"We should send him to trial right this instant!! My lord, please!"

Atem didn't respond. He held the little object this stranger threw at him tightly in his hands, too frightened to look back down. He could feel the slick blood of his servants still covering the unusually smooth, glossy surface of the little card in his palms.

"Put... Put him in containment. I must question him." Atem's voice was shaky, he tried to keep strong through the metallic scent of his follower's blood.

"Question?! My lord, you're making a mistake! He is a master of escape!" Seto pointed at the man, who didn't seem to struggle at all while being held by tight ropes. The perpetrator sat, oddly calm, in the restraints he was captive in. "We need to let him feel divine retribution!! You must punish him immediately!"

Atem looked down at the card he held and shook his head. "Set'. Do you dare try to go against me?"

The priest bit down on his lip, "No... Sir.."

"We shall have guards situated by the containment room. If he dares think about moving... well... Anubis may see him early." Atem snapped, his voice getting louder as the frustration built up in his chest and soul.

As the hooded prisoner was hauled away by the men, the Pharaoh slumped on his throne and gazed at the ceiling where the sun was setting. He felt dizzy, his eyelids drooping for a moment.

"My lord, are you alright?" Mahad inquired, touching the young ruler's shoulder softly.

"Yes... Just... ensure that the holding cell is ready at once. I want to interrogate him personally as soon as possible."

"Yes sir."

They all departed, leaving Atem and his guards alone in the hall. He rose, walking unsteadily to the exit and glancing back at the hall. The floors were stained with blood, the air thick as he turned away. He climbed the stairs, heading to his bedroom when he spotted a small figure quickly swinging the door open to his room.

"Yugi," Atem called. He ran up to the boy and entered the room with him, the boy was quiet as he sat down on his sleeping platform.

"Yeah?" Yugi tilted his head. He was holding some strange, metal tool that Atem had never seen before, the boy was using it to tighten his metal prosthetic.

"What are you doing?" The Pharaoh pointed at the boy as he fumbled around with his prosthetic. Yugi threw away the little tool he was using and shrugged.

"Not much. You look a bit distressed... Are you feeling okay? Long day, huh?" Yugi chuckled charmingly. Atem felt a bit of heat rush to his face as he smiled back at him.

"Oh. Uh... I am a bit... Stressed." He fiddled with his golden choker, "I need to question somebody in a moment... I hate it."

"Why? Question? You mean... Like an interrogation?" Yugi questioned, his face seemed to drop completely as he said the last word.

Atem sighed quietly, "I don't know what that means but I'll presume so."

"Ah." Yugi nodded, "I'm pretty good at intero- uh... questioning people. Want me to come?"

Atem hesitated. This shouldn't be business that another party should get involved with; he held the card in his hand, hiding it from Yugi, Maybe those two were secretly working in cahoots and he was just too naive to-

No.. No, he cannot think like that.

"Sure." Atem gave a faint smile and stretched his arms. He spun around and saw Yugi get up and follow him with curiosity.

"What kind of information do you hope to get from the person you're interrogating?" Yugi asked with a smirk. His face brightened a bit as if he liked the idea of questioning someone.

"He is suspected of stealing the offerings from my father's tomb," Atem said with a sad tone. "And we also believe he killed Isis, one of my valued High Court priests."

Yugi nodded silently. He had guessed that already. "Killed, huh?"

"You don't seem very upset by that," Atem said, looking at him with suspicion.

"Isis gave me this when I met her at one of your court sessions. She said something bad was going to happen." Yugi pulled out something from his strange black pouch on his waist. The Millennium Tauk... Atem took it and felt dizzy... Sick, even.

"Why did she not tell me?"

"I... I asked her. But when she went to respond, you shouted at her." Yugi crossed his arms. "She said that I needed to hide the item, that she had 'foreseen something terrible'."

"I... She foresaw it...?" Atem held the item in his hands and shakily sighed. They walked in silence for a long, empty moment.

"You said you were good at... Questioning people?"

Atem finally uttered a word as they exited the Palace. He took Yugi to a secluded cave, secured by a rough-hewn door. Two muscular men stood watch at the entrance. Atem acknowledged them with a nod and gestured for them to open the door.

