"Ankh Of Despair"

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-Hands Ally a Priest Seto plushie and a Pharaoh Yami plushie- You actually read my profile and you actually love this story and you actually gave it a ten! -bounces- Thank you so very much! Just as was requested, the next chapter is here! I was hoping that this story would be very popular. . . so far, my most popular story has been "Love is a Battlefield" and that only received 132 reviews. . . help me to beat that record!! On with chapter five!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the show Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. I only own the plot of this story.

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The sound of horse hooves bounced off the walls of the Sea Shrine and out into the open, to ring inside the ears of the two boys. They were unknowing of the immediate danger that they were now in. . . well, Yami was. Seto, on the other hand, had jumped back to his feet. Water droplets fell off of his still-wet body, creating a small puddle on the ground that the Pharaoh watched form before he joined his cousin in the standing position.

"Calm down Seto. It's only a horse." He placed a hand on the taller boys shoulder to try and ease him.

Seto's blue eyes darted around them, "Yes, my Pharaoh," Yami pursed his lips and the priest fought the urge to roll his eyes, "Yes, YAMI, but with every horse there is a rider."

As though on cue, a brown horse appeared out of the darkness and seated on it's back was a white-haired boy (or is he a man? How old is he in the Egyptian arc?) with violet eyes (1). The Priest quickly recognized this as the Bandit King. He also took note of the rope and shackles he wielded. Fearing for the Pharaoh's safety, Seto shoved him, trying to get him into the water yet again, "Get back in the water! He can't get you there!" The horses pace was quick.

In nearly and instant, the boy with the tri-colored hair dove into the water, waiting for the splash of his cousin's entrance to follow. . . it never came. The Pharaoh brought his head above the water, frantically searching his surroundings for his missing partner. He caught a glimpse of the Tomb Robber riding away on his horse, now carrying something white and violet. . .

Crimson eyes opened wide, "NO! SETO!" Without thinking, he ran in the direction that the Thief had gone, but as he peeked down the mountain, there was no trace of the horse or it's rider at all. He fell to his knees, in utter shock at how quickly his priest had been stolen. No, he couldn't think of his cousin like that. . . stolen. . . Seto wasn't a possession. . . not really. . . no!

Yami was on his hands and knees. Fresh tears dripped from scarlet eyes, his blurred vision catching a shine. . . from gold. Wiping away the newly- fallen tears, he reached to his side, sitting in a lazy position and studying this item that claimed his attention. It was Seto's headpiece (geez, someone please tell me what that headpiece is called!). "It must have fallen off when Bakura took him. . . He hugged it to his chest, the Priest's scent still embedded within the violet cloth. "If that thief hurts my Seto. . ." Yami clenched his teeth, red eyes flaring angrily, "I will personally rip him apart limb by limb!"

He stood, running from the shrine. It didn't matter that he was wet. It didn't matter that he left his horse. It didn't matter that the people in the village were staring at him. It didn't matter that he was vulnerable now. All that matter at that very moment was Seto. Seto was kidnaped. . . stolen. Abducted by a madman.

Startled guards opened the gates, admitting their flustered Pharaoh entrance to his palace. The young boy was on a mission. First he had to notify his other priests. . . he just had to get Seto back!

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The streets of Kuru Eluna were deserted. A ghost town. . . literally. Spirits moaned and cried and the dust kicked up at even the slightest winds, enclosing the once-lively village in a thick cloud, securing it from all vision. But this wouldn't stop the only living villager from returning. He knew the streets of these ruins more than he knew himself, he could get home even if he were blind!

Bakura smiled a menacing smile as he entered the rubble he called his home. Seto was draped over his shoulder, unconscious.

Back at the shrine, bakura had used the shackles to knock the priest out cold and then tied his wrists together with the rope. He cursed mentally for not bringing another rope for his ankles and once he had returned 'home', he cursed out loud for being so dense as to not use the shackles for his ankles.

He shook his head at his own stupidity, flopping the motionless cleric down on a makeshift bed, "Well, that didn't go as I had planned. . ." Violet eyes trailed over his captive, "I suppose that this won't be too bad. . . but capturing the Pharaoh would have been by far the greatest of prizes." Bakura seated himself by Seto's head and thought back to the events of the shrine.

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. . . Yami, however, got out of the water and sat next to Seto, smiling bigger than anyone would have thought he could, "You know Seto," He began, "if you took the violet cloth that is tied around your waist off, the bottom half of your clothing would dry faster." . . .

