Hey, peoples! It's been a while since I've had an AN at the top of my stories, but I have something important to say before you read this chapter. As you probably know, ancient Egyptian speech in my stories is represented by bolded italics like this. However, in this chapter we have a change of language. This new language will be simply bolded, to minimize confusion. If the characters are simply speaking Japanese [English] to each other, it'll just be in regular font and "quotes" as always. Oh, and thoughts are in just italics as usual.

Okay, just wanted to give you a heads-up. ON with the chapter!

Holocaust of Rome, a YuGiOh! story by Tsunami Storm

Chapter 4: Time is a River

"May the gods be with you on your journey." Seth prayed as he helped Hana pack a few last-minute supplies into her bag, and Hana smiled. "And also with you, Seth." She answered. She tied her knapsack to Nut's saddle, then climbed up onto the mare's back- taking up the reins- and faced toward the northwest where she could sense the energy trail of her quarry: the young princess of Egypt.

Seth stepped back from his oldest friend, a few tears budding in his eyes. He wished that he could've spent more time with his 'little sister', but he also knew that time was of the essence. Every minute that they delayed the search took another minute from the time that Mokuba's brother had left. Every second that they spent in each other's company could be the vital second that Nefertiri remained unharmed. Who knew what her unknown captors were subjecting her to? Seth didn't even want to think about it.

The pharaoh gave Hana one last heartfelt hug as he blinked away his tears. "Bring her home safely, Hana. And you come back safely too." He commanded, and Hana nodded. "I'll do everything in my power, Seth. You have my word."

Seth nodded, backing away slowly. "I just have this awful feeling that I will never see you again."

Hana smiled mischievously. "Did Isis rub off on you or something?" She teased, and Seth smiled softly when he remembered the Bearer of the Millennium Necklace, their mutual friend, Isis. The Millennium Necklace would give the young woman glimpses of future events, most often grim.

Seth chuckled to himself. "Maybe. Or perhaps it is just my worry overreacting. You know how it is."

Hana smiled again, remembering how she'd worried about Atem all the time. That's just how families were. She then turned to address the entire 'farewell party' that had gathered to see them off. "I don't know exactly how long we'll be gone, but- if worst comes to worst- I'll send Nefertiri home by any means necessary. I'll find her and free her no matter what it takes. You have my word, Egypt will have her princess once again." And with those dramatic words, she cued her horse into a hand gallop through the sand- her four companions racing off behind her. Just as they almost passed out of sight, Hana opened another space-time portal before them and the five heroes charged through the vortex and into the unknown.

-In twenty-first century Japan-

"Seto?" Kisara called softly as she knocked on her brother's bedroom door, holding a tray with a bowl of fresh fruit, a bowl of water and a washcloth to help him feel better. She received no answer, but the door swung open seemingly of its own accord. It seemed that Seto could still access his magic in his weakened state. Kisara didn't know how much longer it would last, though.

The young woman tiptoed over to his bed, setting her tray on the nightstand as she sat on the edge of the mattress. She smiled sadly as she looked at the exhausted young man. His eyes were closed and his breathing was shallow and even. It appeared that he had just fallen into a light dose just before she'd entered. Due to his condition, he needed all the rest he could get.

Kisara carefully reached over the covers of the bed and stroked her brother-in-law's brow gently, moving some of his bangs out of his eyes as he slept. She frowned in concern when she felt moisture on the tips of her fingers. Seto's brow was drenched with perspiration, which could only mean one thing: he was running a fever. She picked the thermometer off the tray she had brought and turned it on, putting the end with the sensor under the young man's arm when it was ready. It beeped quietly after a minute and Kisara read the numbers, gasping when she saw the temperature.

104.7?! She exclaimed mentally. No wonder he is drenched with sweat! I have got to cool him down before he gets worse! She dropped the washcloth into the bowl of cold water, then wrung it out and placed it carefully on his forehead. To her surprise, this didn't wake him up. He had always been a very light sleeper. He must've been exhausted.

