Well. I don't really have much to say for this one, except for the fact that even though I'm not bi, Ishizu Ishtar charms the pants off me. She can do that to anybody, seriously! She... is awesome. Must worship. *worships*

As for the disclaimer... um. I don't own Yugioh. I keep writing Kazuki Takahashi letters, but I guess "GIVE ME MARIK ISHTAR, YOU FUDGEBAG" doesn't make him want to give it to me. Oh well, better luck next time.

Hope you guys enjoy the first chapter!

Her alert blue eyes skimmed over the list. All her main workers, not any of them even close to sixteen. She sighed, setting it aside and letting her head fall into one hand. "I should have known this plan has no merit," she said softly, not allowing the tears to form. "Of course nobody under the age of eighteen is working here. Eighteen and older would be too suspicious..." She shook her head. "What was I thinking?"

There was a knock on the door and then a youthful voice followed. "Miss Ishtar? Um, can I come in?"

She tore her hand away from her face and tried to sit straighter, shoving the list in a top drawer. "Yes, the door is unlocked."

The door was pushed open, and in walked a teenage girl with an archaeologist's hat covering her tied-back brown hair. She took her hat off and fanned herself with it. "Um, hi. Panya sent me to tell you she found something in one of the tombs. I guess they thought it was just a false room, but they found something in the wall."

"I see. Thank you for informing me." She stood up, walking around her desk and all the while keeping her eyes on the girl. Sixteen, perhaps seventeen, but even that was stretching it. She might even be fifteen. "Perhaps you would accompany me back to the tomb to investigate?"

"Oh - uh, sure. That would be an honor, Miss Ishtar." She fanned herself one last time, then put her hat back on top of her bun that was falling out of its pink scrunchie. "I have to say, I was hoping to stick around the building for a while. It's a lot cooler in here than it is out there!"

"Yes, that's true."

They began walking down the hallway, and Ishizu noticed some red patches on the girl's arms. "Have you been working very long?"

"Hmm? Oh!" She looked down at her arms as well. "It's only been a few hours. I'm so pale... my skin burns really easily. I left my sunscreen in my tent, and I don't really want to hike back in this heat. Panya had some, but I guess people here are a lot more used to the heat than I am... it wasn't a high enough SPF for me, it looks like. I didn't even notice it."

"You should make sure you have it tomorrow."

"Yeah, I know. I'm used to the cold - I swear it's numbed my skin or something. I don't feel it when I get sunburned... well, until it starts peeling, I mean. Then it kinda hurts."

She nodded, and was quiet again as they walked down the hallway. She was still examining this girl. How could she have missed her? She was obviously around the age that Ishizu was looking for. She definitely wasn't any older than seventeen, if she was seventeen at all.

"Where are you from?"

"Huh?" The girl pushed one of the straps on her tank top back up onto her shoulder. "Oh, well, I've been a lot of places. My parents like to travel."

"Where were you born?"

"Well, technically I was born in a taxi about five miles from the Oxford Hospital." She laughed, as if this were supposed to be funny. "In Maine, which is a state in America. But we moved to Alaska when I was about... um... I wanna say I was like four or five, maybe. We've been living in Sweden for the past three years. In case you didn't know, it's really cold there."

"I see. Then why did you come to Egypt? If you are used to the cold, this must be overwhelming."

"I applied for a kind of exchange program thing, only it's more like getting work experience." She gestured outside. "I kind of want to do what you do, Miss Ishtar. I've always been interested in Egypt. My school offered a chance to go anywhere you wanted, to see if what you wanted to do was - well, really what you wanted to do."

"Hmm."

"I was lucky I even won," she added quickly, not knowing if Ishizu was going to say anything further than that. "I didn't think my essay was that good, but I guess they decided it was."

She nodded once more. "This is as close as you have ever been to the Egyptian culture?"

"Yeah. So far I'm really loving it." She giggled. "Panya and the others down there have 'Walk Like an Egyptian' playing almost nonstop. It's so annoying, but I can't stop dancing to it."

"I suppose it's good that you enjoy it here. By the way, I never did get your name."

"Oh! Well, I... didn't really think it would matter to you. But if you care that much, my name's Jennifer. I like being called Jen, but not Jenny or Jenna."

"Jennifer. It's a beautiful name. American, yes?"

"Through and through," she grinned. "I think it means 'fair' or something in Welsh. Just like, 'Way to go, parents, you named me with an adjective that I'm not!' I don't get why it's one of the most popular names in America."

"Perhaps, because it simply sounds nice."

"Yeah, I guess it does."

Another few seconds of silence, and they had reached the door. Jennifer took the servant position and opened the door. "After you, Miss Ishtar!" Somehow, she sounded playful and professional at the same time.

They walked out into the bright sun, and if Jennifer hadn't been wearing a hat she probably would have thrown her arms up to block the sun from her eyes. She pulled the brim of her hat down, though, and walked toward the tomb where Panya obviously was.

"If you don't mind my asking, Jennifer," Ishizu spoke up as they were nearing the tomb, "how old are you?"

"Uh... well, my sixteenth birthday was just last month. Ha - if that day hadn't been my birthday, I wouldn't even be here! You had to be at least sixteen to qualify for the opportunity. I turned sixteen the day the essay was due. Kind of lucky, huh?"

"Perhaps it was your destiny to come here," Ishizu suggested. She was only getting a faint image from her necklace, but it was clear enough not to be misinterpreted at all. There he was, violet eyes boring into Jennifer's green ones, holding her by the wrist. The image was too murky, too hazy, to make out the expression on either of their faces.

Jennifer giggled. "Oh, well, I guess you could put it that way. I'm just not sure if I believe in all that fate stuff or not." She shrugged. "I guess it's always best to keep an open mind, though." She gestured before her. "Well, Panya's down there. She's all excited, so I hope it was something you've been looking for."

"I'm sure it will be a valued part of our expedition." She reached out her hand toward the younger girl. "Thank you, Jennifer. It was a pleasure to meet you."

"Oh, really?" She tentatively put her hand forward and shook Ishizu's. She seemed hesitant about everything; her grip was extremely light. "Most people just find me annoying. They say I ramble and I like to talk about myself."

She was right, but that didn't matter to Ishizu. It was better that the girl gave her more information. This was a sign from the gods... her plan would work. Yes, this would work. "Well, it was a pleasure indeed, Jennifer."

"Oh, thanks, Miss Ishtar... geez, I'm blushing." She pulled her hand away and looked behind her. "Oh. Looks like Alim and Jacob need my help. They're waving for me." She bowed her head. "It really was an honor to meet you, Miss Ishtar. Thanks for talking with me. Good-bye!" And she rushed off toward another site, holding her hat onto her head as she did. Otherwise it probably would have flown off; she ran so fast.

Ishizu's hand drifted to the necklace around her throat for a moment before turning to go meet with Panya. "Yes. It was an honor for me as well."

Hahahaha! Cliffhanger slash foreshadowing. Kinda.

Kudos and virtual cookies to anybody who can guess what Ishizu's plan-in-progress is. XD

Reviews are awesome, and I love them even more than cookies... virtual or not.

Thanks for taking time out of your day to read this! ^^