-- Alyssa once more stepped into the pharaoh's chambers, bowing before him as one of his attendants closed the door behind her. "Good evening" he addressed her lightly. "Good evening, my Pharaoh. May I inquire as to how you have been since last we spoke?" "I've been doing well, thank you." He says. "And you?" "A day can change many things…" she begins, trying to finish the speech she had worked out in her mind to tell him that her visits were coming to an end. "And has it changed many things for you?" he poses, eyebrows raised and sitting up.
Her head still bent, her mouth suddenly becomes dry and she is unable to speak. Sighing, she merely responds "Only the notes in my songs, my Lord." "Splendid." He replies. "I always enjoy your melodies." "Thank you my Lord." She says, a fleeting expression of pain and hopelessness on her face as she is reminded of the near future that must occur. "Coward." She tells herself.
"So what have you for me today?" He asks her. "Just another small tune with the hopes of having it blessed by gracing your ears." She says in return. "You are far too modest when it comes to your talents" He tells her. Laughing slightly, she tells herself "I almost hope you're wrong."
And she begins as she always does, and as always the notes sweep away it's listeners into worlds of fantasies and dreams. Worlds where the trees are thick and dense, where the tropical sun is offset by merciful rain. The audience revels in bliss as they escape to this wonderful paradise, the calls of a thousand birds colliding and echoing in endless pleasure. And as always, the melody slows, until it finally stills and comes to an end.
The room is quiet and the silence permeates throughout the room, extending to the far corners and filling up all of its space. As she always does, Alyssa lowers her shell and bows her head slightly forward, awaiting any requests the Pharaoh might make.
Opening his eyes and sitting up again, the Pharaoh gives her a warm round of applause. "As I have said before, you are far too modest." "Thank you, my Lord." She merely says. "It is always my pleasure to play for one with such flattering ears." She tells him. Laughing cheerfully, the Pharaoh says "If that is the case, would you mind playing for me another?" "It is my honor to, my Lord." She says. "But what would you like to hear?"
"How about the one you played night before last?" he asks. "Of course my Lord." She replies, and draws her instrument to her lips, and allows her song to unfold into the air. Once more the notes sing of far away lands and distant treasures, drawing out the imagination of the listeners and sending them to a paradise never known to them before, and all within their own minds. When she is finished, she receives the same warm congratulatings, and entertains more requests. "Would you mind the one that you played last week?"
"If you would be so kind, the one that I believe you played a mere five days ago?"
"The one that I heard you play the first time you came?"
Finally he is sated for the evening. "You must come again tomorrow." He says with a smile. "It will be my honor to play for my King another night." She replies, tucking away her instrument. She bows before him and exits his suite, making towards the palace exit onto the main street.
Stepping into her small abode, she places her bag down upon the table, holding onto it for balance. 'This is ridiculous" she told herself. "I've got to stop." She says, trying to remember what it was she had eaten last and failing. Withdrawing the pouch containing her uneaten lunch, she places all that was within, save one roll, into its place. She walks over to her reed mat and slumps down onto it, munching on her roll.
"I've finished these few" She says, fingering a few garments on the ground as she eats. "But…we're running out. I need to get some more." She tells herself. Sighing, she finishes the small piece of bread and lays down. "I can't…I have to tell him tomorrow." She whispers to herself before laying down.
As she does she closes her eyes, imagining the few sparse coins in the box. After tomorrow, she'd be down to her last three coins- her emergency spares. And after that…well, to say it plainly if she couldn't find a way to get seven pieces they'd lose the house.
"I have to…I have to…" She told herself as her eyelids drooped and she began to sink into unconsciousness.
She was broke.
"You have a package, Yugi" Mr. Mutou says, handing a brown box out to his grandson Yugi. "A package? For me?" Yugi says, taking it. "I wonder who it could be from." "Why don't you open it then, Yug?" Joey asks him as they walk into the living room. Joey flops down onto the couch, Tea sitting up politely next to him. Tristan sits in the chair as Yugi kneels, placing the brown box on the table. Yami rests against the wall.
