Yu-Gi-Oh 1. Time Capsule

**Her Little Boy - 1 - Time Capsule**

_Perfection is so..._

_That's what you are._

_My darling son,_

_Eyes bright as the sun-_

_Is what you are._

_Skin deep as the sea,_

_A smile bright with glee._

_One brave heart,_

_I knew it from the start._

_It's what you are..._

_Perfection is so..._

_So menacing._

_That's what you are. Just what you are..._

"...My darling son." Her voice was soft and smooth, like a new bride's veil. It was so calm, so soothing. Perfect to calm a crying infant.

Which is just what she was doing.

The tan Egyptian woman cradled her precious infant close to her bosom. Singing her song to her baby to make him fall asleep. The boy's tears were silenced almost instantly. His eyes lowered, soon closing completely. He was crying simply because he was tired. The woman smiled as she gazed at her beautiful child's features. He looked exactly like her. Beautiful caramel skin, and red crimson eyes now closed. His hair covered with the blanket she wrapped around him. Her new baby boy was now 12 days old. Her little prince, her husband's new heir.

Her husband was the Pharaoh of Egypt. He ruled the sandy lands with great power, but with compassion. He was an honest and kind king. He ruled greatly for the past years. However, they've both realized, he couldn't live forever. His age was making him become a problem. They needed a new heir. Accomplishing that goal now, all they both had to do was wait. Wait for their boy to age, raise him into a fine man, and he could continue their legacy.

The woman smiled at a faint memory of how she met the king. She was one of the Pharaoh's royal dancers. She was a rebellious woman, booming with confidence and did not act like other women. She had attitude that most elders would consider rude. She walked defiantly, and looked nobles straight in the eyes-A sign of disrespect. When she performed for the Pharaoh for the first time, he fell in love with her immediately. They were both young, and both passionate for love. However, she'll never forget that _he_ came onto _her_, and asked for _her_ hand in marriage. Usually, this is the other way around.

Being by the Pharaoh's side, she made women look powerful, which was not something people smiled upon in Egypt. Women were never confident enough to be as brave as she. She attended to her husband's meetings. When he was ill, she took care of military business. When he was away, she kept the royal palace in order. When they had war the few times their country was in disagreement, she was the first one to deploy soldiers and head in for battle, despite being a mother and wife. She was in power as well. She wasn't just 'a man's wife'. She was a wife, a soldier, a noble, a Queen, a commander, and a mother.

She was the most powerful and impressive woman in Egypt.

But she also had a secret. A dangerous one. So dangerous that if one spoke of it to any unwanted attention, she would be beheaded.

She wasn't a human woman.

She was...a monster.

She's lived with this secret since she was a teen. At age 13, she realized her dangerous powers. She realized she was a threat. What worried her more, was not only did she make a child, but she created a kin with her deadly DNA.

He would become a threat as well. There would be nothing she could do.

Her smile still stayed on her face, a sad smile. He was a blessing, and a curse to the world. She hugged her baby close to her chest once more, nuzzling his face with love.

Her sweet _Atem_...

* * *

They discovered her.

She couldn't help it. He pushed her to the edge.

Her husband's brother...Aknadin, uncle to the prince. He cornered her and her son. He had been skeptical of her since the beginning. When he confronted her in the royal chambers unannounced, he threw so many harsh and vile questions at her.

"Are you a witch!?"

"Did you poison our king?!"

"Is that brat a witch too?!"

The prince was only 9 years of age. He didn't know what was happening, nor did he know _why_ this was happening. He walked closer, a dagger in his hand, threatening her and her child. She panicked. She could use her powers, but she would ultimately kill the man. And she didn't want her son to see her using them and frighten him.

He raised the dagger-

-and she reacted violently.

Having no choice, she thrust her hand towards the man, right in the chest. Her nails were sharp like a lion's, and her hand's skin was deteriorating. She paused him from moving, griping onto his robe tightly. He could not move, and he growled. She quickly covered her son's face with her other hand, and yanked her hand away. Blood and skin flying on the floors. A bloody hole now tore into the man's chest. not only did it keep growing, like a vortex, but it was mutilating him as it grew bigger. Soon his body was but a few bones and torn skin, with only his ripped clothes to show evidence he was once in existence.

She stared at the corpse, her eyes no longer crimson like her son's. Her pupils were red, and her eyes were pitch black. She slowly looked up and her eyes shrunk in fear.

In the doorway...

Her husband and the royal court.

* * *

They threw her in prison. A personal prison that no one but the Pharaoh could enter or leave. It was in the catacombs of the palace. Below the sandy grounds, underneath the building. She spent her days lying on the hot hard floors. She was given food personally by her king. But only once a day.

She was now frowned upon. No one respected her, and no one loved her anymore.

