Oh my goodness I apologize so much for the absolute lateness of this chapter. School has begun so I don't have nearly enough time and this chapter would have been up weeks ago but I hated it and needed to re-write it. These excuses however do not even cover the terrible amount of time it took to get this up. I'm so sorry. Anyway, quick announcements- 1) This Chapter is not beta'd but I'm pretty sure the next one will be thanks to a lovely reviewer 2) Speaking of Reviewers, thank you so much Lazy Gaga and SailorDeathMoon for the reviews! Thanks to all who alerted and favorited this fic and… on with the story!

Disclaimer- still no different from the first disclaimer. If you need to be reminded that I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh go back to the prologue.

Chapter 2- Sealing of Fates

"Ahhh!"

"Amane! Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah"

"You're bleeding!"

"I-it hurts…."

"Stay here, I'm gonna go get mom!"

"W-wait! Don't leave me here alone!"

"I'll only be gone a minute, just hang tight, Okay?"

"Okay…"

Ryou's welcoming back into reality was odd. Though his consciousness sparked back to life, his body stayed down under a heavy weight in his chest surrounded by an almost alarming sea of near-numbness. Bits and pieces of his body tingled lightly, but not nearly enough to really annoy him into stirring. His senses were fuzzy and off, leaving him unable to really make things out in his state. Though, he knew they were coming back slowly, as the rooms musty smell became more and more apparent as the seconds ticked by.

He lay quite still, tuning into the parts of his body he could feel around the numbness that dominated most of it. The dull throb of weight in his chest, accenting itself with every beat of his heart, brought the faint image to his mind of a cinder block lying on top of it. He couldn't feel any of his fingers, but his arms tingled uncomfortably, along with his feet, which twitched ever so often under the odd feeling.

It gave him a sort of comfort. Even if the pain and tingling weren't all that pleasurable, they still proved he could feel something. Anything in the limbo of numbness was relieving to say the least.

What certainly wasn't relieving or comforting was the thought of how in the world he'd ended up like he did. The clear memories he had didn't have anything unusual to them-other than some uncommon luck- He woke up, got to Domino high, spoke with Miho, went from class to class, then back home to change so he could look for Amane. Bits and pieces seemed to be missing however, as if they'd been cut out or someone had spilled ink over them, shielding them from his eyes. He supposed it could be attributed to however he'd been knocked unconscious and hoped faintly he didn't have any kind of brain damage.

Backtracking a bit, a small bitter chuckle erupted from his throat

Of course he'd been looking for Amane; He'd probably stumbled across the wrong person or pissed off someone who really shouldn't have been angered. He always knew trying to find her would be the death of him, but the concept of stopping didn't sit well with him.

What didn't make much sense in his mind was why he didn't plan his search. He was usually so careful about setting up where he'd look and leave notes around his apartment for someone to find if something went wrong. What had he been thinking? How did he get himself in this mess?

Ryou was nearly sure he was alone, there was no breathing or rustling of someone fidgeting anywhere. His mind reasoned that through its own loudness and his hearts beating those noises could have easily been drowned out, but Ryou didn't listen to it. He needed to move, to figure out exactly what was going on and how he could get home safe and sound.

The bits of numb his limbs had still held sprung to life with more uncomfortable tingling when he began to stir about. As if his entire body had fell asleep like his legs would when he sat on them for too long. He writhed about, trying to dispel the unpleasant feeling and only managing to make it worse for a number of moments before it began to fade.

When his body finally felt something akin to normal he opened his eyes, and forced himself to sit up, causing the blanket that had been lying on top of him to pool around his waist.

Light flickered wildly around the walls, like moving cave pictures painting masterpieces and unending stories for single moments before disappearing and creating entirely new ones. Their master creation-weavers being none other than a few candles placed around the rather large room.

The place resembled a hotel room almost perfectly. What, with its low ceiling and huge bed, cute little desk and drawn curtains over what Ryou could only assume to be doors to a balcony. But, he noted that the word 'almost' fit the description well. Hotel rooms were clean and kept while this one was absolutely filthy. Clothes were splattered across the floor as if a closet had been sick, the small desk was stacked with more books, paper, and relative junk than Ryou could even believe it could hold, and the distinct smell of month-old take-out hung heavily in the air.

Unlike a hotel room, it was obviously lived in, and regarded as some form of home. A multitude of things covered in letters he didn't recognize hung on the walls: magazine clippings of everything from motorcycles to archeological digs, Band posters, newspaper clippings, sticky notes with reminders on them… there wasn't any open space that hadn't been taken.

