May: Chapter 14
Bakura: I thought this was chapter 13 part 2. What's the chapter change?
May: It's better this way.
Bakura: But still!
May: (glares at Bakura)
Atem: Lay it off, Bakura.
(comes in and hugs Atem) Atemu: Big Brother!
Atem: " "
Bakura: (snickers) Big Brother? Isn't that Mokuba's nickname for Seto?
Seto: Yes, that was.
Atemu: (glares at Bakura) You...how dare you!
Bakura: How dare me? What do you mean?
Atemu: You'll know later...before that I'll kick your tomb robbing butt!
(Bakura runs around the room chased by Atemu(my OC) with her crown in her hand the others just look)
Atem: You know...Bakura could've have just get the crown from her and throw it across the room.
May: (sighs) Poor Pharaoh. (whispers to Seto) He surely doesn't understand.
Seto: You're right.
Atem: (looks at the two of them) What?
May: (sighs) Do the disclaimer both of you and I'll check if Atemu still hadn't sent Bakura to the shadow realm.
Seto & Atem: May does not own Yu-Gi-Oh!
Atemu: Please comment and review!
Chapter 14
At the end of the journey through the underworld...
Ra had been true to his word, they had arrived at nightfall, and Set was clearly awed by how time flew by. They then got down in the Pharaoh's Private Gardens, hiding the boat with magic to prevent mortals from seeing it. Isis changed into a woman, with long flowing silky hair, a queen's features and wears an elegant dress, bedecked with jewelry. Ra had morphed into a kind man, the same age as the pharaoh and wears the elaborate robes of the nobles as with the others. Ma'at instead would hover by their side as another woman from a different nation.
"We're here."
"I know. But why can't we just be ourselves?" Set asked, while grumbling.
Isis sighed, "We can't, Set. Our presence is to much powerful for a mere human being."
"But what about the Pharaoh?"
"You should know Set, that the Pharaoh was considered a god, but as a human, he also dies." Osiris explained.
"I get it." Set grumbled.
"Come on now." Ra told them, while entering the throne room from the gardens.
When they entered the room, the pharaoh was already greeting his guests, while his son, Crown Prince Atem was standing by his side.
"Greetings Ladies and Gentlemen! I want to personally thank you all for attending this junction. May you enjoy the feasts and the programs planned." with that the pharaoh sat on his throne, gesturing for Isis to get his daughter.
(Lousy greeting right? sorry I'm not good at this stuff)
Atem meanwhile slip out of the celebration. Before that, his eyes and Seto's met, and with a nod signifies that they should meet in the courtyard.
"Whew! I thought I was gonna die!" Atem moaned.
"Come on, cousin you're only six."
"Just because you're ten." the prince grumbled.
"What does that suppose to mean?" Seto asked, glaring at his cousin.
Atem glared back, matching Seto's own, "Do you know how much I despise celebrations? Since I turned 3?"
Seto chuckled at the thought. It was amusing actually, Atem was the star of the night. Nobles and royals swoon over the young prince, but that was then his mother was alive...but now it was like that before...and Atem was cringing since the nobles started to arrive and started pinching and ruffling his hair.
flashback...
It was Atem's birthday and the young prince was very happy about it...he could get to spend the day with his parents without an interruption of a meeting or a war. As he was in his rooms preparing, Seto came in.
"Happy Birthday cousin." greeted Seto who was clutching a scroll in his hand.
"Thank you, cousin."
"I bet you're pretty excited about this."
"Who wouldn't be?" Atem asked, being 3 years old he could only say simple words.
"I would." Seto told him.
"Why?" Atem asked, wanting to know more.
Seto turned away from him, hiding a smile on his face, "You wouldn't like it. Besides it would ruin your mood...and it's your birthday."
Atem pouted, "Not fair. You told me but you wouldn't say."
Seto then turned to face him, with a mischievous smile on his face, "You're so going to hate it when it happens to you cousin."
Atem was confused. He clearly didn't understand where Set was getting at. He then looked at his 7 year old cousin.
(Right, Seto was 4 years older than Atem)
He was about to ask, when his father came into the room, "Happy Birthday, Son."
The young prince ran to his father who was already kneeling to pick him up.
Beaming, Atem said to his father, "Thank you so much, Father!" Then gave him a hug.
Chuckling, Aknankamon ruffled his hair, "The only way I could thank the gods about you."
The pharaoh then noticed Seto who was in the room, "Seto, I didn't notice you here. Sorry about that."
"No, it's alright, uncle. I was about to leave anyway...I just came by to greet Atem." With that, Seto left the room.
"Why did he leave, father?"
