I couldn't get the Document Manager/Upload to work, so that's why this is late.
Enjoy!
Chapter 2- The First Day
Yugi had known that Yami would be arriving that day, so he was ready for when Yami arrived. He had sensed when Heba had opened the portal.
Yami stepped out of the portal and looked around at the lavish palace in amazement.
The Millennial Palace was much more lavish than the one in Egypt.
Yugi was standing behind Yami. "Welcome to the Millennial Kingdom, Prince Yami." Yugi said.
Yami turned around to face Yugi. "Thank you for having me, Emperor Yugi." Yami replied, bowing to him.
"Please. You don't need to bow to me at any time during your stay. And just call me Yugi." Yugi told him.
"Are you sure?" Yami asked, knowing that calling him by his title was a sign of respect.
"I am certain, Prince Yami. I would prefer it this way." Yugi said.
"All right then, and please just call me Yami." Yami said, not really wanting to be called by his title.
"Fair's fair. Come this way. I'll show you to your room." Yugi said.
Yami started to follow Yugi down the hall
As the two made their way through the different halls, Yami noticed that there were sculptures and statues all over the place. Paintings were also hung on the wall on both side of the hall.
Yugi noticed that Yami was looking at all the artwork that was in the palace. "All this artwork is what has been accumulated over the years through the different reigns. They have been here for many years." Yugi said.
"Who made them?" Yami asked.
"Different painters and sculptures. Some just did these works of art, and some were pieces commissioned by the different kings." Yugi replied.
The two then arrived at a door.
"This will be your room, Yami. All your things that were sent here before are already in the room. I'll give you time to relax." Yugi said.
"Thanks you." Yami said.
Yugi smiled at him before he walked off.
Yami then walked into the room. He found that the bags and things that were sent there a few days before were, indeed, in the room.
Yami then took a look around the room.
The bed was twice the size of a king size bed, and it had fresh, silk sheets on the bed. There was a table beside the bed with a lamp beside it. There was a big bureau in a corner of the large room with a mirror on it. There was a love seat in the room as well as a recliner. A TV on a stand was in the room as well. There was also a Playstation 3 and a Wii in the room, too, along with several games for each.
Yami walked to one of the doors in the room and found that it was a closet for more things. He opened another door and found that it led into a large bathing room.
'This place is certainly lavish.' Yami thought, impressed with the way that everything was done.
Yami then walked back to his things and started to take everything out, putting them away in either the bureau or the closet.
After Yami finished putting everything away, he sat down on the bed and let out a sigh. 'I guess my stay here has begun.' Yami thought. He couldn't help but wonder how things would go from now on.
Yugi walked into the command room where he found his grandfather and Dartz in the room. "Anything that I need to know about?" Yugi asked.
The two turned to face Yugi.
"What are you doing here? I thought that you were meeting Prince Yami." Solomon said.
"I did, Grandpa. I showed him to his room, and I left him there so that he could take the time relax. He's fine, Grandpa." Yugi said.
"Well, the idea to have someone who was trained in construction to supervise each town and aid the ones that didn't know is working well. We have made twice the progress that we were before." Dartz said.
"That's good. I'm glad to hear that the rebuilding process is going faster." Yugi said.
"There is something else that we have to address." Solomon said.
"What's that?" Yugi asked.
"There are a few of Kenshin's loyal followers that have not been dealt with. Matsumoto is one of the main ones that we haven't dealt with yet. He is one of the ones that could bring about a rebellion against you." Solomon said.
"I know, Grandpa. I plan on dealing with him today as well as the other supporters." Yugi said.
Yugi knew that it was important to ensure that all of the people that supported his father were dead. They were a liability that he could not afford to leave alive. Yugi didn't want to take the chance that they would form a rebellion against him.
"Good. We can't have them trying to bring an end to what you are trying to create." Dartz said, knowing that what Yugi was doing wasn't something that they would want.
"What about Prince Yami? Will he watch what happens in the proceedings?" Solomon asked.
"Yes. Pharaoh Aknankanon sent him here as a representative for Egypt. He is supposed to witness all aspects of the kingdom, and I'm afraid that seeing that sort of thing is something that he will be expected to do." Yugi said.
"It is for the best that they are dealt with soon." Dartz said.
