Oh jeez, didn't realize how dark of a writer I can be. Maybe that's why my husband hid these sweedish fish from me. ) But I know him too well. He sucks at hiding stuff.

Muwahahahaha, *munches off a gummy fish head*

Review, homies, and I'll share my fish with you.

Chapter 12: The Memory of Weakness

Aleah yelped as the shadows wrapped about her light. Atem struggled to moved, but his heart spiked pain in his chest and his limbs refused to move. Shadi simply closed his eyes as the shadows overcame him as well.

"Yugi! Aleah!" but his voice felt muffled, as though in a dream.

"One by one I shall take your friends into the darkness." hissed Zorc.

She wrapped her arms around her as her wings were forced to fold in about her. Soon she was but a cocoon of light, with big blue eyes meeting his. His chest constricted and ice slid down his throat.

"No, please," he reached for her and frantically tried to bring up the strength to summon someone, anyone. "Mahado?"

"I have him too, little pharaoh. Just let the shadows take you. It's quiet here. There's peace here."

Pearl like tears were pouring down Aleah's cheeks. Tendrils of darkness took out a little bit of her with each one. By the time he blinked she was almost gone. He called her name hoarsely.

"There's no use mewling her name like that over and over."

Gritting his teeth, Atem pounded his fists against the ground.

"Zorc!" he growled, "What do you want from me! Why are you doing this!"

"Simple. I am made of the shadows within the hearts of men. I can smell the darkness within your heart and within theirs, and it is appetizing. I haven't eaten in quite some time."

Atem felt himself grow cold. "Then you plan on keeping us here, sucking on us like honeysuckle till what?"

"Till you die, naturally. Now, close your eyes, little pharaoh."

The light died. Aleah was gone. He couldn't see the demon anymore. All he could see was the shadows like water swirling about him. The quiet pressed in so hard that he thought his eardrums would burst. He could feel a howl rising from his chest. This couldn't be happening-how could the gods just let this happen? Or were there no gods at all?

"Now, little pharaoh, let me see what you really are hiding in your heart."

And then he found himself somewhere he never expected.

#$^ $%&^%$

It was raining. Yugi wiped water from his eyes and tried to remember how he had gotten there. A crosswalk spread out on either side of him and people were walking by with umbrellas and raincoats about their shoulders. Despite the rain slowly soaking his school uniform through, no one seemed to pay him any mind. Cars waited, puffing in the cold air.

Dazed, he followed the last of the crowd onto the sidewalk. The light turned green and the cars thrummed by. He tried to find somewhere he knew and recognized the grocery that was only a few blocks away from home. He went towards it, rubbing his arms and watching his breath rise. What had he been doing before this? And why couldn't he remember?

When he turned the corner, his hands growing numb, he was never more happy to see his grandpa's game store. He could take a warm shower, make himself some tea, maybe watch an old western with his grandpa, for he suddenly realized how lonely he felt. It was like a painful ache in his chest, like a flu. He splashed across the street just to stop as a group of people came out of the haze. He stopped, hesitant of strangers. On hearing Joey's voice, however, he grinned and waited for them to see him.

One by one, his friends appeared. Joey and Tristan were bickering somewhat playfully as they usually did and Tea and Ryou were watching the two with amused smiles. And behind them all was someone that made his mouth drop: Yami, with his own body, laughing along.

He ran forward, unbelievable happiness fit to burst in his chest.

"Joey! Yami!" he jumped up and down. "Guys!"

None of them reacted. If anything, they didn't hear or see him at all. But that couldn't be.

"Heya! What you guys up to?"

They were almost face to face with him, but still they didn't see him. He frowned and waved his hands. Surely they'd see him once they walked into him, wouldn't they?

But as they came up, laughing and talking, they simply walked around him as though he were a statue in the middle of the sidewalk. Something barbed and acidic started to grow in his gut as he watched them go. When Yami stopped he thought for a thrilling second that he had seen him, but it was only to say good-bye to the others and walk into the game store. Yugi, however, stayed put, letting the rain run in rivulets down his face and down his jacket.

"Yami?" he whispered.

What was going on? Was this a memory? A vision? A dream? But how could it be anything but real, he could feel the cold and the rain. He could even smell that fresh wet concrete and the car exhaust the next block over. He could hear the sigh of the sky. He could even hear his heart beating in his chest and his breath as it rose into the air.

