Why am I starting another new fic? I have no idea.

Disclaimer/Notes: *Closes eyes* as always, talk to Nintendo if you want to buy pokemon. Kazuki Takehashi owns Yu-gi-oh! I own nothing but what I create. Charlotte is mine, Bob might be…

Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics for pokemon talking.

Slight crossover with Yu-gi-oh! I’ve stolen some of the Millennium Items

And in case you’ve read the Ancient Egypt Arc in the manga…

Ash = Atem: Millennium Puzzle

Lance = Aishizu: Millennium Tauk

Charlotte = nicer version of Akunadin: Eye

Bob = Set: Millennium Rod

Gary = Shadii: Millennium Ankh (later)

Ages: Ash is 8, Lance is 12, Charlotte is 10, Bob is 11, and Gary is 9

Title: Puzzle pieces

Chapter 1: Childhood by the Black River

Prince Ash yawned as the instructor droned on and on. He knew that it was an honor to be in this particular class, it meant he was smart enough to take lessons with the priests in training at a younger age, but he didn’t care. What did some obscure old man who discovered date wine matter?

Looking around him, he saw that Lance, his best friend, was scribbling hieroglyphics that didn’t look like notes, while his elder sister Charlotte, promised to the temple of Isis, was counting the grains of sand on the floor. Bob, his first cousin whom he really hated, was taking his many golden rings on and off. Personally, Ash found all the jewelry Bob wore ostentatious and a sign of his petty nature, but he kept his suspicions to himself. He knew Bob’s father was angry that Ash had been born; otherwise Bob would have inherited the throne of Egypt. Well, it wasn’t his fault.

Taking a closer look at Lance’s hieroglyphic scribbling, he found that it was a cute tale of love between a Pichu and a Minun. He was so absorbed in reading over her shoulder that he didn’t snap out of it until the instructor dismissed the class and he fell into Lance’s lap.

“My prince?” Lance queried as she helped him up.

“No, it is nothing.” Ash replied, hiding a slight blush. That was embarrassing…

“Very well.” Lance replied. They walked towards the dining area together, the Millennium Tauk that hung around Lance’s neck glinting slightly.

There is a price for wielding one of the millennium items. From the time the wearer puts it on, only twenty years of life do they live.

When two items are held separately, the time is prolonged to forty years, but used in conjunction, can be as short as five.

That is the trade for commanding the powers of shadow.

Ash was smiling as they sat down to a simple meal of bread, cheese, and honey with fruits. He didn’t understand what was wrong with it. Plates and piles of roasted and minced food were just not as appealing.

Lance was drinking fruit juice and eating some grapes next to him. Ash looked at her slightly worried. She had had the Tauk for a few months now, and if the legend were true…

Ash banished that morbid thought as he ate some dates. Better not to dwell on it.

Charlotte had finished eating and was tossing a little blue ball up and down, catching it every time. Bob just scowled.

Lance popped a grape in his mouth and laughed at his look of surprise.

“What happened to constant vigilance?” She asked.

He pouted and chewed up the grape. “You’re supposed to be protecting me…”

‘Well, I suppose there is some truth in that.” She concurred as she fed him another grape. “But it’s more fun to tease you.”

He liked it. Peace.

His father had brought peace when they had bound the seven-millennium items to their holders.

Lance hadn’t expected to get the Tauk, but after all the priests and priestesses who had failed the initiates had been tested. And it responded to her.

She was growing up fast. As a priest this early, she had to be at all the pharaoh’s important meetings. But at least Ash could tag along and listen in.

The harvest this year was good.

A few tomb robbers had been executed, but it wasn’t really important.

They were already discussing who to marry him to! That he didn’t’ like. Why did he even have to get married? It was stupid.

Lance handed him another grape and he accepted it willingly.

“So, Lance-chan, does the Tauk show if we have a test tomorrow?”

Lance smiled. “We don’t.”

“Yay!”

Charlotte grinned. “Thank goodness! Today’s lesson was so boring…”

Bob continued to scowl.

Ash didn’t like him much. It was like he had a perpetual stick up his ___.

Why did he have to be so, ugh?
He took a sip of his chilled fruit juice and sighed.

Bob was probably going to get one of the items, just like he would get the puzzle when he was old enough. Which basically meant a few years.

Lance stroked his hair as he sat on the mat over the sandy courtyard and mused about the future.

It was nice.

The present was nice.

That afternoon, he and Charlotte played hide and seek in the temple of the monster tablets while Lance was at a meeting again.

She was so busy! It wasn’t fair.

But he might have to put on the puzzle soon, if his father didn’t get over the virulent coughing spell.

He didn’t’ want to rule yet! But he had no siblings and thus no choice in the matter.

Life wasn’t fair, he thought, as he hid behind a slab depicting a Smeargle.

She found him after a few minutes, and they ran up and down the halls, playing tag and hiding in the miniature palms.

He almost fell out of the tree when his father and the elected priests, Lance included, walked by towards the temple.

Something was wrong.

Where was priest Brock? Was he off hunting bandits again?

No, it didn’t seem like it.

Ash and Charlotte crept after the party quietly.

Inside the temple of the monster tablets, his father pointed to one and scowled.

It was… a man? Impossible. All of the monsters were pretty creatures.

Ash squinted. It was a man, all right. Kind of looked like Brock, only a lot more muscular. And he had a Machamp’s legs.

“Bruno.” Lance said. “Brock and his pokemon fused in death. He is gone.”

The king bowed his head and sighed. Brock’s Item would have to find a new Holder than.

And Ash, worried, felt Charlotte clutch him, afraid. Because if it was the younger generation, she or Bob would be the one…

End chapter!

Started 12/9/03, completed 2/29/04