Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ My Slave for All Time ❯ My Name is Yugi ( Chapter 3 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Yugi tries to attack Atemu, gets a visit from Jounouchi's spirit, and learns a little more about the Pharaoh. Sorry, no fluff or lemons in this chapter.

Anime/Manga: Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Hentai / Fantasy / Romance | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 12.27.2005 | Pages: 5 | Words: 5.2K | Visits: 2.5K | Status: Work In Progress

—Seriously I hit a writer's block with Awakening! And I didn't “say” it…I typed it out to be exact. Ha! So anyways, hope ya'll are stuffed with gifts and ham and Who Hash. Oops…that's How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Curse you, Dr. Suess! Anyways, here's a new chapter of My Slaveand I'll be updating Awakeningfairly soon. I think I'm getting a brain blast…or that might be indigestion from all the Xmas ham I ate…

Chapter 3 -My Name is Yugi!

The Pharaoh's chambers weren't as regal and splendid as Yugi thought they'd be. He figured there would be magnificent furniture draped in gold and elegant pillows that smelt of lavender water. He had pictured banners hanging from the ceiling and hieroglyphics painted on the walls.

But no…the walls were plain and dull. The only furniture was a small table of some kind and a bed with turquoise curtains hanging around it. There was a doorway that opened out onto a balcony from which Yugi could see the whole city.

He went back inside and sat on the floor. He wanted to see if the bed really was as soft as it appeared. But the Pharaoh could walk through the door at any moment and who knew what he'd think of a low-class slave on his bed. It sent shivers up Yugi's spine to think about it.

Suddenly, he had a frightening idea. Could he…attack the Pharaoh? Threaten King Atemu into letting him and Anzu go? That sounded like something Jounouchi would do. Thinking of his friend's name made tears blur Yugi's vision. The king should outlaw slavery, Yugi thought. If he truly hates it, then he should do something about it!

He wasn't thinking now. He jumped to his feet when he heard footsteps outside the door. He crept over to stand just out of sight of whoever was coming into the room. Yugi closed his fists together and lifted them above his head. He swung with all his might and…

Atemu caught his fists easily. Yugi hated how his cheeks burned when they felt Atemu's strong hand holding his fists so gently, but so firmly. “Let go.”

“If you were planning a sneak attack, it didn't work. The idea is to surprise your opponent. I could hear you approaching the door and I saw the movement of your arms.” Atemu told him, letting his fists go.

Yugi felt angry now. Angry that he'd tried to attack the most powerful man in Egypt; angry at the masters for enslaving him; angry that he couldn't do a thing to protect or save his friends and family. He flew into a rage and tackled Atemu.

Both young men went down and Yugi struck Atemu in the face. He recovered his footing and dealt a kick to the Pharaoh's side. He lifted his foot for another one, but Atemu grabbed it and pulled hard. Yugi slipped and fell on his back. He sat up, but the king surprised him with a mighty shove. He didn't slap or hit him, but he simply shoved him back into a lying down position.

Yugi looked up at the Pharaoh's face. There was a slight bruise on his cheek from where Yugi had hit him and his crown was tilted to the right. Other than that, Atemu seemed unharmed.

“That wasn't bad. The tackle took me by surprise as well as the kick. I could teach you some better moves though.” Atemu replied.

The boy sat up and shouted, “I hate you!”

“What for? I've done nothing to you. Well, I did push you just now, but that can't be why you hate me.” He could see the boy shaking with tears and sobs. Yugi turned away and wept quietly.

Atemu sighed and threw off his cape. “I don't know what the slave traders did to you, but I can assure you that I am not as cruel.”

“You should ban slavery from Egypt. Make a lot of fierce laws that forbid anybody from having slaves!” Yugi said, his anger returning a bit. “Drive all the slave traders out of Egypt forever!”

“Even if I did, I can't guarantee that everyone will follow such laws.”

“Kill anybody who doesn't obey.”

“That would make me a tyrant and I would never turn Egypt into a tyranny. Besides, wouldn't that be the same as a slave trader killing a disobedient slave?”

Yugi thought of Jounouchi being killed for disobeying the masters. The boy frowned and looked away. “I wouldn't wish what I've been through on anyone.”

“Even me?”

“Yes.”

“How noble of you, Nkuku.”

“Don't call me that!” Yugi shouted. “I hate my slave name!”

Atemu took off his upside down pyramid—which he later referred to as the Millennium Puzzle. “I'm sorry. What is your real name?”

“My name is Yugi.”

“Then that is how I will address you.” Atemu folded his cape and placed it on the table with the Puzzle on top of it. “I asked a servant to bring you some pillows and blankets to sleep on. I promise to have a bed brought in for you at some point.”

“I've slept on worse.” the slave boy muttered.

“Your treatment here will be different. It will be better, I promise. Just don't attack me again, understand?”

“Yes, your Majesty…” Yugi growled.

Atemu said no more to him. A few servants brought in some assorted pillows and blankets and Yugi fashioned them into a semi-perfect bed in the corner farthest away from the Pharaoh. Another servant soon appeared with a tray of food. Real fruit and meat and a real goblet of actual water.

“Eat, Nkuku.” Atemu said, sitting on his bed. “I won't have you looking like skin and bones.”

“My name is Yugi, dammit.” Yugi grunted as he inspected his food for spoil spots.

“Sorry. I'll try to remember that.”

I'm sure you will, Yugi thought bitterly.

Yugi munched carefully on his food, making sure it wasn't poisoned nor had something in it. After cleaning his tray and not falling over dead, Yugi gulped down the water and slipped onto his makeshift bed with a full belly.

——————

Yugi dreamt that night. He dreamt that he was home and his whole village was still in one piece. His small, but comfortable home sat waiting for him. His beautiful mother and brave father were standing outside the little hut, smiling at their son.

“Mother! Father!” Yugi shouted in his dream. He cried tears of joy and ran towards them. His mother waved to him and called his name. His father beamed and held up his sword. Suddenly, someone grabbed his elbow. Yugi turned and saw Jounouchi. The wheat-haired boy was alive and looked as though he had never been beaten or killed.

“Jounouchi! You're all right!”

“It's the afterlife, Yugi. So what's been happening while I was gone?”

Yugi told him. They sat down in the sand together and Jounouchi listened to everything. Once Yugi was finished, Jounouchi said, “The Pharaoh can do anything, Yugi. You be careful. He could have your head cut off with one snap of his fingers.”

“I don't like him.” Yugi said.

“Why? He's given you more than those bastard slave masters ever did.”

“He has the power to prevent slavery, but he refuses to use it! Why?! He could prevent what happened to us from happening to other people! If I were Pharaoh, I'd outlaw slavery completely and I'd bring slave traders to justice. It's not right, Jounouchi!”

“Yugi, calm down. That's true. It's not right what happened to us. But life just isn't fair sometimes. I remember something your father once said. He said that life was unpredictable. What happened to our village was something that couldn't be predicted.”

Yugi sighed. “I guess. And…I suppose there's no real why I should hate King Atemu, right?”

“Exactly. I mean, from what I've heard throughout my life, I think you have it better than he does.”

Yugi burst out laughing. “Quit joking around, Jounouchi!”

“I'm serious! Does he even have any friends or parents that love him? Does he have anybody to confide in?”

“I…” Yugi shrugged. “He has advisors and priests.”

“They just serve him. They're only doing the job their paid for.” Jounouchi replied. “You had a mom and dad loved you so much that they died protecting you. I, Kujyaku, Honda, Anzu, and Otogi are your friends and I know Anzu is your confidant. I'll bet my afterlife that Atemu doesn't have any of those things. I'll bet he needs them too.”

Yugi didn't know what to say. He merely looked across the wide sands of the desert and at his village where his parents were still there, waiting for him. “Maybe so…”

“Go get some sleep, Yugi. I'm needed back in the Underworld. It's not your time to come here yet. You've still got a life to lead.”

“Before you go, Jounouchi,” Yugi said, standing up with his friend, “what's the afterlife like?”

Jounouchi simply smiled and said, “Paradise, Yugi.” (A/N: Yeah, I decided to make ancient Jounouchi not as stupid or silly as his future self will be.)

——————

Yugi awoke to see a bit of predawn light just peeking over the horizon beyond the balcony. The light was enough to illuminate parts of the bedroom. The rest was enveloped in shadows, making the Pharaoh's chambers look eerie.

There was a sound drifting through the bedroom as well. Yugi strained his ears and the sound appeared to be someone crying—or trying not to cry. He sat up and saw Pharaoh Atemu curled up in a fetal position and shivering. Slowly, Yugi rose from his cushions and crept to the side of the canopy bed.

