I'm not completely happy with parts of this chapter but I couldn't figure a way to make it any better so... yeah. However, the plot's sticking around for a while and I think I'm getting at least half way, if not three quarters of the way through this story.

There is, however an important notice at the bottom involving updates.

Enjoy!

Bakura slipped quietly over the tops of the houses, following the dark shadow that had slipped away at the party. Whoever it was clearly worked for Akhnadin, evidence being that he had attempted to slip something into Atem's drink. Attempted being the word since Bakura had called out to him and the man had fled before anything had even touched the champagne. As much as Bakura liked to freak people out, he was also good at his job when it called for it.

And so now he was forced to run along rooftops, waiting for the would-be assassin to make another move. It was heading uptown, to the regions close by the museum and his brother's house. Well, this should be interesting. The shadow slipped between two houses into a dead end alleyway and Bakura smirked. Time to get the drop on whoever it was and put an end to this idiot.

"Where do you think you're going?" Bakura asked, dropping down from a fire escape with a smirk. "We're not finished yet."

"Please," the man begged, "Master Akhnadin threatened my family! I swear I meant no harm!"

"You meant no harm and yet you were willing to place poison in the prince's drink." Bakura shook his head, leaning against the wall. "You'll have to do better than that." The man whimpered, backing up against the far wall.

"I swear, I didn't know!"

"Oh, please," Bakura said, bored already of this one's whimpering. "What did you think Akhnadin gave to you? Spiked drinks?" He rolled his eyes. It was a credit to Akhnadin that he always tried, but the assassins only got more and more pathetic as time went on. It was clear that most of them knew of him by now and they were no longer willing to attempt anything that would get them in trouble with the thief court. Of course, that wouldn't happen here but Bakura could take care of himself pretty well when he wanted to.

"Please…" The man was pressed as far away from him as possible, scrabbling with the wall. "I've heard what you do to assassins. Please, spare me. My family…" Bakura sighed internally. This one wasn't an assassin, he knew that much. No one could, apart from possibly him, act as well as this and this man was just a peasant, probably terrified of everyone and everything in Japan. But he couldn't just let him go either.

"Get out of my sight and leave Japan. We'll discuss your punishment when I return home," he growled and the man's eyes widened at the unusual mercy he was showing. In all honesty, Bakura had no intention of sparing the man. It was just harder to cover up the number of insane patients in Japan than in Egypt. Shadow magic had that effect on people.

"Thank you, Thief King! Thank you!" The man scrambled out of the alley as fast as he possibly could and Bakura grinned wickedly. It was always nice to be recognised after all.

Yugi awoke the next morning with a headache. He groaned, wishing that days like today just didn't exist but he supposed he ought to get up and get on with it. Even so, the pounding in his head wasn't helping his mood as he went in search of some painkillers.

"Good morning Yugi," Grandpa said as he came into the kitchen, already washed, dressed and ready for the day.

"Urgh," Yugi grunted swallowing a pair of painkillers and wandering back up the stairs. "Do I really have to go?" Grandpa sighed and shook his head.

"Yes, Yugi. You were given an invite and it would be rude not to go." Yugi groaned again and considered saying his was to ill to go except for the part where he wasn't ill and there was no fooling Grandpa with these things. Ishizu had offered them a guided tour around the museum with a Mr Hashini, who was the curator. It wasn't that Yugi didn't like the museum; it was that he was trying to forget everything that had happened at the Kaiba mansion. And all Ishizu could do would be to remind him of everything that had happened. He really wished that he could forget this whole week.

He sighed as the painkillers began to kick in and slowly pulled on some clothes for the day. He didn't really pay attention to what he was putting on as his eyes fell on the box under his bed. It was calling to him, begging for him to read the letters. All 500 of them. Well, 498 now, since he had already read two of them.

"Yugi!" His grandfather called from downstairs. "Joey's here!" Pulling himself out of the trance the letters had put him in, he rushed down the stairs, partly to get away from the letters and partly because he was glad to see his friend. Joey was dressed as he always was, which was a relief. He didn't think he could handle anything else different right now.

