Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh. I only own the idea for this story and a bit of the plot. The other part of the plot belongs to the Yugioh show as well. Don't we make a perfect partnership? j/k
AnimeFan: Yeah! I. Have. REVIEWS!!! I'll never get tired of reviews. They just make you feel all warm inside. ^_^ I'm really glad this story is coming out. I had the idea in my head for some time and after a while I just had to type it. Ok, now for answers to my reviewers!!
Silver Mist4-Cool, I make my fic "come alive." When the characters knock at my door and ask for a cup of sugar I'll send you an e-mail. Lol. I was kidding there, I hope it didn't come off as mean. Yes; Setna or Kaito is Seto, Kale is actually Bakura but also Ryou since they were the same person in Egypt, Jono is our puppy dog Joey, and Pharaoh Yagami is Yami. Here's a Egyptian Chibi Seto doll to keep you busy till I update!! (throws her a Egyptian Chibi Seto doll)
ssjmiraitrks- Yeah, poor Seto. Every time I try to do stories like this somehow Seto always ends up being raped in the past or something. Yami isn't going to show his princly but till the fourth or fifth chapter. All depends on how I type the fourth chapter. Here's an Egyptian Chibi Seto doll for you to. (throws her one as well)
Jadej.j-Awe, short but sweat review. Here ya a Egyptian Chibi Seto doll! (throws yet another doll and wonders where she found all of them)
Allya- Glad you loved the rumors about the Lower Egyptain Pharaoh Yagami. Hee hee. I'll update Angel of Mine soon, probably already have by the time I've posted this. (tosses an Egyptain Chibi Seto doll to her)
Promise- I like your penname! Really! ^^ Thanks, I like reviews like this. I like all reviews in fact! And thanks for having some interest in my art. (throws her a Egyptain Chibi Seto doll)
Mercury Angel- Thanks! I'm glad is was a good intro to the story. Here's you an Egyptain Chibi Seto doll to cuddle. (tosses another Egyptain Chibi Seto doll)
DarkFoxy-Yeah! You like my ficcy ideas! ^^ In truth, I normally get my ideas from a story or show I see. Then again, sometimes it just pops up in my head and won't leave me alone. (gives her a Egyptain Chibi Seto doll too)
Kael Kalesepel- Well, so you won't have to wait any longer, here's the next chapter! And a Egyptain Chibi Seto doll to keep you company as you read it! ^^ (Gives her a Egyptain Chibi Seto doll and silently wonders where she got the money for all these dolls)
Aiko-Just ask and you shall recieve, here's the next chapter! ^^ (hands her a Egyptain Chibi Seto doll)
Callisto Firestarter-Gah! I've gotten so many reviews for my first chapter. That's a record!! Oo Here you a Egyptain Chibi Seto doll since I know you love Seto-chan...RIGHT! ^^ (Stuffs the doll into her arms)
Chibi Seto- Hey Chibi Seto. Glad your loving the story! About Six Petals, I'm at a loss for that story. I really actually have given up on it. Though I'm considering the idea of taking it down, rewriting it, and reposting. Here's a Egyptain Chibi Seto doll for you! (tosses her last Egyptain Chibi Seto doll)
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Chapter Two: The One Called Jono
Get up you worthless slave! Honestly, you act as if you've never done an ounce of labor in your life!! The guard yelled down and lashed the whip.
Setna groaned and bit his lip, forcing himself to stand up and continue delivering water. After three months of work he was able to fair pretty well and collapsed less, but there was still that time at the end of the day where his muscles would give out. Stopping at the water grounds, he rested the buckets on the dirt and wiped the sweat from his brows. One of the guards blew a horn and the slaves stopped their work to come and drink from the buckets of water that Setna had brought for them.
The boy would stand and give each slave their drink of water, gaining smiles and thanks from the hard worn men and women. Though he would probably never look at water the same way again, Setna was getting used to his new life. It was hard work with a lot of pain and misery in it but that was worth it all when he could bring those brief smiles from the others, when they would sit around the hearth in the slave quarters and talk about good things. Setna had always thought that slaves were just underlings without feelings, but living with them and being a part of that life had taught him just how human they were. He was determined to free as many of the slaves as he could when he became the Pharaoh of Upper Egypt. They were the god's children too, and deserved to be treated fairly as well.
