Yami: (Arms crossed looking pissed)
Borath: They're on strike. They refuse to work for me now that 'Experiment' has them as a couple.
Bakura: (Muttering) At least I'm still evil in it.
Yami: Yeah, you just keep telling yourself that. You've corrupted me in it you Baka.
Borath: (Ignoring them) I wrote this in about a dozen sittings so style, spelling-ability (what little I have) and general crappiness will vary throughout. (Shrugs) I haven't checked this either and don't intend to. If I left it to be checked it likely wouldn't be posted for another week. Don't point out my mistakes, over-exaggerate praise and I'll be happy. Updates will be when I manage them (school and homicide are becoming the same thing) but there's only two chapters left so bear with me.
Chapter 25: Travels"Egypt?" Yugi echoed, frowning up at Yami slightly. Egypt was a very long way away from Japan...
"I'm afraid so. There is nowhere else in the world where I can get the Puzzle repaired and I have no choice *but* to go," Yami replied with a slight shrug. Truthfully he wasn't too sure how this idea sat with him; pleased that he could go back to his homeland or anxious about having to travel such a distance whilst carrying a child. Kiara would have to stay behind of course.
"Well you're not going on your own. I'm coming too," Seto stated flatly from his side. Yami hadn't actually expected anything else from him.
But the fact that he *did* need some of his friends accompanying him on this trip needed to be sorted out, and someone needed to stay behind and look after Kiara whilst he and Seto were out of the country with those who did come. This was going to be interesting…
****
YVO
//Well, it took us an hour but we've finally decided who's coming and who's staying. I anticipate that this little excursion is going to take about a week so that has been a determining factor in that some people are going to have to miss school.
Anyway, those who are coming along on this merry little romp are;
Me – I'm the one with the busted Magical Conduits so it's a *bit* necessary that I *do* participate.
Yugi –My hikari. Package deal.
Joey – He is currently a girl and thanks to my meddling, which probably contributed to breaking the puzzle even further, should only remain one for another week. Fixing the puzzle might have an effect on the magic that I used on her so she needs to come incase it all goes to Hades.
Seto – Father of the child and my companion. He insisted that he was coming and is the one buying the plane tickets.
Bakura – As much as I hate to admit it, I don't remember the temples well and as he stole from them once he's going along as a guide. I'm setting aside my profound hatred for him and the fact that he was *ever * in my temple for the sake of my son. He is also under strict instructions to be good. Yeah right. Like *that'll* ever happen.
Ryou– Bakura's hikari. Another package deal and someone remotely sane needs to be tagging along.
Those who are being left behind;
Tea – She is looking after Kiara when the sitter can't.
Honda – Keeping an eye on Tea looking after Kiara.
Mai – She's shopping. And helping with Kiara. She has Shadow Magic at her disposal so she really does need a lot of attention.Mokuba – it's totally pointless for him to come and Seto insists that he go to school. He stays.
So, the plane leaves tonight and we should be in Egypt, given the time on the pane and some weird time zone rule, thing, we should be in my old homeland tomorrow afternoon. I think.
Thinking about all this time stuff is really hurting my head, and I'm very nervous about going onto the flying contraption and putting my life and that of my friends and family into some engines. Ra I hope I live long enough to even *see* Egypt. //
**** Later ****
//I have decided that I *hate* planes. Flying is not something that I am accustomed to at the best of times, and with all the strange looks I was receiving due to my 'condition' I was extremely nervous. Still, the evil contraption landed safely and we all disembarked without too many incidents.
I anticipate that I should only be at the temple for a day at the most and wanted to get this thing done as quickly as possible, Seto voted to head straight there instead of resting at a hotel and then going. I collapsed into a head pretty much instantaneously when we all piled into the large vehicle to set off across the dunes in.
I'm pleased to see that my homeland is still the same as I vaguely remember it, although the Great Pyramids are a different colour. I distinctly remembering them having white surface tiles when I had mine built but no matter. Not everything can survive the ravages of time as best as I have. Yes, I am smug about the fact that I have been preserved so well for 5000+ years of age. I do need *some* bit of light to cling to on this trip.
Seto's a nervous wreck and Yugi doesn't look too good. I wouldn't trust Bakura with anything that could be remotely dangerous and Joey is depressed. Again. Ryou is just, well, Ryou; taking in the sites and keeping his head down.
Lucky sod.//
****
Sand. Tree. Sand. Pyramid. Sand bloody sand.
It continued along this merry trend for three hours before the Temple they needed appeared as a spec of darkness in the distance against the stark landscape. Bakura's memory had remained intact unlike Yami's even after being imprisoned in the Ring so it was a simple matter for him to recall the direction and distance they needed to travel.
