Hey! This my first multi- chapter story! It's a modern day Yugioh AU, set in Washington DC. It was inspired by a recent trip to the Museums.
Info:
Since this is set in America, there will be no honorifics, and will be based in American culture too!
I'm not good with long, 20- page chapters. Like, 5 pages is my limit. Please be patient!
"Yugi, are you sure we're supposed to be here?"
"Ryou, shh! The night guard will hear us."
Ryou Bakura followed his friend, Yugi Motou, through the Ice Age Exhibit, occasionally sneaking glances over his shoulder at the fading lights from African Voices. The Smithsonian Natural History Museum was a gigantic place, it would be awful if they got lost, especially when they weren't supposed to be there in the first place.
Then again, he thought, skipping a bit to keep up with the shorter boy, Yugi knew this place like the back of his own hand. He practically lived at the museum, as his grandfather worked with the ancient artifacts it was prized for. Ryou shivered as they passed from Ancient Seas to the Dinosaurs. The fossils were scary enough in day, but downright terrifying at night. He stopped at the foot of the stairs, peering into the darkness. Ryou couldn't believe Yugi had talked him into this little escapade, it sounded like something their friend Malik would do. Which is to say, stupid and terrifying.
"Ryou! Come on, Grandpa has got to be out the bathroom by now." They'd been able to ditch the man when he stopped before closing up. He hurriedly followed Yugi up the stairs, wincing when he stumbled in the dark.
The duo emerged in a small room offside the Hope Diamond. With Yugi's set of keys they were able to make it across the rotunda opening and to the Bones Exhibit without any troubles besides general over-awareness. Ryou had to admit that he was getting curious about whatever Yugi had wanted to show him. It certainly helped keep his mind off the leering bull skull they had just passed.
"This way", Yugi whispered, as they rounded a corner. Ryou wasn't sure what the big deal was, he'd seen the Egyptian Mummies beforehand. He knew that, recently, the Museum had expanded its Egyptian Exhibit to another room, as a rather large discovery had been made and it was in their best interests to appeal to the public. Yugi led him across the "Written in Bones" and the mummies, to a seemingly unassuming door. The door was quickly unlatched, the lightswitch flicked.
Ryou gasped. The room was not unlike the Fossilab the floor below, but instead of storage covers and small animal bones, there was gold.
And lots of it.
The white-haired boy gulped as Yugi grinned at him, crossing the room in strides. "Come here, it gets even better."
Ryou followed, rounding a table covered with black folders. Laid out carefully in position was a golden box, a ring with five spikes, and a rod with some sort of winged ball at the end.
"They're called the Millennium Items. There's seven of them in all, but the others are already set up. These go on display tomorrow."
Ryou, despite his doubts about the whole situation, smiled. He hesitantly reached out a hand to the golden ring, but stopped. No doubt they had been cleaned to perfection, and he wasn't wearing gloves. With his luck, they'd be stolen tomorrow with fresh fingerprints- theirs.
Yugi, however, didn't seem to share the same thoughts as a clicking noise told of the box's lid being removed. Shining, dislocated chunks stood out.
"It's a puzzle!", he crowed. Ryou grinned, he knew how Yugi loved games, riddles, and generally all sorts of challenges. He watched as his friend's hands roamed the pieces, picking out edge- worthy ones and attempting to piece them together.
"So", Ryou started, sitting down on a stiff chair, "What's your estimated time to beat this thing?" From this vantage point he noticed hieroglyphics engraved along the box. Looking over, he collected that the ring and the rod had similar markings on their sides.
Yugi stopped, then sighed. "Well, you see, that's a bit of a story. Turns out these things have been uncovered for quite awhile, it's just nobody except the thieves who stole them knew about it. They've changed hands forever, and only recently has the Egyptian government given them to the Smithsonian."
Ryou nodded to show he was listening. He hadn't noticed when, but one of his hands had been tracing the edge of the ring.
"So, estimating how long those thieves had them and how long people in Egypt have had the puzzle-" Yugi dropped the pieces back in the box and shut the lid with a click. "- nobody's been able to solve this puzzle in fifty years."
Fifty years! Ryou gaped. "No one? Are you sure?" Yugi nodded, smiling. "Grandpa says that it'll have to stay on display for most of the time, but he'll let me try at it eventually. I'm really lucky." The short boy frowned. "Actually, speaking of him, we should probably get back."
Ryou gasped, and jumped up. "Jeez, Yugi! Your grandpa's probably had a heart attack."
Yugi smiled nervously, heading toward the door. "I hope not!"
They raced back through the corridors, and one stern lecture and a car ride later Ryou was safe in his flat.
Mostly safe, although if he knew what was going to happen in a week's time he would be terrified.
Reviews, while not mandatory, would be nice?