Aknankamon sighed, "Seto has a few things to do of his own, Atem. Are you ready?"
The young prince giggled, "I'm always ready, father,"
Chuckling, Aknankamon went out his son's room and went to the throne room, joined by his wife.
"How is our birthday boy?" Arsinoe asked.
Aknankamon answered, "As you could see, your son couldn't wait."
Atem was squirming in his father's arms. He was getting impatient and he wanted to be set down.
"It seems to me, he wanted to walk on his own. You better put him down."
"Alright." the pharaoh, then set his son on the ground. Atem then held to his parents' hands.
"Let's go then."
The royal family entered the room, greeting guests as they went to the dais where the throne sat.
Aknankamon then spoke, "Thank you for accepting my invitation. May you enjoy the feasts and programs planned."
With that, they continued greeting other guests. That's when the pinching and swooning fiasco started.
As Arsinoe was holding her son in her arms, a lady wearing a royal blue dress up to her ankles, long flowing black hair and elegant features came up to them.
"Is that your son?" the lady asked.
Arsinoe nodded, "Yes he is."
"Oh how cute he is!" the lady gushed, pinching Atem's cheeks, "I so wanted a child like him."
Chuckling, the queen of Egypt replied, "You weren't "doing it" with your husband yet, Queen Athena."
Queen Athena laughed, "We are doing it we're not just successful yet."
"Really?"
"Yes, really. Oh, I better find my husband and make sure that he doesn't go overboard on the wine." With a final wave of her hand, the Queen of Greece blended with the crowd.
"She sure does like cute things, does she mother?" Atem asked, looking at up.
"Yes, she sure does."
A few minutes later...
"Aw! I can't believe how cute your son is!" gushed a noble lady.
"He's such an angel!" commented another while pinching his cheeks.
"How adorable!"
"You have your father's face."
Aknankamon chuckled, "He really got Arsinoe's attitude."
"He sure does."
Atem pouted, and slouched his back which made him a lot cuter. After having enough of his cuteness...they finally left him alone.
"Can I go find Cousin Seto?" Atem asked, giving his best pout.
Aknankamon sighed, "Alright, Just make sure you can be seen by guards. " the pharaoh then put down his son and watched him blend with the crowd.
In the courtyard with his other friends...
"See? I told you so." Seto smirked at him.
"You told me no such thing." Atem complained, while massaging his cheek bones.
"Whoa, prince. What happened to your cheek?" Mana asked, who barely couldn't stop herself from laughing.
Atem stared at his bestfriend, "Nothing." then massaged it again.
"It looks like someone had decided to stretch your skin too far." Mana joked.
Atem sighed, "I just don't understand why they find me so adorable."
Seto then looked down at him, "It's because you're so cute and irresistible." while mimicking a lady's voice and pinching his cheeks once more.
The prince swatted his hand, "Cousin, please stop." He then sighed and sat down on the floor.
"What did you do?" Mahad looked at Seto.
"I just pinched him that's all."
"You shouldn't have done that. He barely got it out alive."
"Yeah, I kind of noticed that." Mana commented.
"What do you want to do?" Mahad asked the group.
"What do you mean?" Mana asked then looked at Atem, "Oh..."
"Hey, I'm sorry about what I did. It's just that I want to cheer you up." Seto told Atem as he crouched infront of the younger.
"It's alright."
"Come on. Let's go back to the celebration." Mahad told them while holding out his hand for Atem to take.
"Thank you." Atem then took Mahad's hand and stood up, then he looked at Seto, "And thank you for the warning."
"No problem, cousin."
They went back to the celebration...and all night the prince was getting "smooched" and loved by all the guests especially women.
Back to reality...
They stood in the courtyard for awhile when Atem remembered what they were supposed to do.
"Aren't we supposed to be looking for Marik and Bakura?" Atem asked while looking at Seto.
"Why didn't you remind me?" Seto told him,
"Why should I ? You're older." Atem reasoned.
Seto then sighed, "Come on. Let's go before they cause so much trouble."
Atem nodded. They then re-entered the throne room and separated so that they could cover more ground.
In Atemu's rooms...
The baby was sleeping in her crib when Malik came into the room.
"Aw! How cute!" Beamed the seven year old platinum blond as he looked at her.
The baby then woke up because of Malik. She stared at him with her eyes, and he stared back, completely entranced.
"You're cute, are you?" He cooed, while gently tickling the baby's cheek.
The baby then laughed, grabbed Malik's hand, and looked at it.
"You know...when you grow up...you will have hands like mine."
The baby continued to stare at his finger. Malik was about to carry her when Isis came into the room, completely shocked.
"Malik, what are you doing here in the baby's room?"