Numbly, he went into the shop. He heard the bell ring and his shoes squeak against the floor. He could see the puddles he left after him as he walked in.

But even then his grandfather sitting at the counter didn't look up. His feet were up by the cash register and a game magazine was open in his hands.

"Grandpa? Come on, at least you've got to see me."

But he just turned a page.

He couldn't move. Yugi could feel something terrible constricting his throat. This was...this was…

He knew it. He knew this would happen. How could he have been so naive to think it wouldn't?

Suddenly frightened, he spun on the spot and ran out the store into the rain. He ran as though chased by bullies, eyes streaming with rain or tears, he couldn't tell. He gasped for air in the water. His legs burned.

He found himself in a park he use to play in as a child. Blindly he ran to a cluster of trees in the corner and hid behind them to bury his face in his knees. He didn't care that mud was getting all over his pants. He was soaked already. And it wasn't like anyone cared. Even Yami.

"Hello?"

The sound was so sweet, he could almost taste it, and he looked up.

Wet blond curls sticking to her face and framing her sky blue eyes, Aleah smiled, leaning down so she could look right at him.

"What's wrong, Yugi?"

The sound of his name filled his lungs with air for the first time.

"Aleah…"

"Yeah?"

"I think I might be going crazy." he tried to return her smile, but his cheeks just twitched.

"How so?" she asked as she sat down with him in the mud, arms draped about her beautiful slender legs.

"No one seems to see or hear me. It's like they've...forgotten about me."

She frowned. "Well, I'm afraid they have."

He flinched. "What?"

"They got carried away with the pharaoh, you see. You were right, too cool. But hell, they're just shallow, don't let it get to you." she stuck out her tongue, looking so spunkily cute he felt himself blush.

"But...but they're my friends."

"Supposedly."

"But even grandpa didn't notice me."

"Weird. But he's been taking to Yami like a new grandson too. Really, don't think about it. It'll just make you depressed."

He felt his heart sinking again. He buried his face in his arms so she wouldn't see the tears in his eyes. All he needed was to ruin any speck of manliness he had in her sight by crying.

"Why haven't you forgotten me?" he asked her.

"Because I'm not lame. And I like you, Yugi."

He almost smiled at that. "Oh?"

"I'd be an idiot to forget you. You're my friend, and you got me that turkey sandwich, remember? Souls are bought with chipotle, ya know."

He couldn't help but chuckle wetly and tried to wipe at his nose covertly. "I'm actually feeling pretty hungry. Want to go get another?"

She beamed, looking both pleased that she was cheering him up as well as the sandwich, when a voice called out her name over the rain. She looked around the tree. Yugi tried to ignore the fact that he knew who it was. He would've known that voice even after a hundred years of not hearing it at all.

"Oh…" she said, "actually, Yugi, can I call you later for that sandwich date?"

"Of course." but he already knew she wouldn't be calling. He already knew not to hope.

"Cya later!" she leapt to her feet. "Oh, and don't worry about the others, Yugi. But call me if you need someone to talk to."

And with that she left him in the mud to run to her caller. Yugi knew he didn't want to see, but for some reason he couldn't stop from pulling himself to the side of the tree.

As he expected, Yami stood under an umbrella, waiting for her with a smile. He watched as she ran to him, platinum blond curls bouncing back and forth across her back, to throw her arms about his neck. Yami laughed out loud and pulled away just enough to smother her mouth in a kiss.

Something broke within Yugi then. He could almost hear the snap. The mud grew thicker and he could feel it sliding around his ankles and up his pant legs.

Yami broke away long enough to say he loved her and to hear her say she loved him too before they fell back into their kiss.

The mud creeped farther till he was thigh deep, but still, he didn't care. The broken thing within him was growing heavier and heavier, dragging him into the mud. It rose up his hips, tickling to his waist.

At last, they turned and walked away from him, forgetting him in the rain, the cold, the mud, the dirt, the earth, the clouds and sky-

He slipped down the tree, his fingers feeling every groove of the bark, and curled into a ball in the mud, waiting for it to rise past his eyes, then his nose, and then his entire face.

! $#%^&*&^%$#

She stood in a grand hall without remembering how she had gotten there or even why. The sun glinted off the granite floors and Atem's throne sat just behind her as it always had. She looked down at her arms to see gold bracelets hugging her pale arms and a fine, soft gown she didn't recognize hugged her figure, barely covering her breast in typical, Egyptian fashion.

