"Seto-sama, we have five more confirmations." Isono said as he checked his tablet. He was the only one in Kaiba Seto's presence to address him as such; to everyone else he was 'Kaiba-sama' in his native country, Japan, and everywhere else he was referred to with the highest and most respectful title possible. "With CNN confirmed, we can set up a press conference."
"Yes, excellent, Isono." Kaiba laced his fingers together.
"Seto-sama, are you sure you won't do this by satellite connection? Inviting all those reporters in person puts much strain on security."
"I brought you along to take care of security," Kaiba said. His voice was stern, but not stricter than usual. Isono wasn't offended; he'd known him since the CEO's youngest years, when he'd been officially adopted by Kaiba Gozaburo. After the man's death, Isono had simply stayed on board with the family, knowing that both Kaiba and his younger brother Mokuba appreciated him as their right man; he knew every intonation of Kaiba's voice and how to react to it.
"Certainly, Seto-sama," he said. "I have booked rooms for them at The Nile Ritz-Carlton hotel, and Jounouchi will take care of the transport between the city and the excavation site."
"Have him take Honda along when he goes to pick up the reporters," Kaiba said. "He's got a sturdier head on his shoulders than Jounouchi."
Isono typed something on his tablet. "Press conference, lunch... then, a brief tour through the tomb?"
"Yes, we're not taking them too far in. I want to avoid any accidents."
"Talking about accidents, Seto-sama... I'm sure one of the reporters will bring up the unfortunate death of one of the workers... Mahmoud was his name?"
"Yes, Mahmoud. Has his family been contacted yet?"
"I'm sorry, Seto-sama, but I haven't been able to locate any next-of-kin. According to his fellow workers, he was a married man, but he never told them where his wife lived. I'm still investigating."
"Alright. As for any reporter mentioning his death... we have no other reason to assume that Mahmoud is the victim of a robbery gone wrong. He might've caught some thieves in the act and they killed him, as he'd seen too much. Thieves and robbers are always lurking around excavation sites, in the hope to steal rare artifacts. This is no exception, and this is the tomb of an unknown, unnamed Pharaoh no less."
Isono continued to type on his tablet, working on one of his many lists. "You'll do the introductory part of the press conference?"
"Yes, then Ryou Bakura will tell about his... quest for the tomb. Let him exaggerate that sob story over fulfilling his late father's last wish, people gobble that up for breakfast. Of course, he must show the proper amount of exuberance and enthusiasm when he describes the actual discovery."
"And the others?"
Kaiba shook his head. "They don't have to be present. Yuugi is only Bakura's assistant and Malik... well, did he say 'yes' to my latest offer? I need him to guide the reporters around. He knows the most about that tomb and he's local, of course. I'll give him instructions on what to answer when people start to ask certain questions."
"I'll take care of it, Seto-sama. I'll keep you up-to-date about the security."
"See to it." Kaiba stared at his laptop screen as Isono bowed to him and left the large tent. He was quite comfortable here; he wasn't going to spend his time sleeping on the ground or eat, bathe and work in a primitive fashion. He did like the change of scenery, though. The stark contrast with his pristine, high-tech office back at Domino City couldn't be greater, yet he'd come somehow to appreciate the rough, harsh nature around him. The desert was endless and unforgiving, like a survival of the fittest. The days were mercilessly hot, the nights relentlessly cold. And still, all this mighty nature hid an unknowingly amount of treasures, covering it up for millennia. He liked Egypt more than he thought. Maybe he should have Mokuba join him after all. His brother could use a break from his duties and obligations as Vice President of KaibaCorp.. Mokuba was officially far too young to hold such a position, but since when had anything in his life been normal? Kaiba noticed something blinking in the corner of his screen. It was live footage from the mini-drone Jounouchi had send into the tomb. He was very pleased with the crisp, clear images; the stills could be use nicely to spice up the press conference and give a general impression of the discovered tomb. He refrained from clicking on the feed; he had a lot of work to do and couldn't spend his time just watching the footage. He was curious, though. He couldn't stop thinking about those two large, impressive stone slabs he had stumbled upon when the group had taken him underground for the first time.