"Hmm…" Yugi Reads. "From Duelist Kingdom." "DUELIST KINGDOM?" Joey shouts. "DON'T TOUCH IT YUGI! JUST BACK AWAY!" He says, retreating into the corner of the couch. "But-" Yugi begins. "That things bad news, Yugi!" Joey shouts, jumping behind the couch. "Don't you remember what happened last time?"
Memories of Yugi placing a tape into the VCR that came in a similar box played through his mind. He remembered the shadow game he'd been forced into, where he'd lost, and his grandfather's soul had been taken as the prize. Of course, they had gotten it back, but it had been a difficult journey. Nobody was looking forward to another such task.
At this Alyssa walked into the room, her hair pulled back away from her eyes. Two tendrils had escaped their place, however, and hung down by her eyes. She was holding a broom in her hand, the other sweeping back the loose strands.
Yugi suppressed a giggle as he saw the Pharaoh straighten up as she walked in, though she could not see him. 'Is their something funny?" She asked, a suspicious smile on her face, looking at Yugi. "Or is there, OH!" she said as a hand grabbed her arm and jerked her downwards. "Ah…my side." She said as she landed on her arm. "What was that for?", she demands as she sits up and places a hand to her side, looking at Joey. "Trust me, you don't want to be over there. Don't you play that tape, Yugi! It only means trouble!" he says.
"What?" she says, confused. "I've no idea what you are talking about, but I'm afraid you'll have to tell me later. I still have to finish the kitchen, and-" "You're STILL cleaning?" Tristan interjects. "Yes, I am. Is there something wrong with that?" she asks him. "But you've already been doing that for two hours now!" he says. "Well, I'm sorry, but Mr. Mutou says I can do this in leau of rent, so why don't you just sit and watch your movie? It doesn't involve you anyway."
The bickering goes on a few minutes, as Yugi looks to Yami. "So what do you think? Should we play this tape? Yami? Yami!" "Hmm. What?" The Pharaoh asks, startled. Yugi gives a little laugh as the Pharaoh blushes and turns red, looking away from Alyssa. "I was asking if you think we should play the tape?" Yugi says, laughing inwardly a little at the redness of the Pharaoh's face. "Oh." Yami replies. "Well, there might be something important on it, so yes, I do think we should play it. Best to keep up our guard though." He says. "Okay then. We're playing the tape!" Yugi announces to everyone.
"Oh gosh. Better hold on to something solid!" Joey yells taking hold of one of Alyssa's arms pulling her down again. "Oof!" she says, and glances over seeing him anxiously holding onto an arm of the couch.
Inserting the tape, Yugi steps back and everyone focuses on the television. The image of a man with purple hair comes onto the screen. "Hello, yugi boy." He says. "Haven't seen you in a while. How come we never talk anymore?" It asks sarcastically. "Right then. Down to business." He says. "I'm afraid I need your help." The tape goes on to further explain his worries that someone is after him for a special purpose, but that it is too risky to talk about it on tape. So instead, they will be taking his private plane to Duelist Kingdom and they will discuss it there. "Enclosed in the box you received should be a card. This is a special card that will allow you through my security systems. DO NOT LOSE THAT CARD!" The man shouts as a final warning, and the tape ends.
"See Yugi? I told you we should play that tape!" Joey shouts, releasing the arm of the couch. "I seem to recall you weren't exactly Mr. Lion heart a few minutes ago, Joey." Tea taunts him. "Hey!" Joey shouts.
Suddenly Yugi begins laughing and a very red Pharaoh turns away, blushing furiously, and walks into the kitchen, unnoticed by the others. "Well, I guess I'd better start packing." Tea says, standing up. "Me too." Tristan says. "I guess I'd better go then too." Joey says. "I'll need to call Serenity too." Straightening up, Yugi adds. "Don't forget your sunscreen!"