The general mood was boredom, the wonders of Egypt quickly forgotten when all the exciting bits got repetitive, so the passengers of the car where either dozing, staring bleakly into space or reading the handful of leaflets that were grabbed from the airport before Seto could get the car.
"Why are there so many secret passageways into the Tombs?" Yugi asked curiously, looking up from the page he was looking at with probably more interest than he would have granted it should the circumstances had been different. Bakura snorted from his position of leaning against the window.
"To try and stop people like me from finding them and stealing the bootie. Not that it ever worked for the more, experienced, thieves such as myself."
Yami cracked his eyes open a little at the oily voice, rolling them slightly and deciding not to comment on that as Bakura's knowledge of the Temple was extremely important on this trip of theirs. Snapping his eyes back open again instantly when he realized that he had recognized the image on the front of his Aibou's leaflet, he reached over and plucked the folded paper neatly out of his hand.
Staring at the picture on the front, he felt a twinge lance through his skull as the memory was triggered and eventually unlocked, grinning when he could identify it properly. "This is my Temple!"
"Wha'?"
Ignoring the dozing blond teen Yami squirmed a little in the seat and hastily flicked through the leaflet, scouring for information on his former home. He was ecstatic that it was still standing and, apparently, still famous.
His happiness was short-lived when he found the appropriate paragraph though. "My temple is a *tourist attraction*?! I feel so, violated."
Bakura stared at him levelly for all of two seconds before he dissolved into manic laughter, waking Ryou and Joey fully and getting himself clipped round the back of the head. A snarl in the blond teen's direction notified her that if she ever tried that again, very bad things would happen.
Yugi took pity though and placed a sympathetic hand on his Dark's shoulder whilst Yami gaped in shocked outrage at the offensive page. Seto glanced over his shoulder from the driver's seat and restrained a smile, reaching back and rubbing a hand on his lover's knee before returning it to the steering wheel.
"We'll be there in about ten minuets," he warned, shifting his shoulders slightly as the aches from being immobile for the last three hours made themselves impossibly more prominent.
Frowning again at the fact that, due to sod's law, he had just gotten comfortable and was being made to move, Yami shoved himself upright in the seat and watched the temple as it grew larger in the windscreen. Finally it loomed infront of them, a dark, towering structure of ornately carved black stone that appeared as if it had been unopened for centuries, which in all probability it hadn't.
Piling out of the car, Joey at once started whining about the heat for the millionth time about the heat, and despite being uncomfortably hot himself Yami had promised himself that he wouldn't give Bakura the satisfaction of complaining openly about it.
"Right. Bakura, you're the wise-ass here. How exactly do we get in?" Seto asked after looking the structure up and down and seeing nothing but an impenetrable stone fortress.
Cocking a slender brow at him, the platinum-haired spirit strode to the wall and knelt in the sand, digging the hot material away from the wall until there was a pit a good foot deep. The others, having no idea what he was up to, stayed back and watched.
After a few minutes he seemed to have gotten to what he wanted, his face contorting as he reached down and worked his arm down the pit. There was a loud click and he stepped back, watching with satisfaction as the area of stone infront of them began to vibrate, the sound of stone grinding against itself filling the air.
A panel of the wall a meter wide and three tall rose up into itself, the opening revealing the walls to be almost a meter thick themselves. Everyone stared apprehensively into the inky blackness that had been revealed to them.
//Great. Looks like I'm being the leader yet again.//
Sighing slightly to himself, Yami stepped into the doorway and instantly felt the temperature plummet to what could only be described as cool. His eyes weren't allowing him to see any further than the few inches infront of his face so he hesitantly put another foot forward.
Jumping when rows of torches running along the walls suddenly exploded into life, Yami flashed a reassuring smile over his shoulder before heading down the narrow corridor. Bakura crossed his arms over his chest with a dour expression and followed, Seto, Yugi, Ryou and Joey tailing them all at the back.
After ten minutes of 'which way now's and 'stupid Pharaoh's, the maze of passageways spat them out into a cavernous hall which, from the slope they had been walking down, seemed to be buried beneath the temple itself.
A stone later held pride place in the center of the otherwise barren room, the walls decorated from floor to high ceiling with hieroglyphics. Everyone but Yami and Bakura stood for a few moments staring at the sight in awe, the torches littering the room casting dancing shadows about them. Bakura was content to watch Yami intently as the Game King moved towards the alter.
Standing with his stomach lightly brushing the cold stone, Yami cast his eyes up and down it before using his sleeve to remove the film of dust from the surface. A small, rectangular, imbedded shape was revealed to be in the center of the alter, and after a moments thought, he produced the required card from his deck and slid it into place.
