V.E.: I'm starting this a day after I finished my BEC chapter, but I guess I want to get to this chapter so I can get back to that chapter and so on and so forth.

Yes I know, another flashback dream scene, but in this story I feel a great need to have this kind of stuff. As I've said before this is not an exact copy of the movie, partially because this is the Yugioh universe and will obviously take some from the Millennium World. For some reason, most of my muse ideas take place in the Millennium World or AU.

Well, read on kindly.

The gardens at night were perhaps the most peaceful places in the palace. The trees with their fruit, the flowers in bloom, and the quiet calm of the man made pond; all of it was undisturbed from the commotion of the festival outside the palace though the shadowed girl walking in the gardens could still hear the noise.

She just walked on, taking in all in the garden she had missed in the daylight. It was different by herself. In fact, aside from the guards, she was probably the only one still in the palace that wasn't enjoying the festival.

Though normally the only reason she wouldn't be at a festival was if she had pulled some big prank prior, this time she stayed behind because of choice. She hated this time of year most of all. At the same, she couldn't help but feel envy for the others. At least they had something to celebrate.

Even her new friend had gone to the festival, though that was probably because a certain high priest had asked her to accompany him. She chuckled, it was completely obvious the attraction the two held for each other. Almost as completely obvious as the one her master had for the seer priestess.

These thoughts just made her frown, a sigh escaping her. It was these times that reminded her how much of an outcast she was. Everyone had someone and a place, if not in this palace then somewhere else. What did that make her?

"Why so sad?"

She started in surprise, her head turning around everywhere to see the owner of the voice. She didn't expect anyone else to be here.

A deep chuckle resounded through the garden, a decidedly male sounding one.

"You're not very good at realizing if someone's there. I've been here for about fifteen minutes watching you."

Her eyes widened then narrowed.

"Then show yourself!"

A tone of amusement entered his voice.

"Oh and who says so? Some noble woman? A priestess? Oh wait, all of the priestesses are at the festival. Same with the dancers."

She grimaced at the intruder's words.

"Don't talk to me about the festival, alright! Why do you think I'm here?"

This prompted a silence before he responded again in interested tone.

"Well, I can say that I don't know why you're here in the gardens, specifically."

Mana felt herself flush a little.

"Because it's the one place that makes me feel like I can be alone. The one place I don't have to pretend to be something I'm not."

This prompted another silence before a noise was heard as a shadowed person jumped down from one of the trees. Even in the dark, the magician's apprentice could see the man's(he was definitely no boy) untamable white hair, two scars standing out from his tan skin on his cheek, and strangely enticing light purple eyes.

Those eyes observed everything about the girl in front of him. Her brown hair, emerald eyes, pretty figure. Once done with their observation, he crossed his arms and his face settled into a puzzled expression.

"Hmm….you're not like the other people I've seen here."

The girl 'hmphed,' her voice becoming almost bitter.

"Maybe because I don't belong here."

The puzzled eyes became more interested.

"Oh, who says that?"

"No one says that, but they think it."

It took a moment for the scarred man to connect the dots.

"You're a commoner?"

She nodded.

"And if it weren't for my magic I wouldn't even be here."

"Ah, so you're a magician."

She laughed uneasily.

"Well, magician's apprentice. And Master often says that I'll never become a magician until I learn some patience."

The man adjusted his dark robes for a moment before continuing.

"And what does your Master say about wandering around the garden at night?"

She shrugged nonchalantly.

"Master's probably having a drinking contest with Seto about now, those two always do that at every festival. Or they're all visiting their ancestors' temples about now, that's what the Feast of Wag is about."

"Oh and why aren't you outside Miss Magician, worshipping with your ancestors?"

She could feel the bitterness in her voice.

"It's hard to do that when you don't have any."

Understanding filled his reply.

"Oh."

Once more the silence filled the night. She shifted nervously, deciding to finally voice the question on her mind.

"And who are you? What are you doing here?"

This prompted an amused smirk from the shadowed man.

"Well, who I am is of no importance, not yet anyway. As to why I am here, I was certain that just about everyone in the palace would be gone for the festival. It seems I was wrong, however if that were not true, we would not have met my lady."

She smiled slightly at his address to her.

"Don't call me that. I'm certainly no lady."

The purple eyes became amused as his hands held a very familiar necklace.

"Oh, I'd say that this looks like a lady's ruby necklace to me."

The girl's hand went to her neck, bare feeling. Her face turned annoyed as she tried to grab the necklace as the thief held it out of her reach.

"Hey, give that back! That was gift!"

This didn't faze the thief, he seemed to be getting some enjoyment out of playing with her.

"From who? Some smooth faced admirer? Certainly with eyes like those, you have many."

"No, from the woman who brought me here!"

This caused him to pause.

"Really, why?"

Her voice went softer as she stopped trying to reach the necklace.

"To say goodbye. She used to visit me all the time, but I never saw her again after she gave me that necklace. She was the closest thing I had to a mother."

He turned his eyes back on the necklace, trying to read something into it, before holding it out to her and she took it back.

"Then it's yours. So many people hold onto to something they neither need nor deserve to have."

Understanding filtered across the young woman' face.

"You're a thief!"

He made a mock bow, a smirk on his face.

"The Thief King, at your service."

"I've never heard of you."

That didn't stop the smirk on his face.

"As I've said, not yet any way."

Her eyes darted around the garden.

"You know I could call the guards right now."

Amusement once more entered the thief's tone.

"Ah, but if you wanted to you would have done so already. And if I wanted to I could have done with you as any other thief would have, but I didn't. I'll leave you to wonder why."

He turned to leave, but before that he turned back and found the emerald eyes he had complimented.