When each slave had finished their drink, Setna gave the extra water to the youngest and oldest for they needed it the most. Then he collected as many of the buckets as he could and carried them all back to the well. It was on his way back that he came upon a scene that would not only change his life, but quite possibly the future of the world. Near the almost completed temple stood three men dressed like soldiers. But one of them caught Setna's attention. He stood in the middle of the other two men, hair like gold and armored far more impressively then any of the other soldiers. He was making gestures towards the temple with his hands and seemed to be saying something to the other two men, who were nodding and putting in their own words.
Keep moving, boy!! The guard shouted at him, but he continued to stand there and watch.
Something inside of him told him to, like he could sense something was about to happen. Suddenly a guard nearby struck one of the slaves hard, knocking him off the ledge he had been standing on to carve hieroglyphs into the temple's outside pillars. The slave fell hard into a statue of Anubis, then toppled onto the ground just below the statue. The flaxen-haired soldier Setna had been looking at a moment ago rushed to the slave's side, kneeling to check his pulse. This shocked the young prince greatly for it was the first time he had seen one of these soldiers actually show concern for a slave.
The blonde man continued to kneel but pointed to the guard and shouted something, causing some other soldiers to rush over and restrain the guard. But the guard seemed mortified by this, struggling against the soldiers hold. He continued to struggle hard and successfully knocked one of the two soldiers off of him. The soldier fell backwards and smacked hard into Anubis' statue. That statue obviously hadn't been secured and had been knocked one to many times, because right there in front of all the spectators the statue rocked then toppled down. Down onto the blonde who knelt over the slave. Setna watched horrified as the man got a bit away before the statue crushed him into the sand.
Soldiers and guards starting shouting and running to the statue, straining to lift it off the blonde man. Slaves also dropped what they were doing and joined in to help. Setna dropped his buckets and ran down into the commotion followed by his guard who didn't seem to mind his disobedience. Shouts, cries, and yells were everywhere as people struggled to move the statue.
Finally with all the effort, Setna watched them all managed to roll the statue off the man. Immediately the guards starting herding people back while two soldiers knelt by the blonde's side.
Call the healers!! The Captain needs medical attention, now!!!!
Through all the chaos, only Setna looked to have heard this because no one made a move to get any healers. He could see through all the legs, the blonde lying halfway into the sand clutching his stomach where Anubis' nose has pierced straight in. It looked bad from where the prince was, and if a healer didn't get here right this minute he'd die. Setna recalled how the blonde had rushed to the slave's side, how he had ordered his soldiers to restrain the guard that had killed the slave. In all three months of his stay, he had never seen someone like this man. He was a good person, Setna could feel it deep down, and good people shouldn't have to die.
Seeing no one come to help, Setna shoved through the legs and ran past the outstretched hands of the guards to the blonde's side. Not waiting for a soldier or guard to grab and pull him away, he placed his palm over the wound and his other hand on top of that hand. Closing his eyes and shutting out all the noise, he concentrated on centering the magic born in his blood to his hands. He began to chant an advanced healing spell he had learned long ago, speaking each word with as much emphasis and power as he could. Please, oh mighty Set and Anubis. Don't let this one die just yet, he's good. The bad people should die, not the good. Let him live. Setna continued to chant out loud and pray inwardly, vaguely aware of the fact that everyone around him had stopped shouting to watch as the little water boy struggled to slave the blonde soldier.
The wound stopped bleeding, the skin slowly growing back. Gradually the wound vanished to leave nothing more then a bruised region of the blonde's stomach, and Setna stopped chanting only after the man let out a gasp and started breathing normally again. Sitting back and resting his hands in his lap, Setna locked eyes with the blonde who just stared back at him in amazement.
I...I don't believe it! The water boy healed the captain, with a spell only a healer who has studied for seven or more years can wield so effortlessly!! Shouted one of the soldiers in disbelief.
Whispers and murmuring started up between all the slaves and guards, all eyes on the brown haired boy with pale, dirt smeared skin. After what seemed like forever the guards started ordering everyone back to work. Setna gave the blonde a small grin, standing up to return to his own work. He was aware of the man's golden brown eyes on his back as he walked away, but did not look back at him. He didn't need a thank you or anything, he had merely directed the power the god's had given him into the man. That's all a magic wielder really was, a vessel through which the gods may effect the world. He hadn't saved the blonde, it had been Anubis, god of death, who had decided the blonde would live. That's what Setna had always told himself and believed, because it was mages who believed otherwise that thought they were better then anyone else.
