Silver Dragon: Hey everybody! We're back again!
Devil's Wyrm: Yes, back for another installment of Desert Shadow!
SilverD: We've invited our main character Nabe Zenbushi to chat with us!
Nabe: What's up!
DWyrm: Since he is here, Sebak is here as well.
Sebak: Greetings fellow dragon.
Nabe: Why did you have to invite him here, aren't I enough?
SilverD: The two of you are connected; you can't be far apart from each other.
DWyrm: Like SilverD and me.
SilverD: Not true!
DWyrm: Is true.
SilverD: I don't have a Millennium Item! You can't be my yami!
DWyrm: I'm your alter ego, your dark side. We might as well be yami and hikari.
Nabe: Uh, are you two done yet?
Sebak: Your bickering is getting on my nerves; I have a mind to burn both of you alive.
SilverD: Okay, okay, we'll stop for now.
DWyrm: Fire! Where?
Sebak: Here! *Hurls a fireball at DWyrm*
DWyrm: *Catches fireball* -}O;;O{- Purdy, look how it glows so!
SilverD: *sighs* You'll have to do better than that to shut him up.
Sebak: Really? What would you suggest?
SilverD: I'd say throwing him into a vat of banana pudding and locking the lid.
Nabe: Banana pudding?
SilverD: DWyrm hates banana pudding.
Sebak: Would not that just make him louder?
SilverD: I guess so, but it's fun to watch him suffer.
Sebak: True.
Nabe: Are we ever going to get to the story?
SilverD: All right, if you want to so badly, do the disclaimer.
Nabe: Okay, SilverD and DWyrm do not own anything from YGO, but they do own Sebak and me.
DWyrm: Yes, on to the fic!
Notes: You all already know about Yugi/Yami, Nabe/Sebak, Ryou/Bakura, talking to self, memories and dreams, original cards, and dueling.
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Ch. 6 Shadows from the Past
The second day of Battle City started early for Nabe. He had dueled twice the first day, the first against that Rare Hunter, Rhona, and the second with a pathetic guy who seemed no older than thirteen. Both had been victories for the flame duelist. Katsuro had tired himself out the day before, taking pictures the whole time, and did not want to join his brother again. He instead was going over to a friend's house to play video games around noon; this left Nabe free to go. Taking his things, the golden manacle included, the black haired teen left for the tournament.
*****
Yugi was already at the heart of Domino, walking the alleys looking for a duel. As he searched, Yugi overheard some kids talking about Joey in a duel. Curious, the holder of the Millennium Puzzle followed them. He discovered his best friend dueling against Espa Roba, the psychic duelist. Yugi found his way to an upper terrace of an adjoining building to get a better view. After a couple of turns, Joey stared to fall behind. 'Hang in there Joey, I know you can beat this guy on your own,' thought Yugi. 'I have a feeling this so called psychic duelist isn't all he claims to be.'
Glancing at lower terrace, he saw a group of young boys watching the duel with a pair of binoculars. They were spying on Joey's hand and relaying the information to Espa. "It looks like he is a fake," said the teen to himself.
After a while Joey started to pull ahead, first by revealing Espa's cheating and then by winning out right with his Roulette Spider magic card. "Good work Joey, I knew you'd find your strength," said Yugi as he left the terrace to resume his search.
'Joey did great today,' thought Yugi while he walked the streets, 'he gets better with every duel.'
He spotted Nabe patrolling a crowd around another duel. 'He must be on the lookout for a challenge, I wonder if he's dueled yet.'
Nabe turned and saw them pass by and waved, the golden band glimmering. This reminded Yugi of the enigma they faced: what was that manacle? Stopping at small duel shop, he sat down to think this over. (Hey Yami, have you found anything about that armband thing?)
((Sorry aibou, I haven't yet. Many of my memories are blocked or guarded. What we wish to know must be hidden in one of these. ))
(Oh, is there a way to unlock your memories?)
((I'm not sure. Some I sense can be unlocked. Perhaps touching the manacle would help. ))
(Touching? Do you think Nabe would let you touch it, especially since there is a spirit living in it?)
((Maybe. Here's our chance, he's coming this way.))
(Huh, well I guess you'll need complete control for it to work.)
((Yes, I will take control for now.))
The Puzzle glowed briefly and Yami assumed control. The light was not noticed by anyone. Yami picked up a card magazine so he would look normal to Nabe; he did not want the spirit of the manacle to suspect anything. The older teen entered the shop and walked to were Yami was sitting and sat down next to him. "Hey Yugi, won any duels yet?" asked the dark haired one.
"Yes, I won one against this strange Rare Hunter person that had beaten Joey and taken his Red-Eyes Black Dragon."
"Rare Hunter! You dueled one too!"
"What do you mean 'too?'"
"About the same time you were dueling, I was challenged by this Rare Hunter girl. She said something about serving the true pharaoh and other crap, but all she wanted was my Apocalypse Flame* monster card. But Rare Hunter or not, I still beat her! I also beat this other kid that challenged me, but that was a snap."
