Chapter 11

Fate's Decision

"You're such a sweet girl to help me out." Grandpa thanked Anna as he sat down at the table with her.

"Your books are a mess, how do you keep track of everything," Anna questioned as she poured over the Game Shop's financial records. "I think it will be easier and faster if I just start from scratch. I'm going to write a computer program and it will be super simple for you to do your records each month."

"Using a computer program would involve owning a computer." Yugi joked as he watched.

"It's the Twenty-First Century, how can you not own a computer?"

"Ah, I don't like those things," Grandpa complained. "Back in my day we didn't have all this fancy stuff. We did everything by hand. And we were happier for it."

"Wait a minute, I've heard this story," Anna bit back with sarcasms. "Isn't this the one where you had to walk to school in the deep snow, uphill, both ways, and had to kill a bear with your loose-leaf notebook?"

"Laugh all you want, but I'll have you know that not only did I have to kill that bear, I had to skin it myself." Grandpa tried to keep a straight face, but when Anna glared at him he busted into laughter. Which caused the other two to join in.

When the laughter died down Anna reached into her ever-present bag and pulled out her laptop and a small case. She set up her laptop and spread out the shop's books so she could easily access them. She then opened the case and proceeded to but on some reading glasses. Yugi had seen her typing before, but she had never used glasses. He thought they made her look very professional and business-like. She started working on the laptop. Of what Yugi could see, it looked like gibberish. A lot of letters and numbers that didn't make sense. He had no idea it was computer code. She even started mumbling to herself. He was very amused and he would have stayed there all-day and watched if Grandpa hadn't pulled him away.

"Come on Yugi, let her work. Besides, we have a dinner to prepare." Grandpa said as he dragged Yugi out of the room.

Anna was glad that they left her alone. She always hated 'performance' work. It was a relief not to have someone watching your every move. She was a little flustered at the work that lay before her. She was compulsively neat, and she was even doubly so when it came to business. And now it was becoming apparent that not only did Yugi know nothing about running a business, he didn't even know how to use a computer. If this marriage was going to work she was going to have to teach him a lot. 'One thing at a time, Anna' she thought to herself. 'Anna get these books straightened out. Then Anna will get them a computer. Then Anna will teach Yugi and Grandpa how to use the computer. Why am I talking to myself in the third person? Galactus has come. Galactus will eat your planet.' Anna started laughing at herself. Yugi poked his head around the corner to see what was going on. All he saw was Anna giggling. She would have let him in on the comic book joke, but she thought it might be lost on him. The more she thought about it, the harder she laughed.

"Purple shorts..." Anna slapped the table in amusement. At this point she was laughing so hard that tears were streaming down her face.

Yugi was utterly confused and he retreated into the other room.

Anna continued her work but didn't get it finished until after dinner. The meal was simple, but Anna was thrilled that Yugi cooked for her. She couldn't help but notice how their roles were reversed. She was the businesswoman and he was the domestic. She might have mentioned this to him, but she thought it would either insult him or make him feel emasculine. So she just kept it to herself. She saved the document and stood up from the table. Walking around she reached her arms up and stretched her back. Yugi and Grandpa were in the kitchen cleaning the dishes, so it gave her time to explore. She loved to peek at Grandpa's artifacts. She wandered around the living room; she had seen all of these before. That's when she noticed the shelf at the end of the hallway. Those were new. She glanced over to make sure they couldn't see her and noting that the coast was clear, she ducked down the hall. These were nice pieces; she didn't dare pick them up because they looked too fragile. As she stood there inspecting them with her eyes a strange feeling came over her. It wasn't so much a feeling as a 'pull' toward the room on her left. She knew she shouldn't go in there, she didn't even know whose room it was, but before she could think it through, her hand was turning the doorknob. She opened the door slowly. The lamp on the desk was turned on and she could see the contents of the room. 'This must be Yugi's bedroom.' She found herself drawn to a chest in the corner of the room. What was it that made her come in here? What was in this chest? She reached out and touched the lid. Suddenly a shock went through her. She shouted in pain and recoiled her hand. Her body was flooded with emotion. The emotions were so intense. Fear, loss, hatred, but the strongest was sadness.