"I know, Dartz." Yugi said.
Yami had gotten sick of sitting around doing nothing, so he had left the room he had been given and was currently walking around the palace. He was looking around at everything.
"What are you doing there?" a sharp voice asked.
Yami turned to find that someone was approaching.
It was Rafael, who had aided Yugi in the rebellion.
"Oh! Prince Yami, I apologize. I didn't realize that it was you." Rafael immediately apologized once he realized whom he had spoken to.
Yami remembered him. "You're Rafael, right?" Yami asked.
"Yes, I am. I apologize for how I spoke to you." Rafael said.
"Don't worry about it. Why did you act like that?" Yami asked.
"You were getting close to the Emperor's rooms, and I didn't realize who you were at first." Rafael said.
"Oh. Yugi gave me time to relax, and I got bored, so I decided to explore a little. I had no idea that my room was so close to his." Yami said.
"Well, you're an important guest, so it doesn't surprise me that he felt like that. If you want to see him, I can take you to him now." Rafael said.
"I would appreciate that." Yami agreed.
Rafael then led Yami down the hall to where he knew Yugi probably was.
"Dartz, could you get Rafael, Valon, and Alister to get Matsumoto and bring him to the throne room?" Yugi asked.
"Certainly." Dartz answered. He started to leave when Rafael walked into the room with Yami.
Yugi turned at sensing the new presences and saw Yami. "Yami, what are you doing here?" Yugi asked.
"I was a little bored, so I started to explore the palace. Rafael led me here." Yami answered.
"Okay. Rafael, go get Valon and Alister and bring Matsumoto to the throne room for me." Yugi said.
"Of course, Emperor Yugi." Rafael said. He bowed before leaving.
"I'll give you a tour of the palace later on. I'm sorry that I didn't think about you wanting to leave the room." Yugi said.
"It's all right. I know that you have a lot on your mind." Yami said.
Solomon chuckled. "He makes a good point, Yugi. You do have a great deal that is on your mind." Solomon said.
"Hello again, Lord Solomon." Yami said.
"Please, just call me Solomon." Solomon said.
"Call me Yami then." Yami replied.
"Very well." Solomon said.
"I know I have a lot on my mind, Grandpa. It doesn't excuse my forgetfulness." Yugi said.
"It's no big deal." Yami assured him. He thought a moment before he said, "Who is Matsumoto, anyway?"
"Matsumoto was one of my father's greatest supporters. In fact, he was actually my father's right-hand man. He could be a major threat to us if not dealt with immediately along with a few others. We haven't dealt with all of my father's supporters yet. I'll be dealing with the last few now." Yugi answered.
Yami nodded. "I understand." Yami said.
"If you wish, you can attend." Yugi said.
"I think that I will." Yami said, knowing that he needed to observe all aspects of the kingdom while he was there.
"You should go on to the throne room then." Solomon suggested.
"You're right. Do you want to come now, Yami?" Yugi asked.
"I believe that I will." Yami said.
The two the left the room.
"If you don't mind me asking, wasn't the throne room destroyed when the battle with your father was going on?" Yami asked.
"Yes, it was. Most of my focus has been on rebuilding the towns that were destroyed during my father's reign of terror. Dartz is the head of a small crew that is slowly rebuilding the parts of the palace that were destroyed in the battle." Yugi said.
"I see. How is rebuilding the kingdom going?" Yami asked, curious.
"It's coming along, but it's going to take a while to get everything fixed, and it's going to take even longer to get all of the people back on their feet." Yugi said.
"Well, I'm sure that you'll be able to help them." Yami said.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence. I wish that I was as confident as you." Yugi said.
"It might take a while, but you're trying. From what I do know, it's more than your father did." Yami said.
"It's a lot more than my father did." Yugi agreed.
The two then entered the throne room. There were still a few signs of the battle that had taken place, but not as many signs.
"You can sit over there during all of this." Yugi said, motioning to a chair that was not that far from the throne itself.
"All right." Yami agreed.
It wasn't long before Yugi was informed that Alister, Valon, and Rafael had Matsumoto, and that they would be bringing him to the throne shortly.
Dartz and Solomon soon arrived with a few other people who had to be there when all this took place.
