SHD: Yay! Reviews! I feel so loved:hugs herself: Thank you thank you thank you everyone! D

A special thanks and a hug (if ur a hugger person) to:

pharos-slave, Leneia, and Dark Mage of Sea. Thanks everyone! We luv ya!

Sunae: Yeah, yeah. Get on with the stupid story already. -

SHD: Hey:shoves her yami out the window: Now that she's gone, I can continue in peace!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters. This is a fanwork, and I don't get any money from this, so please be nice.

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Mari sat alone on the same bench that she and Atem had shared last night, brooding over the conversation she'd had with Atem that morning.

"Mari," called a voice softly.

Mari looked up slowly. It was Atem. He looked a bit awkward and weary.

"What do you want?" Mari asked coolly. "I want to be alone."

Atem shook his head slowly. "You still have an attitude, don't you?" he asked in a weary voice. "I thought you were starting to warm up to palace life by now. Why the ice queen attitude? No one's been mistreating you, have they?"

Mari shook her head silently, avoiding Atem's eyes.

Atem sighed quietly. "Then what is the problem?"

Mari looked up, her face expression blank and hard to read. "That is the problem, pharaoh," she murmured. "No one has been mistreating me. No one. If someone did mistreat me, I'd have a reason to be my usual self, to be suspicious and angry. But everyone is being kind to me. They're all paying special attention to me, now that they know that I'm starting to get close to the pharaoh…I have never been treated like this." She looked down at the ground again. "Never."

"Then, what is…" Atem began, but Mari interrupted, glaring coldly at him again. "You don't understand, do you? No one does!" She stood up abruptly, and walked off, shoving the pharaoh aside in her haste.

As she hurried to her room, Mari thought, 'I feel confused…lost…like I've been tricked…like I'm being manipulated again…but I don't know how, or why I feel this way…I just don't know what to think anymore…Everything I've once believed in is falling apart. Everything's happening too quickly…'

Atem watched the girl leave, feeling frustrated. 'What's her problem? I'd give anything to have people pay attention to me for once… So people are nice to her. What's so bad about that? Haven't I done enough to try to please her? What more does she want?'

Atem sighed, and ran after Mari. "Mari! Wait!"

Mari hesitated, and turned around to face the pharaoh. "What?"

"This morning…when you told me to stop letting others make decisions for me…I thought about it for a while." Atem paused, watching Mari's face, but her face had turned emotionless again.

He continued quietly, "Here's the deal. If I stop letting others make decisions for me and push me about, will you quit your ice queen attitude and try to be friendlier? In other words, will you try to trust people better?"

Mari was quiet, the blank expression frozen on her face. She turned her back on Atem.

Atem sighed. 'I guess that didn't work…' He turned to leave too, but Mari stopped him.

"You've got some nerve, pharaoh," she murmured. "I guess it's pretty fair. If you stop being so submissive, I'll try to change my attitude." She turned her face back to Atem.

Atem nodded, relieved that she had agreed. "Thank you, Mari. We'll both try to improve ourselves for this whole week, and see how things turn out."

To his surprise, Mari smiled a small smile at him. It was the first time he'd ever seen her smile. Her blue eyes lightened up, and tiny stars seemed to dance in them.

'She looks so different…it lights up her whole face…' Atem thought. 'Usually she has this suspicious look in her eyes and a cold shadow over her face, but right now…she just looks like an entirely different person… like a little girl…I knew there was some human in her after all!' Atem grinned. Mari's smile was contagious.

"You should really do that more often," he commented.

Mari blinked. "Do what?"

"Smiling. And I don't mean the bitter smile."

Mari's smile vanished, and she nodded slowly. "I would…if I had a reason to…A slave is considered property, not a person. They don't expect us to smile, and don't give us any reasons to."

Atem couldn't find anything to say to that. "Mari…I'm sorry."

"Not your fault, pharaoh," Mari murmured. "You weren't the one who created slavery."

She made a small reverence, and left.

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At Bakura and the thieves' hiding place

Bakura's POV:

"Have you found out anything?" I asked quietly when Malik came in.

