Disclaimer: To own Yugioh would be... amazing. Unfortunately, I don't own it. Yugioh, I mean.

I asked Seto about that, as I said I would, earlier today. It's night now, and I'm writing this by some waning torchlight. I seem to be able to think better in the dark, though I don't know why. Maybe it's because I feel more alone, isolated, in the dark, and that makes it easier to single out my own thoughts and emotions? I'll probably never know.

So anyway, I dressed and made my way over to Seto's chambers (Again...) and knocked on the door, but he didn't come to it for nearly two minutes. This is unusual for Seto. Usually he's right on top of things. When he did come, his robes were messy, his hair was messy, his feet were without sandals, and his eyes were all red. It made me feel guilty, I can tell you that much.

"Atemu?"

"Seto... maybe I should come back later..." I stuttered. He looked horrible.

"No, come in."

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Yes. I look like this because I was up with Mahaado nearly all night. He's just REALLY sick..." He opened the door to let me in. "So what do you want to talk about?"

"How did you know?" I asked, stunned.

"Why else would you be up so early? Something's obviously bugging you."

"What time is it?"

Seto looked out one of his windows to a sundial in the courtyard below.

"A bit past four in the morning." No wonder it was still nearly dark.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know it was so early!" I exclaimed. Now I really felt guilty.

"That's okay." Seto yawned. "Do you mind if I lay down?"

I shook my head and he got back into his bed, rubbing his temples.

"How late were you up?" I asked.

"Uh... about... I fell asleep about an hour ago, I think," he said, yawning again. "So what do you want to talk about?"

So then I told him about how I heard Father and Mother talking about my dueling skills and such, mentioning particularly the part about Father saying he was living in my shadow. Seto's brow knitted.

"Wow..."

"What should I do?" I asked.

He was silent for a minute, then answered, "I'm honestly not sure. If you let on that you overheard that, he might get really mad at you... You haven't seen your father when he's REALLY mad, and I think that if he knew you heard that, it just might tip his scale... but then again, maybe you should ask him about it, and try to mend things..." I saw his arm move to his chest under the sheets of his bed, and little ripples meant finger movement. He was fingering his scarab again. I noticed he did that whenever he was nervous or scared, or trying to make a good decision.

"The spell on that thing is going to wear off, with how much you rub it," (1) I said.

"Hmm?"

"Your scarab."

He looked down as I pointed to where his hand was beneath his sheets, grinning. "I can't help it. I love this little guy." I laughed, but then we became again serious.

"So... Wow, that wasn't the best thing to overhear."

"I know. That's why I came to you."

"Still... wow. Your Father... he loves you, even more than his wife, but lately, at High Court meetings... he's been... referring to you a bit more... like, if we go over something that he goofed on, which happens; it happens to everyone, he might say, 'Oh, I'll bet Atemu could do a better job, couldn't he? Well then, let's just get him in here!'"

This made me quite upset. I don't try to challenge Father in anything save dueling, for I challenge anyone and everyone in dueling, so why should Father see it any differently? I voiced my thoughts, as I have never really been one to keep my opinions to myself.

"I don't try to best him in anything!"

Seto's eyes softened, something I had come to read as, 'Not here, not now. Not while I'm feeling like this.' His eyes got like that when he was sick, tired, and overworked.

"I know you don't, believe me. He resents not you, but your obvious natural talent in too many areas to name, Atemu. He's jealous because you've been gifted in so many ways, whereas he has to work doubly hard at most things just to touch your level, and still doesn't get as much recognition."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Please don't get a big head from this, but you've charmed the whole kingdom. There's rumor flying around that you're some kind of incarnated god. Crazy, I know. But Atemu, they view you as perfection, or close to it."

"Has Father heard this?" I asked, though I was afraid to know the answer.

"Oh yes. A bit more than he'd like to have heard."

I bit my lip. "I don't want him to hate me!"

"He doesn't hate you. He's just extremely jealous of you. There's a big difference, though sadly that difference is overlooked quite a bit in this world."

"What can I do?" I asked.

He sighed. "Atemu, I'm not going to tell you. I can give you advice on love and females, I can help you with whatever you're afraid or apprehensive of, but this time, it's your decision. I don't think my decision would be right here. You're your own man now, Atemu, and a wiser one than me, I can tell you without any hesitation, though it slices cuts through me to admit it. I know that if you just have the confidence to act by your own heart on this, it'll work out for you."

