KT: I actually can't believe I'm sitting here crying like a baby while I'm writing this. It's simply that I am so touched by you guys' support. It kind of reminds me of this time I was writing a chapter of The Book with Andi in my lap, and she got her fingers all over the keys and input a stream of nonsense into a really dramatic part. It just made me laugh so hard. And then Andi started laughing, and I couldn't stop. Whenever I think of that, I want to laugh and cry at the same time.
Once again, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU all for your tremendous support and concern. It really makes me feel better that you all are so concerned about me and my family. Now, before this A/N gets any longer, on to the epilogue.
Epilogue
What is this?
It's a calendar. Remember how I told you about these? They help you keep track of the days.
Ohhh, right...Um, no.
Yugi bit his lip to keep himself from breaking into laughter. Sitting beside him, Atemu had a straight face, but the gleam in his eye betrayed the fact that he was trying not to laugh as well.
Okay, look. These are the seven days of the week. So far, this many days have passed since we were warped back to Ancient Egypt.
Warped...that's a funny word.
Focus! Now, how many days was it?
Seven. Do I look like a child?
Yugi felt a laugh escape through his nose and poked his cheek with his tongue. Atemu had a giant grin on his face now.
Seven days. And what do we call a period of seven days?
A week. You know, that's a funny word too.
You better cut it out.
Cut what out? Am I to presume you're speaking of my tongue? Because that's the only logical explanation I can come up with that would make your statement make sense. Should I get some skissors?
"The C in scissors is silent!" Yugi reprimanded.
Atemu shrugged, like he didn't care.
"What's the matter with you two?" Yugi and Atemu turned guiltily in their seats to face the High Priest. He had his usual scowl in place. "Don't tell me the two of you are having one of your 'personal conversations' again. You find that hilarious, don't you?" Seto said.
"Every time," Atemu replied.
It had been a week since Yugi and Atemu had found themselves in Ancient Egypt. Since then, they had tried to make some sense of what had happened. Somehow, they had wound up being able to speak to each other's minds. Not even Isis had the answer for that. But neither really cared. They were both just happy not to be separated from each other.
"They are like brothers," Isis remarked a few hours later, as she and Seto watched Yugi and Atemu hanging out in one of the indoor gardens.
Seto snorted. "Ever since that boy showed up, Atemu acts like a child," he said, obviously disapproving.
"It is not a crime for the pharaoh to enjoy himself," Isis pointed out. She gave Seto a sidelong glance. "I think, perhaps, you are worried that this boy has taken your place in Atemu's heart."
"Please!" Seto scoffed. "That's the last thing I would worry about. I am Atemu's advisor; he's simply a foreigner that happened upon a way to free my cousin from that accursed book."
Isis took a look over at Yugi and Atemu, who were now sitting silently on one of the benches. Atemu suddenly snickered, and Yugi punched him in the arm before they both broke into laughter.
"I simply wonder how," Seto said, seemingly to himself.
"How what?" Isis asked.
Seto glanced at her quickly, then looked away. "How this...Yugi, managed to free Atemu, when I couldn't."
"Perhaps their bond had a hand in it," Isis mused. At Seto's sneer, she went on. "You know what they told us. Atemu was Yugi's confidante for a full year. Neither of them wanted to leave the other. They are truly kindred spirits."
"Well, that all may be," Seto said, "but sooner or later he'll want to go back where he came from. No doubt he has family and friends elsewhere. He'll want to leave. And when he cannot, what do you think is going to happen?"
"You are so pessimistic, High Priest," Isis said.
"Somebody has to be," Seto shot back.
Atemu rolled over, trying to keep his eyes closed so he could go back to sleep. But it was too late. His senses had returned to his quarters. He sighed and opened his eyes.
Someone was on the balcony. Atemu tensed, realizing it could spell danger. He slowly sat up and reached under his pillow for his hidden dagger as he climbed out of bed.
The figure moved, and Atemu used the opportunity to slip past the curtained entrance to the balcony. He looked out, straining to see through the darkness.
It was only Yugi, leaning over the railing and looking out into the night sky. Atemu breathed a sigh of relief as he walked over to stand next to Yugi. "Trouble sleeping?" he asked, noticing how Yugi jumped when he spoke.
"Oh! Atemu, hi," Yugi said, smiling.
"Is something wrong?" Atemu asked.
Yugi shook his head. "Oh, no, not at all..." He trailed off as he turned to look out at the sea of sand below him.