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"Hehehe. . . who would have thought that the Pharaoh had a thing for his cousin." His eyes slid closed and he yawned. . . mid-yawn, his eyes snapped open, "THE PHARAOH LIKES THE PRIEST!!!" He jumped to his feet, grinning insanely, "I have the Pharaoh's beloved Priest! Surely he would come to get him. . . or I could ask for a ransom! Perhaps for all of the gold in the palace. . . and for it to be brought to me by the Pharaoh himself. . . and when that runt comes close enough, I swoop in for the kill!" The King of Thieves cackled, seating himself back on the bed.

Seto stirred.

The world was a blur for a slight moment, and only when it cleared did he bother to take in his new surroundings. His head had a dull ache where he had been knocked on the head. That damn thief. Azure eyes slowly inched over the room, and just as they slowly rolled to the left, piercing violet eyes starred back, causing his breath to hitch in temporary shock.

Bakura backed up and smiled a cat-like smile, "Aw, is the priest afraid?" He absentmindedly began to play with the brunettes hair. Running his fingers through the silky locks and twisting some around his finger.

In his fury, Seto tried to throw a punch but came to a dead stop when he realized that his wrists were bound together in front of him. . . however, his feet were in no such condition and he threw a wild kick at the white- haired boy.

Bakura laughed, nimbly dodging the attack.

The priest was in a rather indecent position now. His right leg had the knee up in the air with the foot flat on the bed and his left leg hung lazily over the edge of the bed.

The thief purred, "Priest, you should know that I can see right up your garbs when you do that." He caressed the other boys cheek, earning a shiver in reply, "I like it. . ."

Cerulean eyes fought to hide all emotion. Right now, thoughts of confusion, hatred, fear, and worry all ran circles around his head and the worst thing that he could do right now was show his enemy his emotions. As long as Bakura didn't know that he was afraid, everything would turn out okay. . . wouldn't it?

Bakura chuckled in a deep tone, "Are you done fighting with yourself? I kind of want to torture you now." Aubergine eyes laughed at Seto's vulnerability, his fear, his confusion. . . apparently it was all evident to this thief.

He could only listen to his heart pound rapidly in his chest as Bakura reached into a sack, "Let the games begin. . ."

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The five remaining Priests paced, pondering what to do next. Although the Pharaoh believed that his crush on Seto was a complete secret, all of his Priests and other nobleman knew about it, and it was no doubt in their minds that most of the villagers had knowledge of it as well.

Mahaado focused all of his mind onto his Millennium Ring, asking it to show him the way to the Millennium Rod. Every time, one small pointer would aim west and this confused the magician greatly.

Yami was beginning to get annoyed, "If it points West then the Rod is in the West!" He slammed a tan fist onto the armrest of his golden throne. The sound of the impact echoing through every hall.

Karim looked to his Pharaoh with sad eyes, "But my Pharaoh, nothing lies in the West. No villages, no kingdoms, only desert. . ."

"No."

All attention turned to the eldest of the priests. His navy eyes were filled with nervousness and worry, "There used to be a village out that way. Kuru Eluna village, also called 'Thief Town'. It is in ruins now, but it would make an excellent hiding place!" His fists clenched as he thought of his son being in that god-forsaken place with that thief doing Ra only knows what to him!

Yami stood, "Then it is settled. Shaada, go get my horse." The bald Priest nodded and darted off to do as asked, "As for everyone else, gather our troops and mount your horses! We will be departing to Kuru Eluna shortly (he'd make an excellent pilot)!" The cleric's looked to one another, all a bit puzzled, "You heard me; MOVE!!!" Shaada scrambled back in.

"My Pharaoh. . ." He bowed his head.

The Pharaoh placed a hand on his forehead to help prevent the on-coming headache, "What is it Shaada?"

"Your horse sir. . . it isn't in the stables." His blue eyes questioned Yami's crimson eyes.

Now it was Yami's turn to feel stupid, "Oh, well, that's because I left it at the Sea Shrine."

After a few anime-style sweat-drops from his nobleman, the Pharaoh decided to ride with Mahaado until they reached the Sea Shrine, and hopefully his horse would still be there. If it was, then Yami would mount his horse and they would head towards the ghost town of thieves. . . all the while, he prayed to all of the gods that his sweet Seto was okay. . .

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(1) - Violet eyes. . . yes boys and girls, Yami Bakura had purple eyes in ancient Egypt. . . kinda takes away some of the 'freaky factor' his glares have. . . poor Baku!

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Well now! I think that this was the longest chapter yet! Awesome! Oh, and Yami changed his clothes when he got back to the palace, in case any of you were wondering. . . anyways, you know the drill! Rate and review! Expect another chapter within two weeks!