'Sup? I decided to rewrite this little ditty so that it's better. Be you a fan of this shot, new or old, it's done. I needed a break from the main story to put this out.

This isn't a spoiler, as nothing that happens in this happens (or will happen) in the canon AHD plot. It's just for fun, because Bali and Anzu are… Well, they would clash a little. As I've grown older, however, I've grown to see that always pitting women against each other over a man is, frankly, juvenile. I mean, to be fair, the man in question is Atem, but still. He's just a man.

But sometimes, not everything is peachy between us ladies, for we are not perfect, and we are not cherubs full of goodness. We are human. By extent, the characters we write should be prone to human tendencies as well. '

Once more, to be clear: There are no spoilers in this shot. The story ends in a way better fashion, I promise.

With that, enjoy!

Many stories swirl around in Egyptology circles and academic papers about the Nameless Pharaoh's ancient lover, Queen Bali. Grandpa Mutou discusses her all the time, drawing from his work alongside Professor Hawkins. Given that his grandson holds the Millennium Puzzle that houses the spirit of the no-longer Nameless Pharaoh Atem, it only makes sense that information about her crops up in regular conversation.

"Even famous queens like Nefertiti and Cleopatra pale in comparison to the descriptions of Queen Bali. Strong, fair, and deified as a goddess of victory in the Theban region. But after the battle, she disappeared along with the Pharaoh. Any details found say she ascended to heaven as a goddess, leaving her children behind," he described. The words ring in Anzu's head, her heart rate increasing as she walks home.

All the times the Pharaoh saved her, conversed with her, and depended on her suddenly seemed to make sense. There has to be a deeper reason to it all! Not to mention the fact that she oh so desperately wants it to be true!

"Maybe I'm the reincarnation of Queen Bali, and it's why I have feelings for the Pharaoh!" she thinks, stopping to look up dramatically to the sky and clench a hand to her chest. At last, something to explain her emotions!

"Finally, something that will keep him here with me. This is the best news I've ever discovered," Anzu giggles, adding a light skip to her step.

Perhaps the next time she meets with her friends she can explain her hypothesis and–

"Uh-oh, looks like I caught someone having delusions of grandeur. Usually I don't have a problem with that but this one's a bit personal," a woman calls out, approaching Anzu as if they're about to engage in everyday conversation. The woman is tan, but glows a color of gold, and wears some of the most splendorous clothing that Anzu could distinctly place as Ancient Egyptian. The woman has a sharp, unnerving green gaze and tightly braided black hair. Anzu is more concerned by the fact that this woman isn't sending her the nicest of vibes, even if she was smiling calmly.

"Let's start right out with the obvious: You're not my reincarnation, you have no relation to me. You're too friendly for that."

"W-Who are you?" Anzu stutters, backing up nervously. The woman frowns slightly.

"Seriously? I would think it'd be clear to anyone at this point. But I suppose I can see how it could be a bit shocking," the woman says, her tone light and condescending. Anzu narrows her eyes but puts together who she's staring at.

"You can't be..." she mutters. A mean grin spreads on the woman's face.

"Oh yes I can. I am Queen Bali, Goddess of Victory, and Great Royal Wife of the Nameless Pharaoh, Atem. I'm more than just his lover; I have many roles I must carry out, a responsibility that he understands, that he supports," Bali introduces mockingly, enjoying herself a bit too much.

"He didn't remember you for a long time, you know," Anzu cuts in. Bali sighs, demeanor changing.

"Of course I know. I was the last one he talked to before he sealed himself, instructing me to remember his name."

"You knew his name for this entire ordeal?"

"For thousands of years I waited in the heavens for him to return, and for him to regain his memories. Surely my name isn't a recent finding," Bali points out. Anzu concedes a nod.

"Atem, before his memories returned, always said he had dreams of you, just flashes of his past. He even said once that his heart ached for you even though he didn't know who you were."

"Oh my, that's a lot more than I hoped for. Guess he never gave my physical description, otherwise you'd never mistake me for you, missy."

"Rrg, my name is Anzu!"

"I'm well aware. But I'm here, not out of jealousy, but out of experience. I have been in your place, before I ever met Atem. I know what you're feeling, and I can understand why if it's Atem..." Bali's voice fades in remembrance. Anzu's glare softens into confusion. Bali snaps to focus again.

