So this was earlier than I expected but I just started writing and this chapter wrote itself. One more exam to go and then I am free! At least for another year.

Anyway, enough of me and my exams, enjoy this chapter!

Joey was fuming. Every time he started to feel even vaguely sorry for Atemu he went and did something that just rubbed Joey the wrong way and this time was no different. First he acted like he was all sorry that he and Yugi were going to be separated in the morning when in reality it was actually Yugi that wouldn't be around for who knew how long! Joey was fairly certain that Yugi had known none of this since his friend was such a bad liar but there was a niggling voice in the back of his head that muttered over the fact that he hadn't told anyone about Atemu for years. Then again, he never lied he just didn't tell the truth.

Joey felt sorry for Ryou who had stopped by when he had been in a mood but he was just mad. It wasn't like his friend to just disappear off the face of the earth. What made it all the worse was that Joey couldn't forget that if it hadn't been for Atemu, Serenity would be blind right about now.

"Joseph, what's wrong?" Joey bit his lip before blurting out the first, unflattering thing that popped into his head when he heard his mother's voice. It wasn't that he hated her, it was just that it still rankled that she chose Serenity over him. That she still refused to take him away from his abusive and drunkard father as she 'didn't have room'. Joey had looked up her address on the internet once and discovered that it was a three-bedroom flat in Nagoya.

"Nothing's wrong, Mom. I'm just wondering what Yug's up to," Joey said carefully, making sure he kept any trace of annoyance out of his voice. His mother would catch it and then interrogate him until everything came out before lecturing him on the proper course of action. As if she would understand after distancing herself from him for nearly ten years. Which, in hindsight, was as long as Yugi and his brother had been separated but Joey hadn't known him back then.

Marissa Wheeler studied her son carefully, trying to work out whether he was lying or not. Seeming to come to the conclusion that he wasn't upset with her, she gave him a tentative smile and brushed his cheek.

"Whatever it is, Joseph, I'm sure you'll figure out what to do. You're a smart boy and I believe in you." Joey blinked, unsure of what to make of that. Nothing as deep as that had ever left his mother's mouth before, certainly not in aim at him. Usually, she gave him a sad look, as if she knew that while he wasn't on drugs right now, he would probably fall into them later. It had always grated on his nerves that she didn't seem to believe in him but to hear the words out of her mouth was surreal.

"Y-You mean that?" he asked, stunned, momentarily forgetting that he was angry with Atemu. Marissa smiled wider and nodded.

"I know that I've been unfair towards you in the past and that it's probably too late to patch things up right now, but let me tell you this. I have regretted the day that I left you alone here for a long time but I was too afraid to take you away from your father as you made such an impression on him. I thought that if I left you here, it would help him realise that there was more to life than drink and then after a time I became afraid that you were turning into him. You became so distant but I realise that that was my fault alone." She smiled again and cupped his face tenderly, in a way she hadn't for years. "Don't make my mistakes. I left your father because I was angry and I left you with him for too long because I was afraid of what to do. You have the best of both of us Joey. Whoever has gotten you this mad probably doesn't deserve it." Joey recoiled from her grip, turning away. After that conversation he wasn't sure what to think about her now.

"It's complicated."

"Why don't you tell me about it? I have time before we need to get Serenity from the hospital."

"We?" Joey blinked, stunned at the plural. He was so used to 'I and Serenity' and still reeling from the past five minutes, he couldn't think straight. Marissa just put an arm around his shoulders and gave him a brief hug, enough for Joey to remember everything he had been through and how little she had done to pull away sharply. He sighed then, remembering Yugi and his face, tear-stained and confused, lost after one simple confession. He had promised to keep that secret but perhaps his mother could help with some of the other stuff.

"It's a long story and I'm not sure what to make of it." He paused and Marissa nodded for him to continue. Joey took a breath to steady himself before ploughing into it completely. "So, I recently found out that Yug' has a twin called Atemu. I haven't seen much of him but what I do know is really conflicting. The first time we met I thought he was some kind of weird stalker, since they look similar but not really alike… that didn't make sense." Joey ran his hands through his hair, frustrated that even when talking out loud, he couldn't figure out Atemu.

