RESPONSES
Mirrored-Insanity
Toli: Hey, and welcome to the fic!
Mena: I'm glad he remembers Atemu too! It would really suck if he didn't, don't you agree? Anyway, thanks for reviewing!
silverwolf-bakura13
Mena: OOOH! COOKIES! (falls to ground underneath weight of bag)
Toli: Wow, you seem to feel pretty strongly about some of the characters. Well... (flashes thumbs-up) Right on! We appreciate the enthusiasm!
Mena: (happily scarfing down cookies)
Toli: Thanks for all your reviews, and hope you enjoy!
TopazDragon
Mena: Hi! Welcome! We're glad you like our story!
Toli: Sorry, but you arrived a little too late to stop the Jou/Mia. It's already in there! Besides, she loves him on the show, and oh, blame Mena. She writes the romance.
Mena: (stops in the middle of a cookie) Hey!
Toli: And the other pairings...well, we decided to kind of downplay the one-sided Tea/Jou, and there's going to be eventual Yugi/Shizuka. Anyway, hope the minimal Jou/Mia doesn't ruin the story for you!
Mena: And thanks for reviewing!
Shebythedogdemoness
Toli: Apparently amnesia can be short term, when the amnesiac is properly coerced out.
Mena: Who are you again?
Toli: (eye twitches) Arg... (hits Mena with a frying pan)
Mena: OWWWWWW! SIS-TERR! WHY DID YOU DO THAT!
Toli: You're cured!
Mena: Huh? Uhhh... (joins Sinya and Sheby)
Toli: (rolls eyes)
Masami Mistress Of Fire
Toli: Ummm...yes?
Mani: YES! I HAVE A TWIN NAMED MASAMI! (hugs Masami)
Mena: DAMIE-CHAN! KOISHII! (glomps Damion)
Toli: (looks around for someone to hug) This feels awkward! (hugs Masami as well)
Jesselda: I think I'll stay out of this little hugfest.
Toli: Masami, you really need to stop breaking those legs! That's hazardous! Oh, wait! I have just the prezzy for you! (throws open closet and rummages around)
Mani: If I'm gonna be your twin, Masami, will you change your hair to black?
Toli: (in closet) Whoops! Better turn off that bomb! Okay now, let's see... (clank) Where is it? (crash) Aha! (stumbles out) I found it! Here! (holds up silver pants) It's the SuperDuperBaggyPantsShieldThingy 6004! Not only does it protect your obviously fragile legs, it has trip-proof hems, so you can run around-
Jesselda: Screaming "WOO FREAKIN' HOO, MAN!" (clears throat)
Toli-without fear! And it's also fashionably baggy! Cool, huh? (tosses pants at Masami) Now, if you're going to be Mani's twin, you have to be willing to sit down with her and watch six straight hours of Yu-Gi-Oh on tape, 'kaykay?
Mani: (cuddles Yugi-plushie)
Mena: (cuddles Damie-chan plushie)
Jesselda: (sweatdrops)
Toli: Anyway, gotta go!
(door opens)
Toli: Hi, Meg!
Meg: Masami! (bursts into tears) I was almost finished with the group picture, but them it got DELETED! (throws herself into Toli's arms) I'm SOOO SORRY!
Toli: Oh, that's terrible! We have to do something to cheer you up! (thinks) Can't think of anything. Oh well! We'll be back!
Linkin-Phoenix
Mena: Hi, guys!
Toli: Yeah, catfight's over now, so...
Mena: Was it entertaining?
Toli: (anime falls) MENA! (stands up) It looks like you guys have issues. Major issues. Oh, and I suggest using a frying pan. It works a lot better than a sledgehammer.
Mena: Yeah, she's got, like, six of them...
Toli: Yeah, people like to give Friend Freak her Japanese name when she's in Egypt. It sounds more Egypt-y than Tea, I guess. But the only reason we did it was because Tea was already used, and we had used up every other girl character we've seen in the show, and didn't feel like coming up with another character.
