WARNING! THIS IS A VERY EDUCATED JOKE!

Once upon a time, in the land of ancient Egypt:

Yugi: O look, its polaris!

Atemu (shakes his head): oh silly Yugi. You are so dumb! That's Thuban! Will you have sex with me now?

Yugi: NO! It's polaris!

Atemu: Works for me! (tackles)

(DID YOU KNOW THAT 3000 YEARS AGO WE HAD A DIFFERENT POLAR STAR? ITS TRUE! IT WAS NOT POLARIS IT WAS THUBAN!)

If I studied sciences like my brain wanted me too then life would have been so much easier… and richer. And then I wouldn't have to take four-mouth-long hiatuses… hiatusi?

—()—()—()—()—()—()—

Chyaputa 10: Opening the Unseen Door

—()—()—()—()—()—()—

The Pharaoh had made it to his room. He had gotten away from his priests but he hadn't escaped Yugi, who was following fast behind him.

"Wait!" the boy cried. "Pharaoh!" No guards dared to stop him now, not with his face so similar to their sovereign's.

Now the King of Egypt was at a dead end, trapped in his own quarters. The Pharaoh felt the anxiety building in his chest. What was happening? What was Yugi? Why had the Pharaoh ever accepted him? Without question, without doubt. How had he not realized, even through the eyes of the gods, this made no sense?

There was the whip of fabric as the cloth shift in the doorway was ripped out of the way of Yugi's flying entrance. Before the Pharaoh could turn to face the boy, a small body fell against him at full speed. Yugi's mouth was gasping for breath as he clung to the Pharaoh's tunic.

"Please," Yugi moaned, face buried against the Pharaoh's chest. "Please, just listen."

The Pharaoh swallowed and placed a hand on Yugi's shoulder. In the end, he was just a boy. A boy who had somehow become too important to the King of Egypt.

Yugi gasped for air but didn't release his tight grip on the Pharaoh's robes. "Everything I have ever said is true, I swear. I could never lie to you. There was… just one thing I didn't tell you…"

The Pharaoh found Yugi's shoulders and pulled him just far enough away so that he could look into the boy's face. It was pink around the eyes, as though he was going to burst into tears at any moment.

"Tell me now," the Pharaoh commanded.

Yugi sniffed and rubbed his nose. "Actually… it would probably be better if he just told you himself."

And before the Pharaoh make anything of that statement, Yugi's eyes had closed and the Puzzle around his neck burst into life.

The Pharaoh was so surprised his hands fell from Yugi's shoulders and he stepped backwards. But as sudden as it had begun, the other Puzzle had dimmed back to its innocent lifeless state.

The Pharaoh did not breathe.

A change had come over Yugi. His shoulders had become very rigid. He seemed taller, although that was impossible. His stance was…. stronger. Almost… intimidating? Yugi? Intimidating? How was this possible? How had Yugi's face lost its roundness? The pink in his cheeks? His features seemed so angular now, and pale.

When the boy's eyes snapped opened. Red.

Yugi's eyes were not red.

This was not Yugi.

It was as though the Pharaoh were looking into a mirror. Apart from his pale-skin, this being's features were so identical to the Pharaoh's that it felt wrong looking at him. More vivid and clear than any reflection in water or at the bottom of a basin. Like it was a paradox.

"We finally meet," Yugi's body spoke but the words were deep and smooth. Not Yugi's voice.

The Pharaoh fought to keep his knees steady. He couldn't show his weakness. No, he stood tall and proud and challenged this stranger possessing Yugi's body. "And just whom am I meeting?"

In complete confidence, yet with a tone utterly void of conceit, the stranger with the red eyes said, "I am the spirit of the Sennen Puzzle, locked away within this Item for three thousand years."

"A spirit?" the Pharaoh paced. He felt sick but kept his features stable. "Then you are not Yugi?"