Yugi had heard her scream and ran to her aid. He found her in his room standing in front of his wooden chest. She was clutching her hand, trembling slightly, and breathing heavy and erratic. She just stared at it.

"Anna, are you okay?"

He startled her. "I'm sorry, I have to go!" And she ran out of the room. She grabbed all her things and threw them in her bag and dashed out the door.

Yugi tried to follow her, hoping she would tell him what had happened, but she was gone. Grandpa had seen her hasty exit and asked why she left, but Yugi had no explanation to give him. Most perplexed, Yugi returned to his room. He approached the chest and tugged on the lid. It was still locked, so Anna couldn't possibly have seen its contents. Just to be sure everything was still there Yugi got the key from his desk and opened the lid. As he knelt before the chest, looking at the golden items, the ghostly form of the Pharaoh appeared behind him.

"Did she know what was in the chest? Did you tell her?" Pharaoh asked.

"No, I haven't told her anything about them."

Pharaoh was just as puzzled as Yugi. Neither could come up with a reason for her behavior.

"Other me?" Yugi turned to the pharaoh. "Do you think that Anna could have some connection to the Millennium Items?"

"Why do you think that?"

"We've seen how the items can effect people, and something drew her to them. Maybe one of the Millennium Items calls her. And if so, maybe she is another clue to your past."

"Perhaps it is time we tell her what we know?"

Yugi nodded in agreement. And the plan was made.

Anna wasn't sure what happened that night. All she knew was that she was scared. Scared of whatever was in that trunk, scared of what drew her to it. The whole idea of a 'unseen force' directing her actions was unnerving. One thing was for certain; she wasn't going to go back there again, not for a while.

She was extra glad to go see Seto. No mysterious forces at work there. He was just plain old Seto. Seto called her into his office as soon as she arrived. He was busy typing, but he stopped to greet her.

He stretched out his hand to give her a CD, "I liked this one, they've got a lot of potential."

"If you like it, keep it. I've got another copy."

Picking up an envelope Seto said, "This is also for you."

"Oh, fan mail?" Anna joked. She took the sealed envelope from Seto and placed it against her forehead. "And the answers are...Bonzo, Goodyear, and Heidi Fleiss." She wasn't sure if would catch the Johnny Carson remark, but she didn't quite care. "And the question is..." she pretended to open the envelope. "Name a chimp, a blimp, and a pimp." Seto showed to reaction to her playfulness. "So what is this really?" Anna opened the envelope.

"It's your twenty-five percent."

"Oooo," Anna was eager to see what he was able to do with her stock advise. She flipped over the check to reveal the amount. She choked a little on her own breath. Recovering she said, 'That's a lot of zeros."

"You sound surprised. Perhaps you didn't have as much faith in your predictions as you let on?"

"How many of those did you invest in?"

"All of them."

"All of them? I thought you might select one or two, but all of them? Some strange woman tells you to invest in some stocks and you do? You're either adventurous or crazy." She stared a check for a couple of minutes. "I better put this somewhere safe." She folded it in half tucked it under her shirt and into her bra.

Seto watched with amazement. No one he had ever dealt with in business had ever stuffed a check in their bra. Of course, he mostly deals with men, and they don't have bras.

"Well, if you don't think you can do it again..." Seto slid the stock section of the newspaper towards her.

"Subtle" Anna said with a smile. She picked up the paper and sat down on the corner of his desk to read it.

Seto glared at her, "You're sitting on my desk."

"And you need furniture."

A beep from a box on his desk kept him from saying something mean. He pressed the button and replied, "Yes."

The Secretary's voice came over the intercom. "Mr. Kaiba the reports you asked for were just delivered."

