Azzure- That's odd, I was almost positive Malik would be back by now. He better get back here soon, I will not do all the disclaimers for my fanfics myself! But I suppose I can do this one. I do not own Yu-gi-oh. But I really should go find a certain blond Egyptian.

Atem gazed out the window his eyes wandering over the far off sands, somewhere out there they were waiting for him. Somewhere out there the six priests of his father were awaiting his arrival as their prince to help them dethrone his uncle, who even now had not yet let Atem take control of his inheritance.

Somewhere out there a good friend from his past was waiting eagerly for him to join them, and for all Atem knew he could be watching from the sands right now wondering when he was coming. Atem shook his head; there was one thing that he didn't know about though. The one thing that kept him from joining them in a single heartbeat, it was his cousin.

He looked down from his window to see Yugi sitting below in the garden. His cousin was surrounded by the cats that commonly hung around palace grounds. As if feeling his gaze Yugi looked up in Atem's direction and waved when he saw his cousin's face.

Atem smiled slightly and waved before turning his attention back to the sands on the horizon, he couldn't join them while his cousin was still with him. They might not understand, but his uncle didn't really seem to care what happened to Yugi. So Atem had taken it upon himself to make sure that Yugi wasn't lonely, and that was the reason he couldn't just leave. But he knew he could make a difference if he could just get out there…

He felt his face turn red, how could he ever think of abandoning his cousin like that. He lowered his chin down onto his arms which were folded on the sill, he didn't want to admit it, but he also knew deep in his heart that if he were to suddenly disappear that his uncle would probably take it out on Yugi. He shivered, he knew that Gozaburo wanted nothing but to destroy the priests and recover the seven millennium items that he could use to harness a tremendous power. What exactly the power was he wasn't sure, but he knew that if his uncle did get his hands on the power there would be no stopping him.

He looked down at the cushion seat where he was currently sitting; his uncle believed that the priests had taken all seven of the items with them when they had fled the palace, but unknown to him one had made its way back. He lifted up the cushion to see a flash of gold as the light hit the puzzle hidden within the secret box.

He lifted it out and sat back down on the seat, he traced the eye shaped inscription with his finger. The puzzle had belonged to his father, and four years ago it had been returned to him by an old friend.

He gazed back out the window as he slipped the puzzle around his neck, where was Mahado now? Were his feelings hurt at the fact that he hadn't joined him by now? He sighed, would Mahado understand why he hadn't joined them? Would he have done the same thing if their positions had been switched? Would any of them?

He sighed and leaned his head back against the window frame, what was he supposed to be doing? If Mahado was right when he said that Gozaburo was a doomed future for Egypt did that mean that he should be out there joining them in overthrowing him? Was he making a mistake by trying to protect his cousin?

He groaned and dropped his head into his hand, he just wished for some sort of sign to tell him what he was supposed to be doing. He heard Yugi's joyous laughter from below and he smiled. It didn't matter what destiny said, at the moment he was content to stay with his cousin, because with Yugi he felt as though there were no problems in the world.

His cousin looked up again and waved at him to come down and join him. Atem smiled and shook his head, his cousin's smile faded and Atem looked away as Yugi started to pout, he held out for a minute before he looked down and sighed. Yugi continued to pout until Atem sighed and motioned that he would be right down. Yugi smiled and tapped the spot next to him on the bench and smiled once again before Atem vanished from the window.

He sighed and pulled his purple cloak off the wall and draped it over his shoulders, he wasn't in the mood to do much of anything, but when Yugi gave anyone his puppy face it was hard for anyone to say no. As he exited his room he looked around up and down the hall, there wasn't anyone out at the moment; he drew his hood up over his head. All the same, when someone did come by he didn't want to be singled out.

He moved down the stairs step by step slowly, stopping and pressing up against the wall each time a guard passed so as not to be noticed as much. Although most would assume that a cloaked purple figure would be easily picked out, but amazingly he was actually less suspicious this way then he was without the hood. The guards had been trained to spot Yugi and his own odd hair style a mile away so as to prevent danger from befalling them.

