--The pale moon shines above the yellow sands of the ancient land as fire burns on the street corners. Weary workers make their way home as their day has ended. People sleep in their homes, and all is quiet.
One girl roams the halls of the palace still, as do a few who work during the night. She stares in awe at the high ceilings and works of art that abound in every corner. She has never been to this part of the palace before.
Her guide calls to her and she snaps back to reality. But still, her mind can't help but wander as she follows and the guide has to remind her to keep close and not in her reveries and daydreams.
Eventually, they reach the second floor of the palace. Climbing the majestic staircase she takes hold of the hand rail, marveling at how smooth it is. Their steps echo as they ascend the golden stairs. They reach the top and the guide tells her "Continue to go forward. His room is the last on the right".
Before her stretches a long hallway. On each side are rooms that are larger then her entire house! Most seem to be vacant, but they are clean and ready to go at a moment's notice. Her footsteps carry alone as she clutches the shell in her hand. She stares at the ceiling, gazing at the symbols of the gods that have been carved into them. At last she nears the end. There are two gaurds outside the last room. She walks up to them and stutters, once more nervous.
"I…uh, I….I have an…an appointment with…with…" She trails off as the two look at her. They look stern and serious and seem to be glaring at her. She backs away a few steps, thinking that she has made a mistake. He did say he'd leave word to be expecting her. A moment of fear passes over her as she questions whether or not he may have changed his mind. What if he was already asleep? What if she woke him up?
"I must have the wr-"She begins, trying to think of a way to get herself out of what she deemed, a horrible mess. A man walks out of the room. "Oh, it is you." He smiles. "He thought he heard you." He turns into the room. "Yes, it is she, sire." Once more he turns to look at her. "Come in. He's been expecting you."
She gives the gaurds a wan smile as they part to allow her in. She scurries inside the room as quickly as she can, and stops almost as son as she enters. The room is positively enormous. The pharaoh's bed looks as if it was the size of the front room of her house. It is sitting atop a platform itself, and sitting upright inside the bed is the pharaoh. He smiles at the sight of her. She gets on one knee and bows to him as is the custom. "I thought I heard you outside." He says. "I'm glad to see you are here. I was beginning to worry that you weren't coming."
"I would never miss an appointment with my pharaoh." She states. Adding a little more nervously, she says "I got lost. I don't usually come to this side of the palace." He chuckles. "Well, better late then never. I've been looking forward to this all day. So, what is it you plan on playing?"
Her heart stops cold. She had been so busy earlier and so fascinated at the sights in all the hallways and rooms that she had not thought to think of a song! She hesitates before saying, "I do know one song. It was the one you heard me playing outside."
"Wonderful!" he exclaims. "A fine choice!" She lets out a breath she didn't realize she was holding and rises to her feet. She raises her instrument to her mouth and closes her eyes. Then she begins to play.
Her delicate fingers move across the holes as she twists the head so that the notes come out, and oh what notes they are! Her song sings of the sunrise over the sea, a bird's adventure as it soars and glides through the air on a warm summer's breeze. Visions of waterfalls and watery caverns flit through the mind. A sunset with a painted sky dances across the eyes as the grand finale. She stops, opening her eyes, and lets down her shell. Nervously she looks at the others in the room, trying to read their reactions. A few seem to be in shock. Indeed, one or two appear as if they have had cold water thrown in their face. The pharaoh, however, sits smiling, resting his head on top of his interlocked fingers, his elbows propping himself up on the bed. His eyes she does not meet, however, and does not notice the satisfied smile and mirth in the windows to his soul.
She glances around, fidgeting trying to think of a way to leave. She opens her mouth, ready to give an excuse, although the only that has come to mind is "I forgot something, and I have to go." Pathetic as it is, she prepares to deliver it. Before she even gets the first word out, however, the pharaoh says "Very good." And sits up. Now her mouth hangs open due to her speechlessness at the compliment. "Thank you." She somehow manages to get out. "Is there anything else you know?" he asks her, his head tilted to one side. "Well," she begins, clearly having not expected to be asked such a question. "I'm afraid not." She says. "I'm usually busy during the week working, so I don't have much time to play. These past two days have been the first opportunities I've really had for a while." She explains.
"Mhmm." He says. The pharaoh thinks for a few seconds before replying "Take a day off tomorrow. Perhaps you may be able to come up with a new song?" he asks, a note of hopefulness in his voice. "Of course." She says, placing her shell back in her bag and turning to leave.
"Wait-" he calls out. She stops. "Yes, my Lord?" she says. "It seems like such a waste to make you come up here for just one song." He says. She holds her breath, expecting him to say not to bother coming tomorrow. "Would you mind playing that for me again? If it's no trouble, that is." She smiles. "It would be my pleasure to." She says, taking her shell out of her bag once more. She breathes in, puts it up to her lips, and allows her melody to ring out, the sound of dreams once more ringing out to all corners of the room…
"But this is ridiculous!" Joey shouts as Follows Yugi around, putting a fork next to each plate he sets on the table. Yugi, Tristan, Tea, and Joey are setting the table for dinner. "I know, but if it makes her feel better." Yugi says as he places the last plate down and turns to look at Joey. "but this is nuts!" he says.
"Speaking of nuts," Tristan says as he puts down the napkins and looks at Joey. "Hey-watch it pal!" Joey says. And as Joey and Tristan bicker and Tea tries to break the two of them up, Yugi looks over at Yami, who is leaning up against the frame of the door, watching Alyssa through the kitchen doorway. Yugi walks over to him, watching as she puts the pasta in a large bowl and stirs the pot of sauce on the oven, adding a few more ingredients.
