Alley Cat: Well, first, I want to thank all my readers! And introduce some...guests... But first things first! (ushers Dark Conscience and Black Lightniing out the door)

-outside the door-

Dark Conscience: Okay then...

Black Lightniing: I think she's up to something...

-inside the room-

Alley Cat: n.n And my guests are Yami Yugi and Marik Ishtar!

Seto: Yay.

Seto Fangirls: (try to huggle Seto)

Seto: Help! Mmpht!

Marik: Aw... Why does he get all the attention? I feel unloved...

Marik Fangirl: (gasps dramatically) Marik feels unloved!

Yami: ...I don't think you should have said that...

Marik Fangirls: (try to glomp Marik)

Yami Fangirls: (try to cuddle Yami)

Tea: (randomly pops out of nowhere) Friendship!

Alley Cat: (gasps dramatically) She's trying to take away Yami!

Yami Fangirls: (chase Tea)

Yami: (out-of-breath) Thank...you...

Alley Cat: (takes opportunity to pounce on Yami)

Yami: Can't...breathe...

-outside the door-

Dark Conscience: Did you hear something?

Black Lightniing: (tries to open door) It's locked...

Dark Conscience and Black Lightniing: (look at each other) Uh-oh...

Dark Conscience: n.n (takes out lockpick)

-inside the room-

Alley Cat: (hears doorknob turning) O.O Uh-oh... (ushers all fangirls out)

Dark Conscience and Black Lightniing: (enter room) What the?!

Alley Cat: Well, enjoy!

Seto: ...Alley...Cat...doesn't...own...Yu-gi-oh... (passes out)

Layla was knocked down to the floor; Anippe was as well. Layla stifled a cry, but her tears continued to run down her face.

Anippe was, of course, surprised.

"I—I'm sorry," Layla managed to get out in-between her tears.

Anippe sighed. "It's fine," she murmured. She paused before adding, "Are you okay?"

Layla looked up at Anippe, realizing that's the first time anybody's ever said that to her since she had become a slave. "Y—Yeah."

Anippe gave a small smile. "I'm so glad. I was worried about you. I thought what happened to you was completely uncalled for..."

Layla gave a small nod.

"You must be hungry by now... Do you want something to eat?"

Layla shook her head. "I don't feel very hungry," she whispered weakly.

Anippe nodded her head. "Okay... but cheer up, okay? That wasn't too bad of a treatment was it? Most masters would probably have whipped you for half the day or something like that..."

Layla nodded. "Yeah, I guess..."

Anippe smiled. "You're a very brave girl to go do something like that...trashing the High Priest's potion chamber..." She suppressed a giggle. "You should have seen the look on the High Priest's face when he came storming in..."

Layla smiled back once she remembered. Now that she thought about it, it was pretty fun... She wiped some of the tears off her face.

Anippe gave Layla a concerned look, but didn't say anything. After some moments of silence, Anippe finally said, "I'm Anippe."

"Layla," she responded.

Anippe gave her a warm smile. "So, what exactly happened?"

-later-

Layla didn't know why, but, for some reason, she poured her entire story of that morning to Anippe. She had never trusted anyone so much except for her friends and family, but not to someone she just met! So why? Why did she pour her heart out to this girl? Because I was vulnerable, her conscience immediately replied. She slammed her hand on the wall of her room. Since she was little, she had made a promise to herself to never be weak, defenseless... Helpless, her conscience replied again. Damn it! Why? Why now? She collapsed on her bed; it had been long past midnight. The High Priest was breaking her character, breaking her soul.

She shook her head. Must think happy thoughts, she reminded herself. Like getting out of here, going back to my family... She closed her eyes. Her family gave her hope, refilled her desire to live again. Her family...they had always come to her in time of need... Soon, Layla drifted off to sleep.

-meanwhile-

Seto was pacing in his room. His feelings were still battling with his mind... Why do I even care about her so much? She's just a simply slave. He scowled; the Pharaoh's words haunted him. "Even slaves have souls," Seto quoted. He threw up his hands in exasperation. Damn Pharaoh...always has to be right He closed his eyes and crumbled into his bed. It's like I shattered her spirit, he thought as he remembered when he came back for Layla, how frail she was, how weak she was. He cried out in frustration.