As he reached the lower floor he took a quick left and slipped out the door that led to the garden, as he tapped against the wall he felt something sharp stab into his chest. He looked down to see the millennium puzzle glittering around his neck. He looked around quickly to make sure no one was watching before her secured his cloak tighter around his body, no one must see the puzzle. That was what he had been told upon receiving it; never let anyone see it unless he knew that he could trust them.

After making sure that the cloak was secured tightly he opened the door to the outside and stepped out into the garden. Yugi looked over and frowned, Atem waved and pulled down his hood. "It's alright Yugi, it's just me."

His cousin's face lit up, "Atem!" He ran over and they embraced. Atem smiled as he felt Yugi's smaller body pressed up against his own, he enjoyed spending time with the younger teen a lot, in fact Atem sometimes found that when he was down Yugi was the bright light of his day. He sighed and leaned his head back against the top of the bench. He had closed his eyes for only a second, the sun's rays warming his face, "Oh!"

He paused and frowned, his eyes still closed, "Are you alright Yugi?" When the boy didn't answer he frowned and opened his eyes, Yugi was looking at him his eyes wide. Atem frowned and started to ask what was bothering the other boy when a flash of light caught him in the eye, he frowned and looked down to see what had made the flash and caught sight of the puzzle in clear view. His eyes widened and he shoved it back under his cloak, then looked around to make sure that no one else had seen it.

Yugi's eyes were huge as he looked at Atem's cloak, as though the object inside was some sort of magical object that only existed in fairy tales. Atem paused and looked at his cousin considering why he had such an expression. Suddenly it hit him; of course Yugi had never actually seen the millennium items! He had only met his cousin for the first time when Gozaburo had taken the throne, and by then the priests had all left, or as he had been told, killed.

He looked again towards Yugi, who had remained rooted to the stop and hadn't moved a muscle. "Yugi, are you alright?"

Yugi remained ridged, "What is that thing?"

Atem looked fearfully around, "Yugi, I'll tell you what it is, but you have to promise not to tell anyone! It's very important!" His cousin nodded and Atem sighed, "Do you remember several years ago when I ran out in the middle of that raid on the palace?" His cousin nodded and Atem looked away, "Well I ran into an old friend, and he gave me this."

Yugi and Atem both looked at the glittering puzzle half hidden under his cloak; Yugi looked up at him and whispered, "Is that what I think it is?"

Atem looked just past him, "That depends on what you think it is…"

He paused as his cousin looked first at the puzzle then at him, "It's one of those millennium items my father was talking about wasn't it?"

Atem nodded, "It's called the millennium puzzle, it belonged to my father."

Yugi blinked and took the puzzle in his hands, "It's so interesting, but how did your father get it?"

Atem sighed, "I actually don't remember when or how he got the puzzle. I can't even remember much about the priests that used to serve my father in general."

"Priests?" Yugi looked confused,

Atem smiled, "There were seven priests that used to serve my father, they used the millennium items to keep peace."

Yugi blinked, "So what happened to them?"

Atem looked away, "Well… Uh…" He looked to see Yugi frowning at him, "I… don't exactly know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" Yugi said frowning still, "You don't know anything?"

Atem shuffled his foot, "I suppose I might know something, just not exactly…"

"Atem." The other boy looked up to see Yugi sitting with his arms crossed over his chest, "Just tell me the truth."

Atem sighed, "Sometime after your father took over they all left." He blinked, "I don't know where they went, but I did see two of them four years ago in that battle."

Yugi's frown faded and he looked concernedly at his cousin, "And one of them was your friend right?"

Atem nodded, "Yes, Mahado was there."

Yugi watched his cousin sadly stare at the ground, there had to be something that he could do to cheer him up. He looked over to see the chess board sitting on the table, his eyes lit up. "Oh!"