The few hours of light left were spent on returning the buckets to the well and eating his dinner the guard brought him. For some reason, the man insisted that Setna relax and eat a bit more of the food then what he normally would of been allowed too. After a while of this nice treatment, the boy decided to risk asking the guard something he had been wondering about.
Who was that man, sir? The one with the blonde hair and fancy armor?
The guard looked at him, but didn't strike or yell at him for once, The man you saved was a very important person. He was the Captain of the Royal Guard, Chief Militarialist, and the best friend of our Pharaoh.
Setna blinked but nodded and went back to eating his chunk of bread, Oh...What will happen to the guard that killed that slave?
He'll be stripped of his duties and locked up in the dungeons till a punishment is decided by our Pharaoh. We buy and work slaves, but when our Pharaoh took his father's place he lessened the workload and ordered more proper treatment for the slaves. Before the captain and our Pharaoh, you slaves would be forced to work nonstop without break, food, or water till the end of the day. Then the food and water would be stale and disease infested. That and a guard could kill a slave at his own free desire, without fear of punishment.
Setna looked up at his guard in awe. Was the man telling the truth? After everything he had heard about the Pharaoh of Lower Egypt, he hadn't expected to hear such a merciful act made by this blood-bathed king. He didn't ask anymore questions of the guard, and finished his meal quietly. So many different things were happening around him, he was learning about stuff that he would have remained naive of back home and experiencing things never before experienced by a prince.
As he washed out his plate and cup, a soldier arrived and started talking with Setna's guard. He strained to hear what they were saying, but only caught a few hushed words. The two then stopped and his guard walked over to him, wearing for the first time a pleased but worried smile.
You have been summoned to the palace, water boy. The soldier here is to take you to the Captain's chamber room.
Setna gulped and stared back up at his guard in fear. He was to go to the blonde man's bedroom? Back home in Higher Egypt that always meant the person had taken an interest in the slave and wished to have that slave for a bit of pleasure that night. Was the blonde man going to make him have sex with him? Setna nodded and obediently followed the soldier, staring down at the other's armored feet with fearful thoughts popping up in his head. Maybe the blonde man would be easy and gentle with him since he saved his life? He didn't really care, he was scared of sex having been forced to do it with his father his whole life. It was something that always hurt a lot. Something really bad. Why grown-ups did it so much was beyond the young prince. He certainly never wanted to experience sex again.
We're here. Go in and don't touch anything, The soldier instructed him and opened the door so Setna could enter.
Shaking fearfully, he obediently entered a nicely lavished room. There was a big bed to the far north wall that was covered in silken sheets and pillows that were scattered about in a mess. More silk pillows were set about near the southeast end of the room next to the giant carved arches on the east wall that opened the room up to the outside world and allowed the sun to shine into the room in the morning. Scrolls, papyrus, and quills littered a desk to the left of where Setna stood in the doorway and a chest was against the wall to his right. For a Captain of the Royal Guard and friend of the Pharaoh, the blonde wasn't a very tidy person.
Setna jumped a bit when the door behind him closed, then just stood there and continued to look around him at his surroundings. After a while, he walked over to the big arch windows and looked out, finding a great view of the palace gardens below and the city beyond the palace walls. He looked down at the garden, fascinated with the sight of so much green below his very nose. Palace maids were down in the garden, washing clothing in the river that flowed into and out of the palace walls. They were all very pretty with their white silk robes, golden arm and ankles bracelets, ebony colored hair, and tan skin.
Setna suddenly realized how much he stood out in Lower Egypt. The Higher Kingdom that he had lived his whole life in had been built into the side of the canyon in which the Nile had carved into. Thus the sun shone down only in the morning and the rest of the time his kingdom was covered in shadows. This caused its people to be pale skinned and light haired. But the Lower Kingdom had been built smack dab on the sand next to the Nile, vulnerable to the sun from morning to dusk. Thus the people all seemed darker haired and tan. Not that he was still as pale as he had been before arriving here! After three months of working under the sun, Setna's skin had tanned a bit to a light golden hue but it was still nothing compared to the residence of Lower Egypt who had lived under the sun their whole life.
