AN: Whoa, it made me really happy that I received so many reviews within the first day. I hope you like this chapter as much as the last, though this one is a little shorter.

Thanks to…

Mystik Genie: Yeah! Well, hopefully Bakura will eventually grow to like Marik. Hehe, having them at odds isn't as fun as them being friends. Thanks for the review!

casaragi: Really? That's great! I also hope that Marik doesn't die…argh! Bad luck! Knock on wood. Lol. Thanks for the review!

dragonlady222: Hey, I was thinking something along those lines as well! Lol. Though I hope Bakura doesn't leave Marik to die…and you're right. They would make great friends, and Ryou really needs both of them. Thanks for the review!

Shamise: Why thank you! Thanks for the review!

Carmen-Nemrac: Wow, I'm glad you like it! Lol. You have no idea how happy that makes me. I'm hoping to update the next chapter tomorrow, but that depends on the feedback. Usually, getting reviews really motivates me to work harder and faster, ya know? Thanks for the review, and I'm really happy you like it so far.

Anei Aikouka: Yeah, I thought so, too. Or something like that…Bakura probably wouldn't tolerate staying in the same place as the Pharaoh and Crown Prince, but he's…Ah, read on! Lol. I can't say anything without spoiling something possible or something plausible. Thanks for the review!

The Vampire Prince: Even better than OS? I'm impressed…lol. I agree that Bakura should save Marik, but there's so much that intervenes with it. Hopefully, it will out turn out well, yes? Thanks for the review!

You guys are flipping awesome! Just felt like I should tell you that. Now to the story!

Chapter Nine: Confusion

Ryou was getting worried. Why wasn't Bakura back yet? He was about to hop off his chair and go look for Bakura himself when the thief coolly strode onto the veranda.

Marik, having seen the young prince get impatient, was about to give Bakura an earful but decided against it. Ryou looked so happy just to see him, and he didn't want to ruin that.

"Bakura! Why were you gone for so long? Did something happen?" Ryou asked, trying hard not to sound too interested. It didn't work, of course, but it made Marik and Bakura smile to see him try.

"There was some idiot in the way," Bakura said, grinning. "But I got my question answered. The food will be here in a few minutes."

Just as he finished answering, footsteps were heard ricocheting off of the stairwell. A giant man who was skillfully balances three plates at once brought the long awaited meal, and was met by many thanks.

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Later, in the Dark Streets of Cairo
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Someone grabbed the collar of his shirt, yanking him closer. Ari felt shocked as the teen before him grinned widely, his lavender eyes dancing mischievously as he muttered, "If I catch anyone in my path tonight, I won't hesitate to kill them."

He's going to stop us.

"not where he's supposed to be, so we have to - ARI!"

Ari lurched to a start, letting out a small yelp as someone cuffed his ear. Feeling as if he had just awakened from sleepwalking, the street rat looked around in uncertainty. It took a while for his eyes to adjust to the darkness, but Ari recalled the familiar alleyway in which they stood.

"J-June?" he called gently, still not really being able to see.

A teen completely decked in black, no older than eighteen, stepped out worriedly in front of the man, who also donned similar raiment. "You okay? Did you even hear me? It's almost time to go." His voice was hushed, but the determination and conviction the teen held in his expression made Ari shove out the doubt creeping up in the back of his mind. They would succeed. They had to. "We have to go through the garden because the target is not where he is supposed to be. So we've got to locate the youngest prince's room since it is most likely that he is in there."

Ari nodded, half listening. It was hard to focus when…freshly burning in his memory was that lavender…

"It's almost time," June murmured, frowning at his cohort's strange behavior. "We mustn't fail at assassinating the target."

Ari grimly nodded, mentally slapping himself for letting skepticism cloud his judgment. I'm sorry I lied to you, Bakura, he thought sternly.The man glanced up and down the lane before quietly pulling out a rope with a mean hook at the end. This first step…is to win over the trust of the Romans. We must take out the captain to show them we are worthy.

With deadly accuracy that had taken much practice, Ari successfully hooked the top of the wall and scaled it, landing softly in the Royal Garden. Moonlight bathed the flora with a mysterious aura that sent adrenaline pounding through his body. Faint thuds announced the safe arrival of his squad. Slowly, Ari unsheathed his sword as he smiled coldly. We've started our dream, and I'm sorry that you can't be a part of it.

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Ryou's Room
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"We'll visit the fountain next time, okay?" Marik promised, tucking the little prince in.

Ryou heaved a sigh. "I hate being a prince," he muttered, glaring at the ceiling. "It feels like being a…a…a mouse."

