Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh. But I'd be glad to work with them.

My Notes: Part 1 of a three, maybe four, part narrative. I'd like to thank Edo's website for many of the cards listed he listed and translated from Japanese, thus saving me time from actually thinking them up. An astute reader has noticed the first plot-hole that I have yet to remedy. Back in chapters 4 or 5, when Shadi uncovers Seto's memories of the High Priest, those aren't just dead memories. That and the continuation of them should be considered real-time events that are currently going on. Like this chapter will demonstrate, things are happening roughly at the same time. This is permissible if we allow for the possibility that time is illusionary (a claim old monks and theoretical physicists state). So when I return to Ancient Egypt, those events should be seen as if they were taking place as if it was the present. So when begin to diverge from the memories people speak of the past, that's a subtle hint.

Edited for errors. Thanks Light for pointing this out.

Facing Ghosts from the Past

"I was wondering when you would join me," Kaiba said as he leaned against railing, allowing him to fully see the full moon high above Domino City.

"Honestly I was waiting for you to come back in. I didn't want come out in the cold. It brings back bad memories," Ishizu stated as best she could.

"Are you sure the memories are bad? Perhaps it's only you're perception of them that makes them bad," Seto explained. Confronted with Ishizu's puzzled look, he went on. "Memories are neutral creations that people make. A person's perception of any event changes over time. A childhood memory that was disturbing might have served as a very valuable lesson that stays with a person their entire life. And a long cherished memory could have easily been a lie."

Ishizu was quick to counter. "But there's other people. They help collaborate in the remembering how events goes." A slight night breeze made her dress ripple.

"Even with people possessing faulty memories, Isis-Nefer?" Kaiba asked with a smirk. "You have yet to demonstrate you contain any knowledge of your former self. And I was so wishing to talk to her and not you."

"I wouldn't even know how to begin…"

He held his Millennium Rod in the moonlight. "Every Millennium Object has certain common powers. But only the proper wielder is able to focus the specific items' unique purpose. You should have been able to recover much of your past simply by gazing into the past. That fact that you cannot…" he stopped to look her directly in the eyes, "is just as equally troubling as Yugi going missing."

Again she had to turn away from his piercing stare. "I never really thought about it…" Ishizu turned back to face him. "What brought this up?"

"There's one memory that I'd change how I remember it."

"Hey Bakura, this really isn't the time or place!" Joey exclaimed.

"Why I think it's the perfect time." The white haired albino smiled. His familiar light-blue jacket had been replaced by a long black one, concealing most of his body from the light. "After all, with each day passing, we come closer to dying. We need to savor each moment! That is what makes us keep on living."

"Yeah. But you're really starting to freak us out!" Tristan added.

Yami Bakura laughed. "I suppose I would be scared too, especially if you knew what I was going to do to your friend." He turned to give the women a frightful stare. "Nadia! I still haven't forgotten about our duel. You played unfairly and I'm not about to let you get away with that."

"Nadia, what's he talking about?" Joey asked, jerking his head so he could look backwards.

"It's hard to explain…" she began.

"No it's not." Yami Bakura stated. "You simply wish to keep your secrets. But I won't let you," he said brushing his hair out of his eyes. "The all-seeing eye knows all!" The Millennium Eye began to glow.

"No!" Joey said, blocking Bakura from Nadia.

"Wheeler! Don't interfere with things that are beyond your understanding." Yami Bakura cursed.

"Hey! I'm not about to let you hurt her!" The blonde-duelist took up a fighting stance.

The white haired one crossed his arms. "What makes you think you can protect her?"

"This does!" Joey raised his duel disk.

"Are you challenging me to a duel?" the Tomb-raider laughed. "You're far out of your league!"

"Big brother!" the younger Wheeler cried out. "Remember what happened at Battle City!"

"No problem Serenity," Joey said, before turning towards Bakura. "Now are you ready to face me you one-eyed freak?"

"Don't you know you anything Wheeler?" Yami Bakura readied his own duel disk, although it seemed modified. "The Cyclops were among the Gods' ill-begotten children. They put upstarts in their proper place. Such as I will do to you."

"Joey!" The exchange-student called out. "This isn't your fight. You shouldn't get involved."

"It's alright Nadia," Joey said, giving her a wink. "I duel my best when my friend's safety is concerned."

The woman in white was momentarily speechless. "You mean even the High Priest has regrettable knowledge?"

"Things in the past should have unfolded differently." There was clearly a pained expression on Seto's face.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Ishizu asked.

"I thought you were cold," he said as the wind blew his overcoat.

"I'll make do," Ishizu said, coming close, using Seto's tall frame as a wind breaker. "Tell me, what's troubling you?"

Kaiba's eyes glanced to make sure no one was around. "When I was simply known as Sethos, and none of this nonsense of being a High Priest or the concerns of Egypt," he whispered, "I lived fairly well. My family and I were what you would call upper-middle class. We weren't royalty, but my father was very influential and very religious. He pulled a few strings and sent both his sons to the Royal Temple for training. I excelled quickly and was advanced several degrees to where even my teachers were of no use.

"One day, I had seen a caravan of slave traders come setting up in the capital. As part of our training, we were allowed to see the various social strata we would eventually have to serve. Only a few of the initiated acolytes were sent off to investigate. When we got there, we found the battered and bruised, the down on their luck, and the foul diseased. It was then that I first knew of the tremendous responsibility that a priest possessed as we spend days attending to those who had the greatest need of physical and spiritual needs. It was over too quick and I never did see any of them again, most bound for lands beyond Egypt's borders."

"That must have been difficult at the time," Ishizu said, agreeing. "Still I think it was necessary at the time, the slavery I mean."

