Disclaimer: Nope, I still don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! But since no one's stopping me from having fun with the characters... I'll put them back when I'm finished, I promise.

Thanks to all of you who reviewed and for your nice words! It makes me all happy and fuzzy inside! Particularly since it helped me get past the little bit with Ryou and Bakura!

YamiShadowcat22; Thank you, and yeah, hop this is soon enough... I'm really on a roll with this fic. .

Chibi B-channie; Thanks. /blush/ I'm happy there's people that likes this. I'm just hoping I can get the other chapters out just as quickly.

Chika of the high Mts; Here you are, an update!

Inuyasha0001: Aww... it'll get better, I promise... But not before it gets worse! Ehehhe... but don't worry, none of my stores ever end in a bad way.

Seren147; I noticed that too. Especially with the third chapter... I wanted it to be updated fast, but man... I had to wait... ;;; Oh, and they will reunite soon... maybe just not in the way you thought. X3

Pharaoh Atemu's Angel; Heh, heh... update here. And what Atemu will do to them? You'll just have to see in this chapter...

Duenna; Thankies! . Yup, I wanted to get to their meeting too, but that was the one I had trouble with, but it's all fixed now!

SoulDreamer: Ah, maybe not hard to picture no, but I had trouble with where Bakura would be hiding out... and how his place would look. But I got over it. Thanks!

Silvershadowfire; Probably not, but poor Atemu has lost his Puzzle and don't have any memories of their adventures, so... And yeah, I don't really know either... I guess I chose 'silently' because he's moving so he won't give off much sound and there's a lot of noise around...

Daimeryan Rei; No, Atemu doesn't remember much, all for the plot you know? I like my stories to have some filling and there wouldn't have been much (at least not the way I planned the fic) if the memories would still be intact. But all in due time... Of course you're right, they don't speak Japanese, but ancient Egyptian... thing was, my sis has one of the Jap. Books from the AE arc, and I had just gotten it into my head that they said 'sama' after 'Pharaoh'. Then I saw they didn't and I just was too lazy (yes, I admit it!) to change it, and besides, I thought it sounded good. So we'll all just have to grin and bear my little mistakes.

/thoughts/

Chapter 4: Scattered Moonlight

Angry shouts pierced the air, mingling with the general din of the streets and market squares as the two boys were hurtling through the city to avoid the guards and find somewhere to hide. It seemed impossible though. While the city had been easily negotiable on horse and surrounded by an escort of guards, it wasn't nearly as tourist-friendly on foot. And with all the people and winding streets, they were lost within minutes of descending into this confusing maze. Stopping briefly in a corner of a large market square to get some breath back, Yuugi and Ryou gasped in mouthfuls of air, resting their hands on their knees and leaning over slightly.

"This... sucks..." Ryou gasped and shook his head, sending long strands of pale hair every-which way.

"... I... know..." Yuugi agreed, just as out of breath as Ryou. Leaning against the wall he was standing next to Yuugi closed his eyes, one hand around the Puzzle.

He could feel his other half's presence so close, his thoughts dancing at the edges of his own, but he didn't dare to peek in. Atemu apparently didn't remember him, so it would be wrong of him to try and establish that contact before his other at least remembered a little more...

Opening his eyes he looked around, surprisingly enough not seeing Ryou.

"Ryou-kun...?" he could have sworn he saw a flash of white off to his left, but right then a couple of guards appeared, closing him in in the corner.

"The Pharaoh would like to meet you, so if you could remain here." it was very clearly not a question. Yuugi looked nervously around and then down at his feet. This was quickly going to hell. At least Ryou got away...

"Finally. At least you can do something right." That familiar voice had Yuugi's heart skipping a beat and he hesitantly looked up, right into the narrowed ruby-violet eyes and dark face of his other.

