Jaid: Hallo all! I apologize for the last chapter's heading; it was not very nice of me to complain like that. ^__^ *sweatdrop* Anyway, enjoy the chapter.

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            It was quiet. The figure paused before pushing aside the door. Sharp brown eyes surveyed the room before it entered, moving quickly and silently.

            Night had fallen just a little bit ago and the room was dark, only few candles providing any sort of light. At the edge of the room, several bodies sat, backs against the wall; eyes lifeless and limbs limp as if they were a group of puppets forgotten by their master.

            The intruder knelt before one of them; a girl with long brown hair and gold-flecked eyes. Carefully, a hand was placed under her jaw and her head tilted upwards.

            Bakura swore and dropped Rei's face. The girl drooped again and the thief suppressed a shudder, silently gazing at all the empty eyes seemingly fixed on him.

            Springing to his feet, Bakura turned and stopped short. Qenamun stood in the doorway, a slight smirk on his face.

            "Old feelings die hard, eh?" he asked. Bakura's jaw tightened.

            "It's none of your business, priest." The white-haired thief snapped. Qenamun's expression didn't change as he came into the room.

            "Such an odd thing, emotions." He said in a musing tone, walking over to the small altar set up on the far wall and ignoring Bakura completely. "Strange, how we think we can bury certain things, only to find that, after so long, they can cause still cause such deep and painful wounds."

            Bakura's eyes narrowed slightly. "I don't have time for your drivel." He snarled and started for the doorway.

            "Bakura." Qenamun said in a commanding tone. Against his will, the thief found himself stopping.

            "What?" he demanded, turning enough to see the priest.

            "Have patience." The older man said, and his smirk deepened slightly. "If you do, all you desire will come to you."

            Bakura snorted, but it was half hearted. "If that is all, then I'll be going now." He stated, leaving the room.

            Qenamun turned back to the altar. "Odd fellow; a wild spirit." He said, lighting some incense. "Using him may be a mistake lord."

            "Perhaps." A low, disembodied voice answered. "But the thief will suit my purposes for now. Just be sure that he stays within the fold. Use whatever means you have too…"

            Qenaman smiled. "Understood."

***

Shadi was heading home, tired and dispirited. Even Scales was quiet, as if he and Ankh both felt the weariness of spirit and body that their host had.

'It is late.' Shadi thought absently. The streets were nearly empty; with the falling of the sun came the search for shelter. The Egyptian man paused, looking up to see the diamond studded mantle Nuit had spread over the sky.

Something moved at the edge of his vision and Shadi turned to find a man a little taller than he, clothed in a dark colored cloak.

"Shadi?" the man asked. The guardian stayed stoically calm.

"I have a message for you." The other man reached up and let down his hood. "From Isis."

Shadi blinked, then narrowed his ice blue eyes. "You seem familiar…"

The man smiled half-heartedly. "I'm here to tell you that she is alive and safe. For the moment."

"She was supposed to be in the hospital sick." Shadi stated, a slight edge to his tone.

"I know. But she is getting better." The man said. "But keep looking for her and I cannot guarantee her safety."

/Oh my…/ Ankh's voice echoed in Shadi's head.

\Let's just get out the scales now and deal with the moron.\ Scales suggested, sounding a little too gleeful at that prospect.

"Was that a threat?" Shadi asked.

"No. It was the truth." The man sighed and replaced his hood, turning away. "Good bye, Shadi."

"Wait."

The man ignored him and continued to walk. Shadi stood there, then started after him. The man turned into a dark alleyway and Shadi followed. But when he turned the corner the man was gone.

'Strange…' Shadi thought, looking at the building that made it a dead end. 'This does not bode well. Not well at all…'

***

Ryou had run back to Rei's house, arriving hot and dusty. He startled a maid entering the back gate rather forcefully, causing her to drop a basket of rubbish. He apologized and moved past towards the part of the house he knew housed Rei's room.

Sandals made soft clacking noises against the floors of the house as he turned a corridor and stopped short. A guard was in front of Rei's door. Ryou pulled back behind the wall, thoughts swirling in his head.

'This is not good…'

***

"Yugi?"

The short boy turned from his perch at the window to see Katya standing in the door way of the front room; a candle in her hand. He smiled.

"Hi."

"Hey." She answered, walking in a little. "Um, Shadi's not back, huh?"

"No." Yugi shook his head. Katya hesitated.

"Want company?" she asked. Yugi opened his mouth, about to say no - he and Yami had a lot of talking to do anyway – but the curly haired girl seemed so desperately lonely that he nodded.

Katya came over and sat on the bench Yugi was on, carefully putting the candle on the wide window sill. "It's so different here, huh?"

