Sorry it took so long, but this is the longest chapter to date! It hasn't been betaread yet, but I wanted to get the chapter to you guys as soon as possible. I'll post the edited version as soon as I get it. So, here you go!

Update 7-4-15 Betaed by Riri-kun


Oh Ra, what am I doing? Ryou thought for about the hundredth time that day. This was absolutely ridiculous. There was no way in heaven or hell this was going work. And yet... here he was, sneaking out of the cathedral, dressed as a priest. Now, that part hadn't exactly been his idea. More like something the Hikaris had suckered him into.

He wasn't going to go out after his master told him not to. He really wasn't. However his friends had other plans. As soon as he had come back from his "rooftop tryst" as they called it, the three statues began shoving garments at him.

The clothes were simple, the normal attire for any of the priests of the cathedral. The robe and cap both held the image of a golden ankh. A cape was attached to the main robe, long enough to reach Ryou's waist. They had even managed to get their hands on one of the matching staffs. And the entire outfit was blindingly white. It seemed as though it was mocking him.

But, he had to admit, it was brilliant on the part of the Hikaris. The large, loose-fitting outfit managed to cover most of the shadows, and the ones near his face and neck were now barely noticeable. Of course, with the disguise, climbing down the decorative patterns and statues of Hikaris became infinitely more difficult. He continually got his legs tangled in the cloth and the cloak seemed to be magnetized to his head. As he brushed it out of his face yet again, he caught sight of the figures above him.

Honda gave him a short wave, Yuugi was beaming a reassuring smile, and Jou winked and offered him a thumbs up. Ryou returned a grin. He would have waved, but couldn't risk letting go. He was trying to use his shadows as discretely as possible, which meant using as much of his physical strength as he could. Besides, he wanted to get down as soon as possible. He could hear the celebration beginning.

"Come one, come all!" A procession of flag bearers, dressed as members of the royal court, made their way down the street. Everyone who was taking part in the duels had to join. Even Seto was dressed as a high priest, though he looked ready to kill anyone stupid enough to point this out. No one did. It was the Feast of Duels. Today was the day any measure would be taken; any line would be crossed, all for the sake of dueling.

"Leave your loops and milking stools. Coop the hens and pen the mules."

The entire city had shut down, everyone focused on the event that had been awaited all year.

Ryou finally reached the lowest balcony. Strands of flags were haphazardly tied along the railing. Taking a deep breath, he walked over to one of the ropes. I'm actually doing this, he thought with surprise, then smiled. In a few seconds, his feet would touch the ground. Suddenly, he couldn't wait. The task that had once seemed so daunting in his mind now felt like child's play. He gave the rope a tug, pleased to find it was sturdy, before placing the staff over the rope. He placed a hand on either side, then leapt off the balcony. He laughed as he soared above the festivals, and landed at a post.

"Come one, come all!" Ryou let his momentum swing him around, leaning away from the pole to get a better view. However, that was when he made his first mistake. He reached up instinctively, grabbing the rope with both hands and balanced his feet on the post. The knot came undone under his weight. With a startled cry, he began swinging toward the center of the square.

"Close the churches and the schools. It's the day to screw the rules!" The procession formed a line along the road as they sang. None took any notice as a boy with white hair landed in front of them. They were waiting for the show.

"Come and join the feast of..." Marik flew out from underneath their legs, holding the Millennium Rod high as he sang the final word.

"Duels!" He leapt to his feet, flashing a wild grin toward the crowd. They roared at his appearance. Marik blew kisses to the crowd and somehow the cheering managed to get even louder. Marik noticed a teen nervously standing in the middle of the square. Looks like I have a partner, he thought with a grin.

"Once a year we throw a party here in town!" he belted as he took the boy's arm. He spun him in a circle. The teen gasped in fear, but Marik ignored him. He was having fun. "Once a year we turn Domino upside down. Ev'ry Yami's king and ev'ry king's a clown. Once again it's Dueling Crazy Day."