"What the…" she reached to her head and felt a cool band of metal. A circlet. "How did I…"

"My queen?"

She looked to the doorway where Set stood, hand on the door, as though waiting for her. He looked concerned.

"Is something wrong?'

"Is it me you're calling queen?"

Set gave her a dry look. "I am going to call you by your title whether you like it or not. You should stop insisting I call you otherwise."

"Oh, sorry."

"Now are you coming, my queen?"

Not wanting to embarrass herself any further, she followed after him, listening to the soft 'tap tap' of her soft leather sandals. Set held the door open for her and followed her out into the hall.

"Your maid servants wait for you back in your chambers to begin the cleansing rituals. I advise you hurry along. You don't to keep the king waiting for the happy news."

"News? Cleansing rituals?"

Set gave her another blank look. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm not sure…"

"Well, it's to be expected," he adjusted the rod at his hip, "I've heard of the mind going when one is with child. Do not worry, your grace, I will not hold it against you."

Her brain froze. With child?

But before she could come up with an appropriate way to swear, shake him, and deman he repeat himself with a straight face, he had bowed and left down the hall. Her legs were shaking. Even as she stood there she felt a horrible queasiness rising in her gut. Pregnant? She was pregnant?

Glancing around to make sure no one was looking, she pulled the cloth back of her dress and felt around her stomach. There was no mistaking it. There was a definite bulge there.

She suddenly felt dizzy. She leaned against the wall, trying not to hyperventilate. How had this happened? She couldn't even remember having sex or-her face felt as though it caught fire. She had had...but wait, she was a virgin, wasn't she? Wouldn't she remember something like that? What the freaking hell-

"My queen? Are you all right?"

A noble she only recognized by face was walking up to her, head bowed respectfully, but her eyes on her face.

"Do you need help getting to your chambers? I hear the morning sickness-"

"Oh no I'm really all right!" she jabbered, pushing herself from the wall. "I'll just head along now, no worries!"

"Are you sure?"

"Oh, very yes, very much." she sounded like an idiot, but all she needed now was some stranger witnessing her moment of mental collapse.

She had no choice but to start walking. She tried to rid her fear down her legs and let it go through her steps, but her mind kept buzzing. As she turned a corner and recognized what wing she was in, a final thought of hope lit up her mind: if she was pregnant, that mean there was a father, and if she was queen that meant the father could be no other than…

Perhaps this wasn't as bad as it seemed. And Set had said something about giving him the good news, did that mean Atem didn't know yet? Would that mean he'd be excited?

Daring to feel a little bit of excitement in place of her fear, she made her way down the familiar path that would lead her to the pharaoh's chambers. As she reached his door she felt a small smile coming onto her face. Last time she remembered seeing him they had been at odds with one another. Clearly that had been fixed, because a familiar powerful warmth filled up her chest. He was her husband now. He had never bedded Isis, he had meant what he had said about her being the only one for him. And now she could be with him.

She reached for the door and gently cracked it open.

What she saw in that little crack made her insides contract and freeze.

Atem. Her beloved Atem and pharaoh, just as she remembered him: in a bed, under a blanket, and on top of some other woman with her black hair spilled over the blanket.

Before she could see more, before she could break more, she leapt away. Her heart wouldn't beat. Somehow, she had forgotten to breathe.

She fell on her instincts and ran. Her hips hurt from the tiny bulge they held up, but she didn't care. She ran and ran, praying against hope that what she had seen was another mistake, any mistake.

The central courtyard opened up to her and she leapt into the grass and leaves to the cry of some passing by nobles. She leapt through papyrus and around fig trees till her legs finally splashed into water and she stopped, panting. She could feel the silt running up between her toes and around her feet. Across the pond she saw Shadi, watching her with his same emotionless eyes, ankh key shining gold against his chest.

A rage as she had never known rose up in her.

"Shadi!" she yelled. "I know what you're up to! You're a real freaking dickweed, you know that?"

Shadi cocked his head to the side, a confused frown appearing. "Excuse me?"

"Why'd you create that illusion of Atem in bed with-with-I don't even know or care who that was. I'm not going to end up with you, okay!?"

"What are you talking about, my queen?" his frown deepened. "I created no such illusion."