Taking his right hand in both of hers, Kisara stroked the top of it softly as he slept- remembering that his real mother used to do this when he was young. Kisara- as her Ka- had been watching over Seto since he was born, and had been keeping an eye on his own Ka, Ryushiro. The young Blue-Eyes White Dragon had been like a son to her and Reseph-Ari, even though he was not their real offspring. Unbidden, a song came to Kisara's mind, and she sang it softly as her young duelist slept.

"Baby mine, don't you cry.

Baby mine, dry your eyes.

Rest your head close to my heart,

Never to part, baby of mine.

Little one, when you play,

Don't you mind what they say.

Let those eyes sparkle and shine,

Never a tear, baby of mine.

[No lyrics for the third verse, but Kisara hums the tune.]

From your head to your toes, baby mine.

You're so sweet, goodness knows, baby mine.

You are so precious to me,

Cute as can be, baby of mine.

Baby mine, baby mine-"

She smiled as the last note lingered in the air for a moment before fading away, replacing his hand where he'd laid it when he dozed off. As she tiptoed to the bedroom door, a weak voice made her stop in her tracks.

"Mom?" The voice breathed, almost too quiet to be heard. Kisara bit her lip guiltily. She hadn't meant to deceive him, just to calm him and ease some of his pain. She walked back over to the edge of his bed and sat down.

"No, Kisara." She explained, and Seto opened his eyes to look at her.

"My mother used to sing that to me before bed." He told her, a fond smile on his face. Then his smile turned down to a look of confusion. "How do you know it?"

Kisara smiled bashfully. "I used to watch over you from the Dominion. You were my Chosen Duelist. I guess I learned it from her."

Rather than be angry with her, Seto smiled. "You sound just like her. That song takes me back-" He trailed off- a smile on his face as he closed his eyes- his mind in the past, in a happier time.

"I did not mean to awaken you." Kisara whispered, still feeling guilty.

Seto turned to her again, but kept his eyes closed. "I wasn't really asleep. Just resting my eyes. If I sleep I'll have nightmares." He reminded her, and she smiled at him sadly.

"You carry so much weight, for one so young." She sighed, stroking his hair again in a motherly way, even though she had never been a mother before. Or at least, not yet. "Raising your brother at eight, heading a major corporation at twelve, saving the world at sixteen-* and now this? I do not know anyone who has had it harder than you have."

[aka, the Orichalcos incident]

Seto smiled wryly. "It's just like what Malik said last year when we had to deal with our dark sides. The gods really love messing with me.*"

[Brothers in Time, ch. 1]

Kisara giggled at that, and Seto's grin grew wider. Ishtar certainly had a way with words. He looked around and spotted the tray on his nightstand, then smiled at his sister-in-law's thoughtfulness. How had she known that he'd been craving a bowl of fresh fruit all day today? As if reading his mind, Kisara lifted the bowl off the tray and handed it to him- helping him to sit up so that he could eat it more easily. He sighed contentedly as the liquid from the juicy strawberries ran down his throat, and he savored the taste for as long as he could before helping himself to another spoonful.

Kisara smiled. It was rare that Seto let down his barriers that he'd built around himself and let his true self shine through. She knew that he'd erected those walls to protect himself, but he'd built them so strong that almost nothing could penetrate them. Not even people who had wanted to be his friends. Only the ever-present love that Mokuba had for his brother could gradually seep through the cracks and touch his heart- something no one else had ever been able to do. Ever since Seto's life-changing 'accident' last year*, those barriers had begun gradually dissolving, and more and more people had been able to see his true heart- to see the hero he really was inside.

[Another Chance ch. 1]

He'd really had to grow up too fast. Losing his mother when he was only five, and then his father a mere three years later, with a three-year-old brother to look after and raise. That was a lot to put on any eight-year-old's shoulders- much less one that was abandoned by his extended family and left at an orphanage. Young Seto didn't have hardly any time to be a regular kid. He'd had to become more of a father to Mokuba than a brother, giving up his own freedom of childhood to raise his little sibling. And Kisara didn't want to even think of that demon that had adopted the boys. She shuddered silently and shook her head, turning back to Seto and taking the now-empty bowl from his hands and returning it to the tray. He smiled gratefully at her, then laid back down on his pillow and closed his eyes- dozing off within a minute.

