eden rising
yu-gi-oh! fanfiction
violet
ryuujitsu & co.
Disclaimer: We don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. *glaring at evil lawyers with their evil assistants and evil pencils and evil notepads and evil evidence*
A/N: Thanks for stopping by! We're warning you now, it's our first time writing in the YGO fanfiction section of this site. We're already well- trained in the area of writing fictions- -or, at least, the Fuu portion of this team is- -so you needn't fear such creatures like incorrect grammar or monsters such as inaccurate spellings, if you don't count the occasional slip-up. Truth be told, we're a bunch of idiots and that's that.
A/N: As for this story, there is yaoi, though it is in (perhaps?) the mildest of forms, because, along with being idiots and raving lunatics, we lean towards the more conservative edge of the scale. . .at least with pairings. ^_^' Not this story. We thought we should warn you.
Warning: Yaoi ahead! Yaoi ahead!! YAOI AHEAD!!! Or shounen-ai? @_@
Pairings go as follows: Ryou/Bakura, Malik/Yami Malik, Yugi/Yami Yugi, Seto/Shizuka, Jounouchi/Mai. . .
A/N: We'll be using their Japanese given names for the most part. A final warning. . .this story isn't PG13 for nothing. Language, for one thing. And maybe mature themes, and violence is a given. . .
We'll get to the story now. We've warned you! So HA!!!!! Oh, one more thing. The story starts out as a chat-room sort of thing, but after a few paragraphs it becomes an actual story. There's a rule about that, isn't there?
A/N: IT ISN'T A MARY-SUE!! I SWEAR TO GOD!!! *calms down* After you read the first few chapters, I think you'll start to understand why there're a few really odd, out-of-place paragraphs in the beginning of every episode! Please! Skip the damned thing even if you want! When you see the second (e)(d)(e)(n) marker, then it becomes YGO centered. Thank you.
Lastly, there's always an ITFTC, an Irrelevant Thought For The Chapter. Why? Random-ness and a whining Yami Fuu.
ITFTC:
"every man is a volume if you know how to read him"
~ a fortune cookie
(e)(d)(e)(n)
Midnight. Somewhere far away from the city of Domino. So far away that the two places had never existed at the same time every day, so far away that they shared neither similar locations nor similar dimensions. Somewhere. A city. In this city far away, two friends were communicating through the darkness that had long settled. Two friends who by all rights should know nothing of Domino, should know nothing of that world or the people who inhabited it- -
meloncrisp7: ????
ryuujitsu13: tell you in school; it's kinda long. Oh, I found a new pic of Kaiba today. *drooling* He's in his battle city arc outfit. The one with all the funky leather and metal!
meloncrisp7: *also drooling* really? I wanna see it.
ryuujitsu13: I'm bringing that 2 school 2.
meloncrisp7: Duhhhhrrrrr. . .or I'd kill u. and u know it. What's he doing in the pic?
ryuujitsu13: looking cute. ^_^' *sweatdrop* Doesn't he always?
meloncrisp7: Yeah, guess so. ^_^ *bouncing* I wanna see the pic! Can't you email it 2 me?
ryuujitsu13: yup, I'll do that. keep talking to me. I'm lonely. *grinning like the evil maniac she is* Oh, I have a new story idea. . .
meloncrisp7: email that to me 2, K?
ryuujitsu13: I can't, it isn't written yet. ^_^' MOERO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
meloncrisp7: stop quoting him. Dilandau is evil enough without encouragement.
ryuujitsu13: gomen, gomen. . .you'll have to forgive the fact that I *dramatic sniffle* am a fanfiction author *another tragic sniffle* and we are often prosecuted. . .*weeping* But I will rise from the ashes, I will triumph. . . Right, tragic last words. . .Et tu, Brute? *staggers tragically and dies* . . .
meloncrisp7: Just like the tragic hero, whom, with his tragic flaw, finally falls tragically to a tragic doom. *pokes ryuujitsu13 with a stick* Damn, not breathing. Okay, let's kick her to the hospital!!!
ryuujisu13: . . .*is still very very very dead*
meloncrisp7: *continues to poke ryuujitsu13 with stick* CLEAR!!!! *pause, poke* CLEAR!!!!!! *pause, poke* CLEAR!!!!!!!
These two friends were not quite as ordinary as the others they called classmates. Fingers flew on their keyboards as they tried to keep up with the speed of their irregular conversation. It was late, but neither slowed the rate of their typing as they talked of strange things like "anime" and "manga" and whatnot. The chat rolled on with the minutes.
It was late in this city far away from Domino. But neither cared. In this city far away from Domino, it was a well established fact that time stopped for no one.
Unless offered a "pretty please with a cherry on top," of course.
(e)(d)(e)(n)
Mutou Yugi sat curled up on a park bench under a poplar tree with his forearms resting on his knees, his tri-colored hair- -black, red, and gold- -waving gently in the breeze. Lazing beside him was a boy who was slightly taller, leaner, and perhaps a bit more deadly in appearance, but otherwise could have been his twin. Dark crimson eyes blinked at a loose strand of hair that the gel had failed to cement into place; Yugi, smiling a bit, reached up and pushed it back into line.
Both were dressed in identical outfits of black leather, adorned with metal and leather bands on both arms, one boy's plump, the other's muscular, extremely tight leather pants, boots, and particularly wide, rounded silver buckles decorated both slender throats. A mirror copy of the large golden pyramid that one wore hung around the other's neck by a chain- -(they had long realized that wearing huge pieces of jewelry that were close to being solid gold in public on thin leather strands was a bit foolish). The Sennen Puzzle.
One school jacket lay discarded on the ground beside them, and it was easy to see it was Yugi's, not only from size but from the nameplate that was pinned onto its collar. The dark one wore it like a cape, but now it was spring, now it was too warm, and so, he had thrown it haphazardly into the wind. It was only with luck that the jacket landed so close to them (and not in the duck pond, either).
Even without the school uniform, the dark one made quite a sight, decked from head to toe in his leather getup, metal rings and buckles jingling and clinking together quietly as the wind danced through and against them, but Yugi's appearance also demanded some attention. He would throw his sweet smile out at the passing crowds and blink so innocently with his large purple eyes that schoolgirls going by would often pause to exclaim over both of them as they sat in a cherry-blossom breeze, ask if they were brothers, or least goggle openly from a distance as Yugi beamed cutely and the dark one looked out at them with soulful blood-red orbs from beneath his bangs.
The dark one adored Yugi's smile. It was that smile, those delicious amethyst eyes, the dark one said in sultry tones, when he saw that no one was watching, that wars were begun for.
Yugi blushed and shrugged and snuggled back into the dark one's warmth and decided to ignore the world for a little. The gang would be coming shortly, but the two still had some time before they did. The dark one caught this thought, chuckled and said something in a low voice, and Yugi made a sound that was somewhere between a squeak and a gasp.
"Yami!" he spluttered, flushing a deeper scarlet than before, until he was more red than his Yami's eyes, "what did I tell you about saying those things in public?! And keep your hands away from my ass, thanks!" he added sharply, scooting to the other side of the bench hastily as he noticed where his Yami was looking.
"There was no one to hear us, aibou," Yami no Yugi said sulkily, pouting good-naturedly. He was more than a little disappointed but not about to voice his frustration, as he saw that Yugi was already 'more than a little' upset.
"How do you know? This isn't Egypt, you know," Yugi said reproachfully, still blushing. "You're not exactly High Pharaoh of Lower and Upper Egypt, Living God or whatever anymore. Someone might have at least seen us, if not heard us. We need to be more careful. Isn't that what you told me?"
"Well. . .yes. . ." Yami admitted grudgingly, still looking reluctant to halt his pursuit of Yugi's rear end. "But. . ."
"But?" Yugi's wide eyes stared up at him, still reprimanding.
Yami no Yugi ground his teeth, struggling silently with himself. He was Pharaoh. Pharaoh always got what he wanted. But, on the one hand, there was Yugi, looking perturbed and mildly angry and frightened and sad. On the other hand, there was Yugi, looking oh-so-adorable, with his huge purple eyes and almost trembling lip and soft hair and silky skin and sweet taste and. . . On the other hand- -wait, he didn't have three hands, did he. Did he?
Get a grip, he told himself firmly. Nooooo. . .he did not have fifteen fingers, therefore he did not have three hands. Similarly, he did not have fifteen fingernails, so he couldn't have fifteen fingers, and, hence, he couldn't possibly have three- -
//Yami?// said Yugi timidly, through their link. He jumped, but continued counting his fingers. . .no, he did not have three hands. . .but, but, but. . .
"Ah, screw it," he finally said out loud, and proceeded to kiss his aibou silly, while Yugi alternately squeaked and made the most interesting noises deep in his throat, kind of like gasps that were undecided as to whether they were purrs or whimpers- -
"Ano. . .am I interrupting something?" came a shy, hesitating voice somewhere near Yugi's right. Yugi squealed in fright and Yami sighed in further disappointment, and they moved apart from each other.
Ryou stood there uncertainly, clutching the snacks he had agreed to bring to his white sweater. He was blushing, perhaps even more so than Yugi. For an awkward moment, no one spoke. Then, Yami cleared his throat fairly loudly, causing the other two to jump.
"Ahem. . .sort of." With that growl, the dark one turned from Yugi and folded his arms, and, having been interrupted twice, was obviously now in a bad temper.
//Later,// said Yugi to Yami, with a wink. Yami brightened and tightened his grip possessively on Yugi's arm. Ryou saw the pause, saw Yugi's eyes glaze over for a silver of a second, and understood something had transpired in that tiny piece of time. He didn't know what Yugi had said through the link, but it must have been something, because Yami no Yugi had quite visibly cheered up.
"Sorry. . ." said Ryou again softly, in his quietly lilting speech. He would not voice his jealousy. But, to be terribly frank, he envied the bond between those two, and often wished that he, too, might be granted a Yami as kind and thoughtful, and- -gulp!- -seductively beautiful as Yami no Yugi. Unlike Malik, Yugi had probably gotten the better deal. He had a Yami who was not only sane, but never hurt him, and probably cared more for the well-being of a finger of Yugi's hand than he did himself.
Not to say that Malik's Yami was any different. He, too, guarded his aibou with obsessive care, treating him like a porcelain doll that might shatter at any given second, and, as they had learned with some surprise, also treated Malik with a few kisses here and there. (They were also surprised that Isis tolerated this sudden change in her brother's interests.) Nevertheless, Yami no Malik could be very. . .unpredictable. . .at times, Ryou reflected, shifting his grip on the packaged goods.
Oh, he desperately wanted a Yami like Yugi's to keep him company while his father was out on trips, but the Eden/Kaibacorp-funded archaeological expeditions were going rather slowly- -even Isis had admitted that they were having difficulties with red tape- -and new Sennen Items had yet to be found.
Not that a new object would matter, some- -like Isis' Sennen Tauk- -would be found devoid of a spirit. After all, it was exactly as Yami no Yugi had told them- -only three spirits had been sealed; himself, Yami no Malik, and the final, a Tomb Robber. Even so, they had only a few more to track down, and Ryou was certain at least one of these items would contain this "Tomb Robber." He wondered, absently, if "Tomb Robber" would be like Yami no Yugi, or else Yami no Malik, and hoped that it might be somewhere in between- -leaning towards the Yami no Yugi side of the scale, of course.
Even then, though, they normally drew lots, so there was a chance that he might never receive an item, spirit or no spirit.
They. Eden Rising, a group dedicated to the finding and protecting of the Sennen Items as well as rare cards, and a rare-odd group it was indeed. Eden was composed mainly of school-children and mystics, spirits and mages, a dancer and a billionaire. Why Kaiba-san had agreed to fund the project in the beginning was a complete mystery. Well, to be frank, Seto Kaiba himself was shrouded in mystery, a true enigma of a young man. Ryou knew enough of Kaiba to understand that the other personality was young, rich, cold, distant, miserly, and cruel- -to a point. He sighed mentally. Malik and his Yami were both nearly insane. And he, Ryou, daydreamed on, oblivious to the world and living in his own happy dimension. Two madmen and a dreaming idiot. Eden Rising was not an appropriate name for them.
"Ryou? Ne, Ryou-kun?" Yugi waved a hand in front of the other boy's face. "Still there?"
