Author's note: LOL looks like the secret is out and said person is going to get their butt kicked. Thanks to Seto's angel and Liviania for reviewing. They're the only reviews I've gotten thus far and I live for reviews. So big huge thank-yas to you both. Now on with the story.

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:The past:

She stood there gazing out at the town until the sun went down. Master had not returned and she knew he would soon.

I must get away, Tanith thought with a determined nod. She looked down at the kitten at her feet who gazed up at her with sorrowful gray eyes the same color as her fur.

"Time to slip away into the shadows, Nippy."

Tanith walked over and dug through her clothes chest for suitable clothing for a dangerous stroll in town at night. She found a moth eaten cloak made of yak skin, which she threw onto her bed. Then she tossed a ratty black wig she stole on the bed to the ensemble and a fake beard of horsehair. To complete the disguise she donned a tattered black tunic.

"So how do I look?" Tanith asked wheezing like an old man after she put everything on. The cat took one look at her and hissed before diving under the bed.

"Good enough." She replied and slipped out of the room. She quickly walked the empty halls of the palace making her way toward the door when she encountered her first problem.

Priest Seto.

"Who are you?" the young priest demanded. "What are you doing here?"

Tanith ducked her head and hid her gaze in the tangled wig before replying.

"I'm lost, my lord. Where can I find the lavatory?" she wheezed. Seto kicked her down onto her hands and knees, almost knocking the wig off her head.

"Get out of my way you dog." He sneered. "I have no time to waste with filthy peasants such as yourself." And with that he marched away.

"Ra, remind me to teach Priest Seto a lesson about how to treat people." Tanith muttered rising to her feet. After a moment she chuckled and added, "Oh well, he'll figure out that filthy peasants aren't supposed to be in the palace, let alone treated so badly."

Her next problem came when the Pharaoh---of all people-- bumped into her.

"Oh excuse me." He said to her. Tanith let out a tiny squeak as the king's surprise changed into disapproval. For this occasion the girl drew upon her secret weapon: mad groveling.

"Oh great one!" she exclaimed with deep a groan as she prostrated herself before the suddenly startled king, "Finally I see you, my king! My god! My greatest fantasy!"

She began giving the king's feet big wet sloppy kissing until the man was forced to back away from the disguised teen in horror. It was then some guards appeared and began dragging her away.

"I may die in peace now and face the judgement of Ma'at now that I have glimpsed your god like face, my king!" she cried as she was dragged away out of the palace. At the door, she was thrown to the steps below and the door was slammed behind her. She rose to her feet with a giggle and righted her askew wig and rumpled clothing.

"Jerks, can't a girl get out of the palace without being thrown around like soiled laundry?"

Bakura was enjoying his fifth cup of ale at the Pickled Egg, a bar known to be full of assassins, thieves and prostitutes, when a strange sight approached his table and sat down. It was a man, he thought, dressed in a stinky yak cloak, some ragbag tunic, a wig that looked like rat made a nest in it and forgot to inform the owner and had a beard that made the wig look nice.

"What do you want old man." He growled. A pair of familiar blue eyes looked up at him and a smile lit the owner's face.

"That's the best compliment I've gotten all night."

"Tanith?!"

"So you do remember my name." She replied scratching at the wig that covered her hair. "Here I thought you'd call me Princess for the rest of my life."

"What in Ra's name are you doing in a dive like this, dressed like that?" Bakura demanded in a hiss, glancing around the room to see if anyone noticed them.

"It was either this or the harem girl outfit I had stashed."

Bakura paled, "Thank the gods you stuck with that get up." He muttered. "What are you doing here?"

"Seeking out my pal the King of Bandits." Tanith was about to pull off her beard when Bakura stayed her hand.

"Keep the beard." He told her holding her hand a bit longer than was necessary.

Someone in the crowd who knew Bakura noticed this and asked, "Going the other way are we, 'Kura?"

Bakura spun around and replied, "Both ways is the only way to swing, now shut up." He turned back to Tanith and muttered, "Now I'm going to be known as a fairy."

"I see no problems." Tanith replied taking Bakura's hands again, "It'll keep all the girls from flocking to your door and giving away your hiding place."

He chuckled, "Good point, so what help do you need?"

"I've come to the conclusion that I need to find another place to live." She replied. "Things have…developed that I'm not comfortable with and I was thinking as a fellow thief…"

"There's no honor among thieves."

Tanith reached out and caressed his cheek, "But maybe among something else…"

"You're desperate." He said flatly.

"You betcha." She replied with a smirk.

Bakura shook his head then bumped it a few times on the table. Tanith reached out and laid a hand on his shoulder, gently using her power to lift his head it up to look at her.

"You don't have to, I can easily use what skills I have to get a place to stay." She smiled up at him, "But I like you and I want us to be together."

"You!" Bakura sputtered angrily running a hand through his hair. "You are too sentimental and---and innocent! Don't you know what kind of person I am?"

"A murderer and a thief."

He threw his hands up in frustration, "How can you say that without a thinking, like it's nothing?"

"Easy, that's who you are Bakura." Tanith replied with a smile.

"You are such a fool." He muttered. "Haven't you learned anything from earlier today? I will back stab you the first chance I get!"

"I know, it's a guarantee."

"You don't get it."

"You don't get it." She replied. "That the first opportunity you have, you'll use it to your advantage. It's the one thing I can trust about you and that is the first step to a relationship."

"I can't believe you want a relationship with a murdering thief!"

"And you don't want one with a mischievous thieving apprentice?" she stuck out her lip even though he couldn't see it. "Doesn't everyone need at least one friend?"

Bakura was stunned into silence. Here was the most naïve yet spirited girl he ever met and she actually wanted to be his friend. A young man who made it his life mission to steal from every crypt in Ancient Egypt, especially the old kings' just to tork the nobles off.

Forget the guards, kill them. Who cares if you're already loaded down with more riches than the king, get more! Those were his mottoes and still this odd girl wanted to be his friend. His first real friend.

He rose to his feet and sighed.

"Come on you filthy little street rat. Time to go home."

As the two left the bar, they didn't notice a pair of shifty eyes following them out the door…