Disclaimer: Just for the record, this was written quite some time ago, and the actual story events have changed slightly from what you see here. So if the trailer and the eventual fic have some inconsistancies, just ignore them. ^^0 Also, I don't own YGO, never will. That amazing creation is the result of the brilliant mind of Kazuki Takahashi.

A.N.: Sorry this has been taking me so long to get put together. I'm a stickler for making my fics as accurate as possible, so when it comes to doing a fic involving ancient Egypt, I end up with piles of research notes. The storyline is well underway, so as soon as I'm done sorting through the Papyrus of Ani (ie, the Book of the Dead) book I have, I'll be able to flesh out the story itself and start churning out chapters. In the meantime, please enjoy the little vid-style trailer I've set up for y'all.

And yes, Malik AND his yami are supposed to both be in there at the same time. And yes, Malik is the only hikari (light side) that will be appearing in this fic. Exactly why he exists in this time will be explained in the sequal, Royal Games. By the way, as soon as the Egyptian names are introduced, I stick to 'em. There's a list at the bottom, if you get confuzzled.

Odoriko no Hanshin-sama loosely translates as 'The King's Dancer', since the Egyptians considered the Pharaoh as a deity. Don't scream at me for my horrible Japanese, I've got selective hearing anyway. You can find a picture of Omorose here: www. deviantart. com / deviation / 4141205

I'll shut up now.

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TRAILER FOR ODORIKO NO HANSHIN-SAMA


[black screen]
[music start up; timpani drum rhythm joined by soft background music]
[narrator voice-over]

[words, white against a black background, pan slowly across the screen before it fades into scene.]

Once upon a time . . .

[scene: camera panning slowly across a desert landscape of sand and sky. A screech is heard, and a desert hawk flies in from the camera's right. Camera follows the bird and centers on a dune, a sandy-coloured point rising up from behind it as the camera moves forward.]

There was a place in ancient Egypt . . .

[brief flash and *dansh* sound as camera crests the dune, revealing a large white pyramid behind it, with the eye of Horus inscribed in gold on the top stone. Camera moves ahead of the hawk, up and over the top of the pyramid, revealing a bustling city behind it, with a large limestone palace as a backdrop. The noise of the crowds can be heard as a busy hum.]

Led by a kind and benevolent ruler . . .

[camera rapidly zooms in on the palace and slows down inside the main hall, moving forward at a decent pace. Servants can be seen rushing around guards and priests, some carrying trays of fruit and other food, some carrying other objects. Camera continues to move forward and reveal a kindly-looking Pharaoh on an ornate throne, surrounded by servants with large feather fans. He's playing with two young boys shrieking with laughter: a young Yami and another boy identical to him but with navy hair instead of crimson. A lightning flash and thunder roll changes the scene to black. Music ends with thunder; the only sound that of heavy rain.]

Until he was dethroned.

[scene cuts back in; music still held. Camera at ground level, in front of the blankly staring eyes of the Pharaoh sprawled on the pavement, rain running down his face. Another flash of lightning; a young cry is heard before the thunder rolls again.]

Child: PAPA!!!!!

Now with two heirs in line for the throne,

[strings start up with anticipatory music. Scene changes to show a young, tense Yami striding swiftly down a flight of stairs lit only by torches, an anxious look on his face. The navy-haired boy is following quickly behind and has a curious and worried expression on his face.]

Yami: *tense voice* We both have equal right to the throne and to power, but only one can rule. The first mistake either of us makes is going to be used by those fools as an excuse for exile. *hits the bottom of the stairs and slams open a door*

The court has been reduced to a lethal dance of power.

[scene change; music building. The navy-haired boy is talking and gesturing tersely to an angry and frightened Anzu. Camera zooms on his angry face.]

Boy: We can't do anything! The court is controlled by the nobles, who are controlled by the priests, who control us, until we come of age! We have no power.

For whoever controls the Pharaoh . . .

[scene change, music hitting speed crescendo. Scene changes three times, between a white-haired priest in ornate robes placing a chalice upon a shelf, a court official striding quickly down a hallway, and what appears to be Malik, looking over his shoulder at the camera with a deadly serious expression.]

Priest: The Pharaoh will be mine.

Official: The Pharaoh will be mine-!