Ryou started violently, unconsciously bringing his fists up. He blinked, noticing, as if for the first time, Yugi and Yami sitting there watching him. "Eh? Yugi? What?" He faltered under Yami no Yugi's gaze. Gods, but those eyes. . . They frightened him. They charmed him and smiled at him and frightened him so badly that he wanted to run, but he knew he was too far in and- -
"G-gomen," he managed weakly, rooted to the spot, enticed by those eyes, like a moth to a flame. He would not get burned. He would not get. . .
His own eyes were soft green, the complete opposite of Yami no Yugi's. He didn't like green eyes very much, and had been constantly wishing that he had received his mother's eyes, which had been very deeply violet and very much like Yugi's. His sister, Amane, had had violet eyes. But no, he, Ryou Bakura, was stuck with his father's green eyes as well as the man's surname. He didn't care for his father. . .no, not at all. . .
"Ano. . .isn't anyone else coming?" he finally mumbled, his face heating, as he realized that both Yami and Yugi were still watching him intently. He babbled on. "Because I- -uh- -brought all this food and- -uh- -well- -"
"Well, Mai, Jounouchi, Shizuka, Honda, Malik and Yami no Malik all said they'd come," Yugi interrupted swiftly, smiling a little. He knew the effect his Yami had on people, and he was proud of it. "Isis-san is in Egypt with Shadi; they're still working on the red tape, she said. Otogi. . .well, I guess he's out at a game conference for his Dungeon Dice. Anzu is in America- -"
"- -good riddance," muttered Yami no Yugi quietly under his breath. Yugi heard him anyway and elbowed him swiftly.
"- -studying ballet. Yami, be nice." Be nice. Yes, Yugi was always such a wonderful, sweet, kind-hearted person. . .he would never be able to hurt anyone. It was this innocence, Ryou thought, that Yami saw in his aibou; this innocence that Yami craved. He had no trouble believing that Yami no Yugi would kill to keep his aibou as pure as possible. Similarly, thought Ryou again, in Yami no Malik, Malik saw freedom. He clung to this independence, believed in it, believed in his Yami. Ryou sighed aloud this time, shifting his grip on the packages for the third time. Where were the others?
Another question stirred in his mind. "Ne, Yugi, what about Kaiba? You didn't mention him. . ."
At the sound of Kaiba's name, Ryou swore to Ra that Yami's hackles, had he hackles, rose as he snarled. Yugi mirrored Ryou's earlier sigh with his own. "I asked, but he very impolitely declined."
"Oh," said Ryou, as Yami no Yugi raged in Egyptian and Yugi tried to calm him down. Ryou watched them for a moment, and wondered vaguely if Yugi knew anything about the location of the Sennen Ring and if that was what this meeting was about. He knew the only reason Yami let Kaiba live was because Yugi didn't want him killing anyone. And Yami would do anything for Yugi. That was a fact of life, and he had already accepted it. He didn't really have a choice, not with those dark, dark eyes pinning him to the spot. . .
Someone seized Ryou around the neck and mussed up his hair as they did. "Ryou-chan!!" smiled Kajaku Mai, releasing him and holding him at arm's length, "long time no see!!!"
"Yes," mumbled Ryou, trying to fix his hair, "a whole two hours, what a tragedy of separation. . ."
Mai laughed. It was a rich sound, and it cascaded over his ears like a waterfall of gold. "I know, I know, horribly tragic. So, Yugi, I'm here. Where's everyone else?"
Yugi sighed once more. Ryou noticed Yami's arm pulling the boy closer, and Yugi offered no resistance. "Absolutely no idea. I guess they had a hard time getting off from work. . .or detention."
He added the last bit of information hesitantly, but gave Mai a significant look. Mai sighed, too. "Jounouchi's in detention again," she said flatly, more to herself than any of the others. She sighed again, shook her head, and grinned. "What an idiot! What did he do this time?"
"Forgot his homework in three classes, was late to school several times in succession, bad-mouthed teachers to their faces. . .I think they let him off lightly. He's probably somewhere around the school dusting off chalkboards," Yugi said brightly.
"Oi, Yugi!!"
The four already standing under the poplar turned in time to see Shizuka and Malik jogging towards them, Honda not far behind.
"Sorry we're late," panted Shizuka, "but that old bat Watabe was prowling around and we didn't want to- -get- -caught- -!" she fell into the grass, exhausted but grinning. "Ran all the way," she added, after she caught her breath.
"Man, that Watabe can run," Honda moaned, bending over and puffing. "She's fat as hell, but does that stop her? Noooo. . ." he let his breath out in a long sigh, took another deep gulp of air, appeared fully recovered after a few seconds, and, with Shizuka's help, began to set up the picnic cloth he had agreed to bring.
It was Malik and his Yami, who had appeared a few seconds after in a flash of golden light, who were the cause of concern. Malik was rolling around on the grass, chortling so hard they were afraid he couldn't breathe, and Yami Malik wasn't helping the problem by starting to kiss the near- hysterical Malik breathless- -he had no air in his lungs to lose in the beginning. . .
Yami no Yugi pounded Malik hard on the back for several minutes, after which Malik's face lost the disturbingly blue color it had been carrying for some time. He fell forward into the grass coughing and gasping for air. Yami no Malik was giggling until he noticed the unhealthy blue of Malik's face, and subsequently decided to give Malik mouth-to- mouth. . .which also did not help.
When relative calm had been restored, Yugi tried to speak, but was interrupted again as Jounouchi came tearing down the street.
"Damn that Watabe," he was grumbling, though he wasn't panting as much as the others had been. "Sorry, Yug, but I was in deten- -er. . ."
He'd caught sight of Mai and seemed to have lost his tongue for a moment. When he finally did recover, he began to stammer madly. "E-e-eh- ehr. . .h-h-h-h-h-hi, M-M-Mai. . ."
Mai managed to keep a straight face. "Hello, Jou," she said sweetly, pretending not to notice how red his face had become. "What's new? Did you have fun dusting?" she added, seeing his chalk-covered clothing.
"Y-y-yeah. . ." he said, staring at a hole in his sneaker. Yugi saved him further embarrassment by turning to the group assembled before him in the grass.
"I guess we're all here now," he said, clapping his hands together. "Okay. Um, I'm not exactly sure where to start. . ."
Jounouchi had seen the packages in Ryou's arms. "Oi, Ryou, is that food?" He didn't wait for Ryou's nod of assent and tore the packs open. "Then what're you waiting for? Let's eat!!" And with that, the food spilled from Jou's hands onto the picnic cloth. They dug in eagerly, and Ryou was relieved- -the packages had been slipping before Jou grabbed them.
"E-eh. . ." Yugi sagged with another sigh, accepting the strawberry Pocky that Honda tossed at him. "Forget it. . ."
"Where's Seto?" asked a naïve Shizuka, munching happily on a rice cake. "Wasn't he going to be here? I saw him in school, so he isn't sick. . ." She faltered to a halt when she noticed both her brother and Yami growling.
"More's the pity," Honda said, swallowing. Ryou wondered how Honda never seemed to have to chew. The brown-haired boy turned to Yugi. "He should be here; it's his damned Eden project. . ."
"I did ask him," Yugi said quietly. "He more or less told me to go to hell, and hung up. I assumed he was in a bad mood. . ."
"Duhhhrr. . ." said Jounouchi. "That snake. . ."
"He isn't coming?" Shizuka said. "Aww. . ." She paused again between bites as everyone stopped eating to stare at her. "What?" she said. "We got assigned lab partners in science, and he's mine. . .oh, never mind," she muttered, when blank stares and hostile phrases were all the others produced. "I only thought we could discuss our project together. . ."
"On the bright side," Honda began.
"There is no bright side!!" groaned Jou. "That freak billionaire's gonna make a move on my sister, I know it!!!"
"On the bright side," said Honda again, "that gives you another reason to hate him."
Jou stopped his angry chuntering, considered the suggestion, and finally nodded. "Guess you're right," he told his friend. "Shizuka, if he even touches you, I'll beat him up."
"And get yourself massacred?" Mai said, incredulous. "Jeez, Jou."
"Why can't you guys be nice to him? He's really a great person!!!" Shizuka interjected angrily. When faced again with blank stares, she backed down. "Er. . .I think. . .?"
"Look, let's get to the point," Yugi said impatiently. No one listened. The babble about Kaiba went on, rising in volume as Jou started yelling out the things that made Seto Kaiba such a pig-headed jerk.
"QUIET!!!!" roared Yami no Yugi and sufficiently stunned everyone into silence.
"Thanks, Yami," said Yugi gratefully. He turned back to the gaping friends. "Um, what I was trying to say earlier, is that Isis thinks they've found the Sennen Ring, but it belongs to some collector, and. . .uh. . ." He'd noticed everyone watching him and wavered to a halt.
Ryou perked up. "A new Item? Really?"
The Sennen Ring. Suddenly, the prospect of having his own Yami seemed much closer than before. This "Tomb Robber" would be his. Tomb Robber, Tomb Robber, he sang to himself, and imagined him. He would have white hair, like Ryou, and it would tumble with wild abandon down his shoulders. He would be lean, dangerous, over-protective. What color would his eyes be?
Green, probably. Ryou sighed.
"Yes," Yugi said. "Shadi's calling a meeting on Friday at the Kaibacorp mansion. . .the usual."
"So Kaiba-kun will be there? Ooh!!" squealed Shizuka. She blushed. "Er, I mean. . .awww. . ."
Yami and Yugi exchanged looks. From the sly expression on Mai's face, she hadn't missed Shizuka's slip-up either. But neither had the rest. Malik and his Yami resumed their laughter, Jounouchi glowered, and Honda appeared faintly amused.
"That's pretty much why I called you guys here. . ."
"Sennen Ring, eh?" said Malik, with an odd look, while Yami no Malik performed his own little dance routine, the gold of their Sennen Rod flashing in the April sunlight.
"Hmmm. . .wonder who'll get it?" said Mai, tilting her head to the left. She addressed the question to Honda, but Jou answered readily.
"Hope it ain't Kaiba, that slimy- -"
"'Nii-chan, be nice!!!"
"Why're you defending him all of a sudden?"
"I- -I'm not defending him!!!"
"Sennen Ring" was the topic of the hour. Jou and Mai got into a long conversation/argument over its power while Honda listened, bemused. Malik composed a short ditty about it, and Yami no Malik choreographed, and together, they forced Yugi, Yami no Yugi, and Ryou into doing the dance with them.
Shizuka sighed and looked dreamy. Ryou was distinctly sure that he had heard her singing Kaiba's first name with Malik's tune.
Jounouchi noticed.
So began the fireworks.
(e)(d)(e)(n)
Ryou let his pen fall from his fingers and slumped over his textbook. Yugi looked at him strangely. He couldn't understand what Ryou was saying- -it sounded something like "Argul! Gloog! Blub!" The white-haired boy banged his head on the desk for a few moments, then rose fairly quickly and strode to the other end of the room.
He had now decided that it was near impossible to focus on geometry while combating jet-lag. He was sick of his homework, sick of hitting mosquitoes before they could bite him, sick of feeling sleepy, and sick of watching Yami and Yugi make out on the bed- -
He stomped over to the mirror and stared at himself. He could also see that, behind him, Yami no Yugi (who was probably delighted to be back in his native Egypt) had just pounced on his Hikari and the two were now engaged in a very desperate game of tonsil hockey. Flushing to the tips of his ears, he forced himself to look only at his reflection.
A pale, white-haired boy stared fearfully out at him. Green eyes blinked sleepily. Ryou gnashed his teeth. He hated his eyes. He hated his father. He hated this gods-damned heat!!
They were all staying in Shadi's huge Egyptian mansion, which, with its alabaster pillars and jewel-encrusted walls, put Kaiba's home to shame.
Malik, his Yami, and Isis were sharing a room, and everyone was ignoring the shrill "MALIK!!! KEEP YOUR YAMI AWAY FROM THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES!!!!!" that screamed down the hallway every now and then. Kaiba had insisted quite furiously on his own room, and Jounouchi was equally reluctant to share one with him, so, to soften the blow, Shadi finally agreed Honda could be Jounouchi's roommate, but insinuated ever-so-slyly that Kaiba was bound to end up sharing a room with Shizuka- -
Jounouchi exploded, knocked Kaiba against a wall, and threatened him severely. Kaiba, in turn, retaliated with a swift "puppy" comment and smiled triumphantly when Shizuka berated her brother and ran to Kaiba's aid. Jounouchi had stalked away, seething- -
Or, at least, he had tried to stalk away seething. He wasn't watching where he was heading and crashed into the wall. After which Kaiba couldn't resist tossing another few "puppy" jokes after him. Ryou, tugging at his sweater and wishing for something cooler to wear, remembered the chaos that had followed and shuddered. But calm returned when a disgruntled Yami, who had had his hair pulled one time too many in the melee, bellowed that anyone else who made a sound would have their souls sent to the Shadow Realm.
