Sorry it's taken me a while to update, but with things that have been going on here in the UK recently I haven't been myself. But I'm OK and I'm back to write the next chapter for all you brilliant people!
Thanks to these wonderful people for reviewing:
Yami's Wife: NO! Not Yugi's puppy dog eyes! I can never resist them! Oh please forgive me for making the last chapter so short! And thanks for keeping Bakura under control Yami And is Seto still alive? SO MUCH TO SAY TO YOU! Thank you so much for reviewing! Your reviews get better and better!
Bishounen Lover: Téa finds out about the switch very soon…and I love making Seto evil! I don't know why. Anyway, thank you so much for reviewing!
Now, lets get on with the story, shall we?
'Thoughts'
"Speaking"
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, though I wish I did. Think of the possibilities!
-I-
The Pharaoh and the Pauper
Chapter 8: Confessions
-I-
Yugi walked quickly to keep up with Ishizu's long strides. He silently cursed his short legs as he jogged to keep up with the tall Priest. It had only been a few minutes since Téa had announced that Pharaoh Akunumkanon wanted to see his son, Prince Atemu. Since Yugi had panicked and frozen on the spot, Ishizu had taken charge. She had instructed Téa to wait outside Atemu's chamber and had insisted that she would take 'Atemu' to the Pharaoh himself. Reluctantly, Téa obeyed and was now waiting outside Atemu's chamber for their return. Ishizu had thanked Téa for delivering the message and disappeared down the hall, Yugi at her side.
Now she and Yugi were walking down one of the many corridors in the palace and were fast approaching the Pharaoh's chamber. Yugi, who at this point had snapped out of his panic state, was now begging Ishizu to turn around.
"Please Ishizu," he begged in a loud whisper. "I can't do this! The moment I walk in there, the Pharaoh will instantly recognise me as not being Atemu, then who knows what will happen! This will never work!"
"…" Ishizu said nothing and just continued walking down the corridor, always looking ahead of her.
"Lets just turn around now while we still have the chance! We can make up some sort of excuse and-"
"Enough!" Ishizu hissed in a loud whisper, stopping suddenly. They were now standing outside the Pharaoh's chamber. Still with her back facing Yugi, Ishizu spoke. "Yugi, when you switched with Atemu, you promised to do whatever he was expected to do as Prince. You gave your word, did you not?"
"Yes, but-"
"No 'but's Yugi." She turned around to face the young teen. "You gave your word to Atemu, as a friend. Are you going to turn your back on him now, when you've come so far?"
Yugi looked down at the floor and exhaled loudly. "No…"
"That's right." Ishizu knelt down and placed a comforting hand on Yugi's shoulder, causing him to look up at her with saddened eyes. "Yugi, I know this may be hard for you, but I know you can do this. You've fooled so many people these last few days, and you can easily convince the Pharaoh that you are his son. The Pharaoh is very ill and may not be able to see or hear as clearly as he used to be. I know that is not a kind thing to say, but it may give you an advantage. Just go in there and listen to him, and then leave. It'll all be over soon, ok?"
"…Yes…"
"Good." Ishizu stood up and placed her hand on the handle. "As soon as you come out, we'll come up with a way to bring Atemu back. Deal?"
"Deal," Yugi nodded. "Thank you Ishizu."
Ishizu smiled at the young teenager, before pushing on the handle. The large wooden door opened with a loud creak. Yugi gulped hard, before slowly making his way into the dark chamber of Pharaoh Akunumkanon. His footsteps echoed in the empty room as he stepped on the hard stone surface. As soon as he was inside, Ishizu closed the door, leaving Yugi alone in the darkness. There was a loud band as the door was closed shut.
Yugi took a moment to look around the room in which he stood. The pitch-black darkness was unnerving. All the windows had been covered with thick black clothes, the door that used to lead to the balcony was boarded up, and the furniture on the room were all covered in the same black material. There was a hit of death in the air that made Yugi feel even more uncomfortable. The only light that shone into the room was being emitted from a small candle placed by the Pharaoh's bed.