"Just so you know, I know what it's like to lose something close to you. To feel like you're alone. Something I don't think many people in this palace would understand."

With that, a moment he was there. The next he vanished into the night.

Which left the young magician to stare after him. She would not call the guards. And she knew somehow she would meet him again. Though for good or ill, she couldn't know.

Mana uneasily opened her eyes, as she once more took in the hot desert air and the unending sand mounds. Sometime while sleeping, she had leaned her body forward towards her camel's head. She stretched as she scratched behind the camel's ear.

They had traveled like this for several days, stopping only occasionally. She had disliked the idea of traveling in the night, but it was cooler than the day and the faster they got to the ruins, the faster they could go home.

"Well nice to see you're up."

She turned behind her to find Bakura looking amused. For some reason, she almost felt like there should be a couple of scars on one of his cheeks, but she then mentally smacked herself. Now wasn't the time to dwell on dreams.

"I fail to see what you find amusing."

Ryou was right next to his brother, covering a yawn before he spoke.

"Don't mind him Mana, he likes teasing everyone."

Seto's eyes weren't open as his camel next to Atem's, but his voice told everyone that he was indeed awake.

"Would you guys wait to flirt until the afternoon? For once, I wanted to sleep in."

Atem glared at the CEO(whether if he disliked him or the comment, you be the judge). This led Yugi to sigh at his brother's reaction.

Solomon called back to the younger group, both him and Professor Hawkins were stopped as if waiting for something as were many of the other riders.

"Now, now; we're almost there."

This caused the teens and preteens to stop beside the older archaeologists. Most of them however were very puzzled by this turn of events. Why were they just waiting there?

Just then, Pegasus called to another archaeologist, his voice as merry and exuberant as ever.

"Just remember, one thousand dollars to the first person to enter the ruins! And I'll throw in a Duel Monster of the winner's choice."

Bakura's eyes gleamed at the extra prize.

"Well, this just became more interesting."

Atem's eyes were resolute as he met the white haired thief's eyes.

"Don't tell me you're backing out of our bet."

"What on earth gave you that idea? That just makes me more determined to beat you."

Their younger twins sighed in unison as the heat of competition flared up even further. They both shared a look of sympathy and understanding, this was obviously a common occurrence.

Rebecca fixed her glasses as she also looked determined.

"Money's no problem, but free Duel Monsters is always nice, even if it's just one."

Mahad chuckled with the older gentlemen at Rebecca's attitude as he looked forward into the desert.

"Get ready."

Mana looked at her brother questioningly.

"Ready for what?"

"We're about to be shown the way."

Mana turned her direction of gaze where Mahad's was and waited for a moment. As the sun came up, something in the distance seem to change. As seconds passed, it seemed as if a structure from the heavens was descending down with the winds. It didn't stop its descent as some of the company gasped at the visual trick before them.

As the sun was firmly in its place, the building finally landed though it was only part of the entire thing as most of them realized this. It was the ruins of the Temple, and now it was seen.

Ryou was one of the many in awe.

"I'll be…"

Rebecca nodded in shock.

"I've never seen anything like that."

Seto shrugged, his eyes now more open.

"Eh, it's just some cheap trick."

Solomon shared a glance with Arthur Hawkins.

"Well, here we go again."

At that, a great burst of noise was heard as everyone yelled and charged toward the ruins; all of them eager for the prize offered(more so at the first than the later).

Atem and Bakura urged on their camel with their "Hyas!" and they both quickly led near the front.

Rebecca also followed, but she was lingering behind. Finally, she realized that those two had the better chance and let her camel go slow.

Yugi, Ryou, Mahad, and Seto lingered behind with the older men as none of them were that interested in racing. They were passed greatly by all the other contestants in this impromptu race.

Mahad sighed with a smile as he saw Bakura and Atem urge forward to the peak of the pack and turned to smile at his younger sister, hoping to find one one her face.

And that smile melted quickly as he realized Mana was not beside them.

"Mana?!"

Several of the riders had fallen to the ground(one camel in particular with two large baskets had apparently been forced to ground taking the baskets with it and causing two shorter people to tumble out with a really large "OWW!"). Pegasus, as a matter of fact, wasn't even bothering to race. His specialty was strategy, facing an opponent. Games of chance wasn't exactly his style.

At the front, Bakura and Atem were neck and neck, urging their rides further on. Though, they had the air of competition, it could also be seen that the both of them were enjoying this healthy race.

And one of them would have probably have taken the prize had they realized they had someone right behind them."

"Ti ti ti! Go on!"

The teenage boys turned to find Mana urging her snow white camel on, easily catching up to them.

Atem caught her eye, a look of disbelief and smile was mixed together on his face. Bakura wasn't that too far behind in astonishment.

Mana returned Atem's look with a smile and a laugh.

Then she turned back forward as her camel too an even greater lead from the group and eventually passed the columns of the ruins tomb.

Rebecca called out in delight as she waved her hand.

"Go Mana! Go!"

Mahad looked on as his sister did go on in disbelief.

Seto's eyes were surprised.

"If you're sister's as good a duelist as she is a racer, remind me never to duel her."

Mahad looked at his somewhat enemy in disbelief.

"Why? Scared you'd lose?"

"Oh, shut up!"

V.E.: Well, I'll get to Mana's prize and the Temple underground next time. And thus we are close to raising Aknadin. This story is finally getting underway. I now this is pretty fast considering the time between updates(I usually wait a week).

Anyway, review.

Note: The festival of Wag honored a person's ancestors. It was common for a family to go to their tombs and give an offering to their spirits.

Ps. To anyone who is interested, I put up a slight summary to that story I wanted to write on Atem's parents on my profile. Check it out if you want.