A very, very, very HUGE thank you, for those who take their time and read this fic. And a HUGE DOUBLE thank you, for those who review it.
WARNING: Spoiler for Yami's real name.
Without anything more to say… on with the fic!
Chapter 7: Where's Aibou?
¡Y-YAMI!
Not the expected friend, but an unexpected other. Not the missing light, but the ancient dark. Not Yuugi, but Yami. Was it even possible? Were their minds playing tricks on them or had their common desperation turned into insanity?
No, it hadn't.
There he stood, a corporeal Yami looking at them with a nostalgic and warm gaze. But, there were some clear differences since the last time the gang bid him farewell, three years ago. His once white skin seemed to glitter in the sunlight with its new tan, bringing out the amazing ruby red colour of his eyes and his long black eyelashes. His tricolour hair stood up a little wilder than normal, framing perfectly the angular face and giving the ruler a mysterious and exotic look.
"Long time no see," the former pharaoh greeted.
To see a dead person was one thing, but to hear him talking was beyond reality.
"How c-come..?" croaked Honda. "Why are you…?"
"…alive?", Yami chuckled, "Well, that's a long story. But first of all, I must apologize. I never intended to make my appearance so dramatic and give you a fright-."
"Did you hear that? The 'farrow' (1) is apologizing!" a voice interrupted.
"Yeah, whatever happened with us being 'as discreet as possible', your thick-headness?"
To say Ryou and Malik were shocked would be an understatement. That voices belonged to none others than Bakura and Marik, who now were standing in front of their lights, looking at them curiously. The light albino flinched at the cold brown's stare that followed every one of his movements, while the blond Egyptian glared sceptically at his darker half.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here? Has the wimp grown brave enough to face me?" Bakura mocked.
"Stay away from him!" Honda shouted, preparing to attack the dark tomb robber.
"You wouldn't dare mortal. I have something you don't, and it's called Shadow Magic!" Bakura cackled, as his Millennium Ring glowed mysteriously. The dark albino raised his hand to attack Honda, when suddenly an unknown force made him fall backwards.
"Don't worry. He's not allowed to perform such magic." Yami assured his friends, while throwing a murderous look at the ancient thief.
"Yami, is it really you?" Jou asked. "Are you really here…?"
"Yes Jou, I am."
"But how…?" the blond whispered.
"It all happened after the Ceremonial Battle…"
-----
Yami heard the door close behind him, blinded momentarily by the powerful beam that had engulfed his body.
When the light faded, he found himself in the throne room, back to his palace in Ancient Egypt. He wasn't clad in leather, but in his pharaoh's clothes: white linen kilt and top, held tightly at his waist by an onyx belt, golden armbands and bracelets on his arms and wrists, and a pair of garnet earrings in the form of ankhs. Draped over his shoulders, a silky purple flowing cape completed the royal outfit.
Feeling his heart swell with excitement, Yami approached the figures at the end of the room. His six former priests stood by the throne, three on each side, smiling warmly at their long lost ruler. Yami knew them all thanks to his recovered memories: Isis, Seth, Shada, Mahaado, Karim and Akunadin; each one of them bowing respectfully as the ancient ruler walked between them. However, there were two more persons beside the throne; one was Shimon, the Pharaoh's right hand and the other…
"Welcome home, my son," the tall figure greeted.
"Father!"
"It's been a very long journey but in the end, you have fulfilled your destiny. You showed the nature and values of a true Pharaoh: pride, loyalty, kindness and bravery. Welcome to the rest that was denied to you 3000 years ago. Welcome back, Atemu."
Yami…no, Atemu was speechless as his father enveloped him in a hug. Returning the embrace, he closed his eyes afraid of thinking, afraid of breaking the enchantment of that moment… afraid of facing the realization the he had found his past but, at the same time, lost his beloved one.
When Akunumkanon drew back, Isis approached Atemu and placed a knee on the ground.
"Pharaoh, please take this as a gift; as a symbol of your new found power." she said, raising his arms to show a golden crown with a crimson ruby incrusted in the center.
Akunumkanon took the crown from the priest and placed it solemnly on his son's forehead. Suddenly, Atemu felt jolts of electricity course through his body, renewing his strength and his knowledge of shadow magic. Unexpectedly, his limbs went numb and his eyelids grew heavy, welcoming a dreamless sleep.