The thing that intrigued Ryou the most however was the collection of miscellaneous junk laid out almost strategically out on the nightstand so as to keep it all from falling off. Some of the more notable things being a small bottle of black liquid, copious amounts of golden jewelry, and a small stack of neatly folded paper all dancing around each other in perfect formation. The only thing that didn't seem to have a place was a small shard of bluish-grey stained glass haphazardly close to the edge. The strong need to fix it, to just touch it, even for only a moment washed over him. He reached out to do so but his entire body absolutely froze when a faint sound of jiggling door handles met his ears, followed closely by hushed cursing in a mixture of Japanese and another language(or two) that he didn't understand.

In an instant he'd broken his deer-in-the-headlights instinct and was on his feet, looking desperately for somewhere to hide. Was there even a place he wouldn't be suspected to hide in, in such a room? Under the desk was too open, in the bathroom was too obvious, there was no room under the bed… He'd have to make do with the closet, though it was no less obvious than anywhere else he really didn't have much of a choice.

He stuffed himself into the space-less hiding spot, wrestling with a collection of tank-tops in order to close the door behind him as the one leading into what he presumed to be a hallway slammed open sending vibrations through the walls big enough to be noticeable to Ryou's shaking body.

Footsteps were soft on carpet, accented by a very faint (and in Ryou's opinion very childish) stomp. They stopped after only a moment followed by a very tired sounding

"Oh, Ra damn it all"

He held his breath, remaining absolutely paralyzed with his entire body pressed against the closet door as the frantic sound of rustling drowned out all silence. His stomach knotted itself over and over again and his heart beat so loud in his chest he could only pray the rooms' new occupant couldn't hear it.

What was he to do if he was found? He didn't know where he was, so running would only get him lost. Though, the situation might be improved from his current one. He didn't exactly have something to knock his assailant out with like in those action movies he used to watch. Or, if he did have something it was hidden under the closets cloak of darkness and thus absolutely useless to him…

The rustling came to a halt and Ryou's lungs screeched for air. He tried to strain his ears to hear through his heart's mini-marathon. Calm, almost thoughtful footsteps began sounding again. Though they remained soft and lost the stomp they'd held every one of them sounded like a gunshot to Ryou's ears.

He couldn't think. The emotions were too strong and too ever-changing to focus on words to describe them with. The muddled confusing state of his mind couldn't drown out the footsteps however, and the moment they ceased he could swear echoes of the action replayed over and over again in his head for the few moments in between events and movements.

The door opened in one quick motion, drenching Ryou and the clothes around him in light as well as taking away the object holding most of his weight. He didn't even have time to even open his mouth to scream, as the moment he tipped forward as if to fall, one strong hand was on his chest, keeping him upright and the other was over his mouth, so as to provide insurance against any actual screaming Ryou may have done.

The odd familiarity almost scared Ryou more than the fact that he could be facing a serial killer

"Please don't make noise" his attacker/kidnapper/whatever he was to Ryou murmured, hushed and panicked.

Ryou was absolutely still. His paralysis hadn't quite worn off or faded, and nothing but absolute fear (and this person's hand) kept him in place… Though he'd started breathing again and if nothing else he could consider that an improvement. Passing out now that his location was revealed wasn't in his best interest. He figured, even if he wasn't so absolutely terrified he wouldn't try to fight. Though he'd considered it as a way to get to safety, it honestly wasn't in his nature.

Slowly, and quite unsurely the hand was removed, the boy continued to look hesitant but managed to put a bit of trust in Ryou (Or more likely Ryou's fear induced mental shut down). Ryou balanced himself, immediately after the second hand was drawn back as well.

"I swear to you that I'm not going to hurt you" He assured, holding both of his hands up in a show of vulnerability. Ryou may have seemed naive or innocent, but even he didn't buy such cliché bullcrap. All his trust was locked up tight in his chest.

The boy rightfully took Ryou's defensive position as failure. He began to look rather uncomfortable and one of his hands went to his forearm, groping for something that obviously wasn't there. A light frown dusted his features and he pulled his hand from whatever nervous habit it had been trying to perform.

"I don't expect you to trust me" He said evenly, "But I am on your side and I intend to help you"

The boy's eyes never left Ryou as he moved back. The whitette could only assume this meant he wasn't the only one who didn't throw around trust foolishly, and had a small stab of respect for the boy. It wasn't often that he wasn't underestimated. After the boy settled himself on the unmade bed continuing to look uncomfortable and seeming rather hawkish in his awkward perched position he motioned for Ryou to come take a seat near him.