Ryou flicked a loose strand of hair out of his eyes. He didn't exactly consider a sudden trip to Egypt on a Kaibacorp concord jet a "usual meeting," but here he was. He hadn't even been given time to pack, which was why he was sweating to death in his heavy white sweater. Glaring at his frail reflection, he continued uttering the chant of "Argul! Gloog! Blub!" every few seconds.
Yugi had finally shoved Yami away long enough to speak. "Er, Ryou-kun? Are you okay?"
"Fine, fine!!" Ryou said, in a higher-pitched voice than he had intended. "It's just a bit warm, you know! I can't concentrate! That's ALL!!!" He was shouting by the time he'd finished, and instantly sorry. It wasn't Yugi's fault that he was standing in a giant mansion somewhere in the middle of Cairo dying of heat stroke.
He hadn't even had time to bring his writing materials. . .his characters would have to wait a bit longer. And his main character had finally come to light! He'd given her a slightly exotic name- -Simone. Her friends were Claudia and Hashana and Lauren, and- -
He shook his head, trying to clear it. "Sorry, Yugi. It's just. . .I'm kind of bored."
Yugi smiled mysteriously. "I don't think you'll be bored any longer when Shadi announces the news. . ."
Ryou blinked. He sat down on the bed opposite of Yugi, and eyed the smaller boy suspiciously. "What do you mean?" he asked, pulling his knees to his chest.
Yugi followed suit, and Yami stretched out behind him. "Well, I think your chance at a Sennen Item is finally here. I overheard Shadi talking to Isis earlier and he was saying something about you and the Ring being Destined or whatever, so they would play with destiny and draw lots. If he was right, you'd get picked anyhow. . ." Yugi faltered. "Or something."
"Tomb Robber. . ." said Ryou, wonderingly. He wasn't certain he liked the sound of it.
"He was a violent one," Yami no Yugi said thoughtfully, "as I recall."
"Mm-hm," mumbled Yugi in agreement.
Yami wrapped his arms around his aibou and purred something into his ear. Yugi blushed beet-red, as did Ryou, who had caught a slight whisper of what Yami had been saying. Yugi sighed.
"Honestly. . .no, not now, Yami. . .hey! Yami- -!!! Don't touch that- -!!!" he gasped and tried to scramble away. Tried. Yami caught his aibou with relative ease and pulled him closer. Ryou tried to ignore the fact that Yugi had lately taken to sitting on Yami's lap instead of furniture. The thought had just occurred to him from somewhere.
Ryou, he told himself, you have a sick mind. Or at least a sick subconscious.
Yami threw him a look from over Yugi's head, and Ryou understood what the spirit was trying to say.
"Um. . .I'm gonna go. . .er. . .check on. . .er. . .the scenery! Yes, that's right," he maundered. "Um, see you around, Yugi!!"
He ducked out the door with the image of Yami kissing a giggling Yugi burned deep in his mind. He sighed to himself and felt his cheeks burning, and rubbed them while berating himself. He'd probably run into a drunk Yami no Malik and Malik enjoying themselves somewhere down the hall. And Yami no Malik would also give him the "leave us alone now" look, and he would go away. Everyone was forming couples. . .pretty soon, he'd be the only one left. Not that it mattered.
Ryou meandered down the hallway, looking at the softly glowing wall sconces and wishing violently for a Yami of his own. If not to cuddle with, then at least to keep him company. His father. . .he ground his teeth. His father was out on a trip again and probably didn't even know Ryou was in Egypt. His father wouldn't care. His father never cared. . .
Being alone kind of hurt. Being alone without his books or writing to take him away into his dream world stung. Well, more like the "sting" of having a ten foot broadsword shoved up. . .well, you know.
At least it was cooler in the hallway.
What Yugi had said about the Sennen Ring was bothering him. Destiny, eh? He wasn't so sure. . .
(e)(d)(e)(n)
Isis called them down to the temple room. She waited patiently with Shadi by her side, until they had settled down, then began speaking in a soft, slightly accented voice.
"I thank you for coming. . ." she said. She had blue eyes. Intensely blue eyes, so much blue that Ryou's own eyes stung and he looked at the ground, unable to keep eye-contact with her. Her dark hair, normally worn without any ornaments, was now plaited into many strands with what seemed to be thousands of tiny red and blue gems as well as gold chains. The Sennen Tauk was, as usual, at her throat. She wore linen, a neat, white-yellow hue that contrasted well with her dark skin.
Ryou noticed that Malik, too, was dressed in a linen tunic of sorts. He remembered hearing the row that the two had been having earlier about Malik's sense of style. The blond boy was still clearly very angry about it; he stood with his arms folded and refused to look at his sister.
Ryou wanted to wear linen. It looked much more comfortable than what he was wearing. . .
". . .The heat will lift when we reach the catacombs," Isis was saying quietly. Ryou nearly sagged with relief. "However, as it will cool down substantially, the chosen recipient of the Sennen Item may be a little cold. . ."
Kaiba's absence was noted, and no one commented (it had been expected), until they also realized that Shizuka, too, was missing.
Jounouchi leapt up, fuming. "That bastard!! He's going to take advantage of her! I'm gonna kick his useless ass!!!!!" He turned and thundered out of the room. A bellowed "KAIBA!!!!!!!!" echoed after him. Everyone in the room jumped to their feet and followed.
They had not gotten a few steps up when Shizuka's cry drifted down to them. Instantly they quieted, listening intently. Kaiba's low voice could be heard saying something, and Jounouchi was a loud presence in the background, what with his yelling and shouting.
"'Nii-chan!!! That was part of our project!!"
"Yes, it was, Katsuya. . .until you stepped on it."
"You! SHUT UP!! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANYTHING FROM YOU!!!! YOU'RE A SICK FREAK!! LEAVE MY SISTER THE HELL ALONE!!!!"
"What are you going to do about it, pup?"
A huge noise. One of the boys had just rushed at the other and bowled the "project" over, by the sound of it. The group listening gave one collective wince and groan.
"'Nii-chan. . .!!!! No! Stop!! 'Nii-chan!! Kaiba-kun!! Stop it!!!" At that point, Honda and Yami no Yugi ran upstairs. More shouting was heard, then quiet. Kaiba came down first, with Shizuka following not too far behind. She looked distinctly furious, as did Kaiba.
Jounouchi had to be restrained. Honda and Yami Yugi hung on to his arms for dear life.
"'Nii-chan, that took us HOURS to build!!!" yelled Shizuka. Two pink spots had appeared in her cheeks.
"You- -!" said Kaiba, who was so angry it seemed he was, for the moment, at a loss for better insults.
"SO EXPLAIN TO ME HOW YOU ENDED UP ON TOP OF HER!!!!!!!!!!!!" screeched Jounouchi, who was trembling with rage. The group listening gave now a collective gasp. Shizuka flushed, Kaiba was innocently puzzled, and Jounouchi, catching the guilty expressions, drew himself up to his full height and grew more angry.
"I was not on top of her," snarled Kaiba, who finally got himself under control again. He was sporting a nasty bruise on his cheek, and, from the look of it, the pain was not helping him keep his temper in check. "You're near-sighted, Katsuya. Dimwitted puppy," he added with a sneer.
"Why I oughta break your- -"
"SILENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" boomed Yami no Yugi.
Collective silence.
"Thank you," Isis said sharply, before she could be interrupted again. She spoke quickly, with a quelling glance at Jounouchi. "Now, we'll be drawing lots. If you can all return to the main room quietly and with some order, we will begin immediately!"
Shadi spoke for the first time. "Ryou. . .may I have a word?"
(e)(d)(e)(n)
Ryou followed Shadi curiously down another hallway, past some statues and hieroglyphs, all of which meant nothing to him. The Egyptian turned to him after they had turned into another room. Ryou blinked. Those eyes were also unnerving. . .
But he couldn't tear his gaze away. Besides, he was intrigued.
"The others will be drawing lots, of course, but what they do not know, is that all the straws are long. You, Ryou, are, perhaps, a special case. As I recall, many years ago. . ." his eyes were saddened. "Special case," he repeated, more to himself. "It won't be the same."
"Er. . ."
"Sorry. What I'm saying is, the Sennen Ring is yours. . ."
Ryou's heart leapt somewhere into his throat with anxiety. "You aren't lying?" he said quickly. "You aren't pulling my leg? I- -it's really- -mine?"
"It has always been." Shadi's eyes unfocused just the slightest bit. Ryou was torn between running away and singing. "The only thing is. . .he may remember. . ."
"Er?" said Ryou again.
"It isn't like the others. . ." Shadi trailed off, sighed, and turned back. "Be careful. Ryou. . .he's. . .he's been trapped in this Ring for centuries. . ."
Ryou had never seen Shadi falter before. The dark Egyptian had always been calm, never once succumbing to emotion. And now. . .what was wrong with him? Why was he so nervous? "Are you saying that he's dangerous?" Ryou asked, feeling afraid. Only a bit, though. His excitement had pretty much overruled any fears.
"Aren't they all?" countered Shadi, recovered at last. "Go now, join the others. Isis will have informed them of the circumstances by now."
"Er. . ." said Ryou for the third time. "What about the costume and stuff?" He'd seen both Yugi and Malik change into linen outfits. . .
"Pomp and ceremony." Ryou was certain that, for a moment, Shadi had smiled sadly at him. The smile was gone before he could fully understand its significance. "You won't need it."
"Oh." Ryou was beginning to feel incredibly uneasy. What was so special about this "case" that Shadi would pull him aside to speak to him? What was so special about this "case" that they were drawing false lots?
"Good luck," said Shadi. "I wish you the best with him. And remember, should he ever harm you, come to us."
Ryou relaxed. This was something Shadi had told Yugi and Malik before. So nothing was completely different. He looked the direction Shadi had gestured, and was shocked to find that the main room was somehow right there. He looked back at Shadi.
"What did you- -"
"This mansion is an odd place. Come now, we must not keep them waiting," Shadi said. His voice echoed hollowly around the corridor, attacking Ryou from all around. Ryou took one look at the shadows dancing eerily around him and quite agreed.
(e)(d)(e)(n)
Ryou entered the catacomb with best wishes from most sitting there- -even Kaiba. He suddenly understood that the situation must be incredibly grave- -or so he thought- -if Seto Kaiba, Mr. I-Hate-You-And-the-World would wish him luck. Of course, Kaiba did say "Break a leg," so he supposed that it wasn't quite as serious. . .
Yugi squeezed his hand and grinned at him. "It's not that bad, really!" he said, in a reassuring voice. Ryou nodded numbly, swallowed, and turned. He started walking, Isis not far ahead of him, waiting with a torch. She was his guide, he realized, and hurried to keep up.
Together, they vanished into the darkness of the tunnel. Yugi and company watched until the light faded from view.
"I don't believe it. . ." Yugi said slowly, turning stunned eyes to the others, who looked equally disbelieving. Even Kaiba was slightly disturbed by the thought. What Isis had told them was not only depressing, but had left them all with a terrible sense of foreboding.
Kaiba had one arm around Shizuka, who was looking aghast, and Jounouchi was too shocked about the news to notice them.
"Wow. How can he walk to his fate so easily?" Mai said, for once, neither joking nor sarcastic.
"They didn't tell him," Kaiba said softly. "D'you think he would've gone along with it if he knew?"
"That's horrible!" said Shizuka. Kaiba tightened his arm around her. "How could they do such a thing?"
"You saw Isis' face," said Yami no Yugi grimly. "She didn't want to. She kept saying that things might turn out differently this time. . .and besides, we need the Spirit fully functional to meet the threat."
"Rare Hunters," spat Malik. "I can't believe I used to head them." Yami no Malik scowled darkly at the phrase, nodding emphatically with whatever Malik said.
