A/N: Thanks to everyone for the reviews, and hope you're still enjoying the story! This chapter ended up running around 17 pages - I wasn't able to separate it out, unfortunately, otherwise the chapter would have only been 5 pages. I THINK the next chapter may be the last, but if not, anticipate at least 2 chapters until the end :)

VII.

"Help me...Please..."

Wake up, Anzu, a bright, warm voice spoke into the darkness.

"Please..."

The pharaoh needs you. Your friends need you. And he is looking for you. You need to wake up. I can heal skin, but I cannot make your ka go back into your body. Find the will.

"Help..."

You have it, the warm voice told her and the feel of dry, soft hands on her temples seemed to bring the panic down, her heartbeat slowing. But you must wake up. You cannot stay here forever. You are needed.

Anzu woke in a pit of dust with only the dim glow of lavender torches. She was alone, surrounded by shadows and her entire body seemed to be in pain. The owner of the voice that had been speaking into her mind was gone and no matter how hard she listened, she could hear no one near. The darkness was frightening and looking up, she could see nothing but inky black. Putting a hand on her stomach, she looked down and gasped upon seeing the dark red stain and the tear in her shirt. Pulling it up, however, her skin was perfectly unmarred.

Who healed me? she wondered, shocked, as she looked around. But no matter how much she stared, she was quite alone.

Gingerly getting to her feet, she ran her fingers over her body and tested her arms and legs. Nothing was broken, though she must have fallen hundreds of feet. She was not even sure where she was in the tomb anymore – or where in the Valley of the Kings, for that matter. Carefully, she stepped in front of her, following the light of the torches. She could not remember the last moments before she had fallen, only that she had been stabbed and shoved off the ledge by Zorc.

Absent-mindedly, she ran her hand over her belly, her mind boggled at how she could possibly still alive. She had been sure she had died. She knew that she could die in the diorama. Bakura had made it very clear that any of them could die while in the memory world, including Yuugi.

After following the stone tunnels, she came to a juncture where she would need to choose a path. She stared at the hieroglyphs uncomprehendingly, wishing that she was still with Bakura. He would have been able to decipher them immediately. But he was several levels above her somewhere and she had to find a way to get back to him. Looking around at the paintings on the walls, she saw depictions of what seemed to be a harvest festival, animals, farmers, and nothing remotely useful. Standing at each path, she could see no difference in them.

Sighing, she chose the left path and made her way through it slowly, watching the paintings. They were still depicting farmers and farm animals, so she assumed she was on the right path if there was no interruption in the stories.

She continued to choose her paths this way, having to double back a few times when the story told through the hieroglyph paintings did not seem to connect. It was a laborious process, but she seemed to be going up rather than down or remaining on the same level. She broke out into a cavernous room from a tunnel, but rather than coming out onto a bridge, it held a large mural on the wall. Uneasy, Anzu glanced behind her where there was only darkness.

In the mural, a sun took the majority of the wall with its rays spreading out and in the center was what looked like the Winged Dragon of Ra.

That's strange, she thought, frowning at it. I wonder if this is a wall depicting the gods since the tunnel had what looked like temples and priests in it before? She continued along the mural, the torches lighting up as she went. Another part of the mural showed a hulking figure that appeared to be Obelisk and the third part of the mural had what looked to be Slifer.

She crossed to the other tunnel and the paintings began to look like the priests summoning their ka and using what appeared to be the equivalent of the Sennen Items. None of them, however, looked like Kaiba or even Mahado, the Dark Magician.

She continued to make her way through the tunnels, taking note of the story the hieroglyphs seemed to be telling through their paintings. She went slower now and she wondered just how long she had been in the tomb and how long she had been knocked out – or if she had even died briefly.

When she came to another opening where a mural was located, she stiffened upon hearing a sound behind her. She had been standing there staring at the seven priests with what appeared to be a pharaoh that she assumed to be the other Yuugi's father. Looking the way she had come, she did not see the torches light up in response. She stood in the purple light, listening for a long time. She dared not call out in case it was something unearthly. Given the voice that she had heard when she had been unconscious and Zorc's knack for turning himself into multiple copies, she felt anything was possible.

The sound came again and this time, she did not hesitate as it sounded so near. Her calves launched her across the mural and into the next tunnel at a breakneck speed. The torches flickered on and off so quickly as she ran that she might as well have been running in the dark. She barely glanced at the walls to see if she was going in the right direction.

As she broke out of a tunnel, she grasped at the edges as her foot hit air. Pulling herself back in, she pressed her against the wall and panted quietly, suddenly aware that the torches had not turned on here even though she was clearly there. There was nothing to show her whether there was a ledge or whether there was simply a pit below her. It was just like her nightmare, but the difference was that she had not fallen trying to access and a door and there was no one there to save her. It had been an ominous, almost prophetic warning of what was to come in the tomb.

She stood, her ears straining to hear anything. She could hear that familiar, maniacal laughter from somewhere above her and then, faintly, she saw a glow of light. Looking up, she saw figures standing high above her and recognized Yuugi's hair instantly. Yuugi! He's dueling Zorc! Turning away, she saw that a piece of stone had broken off, but there was still a ledge. Down here, the torches did not seem to be working. Or is the shadow magic failing because of Zorc?