He was used to seeing Tetsuo materialize inside his Soul Room, but for everyone else present, seeing the tattooed, lavender haired creature emerge from a mist of crimson smoke was quite a surprise. Standing with the tips of his robes skimming the surface of the alter, Tetsuo glanced around the room to take in the various faces before settling demon eyes on his Master himself. Smiling faintly, he tipped his head to him and folded his hands at his stomach.
"I'm glad you were so expedient in arriving here, Yugioh. It is important that we begin this as soon as possible," he stated flatly, his attention solely focussed on the spirit standing beneath him.
"I agree," Yami replied solemnly. Swallowing heavily, he looked over his shoulder at the collection of people watching him from behind before returning his eyes to the charismatic creature. "How exactly will this work? Is it safe for my family and friends to remain with me?"
Calculating eyes flickered over the occupants of the room again before Tetsuo nodded. "It is a simple process, and I will do everything I can to ensure that it goes smoothly. The final moulds that the Millennium Items were forged in are beneath this alter. Simply removed your Puzzle and insert it into the correct slot. As you are bonded to the Item on a spiritual level you will feel some discomfort but it will only be momentarily. The conduits will have been restored to their former strength within an hour."
"We stay then," Seto confirmed flatly, his tone stating that there was no discussion to be had there. Smiling at him appreciatively, Yami searched everyone's faces to check if they were willing to stay in this chamber for that long and aside from the bored expression Bakura wore, it was clear that no one was going to be moved.
Tetsuo broke the moment. "Understand this Yugioh; there are some risks involved in this."
His head snapping back around to the other, Yami narrowed his eyes and gave him his full attention. He couldn't risk harming his friends or the child. He refused to. "What do you mean?"
"To repair the conduits the magic inside will need to be cleansed. It's a similar process to wiping a computer before reloading the programs. And yes, I worked for Pegasus long enough to know that that is an appropriate analogy," he continued with a wry smile, looking faintly irritated that he actually knew such things.
"So I'll lose my memories?" Yami asked carefully, dreading an affirmative answer. It had taken him years to gather the tiniest morsels of information from his past, and he didn't want to lose it. Nor did he wish to forget that the last two years had ever happened.
"No, *you* will remain intact. It is only the magic inside the Puzzle that will be affected by this. But therein lies the problem."
Eyes narrowed to crimson slits, Yami had to reel in his temper to keep his voice level. Fear was already nibbling at his heart and Tetsuo's infuriating habit of skirting the information required was not helping his mood. "Explain."
"I was about to" came the cool reply. "When the Puzzle has been repaired it will instantly send out a burst of magic to repair any and all damage that has been done either *by* it or to *you*. The Nyannichuan curse will be affected in this way; the magic in the Puzzle decided that it was a threat to you and slowly repelled the curse last time. Because the Puzzle was slowly being weakened from various factors it was unable to throw off the curse entirely like it should have. Instead, the change back to your male form was only cosmetic, as I have explained to you before.
"Once repaired the Puzzle is going to have a burst of magical energy which it is going to use to repel the curse completely, and all by-products after. To put it shortly, you will likely lose your son. But there is a way around this; in this place my powers are greatly amplified and it would not be difficult to accelerate his growth to the degree that he could be born healthy if the need arises.
"The burst will also mean that Joey will be returned to his normal gender, and it will be physically impossible for you to bear another child in your life," he finished in a slightly softer tone although his voice was still authoritative.
Deciding not to think about the last parts of that speech, Yami shook his head slightly in confusion. All of this information being thrown at him at once was really making his head hurt. "I *thought* you said that that part of the curse would last forever."
"I *did*. I also *thought* that the Puzzle was not damaged to the extent where it would need repairing. But you surprised me by messing around with the curse that was put on Joey and starting to produce twins. A child in a body where it is not meant to be is an enormous energy drain, particularly on an Item. They were not designed to deal with these sorts of stresses. They were served to perform their own services to their captured yamis and to aid in protecting the hikaris. You pushed your Item too hard, too fast and too much."
//Great. On top of all that I'm also being scolded.//
"What will happen to Yami whilst the Puzzle is being repaired?" Seto spoke up from behind, stepping forward slightly as he approached the alter and Yami. When Tetsuo showed no signs of being irritated by the closing distance, he continued with less hesitation and stood at his lover's side.
"Yugioh will still exist in the physical realm. His source of power will be cut off so in all likelihood he will lose consciousness, but in this way he will be spared any discomfort," Tetsuo replied smoothly.
"And the child?" Seto pressed, his eyes hardening as his face became more intent.
