A/N: i do not own yugioh or any of the characters

A Twisted Fate

It was a hot, humid day in the hot deserts of Ancient Egypt. People were sweating, exhausted, and working very hard to achieve the money they needed to live. In the larger, richer palaces there lived a Pharaoh and Queen who had just had her first child only weeks ago. "He looks just like you," the Pharaoh commented to the woman beside him. "Acts like you too," he added. She smiled as she looked at her young child into his dark violet eyes. The infant laughed as he reached for his father. "Looks like someone wants some quality time with you," she said to the pharaoh. "All in good time," he responded. "There is much he has yet to learn," he finished. She nodded in agreement as she smiled down at the infant once more.

About nine years had passed since that day. The young prince had grown in size, knowledge, physical, and mental strength. It would not be long before he took his father's place on the throne. But there was something missing in his life. He wanted someone his own age to know and share everything with the things that he had learned, what he was planning to do, and someone he could just talk to about anything. What the prince wanted was a friend. "I have so much time, but no one to spend it with…" he thought to himself. "Is there anyone I can just spend some time with?" he thought once more. The young prince still much to learn as his father had said before. "Atem!" his father called to the young pharaoh to be. "I'm coming!" he quickly responded to his father's words, "It's time." his father said as he looked down to the young pharaoh to be. "Time for what?" the young prince asked. "It's time to learn your final lesson." His father stated. "Really!?" Atem almost shouted with surprise, "Indeed, you have come a long way, and it is time for your final lesson my son." Imhotep looked up to his father with a questioning expression on his face, but he knew better than to question his father. "Alright," he answered after a few short moments, "I'm ready." Atem said trying to hide the fear of what was to come.

Now was the time for the young heir's final test. "Now show me you're ready," his father said with much confidence in his son's success. "What do I have to do?" the young boy asked his father. "You must now show me you're strong enough to not only protect yourself, but the people as well." The young pharaoh to be looked up questioningly to his father. "And how do you propose I do that? What is it you intend for me to do?" he asked. The pharaoh walked into a sacred place of their kingdom. His motion told the prince to follow. "Where are we going father?" the young prince asked not knowing the danger he had got himself into.

Atem's flashback

I was walking to my mother and father's bedroom when I saw they were both missing. "Huh? Mother, father? Where are you?" I was but a young naive child that knew no better than to look for them. I wandered the large palace not knowing my way around yet, I saw my father with a man as he spoke with him and heard my name. "You are aware that if his test is failed it could cost lives, correct?" the man asked my father. I chose to stay quiet knowing the consequence if I spoke out at a time like this. Though I know I shouldn't have I continued to eavesdrop on their conversation, I knew it was the wrong thing, but maybe it was something I needed to know ahead of time.

End of flashback

"Perhaps this was what that man spoke of those years ago," Atem thought to himself as he continued following his father not knowing their destination. "Father, where are we headed?" I spoke out. He received no answer just a slight glare from him. His father was aware the young pharaoh to be knew better than to speak out as he just did. He knew that Atem knew better than to question his father's decisions. "Forgive me…" he whispered realizing his mistake. They had finally reached their destination. "Huh?" I said with a bit of confusion. He had brought him to an old poor village in the lower part of their land. "Why have you brought me here father?" I quickly silenced myself realizing I was more nervous than I had intended to be. "Make a friend," he simply stated out as he began to walk away motioning me to stay in the village. Just at that moment he saw a young girl that looked just about his age. She smiled up to him and said "Hi!" He was a bit shocked at the girl's optimism. "You don't look like you're from these parts, you probably live with the richer people, am I right?" Still shocked at the girl he nodded. "Yes I am the heir to the throne." He tried cheering himself up. "You're the prince?!" she said in a shocked tone. "May I ask how old you are?" she questioned him. "I'm nine years of age," he answered her question in a slightly softer voice. "I take the throne when I turn 16." he said. "Oh, so you still have another seven years to wait." I looked at her and replied, "Yes, but my father says these years go by quickly."

Seven years had passed since that day and Atem and the village girl had become very good friends. The years had passed quickly just as Atem has predicted. "Manah," the pharaoh to be stated," Will you be attending my coronation?" he asked. The village girl smiled at him and nodded." Of course!" she quickly responded to his question. "Unless I'm not allowed…" she said softer than before. The young man looked at her with a bit of surprise." And why wouldn't you be?" She sighed as she began to answer. "What if I'm not allowed in?" she asked a bit worried. "Of course you will be, you're my best friend!" he tried to reassure her. "But still…" she stopped for a moment, "But what?" he asked wondering what she was going to say. "Never mind," she finished as she began to smile up at him. "If you say so," She said back as he began walking into the palace. She smiled once more as she walked in the opposite direction where she was supposed to go and sit with the rest of the audience.

