Disclaimer- I don't own Yu-gi-oh.

Lava- No matter how hard I try. I can't make disclaimers fun.

Yugi- *worriedly* So what's this fan fiction about?

Lava- Yami and Serenity, mainly.

Yami and Serenity- O.O'

Yami- Help.

Lava- Don't worry, there's not much torture. *nods*

Everyone- Phew.

Lava- But now that you mention it I could put some in!

Everyone- O.O

Lava- By the way, as you may have been able to tell, I'm rubbish at making names for anything from people to chapters to stories, I need help with chapter names please! Please tell me in your review! *coughs*

= Yami's thoughts

= Serenity's thoughts

~+~+~+~+~+ = scene change

~~~~~~Things Can Change~~~~~ By YamiLava

The sun was high in the sky on this particular day in Egypt. In Cairo there was the usual busy buzz from all the merchants and residents, there was the rich lords who strolled along the dusty streets and the poor slaves who were being whipped as they marched through the alleys towards the slave markets. It was a typical day.

Away from the hectic town centre it was a different place. There were very few people here; they were all too occupied to notice the great sight of the desert's abandoned horizon. Though one small girl, not much older than nine was sitting admiring the peace.

Suddenly something darted past the calm view. The girl looked up.

"Hello?" She said quietly as she looked around for the thing that had disturbed her. Abruptly another small person jumped up behind her.

"Tag!" He tapped her gently on the shoulder.

"What?"

"I said tag. That means you're it." The boy's strong violet eyes were glistening waiting for the other child to catch on. Her bewildered face turned into a grin.

"I know what tag means, it just." She uttered as she stood up, her mouse brown hair blowing in the gentle wind.

"Just what?"

"I'm not it anymore!" She tug him, skimming one of his blonde bangs which belonged to his pointed black hair rimmed with red, "Tag!" She scrambled to get away.

~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~

The youngsters were unaware that they were being watched. On the shimmering palace that was the pride of Cairo, stood two figures. One a man who looked remarkably like the boy just older and a woman with long blonde hair.

"What is my son doing running around the city dressed in rags?" He snapped.

"Calm down Kaimei, (never ask me to come up with a name. I'm rubbish at it) I thought it would be good for him." The woman replied, "He's always cooped up here, and nobody will recognize him. He's got to make some friends; you can't keep a boy stuck in a palace forever."

"But Gyoukou (Arg, another annoying name) the prophecy." He said to his wife.

"Prophecy smophecy! Our son deserves this; you don't want him to turn out stubborn and cruel like you!" She smiled to show that it was a joke.

"But it's still not right for the son of a pharaoh to be out in the streets like a commoner!" His eyes softened as he saw the look on her face. "Fine. For you."

~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+

The children played all day and the next and the next. They had become close friends.

The sun was setting and they were both tired from playing all day

"Look at the sunset!" Serenity said gaping at the orange light of the setting sun. She sat down, "It's even better than yesterday!"

Yami sat down next to her, gazing at the yellow sand blending perfectly with the orange sky. "It's stunning."

A voice came from behind them, it was Serenity's brother Jou (I only know a few of the Egyptian names from my play station game so excuse me about getting them wrong.) calling her back home.

"Hey, Serenity. Mom wants us back home."

Serenity stood up. "See you tomorrow, and don't be late this time!" She smiled friendly. Yami nodded. Serenity? Is that her name? It suits her.. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek before running off in the direction of the voice. Yami rubbed his cheek lightly. He'd never felt like that before, it was different to what he usually felt, it was happiness.

There was a loud noise of panic in the distance behind him; it was coming from the palace. He stood up and looked over at the tall glamorous building that was his home. He could see a figure running towards him, getting closer and closer. He squinted to see who it was. He could now just make out who it was. Gosei? (Another eeevvviiilll name!) What's he doing leaving the palace?

"Young prince. You must come back to the palace. Now." The middle-aged man named Gosei quickly muttered.