Kisara rinsed out the washcloth one more time and replaced it on the young man's forehead, then took the tray off the nightstand and silently left the room- her bare feet making no sound on the soft, carpeted floor. She carefully closed Seto's bedroom door, then returned to the kitchen to take care of the tray.

Oh, Seto- Kisara prayed. I hope Princess Hana and the others find a way to save you soon. I do not want to think about- If they fail, then all hope is lost.

"Eh, hey Hana?" Joey called up to the head of the group. "Was dere s'posed ta be a sixth member of our li'l group here?"

Hana looked back at her blond friend incredulously. "No. Why?"

"Jus' askin'." The duelist answered. "Seems like we got somebody followin' us."

Hana frowned in concern as she looked past her friend to the road behind them, and- sure enough- she just barely spotted a dark figure jump behind a tree to keep themselves hidden from view. As if he or she knew that they'd been discovered.

"You're right, Joey. Good eye." Hana confirmed, but her eyes were narrowed in a worried frown. Nobody here was supposed to know about their quest. The only ones that were supposed to know were hundreds of miles away back in Egypt.

Suddenly an idea came to her and she smiled mischievously to herself. "You guys keep following this trail for a sec'. I wanna try something. And don't worry when I suddenly slump over in the saddle. It'll just be my shadow-clone on Nut's back."

Everyone nodded, but that didn't stop some of them from being surprised when their friend suddenly lurched forward, looking for all the world like she had just passed out on her horse's back. The real Hana- meanwhile- had cast a Concealing spell on herself and had doubled back to the tree where their 'stalker' was hiding themselves. However, when she caught a glimpse of the mystery figure's face, she almost fainted just like her shadow-clone.

"AKHEN?!" She gasped loudly, nearly shouting due to the magnitude of her shock. Her exclamation alerted her four friends immediately, and they quickly backtracked to surround the newcomer with their horses. An impressive feat, considering none of them had ever taken riding lessons before. The newcomer paled and gulped silently, not knowing what to expect from the four on horseback.

When he saw that an attack was not forthcoming, Akhen- for it was indeed he- sighed quietly and removed his hood, revealing the kind face of a young man in his early twenties*. Téa thought he looked a lot like the Ka 'Silent Swordsman', except with black hair instead of teal and brown eyes instead of gold.

[24, actually.]

Hana was gaping at her long-lost friend like a fish out of water. She'd never expected to see him again- not in this life, anyway. She was almost certain his spirit would go to Aaru when the time came- and that she'd see him there when she finally went- but she hadn't thought that their reunion would come this soon!

Akhen smiled gently at his oldest friend, and that somehow brought her out of her reverie. Tears came to her emerald-green eyes as she repeated breathlessly, "Akhen? Is- is it really you?"

The young man nodded silently, as always.

"What are you doing here? You didn't- did you follow us through the portal?" Hana asked, her confusion turning to a conspiratorial grin. Instead of answering her, Akhen only blushed and looked at his feet. Everyone giggled at that, making the young man turn redder.

"Oh, I don't care how you got here. It's wonderful to see you again!" Hana laughed and cried at the same time, hugging her best friend with all of her strength. Akhen gasped in surprise, not expecting the embrace. Then he returned it, putting his chin on the top of the former princess' head just like he used to.

After breaking away from the embrace, Hana turned to her friends with a beaming smile. "I don't believe I've properly introduced my friend. Guys, this is Akhen- my best friend outside of the palace when I was a princess. Akhen, this is Joseph, the blond young man; Yugi, the one who looks like my brother; Mokuba, the boy with dark hair; and Téa, the young woman with short brown hair. They're a few of my friends from the future."