Ryou was tired of running around like this. While he wasn't in that bad a shape, it certainly wasn't stellar and he couldn't take much more of the running around they had done before collapsing. They finally stopped, if just for a short break so they could take in some air. While Yuugi slumped against the wall behind him, Ryou decided he would just crouch on the ground and hope he'd gotten enough wind back in a few seconds so he could continue until they hopefully found somewhere to hide. But he didn't get any chance to rest. A hand closed vice-like on his shoulder, and at the same time the mental bond crashed into place heavily, all as a familiar, low voice hissed in his ear.

"What the fuck are you doing? The Pharaoh is a godsbedamned bad influence, and I won't let you be tainted by the likes of HIM! C'mere."

Ryou, way too exhausted and too overwhelmed to protest, simply stumbled along as Bakura kept his steel grip on Ryou, just changing it to clasp around his wrist, and dragged him away from Yuugi. The albino thought he saw some guards close in on Yuugi before he lost sight of him in the crowds and hoped his friend would be able to talk to Atemu and not get in trouble.

As for himself? Well, that was another question. Who knew what Bakura wanted? Atemu had obviously not remembered them, so it was unlikely Bakura would either. But why would he grab him and drag him away, then? Maybe he thought he knew Ryou? That would explain the commandeering, and grabbing. Ryou sighed, looked at Bakura out of the corner of his eyes, and realized Yuugi had been right, he was clothed more or less the same as his other half, and resigned himself to be dragged to where-ever Bakura wanted to go. At least now he didn't have literal control over Ryou's body. Not that that was much of a consolation.

Shifting nervously on the chair he was sitting didn't alleviate any tension, or make the chair any softer. One hand around the Puzzle so tight, the other people in the room wondered if the fingers were going to get cramped up like that, Yuugi looked around nervously. It felt marginally cooler in here than outside, but only just, and having all of these people (some of which he recognized from their adventure in the Dreamworld) staring at him didn't make things better. Someone clearing their throat made Yuugi turn his head back to the front of the room, fixing his gaze on the person standing demandingly in before him, arms crossed over their chest and a light frown marring the handsome face.

"Now, care to tell us how you came in position of the Puzzle? You have control over the Shadows, which you shouldn't be able to have. And how did you come in possession of such strange tablets, with so many Shadow Powers?" While Atemu's voice brooked no argument, he wanted answers, and would have them, it was surprisingly gentle and polite.

The dark-skinned and taller version of Yuugi held up his Duel deck in one hand and Yuugi had to restrain himself not to grab at it. They had searched him and found his deck, and since only people with Sennen Items, or with their own Shadow Power (or Soul Monster, depending on your vocabulary), could control Duel Monsters, it was highly strange that he would have so many. Swallowing heavily, Yuugi decided to give the most of the truth.

"I... eh. We didn't know the Items would disappear from you when we appeared here." At the incredulous and uncomprehending looks he got, Yuugi shook his head and shrugged. This would be hard to explain.

"My friend and I aren't from here... actually; we needed magical assistance to get here. We're... looking for something we really can't be without. Before we got here, we got back our Items, the Puzzle and the Ring, but I don't know why they would disappear from you."

As a matter of fact, he did have a theory, but he wasn't about to disclose it to his other half and his priests. Since this was some kind of afterlife/past (or whatever, it made Yuugi's head spin to think about it), the Items here would be shadows or replicas of the real ones back in the real world. So when Ryou and he had appeared here, the "shadows" of the Ring and Puzzle had joined with the real ones. Or something.

Atemu glanced at Shada and then looked back at Yuugi.

"Would you allow my Priest to have a quick look into your mind? That will be the fastest way to assure that you aren't lying."

Yuugi twitched and was about to say no when he looked up into Atemu's eyes and saw that he was apologetic. This was the fastest way of course, but the last time Shadi had been in his mind hadn't ended up good. Not that he remembered much of it, even now.

With a sigh he collapsed further into the chair and nodded. He knew how to keep the more important things away from Shada, so the man would only see that Yuugi was sincere in what he was claiming. The tattooed man stepped forward, Sennen Ankh held up before him and he nodded to Yuugi, feeling slightly guilty at having to subject such an innocent and sweet-looking boy to what he was about to do. Silent seconds ticked by, everybody looking intently at Shada and the boy so strangely reminiscent of their Pharaoh. With a gasp Yuugi suddenly jerked back in the chair and Shada brought a hand up to cradle his head, taking a step back.

