Dragon: Yea! Chapter 2 is up!

Seto: -grumbles- about time!

Dragon: Shaddup or you won't get a chance at Atemu

Seto: -zips mouth and throws away the key-

Desidera: - quietly snickering-

Seto: -sends death glare her way-

Desidera: -snickering is turning into a coughing fit-

Seto: -smirk-

Dragon: -rolls eyes- anyways, on with the story!

Cold blue eyes scanned the room they had just entered. Even though it was smaller than the throne room they had just left, it was still as impressive. Statues, carvings, gold, and silk adorned everything. Nothing was left plain. Even the floors were elaborate.

"Please have a seat."

Seto turned to look at the Pharaoh, who had spoken. He was seated on a rather large royal blue pillow placed at the front of the room. Beside him, the High Priest Seth had taken up his position as a slave came around and offered both of them wine. Off to the side, Bakura had been roughly thrown to the floor and two of the priests took up guard beside him.

Finally he took a seat on another pillow directly in front of the exotic Yugi look-a-like and his own counterpart. The same female slave came to him and offered a drink, which he took hesitantly. He wasn't sure if he could trust it or not, but he knew all to well of diplomatic situations and to refuse could cause more problems.

"What is you name?" Seth asked as he swirled his drink around. He wasn't too interested in this stranger but if his Pharaoh was then he would have to deal with it.

"Seto Kaiba, and yours Pharaoh?"

Seth growled, "No one is allowed to know the Pharaoh's true name!" Oh, he was really not liking this stranger. His temper was rising and it needed an outlet. A warm hand rested on his arm, quickly dissipating his anger. He turned and met ruby colored eyes making his own eyes warm at the sight of them.

Kaiba was not lost to the look the Pharaoh and Seth had briefly shared. He saw the ice melt almost instantly. Interesting.

"Unfortunately, Seth is correct. My name is not given freely. Now if you could please tell me your story?"

The stranger chuckled before he composed himself. "If I told you, you wouldn't believe me."

"Try me," Atemu said as he took at slip of his wine.

Seto eyed him for a second before he started. "Like I said I'm from Japan, but I also come from future."

"You expect us to believe that? Pharaoh I suggest we just throw them both in the dungeons. They obliviously..."

"I am not lying!" Seto said as he jumped to his feet. How dare he say that to him!

Seth also jumped to his feet, ready to defend Atemu against this deranged person. Beside him, the Pharaoh sighed and rubbed his temples. Seth was a good man deep down, but his temper always got the best of him. He needed to talk to this Seto without any distractions if he wanted to find out with was going on.

"Seth, take Bakura down to the dungeons to be dealt with later. You, Seto, will follow me. I will show you to your chambers." Slowly, he got up and proceeded to the door.

"Pharaoh, you can not expect me to leave you alone with him!"

"I do expect it of you. I do not think he will bring harm to me. There is more to his story and I want to hear it. Now please do as I say and I will meet you in your chambers later to talk about what I've learned."

Seto and Seth glared at each other before they each went their own way.

Seth gave Seto a loathing stare, which Seto returned with interest. He had never actually seen himself glare before. No wonder his employees fled before that gaze. Still, he would rather not think about the little jump his stomach was doing when the Pharaoh defended him.

After a long moment both of them went their own way.

'Finally', Seto thought, when the blue eyed priest left the room. Then he turned back to the Pharaoh, who was smiling quietly, looking him up and down. To his shock, Seto noticed his face growing hot. That had never happened to him in his life, not even when Yugi.... He quickly cut that trail of thought. Yugi was an altogether different story. Especially when he was dueling....anyway. This wasn't Yugi, as far as he could tell. Though the pharaoh was similar in personality to the Yugi he faced in duels...

Seto shook his head to get rid of the memories. The pharaoh laughed and then spoke,

"Please excuse Seth's temper. He is a loyal servant and a good friend that is why he is protective of me. Sometimes too much. Now you may continue your story."

And for whatever reason Seto answered without reservation, without doubt, just looking into those deep red eyes as they walked down the endless hallway.

"Like I said, I came from the future. It may displease you to hear this, but in my time the reign of the pharaohs is long gone down. Worry not, though, you won't live to see it go down, and it will endure longer than most other civilizations.

I don't know for sure how I got involved in the matters of ancient Egypt, but I have a good idea why. In the future we play a game that, according to some, shouldn't be unknown to you. It is a cards game but through modern technology we let the monsters come to life."

"Monsters?!?" the Pharaoh cried, "Are you suggesting you play Shadow Games in the future?!? Did they ever assault you? Have you found a way to seal it?"

'Oh no,' Seto thought, 'that reminds me of Yugi and that crap he's always sprouting'

"No", he said aloud, "It's not quite as you believe, I think. We can make the monsters visible, but they are not real, they stay cards in the end. Thus there is no need to seal them away. And there is no such thing as Shadow Games."

The ruler of Egypt looked away and Seto thought he saw tears of disappointment in the other's eyes. "Go on," the pharaoh then said quietly.