Two days later, when Atemu woke up, he found Mahaado sitting near his bed. His ancient friend had his eyes closed in meditation, but opened them when he heard the rustle of the sheets.
"Good morning, Pharaoh."
"Good morning Mahaado…But you know you can call me Atemu", the former ruler said, sitting on the mattress.
"Ok Pharaoh Atemu", the priest smirked, ignoring the raised eyebrows of the tricolour-haired man. "I'm glad you finally woke up. You father wants you to meet him in the garden. There's something of great importance he needs to tell you."
"Something important? What is it?"
"You'll see. I'll leave now, so you can get ready."
Bowing his head slightly, Mahaado exited the room and closed the door behind him. Atemu looked down at his hands. Hands that had been intertwined with Yuugi's just a few nights ago. Gods, he missed his light dearly. Had he done the right thing?
An hour later, Atemu headed to the palace garden's where his father stood waiting for him
"Impressed?" Akunumkanon asked, noticing the surprised look on his son's eyes.
"Yes, I never thought the underworld would look like Ancient Egypt."
"It's not the underworld that makes this place look like Egypt, but the magic of your memories. This is as real as you want it to be."
"Are you trying to tell me this is all an illusion?", Atemu asked, shock written all over his face.
"No, not exactly. You're here by the Shadows will."
"I-I don't understand, father."
"Let me explain. As you know, the Millennium Items were born from sacrifice. Ninety-nine lives were taken to create such powerful objects. Though the Shadow Magic seems ruthless, it does have a sense of justice. The slaughter in Kuruelna village didn't go unnoticed by the shadows, so they took it upon themselves to punish every single being in possession of the items. Unfortunately, Zork controlled the shadows and made them bend to his will, therefore causing the dead of our priests and your later imprisonment within the Puzzle.
This is a dimension between the underworld, and the real one. We found ourselves in this place after our souls left the realm of the living. We were told that if we wanted to reach the underworld, we would have to pass a series of tests. If we didn't succeed, we would remain here forever, witnessing the destruction of our civilization over and over again."
"So, you're still here because you failed?", Atemu asked.
"No …" Akunumkanon smiled, "…fortunately we all passed the trials, though it took us a couple of centuries to do so. The shadows forgave us and we moved on to the afterlife. Sensing your return, we were allowed to come here to guide you and help you through this process…"
Something snapped inside Atemu.
"No, no, no, NO! After all the things we've been through, after everything MY light and I suffered, after I defeated Zork I still have to face some tests? Is it never going to end? I was never involved in the creation of the Millennium Items!"
"My son, you misunderstood me. Your sacrifice in the past and your deeds in the last years had gained you the favour of the shadows. They are not offering you a door to the afterlife, but the opportunity to have a new one, if you want. A new life beside the one you love".
"A new life? Does that mean I can go back to Yuugi?"
"Yes, but it's not that simple. As you've noticed three Millennium Items are missing: the Rod, the Ring and the Puzzle. You'll have to find them. If you do, you'll be given two options: return to the world of the living or come with us to the afterlife. Giving life is a great gift, and the shadows want to make sure you deserve it, though, if I may say so myself, you've already walked half of the path successfully. Think about it."
"I don't nee to think anything. I want to go back. I'll find the three items."
"Well then, let me introduce you to your partners in this search", Akunumkanon smirked.
"Partners? What do you m-"
"Hello 'farrow'. Missed us?" two singsong voices from behind Atemu greeted.
The ancient pharaoh turned around bewildered, not believing his ears.
"Marik? Tomb Robber? What are you doing here?"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, that's no way to treat your old friends. Anyway, you're the last one here, so we make the questions", Bakura answered.
A cloud of silver smoke filled the room as the voice of Akunumkanon boomed through the place.
"Shall these spirits whose life was taken fulfil the trials to decide their own and final fate."
-----
"And so, we began our quest to find the Rod, the Ring, and the Puzzle", Yami concluded.
"And you succeeded?" Otogi asked.
"Of course, lame brain. Would you ever doubt that?"
"There's no need to be rude Tomb Robber." Yami frowned, "It's natural for them to be incredulous."