He released Ryou and the boy went spinning into the crowd. The mob parted for him, allowing him to stumble into a tent, nearly knocking it over. Marik, however, didn't notice the distress he caused. He was still playing with the crowd. Jumping forward into a handspring, he flipped and leapt to grab a flagpole. He clamped tightly with his legs and dangled upside down.

"It's the day the Ka within us gets released. It's the day, it's time to duel both man and beast. Ev'ryone is dueling crazy at the Feast of Duels!"

Ryou toppled backwards with a shout, trying to grab at anything to keep himself from falling. He snatched a hanging curtain, but his momentum was too much. With a horrific tear, the drape fell, taking Ryou with it.

"What the fuck!" Bakura shouted, quickly wrapping himself in his robe. He still had another ten minutes before he needed to make his entrance! "Marik, what are you-" The indignant accusation vanished when he turned around. At first, Bakura could barely look at him without shielding his eyes. The figure was blinding. White robes, white hair, white skin... If Bakura actually believed any sort of religious bullshit, he'd say it was an angel. An angel that was currently cowering and inching backwards toward the corner of the tent.

"I-I... I'm sorry! I- I didn't mean to..." Ryou flailed his arms, trying to get out from under the curtain that was smothering him. He needed to get out of here. Bakura crossed his arms, but walked forward toward the boy.

"Damn, that was quite the fall. Are you alright?" he asked. Without waiting for a reply, he lifted the hood, ignoring the cries of protest. He revealed the intruder's face and the biggest, brownest eyes Bakura had ever seen. Shit. For the first time in his life, Bakura was speechless.

Thankfully, he was able to recover gracefully.

"See? No harm done. Just... Be careful?" That was the kind of advice people gave in these situations, right? He took the teen's arm and lifted him to his feet.

"I-I-I will," Ryou stammered, still in shock himself. He... He doesn't hate me. He touched me... Ryou could feel his cheeks heating up, and he wasn't entirely sure why. Dazed, he wandered out of the tent.

"By the way," Bakura called after him, spurred by some unknown impulse, "Great costume." He winked, delighted by the growing blush on the shorter boy's face. He looks just like the White Mage, he thought with a chuckle, and went back inside.


On the other side of the square, a different plot was unfolding. Led by Atem, the Elite Guards marched forward in a V-formation. The captain looked out over the crowd.

"Haga, Ryuzaki, go left. Ghost, head to the right. Keith, stay with me. We will guard Judge Gozaburo." Though they huffed and shot him looks of disdain, they listened. "I can feel the love," he mumbled, before give an all clear.

Directly behind them, the iron carriage, fit to hold death itself, creaked to a stop. With an air of grandeur, Gozaburo threw open the door. Near him, the celebration quieted; the people were afraid that so much as a shout could get them arrested. Scowling, the tall man ignored them. He stalked over and up the steps of the main stage, making it very clear that he'd rather be anywhere but here. Cracking his knuckles, he perched on the throne in the center of the stage, preparing himself for the torturous hours ahead.

"Come one, come all!" The voice came from nowhere and everywhere, making Gozaburo (though he would never admit it) jump. "Hurry, hurry, here's your chance. See the myst'ry and romance!" Tan hands appeared on his shoulder. Warm breath tickled his ear. Gozaburo rolled his eyes. It was that damn Yami, Marik. He was about to call for the minstrel to be taken away, but as though sensing the danger, the nuisance left, walking up to the edge of the stage. It was rather large, with a runaway down the center. The crowd was packed as tightly as possible, all trying to get a good view.

"Come one, come all!" Marik addressed the crowd now and they hung on his every word. "Make an entrance to entrance! You'll want to get in his pants."

"MARIK!" hissed a voice only the blonde could hear. But the shout of protest was ignored. Marik was in the midst of his art.

"Dance Bakura-san, now dance!" As he shouted, he threw something down. The audience gasped as a red cloud of smoke engulfed him. Marik was gone, and in his place was a scantily clad Bakura. He wore a crimson robe that fell to his ankles, though his chest was bare. He wore a cream knee-length shendyt, adorned with a navy sash. In one hand he held his Millennium Ring and in the other he was twirling a golden cloth.