"Yeah, I'd say I have a knack for... Extracting information from people." Yugi said nonchalantly. He trailed behind the Pharaoh into the gloomy cave, smiling faintly. The air was parched, almost unbearable. The cave seemed like it was chiselled by human hands rather than formed by nature, with bizarre monsters engraved on the walls, lit up by flickering torches of fire. When they arrived at the main cavern of the cave, they beheld the hooded man dangling in the air by ropes that wrapped him snugly.

The hooded man glances up at the two of them and smiles ominous, his teeth sharp like a vampire.

"Oh~," He said under his breath. "It seems the King has brought along his little pest of a new friend."

Yugi stepped back a little, Atem couldn't tell why but he seemed fearful.

"Did you give him back his little card?" The hooded man said to Atem with a grin.

"Card?" Yugi looked to the Pharaoh. Atem hesitated, he slowly handed Yugi the glossy card with a frown. Yugi stared at the card, his heart dropped as he stared at it.

The card was covered with a mysterious script that he couldn't decipher. It looked like a random collection of symbols and shapes. Next to the cryptic writing was a portrait of himself, but from a long time ago. He looked like a child, with no trace of the hardships he had endured. His face was smooth and unblemished, his eyes sparkled with curiosity and joy, and his lips curved into a gentle smile.

He gaped at the card in shock and then glared at the man who had given it to him. He grabbed the card from his hand and turned to the Pharaoh for a split second. He pushed a switch on his neck and a loud BEEP echoed in the air. Then he began to speak to the man in a foreign tongue that sounded harsh and angry.

The King observed them with confusion as they raised their voices and gestured wildly. Yugi yanked the man by his hood, clutching the card firmly in his fist.

"Yugi? What's wrong?" Atem attempted to calm him down by touching his shoulder. Yugi shot him a fierce look and spat out something unintelligible. He reached for something hidden on his leg and pressed it against the man's neck. It was a gleaming blade that reflected the light.

"Oi! No!! I command you to stop!" Atem dragged Yugi away from the man, snatching the blade from the boy. Yugi pressed the box on his neck again, the beep coming out lower this time, as he glanced at the King with an angry, yet frightened aura.

"I... You don't understand, he is nothing but bad news. You need to execute him!! Punish him!! Anything!"

"No. Not yet." The King tried to hold Yugi back. "I need to see if he is deemed punishable by the gods."

"You're a naive moron!! Listen to me!!! He's going to kill us!! Both of us!!" Yugi pointed at the hooded man with a dead serious face, "He's.. He's... URG!"

Yugi shakes his head. He quickly turns around and sprints away, forcing the sealed door open desperately. Atem gives a small look at the suspended hooded figure and then chases after Yugi, The hooded man laughed tauntingly even despite the Pharaoh ordering the guards to keep watch.

"Yugi!!" He called. He looked around in the dark night until he saw a small figure on the ground, struggling to get back up. He ran over to Yugi and tried to help him up. Blood dripped from Yugi's mouth, and his eyes filled with desperation.

"Yugi, for the love of the gods, please! Calm!!" Atem panicking sat him up as he coughed out more inky blood from his mouth, Yugi's eyes filling with fearful tears.

"I know that man," Yugi said in a low, shaky voice. "He's... He's not supposed to be here... How did he get here..? I'm going to fail my mission, oh god... I'm doomed..." He covers his face with his shaking hands, Atem's expression softening.

The Pharaoh gently picked Yugi up with his muscular arms, holding his small form close to him.

"You're... Not doomed…… Haha... That questioning went awful, huh?" Atem laughed, trying to lighten the air as the night deepened around them. "It is okay... He'll be tied up until I am ready to punish him. My guards will keep him locked up until then, so please do not threat... Please do not cry for that, it is unlike you."

"You don't understand." Yugi's voice quivered. "That man... He is... I..."

He lost his words. He wipes a tear from his scarred cheek, his prosthetic uncomfortably draped over Atem's arm as he gently holds him.

Whatever suspicions he held towards this boy fell.

He's crying, borderline sobbing, in fear of the prisoner... They cannot be working together. Maybe it was a coincidence that the two knew each other. Or maybe... No. No. Are shook his head. No, he shouldn't doubt his little commander.

