Wings of Time

Before Memories are Mine

In the quiet, Yami finally found his time to answer, 'I'm not sure what I meant by that. I just...felt annoyed, for some reason.'

Yami's voice reminded him.

"Um...Aleah?"

"Mmph?"

"I don't mean to bring up bad memories, but...do remember what Yami's name was?"

"The pharaoh's?"

"Yeah." Though who else he could be talking about, he didn't know.

There was a long pause filled by the stuffed, sleepy sort of silence in the room. The blankets across from him wiggled a bit. He could once more feel Yami's anticipation gripping him from within the puzzle.

"I mean, if it's too much of me to ask—"

"No. It's fine, Yugi. But why doesn't he remember who he is anyways? What reason for that could that be?"

"We aren't really sure yet."

There was another space of quiet filled by the hum of Yami's presence. The blanket fidgeted again and her blue eyes reappeared.

"Yugi...what happened to the pharaoh? After I left."

"I don't know. What was happening before?"

Aleah shifted onto her side to look up at the ceiling. "There was this crazy looking thief guy setting his monster out on everyone. It was super powerful and no one's monsters seem to be able to fight against it. I think the thief wanted to destroy them for destroying his people...because they were used to make the millennium pieces. I left on one of the few peaceful nights, when I saw that light burning in the sky."

Yugi felt his forehead crumple. Within him, Yami was hanging on to every word, and if the spirit had a breath, it would have been held.

"Wow, that's...that's more than I know, I have to admit. All I know is that Yami had to seal away the Shadow Games because they were threatening the world. We're not entirely sure how he did it, but I think that's how he ended up in the puzzle. I think."

He watched her face as it remained still in thought. A flicker of emotion passed across her eyes, but at the angle he was at he couldn't be sure of what it was. She sighed.

"Well...I wouldn't have been any help anyways." she turned her head to look at him. "I guess you wouldn't know how he sealed away these games, would you? And why would they result in him losing his memory?" her eyes widened as a thought occurred to her. "Did you know that Egyptians believe that if you ever lose your name, you lose yourself?"

He stopped himself from rolling his eyes. "Doesn't every culture believe that? Names are important."

"Yes, but...if he lost his name, that would make sense why he lost his memories."

"Are you sure it's not the other way around? He lost his name because he lost his memories?"

"Oh...yeah." her cheeks reddened. "I just...I don't really know what's—okay, well, his name—"

A door banged from downstairs, followed by a loud yelp. The two teenagers shot up, bursting from their blankets.

"Grandpa!"

"What was that?"

Yugi was the first to run out the door, followed closely behind by a frazzled looking Aleah who raced him down the stairs. They leapt over the short couch and slid into the shop portion of the house, panting. Solomon Motou leaned against the counter with a hand to his mouth, looking frightfully pale.