The stranger controlling Yugi's body had a grave face, not one flicker of weakness could be seen. This being was utterly flawless, so… full of smoldering power. "I am Yugi and I am not Yugi. I am the consciousness that awakened when Mutou Yugi solved the Sennen Puzzle. I am his other soul."

"Other soul?" the Pharaoh repeated. He didn't understand. In Yugi's time the Puzzle had its own soul? But that was not the case now in his time. What had happened to the Puzzle to force it to absorb an entire soul? Only the generation of a tremendous amount of power would require such a cost… "If you are not Yugi then who are you? How did you come to reside in the Puzzle?"

The foreign soul, though never releasing the Pharaoh from his stare, paused for a moment before continuing. "I have no memories before Yugi." His eyes never lost their intensity while he spoke. "I have no personal knowledge of the event."

This answer did not ease the Pharaoh's anxiety. "But you have some clue."

"As do you," the spirit of the Puzzle answered with perfect confidence.

The Pharaoh ripped his eyes away, retreating to the other side of the room. He was shaken. He had a guess of who this soul could be… but…

"In Yugi's time," the spirit began again, taking no heed of the Pharaoh's distress. "In a museum there is a stone tablet. And on that stone tablet there is a picture of a nameless Pharaoh, never before recorded in history, carrying the Sennen Puzzle around his neck."

"That does not mean it is me," the Pharaoh argued. He had not meant to speak so suddenly but he could not shake the feeling that he was being cornered, trapped somehow. "My father held the Sennen Puzzle, and after my time, the Puzzle will be passed down through the line of Kings. This Pharaoh you saw could have been any number of my successors—"

"No, it is not," the spirit of the Puzzle said, his voice strong. "The Puzzle ends with your reign. It will be buried in a tomb beneath the desert, untouched for three thousand years."

"Impossible," the Pharaoh said. His back was against the stone wall behind him. His hands had somehow found their way to his upset stomach, trying to hold in the dread. He tried very hard not to look at the soul who stared back at him from within Yugi's body. "How disastrous could this battle possibly become? He's only one thief!"

"I do not know," the spirit said. "Aibou doesn't know himself. We only know the outcome."

The Pharaoh left the wall, suddenly filled with the need to move, to escape. "Yugi said I—Yugi promised me the greatest afterlife of all."

"Aibou promised you no such thing," the spirit corrected coldly.

"He never said anything about my soul being prevented from moving on!"

"Because I told him not to," the spirit argued. He had not moved since he had appeared before the King of Egypt yet it felt like his presence was closing in on the Pharaoh. "Aibou wanted to tell you the truth but I thought it would be too shocking for you."

The Pharaoh had sunk shamefully into a panic. Futile thoughts circling around his head. "I am to be honored by the gods. I am—to join my father and all the great Pharaohs before me in Fields of Aaru…" But before the spirit's eyes, the Pharaoh's voice swallowed itself in his throat. "Nameless… did you say? Forgotten? I am to be forgotten by all, even my own people? My soul lost, separated, never to enter the paradise world…"

The spirit was motionless, his eyes hard as he allowed the King to finish before he spoke, deliberately, "I would trade that afterlife a thousand times to be with aibou."

Those words paralyzed the Pharaoh. He had to grab a nearby gold bedpost for support, thrown that the spirit of the Puzzle was serious.

"Aibou?" How tired was the Pharaoh growing of that word. Every time the spirit said 'aibou' the Pharaoh felt sicker. Along with the loss of his afterlife, this was too much. "You are Yugi's lover." The King of Egypt released the tension in his gut with a single, horse breath. "It is perfectly clear now. And I thought it was Yugi's Puzzle that hated me but it was you all along, was it not?"

The spirit of the Puzzle crossed Yugi's arms over his chest. A defensive stance. "I don't hate you. I love him."

"The feeling is mutual as I understand it," the Pharaoh responded.

The spirit's frowned with Yugi's mouth, but said nothing.