Mena: I don't really consider Yaoi a plague, but sometimes it does get kind of old, and I really don't see how someone can write it (especially lemons or limes). I have a hard enough time writing convincing regular romance.
Toli: And if you're talking about the names we made up for some of the characters, all we did was think them up. We don't even know if those names are real names, but they sounded good.
Mena: Hey, look, sister, watch them go!
Toli: (grabs popcorn) I wonder if Shadow Phoenix will get away...Ten bucks says no.
Mena: Ten says yes!
Toli: You're on!
kristen89
Mena: Oooh, marshmallows! (starts catching marshmallows in her mouth)
Toli: (sweatdrops) Oh dear. Anyway, hey! I actually like Tea, and I haven't read enough of Anzu in the manga to form an opinion. But Anzu's going to be pretty hateable in this story. Yep, you can count on that. Mena wrote the part about when Atemu and Seto found out Anzu was coming, and yeah, it was pretty funny!
Mena: Hey, I ramble about random things at weird intervals, so don't feel bad. Sometimes it's fun! You know, have you ever considered how funny the word "random" can be sometimes? I mean, think about it, when you think random, you automatically think funny, don't you? Because random humor is so funny! I mean, think about it, random associated with funny-
Toli: (slaps hand over Mena's mouth) ANY-way, thanks for reviewing, and don't stay up past bedtime, young lady! (shakes a warning finger) Just kiddin', thanks for the review!
Toli: Okay! We're cool now! No worries!
Mena: That's right! Now we can go on to the next chapter!
Jesselda: (oddly more cheerful) The twins don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.
Mena: Jezzy, why do you seem so happy?
Jesselda: (shrugs) Random author's note malfunction, I guess.
EIGHT: The Arrival
"Slave!" the master yelled, the threatening sound of his whip slicing through the air. "Where are you?"
Yugi gulped and huddled closer to himself in the small grove of palm trees. He had had enough, and today he was making the decision to run away. He had to get away-he couldn't stay here anymore. He didn't know where he would go, but anywhere was better than here.
"Slave!"
The master's voice was closer. Yugi felt a shiver run through his body, even though it was nowhere near cold enough for that. He peeked fearfully around the tree and saw his master entering a tent a few feet away. He had his whip in hand and looked ready to use it.
'This is my chance.' Yugi turned and looked at the sand dune standing a few yards away. He planned to run to it and climb over it before his master noticed. Then he could hide on the other side and catch his breath while formulating a plan. Nodding once to assure himself, he took a deep breath and took off like a shot towards the sand dune.
There was no time for idle thought. He could only focus on the sand dune, what he felt to be his last hope for survival. He kept running towards it, noticing in dismay that it seemed to grow larger as he came nearer. Then he heard a voice which nearly made him trip and fall.
"Slave! Get back here!"
He had been spotted. Yugi raced to the sand dune and started climbing it as quickly as he could, half-crawling to the top. He clawed frantically at the sand as his bare feet vainly tried to find holds sturdy enough for him to push upwards. He could feel himself tiring, and he wasn't even halfway there! The chances for freedom began to fade in front of his eyes.
"You'll never escape!"
He felt a rough hand grab his ankle, throwing him off balance. He slid partway down before trying to scramble back up. But the hand on his ankle dragged him down the rest of the way.
"You useless slave! Did you think you could run away? You'll be punished for your disobedience!"
'No,' Yugi thought in fear. He felt tears, and the whip hadn't even fallen. 'Not again.'
Yugi's eyes flew open and he shot up in bed. Sweat was pouring down his back, and his eyes were already brimming with tears. He clutched his head and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to force the horrors of his nightmare from his mind.
