Disclaimer: All Yu-Gi-Oh characters belong to Kazuki Takahashi. Any make up characters belong to me. I like to thank my friends; Alatáriël Sîrfalas and Melissa (Hikarigirl18) for helping me write this fic.
By Any Other Name By Yami-Yugi
Chapter 4
Once at the palace, the group stood in the thone room as Yami went to his throne to have a sit. Yugi started to fallow Yami until he was stopped by Jou. "Stay away from him. At least until we get some info on him."
"But Jono..."
Yami findly sat on his throne and looked at the teens. "I know you want an explain about everything." Yami started "I'm not as bad as you think I am. You miss jugde me, unlike Yugi for he sees me of what I'm turely am."
"But that dosen't explain why you kill so may innocent people and left may homeless." Jono said.
"That was my father's doing." Yami said "I'm nothing like him and I had been trying to correct his mistakes." Yami saw the look on their faces showing that they didn't belive him, expect Yugi, cause the young boy was the only one believing him at the moment. "Please try to understand. I didn't want this for my people. I only wish you would believe me like your friend there."
Yugi broke free of Jono's grip and ran over to the Throne. He sat down at Yami's feet with a look of longing and determination on his face. "Please listen to him. Do you honestly believe he would have befriended me if he was a bad person?" Yami smiled down at him and then looked towards the others.
The others was speehless for awhile, computating on what Yugi and Yami had just said. "I understand that you are consern for your friend," Yami said to them "but I wouldn't harm anyone expecialy Yugi."
Yugi smiled up at him and Yami smiled back. "Well, if what you say is true...I believe you," said Teana.
"Ahhh... this is all confuseing but.... I'll go along with it, for Yuge." said Jono.
"Count me in," said (tristan).
"Well, if you promise you won't harm my grandson."
"I will not lay one finger on him. He is my friend. I would not dream of harming him."
"Then I believe you as well."
Soon Prist Seto enter the throne room expecting it to be empty but was surprised to see it was not. "M-My Pharaoh...." he started surprised "B-Back so soon?"
"Is there a problem Seto?"
Seto composed himself. "It's nothing, your highness." he said "I just didn't expect to see you back so soon from taking care of Ryou Bakura."
"I didn't take as long as I thought." Yugi backed up against the throne protectivly as Seto gave him the look of digust as if saying he was only a street rat to him.
"I see your busy, so I'll leave." said Seto as he left.
Jono growled. "Now THAT guy I DON'T like." he said.
"To tell you the truth, I do not care for him either," Yami said to everyone elses surprise. Yami smiled down at Yugi again which made Yugi smiled back. "Don't you mind him, Little One. He's no threat to you."
Yugi's smile grew, but then he looked concerned. "Does this mean I can be friends with him now?" Yugi asked.
"Of course you can," (grandpa) said with a smile.
"Thanks Grandpa!" Yugi exclaimed as he ran to him and gwomped him. Yami genki smiled, glad to see his little friend happy again.
"Hmmmm...." Jono started "This is just a though here but if you are not ya father then who would want ya dead? If ya ask me, someone is ploting ya demise."
Yami glared, "I know. I'll have to get to the bottom of this." He turned to Yugi. "We will have to cut our visits short. I do not wish to put you in danger."
"But Yami..."
"It's not an option, it's an order. I would prefer it if you were out of harms way. Just until we catch whoever shot that arrow." "But I don't want to leave. I want to stay by your side."
"I'm sorry but I cannot allow that. It's for your safety."
"I agree with him there, Yugi."
"But Grandpa..."
"Yugi, he has your best interest at heart."
"But I, I don't...Yami I thought..."
"I'm sorry Yugi, but you must understand," Yami said as he reached out to him. Yugi pushed him away and ran off, upset. "Yugi wait!" Yami sighed as he looked at the others. "I'll go after him."
"Better let us," said Teana, "That creep might still be after you."
"Alright, I shall wait here then." Yami watched as the group ran off after Yugi.
Meanwhile, deep in the palace, Seto walked until he meet up a man in cloak. "Master Seto," the man started until Seto grabbed him by the collor.