Seto stood up, rolled his chair around the desk to Anna. "Have a seat; I'll be back in a minute." Anna glad fully took the chair as Seto exited the room. She waited until he left before a huge smile came across her face. She loved this cat and mouse game they played. She placed the paper down on the desk and reached for a pen she saw half hidden under some papers. Picking up the pen she dislodged the paperwork and made them tumble to the floor. She bend down and started collecting the mess, trying to put them back in the order she thought they were in. A book in the pile caught her attention, 'Diabetes: Causes and the Search for an Effective Cure'. He had been reading about her condition? She thought she heard footsteps approaching the door, so she quickly grabbed the papers and placed them back on the desk. When Seto re-entered the room she was busy plowing over the stock report. Mokuba quickly followed him.

"Great! You're here! I've got a new game I want to show you. And the cook is making us a big dinner." Mokuba started rambling.

"Dinner? How can I resist?" Anna said with a smile as Mokuba took her by the hand and led her out of the room.

Seto made sure to return his chair to its original position before leaving.

Over the next week Yugi had tried on many occasions to ask Anna what happened that night at his home, but she wouldn't speak of it. In reality she didn't know what to tell him. How do you explain something like that? But she did agree to meet him on Saturday. He said there was something he wanted to show her. They were to meet at the steps to her apartment. She wasn't about to go back to his house. She came downstairs just as Yugi was walking up the street. She spotted him and became very angry.

As he approached Anna got defensive. "I thought I was going to spend the day with Yugi, not you." She was so attuned to him that she could tell when it was Yugi or the Pharaoh.

"Yugi and I agreed it was time we showed you something." Pharaoh said in his normal calm tone.

"Okay then, lead the way." She wasn't happy about the situation, but she knew Yugi was with them, even if it was in a passive mode. Yugi would keep an eye on Pharaoh.

Anna walked beside him, but she didn't look at him. "You don't like me, do you?" Asked the Pharaoh.

"Well, I find it a little disturbing that my fiancee is possessed by a three thousand year old disembodied spirit."

"Fate brought Yugi and I together."

"Fate? I don't believe in fate. I believe that I can control my own destiny. I don't need some unseen magical force to guide me."

"Whether you believe in it or not, it drives us all. And we are going to prove it to you."

"And how are you going to do that?"

"Do you know what was in that chest in Yugi's room?"

Anna didn't want to talk about that but she had to admit to being curious. "No."

"Thousands of years ago seven magical items were forged. Although their purpose is still unknown, they each hold great power. Even today the bearers of these items gain strange and terrible gifts. Some allow the bearer to see the future, read minds, or control them. Several forces are at work to try and gather all seven items."

"What happens if someone gets them all?" Anna interrupted.

"I don't know. It's another secret of my past that I don't yet understand. But what I can tell you is that that chest holds four of the items. The Millennium Eye, Necklace, Rod, and Ring. With this puzzle," he presented his item to her; "we have five of the seven."

"Where are the other two?"

"I man named Shadi has them. But he is elusive, like a ghost."

"So you don't know what will happen if all seven items get back together. It could be something good, or it could cause great evil." Pharaoh nodded. "Then why are you pursuing it? It's not logical. It could cost you your life, and everyone else's."

"I have to because somehow it is a key to unlocking my memories." He looked over toward her, "Sometimes, all people have left of the one's they loved are memories."

Anna knew that comment was directed at her. And he was right; memories were all that she had of her parents. Thus she knew how valuable they were.

They walked a few more blocks before Pharaoh announced, "We're here."

"You brought me to a museum?" Under normal circumstances Anna would be thrilled to go to a museum. But her present company put her in a foul mood.

He led her through the galleries and down a flight of stairs to the Egyptian exhibition that was on display. Anna followed but the artifacts they passed distracted her. Finally Pharaoh stopped in front of a large wall tablet.

Anna gasped when she saw the object that was before her. "Is that you?"