That was not a pleasant thought.

She made her way across, hoping that Yuugi would bide her some time. She was not sure if it had been Zorc following her, but Yuugi and the others seemed to be holding his attention presently.

The torches feebly flickered as she made her way up the narrow tunnels. As she scrambled up a body-sized tunnel, it opened up into a large antechamber. She popped her head out cautiously and then froze upon seeing the familiar white, wild mane. Slowly, she lowered her head back down, watching the figure. She could not tell from her vantage point whether it was Bakura or Zorc standing there staring at the wall.

Anzu squinted in the dim light and became aware of the golden objects in the chamber and what looked like a golden sarcophagus. There were ornately decorated chairs, gilded statues of the gods, lavishly decorative robes, headdresses, and mountains of gold and jewels. There was even what appeared to be imported cedar stacked against one wall. Thick animal fur laid upon the ground and there were baskets of what smelled like fresh fruit and flowers, as if they were expecting the pharaoh to die any day soon.

Upon the wall, she saw the image of Yuugi painted out with his priests behind him. She instantly recognized Kaiba and the Dark Magician. One looked impressively like Sugoroku Mutou, another like Isis Ishtar, and another appeared quite close to Shadii, the strange man in the turban at the museum. The others she did not recognize.

As she was taking in the grandeur of the room, the figure had begun to pace back and forth in front of the mural of the pharaoh and his priests. Abruptly, he kicked at a pile of gold and it scattered across the room. A water jug went flying into the air, knocking into a jade statue of Anubis and Anzu cringed back into the hole at the sharp sound of metal against stone.

Once the echo had faded, Anzu peeked again out of the hole and found the figure slumped back in a chair, his head hanging back, one of his legs stretched out in front of him. The torches were now giving off such a dull light that she could not make out his expression as it was cast in shadow. Something in his behavior and pose suggested to Anzu that it could not have been Zorc who was in the chamber. Even when he had exhibited anger, it had always been towards someone. She could not imagine him trashing the pharaoh's tomb in his frustration. Bakura, either in his present form or in the past, she knew would do such a thing simply out of spite.

"Bakura?" she whispered in the silence, uncertain. He stirred, straightening in the chair as he braced his hands against the arms of it and cocking his head. "Bakura? Is it you?"

"Yes...," he slowly answered as he rose to his feet, his raspy voice seeming hoarser than normal. "Where are you?"

She hesitated in the hole. It sounded like Bakura, but she could not see him. Only after she saw him would she be able to tell whether it was Zorc or not. Resigning herself to whatever situation she ended in, she pulled herself fully out of the tunnel and he turned in the direction of the sound. She clamored to her feet and approached him warily, her legs tensed, ready to take flight at any moment. Once in the light, though, she knew it was not Zorc. There was no tinge of madness in his face, no crimson to his eyes. He was eyeing her just as suspiciously, perhaps thinking her to be an apparition.

Relief swept through her and she smiled tiredly. "It's you," she sighed, putting a hand to her chest. "I thought it was Zorc."

Bakura said nothing, reaching out and cupping her face in his hands. She could feel dried blood all over her body mixed in with dirt and sweat and was sure she looked like a disaster. He frowned down at her and she thought he was scowling at her dirty face, but then he pressed her into his arms and she could have sobbed at the comforting feel of his embrace.

"Idiot girl," he said, but his voice lacked the harshness that it usually did. He sounded quietly exhausted, as though the last hours had drained the energy from him. "I told you that duel with Marik was the last time. You don't listen."

Anzu, without thinking through it fully, pulled away and said, "You really are the worst thing to happen to me, Bakura."

He gave her a sarcastic, dry look. "It took you two lifetimes to figure that out?"

She felt tears stinging at her eyes and she glared at him, spitting the words out, "But I love you."

Anzu had half-expected another sarcastic remark, but he simply stared at her. She could have lied to herself that he had used her and maybe that would have made it easy to hate him. She had told herself she would not do a love confession and while she certainly had never intended to do it in the pharaoh's tomb of all places, she was fearful that Zorc might succeed in killing her next time or would kill Bakura and she would have to wait another lifetime for everything to play out again.

After a few seconds, he looked away from her and dragged a hand through his hair. Sand and dust were dislodged from the thick mane, though he did not seem to notice it. She had known he would likely not return the sentiment in words, but had at least expected something from him – an insult, berating her, making fun of her, something perverted. Silence had been the last thing she imagined.

"You shouldn't," he said at last, dropping his hand.

"I didn't choose this," she defensively told him.

"No," he agreed, a wry smile lighting his features, "neither did I."

A rumble sounded outside the room, causing them both to look towards the doorway. For a few minutes, she had forgotten what else was happening around them. Either Zorc Necrophades or Yuugi and the others would be coming soon. She returned her gaze to Bakura, who was watching her thoughtfully. His words had stirred a warmth in her chest, knowing that was as close to an admittance as she would receive from him.