"Where's justice here?" Jou exploded, unnerved by Bakura's behaviour. "Why did they have the chance to come back after all they did? What did they do to gain the favour of the shadows?"
"I'm sorry Jou, but I can't tell you. It's up to Marik and Bakura to do so. But I can assure you they gained their right to have this opportunity."
"It's been three years." Malik spat bitterly to his dark. "If you worked together, what took you so long?"
"We had to face different obstacles to find the items. Every single trial lasted a year, each one for each spirit whose life had the opportunity to be recovered. So the first year, it was my turn to look for the Rod, because I was the first one to arrive at that dimension. Then in the second year, Bakura searched for the Ring, and in the final year, it was the pharaoh's turn. While a spirit looked for the item, the others two had to help and support him." Marik chuckled. "That was one of the most difficult things, due to the lack of affinity among us."
"Once we found the three items, we were given our original bodies. That's why our features are a little different."
-----
The three ancient spirits stood in front of the door which Atemu had crossed after the Ceremonial Battle. The Rod, the Ring and the Puzzle hung from each one of the spirit's neck, shining with their new power
"You've completed your mission, Marik, Bakura, and Atemu. You have two options: A new life or the afterlife. Which one you choose?", Akunumkanon asked.
"A new life", the three answered in unison.
"Then so be it. The Millennium Items will fulfil your wishes. You just have to walk through this door, and the ritual will take effect."
Atemu bid farewell to his father while Bakura and Marik nodded in gratitude. Taking a deep breath, the three ancient spirits stepped through the door where a powerful beam blasted them, knocking them unconscious and into their new future.
-----
"When we woke up, we were lying in front of the temple ruins. Fortunately, Marik knew the way back to the Ishtar's old house. Once there, we formed a plan to come back to Domino. We arrived last night, but it had been so long that we didn't know where to start looking for you. There was no possible way you could still be studying in Domino High, so I went to ask the address of the most famous person in the city: Kaiba. When Malik 'kidnapped' me this morning, I was looking at the Duel Disk advertisement in front of a shop." Atemu finished.
The three spirits laughed and Malik blushed at Yami's commentary. He was embarrassed beyond imagination and to make matters worse, Marik wouldn't stop looking at him.
The dark decided to interrupt his light's thoughts.
"So you're not going to tell us?" he asked.
"Tell you what?" Malik repeated, raising an eyebrow in confusion.
"Tell us why you were running around Domino City with the 'farrow' over your shoulders."
"I-I t-thought it was Y-Yuugi," the blond Egyptian confessed.
And then, he slapped himself mentally.
"A comprehensible error. But then, where's my aibou?" Atemu asked. "I can't wait to see him- to show him I came back to stay."
A very thick silence fell over the group. No one dared to confront the crimson gaze and the possible consequences the truth could bring. Ryou and Malik glanced at each other, apprehensively. A look that didn't go unnoticed by the ancient spirits who frowned at the gang's strange behaviour.
The former pharaoh grew worried as a wave of protectiveness washed over him. "Jou? What's happening here? Where's Yuugi?"
Ryou, who hadn't said a word through the entire encounter, broke the uncomfortable silence.
"Listen Ya-, I mean Atemu. I'm sorry to tell you this, but…" the albino's voice felt his eyes water with tears, as his voice broke into sobs "…but Yuugi has been missing for the past two years."
Marik and Bakura gasped incredulously. Atemu turned completely white.
"WHAT?" he bellowed.
The tricolour-haired man felt as if a thousands bricks had hit him fully on the chest. He stood frozen in shock, as the information melted through every fibber of his being. A part of his soul told him he was being tricked while the other, the rational one, confirmed his worst fears.
"It was a year after you left," Malik continued, "Yuugi was really broken; so many things had happened, things that took him to the very edge of isolation, and then… when we thought he had recovered, he… he disappeared."
"NO! It can't be possible; my aibou would NEVER do something like that."
"He was not the light you once knew…", Ryou tried to explain.
But Atemu was not listening. Three words were ringing endlessly inside his head: Yuugi…his Yuugi, gone. The former pharaoh fell to the ground on his knees, his fingers clenched into white fists. He couldn't believe it. He didn't want to believe it. All his hopes and dreams came crashing down in a matter of seconds. Desperation and despair gripped his heart while vultures of anger licked his blood, swearing - claiming revenge to whomever or whatever had caused his aibou such grief.