"Hey Yug'! Ready to go?" Joey looked slightly frazzled despite his happy expression, probably because Daisuke had brushed him down before he let him in the house (Yugi found it slightly creepy that he did that to literally everyone who wanted to speak to him).

"Yeah, sure. See you Grandpa!" Yugi called.

"One second Yugi! Here," Grandpa said, passing him a bacon sandwich with a wink. Yugi had nearly forgotten that he hadn't had breakfast but at the sight of food his stomach growled loudly, making him grin sheepishly at his grandfather in thanks. "Have fun Yugi," he said as they left the house quickly, Daisuke tagging along behind them.

"I wonder what Ishizu is going to show us? Grandpa's taken me to the museum so many times already," Yugi said thoughtfully between bites of the sandwich. Joey shrugged.

"I heard there's a new exhibition on. Something to do with Egypt," he said, hands in his pockets, eyeing Yugi's sandwich wistfully. Yugi laughed and broke Joey off a piece. His friend really was a bottomless pit.

"Figures that," Yugi said, finishing off the last mouthful. "But I wonder if Grandpa wanted to come as well. I think he misses Egypt a lot." Not to mention that having Atemu home would only remind him of his favourite place in the world. Joey hummed thoughtfully as the museum came into sight.

The museum was actually pretty new, despite its outward appearance. It was styled around the Athenian acropolis, with large columns and Grecian facades. However, inside it was exceedingly high tech, with the most up to date security system imaginable and sponsored by Kaiba Corporation. Yugi had always wondered about that since Kaiba had never set foot inside it, but now he guessed he knew. Ishizu and her brothers were ambassadors for both the city of New Thebes and the museum of Cairo and if he wanted to support his uncle, then Seto would have to support boring places like the museum too. Yugi had loved the museum the first time he went but the magic seemed to wear off the older he got.

Inside six people were waiting for them. The first was Ishizu, who was talking to a man in his mid-forties with long blue hair and grey eyes. Behind him was a security man, about as intimidating looking as Daisuke. Off to the side were three others, all of them familiar-looking. The first two were Marik and Odion. Joey recoiled slightly at the sight of Odion and Yugi couldn't blame him. As nice as he seemed, Odion was pretty intimidating. Marik was animatedly talking to the last person in the group and Yugi blinked at the sight of him.

"Ryou?"

Atemu woke to the feeling of someone poking him in the side. He scowled and flicked the hand away, annoyed at having been woken when he didn't feel well. A moment later, the offending appendage was back and Atemu snapped his eyes open before suddenly falling into a coughing fit.

"Hmmm, bronchitis I think Mr Kaiba," the man said as he sat back, letting Seto hand Atemu a glass of water. It helped to soothe his sore throat for about two seconds before the irritation was back. It took his sluggish brain a moment or two to realise this man was the doctor Seto had called for in the middle of the night. "Nothing too serious." Seto nodded and Atemu leaned back against the pillows, intent on falling back asleep.

"Then what's with the raised temperature?" The doctor shrugged as he packed up his things and Atemu watched him drowsily, comparing him to the freakish looking doctors back in New Thebes. There, they travelled around waving heavy incense that made him nauseous and more often than not made things worse. This man actually seemed to know what he was doing.

"Most likely exhaustion. If he's been having nightmares along with the bronchitis it's his body's sign that he needs rest," the doctor said, picking up his bag. Seto nodded again.

"Thank you, Dr Drake. Roland will see you to the door," Seto said, gesturing to the security man to come out of hiding. Once the doctor was gone Seto then turned on Atemu. "Guess you're not going anywhere in a while." Atemu groaned, hating behind confined further. Seto just shook his head with a wry smile and left the room. Well, this day just got better and better.

