Yami and Yugi woke very late in the day. Yami woke first and stretched. He looked over to the still sleeping Yugi and smiled. His brother. In truth he had never felt happier, all his life he had longed for someone to share in his ups and downs and to laugh and cry with but there had been no one. His father had been very strict and restrictive over who was allowed near his son and as Yami had had to learn so much to prepare him to be the pharaoh, recreational time had taken a back seat.
Yugi stirred in his sleep and turned over. Yami slid out of bed so as not to disturb his brother and without bothering to summon servants he dressed, and then summoned servants with some food.
By this time, Yugi was awake and Yami decided to give his brother the full works and ordered his servants to bathe and dress Yugi. He did explain to them that this was his brother and the servants stopped looking wide-eyed at apparently seeing two pharaohs and proceeded to give Yugi the pampering of his life in a bath first with sweet smelling oils followed by dressing him in clothes similar to Yami's on the pharaoh's orders.
When they were both dressed and fed, Yami thought he ought to announce the existence of his brother to the palace officially and present him to the people. He fully intended to share the throne with him and involve him in the running of the country after all weren't two heads better than one?
"Come on Yugi, it is time you were introduced to the rest of the palace and my, our subjects. After all they're yours too now." He grinned and Yugi looked surprised.
"Why so surprised oto-san? You are as entitled to the throne as I am."
"I am?"
"Hai, you will rule by my side Yugi as a pharaoh. But first we must make a plan to find and defeat Nephiris and rescue everyone."
"I miss the Dark Magician Girl." Said Yugi sadly and Yami nodded.
"Hai I miss the Dark Magician. Don't worry, we'll rescue them." He smiled reassuringly even though he had no idea how they were going to achieve it, but it was enough to make Yugi smile.
"I know Yami." He said.
"Come on Yugi, I want to show everyone I have a brother!" Yami grinned like a child with a new toy and Yugi giggled. Obviously Yami had been longing for someone like him for a long time and he was eternally grateful that he had picked up that apple in the market that day or they might never have met.
Yami opened the doors to his rooms and together they made their way through the halls to the main throne room where Yami intended to make the announcement officially that he had a brother and now Egypt had two pharaohs.
Servants bowed as they passed and eyes followed the two look-alikes as they walked causing them to cast side long glances at each other and smirk slightly. There was no doubt the two were enjoying themselves but neither could enjoy it fully with so many they cared about in danger.
They arrived at the throne room and Yugi saw with surprise that there was a makeshift throne set up next to Yami's usual one which had been moved to the side slightly to make room. Yugi looked at Yami questioningly.
"I sent an order to have this set up before you woke this morning." He smiled and Yugi smiled back.
"Arigato." he said and both of them walked up to the thrones and sat down.
Yami clapped his hands and spoke to the people gathered in the room.
"Hear me my servants. I your pharaoh have discovered that I have a brother. He is to rule by my side as pharaoh and you shall address him as so."
The people present in the hall turned towards Yugi and bowed respectfully to him. Yugi inclined his head to show that he acknowledged them and hoped that he was doing everything right.
Yami reached over and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze and that made him feel much better.
"Don't worry," he whispered "you're doing fine."
"I don't want to mess up." Yugi whispered back and Yami nodded understanding.
"Just do what I do and you'll be fine." He said and Yugi nodded.
"Hai, I will."
Yami beckoned some of his servants and they approached the thrones.
"I wish for arrangements to be made for a celebration of the discovery of my brother to be held in one week's time." Yami instructed thinking that they should have completed their rescue of their friends by then. Yami was planning on doing something as soon as possible but he needed to make sure that at least some people in the palace knew about Yugi.
Yami did have a plan and that was to ride out to Nephiris' hideout and confront her if she was there. His urge to rescue Seth was very strong as he still viewed him as a brother even though he now had Yugi as his real brother his feelings for Seth had not changed.
Yami indicated to Yugi that he should stand and he stood too. They left the room and went back to Yami's rooms. Ishizu was waiting for them.
"My pharaoh, do you have a plan?"
"Hai I do Ishizu. Both of us will ride out to Nephiris' hideout and challenge her if she is there. I would think that is where she has retreated to. We will take some of the Millennium Items with us, the Puzzle, the Rod, the Ankh and the Eye just in case we need to call upon their powers to aid us in defeating her. Yugi has the power to use the items and I have my Puzzle."
"I'm worried." Ishizu said and Yami did his best to reassure her that they would defeat Nephiris but in spite of his best efforts, she still looked worried. Yugi too was feeling nervous having already faced her once. Yami hadn't faced Nephiris yet and Yugi hoped that he wasn't going into this with his eyes closed. She had the Shadow Monsters to help her also.
Yami sent word to have two horses saddled and preparations for them to have supplies suitable for a journey across the dessert. Ishizu wished them Ra speed on their journey and prayed as they left that they would both be safe and returned to her. Now they had found each other it would be awful if one did not survive this encounter.
Soon after, both pharaohs were riding out across the dessert towards the Sphinx. Both lost in their own thoughts as they rode as it was too hot for long conversations. Yami's face was set and he was thinking about the task ahead of them as was Yugi but he was also wondering how his friend was doing stuck in another dimension of the Shadow Realm. He was going to force Nephiris into telling them where they were and release them. He was going to use the Rod to control her and this time she wouldn't use some cheap trick to escape.
