Summary: Bakura and Atemu meet under very different circumstances, causing things to get out of hand for the future. Darkshipping

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"Remember, keep where I can see you." the Pharaoh told his son before releasing him, watching the young boy explore the small village alone. "...Ra keep him safe."

"You worry too much." Akunadin said to his brother, smirking. "Let the boy have a little fun, it's not like he'll see these commoners when he gets older."

Aknumkhanon frowned at this. "I want to make sure Atemu has a good understanding of the world outside the palace. The people don't need a leader that doesn't understand poverty."

The younger brother gave a snort, but didn't comment. 'He runs things based on trust, but trust only goes so far. If Seth was heir, then there would be no need for these trips because he'd have Egypt in an iron grip,' But his son couldn't be Pharaoh, not while his brother and his son lived. He had considered assassination, but there was always a risk. You can't trust anyone anymore, so the thoughts were left to fester and brood. 'I'll find a way to bring my son to the throne, mark my words,'

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Atemu gazed at the buildings around him in awe. Being in the palace for the past seven years, he had no idea that people lived in such small places. He felt bad, seeing them. Especially since everyone was so kind to him. Everywhere he went, people smiled at him, offering food and water. Someone had even given him a pretty red flower that he had never seen before, even in the books Siamon made him read. He wished he could offer something back, but he didn't have anything...

He stopped, frowning as he tried to think of anything to pay these people back when someone ran into him. He gasped, stumbling before he fell, whoever ran into him landing on top of him. Wincing, he looked up to see who it was. 'Wow,' he thought, blinking. It was a boy, a little older than him, with fluffy white hair and redish brown eyes. He was wearing a white shirt and brown shorts, and had a large scar over his right eye, along with two horizontal scars crossing it. 'What happened?'

"Sorry, I wasn't looking." Atemu said as the white haired boy lifted himself off of him. "Are you okay?"

The boy looked him over, eyes narrowing when he saw the gold earrings and cuffs. "Who are you?"

"I'm Atemu." the red eyed boy offered, smiling. "You?"

"....Akeifia Bakura."

"I like your name." Atemu smiled again, getting an odd look. "...What?"

"You're the Prince, right? What're you doing here then?"

Atemu frowned, though it looked more like a pout. "My father brought me here to meet the people. Why?"

Akeifia snorted, crossing his arms. "You mean so we'll like you guys more? That's a laugh."

"Why?"

The white haired boy scowled. "Because, you're evil! Everyone up at the palace is evil!"

"Are not!" Atemu argued hotly, ignoring the crowd of people. "We're trying to protect you! My father brought me here to meet all the people so I know what's going on here."

"Oh, so you can feel bad for us?!" Akeifia sneered. "That makes me feel so much better! Maybe I can ignore the pain in my stomach when I go hungry again because the Prince is trying to protect us!"

Atemu pouted again, crossing his arms in a mock pose of the older boy. "Just because we live differently than you doesn't make us evil. And if you're hungry, you can have some of the food I got." He held up the small bag, showing the food the villagers had given him. "I don't mind sharing with you, Akeifia."

The white haired boy hesitated. "...Bakura." Seeing the confused look, he added. "Call me Bakura."

"Oh, okay."

After Bakura ate the whole bag, with Atemu teasing him that he must be a cow, because he had to have had more than one stomach, they walked around the village with the older boy pointing things out. Though the commoner was loath to admit it, he liked Atemu. The boy was still young, so he was new to everything and a good listener. And in return, Atemu confessed about having overheard his uncle telling his father about creating the Millennium Items. This had caused Bakura to stop walking, making Atemu ask if he was alright.

"I'm fine, 'temu."

'It wasn't the Pharaoh?' he thought, falling silent. 'The Priest is the one who killed my village, not the Pharaoh himself?' He looked sideways at his new friend, feeling an odd sensation of relief inside of him. 'What if I hadn't met Atemu? Would I continue hating the wrong person for the rest of my life? Would I have hated Atemu?' The thought made him sick. He really did like his friend, even though the Priests in the palace were cramming their narrow-minded views inside his head. But Bakura set him straight, such as the thieving about these parts.

"It's wrong," Bakura explained. "But if you don't steal, then you don't eat. And then you die or get sick. My father had taught me awhile ago, so I'm pretty good at it."