"Thinking?" he asks his counterpart who straightens up. "Maybe just a little." He says, straightening up and looking at Yugi, who gives a little laugh. He sighs. "She look familiar?" he asks. "I don't know." Yami replies, returning his eyes to the girl who is now turning off the oven burners and removing the pot from the heat. "Sometimes, I can't help but think I know her from somewhere, but then I think I have never seen her before in my life. Well, either of my lives." He adds as Yugi looks at him. "What?" he says, interrupted as she carries in the pot of pasta sauce. "Watch out, Yugi!" she says,. Pausing so that he may step back. Setting it on the table, she puts the pot holders aside. Yugi's grandfather comes in with the pasta. "Would one of you boys go and get the plate of-"
"MEATBALLS!" Joey and Tristan shout as they make a mad dash to get to the kitchen, getting stuck in the doorway as both try and enter it at the same time. A few minutes of pushing and pulling ends up with both in the kitchen…flat on their faces.
Mr. Mutou chuckles as he sets the ravioli down on the table. A few minutes later, Joey comes in grinning from ear to ear and holding the large plate of meatballs, while a glaring Tristan rubs what appears to be a sore spot on his forehead.
Everyone sits down at the table. Joey ties his napkin around his neck while Tea scoffs at him, placing hers on her lap. She looks across the way, perhaps to have asked for someone to tell Joey to act civilized when she sees Tristan mimicking Joey, and a fork and knife held in each hand.
The food makes its way around the table and each take their fill. "Boy Yugi," Joey says, his mouth half full. "I take back what I said earlier. Home made meals doesn't sound like bad payment to me." At the end of the table, Alyssa merely sits looking at her plate, but she is blushing. "Pass the bread, please." Joey says waiting for the warm oven baked loaf to make it's way to him.
"I can't believe you can cook like this!" Tea says. "I've been in the kitchen all my life and I can't seem to get anything right." "Yeah she burns things a lot." Tristan says as he takes a big bite of buttered bread. Tea glares at him and returns to her meal.
"I've had a little bit of practice." Alyssa merely says, trying to finish as quickly as possible. "Hey- that's mine!" Joey says. "no it's not- you had the rest of them!" Tristan shouts. Everyone looks over at the pair, who each has a fork in the last of the ravioli. "I did not! You took too many!" Joey says in defense. "Oh yeah? Well, take that!" Tristan says as he throws his napkin across the table at Joey's face. Joey dodges though, and both make a grab for the last ravioli. Somehow it ends up being airborne…and lands straight on Yugi's plate.
"Yay!" Yugi shouts, his eyes closed as he smiles and pumps his arms up in the air, knife and fork enclosed in ach. He eats it and swallows, still smiling. Tristan and Joey merely pout. Tea giggles and smiles. Noticing that Alyssa has gotten up, she asks "Hey, where're you going?"
"Oh!" Alyssa says, not having expected to be noticed. "I'm just going to go and start on the dishes." She says, walking off to the kitchen. "Nonsense. The boys can do that." Mr. Mutou says. She smiles. "No. It's no problem. Besides, I want to." She walks into the door, not aware that the pharaoh is following her in his spirit form. She sighs and goes over to the sink, turning on the hot water. Looking around for a few moments, she finally spies the soap and scrub brush. She picks it up and douses it with the dish soap. First she scrubs her own plate and utensils. Then she begins to move on to the many pots and pans that she used for all her creations that night.
Yugi walks in with his plate but Yami takes over. "I'll take care of it." He says as Yugi looks at him. "Okay then, if you want to." Yugi says, smiling. He leaves the kitchen and the pharaoh and Alyssa are alone. He walks over to her. Busily scrubbing she hadn't heard him approaching her. He comes up to hr. "You know, you don't have to do this. You're a guest. Why don't you sit down and relax?"
Hearing his voice, she stops. Her hands still wet she turns around, trying to kneel down once more. He sighs. "You don't have to-" "It is custom for a subject to bow in the presence of her pharaoh." She tells him once more, interrupting. "Yes, but I don't want you to. Now will you stand up?" he says, looking away, uncomfortable at this. "If you wish." She says, returning to her earlier task.
"…So, you like to cook then?" Yami says, trying to make some kind of conversation. "Yes, I do." She merely says, falling silent once more. He leans back, his arms resting on the counter. She reaches for the soap but the bottle slips out of her hands.
"Here- let me help you with that." He says, pouring some onto the pot for her. "Thank you." She says, and is quiet once more. There is an awkward silence as both think of something to say. "Have you-" "I-" they both begin at the same time. Laughing a little, she says, "You first." "No, you go ahead." The pharaoh says. Taking in a deep breath and letting it out, she begins. "When I-"
"Hey, what are you two up to?" Joey says, walking in to the kitchen, a large piece of cake on a plate. "I see you found the dessert." Yami says nodding in the direction of the cake, "What? Oh yeah!" Joey says. "Anyway, everyone is waiting out in the dining room. I was sent in to sp- make sure that you two hadn't fallen into the sink or slipped on the soap or anything." He says. "well, as you can see, neither one of us is trapped in the sink or flat on our back on the floor." Yami says, grinning a slightly.
"Yes, well, I'll be on my way then." Joey says. He makes his way back towards the dining room, but stops in front of the fridge. He opens up the door and pulls out the milk, returning to the dining room with it.

Yami turns to look at Alyssa once more, ready to ask her what she had been about to say, but sees she has finished with the dishes and is drying her hands. She walks out into the other room, not noticing he is watching her. A rousing chorus of overly loud "Hi's" and "Do you want some dessert?" can be heard. He sighs. He'd almost gotten her to say something. And now…he'd missed his chance.