About a half hour later the coronation took place. Atem kneeled on his right knee as his father placed a crown upon his head as he became the new leader of his kingdom. Soon after, he had much to do. He had to make some changes in the laws, organize where work needed to be done, and he had to attend to his studies as well. As the young pharaoh laid on his bed he began to study for a test he had to complete as a pharaoh. He read for nearly three hours before he dozed off into a deep sleep unaware of what was going on outside of his safely guarded room.

Out of nowhere the young pharaoh felt uneasy and felt something was wrong. He quickly stood up from his bed and opened the doors as he ran to his parents room and saw them both lying motionless on their chairs, "..." he was speechless and feared the worst had come upon him. He noticed both of his parents had an unfamiliar drink next to their hands. As he walked a bit closer he knew what had done this to them. The problem was he needed to know who has done this. "Who would do this?" he asked himself. "How could this have happened?" he wondered. The palace was filled with protective guards. "How could it have happened?" he repeated to himself.

About a week later, almost everyone knew what had happened. The only family the young pharaoh had left was his elderly grandfather. The past few days the young leader had stayed in his room alone, confused, and deep in thought. He had many things going through his mind, but one thing remained. He still had to find out who or what had killed his parents.

Later that evening the young Pharaoh looked down from his high elevated window. From the palace he looked down to see young children playing around. He sighed at the thought of his young childhood memories. He never had time to play or make too many friends. He had to study and learn his duties as pharaoh. A few moments later he heard his stomach make a growling sound. "Guess I'm a little hungry," he said to himself as he started to the door of his room, but then he stopped himself as he had smelled a familiar scent. "Something's not right…" he paused as he spoke to himself once more, as he reached the door he stopped once again. "I've got a bad feeling," he backed away from the door and made his way to the window and maneuvered his way down the wall. When he made it to the bottom, he stopped and looked around for a short moment. "Hey, what're you doing here?" a slightly deeper voice asked. He didn't respond for he didn't know how to react to the situation he was in.

The voice yelled a second time, as the pharaoh began to hide himself in the shadows. "Father would be ashamed of me for this, hiding in the shadows like a coward…" he thought to himself. "Maybe I'm not as ready as I once thought I was." he thought once more. He started to show himself from his hiding place as he saw a man, with slightly darker skin. As he looked up at him he was much taller than he imagined. "Who are you?" the man asked with a bit of annoyance in his voice. "I…I'm…" the pharaoh stuttered. "Well!?" the man yelled. "Spit it out pathetic peasant!" he yelled once more. "I am the pharaoh…" he said in a soft yet threatening tone. The man began to step back. "Forgive me for my rudeness," he said trying to make up for it. "Do not apologize, maybe you can help me…" he softened his tone. "Do you know who is responsible for the death of my parents?" he asked suspiciously. "No such thing Pharaoh," he said a bit worried. "Fine then you are of no use to me…" he stated with a bit of attitude.

Later that evening the pharaoh went back to his room and had an idea, he quickly ran to his grandfather for assistance. "Do you know of anyone who might have wanted this to happen?" he said eagerly. "Not off the top of my head, sorry." The pharaoh returned to his room, deep in thought once more. "This could take years to figure out" he thought to himself. He wanted to know now. "There has to be some way I could find out!" Just at that moment it hit him. He knew who had done it. "I know it was him…"

The next day the pharaoh walked into town. "That's the one!" he said as he pointed to a middle aged man. Some guards grabbed the man by his arms and it was no other than his father's most hated rival. He was an average sized man with white hair. (Bakura's father) "Yeah, so what if I did kill them! It's better for everyone." His punishment was no other than to be executed. Now the pharaoh could sleep peacefully knowing there was no longer a killer on the loose. "Maybe I am ready after all…" he said to himself as he fell into a deep and peaceful sleep. The man probably would have done much more if he hadn't gotten there in time. "Is this what you meant father?" "Do you think I'm ready now?" he spoke in his sleep as it was over. His parents could rest in peace…

To be continued…

A/N: sorry if there's some typos my computure loves to auto correct espcially on the egyptian names

Anyways give me you feedback :)