Her own husband even betrayed her, and trapped her down here like a dog.

She...She felt like she was framed.

No matter how many times she tried to explain, they only cut her off. Assuming she killed Aknadin in blood lust. Once they realized she wasn't human, they punished her. They separated her and her son. Her Precious Atem.

She was sad. She cried herself to sleep a few nights. She had no one. She was all alone. No one on her side. She felt scared.

But now...She only smiled.

Sadistically.

They would all pay soon.

And things weren't so bad. Her son never stayed away. They tried, but did not succeed in separating them like they thought. Every night now, for the past 7 years, Atem had been sneaking down to her prison. To give her food, water, fruit, or to just spend time with her and say hello every now and then. He always lied to his father, saying 'I'm going out with a young maiden'. Oh he was meeting a young maiden alright.

Even in this terrible time, they were both happy. Still inseparable.

His mother watched as her beautiful son blossomed into a handsome young man. He was gorgeous, and had his mother's features with his father's baritone voice and powerful attitude. Or perhaps, he got that from her too. She wouldn't be surprised if several girls asked him for his hand in marriage everyday. He was so responsible, always on top of his studies and even became heir to the millennium puzzle.

Today, was a very special day. Today was Atem's 16th birthday. Everyone in town celebrated in his name. The palace threw him a party, while citizens from the city and even small villages on the outskirts of town came, just to celebrate in his name. Atem was a kind soul. He didn't care much for gifts. He only cared about being with his loved ones on special days like this. While he did appreciate the idea, the several female dancers, and the enormous amount of gifts, is not what he wanted. Soon, the celebration was over. It was now midnight. He lied to his father once again, saying he was retiring to bed for the night. The Pharaoh foolishly believed him and told his son goodnight. Once he saw his father returning to his bed chambers, he ran to the catacombs.

Making sure no servants saw him, Atem held pomegranates, a loaf of bread and some meat in a sack with a bowl of water in his other hand. After walking down the spiral stairs to his mother's prison, he greeted her with a smile as walked towards her cell. She was still awake. That was good. He felt bad though...Seeing her like this. She was leaning against the wall on her back, her eyes closed, breathing smoothly. He knew she wasn't asleep, because she always meditated down here. She almost never slept. Atem guessed it was her way of...Lamenting...

He stepped towards her cell and sat on the ground in front of her. He slid his hand and the sack through the bars and held the bowl of water in his hands.

"Mother..." He whispered.

Her eyes opened almost automatically at her son's voice. She smiled at his arrival.

"I almost thought you wouldn't come. I am happy." Her expression truly showed pure joy. "Today is your birthday, your 16th. I thought you would be too busy today."

Atem laughed. "I am never too busy for you, mother. I brought you food from the party."

The woman glanced down at the food and felt herself smile more. Such a sweetheart, always thinking of her well-being before he came down here. He never came empty handed. She began to eat slowly, thanking her son so much for keeping her sane, alive and happy.

They talked about the party, and the woman was thoroughly entertained by Atem's complaints. He complained about how everyone made a big deal out of nothing, that there was no need for all of Egypt to celebrate and come to the palace. He even complained about the several older women trying to hit on him, how even one of the dancers had the nerve to try and pull him into a room alone.

They both laughed at his story.

Atem, gestured for his mother to come closer to the bars so that he could quench her thirst. He caressed her chin, and held the bowl up to her lips, tipping it slightly. The water traveled in her dry throat quickly, refreshing her. He put the bowl down and she thanked him. Looking at his mother, he frowned.

Her hair was a mess, her eyes dulling from the bright crimson, to a dead rose looking color. Her once youthful face, now stained with wrinkles here and there. Her body, a body women used to be envious of. A body full of curves, and sex appeal no man could ignore...Now skinny to the bone. No matter how many times he fed her every night, no matter how many times he unlocked her cell and brushed her hair, he realized...

...She was dying.

The woman saw his sad features and beckoned him to come closer to the cell. Atem complied. She grabbed her son's hands through the bars and held them tightly. Atem noticed how her hands seemed so frail. She smiled at the prince and dropped something in his palms. She slowly unleashed his hands and leaned back against the wall.

Atem looked at the item in his hands. It was a pendant. A necklace that had the sign of the great Goddess Sehkmet dangling on it's chain. A lion's face with a uraeus on it's head.

His face scrunched up in confusion.

"This is my gift to you, my son." His mother spoke softly. "When you were born, you were a blessed gift, and a dangerous curse. I am not human, and I am what most would describe as a monster. I murdered your uncle with my power to protect you. To protect us both." The woman's voice shook as tears began to fall from her eyes. Atem became saddened as well. He hated to see her sad. But he was still puzzled. What was she talking about? "I tried to explain to your father, I tried so hard...But he didn't have faith in me. He didn't accept me, what I am. He thought I was perfect...That we were prefect."

