Finally updated. Thank you all for waiting ^^ I'm sorry that it took so long. Real life came up and bit me in the ass, plus I have a bunch of fics that need updating XP.
I hope I still have readers.
I still don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Though I do own Nabooru and Hondo to an extent.
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"You sure that Hondo will be okay while we're out," Bakura asked, carrying some food in his arms, with Abayomi beside him, carrying some clothes.
"Yeah, Nabby-chan's there after all," Abayomi nodded, pausing for a moment, to gather up the clothes in his arms, "are you sure you're going to be okay living with us?"
"Yeah, it's better then living on the streets," Bakura assured, "besides, you guys will need some help raising the kid, will you not?"
Abayomi nodded. "I suppose you're right," he said, pausing in gathering a loose piece of fabric more firmly in his arms again.
"Need some help there 'Yomi?" Bakura grinned mockingly.
Abayomi shook his head stubbornly. "I'm fine!" he said. Bakura raised an eyebrow, and grinned slightly.
They reached Abayomi's house, Bakura pushing it open with his back. "Nabooru, we're back," he called into the house. He smiled at Abayomi who was facing him, and inside the house, but the grin fell from his face when he looked upon the expression on Abayomi's.
He whirled around to look inside, to see Nabooru there, holding a dagger against her neck. Tears were running down her face.
"Nabby-chan!!" Abayomi cried, dropping Bakura's clothes. He ran inside, and tackled Nabooru just as she was about to run the knife across her neck. The dagger skittered across the room.
Nabooru watched it skid just out of her reach in distress. "What do you think you're doing Abayomi?!" She yelled, pushing her adopted brother off of her.
"What am I doing?" Abayomi growled. "What the hell are you doing?"
"I'm joining -" Nabooru fought back a sob. "I'm joining mother."
Abayomi's eyes quivered. "I - You can't - I need you! You can't just leave me!" he yelled. Nabooru looked unconvinced. "What about Anuba?!"
Nabooru bit her lip. "I - I just want to see mama again..."
Abayomi narrowed his eyes. "And just leave everyone who cares about you?!"
Her face clouded. "What do you know!?" She yelled. "No one cares about me but mama! And now she's gone! If she can leave why can't I? You don't know that kind of pain I'm feeling! You never loved mama like I did!!"
Abayomi lowed his head, casting a shadow over his eyes. He stood up, and snatched that dagger which Bakura had picked up out of his hands. He threw it at Nabooru, it landing point down at her feet. "Fine then. If no one cares about you, just do it," he hissed, "what do I know? It's not like I loved Eshe anyway, right? It's not like she loved me at all huh? No one loves me, isn't that right?" his voice was shaking slightly. "But, I'm not going to be there to comfort Anuba. After all, what do I know about anything? Right?" He paused and waited for Nabooru to answer. She kept staring at him, unsure of how to react. "Right?!?!" He brought his head up, to reveal to her the stinging tears that were prickling at his eyes. He turned on his heel, and retreated to his new room, Nabooru's former one.
Bakura looked from her to him, and then followed him into his room.
Nabooru stared at the blade by her feet, and picked it up in both her hands. She hunched over, and began crying.
+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+
Abayomi and Bakura ran down the street as fast as the could, their feet carrying them like the wind. Behind them, a fattened shop keeper was wobbling after them, screaming "Stop thieves!"
The citizens watched them run, following them with their eyes, but made no move to stop them.
Abayomi and Bakura skidded around the corner, Abayomi having to touch the ground in order to stay balanced.
The shop keeper kept running after him, not seeing the boy who had a book in hand, and was now walking into the street when the shop keeper was running. The shop keeper plowed into the boy, sending them both flying forward, the shop keeper on his pompous stomach, the boy on his side.
"Watch it!" They both yelled at eachother. The boy stood up, and began brushing himself off. "Dammit! You made me loose my place!" he hissed, skimming over the book.