Yugi sat down on the throne, and Yami sat down in the seat that Yugi had pointed out to him.
"Tell them to bring him in." Yugi said in a commanding voice.
A few moments later, Rafael walked into the throne room with Alister and Valon behind him, bringing a struggling Matsumoto into the room.
"Let go of me this instant! This is an outrage! I am of noble class! I won't have peasant like you manhandling me!" Matsumoto growled as he tried to get away.
Alister and Valon were much stronger than the man was, so Matsumoto was no match for the two of them.
'He hasn't taken well to the change in rulers.' Yami thought, seeing the look of anger and hatred that Matsumoto was looking at Yugi with.
Alister and Valon forced Matsumoto to kneel before the throne with Rafael standing not that far away, in case Alister and Valon needed his help in any way.
"Matsumoto!" Yugi said in a loud, firm voice.
Every person in the room, including the angered Matsumoto, looked at Yugi.
"You have been brought here charged as a traitor to the Millennial Kingdom for your aiding the former Emperor in his reign of tyranny." Yugi said.
"You shouldn't even be the Emperor! If Emperor Kenshin were here, he would show you a thing or two!" Matsumoto spat with resentment.
"In case you have forgotten, Matsumoto, I defeated my father in a fair battle. You know the terms of the Huang Day Ching." Yugi said.
"It doesn't matter! As far as I am concerned, you are no Emperor!" Matsumoto spat.
'I think I understand why Yugi wants to deal with him as soon as possible. He would cause problems for them and try to rouse anger toward Yugi. Getting rid of him is the best thing.' Yami thought.
"What you think is of no consequence, Matsumoto. You are completely loyal to my father, and I cannot have someone who would do all that he did in my kingdom. You will be sentenced to death fro your role in all that happened during my father's reign." Yugi said.
"You don't have the authority to do that!" Matsumoto shouted.
"Actually, I do. I earned that right when I defeated my father. Take him back to the dungeons and make sure that he is secured in the cell before you leave." Yugi said.
The three nodded and dragged the struggling Matsumoto from the throne room.
Yugi shook his. They will all be like this, won't they?" Yugi asked.
"I'm afraid so." Solomon replied.
Yami felt sorry for Yugi. 'At least Atemu won't have to deal with things like this when he becomes Pharaoh of Egypt.' Yami thought.
The entire session continued like this. All of Kenshin's followers thought that Yugi didn't deserve to be king, and none of them showed any sort of respect. Yugi was forced to sentence them all to death.
"Some people just don't accept change." Dartz said.
"Unless the change is something works in favor of them. This doesn't work in their favor." Solomon stated.
Yugi dismissed the court, knowing that there was nothing else to be done that day.
"Yugi, do so many not like you being king now because they don't have as much freedom as they did under your father?" Yami asked.
"In a way. You see, they could attack, torture, rape, steal from, or even kill the common people without any repercussions. They know that they won't get away with it now. That's what they don't like." Yugi said.
"They don't like the fact that they won't be able to treat people like dirt anymore." Yami said.
"Exactly." Yugi answered.
"Well, I don't think that you were given much of a choice." Yami said.
"Thanks." Yugi said.
"What are you going to do now?" Yami asked.
"At this moment, I'm going to one of the nearby towns." Yugi answered.
"Why?" Yami asked.
Yugi smiled. "Come on. I'll show you." Yugi answered.
Yami nodded and followed Yugi out.
Atemu and Heba were in their room.
"I wonder how Yami's doing." Atemu said as he starred at the TV screen even though he wasn't really watching it.
Heba rolled his eyes as he lowered his book. "Até, he is going to be fine. I promise." Heba said.
"I know. I'm more wondering how he is going to adjust to being away from here for so long." Atemu said.
"Yami's a big boy, Yami. He can take care of himself." Heba said.
"Forgive me for worrying about my brother." Atemu retorted.
Heba put his book down and stood up from the chair he was in. He walked over to the bed and climbed onto it with Atemu. He wrapped his arms around Atemu and rested his head on Atemu's shoulder from behind. "Até, he is fine. You know that Yami is very capable of taking care of himself. He will be completely fine. Besides, I know that he will keep in touch. Plus, if your father will let us, we can go and see him every once in a while." Heba said.