Akhen bowed humbly to each of them as they were introduced, and all of them nodded back, smiling. Then he turned to his closest friend and signed something to her, which she observed and answered after a minute. "Are you sure? That's kinda personal, isn't it?" She asked, and Akhen nodded. "Okay." She turned back to her other friends. "Akhen wanted me to tell you that he's mute, just for future reference. If you need to ask him something, I'll interpret his sign language for you."

Everyone raised their eyebrows in surprise, but then nodded, glad for any form of help they could get. Akhen signed something else to the former princess, and she nodded and smiled after he'd finished. "Of course you're welcome to come along, silly! We might need all the help we can get." She laughed, and her companions laughed too, still able to understand the ancient Egyptian language.

-After a minute-

"So does anybody recognize our surroundings? Or did I just teleport us to the middle of nowhere?" Hana asked, and her five companions looked around for any recognizable landmarks. Suddenly Mokuba pointed to a structure in the distance that looked to be under construction. "I'm not exactly sure, but that looks like the Colosseum over there!" He announced, and everyone turned to look in that direction and gasped when they saw that the teenager was right. The world-famous Roman Colosseum stood before their eyes, only half-completed at this point.

"We're in ancient Rome?!" Joey breathed incredulously, once again flummoxed by his friend's amazing magical abilities.

Hana grinned. "Well, y'know what they say: 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do'. We're probably gonna have to get some different clothes. Blend in, y'know." The others nodded- except for Akhen, whose attire wouldn't stick out nearly as much as what the other five were wearing. Their plans made, the six headed toward the incomplete Colosseum and the thriving city of Rome- hoping to find a good place to buy more appropriate garments.

Eventually the travelers found a suitable stall in the outdoor market that was selling inexpensive togas for both men and women, and Hana purchased a set each for four of her companions and a set for herself. Akhen shook his head when she offered to get him some, signing that his own clothes would suffice. Hana shrugged and smiled, pulling her new toga on over her other clothes- taking them off under her new attire once she'd adjusted it. The others did the same with little difficulty, although Joey seemed to be having some trouble deciding which shoulder to rest his toga on. He finally settled with his left shoulder and muttered to himself, "It's jus' like dat 'Hero' get-up from dat Adventure Land game a' Kaiba's. Felt silly den, an' I feel silly now too."

Hana had heard his grumbling, and she grinned. "Aw, it doesn't look bad, Joey. In fact, I kinda like it." She complimented. Meanwhile, her inner-self drooled. "Hel-loh Muscles! Dang, Joey!"

Noting the look on her friend's face, Téa snorted quietly. "Enjoying the view, Hana?" She snickered.

Both of her friends turned beet-red at that and hastily looked in opposite directions while everyone else laughed. Even Akhen had to hide his smile behind his hand.

While the friends were enjoying their amusement at their other friends' expense, suddenly the enormous shadow of an unidentified flying mass passed over them and everyone was buffeted by gale-force gusts of wind from its giant wings. Everyone looked skyward and gasped as the unmistakable roar of a dragon echoed all around them as the mighty beast soared over their heads, screaming its challenge to the skies. Joey was the one most taken by surprise, because he knew that roar better than anyone else among them. Indeed, how could he ever forget it? It was the call of the most powerful Ka in his deck, none other than the Red-Eyes Black Dragon.

"No way-" The blond duelist breathed, shocked to his very core to see one of his signature Ka flying over the city. He could tell that this was the real dragon too, not just some illusory image conjured by magic. This was the real, flesh-and-blood dragon summoned directly from the Dominion of the Beasts. But how was that possible? Atem had sealed the Shadow Games long ago in Egypt. How could Red-Eyes be here- three-thousand years later- in ancient Rome?

"Guys, look up there on the dragon's back." Mokuba whispered as he pointed, and everyone turned and squinted to see what the teen was pointing out.

"Red-Eyes has a rider." Hana stated in surprise, not expecting the sight. She'd seen people ride on dragons before in the Dominion, but not in the human world. She hadn't thought it was possible here.

"Can you see who it is?" Yugi asked, also watching the dark dragon as he wheeled about in the skies, almost as if he were looking for something.