"I see the truth, as I did not before," the Pharaoh continued, ignoring the spirit's last comment. "So this is why Yugi was so fascinated with me. It was all because of you. He wanted to learn about me only to learn about you." The dread was building again. The Pharaoh gripped his bedpost tighter. "Obviously I misread all the signals. How depressing." And truly it was.

"Aibou meant no ill," the spirit said and, if the Pharaoh was not mistaken, softening. Taking pity on his past self? This situation was getting more sardonic by the second.

"No," the Pharaoh agreed and he waved his hands over his eyes. "No, I don't suppose he can. Yugi doesn't have a negative will in his body." The Pharaoh breathed. "But I suppose you would know that better than anyone."

The spirit chose silence as his answer.

It was all so inevitable, so doomed. Since the beginning. The Pharaoh sighed. "I can't even be disappointed. After all, if your tale is true, I will get him eventually in one form or another." And the King met the spirit's eyes once again. How mysterious they were. Seemingly void and yet… they were not nearly as fierce as before.

There was silence for a while between them. The Pharaoh let himself absorb the horrible irony of the situation accompanied by the new knowledge of his doomed soul, his unreachable afterlife. And yet the thought that was closest to him was that Yugi would never be wholly his because of his own future interference.

What a ridiculous circle.

"Is there nothing to be done to prevent this awful conclusion?" he asked, but being the Pharaoh and akin to a god, he already knew the nature of fate.

"Aibou thinks he can change it," the spirit of the Puzzle said.

"And you?" the Pharaoh asked. "What does the Pharaoh of the future think about this web we're in?"

The spirit actually took his mysterious eyes away from the Pharaoh. "I will support aibou in whatever he believes."

The Pharaoh knew what this meant.

—()—()—()—()—()—()—

It had not been that long since the Kaiba-look-a-like had left Jounouchi to the devices of the guards and their spears and fists… But he had taken far worse beatings before, during his life on the streets of gangs and thugs. Yeah, this whole torture thing brought up some lovely long-suppressed memories of middle school.

Then the Not-Kaiba-guy entered the room and just when Jounouchi was totally ready to spit a load of saliva and blood into his very-similar face…

"What is the meaning of this?"

Not-Kaiba was furious. His blue eyes sent the same wrath that Kaiba's did. The two guards, one was holding Jounouchi down, the another had the blunt end of his spear raised over his head ready to strike the blond a couple more times in the ribs… But when they saw the Not-Kaiba-guy enter they scampered for their lives.

"But my lord," one guard pleaded skidding away from Jounouchi. "Did you not want us to prepare the prisoner for further interrogation?"

Not-Kaiba came into the open cell in a rage. "Did I specifically request his mutilation?"

The two guards did not dare to speak.

"Did I?" Not-Kaiba once again snarled.

"No, my lord," the guards answered.

Not-Kaiba brandished the Sennen Rod at his side. "Do you fools believe that the pain of having your bones broken is pleasurable? If so, I can arrange such an experience for both of you…"

"Forgive us!" the guards collapsed to their knees. "We are unworthy, lord Seth!"

Not-Kaiba scoffed, in very Kaiba-like fashion. "Get out of my sight." And the guards obeyed, flying from the cell as fast as their feet could go.

Jounouchi coughed the mouthful of blood he had been saving for Not-Kaiba's shoes onto the floor. Perhaps it wasn't as appropriate anymore. He struggled to pull himself up on his knees to look at his rescuer. "Aren't you gonna punish them?"

Not-Kaiba, or Lord Seth, as the guards had called him, gave a dignified snort. "Why should I?"

Jounouchi gaped. He hands were still tied behind his back. The ropes were killing him. "They pummeled me!"

Lord Seth, or Seth, was not impressed. "No permanent harm was done."

Maybe he should have spat at Seth anyway. Jerk deserved it. But just as Jounouchi was about to growl another insult at this overly-pompous version of Kaiba, Seth leaned down and snapped the ropes binding his hands with the blade of the Sennen Rod.