"How did this happen?" he whispered, "How?"
Suddenly the former pharaoh went limp, and would have suffered a nasty fall if Jou hadn't rushed to his side, holding him by the shoulders. The blond laid Atemu on his back, shaking the stiff body. Only then, did he notice the crimson eyes were open, looking at him with glazed irises.
"Yami? YAMI? Snap out of it man! You're freaking me out!"
Marik grabbed Jou's hand and spat bitterly.
"Calm down twerp, the pharaoh is alright. He only made the transition to his soul room."
Ryou looked at Bakura, who gave the light an almost imperceptible nod. There could be a way to contact Yuugi through their shared soul rooms. That was, if Yuugi was still there…
-()-()-()-
Atemu opened his eyes. Looking around, he mildly noticed the changes within his chambers. Where once stood a maze of stairs, traps, dead ends, and doors; now was a huge, spacious, Egyptian-styled room. Golden tiles and columns - decorated with hieratic writings and ancient symbols - gave the room a royal and magnificent aura, suiting perfectly its exotic owner. Unfortunately, the former ruler's mind was too preoccupied with other matters to acknowledge such wonderful scenery. Walking slowly, he approached the door that connected to the hall between his soul room and that of his light. The pharaoh gasped in horror at what he saw.
Normally the hall would shine faintly thanks to the light coming from Yuugi's soul room, but now it was completely dark. Concentrating on his powers, Atemu made the Millennium Puzzle glow, which showed that for the first time in years, the door to his aibou's chambers was closed. And if it wasn't enough, a thick layer of ice covered the door, forbidding the entrance to anyone who dared to enter the shattered room.
Yuugi's hurt ran far more deeply than what Atemu had first thought. The light half has closed his heart to everyone, sealing the door so tightly that it was impossible for the former ruler to trespass the ice, not if Yuugi didn't want to be reached.
Placing an open palm on the frozen door and the other over his heart, Atemu made a promise; his crimson eyes glowing with determination.
"I'll find you, aibou. With the Puzzle as my witness, I swear I'll find you. I'll bring you back to me."
I swear I'll find you…my angel.
Aibou means partner. It's the wayYami refers to Yuugi in the Japanese series.
(1) "Farrow": That's a little pun. A few days ago I was watching some (horribly) dubbed Battle City episodes. There was this part where Marik swore revenge to Yami, but the subtitles said 'farrow' instead of 'pharaoh'. I was cracking up when I read it, and because I couldn't imagine Marik and Bakura calling Yami by his name, I decided them to give a new 'nickname' to our favourite pharaoh.
Review Responses
csrg: Here's more! I hope you liked this chapter.
Nightmare Terror: Are you a seer? Yes! Yami's arrival had to something to do with Shadow Magic (well… more or less, but I hope this chapter answered your question)
Pharaoh Atemu's Angel: Yes, fortunately he came back (with a little bit of drama, if I may say so), and will get to Yuugi soon. Thanks, for reviewing.
Sailor Centauri: Thank you!
Strega: As you say, I would also probably freak out if someone ran off with me, but then Yami was too shocked to react (not to count the surprise he received later), and Malik was very impulsive. I can assure you that Yami won't let anything stand between him and his light.
Atemu Yugi Lover34: Thank you! Your wish is my command; I hope you liked this chapter.
Feebeefi: Thanks! I hope you liked this chapter.
Hikari's-dark-side: Hopefully, Yami will soon discover what was of Yuugi, and where he headed. I promise I won't make you wait too long.
KNT: Hrmfmsm Yfami (sorry, I had my mouth filed with confetti). Knowing Yami, he would surely get revenge to whoever laid a finger on Yuugi. (And we sometimes enjoy a possessive Yami, don't we?) Thanks for reviewing! (hugs)
Yami Dragoness: Thank's for adding me to your favourites. I promise I'll update the story as soon as I can. I hope you liked this chapter!
I am not your yami: Special thanks to you, for pointing out the mistake in the summary. I didn't realize it until you told me. I think auxiliaries and me don't mix. (wink).
Master Elora Dannan: Thanks! I hope Yami's reaction was good enough for your liking. (smiles)