Not yet.

Each step across the grounds made a crunch from the sandy dirt under his feet. His shadow was cast long, though covered by his cape that flowed amongst the deep breeze of the skies. The palace sat in silence as Yugi wiped more blood from his chin.

"You're bleeding... Are you alright? Are you ill?" Atem asked gently as he stepped inside, the comforting embrace of his palace making him relax a little.

"I'm... Fine." He quietly wiped off the blood with a weak groan, blushing slightly as the Pharaoh carried him down the hallway. "I... Hah... You're such a bad Pharaoh. If you wished to have me carried you should've asked a servant."

He looked to Atem with teary eyes, yet a smile stayed on his face.

"I surprisingly quite like holding you." Atem smiled back. "You are small and fit nicely in my arms."

"Hey, I am NOT small! I'm barely shorter than you!"

Yugi let the King carry him in silence as they walked down the guarded hallways, lights of flame flickering as they slowly walked upstairs. Yugi's smile faded. He took a sharp breath in and looked up to Atem with worried eyes.

"I.." He hesitated. He nervously bit at his lip. "We... Need to talk."

"Oh?" Atem stopped in his tracks. "What's wrong?"

Yugi took the card into his hands and looked at it, the untainted portrait of his face looking back at him. "About my lies. About everything... I needed to keep quiet about it for the sake of my goal but.. You deserve to not be kept in the dark."

"Yugi..?" The King tilted his head as Yugi hopped out of his arms, taking his hand and walking up the stairs. He stood on the balcony where they had met before, looking out to the world as the sky got darker with each moment.

The breeze blew as the two sat there in silence. The King took a shaky breath and stood slightly behind Yugi as he sat himself on top of the balcony railings, his legs dangling off.

"I haven't been entirely honest with you." Yugi looked away. "And... I was never going to be. But that man, that card... If I don't tell you now, you and I will die."

"Oh.." Atem nods. He walks up and leans on the balcony, looking at Yugi's face. "Well... I'm listening."

He has a sceptical expression. Yugi sighed and looked up to the sky.

"I'm not sent by the gods. I.. Well, I mean no disrespect, but... I don't even think the gods are real." Yugi said gently. Atem's face remained flat and confused. "I'm from the future."

"I... What is that? What does that mean? Don't you dare disrespect the gods like that in front of one of their links!" Atem watched as his people worked late into the night, what a privilege it is to be able to sit there and talk rather than work.

"Hm... Well... Right now? This is your 'present'... It's the moment right now." Yugi says gently. "I'm from many, many, many more mornings ahead. From long after this kingdom and dynasty have fallen, long, long after you've already died."

The King just sat there. Completely silent. "I... I'm sorry. I don't know how to respond to that... Huh? I.. I don't understand... You're from many mornings ahead... How did you come here?"

"It's hard to explain. I don't know how much I'm allowed to say. I don't expect you to understand." Yugi laughs awkwardly.

"So... Where you're from... I have already died?"

"Thousands of years ago, yes... You died."

Atem nervously picks at his cape as he hears that. "Forgive me for having a hard time believing that."

"You can choose whether to believe me or not and while I have proof of what I say all throughout my body, it isn't the point." Yugi crosses his arms. "You need to know... Only I was supposed to be sent back here. That man is from my era... And he is dangerous. If he is left running amuck, both your life and my life will be ruined forever."

There was another silence.

A long, painful silence.

Yugi flicked his lighter on. He took a cigarette from his pocket and lit it, putting it in his mouth, letting the smoke gather at the back of his throat as the distant town lights flickered, the candles lighting the world slowly being burnt out.

"I... Don't know how to react." Atem says quietly. "But... I choose to believe you. There have been too many strange things surrounding you that I have noticed with no answer. Your strange leg, your completely bizarre clothing, that odd white roll you just stuck in your mouth, how you're able to just... manipulate fire like that... So you cannot be from here. But... Just know I have many questions."

"You're so calm. Maybe you're not an awful Pharaoh after all. And it's not manipulating fire, it's called using a lighter" Yugi laughed quietly, puffing out smoke. His hand flicked at the flint wheel of his lighter as it made little chink, chink! noises. "I'll answer those questions the best I can. Just for you."

