Moi-Moi: I just had some homemade soup! … I thought I'd share that…

Disclaimer: moi-moi819 does not own Yu-Gi-Oh!, Inuyasha or any of their titles therein. No copyright infringement was intended and no profits were made from this fan fiction.

~:~

Kagome stood with Mana early in the morning the next day. They watched as Priest Seto and Priest Aknadin left the palace grounds with many guards and headed towards town. As he passed her by, Seto shot Kagome a smirk. Kagome rolled her eyes, before taking Mana's hand and pulling her away. Seto crossed his arms, pleased by her irritation.

"Is there something going on with you and Priest Seto?" Mana asked once Kagome had released her wrist. Kagome turned disbelieving eyes to Mana before scoffing dismissively.

"Have you gone crazy Mana? You must have been running around in the desert for too long. The day there's anything between me and Seto is the day you are prepared for class," Kagome says with a teasing tone. Mana scowls at her before walking faster and leaving Kagome behind. Kagome calls out to her before laughing and jogging after her.

"I was only asking because you two have been spending a lot of time together. That's all," Mana says once Kagome catches up.

"We have? I hadn't noticed," Kagome says and puts a finger to her chin in thought. "He only comes around me to bother me. He can be a real pest when he puts his mind to it."

"Alright, Kagome. If you say so," Mana says nonchalantly.

That's when it hit Kagome. If Mana thought there was something between her and Seto… "Mana, where did you get an idea like that?" Kagome asked.

"Nowhere. It's like I said, I noticed all the time you were together," Mana says and tilts her head to the side in confusion. Kagome bit her lip then. If Mana could see how much time they had spent together, could someone else see it too? Did the Pharaoh notice?

"We should get to our lessons," Kagome says out of the blue. Mana nods, all thoughts of Kagome and Seto out of her mind.

"I'll race you there!" Mana exclaims and dashes off without a second thought. Kagome blinks twice before running after Mana. Was she getting faster?

~:~

Atem sat on his throne as the six priests carried out their duties. Seto had rounded up quite a bunch of criminals from his search. The High Priests had their work cut out for them. Leaning a bit to his right, Atem began to whisper to his vizier, Shimon. "Shimon, as Pharaoh, my authority knows no limits, nor bounds. Does it not?" Atem questions.

"Yes, my Pharaoh. Why do you ask?" Shimon answers while shielding his mouth with a hand.

"I find our current way of life displeasing. I wish to change it," Atem says.

"I fear I do not understand, my King."

"The separation between the classes bemuses me. I do not see the point of it. Are we not all of the same flesh and blood?"

"My King!" Shimon exclaimed in a loud, shocked whisper. "You are Pharaoh. You are the physical embodiment of the gods. How can you say that your flesh and blood is the same of that of a common thief?"

"What if I should abandon my throne and become a common thief? Would my blood and flesh still be different from that same thief's?" Atem questions back. Shimon furrowed his eyebrows in thought. His king was acting quite strange.

Not knowing how to respond to his king, Shimon questions him, "If I may ask, my King, but what has brought this on?"

"Nothing, but a promise I made to a friend," Atem answers and turns away. 'And a promise I made to myself.' Atem watches the Priests continue to seal away the evil Ka of the criminals with a pleased smirk. Nothing would stand in his way now.

~:~

"Isis! Wait! I must speak with you!" Shimon calls with a hand in the air as he runs after Isis. She turns to him with a soft and curious expression. She waited for what he had to say patiently. Shimon tried to catch his breath before coughing and looking at Isis. She gave him a pitying look. Shimon was getting on in years. "You will never believe what the Pharaoh just asked of me."

Isis blinked at him with a curious expression. She never guessed Shimon would be one for palace gossip. "What is it, Shimon?" Isis asks.

Shimon looks around as if waiting for someone to pop out from behind a pot or come round a corner. He beckoned her closer and spoke in a hushed tone, "The Pharaoh wishes to rid the kingdom of the separation between classes. I do not understand why, but he seems determined. Do you have any idea why?"