Malik shook his head. "The pharaoh is getting very fond of her by now, and she has gotten rid of some of her cold attitude."

I smirked. "Oh? Do I sense love somewhere?"

Malik smirked back. "Do you think she's actually falling for him?"

"Maybe. Or she could just be pretending to get fond of him, so she could fetch us more information, but I'm starting to doubt that girl somehow. You're one of my best followers, Malik. I have every confidence that you will help me in this mission."

"Big Brother."

I turned, and faced my younger sister Nashwa "What do you want, sister?"

"I heard you talking. What are you up to now?" She sounded angry at me, like usual.

I sneered, "It is actually none of your business, sister. Now leave. And you too, Malik."

Nashwa gave me a look of disgust, and a similar look at Malik, who was, as usual, staring at her with desire and hunger in his eyes. (SHD: Er, no more said)

I waved the two away, and settled down comfortably. 'My plan's going perfectly. Now, if I can somehow connect to the pharaoh…'

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Outside Bakura's tent

Regular POV:

Nashwa faced Malik angrily. "Will you stop stalking me everywhere and staring at me like that? The sight of you sickens me!"

Malik smirked. "Don't you wish to know what it was that your brother was talking about?"

Nashwa shook her head, anxious to get away from Malik. "No, he said it doesn't concern me."

"Oh, but it does. It might interest you a bit," Malik whispered.

Nashwa looked at him skeptically. "What do you mean?"

"Does the name Mariasha sound familiar to you?"

Nashwa's emerald-green eyes widened. "Mariasha? You mean, Mari? From that one dinner party ten or eleven years ago?" She stepped closer to Malik, forgetting her anger towards him. "My childhood friend?"

"Ah, you seem to remember her all right," Malik whispered. "Yes, the very one. I remember that you and her continued to meet each other for a few months, despite her father's strong objections. You were the best of friends. That is…until you and your family moved to Egypt. About a year after you moved, she got kidnapped by the pharaoh of Egypt, and made a slave. She is now the pharaoh Atem's personal maiden."

Nashwa gasped, and Malik went on. "Your brother promised Mari freedom and gold if she can give him information about the pharaoh and the palace. He's planning a riot against the pharaoh, and needs as much information as possible about the palace guard system. And Mari accepted. Now she is working as a secret agent for your brother. A spy. And I've been sent out to spy on her, to make sure she doesn't try to betray our little secret. Of course, if she does, Bakura has promised her that it would be very regrettable."

Nashwa's face seemed frozen with shock and fear. Malik went on. "And now, she and the pharaoh seem to be falling for each other." He laughed at Nashwa's face. "You seem more than a little interested in this story, Nashwa."

Nashwa stepped back, shaking her head. "No, this can't be…" she whispered. "But, but does my brother intend to keep his side of this bargain? Is he going to reward Mari once she's done with her duty?"

As an answer, Malik gave a little smirk. "I thought you knew your brother better than that, Nashwa."

Nashwa clapped a hand over her mouth. "No…he can't…" she whispered. "He promised her!"

Malik shook his head, amused. "Nashwa, don't be foolish. Promises are meant to be broken."

"Then what is he going to do with her?" Nashwa asked, breathless.

"Oh, he'll use her for his own little…entertainments." Malik smirked. "It's perfect for your brother. He can overthrow the pharaoh, become the new ruler of Egypt, and get himself a new amusement." He laughed.

Nashwa was angry now. She glared at the laughing tomb robber, and slapped him across the face as hard as she could. "How dare you make fun of my friend, bastard!"

Malik immediately stopped laughing. His face twisted a bit, and he stepped towards the girl, a cold sneer on his face.

"So you want to play, don't you?"

Nashwa wasn't a sister of an expert tomb robber for nothing. She dashed off before Malik could come five feet near her.

'I must warn Mari somehow…' Nashwa thought desperately as she dashed off. 'If only I could get into the palace somehow…I can't believe people can be so selfish…'

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Mari was at the balcony again, relieving childhood memories.

'Nashwa…' she thought bitterly. 'I wonder where she is now…she's probably forgotten me…or maybe…' She looked up at the sky. 'Maybe she's already up there somewhere…meeting my mother and father…I just wish I could have said good-bye to her before we got separated.

