Hello! Thank you for those of you who have given me a review. I appriciate them greatly and you've no idea how happy I am to see when I get some. I've written a lot over this past week actually, and I'll try not to upload too much to the fic at one time as I know I have a tendancy to do. '''
You will see there is a .:. in front of the beginnings of the time changes. I used to have other symbols there, but doesn't like them so I figured I would switch to something else to make it a little easier on all of you. Also, it has been weeks since I have seen these episodes. I do not remember all of the monsters and turns in the duels anymore, so I hope that you will forgive me for certain details. You can either hint leave a review and tell me what to correct, or email me at thank you for reading. Onto the story!
.:.Speeding, literally, speeding, down the interstate highway in Duke's old convertible, the group hangs on for dear life as he somehow manages to make them go faster.
"You know, I don't think it is safe to do this." Tea says, looking a little green. "Ah, well. We're almost there." He tells them. They pull off the road traveling through the endless empty space and come up to a trailer. "Here we are." Duke says, screeching to a halt as he pulls into the sand, spraying it everywhere.
"Thank goodness." Tea comments as she hurriedly steps over people to get out. Tristan laughs but all of a sudden covers his mouth with his hand, places his other on his stomach, and likewise bolts from the vehicle. Stepping out of the car, Alyssa puts a hand on her temple and supports herself against it's frame. "Are you alright?" Yugi asks. "I'm fine." She says, smiling at him. "I just have a slight headache from all the noise."
"If you're sure then." Yugi says. "Let's go!" and they race towards the house. They laugh as they rush, each trying to get there before the other. "Wait just a minute!" Yugi says, trying to deepen his voice as much as he could. He pauses. "My Lord?" she asks, questioningly, turning around to check due to the irregular voice. Yugi runs past her. "Whee! I did it!" he says happily. Shaking her head, she jogs up to the front of the house.
"You guys must be hungry." Duke says as he sees Joey eyeing some snacks of his. "Well, if you're offering." He says, going over and opening the package. Duke just stares at him s he chows down on the junk food, practically biting off Tristan's hand as he tries to grab some himself. "Hey man, you're stealin' all the grub!" he yells as he attempts to pull the bag away from Joey. "Come on! Get your own food!" Joey says, turning away. "That wasn't yours in the first place!" Tristan yells, tackling him to the floor by his legs as they roll around, each trying to get the upper hand on the bag.
The rest of the group watches, Tea with sickened eyes as one slobbery hand attempts to enter the bag for a quick grab and the other bites the arm.
"Oh gosh." She says. "All yours. I can't believe that anyone would want that stuff after you've all been into it." She says, turning away and sitting down on the couch. Yami laughs. "I can make you something, Tea" Duke says. "I don't have much, but I sure know how to make a mean omelet." Tea laughs. "Okay than, Master Chef. Care if I watch?" "No Problem." He says. "If you would let me see what you have in stock, I might be able to come up with something myself." Alyssa offers. "Wha?" Joey says, as the pair pauses their grapple for the bag of Doritos. "You know, if Alyssa's gonna be cooking…" he begins. "Here ya go, Tristan!" he shouts, shoving the bag at his comrade. "Huh?" Tristan says, looking at the bag in his hands. "I wouldn't want to fill up to soon." Joey says, standing up and stretching. "Hey, you know, I'm a real good taste tester." He begins, leaning against the wall next to Alyssa. "I'm sure I'd be able to help you out if-" "No way! I'm gonna test the stuff!" Tristan says, hopping in front of Joey. "He learned all his stuff from me you see, and-" "Butt out, buddy!" Joey says, trying to step in front again. "Hey, you've got the chips!" Tristan says. "I don't want the chips!" Joey says, shoving them onto Tristan. "Well, too bad!" Tristan says, shoving them back. "Why I oughta!" Joey begins, "I dare you!" Tristan says. "That's it! You're askin' for it!" Joey yells, shaking a fist. "Try me!" "Bring it on!" "Huraaaaahhhh!" Both lunge for and tackle the other, rolling around in their fight on the floor once again. The rest of the group merely shakes their heads and turns their back to the troublesome twosome. "So how about it?" Alyssa asks. "Well, how could I say no after such a display? You must be one good cook." "I try" she merely says, and they walk off into the kitchen.
