Sands of Time and Shadows of old

Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh ain't mine, sorry ta surprise ya peeps ^.^ But Sette, Nahkat and mah name all belong to me ^.^. Oh as does random duckies, Bahamut, some ancient ideas and ummmm my mind ^.~

Oooooh boy! 107 thank youuuuu all!! ^.^ over 100 reviews! I never thought I'd get that many!! Massive thanks to all of you whom reviewed! ^.^ ….. Well on to the story!

Seto is having "emotional" problems and Yami is having "You are here" problems!

Yami: ¬_¬ YYC…

YYC: ^.^ (Grins)

Seto: What do I feel?

YYC: ^.^

Yami: ¬_¬ YYC you are F***ED up!!

YYC: (Grins and does the peace sign) You know it! ^.~

Ahem! Sorry…. Anyways shall we see whether Yami can survive the darkness and if him and Seto reunite? Mwaaaahhahahhah let's go check it out! ^.^

ON TO DAT FICCIE!!

Yami looked dead ahead, in to pure whiteness he could see nothing, no bodies, no landmarks just whiteness. He growled, he was still bleeding and his patients was starting to run thin, nothing seemed to make sense everything seemed to be wrapped in a veil of dark web-like shadows and lies. Nothing was as it appeared. Yami was used to that but, even now, it still bothered him. His crimson eyes darted around, looking for anything, something to look at apart from the whiteness. He finally called out "Why am I here?"

There was a low chuckle Why? Because the Gods are scared!

Yami's head darted up to stare at the sky "W-Who is here?"

…. I have already said that I will give no name…

"So you are the one who killed Naziruth.. yes?"

Yes….. Anyway Yami….. You are here through the fear of the very gods you swore to win by….. even Ra has abandoned you!

Yami smiled slightly "…. I did not swear by them….." He then growled "How do I get out of here?"

…. Easy….. face it……

"Face what?"

What you've lost… what you are…. What you want…. Face your emotions… admit that you are locked up in a foolish net of dismissal and denial

Yami snorted "I am not in denial"

There was laughter Denying it eh?

Yami snarled "I am not!"

Yes you are…. But the more you stay here…. The more "vulnerable" your precious "Sette" becomes!

Yami gasped "Seto? What has happened to him?"

The temple he sits in, is a temple of fear and of illusions….. his mind is slowly opening to emotions he has never even comprehended let alone even thought he had once known!

Yami blinked then said softly "……..Very well….. I admit…. That I am…. A demon"

Wrong!

Yami blinked again "whaaaa?"

You are not a demon…. Well not a true demon, you have darkness that much is true ….. however….. you are merely the shell… the husk of a REAL demon! You couldn't even chant a real spell….. you are no demon, trust me!

"Why? Are you one?"

Heeheehehheheh not exactly… but the closest thing to a "Demi-Demon"….

"D-Demi Demon? I've heard of Demi-Gods…. But Demi-Demons?"

Yes, half demon, half something else..

"Y-you are half demon?"

No … .but it is the best way to describe me!

Yami frowned "You babble nonsense! Your words are wrapped in riddles!"

Haaaahahhahahaha yes. I guess they are! Heh …… but I speak more truth than the mighty god of the sun, Ra does…. And I make more sense than Yami Bakura… do I not?

Yami grudgingly nodded "Indeed…. I make more sense from your babble than theirs!"

Well then……… stop your whining. You want to get out right? The voice seemed to have gained an amused air.

Yami bit back the growl he felt rising in his throat, he then looked around "So…. How do I get out of all this whiteness?" He asked bluntly.

Simple, face it all! Come now, face all of your so-called Demons and accept everything you shunned away for the past 5,000 years!

Yami sighed and muttered "Very well, but then I ask you to leave me, these are things I would rather not say to a stranger like yourself!"

Oh but I am no stranger to you, Pharaoh Nahkat, I have known you as both Yami Yugi and as Pharaoh Nahkat! The voice seemed to be getting darker, more purring like a velvet black cat.

Yami felt hairs stirring on the back of his neck, this "helpful villain" was quite unnerving when he wanted to be. Yami looked up then muttered "Then who are you?"

Can't you guess? Clues would make this too easy! Take a wild guess

"………… I-I have no idea!" Yami muttered, turning to walk away.

Very well then.. should you make it out of here alive, then I will tell you! The voice then faded, leaving Yami to his thoughts and his confessions.