Ryou almost admired the way the boy managed to look submissive and so very manipulative at the same time. It reminded him, who was pulling the strings, and no matter how much truth the two danced around for the sake of civility, the game they played, or the sweet strings of lies, Ryou refused to delude himself into believe he was really in charge. They both knew that wasn't true, and illusions of power would do nothing more than get Ryou absolutely played.

Even so, he allowed himself to be coaxed out of the closet space and onto the corner of the bed furthest from the boy. He kept his feet firmly on the ground, and his eyes on the rooms other occupant, absolutely ready to bolt at the first real sign of danger.

The boy seemed happy enough with the small show of trust, no matter how miniscule it was.

"You want to help me?" Ryou echoed the earlier statement, his face covered with a mask of false confidence that shown in his voice, "Could you tell me what's going on first?"

The boy shifted positions, pulling his feet up under him and turning his attention to the bed side table. Ryou watched him stall with minor annoyance. He'd pull a piece of golden jewelry into his lap and fumble with it for a few moments, pressing thumb prints into the metal and wiping them away, before replacing it and beginning the process again.

"I'm Malik" He finally spoke, keeping his inhuman lilac eyes on the object and looking a rather puzzling mix of contemplative and sorrowful.

"I'm Bakura" Ryou muttered, continuing to keep Malik at a physical and metaphorical distance with distrust and formalities, "It's rather nice to meet you Malik-san"

A wry smile shown on the other boys' face, "You can say that it's not nice meeting me Bakura-kun, I won't blame you… But, please drop the suffix. I really don't deserve it." He looked back up and Ryou caught sight of a very tired look in his eyes. It was something so… simply truthful… So absolutely real in some kind of pain he couldn't fathom. It was impossible to ignore. Those were eyes that saw the worst of the world… Those were the eyes Ryou stared into when his reflection stared back.

Bakura Ryou was not a heartless human being. He watched his back, yes. But he did not over look another's pain when it was so blatantly obvious. In doing so he may have been as naïve as he liked to believe he wasn't, but none the less, he pulled his legs to sit on them as Malik had done and turned to get a better look at the boy.

"Alright Malik" He stayed guarded. There wasn't enough trust in him that the simple gesture could make Ryou forget the situation all-together.

The tanned boy offered him a small smile of gratitude, "I'm sorry about all of this… But… You should really be more careful about the places you poke around… A lot of them really aren't all that friendly."

"I was looking for someone" Ryou murmured cryptically, playing with the few details he knew in order to keep his head above water.

Malik didn't exactly look surprised, but there was a shred of sympathy gleaming in his eyes, "If you've lost them in Pyro-Ville you've lost them forever."

He was in Pyro-ville? How on Earth had he talked himself into going into the Pyro-ville without a well thought out plan!

"I have to look anyway" He muttered quietly, drawing his muddy brown eyes up to look into violet ones.

There was a long pause.

"Whoever you're looking for really isn't worth what's looking for you in these parts." The other boy dropped his eyes back to the golden jewelry in his lap, either unwilling or too tired to hold Ryou's gaze, "Please understand. If you've lost them here they're gone forever."

A brew of doubt, pain, and fear mixed together in Ryou's stomach. Bubbling and boiling until it was ready to spill over. With a tight polite tone Ryou repeating himself as Malik had, "I have to look anyway"

"No, you don't," The tanned boy insisted, "Don't waste your life on someone who's not coming back, it's danger-"

"I am not wasting my life!" Ryou hissed, his voice raising a few octaves, "I'm lost in Pyro-ville aren't I? I'm not gone forever! I can't be! Not yet!"

Malik flinched back, staring in absolute shock for a few moments as if he had a hard time believing the pale teen was capable of such a violent outburst. Getting to his feet, he started gathering a few things around the room, staying silent all the while as Ryou watched him with a mix of distrust and curiosity.

"What are you-"

"We need to go. I'm getting you out of here."

"Wha-Where are we going?"

"I'm taking you home."

"No you're not"

Malik stopped and turned to look at Ryou like he'd grown a second head, "You don't want to be 'gone forever' right?"

"Of course I don't!"

"Then we need to get you out of here before someone less friendly finds you here!"

"A little late for that don't you think so?" The silky sound made Malik jump and Ryou nearly fell off his corner of the bed at the sudden appearance of an oddly dressed blonde woman in the mouth of a doorway leading to what he'd presumed to be a balcony. Judging from the fluttering curtains and inky black background it really was a balcony, but how-

"The hell Mai!?" Malik growled, his voice having gone higher from surprise, "How'd you get there?!"