She paused, her anger melting into something heavy. The silt in the pond had gone up to her shins. "You...you didn't? So that girl, that woman with Atem-"

"Is probably just the king's new concubine, Maatif. Don't you remember her, my queen? She was just sworn to him last night."

She choked and did her best to hide it. Bile was rising in her throat. So that what she saw-that what she saw-

She was knee deep in pond scum now, the water up to her hips, but she didn't care.

"But, I, I don't remember approving of her. Isn't Atem only allowed to marry who I say?"

Shadi seemed to hesitate before giving her a pitying look. "Ah, my queen, I see your mind is befuddled. Strange things do happen to the woman's body when she creates life. Come out of the water, I'll escort you to the women's chambers."

"No!" she croaked, hands to her chest protectively, but against what she didn't know. "No, I don't want to be here! Take me home! You can sense the rifts, where is is one?"

"I'm afraid you can't leave," he said softly, "you have the pharaoh's child with you. You may travel, but it cannot."

"But I don't-but I can't-" she was hip deep now, the water up to her chest. She didn't remember the ponds ever being like this, but she hardly noticed. More than ever she wanted to be swallowed up, wanted to be drowned. This couldn't be happening. She couldn't accept it. Her chest was burning, her heart wouldn't work, the world was turning and turning and darkening as she sank.

"My queen," said Shadi softly.

The water slipped past her lips and to her nose.

"My queen…"

!# $%%&^*&%^$#

Yami looked around at what could only be described as a wasteland. To his right about a mile away was the desolated city of thebes, smoking from the fires and silent as the grave. He searched it from his high vantage point on a nearby cliff for life, for anything, but all he could see were the plumes of smoke that had filled up the sky and blocked the sun. He trembled and looked away.

"This is an illusion," he told himself, "I am destined to save Egypt. It is my fate to succeed."

But then caught sight of a foot lying to his left. A black soled sneaker. As his eyes traced up he saw another pair of feet besides him, bare and bleeding and pale. His chest started hurting with the intensity of his shivering. He didn't want to see those face. He didn't want to.

Yugi and Aleah.

He ran to their sides, tripping from his suddenly weak knees and barely catching himself from falling atop them.

"Yugi, Aleah, speak to me!" he said breathlessly, "what are you doing here anyways? Why are you...why are you…"

Their faces had gone a shade of pale grey he had only seen in corpses. Blood trickled from Aleah's mouth and Yugi's chest was covered in blood. Their hands were inches away from touching and their faces were tipped towards one another.

He didn't have to check a pulse to know they were dead.

He scrambled away as though from a disease. This couldn't be, this was an illusion, a trick of the shadow realm. He couldn't even remember them dying, he couldn't even-

But then he saw more bodies, scattered across the top of the plateau. He recognized and named them one by one in his mind: Joey, Tea, Tristan, Ryou, Seto, Mokuba-

He climbed to his feet, every inch of him on fire. "Zorc!" his throat hurt from the intensity of his scream. "What is the meaning of this!"

The familiar evil laughter filled up the sky. "It is as you see it. While you recovered your energy from your loss, I killed them all."

"Then why leave me!" his voice broke. He gnashed his teeth at that smoggy sky. "Why!?"

"So I can taste of your sweet dark sorrow. Your heart, so noble, so strong-I saved the best tragedy for last. I knew your heart would shine blackest at seeing the rest of them like this."

Yami didn't even hear the last of that sentence. He screamed. Screamed until his voice wouldn't work, till he tasted blood in his mouth and fell on all fours. Then he cursed at the sky, not shedding a single tear, but aching and burning with the intensity of his horror. His rage hurt more than any sorrow he could feel. He had failed them. He had failed them all.

"I was suppose to save them!" his mouth was dry and filled with the taste of smoke.

"Too bad." hummed the sky.

And then it began to rain, acid-like droplets that burned his skin and instantly turned the dry Egyptian dust about him to liquid like mud. He started to sink but he still couldn't stop screaming. Mud was up to his waist by the time his breath finally gave out and he hung from his shoulders, numb, to watch the mud eat him up.

"That's right, little pharaoh, give up. Life in the realm of life is but pain and the sad attempt to flee it. Give it up."

The acid rain and the stinking mud wrapped about his shoulders and up his neck. He watched the bodies of Aleah and Yugi slip away.

"Peace."

Dark mud slipped past his cheeks and past his open eyes.