Half an hour later they sit down to a large meal of omelets, some freshly made orange juice, and some kind of stew concoction that tasted fabulous. "See? What'd I tell ya?" Joey says, wiping his mouth with a napkin and leaning back on his chair. "Tell us what?" Tea asks, clearing the table. "Huh? Oh…I forgot." Joey says. "How 'bout you, Yug? Think it was good?" "Oh, it was awesome!" Yugi says, full to bursting. "I should probably call grandpa though. I told him I would when we reached Duelist Kingdom, but that hasn't happened now, has it?" he says. "There's a phone in the living room, Yugi." Duke says, nodding his head towards the adjacent room in the trailer as he picked up another dish. "Thanks." Yugi said. "I'll call him right now."
Yugi's grandpa picked up on the third ring. "Hello, Mutou residence." It said on the other side. "Grandpa!" Yugi said happily. "Yugi, my boy. How've you been?" "I'm fine grandpa." Yugi said; the normal pleasantries. He went on to explain what had happened so far in the day. "But you're all okay right now, right? Yugi's grandfather asked. "Yeah. We're with Duke here. We'll be spending the night with him. I don't quite know what we'll be doing tomorrow." He says. "Oh, well I do!" Mr. Mutou said on the other side of the phone. "Oi?" Yugi said, puzzled. "I received a call from my friend, you remember him. Professor Hopkins." "Hmm…oh! The man that has been studying the hieroglyphics that look like me?" he says, excited. "Yes! He says he's discovered a little bit more about them. I told him that you would be in the area and he asked if you would drop by. I told him of course you would!" "That'll be great, grandpa." He said, looking across the room at the Pharaoh who was looking right back at him. "I can't wait to see him. And Rebecca will be there too, won't she?" Yugi asked. "Of course she will!" Mr. Mutou said. Then, laughing, he added. "You don't think she'd miss a chance to see you, do you?" Turning slightly red, Yugi said "No, not really…" "Well, I'd best leave you to your sleep." Mr. Mutou said. "Okay then grandpa. Good night." "Goodnight, Yugi." Mr. Mutou said on the other side of the phone, and they both hung up.
"So what's up, Yug?" Joey asks. "Grandpa's friend Mr. Hopkins asked that we drop by. He says he's found out a little bit more about those strange hieroglyphics." "Oh. Neat!" Joey says. "When are we going by?" "Whenever, I guess." Yugi says. "Grandpa didn't say what time. I guess we'll just get there when we get there." Yugi said, a small smile on his face. Joey stretched and yawned. "I guess that we should get some shut eye then." He announced to the group. "Dibs on the couch!" he said. "Ha ha, that's so funny." Tristan said. "I get the couch." "It's so cute how you boys think that you'll be sleeping on the couch when you'll actually be on the floor. I'm getting the couch." Tea says. "And what makes you think that?" Joey asks. "I called it the moment we got here." She said. " I don't remember hearing that." Tristan says thinking. "Well I did, so it's mine." She insists. "Night everyone!" Duke says, closing the door to the bedroom before there is a chance to dispute about it.
"And where will you be sleeping?" Alyssa hears a deep voice in her ear. She startles at the sound and her stomach gives a little twist. "Wherever, I guess, my Lord." She says to the Pharaoh. "I don't mind. Why, where are you?" she asks him. "Likewise." The Pharaoh says. "I-we- don't mind." He says, acknowledging Yugi. "Then I guess we'll just have to wait and see." She says, lightly.
Half an hour later the group is asleep, Tea spanning half the couch, Joey on the other. Tristan took an overstuffed arm chair. Yugi was in the corner against a pillow, having been content to remain as a spirit for the evening. Yami was seated on another chair against the corner.
He sighed as he looked down, where Alyssa lay, curled up at his side on the floor like a cat. She had at some point slipped over near him without his noticing. He had attempted to lift her into the chair and taken the floor himself, but she had stirred, and he had not wanted to wake her. Instead, he merely cast a blanket over her sleeping form. He sighed again. "Why must she act so?" he asked himself as his eyes roamed the room, lighting on each of the sleeping people. He had another headache, but he couldn't place from what. He looked down at the former servant girl to his palace as she scrunched her nose up and curled up tighter, her knees drawn up to her chest, her head resting on one of her hands. He had another surge of this strange pain and blinked his eyes, looking away, trying to get rid of the feeling. He leaned back and rubbed his eyes. Soon after he fell asleep, but not before a question echoed through his mind.