Translated from Seto-language: He views me no longer as any form of a child, and he's letting me go. He knew I'd figure it out.

"Thanks, Seto," I said.

"You're welcome."

I left Seto's chambers, allowing him to sleep. He looked like he needed it.

I leaned on the cool stone wall, thinking everything over. What was I to do? Ask Father, and risk having him blow up? Or keep it to myself, never hearing what Father really thought? Well, when it was put that way... Standing aside and letting things pass over me... it really isn't my thing...

I waited until the sun was at least up, and when the sundial out my window showed time for morning meal, I went down to the dining hall. It seemed especially full and busy this morning for some reason, brimming with people and barely an empty seat at a table wherever you looked. This was one thing I liked about our palace: everyone, from the servants to the pages to the High Priests to their Magicians-in-Training to the Pharaoh, ate together, in the same great hall. I walked up to the high table and sat on Father's left. He was looking a bit dazedly out into the hall.

"Is something going on today, Father?"

"Wha- Oh, Atemu! I didn't see you come in! Yes, there's a palace assembly immediately following morning meal."

"What for?" I asked.

"Isis's Tauk went missing last night, a wonder in itself. I mean, the Sennen Tauk, lost! It really doesn't seem possible, but..."

I nodded, dipping my goblet into the water bucket in the center of our High Table, as Mana, Isis and Mother entered the hall. This was odd, as Mana usually comes in with Mahaado; they start their magic lessons as soon as the sun rises, before morning meal. I noticed also how Mana and Mother seemed to be trying to comfort Isis. I don't believe I will ever fully understand females. Isis's Sennen Tauk becomes lost(Well, probably stolen, really.), and suddenly she thinks it's her fault and that the entire blame lays on her. It's not her fault! Someone thought she had a pretty necklace and stole it! It happens all the time in this country! But ah, I believe I should keep these thoughts to myself.

The three females sat down in their respective positions at the table, Mana coming over and giving me a hug first, which I returned.

"How's Mahaado?" I asked quietly.

She leaned her head on my shoulder, closing her eyes. "He's really sick. He isn't even eating..." She trailed off and I saw moisture collect around the corners of her clamped eyes. I lifted her head and wiped her tears gently away.

"He'll be fine," I reassured her, standing up in order to hug her tighter, "He's a great Magician. I'm sure a little cold won't be able to hurt him. He's just letting it feel like it's ahead, and then he'll stomp on it. Don't worry."

Mana nuzzled my neck with her face. "Thanks."

"It's true. He's too strong for that, Mana."

She smiled and we parted. I sat back down, also smiling. I turned to see Father gazing upon me in a way that made me feel a bit on the uncomfortable side.

"What?" I asked, feeling a bit of heat work its way into my cheeks.

He shook his head. "I can see that you won't have the same problem finding a wife as I did."

Though I think he meant well, the last words of his statement tested bitter on my ear's taste buds, leaving a stinging feeling resonating through my mind. I also blushed at the implication there. Did he really think Mana and I would last that long? Not that I doubt it, it's just that I'm not used to thinking along those lines yet.

As it ended up, we were missing two High Court members at our table that morning, Mahaado and Seto. The latter of the two showed up just as Father was about to stand and address the issue of the lost coughprobablystolencough Sennen Tauk.

"Are you all right?" Father asked as Seto took his seat and picked up a cold piece of bread.

"Yes, just tired, Pharaoh. I was up with Mahaado last night."

"Oh. Er... Is he better?"

"I can't tell, truthfully."

Seto looked like he was going to continue with an explanation, but stopped when Father nodded curtly in Mana's direction. She was crying quietly, face in her hands. I rose and walked over to her place at the table and put my arms around her from the back, putting pressure on her shoulders to help her stand to face me. I hugged her as she again cried in my shoulder at the mention of Mahaado's illness. This time it was Mother that gave me the funny look when we parted, me kissing her lightly on top of her head.

"What?" I mouthed to Mother as I took my seat again. She grinned slyly, shaking her head. I cannot stand some of the things parents do! Do they go out of their way to make their children feel uncomfortable?

But then again, something in my Mother's eyes made me think again about this. Something in them glittered unusually... happiness? Pride? Ah, I'll never know, and this is making my head hurt.

So Father addressed the palace on the Issue of the Sennen Tauk, as Mana and I have dubbed it, I followed Father as he headed for his and Mother's chambers, and cornered him.

"Father, may I have a word with you?"