The merchant looked over the boys shoulder, looking into the book, and the boy prayed that he couldn't read. All that was written on the page, after all, were random names, and places that sold the best food, clothing and jewels.
"I'm sorry sir!" The merchant said, looking the boy over. He was dressed in expensive clothing, which looked like it had come from the palace, and he was reading a real book, with actual letters on it. "I didn't realize that you were there, I was, actually, chasing after a pair of thieves. They had taken some of my best food and -"
"Does it look like I care?" The boy interrupted haughtily. "You just better hope that my clothes aren't ruined, or else I'll be sending some of the palace guards after you. You understand me?"
The shop keeper nodded, breaking into a sweat. "I'm truly sorry sir," he said, bowing a hundred times over.
"Get back to your shop, scum," the boy spat, and the merchant bowed once again, and took of towards his shop.
The boy went in the same direction that the 'thieves' had gone, and after a few turns, he found them lounging at the bed of the Nile river.
"That really hurt, you know?" he complained to them, flopping down beside Abayomi. "You couldn't've picked a skinnier guy to thieve from, could you?"
"Jonouchi, Jonouchi," Bakura tsked, "how many times do I have to tell you? We don't thieve, we simply borrow without permission."
"With no intention of giving back," Abayomi added, grinning widely, then taking a bite out of one of the dessert fruits that had grabbed.
Jonouchi reached over Abayomi, and grabbed a slice of jerky. "I know, I know. You guys tell me every time. And I suppose I better start listening if I'm going to join you two, huh?"
Abayomi and Bakura grinned at him matching smiles. "You guys really need to spend more time apart. You're becoming creepy-similar," Jonouchi muttered darkly, ripping off a bite of the jerky.
Bakura looked ready to reply, when a little boy with shoulder length, dark brown hair came running up to them full speed. He fell to his knees, and skidded in between Abayomi and Bakura.
"Hello!!" he grinned, and, upon seeing the food that he had stopped infront of, he grabbed a slice of nearly raw meat.
"Yummy!" He explained, bitting down. He bit down on empty air however, and looked over and saw Bakura holding the meat in between his hands.
"This is mine twerp," he growled, and tore a chunk out of it. Abayomi and Jonouchi both gave him looks that clearly stated they were used to it, but it still grossed them out. The boy gave him a pouting look.
"I told you you should've taught Hondo your eating habits, 'Kura," Abayomi grinned, then fell onto his back.
"What do you know?" Bakura snapped at Abayomi, licking a droplet of blood from his lips.
"I know that Hondo just took two more slabs of your meat," Abayomi answered, grinning when Bakura turned to see Hondo nibbling on one of them, with the other in his lap.
"Hondo!!" Bakura whined loudly. Abayomi and Jonouchi laughed.
"What are you doing here, kid?" Abayomi asked, looking at the boy who still was nibbling on his meat, but the other slab of it had been taken back by Bakura.
"Nabby-chan wants you and 'Kura back home," Hondo piped. "She told me to come find you."
"You found us," Abayomi said. "Tell her we'll be home later tonight."
"Like, after we go to the bar and get free alcohol," Bakura added.
Hondo pouted. "She said that she didn't want you two to go there. Especially not you Abby-kun. She says that she doesn't feel right having Nanu buying you alcohol."
"But Nanu wants to buy me alcohol. Besides, I get her stuff too. Just the other day I got her an whole new outfit, with brand new earrings."
"Yeah, but you didn't spend any money on that!" Hondo cried.
"She doesn't know that..." Abayomi muttered.
"Abby-kun! Please just come home? Nabooru is going to make a really good meal, and Anuba is coming, and she said that you could invite Nanu if you wanted."
"Nabooru cooking?" Bakura pipped up. "Now I really don't want to go home."
Hondo stuck his lower lip out more, and it began to quiver. "I'll cry if you don't go home..."
Abayomi and Bakura exchanged looks. One of the most annoying things in the world was having the five year old bawling.
"You guys can go," Jonouchi sighed. "I guess I'll have to get drunk all on my lonesome," he actually sounded hurt.