Kaiba didn't care for the other artwork, he wasn't interested in the Book of the Dead (though he was willing to admit that the art in itself was astounding) or the depictions of the victories and successes of the nameless Pharaoh... but that stone slab in particular, the one Jounouchi had joked about that the depicted Pharaoh looked like Yuugi... it had resonated somehow inside of him. Like a tug at his heartstrings. Kaiba hadn't mentioned it to anyone, of course. Come on, he was a billionaire, top-ranking CEO of one of the world's most leading technology corporations! He was sure he would sound like a crazy person. Resonated? Bullshit! Even saying that he felt some kind of connection was complete and utter bullshit. As practical as Kaiba was, he didn't believe in anything supernatural or things that he couldn't see or touch with his own hands, he simply couldn't deny that... something... went through him when he saw that slab. A Pharaoh and his Priest, engaged in some kind of battle. What had Ryou said? It wasn't about war, but a battle nonetheless... with monsters? Kaiba could recall very clearly that Yuugi had been extremely upset when he mentioned he was going to have the slab removed and displayed at the museum. Of course the small assistant would protest; Kaiba could understand his position from an archaeological point of view. Making money off of this discovery wasn't even his main goal; Mokuba had encouraged him to give the company a more personal face, to give himself a more personal face.
Kaiba knew about his reputation, obviously, and he wouldn't have cared for it, if it wasn't for Mokuba. This dig was important to him personally and emotionally. It was strange. You might as well say that the person opposite of the Pharaoh looks like Kaiba-kun. Ridiculous. Jounouchi had been jesting, and Yuugi... well, he had responded to Jounouchi's jest with the first thing that came up in his mind. Kaiba had no connection to Ancient Egypt or whatsoever. Done, over, gone! He had to focus on writing his speech for the press conference. He had to focus on a million other things than to think a stone slab in some Pharaoh's tomb in some desert in some country deserved more research and attention.
Yuugi carried his backpack and the bottle of water back to the tent he shared with Ryou. Before entering, he knocked on the tent pole to make sure his friend was awake.
"Yes, come on in!" Ryou did sound a lot better, but when Yuugi saw his pale face, he immediately grew worried again.
"You did rest, didn't you?" he asked.
"Yes," Ryou said and reclined into a stack of pillows and folded-up clothes, to support his back. "I have to be in top-form for Kaiba's press conference. I still don't know what happened, but when I got up this morning..."
"Here, take this. You should drink plenty of water. Fatima doesn't think that you need any medications, but should the symptoms continue..."
"I do feel a lot better," Ryou admitted. "A little queasy, still. I guess it's just a stomach bug, it wouldn't be the first time. You look rather flustered, Yuugi-kun. Something wrong?"
"I'm not sure." Yuugi settled at the end of Ryou's bed, a combination of an air mattress, a sleeping bag, a couple of sheets, blankets and pillows. "Have you noticed something strange about Malik-kun lately?"
Ryou opened the bottle of water and poured the clear, cool liquid into a tin cup. He drank before answering Yuugi. "Something strange? Now that you mention it... I do think he has changed. He used to be a lot more abrasive, arrogant even, when I first met him. Now he seems... scared, at unease."
"Those cuts on his arms... Fatima was very upset that they hadn't healed. She even threatened to send him to the hospital at Cairo!"
Ryou looked pensive and stared into his cup. "Fatima takes her profession very seriously."
"Ryou-kun..." Yuugi didn't know how to say it. Ryou was his friend, so he didn't need to hold back, but still... he regarded Malik as his friend too, and this felt like gossiping. "Fatima thinks that the cuts are self-inflected."
He had just taken another sip of water and he all but choked on it. Coughing and wheezing, Ryou needed a moment to gather his bearings. "What?"
"Please don't tell Malik-kun that I told you," Yuugi said. "He was embarrassed enough as it was. Ever since that incident at the tomb... he's not been the same, has he?"
"You could say so. Like I said, he seems scared, at unease, while he was fairly rude when I hired him to guide for us."
"Ryou-kun... Fatima said something else. I think you should know."
"What did she say?"
"She said that Malik-kun wasn't inflicting these cuts... but his darker side."
"Excuse me?"
"His darker side possesses him and forces his kinder, lighter personality out. That's the way she said it." The darkness in Malik Ishtar and the growing darkness in Bakura Ryou. The growing darkness in you, Mutou Yuugi. He shivered.
He poured himself more water and drank slowly. "She's a good nurse, but she's clearly... well, I'm not going to say 'insane', but this isn't normal either. Darker side? Like, in a split personality?"
"No, she didn't say that. She was talking about darkness and she should know. She's the wife of Mahmoud."
"She is?" Ryou lifted an eyebrow. "I didn't know that! What's she still doing here? She should be in Cairo, burying her husband!"
"I... I don't know either, but she belongs to a tribe that served the Pharaohs for centuries," Yuugi blurted out. "You should talk to her, Ryou-kun. Maybe she even knows something about the nameless Pharaoh! She had a lot of knowledge about Malik-kun's family, the Ishtar tribe."