"Shada? What happened!?" Atemu frowned concerned, but was surprised to notice his concern was as much for his priest as for the strange/familiar boy.

"Nothing, my Pharaoh. It was simply a little overwhelming." Shada straightened up again and smiled sympathetically at Yuugi, who was now hugging himself.

"Wondrous really. So much light and pureness, hardly tainted by any darkness. He did not mean any harm in coming here, only wanting to find that which would make him whole... it was ripped away and now he is slowly falling apart without it." Shada shook his head, dispelling the far-away and unfocused gaze in his eyes and bowed to Atemu before stepping back.

Yuugi was dismayed at how much Shada had found out, but the careful, wisp-thin tendrils of power searching through his mind had been so much like the last time, but more subtle, so he'd lost a little control. But maybe it had been for the best...

A heavy, but gentle hand on his shoulder had him looking up into his other's eyes, and it was so much like all the times before, warm, comforting, reassuring, that he almost launched himself at Atemu to hug him. But then he remembered where he was, and what had happened, and grimaced, the hand not clutching the Puzzle twitching in reaction.

"What are you looking for?" The deep voice of his other half flowed over and through him and he couldn't help but smile and answer.

"The other half of my soul."

Rocks rose around them, the quickly cooling wind of the desert howling around them as they left the city behind. Ryou was nearing exhaustedness (and yes, he knew that wasn't really a word) on the scale of being tired. It wasn't easy to climb the rocky hills near the capital, and he had been running a lot before then.

"Wh.. when will we get there... where-ever we are going?" Ryou asked after a while, frustrated at not knowing where he was going.

"Save your breath, you won't tire so easily then. And we're soon there." Bakura said shortly, not even looking back over his shoulder at Ryou. /Well, that told me a lot. Not./ Ryou grimaced at Bakura's back and sighed, falling silent and concentrated on walking once more.

The path they were on veered sharply to the left, around an outcropping of rock, and then they were standing on a small plateau, surrounded by rock on three sides and falling sharply down to the desert on the fourth. Looking around, Ryou wondered why they were here, since there seemed to be no where to go. Had Bakura taken a wrong turn somewhere? The small strip of slightly more down-trodden dust and rock hadn't been easy to follow after all; you had to know where you were going. But their apparent non-location didn't seem to bother Bakura; he simply walked up to one of the sheer cliff walls, still with a grip on Ryou's wrist, and disappeared into the rock. Blue eyes widened, but Ryou didn't have time for any other reactions as he rounded the small outcropping Bakura had walked behind and found himself in a narrow tunnel.

"Oh..." he muttered weakly and shook his head. The day's events were catching up with him. Seeing Atemu, being chased down into the city, being "kidnapped" and meeting his other half and now this... to much at one time. But he'd learnt long ago to take things in stride and deal with them when he had time, so he just squared his shoulders and walked after the dark skinned tomb robber, hoping there would be somewhere to sit down soon.

The corridor never widened, but they finally stopped in front of what looked like a tall, but thin door made out of rock. Ryou didn't see what the man did to open the door, but the loud sound of rock scraping against rock suddenly rumbled through the slightly dank air. Bakura stepped through and to the side, clearly waiting for Ryou to follow. With a mental shrug, he'd come this far after all, he stepped inside.

There was another narrow corridor behind the door, but Ryou now suspected they were here only for protection against invaders. Not many steps later he was standing in a fairly large room, late afternoon light spilling in from high above. Looking up confirmed his suspicion, there were small air-vents in the rock here, letting fresh air and a little light in. The tunnel outside had been dank simply because there had been no air coming in directly. A hand on his shoulder made him jump, but Bakura only smiled slightly as Ryou's wide eyes met his own, narrowed sliver ones.

"Come on. Let's find you somewhere to rest."

