Chapter Text
It had been an ordinary day in Domino City, Japan.
The sky was azure with lonely wisps of clouds. birds twittered unheard beneath the rushing of cars. From the kitchen table Yuugi could hear children clamoring in the game shop. Yuugi had been mostly cast out from the shop. To focus on university exam cramming. His weathered grandfather too filled with pride of valedictorian to feel the extra burden. Still more screaming. Youths milking last moments of precious summer vacation. Games and booster packs and laughter chuckled in the ears of precious friends.
Yuugi's pen carved deeper.
The hardwood of the table was firm, but smooth under his study guides. They slid across, his hands slid across without true grip. His mouth sour. Yuugi examined the marked grooves. Turned to the tangy lemonade besides him. Droplets slid down the cloudy glass. Yuugi could stir in sugar. He glanced at the kitchen counter. Sugar and flour containers with a gleaming scoop each. A hand - his own hand - lifting and pouring the powders. Someone marveling at smooth grains.
Cars rumbled by. An over eager screech from the shop. The soup on the stove was a roiling boil.
Yuugi could wear his earphones. His earphones and controller, tucked on top of his now dusty console. The CD walkman sat besides it. CDs flashing under the sunshine under a critical eye. Analyzing the present. The item, and the time. Examining the ridged notes etched in a near-florescent hue.
...or his room.
Yuugi could study in his room. The room with scattered games shoved into drawers. A once shared wardrobe covering them. Brand new clothing hung in the closet. A new wardrobe because of his growth spurt. Yuugi's new clothes. For Yuugi alone.
Yuugi could study in his room. Yuugi could wear headphones. Yuugi could wear ear plugs. Yuugi could add sugar.
His mouth was sour.
By every single account, it was a day like the rest of the summer before it. An absolutely normal day. No excitement. No foreboding. No abnormalities. Just Yuugi and his study guides. Just Yuugi and the echoes of embracing a friend. Just Yuugi and the citric acid on his tongue. Just Yuugi and the bubbling swelling up.
The chair groaned begrudgingly across tile.
"Grandpa, I'm heading to the library! Should I deliver that package?"
A not-abnormal Domino day. A bit hot, maybe.
Yuugi squinted up at a burning sky. His hand cast a shadow over his eyes. He didn't examine them. Didn't examine the rope like scars on them. It was a summer day. A bit hot, certainly.
...A lot hot, really.
Maybe it was a summer day like most others here. Sand grains shifted under Yuugi's sneakers. Gritty sand. Normal sand. Normal for here, probably. Yuugi's eyes shifted down to the wind dancing with course, golden grains. This wasn't a normal Domino City day.
This wasn't Domino City.
The sweltering heat poured over him like lazy, crashing waves. A pulsing that pushed down upon any it encountered. Like the roar menacing itself through the air. A paired aura joining in its intimidating presence. Well, not an ordinary day then. Not that Yuugi could find that aura intimidating. The fact that he was encountering it again - that was...needing explanation.
That was Yuugi's last thoughts before the adrenaline hit. Before electrical blasts exploded the dunes beside him. Before sharp talons in way too big claws surrounded him.
The adrenaline hit. As did the hysteria. Mild hysteria, mind you.
Deserved hysteria!
Yuugi glanced down at magic blasts turning his previous spot to glass. Glanced down at too much sky and too much distance whizzed past. He didn't glance up. In a far cry from most people, there was one single fact Yuugi felt secure in.
A divine dragon, the dragon of Osiris. The dragon of the god of the Duat. The dragon that was a trusted warrior Yuugi knew well would not harm him. The dragon of the god that Yuugi prayed to quite a lot for several months. Yuugi was fine in his giant grasp. Safe, even!
(Yuugi ignored the fireball whizzing past.)
Yuugi wasn't concerned with the giant god beast. Yuugi was concerned with absolutely everything else. Yuugi squinted below. Scorching wind billowed in his face. His muscles twisted. He cursed wearing his tie. If only it could decide whether to choke him or slap him in the face, maybe. One or the other!
Yuugi wasn't sure what deity compelled him to shove his duel disk in his bag this afternoon. Perhaps Osiris. Or his dragon? But he sure was grateful. Now...if only he could reach it! And...maybe not drop it on the flaming battlefield as he wriggled in a giant dragon's paw.
The day sped away from any definition of ordinary. Like the giant dragon. Yuugi didn't know where he was. Or why. Or how. But Yuugi knew the day was fleeing from the definition of ordinary real fast. Extremely fast. Like the dragon.
...Why didn't he just grab some sugar!
It was not an ordinary day in Kemet. Something to be both rueful, and quite grateful for.
An explosion burst midair. His ears ached. He spared a glance for the left flank. Just a glance, he couldn't spare any further. His commanders, his Millennium guards, his most trusted were watching the outer flanks. Pharaoh Atem had to keep his eyes on the monsters trying to barrel through his current squadron. If he needed info for further orders it would be provided. The king's trusted would ensure that.
Still, he glanced.
He didn't let himself relax at what he saw. Yes, the soldiers still stood. Debris littered around them. Set's relentless ferocity defending them. But it was one barrage. One blow. Many more to come.
Atem could not stop. They could not falter Atem could not hesitate - not more than a glance.
His sword whistled through a clawed arm. His chariot crunched over spiked bones. He braced himself through the unsteadiness.
Atem could still when he sat aside, his faithful giving the final reports. Of the men still standing. Of the men collapsed on healing cots. Of the men that would not salute again. It was a blessing that most days were far more peaceful than this. Unfortunately, the numbers were growing. How many days was the limit? Until rare and unfortunate became normal? Until incidents became another war?
He called forth one divine beast. Crimson and lightening burst through the air. But there was too many opponents. Ra's glittering wings shimmered as Atem called forth him, too.When Atem's eyes cleared, he glanced up. He squinted He blinked. His singular glance lengthened. He heard soldiers and mages cheering around him. Heartened by a divine beast fighting alongside. A divine beast.
One.
Because the other wasn't there. He swiveled his head around. A ferocious crimson cut through the air. Supposedly ferocious.
Was the dragon of the god-king fleeing?