"What's going on?"
.:.Sitting down at the table of the old lady, Alyssa sipped a small glass of tea. "How long have you been across the way?" The woman asked her, her eyes flickering to the door, waiting for a sign of the man. She had asked the child to move things around, had received a wonderful massage to help with her aching back, and had been told a number of roots and herbs that would help with the back pains. And all this at no charge. "My entire life." The girl said laughing. "I've seen you before." She told the elderly woman. "I said hello, but you must not have heard me."
No, she had heard her. Merely ignored her, like everyone else. She heard the girl sigh. "I must thank you again for allowing my parents and I to stay here while the sun goes down a bit. I know a place where they might sit in the shade during the days, but I did not want them to have to journey through such heat. It would be hard for them." She explained. "Oh, it's nothing…nothing…" the woman continued on. "No, to me it is. Thank you." She said.
Looking out the window at the sun, she stood up. "The sun seems to be down enough now. We won't trouble you any longer. I'll wash these." She said, taking the dishes in hand." And then we'll be on our way. "Oh nonsense," the woman said, standing and taking the dishes. "Please, stay; it is my pleasure to have you. And don't worry about the dishes, dear. I'll get to them." She said. "But-" "Stay." The woman said. "Please." She asked.
"Alright then, if you're sure." The girl said. "But still, allow me to help you with the dishes. You've done so much for us." "Nonsense!" The woman repeated, stalling. They chatted as she washed the dishes, but then she took up her argument again.
"We really must be on our way." She said. "I thank you for allowing us to stay while the sun was at its peak, but I have much work to do before nightfall and I have to get them settled." She said as they made ready to leave. "But…but…but..." the woman sputtered. "I'll remember this favor. Let me know if I can one day do something for you." She repeated, picking up her bag and other items.
The woman rushed out; In the name of the pharaoh she had promised to keep them there, and so she would do. "I…uh…" the woman began trying to come up with something. Patiently, Alyssa stood their waiting for what she was trying to say. All she did was sputter though. "You're a kind friend to help me so, but it is time for me to leave. May we see each other again some day." She said, patting the woman on the shoulder as she watched them leave open mouthed.
"Is the sand hot on your feet?" her mother asked her. "No, mother." She lied, as she held her hand. "I am fine." "Are you sure?" her mother asked her again, concerned. "I do not need two pairs of sandals." She said. "No, I'm fine." Alyssa repeated. "Come now, we have to hurry." She said. Then, suddenly, they heard a voice boom.
"STOP!"
The entire street paused as the runner returned, four other men at his side. He conferred with the old woman who sighed, smiled as she received a present of gold, and returned into her home. The runner approached Alyssa, who stood up, believing he had been sent by her former landlord.
"We've done nothing. He asked us to leave and we have." She began, angrily. "He's no reason to call you out on us, so go and tell that horrible man that we've done as he's asked. He's been paid his due and there is no reason for an arrest on either my parents or myself!"
"I don't think that the Pharaoh would care to hear such things." He said. "What?" she gasped. "You can't be serious- he wouldn't take something so trivial to the-"
"We will carry your items for you." One man said, coming up and taking hold of her bag. She whirled around as they removed a slight pack from her mother. "No, I…this is ours! He can't-"
"We've been ordered to escort you to the palace, my Lady." The runner began. "Excuse me?" she asked, entirely confused. "Why, you want to stay at the palace, don't you?" he asked, taking her arm and walking her down the street. "Of course I would." She began. "But I have no money….how am I to pay for it? I can't keep a small house, how am I going to afford a room at the palace?" she stuttered, still trying to figure things out. "Why, you're staying free of charge, at the Pharaoh's invitation." She paused, shocked, before closing her eyes and collapsing onto the surprised man.
"Oh thank Ra."