"No, I do not. But, I shall ask Mahad. He should know something," Isis says and nods. Mahad would know. If he didn't, then Mana would. In addition, Mana would always tell Mahad. Isis bid Shimon farewell before setting out in search of Mahad. Shimon left the hallway with an expressionless face.

After some time, a clay pot jiggled a bit before Mana popped out of it. She pursed her lips and furrowed her eyebrows in thought. Why did the Pharaoh wish to rid the separation? More importantly, why had he not told her? Were they not best friends? With a huff, Mana got out of the pot she was hiding in set out to look for the Pharaoh.

~:~

Isis found Mahad speaking with Aknadin in the Spell Caster's Training Grounds. She had hoped to catch Mahad while he was alone. "Isis, what is it?" Mahad asks her. He could easily tell something was on her mind and turned away from Aknadin then. Isis risked a small glance at Aknadin before shaking her head. Mahad noticed the glance and got her message. When he was alone, he would speak to her. However, Aknadin caught her glance. He narrowed his eyes at Isis. He did not like that she would be keeping something from him.

"I just wanted to let you know that Mana seems to have caused quite a problem with the palace guards. She claims to have used her freezing spell, but she seems to be having problems returning them to normal," Isis lies evenly. Mahad raises an eyebrow at her. If he hadn't known better, he would swear the Isis had been lying all her life. Catching her lie, Aknadin quickly used his Millennium eye to pear into Isis's mind. Isis may have been good, but she was not good enough to fool Aknadin.

"I shall deal with this matter then. Thank you Isis," Mahad says and heads back to the palace. Isis watches him go before looking at Aknadin. She gives him a small smile and Aknadin nods once in return.

"I should be leaving, Priest Aknadin," Isis says and follows after Mahad. For some reason, Aknadin's presence had left her feeling unease. She felt a need to get away from him as quickly as possible.

Aknadin watched her go with a scowl. Why did the Pharaoh wish to rid the separation? What would he gain from that? Without the separation of classes, peasants would be able to rise in ranks much more easily. There would be a mixture of upper and lower classes. Nobles would be marrying slaves and whores…

'Or Pharaoh would becould marrying peasant women.' Aknadin started his trek back to the palace in silence. Did the Pharaoh wish to marry a peasant woman? But, who? What woman had the Pharaoh met that had such an impact on him? Aknadin's eyes widened as the thought hit him. 'Kagome.'

He was sure of it. The Pharaoh had never left the palace before and no other woman had recently entered palace life. The Pharaoh wished to wed Kagome. He must wish to do it soon. He did not want to wait until her training was complete and she was a full-fledged sorcerer. Aknadin was sure Kagome could become a High Priestess should she want to. She could easily become of noble class.

'I have worked too hard to set Seto up with all that he deserves. I will not allow Pharaoh to stand in the way of my son's rise to power.'

~:~

"Where is Master Mahad? He's late," Mana huffs with her arms crossed. Kagome lays back on her hands in the shade before looking up at Mana in amusement.

"It'll be alright Mana. I'm sure he's on his way. You seem rather upset about this," Kagome says happily. The weather was nice, the birds were chirping happily, and everything was right. Why wouldn't she be happy?

Mana sighs before sitting next to Kagome. "I'm not really mad at Master Mahad. It's the Pharaoh. Did you know that he wants to rid the kingdom of the separation between the upper and lower classes?"

"He wants to what?" Kagome asks shocked. Mana groans loudly and lies down fully on her back.

"At least I'm not the only one who didn't know. I thought we were best friends. He doesn't tell me anything anymore. I think it's the throne. It's going to his head," Mana pouts.

"Mana, where had you heard that?" Kagome ask and gives her a shocked face. She knew that it wasn't best to get involved with palace gossip, but she couldn't help it. What in Ra's name did the Pharaoh want to go and do this for?

"Well, I didn't want to come to lessons today so I was hiding in a pot away from Master Mahad. It just so happened that Isis and Shimon came along. Pharaoh had asked Shimon about it and Shimon was spreading the news," Mana says to Kagome.

"This can't be good," Kagome moans. "If we know, you can bet that more people know. Isis will probably tell Master Mahad."