"Well, if Abayomi gets to bring a date, I'm sure I can. Jonouchi, you're coming with me," Bakura said, smiling, as though he was doing a favor for the other guy, though the glint behind his eyes said 'if we're going to get poisoned, you're coming with us.'
"Yeah! It'll be fun!" Hondo exclaimed, and Jonouchi knew there was no getting out of it now.
"I'll be right there, I just need to go tell Nanu," Abayomi said, being the first out of the four to stand up.
Jonouchi and Bakura both stood up also, looking as though they were ready to go on trial, knowing there was no way they'd be proved innocent.
Honda jumped up, looking as though this were the happiest day of his life (of course, he always looked like that). He took Bakura and Jonouchi's hands in his, and then began walking towards his house.
Abayomi watched them for a while, then set off for Nanu's house. He smiled when he got to her house, seeing her sitting outside, almost as though she was waiting for him.
"Greetings, Nanu," he smiled, bowing with a flourish.
She giggled. "Hello Abayomi."
"Hey, Nabooru is making supper tonight, and I was just wondering if maybe you would like to come?"
Nanu's face lit up. "Of course I would. I'll go ask my parents, and then I'll get changed."
Abayomi grinned, and watched her disappear into her house. He heard her arguing with her parents a little bit, they still didn't like him, and then a few minutes later, she came out wearing the outfit he had gotten her the other day.
He smiled, and they walked off towards his house. "Did I tell you how much I love this outfit?" Nanu asked, spinning around. She fell, however, and Abayomi was forced to catch her.
"Yes you have," Abayomi smiled, setting her upright.
"I'm so clumsy," Nanu said quietly, blushing and looking at that ground.
"Not at all," Abayomi grinned. Nanu looked up at him, looking positively thrilled that he had comforted her.
That was, until, she tripped on a branch and face planted into the ground, as if to impugn Abayomi's previous statement.
He laughed slightly, then helped her to her feet, smiling. "Well, maybe I shouldn't say not at all... just... not completely," he corrected himself.
She laughed also. Soon enough, they found themselves in front of his house. He smiled, and together they walked in.
Bakura was already poking a cooked meat, muttering curses darkly.
Anuba was watching him, looking mildly amused, putting pieces of food in his mouth now and then. Jonouchi was scarfing down his food greedily, saying praises as he ate. Hondo was watching Bakura, while Nabooru was making yet more food.
She put Honda's food in front of him, and he looked at Bakura, before poking his own meat and muttering the very same curses, drawing very amused looks from everyone who was in the room.
Abayomi kneeled beside him. "You know, Hondo, you shouldn't be saying those words," he grinned.
Hondo stuck his tongue out at Abayomi, who smirked, and grabbed his tongue.
"You shouldn't stick your tongue out at the king, you know?" Abayomi said mockingly, "you might get it cut off."
Both Nabooru and Anuba froze, and stared at him. The continued staring when his too-serious face broke into a wide grin, and he patted Hondo on the head.
"What do you mean by that?" Nabooru asked, placing some more food on the table.
"Don't you know?" Abayomi started, but was interrupted by both Bakura and Jonouchi.
"He's the Game King!" they said in unison, sounding as though they had heard it far to many times. In fact, they had.
Anuba and Nabooru both relaxed. Nanu giggled a little bit, then sat beside Hondo. Abayomi smiled and joined her, and the two of them began eating. Well, Abayomi began eating, Nanu just sort of, picked at her food.
Abayomi eyed her a little, before stuffing a chunk of meat in his mouth. "Are you not hungry?" he asked her, "I'd hate to admit it, but the food isn't completely horrible," he was promptly whacked over the back of the head by Nabooru.
"No, I'm not really that hungry," she smiled softly.
"Why not? You just a bone lady," Hondo laughed, poking her in the side.
She smiled softly. "I ate just before I got the invitation," Nanu admitted somewhat sheepishly, before looking back at her food and picking at it again.
Abayomi nodded, accepting this excuse, and began eating his own food once again, grinning slightly at the look of disgust that had crossed Anuba's face when he saw Bakura gouging himself on his food.
"Well, good-bye everyone," Nanu smiled, as she stood up, her food scarcely touched. "Thank you for having me over."
Nabooru smiled and nodded. "Thank you for coming. I'm sorry that you didn't enjoy the food that much."
Nanu shook her head. "No, it was good, it's just that I had already eaten and I wasn't that hungry. Maybe next time."
Abayomi stuffed a bit more meat in his mouth before getting up and walking to Nanu. "I'm gonna walk her home, okay?" he told his friends, then the both of them walked out the door. Abayomi tried hard not to blush when Bakura's voice followed them out the door.
"Don't stay out too late kids!" he called out, just like a parent. "And have fun!" Then he laughed. "But not too much fun. I don't think we can feed another kid!"
Abayomi was at least comforted in knowing that Nanu was as red as he probably was.
"Thank you again for tonight," Nanu smiled at him, when they had reached her house. Abayomi smiled sheepishly.
"It was my pleasure to have you over, really," he grinned.
"Well, it beats the bar any day," she smiled then kissed him on the cheek, making him blush again. He was happy that it was at least dark out now.
He hugged her. "I'll see you tomorrow?" he asked.
She grinned. "You can count on it," and then she went inside her house. He smiled, and practically skipped back home. He couldn't wait to talk to Mahado the next day.
"Hn?" Abayomi rolled over, facing the sweet darkness, blocking the blinding hot sunlight from beating down on his thin eyelids.
"Abayomi, time to get up!" he heard a voice cry exasperated, where his back was now facing.
"I dun wanna!" he moaned, burying his face in his arm. He gasped in pain when he felt someone's toe dig into the small of his back.
"Ow!" Abayomi screamed, jumping up. He glared at his white haired friend. "Bakura!"
"It's time to get up, 'Yomi," he smirked. "Did you have a long night with Nanu last night?"
Abayomi smiled sheepishly. He had originally been planning on coming home right after he had dropped Nanu off, but had instead decided on heading to the Bar-Rukada's Inn, and got a few beers ((A/N: yes, they drank beer back then (at least in the Roman times and the Dark Ages...)XD I learned that in Social Studies last year **Shudders** Evil Social...)).
Bakura grinned back. "Come on, we got chores to do, then we have to take Hondo shopping."
"Can't Hondo do my chores today?" Abayomi complained, getting up to begin making the sticky, floury, substance that would keep his hair up.
Bakura tsked. "You know very well he can't do them, because he doesn't have the muscle power yet. Otherwise I would've made him do both of our chores."
Abayomi grunted, studied his hair in a pool of water then exited his room with Bakura. "What does Slave Driver Nabooru have planned for us today?" he muttered, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"Well, we need to feed your stupid horse, and then we need to get her a block of stone or something from the market, because she wants to start sculpting," he grinned at Abayomi, "I don't see why she doesn't get it herself."
Abayomi grinned back, "because she's a lazy old bag, that's why," he smirked "You should know that by now."
Bakura laughed. "And then we need to take Hondo shopping..." Bakura sighed.
"With money?" Abayomi asked. Bakura nodded, and Abayomi sighed.
Abayomi walked outside, Bakura accompanying him, after grabbing some food for his horse. He saw him (the horse) outside, tied to a post that he had Bakura had put up about four years ago, and smiled, then began stroking his velvety muzzle.
He put the food under the horses muzzle, after flattening his hand. He had learned early in his ownership of Chafulumisa, that if he didn't flatten his hand, he would bite him.
Abayomi giggled slightly as the horses whiskers brushed against his hand, and after eating quite messily, Chafulumisa finished his meal. Abayomi gave his horse one last stroke, before going back within his home.
He knocked on Nabooru's door. It was more of a formality than anything else, because instead of waiting for her to say anything, he walked into her room.