Jounouchi rubbed his injured wrists. "Thanks," he grumbled.

Seth examined his prisoner in an odd look. "You do know how to be civilized."

Jounouchi frowned. "Yeah, I've never heard that before." Leave it to Kaiba to ruin everything–well, Not-Kaiba, anyway. With his arms now released, Jounouchi got to his feet and headed over to the corner of his cell where some kinda grass matt had been place, Jounouchi guessed, as a bed. At least he could sleep these injuries off.

"You said before that you were controlled at one time by my Item?" Seth asked.

Jounouchi groaned in pain as he lowered himself to his less than accommodating bed and found the fibers scratchy. There'd be a long night ahead of him. "Come on, man. Haven't I been through enough without your dammed questions?"

But Seth turned out to be as relentless as Kaiba. "Describe the previous situation to me."

Jounouchi grumbled. But what could he do? He needed this Kaiba-look-alike. Maybe this guy was the key to figuring out why Jounouchi was here in Egypt, ancient Egypt it seemed like. Maybe this guy was the key to getting him home again. For that reason alone Jounouchi had to be useful to this guy as long as possible.

So Jounouchi cleared his throat and crossed his arms under his head, trying to get comfortable. "It was a long time ago, okay?"

Seth waited for the rest of the story.

"It was like I was aware of what was happening, but I couldn't stop myself from…" Jounouchi shivered. He could still remember how eerie Malik's presence had worked its way deep inside his head. "Well, I nearly killed my best friend. Managed to snap out of it but it wasn't soon enough to stop the duel." Jounouchi didn't feel like explaining what a Duel Monster's duel was. If this pries-Kaiba wanted to know he'd have to ask.

"You broke out of a full mind control?" Seth questioned.

Jounouchi shrugged but then flinched as this irritated his bruised ribs. "Yeah. So what?"

Seth scoffed, holding the Sennen Rod as though it was a royal scepter. "No one with your mind capacity could have broken the binds of a Thousand Year Item."

"Yeah?" And despite his bruises, Jounouchi sat up, very self-righteously. "Then check it."

"Excuse me?"

Jounouchi held in his blistering side. His head was spinning with the pain. If this was going to happen anyway, might as well get it over with. "Check inside my head. You can do that with the Sennen Rod, right?"

Seth didn't move for a moment, he was examining Jounouchi with a new eye. It was… not like Kaiba's usual calculating stares. It was… harder to read. Then just when Jounouchi thought the guy was going to refuse, Seth moved, bringing the Rod forward.

When he had gotten close enough, Jounouchi said, pulse speeding up, "Just don't go looking at anything else while you're in there, ok? I'll be able to tell, you know."

Seth's expression revealed nothing as the Rod lit up with its similar golden light.

Immediately Jounouchi felt the invading consciousness shifting around in his thoughts. This Seth guy was much more considerate than Malik had been while searching through Jounouchi's mind but that did not mean he was gentle by any means. Jounouchi followed his clumsy path through memories of Shizuka as a kid, Duel Monsters, his father beating him with a lamp when he was seven, math tests… Jounouchi tried to urge Seth in the right direction by thinking, 'Malik, Malik, Malik…' over and over again.

Finally. Malik, tanned skinned, blond hair, rage, loss, chains on Jounouchi's wrist, on Yugi's wrist, Yugi drowning…

"What's going on? What just happened? Yugi?"

"…Jounouchi, you're my best friend. I love you."

"YUGI!"

"Mirror Spirit! Aim the meteor at ME—"

"That's enough," Jounouchi said and physically pushed Seth back a step, breaking his connection with Jounouchi's inner thoughts. "See? Malik. Didn't I tell you?"

"You have met Yugi before?" Seth asked.

"Yugi?" Jounouchi repeated. He thought Seth wanted to know about Malik. "Are you kidding? He's my best friend. He's—"

Then his slow brain finally clicked.

"Wait," Jounouchi jumped up—too fast because his brain was spinning again. "You know Yugi?"