"She did?" Ryou's voice dipped slightly in tone, only to rise back to its usual pitch the next second. "I didn't know that either! I should really talk to her, indeed."
Yuugi told him what the nurse had said about the Ishtar's initiation rites and Ryou listened with rapt fascination.
"Incredible!" he said when Yuugi was finished. "She was sure that Malik wasn't scarred like that, wasn't she? Imagine a hot knife carving into your skin..." He spilled a little water on his bed, he was shivering violently at just the thought. Yuugi looked content with how much water he'd been drinking; the bottle was half empty already.
"I shouldn't keep bothering you, Ryou-kun," he said. "You need your rest. Kaiba doesn't need me, so I can spend my time on the footage."
"Footage? What footage?" Ryou asked. Yuugi explained to him about the mini-drone Jounouchi had send into the tomb. "Oh, excellent! Do tell me when you find something we haven't seen yet, or something that looks out of place to you, alright?"
"Sure, I'll do that." Yuugi got up from the tent floor, stretching his cramped muscles. "Now, get some rest. I know you, you keep working even when you have a fever."
"Oh, you're exaggerating..." Ryou said. Yuugi pointed at the paper maps next to Ryou's bed, some of them unfolded, others still rolled up.
"So what's that, then? Are you seriously considering another dig?"
"This? Oh.. eh..." Ryou grabbed one of the maps. "I'm comparing the coordinates of this excavation site to my father's notes."
"How come? You're sure this is the location your father was searching for, aren't you?"
"Yes, yes, I'm sure. But you know me, like you said. I'm all for the details."
"True that. Leave it for now, though. Get some rest."
"Yes, I will." Ryou shoved the map aside again and dutifully lied down. "Satisfied?"
Yuugi laughed. "Alright, if you need me, just holler. I'm outside the tent."
Ryou didn't answer. The corners of his lips curled up in a kind smile. Yuugi left, so he didn't see the smile turning into a grin. A wicked grin. A diabolical grin. So, the camp's nurse knew about the Ishtar tribe and their traditions? Well, it seemed to him that she knew too much.
It wasn't past noon yet and the sun was still bearable. Yuugi was grateful however, that he could work in the shade, provided by another large tent. The side panels kept out the sand, but also the wind. Yuugi prepared himself mentally for working in increasing heat. He didn't want the equipment to be damaged by sand, he needed the laptop to view the footage. True to his word, Jounouchi had uploaded the footage and apparently, the mini-drone was still inside the tomb to completely map it out. Yuugi snorted. It wouldn't be the first time that many chambers in a tomb remained undetected. Modern technology certainly came handy, but in the archaeological world, most discoveries were still made by simply digging and checking everything by hand. He cracked his knuckles and started to review the footage. The entrance, the art work, some of the open side chambers... he was once again touched by the wonderful art, expressing so much love and respect for the Pharaoh. Why oh why hadn't they mentioned his name anywhere? Why was it gone? He stared intensely at the screen, fully concentrated. The colors were fairly bright due to the construction lights Jounouchi and Honda had installed. Bright lights... warm lights... beige... sand... the warmth... the sun...
Yuugi knew he had fallen asleep behind the laptop. He didn't know how to call himself awake again and he didn't know if he wanted to. He was already looking for his Pharaoh, for the oasis with the small lake and the trees. Yuugi wondered why he wasn't worried. Fatima's words had actually scared him. Growing darkness inside of him? He couldn't believe it. He associated darkness with bad things, with hatred, with evil... and he wasn't like that at all. Would an evil man bring his friend a bottle of water and take care of his needs? He appreciated Fatima, he truly did, but what she had been telling him... it was just too fantastical. Says the one carrying a golden Puzzle around. Oh, if only he could wear it around his neck!
"Mou hitori no boku, are you here?" Yuugi was at the edge of the lake.
"Yes, I am here, aibou."
Yuugi spotted him; he was sitting in one of the trees' shade, calm and relaxed. He hurried to his side and all but dropped to his knees in the sand. He wrapped his arms around him. "I missed you."
"I missed you too." A kiss, and another one, full on his lips. Yuugi curled up next to him.
"I think I've fallen asleep behind my laptop." He first had to explain what a laptop was, and the Pharaoh nodded.
"Yes, you have to be asleep to be able to visit me here. The world of sleep is the only state of consciousness in which we can meet as I cannot touch the land of the living, and you cannot touch the land of the dead."
"Dead." Yuugi didn't like to hear that word. He couldn't believe that the Pharaoh... it was pretty much obvious that he wasn't alive, yet Yuugi didn't want to think about it. Denial was a strong thing, and he'd become a master at it. "There's something I can do, right? To make you cross over? To this world, I mean?"