Atem looked over as Yugi set it in front of them, "Atem, I challenge you to a game of chess!"

Atem raised an eyebrow in Yugi's direction. "You're challenging me."

The boy nodded, "Yep, unless your too scared."

Atem smiled, "Don't make me laugh Yugi, of course I'll take you on."

Yugi returned the grin, "Let's get started then." He moved a pawn forward, "Your move your highness."

Atem smiled and moved a pawn of his own forward, "Now it's yours."

The game progressed for a long while, each one moving their pieces against the others. But it soon became apparent that Atem was quickly gaining the upper hand, and although Yugi fought back bravely he just couldn't keep up with his cousin. Finally Atem moved his last piece forward, "Checkmate." He smiled as Yugi's serious expression broke into a smile.

"Nice move Atem." He sighed, leaned back on the bench and looked up into the clouds, "I lost again."

Atem surveyed the board, "True, but you're getting better."

Yugi's eyes brightened, "You really mean that!?"

Atem nodded, "Of course I do."

"Prince Atem!" Both boys turned to see a palace guard walking towards them across the garden. "The pharaoh wishes to meet with you at once."

Atem smiled towards Yugi, the boy's face fell and he looked down and nudged the ground with his foot. "I'll be back again Yugi." The boy looked up as Atem smiled again, "We'll play again later." Then he nodded to the guard and rose to his feet and tightened his cloak around his body, the puzzle safely within its folds. Then he started to follow him back across the garden and into the palace.

He stepped through the door and into the dimly lit hall, as they walked he felt the puzzle swinging and thumping against his chest. He looked up at the guard, "Why has my uncle summoned me?"

The guard kept his eyes fixed firmly forward, "I do not know my prince. He told no one, and wants only to meet with you alone."

Atem frowned and looked down along the passage, him alone? That wasn't necessarily a good sign, the last time his uncle had done that things hadn't good very well. He frowned again, now that he thought about it every time he met with his uncle things didn't turn out well in the end. The two of them never seemed to agree on courses of action, and in the end his uncle always ended it with his way; even if it meant someone getting hurt.

He frowned as they reached the large doors leading to the throne room; perhaps that was why Mahado and the others left. The guard knocked on the door, "My pharaoh, we brought the prince."

He heard his uncle's voice boom from inside the room. "Send him in."

Atem nodded to the guards as the large doors opened, one of them bowed, "Good luck my prince."

"Thank you." Atem said nodding, and as he entered the room he muttered under his breath, "I'm afraid I'm going to need it." Then as he vanished into the hall the doors shut behind him.

Yugi sighed and looked at the chess board; he wasn't in the mood to play alone. He left the game where it was and slipped into the dim hall that Atem and the guard had vanished into only a few minutes before. He'd just go up to his room to find something to do until his father was done with Atem, then they could play again. He blinked and frowned as the tunnel branched, now which way was it, right or left?

He paused; right… at least he thought it was right. He shrugged and started down the right path, I he was wrong he was wrong; at least it gave him something to do. He took off down the darker path, but soon realized that this wasn't the way to his room. As he continued he felt that something about the hall told him to go back, go the other way to his room; but his curiosity had gotten the best of him, he had to know what was down here.

As he reached the bottom of the stairs he noticed that the walls had become rougher and less well kept as the other walls of the building. He rounded the corner to see a barred prison cell. Yugi squealed and pressed his back up against the wall, he was in the prison! He knew that he should turn back and go to his room like he hand originally planned, but something kept his attention here.

He continued down the hall looking in at each cell, the inhabitants looked up at him. Some glared at him while others pleaded with their eyes. He looked away from each one, slowly making his way down the hall cell by cell. When he could see the end of the hall he started to turn back, until he saw a small hand sticking out from between the bars. He gasped and moved towards it and as he passed the wall dividing the current cell from the last one, he saw her.

