Shadow Realm
Ryou woke in an unfamiliar room, floating just above his body. Any average person would've thought they had died if they found themselves in a corporal form floating above their own body. Ryou was not an ordinary person. He'd shared his body many years with an ancient spirit without knowing and a few aware of the spirit and occasionally finding himself in spirit form. He liked it when he was in spirit form and not stuck in the ring. He looked down, his image projecting the puzzle and the ring around his neck.
"Good morning Bakura," Atem greeted him.
"Morning Yugi. I mean Yami I mean Pha..."
"Atem is just fine as are all the names you just used." Atem smiled at him. "I kept watch while you were both unconscious. We seem to be trapped in this room. I'd like to know everything about how Yugi is and our current situation, but right now I need sleep."
"Yugi is well Yami, back in Japan. I'll wake you if anything happens. Sleep well Yami." Ryou smiled.
He switched control with the spirit currently sleeping in his body. He smiled amused at his Yami sleeping above him. Generally his Yami projected him image exactly, but he didn't have the puzzle around his neck like Ryou did. Ryou walked around the room. He didn't even have a proper bed in this room. He had a mattress on the floor. A table in the centre of the room and none of his books. He walked to the door and called through it. "I just wanted to let the person on the other side know I'm awake." He called out.
The door slot opened. "I'll inform the General."
His talking had woken his spirit.
"Back here again." His Yami complained. "I hate this room."
Finally awake the spirit released the ring from his chest. He looked down, he hadn't even noticed. He'd grown use to that feeling over the years. The Thief King retreated to his soul room.
YGO
Ryou sat at the table with nothing much he could do but wait. He looked up as Daniel, Sam and Janet entered the room. They had food with them.
"How are you feeling Ryou?" Janet asked.
"Better now that I have the ring." Ryou replied. "I feel whole again."
Janet checked him over. "Vitals are normal." She told them after she finished her exam.
"Where are the spirits at the moment?" Daniel asked him.
"In the ring and puzzle sleeping." Ryou replied. "Atem kept watch while I was unconscious."
"Hungry?" Sam asked him.
"I am." Ryou replied with a cheerful smile. He was pushed aside by the Thief King.
"Do you have tea?" The Thief King asked. He didn't even bother with his ancient language any longer. He hadn't had real food in six years.
Daniel and Sam both nodded. They knew how fond Ryou was of tea, but were not expecting it from the ancient spirit. Ryou floated next to him smiling happily.
Ryou hated waking up Yami Yugi when he'd had so little sleep. The ancient Pharaoh didn't seem to bothered about being woken up.
"You can see me, how?" Ryou asked them. "I know my Yami isn't making me visible at the moment. Neither is Yami Yugi."
"Yami Yugi?" Daniel looked at the other spirit.
"You can call me Atem." The Pharaoh replied. He could understand a little English from Yugi's English lessons, he could not speak the language. He was using the mind link with Ryou to translate everything he didn't understand. "Yami Yugi is what I went by before I remembered my name or identity."
"You didn't remember who you were?" Daniel asked him.
"It was a part of the ritual I used." The Pharaoh replied. "The puzzle needs to be handed back over to Yugi. Ryou cannot sustain both myself and the Thief for long term."
"What is your name?" Daniel asked the Thief King.
"Don't know and don't care." The spirit replied. "Do you have any more tea?"
"Not at the moment," Sam replied. "What should we call you?"
"I normally go by Bakura." The spirit replied.
"You can call me Ryou if that makes things easier." Ryou suggested. "Though everyone who knew about my Yami usually called us both Bakura anyway."
"I like some of their reactions when they would realise I was in control. Then they would question how long I had been in control. They nearly always guessed wrong, except Kaiba and Ishizu. They are both far too observant, but they didn't bother me too much since they both let me do my own thing. Kaiba because he didn't want to accept I existed and Ishizu because it was a part of my destiny." Yami Bakura smirked. "They mostly called me the evil one."
"Ryou, if you don't mind, I'd like to do a scan of your brain when you're in control and another scan when Bakura is in control," Janet asked him. "We've never come across anything like this before."
"Do you also want to do a scan when Ya ... Atem is in control?" Ryou asked them.
"You can control him?" Janet asked intrigued.
"I can, however I don't like doing it. Anyone who isn't Yugi just doesn't feel right. Everything looks different, sounds different and tastes different."
"Voice, let Atem have control so they can see." Ryou asked the spirit.
Yami Bakura grumbled but allowed the Pharaoh to have control over his host's body. Ryou's eyes changed colour to a shade of violet instead of the reddish brown colour they'd been when Bakura had been in control. His hair spiking slightly more.
Sam, Daniel and Janet seeing the spirit of Ryou and Bakura behind Ryou's body. The main difference between the two spirits was Ryou had the puzzle and the ring. Bakura only had the ring. The hair sat differently and the eyes all a different shade. Atem only kept control for a few minutes before handing control back to Ryou.