Gozaburo couldn't stop his eyes from widening. Oh Gods... Why must you tempt me so? The dancer before him... For a brief moment, the judge thought it was Ryou who had joined him on stage. Long white hair, reaching down his back, curling in softly towards his face... Gozaburo had seen it before. But no, this man was different. His eyes were hard. They had lost all the innocence Ryou possessed. Gozaburo licked his lips at the thought.

Bakura slinked forward, attempting to make his movements as slow and sensual as possible. Considering the drool that was coming from Gozaburo, it was working. Got you, you bastard. A smile danced across his lips as he turned, shaking the Ring. The crowd was silent now, entranced by the precise movements. With a sudden change of pace, Bakura dropped the ring and cartwheeled to the foot of the throne. Gozaburo backed away, leaving enough room for Bakura to sit next to him.

He wrapped the scarf around Gozaburo's neck, forcing the man closer to him. Bakura ran a hand along his chin, and felt the judge's breath hitch. Bakura leaned in, just out of reach, before draping the cloth over his head and spinning away. He heard the man growl as he pulled the scarf off his face, and Bakura flicked his cape at him, daring him. When Gozaburo didn't react, Bakura ran along the edge of the stage. He ripped a spear from Bandit Keith's hand as he passed, then used it to vault himself upwards. It stuck in the ground as he spun around it, slowly winding down to end in the splits. Coins showered the stage, and Marik reappeared from the wings.

"And now for the main event! Here it is, the moment you've been waiting for. Here it is, you know exactly what's in store. Now's the time we cheer until our throats get sore. Now's the time we crown the King of Duels!" The crowd roared its approval. "You all remember last year's king?" Marik shouted. He gestured over to a man held on the shoulders of four people. At least, Marik assumed it was a man. With the giant Zorc costume on, it was hard to tell.

"So make a face that's horrible and frightening. Make a face as gruesome as a Red Eyes' wing!" (On a side note, this was the point that both Yuugi and Honda had to restrain Jou and keep him from going to knock Marik's lights out.) "For the face most monstrous will be the King of Duels!"

Slowly, many of the people dressed as monsters made their way to the stage. Bakura easily spotted the all white boy who had fallen into his tent earlier. That kid would win it all.

"You!" He shouted, pointing at him. Ryou blanched.

"M-me? N-no, I can't-" Unfortunately for Ryou, the fan favorite dancer would not be denied. Dozens of hands swelled from the sea of people, lifting him upward. He surged forward into Bakura's waiting arms. The Yami wrapped his arms around the smaller teen's waist and hoisted him onto the stage. Ryou clung to his cloak, first from fear of falling, then from fear of the crowd. All these people... He thought with a gulp, They're all looking at me!

"Hey, Creampuff." Ryou's eyes snapped up. Bakura placed a hand on his chin. "You stand right here, look pretty, and trust me, you'll be king in no time." Bakura couldn't help the grin that came to his lips as the boy turned bright red. He sure does blush a lot.

"Bakura!" Marik called from the other end of the line. The competition was about to begin.

"I have to go, but I'll be right back." Without another world, he sprinted toward the puppeteer. He flipped into a handspring and landed next to Marik with ease.

"Dueling Crazy!" sang the crowd, eager to judge the people onstage. The first man was dressed as the Celtic Guardian. When Bakura and Marik gestured to him, he struck a heroic pose, sword high in the air. The crowded square erupted in boos. The costume wasn't bad, but this man wasn't their king.

"Monster friends, forget your shyness!" Marik called to the crowd, voice like honey drawing in flies. The next contestant walked forward.

"Dueling Crazy!" The crowd chanted.

She was a brunette was dressed as the Dark Magician Girl. She had the costume nearly perfect. Her hairstyle was practically identical to that of the Duel Monster's. Still, though a few people sent her catcalls, the overall response was negative. She wasn't the one they wanted. And, considering how all eyes are locked on the boy at the end, Bakura thought with a smirk, I think I know what they're waiting for.