Atem stared at his mother.

The woman smiled and shook her head, tears still spilling down. "Perfection is so...Hmph..." She chuckled and looked at her son's beautiful eyes, that were shaking. She sighed. "What I have, I passed onto you. You have my power, and my anger within your body. And that pendant, is a key to it. I cannot live any longer Atem." She whispered.

Atem's eyes glazed with tears. He shook his head slowly in denial. She nodded back, still keeping that sad smile.

"I have lived too long with a broken heart Atem. You're my only love. The only one who believed in me. The only one who stayed by my side. You are all I have."

"Mother, I can just tell father you're not feeling well! I can-"

"No, Atem." She firmly demanded. Atem stopped moving his lips and began to cry with his mother. "I can't take it anymore. I just can't, Atem."

The young man was on his knees now, on the ground begging for the woman to stop prolonging this sick joke.

"This is no joke, love." The woman closed her eyes. Atem reached his hand out for his mother. She only shook her head at him and kept her smile. "I love you, my son." She relaxed her body. This was it. She was so ready for it.

She hummed a song. A song they both knew all too well.

_Perfection is so..._

"Mother-!"

_So menacing._

_That's what you are. Just what you are..._

_...My darling son._

Her head slowly tilted down, and he could no longer hear her breathing. Her heart beat...He couldn't hear it in the awful silence. She wasn't moving. Her humming stopped completely. She was-

...

He screamed.

* * *

The next day, no one was prepared for.

An invasion on the palace, Atem's father murdered, all the servants perished, the royal court annihilated.

It was a tie.

The ones who invaded, a thief King who called himself...He couldn't remember.

He perished as well.

He summoned a deadly monster, named Zorc.

It destroyed everything. The palace was gone, destroyed. The only safe place left was the catacombs.

He ran. He didn't stay and fight.

After the loss of his mother, he couldn't. He just didn't have any strength. His confidence, his attitude, his pride. All down the drain.

If he had helped, maybe everyone wouldn't be dead.

He hid in only one place he could. After they put his mother in her sarcophagus, they placed her in the catacombs. The very placed where she died. He climbed in her coffin, and hugged her dead body. Still had some color on her face, she wasn't rotting away just yet. Even with her organs ripped out of her, and even with the stench, Atem didn't care. He wanted to die too. And what better way to die, than die within the arms of your beloved mother.

Her body was cold.

He didn't care. He was safe here. They were safe. They would make it to the afterlife together. They would see everyone there. Happy, inseparable like they used to be.

Or that's what he thought.

Another thing he thought, was that the king of thieves died as well. Boy was he mistaken. In the coffin, he heard footsteps. He panicked. Who was that? What did they want? The footsteps came closer. Suddenly, the cover of the sarcophagus slowly slid off. Atem's eyes widened. He slowly looked up to see the face of the murderer. He shivered. Why was he so scared? He never felt scared of an enemy. Never! He needed someone. He needed his mother!

He needed her to hug him and tell him everything would be alright. To console him and hold him.

He...needed her protect him again.

"Mother-"

"Ah! So that's where you were hiding, prince!" The man's scarred face had blood all over it. He held an evil grin that gave Atem the chills. A psychotic expression, ready for more murder. "Aww, laying next to mommy? Wanting to be in her arms before your you die?" The man cackled. He raised a dagger up in the air. Atem's eyes dilated once more as flash backs began flying through his hand.

_Aknadin..._

_Mother..._

Once the tip of the blade barely touched a hair on Atem's head, a red light exploded from the coffin. It knocked the thief back so hard, he hit the wall with a sickening crack, and gave a final breath after dropping to the floor still holding the dagger. The light wrapped around the sarcophagus, and moved as if someone was there. The light pushed the lid on the sarcophagus back on, and engulfed around it. Protecting Atem and his mother.

Atem's eyes were different. His pupils bright red, and his eyes completely black.

He slowly closed his eyes, and fell into a deep sleep in the arms of his mother.

* * *

_3,000 Years Later..._

Well, today was sure unusual for Sugoroku's tastes. He's been traveling to The Valley of Kings for years now, ever since he was younger. He even found neat stuff there. He found an amazing treasure, called the _millennium puzzle_. He gifted it to his grandson long ago. Now he was back. All he wanted was to go on one more trip to Egypt with a crew just to see if they could dig up a few things. And what do they find?

A 3,000 year old female sarcophagus that seemed to be frozen over with...Red ice.

