It was cold and dark when the fires erupted around Egypt. The pharaoh stood on top of his palace, looking determinedly across the flames to the city beyond. Another man stared back at him with the same hate and determination. In time this man would be known as a hero, but for now, he was hated amongst Egypt.

"Stop this now!" the man bellowed.

The pharaoh was surprised to hear his voice so clearly over such a distance. Then he said the one line that's become famous, "I will never let your people go!"

Oh yes, Pharaoh Atemu was the pharaoh who denied Moses' people from leaving to worship their God.

The next day the fires were gone, but everything was burnt up on Egyptian ground, nothing was left alive. The day before, those who had not brought their servants and cattle inside were left with nothing. But still the Pharaoh sat on his throne.

"Pharaoh! You must stop this! Maybe if you let them go…"

"No!" he turned towards his trusted advisors and chiefs, "I will not give into this trickery!"

"This is not trickery! He has promised more destruction if we do not let his people go!"

"The people will run from us and we will lose slaves. Not only that but soldiers as well! We'd be defenseless against any sort of army should a dominating power find out!"

The advisors and chiefs nodded their heads solemnly for they knew their morning and evening star was right. The pharaoh sighed and held his head in his hand. "Leave me."

There was the sound of scrambled running before the mighty doors closed. The pharaoh looked up from his hand and sighed once more, "Shimon, why are you still in my presence?"

"I thought you might wish to ask me about…"

The hand that was holding his head fell back onto the throne's arm rest, despite what had been happening the pharaoh leaned back and gave a small smile, "Yes, how is Yugi?"

Shimon smiled, glad to see the pharaoh in a much happier mood that a few moments ago. "He is doing find your highness, but is stressed about the current events."

He frowned, "Tell him not to worry and that I will handle everything."

He looked forward, "I have to," he whispered, not caring if Shimon heard him.

Sandaled feet ran across the stone floors of the palace, a small head of blond, black and red (or other wise called, cursed hair by some priests) in search of a certain person.

Large eyes searched frantically from side to side until…

CRASH (like you weren't expecting that?)

Two bums hit the floor with a groan. The boy blinked and was the first to sit up to see who he'd run into. "Ah! Pharaoh!"

Quickly he tried to help the pharaoh up.

The pharaoh glared down at the troublemaker before breaking into a small smile at the sight of Yugi. Strange name isn't it for an Egyptian boy? That's what Atemu thought too until his late wife (who was Japanese) convinced him to give him something everyone could pronounce. (unlike untumeheomkamen, that's what I call Yami's dad, too complex ). He had laughed at this of course, but thoroughly agreed when he saw Yugi for the first time. The name just suited him so much.

"Hello Yugi, causing trouble are we?"
The small prince blushed and ducked his head slightly, "Forgive me, pharaoh?"

The pharaoh growled, "Forgive you? For knocking over the morning and evening star? Your king!" He picked him up and tossed him into the air before catching him, smiling at the surprised squeal and giggles, "Of course," he said softly, looking into Yugi's bright eyes.

No one could believe that Yugi was 10 summers of age and yet was treated like he was 6, although no one could blame him. Yugi did look how he behaved.

He pet his hair, frowning when he heard Yugi give a sad sigh, "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Daddy, are we going to be okay?"

Atemu stopped, whenever the young one addressed him by that title, he knew it was serious. So he said in his fatherly tone, "Of course Yugi, I love you. I'll never let anyone hurt you."

Nothing was said as Atemu made his way to his son's bedroom and sat him on the bed. He was about to leave when he heard a small voice, "But what if he's right?"

Atemu turned around to face his son from the doorway, "He's not."

"But how do you know? How do we know he isn't lying? That his God really isn't doing all these things! What if our gods are wrong and his is right!"
He was stopped by a slap to his cheek. Yugi cowered in on himself, wrapping his arms around his knees and cried.

He felt a touch on his shoulder, and, very scared, looked up into his father's fierce bloody eyes. "Because I know what is right for Egpyt. Why are you asking me this again? Do you like to be hit? How many times do we have to go through this Yugi!"
Yugi's tears kept falling, "He-he came to me today, at the temple."

The pharaoh straightened up, "Moses!" he demanded.