She was about his own age; with brown hair that hung about shoulder length and sprayed out in all directions. On top of her matted hair was a tan cloth headband that was completely covered in mud, dirt and grime. He bent over to examine a red spot on the cloth, its rich dark color almost made him think it was… he gasped and recoiled, blood! She stirred under his touch and slowly blinked open her bright green eyes. She caught sight of him and recoiled further back into the cell, her eyes wide, "Don't move!"

He froze and gazed into those large green eyes, the eyes that were fixed o him, the eyes that were wide, fearful, and yet determined. "Don't take another step! Or I'll…I'll blast you!"

He continued to stare into her green eyes; did she just say that she would blast him? But to do something like that would involve the use of…, his eyes widened, magic! This girl must be a magician!

"Ha!" Yugi turned around to see a guard laughing, "I'd like to see you do anything without your stick."

The girl's green eyes narrowed, "It's not a stick!"

The palace guard shrugged, "Well princess, forgive me for insulting your wand."

Yugi saw her hands tighten into fists, "It's not a wand either, it's my staff!"

The guard paused, "Truthfully I wonder if we still have it, if it was up to me we would have tossed it years ago."

The girl slammed herself against the cell bars creating a loud clang, Yugi recoiled at the loud sound, and even the guard looked slightly shocked. "You'd best not have done anything with my staff!" Yugi noticed tears were running down her cheeks, "My master gave me that staff! If you've done anything to it then I'll… I'll…!" Her threat was cut short as she crumpled to the ground, red faced with tears running down her cheeks.

The guard scoffed and started down the hall, "Stupid witch."

Yugi looked after him, trying to decide whether or not to follow. He looked aback to see the girl still curled up in a ball on the floor near the middle of the wall. He looked over one last time to see the guard vanish around the corner down at the end of the hall, then he sank to his knees near the cell, "Are you alright?"

She didn't respond, but he noticed that she had stopped crying and was wiping tears away from her eyes. He decided to try again, "So you're a magician?"

She glared up at him, "What's it to you if I am?"

Yugi blinked, his friendly smile fading, he hadn't expected such a harsh remark. He didn't want to hurt her, perhaps he should take it slower. "I don't want to hurt you." She looked up at him nervously, but she didn't seem quite so angry, he continued, "I'm not your enemy, but I would like to be your friend."

Her eyes widened, and as she spoke he heard the uncertainty in her voice. "You really mean that?"

Yugi smiled and nodded, "Of course, I don't lie to my friends."

"So I'm…I'm your friend?" She said the last part hesitantly.

Yugi smiled, "I am if you want me to be."

She smiled, "I'd like that, I really would."

Yugi blinked in confusion as tears started to run down her cheeks, "Why are you crying? Are you alright?"

She nodded, wiping the tears away, "Yeas, it's just… it's been so long since I could call anyone my friend."

Yugi's smile faded, "Have you never had a friend before?"
She nodded and looked at the ground, "I did…but's it been so long, and I don't know if they remember me or if they've forgotten, or if their…" She didn't finish her sentence as she looked back over at him.

He noticed a small smile form on her lips as she watched him. "I'm sure they remember, you strike me as someone who's hard to forget."

She blushed, "My master always said the same thing."

"I learned it from my cousin Atem." Yugi said his face colored with the same red tint.

"Is he someone that's hard to forget?" She asked quietly, "I know my master is."

Yugi nodded and stared at the ceiling, "I'll never forget him, I know that."

"Where is he now?" She moved over and leaned against the wall right next to the bars.

"He's not dead if that's what you mean. He's upstairs talking to my father."

"The pharaoh." She muttered darkly.

"Yep." Yugi said nodding, then he smiled again in her direction until a though crossed his mind, he hardly knew anything about her much less her name.

She sighed, "If he's your father, you're the prince. Correct your highness?"