Marik chuckled, pulling away from the bed. He regretted having to rush back to the palace right after their lunch, but a guard had warned him during their meal together that the Pharaoh had been looking for the little prince. It had turned out all that the king wanted was to see if Ryou was alright after 'the incident with the slave'.

"Good night, my prince," the guard called, turning for the door.

As he opened it to leave, a hand heavily slammed it shut.

His eyes closed and his mouth drawn in an irritable line, Bakura growled, "I know you don't like me, and I don't like you much either. But trust me. Tonight, stay here."

Ryou, who had not heard a word from Bakura since their arrival to the palace, immediately asked, "What's wrong, Bakura?"

The thief didn't answer. He looked away at the ground, his brow furrowed. Why am I doing this? The entire afternoon had been a debate with himself. Should he stay, or should he leave? Should he tell Marik about the danger he was in? Should the prince know that he might lose a friend today?

He absolutely hated this place, with its façade of grandeur and majestic air. It was filled with the filthy lives of people he hated the most, and yet he was hesitating about leaving this place. That bastard king and his arrogant son were too close for comfort. So why haven't you left yet? That was a good question. Why hadn't he left? His strong reaction to Ari's words before seemed to make no sense to him. He didn't care about that prick soldier who probably took part in the massacre two years ago.

In frustration, Bakura rolled his hands into fists as he angrily looked up.

His eyes were met by the uneasy and bewildered gaze of the little prince. His expression seemed pained by Bakrua's silence, and he just looked…so sad.

He was having trouble leaving because of little Snow White here. His innocence, not yet tainted by the greed for power, his odd behavior as royalty, his honest and modest nature, everything about the kid defied what Bakura had lived for to kill since the death of his beloved sister.

Not that he could kill a child like him. But that brother…

It still didn't make sense! Why did he have to stay here? Why couldn't he just- I can't stay here. They killed her.

"Why can't I leave?" Marik demanded to know, looking closely at Bakura with narrowed eyes. Bakura slowly broke eye contact with the prince and continued to ignore Marik. "What's going on?"

When Bakura didn't answer, Marik released his hold on the door and stared at him. This guy was starting to get on his nerves, playing the mysterious know-it-all.

The Captain of the Guard shoved his arm over Bakura's throat, pinning him. "Who are you really?" Marik seethed. The thief was caught unaware, but as soon as his air supply was cut, he instantly recovered. He shoved the teen off and glared at him, holding his throat with one hand.

"It's not like that!" Bakura shouted. He let out a shaky breath, trying to regroup his scattered thoughts. More calmly, Bakura repeated, "Just stay here." And before Marik could say anything, he added fiercely, "Listen to me before I change my mind about saving your life."

There was a sharp intake of air.

Before wood knocked the captain off his feet and nearly crushed Bakura.

His shoulder screamed as his reflexes brought up a cross block to protect his face from the oncoming door as it slammed open. His entire left arm felt as if it shattered to pieces when the blow actually came.

Shadows of black darted into the room as Bakura nearly fainted from the impact to his arm.

He crumpled to the ground, cradling his shoulder as pain raced through his nervous system. He saw Marik try to get up, but someone placed a hand over his mouth and silenced him by burying a knife into his side. Bakura tried to force his body to get up, to help that idiot he could have called a friend, but the room spun out of control and the nausea was too much. There was rustling on the bed when Ryou gave a scream, but he was silenced by a slap to the face.

"Don't kill him," someone demanded. "I'm going to do that."

The voice sounded familiar to Bakura, but he couldn't place it. His head was pounding from the agony, and the fact that he was gasping for breath didn't help.

A vague silhouette appeared in front of Bakura, and yanked him out from behind the door.

"I found another one."

"He looks half dead."

"I thought I said no killing yet! …Bakura?"

It was Ari. He was the voice that Bakura had kind of recognized earlier. He would have cursed at the man, but the fire that engulfed his shoulder kept breaking his thought process.

"Leave this one alone," he heard Ari say.

"Why not-"

"Because I said so!"

There was grumbling, but no one defied his orders.

Bakura bit back a scream as Ari grabbed his shoulders. "Bakura? Are you alright? What's wrong?"

Blackness ate at the edge of his vision, but Bakura fought the urge to faint. He had to stay awake…because…

The cold command from the scared little prince jerked the thief away from falling.

"Don't touch him!"

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AN: So what'd you think? Please review! If the response is strong enough, I'll put the next chapter up by tomorrow (at the latest, midnight of tomorrow) to thank you for the wonderful feedback.