"I flew," She stated in an amused tone, "You have a real nasty habit of not locking your doors"

She was absolutely covered in decorative feathers, long strings holding them fluttered down from her belt, some hung in her hair, some dangled from her ears, and some were even stuck in the cloth of her jacket. This almost distracted him from her odd answer to go along with the rest of her all around strangeness

"What are you doing here?" Malik ground out, looking thoroughly irritated by this woman, "I know you didn't just have the sudden urge to visit me."

Mai pouted, placing a delicate looking hand on her hip, "Ye have little faith. Maybe I did just want to visit you…"

"No. You didn't. Get to the point before I push you off that balcony."

She really had no difficulty ruffling Malik's feathers (Ryou chuckled internally at the irony). She'd hardly said ten words and he was already sharpening the claws he'd use to tear open her throat.

Holding up her hands in mock surrender, Mai gave up her half-baked charade, "Alright, alright don't get your panties in a bunch," Malik growled quietly and Mai cleared her throat, "Hear-ye, hear-ye, our king, our most royal highness wishes the audience of his most beloved servant and companion… you. And your little friend there." The almost-friendly taunting aura she'd had melted into what seemed to be her own annoyance, "Please try to stay out of trouble for more than a few days. I really, really hate getting woken up at two in the morning to carry messages because you've screwed up. This is getting old Malik."

He, in return, showed no signs of giving a response. His eyes stayed stuck on hers in a death glare that Ryou couldn't help but think she didn't deserve.

The woman sighed and glided by the tanned boy on her journey to the door. Everything had been said, she'd been wrongly thrown into the role of the target for whatever anger her message had sparked in him and he was left to think about what he'd done.

Ryou didn't know whether to be scared or curious about the turn of events dropped in the lap of his already pretty bad situation. He wondered who this 'King' was and how Malik had gotten in trouble. Could it be because Malik planned on helping him? Or maybe it was because the boy had other intentions and the King was going to save Ryou by calling his 'most beloved servant and companion' out on it.

Moreover, how many subjects did this king have? Were there only two? Or were their two hundred? Or two thousand? Was this King on his side? Had he somehow acquired himself an enemy?

Too many questions piled into his brain, making it throb within the confines of his skull. Though it seemed he wasn't the only one with a headache.

Malik dropped onto the mattress, rubbing his temples and sighing deeply.

Opting to answer at least some of his questions, he decided he'd make the poor boys headache worse, "What… Just happened, exactly?"

"A massive change of plans" Malik moaned ruefully, keeping his eyes closed and preventing Ryou from reading any deeper emotions from them.

"What do you mean?"

Another one of their long silences stretched between them. Ryou spent all of it performing multiple different nervous habits and trying not to think while Malik lay completely motionless excluding the rise and fall of his chest.

As this moment grew to a ridiculous length he began to suspect that the blonde had actually fallen asleep in the moment of their big game changer, but was proven wrong when the other boy hauled himself to his feet and finally allowed Ryou to see his tired eyes. Which only seemed years older from the encounter with Mai.

"We have to go. C'mon." He moved towards the door Mai had vanished out of several moments before. His footsteps seemed significantly louder than when he'd been gathering things, as if now a great deal of weight had been dumped on his shoulders making it hard for him to even move under its crushing pressure.

Against his better judgment (which he'd been ignoring a lot lately), Ryou shut his mouth and followed the other into the hallway.

The journey through the predictable halls and stairwells of a typical completely-abandoned-partially burnt-through-mess of a hotel was long and absolutely silent. Malik didn't seem to want to speak and Ryou, ever polite and considerate as he was, respected the others need for quiet.

He supposed he could use a slice of that quiet as well. Breaking down what had happened without panicking was probably beneficial to him. He had to assume the ball would not be in his court for whatever conversation he, Malik, and this King were going to have. Maybe it wasn't much, but he could at the very least gain some ground.

Okay, he'd woken up in some old hotel room in Cinder-city. A man named Malik came in and claimed he wanted to help him. He was searching for Amane without a plan and apparently poked his nose in the wrong place. He got knocked out. He had no idea what day it was, how long he'd been out, or where exactly in Cinder-city he was. Though the way Malik talked about it maybe they were on the outskirts… That wouldn't make sense though… There weren't any abandoned hotels as big as the one they were in anywhere in Domino-Oh God what if they weren't in Domino at all? They could be anywhere! Malik's room had been covered in a weird language… but the boy was obviously foreign and spoke Japanese well… So did Mai, and Malik had made it sound like Ryou's home was within walking distance.