Sighing Atemu burrowed under the covers, although now he really did feel a little too hot but outside was just a little too cold so he went for warmth instead. The bed was nice, even if it wasn't his bed back home or above the Game Store where he was certain that he would be able to hear something, anything, going on. Here, it was just quiet and boring since both Seto and Mokuba would have places to go now that they knew he wasn't dying. The Ishtars were out as well, giving Yugi a tour of the new exhibit at the museum (and since Atemu had seen all the artefacts already he had an idea of what the reaction there would be) and Bakura had been sent to keep an eye on things. Which meant that Seto had told him to do his job again.

Atemu sighed, already bored and wondered if he would be able to get some more sleep. It was obvious that Seto wouldn't be letting him out of bed until he was better, which was boring, and that he would have very little entertainment with that. Maybe he should have brought some books with him.

There was a soft knock at the door and Atemu sat up, blinking rapidly. It couldn't have been all that long could it? He checked the clock next to his bed. No, still morning. So who…?

"Come in," he called softly, partly because his throat was still sore. Thinking of that, the pain seemed deeper than that, sort of chest area as well. What had the doctor said? Bronchitis? Wasn't that to do with the lungs or something? For once, Atemu wished that he had attended a modern school where you actually learnt about things that affected your health and not about the flood season and what the appropriate action would be in a famine. It would be nice to know what was wrong with him.

A grey head popped around the corner with beady purple eyes. Atemu smiled in almost relief. Grandpa.

"Hello Atemu," Grandpa said as he carefully closed the door and made his way over to the bed. Atemu noticed he had brought a bag with him which he placed by the bed. "I heard you were suffering from bronchitis."

"Yes…" Atemu said, wishing his voice was stronger. He didn't often get ill and when he did, he just wished he would get better because he hated being pitied. Grandpa, however, just smiled and pulled something from the bag at his feet.

"Well, I thought that sitting here would be boring for you, so I brought some entertainment," Grandpa said, smirking as he pulled the thing into view. A Duel Monsters deck. Atemu grinned, reaching for his own on the bedside table.

"You'll find it hard to beat me," Atemu said, happy that someone cared about what he got up to during the day. Grandpa laughed, his eyes alight with the thought of a challenge.

"Oh, really…"

Yugi stared at the boy in front of him. He couldn't believe this. Twice in two days! Ryou looked a little surprised as well, but smiled in greeting, walking around Marik and coming over to join them.

"Hello Yugi," he said, his hand held out, proper manners and everything. "I didn't know it would be you that Dad would be giving a tour to." Yugi blinked again, before shaking his hands and giving Ryou a smile of his own.

"That's fine. I didn't know that Mr Hashini was your father…" He wasn't quite sure what to say. The two didn't look the same considering that he looked much more like Bakura than Mr Hashini. Something flickered across Ryou's face, a sign of uncertainty, before the smile was back.

"Oh… well… yeah," Ryou said breathily, suddenly shy and losing all the high end politeness that Yugi was used to hearing out of his mouth. Was there a hint of hesitancy there as well? "W-Well, you see, I'm… I'm a… a…" Suddenly Yugi could see the problem. It was exactly the same one he had had before Joey had taken him under his wing and what was stopping him from just blurting it out.

"It's okay," Yugi said, not wanting Ryou to have to say it out loud if he didn't want to. "I don't mind." Joey jumped in, protective as usual.

"We don't care about stuff like that," Joey said, winking at Ryou. "Now what about that tour!" Yugi didn't think Joey was all that enthused about the tour but, like him, didn't want Ryou to feel uncomfortable. Ryou smiled gratefully at Yugi and they moved towards Ishizu and Mr Hashini.

"Well, if that's everyone," Mr Hashini began but Ishizu shook her head.

"We are still missing somebody," she said, cutting him off before he could start the tour. Yugi blinked, wondering who else was on this tour.

"Who else is coming?" Joey asked. Before anyone could answer a familiar voice drifted over.