"Well, what does he look like?" Marissa said kindly. "Does he look like Yugi?"

"Kind of. A lot, actually now that I think about it but still different. He's about four or five inches taller than Yugi and he takes after their dad in that he has tanned skin and these creepy crimson eyes that are more slanted that Yug's. They have the same coloured hair but Atemu doesn't wear it gelled up in spikes like Yug' and he looks like he works out more but it was kinda hard to tell since he wears long sleeves a lot." Marissa raised an eyebrow. "He lives in Egypt," Joey explained and his mother nodded, gesturing for him to continue.

"So, I met him and he just… I don't know he just rubbed me the wrong way. He had this weird way of sitting like you were some kind of threat to him and act like a prick sometimes 'cause he'd start acting like he was royalty or something…" Yeah, looking back that made way too much sense, and had turned out to be true. Not that his mother would know that. "But then, he paid for Serenity's operation. I mean, he didn't even know me! All he knew was that we didn't have the money and that I was a friend of Yug's and he just said he'd pay for it, right then and there! But then he did something to Yug'… I can't really explain it and Yugi didn't tell me all the details…" Which was true. Sort of. "But he must have made it up to Yug' again somehow because they were really close right up until he had to go home to Egypt again! Except no one bothered to tell us that Yug' was going along with him!" There was a long moment of silence while Marissa processed this. She then stood up and placed a hand on Joey's shoulder.

"If you want my opinion, it sounds to me like you're really close to Yugi and that you're afraid to let anyone else in. I know from your e-mails that Yugi was bullied a lot and I think that all this comes from protecting Yugi naturally yourself that you feel threatened whenever anyone tries to take that responsibility away from you. And perhaps Atemu didn't know that Yugi was going to Egypt any more than you did."

"But… but…" Joey had to admit she had a point. He didn't know that Atemu hadn't known. In fact, he had seemed just as upset as Yugi on their birthday, if in his own way. He sighed and shrugged. "Maybe your right mom." Marissa beamed and nodded towards the car.

"So, to get Serenity then?"

He was encased in darkness. There was nothing, no one just an endless empty void, dark and writhing with creatures straight from anyone's nightmares. Ryou twisted and turned but there was no way out. He couldn't wake, he couldn't dream, he couldn't do anything! The only thing within this darkness was a single slab of carved stone, circular and shaped a lot like a sarcophagus lid. However, spaced were carved into the things for different items. Seven in total. One was already filled with the Millennium Ring.

"Free me, survivor of Kul Elna and all your questions will be answered." Ryou struggled but found himself wrapped in chains. They held him tightly to the stone, bringing forth blood with every movement. Ryou sobbed from the pain, watching his own blood drip onto the ragged and dirty tunic he was wearing. For some reason that wasn't strange to him but he would have given anything to be out of this place, tunic or no.

"Please, leave me alone!" Ryou cried, tears leaking from his eyes. The darkness writhed, pulling the chains even tighter. He noticed now that they had small sharp stud on them, which dug and ripped through his skin like it was nothing. Something roared in anger.

"You will free me, child of darkness! You are a pathetic creation, with no backbone! If you will not free me then I shall steal your body and free myself with the help of my Dark Paladin!"

"No!" this was wrong, so wrong but Ryou couldn't figure out why. For a moment he thought he glimpsed the creature that he was arguing with, a huge dark shape, all red eyes and leathery wings but he noticed that it too was chained. The chains were not substantial like his were but they glowed with a kind of light, a light which strangely reminded him of Yugi. That gave him strength for some reason.

"You cannot leave without my help and I will never help you!" Something rose up within him then, some power he didn't know he had. A blast of power, which was strangely dark and yet not dark at the same time, shot from his hands towards the creature. He could feel the bonds holding it. They were weakening but still holding strong. They just needed replenishing; this creature would not be freed!

The creature roared again, in both pain and anger as Ryou tugged the bonds, holding them tight. "I am one of the last Keepers of the Millennium Stone and I will not let you free, Dark One!" He didn't know where the words came from and he didn't know what he was doing but somehow he knew that this thing couldn't be free. The creature laughed and one claw seemed to reach out of the darkness and almost tenderly stroked his check, the twisted parody of a mother's loving caress.