Finally he was able to look up. The room was dark, moonlight hindered by the clouds covering most of the sky. Yugi shivered. The darkness was unnerving him. Besides that, he was cold. The thought of someone he trusted being there to make him feel better was quite appealing, but he didn't know what to do. Mia was the first name that came to mind, but he had never seen where she worked, much less where she slept. He didn't know how to get to Ishizu's healing room either, and that probably wasn't where she slept anyway. That left...
Yugi glanced to his left, where the silhouette of the Pharaoh's bed, and the form in it, were barely visible. Atemu was in the same room with him. He cared, right? He would help. Yugi nodded and quietly slipped out of his own bed. He walked across the cold floor in his bare feet, shivering with every step.
He found himself standing over the left side of Atemu's large round bed soon enough, and now he could hear Atemu breathing. He was lying on his side, facing Yugi, and his eyes were closed. He looked quite peaceful. Yugi extended a hand to touch his shoulder and then drew it back with a sudden thought. What if Atemu didn't want to be woken up? What if he got angry and yelled at Yugi, or sent him out of the room, or made him sleep outside? Yugi shivered and took a step back, preparing to turn around and get back in his own bed.
But...he said he wanted to help me, Yugi thought to himself. He said so many times. Maybe...maybe he won't be angry at me. He approached again and slowly reached out a hand. He hesitated, his small hand just inches away from descending onto Atemu's shoulder. But what if he was wrong? What if Atemu's definition of "help" had limits? And what if he was crossing the line? Yugi's hand flew back to his chest. A lonely tear made its way down his cheek, shining in the minimal moonlight that found its way into the room. I can't risk it, he told himself, looking down hopelessly at the floor.
"Yugi?"
Startled, Yugi's head came back up, to find Atemu watching him with sleepy, half-lidded purple eyes. He gasped and started to back away. "Y-Your Highness, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up. I-"
Atemu sat up and yawned, attempting to rub the sleep from his eyes. "It's all right, Yugi, you didn't wake me up. I'm restless is all." He looked at Yugi, who still looked afraid. "Is something wrong?"
Yugi looked down. The one tear he had shed was still on its slow way down to his chin. "N-No, I'm fine. I just..." He couldn't help a sniffle.
"Yugi." Atemu got out of bed and knelt down to better look Yugi in the eye. He gently placed his hands on the younger boy's shoulders. "You don't have to lie to me. What is it?"
Yugi looked up, deciding to believe Atemu. "I...I had another nightmare," he said, looking away as if ashamed. "It scared me and I...was afraid of being by myself." He slowly got the courage to look into Atemu's eyes, almost afraid of what he'd find there. Atemu's eyes weren't angry or annoyed; they were simply understanding.
"That's okay, Yugi," Atemu said to him. "If you're afraid, you can always come to me."
"I-can?" Atemu nodded. "But what if you're asleep or...or in an important meeting or-"
"You still can," Atemu assured him with a smile.
Yugi was incredibly relieved that Atemu wasn't angry at him. He was very scared of anger, especially anger directed at him. That thought brought the memory of the nightmare back to his mind, and he shuddered involuntarily, putting a hand over one eye. He was only glad it had ended before the whip had fallen.
"Yugi?" Atemu was worried again. Sometimes Yugi would just seem to zone out for no reason. He pulled Yugi closer and gave him a gentle hug. Yugi completely collapsed into the embrace, letting out a long sigh. Atemu picked him up and sat on the edge of his own bed with Yugi in his lap.
There was silence for a while, and then, "Atemu?"
"Hmmm?" Atemu looked down at Yugi, who was looking up at him.
"I'm sorry..."
"For what?" Atemu asked, genuinely confused.
Yugi looked down at his hands. "For not trusting you sooner. That had to frustrate you, but I wanted to, I really did. It was just so hard..." He trailed off and simply snuggled closer to Atemu.
"You don't have to apologize for something like that, little one. It's not your fault that so many things have happened to you in your life that you find it hard to trust others. I'm just glad you trust me now. You do trust me, right?"
Yugi nodded. "I trust you."