Seth's mouth remained shut.

Jounouchi rushed forward, grabbing Seth's fancy priest robes. "You know Yugi? Is he here? Where is he? I need to see him!"

"What is Yugi?" Seth demanded, raising his voice and yet the same cool expression as ever.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Jounouchi gaped.

Seth shoved Jounouchi's hands off his robes. "What is Yugi's relationship to the Pharaoh?"

Jounouchi was caught off guard. "The Pharaoh? You mean mou hitori no Yugi?"

Seth's eyes dilated. "The other Yugi? Who is that?"

Jounouchi knew something was up. He shouldn't say anymore, he'd probably said too much already. "No. I'm not saying anything else until I see Yugi." Was Yugi here in Egypt? Was he somewhere in this dungeon too? So Jounouchi wasn't alone! His friends were somewhere in Egypt as well!

In a flash the axe head of the Rod was at Jounouchi's throat. "You will tell me everything you know."

Jounouchi barred his teeth. "Sorry. Can't help you."

The axe-like appendages on the Rod were digging into Jounouchi's neck. "I can take the information by force, if you wish."

"You'll have to tear it from my brain," Jounouchi answered.

He didn't actually think Seth would follow through on his threat, Kaiba never would have.

The Rod flashed hot before the blond could react. Pain from his injures connected and amplified the fire in his brain. This was not good. Seth was plunging his way through Jounouchi's mind now: dueling cards, Jounouchi stealing the final piece of Yugi's Sennen Puzzle, Yugi diving off the Duelist Kingdom cruise boat to rescue him, Yugi glowing about to transform into…

No! Jounouchi had to do something to protect Yugi! He had to find something so powerful that the priest would get distracted…

"Do you mean to be so distracting?"

Breath left Jounouchi's lungs. 'Oh shit—Not that not that not that—'

But immediately, even as he tried not to think of that,his brain wrenched it to the surface—

"What's the deal, Kaiba? Did I embarrass you in front of your business associates? What about that chick who's been throwing herself at you all night? You usually go for the stanky type?"

"You are infuriating." Kaiba has rough hands. "Must you ruin everything you touch, idiot?"

"Why did you even invite me here?"

"Why did you come?"

I choke. "I asked you first!"

"You're Yugi's friend—"

"Bullshit! Kaiba, you got the King of Games out there with your fancy businessmen. You didn't need me here! You said it yourself, I'm a second-rate duelist, dumb-brained, imbecile—"

"Why did you come?" Kaiba's hands grip my arms with monster strength.

"Cause you invited me!" I scream.

Choke.

Kaiba's hands… Kaiba coming closer with his smelly hair and his closed eyes…

"… what are you doing?"

"Jounouchi." He says my name. "Don't go with Yugi to the museum. It's not safe…"

He says my name. "…Jounouchi…"

With a shock, Jounouchi managed to bring himself back to life. For the second time in his life, the blond found himself ripping the influence of the Sennen Rod out of his bruised consciousness. A painful snap, and the real world was hurled back in Jounouchi's face.

Priest Seth staggered backwards, barely keeping his footing. His blue eyes wide.

Jounouchi's lungs pumped air back into his lungs. "Those are—my memories—bastard." If he had had any strength he would have dashed for the open door of the cell. But where would he go? How'd he get out anyway?

Seth pulled himself off the floor, even more fixated on his prisoner than before. "So… that is a Kaiba."

Heat jumped through Jounouchi's body. God, that had been one of his most embarrassing memories. Not even Yugi knew what happened with Kaiba the night before Jounouchi, Bakura, and the others had gone with Yugi to the museum to bring the Sennen Items to the stone tablet.

Seth grinned as though he could see right into Jounouchi's humiliation. "Thank you, Jounouchi. This session has been quite… illuminating." And he stepped out of the cell, locking the door with a mere movement of his Item.

And as the egotistical priest made his exit, still chuckling, Jounouchi snarled, "Go to hell."