Yugi swallowed hard as the fear began to grow inside of him. He rubbed his arms as a chill filled the room.
Suddenly, out of the darkness that surrounded his bed, the Pharaoh spoke.
"Atemu… my son…is that you…?" Pharaoh Akunumkanon asked, his voice weak and almost silent from the illness.
Yugi took a moment before he answered. He did not want to ruin Atemu's plan and have the Pharaoh discover his secret, but he did not want to be punished by the Gods for lying to the Great Pharaoh. Who knows what they would do to him or his grandfather when they saw this peasant lie to a powerful man such as Pharaoh Akunumkanon.
"Actually…sire…I'm not-"
"Come…here…" the Pharaoh interrupted.
Yugi swallowed hard again, before slowly making his way forward to the Pharaoh's bedside, not wanting to disobey the Pharaoh. His heart began to race as he came closer and closer to the large bed. The Pharaoh himself was wrapped under pure white sheets, shivering as the illness consumed him. His face was hidden in the darkness, but Yugi could clearly see his hands by his side. His skin was pale. Yugi stopped a few feet away from the bed.
"Closer…" the Pharaoh asked, wheezing as his breath became shorter and shorter.
As Yugi walked right to the Pharaoh's side, he felt beads of sweat forming on his forehead and under his arms. When he finally stopped by the Pharaoh's side, his heart almost stopped as the Pharaoh's hand came up and suddenly took his own. The Pharaoh held on with all the strength he had, and Yugi couldn't do anything to make him let go.
"Atemu…my son…my time here…is almost over. The Gods…the Gods are calling me…taking me away…"
"No…" Yugi gasped. The Pharaoh was about to die, he knew it! Why wasn't Atemu here? Why did they have to swap when the Pharaoh himself was so ill? This wasn't supposed to happen!
"Atemu…I know…you'll be a Great Pharaoh. You…you're full of courage…and hope. I know that…you'll help save Egypt…from evil…" The grip he had on Yugi's hand tightened as he felt himself become weaker and weaker. He needed to do just one more thing before he went to the next world, and he was determined to do it. "Promise me…promise me that…you'll protect the people…protect the people of Egypt…"
"…" Yugi didn't answer. How could he promise something like that when he wasn't even the Pharaoh's son?
"Promise me!" the Pharaoh desperately shouted.
Yugi winced as he felt the guilt inside him begin to grow. Before he could stop himself, he spoke.
"I promise…"
Pharaoh Akunumkanon sighed in relief. His grip on Yugi's hand began to loosen.
"Thank you…my son…"
Slowly, his hand began to slip away, and Yugi felt his hand grow colder and colder. The candle beside the Pharaoh's bed suddenly went out. Panicking as the hand dropped back onto the bed, Yugi looked at what he could she of the Pharaoh's face. The heavy breathing had stopped, and his chest wasn't moving as it had done before. Panicking and scared, Yugi began to step back away from the Pharaoh's body.
"He's…he's…"
Before he could finish his sentence, Yugi cried out, and bolted for the door. He threw open the heavy doors, scaring Ishizu as he did so. He crashed into her as he tried to get away.
"Yugi, what's wrong?" Ishizu asked in desperation, before she looked into the room and saw the Pharaoh's still body on the bed. She gasped at the sight before her.
"Pharaoh Akunumkanon…he's…dead…"
Hearing those words, Yugi released himself from Ishizu's grip and blindly ran down the corridor as the tears filled his eyes. Ishizu, quickly recovering from the shock of the death of the Great Pharaoh, started to run after Yugi.
"Yugi! Wait! Come ba-" She suddenly stopped as her Millennium Necklace began to glow, and a vision of the future appeared before her. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw the images appear before her.
"Oh no, this cannot be!" She exclaimed.
She immediately forgot about Yugi and made her way down a second corridor, towards the courtyard.
-I-
Téa sighed for the fifth time as she leaned against the stonewall. It had been a while since Ishizu had taken Atemu to see Pharaoh Akunumkanon, and they were taken way too long.