"You could soon be called Your Highness!" Marik assured the contestants as Bakura spun the Dark Magician Girl off the platform. However, Marik's statement was beginning to seem unlikely. One by one, Marik introduced the monsters, the audience turned them down, and Bakura ejected them off stage. Until, of course, the pair got to Ryou.

Immediately, the crowd went wild.

"Put your foulest features on display! Be the king of Dueling Crazy Day!" They sang.

"We want to see his face!" A man yelled.

"Take off the hat!"

"Let us see our king!"

"N-no!" Ryou shouted as Bakura took the cap. Both Yamis gasped at the sight. The once hidden shadows flowed down around him. They spilled out over the robes, no longer able to be contained. They stretched out, reaching for Marik, Bakura, and the crowd, curious to examine the new faces.

"Oh no..." Ryou moaned, as the crowd, which was slowly becoming more like a mob, erupted in cries of horror and disgust.

"Is that shadow magic?"

"That's no costume..."

"He's a real monster!"

"It's the bell ringer of Kame Dame!" Gozaburo was livid.

"Ryou!" The white-haired boy stared at his feet, terrified of what would happen next. Marik, sensing the possibility of losing all control, stepped in front of the former contestant.

"Now, now," he beckoned, calling for calm, "Ladies and gentlemen, don't panic! We asked for the most monstrous face in Domino, and here he is." He took Ryou's hand, lifting it high above their heads. "I present Ryou, the Bell Ringer from Kame Dame!" Bakura walked up behind them and gently sent a golden crown on Ryou's head.

"Here you go, your majesty," Bakura murmured in his ear. He gave a playful bow, before backing away. Ryou turned, wanting to see where he went, but was swallowed by the crowd. A multitude of hands grabbed his arms, robes, anything they could, and vaulted him toward the sky.

"Whoa!" Ryou shouted with a stifled gasp. The group holding him filed in line behind Marik. He lifted his staff, twirling it like a baton.

"Ev'rybody!" He shouted, and the parade began.

"Once a year we throw a party here in town," the congregation shouted, echoing Marik's earlier words.

"Hail to the king!" Marik ordered, and indeed, people along the side of the street bowed. Ryou was crimson at this point, finding it impossible that this was happening. He pinched himself, incredibly pleased when he didn't wake up. This is actually happening.

"Once a year we turn Domino upside down!"

"Oh, what a king!" Marik added. They passed by Gozaburo and his guards. Ryou offered a sheepish wave. Atem nodded and smiled, giving him a small salute (he was the king after all) but the others only glared. Gozaburo clenched his hands into fists.

"Once a year, the monstrous will wear a crown!"

Ryou began eagerly waving. For whatever reason, girls (and some of the boys) would squeal when he made eye contact with them. Many seemed to be afflicted with nosebleeds. A few even fainted. Ryou briefly wondered if there was something wrong with the food.

"Girls, give a kiss!" The blonde minstrel had Ryou lowered to the ground just long enough for Anzu Mazaki and Mai Kujaku to plant a kiss on both his cheeks. Ryou's cheeks instantly ignited again.

"Once a year on Dueling Crazy Day!"

Marik leapt up onto a tall wooden platform. It was smaller than the stage, normally only used hanging and public floggings, but today was a special day. "We've never had a king like this," the puppeteer sang with a grin. He took Ryou's hand and yanked him up. He wrapped an arm around the King of Duels and pinched his cheek before turning back to the awaiting masses.

"And it's the day we cherish things that we deplore on the other three hundred and sixty-four. Once a year we love to drop in where the duels are never stoppin' for the chance to pick a king who'll put the "top" in our Top Dueling Day!" At this, Marik bounded off the stage, leaving Ryou alone to bask in adoration. A chant ran through the crowd.

"RYOU! RYOU!" Ryou blushed and smiled, creating attentive "Aw"s from his new admirers. He had never been so happy in as long as he could remember.

It's funny that those happiest moments are the most fragile.