guts and hope for the best."
"I agree. Ideally we'd be able to equip one of our number with the eye to allow for an additional magic user, but-"
"But we're not sacrificing anyone's eye just yet and you sensed something off about it."
Pharaoh nodded. "On the plane, Marik mentioned that certain items might be tainted. I believe this could explain what I was sensing within the eye."
"Yet another thing to ask the Ishtars about," Yuugi groaned, leaning back against the window.
"Or perhaps we don't," Pharaoh mused, earning a confused look from his partner.
In response, he made a vague, hand waving gesture and said, "We are hopefully about to enter a world made of my memories. If there are answers to our questions, I would rather seek them out there than listen to theories on what they might be. While I have no doubt as to the careful nature of their research, it is still just that: research.
"If there is one thing that I have learned from my own studies of Egypt, it is that scholars can only get so much evidence from the remnants of the past. At the end of the day, the modern view of ancient history is riddled with best-guess efforts that are undoubtedly biased by the historians personal world views. Even when a record specifically details something, there is not always a method by which to verify those words and we all know humans can lie.
"Given how limited the records from my time are, I believe that Ishtars have given us all that they can in order to ready ourselves for this journey. From this point forward, it is up to us to discover the truth."
"And here I was thinking that we'd need at least another month's worth of all-day lectures to be ready for this," Yuugi mused, smiling fondly at his partner. "You're right, though. No amount of modern guessing will prepare us to travel into the past."
Pharaoh reached out, placing a hand against Yuugi's thigh. As the smaller teen tried not to flush once more, Pharaoh grinned and declared, "I have no doubt that, whatever awaits us, we can best it as long as we have each other."