'I sure hope nothing bad has happened…' she thought to herself.
In the distance, Téa heard a noise. Shouting, and footsteps. The footsteps sounded heavy and fast, like someone was running down the corridor. As Téa stood up and looked down the corridor, she saw a shadow running towards her. It only took her a moment to recognise the strange tri-coloured hair of her childhood friend.
"Atemu?" She asked in confusion.
As she looked closer at her friend, she saw that he looked different. She was surprised she had not seen it before. There was something about him that was definitely…different.
'Maybe it's because…he's crying?' She thought as she saw the tears slowly falling down the teen's cheek as he ran towards her.
"Atemu? What's wrong? Did something happen?"
But Téa got no answer. 'Atemu' just ran past her and into his room, slamming the door so hard that it bounced out of the doorframe and remained opened. Téa, shocked at Atemu's actions, looked inside the room.
Yugi continued to run until he suddenly stopped by Atemu's four-poster bed. He had barely noticed Téa outside due to his emotions. His shoulders shook as his emotions became out of control in his mind. He felt so many; sadness, guilt, anger, he just didn't know what to do with himself. He suddenly punched one of the posts, as anger was the first to grow. As the wood slightly split from the pressure from his fist, a few splinters cut his hand and small trickles of bloody ran down his hand.
Anger soon changed to grief. His shoulders were shaking uncontrollably now as a stream of tears began to fall down his cheeks.
'I can't do this anymore, I can't!' he thought to himself as the tears continued to flow. 'I can't continue lying anymore! The Pharaoh his dead, and Atemu must take the throne. Soon people will discover what Atemu and I have done, and then…oh who knows what will happen then!'
As Yugi was absorbed by his emotions, he failed to notice someone walking up behind him.
"I can't do this anymore…" he said out loud, his voice breaking.
"Yes you can," said a sweet angelic voice.
Yugi immediately stopped crying as two gentle arms wrapped themselves around his body. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see a few strands of brown hair.
"Téa?"
"Listen to me," Téa said softly, trying to comfort her friend, "you are not weak. You are a great person, and can accomplish anything you set your mind to. And not matter what happens, I'll always be there for you."
"…" Yugi said nothing. He had a feeling of what was coming next.
Téa continued. "Pharaoh Akunumkanon may be gone from this world, but he will always be in our hearts. He believes in you Atemu, as do we all."
Yugi still said nothing, but the emotions inside him began to grow once again. 'I can't continue lying to her. She doesn't deserve that. This has to end.'
"I know that you'll be a great Pharaoh, Atemu," Téa finished.
"NO!" Yugi shouted, realising himself of Téa's grip. He had had enough. It was time to tell her the truth.
"Atemu, what-"
"Téa, listen to me," Yugi interrupted a shocked Téa. "There's something I need to tell you."
Téa said nothing and just continued to listen.
Yugi sighed heavily, before he revealed his secret. "I'm not Atemu."
"…What?…" Téa asked in disbelief
"I'm not Prince Atemu," Yugi repeated
There were a few brief silent moments, before Téa spoke.
"Ha-ha, very funny Atemu," she said sarcastically, "but this isn't time for one of your jokes."
"But it's not a joke! It's true!" Yugi pleaded. This was not the reaction he was hoping for.
"Yeah, and I'm the Queen of the Gods. Come on Atemu, I know your father is gone, but this isn't the way you should react."
"But Téa, I'm telling the truth!"
"No you're not! The grief of your father's death and the pressure of becoming Pharaoh is making you act like this." She knelt down and placed a hand on Yugi's shoulder. "Atemu, if you want to cry again, it's OK."
"I will not cry because I am not Atemu!" Yugi said loudly as he brushed Téa's hand away.
"Yes you are! Stop kidding around!" Téa started to yell as she looked down at the teen before her. She had noticed that Atemu was different, but she had refused to believe it. This was not happening! Atemu was lying!
"No Téa! I'm a peasant from the outskirts of town that just happens to look like Atemu! I can I prove it!" Yugi lifted up the cloak that covered his back and showed Téa the three whip marks on his back.
