Scene One

Masrur whipped around, fast enough to barely see Mari slip from his fingers, before she was completely submerged in a crowd of people. Masrur began to run after her, pushing passed people and carts, tipping over barrels and bins, and the occasional frightened tourist. He shoved passed them until he made it to a clearing. But there was nothing, no sign of her anywhere.

Mari, he thought. His heart began to beat faster, pounding at his chest, like a prisoner on jail bars. Where was she?

And this odd feeling. What was it? It made his chest burn, and his lungs feel tight, as if someone was trying to rip his heart out. He clutched as his chest, his armor clamping down on him. This feeling, was it...fear? Regret? Guilt? Grief? Helplessness? The list in his mind was going on and on. He twisted and turned, hoping that when he turned back, she would be there, standing in front on him, smiling.

Of course, that did not happen, and when he turned back he saw a rather confused Sharrkan. He stood on his toes and looked right into Masrur's red eyes.

"What's wrong?" Sharrkan said, glaring Masrur down. "N-Nothing." Masrur rubbed the back of his head. He wasn't terrible at lying, he was just a bit flustered by how easily he had lost Mari. He took a few steps back, so Sharrkan wasn't so close to him anymore, and he relaxed.

"Mhmm." Sharrkan hummed, leaning on a near-by shop. "Where's Mari?" he asked.

"S-she...went...she went back to Sindria with...Aladdin, Alibaba, and Morgiana." Masrur rambled, looking towards the crowd.

"Mhmm." Sharrkan nodded, following Masrur's line of vision towards the crowd. "Well, were about to go back soon. We may catch up to them." he said pacing back the the wine shop.

Masrur's eyes widened. This is not good. He thought.

But where could she be? The small ray of sunshine that had lit up life in Sindria. He had to find her. But how? They were about to leave to return to Sindria, and Masrur's mind had gone blank, to the point where he could not configure a proper plan.

Now he began to panic. What would Sin say? What would Sin do? Masrur feared that he would be punished, or worse, be forced from the Eight Generals, from Sindria. More shocks of pain shot through his chest and he willed his feet to carry him forward, through the crowd.

Where are you Mari?

Scene Two

"There." Mari sighed, resting her head on a cool brick wall. "Now Mas-chan...won't have to worry..." she sighed again, sinking down onto the floor. Why had she run so far? Now she didn't know where she was. Great. Mari looked around. The surrounding environment wasn't as nurturing as the market place was, but it wasn't bad. The old walls that crumbled at her touch and the stained ground, was familiar to her. This was a place that she knew. And for some reason, amongst the debris, she felt safe.

"MARI!" It was a familiar voice. She turned her head only slightly, but still she could see a blur of red.

"Jeez…" Mari jumped to her feet and scrambling down the alley. How did he find me?

"MARI!" the voice came again. "MARI! PLEASE COME BACK!" the voiced seemed more, hurt. More desperate.

"PLEASE!"

She stumbled down the alleyway, running through clotheslines and scaring the small alley cats from near-by. She finally made it to the end of the alley when a large cart zoomed in front of her, making her stumble back. She fell back onto the pavement, scared beyond belief. She scooted back and curled up into a small ball. The world was so scary an she wished that she was in her father's arms again. She stumbled from the road and back into the alley, where she found a small crevice in the wall. She easily slipped through and squeezed herself back into the darkness. She heard footsteps stomping through the alley after her. She closed her eyes. When had trying to make someone happy turned into a crime?

She cupped her hand over her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut. If Mas-chan found her, there would be no telling what would happen. Through her slightly closed eyes, she saw a flash of red blur by. Once she was sure he was gone, she breathed out and slumped against the wall pressing against her back, her knees digging into the wall in front of her.

She sighed.

"Was that man chasing you?" a small voice broke the silence, making Mari jump a bit within the tight space.

She turned to see a young boy, about her age with dark brown hair and bright blue eyes, wedged into the space next to her.

She didn't want to lie, but she heard the footsteps returning and she didn't really want Mas-chan to find her.

"Mmmm." she hummed looking over at him for help.

"Come with me." the small boy took her hand and began to squirm between the two walls of concrete, the two just able to slip through perfectly. They ran out into the street, speeding passed carts and shops and back into another alley before they made it to a small shop on the corner.

Before she knew it, Mari was pushed into one of the cloth tents. She landed safely in a pile of linens. She snuggled in the soft fabric, and relaxed.

She felt fabric being thrown over her and she flipped over to see the white cloth falling on her face.

"Stay quiet." the small voice said. Mari sat there quietly waiting for...something she didn't know.

"Ata! What are you doing?" a female voice called.

"Nothing Mama!" the boy called back.

Mari hear footsteps coming toward them.

"Mhmm. If you're gonna play in those linens, you might as well fold them." the mother began to lean down to pick up a few linens.