The Pharaoh lifted his hand and touched his cheek. Long, slender and warm fingers; such a delicate touch. "It pains me so much, aibou," he said. "I do not think it is possible for me to live in your world. It is for the Gods to decide."
"What can I do to help the Gods decide?" Yuugi asked breathlessly.
The Pharaoh smiled at him. "You are very courageous, aibou."
"No, I'm hopelessly selfless," Yuugi said. "I... I think I'm in love with you." He averted his eyes. It hadn't been his intention to blur it out like that. For obvious reasons, he had wanted to keep it a secret..! The Pharaoh pressed his hand against his cheek and forced him to look up. "Aibou, look at me."
Yuugi kept his eyes half-lidded. He didn't dare to meet the other's gaze. The Pharaoh had too much honor to directly laugh in his face, but now the inevitable rejection would come. The kisses had been just that: kisses.
"Aibou, I have loved you from the moment I saw you," he said. "I wished for you to return these feelings. Hearing you speak it out loud, has rejoiced my heart and soul."
"R-really?" Yuugi opened his eyes now, widely. "You love me too?"
"My beloved," the Pharaoh said, his hand still on his cheek, his thumb caressing. "I cannot express how much I love you. Unfortunately... I am not of your world. There will be a day when we have to say goodbye to each other."
"Never!" Yuugi growled. "I won't let that happen! I don't care if I have to be in a coma for the rest of my life. I want to be with you!"
"Perhaps, there might be a way," the Pharaoh said. "It would be a dangerous one, though."
"I'll do anything!"
"I know." His hand went to Yuugi's ear, caressing the earlobe before sinking his hand into his hair. "I do not want to talk about it right now, aibou. It would ruin the moment, and I want to enjoy these moments with you."
"Yes, let's not spoil the mood." Yuugi leaned into him. "More kisses, please."
The Pharaoh had no problems to comply with the demand. He kissed Yuugi again and again, one hand gently stroking Yuugi's hair, his other arm loosely draped around him. After a while, he did break up the kisses, much to Yuugi's dismay.
"Aibou, forgive me, but I have to ask you once more," he said, tone of voice serious. "The tomb robber and the Tomb Keeper... are they still with you?"
"I'm not sure who you're talking about," Yuugi said. "Do you mean Ryou-kun and Malik-kun?"
"I do not remember their names," the Pharaoh admitted. "I will describe them to you."
"Go ahead," Yuugi said, but a few seconds later he wished he hadn't. His heart plummeted and his stomach tied itself into knots when he heard the Pharaoh's description of the tomb robber; it didn't approach Ryou's physical appearance all that much, but the bone-white hair was a dead giveaway. The description of the Tomb Keeper was far more accurate: the lavender-purplish eyes, the blond hair, the physical build... it fit Malik completely. He started shaking. It just couldn't be possible. But how could he deem it impossible, when he was talking and interacting with a Pharaoh himself? Malik and Ryou apparently also had a bond like this, a similar symbiosis with an Ancient Egyptian counterpart. He was startled when the Pharaoh touched his upper arm.
"I see that you are upset, aibou," he said. "I am sorry. I did not..."
"It's not your fault," Yuugi said and leaned with his head on his shoulder. "I just can't believe what's happening. Darkness growing, and people I care for have some sort of counterparts... like you and me, but different. Much more violent, from your words. Did you... why do you know about them?"
"I am not sure," the Pharaoh sighed. "My memories are not that great. I apologize once again, aibou. I do know that they have played a very important part in my life. One thing I am sure of: they are dangerous, and I do not like it that they are so close to you."
"Ryou-kun and Malik-kun are the kindest people in the world," Yuugi protested. Malik might be more distant perhaps, he'd never treated Yuugi badly. "Mou hitori no boku..."
The Pharaoh turned his head towards him and kissed him. It felt different this time, deeper, more urgent, or was it just his imagination? Yuugi barely realized he was clinging to the other, his hands fisting in the fabric of his shenti, the traditional garb he was wearing. Yuugi still had his arms around him, holding him in a tight embrace. Now he was the one to break up the kiss and he looked up at the Pharaoh.
"Aibou," the other said. "If there is anything I can do..."
Yuugi reached for his face, his fingers touching him on the cheek just like he had done a couple of moments ago. "Mou hitori no boku," he said and he didn't care for the pleading tone in his voice. "I want you to make love to me. Please. I need you so much."