—()—()—()—()—()—()—

Ryou was so cute. Seriously. With his fluffy hair and his round face… Malik could squeeze the guy all day long. Ryou was nice. But Malik didn't want nice! Ryou was great but he was someone to look after, someone to care for. Malik wanted to be taken care of. Malik wanted to be adored! Malik loved Ryou, yes, but he wasn't in crazy uncontrollable love.

Malik craved wildness. Perhaps because his childhood had been so strict, trapped underground for the first eleven years of his life. Yeah… that probably had something to do with it.

And Malik needed someone who could stand up to his insane other personality, someone who wouldn't be intimidated when Malik went a little homicidal every once in a while.

Someone like the King of Thieves.

He was strong, hot, and far more passionate than Ring-Bakura could ever hope to be. Yes, Malik had found his soul-mate.

Now if only Thief-Bakura would realize Malik was his soul-mate too.

Ryou twitched in his sleep.

Malik grinned. The least he could do for this sleepy, confused boy was to offer him a shoulder, a dangerous shoulder that could transform into a monster at any second, but a shoulder nonetheless. He had gone through so much drama that day with Ring-Bakura being all solid and Thief-Bakura being all molest-y. Ryou had been so asleep, that he hadn't even stirred when Ring-Bakura blew out a hole in the shack wall while punishing Thief-Bakura from touching his Yadonushi…

Speaking of which, the two same Bakuras, who had disappeared to take their fight outside a while ago, were making their way back to the shelter. Malik could hear their bickering growing closer.

Malik wiggled his shoulder. "Hey, Ryou-kun? Wake-y wake-y."

Ryou popped up out of his dreaming, dazed. "Oh. Um, what's going on?" The boy asked, rubbing his dry eyes.

"The Bakuras are about to return," Malik said

Ryou blinked. The moment the two white-haired thieves burst into the shack, Ryou's back straightened like a spring. Eyes stuck on Ring-Bakura the second he entered the room.

"…do you even need Pale-Face to show yourself?" Thief-Bakura snarled, gesturing harshly to Ryou.

Ring-Bakura did not look over to Malik or his ex-host. Clever, clever guy, playing so cool. "It doesn't concern you. Collecting the other Sennen Items, however—"

"Yes, yes." Thief-Bakura dropped into a wooden chair on the opposite side of the room from Ring-Bakrua, kicking up his feet on a clay pot. "Just tell me where to go, future-self. Otherwise, I won't move."

"Hey," Malik nudged Ryou. He had just got a brilliant idea. "You want to piss off both Bakuras at once?"

Ring-Bakura crossed his arms over his chest. "The next attack will be tonight."

"No, not really," Ryou said to Malik. Being the smart boy that he was, he knew Malik was up to something devilish.

"Tonight?" Thief-Bakura scratched his nose. "Really? Does it have to be? After you chasing me all day, I don't feel much like traveling…"

Malik leaned into Ryou. "Just wait for the perfect opportunity."

Ryou frowned. "I don't want to make them more angry…"

"What a lazy insect you've become, thief," Ring-Bakura growled, disgusted. "Have you forgotten about why you're collecting the Items? Has the memory really slipped from your mind?"

Thief-Bakura's face turned dark. "Shut it, phantom."

"Have you forgotten your legacy, the one the Pharaoh made for you? Are you going to let yourself be distracted from your mission of—"

The clay pot was kicked across the room and smashed in Past-Bakura's fury to get to his feet. "Don't test me, freak spirit. I know what you're—"

"Hey boys," Malik cooed, lacing his right hand into Ryou's thick hair.

The Bakuras were mildly distracted.

Malik grinned. "Watch this."

He tugged Ryou's head forward and snagged the innocent boy's mouth in a kiss.

The resulting outcry met Malik's expectations perfectly.

Ryou was ripped out of his arms and same moment a strong hand smacked Malik's head to the floor, black stars exploding into Malik's vision.