Malik: The Pharaoh. Will be mine.

Controls Egypt.

[music stops; scene change to show two heavy stone doors closing with a slam. Carved in them is the eye of Horus. Cut to black.]

[scene reopens with the sound of doors slamming again, music starts soft building with violins.]

Now the fate of the Country of the Gods . . .

[the white-haired priest from before is seen placing a stick of incense in a hanging brazier and then kneeling before an altar, a wide-eyed Seto standing to the side and back a bit, watching.]

Priest: The Temple is the true power, Nizam. If the gods were not appeased by our offerings, they would have brought their wrath upon this land long ago.

Lies in the hands of eleven people:

[scene change: Junouchi and Honda are seen grabbing each other's fists in the traditional 'Let's do it!' fashion, both grinning wildly.]

Junouchi: Y'all ready for this??

A priest and his brother, bound by the laws of the Temple.

[scene change and split; in left half, Seto is seen turning to look at the camera from over his shoulder with a sullen expression. 'Nizam' is spelled on the screen underneath him. In the right half, Mokuba looks at the camera with a shocked expression; 'Adio' is spelled at the bottom of his screen. Scene change to show Nizam almost running down a dim hallway decorated in red, Adio tripping to catch up.]

Nizam: *terse voice* The Temple is the air you breathe, the food you eat. You obey the priests or you die.

A royal guard and his demon, plagued by thoughts of treason and chaos.

[change scene; split screen again. In left half is a grim Malik with his left side tilted towards the camera. It reads 'Madu' underneath. The right half of the screen shows a smirking Yami Malik. It reads 'Badru' underneath. Scene change to show Madu hitting a carpeted floor as if thrown, getting up on one elbow and rubbing at a bruise on his cheek. Badru smirks down at him.]

Madu: *hisses* It wasn't supposed to be this way.

Badru: Wasn't it? Well, it's too late now. *kneels down by a flinching Madu and whispers malevolently* Because now I make the rules.

A grave robber, haunted by the curse of a mortally offended god.

[scene change: full-screen shot of Yami Bakura glaring at the camera from beneath a deep hood. It reads 'Aswad' underneath. Scene change to Aswad in a black hooded robe, hurrying down a crowded market street. Camera view from behind a group of people watching him.]

Random citizen: *hushed voice* They say he was cursed by Anubis Himself and that death follows him like a shadow . . .

Three unseparable friends, whose loyalty to the royal family may prove to be their doom.

[scene change to show Junouchi, Anzu, and Honda as a group in a full screen. It reads 'Jumoke, Aziza, Bakari' underneath, respectively. Scene change to show Yami, Jumoke, and Aziza running down a narrow hallway, a door slowing dropping closed in front of them, a group of what appear to be guards behind them. Yami helps Aziza slide underneath the door as Jumoke grabs a battleaxe off of the wall and steps towards the guards to give Yami time to slip underneath. Yami reaches back under the door for Jumoke.]

Jumoke: *holding back a guard's sword with the battleaxe handle, glances back* Go on, go!!! Get outta here!!

Aziza: *horrified look, grabs Yami hand and pulls him after her just as the door slams down, leaving Jumoke trapped on the other side*

A pair of brothers, who may be torn apart by their right to the throne itself.

[scene change to a split screen. Left half shows a profile shot of Yami. It reads 'Ammon' underneath. Right half shows the navy-haired boy, who looks exactly like Ammon except for in colouring and height. It reads 'Jahi' underneath. Scene change; music starts to build second crescendo. Jahi is seen shoving a surprised Ammon back.]

Jahi: Stop thinking that just because you were born first it makes you so much better than me!!

And the dancing girl—

[scene change to show a beautiful young woman, obviously not Egyptian, standing in front of the Pharaoh's throne, sweeping the skirts of her dress as she bows.]

Woman: My name is Omorose, my Lord.

—who started it all.

[music stops; Omorose lifts her head with a smirk.]

Omorose: I live to serve.

[a moment of silence, then the impending whistle of a projectile and an explosion; music starts up again at third speed with the sound.]

Now they face the hardest battle of all;

[scene change to show an angry Nizam chasing Ammon down a hallway, arguing anxiously with him.]

Nizam: For the sake of Horus, listen to your brother! We can't win this. No one can!

