Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or its characters. I do own my OC, Akunriou / Tory and Kishtoh / Lucca, plus the storyline. And any cards that haven't been thought up that are in this duel.

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING NOTICES!

MidnightBallad: Read previous notes. Now – go! The duel won't take too long, I promise.

Important: If you see 'present' at the start of the chapter, then that means the story is set in 'the now'. If it says 'past', then it is set 3, 000 years ago, back in Egypt.

Past/Present: A Battle of Memories

Present:

Yugi strapped the Duel Disk to his arm and shuffled his deck, before sliding it into the slot. His Millennium Puzzle glowed, and within seconds, Yugi had become Yami. The much older, talented duellist stood before Lucca, who stared at Yami with an expression of eagerness on his face.

'I hope you're not wasting my time, Lucca,' Yami warned the dark-haired boy. 'Or you're pulling my chain. If we win, you must promise to tell us whatever you know.'

'Calm down, Atemu,' Lucca said, also strapping a Duel Disk to his arm. 'You'll get what's coming to you.'

Tory shuffled her own disk, and also took the card from around her neck. Yami did not see what it was. 'Then let's get this battle started.' She said, smiling.

She and Yami went a bit away from Lucca. As they walked, Yami looked sideways at Tory – she appeared very worried. 'It's okay,' he said quietly. 'Lucca won't beat us.'

Tory spun around, holding out her arm with the Duel Disk on it, so that she faced Lucca. 'Sure...let's beat him fast.'

Lucca glanced at his hand, and then smiled. 'I'll place two cards facedown.'

'I'll play the Magician of Dark Chaos.' Yami said, placing his cards on the Duel Disk.

'I play the Dark Sphinx 1, and also place a card facedown.' Tory answered. The Dark Sphinx appeared, black as the night, with glowing eyes and a loud hissing noise. Next to it came Tory's facedown card.

Yami suddenly noticed that Tory had very few cards. To be exact, she had only ten. What was she playing at?

'That ends our turn.' Tory answered.

'Okay...' Lucca sighed and drew another card. A smile flickered over his face: a cold, leering smile. He slapped down the card. 'I play Exodia, the Forbidden One!'

'WHAT?!' Tory demanded. Yami was stunned – that was impossible! Exodia the Forbidden one did not exist in a single card. How could Lucca be playing him?

Exodia appeared as magnificently as he always did. Tory and Yami stepped back as the giant figure rose above them, holding a glowing orb in his hands, glaring down at the two defenceless duellists. It was going to destroy them.

'Looks like I win!' Lucca cheered. 'Now to take your puzzle and necklace! Exodia: obliterate!'

'Not if I can help it!' Tory said, clasping her necklace and grabbing Yami's left arm. 'Ra! Save us!'

The power released by Exodia burst forth, showering the night sky is a display of golden light – but before it hit, Yami and Tory disappeared.

The memory sucked them in like two leaves going down a shiny drain.

- -

Past:

Pharaoh Atemu held a hand out to Akunriou. 'Your voice is like that of the goddesses, Akunriou. Do not worry – stand up.'

Akunriou looked up at Atemu with her multi-coloured eyes. He was smiling a smile that Akunriou had never seen before. Perhaps it was a smile of friendship. Slowly, Akunriou took his hand, and Atemu pulled her to her feet. 'Wherever did you learn to sing like that?'

'I do not know.' Akunriou answered truthfully. She felt very stupid, standing before the Pharaoh without good reason. She tried to smile, but it wouldn't come. She noticed she still held the Pharaoh's hand, and she quickly pulled it away.

'My Pharaoh,' Akunriou said quietly. 'Seeing as I can never see my mother and my brother again, would it be possible for me to go to them for one last farewell?'

'Of course,' Atemu said. 'And is this also saying that you agree to help me defeat the evil that plagues Egypt?'

Akunriou nodded. 'Yes, it would be an honour. Thank you, my Pharaoh.'

'I will send the High Priest with you,' Atemu said. 'There are fiends that live out in the sand that would rather kill you than help you.'

Akunriou gave a sigh of relief – and a smile broke over her face. As she did, her eyes became bright green, as if they alone displayed her emotion.

'And when this is over,' Atemu started up. 'I promise that you can return to them. 'Love is a binding thing, and I do not want to deny you of it...'

Akunriou bowed. 'Thank you.' She began to descend the staircase to leave, but Atemu suddenly called, 'Akunriou, may I ask you one other thing?'

The blonde girl spun around on the stairs. 'Yes, my Pharaoh?'

'Will you do me the pleasure of singing again? I have guests from the western side of Egypt arriving in three days time, and I am sure they would love to hear you sing for them.'

Akunriou nodded briefly, and then continued on her leave.

- -

Past:

Atemu arrived back in the chamber where the High Priest Seto awaited him, a very snug smirk on his face. He often acted like this toward his cousin when nobody else was around. 'How did it go?'

'She is better now,' Atemu said, seating himself. 'You will accompany her tonight when she goes to say farewell to her brother.'

Seto sat down opposite Atemu. 'Do you think that she wishes to help us? Or do you think she wants to do it only because it will make you happy?'

Atemu sipped from a silver cup. 'That is what I want you to do for me, Seto. I want you to ask her that same question. I cannot have Akunriou helping me if she does not wish to in the first place.'

The High Priest bowed his head, as if to say 'yes'.

'Excellent. Be sure to allocate Akunriou a proper room, but keep her away from the lower chambers.' Atemu drank deeply from the cup once again. 'We do not want her getting into too much trouble.'

Seto stood up and bowed shortly. 'As you wish. I'll see to it that nothing harms Akunriou.'

-End chapter seven-

MidnightBallad: Okay, next chapter is a good one. We will find out the following information:

- How Akunriou's family feel about her decision

- What Akunriou's brother is trying to do to get her back and what the 'dark forces that plague Egypt' are.

- Remember Mana's palm-reading...? Hehehe.

Don't forget to review, my fellow obsessors! And I'm sorry if the time of the story was confusing, but I tried to make it as clear as possible. Ah! I have a last-minute message for:

SladesDaughter: I'm trying to focus the story on Egypt a bit more. And there will be other songs – if you look closely, they are relevant to the storyline.