"Well. In the future I am a wealthy businessman. You might not really say a ruler, but a man of great influence. And I used to be the best player in the game I told you about. Now, that title should still be rightfully mine, but one day there was a kid challenging me to a game. He had your hair, but his eyes were a softer tone, violet and he was little in stature, didn't look his age. But when he dueled – when he is dueling – he changes. He is more similar to you then, confident, challenging, intense. And he beat me. I do not know how, but he did. Since that time we are fiercest rivals.

Then, a year ago, a woman was bidding me to the Egyptian museum – that is where they show the leftovers of your civilization. There was a stone tablet, telling the story of an ancient fight, showing duel monsters, among them the three god cards, if that is something you know of..."

"The gods?!?" the pharaoh cried again, "How could Egypt fall and the gods yet live??"

Seto sighed. That guy believed too much in the fairy tales of his time, "They don't live. They are cards, made out of paper."

"Out of what?"

"Uhhhm, papyrus, if you will"

"Ah, I see...why out of papyrus? How could something so weak keep a god inside?"

"They are not inside. They don't live." Inwardly, Seto rolled his eyes.

"Ah, yes..." The pharaoh answered, confused.

"Anyway, on the stone tablet I recognized one person. It was Yugi, the other duelist, the only one who was ever able to beat me. And facing him, the woman Isis showed me myself, wanting to make me believe he was a pharaoh and I was a sorcerer and we were lost in an eternal fight. I wouldn't believe her then. But now..."

"So how did you get there?"

"If only I knew. I don't remember anything but standing in a corridor, touching the stone tablet with the carvings on it, and then I woke up in the middle of the desert."

There was silence. Then the pharaoh sighed, "Very well, this is a mysterious tale...One question is left open to me: Why did you know Bakura's name if you have never seen him before?"

"It's not quite true," Seto answered, "In the future, he is friends with that Yugi, and he is in our class – wait, do you have schools? Anyway – he is a friend of his. Though the Bakura I know is much gentler than the one you have here. Still, he has those strange mood swings....what did your Bakura do by the way? What is he accursed of?"

"He is a thief," the pharaoh said darkly, "that caused us a lot of trouble already. I hope we now ended it once and for all."

The sovereign looked away and Seto noticed that he hadn't spoken that much all at once to anyone in his life, not even to his brother.

A heavy silence fell, as there were no more words to be said.

Meanwhile Seth was escorting Bakura to the dungeons with the two other priests, his rod clutched in his hand. At the entrance to the dungeon the other priests stood back, leaving it to Seth to lock the thief in. But Bakura wouldn't let him leave without last words.

"He quite liked the stranger, your mighty pharaoh, didn't he?"

"Shut up", Seth growled dangerously.

"Ohh, look who has become jealous..."

"Shut. Up." Anyone would have recognized the threat in that voice. Not so Bakura, or perhaps he just didn't fear it.

"I have seen you look at the pharaoh, you can't pretend you don't care. I know why you're always fighting with him. And I know what goes on in your head when you see him so cozy with a complete stranger and leaving him alone with that unworthy copy of you now...."

"Keep. Your. Filthy. Mouth. SHUT!!!!" the priest roared, pointing his rod at the thief, trembling with anger.

But with a smirk Bakura vanished in the shadows.

"Ah, here we are." Atemu said as he pushed the door open.

Seto walked past the Pharaoh into the vast room. Before him laid a beautifully decorated room. A massive bed was off to the side, complete with hieroglyphs and carvings of ancient monsters above it. Silk lined the bed with a creamy color that reflected the candle's flames. A desk and chest was off to the other side beside another door. Before him, along the far wall was a balcony lined with rich creamy linen, slowly billowing in the slight breeze.

"Over there is your bathing chamber. When you want to take a bath or need something just pull this rope and a servant will come and attend you. I'll have one come bring you some extra clothes soon." He said as he made his way towards the balcony.

Seto followed, still in awe of the room. He had to give the ancient Egyptians credit; they knew how to treat a person. He watched as the Pharaoh pulled the linen drapes back to open up the balcony that over looked his gardens and kingdom. Quietly they both stepped out on it and viewed the sights before them.

"Tell me more about this person that is supposed to look like me."

Kaiba inwardly groaned but complied, "Like I said we are rivals. Yugi is this kindhearted person that puts a value on friendship too much and destiny. He's constantly telling me about the 'heart of the cards' and to believe in my past."

"I take you that you do not believe in such a thing?"

He snorted, "No, I make my own destiny and the only thing that can help you win is power."

Atemu chuckled as he leaned on the railing, never once looking at him. "You sound like Seth. I'm glad to see that his incarnate hasn't changed. Tell me do the Sennen Items exist in your time? Or are they a thing of the past also?"

"According to Yugi and his little group of geeks, yes they do. I believe that Yugi has the Sennen Puzzle, Necklace, and Rod. Bakura has the Ring."

Atemu's eyes widened as he looked at Seto. "He has the Puzzle? He solved it?" a nod "That would explain things then. Tell me why do you not have the Rod?"

"Told you I don't believe in nonsense like that."