Held in suspension by my own powers. Yugioh, after this I must ask you, if you would be so kind, to not call for my services for a good many days. The next hour, I fear, shall be extremely strenuous and some time to recuperate would be greatly accepted."
"Tetsuo," Yami began with a slight smile. "If you can do this I'll have a shrine made for you in the Shadow Realm."
A snort of laughter before the monster crouched down, his robes pooling about his feet and then his knees when he lowered himself fully. "Unnecessary but I appreciate the sentiment. Now, if you would insert the Puzzle we shall begin. Bakura, if I were not performing so many activities at once I would offer to take on your Ring to straighten the alignment of it's power conduits. I can sense from here that you have been misusing it on occasion."
Turning to face the aforementioned Tomb Raider with a quirked brow, Yami was oddly satisfied to see the pale teen blush heavily and scowl at the bemused spirit kneeling atop the alter.
Remembering what he was doing, Yami brought his hands up and lifted away the heavy Puzzle, his neck instantly feeling cold as the comforting weight of the cord was lost. Probing the shadows beneath the rectangular stone slab that comprised the surface of the alter, he identified the correct slot and gently pushed the Puzzle inside, running his hand over the smooth join between the stone and the metal, the cord hanging limply against the slab and bushing against the dusty floor.
Straightening slowly, Yami jumped slightly in surprise when Tetsuo placed a large hand squarely on his stomach without warning, demon eyes closing as he focused. There was nothing for a second and then blinding pain, a heat like no other exploding out of the point beneath the spirit's palm outwards through his body.
Grunting slightly, Yami barely registered hands gripping his shoulders as he braced himself against the alter, knuckles turning white. The pain stayed constant and intense until blackness spotted his vision and he finally succumbed to the beckoning void.
Catching the limp figure as he slumped forward against Tetsuo, Seto glared up accusingly, face taunt with worry. Yugi had scampered to his Dark's side now also, lifting one of the slender arms about his shoulders to help support some of his now increased weight.
"My apologies. I thought it would take longer for him to lapse into unconsciousness. If you would lay him down and amuse yourselves quietly now as I work, I would be most grateful," the lavender haired creature spoke sternly before bringing his hand back to himself and dipping his head low against his chest.
Seto and Yugi stared at the still figure in shock before glancing down in unison to Yami's form. Seto knelt down and gathered him in his arms, carrying him back to the group where he sat against the smooth wall and arranged him so that his head was pillowed in his lap. Glancing up at Yugi with concern over how pale the Game King's complexion had turned, he watched as the smaller boy took a seat at Yami's feet and cast his eyes back to Tetsuo.
The monster's eyes closed once again, everything remained still and quiet until a deep thrumming could be heard. Building in volume and speed, soon it was a constant drone that seemed to rattle the very air around them. The Puzzle glowed fiercely from where it was encased in stone, the glow oozing out to encompass the alter in its entirety before fading to a light that was more comfortable to observe.
Tetsuo glowed with it, emotionless and frozen as the energies hummed about his form, flashing brighter on the scars on his face and the markings running down his arms and cheeks. The droning lessened until silence returned, the soft light remaining constant and warming the air gently.
Bakura, leant against the wall with his hands thrust into his pockets, summed up the situation most eloquently. "Cool."
****
Awareness returned slowly and with it the notice of multiple weights. First was the restored mass of the Puzzle against his chest, the second felt comforting and yet disturbing at the same time as it pressed down on his pelvis and internal organs, the last being the arm that was across his collarbone. Shifting a little against the warm body he was leant against, Yami felt the third of those weights snap away and he opened his eyes curiously.
"Yami? Are you okay?" Yugi asked, huge violet eyes moving into his field of vision.
Nodding slightly, Yami glancing around himself once Yugi's face retracted from above him, catching site of the now-male Joey crouched against the wall opposite him with his head between his knees. Ryou was stood above him running a soothing hand over his shoulders as the blond groaned.
"Joey puked when he changed back," Bakura stated bluntly, strolling over from his own corner to stare down at Yami who was still led in Seto's lap. Poking his side slightly with the tip of his boot, he looked back to Yami's face looking fairly amused. "You look like you're going to pop Pharaoh."
Frowning for a second, realization took a few moments to click in his fuzz-filled mind before Yami smiled slightly in relief. //I'd forgotten about that.// Looking down at his stomach, it was if his gaze had been a trigger. Muscles rippled warningly and Yami's eyes widened in alarm as he recognized the sensation all-too-quickly.
Rolling his eyes, Bakura took a step back to give him more room. "Come on. There's a town a few miles south of here. Should be a midwife or summut there, 'though I have no idea how you're going to be able to explain that."