SG-1
Ryou smiled at Nadia when they walked past her. Both spirits made themselves visible when they were in the medical centre.
"What is this place?" Ryou asked them. "I saw that big circle thing. Atem called it the gateway to gods. Plus there was a Sarcophagus in that room and there seem to be experiments around this base that are out of this world."
"It's classified," Daniel told him. "We can't say anything. You've seen too much as it is."
Ryou nodded in understanding, not pushing the issue any further. He allowed them to run the tests. His and Bakura's scans were very similar. Atem, on the other hand, you could tell was an entirely different person.
"I wouldn't be surprised if Yugi's results are exactly the same as Atems." Ryou told them when he was looking at the results with the doctor and scientists.
"Why does Atem keep looking at Nadia?" Daniel asked.
"Nadia or Hathor is his mother." Ryou replied.
"Really, I have no idea how we'd even be able to prove that." Daniel sighed. "Pity we can't get DNA from an ancient spirit."
Atem replied to the doctor. "My physical body is still in my tomb. You would be able to get a DNA sample from that. I'll only tell you where it is if you allow Ryou to give the puzzle back to Yugi."
"We have to get authorisation from the General, then ween need to book flights back to Japan, and then a flight to Egypt. It will all take time." Sam told the spirit.
"Bakura, you now have enough power for Shadow Portals." Atem assumed of the other spirit.
He grinned, letting Yami know that he indeed had enough power.
"In that case, as soon as you get approval, we'll be able to take you to Yugi and then to my tomb," Atem replied.
"None of us saw what you did to Hathor, how did you beat her?" Daniel asked.
"I sent her to the Shadow Realm." The Thief King replied. "Penalty for losing is that I get her soul. I actually won her host's soul as well, the wager was two souls for two souls so she couldn't give up a soul. After I won the souls I am free to do with them as I wish, so I returned her host's soul."
"Where is the soul now?" Daniel enquired.
"In the Shadow Realm with the rest of my collection." Yami Bakura replied. "I can show you, but only after I have my host to myself again."
"Would you be able to do the same to others that are like Nadia?" Daniel asked with excitement lacing his voice.
"The Pharaoh and I both can, just the risk are high since our own lives are at stake." The thief replied in a bored tone.
YGO
Ryou, Yami Bakura and Atem were returned to the room after a complete debriefing on the events from the day before.
"I know we can escape now, but can you just wait it out. I feel like I am on a breakthrough to something big. I want to know what this place is and I believe that they are close to telling us." Ryou told them. Yami agreeing.
YGO
The operation of Nadia had gone ahead. The goa'uld symbiote was removed from Nadia with ease. It didn't even try anything. It was just limp when they removed it, despite still being alive. Nadia didn't have any ill effects from the symbiote being removed despite the fact she'd been alive for a few thousand years.
"What do we do with her now?" Jack asked. "She has no-one. Everyone she once knew is dead and have been for a really really long time."
"First we follow up if she really is related to the ancient spirit." George Hammond told them.
Daniel replied. "From talking with Nadia, she was pregnant with a human child on seven occasions. On all seven occasions, those children became Pharaoh. Atem was the seventh child." Daniel told them. "Whenever she was pregnant, Hathor didn't have any control. She always chooses carefully the Pharaoh she would bear children to, to ensure her host's safety. Once the child was born, Nadia would lose control and Hathor would leave the palace.
"Hathor was angry that Atem died without leaving an heir. His cousin becoming the new Pharaoh. He is still distantly related to Hathor but was diluted since her sixth child was Atem and Sets great-great-great-great-grandfather. Set refused all her advances instead choosing two priestesses as his Queens and mother of his children; Priestess Isis and Priestess Mana. Hathor had to flee Egypt as a result of him refusing her advances and ordering her death."
"Atem will not change his mind about telling us the location of his tomb unless the puzzle is handed over to Yugi Moto," George asked.
"That is correct sir," Sam replied.
"I've met Yugi Moto, I believe that he will co-operate with us if we hand over the puzzle," Daniel answered.
"His background check also suggests the same thing," Jack told the General.
"Then you have my permission. Captain Carter, Dr. Jackson will you two be able to handle this mission alone?" Hammond asked them.
"Yes sir." Both replied.
Hammond gave his orders to the other members of SG-1. "Teal'c, Colonel O'Neil. You will be assisting SG-6 with their off-world mission. Debriefing for the mission is in one hour. Dismissed."
SG-1
Ryou was happy to be back in his own clothes. Sam and Daniel were also dressed in civilian clothing. Atem was looking more cheerful and Bakura just looked happy at having permission to stretch his legs.
"What is this place?" Sam asked as they stepped through the shadow portal summoned by the Thief King. Thankfully, he was being nice today and taking them through one of the nicer sections of the realm.
