Title: The Shadow Items
Rating: T
Genre: Action/Adventure/Romance
Pairings: Yami(Atemu)/Yugi, Mariku/Malik, Bakura/Ryou and Seto(Seth)/Joey
Summary: Four thieves are caught in a robbery, when they are sent back to the capital to be punished they are split up. But there is a destiny upon the four and they must fulfill.
Warnings: SLASH (boy on boy love), death, violence, probably swearing.

Blah Malik's voice over.

Chapter 1: Caught

My line of profession is complicated. I am a thief, not a great thief, but a decent one. The complicated parts about my profession is not the breaking in, or the obtaining of the item in question, it's the disappearing, the making sure none of it falls back upon you. You need to be skilled enough to vanish like smoke and stay vanished, because if you reappear you're dead. No questions asked, just dead.

The sky was painted velvet black, the stars glowing dots, pale in comparison to the moon's orb. It cast a soft glow across the desert plains, bringing a mystical peace to the terrain. This was the city of the Dead, the King's Valley, home to dozens of tombs, stuffed full with gold and riches beyond a man's dreams. This place was were four young thieves were, creping among the shadows, senses hyped towards any sound.

One let out a soft sneeze, which carried across the silent valley. He shivered in the cold as the others directed warning looks his way. "Sorry but its freezing!" He whispered, his warm breath catching in a white puff in the air.

He was the smallest of the four, looking more like a child then a boy of his older youth. His hair was strangely tri-coloured, inky black, tipped in dark violet with soft golden bangs falling into wide, child-like violet orbs.

The boy beside him gave him a sympathetic smile. He was only a little taller, with snow white hair that fell just past his shoulders and soft forest green eyes. His skin was paler then most and he spoke in a soft assuring voice.

Ahead the tallest of the four signaled for them to move closer. His golden blonde hair caught in the moon's light as they streaked across to the next shadow. His amber eyes turned briefly back to the last of the four.

The sandy blonde haired boy nodded once, falling down beside the other in the safety of shadows. His bronze skin made him more Egyptian then the others, although his lilac eyes were hardly normal. He was a head shorter then the tallest of the four and was more of the leader.

"We need to work fast." The blonde whispered to the other three when they were lying side by side in the shadows. "I have a horrible feeling we're being watched."

The others nodded, casting cautious eyes to the surrounding plains and the stretch of glittering Nile. There was no one in sight but the feeling was there, strong and chilling.

"How are we going to do this?" The tri-coloured hair one asked. He sounded anxious, as he always was when they were on a heist. But he was loyal and unlikely to fold.

"Joey and Ryou will hang around here, you and me, Yugi, will slip inside." The lilac eyed one nodded first to the blonde, then the snowy haired and finally his eyes turned to the smallest.

They all nodded, understanding the plan. Ryou and Joey had keen sight and Yugi's height gave him the advantage to slip by almost unnoticed, and able to make his way through tighter gaps.

"Malik, I don't feel right about this." Yugi whispered to the lilac eyed one as they made their way over to the tomb.

This tomb was new. The King's death had been recent and well known and now he was sitting gold mine for thieves such as themselves. Malik sent Yugi a reassuring look, keeping close to the wall.

"It'll be fine, Yug, quick and easy." Malik took from a wheat bag he carried, a hammer and chisel.

The newly sealed tomb would be easy to break through, he hoped. Robbing tombs was new for them, and he hoped it would work. He started on the groove running around the entrance door. The first metallic clank echoed uncomfortably loud and Yugi whispered for him to be quiet, his eyes darting around.

Malik continued his body tense as he worked. Chips fell away as he worked, sweat broke upon his brow and he gritted his teeth. The cold wasn't helping either. More then once he missed the chisel and the hammer made contact with the door.

Beside him Yugi gave an unintelligible squeak and Malik felt the cool touch of a blade against the back of his neck.

"Put the hammer down." a cold voice hissed in his ear, sending even more shivers down Malik's spine.

Slowly, and shaking badly, Malik dropped the hammer and chisel, watching as they fell into the sand at his feet, Silent and motionless, as he was about to become.

"Turn, slowly."

Malik did as he was ordered and was faced with a sharp eyed Egyptian, Royal guard. He wore heavy clothing against the cold and held a curved blade sword uncomfortably near the thief's neck. Behind him other guards held Joey and Ryou still, who sent Malik guilty looks. The guards must have come upon them by surprise, which would explain the lack of warning.

Yugi was whimpering quietly, his eyes filled with unshed, crystal tears. Malik's heart clenched at the small boy. He did not deserve this, none of them did. They were going to be killed and fed to the dogs. There would be no mummification, no tomb, no prays to send their souls onto the Afterlife.

The Underworld was awaiting them and Malik could just feel the flames lapping at his skin.

"Looks like we've got a few thieves on our hands," The guard holding Malik sneered maliciously.

Malik didn't reply as the others gave gleeful sounds of acknowledgment. They were bringing Joey and Ryou closer to Malik and Yugi. The four were backed up against the tombs wall. Malik watched a scorpion crawl across the sand behind the guards and prayed for it to sting them. Nobody was listening as the scorpion crawled up without stopping.

"What shall we do with them?" One guard asked, moving closer to Ryou.

Ryou turned his head to the side, a look of disgust etched onto his pale face. The sky was becoming lighter, a soft shade of violet as the stars and moon began to fade. Malik wondered if they would simply kill them quickly and leave the corpses as warning, or if they would drag it out, taking them back to the Capital and making a skeptical of it. More then likely the later, Malik could feel a vicious vibe from them.

The guard closest to Yugi took his chin between two fingers. Yugi whimpered and tried to pull away but the taller man held on tight and the others laughed. Joey growled and made a move to stop him but was stopped by a sword.

"Move any closer and you're dead." The guard hissed to him. Joey growled again but stayed were he was, glaring at the guard.

"I think we should take them back." Another suggested. "We could see that they're…punished."

The others snickered and the four captive thieves shivered. Malik and Yugi were close enough that Malik could graze his fingertips against Yugi's wrist in assurance. The small boy just gave a dry sob. There would be bruises were the man held his chin.

The man laughed loudly and shoved Yugi back against the wall. He stumbled and fell, half falling, half slumping against the stone work, a single salty tear trailing down his cheek. He bowed his head as the guards laughed loudly.

"Come on," they were each seized roughly, "you've got a long journey yet."

Their cruel laughter floated across the valley as Ra rose in glorious light and their fate lay upon an uncertain rode.

Thievery is an uncertain profession. Only the smart, the kick and the fearless of Death should take such a path, or the foolish. I suppose we fall upon the category of the foolish. We were too young, too hot blooded, but this was yet to lead us into a new light, a new life.

-TBC-

It's been a while since I wrote a Yu-Gi-Oh! Fic, so hopefully this is all right. I would love any feedback, so PLEASE REVIEW!

Many thanks,

Angel Of Your Soul.