"Wow, really?" Atemu asked, smiling. "Show me!"

There was a pause before the white haired boy showed him on of his earrings. Atemu gaped, reaching up and feeling that one of the gold trinkets was missing. "That's cool, Bakura! Can you show me how to do that?"

Bakura shrugged. "Alright. But don't tell anyone I did, okay? It would get me into a lot of trouble."

"Okay!"

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"Oh, man." Atemu whined, seeing as the sun was setting. "I'm going to have to leave."

Bakura frowned. "It's not like I'm leaving. I'll see you again."
Atemu smiled. "Okay. I'll come visit you again, okay? And I can bring more food if you'd like."

As much as Bakura hated charity, he couldn't say no to that face Atemu was making. "...Fine."

"Yay! Oh, right." the Prince reached up, removing one of the earrings. "You can have this. Since you stole from me without me knowing, it's actually yours, right?"

Bakura balked, staring at it. "D-do you know how much those are worth?! I can't just take it from you."

Atemu made a face. "Please? Siamon gave me tons of them. And it's only one!"

"...But what will you say to your father?" Bakura asked, trying to think of excuses.

"I'll say I dropped it." Atemu shrugged. "Please, Bakura??"

The white haired boy sighed, nodding. "Alright. You better get back here soon though."

"Okay!" Atemu surprised him by giving him a hug and taking off, leaving the boy there with an odd look on his face. 'What the hell?'

"Atemu." The Pharaoh greeted his son, sighing in relief. "I was about to send the Guards after you! Where have you been?"

Atemu smiled. "I was with my new friend. Can I come see him again soon?"

Aknumkhanon chuckled. "Of course. Let's go, you still have a lesson with Siamon when you get back."

The prince groaned, hating the hours he spent over old, dusty books. He liked learning from Bakura a lot better. But he didn't argue, hoping to see his friend soon to ask about the things he learned. After all, Bakura had a lot more personal experiences than Siamon about those kind of things, and Atemu found himself trusting the white haired thief more.

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Atemu quickly looked both ways, making sure that there were no guards around to stop him from sneaking out of the palace this fine night. He had promised Bakura to see him, and he wasn't about to break a promise to his best friend, even though both Mana and Mahaad pleaded with him to stop the late night strolls through the village. 'Sorry, guys.' He thought sadly. 'But Bakura came first,' It wasn't that he didn't trust the magicians, he just liked to see the first friend he had that wasn't supplied by his father or uncle.

"Pharaoh? You there?"

Atemu paused, hearing the whispering from a small hut to his right. "Thief? Is that you?"

Bakura poked a head out of a window, grinning. "I've been waiting for you! It's about time!"

Atemu glared, sneaking through said window with a small sack of food, a tradition that had started since he had begun visiting his white haired friend. "I've been hearing rumors about you from the servents. Apparently, you are now dubbed 'Thief King'."

"Pretty awesome, huh?" Bakura said, grinning. "Now we're both royalty."

Atemu chuckled. "How have you been this past week? Besides the rumors, I haven't heard anything else about what's going on out here. My uncle thinks that it'd be best to keep me in a bubble with my grief."

"...He's getting worse?" Bakura asked, frowning slightly. He knew that Atemu liked to hide things, even from him.

"Mahaad gave him a week." the Prince confessed, sighing. "You can tell by looking at him, he's gotten so pale. I overheard Isis and Karim saying something about poison, but they have no idea who would be dumb enough to poison the Pharaoh."

Bakura shrugged. "You can't trust anyone in the palace. They're all out for themselves."

"Seth's not." Atemu argued. "Or Mahaad and Mana. They're on my side. And Isis will side with Mahaad."

Bakura snorted. "Still, that's only three of the six Priests that you can trust. And one of them is only because he's your cousin. It's Akunadin that I don't like. I've heard things about him. Apparently, he didn't like it when his parents named your father heir."

"U-Uncle Akunadin?" Atemu blinked, eyes wide. "I never...he doesn't seem like that."

"They never do."