"It's another dimension parallel to our own." Ryou answered happily.
Several of the lower levelled creatures swarmed Ryou and Atem who both greeted the creatures enthusiastically.
"It's nice to see you again my Pharaoh."
The group turned to see two human-looking monsters.
"It is good to see you both again." Atem greeted his old friends. "This is the Dark Magician Mahado and his apprentice Mana." Atem introduced. "This is Sam Carter and Daniel Jackson. Instead of reincarnating like myself, the thief, Set and Isis; Mana and Mahado fused with their ka monster. Mahado was the former priest who bore the ring on my council. Mana bore the ring on Sets council. Did you know this was to happen my old friends?"
"We did my Pharaoh. You were not happy in the afterlife while Yugi still lived. The Thief also needs a chance to live without Zorks influence. To redeem himself for what he did while influenced by Zork." Mahado replied. He turned to the two members of SG-1. "Daniel Jackson, Samantha Carter. You need to allow Ryou Bakura go back to his life, with the Ring. You cannot keep him locked up forever. Ryou Bakura is a good person and will be a good influence on the former thief. Please also know that the gods that you have met are not the true Egyptian gods. They only impersonate the gods of Egypt. Daniel Jackson, Samantha Carter, we will speak again. First you need to finish your mission."
The magicians opened the portal. "It was good to see you again my friends," Atem told them.
Ryou went through first, followed by Sam, Daniel and finally the two spirits.
SG-1
"Not this nonsense again. I don't want to deal with this." They heard someone say. That someone was Seto Kaiba.
Yugi Moto was already fussing over Ryou Bakura. Asking him questions in rapid Japanese that not even Daniel could follow.
"Where are we?" Sam asked looking around the room.
The room was modern. They appeared to be in a lab, a lab that Sam wished she could have herself. All the equipment modern. Computers lining the wall, all spitting out different information. Everything seemed far more advanced than anything Sam had ever seen.
"You're in my private lab in my house," Kaiba told her with a cold tone.
This was his personal lab! Just how successful was he if he had this as his personal lab. She wanted to know what the labs at Kaiba Corporation were like if this was what his personal one was like.
"What happened? Kaiba told me everything he knew. Why didn't you say anything? I would've helped you." Yugi asked Ryou in a slower tone that Daniel could now understand.
"I didn't want you to get mixed up if something went wrong, which it clearly did." Ryou told him. "I'll tell you all I can later."
Ryou held out the puzzle. The young man started crying when he saw it, talking rapidly fast when he saw the spirit. Yugi took the puzzle. Sam and Daniel watched as his imaged changed to match Yugi's.
"That feels much better," Atem said after his link was fully fused with Yugi again. "Not that what you did for me wasn't much appreciated Ryou."
"I also feel slightly better, I didn't realise how draining it was trying to sustain you. I would do it again if needed." Ryou smiled.
"Thank you, Ryou." Yugi hugged Ryou.
"I see you can speak a lot more English Yugi," Atem said switching languages. "This will make things easier for Samantha Carter, she cannot speak Japanese."
"How did you do that? Before you could only speak a few words of English?" Daniel asked.
"I share all my knowledge with Yugi and vice versa," Atem replied.
"So he now knows everything that you know?" Sam enquired.
"He does." Yami Yugi confirmed.
Yugi smiled at the spirit. "I know that you want to see Atems tomb. We can't portal directly to the tomb. A lot of rituals are in place to prevent that. We'll need to stop somewhere else first."
Atem took control of Yugi's body, created a portal. "Because of the location we are going, travelling through the Shadow Realm will not be easy for you Daniel Jackson and Samantha Carter."
"Are you going to come to Kaiba?" Ryou asked.
The businessman smirked. "I want to test my current security team. Let's see how long it takes them to notice I'm gone."
YGO
The small group entered the realm once again. It was darker this time. Both Daniel and Sam had an uneasy feeling. Yugi and Ryou were walking together, catching up on school and friends and mundane things such as TV and video games. The thief looked all to at home in the darkness. Kaiba looked like he was just taking a simple walk through a nice lush park. Atem was leading the way.
Sam held up her gun and pointed when a load roar was heard in the distance. She almost dropped it when flying towards her came a gigantic creature far larger than the small cute creatures that had greeted them earlier.
"Is that a dragon?" Daniel enquired.
"It is, it isn't just any dragon either," Atem told them.
"I recognise that dragon. When I went to Kaiba Corporation to speak with Mr Kaiba, they were everywhere." Sam exclaimed.
They watched the dragon land in front of Seto Kaiba. The businessman held out his hand, the creature nuzzling up to him.
"That is the blue eyes white dragon. The dragon is Kaiba's signature card in Duel Monsters." Atem told Sam and Daniel.
