YAMIS RETURN

Author's Note: Oh my god! I'm so sorry! I haven't been able to update for so long because I got a really bad report card and mom was pissed off, so she banned me from computer. If she knew I was writing a trashy smut fic, you'd never see me again. . Anyhoo, I'm back for the fic. And the fic must go on! Every review I get leads to a new chapter, and I got not one but THREE reviews, FOUR total. Holy shit. Seriously. Ok, to my reviewers:

Hidden Pages: No, you aren't a bad person unless I'm pretty much Satan, because I thought it was effing HILARIOUS. I should make him torture more stuff. Then again, I came up with that at about two am, so… I might just be insane. Oh well. Love ya!

Cheetahkit: Thanks! OK, now I'm going to go crazy over whether it's Author's Universe or Alternate Universe. LOL. THANKS FOR THE REVIEW!

Aurora Hargreaves: THANK YOOOU! Man, I'm never gonna get used to this. The next chapter is up...now!

Thanks also to tinkletimekelly, SilverDragon-Purity, and Panguins-in-America-Oh-my, plus Aurora Hargreaves, Hidden Page, and cheetahkit for doing something fancy with the story that sent me an email, even if I'm not sure what it is. I love you guys!

Yugi awoke to the sound of his phone ringing. For one foolishly hopeful moment, he thought it might be Ishizu calling to tell him that yes, it was possible to bring Yami back, and tried to get out of bed too fast. By the time he got untangled from the covers, the phone had stopped buzzing. He cursed and looked in the 'missed calls' menu, finding that it was Ryou who had been calling, not Ishizu.

Stifling a disappointed sigh, he called the number. Ryou picked up on the first ring. "Yugi? Come to Malik's place right away. It's urgent!"

"Chill, Ry!" Yugi commanded, rubbing his eyes. "Why are you at Malik's? Is there something I should know?"

"It's about our darknesses! Do hurry!" whined the British boy, making Yugi's heart do a triple flip inside him. Before he could ask again, Ryou had hung up. Stupid limey.

Yugi was dressed and out the door within five minutes, not bothering to brush his hair or check what he was wearing. Grabbing the keys to his motorcycle from his jacket pocket, he navigated the red and purple machine through the garage doors of the apartment at the back of the Kame Game Shop and sped toward the Ishtars' house.

Ryou and Malik were sitting on the couches of the Ishtars' living room, getting upset looks from most of the people sitting nearby. Ishizu looked disapproving because Ryou was leaking blood onto the sofa and wouldn't let her bandage it. Seto looked mad because Ishizu was distressed. Anzu looked despairing because she had called them all together, and was very worried about the three hikaris. Joey was angry because Anzu had made him skip breakfast to go to Malik's house, and he was contemplating tugging on his girlfriend's short brown hair in revenge. Tristan looked mad because Duke refused to kiss him because it was a 'serious situation.' The only one who didn't seem upset was Odion, and he was expressionless all the time, so it didn't matter.

The doorbell rang. Malik fidgeted. Ryou got up, meaning to answer the tolling bell, but was pushed down by Ishizu, who hissed at him about his 'injury.' Soon, Yugi let himself in, silently blinking at the silent room before him.

After a minute or so, Malik flopped back on the cushions impatiently. "Ok, he's here, let the intervention begin." Ishizu gave him a dirty look, and motioned to Anzu to start.

Anzu took a deep breath. "Listen, Yugi, Malik, especially you Ryou. We're worried about you. You haven't seemed the same lately."

Yugi stiffened before walking over and sitting next to Malik. "What exactly are you talking about?" He took this guarded, too-casual tone whenever anyone brought up him. And it was a dead giveaway.

Seto made an impatient noise and took hold of Ryou's injured arm, ignoring the small whimper of pain. "Look. He used this," holding up a bloodied paintbrush, "to write a message in blood on his wall. This is madness!"

"This is Sparta," Joey muttered.

"Can it, mutt," Kaiba growled. "Yugi, you were up all night making phone calls to Ishizu. It kept her – and me – awake until 5:30. Even if you hang up right after, it rings! And Malik, I don't even have to talk about you." He pointed to the corner in explanation. There was a heap of destroyed objects sitting there, trying to look innocent. They didn't succeed, especially since they were all clearly Malik's work.

Malik flipped Seto off, which made Ryou give him a disapproving look. "I would really appreciate it if you guys just let us be. It's only natural to miss them," he murmured in his adorable accent.

"Yeah!" burst out Malik. "We don't want or need your help! In fact-"

"I found a way to get them back." Ishizu cut Malik off in a voice which, despite being soft, filled the whole room.

There was silence for a moment.

Finally, Yugi stood up. "Bring them back. I don't care what the cost is, just do it! Now!" His hysterical voice paired with the other hikaris's frantic nodding convinced Ishizu. The place where the yamis needed to be was back on earth, among the living. She closed her eyes in concentration, sending this thought to her ancient lookalike.

"MARIK!" Marik sniggered.

"Yeah, your highness?" he said mockingly. Aknankanon was pissed again. Marik had been discovered slicing all of Mana's clothes into even more revealing costumes. Not that he was looking at her, or anything. But her skin tone was remarkably close to Malik's...

"And another thing- Marik are you listening to what I'm saying?"

Marik looked up at the former pharoah with an evil leer. "No."

Aknankanon fumed. "Well, I was going to tell you what Isis saw of your maniacal little friend, but now I don't think you deserve it."

The man was on the ground in seconds, with a knife poking into a very tender spot on his personage. "Tell me what Malik said, or Pharoah Junior gets it," snarled a suddenly-sinister voice. Marik's eyes were mere inches away from Aknankanon's own, and he looked like he was furious, excited, and anticipatory at the same time. The pharoah's answer was just a whimper.

"Lay off him, Marik," intoned another man lazily. "He's too scared to tell you." Bakura pulled the other yami from the former pharoah. "Isis has news. Let's go."

"Okay, Kura-chan." Marik was instantly the model of good behaviour again. That is, until he turned around and flipped off Aknankanon.

When the two yamis got down to the afterworld palace, both Isis and Yami were already there, along with Mana, Mahad, and Seth. Yami was sitting stonily in his throne while Mana chattered at him. Mahad stood at his side. Seth was talking to Isis, his wife.

Marik immediately saw Mana (in her only remaining undamaged clothing), cackled insanely, and sat down with an evil grin. Bakura idly kicked at a stone, sending it flying at Mahad, who dodged it with a stern look.

"So," Bakura started, "what did you see now, Isis?" He sounding vaguely interested, but there was an undercurrent of genuine and fervent inquisitiveness. Marik leaned forward in sudden attentiveness.

Isis touched her millenium necklace thoughtfully - it turns out, everyone who ever had a millenium item gets a copy of it in the afterlife - and opened her mouth to speak. Yami looked up hopefully.

"My modern twin, Ishizu, has found a way to bring you all back to her time. But, she needed me to get your confirmation before she can activate it. Do you all want to see your lighter halves again?" She looked to Yami first.

"Certainly and undoubtedly," he replied without hesitation.

Bakura followed suit. "Yep, me too. It'll be good to see that gorgeous Ryou again."

Marik's answer was to cackle manically and mutter something about chains.

Isis closed her eyes, sending a telepathic message to Ishizu. 'They have consented. Go forth with the plan.'

Whew! Ok, now I'm going to bed. See y'all!