Malik then turned to look at Isis, "Nothing. I just wanted to see Atem's new sister, that's all."
Isis sighed. She knew she somehow what she said had came out harsh on his part so she walked up to him and smiled.
"She's cute,no?" She asked.
"Yup." Malik agreed.
Isis then bent over to pick the baby from her crib.
"Where are you going to bring the baby?" Malik asked.
"The pharaoh told me to get her ready for her to be introduced to the guests...and I kind of like that you should come along too since you were the one looking after her while I was not here."
"Not really. I just arrived a few minutes before you."
Isis nodded, then went out of the room followed by Malik.
When they got to the celebration, the guests were chatting with each other and the pharaoh was with his son, Marik and Bakura for the matter.
It seems like Atem and Seto had been true to their word after all, they managed to find the two before they got to set up a prank to ruin the celebration no doubt. But in their favor, to add more fire to the furnace.
"Pharaoh." Isis called as she walked over at Aknankamon who was talking with Atem and the rest, Malik meanwhile was following behind her.
The pharaoh then turned, he then smiled as he reached for his daughter.
Marik and Bakura then decided to look at the baby.
"Aw! She's cute,no?" Malik spoke from behind.
Bakura then looked at the baby's eyes, "She's not cute...just have the face of Atem and the pharaoh's eyes." he commented.
"You're so mean!" Malik pouted, "She's really cute."
"It doesn't mean she's a baby, she's cute." Bakura told him while sticking out his tongue.
A fight was about to ensue, when Marik asked his twin, "What are you doing here? I thought you were executing the first phase of our plan?"
Malik then confessed while avoiding his gaze, "I was...when I heard from the servants what was being held was a coronation and concession of the baby to the royal family so I decided to see the baby and completely forgotten about the plan."
Marik then groaned in confusion, his twin really was hard to understand, he surely loves cute things and other things that promote quietness or in his case, girly things, but then when he set his mind to their goal, could come up with a pretty good prank. This time he decided to let it slip.
Bakura then decided to stand beside the prince, "So...what does it feel like to have a new sibling?"
Isis then answered for him, "You don't have to remind me. When Malik and Marik came into this world...I thought I would have a peace of mind, but then it proved me wrong...they are very hyper especially after they turned 5 and has met Bakura and has access to all kinds of things and made it a goal to prank every person in Egypt."
Bakura glared at her, "That's not true. The pharaoh is not included."
Isis then sighed, "And I do hope Crown Prince Atem and now to be crowned Princess Atemu wouldn't be in your list."
The three pranksters then looked at each other. Then they formed a plan in their minds...when the princess is old enough, they would include her in all their plans.
"Oh, don't worry, big sis, Crown Prince Atem and Princess Atemu wouldn't be in our list." Marik assured her , then smiled mischievously to the other two.
"Glad I heard that from the three of you." Aknankamon spoke, "If not I would personally make you three my son's personal servants eventhough you're all nobles from birth."
Bakura then nodded, while quietly hiding a smile on his face.
The pharaoh then stood infront of his throne once more and held up his hand for the noise to quiet down. When all had calmed, he spoke, "The gods of Egypt had certainly been generous to my family...and being proof of that, they gave me another heir to the throne."
He then reached out at his daughter who was reaching out to him, while in Isis' arms. The crowd then went teary-eyed. The pharaoh then raised her in the air, "Ladies and Gentlemen of all the far distant lands, my friends and alliances please meet my daughter, Crown Princess Atemu."
They all then cheered and one by one brought their gifts infront of the infant princess which the pharaoh had placed on his lap when he sat on the throne.
The gifts were purely toys but made of fine quality. Athena, the Queen of Greece, went up on the dias and kneeled on one knee, holding out a square box, big enough for something important.
"For you, Crown Princess Atemu. A necklace made from silver and a pendant with the symbol of Athens, my capital city." With that, the queen opened the velvet covered box and showed the contents inside.
Inside, snuggled a necklace made out of pure silver with the engravings of the Greek alphabet and on the pendant, the owl, the symbol of Athens, have amethysts gems for its eyes.
Aknankamon nodded, "Thank you, Queen Athena. But how did you know my daughter's eyes were amethyst?" he asked, curious.
"Forgive me, if I can't answer, Pharaoh Aknankamon, for it was something I couldn't tell you."
"It's alright, I respect your wishes."
The queen then went down the stairs, and the king of Libya with his daughter, Tea ascended the stairs.
"For the infant princess." the king said while handing out his gift. Tea meanwhile looked at Atem and blushed when she thought he had look at her.
Atem, wasn't even interested in her, which made the young brunette pout.
After giving the gift, the king then looked at his daughter and shook his head.