"Yeah…" Yugi rested his chin on a hand. Especially since he'd been to Ancient Egypt. He smiled wryly. Now that wasn't something that happened on every trip…

"Yugi?"

The boy looked over at Katya. The girl's grey eyes were fixed on the stars above. "Yeah?" he asked.

"We'll…we're going to make it, right?" she looked at him. "I mean, the others will come back too and we'll go home eventually."

Yugi looked back out the window, not sure how to answer her. "Yes." He finally said, then smiled. "We will."

Katya smiled back, seemingly relieved. Then standing, she said good night and left. Yugi watched her go, then sighed. "They have to make it back…" He said to himself. "They just have too…"

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"I'm sick of this."

Joey looked over at Tristan, who was scowling at the ground. They were seated near the back kitchens; it was a hot day. Tristan's green-hazel eyes were fixed on a pebble he was pushing around with his sandaled foot.

"Yeah, I guess I am too." Joey admitted. There was a silence, then Joey spoke again.

"I'm sure Katya's okay." He said. Tristan looked up, a look of weariness on his face that startled his friend.

"I really hope she is." The brown haired boy said in a tone that matched his expression. "I'd hate to- no I can't lose her, Joe. I just can't."

***

The room was empty, a slight breeze blowing through it. Bare feet quietly stepped onto the stone floor, pausing to be sure no one else was there. A slender hand slowly pushed the door closed, wincing at the sound it made when it clicked shut.

"Tara?" a voice said from somewhere within the room. Tara turned from the door, her green eyes lighting up as Duke appeared. She ran to him.

"Oh I'm missed you!" she exclaimed as they hugged tightly.

"I missed you too babe. But look," Duke pulled away so he could look at Tara in the face. "I'm worried something's going on."

"You mean because of the prince being attacked?" Tara asked.

"Not only that but…" Duke screwed up his face, as if unable to put into words what he was thinking. "Tara…I might be going nuts or something, but I've been hearing things."

Tara blinked. "huh?"

"Hearing things. In my head, not my ears." Duke said. "Like, I don't know…it's the strangest feeling, like I'm about to be pulled away again and then I come back."

Tara looked worried. Duke mentally berated himself and forced a smile. "You know what? Forget it; I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you."

"No, that's okay." Tara said immediately. "I just…Oh!"

"What?"

"I forgot; I'm supposed to meet Mana. She's probably wondering where I am…"

"Who's Mana?" Duke blinked in confusion. Tara blushed a little.

"Oh…well, she happens to be my twin."

Duke blinked again. "A twin?"

"Yeah."

There was a pause, then Duke grinned. "You mean there are two of you?"

Tara made a face and doffed him on the head. "Duke!"

"Sorry, couldn't help it." Duke took her hands. "Do you have to go?"

"Well…I guess she could wait for a few more minutes." Tara murmured. Duke grinned again and pulled her to him.

"That's my girl." He whispered.

***

"How is he?"

Mahado looked up as Seto stood in the doorway. "He hasn't woken up yet."

Seto nodded and entered the room, walking over to where Mahado was seated next to the prince's bed. The boy's face was pale and still, a bandage obscuring some of his head.

"They found the culprit, I understand." Mahaod stated, his turquoise eyes on the still form.

"A guard who was bought off." Seto answered. "It was a clumsy attempt at assassination."

Mahado looked up. "Then you think as I do…?"

Seto's blue eyes flickered away from the priest's gaze. "I think that whoever bribed the guard did not get his money's worth."

Mahado's mouth twisted in a smile, then a wry chuckle was heard. "Ah, so like you, Seth."

"Hn." Seto answered, allowing a slight smirk. Then it faded. 'You'd better wake up, Yugi.' He thought.

***

Isis' eyes opened slowly, the room coming in to focus gradually. She blinked, then her eyes widened. "Malik?"

Her brother looked at her, no emotion readable in his face or eyes. "You're awake." He stated simply. Isis sat up.

"Yes…I…how…?"

"I came and got you from the hospital." Malik explained. "You'd best be prepared to stay here for a while."

"I can't Malik." Isis stated, looking up at her brother, who was now standing. "I have to…" she blew out a soft breath, looking down. "Shadi will be worried about me."

"Rishid has taken care of that." Malik said. Isis' head snapped up.

"What?"

Malik looked at her widened eyes and let out a short, bitter laugh. "Nice to see you still have such faith in me, sister." He remarked caustically. Isis' cheeks burned.

"Have you given me any reason to believe otherwise?" she said in a quiet, almost sad voice.