He and his crew were absolutely astonished at their find. Not only was the red ice not cold, but it looked like frozen flames. It covered the image on the coffin, which was the image of the Goddess Sehkmet. Some people even took some pictures of this find. The team would have opened the coffin to see what was inside, but the red ice made that difficult to happen. They had to somehow thaw it out. Someone tried using a lighter, but once the flame touched the ice, it grew even more around the coffin. The team was stumbled. They planned to take the coffin home, so the rest of the crew mates walked towards their vans and trucks. Sugoroku frowned at the sarcophagus, glaring as if it was it's fault that made this so difficult. He then had an idea. He took off his bag from around his shoulder and opened it. He reached inside and pulled out his water bottle. It was a vague idea, but it was worth a shot.

He stepped towards the sarcophagus and opened the cap to the bottle. He slowly poured the bottle, the liquid hitting onto the hard material.

Suddenly, it began to melt with a satisfying sizzling sound. The red ice slowly melted away, freeing the sarcophagus from it's flame prison.

Sugoroku smiled with glee at this and yelled over for his crew to come back.

Once they all came back, the men tried to open the coffin. When they pried open the lid, they were once again astonished, but also frightened.

Inside the sarcophagus, was what appeared to be a female corpse, matching the sarcophagus' image on it's cover. But that wasn't all...

A young boy, was in it as well.

Not dead, but sound asleep. His lips moved slightly, as if mumbling something to himself in his sleep. He looked exactly like an Egyptian. Tan skin, faded kohl under his eyes, golden trinkets decorated onto his body, and a royal crown on his head. Sugoroku was the most surprised. This young man, looked almost like his grandson and his friend.

His hair was spiky, ebony black with blood red streaks lining it's sharp edges. He had blonde locks framing his face while some stood up like lightning bolts. His clothes were of royalty, but tattered and so dirty you could barely make out any color. This boy had to be a prince.

The men looked at each other, not knowing what to do. For _no one_ would believe they found an unconscious boy in a female sarcophagus that happened to be a prince. The only thing they could do was take the sarcophagus back home to Japan, and help the boy to a hospital.

**END - 1**

* * *

**Okay! So this is a thing. This thing right here, is gonna be updating with PTV (Poison, Toxin, Venom) Hopefully I'll be able to update them both equally. And don't worry, I'm gonna be updating PTV soon. This story was heavily based on the Egyptian Goddess Sehkmet, and was inspired by playing two video games. (_Bayonetta_ and _Skullgirls: Encore_) Once again, this is a horror story. There will be blood and gore, and even demonic references. Nudity and sexual themes will be included as well. (I just felt I should put some kind of warning in the story. I should have probably done the same with PTV) I have high hopes for this story. (By the way, I wrote the song in the story. "My Perfect Boy" I own this.) I will see you all soon, and I hope you enjoy the story.**


	2. Sekhmet

**2 - Sekhmet**

Atem snapped his eyes open and sat up from his bed.

He panted heavily, and his forehead sweating greatly. He felt himself calm down, and put a hand over his face. He sighed and looked around the room.

He then realized he wasn't in his palace.

Atem's eyes widened with fear. Where the hell was he!? And why did everything look so weird? Atem shook his head and rubbed his eyes, trying to register what was happening. The room he was in, wasn't his own. He looked down at himself, realizing he wasn't wearing his royal attire. His royal trinkets were gone, including his crown. The men in white must have took them away. That's all he could remember after passing out in his mother's coffin. Several men in white...His pendant was still there, much to his relief.

He was wearing a white button up blouse with very smooth pants. He was barefoot, not that it bothered him. Atem assumed this was attire to go to bed in. And speaking of bed, the bed that he sat on was nothing like the bed he slept in. It was very large and quite fluffy. Much more comfortable than his own. It had velvet smooth blue sheets and two big pillows. He turned his head to the side, and saw a nightstand. He blinked once. Where in Ra's name was he?

"You're up?"

Atem flinched at the voice and quickly turned around. At first, he was shocked. The person who stood in the door way looked a lot like his cousin, Seth. But this person couldn't be, for he had pale skin. Seth had tan like his own. And this person was dressed in weird clothing that seemed to be similar to what he was wearing. Though, his brown short hair and cold blue eyes just kept bugging him about Seth. His voice sounded grumpy, just like his. Atem continued to stare at the person, not knowing what to say.

"My father said you were going to be staying with us from now on." He eyed Atem up and down, as if disgusted. "He says you're from a distant town in Egypt, a poor one. So I assume you don't know what most of the stuff you're staring at is."

Atem flinch a bit at the young man's words. Yup, definitely Seth's personality too. Atem would have felt offended, but he's so use to the behavior, he simply shrugged it off and continued to stare at the boy. And how wrong he was. Atem was a _prince_, royalty. Not that he liked to boast about his status, but he was a wealthy man. And for one, he shouldn't talk down to him so rudely. He shouldn't even be looking at him in the eye! And poor town? For what information did this young man's father give him?