(Meanwhile)

Seto had started to kick pebbles along the smooth stone floor, he was getting very bored and there didn't seem to be any prospect of Yami returning soon. Seto groaned and wondered what had made him accept Yami's plea. Normally Seto would have shunned anyone whom came to his door begging for a lift to anywhere, let alone Egypt. He closed his eyes and muttered "What made me accept?"

Are you sure you don't already know? Asked a voice from above him.

Seto stood up and looked around "Who's there? Show yourself!" Seto growled.

………… A shadow appeared near a door, its back to Seto I am merely here to see you through your own denial!

Seto snorted "I don't need anyone! So get lost!" his ice blue eyes focused on the black shadow in front of him.

………. Humph…. You'll lose everything with that kind of attitude, Sette, you always did close yourself up and shun people away… well you'll pay for that! The Shadow then began to walk off.

Seto frowned then whispered "So…. I've always stayed away from others?"

[Not always] Whispered a voice in his mind [We loved once…… we were caring once… then the ones we loved were stolen from us…..]

Seto blinked "W-Whose that?"

[You do not recognise me? Well I guess we never really met… I am the Pharaoh Sette…… your past embodiment, I believe yes?]

Seto nodded "Th-that's right.. but how?"

[How can I talk to you? Because of where we are and what you are feeling, I can finally call to you and try to make you see what I could not! Do not shun Yami or others away from you… If you do a fate similar to my own will surely follow.. that is something I wish upon none.]

Seto blinked then whispered "What do you mean do not shun? I do not shun I just do not need anyone, people are peculiar annoyances that cause far more trouble than good! Look at this mess I'm in! If it weren't for that runt I would be at home looking up business statistics"

[You really believe that? You don't need anyone? That you're fine alone? ……. You are so very like me…. Unwilling to change, maybe you are unable to? … Listen to me, if you do not then one day you'll wind up alone, all alone, your brother will leave home to live his life, then.. there will be no one. Do you not see that?]

Seto blinked, it may have made sense but to Seto it sounded daft, the idea of relying on others? He did not need that kind of ideal in his life. Seto growled between clenched teeth "…. I need no one! Not a single person! If Mokuba wants to leave, that's fine with me! I'm happy for him! But I need NO ONE!"

There was a low chuckle from the voice in his mind [That's how you feel? Well I cannot change one with such a strong resolve but I'll say this, once you loved Yami very much and you still do, but you deny it! Stop denying and look at him!] Suddenly all presence of the voice was gone.

Seto frowned "Look at him?" his then snorted and sat back down.

(Back in the whiteness)

Yami was standing alone, looked out and sighing, there was no point in walking on, he would just enter more whiteness so he sat down and looked around "…. Stop denying? But … what am I running from? If I'm not demonic yet I am dark… then what else am I denying?" He sighed then whispered "Is it… something to do with my Aibou? Or my past?" Yami rested his head on his knees, hugging them close to his chest, he looked like a 3-year-old afraid of the dark. He closed his eyes then murmured "…. Very well I'll accept everything that lies within me, my fear of being evil and hurting those I love, the feelings of dark enjoyment when I duel and win." Yami frowned, there was one thing he had not said, but he was unwilling to say it "Is it that thing? The feelings I have for….." he shook his head, even now he couldn't say it. Yami looked up "But the fate of my Aibou and his friends is at stake… If I fail him… then who knows what Yami Bakura will do next?" Yami shook his head as something hit me "…… My feelings no longer matter, so what if I love him his love is not returned to me…. So I may as well admit it….. I love…. Seto Kaiba……. I've loved him and his past incarnation for the past 5,000 years!" Yami closed his eyes tightly. The light began to glow brighter and brighter, suddenly Yami was caught on a swirling wind of nausea, he felt like he was going to throw up and pass out at the same time. He fell to the floor with a soft gasp, blacking out as his body sank to the ground and his mind in to darkness.

(Meanwhile)

Seto had begun to pace, up and down in motions like a caged tiger, he prowled up and down muttering and scowling about his own thoughts, and the voice that said it was "Sette" he still thought it sounded stupid. How could his ancient Egyptian half manage to return from the dead lands to speak with him? He didn't care if he stood in "magical" land, it was too stupid to comprehend! […. It makes no sense!] He thought to himself but then he stopped his pacing and looked up and muttered "But….. whether that was my own mind playing tricks….. or whether that was me ….. his words bore much meaning…. I…. I …" Seto shook his head and hissed "How can I admit to that? … It's the same as saying I depend on him…, which I don't! I depend on no body! I need no one! Not a damn thing!" A sigh escaped his lips as he whispered "…. I'm lying to myself…. I know I am." Seto suddenly clutched his head and whispered "Mokuba…. I know I care about you….. and that I've lived to protect you…. But.. If I cannot save you all the time what makes me want to .. love… another? I've failed you before Mokuba… why do I love.. …. That runt?" He frowned at his own words, his own confusion. Seto sat back down and hugged his knees tightly, this temple seemed to be pulling him apart. He closed his eyes and shivered "Wh-why am I saying these things? I've never needed to admit these feelings before?" he looked at the ground and whispered "Love.. I've never needed –love--…" he said love, almost like he wasn't pronouncing it properly, like it was a word that he had never heard before. If he was truly honest he had only ever heard it from Mokuba, which was enough for his brotherly side. But another part of him wanted to hear it from the one he loved. Seto frowned again "I-I will not love!" He then sighed "But. Saying that is like saying I don't need air, you can't control these things… can you?" Seto leaned against one of the cool, smooth, rounded temple walls and groaned softly, his head really hurt and he longed to be back home, sitting with his computers.

Suddenly he looked up, he could feel something he closed his eyes and whispered "Nahkat?" his eyes opened and he got up, walking down a dank, dark corridor he followed the instinct, not questioning it. He walked for at least 20 minutes until he was out side, it was night time and the pale moon threw a sliver tint upon everything Seto looked around with arch blue eyes and noticed a figure, curled up in the sands, bleeding and still. The form looked as cold as the stones of the temple and as lifeless as the skulls of dried up animals that were scattered near the temple. Seto approached the body, already aware of who it was, he brushed back the blonde fringe and gasped "Nahkat?" he whispered before he shook his head and blinked, he then muttered "That… thing in my mind… possessed me?" he then looked down and picked Yami up "Yugi?" he shook him, he noticed that the smaller teen was still breathing, but barely.

Yami opened a single eye and looked at Seto "S-Seto?" he said, softly, his voice choked "S-so ….. it worked? … oh and… please… call me Yami.." he closed his eye again and hissed in pain, the wounds had not yet closed up and he was still losing blood because of that.

Seto blinked then said "Ok…. Yami…. But… what happened? You won right?"

Yami nodded slightly then whispered slowly "Seto? … I… I.." he then shook his head, frowning at himself, even now he couldn't tell Seto how he felt, why not he wondered? Was it because he was sure Seto would reject him? Was he that afraid of rejection?

Seto looked at Yami's face, he knew that he wanted to tell Yami, but he couldn't "… Let's get you patched up.." was all he could manage as he took Yami over to where he'd left his coat. He dug in one of the pockets and found a piece of cloth, he frowned "But… I don't have cloth in my pocket?" he muttered to himself.

Humph.. I knew he'd need it! said a voice from the shadows, Seto glared up instantly Oh and Seto? You really should tell him… he's .. probably not going to survive the next challenge.. well not like that at least!

Seto growled "Go away!" his ice blue eyes narrowed in to a dark icy glare, he tightened his grip on Yami and stood his ground, even though he knew the voice did not belong to anything remotely human.

Very well…… But tell him this, next he needs to head to an arena of bones, he'll know what I mean Then the presence faded once more.

Seto looked at Yami then began to patch up the deeper wounds, even though he could not treat all of them he could help Yami a little bit, which was better than nothing. He sighed to himself and whispered "Yami….. Dark……. I …." He sighed and looked away, there was no way in hell he could admit to it, not yet at least, he didn't want Yami to reject him. He couldn't deal with rejection very well………….

End of Chapter 20

Man oh man! I haven't finished and those two are going to get it on soon I'd wager! I need reviews if I'm gonna continue! So come on peeps, if I see no reviews then you see no more of this! ^_^ Me so evil!

Oh and to randomness fans! My randomness will return in a few weeks!! So just hold on! My exams are nearly up!!! ^_^ Wooohaaaaa I can't wait! ^.~

YYC: ^_^ Yeah! I now estimate about 5 more chappies to go!!

Yami: @_@ When will this end?

Seto: @_@ How do I feeeeel?

Yugi: . RESCUE ME!!

Y. Bakura: And hold me in your arms!

YYC & Yugi: O.O

Yami: @_@

Ciao

--YYC-- "I WILL RETURN TO MY WAYS SOOOOON ^_^"