Then he had a thought... Could this be guilt? Guilty for being cruel? No, it couldn't it? He closed his eyes, sealing him in perpetual darkness. Why did he feel so He couldn't even bring himself to think about it. Guilty? His conscience said it for him. He sighed in aggravation. Why him? Why now? Why about this? He was so confused; things seemed so simple before. Before, it was like his destiny was a straight path ahead of him. Now, it was more like a maze, each pathway leading to a dead-end. He sighed again and decided to go to sleep... He'd deal with this in the morning...

-meanwhile-

Marik was in a dark alley with another boy with white hair.

"Where is it?" the boy spat, obviously getting impatient.

Marik sighed. "I couldn't get it. I ran into some trouble."

"All you had to do was make a simple potion so I could carry out this ritual. Don't tell me you couldn't even do that!"

Marik was getting irritated. "Hey, I hired you! Not the other way around! I'm the boss, not you!"

The boy backed up a bit. "Yes, but I'm the only one, out of the two of us, who can carry out the ritual. I have requirements as well, not just you."

Marik let out an annoyed sigh. "You're wearing my patience thin, Bakura."

"You also must remember that I also need some souls to sacrifice, not just the potion."

Marik had a thoughtful look on his face. "Souls to sacrifice," he murmured. "I almost forgot..."

"So, do you have any idea who you're going to offer as the sacrifice?"

"I'm not sure yet...do you only need one?"

"It depends on how strong their souls are. If I had the Pharaoh's, I probably would only need one." Bakura paused. "But if we could do that, what would be the point of going through the ritual? The Pharaoh's too strong for us now... So I'll probably need at least two."

"Hmm... I'm not sure yet...we'll have to see."

"So, why couldn't you make the potion today?" Bakura asked curiously.

Marik smirked, relishing the memory. "I found the High Priest's slave in there. By the time I got her out of the way, it was too late to make the potion without being detected."

Bakura smiled. "Had some fun, did you?"

Marik nodded, the grin still on his face.

"Fine. It's your loss, not mine. Just tell me when you have the potion...and when you've made up your mind on who to sacrifice."

Marik nodded and headed toward the palace.

-the next day-

Yami stepped in the garden; a beautiful melody filled the entire garden. Yami closed his eyes for a few moments, just enjoying the music. He walked toward the fountain and saw Anippe. She was playing her...flute? Since when did she get a flute? Some birds joined in as well, but the song was just...incredible. Yami leaned back on one of the maze walls and closed his eyes, enjoying the music. Suddenly, the music stopped short. Yami opened his eyes to see Anippe staring at him curiously.

"Do you need anything?" she asked.

He sighed. "Yeah," he hesitated.

Anippe gave him a questioning look.

"You" he faltered.

"Yes?"

"Well...you" He closed his eyes. "I need you to work for Marik for today," he managed to spit out.

"Um, okay" Anippe didn't understand why that was so hard for the Pharaoh to say, but she shrugged it off.

Yami looked at her. Anippe didn't seem uncomfortable at all. Perhaps she didn't know the dangers of Marik. "Just don't give him any reason to hurt you," Yami advised. "Trust me. You'll regret it."

Anippe smiled and nodded vigorously. "Okay!"

Yami sighed. No matter what he said, Anippe would probably be too thickheaded to understand. She'll have to find out the hard way then... "Alright. Well, get going! If you're late, you'll be sorry."

Anippe nodded and rushed off.

Yami was surprised...did he forget something? Wasn't he supposed to tell her something before she ran off?

Anippe darted back to the Pharaoh. She blushed furiously. "Um, where do I find Marik?"

Yami smiled. So that's what he forgot. He chuckled at himself. "He's in his room right now." Yami told Anippe the directions to his room.

Anippe nodded and headed off toward Marik's chamber.

"Anippe," Yami stopped her. "Remember to address him by the name master. He's very picky with titles."

Anippe nodded and ran off.

Anippe reached Marik's chamber fifteen minutes later.

"What took so long?" Marik asked angrily.

"I...I got a bit lost. I'm sorry."