"What—the hell was that, slut?" Thief-Bakura snapped, holding Malik's skull to the dirt floor.

"You didn't like it?" Malik grunted, pulling his jaw from the floor.

Thief-Bakura was not impressed. "What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking about turning you on," Malik answered. "Did it work, Thief-sama?"

It had, Malik could tell. "Shut it."

Because of Malik's brilliant plan, Ryou had now found himself in the arms of his dark counterpart. His round face was full of color now as he stared at the spirit of the Ring, his rescuer. He didn't seem to mind the pale arm wrapped around his waist either. It was odd since the two looked so similar, from the neck down they were practically identical, except for the Sennen Ring that hung only around Ryou's neck.

"Stop fooling around, Malik," Ring-Bakura growled. For once both Bakuras were in complete agreement.

Malik spat the loose dirt from his mouth. "Why don't you take your own advice? You know, right now everyone in this house has kissed Ryou-kun except you."

Ryou's face burst into a new wave of color, but he didn't move away from the arms that were pressing him into Ring-Bakura's side. Neither did the Bakura let his ex-host go.

The Thief King snarled. "We have other concerns at the moment."

Malik shook off Past-Bakura's hand, peeling his face from the floor. "Good. Then let's stop arguing and get on with the Item-napping."

"We should get going if we're going to make it by nightfall," Ring-Bakura announced.

"We?" Past-Bakura repeated scathingly. "You're going to accompany me this time?"

"Get the manacles for Malik, thief," Ring-Bakura continued without losing a beat. "He needs to get to the city sane." How did Ring Bakura know that the Thief King had manacles? Thief-Bakura's frown seemed to indicate that he was wondering the same thing.

"I don't need assistance," Past-Bakura argued. "Certainly not from Malik."

Ring-Bakura met the Thief King's stare. "We're all going tonight."

"But Ryou-kun's not going, right? Right, Bakura?" Malik asked.

Ryou blinked. His eyes could not get any wider. "Am I?"

Ring-Bakura's expression was unreadable as he and his ex-host looked to each other. "You will."

"You remember this?" Ryou tensed, though he had not let go of Ring-Bakura's hand…

"Yes." It seemed like such an immature thing for Ring-Bakura to do, charm his ex-host with the touch of his hand. Poor Ryou never stood a chance.

"Are you crazy?" Malik cried. "You're only putting him in danger, Bakura!"

"He's going," Ring-Bakura said, "Because he is the only one who can carry this." He reached forward and touched and Ring on Ryou's chest. "Where it goes, I go."

Ryou looked down at his pendant, hypnotized.

"And this." The spirit reached for a bundle of rags on the floor and gave it to his ex-host.

Still dazed, Ryou let the rags fall aside, revealing Malik's Sennen Rod.

Even at the sight of it, Malik's insides drummed.

"Hid that a little close to me, didn't you?" he remarked.

Ryou's pale fingers looked unhealthy next to the gold of the Rod. "I shouldn't be holding this."

"Yes," Ring-Bakura agreed. "But no one else can at the moment."

"I can," Thief-Bakura volunteered.

Ring-Bakura ignored him. "You will give this to Malik when the time is right."

Ryou swallowed but nodded.

"Thief, I believe I requested manacles."

The Thief King grumbled but pulled out a pair from the next room.

"And what do you use those for, hm?" Malik pondered wickedly.

The Thief King answered with a glower. And as he locked Malik into the metal gauntlets connected by an iron chain, he growled, "Don't get any ideas."

Malik was so pleased with this soul-mate. "Too late."

"I would be more receptive to your invitations if you didn't puke when I touch you."

Malik pouted. "You know why now."

"Doesn't change a thing," Past-Bakura growled.

"Get moving," Ring-Bakura, arm secure around Ryou, barked, moving towards the door.

Malik grinned. "Guess we'll just have to keep each other company, with Ryou-kun and Bakura being all snuggly. Aren't they just doll?"