He flung himself on his stomach by her and Hondo, and grinned up at her. "What kinda stone do you want, master?" he questioned, rolling over when Hondo climbed onto his back.
"Shut it, Aby-chan,"she growled.
"No stone?" he asked, then made to get up. "If you say so."
"Abayomi Ishaq!" She called. He winced. She never called him by his full name. "Quit being such an idiot."
Abayomi sighed heavily, before sitting back down, and looking at her. "Well...?"
"Just pick one that's fairly big," she finally sighed. "And I suggest that you take your horse. You and Bakura won't be able to carry it."
Abayomi walked out of the house, muttering something about his adopted sister, before finding Bakura, who was waiting for him in the shade.
"Shall we go?" He asked, untying Chafulumisa. Bakura nodded, and Abayomi swung onto his horses back like a pro.
"Why do you get to ride?" Bakura complained, smiling a little.
"Because Chafulumisa doesn't like you," Abayomi joked in good-nature. "Besides, we need to carry the stuff on him, and he doesn't like not being ridden when we walk."
The market was filled with people buying stuff when they got there, the shop-keepers grinning merrily.
"Hello, Abayomi-san!" A voice cried out as golden hair appeared in front of his horse. Chafulumisa shied a little.
"Mana! Hi," Abayomi grinned, sliding off his horse. "How's becoming a priestess going for you?"
"Boring," Mana smiled. "You're so lucky that you're just a commoner." She smiled.
"Is Mahado here?" he asked. "Or are you skipping class again?"
She shook her head. "No, Teacher-sama is here. He decided to take me out into the village today. He's getting something from one of those creepy shops." Mana stuck out her tongue. "What are you doing here?"
Bakura glared at her slightly, walking towards one of the stands. "I'll go get some of the stuff," he said as an excuse, before getting lost within the mass of bodies.
Abayomi blinked, then rubbed the back of his head. It amazed him how cold Bakura got when one of the priests were around.
"Bakura and I are just going shopping," Abayomi explained. "Nabooru is taking up another hobby and wants us to get some supplies."
Mana laughed slightly. "Want me to come shopping with you?" Mana asked. "Teacher-sama will find me when he's done whatever it is he's doing," she smiled.
Abayomi looked off in the direction that Bakura headed, before biting his lip. "I guess. But only for a little while," he said.
"Great," Mana smiled, and the two of them and his horse walked through the market.
It was only a little while later when Mahado found them. "Mana, it's time to go back to the palace," he said, holding a pouch of something in his hand.
"Hello, Mahado," Abayomi smiled.
Mahado smiled back at him. "Hello, 'Yomi."
"What have you got there?" Maha asked, pointing to the pouch.
Mahado smiled. "Haven't looked. Akunadin-sama just asked me to pick it up for him."
Abayomi looked around, before catching a glimpse of Bakura's silvery hair. "Well, you two should get back to the palace," he grinned. "I've got to finish shopping."
"See you around, 'Yomi," Mahado grinned, while he and Abayomi embraced.
"Yeah, bye Abayomi-san," Mana smiled, before her and Abayomi hugged as well.
Abayomi ran down the streets, leading Chafulumisa with him. "Hey, Bakura," Abayomi smiled, catching up to his friend.
"Done with your palace friends?" Bakura asked, somewhat callously. Abayomi nodded. He knew that Bakura hated the palace, especially the Pharaoh. He never learned why, but he knew that hate was still there, but it still bothered him how he could never be with Bakura and Mahado at the same time without them fighting or glaring at each other.
"Yeah," Abayomi nodded, looking at the ground.
"Great, let's get shopping then," Bakura said, grabbing Abayomi by his shoulder, and leading him to some stands. "I've already got most of the fruit. All we need now is some vegetables and that stone for Nabooru."
Abayomi was amazed at how quickly Bakura could get some of these jobs done. He had been living with him for nearly five years now, and it still surprised him what Bakura could do!