Téa gasped at the sight before her and stepped back, her hands over her mouth.
After a few moments, Yugi let the cloak drop and turned to face Téa.
"It's me Téa," he said in a soft voice. "I'm Yugi Moto."
-I-
"This cannot be happening…"
Ishizu stopped at the top of the stairs that lead down to the courtyard, unable to believe the sight before her.
There, in the courtyard, were men dressed in black, their horses close by. They had completely taken over the courtyard and part of the palace, and were now holding the Pharaoh's guards and servants as prisoners in a corner. It was chaos. But this was not the sight that surprised her the most.
Climbing up the stairs towards her, with five men behind him, was the last person Ishizu expected to see.
"Priest Seto, how could you?"
The look on Seto's face bore nothing but evil. She knew that Seto hated the Pharaoh and his son, but she did not think he would cause something like this! Instantly, the Millennium Necklace began to glow again, and Ishizu saw where he was heading.
'I must warn Yugi, for he is in grave danger!'
Making sure that Seto and his followers didn't see her, she ran back down the corridor towards the room where she knew Yugi would be.
-I-
Téa continued to stare at the boy in front of her in disbelief. In only a few minutes her world had come crashing down around her. For the past few days she had believed that this was Atemu, and that he was slightly different from his usual self because of the stress of his father's illness. She never once thought that this was Yugi, the boy she had helped only days ago, the boy her heart had longed for when she thought he had left.
Yugi felt nervous as Téa continued to stay silent. 'This wasn't what I was hoping for. I'd better talk to her.'
"Téa," Yugi started to say taking a step forward to the young girl. When she saw Yugi coming towards her, Téa took a step back.
"Téa, please say something."
"…"
"Téa? Please?"
"It's…not true," Téa finally spoke after a long pause, shaking her head. "It can't be…"
"It is Téa," said Yugi in a soft voice, walking towards her. "I'm Yugi. Remember? You helped me out a few nights ago. Don't you remember me?"
"…You can't…be Yugi…" Téa said in a daze
"But I am-"
"NO!" Téa shouted, causing Yugi to stop. He could see how upset this was all making her.
"You can't be, you just can't."
"Téa, please listen to me-"
"No! You're not Yugi!" Tears began to from in the teenager's eyes. "It's impossible! Yugi left that night! He left Atemu, he left the palace…he left me!"
"Téa I didn't leave-"
"You DID! I saw you leave! I watched you leave the palace…" 'And I saw you leave me…'
Yugi looked up into Téa's teary blue eyes, the eyes that he had grown so found of these past few days. He hated seeing her like this. He hated the fact that he had hurt her so much.
"Téa, just listen to me and I'll explain what happened." He looked up at Téa for a reaction. She said nothing. "That night, after you helped me, Atemu and I saw how alike we look. It was then that he had the idea that we should swap lives-"
"What!" Téa cried in an outburst. "Do you have any idea how stupid that is? What if you got caught? You could have been killed!"
"We knew the risks Téa," Yugi spoke in a calm voice. "We promised that it would only be for a week. I only went along with it because I saw how much Atemu wanted to go outside the palace…and…I…I also wanted…to get to now you, Téa."
Both Yugi and Téa began to blush.
"You…wanted to know…me?" Téa asked, tears still in her eyes
"Well, yes. You saved my life that night and showed me kindness I have never seen before in my life. I owe you so much Téa, and I never wanted to hurt you. I didn't tell you because I was worried of what would happen if someone else found out." Yugi turned away slightly. "I just wanted to get to now you, and I'm sorry if I've hurt you in any way."
Téa said nothing. She was beginning to understand now. Her heart suddenly jolted as she saw how upset Yugi was.
Yugi continued to speak. "But now everything's gone wrong! Pharaoh Akunumkanon is dead and people will expect me to take Atemu's place, believing that I'm him." He clenched his fists as his emotions began to grow again. "I can't do this anymore Téa. I need to find Atemu and bring him back! But I have no idea how to get to him! I just want this to end!"