"Well. . .whatever happens, let's hope for the best. . ." said Yugi faintly. Yami no Yugi glanced at him with concern.
"We'll help them whenever they need it. . ." Shizuka said determinedly. Kaiba nodded, taking Shizuka's hand with his own. Jounouchi finally noticed and offered a weak "Get your hands off my sister," but it sounded flat to everyone's ears, even his own. They sat in silence, and waited.
//Tomb Robber may be evil, but he would never- -// Yami no Yugi sent to Yugi. Yugi nodded, sighed, and shook his head.
//I want to believe you. . .but. . .I can't, Yami.//
(e)(d)(e)(n)
Isis left him in front of a grand temple room. It was probably once part of a tomb, Ryou thought speculatively. She, too, wished him luck before leaving, and he could've sworn he'd seen tears in her eyes.
He ran a hand down an alabaster pillar admiringly. The ages had failed to touch this area, and it stood with splendor, reflecting the light from the torches around him. Inside, however, it was relatively empty, but for what looked like a table in the middle of the room. He stepped across the dust of time and brushed dirt from his clothing.
Ryou smoothed his hair. Should he have left it wild and unkempt? Maybe "Tomb Robber" would like that. He didn't quite know. Isis had insisted on the "pomp and ceremony"- -was it only to delay him? Well, at any rate, he stood now in front of the rosewood table, shivering slightly in his linen and staring at the golden object that was the Sennen Ring before him.
It was a work of art- -a perfect circle, probably three or four centimeters thick and seven centimeters in diameter, from which hung seven points. He vaguely remembered something about there being seven Sennen Items. The memory was his, and yet, not his.
"Put it on. . ." he mumbled to himself, recalling Isis' parting instructions. He touched it, felt a shock of power, and, even more interesting, the feeling was familiar. He'd known this ring before, perhaps in another life. It was tinged with sadness, the memory. Ryou gulped.
A sleeping boy had appeared on the long table before him. That wasn't what had frightened him, though- -
This sleeping boy was wearing only a loincloth. Ryou gazed at the other's lean musculature and was envious, but also wondering what it might feel like having those long, slender fingers locked in his hair and pulling him close. . .
He shook his head. Focus, baka, he told himself. This was the spirit of the ring. No innocently slumbering angel, but a demon some four thousand years old. Was he dead? No. . .he was definitely asleep; Ryou could see his chest rising and falling slowly.
He didn't snore, though. Ryou noticed this and blushed as he realized exactly where his train of thought was leading. His earlier mumbles of "Argul! Gloog! Blub!!" came to mind and managed to bring him back to reality as he flushed with embarrassment. Imagine what this "Tomb Robber" would've said, had he heard him!!
His hair was a mane and terribly tangled, and as white as Ryou's own. Ryou wanted to touch the matted hair and see if it really was as soft as it looked. Whoever this was, he was practically Ryou's twin. Ryou laughed at himself. Silly. Obviously. This was Ryou's Yami. Finally!! His very own Yami. . .to keep him company. . .
The spirit stirred and turned over in his sleep with a soft moan, giving Ryou a better view of his face. He had long, dark eyelashes, sooty against the white of his skin. Mesmerized by the appearance of this dark angel, Ryou stretched out his fingers, curious and wanting. . .
Because, this "Tomb Robber," or whoever he was- -he was beautiful. There was no other word for it. Then, without warning, a hand- -the spirit's hand- -flashed up and captured Ryou's wrist.
The spirit's eyes snapped open. Ryou stared.
He had violet eyes.
(e)(d)(e)(n)
Darkness. Time hurtled by him as he raved to himself in silence. He didn't care anymore. . .no, he didn't care anymore. . .
It was cold and it was dark and it was quiet, but he didn't care. He sat and rocked himself back and forth on his heels, sang a lullaby and squeezed his eyes shut against the blackness, his hands clutching his wrists exerting so much pressure that they bled. . .
He missed the chaos he had left behind. He missed the fact that he couldn't see how much chaos he had managed to cause before his imprisonment. He missed what he had left behind in general. . .especially someone.
Anger rose up unbidden, hysteria along with it. He throttled both down savagely, steeling his nerves. Curses! How dare they imprison him within this contraption? He had tried and tried and tried to escape, and to his horror, he was truly, truly, truly trapped. Time rolled on as he alternately raged and wept and laughed at his invisible captors- -Insanity, Dementia, Corruption, Greed.
Where was he? Who was he? What was he?
A wild laugh rose in his throat. His fingernails were leaving bloody half-moons in his palms, but he didn't care, he couldn't feel it anyway. . .
Why?
He hated remembering. So he didn't try. . .because it was painful. He didn't like that kind of pain. . .
The Tomb Robber sat in darkness and waited. Was he sane? Was it possible to leap off the cliff into insanity more than once? Possibly. He didn't know. He didn't know and he didn't care. . .
The Tomb Robber slept. He'd spent most of this time sleeping, sleeping away the pain and the hurt and the betrayal, sleeping and dreaming and not caring anymore, never caring anymore. . .
Why?
He curled into a fetal position and mumbled about nothing-ness, counted the people he'd killed on his fingers, and ceased to move when he realized that a person only had ten fingers. It was cold, it was dark, it was too quiet, and he didn't give a damn. Where was he? Sleep came slowly, and he smiled to himself. Another day spent in darkness. What fun! The sarcasm in his thought was so heavy he felt smothered by it.
Fun. He could vaguely recall a time when things had actually been fun. . .
And then. . .here. Trapped in never-ending darkness and reduced to a babbling, whimpering, weak mass of putty. Weak. Weak. Yes, he was weak. He hated weakness. Hated it and was, for some incredible reason. . .too fond of it. Why?
He closed his eyes against the silence and begged for someone to end it. Why be stuck here for eternity when he could have his heart eaten by the gate guardian in the Underworld? Oh yes, he definitely was looking forward to that. . .
He was drowning in a pool of sarcasm. Like caustic acid, his ironical statements wrapped around him and dragged them down into their depths. But what did you expect a person eternally entrapped in a magical prison to do? Play poker?
His previous occupation had called down the wrath of the gods. Was he sorry now? No. Of course not. He'd do it again. . .but. But. That certain someone. . .they weren't supposed to die. . .his fault. . .his fault, all his fault. . .
He would sleep for another millennia. Then they would see. . .he would find a way out, he would avenge himself, avenge his angel. . .
Yes. . .he let his breath escape in a hiss and wondered, fleetingly, if he would ever feel his own heartbeat again. Soon he was drifting away on an errant breeze, helpless for the dream-winds to do with him as they pleased.
But the sleep he had been expecting was called away. . .
He felt, rather than heard, something. Someone treading softly towards him. . .someone. . .
That someone. . .oh, gods. . .the place where he ought to have had a heart ached along with his throat. Why was he remembering now? No. He didn't want to remember. He never wanted to remember. Remembering was painful.
But he did. . .he remembered blood and how sweet it tasted as his enemies fell around him. He remembered. . .
Death. Death all around. And then- -
No. Dear gods, no!! He saw the body falling again, heard himself screaming again, felt the other's dead, dead skin against his hands as he sobbed and begged and pleaded and knew it was no good. . .
He knew what happened next. A twinge in his side. . .he knew, he knew, he didn't want to be reminded. But- -pain welling up, twinge growing into ache growing into gash into endless blackness. . .
And then. . .here.
Dreaming. He was only dreaming- -
Gods. He opened his eyes and winced at the light that flooded him. Gods. Light. Where was he? Tomb Robber blinked a few times, trying to see, squinting at the startled face before him.
Gods.
No.
The feelings he had bottled up for who-knows-how-long came rushing back when he saw those eyes. Green eyes. Familiar green eyes. Frightened green eyes.
No. . .no. . .don't be frightened. . .please. . .
Don't you remember? Angel, angel, it's me. . .it's only me. . .
The hurt and pain and betrayal and hate and anger and fury and suffering and aching and rage he had been keeping at bay for centuries and centuries thundered over him. A thumping in his chest.
Dear gods. His heart was beating. He was breathing.
Those green eyes widened further. Someone tried to move away. Tomb Robber sat up, suddenly aware that his hands were clamped firmly over the other's. . .
Him.
No. No! Another memory, come to torment him? Perhaps. But. But.
The hate rose up unbidden with a thousand memories. Blue water, throwing stones, angel's laughter. . .
Hatred. Tomb Robber hated this mirage. Hated the angel before him with every fiber in his body. It wasn't real. This wasn't real. The angel- -couldn't- -possibly- -be- -real. . .
Come to laugh at him. His thoughts were a whirl of confusion and he tried to speak, but found he couldn't. . .
This was all an illusion. He wanted to howl, but he was too busy staring and too busy listening to his own heart beating and too busy trying to subdue the hatred that had flooded along with other things. . .
So he did the most logical thing that occurred to him. He lunged forward and snatched the angel up in a wild embrace, heard a forever-treasured squeak that, in more ways than one, reassured him that this was the truth, that this was happening, and he smashed his mouth onto the angel's in a savagely burning kiss. His grip on the other's arms was bruising, and he knew it, but he refused to let go, and deepened the kiss, biting the other's lip and letting the salty-sweet blood fill both their mouths as he quested frantically for the other's tongue.
//Sweet- -angel- -mine!//
(e)(d)(e)(n)
When Ryou emerged back in the main room with a completely dazed expression and a bleeding lip, everyone assumed that the Tomb Robber had punched him.
Yugi leapt up and offered Ryou a tissue. Ryou blinked twice and took it without a sound, tottering into a sofa by the window. They gaped as he wiped the blood away absently, stared blankly at it for a moment, and remarked, more to himself than anyone else, "Blood. . .? Yummy. . ."
"I think he's in shock," Shizuka whispered. Her cinnamon-hued eyes were wide and frightened.
"Tomb Robber had a mean left hook. . ." said Yami no Yugi, as quietly as he could.
"Ouch," winced Mai.
"What should we do?" asked Yugi, looking concerned. "If he already hits him- -"
"He was probably disoriented," Yami no Yugi said knowingly. "Er. . .I mean. . .trapped in darkness for who knows how long. . .he just had to punch something, probably."
"I'm glad you didn't punch me," whispered Yugi, blushing. Yami looked at him and smiled.
"Heh. My Yami stuck me with a knife," said Malik, pointing to a long, vicious looking scar on his forearm. Yami no Malik pouted.
"Said I was sorry," he muttered, frowning heavily.
"Bakura?" Kaiba spoke, at length. He had been watching the white- haired boy for some time now. "You okay?" Ryou shook his head, still dabbing gingerly at his lip.
"Fine, fine. . ."
His swollen lip halted its bleeding eventually. Ryou gazed out the window with the bloodied tissue balled in his hand, looking at the sunset that was settling around them. Once the sun had fallen, it seemed, the entire desert around him would cool. . .
But the heat had definitely shot up while he was- -
Erk. He cut that thought short and looked at his ring, his heart pounding. His heart had lodged somewhere in his throat, and he swallowed, trying to force it back where it belonged. His face was flushed again. . .what was this feeling?
~ //Sweet- -angel- -mine!// ~
Did that happen every time? No. . .he recalled the last time, nearly seven months ago, Malik had to get stitches because his Yami stabbed him when they first met. . .he nearly smiled, remembering that Isis had gone ballistic and chased the Yami around town with a banishing enchantment. . .
He slapped at a mosquito that was trying to bite him. Blood spattered between his fingers. Blood. . .
Something tickled the back of his mind. Should he remember it?
His Yami had violet eyes. Ryou sighed happily and leaned over the windowsill, closing his own eyes against the soft Egyptian sunset.
(e)(d)(e)(n)
A/N: That's it! The first chapter. It's AU, I think we forgot to tell you, but you'd probably realized. And Shadi is OOC. ^_^'
A/N: Thank you again for reading, and any feedback, criticism, suggestions, are always welcome!! Oh. . .question: Who should the big villain be? I was thinking Pegasus. . .or even Rishido. . .
Next chapter:
Ryou has finally found a good name for his Yami- -Bakura. What exactly is it that Ryou hates so much about his father, anyway? What about Bakura? Plus, the villains are making a move. . .uh-oh. . .Shizuka's in trouble. And, the most important question, are Kaiba and Shizuka going to fail their science project? What IS their project, anyway? ^_^'
Sore ja. . .Baibai!
ryuujitsu & company
yu-gi-oh! fanfiction
violet
ryuujitsu & co.