Atemu smiled. He rested his chin on the top of Yugi's head and looked out the window. So many things had happened since Yugi had arrived. He never would have thought in a million years that he would ever find anybody that he cared about this much. (NFM: It's kind of like Seto's and Mokuba's relationship, except, you know, they aren't brothers) He wondered what his life would be like right now if Yugi had never arrived.
Atemu looked down at Yugi to find that the younger boy had fallen asleep again. Good, Atemu thought with a smile. He deserves some peaceful rest. He stood up and carried Yugi back to his bed. Tucking the younger boy in, he looked down and was relieved to see that Yugi looked like he was actually getting some rest instead of being held in the throes of another nightmare.
"Trust me, Yugi, they're great. They'd love to meet you and be your friends," Mia said, unable to keep a joyful grin off her face.
"If you say so," Yugi said, not looking up.
Mia gave his hand an encouraging squeeze. "You don't have to rush anything, Yugi-they'd just like to meet you. They'll be nice and they won't try to hurt you-you can count on that."
It was the next day. Atemu had given Yugi leave to do what he liked for the entire day, as he was going to go receive the arriving princess. Yugi had spent the first few hours of the morning following Ishizu around, and when Mia had come up to deliver some medicine for the physician, he had shocked and pleased both of them by asking Mia to introduce him to some of the other servants. He was trying to take another step out of the isolated little world he had been forced into, and he was scared out of his mind. But he trusted Mia not to let anything bad happen to him.
"Oh, there's Tea," Mia said, looking up ahead. "She'd really love to meet you, Yugi. She's a really nice and kind person. Come on, let's say hi."
"O-Okay," Yugi said, tightening his grip on Mia's hand.
"Tea!" Mia called, waving her free arm. "Hey, Tea!"
Tea looked up from where she was straightening a vase on a small table, both of which she had nearly knocked down. She smiled when she saw Mia. "Hey, Mia," she greeted, coming over while being certain to step around the small table. "What's going on?"
"Nothing much, just the usual. Hey, there's someone I'd like you to meet. You remember me telling you about Yugi, right?"
Tea nodded. "And this is him?" She looked down at the boy who was watching the ground. She noticed he had Mia's hand in a death grip.
"Yes, this is him. Yugi-" her voice was suddenly softer and lower "-this is Tea. Want to say hi?"
Slowly, Yugi looked up to see Tea. She had an encouraging smile on her face. "Hello, Yugi," she said in a friendly, quieted voice.
"Hi, Tea," Yugi said in a shy voice, ready to look down should her expression become unfriendly.
"It's nice to meet you," she said. Her smile never changed.
Yugi watched her apprehensively, but he still couldn't find it in him to smile. He was still too nervous. "It's nice to meet you too," he said.
Tea then decided to crouch down so she wouldn't have to lean over so much. "So, do you like it here at the palace?" she asked.
Yugi nodded. "It's-all right," he said. He looked down again. Then he looked up. "Will you-do you want to come with us?"
Tea looked delighted, as if some lord had asked to marry her. "I'd love to," she said, glancing up at Mia. Mia looked surprised but still had that overjoyed grin on her face. Tea stood upright and walked with them, on Yugi's other side. Yugi had managed to find the courage to look up now, but he still didn't release Mia's hand from its vice grip.
"So, you just showing Yugi around?" Tea asked.
"Yeah, pretty much," Mia said. "He told me he wanted to meet some of the other servants, so I'm taking him around, looking for a friendly face."
"How's the search so far?" Her friendly question was directed at Yugi.
Yugi blushed from the attention. "Well...you were the first person we came across," he admitted.
Tea smiled at him, then turned her attention back to Mia. "If you're looking for a friendly face, I can think of a face that looks with a little too friendliness at you."
"You're talking about Jou, aren't you!" Mia said.
"Of course. It's so obvious he's got a crush on you. Every time he walks past you, he trips and falls almost as much-"
"As you?"