"You know, I think that I would like that." Atemu said as he turned to look at Heba.
Heba smiled. "Don't worry, Yami. Everything will be fine. Yami isn't in any danger." Heba said, trying to assure his husband of what he knew was true.
Yami was surprised when they reached town. He saw that all of the people were working together to rebuild the town. The men were working on building the different structures. Some women were helping, and the women that weren't helping were making sandwiches and keeping the ones working hydrated.
"I don't think that I have ever seen people work together so well." Yami said.
"Well, these people all had to band together just to survive under my father's tyranny. They know that they have to work to get things back to the way they were. Besides, they want to help each other." Yugi explained.
Yami still wasn't sure why they were there.
Yugi then took off his cape and threw it into the vehicle that they had gone there in and started to walk forward.
"What are you doing?" Yami asked.
Yugi turned and smiled at him. "Well, I guess you could say that I like to help out, so I'm going to do that." Yugi answered before going to help some of the workers.
This surprised Yami more than anything. It was rare that a ruler would actually go and do manual work as far as this went.
'Father's a great ruler, but he doesn't go to this extent. He supplies everything that they need.' Yami thought.
Yami was starting to see this man in a completely different light.
Yugi walked up to a group of workers.
"Emperor, you're later than usual." Nakamura said.
Yugi smiled. "I know. I had to deal with Matsumoto and the rest of my father's supporters this morning. Plus, Prince Yami from Egypt arrived today." Yugi explained.
"Ah! I remember hearing something about him coming." Nakamura said.
"So, what do you need me to do?" Yugi asked.
"We could use some help in getting his house back up." Nakamura said.
Yugi nodded and proceeded to help the builders as they rebuilt the house.
Yami was shocked by Yugi's actions and how easily he spoke to the common people. 'Than again, Yugi fought along side them for a long time when they were rebelling that I guess they are all used to it.' Yami thought.
Deciding that he wasn't going to just around doing nothing, Yami took off his coat and threw it into the vehicle before walking over to where Yugi was. "What can I do to help?" Yami asked.
Yugi looked at him in surprise. "You don't have to do that, Yami." Yugi told him.
"I know I don't, but I want to." Yami explained.
Yugi nodded. "Nakamura." Yugi said, turning to the man.
"The more help, the better." Nakamura said.
Yami then started to help the group rebuild the house.
After working for a long time, Yami and Yugi returned to the palace.
"Do you go and help every day?" Yami asked.
"When I can. There's a lot that I have to do, so I don't get to help as much as I would like to. Some days, I can't even make it to help." Yugi said.
"Not many rulers would take the time to do the actual work like that." Yami said.
Yugi laughed. "I know. I've been told many times by Dartz and my grandfather that I am in an unconventional king in that aspect." Yugi said. He then turned serious. "I just saw on daily basis for a long time how they lived. It was horrible for the people. Three and four families in one small house with barley enough food to eat. Half the time they had to make it on one or two meals a day. The way that they were treated was inhumane. I saw their suffering. In fact, after I faked my death, I felt their suffering because I lived the way they did. I know what they went through. Just because I am emperor now doesn't change a thing. I understand what they had to live with, and I am going to do what I have to help them." Yugi said.
"Helping them the way you do must also instill their trust in you." Yami said.
"It does, but that's not my intention. I want to help get everyone back on track. That's why making peace arrangements with other kingdoms aren't my top priority right now. The people of a kingdom come before everything else." Yugi said.
"You haven't worked on ant peace agreements?" Yami asked, surprise.
"The ones that were closer to launching a war against us, yes, I have made some arrangements with them. Many of the rulers understand that I need to take care of my people first, and they don't press the issue." Yugi said.
"Most do get that." Yami agreed.
The two then arrived back at the palace.
"Well, I believe that after we both shower I should give you the tour of the palace I promised. Or would you rather do that after dinner?" Yugi asked.
"It can wait. I'm in no rush." Yami answered.
Yugi nodded before the two headed into the palace.
Yami did feel a lot better after the shower. He hadn't realized how tired he was until after the shower, either.
'I guess doing hard work like that is really tiring. I didn't realize how hard things like that really was.' Yam thought.
