Chapter 2
The afterlife, Atemu found to be very different from what he had expected. People came and went asking him for advice on lots of things and his father was by his side offering his own advice when Atemu needed it. There was no need for sleep or food so no one worked as no money was needed either.
Atemu began to wonder if this was all there was. Surely there was something more than just this? He had only been here a few months now or was it a few years? Because there was no night or day anymore he couldn't tell. He had begun to notice an empty feeling creeping over him like a dark cloud and try as he might to occupy his thoughts, he couldn't shake it.
He began to get restless and spent more and more time in his suite of rooms staring numbly at the walls which, had seemed beautiful when he first saw them, but now they seemed dull and lifeless. He went for walks outside of the palace trying to admire the beauty of his surroundings but it had lost its lustre.
"What's the matter with me?" He asked himself out loud when he was once again staring at the walls even though he was not really seeing them. He could see beyond them, and the one whom he had shared a body with for five years came into view. He could see himself standing beside him in the spirit form he once was, laughing with him at something funny Jounouchi had done. Anzu came into focus in the daydream he was creating along with everyone else he had come into contact with over that time.
The hollow empty feeling grew as he watched and reminisced of duels good and bad that had taken place. Pegasus, Otogi, Marik, Bakura and even the duels against Seto held a special place in his memory. As he watched, realisation dawned on him. He missed it, all of it. He missed it more than any other thing in his entire life.
He had been so close to Yugi and the rest of the gang that now he was apart from them all he felt so alone. True he got to see and spend time with his father and friends from Egypt but it just wasn't the same. He wasn't as close to them as he had been to his present day friends.
He would have given anything right at that moment for his door to open and for Yugi to come through it sharing his thoughts, feelings and fears as they had so often done in their soul rooms. Or for Jounouchi and Honda to come and share a tale of their triumphs or even Seto to come and challenge him to a duel to prove once and for all that he was the no.1 duelist.
He smiled at the memories remembering Seto's face when Yugi had first said he was going to duel him for the ceremony. If looks could have killed Yugi would be well and truly dead but Yugi had stood his ground and insisted and Seto had backed down.
He remembered with sadness Yugi's tears as Atemu had walked through the doors to the afterlife and Anzu's last words about not really understanding but knowing he must go.
"Why? Why did I have to leave? I didn't want to!" He shouted at the wall where his daydream had faded leaving only a longing to re-live all those moments again.
"I want to go back." He whispered and sadness overwhelmed him. He wanted to cry but he couldn't, as tears did not exist in the afterlife.
He didn't want to be here for eternity without his friends. He wanted to go back and live for real. It wasn't fair!
He had been away from his throne for a long time and knew he should get back. He didn't want to burden anyone with his feelings so he put on a cheerful face before making his way back to the throne room.
His father was there waiting for him and so was Isis. Neither of them asked where he had been merely smiling and nodding. He smiled back and hoped that it looked convincing.
He sat down on his throne and looked round the room. It seemed so lifeless now and he sighed inwardly.
It was not long before his thoughts drifted back to the friends he had left behind in the real world and he became so engrossed in his daydream that he didn't hear Isis when she tried to talk to him.
He physically jumped when he felt a gentle hand on his arm and looked at Isis who was looking at him with a puzzled expression on her features.
"My Pharaoh are you all right?"
"Yes I'm fine." Atemu said shortly and Isis immediately confirmed her own suspicions about him. She knew something was troubling him, she could see it in his eyes and she thought she knew what it was.
"Could I talk to you alone for a few moments?" She asked and Atemu paused for a moment before nodding and rising from his throne.
Akunumkanon watched as the two left the throne room wondering what it was that Isis wanted. Oh well, she would probably fill him in later.
Atemu and Isis went into a fairly small room and closed the door. Isis turned to face him.
"Atemu I know something is wrong. Please tell me what it is."
Atemu hung his head sadly. How could he tell her something that was impossible to achieve anyway? She would only feel bad for him and he didn't want anyone to feel bad.
"I'm sorry Isis but I can't tell you, or anyone."
"If you don't how can I help you?" She said.
"You can't help, no one can." He said and the sadness in his voice tore at her heart.
"You miss them don't you?" Isis said hoping that she had hit on the right reason.
Atemu weighed up whether to lie or not about it. Isis was more perceptive than he had guessed so he decided on the truth. Slowly he nodded his head.
"I'm sorry Atemu." She said knowing in herself that there was nothing she could do to help him. Was he doomed to stay in the afterlife forever with only memories for comfort? All the support any of them could give would not substitute the true happiness and friendship she knew he had experienced during his time spent with Yugi and the others.
"I'd sell my soul to go back." He whispered and Isis stepped up to him then and grabbed his arms.
"No! You mustn't think like that. You can't sell your own soul and you can't go back." Her words were harsh but she felt she must say something.
"Leave me alone!" Atemu suddenly growled at her and wrenching his arms out of Isis's grasp, he ran from the room. Isis was left standing with a shocked look on her face wishing she had comforted him instead.
Atemu reached his room and flung himself on the bed that wasn't really necessary but was there anyway and tried to will himself away from here and back into the real world but of course he knew it was useless.
In the realm of the Dark One, a being was watching the goings on in the heavens and a plot was forming in his mind…
TBC…
Atemu: oooh aibou I'm missing you!
Yugi: I miss you too Atemu (sniffs)
Malik: Who is the Dark One? Is it me? Do I get to steal the pharaoh's soul? (throws head back and laughs evilly but is stopped mid-laugh)
Yami-Seirei: No it's not you! (Bakura looks over interested) No not you either you were destroyed remember?
Bakura: Dammit! Well so was he! (points at Malik)
Malik: (shrugs) well I wanna see the pharaoh get it! Mwahahaha!
Anzu: Can it you two!
(silence before Jounouchi pipes up)
Jounouchi: What no friendship rant? Wow!
Anzu: (walks off in a huff)
(Everyone giggles at her affronted look)
Yami-Seirei: Okay I'll do next chapter soon :)
Everyone: Yayyyy!