Yami dreamt of Egypt.

In the dream, he stood at the mouth of a narrow gorge, feeling the spray of the river that flowed past. The high rocky walls on either side of him blocked out the sun. It was dark and damp, but Yami felt a strange warmth falling on his back, coming from the depths of the gorge. Beside him, a large jackal sat obediently at his heel.

A noise of wind and water caused him to look up; through the river mist a small but ornate boat approached. A steersman stood alert at the helm and a lone passenger knelt on the deck.

As the boat drew up alongside Yami, the passenger stood and gracefully stepped onto the rocky ledge. He was tall and slender, wearing only a length of white linen wrapped about his hips. His skin was the color of desert sand under the moon.

The man bowed low, and it was when he straightened that Yami recognized Kaiba. Though Seto's stance spoke of reverence towards Yami, his eyes were the same as always: cold, defiant, daring.

Yami turned and lead Kaiba through a dark passage cut into the rock walls. He didn't look back to see if the other followed him through the twists of the tunnel, but listened instead to the soft footfalls behind him. His own feet made no sound.

They came into an enormous cavern, sunlight streaming in through carved openings in the high ceiling. Back among the shadows of the opposite wall a host of human and animal figures waited silently. Yami tried to focus on the mysterious, familiar forms, but all he caught were glimpses of kohl- lined eyes. In the center of the room sat a large set of scales, it's gold lit afire by a solitary sunbeam.

Yami strode towards Kaiba, lifting his hands as he did so. In his left hand he held a beautiful ivory-white feather; a gold and turquoise knife lay in his right.

/Thump/

Yami glanced down and found the jackal grinning, saliva dripping from barred teeth and tail thumping eagerly against the stone floor.

/Thump/

Yami and Yugi woke simultaneously. Yugi groaned and glared at his alarm clock until the glowing numbers swam into focus. It was four twelve in the morning.

/Thump/

It finally occurred to Yugi's tired brain that someone was knocking on the door. Hoping that the noise hadn't roused his grandfather, the small boy slipped out of bed and hurried downstairs.

Yugi passed through the silent game shop to the front door. He was now alert enough to wonder who could possibly want to see him or Grandpa in person at this hour. Yugi knew that Joey sometimes got kicked out of his house; was it he? Worry grew in his chest as he opened the door.

He was left staring at Mokuba, who stood with his small fist raised to knock again. The younger boy was breathing heavily as if he had just run a marathon. Despite the sweat drying on his skin he was shivering. Though it was certainly above freezing, the night was still cold and Mokuba was wearing no jacket.

Yugi leaned forward to look past Mokuba, half expecting to see Seto's sneering visage in the shadows. As soon as he realized Mokuba was alone, he snapped his attention back to the shivering kid.

"Mokuba, what's wrong?" He asked, ushering his younger friend inside. The worried knot in his chest was tightening. Memories of recent events with the Kaiba brothers chased through his head. It seemed like Seto had a gift for angering important and powerful people. 'Not that I should talk,' he reminded himself. 'I have some rather strange people after me and the puzzle, after all.' Yami sighed. Though completely unintentional, Yugi often reminded the pharaoh how much trouble the millennium puzzle had cost him. Not that he would ever wish to leave Yugi; it was just that sometimes he felt guilty for the burdens he brought.

With the front door safely closed and locked, the raven-haired boy forced himself to relax. After his long run, his heart rate was finally beginning to drop. He was safe now. But looking into concerned violet eyes, Mokuba realized he didn't know what to tell his friend. The last thing he wanted was to put Yugi and the others in danger. They shouldn't have to risk their lives for a boy who wouldn't even thank them. It still made Mokuba ashamed to remember how Seto had dismissed all the trouble Yugi, Joey, and Mai had gone to for his sake. Sometimes Mokuba wondered if Seto saw what his attitude did: by assuring that only his little brother cared for him, he was assuring that he could depend only on his little brother. Did Seto see the position he placed his brother in?

"Mokuba, are you alright?"

"Yes, Yugi." Mokuba tried on a reassuring smile, but it faltered. "I am sorry to wake you. I didn't know where else to go. It's just that."

"Yes?"

"Seto is missing." There. Now Yugi was involved; the duelist was to kind to leave Mokuba on his own. There was no turning back. In a way the young Kaiba was very relieved- for the first time that night he wasn't isolated. "I went into his room and there was blood. the security doesn't know where to begin. Seto is probably hurt or worse." Mokuba's voice cracked on his brother's name.

Yugi's eyes widened as he listened to Mokuba's story. He knew he should offer words of comfort, but he was having problems digesting all the information he was getting. Mokuba was telling him how business partners at Kaiba Corp had coerced him to sign a contract, and how the security staff said that the assailant must have come through the window. Yami sensed Yugi's rising feeling of helplessness and took over the body. It was clear that whatever trouble Seto had landed in, it was deep. And at four in the morning, the best thing he could do would be to calm Mokuba.

It wasn't too difficult. Yami promised the young boy that they would help him find his brother, that as soon as the sun was up they would sort through the dark details and find the answers they needed. Yugi had already decided he would enlist his friends' help; he always felt that many minds bound in friendship could solve anything. As cold as Seto was to everyone, Yugi still felt a kinship with the tall brunette- the force behind his continuous efforts to befriend him. So even Yami assured Mokuba of these things, hope grew in Yugi also. Yami then convinced Mokuba to sit down, and within minutes the boy was fast asleep.

Back in their room, Yami turned to Yugi. "This isn't as simple as beating a virtual game. Kaiba has many enemies, and finding the right one won't be easy."

"No, but we have to try. Did you see the fear in Mokuba's eyes? Seto is so important to him."

Yami nodded. He had noticed Mokuba's eyes. The boy had looked.haunted. He wondered vaguely whether Mokuba had told them everything. It was certainly a complicated matter, and the boy had good reason to fear for his brother. But there was something in the way that Mokuba had searched the shadows of the room fearfully that bothered the pharaoh.

"I don't suppose there's any use in going back to sleep." Yugi commented. "I just wish there was something I could do immediately. But I don't know where to start! I really hope Seto is alright." He trailed off, a strange expression touching his face.

"What is it?" Yami asked.

"Well," Yugi blushed. "Don't laugh, but I keep getting this image of Seto. wearing a skirt."

Yami couldn't help it. He laughed. Doing his best to assuage Yugi's glare, he raised his hands. "Don't be angry. I'm not laughing at you. You must have picked up some of my dream from tonight. Just keep in mind that all men wore 'skirts' in ancient Egypt. It was too hot for much else."

Accepting the explanation, Yugi smiled. At least now he wouldn't worry that he was loosing his mind.

Downstairs, Mokuba lay curled up on the couch. He had faked sleep so that Yami and Yugi could leave him and begin planning. He knew he should be helping, but he was so tired that his mind felt fuzzy. "Don't be mad, big brother," he whispered to the empty room as he closed his eyes. Balancing on the edge of sleep, Mokuba barely registered the warm breath that touched his face.

***

Author's Note: Thanks for reading! Please review. flames, criticism, completely unrelated comments. I don't mind as long as you review! On a different note, I have a strange question. Has anyone out there ever had an anime dream? I often have TV related dreams, and yet I have never had one featuring Yu-Gi-Oh or Ranma. I only get live-action dreams. Is this true for everyone?