"Nope, but have you guys noticed that we're alone? There's nobody on the streets anymore. Where'd everybody go?" Hana observed and asked, looking around for any signs of life in the now-deserted marketplace.

"Are you mad? Quickly, come inside and take cover! Hurry!" A hushed voice hissed at them from the nearest doorway, and Mokuba turned to see a young man in a full mask beckoning to them urgently from the shadows. Recognizing his language as Latin, Mokuba quickly signaled his companions and everyone rushed inside, bringing their horses too. Once everyone was inside, the mysterious man quickly closed the door of his house and bolted it, then ran to the window and drew the shades.

"That was too close! Thank the gods that he did not see you! The Emperor does not take kindly to strangers." The man breathed, and Mokuba looked at him quizzically- being the only one present able to understand him. The others caught bits and pieces, but they were not familiar with the language.

"That was the Emperor?!" Mokuba breathed incredulously, and the man nodded. Hana stuck a hand in her saddlebag and pulled out a handful of her Translation spell, which she blew on the rest of her friends and sprinkled a little on herself. Now they would be able to understand and speak this new language that apparently Mokuba was fluent in.

"Emperor Josephus Nihilus Maximus I, also known as the Dark Dragon Emperor. He rules his people with an iron fist, quite literally. His natural right hand was taken long ago in battle, so he wears a magical gauntlet that affords him control of his most deadly servant: the Red-Eyes Black Dragon." The man explained, looking down at his sandaled feet as he did so- almost as if in regret. But then that moment passed, and he looked up again to face the newcomers. "My name is Jono. What are your names, and what is your business in Rome- if you do not mind my asking?"

Hana answered first, introducing her companions first. "This is Akhen, Joseph, Mokuba, Téa and Yugi. My name's Hana." She answered, each of her friends nodding when their name was uttered, so Jono would know who was who. "We came from a very distant land, and we're looking for someone. A young woman by the name of Nefertiri."

Jono gasped. "The Egyptian princess?" He ran to the window and carefully peeked out of the curtains, looking for any sign of the black dragon or its dark rider. Seeing nothing, he drew the curtains closed again, making sure that not even a sliver of light could penetrate through the gap between them. Returning to the group and their quizzical looks, he explained. "No one outside of the palace is supposed to know about her. To even speak of her is a crime punishable by death. How came you by this information?" He asked sharply, and everyone involuntarily shrank back a step at his sudden near-hostility.

Hana answered bravely. "We were sent by her father, the pharaoh, to rescue her. She was kidnapped from her home, and we have to bring her back. Otherwise Mokuba's brother- and eventually he himself- will be erased from existence. I can't really explain all the details." She added to Jono's look of confusion. Surprisingly, he only nodded in understanding. "Magic. Right." He sighed.

It was then that everyone noticed that Joey still had his hood up, obscuring most of his face and all of his hair from view. Téa poked him in the arm to get his attention, then motioned for him to remove it, which he did with a sheepish grin on his face. "Heh. Fergot I had it on." He chuckled by way of an explanation.

Jono gasped again, though this time the intake of breath was filled with horror. "My Lord?! Oh, please forgive your humble servant for not recognizing you! I-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Slow down dere, man!" Joey backpedaled, surprised at the man's reaction. "I tink dere's been a bit of a misunderstandin' here! I'm not da Emperor. My name's Joey. Jo-ey."

Jono was still confused, though he didn't look as horrified as before. "But- your friend introduced you as 'Joseph', and you look exactly like our Ruler! How is this possible?" He spluttered, and Joey smiled. "Coincidence." was his only reply. However, Jono wasn't convinced and he raised a disbelieving eyebrow. Not that anyone could see it underneath his mask.

"Did anyone else see your face before we met? Please tell me that I am the only one." Jono asked quickly, looking terrified again. What sort of man was this Emperor, that merely the sight of him could instill such panic in his subjects?

"Well, dere was dat one lady dat was sellin' togas in da marketplace. I tink she mighta seen me." Joey answered, a tad unsure. He hadn't removed his hood or cloak when he'd changed, but it might have slipped a bit on his head during the process.