"Why? What has happened?" Yami was lifted up by the man; he was strong for a man his age.

"Please, do not ask any questions. You will know before long." Gosei led Yami back up to the palace.

Many questions ran through Yami's head. What's wrong? What was the noise? ..... Finally they reached the palace.

"Please, young Yami. Go to your room and stay there until someone tells you that you may come out." Yami paused for a second, but was escorted to his room before he could ask any questions.

~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+

Yami was locked in his room for quite a while until finally Gosei entered the room, looking solemn.

"Your father wishes for you to see him now." Gosei said, not taking his eyes from the floor. Gosei was always the one to tell him about his father as he was an adviser and friend to the pharaoh. Yami nodded and Gosei led him through the long corridors to the conference room, where there were many people, mainly his father's advisers and courtiers. The atmosphere was very dreary. He walked to his father who was stood at the open window.

"What has happened?" He questioned innocently. The pharaoh turned round, revealing the red streaks in his eyes. Kaimei looked around panicked as one of his courtiers stepped forward.

"I'm afraid, young prince, that your mother has been killed." The courtier said, his voice not quavering once.

"But father. It can't be true, it's just a joke right?" He smiled weakly, "It's got to be a joke." Kaimei didn't reply. So he tugged on his neat clothes. His father swung round and knocked him to the ground.

"Just leave me alone!" The pharaoh glanced sternly at his son then fled the room, followed by his advisers and courtiers.

Now the only people left in the room were Gosei and himself. He looked hopefully at the friend he'd known for all his life.

"But it can't be." He looked into the man's miserable eyes and at last believed it. "No. No!" He ran out of the room. Not knowing where to go, he ran aimlessly through the hallways, all the time muttering "It isn't true. it isn't true."

All of a sudden. WHAM! He hit into something hard, he shook dazed on the spot for a second before falling unconscious.

~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+

When Yami gained his consciousness again, he had a pounding headache and felt too tired to open his eyes. How had he gone from the first real happiness he'd ever felt to the worst sadness ever? Then he heard some voices.

"I believe he will be awake soon."

"That's good. The pharaoh needs to start training him now."

"Isn't it too soon to be educated to become the ruler of Egypt? Nine isn't very old."

"You know that the boy's all that's keeping the Lord alive. He loved his wife more than anything. I wish I could say he loved the boy that way."

"If he didn't love his son then why is he doing this for him?"

"Gyoukou was the only light in his life and she cherished that boy and wanted him to have the best of everything, she wanted him to be prepared for life as a Pharaoh, so he's doing this for her." Yami opened his eyes and blinked.

"Ah Yami, you're awake. Your father wants to see you, now." Yami got dressed and headed down to his father's chambers.

~+~+~+~+~+~+~+

The pharaoh was sitting at his desk, he looked very tired, but he was working quickly.

"Ah Yami." He said. "You probably know why I want to talk to you. My father told me this, so I shall tell it to you. I will not be here forever, nobody's here forever." His voice broke off. He cleared his throat and started again. "As I won't be here forever you will be taking over after me. You must be a good Pharaoh or the whole Egyptian will crumble so there is a lot of weight on your shoulders. If you listen to all I am going to say to you, then you will do fine, if you don't then you will be noted down as the ruler who ruined Egypt. Do I make myself clear?" Yami gulped, but nodded.

~+~+~+~+~+~+~+

So Yami's training began. It lasted several painstaking years and his father would not let him do anything that was not Pharaoh-like, so Yami, like his father before him, turned cold-hearted. On his 13th birthday, his father died. Of course, everyone knew he had been threatening to since his wife died, but it came as a shock. Yami, not being one to love anyone, did not even attend the funeral.

~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+

The story skips a few years until Yami was 18 years old. Yami had now been ruler for 5 years and had turned so pitiless that you would never recognize him as the same little boy who was playing tag all those years ago. His kingdom was covered in poverty and slavery. The grand empire that had stood when the former Pharaoh ruled was gone and now all the buildings were shabby, all except the palace.