They stopped once on the way to water the horses before setting off again. It wasn't long before they came in sight of the Sphinx and slowed the horses to a trot as they approached.
"It is likely that she will know we are coming. She seems to have ways of revealing things to her."
"Hai, I believe she has a window of some sort to the outside world where she can view what and who she wants to."
Yami nodded and they continued in silence until they reached the Sphinx and dismounted. They tied the horses up in the shade and Yami led the way to where the entrance to Nephiris' hideout was. He found the chain and pulled revealing the stairs going down. Slowly they descended into the darkness holding lamps in front of them to see where they were going.
Yami frowned. He was sure that this place had been lit more the last time he came. Was Nephiris planning on surprising them both with an attack?
They descended the last few steps and found themselves in what once had been Nephiris' hideout, for now it was empty.
"She's gone." Yugi said his voice holding a note of complete disbelief.
"Ra dammit!" Yami swore "now finding her is going to be nigh on impossible."
"we'll find a way and we'll rescue our friends. Maybe we can find them in the Shadow Realm on our own without finding her."
"What about Seth? I don't want to abandon him or his men."
"We won't be but if we can get the Shadow Creatures back, then maybe we have a chance to save Seth and the others."
"Lets go home." Yami said sounding suddenly tired and they left the gloomy dark cavern and after giving the horses more water, they returned to the palace feeling dejected but with a glimmer of hope of trying to find their friends in the Shadow Realm.
The two pharaohs went to their room and ate the food that had been put ready for them. Ishizu was also there and she was also upset by this latest revelation.
"If we can find and release the Dark Magician and Dark magician Girl we will stand a chance."
"I hope so." Yugi said. Yami looked out of the window to where Ra had just set.
"We should get some sleep Yugi and deal with the Shadow Realm tomorrow."
Yugi yawned, the trip had really tired both of them out and he was only too happy to collapse into the large bed and sleep. Yami followed suit and the two were both asleep and dreaming in seconds.
It was a strange dream they had. Yugi found his dream self in the Shadow realm. He looked round and saw Yami.
"Are we dreaming?" Yugi asked when Yami joined him.
"Yes I think so. Come on I think we should find out where this leads."
Yugi nodded and they began to walk forwards through the swirling clouds. They walked for a long time and met nothing, they both began to wonder if they would be walking in this dream forever when Yami saw something up ahead.
"Yugi look, it's the Dark Magician!"
"What is he doing here? Isn't he supposed to be trapped in another dimension?"
"Well this is a dream, maybe he is here for a reason."
They approached the image of the Dark Magician who looked at them and smiled. He bowed to Yami who inclined his head and Yugi also bowed.
"Dark Magician can you tell us where you are?" Yami asked and his friend nodded.
"Yes I and the other monsters are trapped in another dimension, you will be able to find us using the Millennium Items. Like the Puzzle guided Yugi to you Yami, the Ring will guide you both to our souls."
"How are you managing to be here?" Yami asked.
"We pooled our powers together and created this dream for the both of you. The only way we can contact you is through the dreaming dimension."
"I'm glad you did, now we have something to work towards. When we wake, we are going to enter the Shadow Realm and find you all."
The Dark Magician nodded and faded away from their sight. Yami and Yugi looked at each other and saw that they too were fading.
"Ready Aibou?" said Yami and Yugi looked surprised at his brother's use of the term. "Well we are partner's right?"
Yugi nodded, "yes of course we are and yes I'm ready."
They faded out of the dream and woke again in the real world. They looked at each other faces set.
"Well it's time Aibou." Yami said and fetched the Millennium Ring from its resting place with the other items when they were not being used. They were well guarded with magic and only the Pharaoh himself could retrieve them.
"Now I must draw you into the Puzzle Yugi so that we can enter the shadow realm together."
Yugi nodded and lay down on the bed. Yami held the ring out and silently asked it to draw out Yugi's soul and send it to the Puzzle. The Ring glowed with its power and Yami watched as Yugi's soul was drawn out of his body and absorbed into the Puzzle. Yami hung the Ring round his neck and concentrated his own power taking him into the Shadow Realm.
Yami: Woo! A rescue mission (puts arm round Yugi) lets go Aibou!
Yugi: Yip!
Yami KITG: (rolls eyes) Yami Seirei stop making Yugi say 'Yip!' it bad enough in the manga!
Yami Seirei: Aww but it's kawaii now shush or I won't send you the DVD of series 6
Yami KITG: (Goes very quiet) ……
Yugi: Series 6?
Yami Seirei: Yeah you look and sound like Yami in it hehe
Yugi: Oooh! Did I get taller?
Yami Seirei: Yep you sure did!
Yugi: Yayyy you hear that Yami? I got as tall as you.
Yami: Yayy good for you Aibou.
Yugi and Yami: Please review for Yami Seirei, she loves to read your reviews!
Yami Seirei: Aww thanks you two seriously thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far I love getting up to my emails and seeing the reviews. See you next chapter!