Jono looked at him carefully. "Older woman? Short, dark hair, slightly milky eyes?" He queried. Joey nodded, and Jono heaved a sigh of relief. "You are fortunate that she is nearly blind. If anyone else were to see you in the streets, it would cause a panic."

"Why? Just 'cuz I look a lot like yer Emperor? How bad is dis guy, dat even da sight of his face can cause a riot?" Joey asked, a little fearful himself now.

Jono looked down. "It is not my place to say, what sort of man he is. I just- I did not want you to end up like me." He put a hand to where his cheek would be, but retracted it slightly when the skin of his hand encountered the cold, hard iron of his mask.

"End up like you?" Joey asked, confused again. Jono nodded sadly.

"Among other things, the Supreme One is a jealous man. He does not like the thought of anyone in his empire sharing his face. That is why I wear this mask. Or- more accurately- why he forced this mask upon me." The young man answered, showing them the padlock on the back of his neck that kept his mask in place.

Joey looked horrified, and Téa whispered to herself, "Jeez. It's like that story from France with King Louis XIV and his identical twin. But that doesn't happen for another seventeen hundred years. I guess history does repeat itself from time to time."

"So, you look jus' like da Emperor?" Joey asked for clarification, and Jono nodded sadly. "Identical, down to even our heights and the color of our eyes. Why do you ask?" He queried, but Joey just shrugged. "Jus' curious." He answered, trying not to think of the young man's tragic fate. He seemed to be no older than Joey himself, and yet he was forced to hide his face behind a mask of iron, just because of the vanity of his Ruler. "An' since ya said I look like da Emperor too, it stands ta reason dat ya look a li'l like me, too." Joey surmised.

Jono smiled a bit behind his mask, the first time any of them had seen him do so. "I suppose." He lifted his head a bit to look into the blond's face for a bit, then nodded. "In fact, had you black hair and crimson eyes, the three of us could pass for triplets- were we in the same room with each other." He chuckled, and Joey smiled in response. This young man was certainly mysterious, but the young duelist had taken a liking to him despite that. Even though they had only just met, Joey felt a connection to this young man- almost like the connection between himself and his ancestral relative, Sir Hermos.

Mokuba had been quiet for quite a while, thinking about something Jono had said. When Joey finished with his question, Mokuba spoke up. "Hey, Jono? I thought you said that no one's supposed to know about Nefertiri, and that having that information means death. So how do you know about her?" He asked, and Jono started, suddenly looking guilty that he'd been found out.

"I-" He began, but then fell silent for a moment. Finally nodding, he resumed his tale. "Let us just say I know a thing or two about the goings-on of the palace." He explained cryptically. "But that does not matter right now. You six need to get into the palace without getting caught. I- I may be able to help you there." He offered shyly, and Hana raised her eyebrows. This young man was indeed brave, if he were willing to risk his life to aid total strangers like themselves.

"How?" Hana asked, curious. She'd thought this man was merely an ordinary citizen, but apparently he had connections in high places.

Jono grinned mischievously. "The Chief of Staff in the palace is a good friend of mine, and has hired servants for the palace before based on my recommendation. Five of you could easily pass for servants or maids in the palace, there would be no problem there." He looked at Joey then, his grin turning to a concerned frown. "You, however, may present a bit of a problem. Should the Emperor even see you, he would have you killed- as he would have done with me had it not been vital that I-" He broke off, unwilling to voice what he had been about to say. Joey looked at him in confusion, but Jono shook his head, changing the subject. "I could probably get you a position in the royal stables, but that is as close as you would safely be to the palace." He suggested, looking down in shame, sorry that he wasn't able to help more.

But Joey just shrugged his shoulders noncommittally and patted their newest friend's shoulder. "Dat's fine. I'm happy wid however close ya can get me. If it means workin' in da stables, den so be it. Who knows, we might need ta make a quick getaway wid a few a' da palace horses. Ya never know, right?"

Jono's smile returned, surprised that his newest friend took the news so well. After all, a stable hand wasn't the most glamorous job in the world.