It took both of them, the worker, and hour to strap the tablet to Chafulumisa's back. First, Abayomi didn't own any bags to put over the stallions back, so he and Bakura had to go find one. Secondly, Chafulumisa did not like to have anything not living on his back. Before now, Abayomi hadn't put anything on his back besides himself and some friends, and it was obvious that his previous owner hadn't either. With the horse backing away from them so much, and once even rearing, they all nearly gave up, until finally by some strange luck, the horse let his guard down, and the slung it up there.
Abayomi paid the worker just a little extra (with Bakura being none-the-wised), and then the two of them (three if you did count the horse), walked back to their home.
In contrast to getting it on, it only took them a minute to take it off, and then carry it back to the house.
The dropped it in the middle of their kitchen, and then collapsed on either side of it, panting rather heavily.
Nabooru came out of her room, looking rather angry.
"You are aware that you forgot Hondo, right?" she accused, glaring at them.
"Shut up. We brought you your stupid rock," Bakura hissed, only to have Hondo run out of his room to tackle hug him. Bakura messed up his hair a little.
"So you did." Nabooru looked at Abayomi, then at Bakura and Hondo. She smiled, just a little bit, nodded her head, and walked back into her room.
Abayomi smiled a little bit, before laying down on the ground, smiling; content.
It had been so long since he had seen Nabooru smile. He'd barely seen her do so since her mother had died. He closed his eyes, and sighed, just a little bit.
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Hopefully it won't take so long to update again. Please Read and Review. I'm probably going to finish this fic in the next couple of chapters. Sorry. I only have two more major idea's that I need to play out, and then I'll finish.
~~~~QUESTIONS ANSWERED~~~
Chapter 21 (Oh! I need a fun name! Um... The Death Of the Pharaoh)
That Abayomi does still remember bits and pieces of his past.
How Abayomi got the puzzle.
How the Pharaoh still cares about him.
How Abayomi still loves his father, despite not knowing him.
Chapter 22 (The new elected priests... what a boring name)
How difficult the puzzle really is.
Leading up to answer another question.
Who ruled while Abayomi couldn't, and why he couldn't rule.
Chapter 23 (A Mothers End)
How close Abayomi was to Eshe.
That, yes, I do know how to foreshadow, at least a little.
Chapter 24 (Special: Yami's Journal. Yami extra)
Just some Egyptian info, and me trying to fix a wrong that I made earlier.
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~~~~~~~~REVIEW REPLIES~~~~~~~
Yami Bakura's Wife:
Not much too say ^^ It won't fit into the plot right in this though, so I won't have it in this chapter XP. Lucky bastard ^^;;
Yugi-Redwall-Fan:
Yeah, that's pretty much it. Sorry for making you wait XP
YumeTakato:
^^ S'ok
Aika Hanyou:
It doesn't say where he got the scar. ^^;; I took a few liberties with that. Let's see, a Pharaoh get's a throne name. Usually at birth, but... yeah -.-;... In Ancient Egypt, they believed that you couldn't cast a spell on someone if you didn't know their true name, so they gave the Pharaoh and other wizards other names. Infact, a popular saying back then was "he's so powerful, even his mother doesn't know his real name."
WolfKeeper989:
They're not hard, per se. Only when the dreams happened in the past, and the character lost his memories XP
yami blue eyes white dragon:
^^ In a way.
Cute lil Yami:
Sorry it wasn't soon. Hope the suspense didn't kill you too much.
Sylvia Virian:
Tell me about it ^^;;
YamiAra:
Yeah XP Sorry, I was really wanting to write that.
Thalia-wong: (To review on ch. 1)
Apparently not -.-; though, now I've updated.
JK Fie'r:
Yay ^^ And yay again. Thank you.
Maliklover:
It's okay. Hey, I haven't updated in months, right? ^-~. I hope everything turns out for the best ^^ I'm glad you're not angry. I did write a Malik centeric fic though.
Millenium:
I'm sorry~! Yeah, I'll try and get around to e-mailing you for those. I wasn't too too heartbroken over the end (I was a little though XP). All good things must end, eh?