Kaiba smiled, a sight that Sam had not seen of the business man when she'd paid him a visit. The dragon took off into the air and circled them from overhead.
"Blue eyes is going to keep guard for the remainder of our trip," Yugi told her. "Not everything in this realm is safe. We need to keep going, you two aren't used to the shadows and it's probably weighing down on you already."
Daniel was looking worse for wear. Sam thought the only reason she was still going was because of her years of military training. They kept moving. It felt like hours later when the stepped out of the realm into a different type of darkness. A darkness light by torches.
"Ishizu, are you home?" Yugi called out.
They heard shuffling from nearby, a tall, tanned man with a tattooed face entered the room.
"It is good to see you again young Pharaoh. My sister is nearby, wait here while I find her." The man said before disappearing into the darkness.
Kaiba had pulled a scroll off the shelf. And was using his phone to read the texts. Daniel was glancing everywhere through the tomb looking like all his Christmases and Birthdays had come at once.
"Do you know what the tattoos on his face mean?" Sam asked Daniel.
"They are hieroglyphics announcing his servitude to the goddess Ishtar," Daniel told her. "It's strange that he would use Ishtar instead of Hathor or one of the other names she went by."
"It's not to the goddess Ishtar, it's to house Ishtar." Ryou told Daniel. "That was Ishizu's brother Radish. He was adopted into the Ishtar family as a baby. He got the tattoo to show he was loyal to the family despite not being of their blood."
Ishizu and Radish both returned moments later.
"It is good to see you safe." Ishizu hugged Ryou. "Dr Cater, Dr Jackson. It is a pleasure to see you both again."
"Where are we currently?" Daniel asked her.
"The home of the Tomb Keeper clan of house Ishtar," Ishizu replied. "I guess in modern terms we'd be considered a cult. Our ancestors were chosen by Pharaoh Set to guard the Millennium Necklace and the Millennium Rod until the time when the Pharaoh was reborn. This tomb was built for that purpose. When the time of the Pharaohs fell, my family continued living the way they'd always lived. Living cut off to the rest of the world as we always had while the world moved on without us."
Daniel was amazed as he walked through, seeing people still living the same way as thousands of years ago. He felt like he was back on Abydos.
"I'm the current clan leader," Ishizu told him. "Traditionally my brothers should be clan leader before myself, my brother Marik has rejected this lifestyle and does not want to continue the clan. Radish cannot become clan leader since he's adopted into the family and it's only in extreme circumstances that someone not related by blood takes over the clan, so far it has never happened."
"Those that want to leave can, or was your brother an exception?" Sam asked.
"They can now that I'm in charge. Under my father and several previous generations, people could not leave the clan. There are other generations when people could leave the clan if they choose to." Ishizu explained. "Not everyone wishes to leave the clan; they cling on to the only way of life they have ever known, which is why I am now clan leader now that our duties are complete. The ones that have left can return if they chose. Not everyone who leaves can adjust to the modern world."
Daniel listened to the dialect; it was similar and different to the dialect on Abydos at the same time. Everyone seemed so happy.
"Can people from the outside come here?" Sam asked.
"You are both here," Ishizu replied. "Kaiba, Bakura and Yugi all visit on a regular basis. As do a couple of my associates. Not many people from outside come in. Several that have don't return because our way of life scares them off.
"This way of life certainly doesn't scare me off," Daniel told Ishizu. The excitement evident in his word as he looked at everything and started asking questions about their food production, sleeping quarters, work, language and anything else he could think of.
"Maybe another time Dr. Jackson," Ishizu replied. "You are here to visit the Pharaoh's tomb."
"How do you know that?" Sam asked her. "We haven't told you anything."
"I've already told you, Dr. Carter. I know you don't believe me, you don't have to believe me either." Ishizu replied.
Kaiba smiled at Sam's question. He liked how logical she was.
YGO
Daniel looked around at the well they'd exited in the centre of runes. Nothing was around them, just emptiness.
"We don't have far to go," Ishizu replied. Walking into the desert. The entrance was hidden, but it was in fact a tomb.
"My clan watches everyone who enters the tomb. I warn you it is dangerous, most who have entered have not come out alive. This is where I leave you." Ishizu told them.
She walked back towards her home. Radish staying with them and opened the tomb. The small group entered. Daniel wishing he had the time to examine everything like a regular archaeological dig. He was amazed at the knowledge that Ryou, Yugi and Kaiba all had of the tomb and Egyptian archaeology in general. All three of them would make good archaeologists, even Kaiba who didn't study that field. They managed to get through all the traps to the sarcophagus.
Sam took her sample from the Pharaoh and was surprised when Kaiba also took a sample.
"I want to compare the DNA to Yugi and Ishizu's family." Kaiba shrugged. "I also have priest Aknadin's and Pharaoh Aknamkanon DNA. Atem's father and Uncle."