"Hey!" Both girls giggled. Yugi felt a little out of place between them. As if she heard his thoughts, Yugi felt Mia give his hand a reassuring squeeze. That made him feel better. He wondered what Atemu was doing.
"You do know that the thief's rescheduled visit happens tomorrow, don't you?" Seto said casually.
Atemu suppressed a growl. "I noticed."
"You might want to do something about it."
"I have!" Atemu couldn't keep a snap out of his voice. He glared at Seto, who was sitting beside him in the council meeting room, looking forward. Seto had been angry with him ever since their argument over Yugi roughly a week ago. It seemed like he was mainly mad because Yugi and Atemu's relationship had gotten stronger. "Honestly, Seto, I think you're acting really immature."
"And I think you're acting stupid," Seto shot back. He turned to face Atemu. "You know better than I do that there are people out there who want to assassinate you. Having Yugi around is like openly showing your Achilles' heel to the people out there eager to exploit it."
"My friendship with Yugi is not that open," Atemu snapped.
Seto shook his head. "Yes it is. It's completely obvious. All Yugi is now is a sign of weakness in you that hasn't been seen for years. Do you really want to risk that? Consider it this way, if you won't consider it the rational way: if someone's out to get you, and they know Yugi is your weakness, then they're going to come after him."
A light dawned in Atemu's eyes. "So, you're saying that I'm putting him in danger," he said quietly, his eyes flashing with an unreadable emotion.
Seto nodded. "That's exactly what I'm saying."
"Your Highness!" Hiroto came into the room and bowed. "The princess Anzu of Tameth has arrived," he announced.
Atemu and Seto stood up. "All right, then," Atemu said, waving his hand as a signal to leave. Hiroto nodded and left.
"What do you think of the palace, Princess?"
Anzu glanced out at the massive building as the large double doors, the only opening to the tall wall around the palace, were opened from the inside to admit the princess's caravan. She let the silk curtain drop. "It's nice. Not as nice as Daddy's, but nice," she said, idly playing with one of the many gold bracelets on her wrists.
Setia, her personal servant who was sitting beside her, nodded at the answer to her question. "The Pharaoh should be expecting you," she said. "How long are we to be staying again, Princess?"
"Daddy said he doesn't expect me back in less than a month," Anzu said. They felt the carriage they were riding in come to a stop. Setia lifted the silk curtain and stepped out. She turned and helped Anzu out. Behind them, other servants were taking care of the princess's luggage.
Several of the Pharaoh's guards had come to escort the princess and her entourage inside. Along with them came Ishizu. She bowed formally to Anzu. "On behalf of Pharaoh Atemu and High Priest Seto, we welcome you to the royal palace," she said.
"That's very nice of them," Anzu said.
"Please follow me inside to the throne room," Ishizu said, turning. She went back into the palace, Anzu and Setia following.
On a balcony one story over their heads, Mia, Yugi, Tea, Shizuka, and a few other servants were watching the scene. "You know, maybe it's just the distance between us, but that princess looks an awful lot like you, Tea," Mia said.
"No way," Tea said, shaking her head. "She's gorgeous. I don't look anything like that."
"Well, sure, because you don't have fancy clothes and makeup," Mia insisted.
"How have you been, Yugi?" Shizuka asked shyly. She was blushing a little.
"I've been okay," Yugi answered. Both their voices were rather quiet.
Serenity looked down and shifted her feet. "I haven't seen you in a while," she said. She looked back up. "I was...uh, wondering how you were."
"Really?" Yugi asked. Serenity nodded in response. They smiled at each other. Somehow the fear that they both possessed of the world around them made them even closer to each other.
While they were smiling at each other, Mia and Tea were arguing about how much Anzu looked like Tea. "She would so look like you if she just wiped all that stuff off her face!" Mia was saying.
"Oh, come on, Mia!" Tea argued. "You know and I know that there's no way we could look alike. Besides, her hair looks longer than mine. And she looks taller."