He looked a bit taken aback. "Don't you usually go to Seto to talk about problems?"

HOW DID HE KNOW? "Yes, but Seto's counsel would not be enough in this situation. The answers I seek are ones from you."

He looked puzzled, but accepted my request nonetheless. "Let's go to a courtyard. It's hot in here."

"And it'll be any cooler outside?" I asked. I doubted it. If anything, it would probably be hotter, but I wasn't about to say anything that might 'tip his scale,' as Seto puts it.

We sat on a bench under a small tree, which provided some shade but not a ton.

"So... what was it you wanted to talk about?"

I decided that beating around the bush wouldn't work, and got right to the point.

"Last night, after my duel with China's Emperor, after Seto helped me get to bed, I woke up again, and... I overheard a conversation I would rather have not to, but as I did, I want to ask you if what I overheard is... true."

His brow furrowed. "Oh?"

"Yes."

I didn't say anything else. I was waiting for it to click. And it did.

"You... no... who was talking that you overheard?"

"You and Mother," I answered in a monotone.

"And... What upsets you about what you heard?"

Was he really that thick? What would HIS reaction be? My reply was icy. "The whole thing."

His eyes were huge, and he looked like he didn't want to accept it, like he was scared to.

"Oh, Atemu... Surely you know I didn't mean it..."

"Then why did you say it?" I pressed. If he had hoped to get off the hook on this, I say: HAH! NOT A CHANCE!

"Because... Can't we hold this discussion another time?"

Him saying that scared me. I would have been perfectly content with him just coming up with the truth we each knew to be, apologizing, the two of us making up and moving on. Why was he running away? Surely he's faced bigger problems in his reign as Pharaoh than jealousy of his son's talent! Why was it so hard for him to tell the truth? If our souls are reflected in every move we make, I could judge Father to be positively weak because of what he tried to do then! Was this how he rules our country, only answering the questions he wanted to answer? If that is so, I will make sure to change that when I'm Pharaoh. If there are answers to questions I don't want to give, I'll make sure to correct it, so I am able to give the truthful answer and be proud of it. I think this is a necessary skill for a Pharaoh to have. I told him so.

He didn't look happy, I can tell you that. His face reddened to come to mirror the hue of the tips of my hair and he stood up, features twisted in rage.

"OH, is that what you think?"

I answered, again, truthfully, "Yes."

He lost all control over himself. "I GUESS I SHOULD JUST KILL MYSELF THEN, SO A FAR BETTER PHARAOH CAN BEGIN AN EARLY REIGN!" He then said the words that made my blood boil. "Let's duel. WINNER TAKE ALL!" I didn't really understand what he meant by this, but later I learned that he meant the honor and trust of all of Egypt. A small crowd of servants had gathered around us already. I wouldn't have accepted normally, but something in his eyes was challenging not only my mind, but my spirit, my whole being. This was a battle of wills. I didn't back away, because somewhere, deep inside of me, a small part of me knew that I would win. And soon that part consumed my entire body.

Monster after monster, spell after spell, trap after trap, I crushed him. I sensed that he wasn't really focused on our duel; rather he was doing this to obey the call of harsh, black rage, rage that grabbed his soul and twisted it around, corrupting his mind and causing his emotions to all change to the one that drove him to try, though I don't like to say it, to kill me. Now that I had seen what rage like that can do, I swore to myself and to the gods that I will never allow myself to be eaten by such a force, never.

Based on my recent entries, I'd say that what happened next was nearly predictable. The God of Obelisk seemed to appear out of nowhere, just appeared, like Ra and Osiris had! I blinked, prayed, and he was there! I don't think I'd ever seen such rage bottled into one person as my father quivered as Obelisk's shadow cast a deadly coolness over the courtyard.

"OBELISK! SON, YOU THINK A GOD WOULD DEFY THE PHARAOH OF ALL EGYPT? ISN'T THAT RIGHT? JOIN ME, OH GREAT GOD, AND BE ON THE SIDE OF VICTORY, YES!" Father's eyes were glazed and crazy, spinning and stumbling about like balls of grass tied to the end of a horsewhip.

But apparently Obelisk didn't want to listen to him, and I never lost faith in the god for a minute. I felt, again, in an unknown place deep within myself, that Obelisk would remain loyal to me, because I knew that this fight with Father was more than just that; I knew that essentially, all of Egypt would be affected by the outcome of this duel, and I knew that it would be affected for the better if I won. Don't ask me how, but I just knew, and I hold true to that even now as I write this. I wouldn't go as far as to describe Father's and my sides as evil and good respectively, but I will admit that I know that my side in our little war is the side of what's right.