"Did you find his name?" she asked to distract from their earlier conversation.

"Atemu." He tipped his chin towards the wall. "It's in hieroglyphs, you wouldn't have been able to read it." He lazily gestured with a hand and she stepped closer to him, uncertain. "Your friends are coming." He ran his fingers along her face, his gaze intense on her. She felt as though he were burning her face into his memory. Suddenly fearful he was going to disappear, she clasped his wrists, causing him to raise an eyebrow at her in question.

"Not yet," she quietly begged, her eyes searching his.

Without needing to ask what she meant, he nodded and then bent his head to kiss her. It was short, sweet, and gentler than his other kisses had been. When he withdrew, there was the sound of clattered footsteps and she reluctantly took a step away from him, releasing his wrists. The small space felt like a canyon to her.

"Anzu!" Yuugi said in shock as he and the other two lunged into the room, looking equally dusty and filthy. "Ryou! What are you doing here, I thought – wait. What happened to you?"

"We don't have time!" Anzu said without preamble. "We have the name, we have to go!"

"You have it?" Jounouchi repeated blankly. "Damn! Way to go! Should have just left Anzu to it."

Yuugi was slanting a curious, worried look towards Bakura, but Anzu did not give him time to question him, dragging them out of the chamber. It would have taken far too much time to explain to them, let alone make up a story. She felt she was too emotionally raw at that moment to come up with a good lie.

As she tugged Yuugi out of the room, she looked over her shoulder at Bakura, but he was gazing at the sarcophagus with a shuttered expression. For a moment, she could see thousands of years of exhaustion in his face and felt a pang of longing in her heart. She wanted to reach out to him again and yet knew they were running short on time. She could not reveal her feelings for Bakura and he had known that when he had warned her.

Bakura was right – she had become a very good liar.

The night air was warm in Domino and as Anzu settled herself on the bench in the park, she felt an unnatural chill pass over her. She clasped and unclasped her hands several times, wondering whether Yuugi had passed her message along. After Atemu had regained his name, all of his powers and memory had returned to him as well, including the memory of her past self and everyone else. Jounouchi and Honda had been ecstatic to learn of their past selves being guards for the pharaoh and even Yuugi was impressed by this information. Atemu had not mentioned Anzu's own ancient self in front of the others aside from admitting that she had also been there. His expression when it had landed on her, however, had been searching, and somehow, she knew that he had known of her association with the tomb robber in the past. She wondered if he had guessed, then, at some of the events during Battle City.

After returning from the memory world, Anzu had been relieved to know that Bakura had not been banished at the same time that Atemu had destroyed Zorc Necrophades. She had feared that he would have been expelled from the Sennen Ring, along with Zorc. Atemu had made it a point to mention that he was not the only spirit that would need to walk into the doors to the past in the present, indicating the Sennen Ring around Ryou's neck. Ryou had appeared somewhat apprehensive at this information and Anzu could not help from her eyes lingering on the Sennen Ring.

They had all agreed to travel to Egypt to perform what Atemu had called the ceremonial duel between him and Yuugi that would allow him to return to the past. Yuugi had been tearful during these plans, but had said, "It's the right thing to do. He deserves to be at peace again. It wouldn't be fair for me to keep him here just for myself."

Yuugi's words that morning had given her much to think about and, after booking their flights to Egypt in two weeks, she had asked Yuugi before leaving if Atemu would be willing to meet her in the park that night. He had appeared surprised, yet being the friend that he was, he instantly agreed and told her he would make sure the pharaoh would meet her. She was sure he thought it was so she could give a love confession, but he could not be further from the truth.

"Anzu." Hearing the deep voice, she stirred from her thoughts and looked up to see Atemu standing a few feet from her. He smiled, raising a hand in greeting. She returned the smile and when he joined her on the bench, she had to recognize how attractive and regal Atemu was, even in Yuugi's body. He really was the embodiment of a fairytale prince.

"Sorry for asking you out here like this," she told him apologetically, unclasping her hands and planting them on either side of her thighs to prevent the nervous tic. "I just had some questions before we all went to Egypt – you know, about your memories."

"Yes, I kind of thought that was what you wanted to talk about," Atemu thoughtfully commented, a too-knowing smile playing at the edges of his lips. "I'll be happy to help, but I have a few things to say beforehand, if you don't mind."

She blinked, taken off guard. "Oh. Well, sure! Go for it."

"First, I should tell you that it was I that sent the ka that healed you." Anzu's mouth opened in a small, shocked 'o' of comprehension. She had assumed it was a spirit in the tomb that protected the pharaoh and never would have guessed it had been a ka he had sent himself. "I knew that you were in the memory world since I was able to see Yuugi, Jounouchi, and Honda, but I had no way of knowing where you were. I sent the Dark Magician Girl to find you. I had no idea that you were dying when she found you. If I had never remembered any of you – or if Yuugi had not broken through and changed the dark RPG story, you might have died there."

"I was lucky, then," Anzu said, sighing. "Thank you, Atemu, you always seem to be saving me."