Marik smiled maliciously.

"Master," she added quickly.

Marik frowned slightly. "Kneel. And don't speak unless you're told to."

Anippe nodded.

Marik slapped her...hard. "I was talking to you. I expect you to talk back."

Anippe smiled. "As in 'backtalk' or as in 'talk back'?"

Marik grabbed her by the neck. "You know what I meant," he whispered in her ear.

"Yes master," Anippe managed to get out.

Marik let go of her and smiled spitefully.

Anippe gasped for breath and put her hand to her throat. She stared at him with hatred.

Marik's smile only broadened. "I think our time together will be fun. Don't you?" he asked harshly.

A bolt of fear ran through Anippe's eyes. Could this have been the same boy who had assaulted Layla?

-later-

Yami was casually talking to Seto as they walked throughout the palace corridors, with Layla trailing behind. All of a sudden, they heard a lot of commotion coming from Marik's chamber.

"Why you little—" Marik was cut off by a bunch of simultaneous crashes.

Yami and Seto cast each other a concerned look. Layla gasped; she recognized that voice. They all looked at the door, wondering if anyone was going to come through and explain what was happening.

Suddenly, Anippe burst through the door, a gold tray in hand. "I'm sorry," she apologized to the Pharaoh and High Priest. "Um, we're having " She winked at Layla.

The Pharaoh smiled. He had never known anyone who could get Marik so angry.

The High Priest had a look that was a cross between confusion, alarm, and smugness.

Anippe stretched out her tray to her right side, the back of the tray facing the inside of Marik's chambers.

Suddenly, Marik came charging out and crashed face-first into the tray.

Yami stifled a laugh, and the High Priest smirked.

"Oh Ra!" she cried dramatically. "I'm so sorry!" She knelt down to try to tend to his wounds.

Marik growled. "Don't touch me," he threatened.

Anippe stood back up. She smiled wryly at the Pharaoh. "Um, well, I better go, right?"

Yami nodded, utterly speechless.

Anippe ran off.

"I'll get you for this!" Marik yelled as he chased after her.

"Master? May I go?" asked Layla.

Seto nodded, oblivious to her question.

-a little later-

Layla ran after Anippe, hoping to be able to get to her before Marik did.

Anippe met Layla as she was turning the corner. "No time to chat," she said hurriedly. "Run with me!" She grabbed Layla by the wrist and dragged her for a few moments before Layla actually started running on her own. "Well, I got your revenge!" Anippe piped up breathlessly.

Layla smiled. "Thanks."

"No problem."

Marik was gaining on them.

"Uh-oh..." Anippe said worriedly as she saw the dead-end in front of them.

"Nice knowing you," Layla replied.

They both stopped running and looked back as Marik ran up to them, fuming mad.

"You insolent brats!" He screamed. "I'm going to make you wish you were dead!" He advanced on Layla and Anippe, hands twitching.

Layla closed her eyes. She knew that torture was to come. She whimpered.

It seemed that Marik had now calmed down. In fact, now he was just about twitching with glee. He now had two slaves he could torture all he wanted and the Pharaoh was powerless to stop him...

Everybody except Alley Cat: Ritual?!

Alley Cat: ... (sweatdrop)

Black Lightniing: (elbows Alley Cat) So...what's the ritual for?

Alley Cat: ...I'm...not...entirely sure...yet...

Everybody except Alley Cat: ?!

Alley Cat: ...I'll let the reviewers decide?

Dark Conscience: ...idiot...

Alley Cat: Oh! I almost forgot! (lets Ramen Ninja, Lady Moofin, and Kaiba's Slave out of closet)

Ramen Ninja, Kaiba's Slave, and Lady Moofin: (tackle Seto)

Seto: x.x

Black Lightniing: n.n (joins in)

Alley Cat: (goes after Marik)

Dark Conscience: Am I the only sane one here?

Ramen Ninja, Kaiba's Slave, Lady Moofin, and Black Lightniing: (now huggling Yami)

Seto: X.X

Yami: (whimpering)

Alley Cat: (squeezing the death out of Marik)

Marik: X.X

Dark Conscience: ...I guess so... Well, R&R!!