Yugi nodded softly, "He said, if you don't stop…the final wrath of his God will kill me, and not only that, but all the first born of your people."

Instantly the pharaoh felt bad for hitting his child, he picked him up and placed him on his lap, feeling the young boy snuggle up to his father's shoulder affectionately.

"I'm sorry for hitting you Yugi, you were just scared weren't you?" He continued, without expecting an answer, "So much has been going on lately… Do you know when he said the punishment shall be?"

In Yugi's small voice he whispered, "By the next sabbath."

He gently pulled back the covers of Yugi's large bed and tucked him in, kissing his cheek (the forehead has his crown on top which the pharaoh never takes off), "Then don't worry, by then I'll have figured something out."

Yugi's sleepy eyes started to half lid with exhaustion. He'd been so worried all day. Slowly, the pharaoh stroked Yugi's soft cheek and the boy soon went into his world of dreams. "Goodnight Yugi," he whispered, kissing him in the same place once more before leaving.

Later, the pharaoh could be found pacing rapidly around Shimon's room.

"Now I don't want to admit that that man may be right-"

Shimon nodded.

"And I don't want to think that all these 'miracles' were made by his GOD-"

Another nod.

"But HOW IS HE DOING ALL OF THESE THINGS!"

"Pharaoh, what is the main reason you're worried?"

The pharaoh looked at Shimon, possibly for the first time during his rant and flopped down on a nearby chair. "Yugi's worried, and so am I. A predicted death of first born children will come to pass by the Sabbath," he took in a deep breath, "I want to protect Yugi, but at the same time, you know what will happen if we let his people go. Gawd WHY did father ever agree to let mother have that child! We should have killed him along with the rest of the freaks!"

"Pharaoh, surely you are not questioning your father's judgment."

The pharaoh glared at him, "My father's judgment was not always right," he seethed, "Remember when I would get into trouble for Moses mistakes! I was considered the one that would bring Egypt to its knees! Oh father I wish you could see your perfect Moses now!"

Shimon sighed, "I may have a way to save Yugi."

The pharaoh looked up, "What?"

"I said. I may have a way to-"

"I heard that part Shimon!"

The old man sighed, "I can make a spell that will help us. It is a time traveling spell."

The king smirked, "So you want me to go back into time and kill my 'step' brother?"

Shimon shook his head, "No, the present will remain the same no matter what you do. Think about it, if you went back in time to kill Moses, when you grew up, you would have no reason to use this spell, therefore the past will not be changed, therefore you end up with the present you currently have now. What I suggest, is the future."

The hunger in the king's eyes grew, "Future?"

"Yes, you need to stay behind to run Egpyt, but if I take Yugi to the future, his God will not be able to extract punishment upon him."

"But…?"

"But the spell can only be used once, should it happen. Yugi and I will not be able to come back."

"WHAT! Yugi would be devastated, I would be devastated! I'd never see my son again!"

Shimon placed a hand upon the distressed king, "However, if you do not do so, Yugi will surely die."

The for the next days and nights following up to the Sabbath the king wept. Yugi would always pass by his father's bedroom and ask what was wrong, but every time he was either hugged, or pushed out by his father. Yugi began to miss him.

The afternoon of the Sabbath Yugi visited Shimon. "Shimon? Is the pharaoh worried about me? Is that why he's so sad?"

Shimon, who had been cooking something, turned to face him. "Yes Yugi, now come here, I've made something for you."

Yugi came closer to the green substance brewing in a large cauldron. Shimon grabbed a nearby glass and dipped it in, seemingly measuring its worth then handed it to the boy. "What is it?"

"It's a good luck potion," Shimon lied, "You have to drink all of it if it is to work."

Yugi held his nose (Kawaii!) and drank the potion, shaking his head as if to get rid of the taste, he handed the empty glass back to Shimon.

"Notice anything different?"

Yugi shook his head, then regretted it. The edges of his vision became blurred, he looked to Shimon confused. Smiling kindly, the elder led him to the long bed and let him lie down. "'himon, I'm so…(yawn)…tiwed…"

Shimon pet his hair, watching as it made the boy's eyes close even more. "Why don't you get to sleep Yugi?"

Yugi nodded then closed his eyes.