He nodded, understanding. "And that was what I was told. And that's what I believed." Seto's eyes seemed to go out of focus for a moment. "I kept at my studies: I learned of various secrets; the legends surrounding the Millennium Items; long and complicated spells to invoke the gods and demons. Yet I couldn't help but feel that for all I had done was for naught. Then the day of my appointment came…

"Joey, man, you sure you know what you're doing?" Tristan asked as the two duelists headed into the middle of the street.

"I'm not doing this for Nadia's sake," Joey started, shuffling his deck, "but for Ryu's as well. I know my friend is somewhere in that twisted face."

Yami Bakura feigned a pained groan. "Come now, I have feelings too you know. Like the joy I'll have when you'll see how terribly foolish you are."

Joey shrugged and drew. "I'll start things off with this. The One-Shot Deadly Samurai in Attack Mode (1200/1200)." A tall swordsman appeared, heavily armored in traditional samurai clothing, allowing for streamline attire. Wielding both the long and short blade in both appropriate hands, the samurai stood with its face fearless of whatever may come. "I then place this card face down. Your move."

"Fine. But don't you remember Duelist Kingdom? The Millennium Eye allows me to gaze at whatever pitiful plan you've got up your sleeve. Witness that power again now!" A beam of golden light struck Joey right in the forehead. Yami Bakura smiled. "I won't be fooled so easily. I set one monster in defense mode and place two cards face down as well."

Joey struggled, swaying on his feet. "Alright. If you won't take the bait," he drew another card, "I summon this, Dark Dragon Hatchling (800/500)." A small white egg emerged, cracking in four separate places for four black separate legs. Black wings popped out from the upper part of the shell which was more decorative than functional. "Now tell me, you're not going to let such a cute thing like that stay on the field."

"He does know what he's doing, right?" Nadia asked, almost appalled at such a weak creature being played. "Tell me he knows what he's doing."

"Don't worry," Serenity stated confidently. "My big brother may not look like it, but he's a pro when it comes dueling. I mean after all he was a Battle City Finalist."

"Yeah but so was Bakura," Tristan reminded. "He just came out nowhere with six locator cards. Then when Yugi faced him in the Semi-Finals it took an Egyptian God Card to bring him down."

"What?" Then if he has Scorching Sekhmet the Keeper, we're going to be a lot more trouble than they can possibly imagine. Nadia knew that Joey was very outclassed, not having a Millennium Item on hand, nor anything to rival an Egyptian Demon Card. She was loathing to turn to her for help, but she glanced at Serenity. The auburn-haired girl was eagerly watching her brother duel. If things come to a boil, I'll have to use her.

"I was nervous, naturally. My future was going to be decided that day." Kaiba laughed. "Hindsight. More than one way." He let his hands touch the railing for support. "Unable to sleep much I took a much needed walk. I didn't care where, just wanted to feel the morning sun on my face before I was ordained. I didn't realize how far I had gotten; I was on the outskirts of the city. A lone slave trader was coming in. I went to talk with him. He wondered if I was going to buy any, not knowing of the rules of the priestly caste. According to the shipment manifest there was a group of slaves that were going well beyond the normal price. I inquired why this was; the answer I received was that their appearance was well out of the ordinary." Here Seto visibly cringed.

"If you don't want to go on…," Ishizu started.

"No, it's better if I get this out of my mind and out of my heart for a while," he interrupted. "In the back of this dingy wagon were so-called refugees as the trader called them. There were only three of them, or so I thought. Two of them were already dead, but the third was a young woman."

Ishizu's eyes widened. Is it? "Who was she?"

"She was Kisara."

"Is that supposed to scare me?" Yami Bakura asked as he eyed the shelled creature. "I've seen worst monsters in my nightmares than that thing."

"It won't be so scary now," Joey said with confidence, "but wait until next turn. Go One-Shot Deadly Samurai attack his face down monster." The dual bladed warrior charged forward and did a double piercing attack against the card's back surface. The attack flipped the down monster face up revealing a green dust cloud, scattering across the field to Joey. "Aw man, what the hell is that smell," he coughed.

"The special effect of my Poison Mummy (1000/1800)," Yami Bakura explained, "Is that when it's flipped up, it releases a poison gas, causing five hundred points of damage: a warning to any would-be thieves." He watched as Joey's life-point counter fell. He grinned as his monster was clearly seen by everyone. A poorly bandaged mummy appeared, its body peeking underneath the wrappings, revealing the gangrene of decay. It remained as if still entombed in a sarcophagus, its arms crossing its chest in an x-position. "But that is nothing compared to sending such a poor creature against monster who doesn't wish to be disturbed," Yami Bakura cackled as Joey loss an additional six hundred points due to the defensive monster's value. "Are you quite done, or would you rather humiliate yourself further?"

I'm down to only 2900 life-points, Joey thought."I end my turn."

"Don't worry Big Brother!" Serenity shouted. "You'll get him."

"I don't know," Tristan stated.

"If he keeps making moves like that…," Nadia started. We're all screwed.

"Don't worry," Serenity smiled. "My big brother always wins, right Tristan?"

"Well he did lose to Kaiba," the pointed-hair one said, "But he did give him a run for his money."

Serenity was obviously flustered. "Yeah well, Kaiba's not here! And Bakura's nowhere Kaiba's skill, right?" She watched Tristan shrug.

I've got to do something, Nadia thought to herself. I just wish I knew all the powers of the Millennium Ring. But then a flash of inspiration came. The Millennium Scales can end this. Then disappointment. If I hadn't left them at home, but should I tell them?

Joey: 2900

Yami Bakura: 4000