.:. "Grandpa said they should be around here somewhere." Yugi says as they are zooming through the desert in Duke's car. "Has he ever gotten a speeding ticket?" Tea asks as she grips onto the door handle. "Nope, not once!" Duke calls back to her as he takes it up another notch, having overheard her comment. "So long as I don't do anything stupid, I don't see why I should either." He laughs.
Yugi looks at the scenery as they tear down the street, the Pharaoh next to him. "Something wrong, Pharaoh?" he asks him. "Hmm?" Oh nothing." He tells Yugi. "I just don't know what to think about what is going on right now." "Me either." Yugi says. The Pharaoh turns his head. "If only I knew more about my own past I might be able to answer more of the questions I keep having about the present."
"Cheer up, Pharaoh!" Yugi says. "Hmm?" The pharaoh asks, turning. "I'm fine, Yugi." He says. "I can hear your thoughts!" Yugi reminds him. "Just like you can hear mine. You can't hide anything from me, Yami." He tells him. Smiling, Yami says "I forgot." "Don't worry." Yugi says again. "Well get your memories back. I'll always be right here to help you. Don't forget, we're partners!" he says with a little laugh. "Yes…we are." Yami says, smiling at him. "Thank you, Yugi." He says.
"We're he-" Duke announces, but ends in mid-sentence. Before them are the remnants of a home, torn and blown to pieces. On a larger piece of the rubble rests a girl, the same height as Yugi, crying.
"Rebecca!" Yugi shouts, hopping out of the vehicle and running over to her. "Yugi!" she shouts and, sobbing, runs over to him, falling into his arms. "What happened?" he asks, awkwardly. "Oh Yugi, it was horrible!" she sobs into his chest. Yugi looks up and sees an irritated Tea, but says nothing.
"I was riding on Copernicus, and, and, I came back and look what they've done!" She blubbers. "Who did this?" Yugi asks, astonished. "I don't kn-know!" She cries. "But Yugi, they took my grandpa!" "What?" Yugi asks. "Yugi, they took him! He's gone! Ohoh…"she bawls.
"It's okay, Rebecca." Yugi tries to say. "We'll get him back, I promise." She sniffles. " 'Kay." She says, still crying, but not so hard anymore. "Yugi, I almost forgot. I found this; do you know what it means? "
She handed him what looked like a duel monsters card. It read: I'll be waiting for you at Heaven's Circle, Pharaoh, at sunrise. Don't be late, or you'll never see the Professor again.
Yugi turned toward the Pharaoh who had heard. There was an expression on his face that Yugi could not read, other than there was a lot of determination in it. "Don't worry Rebecca. Why don't you come back with us? Maybe Duke will let you stay there until we've got all this sorted out." He says. "'Course I will." Duke says, staring at Rebecca, still leaning on Yugi's shoulder. "Perhaps we should be getting back since no one seems to be here." He says.
"What about Copernicus? And we have another horse too…" The now sniffling Rebecca asks. "We'll take care of him and the other one too. Joey says. "Just let us know what stuff we need to bring, and we'll take them with us." "Okay." She says, and Tea and Alyssa escort the saddened girl back to the car after she gives directions on what they need to do. "What do you think of this?" Yugi asks Yami as they search the rubble of the house for any possible clues. "All I can think is that man from the rooftop is rather anxious to meet with me." He says to Yugi. "And what will you do?" Yugi asks him. "He's going to get his wish." Yami says. "But I don't think that it's going to turn out the way he wants." Yami says, smiling down at Yugi. "Right." Yugi says, and they head back to the car.
They enter Duke's trailer home again about half an hour later, after a ride that could have made anyone forget their problems and only worry about staying in their seat. Rebecca's hair is a mess as the frazzled girl hops out of the car, Tea right behind her. The rest hop out of the car, still not used to Duke's mad driving, but faring better than the previous two.
Rebecca sighs as Tea passes cups of coffee around to those who wanted some, which includes Duke, Tea, Joey, Tristan, and Rebecca. The two Egyptians and Yugi are the only ones that decide to go without. "Why do you think they took your grandpa, Rebecca?" Tea asks gently. "I don't know." The teen says, still in shock, merely looking with unblinking eyes at the coffee in her hand. "All I can think is that they wanted him for the research he was doing. He'd just figured out more of the hieroglyphics from the cave walls. "We told your grandpa about them, Yugi. He said you guys might drop in on us." She says. " But as for everything else, I'm not sure." She says. "Just like that note. I odn't know what any of this means." She says, beginning to cry again. "Hey, no worries." Joey says. "We said we'd get him back, an' we're gonna get him back!" he says. "Aint nothin' that's gonna get in our way. So you just relax, okay Rebecca? Leave it to us."