Yugi made a face, "Actually Atem's the prince, it was his father who was the pharaoh, but yeah I suppose I am a prince. Sort of." He drew in a breath, he'd learned that the best way to meet anyone was to first learn their name, and he could start with his own. He extended his hand through the bars, "I don't think I've introduced myself, I'm Yugi."

The girl looked surprised; she hesitated for a second then took his hand and shook it, "I'm Mana."

Yugi smiled, "Mana? I like it."

She smiled, "Thanks."

Yugi looked away sheepishly, and Mana looked down at the cell floor and started tracing circles in the dirt with her finger. Yugi watched her a minute before asking, "Hey Mana?"

She looked up, "Yeah?"

"How long have you been down here?"

She bit her lip, "I was careless and got myself caught when the resistance was assaulting the palace." She looked embarrassed, "I tried to get away, but I just couldn't."

Yugi looked shocked, "By the last time they tried anything like that was four years ago."

She started tracing circles again, "Yeah, my master told me not come, he said that it was too dangerous and that I was too young. But I didn't listen. I should of though, then maybe I wouldn't be in this mess." She looked up and smiled, "Of course if I hadn't disobeyed him then I wouldn't have met you either."

Yugi smiled, "Well I'm glad you did." His eyes widened, "Not disobey your master I mean! Just get capture so that you could meet me!"

"So you're glad I got capture?" She frowned.

"Gah! No! No! I didn't mean it like that! It's just that…!" He bent over and knocked his face into the ground. Mana started giggling and Yugi looked and frowned, "What?"

She smiled, "I'm glad I was captured too." She paused then added, "So could I see you again sometime?"

Yugi cocked his head, "Huh?"

"I mean after today, it's so lonely down here and…"

Yugi smiled, "Sure! Is there anything you want?"

"I'd like some paper if it wouldn't be so much trouble."

"Wouldn't the guards catch you with it though? I mean as far as I know they don't like the prisoners having things."

Mana reached down and removed several stones from the floor creating a small hole, "I can store it down here." She drew out necklace, "My master gave it to me." She dropped it back into the whole and covered it, "I would have hidden my staff down there too, but they took that right away." Her smile vanished, "They better not have done anything with it."

"My uncle doesn't let them destroy weapons without his permission." He said reassuringly, "I'm sure it's still around."

She shrugged, "If he did do something with it…well, I guess I deal with that if it happens."

"My prince!" Yugi turned to see a guard standing down the hall; he wasn't one that Yugi was familiar with. Maybe he was new; he wore a red headband with a black diamond pattern. Sections of his black hair hung over the band and down into his face, he had the rest pulled back into a pony tail behind his head. He wore the traditional guardsman uniform, but Yugi didn't think it looked right with his green eyes. "My prince, your father wishes to see you at once."

Yugi sighed and looked at Mana, the girl was doodling in the dirt again, "I'll come again I promise."

She nodded still staring at the ground, but she didn't look fully convinced. Yugi sighed and rose to his feet; the guard had reached him and was looking curiously at Mana. If he was thinking anything he didn't say it, instead he turned to face Yugi, "Shall we go?"

Yugi nodded and followed him down the hall. Yugi looked over his shoulder once to stare at Mana, but the girl had retreated to the back of her cell, once again drawing in the dirt with her finger. Soon though, she was out of sight.

Yugi continued up the steps, but he vowed to her silently. I promise Mana, I'll be back, just wait for me. He and the new guard walked down the hall to the throne room. The doors were closed; the guard hesitated for a moment before he knocked. "I only wish to be disturbed if it is my son." The voice boomed from within the hall.

The guard flinched and pulled the door open, Yugi smiled and nodded in his direction. "Thank you." The guard however did not return the smile and kept his eyes firmly fixed on the ground. Yugi sighed and entered the room, the guard shutting the door behind him.

Azzure- It's so quite without Malik around, I should go find him. But before I do, please follow the two R's. So please Read and Review while I go find a certain stubborn blond Egyptian.