Téa was touched by Yugi's story. She no longer felt angry at the teen, and was beginning to understand his pain. 'It must have been so hard for him to tell me all this. All this time he's been keeping this secret from everyone. He's kept this all locked up inside of him. Poor Yugi…'
Quietly, Téa stepped towards Yugi and enveloped him in a soft hug, taking him by surprise.
"Yugi, you've been through so much these last few days, and it must've been hard for you to tell me all this. And I'm glad you did."
"Téa…"
"You haven't hurt me in any way at all. Sure I was a little surprised when you told me that you're not Atemu, but I was just shocked. And I want you to know that I'll be here for you, and I'll help you get through this. I'll help you find Atemu."
"Thank you…"
Téa released Yugi from her hug and looked into his eyes.
"You know, this explains a lot."
Yugi blinked. "It does?"
"Yup. These last few days, I've been feeling all these different emotions. I had no idea why, but, now I do. I felt all these incredible emotions, because of you Yugi."
Yugi didn't say anything. He stared at Téa, absorbed by her beautiful soft blue eyes. 'Does this mean that Téa feels that same way towards me like I do to her?'
Without saying a word, Téa closed her eyes and began to move closer to Yugi. Without realising what he was doing, Yugi too, closed his eyes and began to move closer to Téa. As if in a dream, the two teen's faces came closer and closer together, their lips soft and inviting. They were only inches away…
BANG!
Yugi and Téa looked up at the sound of the loud band. The door had been thrown open, and a breathless Ishizu stood in the doorway. She looked in distress. Immediately, Téa and Yugi stood up and ran to the young Priestess.
"Ishizu!" cried Yugi. "What's happened?"
"Yugi, I-" Ishizu began, before quickly cutting off. She looked at Téa.
Yugi followed her gaze and knew what she was thinking. "It's alright, I've told her. She knows everything. Now, tell us what's wrong."
Ishizu looked backat Yugi, still in distress. "Yugi, Priest Seto has returned with a small army of followers. He has come to claim the throne and rule over Egypt." She paused before she continued. "He knows who you are…"
"What!" Téa screamed
"But how-"
"He saw your scars the other day and figured out what had happened. Yugi, we must bring Atemu back! He's the only one that can save us now!"
"Yeah, but how do we get to him? He's in the city!" said Téa
Suddenly, male voices and heavy footsteps could be heard from outside in the corridor. One of the voices belonged to Seto himself. Ishizu quickly closed the doors, Téa helping her as she did so, before they turned back to Yugi.
"What are we going to do?" asked Téa as the voices continued to come closer.
Yugi thought for a moment. He needed to get a message to Atemu, but how? He could use a messenger, but that would mean revealing his secret to even more people. The only people he could trust were Téa and Ishizu, and he didn't want to put them in danger…
'That's it!'
Quickly, Yugi ran over to a small desk in the room, and pulled out two sheets of parchment and some writing equipment. On the first piece, he quickly sketched a small diagram, and on the second, he quickly wrote something down. 'It's a good thing I'm a quick study, otherwise I wouldn't know what all this means!'
When he was done, he folded the second parchment up and quickly returned to were Ishizu and Téa stood, away from the door. The voices could he heard outside the door now. Time was running out.
"Téa!" Yugi said quickly, pushing the pieces of parchment into the girl's hand. "Take this message to Atemu. He should be at my house. I've drawn a route to my house so you should get there pretty quickly."
"What? Yugi, I'm not leaving you!" Téa said as the men on the other side of the door began to knock it down.
"Please Téa, you must! Like Ishizu said Atemu is the only one that can help us now! I need you to bring him back!"
"But what about you? I don't want to leave you…"
Yugi smiled and held onto Téa's free hand. "I'll be fine. I just want you to be safe. Please Téa, I need you to do this for me."
"Yugi…"
CRASH!
The three young people in the room jumped back as the door flew open. Yugi stepped in front of Téa and Ishizu, as six men walked into the room, five of them dressed in black. The man at the front dressed in blue and white robes and holding the Millennium Rod, was Priest Seto. He stepped forward and made his way to Yugi. Yugi felt himself tense up.