"N-no no, Mama. I'll fold 'em. Don't worry." he said, placing a hand over the linens, right where Mari's forehead was.

"Well, alright." the footsteps began to leave. After a few more minutes, Mari felt the linens being lifted off of her.

"It's safe now." the voice said. Mari uncovered her eyes and looked up into the blinding light. When her eyes adjusted, the boy with dark hair and blue eyes was still sitting there beside her. He stared at her for a while, then, finding that that was very rude he slumped over and blushed a bit, sticking out his hand.

"I'm Ataullah." he said. "Ata for short."

Mari took his hand and shook it firmly.

"I am Marjaani. Mari for short." They both giggled and sat back.

Mari started to look around. There were metals and stones and gems and of course, material. All types of things.

"This is amazing." Mari gaped. They sat there in silence for a while longer.

"So that man, was he going to hurt you?" Ata said, looking Mari right in the face.

"N-no." she shook her head slowly. Mas-chan wouldn't hurt...me. Would he?

"Was he going to enslave you?" Ata said, looking at her with a bit more concern.

"N-no." she said again. This time she sat up onto her knees, bowing low.

"Thank you for helping me." she said, sinking lower until her forehead touched the ground.

"N-no! That's alright! You seemed to be in trouble, so..." he rubbed the back of his head, embarrassed. "You may want to change..." Ata said, standing.

"Huh?" Mari stood along with him.

"Well that man...he saw what you were wearing...so..." Ata rummaged in the back closet and pulled out a few cloths. "...if you try to leave...he'll find you."

"Mmm." Mari hummed again.

"Here." he handed her some pant and a few other things he had found. There was a loose fitting shirt that she

slipped over her dress and tied to the side. She slipped the pants over the bottom of the dress and tucked it in. Ata handed her another long piece of cloth, which she wrapped around her waist.

"Oh…" Ata said, looking up at Mari's face.

"But your hair, it's sure to be recognizable." He said rubbing the back of his head. He rummaged in the closet for another cloth. He pulled out a long white linen and tossed it to her. Mari wrapped it around her neck and tied it loosely. She lifted the small hooded part up and over her head.

"That seems good." Ata smiled and wrapped a hooded cap around himself as well. He began to pull her from the tent and out into the street when he turned back to the shop.

"Wait here. I almost forgot…" he slipped back into the tent, only to emerge seconds later with a sword and something gold in hand.

"Here," He gesture the golden spiral in his hand. Mari tilted her head to the side.

"What is it?" she asked reaching out to take it into her hands. Ata smiled and slid it around her hand and up onto her upper arm.

"It's a snake charm." He said stepping back. "Mama says that if you where it, it will bring you good luck."

Mari spun around and admired her new clothes.

"…pretty." She smiled.

"Good. Now you look like a commoner." He smiled back at her.

Ata grabbed her hand and began to make his way back down the alley where they had gone before and out onto the street again.

"Where are we going?" Mari asked. She eyed the silver sword he held in his hand, admiring the craftsmanship and the way it shined. It reminded her of Sha-sama. She looked down at her feet. She missed them, but at least they didn't have to worry about her anymore, and they could go onto their normal lives again.

"We're going to the arena." Ata said. There was a more serious tone in his voice which mad Mari wonder.

"Arena?" she asked as they sped across the street, avoiding carts that rambled by.

"Yep. I may not look it, but I'm a gladiator." He smiled in a hushed whisper.

"Really?" Mari was shocked.

You see she had a secret. Something she had never told anyone before. When she had been living with her mother, she had to sort of fend for herself. Sometime her mother would even get so drunk as to throw her from the house window and leave her there on the street. It was those nights that she ventured out into the slums of the town. There she had found the arena that she was sure Ata spoke of.

The first night she had gone there, she had entered as The Black Shadow. That night she had fought a small child, the same age as her, maybe even younger. A boy. He was scrawny and undernourished and he could barely stand up on his own. That night, she defeated him. After the match she had earned a small bag of gold coins that she used to pay for food. For her and her mother. This lasted for a few weeks, and seeing as her mother wasn't beating her as much, she felt that it was a good thing. The next week, her mother was drunk again and she had slipped from the house. This time she had a strategy. She had trained a whole week for another fight, and being beaten by her mother had toughened her up.

But when she entered the arena, and placed her entry, she was picked to fight with, not a small boy, but a tall, muscled man, with a scarred face.

She could almost remember it. She had been beaten so badly that she bled non-stop. The man was coming in for another hit, surely to end her. But at last moment, feelings of rage spread through her. Somehow she had got the strength to stand and when the large man brought his fist down, she had caught it in her tiny hands. Somehow she was stronger than ever, and this made her feel powerful and sort of insane. She practically ripped the man's arm from his body. That is when she took on the name Ripper. Over the few years she had competed in the arena her named had changed, mostly because she had found a new power. She kept providing for her mother and everything was fine. A few months later, her mother told her that she was being a brat and that she was going to live with her father. Of course this hit Mari hard. She had never been a brat in her life, but she complied with her mother's decision. That was a month ago.

