From the balcony where Aknamkanon and Dartz stood, a large parade seemed to be forming from the streets of Domino. A large assortment of camels with drums strapped to their sides and jesters playing them were parading through the street.
Bakura led the procession. He was dressed in a nice looking red coat showing off his toned and muscled tan chest, dark blue pants, and golden sandals along with golden arm bands and a variety of golden rings and bracelets.
Make way for Prince Yugi!
Say hey! It's Prince Yugi!
Swordsmen holding different kinds of royal banners and flags marched along the streets in an orderly fashion, while beautiful dancers dressed in assorted colors danced, their hands covered with beautiful scarfs.
Bakura elbowed his way through the crowd as he sang, getting people interested.
Hey, clear the way in the old bazaar,
Hey you, let us through, it's a bright new star,
Now come, be the first on your block to meet his eye!
Joey was slightly nervous but he kept his cool, as a couple of brightly colored peacock feathers hid the mysterious visitor from view.
A large crowd of people old, young, rich, and poor had lined the streets to see the parade.
Make way, here he comes,
Ring bells, bang the drums.
You're gonna love this guy
After Bakura 'mingled' amongst different crowd members, including the local fire eater, the pots and pans seller, and the apple dealer that wanted to cut off Atem's arm, Bakura hopped back out into the street so he could keep up with Joey the elephant.
It was time to introduce the new prince in town.
Prince Yugi, fabulous he, Yugi Mouto!
Genuflect, show some respect
Down on one knee
The peacock feathers were pulled away to reveal the pale skinned prince, who had the most gorgeous eyes and dazzlingly shy smile.
Bakura yanked a rug out from under Pegasus' and Rex's feet, forcing them to kneel to Yugi. Joey grinned and waved his ears with an elephant like smirk at them.
Now try your best to stay calm
Brush up your Sunday Salaam
And come and meet his spectacular coterie.
Weevil danced upon Dartz's shoulder, shaking his feather's to the music. That is, until a cold glare from his master made him stop.
The rest of the sacred court had come outside by that time, and watched the procession with awe.
Smirking, Bakura grabbed a guy by his ankles and 'wheelbarrowed' many men up to Yugi's height on Joey's trunk. They shook hands with the prince, who smiled and greeted every one of them graciously.
Prince Yugi, mighty is he, Yugi Mouto!
Strong as ten regular men, definitely
The pile collapsed on Yugi, but a quick and hidden magic bolt from Bakura zapped the pile. The magic temporarily gave Yugi the strength to lift the men on top of him in an acrobatic wheel formation.
He faced the galloping hordes
A hundred bad guys with swords
Who sent those goons to their lords, why Prince Yugi!
Atem had come unto the balcony along with Selene and Marcus to see what all the commotion was about. He raised an ebony eyebrow at the festive atmosphere, not quite understanding it, but had a very strong hunch on what it was.
Golden statues were arranged neatly upon pedestals, many servants carried them upon their backs as they sang.
He's got seventy-five golden camels!
"Don't they look lovely, June?" Bakura asked as he changed into a typical male parade commentator while another float with singing girls and bird went past.
Purple peacocks, he's got fifty-three!
"Fabulous, Harry, I love the feathers!" Bakura grinned as he changed to a female parade commentator before changing back to his parade attire and singing at the sight of a giant balloon gorilla coming down the street.
When it comes to exotic type mammals
Has he got a zoo, I'm telling you
It's a world class menagerie!
Selene rolled her eyes. It looked to them like another suitor was coming to ask for the prince's hand in marriage.
"There's more to this than meets the eye, my love." Marcus said as he watched from the mirror he was trapped in.
"Say what?" Selene glanced back down at him.
"Do I honestly have to repeat myself?" Marcus rolled his eyes.
Selene didn't have a chance to respond. Bakura had caught her eye again, except this time he was dressed as a harem member in the community with three other harem girls. They were all singing, but the girls were more (talking in counterpart).