Without any sign of emotion, Seto grabbed Yugi's arm and dragged him forward. Ishizu and Téa called out, but three guards stepped forward to block their way.
Seto laughed evilly at the sight before him, before in one swift movement, he lifted up Yugi's cloak and revealed to the people behind him the scars on Yugi's back. The servants that had come to see what all the commotion was about, gasped at the sight before them.
This boy was an impostor.
"Arrest them all!" Seto ordered out of the silence, pushing Yugi to the floor.
The guards stepped forward at the sound of their master's orders. But Yugi was prepared, and wouldn't go down without a fight, and not until Téa has escaped. He got up and stood in front of the two girls.
"Téa, get out of here now," Yugi said to the younger of the girls.
"But Yugi-"
"NOW!" Yugi shouted as a guard charged towards them. In one swift movement, Yugi ducked and dug his elbow into the guard's stomach, causing him to fall to the ground in pain.
"You bastard!" called another guard as he charged towards them.
Yugi saw that they had already gotten Ishizu, and it was up to him to get Téa out of here.
As the guard came towards them, Yugi grabbed Téa's hand and ran towards the door, the guard missing them by inches and tripping over his companion on the floor. He hit his head on the floor. The servants stepped back and ran down the corridor as the fight continued and the impostor came towards them.
Once they reach the door, Yugi pushed Téa out into the corridor, before facing the guards again.
"Téa, you must go now! Please! Find Atemu and bring him back! Ill be fine, but I want you to be safe!"
Téa's heart was torn. She wanted to stay with Yugi and help him, but she knew she had to find Atemu. Forcing the new tears in her eyes not to fall, she disappeared down the corridor.
As Yugi heard Téa ran away, he sighed in relief. 'At least she's safe now,' he thought, before he let two guards restrain him. The fight was over.
Seto grinned as the guards brought Ishizu and the peasant to him. The men on the floor stood up and dusted themselves off, a little embarrassed that they had been beaten by a little runt.
"Sir, what about the girl?" asked one of the guards. "Should we go after her?"
"Leave that little bitch" Seto answered bitterly. "She'll be back. And she'll bring the Prince with her." He looked at his two prisoners before him. "Lock them in the dungeon!"
Yugi cursed Seto as he was dragged away, and Ishizu yelled out for help. As the two were dragged down to the horrible dungeons, Yugi prayed that Téa would be safe.
-I-
Atemu looked up from where he sat in Yugi's doorway, up at the stars above him in the night sky, and felt a single tear roll down his cheek. He had never been one to cry, but tonight he had a reason too.
Not long ago, the famous thief of Egypt, Bakura, had been running through the streets, having just come from the palace, and shouting some very upsetting news to the people of Egypt. As he made his way through the many streets of the city, he had announced to them all of Pharaoh Akunumkanon's death, and that Atemu was to take the throne as soon as possible.
On hearing this news, Atemu had felt his heart break. His father had died, without his son by his side. Atemu couldn't begin to describe the guilt and sadness he felt at that moment. He thought of Yugi, and what he must be going through now. Had he been by Pharaoh Akunumkanon's side? Or had he been somewhere else, and the Pharaoh had died all on his own? There were so many unanswered questions in Atemu's mind.
He continued to stare at the stars and saw a shooting star fly across the sky. A message from the Gods.
"I'm sorry…father…" Atemu said to the night sky, as another tear fell down his cheek.
"Hey Yug'," said a deep baritone voice behind Atemu. "Are you alright?"
Atemu looked behind him at Yugi's friends, Joey and Tristan. After hearing the news of the Pharaoh's death, they had come round to Yugi's house to see if he had heard. They were also helping 'Yugi' take care of Grandpa Moto, for his health was not getting any better.
Atemu looked into the eyes of Yugi's friends. These past few days, they had been so kind to him, and he had repaid them by lying to them.
'Well not anymore,' he thought as he stood up, dusting himself off.