"I'd say I'm sorry but you were all going to start without me anyway," Bakura said as he stalked into the museum, as charming as always. He was dressed today in a black jacket, black jeans and a red shirt. He looked more menacing in it than his school uniform. Yugi caught Ryou staring as well as Mr Hashini and he couldn't blame them. If you hadn't met Bakura before, you wouldn't think that he had any feelings at all except from delight in pain.

"And who are you?" Mr Hashini snapped, his hand reaching towards the security behind him. Daisuke put a hand out to stop the guard from moving forwards. Ishizu shook her head at Mr Hashini, placing a calming hand on his shoulder.

"This is Bakura. He is an envoy from New Thebes such as me and my brothers. He's promised to be on his best behaviour," she said, emphasizing the last two words as if to make them clear to Bakura as well who shrugged and scowled at the guard who was backing up slightly. Even Daisuke rocked away from him. Bakura seemed to be in a worse mood than usual. There was a moment of awkward silence before Mr Hashini gestured for them to move onwards.

"Alright then," he said, moving away from the entrance. "I suppose we can now start the tour, since there are no more surprise guests." Was it just Yugi's imagination or did the curator sound slightly terrified? There was something about the way he was glancing between Bakura and Ryou that didn't seem right. Did he know something? Thinking on that, something was up with Bakura too. He was looking anywhere and everywhere apart from at Ryou. In fact his hands were at his sides and balled into fists. Ishizu had dropped back and he could hear her talking to him quietly until he snapped something at her in Wesret. Her face twisted a moment before she sped up away from him. Yugi supposed he wanted to be anywhere but the museum.

"There are many interesting artefacts in the new exhibition kindly donated by Miss Ishtar and her family," Mr Hashini was saying. "The first are through here. Now back in Ancient Egypt the citizens played a game similar to ours of Duel Monsters. You are familiar with this game yes?" Mr Hashini paused only a moment before moving on and into a darkened room. Yugi could only really make out several large glass cases winking in the light from the doorway. "I ask you not to be too shocked," he said as he flicked the light on. Yugi was about to ask what he meant by that when he saw the tablet before him. Blinked. Looked again. Stared for a bit and then whispered goodbye to his sanity. Bakura only started to laugh.

"Your eyes don't deceive you shrimp. You're actually seeing that." Joey turned to face Bakura, fists raised.

"You knew about this!" he shouted. Yugi only felt numb, continuing to stare at the depiction in front of him. He could feel Ryou shaking his shoulder slightly, looking concerned but he just couldn't stop staring. This was so… so weird. Weirder than being a prince, weirder than standing next to Bakura's brother and knowing that as a fact. Bakura was smirking.

"It's not exactly a secret back home."

"What is it?" Ryou asked, giving up on pulling Yugi out of his trance. Mr Hashini seemed to be happy that he had gained such a reaction from the group.

"It is the tablet of the Nameless Pharaoh. It depicts his battle against his greatest rival, the Priest Seth." Bakura didn't seem impressed by that view.

"Is that the crap you're dishing out?" he snorted in disgust. "And you say that you're an expert in hieroglyphics."

"And you think you know more than me?" Mr Hashini snapped, not happy that he was being challenged. Yugi turned his head away, if only to give himself time to digest what he was seeing.

"Please," Bakura sneered. "The local pig boys back home could tell you what that tablet is."

"Fine then. You tell us what it is," Mr Hashini snapped, folding his arms. Marik looked like he was trying not to laugh while Ishizu looked disapproving. Odion just looked impassive, although the amused glint in his eye indicated otherwise. Yugi just hoped that Bakura's explanation made sense.

"The tablet tells you about the Nameless Pharaoh's prophecy. That he was killed in battle against a being of great darkness and that he left his throne to his most trusted priest and cousin, Seth, who ruled fairly and justly afterwards, founding a new dynasty since, you know, he was the last royal left." Bakura rattled the information off like this was a school lesson, not a museum tour. It was clear that this was common knowledge in New Thebes. Yugi wished it had been common knowledge to him as well.