Atem then realized, how long was he asleep? He could have blacked out. Maybe went into a deep sleep. Time had to have passed. Could this boy be a child of Seth? Atem licked his lips.

"...Who are you?" He asked quietly. His throat was a bit sore. He then felt his throat tighten up in fear. He realized he wasn't speaking his native tongue. He was speaking something else, a language not of his own. And more importantly, he could understand the young man, even though he didn't know the language _he_ was speaking either. Something was making him able to do this, against his own will.

_It's Japanese. Completely different from Arabic._

Atem blinked again. A voice was in his head, that sounded a lot like his own. And yet, it wasn't familiar at all. He certainly didn't think those thoughts.

_I'll explain later. Just shut up and pay attention._

The heck was going on!?

"Seto Kaiba." The young man's voice snapped him back in reality. 'Seto Kaiba'? Close to Seth's name but...No this couldn't be right. Atem quickly stood up from the bed and went to the small window that accompanied the bed. Atem felt his heart pummel into his stomach.

_Okay,_ judging from the humongous looking buildings and bright lights that illuminated the dark night, there's no way in hell he was in Egypt anymore. He saw metal things moving on the ground from below, people again wearing weird clothing walking around, and no one shared the same skin he had. And what kind of building were _they_ in!? Atem began to panic. What kind of world was he in!? Was this the after life!?

"What is this place?" He asked, his voice still low.

"Japan. What, never heard of it before?" Upon the sight of Atem's confused expression, this 'Seto' person assumed not. Atem shook his head and blinked. "Anyway, you've been asleep for a while. They just dispatched you from the hospital."

_Hospital? _He hopelessly thought.

_It's a place where the unhealthy or wounded get treated and healed. People similar to the healers at the palace are there._

Oh Ra, the voice _again_.

He gulped. Obviously, some time has passed since he had woken up, according to Seto. But...How long? "What year is this?" Atem cautiously asked this question slowly, almost not wanting to hear the answer.

"2015. You weren't asleep _that_ long. Just a couple of weeks."

_2015!? _Atem felt his heart sunk even deeper into his intestines, if that was even possible.

_That's about 3,000 years._

_3,000 _years!?

He was in his mother's sarcophagus for_ that_ long!? How was that even possible!? No no, he needed to go back! He needed to-

...Wait...

His home was ultimately destroyed by that thief. All of Egypt suffered from his power. There was no home to go to anymore. Everyone was dead, he was all alone. Going back to a deserted empty destroyed place all alone, wasn't such a great idea. He would wander the endless desert for hours. Atem's eyes lowered sadly. Maybe being here was actually the better option. As much as Atem didn't like it, and as much as he was confused, he had to accept this and try his best to figure out what exactly was happening. In fact, he should be grateful anyone was taking him in at all. He just needed to...Get his feet dug in and accept the fact that-

He was starting a new life.

Wait a minute. Was any of this even real?

This sounded absolutely crazy. Atem assumed the Gods just didn't want him to die along with everyone else, and live on for their legacy, or that the Gods were punishing him for being a coward during the battle and live with the fact that he was alone in this world. Perhaps they were making him live a dream...

Regardless, he had to keep calm about this and not lose his head. He couldn't freak out. If he did, he'd go crazy, which wasn't a hard thing for him to do in this kind of situation.

Atem sighed, covering his face with his hands. He just basically time traveled, was stripped of his royal trinkets, his mother's corpse and sarcophagus was gone, and everything and everyone was just flat out different and weird in the most unusual ways.

This was going to be a long night.

Seto's rough expression became a little soft, seeing Atem frustrated. "Look. I don't know what happened with you, but I can tell you've had a tough time. I'll explain more tomorrow. Go back to sleep." He advised. Before Atem could respond back, he developed a headache. His cranium felt like it was about rip apart. He groaned in pain and held his head. Seto narrowed his eyes at him as Atem laid back down on the bed, exhausted.

"Go to sleep." The young man walked away from the bed, towards the doorway.

Atem laid against the pillow. The breath of sleep and drowsiness only made it harder for Atem to stay conscious. The intense headache didn't help, making him almost pass out completely. Seto glanced back at the bed, before leaving the room quickly.

The former prince fell asleep, and his mind wandered to the lands of dreams.

* * *

Black.

All he saw was black.

This...This wasn't a dream.

Nothing was _happening._ Nothing was here. Just a huge empty black space of nothingness. He stood on nothingness.

_This is my room. I take offense to that._

Again with this voice...

_Quit complaining._

Atem sighed through his nose. This just gets weirder and weirder. He narrowed his eyes at the black empty space and licked his lips.

"Who are you?"