Flashback

"Mari, I have to tell you something important," Nashwa announced solemnly.

Mari looked up from the mud pie she was making, her blue eyes unsuspecting and innocent. "What is it, Nashwa?"

Nashwa sighed. "I'm moving."

"Moving?" Mari repeated, confused. "What is that?"

Nashwa hugged the younger girl. "It means I'm going to live in a different place from now on. I'm going to live in Egypt now. You know, the place with pyramids. And I won't be able to see you again. Do you understand?"

Mari's eyes widened, as she realized what Nashwa was saying. "No!" she cried out, pulling away. "You're lying! Liar!"

"I'm not lying, Mari," Nashwa replied sadly. "I am moving tomorrow." She tried to hug her friend again, but Mari pushed her away.

"Leave me alone! I hate you!" Tears threatening to fall, Mari ran to the palace, ignoring her friend's cries to return.

End of flashback

'So that's how I ended my first and last friendship. Pushing her away and ignoring her.' Mari closed her eyes, trying to remember Nashwa. Trying to remember her face, her smile, her voice…

"Mari!"

Mari's eyes flew open, and she looked about wildly. It was Nashwa's voice!

"Mari! Over here!" called the voice again, softly, from under the balcony.

Mari looked down, and saw her best friend again, sitting in a tree planted right under the balcony. "Nashwa!" she cried out. "Nashwa, is that you?"

Nashwa hissed, "Shhh!" and indicated at the palace guards positioned in their places around the palace wall.

Mari lowered a rope down the balcony to the tree. After swiftly looking around, Nashwa clung to the rope and climbed up, as nimble as Bakura himself.

When she had made it to the balcony, the two girls stared at each other for what seemed like hours. Then they threw their arms about each other, crying and laughing a bit at the same time.

"Nashwa, how did you find out that I was here?" Mari asked when she had got her breath back.

Nashwa looked down, looking ashamed. "You might be angry."

"Oh, come on! What is it?" Mari urged.

Nashwa avoided her friend's eyes. "My older brother and I live with a gang of tomb robbers in a very well-hidden cave not too far from here. I heard that you were the pharaoh's personal maiden from one of the tomb robbers, and knew that I should warn you."

Mari looked puzzled. "About what? And who is your brother? I never knew you had a brother."

Nashwa looked really uncomfortable. "Oh, Mari…I don't know if I should tell you…"

"Come on! You were my closest, no, only friend since childhood! You can tell me anything!" Mari urged, anxious to know.
Still avoiding her friend's eyes, Nashwa whispered, "My brother is Bakura."

Mari felt the world crashing down around her. 'My only friend's brother is…Bakura?'

She stumbled against a chair, and sat down upon it limply.

Nashwa hung her head. "I knew you'd be like this. It's not like I'm proud of the fact that my brother's a tomb robber."

Mari regained herself, and tried to smile. "That's all right. At least you still have a family, and you're a free girl. What did you want to warn me about?" She dreaded the reply.

"Well…this tomb robber Malik told me…' Nashwa paused, looking at her friend anxiously. "He told me….that my brother…plans to turn against you."

The world became a whirl of blurry colors and sounds to Mari.

"Mari!" Nashwa cried out, holding her friend steady. "Are you all right?"

'Someone has broken his promise to me again…and with that another piece of my heart.'

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SHD:pouting: No one is letting me have any sugar today.

Sunae: o.O' I wonder why…

SHD: Shut up. I NEED that sugar:whimper:

Sunae: No, hikari. :stern look: Sugar is bad for you. :starts on a junk food lecture:

SHD: Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I still need sugar:pouts:

Sunae: Here! Fruit sugars:shoves apples and oranges down SHD's throat:

SHD:choke:gag:gasp: Good enough.

Sunae: If u go on another sugar high, I'll have to take you to the mental institute.

SHD:pouts: Oh well, if u have any questions or suggestions, please let us know by clicking that pretty review button thingie down there.

Sunae: Thanks for reading our story!

SHD:sneaks off to fridge in search of sugar: