Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Of Time and Fate ❯ What Can't Be Helped ( Prologue )

Title: Of Time and Fate

Author: Britani Gael

Rating: PG-13

Series: Yu-Gi-Oh!

Summary: An AU fic. A way AU fic. At the dawn of the new Millennium, three boys are chosen by the Church of Ra to wield the three remaining Millennium objects. They must come to terms with their new powers, and the spirits within, in order to lead the fight against the resurrection of the Shadow Games.

Author's Notes: Okay, this came to me. Felt the need to write it. I'm using the Japanese names in this story, because even though the Japanese names don't really sound in place in Egypt, they sound better than the American ones. For those of you that don't know them:

Jounouchi - Joey

Honda - Tristan

Anzu - Tea

And, for the Yami's: Yami is Yami Yugi, Bakura is Yami Bakura, and Marik is Yami Malik Damn, it makes it hard to write when the characters don't actually have names.

And, one last thing. Think of it like this. The Greeks never took over Egypt, it was never conquered by the Romans. It still exists as the mighty empire it once one, with the pharaoh as supreme ruler, for now, at least, and the religion is still intact.

* * *

Dawn, January 1st, 2001

Cairo, Egypt

Yugi Motou plucked nervously at his ... robes. He could not bring himself to call it a skirt, even thought that was what is was. He was wearing a single piece of violet cloth, wrapped around his waist and hanging to his knees. A golden belt held it there, and he had sandals on his feet. He wore nothing else.

To tell the truth, he felt rather indecent. He was used to wearing jeans and T-shirts. Sure, it could get pretty hot, but most of the palace had air conditioning. His discomfort was lessened, though, by they thought that two others were sharing a fate similar to his own.

Ryou Bakura looked about his nervous as he felt. He was dressed the same as Yugi was, only in robes of white. He chewed on his lower lip nervously, and his toes tapped in his sandals.

Malik Ishtar, in robes of black, was trying to look bored. He was betrayed by the way his eyes danced back and forth, from noise to noise. But the noises around them were becoming fewer, and that could only mean one thing. The ceremony was about to begin.

Yugi swallowed. They had all known that this was coming, they just hadn't been looking forward to it.

They were in a small room in the center of the temple. Well, almost a room. There were three walls, and a silk drape decorated with Hieroglyphics. Few people in modern times could read these, Yugi was one of them. He had been taught since he was a small child, and was better than most, though Ryou beat him, hands down.

"Hey, Yug."

Yugi spun around at the hushed voice, Ryou and Malik did the same.

"Jounouchi? You're not supposed to be here!" Yugi hissed.

Ryou managed to look more nervous. Malik rolled his eyes and turned away.

Jounouchi grinned. "Yeah, well, the ceremony don't start for a few minutes, and unless Crawford's got it in for his Royal Brattiness, I think my job's safe."

"Jounouchi!" Yugi said, trying to sound shocked. He wasn't, though. Jounouchi's blatant disrespect was nothing new, and he didn't mean it anyway. Jounouchi would see himself dead before he would see anything happen to Mokuba.

Jounouchi shrugged. "Well, anyway, I thought I'd give you this. You know, big day and all." He held out his hand, and resting on his palm was a gold ring.

Yugi picked it up carefully. It was thicker than he had thought it would be, and heavier. It was polished flat on one side, and the Eye of Horus was etched onto it. "Jounouchi, I can't -"

"My dad gave it to me, before he died. Said it was good luck. Figured you needed it more than me, so ..."

Yugi nodded. He couldn't refuse to take it now, though it was probably one of the most valuable things Jounouchi owned. "Thank you," he said, closing his fingers on it.

Jounouchi scratched the back of his head, in an almost embarrassed manner. "Yeah, well, I better get back, before Honda notices I've gone MIA." He quickly turned on his heel, and ducked back under the drape.

Yugi looked down at the ring in his hand. Then a thought occurred to him. Oh, crap, what was he going to do with it?

He didn't have any pockets, he couldn't even put it in his shoe. He couldn't hold it for the entire ceremony, what was he going to do? Put it in his mouth?

Malik noticed his predicament almost immediately, and started laughing.

"Oh, leave him alone, Malik," Ryou said.

Malik ignored him. "Oh, the Priestess is going to be thrilled when she sees that piece of junk."

"It's not junk," Yugi said. He slipped the ring on his finger, even though it was far to big for him. He could feel it slide around with every movement of his hand.

"Maybe you should leave it here, Yugi," Ryou suggested.

"No."

Malik sighed, and muttered something that sounded a lot like, "Your funeral."

Yugi clenched his fist, determined. The halls went dead around them. It was about to start.

Malik closed his eyes. Ryou visibly swallowed. They had waited fifteen years for this day, and any one of them would have done anything for just a little more time.

* * *

Well, good, bad, dumb? I'm not sure, that's why I haven't written more, yet. I've got some ideas for this though, including a romantic pairing that, under normal circumstances, makes my skin crawl. Story seems to be going that way, though. So, tell me what ya think.