Disclaimer: I don't own Yuugi-Ou. It belongs to its respective creators who don't have enough yami's.

A/N: One of those things that nag and nag and refuse to go away. I've tried to write this at least twice. It was the reason I go this account. So dang it, I'm writing it. This will be a boring beginning but will improve. Or get more interesting. Not one should know where this is going at this point.

I hope you are kind to my Serqi.

Mock Forms

Chapter I: Funerary Preparations

Atem was not looking forward to this afternoon. It would be most likely a long dull affair involving an argument from half a dozen priests and have to be reconvened the next day, or few days, if luck wasn't with him.

He was in the beginning process of planning his funeral. He was sixteen and the officials had finally bullied him into a corner on the matter. He had to start preparations for the Afterlife; even though, the event would be most likely decades away. Tombs took years to build and even longer to get through the bureaucracy. Apparently despite the young Pharaoh's disapproval of many issues, the bureaucrats had made most of the decisions for him. They had decided who would do the labor, how large it would be and, even which Gods were to protect it. In the end, Atem was scarcely permitted to choose the type of stone used on the monument.

However the bureaucrats, despite their ultimate rule over his Afterlife, insisted on convening these meetings, anyway. The plan for the day was a meeting with the Royal Chief Architect. It was new architect and Atem had never met the man. However this made little difference since, Atem had never met the old Royal Chief Architect, either.

"Pharaoh..." It was Mahado who had just walked into the small meeting room. "Are you ready for the meeting, sir?"

Atem looked over at Mahado briefly. He was surprised it wasn't Shimon. He must have gone to oversee the construction of a new temple. He decided that must have been it. "When will the meeting begin?"

Mahado sighed and looked out the window. He searched the garden below until he found the Sumerian sundial. "Its about time now. Set will be here soon. He's not one to be late."

"Set?" Atem looked up at Mahado for a moment. "Set is coming?"

Mahado looked surprised. "Set is the one who arranged the architect. Apparently, he's rather young."

"Are you worried about that?"

Mahado shifted his eyes to Atem for a moment. He was. "Set assures me he is capable and quite good at what he does."

"But..."

"But nothing." Mahado was surprised by the inquiry. "I trust Set's decision."

Atem was not convinced; however, it was no use bothering him. Atem was sure his suspicions were unfounded. He was sure the architect would be dry, rather old and very boring, but good by traditional standards.

At that moment, Set opened the door and walked in. He was followed by a young man no taller than Atem and around the same age. The boy had black hair that was cut in two lengths the longer came down to his shoulders and short around his face was at length with his upper chin. His eyes were purple and did not meet Atem's as he walked into the room. The boy wore various jewelry, primarily of scorpions and snakes: two gold wristbands, two matching items were also above his ankles, two armbands were below his shoulders, one containing the image of a scorpion and the other was a simple spiral, a gold hoop hung over one of his ankles, two rings on his right hand, one on his left and a metal neck wrap with the image of a cobra. Atem found him over-decorated. His kilt hung to right below his knees and had a red border around the edge.

Atem assumed he was a new student of Set. Set had never had a student before; nonetheless, the priests often took apprentices and he was sure that was the explanation. Atem waited for a moment, looking around out of boredom. He had no idea where the architect was.

Mahado nudged him. "Pharaoh?"

Atem straightened slightly. He didn't see why he had to. The architect was obviously late or had dementia. "Set, weren't you supposed to bring the architect?"

Mahado groaned to himself. It was humiliating with the Pharaoh had no idea what was going on.

Set smirked slightly. "I did bring the architect."

The boy looked up at Set for moment. He looked confused and apprehensive.

He put his hand on the student's shoulder. "This is the architect. His name is Serqmaaker and he recently joined the court as your Royal Chief Architect."

Atem choked for a moment. "He's the architect!"

Mahado reddened and pulled Atem to the side. "You didn't know?"

"He can't be old enough."

"That may be but he is the architect. I told he was young, Pharaoh."

"That young..." Atem realized that Set and, the apparent new architect, Serqmaaker were still in the room. "Sorry. I... I..."

"I understand that I am quite young. You expected someone with more experience." The young architect said. He was seemed nervous to be standing in front of Atem.

"Yes, that is um... Serq-maa..."

Set looked as though he was thoroughly enjoying the entire affair. "He is often called Serq. Its a name from Lower Egypt. Pharaoh, may not be familiar with it."

"Right... Serq, you had a plan, I assume for the tomb."

The boy bowed to Atem and scrambled over to a large table in the center of the room. Set, Atem and Mahado walked over occasionally looking at one another and back to Serq as he scrambled through a large tan bag overfilled with papyrus. The boy fumbled as they watched him, he looking over papers, occasionally throwing something onto the table or shoving it back into the bag. He even made disgusted faces at a few of the papyruses. All the while the boy hummed to himself. He thought he had thrown those out. Set seemed almost indignant by the unprofessional display by his young acquaintance. Finally, he decided on the proper drawings and spread them out on the table. "These are some of the designs for your tomb."

Atem looked at the drawings. He was an expert certainly. "You do know that I am known for the Ka Gods, didn't you?"

Serq almost jumped. He looked down at his designs nervously. Sure enough, there was much reference to the Gods. He had mentioned Ra but that was almost it. "I... I..."