Prince Yugi, Handsome is he, Yugi Mouto(There's no question this Yugi's alluring)
That physique, how can I speak? (Never ordinary, never boring)
Weak at the knee (Everything about the man just plain impresses)
Well, get on out in that square (He's a wonder, he's a whiz, a wonder)
Adjust your veil and prepare (He's about to pull my heart asunder)
To gawk and grovel and stare at Prince Yugi! (And I absolutely love the way he dresses!)
Yugi blushed slightly, having heard what the girls had said, but he was more worried that Atem wouldn't like him. He had seen the prince on his balcony at the palace, his hair being hard to miss, but he had gone back inside.
Atem huffed as he paced around his bedroom, Selene and Marcus watching. Another snobby prince to deal with and he really was not in the mood for it.
Back outside, everyone was singing.
He's got ninety-five white Persian monkeys!
(He's got the monkeys, let's see the monkeys!)
Even the palace guards, including Pegasus, got into it.
And to view them, he charges no fee!
(He's generous, so generous)
Yugi threw gold coins out to the people, who rushed over to collect them. Noticing two kids, the one he and Joey had given their bread to just yesterday, Yugi tapped Joey's head.
The elephant understood and used his trunk to lower Yugi to them, where the prince gave each child a bag of gold coins and a gentle smile before Joey put him back up top.
He's got slaves, he's got servants, and flunkies!
(Proud to work for him)
They bow to his whim, love serving him
They're just lousy with loyalty to Yugi!
The gates of the palace opened, and the entire caravan marched through, heading for the throne room.
Aknamkanon and the Sacred Court raced back inside to the door have the door to the throne room opened, but Dartz stood in front of the door, ready to act like a good host..
Prince Yugi!
The door burst open, crushing Dartz and Weevil behind it. Joey stomped in, leading the way of all the dancers and the like. Bakura slid down his trunk to in front of the throne.
Prince Yugi!
Amorous he! Yugi Mouto
Heard your young prince was a sight, lovely to see!
And that, good people, is why
He got dolled up and dropped by
The music swelled as item after item was listed.
With sixty elephants, llamas galore
With his bears and lions
A brass band and more
As the song started to close, Bakura quickly slipped back into the lamp when no one was looking. Nodding and touching Ryou, Yugi signaled it was time to approach the throne.
Time to see if his first impression had been a good one.
With his forty fakirs, his cooks, his bakers
His birds that warble on key
For Prince Yugi!
Ryou stopped a respectful distance from the throne, and Yugi bowed as the song ended. Dartz slammed the door shut, breathing heavily as he kept the rest of Prince Yugi's caravan outside of the throne room.
"That was splendid young man." Aknamkanon praised. "Absolutely marvelous."
"Your majesty." Yugi bowed, making sure to keep his left foot foreword to honor the Egyptian Pharaoh. "I have journeyed from afar to meet your son."
"Prince Yugi Mouto!" Aknamkanon nodded as he rose from the throne and shook Yugi's hand. "Of course. I'm delighted to meet you. This is my royal vizier, Dartz. And my sacred court. I'm sure they are delighted too."
"Ecstatic." Dartz commented dryly. "I'm afraid, Prince No-no-"
"Mouto." Yugi corrected gently.
"Whatever." Dartz sighed. "You cannot just parade in here uninvited and expect to-"
"By Ra, this is quite a remarkable device." Aknamkanon muttered as Ryou set himself right side up next to Yugi. "I don't suppose I might..."
"Ryou?" Yugi questioned the carpet, who lowered himself next to the pharaoh's feet. "He's fine with it your majesty."
The sacred court could only gape as they watched their pharaoh sit down on the carpet. Just as Ryou was about to take off, Dartz's staff pinned the rug to the floor.
"Sire, I must advise against this-" Dartz began to say, with the court actually agreeing with him for once.
"Oh, button up, Dartz." Aknamkanon scolded. "Learn to have some fun once in a while."
With a kick from the pharaoh, Dartz staff was knocked away and the pharaoh began zooming around the room.
"How fast does that rug go?" High Priest Mahad asked as they watched Ryou and the pharaoh fly around Joey's head.
"In complete honesty, and bluntly," Yugi smiled a bit weakly, "you'd be left on your butt while just Ryou was flying around."
"Just where did you say you were from?" Dartz questioned Yugi.
"Japan." Yugi smiled as he recalled his mother's heritage. "Much farther than you have ever traveled, I'm sure."
"Indeed." Dartz sneered.
"Look out!" Aknamkanon called, making everyone duck as he zoomed over their heads.
Unfortunately for Weevil, who had flapped up to avoid getting hit the first time Aknamkanon zipped over their heads, was chased around the room as the carpet ridding pharaoh flew by a second time.
"Hey, watch it." Weevil squawked, though no one except Dartz could understand him. "Watch it with the dumb rug!"
Ryou zoomed underneath Weevil, who sighed, wiped his brow, and crashed into a pillar. He fell to the floor, seeing miniature carpet flying pharaohs circle around his head saying 'Have a cracker, have a cracker.'
"I'm coming in to land." Aknamkanon called, and Ryou gently rolled himself so the pharaoh landed on his throne.
"Spectacular, your highness." Dartz said as the pharaoh caught his breath.
"Yes, I do seem to have a knack for it." Aknamkanon said as he ran his fingers over Ryou's fibers and turned his attention to the court. "This is a very impressive youth. And a prince as well."
"Yes pharaoh." High Priest Mahad agreed.
"Looks like you won't have to marry Atem after all." Aknamkanon whispered to Dartz.
"I don't trust him, sire." Dartz whispered back.
"Nonsense." Aknamkanon dismissed. "One thing I'm known for is I'm an excellent judge of character."
"Oh, excellent judge." Weevil muttered as he picked himself up and dusted himself off. "Yeah, sure… not!"
Atem and Selene walked into the throne room, Selene holding the box that held the mirror Marcus was trapped in. At Marcus' insistence, Atem had come to meet the new prince, but wasn't sure he wanted to after hearing some of the conversation.
"I do believe Atem will like this one!" Aknamkanon smiled, not noticing his son.
"I believe I'll like Prince Atem." Yugi replied with a smile of his own.
Atem felt his breath get caught in his throat. The way the new prince smiled was so much like the boy who had rescued him.
"Your highness, no." Dartz protested, placing himself between Yugi and the pharaoh. "I must intercede on Prince Atem's behalf. This boy is no different than the others. What makes him think he is worthy of the prince?"
Atem growled at what the adviser said. Who was Dartz to decide his future?
"Your majesty, if I may speak?" Yugi asked, and Aknamkanon nodded. "I am probably not worthy. Only Prince Atem can decide for himself it I am worthy to win his hand."
"Prince Yugi is right." High Priestess Isis agreed. "He should meet Prince Atem before anything is decided."
"How dare you!" Atem hissed, making everyone in the room look at him in surprise before looking ashamed. "All of you! Standing around deciding my future? I am not some prize to be won!"
With those last words, Atem stormed out of the room, Selene dodging the mad prince before following.
In complete honesty, Atem wasn't mad at the new prince who had come, he actually seemed pretty nice. No, Atem was just mad at the court for trying to dictate his life.
Again.
"Oh, dear." Aknamkanon sighed as he escorted Yugi out of the room. "Don't worry, Prince Yugi. Just give Atem some time to cool down."
"I will wait as long as necessary." Yugi replied with a nod.
"I think it's time to say good bye to Prince No-no." Dartz growled quietly as he watched the young man leave the room with the pharaoh.
He had worked too hard to get cut off by some foreign prince now. So he would have to be eliminated.