"Oh, little Keeper. If only you were trained. You could have been a proper Keeper, like your brother but you are not. It is true that you could hold me off for some time on instinct alone, but what will happen when your concentration slips? When that time comes you will take the Ring to the Stone and prepare for my arrival as it has been your fate since the day my Dark Paladin set our plans in motion. Or do you not wonder why you are in Japan and not thieving table scraps with your brother?" Dark laughter and Ryou was tired, so tired and yet so awake…

"No…" Realisation came too late and the darkness swallowed him whole.

Light… the creature cringed at the light, having been in the darkness for so long. The darkness was where it held sway, the light nothing more than a barrier between him and that power but it couldn't be helped for now. It pushed itself up, working used muscles and sneering at the weak and pathetic body this mortal owned. Not its first choice for slave but for now it would have to do. The first thing to go, however, was this damned innocent look, sickening to its eyes.

Slow movements led it across a room it barely paid attention to, towards the bathroom. Taking care of the troublesome human needs for now, he finished up at glanced in the mirror above the sink. A pale face, white hair and brown eyes stared back. Silly little mortal it sneered, enjoying the ways its face darkened at that, and evil light in its eyes. It thought it could defeat me the sources of all darkness. Stupid, impertinent mortal.

It returned to the room, putting on the required clothes. For a short time only he would have to play along with the mindless daily movements of this mortal, a feat which wasn't hard. He had been watching, waiting for the perfect moment to strike, patiently putting his plan in place throughout the years. And what were years to a creature of darkness? Oh, five thousand years locked in the darkest recesses of the Shadow realm with this pathetic piece of his being the only part capable of form in the real world was nothing really, an annoyance on the surface of things. An annoyance that he would soon be putting to rights. The pharaoh and his little Heba would soon remember their place in the world.

"Ryou!" The creature curled its lip in disgust at the sound of the woman's voice, high pitched and repulsive to its ears. "Ryou hurry up! You're going to be late!" Ah, yes, the drudgery of a school that these mortals sent his form to. Well, he wouldn't be going there today. He had errands to sort out, plots to put into place, a trip to Egypt to sort out. Japan was just inconvenient right now. All the people it wanted revenge upon had left the country already.

"I'll be down soon Mother!" he called, shuddering at the sound of the mortal's voice. So light and innocent… he smirked to himself. "Yes, but not to that irrelevant building you deem worthy as a school," he muttered, allowing his voice to deepen, liking the way it sounded. After another glance around the room he picked up the Millennium Ring from the bedside table, placing it around his neck and winced at the feel of the bonds suddenly pulled tight.

"No, I won't let you hurt people!" The creature growled, doubling over at the pain the pesky mortal suddenly imposed. Unfortunately, his grip on the mortal could only be maintained through the Millennium Ring but since it was now acting as a prison for the mortal's soul as well as his own, it strengthened the mortal's hold on him.

"You will be quiet mortal. And you will be still." He tightened his grip on the shadow chains imprisoning the mortal's soul and heard a satisfying cry of pain. That would teach the boy to attempt anything more. Clearly he was more stubborn than he had realised. One last check that everything was where it should be he picked up the bag sitting by the door and left the room, satisfied that this day would not be wasted. There was much to be getting on with, with so little time to do it in.

Mana was tired and sick of sitting on a horse or camel, depending on the day or temperament of the people she was with. Mahad was practically sleeping in the saddle and Kisara looked to be engrossed in playing with strands of her pale blue hair within her cloak. Mana had often wondered why, whenever she was out of the palace walls, she insisted upon covering up her pale locks. The other girl was a few years older than Mana, being eighteen where she was only fifteen, and normally confident outside of her quiet exterior. Not to mention that she was extremely pretty. But she had understood when they had left the palace together one day in search of pomegranates for the kitchens. The moment someone had caught sight of those beautiful locks of hair, they had been pelted with stones and clods of animal faeces or whatever other disgusting and vile things the people could get their hands on. To outsiders, she was a curse but Mana felt that was unfair. They didn't know her at all, who were they to judge?