Pharaoh nodded, "This is why Yugi and I are drawn together, why he was the one fated to solve the puzzle and release my spirit."

Anna couldn't believe what she was seeing. Here stood a tablet with an engraving of Yugi, or someone who looked like Yugi, and above him the image of a Duel Monster, and he was facing...no...it can't be...Seto?

"It is all coming full circle. The three god cards," He pointed to the top of the tablet. "This is the Dark Magician and that..."

"Is a Blue Eyes White Dragon." Anna cut him off. "How can this be?"

"We were hoping you knew."

"Me? What would I know about all of this?"

"The Millennium Items called to you. What did you see?"

"Pain, death, sorrow, it was horrible. Why would it show me those terrible things?"

"It is something..."

"What is that?" Anna interrupted and pointed at the object in the other figure's hand.

"That is the Millennium Rod..." Before he could say another word Anna approached the artifact and pressed her hand against the protective glass.

"I've seen this before."

"Where?" Pharaoh asked as he came closer to her.

"In a dream, or at least I thought it was a dream."

"What about this?" Pharaoh placed his hand on the glass near the representation of the Millennium Puzzle.

As soon as his fingers made contact with the glass a great shockwave overtook the pair and their consciousnesses were flung through a long tunnel. When they emerged they found themselves floating over a desert landscape.

"Anna, are you all right?"

"What the hell just happened?"

"I've been here before. I think we are in the past, specifically one of my memories."

"You've done this before?"

"Yes, at the Battle City finals. Kaiba and I were shifted back in time to witness a battle. The same battle represented on that slate in the museum."

"But why am I here? What do I have to do with anything?"

"Perhaps there is something here that we need to see."

"Like what?"

"Like that," Pharaoh pointed to an elaborate caravan approaching the gates of the palace. "Let's go."

Pharaoh flew down out of the sky toward the caravan and Anna did her best to keep up. Flying was new to her. They landed beside the grand parade just as the gates opened. Anna took note that no one was watching them, it was like they were invisible.

"They can't see us." Anna commented.

"It's just a memory; we don't exist in their time."

The caravan crept into the courtyard and a massive collection of jewels, gold, silks, wild animals, and people were off loaded and piled into the great chamber of the palace. The ghostly pair entered with them and took up positions to observe the play. The crowd got to their knees and bowed as the pharaoh made his way into the chamber. He sat on his throne and was quickly surrounded by his advisors and priests. Although his headdress shaded his face, Anna instantly recognized Seto. Inspecting the others she found another familiar face.

"That's Yugi's grandfather."

"Yes, and that is Isis, and Rashid, and Shadi, and Kaiba." He gestured to each in turn.

Anna was going to inquire more but a man from the crowd came forward and starting talking.

"How are we able to understand them? Shouldn't they be talking in Ancient Egyptian?"

"It's a memory; they have a way of translating things so you can understand them."

They watched as great riches and treasure were presented to the Pharaoh. Pharaoh was polite, but he seemed bored Anna thought. Finally another man came forward from the back of the great hall. He was trailed by a figure dressed from head to toe in fine white linen robes. The man stopped at the steps leading to where Pharaoh sat and bowed deeply.

"Oh great Pharaoh, we have traveled for many months over land and sea to be here on this most illustrious of days. On the anniversary of the day the all-mighty god Horus sent you to guide us, we bring you many gifts. But none greater than this..." The man gestured for the cloaked figure to come forward.

Anna leaned over to the Pharaoh from her time and said, "Happy Birthday." After she said it, she realized how silly it was for her to whisper. These people couldn't hear them.

The figure came up to the steps and bowed.

"When she was a child your father hand selected her for you. And over the years I have taken great pains to have her educated. She has been taught by the finest minds the world has to offer. She speaks many languages and..."

"Enough." The man was cut off by Pharaoh's command. "Come forward."