Alright. Wherever he was still remained a mystery. As well as where he'd poked his nose and how he'd been knocked out. He should probably be thankful he wasn't killed for being in the wrong place at the wrong time… the prospect that he could have very well have been dead and not woken up at all had only really just hit him.

Oddly, there was no massive emotional impact. No heart hammering, no heavy breathing, no trembling… he'd expected it. He'd always expected to die. Not because everyone did, or there was absolutely no escape but… because he lived such a dangerous life. He wasn't looking for thrill or rebelling against authority or finding the wrong crowd. He was looking in the most eligible places for a kidnapped girl to be held. He was searching for the only thing he knew he needed to protect. He didn't want to die along the way, by any means. He couldn't help her if he was dead and the prospect of death wasn't exactly appealing, but sooner or later his bad luck and fate would meet in the middle and Ryou would slip up.

He'd like to say he was out of the woods, but given how things looked this day could still be his death-day. It still had slipping up potential, no matter-

Malik stopped walking and Ryou ran right into the foreign boys back. His pale features lit up red with embarrassment, and he began to stutter out an apology that apparently wasn't cared for as Malik turned to look him straight in the eye,

"Bakura-kun, listen." He whispered, expression covered in urgency and grim seriousness, as he clasped Ryou's shoulders, "Whatever he says, don't agree to it. I swear nothing he offers is worth what you'll lose. I know you don't trust me, but please, I'm begging you to say no"

He opened his mouth to respond but Malik had turned and started walking again. Ryou jogged lightly to keep up once he'd pulled himself together, not long after they'd started moving again they stopped. He collided unceremoniously with Malik's back when the tan boy halted once more, and muttered a few frantic apologies that went completely ignored.

"Goodness, late again I see"

The voice was odd and unfamiliar. Unfathomably casual in its power and authority, Ryou couldn't help the jolt of raw fear that constricted his innards at its bell-like tinkle.

"Deeply sorry, your majesty"

He couldn't see Malik's face, but if the tension in his shoulders said anything at all his expression probably wasn't showing any of the plethora of emotions he'd seen from the boy before facing this person.

Realizing he hadn't even seen the person due to Malik's subtle show of shielding him from them, he moved out from behind him.

The man Ryou could only guess was this king everyone spoke of was quite different than he'd expected him to be: Grey hair pooled around his shoulders from where it fell over one eye, pristine in its clean-cut edge. His clothing was high-class, fancy, ironed, and very uncomfortable looking in Ryou's opinion.

He stood against the wall, though he wasn't leaning on it. A blank-covered book lay open in one palm while a page that looked as if it'd been torn out hung in the other. The man dropped it, allowing it to flutter to the floor along with a few other fallen brethren.

Ryou couldn't help but think this person wasn't as absolutely terrifying as his voice made him seem. He almost seemed kind, beaming at the sight of him.

"Ah, Mister Bakura! It's a pleasure to meet you!" The odd use of formality from some western culture Ryou didn't care much to remember sounded completely normal to the man's lips. The book plummeted to the floor along with its pages, and at once, one of Ryou's hands was clasped in between the spidery white finger the man possessed

Ryou stared for a long few moments, finally letting out an intelligent, "Uhhh… how did you-"

"Know your name?" The man finished quickly, still smiling blindingly at him, "Why my dear boy, I know everything"

For another silence, he tried to grasp his situation, "I… don't know what's going on here, but I don't really think-"

"Nonsense! Nonsense!" He found himself interrupted by the delighted cheer, his attempt at voicing his doubts cut off without any thought, "Oh my, we're still in the corridor! Loitering like hooligans" A small chuckle tinkled from the man's throat, "Come, come, into my study, we can chat properly in private."

Ryou was pushed through a door into a large, warm colored room. Only a moment passed before the man followed, and, though Ryou waited Malik did not.

As if reading his mind, one of those pale thin hands waved dismissively in Ryou's direction, "Don't worry, our dear Malik simply clearing up that mess. He probably won't be back in time for our meeting"

This invasion of his mind left him feeling vulnerable and helpless. He could no longer stand still, and though he finally regained enough sense of the circumstances to school his expression into general indifference, his nervous ticks gave away his real feelings.

"What do you think?" Across the room the man seated himself in a large plush chair. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on a large desk

"Of what?" Ryou asked mildly, keeping himself together as best as he could

"Why our humble abode, of course!"