"Atem and I have a bond that goes much longer and deeper than some little infatuation," Bali finishes, the understanding in her gaze distracting Anzu for only a moment.

"Maybe I'd believe that if you had tried to help him! Where were you when he was trying to regain his memory?" she snaps. Bali nods as if in a political debate and considering an audience question. She catches herself doing so and scowls, muttering incoherent words under her breath. Anzu is about to ask what happened, but Bali recovers.

"I won't lie, that's a fair argument. Short answer is, there are rules about what I can and cannot do. I can't intervene in something he has to do himself, alongside his physical reincarnation."

"That still doesn't answer my question as to why you didn't help!"

"When the Winged Dragon was in the hands of that evil-possessed tombkeeper, what happened when it was called to attack?" Bali asks, clearly indignant as she crosses her arms and shifts her weight to one foot.. Anzu's eyebrows brush her hairline.

"It... hesitated... Like it was trying to defy the command!" With what she knows now, Anzu can see the correlation.

"That was me, and even that was stretching the rules! It tore me up to be unable from helping further, and I do appreciate your help but there are boundaries that are set. I cannot tolerate anyone who would dare attempt to keep him from me any longer," Bali threatens, her aura glowing golden around her. It makes her seem far fiercer than before. Anzu swallows around a lump in her throat.

"How are you so sure I do have feelings for Atem?" Anzu poses, looking to her toes. Bali snorts. Thankfully for Anzu, Bali's aura calms.

"With time comes experience, and I can see in you what I used to see in myself. I've come to set the record straight before you make a fool of yourself like I did."

Anzu turns her head back up in wonder, though her face is flushed in embarrassment. Bali turns passive.

"I'm not so atrocious as to forget all empathy. You're his friend, after all."

The straightforwardness, the urgency with which she speaks drives into Anzu. She begins to see how Atem could fall for someone like Bali. Beyond the beauty and the muscles and the scars and the crass attitude is someone noble enough to attempt helping what anyone else would consider a rival.

"But do you know how hard this is?" Anzu asks, realizing afterward how stupid a question it is to ask in front of Bali. Instead of getting snippy again, Bali's face melts into a gentle, comforting smile.

"Like I've said, I empathize. I was younger than you when I made my terrible mistake. While they were different circumstances, I know how much it hurts. You're young. You have a future beyond despairing over one man who's already married," she says. The complete lack of spite takes Anzu by surprise.

"You're being nice to me?"

"I'm a queen, not a tyrant. I think given proper time to interact, we could be right and proper friends. Despite the descriptions put down in the records, I'm actually quite amiable."

She holds out a hand to Anzu, who warily takes it. It's immediately encased in both of Bali's.

"You are too good a person to fall down that rabbit hole, I know you can see that now." She draws back after winking. "Tell Atem to hurry up, because I'm still waiting!"

Bali waves with an arrogant smile and snaps her fingers, disappearing before Anzu can address anything of what she just said.

...

*Later that day*

Anzu had gone home and researched the hell out of anything about Bali and Atem. She pieced her findings together with the stories Grandpa told them, and made a decision.

"I have to give that message to Atem, even if Bali was only joking back there," she thinks, pulling on tennis shoes and racing out the door of her home. It doesn't take her long to get to the game shop, Grandpa letting her in without hesitation.

"Anzu, what are you doing here? Is something the matter?" he asks, noticing the rush she's in. Yugi appears beside him instantaneously at the mention of her name.

"Yeah, are you okay?"

Anzu takes a deep breath and shakes her head with a sheepish grin.

"I guess maybe it could've waited til tomorrow, but I was reading more about Queen Bali."

Yugi's eyes light up at the mention.

"Grandpa and I found the diary of a famous archaeologist from the nineteen-twenties and eventually there's a whole bunch of stuff about a girl named Bali," he exclaims, smiling with excitement at sharing the development. Anzu gapes in surprise.

"Can we look at it then?"

"Well of course!" Grandpa cuts in. The trio heads back into the family room after Anzu removes her shoes. Grandpa brings out an old, leather-bound book filled with papers between the pages. They sit on the sofa, Grandpa taking the middle seat. He opens the diary gingerly to the relevant page while talking.