_..._

The former prince gritted his teeth a bit. The voice had so much to say, now all of a sudden, silent when questioned. After all he's been through, Atem was just about fed up with everything. Everyone he's known and loved are dead. The only thing left of his mother's corpse was stolen away from him, including his clothes and jewelry. He ended up in a strange place, completely confused, and all of his questions are still waiting to be answered. His patience was running thin, and as of now, he had the urge to kill something.

_Oh calm yourself, boy._

And now the voice wishes to talk.

_You'll get your answers in a second. Just shut up for a minute and come to me._

He wrinkled his face in confusion.

A tiny ball of red light then appeared in front of him. This looked like some sort of _heka _magic.

_Indeed you're right. It is. Touch it._

Atem frowned, narrowing his eyes at the small light.

_It won't hurt you. Just touch it. You want your answers, don't you?_

The former prince reached his hand out slowly, and gently tapped the light with the pad of his index finger.

Suddenly, his ear flicked. He heard the sound of water...Waves. Like a river. No...An ocean. It sounded like waves crashing against each other violently. Like the warning of a flood arriving to drown all in its path. The light faded out once the sounds came. Then another sound came about. A tapping of someone's foot. It was almost completely in sync with the waves. Like there was a certain rhythm, a song. The tapping of the foot sounded like a clock, timing for the waves to overcome whatever it was headed towards.

And judging by how louder the sound got with each tap, Atem realized the waves were coming for him.

Literally appearing out of no where, huge gushing waves flushed into the blank space. And it was not water, but blood. He panicked. It was coming straight towards him. It was going to catch him. He needed to run, but where to? He would be running to nothing and the waves would eventually catch him. He gasped as some blood splashed onto his ankle. It was going to rise and engulf him. He continued to panic, he began to think in fear instead of thinking logically. And as he panicked more, the more the waves splashes onto him.

He was now practically swimming in it. Yes, the former prince knew how to swim. His mother often took him to the Nile, and there he practiced. But he wasn't prepared for anything like this. Especially not waves that were probably more than 10 feet high. More piled on top of him. He was now submerged.

He was scared. Once again he was scared. Once again he couldn't do a thing. Once again, he felt helpless and weak.

And once again, he wanted his mother to come and rescue him.

All of his fears, all of his pain...It felt like they were the waves drowning him, not the waves of blood. His confusion, his sorrow, his anger...He had to have joined his mother in the afterlife. He died. He had to. He wanted to. Then where was she? Where was his mother?

He couldn't hear a thing. Not a single sound reached his ears. He didn't hear any waves, he didn't hear the voice again, he didn't even hear himself breath.

He couldn't breath. His breath was caught in his wind pipe. He needed oxygen. He needed help.

He was going to die. Die in this empty space all alone.

And he actually felt happy for that.

Where was he when they all needed him? Where was he when they took his mother away? Both in his childhood and when her corpse was taken away? Where was he when his father was murdered? Where was he when his best friends Mana and Mahado were annihilated? Where was he when his kingdom needed him? He wasn't what everyone wanted. He wasn't the prince everyone looked up to, the prince everyone saw as their next king. He wasn't the brave soldier his mother saw him as. He wasn't the confident, strong-willed man he thought he was.

He was a failure.

He deserved to die. He deserved death.

Atem felt his eyes lower. His body was drifting. He slowly looked down, seeing nothing but red. He was in the ocean of blood. He couldn't move his body, and he didn't even feel his own heart beat. He must have died. Drowned.

Drowned in his own emotions.

He _let_ himself die.

He held a ghost of a smile. He could die. He didn't care if he were punished by the Gods. He wanted to die. Let go. Give up on this agonizing life.

...Maybe say hello to mother on the way there. That would be nice...

He could be free.

...

...Then-

A laugh.

_"Hahaha, silly boy."_

Atem's eyes opened up.

**_"No one's perfect."_**

* * *

"You can wake up now."

The former prince awoke with a start. He immediately sat up, panting as if gasping for air. He held onto his chest, as if his heart had stopped. He shivered. He was cold, wet. He raised his hand up to his face, noticing red liquid dripping from his fingers. A familiar metallic smell. Blood.

He just stared at the hand with a glare. Even more confused than ever, and a bit disappointed. He thought he was going to die. But here he is, alive and well in a...

A...

What the hell was this place?

Atem noticed that once again, he was in an unfamiliar place. This was starting to get annoying. The place was a rather small room. The floors and walls were bright red, like his mother's eyes. They had posters on them, large pictures of Sekhmet in all her terrifying beauty. A large bed was in the center of the room, with a large orb in front of it. The bed held red satin sheets with one pillow, while the orb seemed to hold _heka_ in it. The room was clean, organized. Shelves and dressers surrounded the area. Books and tablets filled them all. He began to try and stand, his hands pushing onto the floor to lift himself. he realized he was touching something soft. He glanced down, realizing the substance was some sort of red rug. The blood dripping off of him didn't seem to stain it, since it only matched its color.