Nodding slightly in worry-tinted agreement, Seto shifted himself around before helping Yami to his feet. The pains weren't close enough together or strong enough to hinder Yami's movement just yet but he didn't want to stay in the bowels of the Temple long enough to allow them to become an obstacle.
He, Yugi and Seto made their way back to the entrance of the huge room with Ryou and Joey following slowly behind them, the blonde's steps a little unstable even as he leant against the platinum-haired teen. Bakura stood staring after them for a few seconds before casting his eyes back to the quiet alter, Tetsuo having vanished once the conduits had repaired and the Puzzle returned to Yami by Yugi.
"Hey idiot Pharaoh, you left-," he began to call before reconsidering his actions. Shaking his head with a rueful smile, he took a final glance around the room before following the rest of the group into the darkness of the corridor.
***
Ryou had wielded to the universal decision to take over driving when all attempts to pry Yami's fingers from around Seto's hand failed miserably, the white-haired teen trying to block his ears from the curses of bloody murder from the former-Pharaoh that had his yami cracking up. Bakura had gone back into the Ring for the simple need for space now that Yami was being held down in a joint effort by both Yugi and Seto, Yugi leaning down on his Dark's legs to prevent him from curling into a ball and Seto pressing down on his chest for the same purpose.
Joey was in the passenger seat trying his damndest to navigate in the desert, which remarkably enough looks pretty much the same on all sides, squinting furiously at a very unhelpful map in his lap. Ryou was doing most of the directional work; operating off of the instructions that Bakura managed to get out amidst laughter at the unfortunate three in the back. He had still 'neglected' to inform them that Tetsuo was still in the Temple, and likely very pissed off by now.
Twenty minutes away from their desired destination and it suddenly became painfully apparent that Kiara's little brother was as impatient as she had been. The words 'stakes', 'cobra' and 'camel shit' had mixed into the breathless mantra of curses and threats that the Game King was shooting at the brunette, Seto having the grace to nod and not complain about the fact that he couldn't feel most of his hand anymore.
The town finally came into view as a hazy spot on the horizon, a depressing distance away but joyously there all the same. Then, as if the Gods had deemed that the group hadn't suffered enough, the worst possible thing happened.
The engine groaned, coughed and then proceeded to splutter out of existence. Rolling to the bottom of the dune they had been traversing, the car sank a few inches into the sand and then ceased to move at all. There was an audible thump as Ryou's forehead connected with the steering wheel and a very pitiful sound from Joey.
Yami, however, seemed intent to overcome the fact that the car had stopped moving. "Sod it; I'll walk," he growled out, shoving himself up off of Seto and using his boot to get the door open.
Yugi was wise enough to follow him out, easing him to the sand when he was driven to his knees again as Seto moved around the back of the car and joined them. Ryou left his head on the steering wheel knowing that he couldn't do anything for either problem, turning internally to Bakura for advice who was in hysterics now.
Joey left the three to themselves in the sand and tried to get a look at the engine. After burning himself on the bonnet six times he managed to kick it open, unleashing a thick, billowing cloud of black smoke. Couching harshly and fanning his hand at it, he squinted at what was once the engine before turning wary eyes to the pair trying to keep Yami still again.
He was going to have to be the one to tell them and he wasn't overly confident that he was going to live past the end of that sentence.
****
Bakura: (Cackles sadistically)
Yami: (Eyes wide) If I thought it was possible I'd say that I hate you more now than before.
Borath: Well. That was a long chapter so hopefully I've made amends for the inexcusable delay. Excuse crappiness and leave me a review so that I'll feel loved. Next chapter could be at any time (although not anytime soon). Oh, I need a list of probable names for Yami's son. Drop me a suggestion and I'll pick one because I can't be arsed to come up with one myself
The real reasons for what the characters are doing;
Why they're coming;
Yami – The reason for the trip and I love the character. Yami-centric fic after all.
Yugi – He's Yami's hikari. I've been nit-picked for overlooking him too.
Joey – I like his/her speech patterns. And I like using his idiocy. Sorry fangirls.
Seto – He bought the plane tickets and I need him for Yami to insult. And swear at.
Bakura – He's a psycho and I have a whole chapter relying on his involvement left.
Ryou– Bakura's hikari. A package deal again.
Why they're not;
Tea – I hate her. Issue closed.
Honda – I don't know what to do with him most of the time.
Mokuba – It's totally pointless for him to come. He is also annoying. He stays.
Mai –I don't know what to do with her either so there. She had a big role in the opening chapters so I haven't exactly neglected her in this fic.
Review, suggest kid's name, make me happy. Ta!