Disclaimer: We don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. *glaring at evil lawyers with their evil assistants and evil pencils and evil notepads and evil evidence*
A/N: Thanks for stopping by! We're warning you now, it's our first time writing in the YGO fanfiction section of this site. We're already well- trained in the area of writing fictions- -or, at least, the Fuu portion of this team is- -so you needn't fear such creatures like incorrect grammar or monsters such as inaccurate spellings, if you don't count the occasional slip-up. Truth be told, we're a bunch of idiots and that's that.
A/N: As for this story, there is yaoi, though it is in (perhaps?) the mildest of forms, because, along with being idiots and raving lunatics, we lean towards the more conservative edge of the scale. . .at least with pairings. ^_^' Not this story. We thought we should warn you.
Warning: Yaoi ahead! Yaoi ahead!! YAOI AHEAD!!! Or shounen-ai? @_@
Pairings go as follows: Ryou/Bakura, Malik/Yami Malik, Yugi/Yami Yugi, Seto/Shizuka, Jounouchi/Mai. . .
A/N: We'll be using their Japanese given names for the most part. A final warning. . .this story isn't PG13 for nothing. Language, for one thing. And maybe mature themes, and violence is a given. . .
We'll get to the story now. We've warned you! So HA!!!!! Oh, one more thing. The story starts out as a chat-room sort of thing, but after a few paragraphs it becomes an actual story. There's a rule about that, isn't there?
A/N: IT ISN'T A MARY-SUE!! I SWEAR TO GOD!!! *calms down* After you read the first few chapters, I think you'll start to understand why there're a few really odd, out-of-place paragraphs in the beginning of every episode! Please! Skip the damned thing even if you want! When you see the second (e)(d)(e)(n) marker, then it becomes YGO centered. Thank you.
Lastly, there's always an ITFTC, an Irrelevant Thought For The Chapter. Why? Random-ness and a whining Yami Fuu.
ITFTC:
"every man is a volume if you know how to read him"
~ a fortune cookie
(e)(d)(e)(n)
Midnight. Somewhere far away from the city of Domino. So far away that the two places had never existed at the same time every day, so far away that they shared neither similar locations nor similar dimensions. Somewhere. A city. In this city far away, two friends were communicating through the darkness that had long settled. Two friends who by all rights should know nothing of Domino, should know nothing of that world or the people who inhabited it- -
meloncrisp7: ????
ryuujitsu13: tell you in school; it's kinda long. Oh, I found a new pic of Kaiba today. *drooling* He's in his battle city arc outfit. The one with all the funky leather and metal!
meloncrisp7: *also drooling* really? I wanna see it.
ryuujitsu13: I'm bringing that 2 school 2.
meloncrisp7: Duhhhhrrrrr. . .or I'd kill u. and u know it. What's he doing in the pic?
ryuujitsu13: looking cute. ^_^' *sweatdrop* Doesn't he always?
meloncrisp7: Yeah, guess so. ^_^ *bouncing* I wanna see the pic! Can't you email it 2 me?
ryuujitsu13: yup, I'll do that. keep talking to me. I'm lonely. *grinning like the evil maniac she is* Oh, I have a new story idea. . .
meloncrisp7: email that to me 2, K?
ryuujitsu13: I can't, it isn't written yet. ^_^' MOERO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
meloncrisp7: stop quoting him. Dilandau is evil enough without encouragement.
ryuujitsu13: gomen, gomen. . .you'll have to forgive the fact that I *dramatic sniffle* am a fanfiction author *another tragic sniffle* and we are often prosecuted. . .*weeping* But I will rise from the ashes, I will triumph. . . Right, tragic last words. . .Et tu, Brute? *staggers tragically and dies* . . .
meloncrisp7: Just like the tragic hero, whom, with his tragic flaw, finally falls tragically to a tragic doom. *pokes ryuujitsu13 with a stick* Damn, not breathing. Okay, let's kick her to the hospital!!!
ryuujisu13: . . .*is still very very very dead*
meloncrisp7: *continues to poke ryuujitsu13 with stick* CLEAR!!!! *pause, poke* CLEAR!!!!!! *pause, poke* CLEAR!!!!!!!
These two friends were not quite as ordinary as the others they called classmates. Fingers flew on their keyboards as they tried to keep up with the speed of their irregular conversation. It was late, but neither slowed the rate of their typing as they talked of strange things like "anime" and "manga" and whatnot. The chat rolled on with the minutes.
It was late in this city far away from Domino. But neither cared. In this city far away from Domino, it was a well established fact that time stopped for no one.
Unless offered a "pretty please with a cherry on top," of course.
(e)(d)(e)(n)
Mutou Yugi sat curled up on a park bench under a poplar tree with his forearms resting on his knees, his tri-colored hair- -black, red, and gold- -waving gently in the breeze. Lazing beside him was a boy who was slightly taller, leaner, and perhaps a bit more deadly in appearance, but otherwise could have been his twin. Dark crimson eyes blinked at a loose strand of hair that the gel had failed to cement into place; Yugi, smiling a bit, reached up and pushed it back into line.
Both were dressed in identical outfits of black leather, adorned with metal and leather bands on both arms, one boy's plump, the other's muscular, extremely tight leather pants, boots, and particularly wide, rounded silver buckles decorated both slender throats. A mirror copy of the large golden pyramid that one wore hung around the other's neck by a chain- -(they had long realized that wearing huge pieces of jewelry that were close to being solid gold in public on thin leather strands was a bit foolish). The Sennen Puzzle.
One school jacket lay discarded on the ground beside them, and it was easy to see it was Yugi's, not only from size but from the nameplate that was pinned onto its collar. The dark one wore it like a cape, but now it was spring, now it was too warm, and so, he had thrown it haphazardly into the wind. It was only with luck that the jacket landed so close to them (and not in the duck pond, either).
Even without the school uniform, the dark one made quite a sight, decked from head to toe in his leather getup, metal rings and buckles jingling and clinking together quietly as the wind danced through and against them, but Yugi's appearance also demanded some attention. He would throw his sweet smile out at the passing crowds and blink so innocently with his large purple eyes that schoolgirls going by would often pause to exclaim over both of them as they sat in a cherry-blossom breeze, ask if they were brothers, or least goggle openly from a distance as Yugi beamed cutely and the dark one looked out at them with soulful blood-red orbs from beneath his bangs.
The dark one adored Yugi's smile. It was that smile, those delicious amethyst eyes, the dark one said in sultry tones, when he saw that no one was watching, that wars were begun for.
Yugi blushed and shrugged and snuggled back into the dark one's warmth and decided to ignore the world for a little. The gang would be coming shortly, but the two still had some time before they did. The dark one caught this thought, chuckled and said something in a low voice, and Yugi made a sound that was somewhere between a squeak and a gasp.
"Yami!" he spluttered, flushing a deeper scarlet than before, until he was more red than his Yami's eyes, "what did I tell you about saying those things in public?! And keep your hands away from my ass, thanks!" he added sharply, scooting to the other side of the bench hastily as he noticed where his Yami was looking.
"There was no one to hear us, aibou," Yami no Yugi said sulkily, pouting good-naturedly. He was more than a little disappointed but not about to voice his frustration, as he saw that Yugi was already 'more than a little' upset.
"How do you know? This isn't Egypt, you know," Yugi said reproachfully, still blushing. "You're not exactly High Pharaoh of Lower and Upper Egypt, Living God or whatever anymore. Someone might have at least seen us, if not heard us. We need to be more careful. Isn't that what you told me?"
"Well. . .yes. . ." Yami admitted grudgingly, still looking reluctant to halt his pursuit of Yugi's rear end. "But. . ."
"But?" Yugi's wide eyes stared up at him, still reprimanding.
Yami no Yugi ground his teeth, struggling silently with himself. He was Pharaoh. Pharaoh always got what he wanted. But, on the one hand, there was Yugi, looking perturbed and mildly angry and frightened and sad. On the other hand, there was Yugi, looking oh-so-adorable, with his huge purple eyes and almost trembling lip and soft hair and silky skin and sweet taste and. . . On the other hand- -wait, he didn't have three hands, did he. Did he?
Get a grip, he told himself firmly. Nooooo. . .he did not have fifteen fingers, therefore he did not have three hands. Similarly, he did not have fifteen fingernails, so he couldn't have fifteen fingers, and, hence, he couldn't possibly have three- -
//Yami?// said Yugi timidly, through their link. He jumped, but continued counting his fingers. . .no, he did not have three hands. . .but, but, but. . .
"Ah, screw it," he finally said out loud, and proceeded to kiss his aibou silly, while Yugi alternately squeaked and made the most interesting noises deep in his throat, kind of like gasps that were undecided as to whether they were purrs or whimpers- -
"Ano. . .am I interrupting something?" came a shy, hesitating voice somewhere near Yugi's right. Yugi squealed in fright and Yami sighed in further disappointment, and they moved apart from each other.
Ryou stood there uncertainly, clutching the snacks he had agreed to bring to his white sweater. He was blushing, perhaps even more so than Yugi. For an awkward moment, no one spoke. Then, Yami cleared his throat fairly loudly, causing the other two to jump.
"Ahem. . .sort of." With that growl, the dark one turned from Yugi and folded his arms, and, having been interrupted twice, was obviously now in a bad temper.
//Later,// said Yugi to Yami, with a wink. Yami brightened and tightened his grip possessively on Yugi's arm. Ryou saw the pause, saw Yugi's eyes glaze over for a silver of a second, and understood something had transpired in that tiny piece of time. He didn't know what Yugi had said through the link, but it must have been something, because Yami no Yugi had quite visibly cheered up.
"Sorry. . ." said Ryou again softly, in his quietly lilting speech. He would not voice his jealousy. But, to be terribly frank, he envied the bond between those two, and often wished that he, too, might be granted a Yami as kind and thoughtful, and- -gulp!- -seductively beautiful as Yami no Yugi. Unlike Malik, Yugi had probably gotten the better deal. He had a Yami who was not only sane, but never hurt him, and probably cared more for the well-being of a finger of Yugi's hand than he did himself.
Not to say that Malik's Yami was any different. He, too, guarded his aibou with obsessive care, treating him like a porcelain doll that might shatter at any given second, and, as they had learned with some surprise, also treated Malik with a few kisses here and there. (They were also surprised that Isis tolerated this sudden change in her brother's interests.) Nevertheless, Yami no Malik could be very. . .unpredictable. . .at times, Ryou reflected, shifting his grip on the packaged goods.
Oh, he desperately wanted a Yami like Yugi's to keep him company while his father was out on trips, but the Eden/Kaibacorp-funded archaeological expeditions were going rather slowly- -even Isis had admitted that they were having difficulties with red tape- -and new Sennen Items had yet to be found.
Not that a new object would matter, some- -like Isis' Sennen Tauk- -would be found devoid of a spirit. After all, it was exactly as Yami no Yugi had told them- -only three spirits had been sealed; himself, Yami no Malik, and the final, a Tomb Robber. Even so, they had only a few more to track down, and Ryou was certain at least one of these items would contain this "Tomb Robber." He wondered, absently, if "Tomb Robber" would be like Yami no Yugi, or else Yami no Malik, and hoped that it might be somewhere in between- -leaning towards the Yami no Yugi side of the scale, of course.
Even then, though, they normally drew lots, so there was a chance that he might never receive an item, spirit or no spirit.
They. Eden Rising, a group dedicated to the finding and protecting of the Sennen Items as well as rare cards, and a rare-odd group it was indeed. Eden was composed mainly of school-children and mystics, spirits and mages, a dancer and a billionaire. Why Kaiba-san had agreed to fund the project in the beginning was a complete mystery. Well, to be frank, Seto Kaiba himself was shrouded in mystery, a true enigma of a young man. Ryou knew enough of Kaiba to understand that the other personality was young, rich, cold, distant, miserly, and cruel- -to a point. He sighed mentally. Malik and his Yami were both nearly insane. And he, Ryou, daydreamed on, oblivious to the world and living in his own happy dimension. Two madmen and a dreaming idiot. Eden Rising was not an appropriate name for them.
"Ryou? Ne, Ryou-kun?" Yugi waved a hand in front of the other boy's face. "Still there?"