Yami walked out the conference room talking to one of his body guards.

"That bunch of imbeciles. I should have fired them long ago. The only person here I can trust is you, Seto." The young Pharaoh said, not bothering to keep his voice down.

"I told you that long ago, Yami. You're father didn't see how wrong he was too keep them by his side." The tall brunette muttered as they turned a corner.

"I told you, I am not Yami in public! And when is the slave market in town?" Yami snapped.

"The slave market is on today, in the market place." He said somberly.

"Ahh, we should go, I need some new slaves to brake and I want something to get my mind off my advisers, I'm sure they're plotting against me..." He threw open the huge entrance to the palace and swiftly walked down the stairs towards the market place.

~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+

In the bazaar, the slave market was set up. The grimy people who were slaves, stood chained to the platform. Among them was a girl of about 18 years of age. She had long brown hair and dim, out of focus brown eyes, of course her name was Serenity.

"Any slave who doesn't get sold, will be punished." Her master spoke gruffly. His eyes darted to Serenity and he smirked. He walked up onto the platform and turned to the large crowd of people who were gathered below. "Now let the auctioning BEGIN!" He started bringing forwards the slaves, one by one and auctioning them off. The line slowly lessened and lessened until it was Serenity's turn.

I don't want to be sold, but if I'm not, I'll have to answer to my master. She rubbed the sore marks on her back that were a result of the whip that her owner used. Nobody ever wants a blind slave anyway. I wish I was back home with Jou... She stepped forward towards the middle of the podium.

"Now we have a lovely female slave, she'd be very useful for housework." Her owner shouted above the crowd's noise. If you didn't know better, you would think that he was selling merchandise rather than people.

"She's blind!" Someone shouted from the large mass of people below.

Her owner's eyes narrowed as he turned to look at her in disgust. He turned back to the look at the swarm of people. "But she's still very able. Any takers?"

Everyone was quiet. They all looked around to see if anyone would want to the 'out of order' slave.

~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+

Yami and Seto were standing near the back, only just able to see.

"I've had enough of this! I'm going towards the front!" Yami said impatiently as he pushed through the crowd.

"Wait! My Lord!" He pushed forward with him. In the end they reached the front.

"Who's being auctioned now?" Yami shouted arrogantly to the seller.

Serenity's owner looked down at the person who had shouted at him.

"Pharaoh Yami?" He drew back. "It's a nobody, not fit for you at least." He murmured to him. Yami looked up at the slave on show.

What? Where have I seen her before? She seems so familiar. He squinted to see if he could see her better. Maybe I can figure it out better later.

"I'll take her." He said raising his hand regally in the air. "How much?"

"For you, my Lord, she is free." Yami nodded, being very used to that sort of treatment.

"Slave. Come here!" He called to her. Serenity lifted her head. Who's that? I don't believe it, I've been sold. I pray that my buyer is kinder than my old master. She outstretched her hands and felt her way off the display place to the voice. "Seto take her back to the palace, I want to look around the market place." Yami quickly ran off in the direction of some stall, not even looking at Serenity.

"Yami! Oh dear..Miss. I'd like you to come with me." Seto turned around to look at Serenity. "Oh no. Yami's not going to be happy when he finds out he bought a blind slave." Seto muttered to himself. He led Serenity back to the palace.
Lava- I suppose that'll do. Sorry that the end bit was a bit dodgy (more than a bit) but I have most of the story worked out in my head, but not that bit.

Yami- Hey! There was torture in it! For me and Serenity at least.

Serenity- Don't make such a big fuss Yami. I'm sure she'll make it up to us!

Yami- *smiles evilly* Yeah! *holds out his hand*

Lava- Fine.. *passes him a cookie* Please review, good or bad, I don't really care. And if you can come up with a better chapter name, I'll be happy! *waves bye*