Silence. Bakura watched his friend, sighing slightly. He didn't like talking about these things because he didn't like the sad look Atemu got when they did. They had been friends for nine years now, and Bakura liked that. He could trust Atemu, when everyone else failed. The Prince often asked him to come to the palace with him, so that he could be a guard of his once he was in the throne, but Bakura always declined. He hated the Priests, and he hated Akunadin with a burning passion. It was that man who had killed everyone in his village for power.

"You'll make a good King, Atemu."

Atemu bit his lip. "You...think so?"

"Please, everyone loves you." Bakura snorted, grinning. "All you have to do is bat those eyes and they're graveling at your feet."

"...Don't make me kill you, Bakura."

"Well, it's true!" the thief laughed, ignoring the look he got. "You should hear some of the things these people say about you! 'Oh, he's so pretty', 'he'll have a wife in no time', 'if only I were a women'."

"You're just saying that." Atemu muttered, crossing his arms.

Bakura shook his head. "Nope. And those are the censored ones. I don't want to repeat some of the other things I've heard, I'd hate to ruin your young, virgin ears with all his unroyal talk."

The red-eyed boy muttered under his breath, cursing his friend. "I think my hour is up, Bakura. I'm going to have to get back before I get my head ripped off by Siamon."

"You better come back here soon." Bakura threatened lightly. "But try to stay with your father, alright?"

Atemu hesitated, half-way through the window. "Thanks, Bakura."
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"You fools!" Akunadin roared as the Dark God Zorc rose from the tablet that the Millennium Items had come from. "I told you that your worthless ka's couldn't do anything to the real God of this world!"

Atemu gasped, choking up blood as he tried to lift himself off his stomach. Why? Why had his Uncle gone so far? When Atemu had first come to the throne, he had thought that Bakura's suspicions of his uncle were wild and baseless. After all, the man was one of his six protectors, and he had no reason not to trust him. So, for the past few months, he had let his guard down until the man had stolen the items, prying the Puzzle from the Pharaoh when he had 'killed' the Sun Dragon Ra, making the teen collapse, and having ripped the Ring away from Mahaad, who had died protecting Atemu.

"Father, please!" Seth begged, only a few feet away from his cousin. "Stop this!"

"It's too late, Seth!" Akunadin laughed. "The shadows have been unleashed. Soon, you will become Pharaoh."

Zorc turned his red eyes to Atemu, reaching for the injured boy. "Give in, boy. Nothing can stop the shadows once they overcome your precious light."

Atemu coughed up more blood, wincing at the tight grip around him. "N-never."

"Release him!"

Atemu sighed, smiling slightly as he heard Bakura's voice below him. 'I was afraid he wouldn't show,' he thought, watching the thief summon his own monster. 'Since when can Bakura do that? He never told me,' He watched the odd monster fly at Zorc, clawing at the so-called God's arm. Zorc gave a roar, causing him to drop the Pharaoh. Atemu cringed, getting the sick feeling of falling through the air before he was caught.

"Are you alright, Pharaoh?"

Atemu blinked, gasping. Mahaad was holding him, still a few feet off the ground. He was wearing purple armor that his monster used to wear. "You...you came back?"

"To protect you." Mahaad answered.

The king smiled before he remembered that they were in the middle of a war. He had his friend release him, forcing himself not to stumble when his feet touched the ground. 'I don't have any strength left inside of me.' he thought, glaring up at Zorc and Akunadin. 'What are we suppose to do?' What would his father do? He tried to think, but he was too tired. He just wanted to go to sleep and never wake up.

"Atemu!" Bakura ran over, ignoring the dark look Mahaad gave him. "You scared me up there!"

"Sorry, Bakura." the Pharaoh muttered, reaching up and taking a hold of the thief's red coat to keep himself up. "What're we suppose to do? We're all exhausted..."

Mahaad frowned. "My Pharaoh, there...is one way...."

"What is it?" Atemu asked, frowning.

"Your father once mentioned to us why he picked your name. When you were born, all the Gods and Goddesses gave you a blessing to protect you. It was the only time any of them had ever done so to any heir of Horus. But your father named you because when they blessed you, Ra showed himself to your father and suggested the name, saying you would need its power when you became Pharaoh."

The Pharaoh blinked. "Power? My name has power?"

Mahaad nodded. "If you use your name, you can seal this monster away into the tablet forever...but in doing so, you must wipe your memories so the Evil God can never be unsealed."