Atemu smiled, but there was an edge of sadness to it. "Not always. Not when it matters." He clasped his hands and leaned over his knees, resting his elbows against his thighs as he gazed across the park. The moonlight lit up the trees and benches and there were still people walking around, their faces cast in warm light from the street lamps on the pathway. A group of teenagers their age laughed raucously by a picnic table while a man ran by in athletic gear. "During Battle City, you were spending a lot of time with Ryou. I remember you even came and took the Sennen Ring after I dueled Bakura. I wondered then, but I had no reason to think that you would be helping Bakura."

Anzu bit her lip, looking away from his sober face and dropping her gaze to the sidewalk. "I'm sorry, I was trying to help you. I thought if I worked with Bakura, it would help you find your memories. But he's not what you think he is, Atemu. He's not a bad person."

"I know." His lips twitched in humor, still not looking at her. "It's funny how similar this conversation is to the last one – from the past. I had always felt something of a kinship to Bakura once he revealed himself to us. Even though our experiences were different, he was the only other spirit I knew trapped in a Sennen Item. His behavior was never consistent, though, so I was on my guard. Now that I can remember, I feel ashamed for treating him the way I did. He did not deserve the horrors that he endured."

Anzu watched a shadow pass over his face and her brow puckered in confusion. There was still so much that she did not know about Bakura and, since she had been caught up in an entirely different area of the memory world, she had not seen everything play out like the others had. Carefully, she asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Atemu glanced at her with a touch of surprise. "That's right," he said vaguely. "I had forgotten that you were not there for that. My father – or rather, Akhenaden, my uncle – sacrificed the people of Kul Elna, the thieving village that Bakura grew up in. He used them in a dark ritual to create the Sennen Items. Bakura was one of the few children to escape, but from my understanding, he had seen his family and friends massacred by the guards. He had recognized Akhenaden as the pharaoh's brother. That was why he was so hellbent on revenge."

That's right, Anzu realized to herself. Bakura mentioned Kul Elna multiple times in the memory world. I hadn't thought to ask him where it was – I had thought it was just another village in ancient Egypt.

"I could hardly blame him for being angry," Atemu continued. "My father never told me how the Sennen Items had been created and neither had my uncle or Siamun Muran, my advisor. There was much that had been kept from him. It was not until much later that Seto and I discovered we were cousins and he had as much right to the throne as I did." He gave a tiny shake of his head. "So many lies and deception that could have been avoided had I been told when I took the throne."

"But then, how did you find out?"

Atemu straightened from his position, resting an elbow against the back of the bench as he looked to her with a half-smile. "From your past self. Bakura had told her everything and in a bid to save my life, she agreed to work with him by appealing to me. She sympathized with him, I think, and felt that using dark magic – even for good intentions – was not right."

"Really?" Anzu quietly said, surprised. "That does sound a lot like what happened in Battle City, doesn't it? What did you say to her?"

"It might be easier if I show you these memories. I'm sure it will help with your questions, too." He raised his hand from the bench and she saw the dull glow of the Sennen Eye on his forehead, the Sennen Puzzle lighting up as he did. "May I?"

Without a word, she nodded and felt the cool touch of his fingertips on her forehead before the park scene disappeared, a blinding white light filling her eyes until it dissolved to an elaborately decorated room. The walls were lavishly painted with bright murals, the torches flickering, lighting up the room in a golden hue as it reflected the cyber of the sandstone walls. There were beautifully carved stools, golden statues, and lavish animal furs spread throughout the room. In several vases jasmine was bunched together to give the room a fresh, fragrant smell.

She stood to the side and knew that she was in Atemu's memory as he stepped through the thin, silk curtain that hung across the balcony opening with Mahado. Taking note of their clasped hands, she politely averted her gaze as they engaged in a brief embrace. That explains why the Dark Magician is Atemu's favorite card, Anzu thought to herself, inspecting a colourful tapestry that appeared to have been imported.

There was a sudden knock on the door and when she looked back, Mahado had withdrawn and approached the heavy doors, opening one.

"I was just leaving," Mahado was telling the new guest. "Please, come in." He stepped back and Anzu felt a jolt of surprise upon seeing herself step into the room. Aside from the nut-brown skin, she looked no different than if Anzu had looked into the mirror. She was dressed in what appeared to be a light, flowing dress, her shoulders bared. There was an anxious, harried look to her appearance that cleared when she smiled at Mahado and nodded in greeting.

Once Mahado had left, Atemu greeted the girl with a squeeze of her hands. "It's good to see you. It's been awhile. Have you been busy with training?"

"Training?" she repeated distractedly.

"With the priestesses?" Atemu prompted, raising his eyebrows as he settled upon a divan. The past Anzu had sat across from him, perched on a stool. "You are still training to be a priestess? Or have you changed your mind?"

"No, of course not," she reassured, smiling hastily. "Isis was so kind to accept me as a priestess-in-training. I wouldn't want to disappoint her. I just came from the temple. I wanted to ask if you had thought more on what we had talked about before?"

Atemu surveyed her thoughtfully, his hands loosely clasped in his lap. "I have...I asked Siamun Muran about it. I'm not sure where you got that information – he was surprised I knew, in fact. It seemed like it's not common knowledge." She said nothing, though her spine seemed to stiffen as she sat straight as a board upon her stool. "It's hard to say what is the best thing to do."