"No worries, Yug." Joey shouts as he walks out, a hand in the air. "Yeah, see you later." Tea says. "I guess I'll be finishing up then." Alyssa says, retrieving her fallen broom from the floor. "Aren't you coming?" Yugi asks her. "Well, he only really asked for you." She begins. "He doesn't even know me, besides. I have all this cleaning I ought to be doing and-" "Nonsense!" Yugi says. "Of course you're coming." He says. "But-" "Take a break." Mr. Mutou says, entering and putting something on one of the shelves. "You need a vacation anyway." "But-" "Oh come on. Please?" Yugi says. "But- I…oh fine." She says.
"Yay!" Yugi shouts. "I'm still finishing the kitchen though." She says, marching off to it. "She sure is stubborn, that one." Mr. Mutou says shaking his head. "Yeah." Yugi agrees, watching her leave. Only then did he realize what exactly the Pharaoh had done, and burst out laughing once more.
--Alyssa set down the water jugs as she quickly grabbed her bag and left the building in the morning light. Returning the few items she had been commissioned to do, she made her way towards the palace. Walking up the stairs she looked about her; people were beginning to come out of their houses. The morning was still cool. Well, cooler than it would be later on.
She stepped into the front room of the palace and went to her location. "Hello, Mudada." She said. She only received a nod in response, but that was alright. She had not expected much else. She continued on to where she usually left her supplies, picking up a brush and small pot with which she held water.
"Haven't seen you in a while." One of the other women remarked as they began their task. "Thought you were too good for us, eh?" "You didn't actually think you could escape this, did you?" another one replied haughtily. "You should have known you could never do better in life. On your knees is where you belong." Yet another one replied. "Too good to talk to us now?" One woman asked.
"You did not desire my conversation when I was willing to give it and instead laughed at me as I posed hopeful questions. Why then, are you angry when I have finally stopped? I should think that you would be glad I no longer tried." She said, dipping her brush into the pail and scrubbing some more.
"You're a rat, do you know that?" One woman told her. "You may think that if you wish." She merely replied and went on with her work. They left her alone then, but whispered amongst themselves. "I'm sure that's all about me." She thought to herself. They kept their volume down, but after a few minutes forgot all about politeness and merely spoke allowed in their normal voices.
"I wonder what it is she did that she is not there gain today. Did she really believe that maat would let her get away with such things?"
"I heard she was a witch and tried to put a spell on the Pharaoh."
"Foolish child. Her evils could never overpower the powers the Pharaoh holds."
She blinked back furious tears as she went on about her work, trying to ignore the hurtful slings and comments. "Why am I so upset?" she asked herself as she used more water. "This is nothing new. They've done worse before." She scrubbed the tile in front of her. "I know they're wrong. I'm seeing him again tonight."
"And tonight I'll have to tell him that I can no longer come." She told herself, and her shoulders slumped as she sighed. Then she tensed up in shock as she felt a bucketful of water dumped down her back. Dropping her brush she began attempting to wipe away the larger pieces of dirt and stone that had gotten caught by her eyes. The others laughed, she could hear them as one stated that they merely tripped and spilled their bucket. After a minute or so she finally decided to allow her eyes to wash out the last little bit and, with red eyes, began her job again.
"I can't even go home to change" she thought as she continued scrubbing and washing the palace floor. And so she continued working throughout the day, her dress drying as the hour passed by. The water was dirty, however, and in some places her dress appeared brown. By lunch it was completely dry though, and she began packing up her tray as was her habit now, saving only a roll for herself. Her stomach growled for more as she finished. "I can't spare any more." She told it. "If I do, then my parents won't be able to eat." She sighed and rested her head against the wall. The past few days had been horrible.
She'd been posted in other places for a few days, doing work only where it was needed rather than where she normally was. Today was her first day returning to that spot, and she hadn't gotten much of a warm welcome.
She knew that some people came in and worked through the night at the palace; the lights were always on. There was always some kind of activity. Perhaps she could go to a job after her performance. She'd have to ask about that later.
She took a drink of water. At least she never had to worry about running out of that. "But you are low on everything else. You make only enough to get you by. If you can't gather up some more customers…" she ended the thought before she had to finish it.
"I thought you were telling him you were quitting?" Her brain yelled at her. "I know." She thought. "But…" She sighed. "Tonight." She told herself. "I have no other choice. I have to tell him tonight."