After a little while, a servant came and led Yami to the dining hall where Yugi, Dartz, and Solomon already were.
Yugi motioned for Yami to sit down on his right.
Yami did as he was told, and it wasn't long before there food brought out to him.
"I certainly hope that my grandson didn't wear you out too much in town." Solomon said.
Yami smiled. "No. It was something different for me. I have never worked like that before." Yami said.
"I said that you didn't have to do anything to help." Yugi said.
"I know you did, but I wanted to. It has certainly made me see the common people in a different light." Yami said.
"I honestly think that anyone of noble or royal class should have to do something like that so that they can understand what the common people do on a daily basis. I mean, that's just a small fraction of what they do. Unlike us, they don't get the chance to get away from it all." Yugi said.
"I know." Yami said.
"It does help the people to know that their ruler understands what they are dealing with." Solomon said.
"You did something kind of similar, didn't you, Grandpa?" Yugi asked.
"Yes. I always made sure that the people were taken care of. After all, if there are no people, then you are the ruler over nothing." Solomon said.
Dinner continued with quiet conversation.
After dinner, Yugi took Yami on the tour of the palace that Yugi ha promised him.
"Has the palace always been this lavish?" Yami asked.
"Yes, it has. Honestly, there are many emperors who decorated their palace so that they showed off the wealth they had. They wanted to remind people that they had more than they did. I'm afraid a lot of money went into all this." Yugi said.
"Could you not redo the palace, though?" Yami asked.
"I could, but my concern is getting the kingdom in better shape again. The palace can wait. The only areas of the palace that are reviewing any work right now are the ones that were damaged during the battle a few weeks ago." Yugi said.
Yami nodded. "That's understandable." Yami said.
Yami was taken throughout the entire palace. He was amazed at how easy it really was to remember how to get places. It was a relatively easy layout once you knew where everything was.
"If you ever do get lost, just tell someone what you are looking for, and they will help you find it." Yugi said.
Yami nodded. He looked at a set of double doors and said, "What's that?"
Yugi looked. "Oh. That's the library." Yugi answered as the two went in.
Yami was amazed at how big it was. "This is three times as big as the library in Egypt." Yami said.
"You're welcome to it at any time." Yugi said.
"Thank you." Yami said.
After the tour, Yami went back to his room while Yugi went to do some work in his study.
Yugi sat down at his desk. 'At least Yami seems to be a good person.' Yugi thought.
Yugi then took some papers out of his desk and started to go over them.
Most of what he was doing was still working on peace negotiations with many of the kingdoms that his father had caused strife with. He was also having to deal with the kingdoms that were allies of the Millennial Kingdom and making their rulers understand that he would not launch a meaningless war with another kingdom.
Yugi sighed. "Being emperor is a lot harder than people think it would be." Yugi said.
Yami had gone into his room and changed into his nightclothes. He then sat on the bed.
'Things are so different here. I'm not sure what I was expecting when Dad told me that I would be coming, but I didn't expect things like this. Yugi actually help his people in a way that I don't think his father would have even considered. He's dealing with those that would torment the common people, and he's changing the unjust laws so that the common people can have easier lives. He's also making peace negotiations with other kingdoms. He's got a lot on his plate.' Yami thought.
Yami then went to a drawer and pulled something out.
It may not have been something that was done often, but it helped Yami to write down things in a diary.
May 4
I have arrived in the Millennial Kingdom and my first day here has gone rather well. Emperor Yugi is much different than one would think. I can tell that his only interest is in his people. He helps them in every way, including helping with the manual labor that comes along with the actual rebuilding of the different towns. He does a lot, from what I can tell. The people seem to place a great deal of trust in him. I can see that. No one seems to be afraid of him, and they all interact well with him when they are working together in rebuilding the kingdom. I guess working together during the rebellion helped them to be on a better terms with him. Yugi is certainly an odd individual. I think that he and I could be great friends at some point. I'm hoping that that is the case. He seems like a very good, kind person. I will find out in the course of my stay here.
Yami stopped writing. He looked out the window. 'I wonder how much I will learn about Yugi. I hope that I can be his friend.' Yami thought.
Yami then put his diary away before he went to bed.
Hope you liked it.
Next: Yami gets a surprise.
R&R.