"How dare you show your face around here?!" Seto said with a sneer.
"But Master Seto, I did what you told me to. Why are you so mad at me?"
"The Pharaoh is NOT dead! I told you to kill him and yet he is still alive!"
"But I shot right at his heart!"
"Leave the palace at once. And next time, kill him!"
"Y-Yes Master Seto." Priest Seto sighed as the cloaked figure left the grounds.
Seto then turned his attention towards the Pharaoh when he entered the hall. "Why are your guests leaving, dear Pharaoh?"
"It seems I might have upset Yugi. He ran off and his friends went looking for him. You'll have to excuse me, I must find out who wanted to kill me."
"I had warn you, your highness." Seto said.
"Just shut up, Seto," Yami said "I'm not in the mode." Seto smirked as he walked away. "I hope I can find who it is, for Yugi's sake."
"Yuge! Wait up!" Jono shouted as he and the others caught up with the crying Yugi.
"Leave me alone!" he wailed as he fell on his knees to the sand.
"Yuge what's the matter?"
"I'm just...worried about Yami. I want... to be there for him." "We know Yugi, but it will put you in danger," reasoned Teana.
"Teana's right." said (tristan) "Just think if we think how mean he is just think of everyone else. Someone out there must use that for an excuse to try and kill him. If they found out you're friends with him they might try to hurt you to get to him."
"I guess, I never thought of it that way. But still, I'm worried. I don't want to lose him." Yugi began crying again.
"It's okay Yugi," said Teana as she held him.
"Just remember he's probably worried too."
"Okay, shall we go back now?"
"To the palace?" asked Teana looking down at him.
"No, but we should let Yami know that I'm okay."
"C'mon then, we'll go tell Yami yer safe and then head home," replied Jono.
Back at the palace, Yami was tring to find out who tried to kill him but to no adrivle. He was now in a room in the palace full of Egyptian gods. He kneeld down infront of them and started praying to them. "Great gods of Eygpt..." he started slowly "I need your guidence..."
The statue of Hathor glowed and she appeared before him. "What is it Pharaoh Yami? Why have you asked for our help?"
Now for most Egyptians seeing a god or goddness apperes right before them will shock them but Yami was inscave in this. He looked up at the cow goddness. "Great Hathor, goddness of joy..." he said slowly again "Someone wishes to kill me... but I'm not too worried about it but it's my friend Yugi and his friends and family. They might be in danger because of this."
"Oh I see," she replied "Do you wish us to send a guardian out to these people?"
"If it's not too much trouble. I do not wish to see my little friend get hurt."
"We shall send one of your loyal Shadow Monsters. I believe your Dark Magician Girl, or Mana as she is more commonly known, shall do fine. I hope that will be all you need."
"Thank you for you services Great Hathor."
"You are welcome Pharaoh." She vanished in a white light.
As the group headed to the palace is when the Dark Magician Girl appered before them. "What in the gods!" (Tristen) explained surprised.
"Please do not fear. I was sent by my Master, Pharaoh Yami to protect you from any danger."
"Oh, thank you very much Dark Magician Girl."
"You are welcome little one, but please call me Mana. That is my true name."
"Alright Mana. And again thank you," Yugi replied.
Mana genki smiled and ruffled Yugi's hair. "Come, I shall lead you back to your homes." Mana followed Yugi and the gang to the village. "Wow! There are so many sights to see here. I've never been this far from the Palace."
"What do you mean? Dose Yami ever let you go anywhere?" Yugi asked.
"Not really, he always has us on Guard duty. We are guardians so, we stay inside the palace. Don't worry though, Little One. He is very nice to us. Wow! What are all those people doing on the streets?"
"Them?" Jono started "Those people don't have homes. What Yami had told us, they gotten that way by his father and he's trying to correct that. Is that ture?"
"I remember now, I hated the Pharaoh. Master Yami has his work cut out for him from the mess his father made. And yes, he is doing the best he can."
"Was Yami's dad very mean?" Yugi asked "Dose Yami hate him or something?"