She sighed, puffing out a bored breath of air into the shimmering heat of the desert. They were supposed to reach Cairo in the next hour or so but so far, Mana hadn't seen any sign of the city. They were passing into the fertile green lands of the Nile banks, green fields and crops appearing on either side of them and they were mainly left alone. One look at their little procession (and Hotep) and the farmers practically disappeared. A few had ventured up to their group when they made camp and offered food and fresh water for them and their mounts which had allowed Mana to realise why they were taught Arabic in the magician's guild. Many magicians were sent out on missions such as this, conspiring with the locals as far away as the Nile Delta and not one of them spoke Wesret. It made her realise how small her world truly was and how big this one was.

Right now they were following a road made out of something hard and completely different to the dusty herd tracks they had previously been following. There still wasn't much to look at in the grand scheme of things, just the same old farms and she was about to shift into a more comfortable position on the camel to sleep when Kisara suddenly reached out from her own mount and grabbed her arm.

"Mana, look!" the other girl gasped, pointing ahead. Mana looked up and blinked, wondering if she was seeing this correctly. Stretching above the road at the side was a strange growth made of metal. It was long and tall, a pole really but after stretching up into the sky some few feet it suddenly bent at a ninety degree angle and stretched over the road for a metre or so. At the end of this overhang was a strange bulb-like growth on it, like watching a pomegranate or fig grow without the tree.

"What is that?" Mana exclaimed, staring at it. This was nothing like New Thebes at all. And if this was the rest of Egypt… she wondered ever more strongly what Japan was like, what ordinary girls her age did in this world. Mahad seemed to notice their awe at this simple creation and hung back, his horse pawing impatiently at the ground. Hotep was already at the foot of the thing, stalking around it, checking for threats. Deciding that he didn't like the thing but it wouldn't hurt anyone he raced off, further up the road, looking anxious to get to the city. They must be close then, if Hotep was this agitated.

"I believe it is called a 'lamp-post'. The people here use it to light the roads after dark," Mahad said quietly, joining them. They had passed it by now but Mana could see more up ahead.

"It doesn't look like any kind of lamp to me," Mana said stubbornly, looking up at the next approaching one.

"They seem to be watching the road like the sphinxes of the Temples," Kisara said quietly, sounding overwhelmed already by these changes. Mahad seemed troubled by her comparison but shrugged at this, urging his horse further ahead.

Mana could begin to spot difference now. The people here wore clothes similar to theirs, but now slightly different and stared at them in an awe that stated they were not used to seeing a soon-to-be royal procession. Oxen carts were more common than horses, most likely because they had the water to feed them out here and they were stronger than horses. Both Mana and Kisara shrieked as a strange horseless cart sped past at a speed that mana had not considered possible. She was scared of this new world and she and Kisara stuck together as the city finally came into view.

It was big, bigger than New Thebes even. The houses were built differently, bigger and made of a sturdier material than ordinary mud-brick that she was used to. There were many more roads than she had ever seen, all paved in the same way that the road they were on was. Even the people were different, some pale of skin, paler than Seto when he first arrived in Egypt, others simply tanned. Some had the same skin tone as the people from Nubia across their borders, darker than those within the walls of Egypt. Their hair colour was different too. Mana was used to that, she lived with Atem whose hair was multi-coloured and exotic to their many visitors and Kisara, who was a pale beauty, but this was almost too much. Red hair, yellow hair, grey hair like Shimon… some even had purple or green hair! Many had black and brown like she was used to but their clothes too were different, better materials and closer fitting than anything she had ever seen. It was almost too much.

They made their way slowly through the streets, minding their way carefully around the horseless carriages and oxen carts that swarmed the streets. People screamed and jumped out of the way as Hotep slinked through the crowds in search of his master. Khamet was impatiently camping in his bit, attempting to get away from his handler (for no one would presume that they should ever ride the prince's horse unless they were a royal groom), spooked by the sudden riot of… everything really. People, carriages, hung out washing, shouting, words in languages that Mana couldn't understand… her head spun with it all but she was excited now, rather than scared. This was all so new and there was so much to see! She now felt disappointed that they wouldn't be staying for long. And soon, so very very soon, she would see Atem again!