"Come now, Tea." the king said as he pick her up. Tea then looked at Atem and waved, "Good bye."
"She said good-bye." Bakura told Atem as he nudges him. Atem pushed him away. He then looked at him, "Who?"
Bakura just then shook his head. Atem sometimes, when he is very driven in his thoughts would probably forgot about reality.
After the celebration...
"I'm so glad at both of you." Aknankamon congratulated Seto and his son, "You managed to keep the pranksters from making ANY plans to commence." he said this line as he looked at Malik, Marik and Bakura.
"It was nothing really." Atem blushed, "And besides Atemu had given a good hand to help us." the prince added as he hugged his sister.
After the celebration...
The pharaoh bid goodbye all his guests who were planning to return to their countries at the time of dawn. Some had planned to stay like the Queen of Greece and the Chinese Emperor.
He then looked at the gifts that his daughter received, some were toys but mostly some were jewelry and clothes from other countries.
He then went outside the throne room, to the palace gardens. Wishing to have a moment of peace.
"If you had listened to me before, you wouldn't have been ambushed with kisses awhile ago." Aknankamon heard his nephew told his son.
"Yeah? I never thought." he heard his son answer back.
"Well...it was a pretty sight to watch." Bakura teased Atem, "All those ladies..." the white haired teen shivered.
Atem glared at him, "Don't you dare!" threatened the six year old prince.
"Or what? You can't do anything." Bakura taunted him.
Atem growled. He clearly hated being reminded that he was small. That he couldn't match up with the three because they were older and a little taller.
"Okay, stop it all of you." Mahad came towards them. Atem smiled when he saw his bestfriend.
"Why would you even care?" Marik stared at him.
"It's not good for any of you. And by the way, should all of you be in bed at this hour? Especially you, Prince Atem." Mahad pointed out.
The four youngsters groaned and spoke in unison, "Why should we?"
Atem then looked at Seto, "And why isn't he included in this?"
"Because he is older than all of you, and all of you needs more sleep than these two." Aknankamon answered from behind of the three pranksters.
The three gasped. Malik took a stepped back and slammed into Marik. The two blondes fell on the floor earning a snicker from the three.
"Okay, you all need to go to your rooms and get prepared for bed."
"Fine. But Marik, Malik & Bakura will stay with me." Atem told his father.
"Why would we?" Bakura asked, "We have our own rooms here in the palace."
Aknankamon sighed, "Okay, you win. But do make sure that these three wouldn't do anything foolish in your bedchambers."
"Yes!"
"Man!" the three groaned.
"Mahad, Seto, please make sure that they arrived safely in my son's chambers." Aknankamon requested the two.
Both of them kneeled and bowed their heads, "As you wish, Pharaoh."
After seeing them off, Aknankamon looked back at the throne room. He was quiet lonely after a few weeks after his wife death, and he is pretty confused on how he would raise his other child. Where would he get a caretaker of his own daughter? Isis volunteered for the job, for it was his wife's wish, but it couldn't go on any longer because of her duties as a priestess in training and a palace physician. He needs to find someone that could take care of both of his children and act like a mother towards them, especially Atemu for she hadn't even felt the touch just a few minutes before the gods had taken her away.
He then sighed as he sat down on his throne. He just couldn't make out a solution.
In the gardens...
"Now is the time to go talk to him." Ra looked at the gods with him.
Set looked at Aknankamon, who was sitting on the throne, depressed.
"You know...he was pretty concerned over his children."
Isis looked at him, "Who wouldn't? I was like that when I raised Horus."
"Apparently, mother. You left me when I was eleven summers old with the cobra goddess." Horus reminded her.
Osiris sighed, "This isn't the time to remember what happened before...this is the time to finish what we are here for."
"Sheesh! Brother, you need to have a life! All those times...judging dead people...sitting in your throne...you should do a different hobby."
Osiris stared at him, "I will, if you stop being the God of Evil."
"Enough! Both of you!" Ra shouted at both them, "We have no time for this."
"Indeed we don't." Ma'at spoke, "We must do this quickly, Ra must be back in the afterlife to make his nightly journey."
"Let's go then." Set muttered as they were about to re-entered the throne room.
A guard saw them coming, "Who...and what do you want?"
Set growled under his breath, he was willing to incinerate this mortal, when Ra put his hand on his shoulder.
"Calm down, Set. Remember we are humans."
Set calmed down. Ra approached the guard, and the guard bowed and apologized.
"How come he is respected?" Set muttered under his breath.
"He is an old man." Osiris told him.
"Figures."
"We wish to speak with the Pharaoh for we have something to give him."