For to save their people,

[scene change to show a young Temple orderly standing in front of a large crowd and shouting as the people cheer.]

Priest: One of the Pharaohs must go!!

Crowd: *cheers loudly*

Their land,

[scene change to show Ammon and Jahi on some sort of parapet. Ammon has one foot braced on a block of white stone, his arms folded on his knee as he stares out into the wind, over the desert.]

Ammon: Father loved this land. I gave him my word that I would protect it.

Their friends,

[scene change; camera view of Bakari, Jumoke and Aziza from inside a darkened building. The three are standing outside in a marketplace talking. Inside the building, Nizam stares wide-eyed at someone then glances out the window at the trio.]

Voice: Those three are in. Our. Way.

And their love,

[scene change to show Omorose slowly walking across a room, head down, her arms wrapped tightly around herself.]

Omorose: *soft voice* I . . . can only belong to the Pharaoh. *a shadow moves; she gasps and turns*

Ammon and Jahi will have to master a game . . .

[scene change to show Jahi and Ammon in a featureless landscape, looking at each other uncertainly. A rich, male voice speaks as they firmly grasp hands.]

Voice: This is it, this is all the chance you will have to regain your kingdom. But if you remain divided, you will fail.

Sent from the gods themselves.

[scene change; music stops. A horrified and shocked Ammon and Jahi can be seen gaping at something.]

Jahi: In the name of Osiris . . .

Ammon: *breathless whisper* It's the Shadow Games.

[cut to black with sound of a door slamming. New scene; music starts up again at fourth crescendo.]

And it's far, far more . . .

[ Jahi and Ammon can be seen running desperately down a dark hallway, gasping for air as a red glow grows behind them.]

Jahi: I thought it was supposed to listen to us!!

Ammon: Don't think, just run!!

Than just . . .

[scene change to show a side view of Aswad coming up next to Madu, who has his arms folded. Both are smirking.]

Aswad: Think we can use this to our advantage?

Madu: Oh, yes.

A game . . .

[scene change; the white-haired priest from before is seen striding down a hall, trailed by attendants.]

Priest: I don't care what you do or who dies. *stops and spins around, hissing* He must be taken care of!

Of cards.

[music abruptly stops; scene change to show Jumoke, Nizam, Aziza, and Adio hiding in a pitch black alcove. Aziza is holding Adio as Nizam tries to peer out. A bit of reddish light can be seen past the crumbling rock covering the opening.]

Jumoke: *terrified whisper* Is it gone?

Nizam: I think so. *leans out the opening a bit, then quickly draws his head back in as something big with a lot of teeth slams up against the opening. Someone screams*

[sudden change scene to show Omorose dropping down in front of the camera, smirking.]

Omorose: Boo.

[several quick flashes of various scenes, then music starts again; change scene to black screen.]

Odoriko no Hanshin-sama: the Dance of Kings. Coming early this fall to ff.net.

[gold letters spell out the title. Black background begins to turn crimson and drip bright red from the top as the letters turn a tarnished bronze.]

Court intrigue has never been so deadly.

[banging noise as scene changes to show Omorose standing in an ornate room, wiping off her hands with a silk scarf, looking over her shoulder at the camera.]

Omorose: I don't even need to divine for this. None of us are leaving here alive.

[she throws the scarf in a woven basket; scene cut to black with final bang.]

º-----º

Name changes*:

original name -- Egyptian name (name meaning)

Seto Kaiba -- Nizam (disciplined)
Mokuba Kaiba -- Adio (righteous)
Yami Yuugi -- Ammon (hidden; also the name for the god of nations or unified countries)
Junouchi Katsuya / Joey Wheeler -- Jumoke (loved by all)
Honda / Tristan Taylor -- Bakari (noble oath)
Anzu Masaki / Téa Gardner -- Aziza (precious)
Malik Ishtar / Merrick -- Madu (of the people)
Yami Malik -- Badru (born during a full moon)
Yami Bakura -- Aswad (black)

Other names:
Omorose (beautiful)
Jahi (dignified)

*These are all authentic Egyptian names, last time I checked. My choice of these names for these characters is mine only. Ask me if you wanna use 'em. Jahi and Omorose are mine entirely. No touching.