R h a p s o d y of the T o m b [prologue]

R h a p s o d y of the T o m b [prologue]

It has been said

That on the walls

Of the great Pharaoh's Tomb

Are carved the words

Of a magnificant story.

It has been said

That on the walls

Of the great Pharaoh's Tomb

Are carved the words

Of their history.

"It's so hot." Sachi Barton laughed lightly and turned to her long-time boyfriend, Yugi Mutou, and gave him a few quick slaps to the cheek. The boy pouted, sticking out his bottom lip and continued to slump over in protest, beads of sweat sliding down his temple. Sachi shook her head at his attempted "puppy dog" gaze and gave him a small peck on the lips.

"Perhaps this will teach you not to wear leather to the desert." She whispered, brushing the damp golden bangs from his violet eyes before turning around and straightening up. She tossed her own copper-red hair from her eyes and gazed about the desert, looking for any sign of an approaching jeep. She wore the traditional robes of the Egyptian woman, a shawl wrapped over her head to protect her from the sun's intense heat, her feet clad in brown sandals. She was actually very comfortable and definatly not as hot as Yugi. He had refused the more traditional clothes, opting to keep his leather outfit and boots, and was now paying the price.

"Atleast I still look cool." He replied, straightening up as well and brushing the hair from his face and the sweat from his brow. Sachi studied him, stifling a laugh. His nose was an angry crimson and his shoulders colored almost to match. His hair was beignning to wilt, like a flower without water, and she was sure he had burnt himself a few times on his metal belts and straps. He frowned at her giggles and crossed his arms over his chest, turning his nose up to her.

"Aw, I'm sorry, Yugi. It's just so funny. You're cooking yourself alive!" Sachi teased, the distant rumble of a jeep suddenly catching her attention. She turned and put a hand above her eyes, squinting toward the horizen. She smiled at the familiar white hair she saw and started waving. The jeep braked to a stop right beside her and a tall, white-haired boy stepped out, removing his sunglasses and propping them up on his head.

"Ello Sachi! Hope I haven't kept you waiting." Ryou Bakura smiled and embraced her in a hug, taking a moment to admire her clothes. "Aw, they didn't give me a cool outfit." He complained, his bottom lip jutted out in a pout. Sachi laughed and grabbed Yugi, pulling him over toward the jeep. Ryou smiled and clapped him on the shoulder. "Ello Yug'"

"Hey..." Yugi groaned, licking his dry lips for the thousandth time since Ryou had pulled up. He idly scratched his stomach, shaking his head to clear the hair from his face, and started inspecting Ryou's jeep for something to drink.

"You wore leather? Wow and I thought I'd dressed too warmly." Ryou joked, looking down at his own jeans and t-shirt, his sneakers half sunk in the sand. Yugi mumbled something and finally managed to dig out a water bottle. With his eyes shining, he drank it down in two big gulps before sighing contently. Sachi laughed quietly before turning serious.

"Alright, Dad said he left the spot marked but we should get out there soon before the afternoon heat sets in."

"It's gonna get hotter?" Yugi asked incrediously, his eyes wide with fear and his shoulder's slumped. Sachi nodded and he groaned, falling backwards in the Ryou's jeep and overdramatically throwing his arm across his face. "Unbelieveable."

"Oh, you'll be fine. C'mon Ryou, let's go!" Sachi patted Yugi's knee before jumping into the passenger's seat, holding the little Blackberry her father had given her before he retired to his hotel room. Her father, Edward Barton, was the lead Archeologists on the project labled 'Tomb X' and her and her family had been here in Egypt for nearly 7 months now while her father went about studying this new site. Yugi of course had been with her the whole time, but had never lef the comfort of the luxurious hotel room until now.

"It shouldn't take long to get there." Ryou noted, laughing as Yugi sat up as high as he could, letting the breeze hit him square in the face, his arms spread out wide. "You're father e-mailed me the coordinates last night and after study them I realized we were nearly on top of them with our meeting spot. It's just up there, by the Nile." Ryou pointed over the window and Sachi sat up slightly, suprised when she could make out the red flags marking her father's sight.

"So it is...how convenient." She murmered, sitting back down. Ryou laughed and three rode in silence, minus Yugi's panting, before shortly arriving at the archeological site. Sachi hopped out first and pulled a little, laminated pass from her robes, along with her ID and a formal grant from the Egyptian government to be here. She handed them to the guard, who then passed them back before inspecting Ryou's and Yugi's. He gave them a firm nod.