This time the Pharaoh snorted before he turned back to his beloved kingdom. Seto watched him taking in the sight of the smaller man. The more he talked to this person and listened to the sound of his deep, royal voice the more his thoughts drifted to the way Yugi was when he dueled or was faced with a life threatening position. There was something eerily familiar between the two. He could almost believe...

"I'm glad to see that my life will continue and I'll have another chance with him." Atemu said in barley a whisper that Seto almost didn't catch it.

"Another chance?" he asked as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Atemu smiled and shook his head. "Doesn't matter, but I will tell you this. I believe your story."

"Why? I mean even I wouldn't believe it if I was in your shoes."

A sorrowful look flashed in his crimson eyes before he was able to mask it. "The shadow games are getting out of control. People are using them for all the wrong reasons. If it's not stopped soon, my kingdom and it's people will perish. One of my loyal priests told me of the only way to stop it and seal the realm. A sacrifice must be made to the gods and shadows. Soon I will have to seal part of my soul in the Puzzle. That is why I believe you. You gave me the answers I was looking for. I was reluctant to perform the ceremony because I was afraid it would not work. But you said the games are no longer and that my kingdom lives on. And the Puzzle has been found and completed. My soul will be released. It will not have to spend eternity in the lonely dark."

Seto starred at his in shock and disbelief. Images of Yugi, the Puzzle, talks of a Pharaoh's spirit, strange flashes of the things he had seen during Battle City and his duel with the King of Games. Could all of it be true? If it was then is this the person I've grown to respect as a rival and duelist, the only one worth his time?

Atemu sighed, snapping him out of his thoughts; "I'll leave you now. I still have to talk to Seth. I'll send that servant for you. Tomorrow you will have to have your Ka tested, to show you are trustworthy to the rest of my Priests." And before anything else could be said Seto was left alone.

"Testing my Ka?" Seto thought, shocked, "What the hell!?!"

Seth was still furious when he returned from the dungeons. That damned tomb robber! They needed to get rid of him lest he told Atemu the little secret he had found out about. How that thief could see something Seth didn't even dare to admit to himself was beyond the compasses of his mind.

With a small spell he unlocked the door to his chamber and entered quietly, leaving it open for his ruler to come in whenever it pleased him. Then he sank down onto the bed, staring at the rod in his hands.

The memory of the stranger lingered ever in the back of his head, the interest in Atemu's eyes... Unconsciously, Seth growled low, clutching the rod harder to stop him self from smashing the beautiful vase next to his bed. He weekly needed a new one anyway, because of his temper.

The pharaoh chose that moment to step into the priest's room.

"I take it you are angry with me for sending you away," Atemu said softly, coming to stand before the bed.

Seth avoided his eyes, trying to hide his shame, "Of course I am not, my pharaoh"

"Then you must be hurt," the other insisted, sitting down next to him on the bed with a careless "If you don't mind..."

Seth minded, but didn't say anything since this was his ruler and he had no right to refuse. Instead he replied stoically, "Why should I be, my pharaoh? I just followed your orders."

"Come on, Seth," Atemu urged, "You mock me, talking to me like a slave would. You are my priest and thus my counselor. Tell me what you think about the stranger!"

But the mention of Seto made the high priest see red. "Your counselor? Oh, you didn't ask for my counsel when you took him in and let him walk around freely although you have no proof of his harmlessness! He could be a spy and a thief, ally to Bakura, for all we know, and you just stay alone with him in the backroom! For that is exactly what I think him to be, a spy at least, if not even worse! Why else would he look like me?!"

Atemu's eyes narrowed but he said calmly, "You get carried away by your temper again, Seth. Your anger is blurring your judgment. I felt this man had an aura of truth and honesty. And tomorrow you will see for yourself, since I will make Mahaado and Isis test his Ka."

With a hiss of barely controlled wrath, Seth looked down upon the rod again.

During the following silence, the pharaoh watched him, regret darkening his eyes.

After a while he spoke softly once more, "I do not want this stranger to come between us and arouse your hatred for me even more."

Seth's head snapped up and he blurted out, "How can you think I hate you?"

"You do," Atemu said sadly, looking away.

"You are a fool to believe this!", Seth cried, shocking Atemu by grabbing his shoulders, the rod forgotten in his lap.

They stared at each other, their faces closer than they had ever been. The pharaoh swallowed nervously, then, shaking his head, he put his own hand onto one of Seth's shoulders.

"Believe me!", Seth all but begged, "I do not hate you and I could never no matter how foolish you act! Putting that stranger over my counsel!"

Atemu blinked, then gave a soft, hoarse laugh. "Seth, do not worry," he said, "You mean far more to me than any stranger."

Seth was silent in shock, his mouth half opened. And looking into his beautiful blue eyes, Atemu couldn't think of another time he had felt a deeper connection to the other and a stronger urge to express that feeling in touching his lips to the other's. Even as he realized what he had been thinking, their faces were already no more than two inches apart.

A loud clatter made them jump apart, staring at the door like trapped criminals. But it was only the sennen rod that had fallen off Seth's lap and onto the floor.

Hastily, Atemu got up, nodded curtly and left the room

Dragon and Desidera: Well that's the end of chapter 2! Please review and tell us what you think. And thanks to the people that reviewed last chapter!