"I knew this archaeologist for some time before she died. Dr. O'Connell was a brilliant woman, and for some reason, she decided to give me her journal after learning I had found the Millennium Puzzle. Ah, here it is," he explains, holding up an old photograph with three figures in it. Yugi and Anzu lean in closer to see it.

"On the left is Dr. O'Connell's husband, on the right is Dr. O'Connell, and in the middle–"

"That's Bali!" Anzu exclaims, recognizing her easily. Grandpa and Yugi look at each other astonished.

"How did you know, Anzu?" Yugi asks.

"I'll explain later. What more do we know about Bali?" she brushes off, determined to find out as much of Bali's story as she could.

"Well, this photo was taken on her eighteenth birthday in October nineteen thirty-three, meaning she was born in nineteen fifteen. Dr. O'Connell says here that she was born in Illinois, in the United States. Her mother died when she was ten in a tomb that collapsed while they were exploring. From what I gather, Bali was shattered by this event. Though claiming hatred for Egypt afterward, she became an Egyptologist..." Grandpa starts, and for nearly an hour they scan through the journal, learning some of Bali's story. When Grandpa is done, he gently closes the book and yawns.

"I believe that's enough for tonight. We got basically everything about Bali out in the open, at least about her time in the modern era," Grandpa says, standing stiffly. He bids them goodnight and shuffles back to his bedroom.

"Good night Grandpa!" Yugi chirps, turning to Anzu cheerfully.

"It's pretty weird to think that Bali went back in time, not knowing about her relation to Re. Atem probably misses her a lot. It must be why he's been so quiet," he rambles. Anzu interrupts him with an apologetic smile.

"Yugi, do you think I could talk to the Pharaoh quick?" she requests, though Yugi immediately appears unsure. He cradles the puzzle in his hands, fixing his gaze on the wadjet eye.

"I don't know, Other Me seems really tired."

"Yugi, it's a really important message! I wouldn't have come back and asked if it wasn't!" she pushes, placing a hand over his on the puzzle. His eyes widen as he nods slowly.

"If you say so, I'm sure he won't mind, then," he replies, his voice fading as the two switch places. Atem now stands before Anzu with a tired but kind smile.

"Is there something wrong?"

Anzu shakes her head.

"Bali came to me today while I was walking home. I had to tell you that she's waiting for you, even though she was probably only joking, and she can't visit you because of some stupid laws," she explains, voice strainging as she begins to cry. It dawns more on her now how tragic a love story he and Bali have gone through together. Atem brightens at the mention of Bali, and he pats Anzu's shoulder in comfort.

"Thank you, Anzu. It's comforting to hear that she hasn't…" he stops, collecting his thoughts. "I was uncertain as to whether she had moved on or not," he admits. Anzu sniffed, wiping away some of the tears only to have more spill in their place.

"I'm sorry if I ever did anything to make you doubt her," she apologizes. His hand graces her shoulder again to steady her gently.

"You have nothing to apologize for. You have been a great friend to me, and I will miss all of you. But I can't help but look forward to seeing my family again… To see Bali again will truly be the last piece of the puzzle put in place," he explains, the longing in his eyes abundantly clear. Anzu nods in sympathy. She smiles.

"Your family will be just as ecstatic to have you back. Bali most of all."

"I hope so," he laughs. A light shines from the puzzle.

"Anzu, did Atem make you cry?" Yugi's voice sounds, signaling the switch.

"No Yugi, but it's just so sad!" Anzu defends, her tears returning.

"What is? Why don't you tell me. You did say something happened to you with Bali," Yugi suggests, letting her sit down on the sofa again, settling beside her. He listens to everything she has to say. As she continues on, her mind rings with the familiar voice of Bali:

"Thank you, Anzu. I didn't expect that out of you, no offense. I hope you find that there's someone by your side who fits you well, just as Atem does for me. Good luck with your dream, and be careful: People in New York are nuts." She leaves as quickly as she appeared. Anzu pauses in her narrative to properly digest her words. She turns her gaze to Yugi, who tilts his head in confusion. She smiles, understanding the goddess' implication.

"Sorry, just a weird thought. Anyway..."

-End-

I wrote this in the middle of the night but it's important to me that this changed. Yeehaw.

A guy won't text me back.

Boo on him, the joke about April 25th is a damn classic.

Anyway. Hope this was a nice little offshoot. It's good to write some interactions that'll never happen. Ever.

See ya.

-A