"Actually," Atemu said as he walked inside, "I need to tell you two something."
Joey and Tristan exchanged glances, before letting the tri coloured hair teen continue.
"You see," sighed Atemu, "I'm not really Yugi, but someone that happens to look like him. We swapped lives for a week a few days ago, promising that it was only for a week. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but if someone found out, then who knows what would have happened."
Tristan felt his jaw drop, whereas Joey remained silent.
"So…" said Tristan, choosing his words carefully, "if you're not Yugi, then who are you?"
"Prince Atemu," said Joey before Atemu could answer.
Atemu and Tristan both looked at the blonde in surprise.
"You knew?" asked Atemu
"Of course I did! I'm not dat dumb!" Joey answered, a little offended.
"But…how?"
"I figured it out a while ago. I noticed dat Yugi had been actin' weird for a while, and when I saw dat Yugi and Atemu looked so alike, I kinda figured out den."
Tristan gave Joey an angry glare. "And you didn't tell me because…"
Joey grinned at the brunette. "Because of your small brain and big mouth."
"My big mouth!" Tristan shouted in rage. "Why I-"
"Please guys, calm down," said Atemu taking control of the situation. "Yugi's grandfather is trying to sleep in the other room.
Tristan and Joey immediately stopped and stood to attention.
"We'll be good!" They said in unison. Atemu could only laugh, before his thoughts quickly returned to Yugi and his father. He sighed heavily.
"What's wrong Atemu?" Tristan asked
Atemu looked up at the two teens.
"It's just…now that my father has…moved on, I'll be expected to take the throne. But I can't if I'm still here! I need to get back to the palace, but to do that I need to get in contact with Yugi, which would be impossible at the moment!" He yelled out in frustration. "I feel so useless!"
"Quit talkin' like dat!" said Joey. "You're not useless Atemu!"
"That's right!" Tristan said, backing up his friend. "You'll get through this, and we're gonna help you!"
Atemu's face immediately lit up. "Really? You mean it?"
"Sure!" said Joey, patting Atemu a little too hard on the back. "What are buds for?"
Atemu smiled at his two new friends, touched by their kindness. "Thank you…"
"No sweat!" said Tristan.
"So, what's are first move?" asked Joey, ready for some action
"Well, first we should-"
"ATEMU!"
The three teenage boys looked up at the sound of the high female voice. Atemu quickly recognised the brunette teenage girl standing in the doorway of the Moto's house, her breath heavy from running.
"Téa!" he said running up to his friend. He brought the girl into the house and sat her down on a stool. Tristan and Joey came over to see if they could help.
"Téa," Atemu asked, "what are you doing here? Has something happened?"
Téa, still out of breath, looked up at the Prince, glad to have finally found him.
"…Atemu…danger…Yugi…dungeon…" she tried to speak, but was too out of breath from running from the palace.
"What danger? And what about Yugi? Has something happened to him?" Atemu asked desperately. If anything had happened to Yugi, it would all be his fault.
Téa didn't answer. Instead, she held up the second piece of parchment that Yugi had given her. Atemu looked down at the parchment, then to Téa, then back at the parchment. His hands shaking, he slowly picked up the parchment and unfolded it, reading the messy handwriting. Once he read it, he gasped.
"Oh no…"
"What? What's it say?" asked Joey, looking over Atemu's shoulder at the parchment. "I don't understand of word of it!" Joey felt his anger boil. Something had happened to Yugi, he could feel it.
"That's because this form of text is only used by a few people," said Atemu with a shaky voice.
"Can you tell us what it says?" Tristan asked. He too knew that something had happened to Yugi. He hoped his friend was OK.
Atemu swallowed, before slowly reading the text Yugi had written with his own hand. His voice shook as he spoke…
"Atemu, Priest Seto has discovered out secret. We're both in grave danger. I've been taken captive. Please help."
-I-
To be continued…
-I-
See, now things are starting to get exciting, aren't they? Please R&R, since I'm not sure whether I should continue this story or not. I'll try and get the next chapter up asap!