"Okay.."

The night sky was a suffocating blanket of darkness, pressing down on the world with its oppressive weight. The stars were like tiny holes in the fabric, revealing glimpses of a cold and empty void beyond. No one could look at the sky and feel anything but insignificance and despair. The untouchable sense of the gods that taunted each person as they begged for the blessings of being's so superior that they were left feeling like ants getting crushed in the sands.

Atem's eyes scanned the distant ground from his perch on the balcony, where he was supposed to be safe. He absentmindedly twisted his golden earrings, a gift from his mother, as he tried to calm his racing heart. He knew he had to make a decision soon, but he felt paralyzed by fear and doubt.

He looked at the young man standing next to him, a cautious and confused expression on his face. The young man's face was hard and determined, the words he spoke terrifying yet somehow believable to the young Pharaoh.

Why would he want to save someone already dead to him? Why would he risk his own life for someone who had already died in his time?

The threat of death hung over Atem like a noose, tightening around his throat with every breath. He closed his eyes and whispered a silent beg for the gods for his death to not be true or untimely, for this boy whom he has put his faith in to be a good person rather than a person in need of the divine retribution that he must give lowly criminals. He hoped that somewhere, somehow, someone would remember him as more than a spoiled, childish Pharaoh. As more than a corpse.

"Why are you here?"

The first question. The most important question.

"My world is in grave danger. And it's caused by your death." Yugi looked away to the skies. "For when you pass away you leave behind the Millennium Puzzle and thousands of years of untapped power that my future uses to destroy each other."

"What is this 'future' like?"

The second question. A nervous look on Atem's face.

"The future? It's nothing but a living hell." He exhaled a cloud of toxic smoke and locked his gaze with Atem's piercing eyes. "Every nation is torn apart by the relentless war machine. The elite has access to the most advanced technology, while the rest of us struggle to survive on scraps and in ruins. We're always in danger, always deafened by explosions and haunted by the loss of our loved ones to a senseless conflict. It's a world so polluted that we all carry a deadly disease in our lungs, slowly suffocating us from within."

As he spoke, he coughed violently, spitting blood on the far-down ground. He wiped his mouth hastily.

"The gods... How could they leave you to suffer in such a world?" Atem asked, his voice trembling.

"They did more than that. They turned their backs on us. There are no gods in my world." Yugi said, flashing a bitter smile.

"Then what does being here and keeping me alive have to do with keeping your world safe?"

The third question. The night stayed young as Yugi's legs swung from the balcony railing.

"Your death on your birthday is what started the whole thing. The pendant, or puzzle, is cast out. The items are abandoned and preserved. If it didn't end that way, if they didn't end up in people's hands... My world won't ever have anything to war over. My world would be safe, it would be like the war never existed... And your life would be prolonged."

Atem gave a small nod.

"Who is that man? What is that card?"

The fourth question. Atem looked down at the card in Yugi's hands, the small photo of him smiling feeling almost unsettling.

"The man is named Bakura. I am responsible for the death of his family, and he wants to kill both of us so I'd of never existed." Yugi tapped out some of the ash from his cigarette. "And the card is my Keycard... It is almost like a proof of my identity. I worked for a company - sort of like a small dynasty if you'd like - and that was how I was identified"

"What happened to your leg?"

The fifth question. Yugi looked down at his metal prosthetic leg, fiddling with it.

"My leg was cut off during an interrogation with an enemy army. I was given this metal one to keep me in the service." Yugi sighed. He looked down at his leg with saddened eyes, as if recalling a distant memory.

"So.. What do we do now..?"

The final question. His cape blew in the rare wind as the silence grew thicker with each gap in conversation.

"We kill the man before anything happens to either of us... And we keep you alive at all costs." Yugi said with a sigh. "You're... Taking this well. I'm impressed."

"I am confused and I am concerned and scared but... Regardless of where you're from, you're still you. And... You want to help me... If I am dead in your 'future', you may be the only thing that will let me survive so.." Atem kept a small smile on his face. He gently holds Yugi's pale, destroyed hand in his own."You have many scars... Many wounds... Did you have a court or family to help you?"