The smile vanished from Malik's face, but the bitterness remained. "Your precious Shadi is safe." He said snappishly, turning towards the door. "I wouldn't worry about it."

"Malik, wait." Isis reached out a hand to him. Malik paused, back to her. Isis slowly stood.

"I know you will not tell me what you mean to do, but please, let me go. I can be of no use to your plan; not without my Tauk." Isis braved a step towards him. "Please, brother…" A hand reached out to touch Malik's shoulder. He shook it off, somewhat violently.

"No, I prefer to keep you where I can keep an eye on you; you ruined my attempt at the God Cards." He said in a harsh voice.

"Malik, I promised Max-"

"Damn Pegasus." Malik cut her off and turned to her, an almost violent anger in his eyes. "How can you stand this?"

"What? I don't understand…" Isis said, shaking her head slightly.

"Everything." Malik said. "Guarding Pharoah's tomb, his memories, devoting yourself to an age and man long dead. Denying yourself of everything for it. What the hell kinda life is that?"

"Malik, that is our-"

"Our family responsibility." Malik practically spat out the words. "I know. That's what our bastard of a father used to say."

"Malik!"

"Shove it, Isis. He was a bastard. He just never paid attention to you because you were a girl. You still haven't answered my question." Malik's violet eyes bored into her blue ones. "Why?"

A dozen answers swirled inside Isis' head, but none of them seemed to fit. Why had she? Because it was the right thing to do? Because it was the family responsibility? Because it was all she had known and had ever expected to know?

Malik smiled a little wryly at her obvious confusion. "You don't even have an answer. I thought, a long time ago, that you would escape this life because you were a girl and not solely responsible for our family. Especially when that Pegasus fellow showed up."

Isis looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"I honestly thought he would ask you to leave with him. And I also thought that you were fond enough of him to take him up on the offer."

Isis blinked. "Malik…there was never anything like that between us; he was still mourning a dead wife for heaven's sake! What is wrong with you?!" It hit her suddenly and her eyes widened. "You're angry at me, aren't you? For not 'escaping.' And at him, for not taking me away from this..."

Malik's hand was gripping his rod tightly; it shook a little. "So you finally get it. Took you long enough."

"I don't  understand." Isis' head was beginning to ache. "I don't…"

"You would be the responsible one and take everything on." Malik's voice was low and harsh, as if he were fighting something internally. "You always were so self-sacrificing; never could do anything for yourself, could you? Always you put others first. Mother, me, Rishid, Father, our family's way and traditions."

Isis stared at him, mouth open but unable to speak. Malik looked up enough to meet her eyes again. Anger was still evident…but there was something else.

'He feels guilty.' Isis thought numbly. 'He feels guilty that he got away and I stayed behind, but is also angry with me because I insisted on brining it on myself.'

"Oh, Malik…" Isis said softly, reaching out to touch him. He turned away before her hands could connect with his face and pulled away the blanket covering the doorway.

"I suggest you rest, mediate, even pray to those dead gods. I don't care. Just don't leave this room." With the soft brush of fabric as the blanket fell back into place, he was gone.

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Hm, you know I wrote this chapter before I saw the eppy about Malik's past. I think I got him pretty close…well, at least how he is in the dub. *sweatdrop*

Oh and if you are wondering about that reference to Pegasus, it's a reference to a story I plan on writing one of these days; a Pegasus/Isis story. Who knows? Maybe I'll throw in Seto and Shadi into the mix too. *evil cackle*

Also, this story is now officially AU; Battle City never happened and I'm going to try to work the God cards into this thing somehow. *sweatdrop*

Dr. Vorlon – Thank you very much! I am doing much better now. ^__^

Indigo – That would be the worst of it; homesickness. Lol, I especially get bothered in quiet places. I have so many siblings that it's always noisy here; when I'm in a quiet place I tend to hear things. I guess a camp counselor would be fun, but I do better with very young kids; infants to about three or four.

Coco strawberry – As always, your enthusiasm is wonderful! ^__^ Rishid really needs to be in more stories; he's a neat guy. I really like his dub voice, lol, nice and deep. ^__^

Black Mistress – ROFL!!! I'm glad to see that Isis' awakening has heartened you. Neewayz, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. *squeezes her Malik plushie again* Sooo cute!!

FirePendant – Ack! I promise Scales will be in later. I just haven't had much of a chance to do much with him yet.

Amberliz – YOU REVIEWED!! To quote Black Mistress: OH JOY! OH RAPTURE!! Lol. Yeah, I need to e-mail you…*sweatdrop*

Iris – A review! *dies from shock* lol, joking. I only had to get on your case for a week thou…^__~ Okay, well, since I'm in the middle of RPing with you, I should get back to that…