"True pharaoh?"
"I have no earthly idea what she meant by that but I don't care, I won and that's that!"
"Hmm."
"Did the guy you duel say junk like that too?"
"Yes, he kept talking about wanting my Millennium Puzzle."
"Your what?"
"This," said Yami, holding up the Puzzle on its chain for Nabe to see.
"Oh, that. I've been wondering what that giant necklace thing was. Hey! It has that eye symbol that my manacle has!"
"Really, may I see?"
"Sure," said Nabe. And before Sebak, who had been watching the whole time, could stop his vessel, Nabe had taken off the band and given it to Yami.
'Stupid human! The pharaoh had better be only curious. I am doomed if he discovers my plan,' grumbled the spirit, frustrated.
Yami took the manacle in his hands.
The beast rained fire down on the helpless villages, burning everything…
"Stand together, he cannot defeat us if we use our powers as one."
A burst of light, the beast stopped short in its attack dive, screaming…
The Millennium Eye glowed bright as its possessor took the energy and placed it is a plain gold manacle…
My Puzzle blazed as I sealed the monster in its prison…
Momentarily stunned, the pharaoh tried to look interested to reclaim his composure. "Uh, this is very… interesting," said the off-balance king. "Where did you get it?"
"It was given to me as a birthday present last October."
"Really. Well, it was nice speaking with you. But I believe we had better be going, unless we're going to duel."
"Nah, I'll pass for now Yugi. With the way you beat my ass last time, I need to collect a few more powerful cards first."
"Very well Nabe, goodbye."
"See you later."
They both exited the shop and went their separate ways. Yami proceeded to the park where he could talk with his hikari in peace. Finding a quiet spot, the ancient one contacted Yugi through their mind link. ((Yugi, I think we have a problem.))
(What is it Yami? Did it work?)
((Yes, a little too well.))
(So, what did you find out?)
((Remember what Marik said about the god cards yesterday, after we defeated the Rare Hunter?))
(Yes, what does the manacle have to do with them?)
((Marik said I had sealed the three god monsters away, but he never said where. I figured I sealed them in stone tablets like the other monsters, but now I'm not so sure.))
(Why?)
((When I touched the manacle I received a rush of memories, most of them flashes of events, not whole parts. I saw visions of a great beast, huge and powerful, destroying the land. I saw myself and the other Millennium Item holders destroy it and seal its spirit in the manacle. I believe the beast may be one of the Egyptian gods, which one I'm not sure, but one.))
(Do you think the spirit you felt in the manacle is the spirit of an Egyptian god?)
((It could be, but the information does not fit. I was under the impression I had trapped the god monsters, not destroyed them. But I could be wrong.))
(I just hope whatever spirit is in that manacle doesn't hurt Nabe. Did you find anything else out?)
((Yes the manacle is not a Millennium Item, but a powerful magic item still.))
(Does it have a name?)
((Yes: the Manacle of Set.))
^*^*^*^*^
SilverD: Oooo, short but sweet.
DWyrm: Very short.
Nabe: I didn't get to duel in this chapter. \_/
Sebak: At least you had a larger role.
SilverD: Come on you two, you both had a large role in the last chapter. We thought it was time to give the other characters a chance.
Nabe: All right.
Sebak: Very well.
DWyrm: Good.
SilverD: Well now, how did you like it: good, bad, average, or totally awesome!!!
DWyrm: How about flame worthy?
SilverD: Ack! Don't let the readers hear you! Sheesh, you and your fire obsession.
DWyrm: And you have this fetish with inflicting pain on others, even yourself!
SilverD: *scratches old knife scars* Do not!
DWyrm: Do too!
SilverD: Do not!
DWyrm: *stands to full seven foot height, spreads wings, unsheathes talons, and puffs smoke out of his nostrils* Do too!
SilverD: *draws sword and picks up battered shield* Do not!
DWyrm: -}\;;/{- *roars* Do too!
SilverD: \_/ *lunges at DWyrm* DO NOT!
DWyrm: DO TOO!! *Shoots stream of fire at SilverD*
SilverD: X_X
Nabe: Oookay. *Turns to leave*
Sebak: That will teach him. We shall meet again soon Devil's Wyrm. *Disappears into Manacle of Set*
DWyrm: See ya latter!
SilverD: *wakes up* Please R&R! Who should we invite next time?
DWyrm: And to those who care, Nabe is pronounced nah-bee, not with a long a in the middle.
SilverD: Thanks to our reviewers:
Mina-chan AMD: Thanks for the support. I was just curious about aibou.
LittleYugiBoy: We're glad you like Nabe's soul room. We based it on our dream room.
Shayken Destiny: Thanks for reviewing! We're glad you like it.
DWyrm: Keep reading, keep reviewing; the world will be a better place.
SilverD: Yes, at least for us.
DWyrm: Oh, SilverD.
SilverD: What?
DWyrm: Do too.
SilverD: ARG!!!