"Is it?" she asked a bit more aggressively than perhaps the girl had intended. Atemu gave her a puzzled look. "The Sennen Items were never supposed to be used long-term, right? And we have a good standing army, our friends tell us so all the time. I don't think it's right to use that magic against other people, Atemu."

"What would you have me do with the ka demons, then?" Atemu questioned in return. "Seto and Shadii's roles in the High Priests is to eradicate the ka demons from bandits and thieves. We cannot simply keep them trapped. Even you have had use for your own ka before. The Sennen Items' magic is what makes it possible to do those extractions."

She pursed her lips stubbornly. "But Mahado and Mana both have other magic at their disposal. There are other options than to use dark magic."

He breathed out a sigh, smiling slightly. Leaning forward in much the same manner as he had on the park bench with the present-day Anzu, he rested his forearms against his thighs and put a hand over one of hers. "What's going on, Anzu? Why don't you tell me why you're suddenly so concerned about this?"

She withdrew her hand from his, standing up abruptly and taking a few steps towards the balcony. She seemed to be trembling on the spot, as though fighting with the urge to burst with information. Atemu watched her from his place on the divan, patiently waiting while she reconciled her inner demons. After a few moments had passed, she turned around and said, "I had a run-in with Bakura."

"And he told you these things?" Atemu queried, raising his eyebrows.

"He had no reason to lie," she said defensively. "He could have killed me instead. He told me about his village, Kul Elna. He saw his people murdered, Atemu! He saw his own mother and father killed. It's not right to be using these items when the magic comes from the spirits of people that were slaughtered." She suddenly crossed her arms over her torso, holding her shoulders for comfort. "He's been trying to avenge his entire village this whole time and he won't stop until the Sennen Items are destroyed. He told me that...that their spirits are still in Kul Elna after the pharaoh's guards set fire to the village. There's some kind of stone tablet where the Items were forged with the sacrificial blood. He's not sure, but he thinks they need to be returned there."

"This is madness, Anzu," he sighed, rising to his feet. "You're taking advice from the Bandit King of all people." She shot him a withering stare, but it did not halt his footsteps. "I'm not disagreeing with his sentiments – how the Sennen Items were forged was not right. I just don't know that destroying them will make things right." He rested a hand against what appeared to be a decorated cedar cabinet a few feet from her. "Will Bakura be happy once the Items are destroyed? I doubt it, not when revenge is all his heart has been set on since he was a child – if that is what really happened."

"Can't you at least try to see it from his point of view?" she begged, dropping her arms in exasperation. "You're the pharaoh! You have a responsibility to all of your people, even the thieves and the criminals. They weren't all bad people when they were born, were they?"

They stood staring at each other, Anzu with a desperate expression and Atemu with a puckered brow.

When the silence had lengthened, Atemu closed his eyes briefly and looked away. "No," he said at last, "you're right. They weren't. Even Bakura did not deserve that as a child."

"Then...will you think about it some more?" she asked, stepping closer to him. "I wasn't even supposed to tell you, but it didn't seem right not saying where I got my information."

"I'll think on it," he agreed. "I don't know what will make things better, Anzu. To be frank, I don't think just destroying the Items would be enough. A lifetime of good deeds cannot make up for that many lives." He chuckled without humor. "In Bakura's mind, maybe he thinks my life would be the best payment to the gods."

She averted her gaze at this comment, an anxious look crossing her expression. It was quickly smothered, however, as she smiled at him in gratitude and patted his hand.

"Thank you for listening to me."

As she made her way towards the door, Atemu hesitated on the threshold, watching her. He followed a few second later, saying, "Before you go..."

"Yes?" She turned from the door, a politely quizzical look on her face.

"I know I don't need to say this, but be careful how close you get to Bakura. He is still a thief."

A flicker of unease went through her eyes. "What do you mean?"

"I just don't want him dragging you into something," he quietly told her. "His life is different than yours and it could turn out bad for you, even as just a friend or someone you are trying to help. I know how you are apt to go out of your way for people."

She laughed the warning off, though it did not seem genuine. "You don't have to worry about me, Atemu. I'm being safe."

The scene faded and suddenly there was another blinding white light. Anzu, standing at the sidelines, squinted at the light, expecting to be back in the park. Instead, she was standing in the same, cozy house that Bakura had taken her to in the memory world. Her eyes drifted to the open room where she had spent that intimate night with him and saw a guard stepping out with a disapproving frown on his lips. Atemu, standing by the door, nodded to him in dismissal. As she looked around, she caught sight of her past self sitting at the wooden table, a basket laden with items next to her chair, her face in her hands. She was crying, Anzu noticed.

Once the guard had left, shutting the door behind him, Atemu closed his eyes, breathing out a sigh through his nose bracingly. When he opened his eyes, he approached the girl at the table, saying, "Imagine my surprise finding you here instead of Bakura. My guards tracked him all through the city to find out he had his own home here and instead of catching him to cast judgment upon, I find one of my best friends." He paused, his hands on his hips as he stared down at her. "By all the gods, Anzu, have you lost your mind? What are you doing here?"