"Not really. My grandpa died when I was a kid and I didn't have anyone else so.. I had someone who loved me but he was taken by the plague"

His face drops. Atem looks into Yugi's eyes with a sympathetic gaze. He pulls Yugi down from the railings and into a tight hug. His arms wrapped warmly around Yugi's small body, head resting on top of Yugi's own.

"You went through all that alone? My poor... Poor commander.."

He mutters. The commander didn't know how to react, at first just standing there silently as Atem hugged him, though his hands slowly wrapped around Atem's body. He placed his head on the nook of Atem's shoulder and held back a sniffle.

"That must've been so hard..."

"It was... It was really hard..." Yugi tried to hold back his sobs as he hid his face from Atem. "Why are you so understanding?! Why.."

"I guess it's because I'm a bad Pharaoh." Atem chuckled as he gently held Yugi close to him. "What was it you said I was.? Hmm.. Oh! Right! A childish coward!"

With that, Yugi laughed quietly. Their quiet chuckles were the only sound throughout the night skies at that moment, just them and the moon that stared down with judging eyes.

"I do not care what you say... You are godsent." Atem smiled down to Yugi as he separated from the hug. His firm, dark hands wipe a tear from Yugi's eyes with a gentle touch. "I can feel it, just watching the night pass with you. Your Ka, your spirit, is strong and special. It does not matter where you are from."

"You're a lot more gentle than when I got here," Yugi smirked. "Going soft on me, eh?"

"Oh like you aren't softer too! Apart from calling me bad at my duties every day, you have barely insulted me since the first argument!" Atem huffed, lifting his head high and stepping confidently to the door of the balcony. Yugi put out his cigarette and walked over to his side.

"I suppose I am going a little soft on you, though." Atem sighed, giving one more glance at the night sky. "I know as a link between the mortal and the divine I am supposed to be commanding and strong and have my people listen to me but... I like that you don't feel the need to comply with everything. Is that strange?"

"See I'd say that was strange but there's only so many times per day I can tell you how bad you are at your job." Yugi giggled as he stepped into the warmth of the palace, holding Atem's hand gently without realising it.

He hadn't truly held anyone's hand like that in years.

"Next morning... I shall call for that man to be punished. I shall let the gods judge him just as you say he deserves." The King gave a big smile as he walked amongst his corridors, occasionally having a servant bow to him.

"Good." Yugi nodded as he followed the king's cape trails, the prosthetic clacking and creaking with each movement.

"I need to relax and I cannot bother Mana at this hour from her studies... Would you like to stay in my quarters for a while?"

"Ooh, what an honour. The almighty Pharaoh letting me into his room, such a big step." Yugi teasingly smirked, the King gently bonking him on the head with his hand.

"Hey... Yugi?"

"Yeah?"

Atem glanced back at him as he stood near his quarter's door.

"I will not let you be on your own. For the while that you are here, I will make it my duty to make you happy."

Yugi raised a brow. He stepped closer and held onto Atem's muscular and decorated arm gently.

"Then it's the same for me to you. I can't have the almighty Pharaoh being lonely and stressed, now can I?"

The door creaked open... The fancy bedroom of the Pharaoh sat in front of the two as they slowly stepped inside, Yugi taking a moment to note the decorative vases Atem seemed to love so dearly.

"Ah"

"What?" Yugi glanced at Atem. Atem gave an awkward smile.

"I forgot to have my groomers take off my kohl."

"W-want me to try and do it?"

"Nah. I know just what to do." Atem stepped into the hall and took a huge breath in before shouting at the top of his lungs in a brattish way. "SIAMUN!! I COMMAND YOU TO GET OVER HERE THIS INSTANT!!"

His yell echoed through the hall along with the panicked rush of footsteps that came with the old man sprinting over as fast as he could.

"You're gonna kill that poor old guy one day," Yugi said flatly. "Then again when I first woke up here he called me a woman so... Do what you want with him."

"It is an honour to serve the Pharaoh for any of his needs! Siamun should take pride in being my favourite servant!"

Yugi rolled his eyes and laughed quietly.

For the first time in a while, Yugi and Atem were truly happy.

So happy they didn't notice the screams of the bloodied just outside their door.