Then again, the blonde haired man he had saved was different to. His hair was golden, not like the black or dark brown of everyone else and his skin was fairly light like Seto's. The Captain was different, more then in just personality and heart. The door to the chamber room opened and Setna came out of his thoughts and turned to look at the blonde who had entered. Then remembering his manners as a slave, he looked down at his feet and shivered in slight fear. The man shrugged off his armor so that only his normal clothes remained and then walked over to Setna, reaching down and lifted the boy's chin so they were eye to eye.
"What's your name, kid?" The blonde asked with an accent Setna had never heard before.
Surprised, he obediently answered, "S-Setna..."
The blonde smiled approvingly and released his chin, taking a seat on the edge of the bed, "Well, Setna. I'm Jonouchi, but I prefer just being called Jono. What's the matter, you scared?"
"Please don't hurt me or make me have sex!!!" Setna blurted out, then covered his mouth and stared at Jono in fear.
Jono blinked at this, but didn't get mad. Instead he chuckled and leaned back a bit, "Don't worry, Setna. I don't plan on making you do anything you don't want to."
Setna lowered his hands and gave the blonde a cautious look, "R-Really?"
"Promise. You're not a normal slave, you know? Not a normal kid for that manner, either. How old are you?"
"Twelve...How old are you?" Setna immediately smacked himself mentally. Now he was gonna get it.
Jono looked a little shocked, but laughed out with amusement, "Really? Wow. No one ever asks me that anymore. Let's see, I'm sixteen right now. But tomorrow I'll be seventeen."
Setna stared with amazement at the blonde, "Seventeen!!! You don't act seventeen! I thought you were at least thirty or something!!"
This made Jono laugh out some more, "I act older then I am? What about you! Geez, kid. Anyway, where'd a youth like you learn to use such advanced magic?"
Setna's smile vanished and was replaced by a nervous frown, "I...taught myself. I had to know...how to heal my wounds up."
Jono quit smiling and frowned as well, "Has something to do with you beggin me not to make you have sex, eh? Bet that's it. Don't worry, though. I'll make sure no one hurts you again."
Setna looked up and met the softened eyes of Jono, who was giving him a caring smile. Setna smiled back shyly, finally allowing himself to relax. He had been right about this one, Jono was a good person. Suddenly Jono stood up and walked over to Setna, beginning to pull the boy's clothes off. Setna immediately panicked, wondering if it had all been a scam to get him to drop his guard.
"Relax!! Relax, I told you I'm not making you do something you don't want to. But if you're gonna live in the palace with me, you shouldn't have to walk around in those rags!" Jono assured him.
Setna stopped struggling and looked up into the other's comforting gaze. Did he just say that he was going to live in the palace with him? What??? Jono took what was left of Setna's clothes and threw them into a basket to be trashed, walking over to the chest Setna had seen earlier and digging out a tunic. The tunic was just like the one Jono was wearing currently. It had a v-style collar with a zigzag design around the collar and the bottom of the tunic, the rest just being a plain cream color. Well, the tunic wasn't the smallest Jono had so when he put it over Setna's head it slipped to nestle on his shoulders, but it was so long that he now looked like he was wearing a dress instead of a tunic. Jono then grabbed a sash from in the chest, tying it around Setna's waist then stepping back to look the boy up and down. Setna quirked an eyebrow, causing Jono to burst into a mad fit of giggles.
"Well, it'll do for now," Jono finally said after he was done laughing. "Come on, let's get some sleep."
Jono motioned to the bed and Setna just sort of looked at it, then at the blonde. When he gestured again and gave the boy a reassuring smile, Setna squealed happily and ran over to jump into the bed. He snuggled under the covers, almost having completely forgotten what a nice bed felt like and smiled up at Jono. The blonde just rolled his eyes and got in the bed on his side, resting his head down in the pillow with his back turned to Setna. After the prince was sure Jono wouldn't pull anything he allowed himself to sink into the silk blankets and pillow, dosing into a nice dream that had kuribohs and chocolate-filled pastries in it.
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AnimeFan: Yeah, chapter two is done and over with. ^_^ And Joey's past self, Jono, has made his appearance in the story. Next chapter we have some more moments between Jono and Setna the first appearance of a sennan (millennium) item, plus we get deeper into the plot. Muahahahaha...