"Then why does it look like…?" Yugi whispered, reaching out towards the tablet, wondering that if he touched it, the depiction would change. Reality seemed to be slipping away as it didn't. Silence met his question apart from two very confused people in the room.

"Who does it look like?" Ryou asked quietly and Yugi was glad that he wasn't like Mr Hashini, as much as he preferred him over Bakura. It was a relief to be believed but he wasn't sure how to answer. Thankfully, Joey did.

"Atemu. It looks like Yug's brother, Atemu." With that, darkness seemed to close over Yugi head's and the tablet slipped from his grasp.

Atemu gasped, suddenly dizzy, dropping his hand onto the sheets.

"Atemu?" Grandpa asked concern laced into his voice as he set his cards aside. Atemu couldn't answer as his head spun, the room fading for a moment replaced by something he knew well. "Atemu… It looks like Yug's brother, Atemu." He couldn't work out where the words were coming from and for a moment he saw nothing but black.

These were not his memories, of that he was sure. As certain as he was that his recent dreams were not a part of his mind and yet were at the same time. Yugi… he found himself thinking. Something's happened to Yugi. The world was coming back into focus but Atemu couldn't shake the feeling that something had happened at the museum.

"Grandpa…" Atemu had to pull strength from some reserve he wasn't aware he had as a sudden bout of exhaustion fell upon him. "Where is Yugi right now?"

"At the museum with Ishizu, Marik, Odion and Bakura. Why?" Atemu could hear worry in the old man's voice, a little like how his father's had been when the snake had bitten him after he had learnt that if Bakura hadn't been there then his son would have died. It was the worry of a parent and Atemu was grateful for that now. But something was nagging at him. Why would I get a vision of the tablet of the Nameless Pharaoh? Unless…

"What artefacts are in the exhibition were they going to see?" he croaked, willing his eyes to stay open by sheer force of will. Grandpa blinked, looking uncertain.

"I don't know. Ishizu said that it would be about the Nameless Pharaoh and I know that Yugi's always had an interest in him so I told her that he would go." Atemu groaned quietly, a sudden revelation coming over him. "What is it?"

"I think Yugi's just seen the tablet of the Nameless Pharaoh. And no one warned him about what was on it…" Grandpa seemed to realise what he was saying and blinked.

"Ah," was all he said though and then gathered up their respective decks. "You should get some rest, Atemu. I'll be back later with some food." Atemu nodded and yawned, snuggling back under the covers, grateful to get some sleep that wouldn't involve screaming in the night.

Urgh, the skipping around in this chapter is really annoying me. I'm sorry if anyone else is annoyed by the jumping around but it was the best I could do.

Anyway, more plot! I don't know why I'm so surprised by this, probably because I'm reconciling the ideas in my head of how this will end with how to get there. But yeah, I hope it's not too confusing.

So notice: I have something like eight or nine weeks until my AS Levels, which I need to do well in to impress the universities I want to apply to next year. As well as this, I'm still in the process of finishing off the last few bits of a project that also counts as an AS and so I'm really busy revising and working that it's going to affect the update times of this story. I apologise in advance that they will be as stilted as parts of this chapter but there isn't much I can do about it except write and update when I can.

So answers to people who reviewed!

angiembabe: If I answered your questions I would be giving away the plot unfortunately. Don't worry I will explain everything later but for now all I can tell you is that it's not prophecy.

Hikari Kame: Don't worry there will be more brotherly love coming later. They have to reconcile things first. Unfortunately concerning Akhefia and Ryou I'm still figuring how to reconcile them (since, you know, Ryou's clueless) and also, that won't happen to the sequel where Ryou will play a bigger part. But you still have Atem and Yugi :)

Aqua Girl 007: I'm glad you liked Ryou's introduction, even though he keeps slipping in here for reasons unknown. And I have done swearing in my teenage work before, I just thought it sounded more likely that Atem would call Seto a donkey rather than prolific swearing considering where he had been living for the past six years at that point. I'm sorry that didn't come across very easily in my last author's note.