"You can tell that from this far away?"
"You can tell she's wearing makeup from this far away?"
"We both know her lips aren't naturally that red."
"Good point."
Atemu walked to his chambers alone. He had a headache.
The meet and greet had gone well, considering that Atemu wanted to send every last idiot in that room, including Seto, to the Shadow Realm. Ishizu, seeing how agitated Atemu already was, had taken over giving the princess a tour of the palace and showing her to a guest room. But she had dragged Seto along anyway. The plan was that the princess would go ahead and stay the month, and her servants would simply be thrown in with all the other servants, except they were under her jurisdiction. Atemu didn't really care one way or another. His first impression of Anzu was that she felt a need to impress him and/or feel superior to him.
Atemu sighed. Why did he get the feeling he would want to wring her neck by next week? He removed all thoughts of Anzu from his mind and pushed open the doors to his chambers.
It was quiet. Atemu glanced around. He had kind of expected Yugi to be in here. The younger boy must be off enjoying himself. Atemu hoped so. He wanted Yugi to enjoy himself at least some of the time.
Atemu walked to his window and looked out. Some of his guards were helping to drive the princess's caravan out of the way of the front gates. Besides that, there wasn't anything of importance outside to look at. Atemu sighed and propped his elbows up on the window sill, resting his chin in his hand. He thought he heard a quiet noise behind him, but he ignored it.
"So, now I have a month-long houseguest, someone has just discovered I need new servants, and Seto is still mad at me. Can this day get any worse?"
Atemu sighed, unwilling to answer his own question.
Suddenly, he found himself on his back on the floor. Someone had tackled him from behind. Atemu looked up to see Yugi sitting on his chest, staring at him with an evil grin on his face. "Got you!" he cheered.
"You set this up!" Atemu accused.
Yugi nodded happily. Atemu sat up, making Yugi slide down. "I don't believe you," Atemu said with accusing eyes. Then he smiled.
"So, is the princess nice?" Yugi asked.
Atemu shrugged. "She's all right." He stood up, making Yugi fall off. "Ow!"
"Sorry," Atemu said halfheartedly. He reached down and helped Yugi stand up. "So," he went on, "what have you done today?"
Yugi shrugged. "Mia took me to meet some of her friends," he said.
Atemu smiled. "Did you like that?"
Yugi nodded. "It was kinda scary at first, but they were all nice to me."
"Of course. They want to be your friends."
There was a knock at the door. Seto walked in before Atemu could answer to it. "It's time for torture-I mean, an evening meal with the princess," he said. "Since you're the pharaoh and all, it might be a good idea if you showed up."
Atemu raised an eyebrow. "Since when do you make jokes?" he asked.
Seto narrowed his eyes. "Get your royal ass out here," he said sharply, turning around. "I'm not suffering alone."
"Oh, so that's what it is." Atemu smirked, then looked down at Yugi. "Do you want to come, Yugi?"
Yugi put a finger to his chin and looked down, as if considering. Then he looked up. "Okay." He followed Atemu out the door.
END CHAPTER
Yugi: 15
Atemu: 18
Seto: 19
Bakura: 20
Mia: 18
Tea: 17
Ishizu: 30
Jou: 18
Hiroto: 19
Marik: 18
Malik: 21
Anzu: 16
Toli: Everyone clap at Mena. She wrote the entire chapter all by her wittle self!
Mena: (glares) Ha ha, how funny, sister.
Toli: I'm just kidding. You know that!
Mena: Anyway, just a little fluff chappie before the action begins.
Jesselda: So you're paving the path before you throw them down it, eh?
Toli: Perfect analogy! Hey, Mena, you going to preview again?
Mena: Why not? So here it is! Coming up, more of the plot is revealed, Mia and Jou's relationship gets a start (sorta), and the thief Bakura makes his scheduled appearance! You don't wanna miss it!