The Pharaoh's answer was to kiss him again. Yuugi gasped when he trailed his kisses lower, all over his neck and just below his collarbone. He could feel the tugs on his buttoned shirt and shivered with delight with every button coming undone. The Pharaoh slid the garment over his shoulders. Yuugi wasn't really comfortable with nudity, not holding his body in very high esteem, but with the Pharaoh, he felt very much at ease. He had to remove his arms around the other though, so that the Pharaoh could take the entire garment off. Yuugi blushed. "I have very little experience," he admitted in a whisper.
The Pharaoh brought his face up to his, so that he could whisper in his ear. "As long as you love me, I will make love to you," he breathed. "You are beautiful, aibou."
Yuugi heaved a sigh of relief. He wanted to touch him, to undress him, but he didn't know where to start with all that gold. Did he need to take the gold belt around his waist off first, or was it just a skirt he could lift up..? The Pharaoh didn't give him a chance to do something in return, though. With a single movement, he removed the golden clasp holding his cape together and spread out the large piece of fabric onto the sand. Yuugi was laid down on top of the cape and before he knew it, the rest of his clothing was gone as well. For the first time in his life, he was completely naked in front of another man. He would've felt embarrassed and awkward in anyone else's presence, but not the Pharaoh's. Those hands, those kisses, the attention he received...
"I want to see you," Yuugi said, barely audible.
"It is not fair for you to be the only naked one," the Pharaoh sort of quipped and winked. He reached behind his back to undo the clasps of the golden belt around his waist. Yuugi watched breathlessly when the Pharaoh took off his shenti, the fabric sliding over his tan body, revealing his naked skin. He gasped. The Pharaoh had said that he, Yuugi, was beautiful... but whatever beauty he had, it paled in comparison to the Pharaoh's. Yuugi couldn't do anything else but to speechlessly lift up his arms. The Pharaoh answered the embrace, his hand sliding over Yuugi's side and pulling him close to him. Truthfully, Yuugi didn't know where his request had come from. He hadn't thought about physical intimacy at all, but the craving had settled into him ever since he met the Pharaoh. He had no idea how else they could bond even more; the love and care was already there, but he wanted, needed the confirmation that the Pharaoh wanted him too. That he wanted to do this, that he needed him... Yuugi tilted his head back, gasping once more. His body reacted to every touch, every caress and every kiss with such high sensitivity, and it was almost too much to bear. The intensity, the heat, the desire... and when that moment came to pass, physically and emotionally united on the deepest intimate level, he could cry tears of joy and happiness. Instead, he clung to the Pharaoh and cried that he had no name to call out when his lover satisfied him over and over again.
Fatima closed the tent flap after watching the worker's retreating back. She had taken care of a couple of blisters and she cleaned up the materials she had used. She tugged at the scarf around her head, making sure it was still wrapped tightly. The nurse organized all her tools of the trade and wiped off the surface of the table. Her thoughts were with Yuugi and the look on his face when he had left her tent. Poor little one, she thought to herself. She had faith that Yuugi would come to his senses. He didn't believe her right now, denying everything... but she had seen the strength and kindness in his heart. He was in love with the Pharaoh, but did he realize the consequences? Did he know what he had gotten himself into? She heaved a sigh. Sometimes fate, destiny or life itself took you into an entire different direction. Fatima had expected to work at a hospital in Cairo by now, but instead she had married a man who traveled around, keeping an eye on several dig sites and believing in ancient rites and traditions... and Pharaohs. She was ready, and so she didn't turn around when the tent flap was lifted and someone entered the tent.
"I had expected you sooner," she said. "Thank you for giving me enough time to prepare."
"I didn't know you were here," the cold, low voice answered her. "Some people just can't shut up."
"He means well." Fatima took a deep breath. She didn't want to cry, but she couldn't help the emotions washing all over her. "He's going to stop you."
"We'll see about that." An eerie, rattling sound echoed through the tent. Fatima shivered.
"May I ask you something?"
"Ask."
"Did my husband suffer?"
"I'm not a torturer." A disdainful snort. "I can make it quick and painless for you too, woman."
"Thank you." She remained standing.
"You're not going to turn around to face me?"
"I don't want to see the face of my murderer." Fatima folded her hands, ignoring the tears on her cheeks. She wasn't crying about herself. "You're only searching for your loved ones to be returned to you as well." Mahmoud had told her, he had tried to prepare her... how could she have been so dismissive of his words? He had begged her...now she could only hope that she had done enough for Yuugi and his Pharaoh, even for Malik and his dark side, and for Ryou and... her thoughts ended abruptly and life was torn away from her, the darkness rapidly enveloping her soul. Darkness. Emptiness. Nothingness. Void.