He stood up and stared at the bed. Obviously, this was someone's room. And due to all the items that were here, someone lived here. But where were they?

"Right here."

That same red light that Atem saw reappeared on the center of the bed, and unraveled itself like webs of blood. Soon, it unraveled itself into the form of a man. Once the red light faded away once more, Atem was shocked at the person who sat on the bed with their legs crossed.

It was..._Himself_.

A doppleganger. Another Atem. But unlike the original, this Atem held a confident smirk, with a laid back posture. His eyes however, were black with red irises. This Atem was also wore more appropriate clothing. He was shirtless with a black sash wrapped around his hips, and Arabian looking harem pants. He also had golden piercings on his ears and golden bands on his wrists and neck. Now _he_ looked the part of royalty. Atem however, still found this completely weird. Looking at his double...That was...That was just weird.

Actually, he should be looking away. Atem's mother had once told him never to look at another copy of yourself. He was told that the copy of one's self is the self the person never wanted, but needed to be. The darker side, the evil side of that person. She said if you looked at your dark self, you'd die.

Yet, Atem kept staring. Once said before, he _wanted_ to die. He didn't really care.

"You should care." The copy said with a sarcastic tone. Atem stared at the doppleganger, and he stared back.

"Who are you?" Atem asked once more. He noticed, he was speaking his native tongue again.

"I am exactly what you think. _You_. The you that you never wanted to become, but need to be." The copy replied casually. He picked his nails, bored of the conversation already. Atem almost automatically did not like this twin of his. "I did say I would answer your questions, and I did say I would explain things. So, go on then. Give them to me."

Atem walked a little closer.

"Oh and, you may sit if you wish. Don't act like a stranger." He offered. The former prince eyed the double carefully, and made his way over to the bed. He sat down, but far away from his doppleganger. He sat on the edge of the bed, not wanting to get closer. His double rolled his eyes at his overly cautious actions.

"Am I dead?" Atem asked, the very first thing he wanted to know.

"No. You wish you were."

Indeed he did.

"Where am I?" He asked next. His double scratched behind his head and pursed his lips.

"Well, physically, you're in the human world, on earth. Your mind however, is in the part of your brain where your emotions are registered. I took over that region and made it into a small slab of my own world. Or rather, room." The doppleganger glanced at Atem. "And yes, before you ask that question, you are now in another time. In a more modern time. There's no mistake."

That was Atem's next question. The teen continued to gaze at his double, trying to figure something out.

"If you have a question, I told you, just ask." His twin reminded. Atem shook his head.

"Who are you?" He asked again. The double chuckled.

"I just told you-"

"You are something more. You're not just another me. You're something _much_ bigger than that." He turned his body completely over to the twin, his eyes searching for more answers. The doppleganger only smirked more.

"Yes, you're right. I am more than what I tell. However, that ties into what I was going to tell you."

Atem continued to listen attentively.

"Listen closely now. Most of this involves your mother." The double inhaled deeply and exhaled. "Your mother was indeed not a human. She was far from normal. She lived a lie. In fact, her name was not even true."

"What..?" Atem's eyes began to shook at the mention of his mother.

"Her name, _Atinmerit, _is a lie. Her real name, is _Hathor_. The good version of the goddess of destruction, Sekhmet."

The teen's face fell.

"No. Before you get any ideas, let me finish. No, your mother was not particularly a goddess. However, she was a descendant of Hathor. She was born in a human form, but she was far from one. You already know the story, so I'm not going to get into that. Anyway, being a descendant of a deity means having their powers. Your mother had all the abilities. She was beautiful, she was romantic, she brought joy to others, and held great strength during your birth. While she did share traits of Sekhmet's personality and handled violent situations, she was mostly a kind woman. However, the day when your uncle Aknadin confronted her and threatened her, she used the powers of Sekhmet, killing him. When your father and the royal court caught her in the act, they threw her away in the dungeon, in the catacombs below the palace floors."

"Hurt and betrayed by your father's order to send her away, that was when her anger developed. Everyone was against her. Everything was taken away from her. You, her pride, her dignity, her love for your father, her friends in the palace, her beauty, her health...Her life. Even in death, her rage still lives on. When she gave you that pendant, she was giving you the key to her power. To Sekhmet's power. And that key, is _me_." The doppleganger smiled devilishly.

Atem blinked slowly, trying to register that last part.

"When she gave you the pendant, her power immediately rushed inside of you. You just didn't know it. You are now the descendant of Sekhmet, the evil form of Hathor due to your mother's immortal rage."

So...