"At the very least, most of you will be able to blend in." Jono continued. "Servants are supposed to be invisible. Other than your fellow staff members and your immediate supervisors, no one should really notice you much in the palace." He turned to Yugi then. "If you do not draw attention to yourself, that is." He told him, raising an eyebrow.

Yugi grinned sheepishly. "I'll think of something. Maybe I could wear a nondescript helmet."

Jono nodded in agreement. That seemed like a good idea. Then he turned to Akhen, his expression once again displaying innocent curiosity. "You have not said a word since we met, young man. You are fairly shy."

Hana smiled. "He gets that a lot. He hasn't said anything because he can't. He's a mute from birth. He knows a lot of languages, and can read and write in many of them, but his normal means of communication is Egyptian sign language." She explained for her best friend, who nodded in agreement and blushed at the indirect praise.

Jono, however, looked worried now. "This is a problem. The Emperor wishes his domain to be a utopia, free of all impairments or physical handicaps. It would probably be best if you do not enter the palace either. His Eminence never enters the stables- preferring to use his dragon as his transportation- so the two of you would be relatively safe there. If he were to discover your- 'imperfection', you would be immediately banished in the best-case scenario. Worst? Well, you can probably guess what that is."

Akhen nodded somberly. He found a tablet and a piece of charcoal, inscribing one word onto it in Jono's language. 'Mortem' was all the tablet said. Jono nodded grimly. Then he brightened up and steered the subject away from this morbid path.

"Like I said, most of you should be able to blend in fairly easily. It will be getting the princess out of the palace that is going to be the hard part. I hope you have a good plan in place." He stated worriedly, fearful for his newest companions.

Hana nodded confidently. "Don't worry. I'm working on it."

End of chapter 4

Next chapter teaser: Trial by Fire

Aww, Seth's getting all emotional again. He's not the stern and stoic ruler everyone pictures when they hear the word 'Pharaoh', is he?

Seth: Hey, who says I have to be Horus-incarnate all the time? I'm still human too, you know. Can we talk about this later? You have a chapter to summarize.

Me: Oh, right! Darn those silly plot-bunnies! Always leading me on rabbit trails. Where was I?

Oh yeah. Kisara gets to play nurse/mom to mister CEO, who's a little incapacitated at the moment. Exhausted, feverish, and yet he can't fall asleep because of the terrible nightmares. Aw, poor thing! Luckily Kisara's there to care for him and cheer him up with pleasant memories and nummy fruit.

Also, that lullaby was from Dumbo, all credit to Disney- yadda yadda yadda. Apparently Seto's real mom used to sing it to 'her little dragon' when he was little. Aww! Kawaii! I liked it, so I put it in this chapter. I needed some platonic Blueshipping fluff.

Looks like we've got ourselves a stowaway aboard the 'Rescue Express'! It's been too long, Akhen! (Akhen merely smiles, blushes and waves)

And we also have a familiar name, if not familiar face. Jono. He's not the same person from the video games, as that one was blond and my Jono has black hair, but other than that he looks just like Joey and Hermos, and apparently the Emperor.

Speaking of the Emperor, I just made that name up. I have no idea if there was truly an Emperor of Rome named Josephus. Probably not.

If you're wanting to know how Josephus summoned the real Red-Eyes Black Dragon to the human world, I shall explain it in the coming chapters. Maybe. XD

I love the story of the 'Man in the Iron Mask', so I put that in here. I think it's delightfully tragic. I'm really a sucker for tragedy, aren't I? Always putting my characters in some sort of jeopardy. Good thing I still like happy endings.

Oh, and Mokuba and Seto had to learn Latin (among other things) when they were growing up under Gozaburo. Well, Seto had to learn it. Mokuba thought that language was cool, so he sat in on Seto's lessons. It wasn't imperative that Mokie learn it, but he did all the same. Also he got to spend some time with his Nii-sama. Aww!

That being said, I'll see y'all in the next installment! Ja ne!

God Bless!

Tsunami Storm