The figure walked up the steps and knelt before the king. Anna raced across the room and up the steps, she had to see who this woman was. The Pharaoh gently removed the veil that hid the woman's features, revealing raven black hair, amber skin, and deep brown eyes. Anna couldn't believe what she saw; it was like looking into a mirror. She could hardly breathe.

"What is your name?" Asked Pharaoh.

"I am called Anck-su-namun, my lord."

"Do you wish to marry me, Anck-su-namun?" Pharaoh said in a quiet and calm voice.

"It would be my great honor to serve Pharaoh and Egypt." Anck-su-namun dipped her head in reverence.

The Pharaoh leaned forward in his chair and gently lifted her head with his hand so that he could look her directly in the eye. He presented his hand to her. She placed her hand in his and he had her rise.

"Then take your place." Pharaoh said as he guided her to the chair next to his own.

From the moment she sat in the chair, she knew her position. She sat straight and tall. Her head no longer bowed, instead it was held high and proud. She was born to play this part.

Yugi's other self approached Anna, but before he could speak they were once again engulfed in the deep tunnel and thrust back into their own time and place. Anna was in shock. She fell to her knees and a single tear ran down her face.

"You were my wife?!" The Pharaoh was amazed and relieved. He had formed this strange attraction to Anna since the first time she met Yugi, and he didn't know why. Now it was clear. He loved her then, and now they were together again. He bent down to where Anna was kneeling on the floor. "Don't you see, this was meant to be, you and I. Something happened to me back then, something that forced my spirit into this puzzle. But now I'm back. And so are you. Fate is giving us a second chance." He reached out and took her hand.

Anna's reaction to his touch was instinct more than malice. She flung her arm away from his grip. The force she used caused him to release his hold and for her to fall backwards.

Pharaoh wasn't physically hurt, but he did feel pain from her actions. "Anck-su-namun?" His dark purple eyes seeking some comfort from her.

"I am not Anck-su-namun." Anna said breathlessly. "I am Anna Sung. And I am not your wife." Anna pulled herself off the floor and ran out of the gallery. Pharaoh wanted to follow, but Yugi advised him it was best to let her have some time alone.

Sometime later Anna found herself sitting on a bench in the modern wing staring a Salvador Dali painting. She glanced over the minor details, and the more she looked, the more she saw. She marveled at how what she first thought the painting looked like and meant was only the tip of the iceberg. There was so much hidden under the surface. She had blocked out the rest of the room and the people in it, but she did notice when someone sat next to her on the bench. She glanced over and gave a small smile. It was Yugi. He handed her some tissues he had gotten from the information desk. She wasn't crying at the moment, but she appreciated the gesture.

Anna went back to looking at the painting. "You know, when I was a child I used to have these dreams." Anna said in a soft voice. "I dreamt I was a queen, and I had all kinds of gold and jewels and servants. And I lived in a palace. I used to think they were just fanciful thoughts. Things kids make up. But now I don't know."

"We've been talking, and the other me doesn't believe that what you saw was one of his memories. He thinks it's one of yours."

'I don't understand."

"There were things in that vision that he couldn't have known about. Like the caravan in the streets and when everyone came into the great hall. He wasn't there, but you were."

What he said made sense to her, but it still was not easy to accept. "I don't know what to do, Yugi."

"Neither do we. Lots of strange things have been happening to us lately, but we learned that we have to take things one day at a time. Until everything is revealed, it's all we can do."

"How did you get so wise?" Anna forced a smile back onto her face.

Yugi blushed a little. "Come on, I'll walk you home."

The two got up and walked out of the gallery.

"Ya know, before you brought me here, I used to like museums." Anna made a slight joke and Yugi was glad.

Just as a point of reference. The name Anck-su-namun is not taken from 'The Mummy' movies. It is the actual name of an Egyptian Queen.

And if you haven't noticed by now I'm using the names and plot lines from the Japanese version of Yu-gi-oh. E-mail me if you need names translated to the English versions.

Thanks for reading!