That's when she had stopped competing in the arena.

And now she was going at it again.

"That's lovely." Mari smiled, looking back at Ata.

"Yeah, well. It pays good, and can help Mama out with her taxes."

"Mmmm." Mari hummed.

After a long period of silence, Mari finally spoke up again.

"I happen to be…a…" she paused. "…a…good fighter." She said, denying herself, to tell the secret.

"Really?" he said smiling back at her. "Maybe you and I can duel fight later." He said.

"Yeah…"

Scene Three

Masrur had circled throughout the whole market, and he still hadn't found Mari. Sweat began to bead at his head and his chest was filled with more pain than ever before.

He leaned over on his knees. The heat from the sun was making him dizzy and the constant moving of people made his eyes unfocused.

He stood silently outside the wine shop, where the king and the two subordinates were still bickering over each others choice of wine.

Once that was settled, the three men began to leave. Masrur began to worry. They will surely find out.

"Where is Mari?" Sinbad said, walking up to the Fanalis.

Before Masrur could open his mouth Sharrkan was at his front.

"She circled back with Alibaba and the others. I'm sure she was tired." he said smiling back Masrur.

"Yes." Masrur nodded.

"I'm sure she was. We had been walking around for a while." Sinbad rubbed the back of his head and stretched out his arms.

"Well, I guess we might as well head back." he said turning to leave.

The four of them began to walk away, but Sharrkan made sure that he casually held Masrur back a bit. When he thought the king and the former assassin were out of hear range, he began to speak.

"So, where is Mari?" Sharrkan asked, not looking up to meet Masrur's worried eyes.

"I told you, she went back with–"

"No where is she really." Sharrkan said, cutting Masrur off.

Silence.

"I...I don't know." Masrur looked down at hims feet.

"What do ya mean you don't know?" Sharrkan whispered in a worried tone.

"I...lost her."

"YOU LOST–" Sharrkan began. Masrur's hand shot out to cover Sharrkan's mouth before he could say any more.

"...you lost her?" he said softer.

"Y-yes." Masrur eyed the ground.

"And your plan was to let it slide until we got back to the palace?" Sharrkan whispered.

Masrur shook his head. "I was hoping to come up with a plan before then." he rubbed the back of his neck and sighed.

"Sin's gonna murder me."

Scene Four

Upon making it to the arena Ata tugged Mari towards the two guards by the caged door.

"Are you fighting?" one of the guards said.

"Yes." Ata said. Any trace of humor or even personality was gone from his voice. From the corner of her eye, Mari could see that Ata's face was completely covered by the shadow from his hood. She noticed her face was covered as well.

"Alright." the two guards pushed open the large doors.

Ata tugged Mari through the doors and into a rather empty room. Inside there was a tall man with a quill, scribbling something among various scripts and papers.

When he looked up a smile crossed his face.

"Ah, the Shark-toothed Conqueror has returned to fight again, I see." A man stuck his hand out to greet Ata, who took the hand firmly in his. Ata nodded, smiling quite devilishly. The man turned back to Mari, who stood there watching her feet.

"And you are?" the man said watching as Mari rocked back and forth.

"Black Death." Mari said. Saying her old fighting name made her thoughts flow back to the old days.

The man sat there in silence.

"Black Death?" the man said again, his face going blank.

Mari nodded.

"Thee Black Death?" the man said.

Mari nodded.

"The Black Death who brought down Abalon a year ago?"

Mari nodded.

"Abalon? Really?" Ata said, shocked. "You never told me!" he pouted.

Mari shrugged, looking back at her feet.

"I don't believe you." the man said, crossing his arms.

"Just watch me fight." Mari pointed to herself.

"By all means." he gestured out into the arena. Mari followed Ata out into one of the narrow corridors that lined around the arena. The tall gate in front of them was broken and cracked and nearly off it's hinges. Mari rocked back on her heel, while Ata leaned against the wall next to her.

He seemed to be pouting again.

"What?" Mari turned towards him.

"You never told me you were Black Death." he grumbled, crossing his arms.

"I didn't think I'd have to hear that name again." Mari sighed, turning back to the long corridor. "When I was given to my father...I promised myself I wouldn't..." Mari shrugged. Ata nodded. He knew the feeling. They way it felt to stop...only to be pulled back in. After a long silent moment, Ata spoke again.

"Do you have a home?" he asked.

Mari hesitated.

"I...I'm not sure anymore."

"What do you mean?" Ata asked.

"I sort of ran...away." Mari shrugged.

"Why would you...?" Before Ata could finish his sentence, the large gate began to open, letting in a large amount of light.

"Let's just say...I thought it was a good idea. No one will have to worry about me but me..." Mari said, stepping out into the arena.