Ryou started violently, unconsciously bringing his fists up. He blinked, noticing, as if for the first time, Yugi and Yami sitting there watching him. "Eh? Yugi? What?" He faltered under Yami no Yugi's gaze. Gods, but those eyes. . . They frightened him. They charmed him and smiled at him and frightened him so badly that he wanted to run, but he knew he was too far in and- -
"G-gomen," he managed weakly, rooted to the spot, enticed by those eyes, like a moth to a flame. He would not get burned. He would not get. . .
His own eyes were soft green, the complete opposite of Yami no Yugi's. He didn't like green eyes very much, and had been constantly wishing that he had received his mother's eyes, which had been very deeply violet and very much like Yugi's. His sister, Amane, had had violet eyes. But no, he, Ryou Bakura, was stuck with his father's green eyes as well as the man's surname. He didn't care for his father. . .no, not at all. . .
"Ano. . .isn't anyone else coming?" he finally mumbled, his face heating, as he realized that both Yami and Yugi were still watching him intently. He babbled on. "Because I- -uh- -brought all this food and- -uh- -well- -"
"Well, Mai, Jounouchi, Shizuka, Honda, Malik and Yami no Malik all said they'd come," Yugi interrupted swiftly, smiling a little. He knew the effect his Yami had on people, and he was proud of it. "Isis-san is in Egypt with Shadi; they're still working on the red tape, she said. Otogi. . .well, I guess he's out at a game conference for his Dungeon Dice. Anzu is in America- -"
"- -good riddance," muttered Yami no Yugi quietly under his breath. Yugi heard him anyway and elbowed him swiftly.
"- -studying ballet. Yami, be nice." Be nice. Yes, Yugi was always such a wonderful, sweet, kind-hearted person. . .he would never be able to hurt anyone. It was this innocence, Ryou thought, that Yami saw in his aibou; this innocence that Yami craved. He had no trouble believing that Yami no Yugi would kill to keep his aibou as pure as possible. Similarly, thought Ryou again, in Yami no Malik, Malik saw freedom. He clung to this independence, believed in it, believed in his Yami. Ryou sighed aloud this time, shifting his grip on the packages for the third time. Where were the others?
Another question stirred in his mind. "Ne, Yugi, what about Kaiba? You didn't mention him. . ."
At the sound of Kaiba's name, Ryou swore to Ra that Yami's hackles, had he hackles, rose as he snarled. Yugi mirrored Ryou's earlier sigh with his own. "I asked, but he very impolitely declined."
"Oh," said Ryou, as Yami no Yugi raged in Egyptian and Yugi tried to calm him down. Ryou watched them for a moment, and wondered vaguely if Yugi knew anything about the location of the Sennen Ring and if that was what this meeting was about. He knew the only reason Yami let Kaiba live was because Yugi didn't want him killing anyone. And Yami would do anything for Yugi. That was a fact of life, and he had already accepted it. He didn't really have a choice, not with those dark, dark eyes pinning him to the spot. . .
Someone seized Ryou around the neck and mussed up his hair as they did. "Ryou-chan!!" smiled Kajaku Mai, releasing him and holding him at arm's length, "long time no see!!!"
"Yes," mumbled Ryou, trying to fix his hair, "a whole two hours, what a tragedy of separation. . ."
Mai laughed. It was a rich sound, and it cascaded over his ears like a waterfall of gold. "I know, I know, horribly tragic. So, Yugi, I'm here. Where's everyone else?"
Yugi sighed once more. Ryou noticed Yami's arm pulling the boy closer, and Yugi offered no resistance. "Absolutely no idea. I guess they had a hard time getting off from work. . .or detention."
He added the last bit of information hesitantly, but gave Mai a significant look. Mai sighed, too. "Jounouchi's in detention again," she said flatly, more to herself than any of the others. She sighed again, shook her head, and grinned. "What an idiot! What did he do this time?"
"Forgot his homework in three classes, was late to school several times in succession, bad-mouthed teachers to their faces. . .I think they let him off lightly. He's probably somewhere around the school dusting off chalkboards," Yugi said brightly.
"Oi, Yugi!!"
The four already standing under the poplar turned in time to see Shizuka and Malik jogging towards them, Honda not far behind.
"Sorry we're late," panted Shizuka, "but that old bat Watabe was prowling around and we didn't want to- -get- -caught- -!" she fell into the grass, exhausted but grinning. "Ran all the way," she added, after she caught her breath.
"Man, that Watabe can run," Honda moaned, bending over and puffing. "She's fat as hell, but does that stop her? Noooo. . ." he let his breath out in a long sigh, took another deep gulp of air, appeared fully recovered after a few seconds, and, with Shizuka's help, began to set up the picnic cloth he had agreed to bring.
It was Malik and his Yami, who had appeared a few seconds after in a flash of golden light, who were the cause of concern. Malik was rolling around on the grass, chortling so hard they were afraid he couldn't breathe, and Yami Malik wasn't helping the problem by starting to kiss the near- hysterical Malik breathless- -he had no air in his lungs to lose in the beginning. . .
Yami no Yugi pounded Malik hard on the back for several minutes, after which Malik's face lost the disturbingly blue color it had been carrying for some time. He fell forward into the grass coughing and gasping for air. Yami no Malik was giggling until he noticed the unhealthy blue of Malik's face, and subsequently decided to give Malik mouth-to- mouth. . .which also did not help.
When relative calm had been restored, Yugi tried to speak, but was interrupted again as Jounouchi came tearing down the street.
"Damn that Watabe," he was grumbling, though he wasn't panting as much as the others had been. "Sorry, Yug, but I was in deten- -er. . ."
He'd caught sight of Mai and seemed to have lost his tongue for a moment. When he finally did recover, he began to stammer madly. "E-e-eh- ehr. . .h-h-h-h-h-hi, M-M-Mai. . ."
Mai managed to keep a straight face. "Hello, Jou," she said sweetly, pretending not to notice how red his face had become. "What's new? Did you have fun dusting?" she added, seeing his chalk-covered clothing.
"Y-y-yeah. . ." he said, staring at a hole in his sneaker. Yugi saved him further embarrassment by turning to the group assembled before him in the grass.
"I guess we're all here now," he said, clapping his hands together. "Okay. Um, I'm not exactly sure where to start. . ."
Jounouchi had seen the packages in Ryou's arms. "Oi, Ryou, is that food?" He didn't wait for Ryou's nod of assent and tore the packs open. "Then what're you waiting for? Let's eat!!" And with that, the food spilled from Jou's hands onto the picnic cloth. They dug in eagerly, and Ryou was relieved- -the packages had been slipping before Jou grabbed them.
"E-eh. . ." Yugi sagged with another sigh, accepting the strawberry Pocky that Honda tossed at him. "Forget it. . ."
"Where's Seto?" asked a naïve Shizuka, munching happily on a rice cake. "Wasn't he going to be here? I saw him in school, so he isn't sick. . ." She faltered to a halt when she noticed both her brother and Yami growling.
"More's the pity," Honda said, swallowing. Ryou wondered how Honda never seemed to have to chew. The brown-haired boy turned to Yugi. "He should be here; it's his damned Eden project. . ."
"I did ask him," Yugi said quietly. "He more or less told me to go to hell, and hung up. I assumed he was in a bad mood. . ."
"Duhhhrr. . ." said Jounouchi. "That snake. . ."
"He isn't coming?" Shizuka said. "Aww. . ." She paused again between bites as everyone stopped eating to stare at her. "What?" she said. "We got assigned lab partners in science, and he's mine. . .oh, never mind," she muttered, when blank stares and hostile phrases were all the others produced. "I only thought we could discuss our project together. . ."
"On the bright side," Honda began.
"There is no bright side!!" groaned Jou. "That freak billionaire's gonna make a move on my sister, I know it!!!"
"On the bright side," said Honda again, "that gives you another reason to hate him."
Jou stopped his angry chuntering, considered the suggestion, and finally nodded. "Guess you're right," he told his friend. "Shizuka, if he even touches you, I'll beat him up."
"And get yourself massacred?" Mai said, incredulous. "Jeez, Jou."
"Why can't you guys be nice to him? He's really a great person!!!" Shizuka interjected angrily. When faced again with blank stares, she backed down. "Er. . .I think. . .?"
"Look, let's get to the point," Yugi said impatiently. No one listened. The babble about Kaiba went on, rising in volume as Jou started yelling out the things that made Seto Kaiba such a pig-headed jerk.
"QUIET!!!!" roared Yami no Yugi and sufficiently stunned everyone into silence.
"Thanks, Yami," said Yugi gratefully. He turned back to the gaping friends. "Um, what I was trying to say earlier, is that Isis thinks they've found the Sennen Ring, but it belongs to some collector, and. . .uh. . ." He'd noticed everyone watching him and wavered to a halt.
Ryou perked up. "A new Item? Really?"
The Sennen Ring. Suddenly, the prospect of having his own Yami seemed much closer than before. This "Tomb Robber" would be his. Tomb Robber, Tomb Robber, he sang to himself, and imagined him. He would have white hair, like Ryou, and it would tumble with wild abandon down his shoulders. He would be lean, dangerous, over-protective. What color would his eyes be?
Green, probably. Ryou sighed.
"Yes," Yugi said. "Shadi's calling a meeting on Friday at the Kaibacorp mansion. . .the usual."
"So Kaiba-kun will be there? Ooh!!" squealed Shizuka. She blushed. "Er, I mean. . .awww. . ."
Yami and Yugi exchanged looks. From the sly expression on Mai's face, she hadn't missed Shizuka's slip-up either. But neither had the rest. Malik and his Yami resumed their laughter, Jounouchi glowered, and Honda appeared faintly amused.
"That's pretty much why I called you guys here. . ."
"Sennen Ring, eh?" said Malik, with an odd look, while Yami no Malik performed his own little dance routine, the gold of their Sennen Rod flashing in the April sunlight.
"Hmmm. . .wonder who'll get it?" said Mai, tilting her head to the left. She addressed the question to Honda, but Jou answered readily.
"Hope it ain't Kaiba, that slimy- -"
"'Nii-chan, be nice!!!"
"Why're you defending him all of a sudden?"
"I- -I'm not defending him!!!"
"Sennen Ring" was the topic of the hour. Jou and Mai got into a long conversation/argument over its power while Honda listened, bemused. Malik composed a short ditty about it, and Yami no Malik choreographed, and together, they forced Yugi, Yami no Yugi, and Ryou into doing the dance with them.
Shizuka sighed and looked dreamy. Ryou was distinctly sure that he had heard her singing Kaiba's first name with Malik's tune.
Jounouchi noticed.
So began the fireworks.
(e)(d)(e)(n)
Ryou let his pen fall from his fingers and slumped over his textbook. Yugi looked at him strangely. He couldn't understand what Ryou was saying- -it sounded something like "Argul! Gloog! Blub!" The white-haired boy banged his head on the desk for a few moments, then rose fairly quickly and strode to the other end of the room.
He had now decided that it was near impossible to focus on geometry while combating jet-lag. He was sick of his homework, sick of hitting mosquitoes before they could bite him, sick of feeling sleepy, and sick of watching Yami and Yugi make out on the bed- -
He stomped over to the mirror and stared at himself. He could also see that, behind him, Yami no Yugi (who was probably delighted to be back in his native Egypt) had just pounced on his Hikari and the two were now engaged in a very desperate game of tonsil hockey. Flushing to the tips of his ears, he forced himself to look only at his reflection.
A pale, white-haired boy stared fearfully out at him. Green eyes blinked sleepily. Ryou gnashed his teeth. He hated his eyes. He hated his father. He hated this gods-damned heat!!
They were all staying in Shadi's huge Egyptian mansion, which, with its alabaster pillars and jewel-encrusted walls, put Kaiba's home to shame.
Malik, his Yami, and Isis were sharing a room, and everyone was ignoring the shrill "MALIK!!! KEEP YOUR YAMI AWAY FROM THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES!!!!!" that screamed down the hallway every now and then. Kaiba had insisted quite furiously on his own room, and Jounouchi was equally reluctant to share one with him, so, to soften the blow, Shadi finally agreed Honda could be Jounouchi's roommate, but insinuated ever-so-slyly that Kaiba was bound to end up sharing a room with Shizuka- -
Jounouchi exploded, knocked Kaiba against a wall, and threatened him severely. Kaiba, in turn, retaliated with a swift "puppy" comment and smiled triumphantly when Shizuka berated her brother and ran to Kaiba's aid. Jounouchi had stalked away, seething- -
Or, at least, he had tried to stalk away seething. He wasn't watching where he was heading and crashed into the wall. After which Kaiba couldn't resist tossing another few "puppy" jokes after him. Ryou, tugging at his sweater and wishing for something cooler to wear, remembered the chaos that had followed and shuddered. But calm returned when a disgruntled Yami, who had had his hair pulled one time too many in the melee, bellowed that anyone else who made a sound would have their souls sent to the Shadow Realm.