"I'll carry your wish to the pharaoh." with that, the guard left the room.
They were forced to wait outside the throne room. While the guard spoke with the pharaoh.
In the throne room...
The guard bowed, "A few nobles wished to speak with you, Your Majesty." he informed.
Aknankamon looked at him, "A few nobles? I though that all of them already left?"
"A few of them remained, Pharaoh. About five or six of them."
The pharaoh sighed, "Alright, send them in...it's just a few minutes."
The guard then bowed and left the room. The gods meanwhile heard the signal so they came in.
"I'm honored to meet you, Your Majesty." Ra bowed.
Aknankamon raised his hand, "No need. It's not good for your age." he said as he stood up and descended down the stairs of the dais of his throne.
"What can I do for you?" the pharaoh asked them.
"May we speak with you in private?" Isis asked.
"Of course. This way." Aknankamon led them outside the throne room to his study. He then closed the door.
"Please, make yourselves comfortable." he said, gesturing to the chairs in the room.
"No need, it wouldn't be necessary. This won't take long." Ra assured him.
He then looked at the others and nodded. They began to give off an unusual glow, and the pharaoh shielded his eyes. The room began to lit with different colors of red, white, gray, many colors and gold.
After a few minutes the glow died, Aknankamon then put down his arms and looked at his other occupants in the room. They were glowing and radiating power, to much strong power.
They were in their godly forms, wearing their own clothes from the afterlife. Their atmosphere could break a brave man's heart.
The pharaoh went down to his knees and bowed his head, "Praise thee the Gods of Egypt! What kind of man am I to be graced by your presence?"
Ra then looked down at him, in his true form, "Pharaoh Aknankamon, stand up."
Aknankamon then stood up, "What can I do for you?"
Anubis then stepped forward, "We are here not to inflict punishment...we're here because we wanted to give you something."
"Anubis is right." Ra then handed him the "gift" covered with a violet cloth. Aknankamon then raised the cloth, and the sight greeted him. It was the crown made out of gold and has the same pattern as his son's crown...but what bothered him is the glow that was emanating from the crown itself.
"What is this?" he asked.
"That is the crown made by one of the best goldsmiths of your kingdom." Ra informed him.
"Why is it emanating a different glow from the seven milennium items?"
"We blessed that crown with the power of the seven milennium items." Ma'at told him, "We're worried about your daughter. When she grows up, her powers will grow, and since she can't be an item bearer for there is a rule that no other member in any family could be come an item bearer."
"How about Akhenaden and Seto?" Horus asked.
"Akhenaden made the seven millennium items and Seto will worked hard for it." Ma'at explained.
The pharaoh hesitated before asking, "What kind of powers does the crown have?"
Ra looked at him, with pity in his eyes, "We cannot tell you...you must discover it for yourself."
"One more thing. Your child will lose consciousness after using the power of the crown." Isis told him.
"Thank you." Aknankamon replied, avoiding the goddess' intense gaze.
"We must go now, you must be back in the afterlife before dawn." Osiris reminded Ra.
The king of the gods nodded, "I know." he then returned to his old man form earlier.
Anubis was then already opening the door, he was ready to step out at any instance. While the other gods shift from one foot to another.
Ra then looked at the pharaoh, "I'm sorry about this...I never meant this happen."
Aknankamon then strained a smile, "Whatever it may be...I know that you are only doing it for the good of Egypt."
Ra nodded and proceeded out the door which Anubis had opened earlier when he was talking to the pharaoh. The others followed.
"Good day. I mean Good Night." Set greeted, before leaving in wisps of smoke.
Osiris then sighed as he shook his head, "He never understands."
"Come on then." Ma'at told them.
Isis was the last to leave, she then turned to the pharaoh, "Don't worry, Aknankamon. Priestess-in-training Isis will be the best one to take care of your daughter." she then leaves.
As the door close, Aknankamon then put the crown on top of his table and sighed. It seems to him that his daughter had been the benefactor of the gods' gift. But what could this entail for his youngest? Good or Bad?
May: Finally! Finish at last!
Atem: I still don't get the pacing.
May: This is a few hours after the celebration.
Atem: So?
Bakura: (comes in) Hello, people.
May:(gasps)You're alive?
Bakura: Don't sound so surprise.
May: Well...I guess Atemu did lose the Shadow Game.
Seto: No, she didn't. (looks at her)
May: Why are you looking at me like that?
Seto: Spill it out, May.
May:(sweatdrop) I don't know what you mean.
Bakura:(grins evilly) Tell us already.
May: I don't have to tell! (Runs outside her room, chased by Bakura and Seto)
Atem: Please for the umpteenth time, comment and review or which way.