Stunned (because when was the last time he'd seen Bakura smile, really smile? He couldn't remember... probably never.), Ryou followed his other and frowned slightly. That smile... it had been gentle (at least by Bakura-standards) but behind the hard outer wall protecting his emotions, there had been sadness, and some strange joy... and anger, so much anger. Since he knew what to look for, he'd seen some of it in those shadowed eyes, but most of it had come trickling down from their link, without him trying. What could make Bakura loose even the slightest of control on his feelings, even in the privacy of his mind?

Deciding to try to figure out the answer later, he concentrated on their surroundings instead. They passed a few rooms, some with doors and some not, a large kitchen, some empty rooms... it started to blur after a while, but thankfully Bakura stopped in front of one door and pushed it open. This room was clearly lived in with draperies hanging on the walls, furniture standing around and a bed in the middle. The little piles of various trinkets, coins, and other valuables made it clear this was Bakura's room.

"R-really... I couldn't take your room, Bakura... I'll sleep somewhere else... Ryou muttered, and looked down nervously when his other started to gently push him towards the bed. The tall, muscular thief frowned and shook his head.

"I want you where I can see you. This is the easiest."

/I want you where I can easily confirm you aren't an hallucination./ He may not have said it out loud, but to Ryou it was clear as day. He had become good in reading his other after all. A necessity one might say. With a nod, Ryou collapsed down on the bed, shedding the two coats slowly due to clumsiness born of exhaustion. Almost asleep, a thought hit Ryou and he looked up, stopping Bakura by grabbing the hem of his robe.

"Bakura... why?" He wasn't sure he had been coherent enough for the thief to understand him, but the wild haired man cocked his head and shrugged minutely.

"I knew I couldn't have been the only one surviving the massacre... but I never saw anyone else... damn that Pharaoh!" He hissed, and the fierce expression and growl was a little more frightening on this version of Bakura than it had been when his other had shared a body with him. So Bakura thought he was a relative or something like that... well, he wasn't likely to be killed then, at least...

"But no matter, sleep." The soft whisper and gentle brush of fingers over his scalp quickly eased Ryou into sleep, and strangely enough, he felt safe. He knew his other wouldn't let anything hurt him. Of course, he hadn't let anyone hurt him before either (no one but Bakura was allowed to hurt his "host"), but this time it wasn't because he couldn't survive without Ryou, but because Bakura thought he was worth protecting for himself. And that made it more than easy to succumb to the soothing darkness waiting to embrace him.

Yuugi was tired; actually, he was beyond tired. But he was also hyper, so he couldn't make himself to got to sleep just yet. He'd followed Atemu around the rest of the day, happy that his other half had insisted Yuugi stay with him and not be left over in the care of some guards as Seth had suggested. Leaning his elbows against the parapet and his chin in his hands he looked up at the brilliant night sky, feeling some strange sort of happiness bubble up at the magnificent sight. Some thought that the sky, and especially the night sky, was depressing. Particularly so when you felt down, had lost something or was feeling sad. But even all the months after he'd lost his other half; he's never felt down when looking at the sky. Instead, he'd felt hope, and longing. The night sky in the Dreamworld had been beautiful, the stars intense and clear, and he never could make himself angry at the sky for being indifferent. It was all-encompassing, and that meant, that somewhere, under the same sky, was his other. That had given him hope.

"Yuugi. Why are you standing here?"

Turning his head to look at his other he smiled and shrugged, a light wind playing with the spikes of their hair and making their respective capes swirl around them.

"I'm so wound up I can't sleep. Besides, the sky is beautiful. It looks like a sea of stars, doesn't it?" Resting his chin on his hands again he looked up.

"An endless sea that will always lead you home." He said silently, hoping it was true for him and Ryou too. A hand on his shoulder and he felt, rather than saw, Atemu nod.

"I have not thought about it, but it is an apt description. But come now, you are tired and need to sleep. There is a day tomorrow too."

Yuugi nodded and let his other lead him back into the room behind them. And hopefully, tomorrow would bring new light on this mad adventure.

Endu for this chapter! Hope you all enjoyed it! I had fun at least!