Obelisk blasted a single devastating punch in Father's direction, completely destroying the man. Though I didn't want to watch as he fell to the ground, I knew I had to. I loved Father, but he is also a person, and I must judge him so. Looking at him fairly as a person just then, I saw a bit of the true side of human nature, but I also saw hate was is within his power to control that he didn't, and quite truthfully I can't stand for that. He had lost, and I had won. I had no regrets.

He picked himself up and glared at me, the whole of the palace watching. "You think you can make a FOOL out of me, boy?"

"I hate to say it, but I believe I just did. I'm sorry this had to go this way, Father, but the remnants of our battle lay before you. They are the pieces of your heart, and I feel that they will never be pieced together again the right way, because I doubt that you will try to make them fit."

He left, seething, and I just stared after him. It's a funny thing though, my reaction to that happening. I was angered, and frustrated, and weakened, and hurt, but I couldn't find it in me to cry. I've begun to understand the concept of hard truth. It hurts, but there's nothing to do other than suck it up. Suck it up, move on, and fix it. And I plan to. I plan to fix my relationship with Father. I plan to fix dear Mahaado's health. I plan to fix Seto's scarab, once he DOES wear off the spell on its underside. I plan to fix Egypt, all of it. Here, the whole 'hard truth' thing comes in. I told Seto and Isis all about this, and they each said the same thing, basically. Seto said that if that was how Father was going to act, he wished I was Pharaoh, and Isis pursed her lips and said, "Your strength has been proven. I hail you as Pharaoh."

I was quite taken aback by this, but said nothing. But what really got me feeling different was that by evening meal today... it's hard to explain, but I was treated quite differently, not just by Seto and Isis, but... the whole palace bowed whenever I passed through the halls, villagers prayed as I went to the village market to bargain with a gamer, and Mother looked upon me in a way she only did Father so.

I asked Seto about this. I remember his exact words, and I doubt I'll ever forget them.

"I'm not going to tone the truth down at all, because you deserve to know every bit of it. The kingdom no longer sees you as Atemu, Prince of Egypt. You have clearly surpassed your Father not only in the way of intellectual achievement and instinct, but your ability to handle bad situations at the moment they arise, your uncanny way of always finding a solution in a hopeless time, your connection with the gods, and the truth that radiates from everything you do has gotten through to the villagers. This was the last push, Atemu. The 'Pharaoh' is no more. You are the King of Egypt."

Isis nodded, for the three of us were meditating in the courtyard together when I asked Seto. It scares me, but I don't think I'll ever be the same. Not after all that has happened. I must rest now, so I shall end this entry.

-Atemu... Pharaoh of Egypt?

(1) The ancient Egyptians wore scarabs in most of their jewelery and all around their body, and when people were mummified, scarab amulets would be set into the wrappings among others. They had spells written on the back for good transport to the afterlife, and the people always kept scarabs on them should they die suddenly. So that's the spell Atemu referred to here, and also in earlier chapters.

Ninqe, I was laughing my head off through your entire review, specifically, "Nice goin Temu! YOU DEEP FRIED YOUR GIRLFRIEND!" I was CRACKING UP! And then Mom walks in and sees me laughing my head off, gives me a funny look, and leaves the room quietly ans quickly... oh man, that was GOOD! That was the end of nice Muka though, I'm afraid. I thought you'd finds the Mucus part amusing, and I couldn't resist putting it in there. To good, too good. You're a lot of things, but DEFINITELY not a butt face! You've got the best sense of humor I KNOW of! So don't even DARE call yourself a butt face!

Thanks, Lloyd (Irving) Aurion! I'm glad you like the pairing! And there ya go, he summoned Obelisk and completed the set. -waves pom poms half-heartedly- Bye bye for now!

Thankies very muchly, Spirit Seer! Here ya go, Obelisk, in the flesh! Err... well... big blue flesh, that is... ah... heh heh...

TheOldOne, Muka will remain mad at 'Temu for quite a while now, methinks... and yup, he summoned Obelisk! Hope you likies!

Thanks, norestar-angel.

Hehe, you're right, Ksaturn. Boys... they're just off in their own little world. LOL! But so are we! AND WE LIKE IT! BWAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! -clears throat- Ahem.

See y'all next update, which, by the way, will be the last chapter!