The Pharaoh was crying! Yugi was a little surprised to see the great ruler whimpering and weeping like a lost child. The most powerful man in Egypt now looked like what he really was: a seventeen year old boy. Yugi reached out and touched the Pharaoh's naked shoulder. Atemu sat up so fast Yugi jumped back two feet, scaring both of them.

“You! Who are you?!” Atemu's voice was high with fear and surprise.

“I-I'm Yugi…the slave boy you got for your birthday.”

Atemu stared wide-eyed at him for a second, but then he relaxed and sighed heavily. “Forgive me. I was…”

“It sounded like you were crying.” Yugi said, quietly.

“I wasn't crying.” The coldness in his voice told Yugi not to push it. The boy took another step back. He could just barely see the Pharaoh as dawn slowly approached. The Pharaoh was completely naked except for his ankh-shaped earrings, golden crown, and an off-white shenti around his waist. His chest and arms were firm with muscles. Though they weren't enormous, it was clear that the Pharaoh kept himself in good shape.

“I heard you.” Yugi said. “What is it?”

“I said I wasn't crying. Isn't it your duty to obey my commands?” When Yugi nodded, Atemu snapped, “Then don't question me further. Go back to bed, Yugi.”

Yugi turned and headed for his makeshift bed. He looked over his shoulder as the Pharaoh lay down, rolling over so Yugi couldn't see his face. “I'm the one who should be crying, you know. My parents died trying to save me from the slave masters. My father fought wielded his sword valiantly against them, but to no avail. My best friend died while trying to save me from being whipped. I don't have much left anymore…”

After he'd snuggled into his silken blanket, Yugi tried to fall asleep, but he had this feeling that someone was watching him. Probably the Pharaoh was making sure Yugi didn't get up and tackle him again.

I'll just tell him to mind his own business and let me sleep, Yugi thought. But when he turned over and propped himself up on his elbows, Yugi saw Atemu sitting on the floor right beside the heap of cushions.

“What did your father do?” Atemu asked.

“He fought to protect our village.” Yugi replied. He refused to tell the Pharaoh anymore than that. In truth, Yugi didn't know and never found out what occupation his father had.

“He knew swordplay. Was he a soldier?”

Yugi stared back at him impassively. “I don't know, but he liked to show me his skills. I could never get the hang of it though.”

Atemu smirked. “He taught you to fight too.”

“Yes, but I barely listened. I'm not really the fighting type.”

“Yet you tried to attack me when I entered my own chambers. You could have killed me too. Beaten me to death with my Puzzle.”

“I…I was—” Yugi stopped. I'm not going to tell him everything about my life, he thought. The Pharaoh's nice to talk to a little, but I'm not gonna get carried away… “I…wasn't planning on killing you.”

The Pharaoh laughed. “That's good. I'm glad you feel that way. That means I can trust you.” He looked over his shoulder as dawn had finally come. He became serious again and said, “My father was like yours. Brave, kind, just, helpful.”

“Did your father die too?”

“He passed on to the afterlife only a year ago.”

“I'm sorry.” And he meant it too. “So you've been ruling for only a year? I thought it was longer than that.”

“My father did help me rule Egypt when he was still alive, but I could not make very important decisions yet. The crown was not atop my head yet.”

“Is that why you were crying? Because you miss your father?”

Atemu stared coldly at Yugi. “I must keep a calm, stern face for my people. If I act fearful or depressed, my people will grow concerned and frightened. People panic when their leader does not show strength.”

That makes sense, I guess, thought Yugi “But, it makes you sound so…inhuman.”

“I cannot show any weaknesses to my people or they will feel weak themselves.”

“But you have weaknesses. You can't deny that they aren't there.”

Atemu nodded. “This is true. After all, I am only a human. Just like you.” He stood and walked back to his bed. “Get as much sleep as possible. I'll have some errands for you to run later today.”

“Yes, your Majesty.” Yugi whispered and threw his blanket back around his body.

Once in bed, Atemu called to him, “Sleep well, Nkuku.” That earned a cushion thrown in his face.

“It's Yugi!” shouted an annoyed voice from the pile of cushions and blankets.

—Nothing to say here. Wait for the next update. Love ya!