Ryou flicked a loose strand of hair out of his eyes. He didn't exactly consider a sudden trip to Egypt on a Kaibacorp concord jet a "usual meeting," but here he was. He hadn't even been given time to pack, which was why he was sweating to death in his heavy white sweater. Glaring at his frail reflection, he continued uttering the chant of "Argul! Gloog! Blub!" every few seconds.
Yugi had finally shoved Yami away long enough to speak. "Er, Ryou-kun? Are you okay?"
"Fine, fine!!" Ryou said, in a higher-pitched voice than he had intended. "It's just a bit warm, you know! I can't concentrate! That's ALL!!!" He was shouting by the time he'd finished, and instantly sorry. It wasn't Yugi's fault that he was standing in a giant mansion somewhere in the middle of Cairo dying of heat stroke.
He hadn't even had time to bring his writing materials. . .his characters would have to wait a bit longer. And his main character had finally come to light! He'd given her a slightly exotic name- -Simone. Her friends were Claudia and Hashana and Lauren, and- -
He shook his head, trying to clear it. "Sorry, Yugi. It's just. . .I'm kind of bored."
Yugi smiled mysteriously. "I don't think you'll be bored any longer when Shadi announces the news. . ."
Ryou blinked. He sat down on the bed opposite of Yugi, and eyed the smaller boy suspiciously. "What do you mean?" he asked, pulling his knees to his chest.
Yugi followed suit, and Yami stretched out behind him. "Well, I think your chance at a Sennen Item is finally here. I overheard Shadi talking to Isis earlier and he was saying something about you and the Ring being Destined or whatever, so they would play with destiny and draw lots. If he was right, you'd get picked anyhow. . ." Yugi faltered. "Or something."
"Tomb Robber. . ." said Ryou, wonderingly. He wasn't certain he liked the sound of it.
"He was a violent one," Yami no Yugi said thoughtfully, "as I recall."
"Mm-hm," mumbled Yugi in agreement.
Yami wrapped his arms around his aibou and purred something into his ear. Yugi blushed beet-red, as did Ryou, who had caught a slight whisper of what Yami had been saying. Yugi sighed.
"Honestly. . .no, not now, Yami. . .hey! Yami- -!!! Don't touch that- -!!!" he gasped and tried to scramble away. Tried. Yami caught his aibou with relative ease and pulled him closer. Ryou tried to ignore the fact that Yugi had lately taken to sitting on Yami's lap instead of furniture. The thought had just occurred to him from somewhere.
Ryou, he told himself, you have a sick mind. Or at least a sick subconscious.
Yami threw him a look from over Yugi's head, and Ryou understood what the spirit was trying to say.
"Um. . .I'm gonna go. . .er. . .check on. . .er. . .the scenery! Yes, that's right," he maundered. "Um, see you around, Yugi!!"
He ducked out the door with the image of Yami kissing a giggling Yugi burned deep in his mind. He sighed to himself and felt his cheeks burning, and rubbed them while berating himself. He'd probably run into a drunk Yami no Malik and Malik enjoying themselves somewhere down the hall. And Yami no Malik would also give him the "leave us alone now" look, and he would go away. Everyone was forming couples. . .pretty soon, he'd be the only one left. Not that it mattered.
Ryou meandered down the hallway, looking at the softly glowing wall sconces and wishing violently for a Yami of his own. If not to cuddle with, then at least to keep him company. His father. . .he ground his teeth. His father was out on a trip again and probably didn't even know Ryou was in Egypt. His father wouldn't care. His father never cared. . .
Being alone kind of hurt. Being alone without his books or writing to take him away into his dream world stung. Well, more like the "sting" of having a ten foot broadsword shoved up. . .well, you know.
At least it was cooler in the hallway.
What Yugi had said about the Sennen Ring was bothering him. Destiny, eh? He wasn't so sure. . .
(e)(d)(e)(n)
Isis called them down to the temple room. She waited patiently with Shadi by her side, until they had settled down, then began speaking in a soft, slightly accented voice.
"I thank you for coming. . ." she said. She had blue eyes. Intensely blue eyes, so much blue that Ryou's own eyes stung and he looked at the ground, unable to keep eye-contact with her. Her dark hair, normally worn without any ornaments, was now plaited into many strands with what seemed to be thousands of tiny red and blue gems as well as gold chains. The Sennen Tauk was, as usual, at her throat. She wore linen, a neat, white-yellow hue that contrasted well with her dark skin.
Ryou noticed that Malik, too, was dressed in a linen tunic of sorts. He remembered hearing the row that the two had been having earlier about Malik's sense of style. The blond boy was still clearly very angry about it; he stood with his arms folded and refused to look at his sister.
Ryou wanted to wear linen. It looked much more comfortable than what he was wearing. . .
". . .The heat will lift when we reach the catacombs," Isis was saying quietly. Ryou nearly sagged with relief. "However, as it will cool down substantially, the chosen recipient of the Sennen Item may be a little cold. . ."
Kaiba's absence was noted, and no one commented (it had been expected), until they also realized that Shizuka, too, was missing.
Jounouchi leapt up, fuming. "That bastard!! He's going to take advantage of her! I'm gonna kick his useless ass!!!!!" He turned and thundered out of the room. A bellowed "KAIBA!!!!!!!!" echoed after him. Everyone in the room jumped to their feet and followed.
They had not gotten a few steps up when Shizuka's cry drifted down to them. Instantly they quieted, listening intently. Kaiba's low voice could be heard saying something, and Jounouchi was a loud presence in the background, what with his yelling and shouting.
"'Nii-chan!!! That was part of our project!!"
"Yes, it was, Katsuya. . .until you stepped on it."
"You! SHUT UP!! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANYTHING FROM YOU!!!! YOU'RE A SICK FREAK!! LEAVE MY SISTER THE HELL ALONE!!!!"
"What are you going to do about it, pup?"
A huge noise. One of the boys had just rushed at the other and bowled the "project" over, by the sound of it. The group listening gave one collective wince and groan.
"'Nii-chan. . .!!!! No! Stop!! 'Nii-chan!! Kaiba-kun!! Stop it!!!" At that point, Honda and Yami no Yugi ran upstairs. More shouting was heard, then quiet. Kaiba came down first, with Shizuka following not too far behind. She looked distinctly furious, as did Kaiba.
Jounouchi had to be restrained. Honda and Yami Yugi hung on to his arms for dear life.
"'Nii-chan, that took us HOURS to build!!!" yelled Shizuka. Two pink spots had appeared in her cheeks.
"You- -!" said Kaiba, who was so angry it seemed he was, for the moment, at a loss for better insults.
"SO EXPLAIN TO ME HOW YOU ENDED UP ON TOP OF HER!!!!!!!!!!!!" screeched Jounouchi, who was trembling with rage. The group listening gave now a collective gasp. Shizuka flushed, Kaiba was innocently puzzled, and Jounouchi, catching the guilty expressions, drew himself up to his full height and grew more angry.
"I was not on top of her," snarled Kaiba, who finally got himself under control again. He was sporting a nasty bruise on his cheek, and, from the look of it, the pain was not helping him keep his temper in check. "You're near-sighted, Katsuya. Dimwitted puppy," he added with a sneer.
"Why I oughta break your- -"
"SILENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" boomed Yami no Yugi.
Collective silence.
"Thank you," Isis said sharply, before she could be interrupted again. She spoke quickly, with a quelling glance at Jounouchi. "Now, we'll be drawing lots. If you can all return to the main room quietly and with some order, we will begin immediately!"
Shadi spoke for the first time. "Ryou. . .may I have a word?"
(e)(d)(e)(n)
Ryou followed Shadi curiously down another hallway, past some statues and hieroglyphs, all of which meant nothing to him. The Egyptian turned to him after they had turned into another room. Ryou blinked. Those eyes were also unnerving. . .
But he couldn't tear his gaze away. Besides, he was intrigued.
"The others will be drawing lots, of course, but what they do not know, is that all the straws are long. You, Ryou, are, perhaps, a special case. As I recall, many years ago. . ." his eyes were saddened. "Special case," he repeated, more to himself. "It won't be the same."
"Er. . ."
"Sorry. What I'm saying is, the Sennen Ring is yours. . ."
Ryou's heart leapt somewhere into his throat with anxiety. "You aren't lying?" he said quickly. "You aren't pulling my leg? I- -it's really- -mine?"
"It has always been." Shadi's eyes unfocused just the slightest bit. Ryou was torn between running away and singing. "The only thing is. . .he may remember. . ."
"Er?" said Ryou again.
"It isn't like the others. . ." Shadi trailed off, sighed, and turned back. "Be careful. Ryou. . .he's. . .he's been trapped in this Ring for centuries. . ."
Ryou had never seen Shadi falter before. The dark Egyptian had always been calm, never once succumbing to emotion. And now. . .what was wrong with him? Why was he so nervous? "Are you saying that he's dangerous?" Ryou asked, feeling afraid. Only a bit, though. His excitement had pretty much overruled any fears.
"Aren't they all?" countered Shadi, recovered at last. "Go now, join the others. Isis will have informed them of the circumstances by now."
"Er. . ." said Ryou for the third time. "What about the costume and stuff?" He'd seen both Yugi and Malik change into linen outfits. . .
"Pomp and ceremony." Ryou was certain that, for a moment, Shadi had smiled sadly at him. The smile was gone before he could fully understand its significance. "You won't need it."
"Oh." Ryou was beginning to feel incredibly uneasy. What was so special about this "case" that Shadi would pull him aside to speak to him? What was so special about this "case" that they were drawing false lots?
"Good luck," said Shadi. "I wish you the best with him. And remember, should he ever harm you, come to us."
Ryou relaxed. This was something Shadi had told Yugi and Malik before. So nothing was completely different. He looked the direction Shadi had gestured, and was shocked to find that the main room was somehow right there. He looked back at Shadi.
"What did you- -"
"This mansion is an odd place. Come now, we must not keep them waiting," Shadi said. His voice echoed hollowly around the corridor, attacking Ryou from all around. Ryou took one look at the shadows dancing eerily around him and quite agreed.
(e)(d)(e)(n)
Ryou entered the catacomb with best wishes from most sitting there- -even Kaiba. He suddenly understood that the situation must be incredibly grave- -or so he thought- -if Seto Kaiba, Mr. I-Hate-You-And-the-World would wish him luck. Of course, Kaiba did say "Break a leg," so he supposed that it wasn't quite as serious. . .
Yugi squeezed his hand and grinned at him. "It's not that bad, really!" he said, in a reassuring voice. Ryou nodded numbly, swallowed, and turned. He started walking, Isis not far ahead of him, waiting with a torch. She was his guide, he realized, and hurried to keep up.
Together, they vanished into the darkness of the tunnel. Yugi and company watched until the light faded from view.
"I don't believe it. . ." Yugi said slowly, turning stunned eyes to the others, who looked equally disbelieving. Even Kaiba was slightly disturbed by the thought. What Isis had told them was not only depressing, but had left them all with a terrible sense of foreboding.
Kaiba had one arm around Shizuka, who was looking aghast, and Jounouchi was too shocked about the news to notice them.
"Wow. How can he walk to his fate so easily?" Mai said, for once, neither joking nor sarcastic.
"They didn't tell him," Kaiba said softly. "D'you think he would've gone along with it if he knew?"
"That's horrible!" said Shizuka. Kaiba tightened his arm around her. "How could they do such a thing?"
"You saw Isis' face," said Yami no Yugi grimly. "She didn't want to. She kept saying that things might turn out differently this time. . .and besides, we need the Spirit fully functional to meet the threat."
"Rare Hunters," spat Malik. "I can't believe I used to head them." Yami no Malik scowled darkly at the phrase, nodding emphatically with whatever Malik said.