"Isis would tell me what?" Freezing up, Mana and Kagome quickly stand and turn to see Mahad watching them with a knowing smirk. They both laugh nervously and smile at their teacher. Mahad unfolds his arms and decided to give his apprentices the benefit of the doubt. "Never mind then. Let us begin with today's lesson." Kagome and Mana sighed in relief before waiting for Mahad to begin.

~:~

"Here you go, kitty," Kagome says softly and places a saucer of milk in front of a stray cat. The cat then proceeded to drink the milk with a small meow. Kagome sat on the bench near the cat in silence. After some time, the feline joined her on the bench and rested next to her peacefully. Kagome idly stroked the fur of the stray cat as she stared off into space. The purr of the cat lulled her into deep thought as its tail swished back and forth.

'What was Pharaoh thinking?' Kagome had not gone to question his motives like Mana had. If Pharaoh had found out that something he had asked his vizier in confidence had gotten around the palace, he may not be too pleased. But, her curiosity didn't stop there.

"There you are." Kagome didn't have to turn around to know that it was the Pharaoh who had approached her.

"I didn't know you were looking for me, Pharaoh," Kagome says and keeps her eyes forward. She waits as he sits next to her with her cat laying between them.

"I have been. I feel like our duties have kept us from seeing each other," Atem says to her. His eyes looked down at the cat resting it's head on Kagome's lap as she stroked its fur. If he was in the cat's place…

"You are a very busy man. No one can blame you," Kagome starts and bites her lip. He was right there. She could easily ask him about the separation. But, what would he say?

"Kagome, I am in need of your advice," Atem says seriously. Kagome looks at him and her hand momentarily stalls mid-stroke. His change in demeanor caught her off-guard. "I fear that anyone else would not be able to give me an unbiased response."

"What is it, my King?" Kagome asks and looks him in the eyes. He had never come to her for help with anything before…

"What is your take on the social hierarchy of Egypt?" Atem asks.

Kagome freezes up, but tries to hide it. She swallows and clears her throat before speaking. "It is tradition, my Pharaoh. But, I cannot say that I feel any sort of favor towards it."

"Do you agree that some traditions are meant to be broken?"

"…Some traditions, but only if truly necessary. You're duty as Pharaoh is to be just and lead your people well. I shouldn't have to tell you that. If you feel that ridding the kingdom of this separation is best for your people, then who can stop you?" Kagome says after some time of trying to choose her words carefully. She keeps her eyes on her feet and goes back to stroking the cat's fur.

"What if I were not doing it for my people, but for my own, selfish reasons? What then?" he asks slightly ashamed of himself. What does Kagome think of him now knowing that he only wishes to rule selfishly?

"Then I cannot help you, my King. If you only wish to purge Egypt of the separation due to your own needs, shouldn't it be best to only rid yourself of separation?" Kagome asks him with a small smile.

"I do not understand," he says and gives her a strange look.

"If you wish for the separation to be gone for your own reasons, then rid the separation for yourself. You are Pharaoh. Can you not simply make it so that this rule does not apply to you?" Kagome asks him. Atem's eyes widen as he looks at Kagome.

"I… I had not thought of that," he says and takes Kagome's hand in his. "Thank you, Kagome." He gives her one of his best smiles before giving her hand a light squeeze. Kagome turns beet red and feels the air leave her lungs. Atem leaves her then with his cape billowing behind him. Kagome feels a silly grin make its way to her face as she holds her hand to her heart.

'You are welcome, my Pharaoh.'

~:~

Moi-Moi: *silly grin* God, I love a good Atem/Yami Yugi/Kagome fluff scene…

Yugi: Are any of us going to be in the story?

Moi-Moi: "Us" who?

Yugi: You know. Me and my friends! We're the Pharaoh's friends too!

Moi-Moi: Hmmm. I'll think about it. I've got the story all planned out so far. If I can fit you guys in, I will. Okay?

Yugi: Alright. Just don't forget. Okay?

Moi-Moi: Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say Baby Panda…

Yugi: *uses cuteness* Review please! ^.^

Edited: 6/17/12