Atem's mother, Atinmerit was a descendant of the goddess Hathor. Once she became so angry with father, just like in the legends, she switched from her beautiful caring side, to her evil destructive side. And due to Atem being her offspring, he inherited her abilities. Not only that, but his mother gave him a pendant that contained Sekhmet's almighty powers. Turning him into what she is.

"Correct!" His double exclaimed. As if he read his thoughts. Wait...If they were in his mind, of course he could hear his thoughts. "Now, let me explain her reasons for giving you the pendant. She wants you to carry on her legacy and do what she couldn't do." The doppleganger smirked and gave Atem a good stare. "She wants you to carry out her revenge."

The teen was taken back from the information. He just glared at his twin as if he was crazy. "Revenge? I understand the reasons why..." His mother obviously wanted revenge for being so wrongly treated and having everything taken away from her. "But why? And how would I even do that?"

"Well..." His double began. "You were the only one who still believed in her. The only one who still cared about her. For that reason, and because you are her kin, you were the perfect person to put the responsibility on. Now listen carefully to this part." The twin commanded. "When all members of the royal court, your father and that thief king died, their spirits still lived on. They did not move on to the afterlife. Their souls have all roamed to bodies of this time, along with you. They are all still alive in a way, but are living in people who you might interact with. Your mother wants them dead. It's you're job to find and kill them."

"No!" He immediately shouted. His doppleganger frowned, displeased, not that Atem cared. "I am not killing any innocent people, just to kill people whom I loved in the past _again_! No way in hell!"

"There's a solution for that!" His double quickly retorted. He then sighed and softened his expression. "Your mother knew you would be hesitant in this. You must understand. They need to go back to the after life. Their spirits must be set free. As for the innocent, they will be spared. The soul inhabiting the body will be ripped out, but the human will not die." He explained. "Understand? You are hurting no one. You are only saving them. Your mother sees it as revenge however, because they _will_ be in a lot of pain when you kill them twice for the second time."

The former prince closed his eyes, taking all of the newly told information in. He couldn't see a proper way to react to this explanation. "And how do you know all this? Why do you know so much?"

His double laughed at him again, receiving a glare from Atem. "Isn't it obvious?" The double pointed at himself, a wicked smile drawn on his face. "I am Sekhmet's power! You! Which means, I am a demi-god! _We_ are a demi-god! And thanks to _Ptah and Thoth_, I have knowledge of_ all!_" With a cackling laugh, his twin evilly explained his true power. "I am the form of your powers. Therefore, I am a conscience to you. A guide. Anything you are of unsure of, I can answer in a heartbeat."

Atem continued to glare at his doppleganger. It's not like it didn't make any sense. He answered all his questions. He just didn't like the situation he was in.

He didn't like this at all.

"What do I call you?" His final and last question. His double glanced at Atem and cocked an eye brow.

"What do you call me?" He tilted his head and smiled to himself, shrugging in the process. "Well, I could be called many things, being a deity. God, Him, The One, Ra, Ptah, Thoth...What would you prefer to call me?" The double replied back. Atem eyed his doppleganger one last time before narrowing his eyes at him.

"...Sekhmet." His answer was honest, and straight. His double however, didn't apparently like it too much. His expression was shocked, and almost embarrassed.

"W-What?!"

Atem felt himself smirk. Finally, he had him shocked for once. "Sekhmet."

"But that's a woman's name!"

"Why would you care? That is the name of whom we represent. We respect it, female or male." The former king sharply retorted. He almost felt like himself again. His double gritted his teeth at Atem and turned his head away, crossing his arms.

"Very well." He his voice gruff, grumpy, Atem assumed. "By the way," He informed, his voice already returning to normal. "You have a rather long day tomorrow. You should take this time to rest. I will explain even more to help you. But for now, sleep. You'll need it."

The former prince's face was now puzzled. How in Ra's name was he supposed to go to sleep now?

"Just close your eyes." His twin commanded. Atem sighed. He slowly closed his eyes, awaiting for something to happen.

And suddenly, the breath of sleep and drowsiness overcame him once again. He felt his body sway back in forth from the drunk state of sleepiness. His eyes darkened, and he felt himself slip into unconsciousness once again.

* * *

**Sekhmet - Goddess of War, Destruction, Fire, Vengeance, Menstruation and Medicine. "The Lady of Slaughter" - "She who Mauls" - "Mistress of the Dead" - "For whom Evil Trembles"**

**Ptah - God of Creation, Arts, Fertility and Craftsmen. "Lord of Truth" - "Master of Justice" - "The Beautiful Face"**

**Hathor - Goddess of Sky, Love, Beauty, Joy, Motherhood, Foreign Lands, Mining, Music and Fertility. "Mistress of the West"**

**Thoth - God of Wisdom**

**(PTV will update soon.)**


End file.

Yu-Gi-Oh, Horror, Romance