Taking a shuddering breath, the past Anzu raised her face and bitterly smiled, sweeping a hand down to the basket. "What does it look like? I came here to get some things from here."

"But why did you have anything here in the first place?" Atemu spread his arms out to include the home in the question. "Why all this? I warned you – "

"He isn't that person, Atemu!" she exploded, suddenly rising to her feet, tears still spilling from her eyes. "There's more to him than being the Bandit King, but you can't see past that. It's not as though he chose this life!"

He rubbed his face with a hand, appearing frustrated, though he laughed disbelievingly once he dropped his hand. "I should have guessed. You're in love with him." She chose not to respond, instead glaring at him defiantly, daring him to judge her. Atemu, though, did not appear as if he was all too surprised by this information. "You can't live here with him, Anzu. He's a criminal – all of Egypt is after him."

"I know that," she said and this time, she swiped at her tears before they could fall. She looked down at the basket, her face falling in anguish. "And he won't give up this revenge scheme of his. He already offered to take me out of the city. I refused. I could not be with him, knowing he might kill one of my friends. That's why I came here, to take one good look and...and leave him this message." She nodded to the scroll of papyrus on the table.

Atemu glanced at her and then picked up the scroll without asking, unfurling it. She did not stop him, turning her gaze around the small room instead, blinking back more tears. After he had read it, rolled it back up, setting it on the table with a grimace. "You're smart. You could have gotten out of this before it became this serious."

"I know," she said quietly, "but I didn't want to." She lifted a shoulder, a sad smile on her lips. "He's a good person. His heart is in the right place, even if you don't think so. He thinks the dark magic from the Sennen Items are going to corrupt the priests and that, if you had any sense, you would get rid of them. Using them for good isn't going to purify them and I agree with him. But he...feels strongly about it. He's dedicated his whole life to this. He's done bad things, but he's not bad."

Atemu stared at her defeated, slumped shoulders and looked around the room himself, taking in the small signs of domesticity. His mouth twisted in discomfort, as if seeing Bakura in a normal light was too hard for him to stomach. He stepped towards the bedroom, looking into the tiny room and then turned back to look at Anzu, who was now lifting up her basket and wiping her face dry.

"Alright," he said at last. "It's not possible for me to see what you do in him. I've had too many close deaths with him that it's hard to see past that. Even so, I cannot reasonably kill the man after this. You've been a good friend to me – even when lesser people would not have chosen a friend over a partner." She blinked, confused, as she stared at him. "I'll spare his life for you, but only for now, Anzu. If he comes after my life, you must concede I have the right to do as I will with him." She nodded mutely.

There was another blinding light and this time, the scene had changed to that of the throne room. If not for the tall pillars, collection of guards along the walls, and the throne itself, Anzu might not have known. Rather than standing far on the side, the spectating Anzu found herself almost right on the steps leading to the throne. Atemu was in deep conversation with the High Priestess, Isis, his brow wrinkling in worry. A moment later, the throne doors opened and Seto and Shadii walked in, leading the past Anzu. While they joined Atemu on the dais, with Seto looking particularly reluctant, she knelt to one knee, her palms pressed together, head bowed in a gesture of reverence.

Atemu glanced at Seto, who simply shook his head with an expression of deep regret. "She would not listen to me," he said quietly.

"Thank you for your time," Isis called out to Anzu, "and please raise yourself."

Anzu did so, standing straight. Juxtaposed to the tearful version of herself from the previous memory, she had a determined, strong air about her. Her shoulders were squared and her chin was raised the slightest bit, as if to exude confidence to all of those in the room. It was intimidating.

"Since you are a good friend of the pharaoh's," Isis continued, "I felt it would be best for you to make your request to him." She turned her eyes towards Atemu, who gave a curt nod of approval.

"I appreciate that," Anzu said formally, "and I would like to request to exit the order as a priestess-in-training."

"For what purpose?" Atemu asked.

If possible, she had straightened herself even further, as if to appear taller. "Everyone is trying their hardest to fight against the Bandit King and to protect Egypt. I want to aid in that. I know that Priest Mahado has already gone ahead to the Valley of the Kings to seal him in the tomb that he desecrated. I plan to go there myself."

"And what do you plan to do?" Atemu asked, now losing all formality.

A break appeared in Anzu's countenance and, frustrated with herself, she glanced away to the ground briefly in an attempt to recollect herself. When she returned her gaze, she said, "I'm the only one that Bakura will listen to."

"The thief is no longer himself," Seto spoke up, frowning at her, "as I explained. He's possessed by that ka he has acquired."

"I'm aware." There was a slight tremble to her mouth and then she pursed her lips tightly, her eyebrows snapping down. The thought of Bakura being possessed seemed more upsetting to her than facing down her friend. "I think I can break through to him. He's not himself. That person that charged into the palace – it's not him."

"And how would you know?"

She faltered, looking from Seto to Atemu uncertainly. Atemu raised a hand wearily towards Seto, whose face had suffused with colour in outrage. The gesture was enough of a confirmation of the beginning suspicion for all of the priests standing there.