"Yes, he did not treat us with very much respect and that made Master upset." Yugi sighed and looked at the ground upset. "Don't worry little one," Mana said as she ruffled his hair, "He was mean, yes, but there is one thing inparticular that he did for Master Yami, but let's not discuss that. "
"What ya mean?" Jono asked, now curious "What was it?"
"Please, lets just drop it."
"Alright," Jono replied. Yugi was also curious, but he didn't say anything about it.
" So, where is your house Little One?"
"Right here," he said pointing to a small house with a drapery in front.
"Oh, it's very nice. Shall we go inside?"
"Yep. You can come in too guys. After you Grandpa." Mana genki smiled and followed.
"Man," said Jono "I'm hungery, got anything to eat, Yuge?"
"Um yeah, I think there's some fruit in the cupboards."
"Um Little One?"
"Yeah?"
"It would be my pleasure to make you all dinner? Would you mind?"
"Of course not, go ahead. Let me just show you where everything is."
"girlish squel Thank you Young Master!" After Mana was shone everything, she began happily working and she hummed an old Egyptian tune as she did so.
Meanwhile, back at the palace, Yami sat in dinning room as Dark Magician, better known as Mahaado came up to his master. "Master Yami, haver you seen Mana? I looked everywhere."
"I send her to watch my little friend Yugi until I find the person who is trying to kill me." Yami said as he was about to bite in a leg of goose.
"Oh, I see. I was worried there for a moment." Yami just nodded as he ate.
"Wow Mana I didn't know you were soo good!" said Yugi.
"Yeah look at all this food!" Jono said dooling.
"Go ahead and dig in guys! Hope you like! " Mana took a seat and fixed herself some while the others, except for Yugi dug right in. He was fixing himself a plate with manners. "You have very nice manners, Young Master."
"Thanks."
Once after everyone ate, it was time for Jono, Tana and (Tristan) to head back home. "Thanks for dinner Mana, was it?"
"See ya later Yuge."
"Bye."
"Bye guys."
"Be careful you three. I will be here at Young Master's if you need me "
Mana closed the curtain and her and Yugi went inside. Grandpa yawned, "Night, Yugi. I'm off to bed."
"Night Grandpa."
"You know, you should get to bed too," said Mana.
"yawn Yeah, yer right. But what about Yami?"
" Don't you worry about Master Yami, Young Master. Off to bed with you now," she replied leading him to his bedroom. Yugi climbed in bed, pulled the covers over, and laid down. He sighed and looked out the window. Mana smiled " You've had a rough day, try and sleep now." She waited a few minutes, but Yugi just couldn't sleep. "What's the matter Young Master?"
"sigh I just can't sleep."
"Well, when Master Yami couldn't sleep, I used to sing to him."
"You did?" Yugi said sitting up.
"nod" Mana walked over to the bed, sat on the edge, and tucked Yugi back in. "How about I sing one of Master's favorite songs?" Yugi gave a small, excited smile. " Alright, close your eyes and go to sleep now." With that she, laid down next to him and began singing an old Egyptian Hymn. When she had finished, he was fast asleep. Mana smiled down at him. "Sweet Dreams Young Master." She looked out the window into the starry sky. "I hope you are safe Master Yami. Young Master Yugi would be very upset if you were to leave us." She smiled at Yugi again and fell asleep herself.
Back at the palace, within Yami's chambers, Yami was a sleep. Mahaddo was sleeping near the door, leaning on the wall near by with his staft close to him, ready to protect his master. Both didn't know that a the man that Seto haired before to kill Yami had just snuck onto the balcony of Yami's chambers this time with a short dagger in hand. "I'll destroy you this time, Pharaoh. Or Master Seto will kill me," he whispered. He carefully climbed into the room and stood quietly over Yami. He lifted his hand about ready to strike.
Mahaado stirred from his sleep as an eerie feeling filled him. He burst open the door, staff ready. He came in just in time to see the killer run off. Thankfully, Yami still slept. "I'm glad he didn't wake, then again, only a stampede of Aisian Elephants can wake him up."
"Dark Magician.... Dark Magic attack..." Yami said softly in his sleep. Mahaado just rolled his eyes.