Atemu turned to see what was so fascinating. "I know you're lying," he said to the horizon.
Yugi sighed slowly. "Well, I didn't want to say anything, but..."
"What?" Atemu asked, turning to face Yugi.
Another sigh. "Well, I...I was kind of wondering about the others. You know, Grandpa, and Joey and Tea and Tristan. I mean, I'm glad I didn't lose you, but they were all worried about me when I was in the hospital. And now, I guess I just disappeared to them. What if they're worrying about me? Or what if my body's still there or something, and they think I died?"
Atemu could see how much this was distressing Yugi. He wished he had the answers. "Well, Yugi, I don't know." He looked out at the first streaks of sunlight for a moment, and then brightened as an idea came to him. "Perhaps The Book has some answers."
"You think so?" Yugi asked, looking eager.
"Anything's possible. We can look into it at sunup."
So, when morning arrived, Yugi and Atemu went to the room where The Book was being held. When they arrived, they found none other then Isis sitting at a table with The Book open, appearing to read something.
"Isis?" Atemu said. Isis looked up. "Is something wrong? You look upset."
"Oh, I am not upset, My Pharaoh," Isis said. "I have simply come across something...unexplainable, perhaps."
Atemu raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
"Come see here." Isis held up the book, and Atemu and Yugi came around the table to see what it was. "Some strange text has appeared in this book, but I cannot understand what it says."
Atemu peered at it. "Hmm. It looks familiar..."
Yugi gasped. "That's English!"
Both Atemu and Isis looked up at him. "English?" Isis repeated, sounding confused.
Yugi nodded. "That's the language I understand. Let me see." Isis handed him the book, and he read the words, almost afraid of what they might say.
Yugi? Where are you? Are you there?
Yugi could barely contain his excitement. "Do either of you have a pen?" he asked without looking up.
"There's one behind your ear," Atemu pointed out.
"Oh. Thanks." Yugi pulled the pen out from behind his ear and sat down at the table.
This is Yugi. Who is this?
The three waited, watching the book. After a few moments, a third line of text appeared under Yugi's.
Yugi! It's your grandfather. Where are you?
Yugi drew in a breath and covered his mouth with a hand. Atemu squinted at the text. "It's his grandfather," he translated for Isis. "He's asking where Yugi is."
With a slightly shaking hand, Yugi wrote out a reply.
It's kind of hard to explain. I'm in Ancient Egypt with Atemu. Somehow we were transported back to his time. Is everybody okay?
They waited, but they didn't have to wait long.
Thank goodness you're all right. And yes, we're all fine. Atemu was holding your hand when the two of you suddenly vanished in a flash of light. The nurse, of course, was confused beyond measure, but I had a feeling it had something to do with your book. So I took the book and opened it up, and someone had written "Write" on the top page, and all the other pages were suddenly blank. So, I tried writing to you, in the hopes that I would reach you. It's been a few days, though, and I had almost given up.
"I-I don't believe this," Yugi said, sounding amazed and upset at the same time.
"Somehow the book is here and in your time at the same time," Atemu stated. "But how?"
"There are many things that cannot be explained," Isis reminded them.
"Well, this definitely falls under that category," Atemu commented. He watched as Yugi continued to write in the book. Yugi was smiling, but his eyes were filling with tears.
"Yugi?"
Yugi's head snapped up, and he saw that Atemu had come back. Yugi suddenly seemed to realize how far down the sun had gone. "Ohhh," he said, the word drawn out with a yawn at the end. "What time is it?"
"Almost sundown," Atemu replied. "I came to see how you were. Are you still talking to your grandfather?"
Yugi nodded. "He says that everybody's okay, they were all just wondering what had happened to us. Tomorrow he says he'll invite Joey and Tea and Tristan over so they can all talk to me." He looked sleepy, but there was still a brightness in his eyes that Atemu hadn't seen in a while. Atemu found himself smiling rather sadly.
"So..." Atemu said as he walked over and sat next to Yugi at the table, "it would appear that this book will always hold the words of someone dear to you."
"I guess so," Yugi said. "I'm just so glad that I'm able to talk to Grandpa." His face changed. "I was happy to not have to lose you, but to lose everyone else at the same time..."
Atemu swallowed, not missing the look in Yugi's eyes. "Well, at least you don't have to worry about that anymore," he said, trying to smile.
"I just wish I could see them all again," Yugi sighed as he wrote a farewell to his grandfather in the book. "I mean, it's great that I can contact them at all, but only being able to talk like this...well, it stinks. I want to see them."
Atemu stood up abruptly, feeling sick. He turned and started for the door. Behind him, he heard Yugi say "Atemu?" in surprise, but he didn't look back as he walked out the door. He kept walking, without looking until he had reached a balcony. Then he rested his arms on the guardrail and sighed.
"Something on your mind?"
Atemu looked up to see his cousin was on the balcony as well. "No," Atemu said, then he quickly corrected. "Well..."
Seto glanced at him. "Let me guess. It has something to do with the boy and the book."
Atemu was suddenly too worn to correct Seto on his constantly calling Yugi "the boy". "Well, I just..." Atemu sighed. "I'm glad he's able to speak with his loved ones again. But now he's talking about how he wishes he could see them again, how communicating through the book isn't enough. It makes me wonder if it was a mistake bringing him here."
"Didn't you know he'd want to go back eventually?" Seto commented. "I could tell from the first day. You can't expect him to just adapt to life here, and completely forget what he's left behind. That's selfish of you."
"I know it is!" Atemu exclaimed, glaring at the sinking sun. "But...I was willing to sacrifice myself, my whole existence, to help him. And I would gladly do it again."
"Perhaps he's not as close to you as you are to him," Seto said.
There was silence as Atemu considered the option.
"You should just ask him whether or not he'd want to stay here," Seto suggested.
"What if he decides not?" Atemu asked, scowling.
Seto gave a slight shrug. "You and he got here somehow. We could find some way to send him back."
That night, Atemu lay awake, thinking about what Seto had said. He glanced at the door that led to the room where Yugi was sleeping.
"It stinks," Yugi's voice echoed in his head. Atemu sighed and turned over.
I don't know what it is, Grandpa. Suddenly Atemu doesn't seem to want to talk to me much. He doesn't look at me much either. I don't know if it's something I said or what.
Have you asked him?
Well...no. I've kind of been a little hesitant to.
Why is that, Yugi?
I don't know. I guess I'm hoping he'll bring it up first.
There was a pause. Yugi waited, tapping the nonbusiness end of his pen against his chin.
Yugi? It's Tea. Listen, Atemu probably won't tell you what's bothering him. That's how guys are!
And what am I? A girl?
Well, you know what I mean. I suggest you simply ask him what his problem is an
Yug? Joey. DON'T DO THAT!!! Prying into other people's affairs is a big no, little buddy! Just let him get over it himse
Yugi! Tea again. Don't listen to Joey. He doesn't know what he's talking about. Confront him gently
Joey here. And I say DON'T DO IT!!
FOLLOW YOUR HEART, YUGI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
...That was Tristan. He saw three straight chick flicks with his new girlfriend.
Yugi couldn't help but laugh at his friends' written antics. He knew deep down they were all trying to help him. But he had already decided he was going to confront Atemu. He just had to work up the nerve.
"Atemu? Can we talk?"
Atemu looked up and saw Yugi at the door. It was a week after Yugi had gotten his "advice" from his friends, and now he was going to get to the bottom of Atemu's problem, even if it killed him. "Of course," Atemu said, motioning for Yugi to come in.
Yugi walked in and shut the door by leaning on it. He sighed. "Atemu, listen. I know you've been avoiding me, and I just want to know--"
"Avoiding? That's silly, Yugi. Why would I avoid you?" Atemu said.
"Well, for one, we haven't spoken to each other's minds in almost two weeks," Yugi pointed out.
Atemu looked down and shrugged. "There's no law that says we must do that on a regular basis."
"Please, just tell me what I did!" Yugi practically begged, causing Atemu to look up in surprise. "If I said something that offended you or anything like that, I'm sorry! I'm just tired of you not talking to me!" Yugi felt as though he was going to cry and tried to hold it back. "I feel like you're trying to cut me off."
Atemu looked back down and sighed. Then, he slowly stood up. "I'm not trying to cut you off," he said slowly, sounding resigned. "I'm just preparing...for..."
"For what?" Yugi demanded.
"Do you want to stay here?" Atemu asked suddenly, looking Yugi directly in the eyes for the first time all day.
Yugi was surprised. "What? Of course I want to stay."
"I'm serious, Yugi," Atemu said, sounding every bit serious. "I really want you to think about that. Do you want to stay?"