She smiled and wiped way her tears. "Thanks, you guys. We'll have him back in no time, won't we?" She says. "Yeah!" Tristan says. "That's the spirit!" Tea says.
After another round of stew and omelets that night, the group settled in to sleep. Joey had been kind enough to let Rebecca have his place on the couch, and then he had been kind enough to take Tristan's chair. Tristan, however, would not allow this to go on without a fight, so the pair sat in the chair together, each trying to squish the other out of the comfortable piece of furniture. Eventually they had fallen asleep in the process, so not both rested together. Duke was, again, in the bedroom, and Yami had taken the other chair.
Neither he nor Yugi could sleep that night, waiting for the others to fall deep enough into their dreams that they could leave without waking them. Alyssa was once more curled up at his side, although tonight she appeared restless in her dreams. More than once he had paused to console her as she slept, quieting her until she lay peacefully, only to repeat the gesture ten minutes later as she once more began tossing and turning in her sleep. The ordeal had been going on for quite a while with seemingly no trigger. Finally she lay still again.
"What's the matter?" Yugi asked him as he bent down, adjusting the blanket around her. "I don't know." Yami says brushing a lock of her hair behind her ear as her face once more contorted with her nightmares. "She just isn't sleeping well for some reason." "Should we wake her?" Yugi asks him. "Nah…let her sleep." The Pharaoh says. "Besides, we need to leave." He says. "Right." Yugi says, nodding his head.
They exit the room, taking care to quietly close the door to the outside. In back of the trailer Copernicus stands still while Yami hoists the saddle onto his back, tightening the girth. He climbs on taking the reins in his hand as he gives the horse two quick nudges in the side, and they ride off, the dawn approaching fast…
.:. "This is the room you will be staying in." The runner announces as he opens a door to a large suite. Her parents gasp as they see the hugeness of the rooms. Alyssa herself is in shock. "Are you sure you have the right room?" she asks them, dazed. "I'm sure." The runner says. He specifically said this one. He said he thought you would enjoy it, since it has a view of the courtyard."
They traversed to the back where there was a balcony with a staircase leading into the courtyard. There was a lake, and a vast garden that appeared like a forest to their eyes. There were places with fountains, benches made of gold and silver, other precious stones embedded in them as well.
To each side led hallways to more rooms, with bedrooms, the beds in them huge. "I was going to say you could have the bed and I would sleep somewhere else, but I don't think I'll have to now." Alyssa remarked to her parents as they continued the tour of the rooms.
Finally they entered the sitting room at the entrance again, and the runner spoke with them. "All you need to do is ask and an attendant will take care of whatever it is you need." He tells them. "Attendants?" Alyssa asks, sitting down. "This seems far too much…" She says. "Are you sure he wasn't expecting someone else and things were somehow mixed up?"
"No." The man said, smiling at her. "The Pharaoh merely likes to see that his friends are well taken care of. I shall leave you then, if you've no other questions?" She merely nodded, not really awake, and he left.
She paused a moment before she thought "Oh no! I have to get down there if I've any hope of finishing before nightfall." and left.
Catching someone carrying what looked to her like an uneaten tray, she went up to them. "Excuse me," she said. "But I thought that the time for those had passed?" "Aye, it has." the person said. "But someone wasn't pleased with their selection and refused to touch it. The foolish person did not even call to have it removed earlier and was mad when the person who had delivered it hadn't come to collect it sooner. Currently they are brining them something else."
"If it is alright with you, might I take the items on it, and you could return the empty tray to the cook with my compliments?" They paused while thinking this over. "Yes, I don't see why that wouldn't be a problem." "Thank you." Alyssa said, as she took the items off the tray and placed them in her cloth. "Looks like we'll be eating dinner tonight after all." She thought happily. She thanked the person once more and continued on her way until she came to the room she had left earlier. Relieved, she saw that her pail and brush were still there. She went to work immediately to make up for the lost time. She wanted to finish early so that she might think of something worth the graces she'd been shown today.