"I grant you your request," Atemu said to her, smiling faintly. "It's just a formality, anyway. I know that you were going to leave no matter what I said."

"But, pharaoh – " Seto began hotly.

"No," he interrupted, "I've made my final decision."

"She's going to get herself killed!"

In a lower voice, Atemu said to him, "She is not Kisara, Seto." The blood drained out of the priest's face and he subsided into silence, though he leveled a dark look upon the pharaoh. Rising to his feet, Atemu stepped down to Anzu and placed his hands on her shoulders, looking her directly in the face. While there was determination there, there was a great deal of fear in her eyes. From her close vantage point, the present-day Anzu could see that it was not fear for her own life, but the uncertainty of not knowing if Bakura would really listen to her.

"Thank you," she quietly told Atemu. "I didn't want to leave without saying something to you."

"Is there anything I can say that can make you change your mind?" She shook her head. "Then...I wish you the best. I hope he listens to you – for his own sake."

She gave a tremulous smile and hugged him. "You are the greatest friend I could have asked for, Atemu."

When the scene faded to black, Anzu thought that the memories had finished. Then, she saw a small flame in the distance and stumbled her way through the dark until she came closer to see that it was a torch. She froze upon noticing the limp form on the sandstone. Atemu was holding the torch and it cast strange, warped shadows on his face as he looked down at the prone form lying there. When she looked closer, she sucked in a breath at recognizing herself. She was bloodied and her body was lying in awkward angles.

"Pharaoh," a hollow voice said behind him. Another torch came into view and she saw that it was Seto, though he looked a good deal less himself. He face seemed drawn and he had a dusty, bruised appearance from being in battle. "We found the other body. Bakura must have died in the fall as well. It doesn't appear we are up against the thief anymore."

Atemu laughed briefly. "Ironic, isn't it? He goes to these lengths to destroy me and instead dies in the process by his own hand."

Seto stepped closer, his face pale in the torchlight as he looked at the crumpled body at Atemu's feet. He appeared more discomfited than Atemu. "I guess she did get through to him then," he observed in a dark tone.

"Yes," Atemu quietly said and then knelt down, taking the cold hand in his own, rubbing it absent-mindedly. "She was smiling when she died. I wonder if she found some happiness at the last moment."

"Don't be morbid."

"It's how I deal with death, Seto. I see so many people die as a pharaoh that I've made myself grown numb to it." He released her hand and rose to his feet, a shadow of a smile on his lips. "Goodbye, my friend. I will be seeing you all soon."

When the scene faded, Anzu had to blink multiple times before her vision cleared. It spotted, as if she had stood up too quickly, and then found herself facing the park again. The Sennen Eye had faded from Atemu's forehead and it looked as though nothing had changed. He was watching a man meander past them, nodding his head to the music from his earbuds. There was a look of quiet despondency on his face that reminded Anzu that he had to relive those memories in showing them to her.

"I regret not interfering sooner," Atemu said to her softly, "or encouraging her to stay with Bakura. When one reflects on their memories, it's easy to get caught up in the 'if.' If I had been more open to talking to Bakura, if I had been more willing to work with him, if I had been less obsessed with power, if I had told her to stay with him, if he had not seen her die – would any of it have made things turn out differently?"

"But...did he see her die?" she asked hesitantly. "Seto mentioned that there was another body."

"When he killed Mahado, Zorc placed a piece of his soul into the Ring, but because he was only living attached to Bakura, a piece of Bakura's soul also went into the Ring. From what I was told by Mahado, Bakura had tried fighting against Zorc in the end. When she died, I think he lost the drive to fight him off. Even if it was just half his soul, if she had been there, he might have been able to overcome him. He likely blamed me for allowing her to go after him. As I understand it, he had already given up on his humanity in the pursuit of revenge when she chose me over him." He shrugged. "But it is just another 'if.' I have no way of knowing because that is not how it happened."

"I don't think you should blame yourself," Anzu quietly said. "It wasn't your fault."

"Not entirely," he agreed, "but as saw your past self say, it was my responsibility as pharaoh to protect all of my people, even the thieves and beggars. I was too narrow-minded to see that then. After being in the Sennen Puzzle and having Yuugi as a partner, I see better now everyone's worth – that evil people can change. Malik has proven that to me."

They lapsed into a companionable silence, each of them absorbed in their own thoughts. It was clear that Atemu was tormenting himself over the events of the past and although his treatment of Bakura was not the only thing that he dwelled upon, she knew it was the primary cause that he felt was the reason for all the terrible things that had happened in the past. There was a dark, unhappy look to his face.

"Atemu," she spoke up, clasping her hands in front of her again, "I know you feel bad for what happened, but think of all the good that you've done here. Even if Yuugi had never had the Sennen Puzzle, Kaiba still would have made his grandpa go to Kaiba Land's grand opening for the Blue Eyes White Dragon and put all of us in danger. If you had not been there when that creepy fortune teller drugged me, either..." She trailed off meaningfully and he offered a reluctant smile in acknowledgement. "You've done so much for us and been such a good friend. I know that you've helped Yuugi in ways that you cannot imagine." She hesitated a beat. "Your guys' love for each other has really transformed him. He's a totally different person."