Yugi opened his mouth to reconfirm it, but then he paused. Atemu said think about it. So he thought. He enjoyed the change in scenery, and it was wonderful having Atemu around. But, if he was completely honest with himself, he missed his own time. He missed Grandpa, and his room. He missed Tea, Joey, and Tristan. He missed his parents, though he knew he wouldn't see them again anyway.
"You want to go home," Atemu said quietly. "You just didn't want to hurt my feelings."
"No, I-I..." Yugi trailed off, realizing his cracking voice was terribly unconvincing. He looked down at his feet.
"Just say it," Atemu said, sounding so sad that Yugi was sure he was going to cry.
Yugi swallowed, and finally admitted it to himself and to Atemu. "I...want to go...home."
"There." Yugi looked up and saw Atemu smiling, but his eyes were strangely shiny. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"
"Atemu, I wouldn't just leave you," Yugi started.
Atemu held up a hand. "It's not about me," he said. "It's about what's supposed to be. You and I both know you don't really belong here, just like I didn't belong in your time. Us meeting was a freak twist of nature that was never supposed to happen."
"But I'm glad it did!" Yugi exclaimed. "I wouldn't have changed a thing."
"Neither would I," Atemu said. Then he seemed to consider. "Well, perhaps one thing. If I could have I would have kept your parents from dying."
Yugi felt a catch in his throat and swallowed hard to push it down. "But," he finally managed to say in as steady a voice as he could muster, "there is no way for me to go home anyway. It was pure chance that we got here, remember? I-I can't go back."
"We both know that's not true," Atemu said.
As if on cue, they both looked down at The Book, still open on the table.
"This could end up several different ways, Atemu," Isis warned. "We may not achieve the goal we desire."
"Yes we will," Atemu said firmly.
Isis sighed as she held the book in her hands. "Before we begin, do the two of you wish to say anything to one another?"
Yugi and Atemu looked at each other. Both seemed to be struggling to hold in tears. "I'm gonna miss you," Yugi said. "This time, I won't even have the book."
"But you can still remember me," Atemu reminded him. "Just like I'll remember you."
Yugi blinked rapidly and smiled. "You know...maybe we'll actually meet each other again someday," he said.
"That would be nice," Atemu said. He smiled. "Maybe you'll become an archaeologist and dig up my bones."
"Ew," Yugi commented, making a face.
Atemu laughed. "Just kindling."
"Kidding," Yugi corrected.
Atemu smiled a sunny smile that made him suspiciously look more like Yugi. "Ah, yes. I'll remember that."
Isis smiled. "Are we ready?"
Yugi and Atemu turned to her and nodded. "Let's do it," Yugi said.
Isis nodded and opened the book to the back. She placed one hand over the red words and closed her eyes. Underneath her fingers, the red words slowly began to glow. The red light peeked through her fingers. Atemu and Yugi watched.
The light grew brighter and brighter. Isis waited until it was nearly blinding to take her hand off. White light tinged in red filled the area, and wind rushed around. Atemu and Yugi had to shield their eyes. Then, as instructed, Isis flipped to the first page, gripped it firmly in her hand, and then tore it from the spine.
Both Yugi and Atemu flinched. Isis got hold of the second page and ripped it out like the first. As she moved from page to page, she tore faster and more cleanly. The pages fluttered to the ground at their feet, the words on them now glowing themselves.
Isis was nearing the back of the book. Instinctively, Yugi and Atemu reached out, without seeing, and clasped one another's hands. They could sense as Isis got close to the end. Five pages left. Four pages. Three. Two.
"A-Atemu, this is goodbye," Yugi said.
Atemu gripped Yugi's hand tighter. "For now," he said.
Isis pulled the final page from the book and let it drop. Then she took the book, now empty of pages, and held it out, inside facing Yugi. He began to glow as well, until he had completely melded with the light. Atemu felt the exact moment when Yugi's hand disappeared, and he squeezed the empty air, almost wishing it would return.
Almost, but not quite.
Isis slapped the pageless book shut. The wind faded, the glow diminished. When the two could see again, the ground was littered in pages from the book, and Yugi was gone.
Atemu swallowed as he looked over at Ishizu. "It was...?"
"It was successful," Isis assured him. "He'll be back in his own time and place, where he belongs."
Atemu nodded, relieved. Now we're both back where we belong. He looked up at the sky, as if expecting to see Yugi shooting into space like a star.
The funny thing was, at the exact same time, a mere five thousand years later, as his grandfather and friends looked up in shock, Yugi was doing the exact same thing.
The end.
Again, thank you everybody, and be blessed.
--M. T. Gomez