"Well. . .whatever happens, let's hope for the best. . ." said Yugi faintly. Yami no Yugi glanced at him with concern.
"We'll help them whenever they need it. . ." Shizuka said determinedly. Kaiba nodded, taking Shizuka's hand with his own. Jounouchi finally noticed and offered a weak "Get your hands off my sister," but it sounded flat to everyone's ears, even his own. They sat in silence, and waited.
//Tomb Robber may be evil, but he would never- -// Yami no Yugi sent to Yugi. Yugi nodded, sighed, and shook his head.
//I want to believe you. . .but. . .I can't, Yami.//
(e)(d)(e)(n)
Isis left him in front of a grand temple room. It was probably once part of a tomb, Ryou thought speculatively. She, too, wished him luck before leaving, and he could've sworn he'd seen tears in her eyes.
He ran a hand down an alabaster pillar admiringly. The ages had failed to touch this area, and it stood with splendor, reflecting the light from the torches around him. Inside, however, it was relatively empty, but for what looked like a table in the middle of the room. He stepped across the dust of time and brushed dirt from his clothing.
Ryou smoothed his hair. Should he have left it wild and unkempt? Maybe "Tomb Robber" would like that. He didn't quite know. Isis had insisted on the "pomp and ceremony"- -was it only to delay him? Well, at any rate, he stood now in front of the rosewood table, shivering slightly in his linen and staring at the golden object that was the Sennen Ring before him.
It was a work of art- -a perfect circle, probably three or four centimeters thick and seven centimeters in diameter, from which hung seven points. He vaguely remembered something about there being seven Sennen Items. The memory was his, and yet, not his.
"Put it on. . ." he mumbled to himself, recalling Isis' parting instructions. He touched it, felt a shock of power, and, even more interesting, the feeling was familiar. He'd known this ring before, perhaps in another life. It was tinged with sadness, the memory. Ryou gulped.
A sleeping boy had appeared on the long table before him. That wasn't what had frightened him, though- -
This sleeping boy was wearing only a loincloth. Ryou gazed at the other's lean musculature and was envious, but also wondering what it might feel like having those long, slender fingers locked in his hair and pulling him close. . .
He shook his head. Focus, baka, he told himself. This was the spirit of the ring. No innocently slumbering angel, but a demon some four thousand years old. Was he dead? No. . .he was definitely asleep; Ryou could see his chest rising and falling slowly.
He didn't snore, though. Ryou noticed this and blushed as he realized exactly where his train of thought was leading. His earlier mumbles of "Argul! Gloog! Blub!!" came to mind and managed to bring him back to reality as he flushed with embarrassment. Imagine what this "Tomb Robber" would've said, had he heard him!!
His hair was a mane and terribly tangled, and as white as Ryou's own. Ryou wanted to touch the matted hair and see if it really was as soft as it looked. Whoever this was, he was practically Ryou's twin. Ryou laughed at himself. Silly. Obviously. This was Ryou's Yami. Finally!! His very own Yami. . .to keep him company. . .
The spirit stirred and turned over in his sleep with a soft moan, giving Ryou a better view of his face. He had long, dark eyelashes, sooty against the white of his skin. Mesmerized by the appearance of this dark angel, Ryou stretched out his fingers, curious and wanting. . .
Because, this "Tomb Robber," or whoever he was- -he was beautiful. There was no other word for it. Then, without warning, a hand- -the spirit's hand- -flashed up and captured Ryou's wrist.
The spirit's eyes snapped open. Ryou stared.
He had violet eyes.
(e)(d)(e)(n)
Darkness. Time hurtled by him as he raved to himself in silence. He didn't care anymore. . .no, he didn't care anymore. . .
It was cold and it was dark and it was quiet, but he didn't care. He sat and rocked himself back and forth on his heels, sang a lullaby and squeezed his eyes shut against the blackness, his hands clutching his wrists exerting so much pressure that they bled. . .
He missed the chaos he had left behind. He missed the fact that he couldn't see how much chaos he had managed to cause before his imprisonment. He missed what he had left behind in general. . .especially someone.
Anger rose up unbidden, hysteria along with it. He throttled both down savagely, steeling his nerves. Curses! How dare they imprison him within this contraption? He had tried and tried and tried to escape, and to his horror, he was truly, truly, truly trapped. Time rolled on as he alternately raged and wept and laughed at his invisible captors- -Insanity, Dementia, Corruption, Greed.
Where was he? Who was he? What was he?
A wild laugh rose in his throat. His fingernails were leaving bloody half-moons in his palms, but he didn't care, he couldn't feel it anyway. . .
Why?
He hated remembering. So he didn't try. . .because it was painful. He didn't like that kind of pain. . .
The Tomb Robber sat in darkness and waited. Was he sane? Was it possible to leap off the cliff into insanity more than once? Possibly. He didn't know. He didn't know and he didn't care. . .
The Tomb Robber slept. He'd spent most of this time sleeping, sleeping away the pain and the hurt and the betrayal, sleeping and dreaming and not caring anymore, never caring anymore. . .
Why?
He curled into a fetal position and mumbled about nothing-ness, counted the people he'd killed on his fingers, and ceased to move when he realized that a person only had ten fingers. It was cold, it was dark, it was too quiet, and he didn't give a damn. Where was he? Sleep came slowly, and he smiled to himself. Another day spent in darkness. What fun! The sarcasm in his thought was so heavy he felt smothered by it.
Fun. He could vaguely recall a time when things had actually been fun. . .
And then. . .here. Trapped in never-ending darkness and reduced to a babbling, whimpering, weak mass of putty. Weak. Weak. Yes, he was weak. He hated weakness. Hated it and was, for some incredible reason. . .too fond of it. Why?
He closed his eyes against the silence and begged for someone to end it. Why be stuck here for eternity when he could have his heart eaten by the gate guardian in the Underworld? Oh yes, he definitely was looking forward to that. . .
He was drowning in a pool of sarcasm. Like caustic acid, his ironical statements wrapped around him and dragged them down into their depths. But what did you expect a person eternally entrapped in a magical prison to do? Play poker?
His previous occupation had called down the wrath of the gods. Was he sorry now? No. Of course not. He'd do it again. . .but. But. That certain someone. . .they weren't supposed to die. . .his fault. . .his fault, all his fault. . .
He would sleep for another millennia. Then they would see. . .he would find a way out, he would avenge himself, avenge his angel. . .
Yes. . .he let his breath escape in a hiss and wondered, fleetingly, if he would ever feel his own heartbeat again. Soon he was drifting away on an errant breeze, helpless for the dream-winds to do with him as they pleased.
But the sleep he had been expecting was called away. . .
He felt, rather than heard, something. Someone treading softly towards him. . .someone. . .
That someone. . .oh, gods. . .the place where he ought to have had a heart ached along with his throat. Why was he remembering now? No. He didn't want to remember. He never wanted to remember. Remembering was painful.
But he did. . .he remembered blood and how sweet it tasted as his enemies fell around him. He remembered. . .
Death. Death all around. And then- -
No. Dear gods, no!! He saw the body falling again, heard himself screaming again, felt the other's dead, dead skin against his hands as he sobbed and begged and pleaded and knew it was no good. . .
He knew what happened next. A twinge in his side. . .he knew, he knew, he didn't want to be reminded. But- -pain welling up, twinge growing into ache growing into gash into endless blackness. . .
And then. . .here.
Dreaming. He was only dreaming- -
Gods. He opened his eyes and winced at the light that flooded him. Gods. Light. Where was he? Tomb Robber blinked a few times, trying to see, squinting at the startled face before him.
Gods.
No.
The feelings he had bottled up for who-knows-how-long came rushing back when he saw those eyes. Green eyes. Familiar green eyes. Frightened green eyes.
No. . .no. . .don't be frightened. . .please. . .
Don't you remember? Angel, angel, it's me. . .it's only me. . .
The hurt and pain and betrayal and hate and anger and fury and suffering and aching and rage he had been keeping at bay for centuries and centuries thundered over him. A thumping in his chest.
Dear gods. His heart was beating. He was breathing.
Those green eyes widened further. Someone tried to move away. Tomb Robber sat up, suddenly aware that his hands were clamped firmly over the other's. . .
Him.
No. No! Another memory, come to torment him? Perhaps. But. But.
The hate rose up unbidden with a thousand memories. Blue water, throwing stones, angel's laughter. . .
Hatred. Tomb Robber hated this mirage. Hated the angel before him with every fiber in his body. It wasn't real. This wasn't real. The angel- -couldn't- -possibly- -be- -real. . .
Come to laugh at him. His thoughts were a whirl of confusion and he tried to speak, but found he couldn't. . .
This was all an illusion. He wanted to howl, but he was too busy staring and too busy listening to his own heart beating and too busy trying to subdue the hatred that had flooded along with other things. . .
So he did the most logical thing that occurred to him. He lunged forward and snatched the angel up in a wild embrace, heard a forever-treasured squeak that, in more ways than one, reassured him that this was the truth, that this was happening, and he smashed his mouth onto the angel's in a savagely burning kiss. His grip on the other's arms was bruising, and he knew it, but he refused to let go, and deepened the kiss, biting the other's lip and letting the salty-sweet blood fill both their mouths as he quested frantically for the other's tongue.
//Sweet- -angel- -mine!//
(e)(d)(e)(n)
When Ryou emerged back in the main room with a completely dazed expression and a bleeding lip, everyone assumed that the Tomb Robber had punched him.
Yugi leapt up and offered Ryou a tissue. Ryou blinked twice and took it without a sound, tottering into a sofa by the window. They gaped as he wiped the blood away absently, stared blankly at it for a moment, and remarked, more to himself than anyone else, "Blood. . .? Yummy. . ."
"I think he's in shock," Shizuka whispered. Her cinnamon-hued eyes were wide and frightened.
"Tomb Robber had a mean left hook. . ." said Yami no Yugi, as quietly as he could.
"Ouch," winced Mai.
"What should we do?" asked Yugi, looking concerned. "If he already hits him- -"
"He was probably disoriented," Yami no Yugi said knowingly. "Er. . .I mean. . .trapped in darkness for who knows how long. . .he just had to punch something, probably."
"I'm glad you didn't punch me," whispered Yugi, blushing. Yami looked at him and smiled.
"Heh. My Yami stuck me with a knife," said Malik, pointing to a long, vicious looking scar on his forearm. Yami no Malik pouted.
"Said I was sorry," he muttered, frowning heavily.
"Bakura?" Kaiba spoke, at length. He had been watching the white- haired boy for some time now. "You okay?" Ryou shook his head, still dabbing gingerly at his lip.
"Fine, fine. . ."
His swollen lip halted its bleeding eventually. Ryou gazed out the window with the bloodied tissue balled in his hand, looking at the sunset that was settling around them. Once the sun had fallen, it seemed, the entire desert around him would cool. . .
But the heat had definitely shot up while he was- -
Erk. He cut that thought short and looked at his ring, his heart pounding. His heart had lodged somewhere in his throat, and he swallowed, trying to force it back where it belonged. His face was flushed again. . .what was this feeling?
~ //Sweet- -angel- -mine!// ~
Did that happen every time? No. . .he recalled the last time, nearly seven months ago, Malik had to get stitches because his Yami stabbed him when they first met. . .he nearly smiled, remembering that Isis had gone ballistic and chased the Yami around town with a banishing enchantment. . .
He slapped at a mosquito that was trying to bite him. Blood spattered between his fingers. Blood. . .
Something tickled the back of his mind. Should he remember it?
His Yami had violet eyes. Ryou sighed happily and leaned over the windowsill, closing his own eyes against the soft Egyptian sunset.
(e)(d)(e)(n)
A/N: That's it! The first chapter. It's AU, I think we forgot to tell you, but you'd probably realized. And Shadi is OOC. ^_^'
A/N: Thank you again for reading, and any feedback, criticism, suggestions, are always welcome!! Oh. . .question: Who should the big villain be? I was thinking Pegasus. . .or even Rishido. . .
Next chapter:
Ryou has finally found a good name for his Yami- -Bakura. What exactly is it that Ryou hates so much about his father, anyway? What about Bakura? Plus, the villains are making a move. . .uh-oh. . .Shizuka's in trouble. And, the most important question, are Kaiba and Shizuka going to fail their science project? What IS their project, anyway? ^_^'
Sore ja. . .Baibai!
ryuujitsu & company