Bakura scowled. "No way! Atemu, you can't be even considering this!"

"What choice do I have?" Atemu demanded, his grip on the thief tightening. "I'm suppose to protect Egypt, that's the reason I'm alive. I have to do this, Bakura."

The white haired teen reached up, grabbing the king's wrists. "So, what will you do? Wipe your memories and continue being Pharaoh after you've forgotten everything?!"

"No...." Atemu sighed, looking up at his friend. "I'm....I'm going to seal my soul into the Millennium Puzzle."

"You...you can't be serious!" Bakura snapped, eyes wide. "Atemu, that means killing yourself!"

The younger male nodded. "I can't let someone unseal him, Bakura. And everyone in this realm knows who I am. So, I'll seal myself into the Puzzle, and have Seth shatter it so that I can wait for my reincarnation to solve it, helping me destroy Zorc once and for all." He looked up at Bakura, eyes pleading. "I have to."

"You're sure?" Seth asked, making them jump. "Once you do this, there's no turning back."

"...I'm sure." Atemu smiled. "And when I'm gone, I want you to take over for me, Seth."

The brown haired teen gaped. "M-me?? Are you sure?"

He nodded. "Who else would I trust to rule Egypt when I'm gone? But I have to do this now."

He hesitated before hugging Bakura, then Mahaad. Seth allowed himself one, though he whispered something into Atemu's ear that none of them could hear. Atemu nodded, walking towards the rubble of the Tablet of the Millennium Items and taking hold of the Puzzle. Without a glance back, he put it on and walked towards Zorc. Bakura felt himself give a lurch, wanting to go after him, but Seth stopped him.

"Shall I assume you're the one Atemu's been sneaking off to see?"

Bakura scowled. "Yeah, what of it?"

Seth shook his head, smirking. "He mentioned you a few times, actually. He cares about you, and seeing as your expression, I can tell it's mutual."

"I am Pharaoh, the son of Horus and chosen son of Ra." Atemu said confidently, cutting off whatever Bakura was going to say. "I am the Morning and Evening. I am the Sun and Moon. I am the Light and the Darkness. I am the Shadows and I am the Sunshine. I am the Crown of Two Lands, and I am Death. I am the son of King Aknumkhanon, and by the blessings of the Gods, I banish thee with the name I was given by Ra." He held out a hand. "Atemu!"

Bakura watched as both Zorc and Akunadin screamed, a burst of light coming from the Millennium Puzzle and pulling them into the stone Tablet that was covered by rubble. At the same time that they were gone, a light wrapped around Atemu, and the thief watched as his soul was pulled inside the Puzzle. His body, now an empty shell, fell to the ground, red eyes dulled over and cold. Seth walked forward, gently removing the Puzzle from around his neck. A thought passed through Bakura's head, making him pause.

"Seth."

Everyone turned to Bakura, though a few of them were crying. The thief ignored it, waiting until the new king looked at him. "...Let me go with him."

"What?!" Mana yelled. "Why would you, the Thief King, want to follow after him?"

Bakura ignored her. "He won't remember why he's in the Puzzle. Let me go with him, to help remind him why he's there."

Seth thought it over before nodding. "Alright, Bakura. I'm going to seal you inside the Millennium Ring, so you can help him find the other Millennium Items. But are you absolutely sure? You'll be awake the whole time, waiting for your chosen to get the Ring. You might be waiting a long time."

"I know."

Seth sighed. "Alright. Isis, Karim, Shaadi, Mahaad. Get the Ring over here." He turned back to Bakura, waiting until they were out of hearing range. "You must really care about him if you're willing to risk waiting thousands of years to see him again."

"If it wasn't for him, I'd be on the opposite side, hating the wrong person." Bakura snorted, ignoring the confused look. "It's a shame you can't ask your father about Kul Elna."

"...What's Kul Elna?" Seth asked, frowning.

The thief motioned to the rubble around them. "My home."
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Please, let me know if you like this!!! ::gets on knees:: I happen to really enjoy this pairing, and while looking through the Millennium World arc of the manga, I thought, huh....what would've happened then? So this came out. I'm sorry if I wrote Bakura a little too odd, but he'll get a little more insane in the next chapter!...if there is one. XP
R&R