"Stick close by Mana, Kisara!" Mahad cried over the din of the place. "And someone get Hotep on a leash! We don't want any accidents!" Mana almost giggled at the sudden muttered arguments that broke out between the guards at that statement. Hotep was famous for biting at anyone and anything that wasn't Atem. He tolerated Mana because she looked after him whenever Atem wasn't around and had curled up around her or Kisara during their week long journey to Cairo (she had suddenly understood the appeal of having a pet leopard). Eventually three guards snuck up towards the leopard, tow holding him down while the last struggled to tie the leash around Hotep neck but the leopard was having none of it. He yowled, lashing out with his paws and sapping at the guards. Mana frowned and then dismounted from the camel, not waiting for it to settle down to the ground.

"Stop it," she snapped, angry at how they were hurting the leopard. "Give me the leash." The guards glanced at each other, wondering if they should follow a servant daughter's commands. That stung and she could see Mahad out of the corner of her eye coming towards them. She scowled, both at the guards and with the anger that she couldn't even give a single order without it being questioned by someone, even if that order came from someone as important as Atem.

"Do as she says," Mahad said quietly behind her and the guards dropped Hotep immediately. He instantly leapt to his feet and lunged towards the guards, growling and snarling, swiping with his claws. She stood between them and the angry leopard, staring it down. Hotep didn't stop growling but at least settled down in his motions. She was aware that a crowd was forming, staring at the little serving girl facing a leopard that could quiet easily kill her.

"Easy, Hotep," she murmured quietly, hands held out to show that she held no threat. The rope that would form the leash lay on the ground beside Hotep, who was glaring at the guards behind her. "Easy." He turned his gaze on her as she slowly approached. As she came level with the leopard and the rope, she crouched down. Hotep instantly tensed, sensing a threat in that movement. Mana paused, watching the leopard carefully, talking to him quietly in a soothing voice. "We'll see Atem soon, Hotep, I promise. But I need to put this on you so that the people here feel safe." She watched as the leopard eyed her and the rope, before finally lying on his stomach and letting her tie the rope around his neck. Hotep growled all the while, showing he was displeased, but Mana was just happy that he hadn't tried to eat her. However she didn't expect the tentative clapping from the crowd, people staring at her in awe and wonder, as if she had just accomplished a previously thought to be impossible feat.

"I-I'll walk with Hotep," Mana said to Mahad, feeling self-conscious at the attention. Mahad opened his mouth as if to argue but suddenly Kisara was there too, standing behind her.

"I'll walk too. We've been riding too long and I think the pair of us could do with stretching our legs," she said as if it were obvious. Mahad closed his mouth and nodded.

From the ground everything seemed even louder and Mana was aware that people were staring at the pair walking a leopard through the streets. They finally reached a building that seemed both grander and gaudier than the palace.

"This is where Prince Atem and Seto are staying?" Kisara sounded surprised and Mana shrugged.

"I think Seto would have organised it." She would have said more but at that moment, Hotep tugged so hard at the leash that it was ripped out of her hand. "No!" Mana cried, envisioning complaints from the people who ran this place already. And the punishment for them that would be handed out to them later for that damage. Sparing a glace with Kisara they ran after the leopard, following the shrieks and cries of people as the leopard bounded past them.

It was only when she heard a familiar cry that Mana felt relieved that the leopard hadn't killed anyone on his mad dash to meet with Atem again. She would have giggled at the scene before her, Atem on the ground with Hotep happily purring and licking his face on his chest, if the people in his company hadn't brought her to a grinding halt (and nearly knocking some poor man flying who was holding a tray of drinks).

Standing around Atem with expression varying from amusement to annoyance were Seto and Akhefia but they weren't alone. Looking rather alarmed at the appearance of leopard from seemingly nowhere, was a boy who looked almost identical to Atem.

Oh my God, their almost all in Egypt and the end is in sight! Kind of. Maybe. Who knows, with me but I can feel it ending which is sad and encouraging at the same time (weird I know). Anyway, I wasn't expecting to update so soon after my author's note but yeah, as I said, this chapter just kind of wrote itself. And it's longer too!

Thank you to, Aqua girl 007, Guest 1, Guest 2 and FicKer001 for your lovely reviews and the luck for my exams! I needed it and I love you all! Until the next update!