He appeared startled at this and then laughed. "I see that you've noticed that, then."

"It's good that he knows now," she tentatively told him, "rather than pining after me or other girls, not knowing why he's not motivated enough to be interested in them."

"And what of Bakura?" Atemu prompted, not wanting to linger on his or his reincarnation's sexuality. "What would he say about me?"

"I don't know," she admitted, shrugging. "I haven't talked to him since we left the tomb and I never asked him. He always seemed more angry at me for how things turned out than you, to be honest."

He chuckled. "I wouldn't be so sure. He might be directing it at you, but I think he blames himself and is angry with himself for involving you. If I were him, I would find it hard to forgive myself for letting my partner get themselves killed because of me."

"Is that how you felt with Mahado?" she ventured carefully.

"Yes, very much." There was a faint smile on his face as he spoke. "But Mahado had told me on several occasions that his loyalty to the throne and his role as High Priest came before anything else. If he died, it was not simply for me. He didn't want me to avenge him. He wanted to die in honor. I respected that, even if it wasn't in my nature. Bakura chose an interesting route for a thief that had been selfish for his entire life. I can't say without knowing, but he's been in sticky enough situations that he could have survived that fall or found a way to a ledge. I think he intended to die with you there as a final sacrifice – a payment, if you will."

Anzu, recalling one of the first conversations she had with Bakura, thought that Atemu might have been spot on with his assumption. She could hear the echo of Bakura's voice in her head that first night when she had spoken to him in Duelist Kingdom: "It sounds simple, doesn't it? You get killed, your body stops, and you're supposed to die – drop dead, as you say." At the time, he had blamed Atemu for being stuck in the Sennen Ring and while he had not had his full memories, Bakura had still been able to remember that he had expected to die.

"Him and Kaiba are an interesting breed of people," Atemu continued. "They love so fiercely and the people they love have an incredible loyalty to them in spite of their character flaws. In the past, it had been Kisara for Kaiba and now it is Mokuba in the present. For Bakura, it's always been you. I admire them, though not the end they always have."

Anzu mulled over this a moment before asking, "Do you believe in fate, Atemu?"

"Not exactly. I think that souls are attracted to each other – like how Jounouchi, Honda, and yourself all come together with the others in the same way – but I don't believe that events are always fated to happen. Kaiba is proof of that. If it were true, then Mokuba would have died in the many attempts at his life or the dangerous situations he's put himself into for his brother."

"And...what about me? Zorc showed me that every other lifetime, I died around this age."

Atemu slanted a contemplative gaze towards her before shaking his head. "No, I don't see that happening this time around. I think Zorc was the reason for that. He feared that you would undo his plans. As for Bakura, I believe you'll find things are much different the next lifetime." When she gave him a blank stare, he laughed. "I'm sure you've noticed that Ryou is not exactly a full reincarnation of him. Only part of his spirit reincarnated – the part that died with you. The other part, the one that Zorc was attached to and had locked in the Sennen Ring, held most of Bakura's dark emotions. Anger, hatred, the need for revenge – Ryou is almost incapable of getting angry at anyone. He's a gentle person and mostly because those 'flaws' in Bakura's character are still locked in the Ring. When the pieces of his soul are reconnected, he will likely be reincarnated in the future as a full person, as himself."

"Is that why Yuugi is the way he is, as well?"

"I believe so," Atemu said with a nod. "I think the Sennen Items hold those dark parts of the soul because they were created by dark magic. In the same way that Zorc pulled that aspect of Bakura in, when I locked a piece of myself in the Puzzle to seal us away, the darker part of me was locked in here. Only when I reunited with the other piece of my soul and I met Yuugi did I begin to become more myself."

Anzu shook her head in amazement. "Before meeting Yuugi, I never in my life would imagine that any of this could be real – or that reincarnation would be."

"The modern world is so different in that. Much of the magic in the world has died off when it ceased to be taught. But then you have electricity and technology, so in a way you have a different kind of magic."

She could not help but smile at this observation. It was so close to something that Yuugi would have said that she could have been sitting next to her friend.

Noticing that the park was beginning to empty, she released a small sigh and checked her watch. It was getting late. "I should get home. My parents will start to worry."

He nodded and rose to his feet. "I hope this conversation has helped, Anzu. I'm sorry for not telling you when we first returned from my memories, but I had thought you might not want the others to know."

"No, you were right. I can only imagine what Jounouchi would have said." She rolled her eyes in exasperation before leaning forward and hugging him tightly. "Thank you for everything." She felt him return the hug timidly, as if the concept of an embrace was foreign to him. She pulled away from him and flashed a bright smile. As she turned away, a thought occurred to her and she added over her shoulder, "Just so you know – you were my first love. I thought you should know."

"Really?" He sounded surprised. "You were mine, as well."

Anzu stared at him over her shoulder and then laughed, shaking her head at the irony. "Goodnight, Atemu."

End Part VII