"It's…quite nice-"

"Lovely!" This was truly beginning to annoy him. His sentence had been cut off at the very end as if it had taken ages for him to say it and the man was a bit too impatient, "I really do regret to inform you that you probably won't be seeing it again after this. Please understand my concern, you see, I simply cannot have you speaking of this. If anyone were to find us here, we'll have… quite a lot of trouble…" Through his small speech he continued to look around rather dramatically, every once in a while his eye would dart back to Ryou before he pretended like it never had.

"Why would you have trouble? Are you living here illegally or something?"

"I suppose you could say that… but it's really not the problem… We have quite the little secret that everyone would want…"

Every overdramatized gesture hinted far too much for Ryou to ignore. The man reminded him faintly of a small child urging their parent to ask about one of their toys.

"And…. What would that secret be?"

Bait, taken.

"Knowledge!" No hesitation, no beating around the bush, no delay at all.

"Knowledge?"

He shouldn't have asked. He should have assured the man he wouldn't tell and leave. He should have waited for Malik to return. He should have refused the meeting

…Not that he remembered anyone asking if such a meeting was alright with him.

"Yes, yes, knowledge like you wouldn't believe!"

"Ah, well, please don't worry about me. You're secret is safe um…"

"Oh! How could I be so forgetful! I'm called Pegasus."

"Thank you, Pegasus-san. I'm… quite sorry about all of this…"

"Sorry?!"Ryou jumped at the increased volume of Pegasus's already loud voice, "Why would you be sorry? Searching for your sister…. Such a noble thing to do! I look up to you my boy!"

He stood still for a long time. Just staring at the other like a deer-in-the-headlights.

"How did you know I was searching for her?"

Pegasus smiled, "I know everything."

Logically, Ryou wanted to deny the statement. Being all knowing was impossible. But damn if his emotions hadn't been strapped to roller coaster after roller coaster since he woke up…

Logic… really didn't seem so important anymore

"Everything?" He echoed

"Everything."

"So… You… You know everything I've thought up till now?"

"Yep."

Ryou stopped his absolutely dumbstruck gawking and attempted to pull some pride together. He stood up straighter and held his head higher "Prove it."

"I can't!" It was blatantly cheery, once more without hesitation or fear of not being believed.

He deflated, "I'm sorry… why not?"

"Because my dear boy! Nothing in life is free! If you want to know you must prove to me that you deserve to know"

"How would one do that?" Ryou was just about sure the man was conning him, and there was no real reason to stand here listening to the absolute bullshit he was being fed

"My tasks! You have to complete ten tasks to get an answer to any question your heart may hold"

"What… are these tasks…?"

"Secrets!" Finally he begun to feel annoyance, "You will learn one by one as you do them! But you best do them fast dear Ryou, your poor sister is waiting ever-so patiently, and you're rather late as it is…"

Snap.

"How dare you pretend to know about Amane!" In less than a moment Ryou was leaning heavily on Pegasus' desk in order to get close to the man, "Do not mention her again, you don't deserve it you lying snake!"

Pegasus' smile didn't waver, he didn't even flinch, "Come now Ryou, let's hold onto our tempers. I am simply offering you a chance to learn where your sister is. Ten little tasks are all you have to do… and as I am aware this is the first real lead you've ever come across."

Immediately the younger of the two cooled off, moving away from the desk and watching the man carefully, "How do I know you know where she is?"

"Because I know everything."

"Am I really meant to believe that?" Suddenly he felt very tired, as if the day's events were finally catching up to him.

"Hmmm… I suppose you wouldn't… Here! Your name is Ryou Bakura, and you write letters to your dear sister whom has been missing for about…. Seven years"

"You could have easily learned that without knowing everything. I don't exactly hide the letters, and it's not hard to find out about Amane."

"You burned the first letter you wrote at age 8. It was the only letter you ever dated."

Silence hung for a long moment.

"How did you…"

"Really, I'm getting tired of repeating myself."

Ryou didn't try to straighten his back or raise his head; he simply stared, looking nothing less than absolutely pathetic, "So… you can really tell me where she is?"

"Yes."

"As long as I complete your tasks?"

"Naturally."

"I… I accept the tasks. I'll do it."

Pegasus grinned and held out his hand, "We have a deal then?"

"Y-yes, we have a deal" Ryou shook the limp offered to him. Malik's warning and all common sense completely forgotten.

He would do it.

He would get Amane back

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