Set stepped in almost instantly. "This is a preliminary meeting. The specific designs for the walls and scriptures are done much later. Surely, you knew that Pharaoh." Set sent Atem a look of disappointment. Serq just gave a sigh of relief. "This meeting is to evaluate the overall design and structure of the tomb. Not to mention the first draft of traps for tomb robbers. Surely, you know what the intent of your own meeting is, my Pharaoh."

Atem recoiled slightly. He really didn't have much of an idea of what the meeting was about in detail. He regained his composure quickly though. "That's enough, Set. I don't need to be reprimanded on how I conduct a meeting." Set fumed slightly, Serq seemed more in admiration to the Pharaoh. He looked down at the drawings again.

Serq waited almost not paying attention. He played with one of his rings and flicked his hair occasionally. Set nudged the boy and he straightened quickly. Set gave him a look and he grinned nervously at the priest. Set had noticed his absent minded ditziness before.

Atem looked up. "These are rather good."

The meeting continued for some time. Atem had been impressed. Set and Serq left shortly after. Set was smirked to himself. He had actually been the priest who had found Serq. He was on a Ka raid and had sensed a particular ability in the boy. He was at the time working for a minor king in Lower Egypt. He had taken the boy to the palace. They often searched for Ba's with specific talents or signatures. Serq was no different. They had sensed something different about the boy. It turned out he was one of the greatest artists in Egypt with a keen mind for mathematics and architecture. He could do amazing equations on structure and mass in his mind. He also copied from nature as opposed to the tradition of copying from past generations. He was brilliant as an architect.

However, he soon learned that he lacked in many other areas. He was slothish, had a sense of extreme vanity and had the attention span of a fly. However, it wasn't his duty to be good at these things. He had been easy to place. He seemed eager to leave the old kingdom and even more eager to be working in such a high position.

"Brother, did the meeting go well?" The boy said sweetly. He was looking up at Set warmly.

"Yes, the Pharaoh is fond of you."

Serq smiled and cooed to himself. Set ignored the gesture. He was not the boy's brother; well, not by birth. Set had treated him much like one though. He had even allowed the boy to call him as such. He had a strange bond with him. Something that he didn't usually have with the people he had found. Set walked out of the palace and into the Royal courtyard. Serq followed humming to himself and playing with one of his rings.

Set continued to the Veju Temple on the west end of the courtyard. Serq followed him into the building. It was large with stone illustrated stone tablets lining the walls. There was a stone platform in the center of the building with torches lighting the room. Serq looked around twirling his hair. "This is Egypt's famous temple, brother?"

"Yes, this is the temple of Veju where all of the ka's of criminals are kept." He said continuing into the building.

Serq followed slowly looking around.

Set stopped at the far end talking with with his father, Akunadin. They were discussing what they considered a moderately hostile thief calling himself a king by the time Serq walked over to Set's side.

"He's charged with public drunkness and ranting in the streets about the Ka's. How he even knows about such things are beyond m-..." Akunadin paused mid-thought and looked at Serq. "Who is that?"

Set turned around expecting someone different. He was unaware that many were unused to Serq playing shadow with him. Serq appeared a little nervous by the sudden attention drawn to him. Set turned back around to Akunadin. "Serqmaaker, the new architect for the palace. He was observing the design, I assume."

Akunadin nodded and spoke to himself for a moment. "Right, new architect. Make sure, he knows what he is doing. Is he Chatuluka's student? Surely, he couldn't be the architect. He's too young."

"He is the new architect." Set said insistently. He was getting very annoyed by the fact that people continued to insist that he was wrong and that the boy couldn't possibly be the architect. "Chatuluka departed to the Afterlife more than a week ago. His mummification is being carried out."

Akunadin seemed almost dazed for a moment. He had known the old architect and would miss him horribly. "Oh... I suppose I heard about that." Akunadin was silent for a moment.

Set decided to break the silence. He didn't have time for silly nostalgia from an old priest. "So what is the current whereabouts of this 'thief king'?"

Akunadin snapped out of his mental doldrums. "No, idea. No one does. He starts riots in the streets about 'justice', robs tombs, frees prisoners, is found drunk in the local House of Beer and the gods only know what else. Then as soon as we notice, he disappears without a trace. The people aren't any help either. They refuse to tell us anything about him. Some say he's a myth. Others are saying he's a god."

Set seemed surprised and so did Serq. "A god?"

"I know, that's the last thing we need is some crazy thief being deified."

"No, we don't. Has anyone cooperated?"

"Some have. A caravan leader was robbed by him. He chased the thief for almost ten miles. I would have let the goods go but, he didn't. He chased the thief all the way into the canyons. The thief snuck away after that. He got away around Kur Elna though. Why he'd lead him all the way out there, I don't know."

"You think he lives that far out."

"I wouldn't doubt it. Thieves like him aren't like normal people. They live outside the order of things."

"I'll personally look for him myself."

"Don't bother. The guards are out on it. He's a pest. A big pest but a pest nonetheless."

Serq looked at Akunadin. He was curious. He had heard of Kur Elna. "Weren't they all dead?"

Akunadin turned to Serq. "We wish. If all the crazy thieves were dead, we wouldn't need sennen items."

"No in that village. Didn't they all die at once. Right around the time the sennen items were born."

"Yes, a coincidence. They were thieves and there was this horrible plague. Everyone died."

"I see."

---

I know it is incredibly boring. But it has a lot of foundation for the whole story. More to come soon and please review.