A few minutes later Atemu walked in. He sighed, "How is he?"

"Sleeping like the baby he is soon to become."

He stepped over to his son and brushed the now smaller bangs from his eyes, "He does seem younger."

His small chubby cheeks had grown even chubbier, his eyes even larger, his hair, softer but shorter. He was always a small boy, but now his loose clothing seemed to be barely hanging off him. "Did you get what I asked for?"

The pharaoh handed to him a large pouch full of gold and precious gems, "Yes but I still don't understand."

Shimon took half a glass full of the strange concoction he'd made and gulped it down in one swing, "Within the hour, Yugi's body and mind will have gone back to infancy. Because of this, it will be easier for him to bear the heartbreak of losing his 'parents', I will sell these gems somewhere and when I do, I'll find a place for us to live."

The pharaoh looked sad, "So…he won't remember me…?"

"Pharaoh," Shimon pet his shoulder, his once grey hair going black at its tips, "It's for the best. He will be lonely and sad without you, but I will take good care of him and shower him with more love than a boy could possibly want. I'm sure that in thousands of years our civilization as we know it now will be over, I will do 'research' and excavate our non sacred sites and give the people in the present a piece of 'history'. I will do this because when I do, it might make Yugi feel closer to home."

"Where will you go?"

"To your wife's birthplace, Japan. Hopefully the people there are less blood hungry than they are now."

"Just because her brother threatened you with his sword-"

"I don't want to hear of it right now! This is not the time to bicker. Hand me Yugi."

The pharaoh looked out the window to the setting sun and knew there wasn't much time left, then looked at his son. Yugi's small body was now smaller, as though he had just been born not too long ago. He smiled as Yugi's thumb made its way into his mouth and made soft cooing noises.

He enveloped Yugi into a hug, the last one he'd ever be able to give him. He rubbed his cheek, as if to remember forever its softness. Yugi's slightly open mouth gave a 'coo' sound and leaned into the touch. "I love you Yugi, always remember that," he whispered, and for the first time noticed his crown missing.

He kissed his forehead for the first and final time then handed him to Shimon. He looked downcast until he noticed the forgotten crown. "Shimon," he whispered, just as the sun's last rays were dying, "Give him this."

The crown was placed in the older, yet now looking younger, man's hand. The last traces of light faded behind the sandy dunes as a greenish glow enveloped Shimon and Yugi.

They were growing fainter and fainter, as though less solid. Shimon's eyes closed in concentration as he continued to focus on his destination.

Just as they were almost faded from view, large doe like eyes opened, the baby giggled and squirmed in the old man's grip, as though asking Atemu to hold him. Atemu looked away as fast as he could, knowing if he should look once more he wouldn't be able to stop himself.

The small boy lowered his arms and stopped squirming, and cried silently as its tears fell upon the tiled floor.

When Atemu dared to look up again they were gone. Feeling the sudden loss his knees could no longer take his weight and he fell to the ground, crying out in anguish. Even if it had not been the way he had expected, Moses had been right. Their God had taken his first born.

Yami sat at his partner's desk, peering into the night sky. Yugi still slept soundly and every so often the spirit would look at him, smile, then continue his solemn thinking. He'd been re-living that night every time he slept, even in the puzzle that was now by Yugi's head.

For three thousand years he'd run through the situation in his head time and time again. Had he been right, could he have done things differently? Either way he had lost his army, his kingdom, his life, and his son. But he smiled, fate had a cruel way of repaying those who tried to do what was right. He had almost drowned when he'd been foolish enough to go through the parted waters. And as they were about to rain down their justice upon him he'd sealed himself in the puzzle.

The pieces had floated down the river until his faithful servants had found them all and placed them in a gold box. As though it was meant to happen. But he was thankful, he no longer had any spite for Moses, he'd allowed him to meet his son again.

Every now and again he'd force Yugi to read the bible, a book of holy, yet unseen powers. Yugi had been confused at first but found he liked to read it, it was now sitting in front of Yami, his eyes only faintly registering the words.

Soon the sun was rising and Yami stood, bent down to Yugi's level and placed a ghosty kiss upon his uncovered forehead. From up in the attic, Yugi's crown still flashed.