And indeed she did, for later that day she stepped into the Pharaoh's chambers to see him smiling atop his bed. Of course, she lowered her eyes and merely said her usual introduction. "Good evening, my Lord. And how are you this evening." "I'm doing well." he said. "And you?" he asked her in return. "I believe you know exactly how I am doing." She said, bowing her head. "I can not thank you enough." "So you like the room then?" he questioned her. "Not room, sir, rooms." She told him. "It's wonderful. More than I deserve."
"Not more then you deserve." The Pharaoh said. "Just more than you would ask for." She laughed slightly at this. "Perhaps you're right." She told him. "Shall I continue?" she asks him, her shell in her hands, awaiting the word from him to begin. "But of course." He says.
She raises it to her lips and begins to play once more, a dancing tune of joy and happiness, tinged slightly with sadness but always looking towards a hopeful tomorrow. Indeed the very walls seem to enjoy the bouncing refrain. When she finishes she can tell that the feeling in her heart had come into the song and given it a livelihood that many experts of their own fields would never be able to imitate.
"Your songs are always alive." The Pharaoh says, as if reading her thoughts. "I don't know how you do it." He tells her plainly. "By merely putting your heart into the music, my Lord." She says. "As I'm sure you have put your heart into other things. Pleasure in the work makes perfection in the product."
"Wise words, and true they are." He tells her, nodding his head. "Then may I have the honor of hearing such music again?" he asks her. "As is always, the honor is al mine, my Pharaoh." She tells him and begins playing again.
She left a while later, having played many a song to dancing ears and vivid imaginations. She found her room which was surprisingly close to that of the Pharaoh. She didn't realize this until the runner that had been following her and shown her to the suite earlier was sent to help her find it. "I hear tales that you still become lost every now and again in this part of the palace." The Pharaoh had said as an explanation.
She came in and set her bag down on one of the long tables. She had removed her sandals at the entrance; she did not want to harm the fine carpets that lay on the floor. The rooms were chock full of precious furniture and rugs, yet there always seemed to be so much space. The high ceiling made her feel small, but she marveled at it none the less.
She withdrew the pouch that had her lucky find in it. "Mom, Dad." She called. "I have something for you to eat." She said as she unfolded it.
"Oh, we're fine dear." Her mother said. "You have it." "No, I'm fine. Really." She said, though her stomach was telling her otherwise. She still hadn't eaten and the smell of what lay before her was very enticing. "We've already eaten tonight." Her mother explained. "That's for you." She said.
"What? But, how could you have…" she asked. "The Pharaoh had them send up trays for us for lunch. They were quite nice, really." She said. "And they sent us something for dinner as well. We are fine, really." Her father said. "Oh thank the heavens." She said, falling into one of the chairs at the table.
She listened to her parents as she held herself back from simply devouring the food. She paid attention as they told her about the courtyard and a few other rooms and statues that they had neglected to see during their tour. Finally she finished the entire tray. "I've never done that before." She thought as she let out a little burp. "Pardon me." She said to her parents as they chuckled.
They turned out the lamps as they went off to bed. She saw her parents to their room, kissed them goodnight, and went off in search of the one she was supposed to stay in.
Finally she found it after making a round or two of the entire suite. "It's so big I can't see how I could have missed it." She said. lamps had been lit in here as well, so she went and turned most of them out. She looked at the bed in the middle of the room.
"I've never slept in a bed before…" she thought to herself as se went over to it. She remembered hopping onto her parents once when she was little and had a nightmare. She remained there for the night, so she surmised that perhaps she could say she'd been in a bed before. Although, compared to this that thing in her former house might have been her reed mat on the floor.
She climbed in and had never felt anything so soft before. She thought that she might just sink straight through to the bottom if she wasn't careful it was so plush. Suddenly she was five again, and playing with one or two of the miscellaneous feathers that had escaped the clutches of her pillow. She blew them into the air and laughed as they gently floated back onto the downy blankets. Yawning and with sweet dreams in mind, she laid her head down onto the pillow.
"Things are finally looking up." She thought to herself with a smile, and she promptly fell asleep.