Thief-Bakura stalked after Ryou and the spirit of the Ring, face unmistakably gloomy. "Shut it."

—()—()—()—()—()—()—

Yugi sat in his soul-room. Rolling his thumbs in his lap as he waited for any sign from the outside world. What would the first meeting between his other self and Pharaoh be like? Would they fight? Would they hurt each other? No, he had to give the two of them privacy. It was only fair. That didn't stop the walls of Yugi's soul-room from turning slightly greenish in color from his anxiety.

When he couldn't take the wait any longer, Yugi got to his feet and approached the door to the soul-hallway outside. There was no sign of his other self, not even a passing thought.

Yugi voiced meekly to the ceiling of the hallway. /Mou hitori no boku?/

'It's ok,' his darker half answered and appeared before Yugi in the soul-hallway. He even looked in good spirits.

/How'd it go?/ Yugi asked, stepping out of his soul-room. /You guys didn't hurt each other, did you? You've been out there a long time…/

'We talked for a while,' the spirit of the Puzzle answered, but there was a mischievous glint in his eyes.

/About what?/ Yugi asked, very curious.

'About you.'

Yugi's breath caught in his throat. /What did you guys say about me?/

'That's between us, aibou,' his darker half said, lifting his hand as though to ruffle his hair. 'If you really want to know, ask him.'

Yugi pouted and swatted the hand away. Anyway, there was no real touching in the soul-rooms. /I will./ And Yugi turned, about to jump into the conscious body…

When the spirit of the Puzzle got his arms around Yugi's waist, holding him back.

/Mou hitori no boku?/

'Sorry,' the spirit apologized. He was holding Yugi so close that, if they had had physical bodies, Yugi could have felt his heartbeat in his chest. 'I am so happy I have you, aibou.'

Heat sprang up in Yugi's face. What was this about? /M-me too./

And with that Yugi floated up to consciousness to meet the Pharaoh's inquisitive stare. He was impatient as always. "If it wouldn't be too much trouble," the King of Egypt pronounced, brow tense, "Could you two perhaps tell me before you are about to… switch? If that is the proper word."

Yugi was still feeling the heat from his goodbye with his darker half. "Oh sorry…" Then the boy noticed there was a board game in front of him. All the black pieces were on the floor next to him and all but one of the white pieces were on the floor next to the Pharaoh. It game must have already been over. "Were you guys playing games?" Yugi asked suspiciously.

"We did," The Pharaoh admitted, arms crossed over his chest.

As Yugi glanced around the room he spotted several more games, though Yugi didn't recognize any of them, except for the Senet board to his left. He had often played Senet with Bakura at the game shop. "How many games did you guys play?"

"Eight."

Yugi's eyes widened. "Wow. Who won?" Though he thought he could guess from the look on the Pharaoh's face.

"Apparently my strategy grows with age," the Pharaoh commented.

Yugi was surprised. "How many games did you lose?"

The Pharaoh frowned. "It matters not."

By the Pharaoh's attitude, Yugi guessed, "All of them…?"

The Pharaoh stood up. Yugi had been right. "May I remind you that I have not played these juvenile games since I was a child."

"I bet you've never lost a game before," Yugi said confidently.

The Pharaoh turned away from his guest. "Not till this moment, no."

"What did you two talk about?" Yugi asked, changing tactics.

The Pharaoh raised an eyebrow at him. "Surely, Yugi, you cannot expect me to divulge in such private matters between me and my future self?"

"Why not?"

"Because, little one, it was not for your ears."

Yugi hesitated. He had been called "little one" by his darker half but that had been a long time ago, back when they were first starting to get to know each other and the spirit had yet to discover his favorite nick-name for his lighter half, "aibou." But there was no way his other half would have told the Pharaoh that.

Getting himself back on topic, Yugi pressed lightly, "Was it about me?"

The Pharaoh revealed the answer in his eyes. "I suppose he told you, did he?"

Yugi was unprepared for the blushed that washed over his cheeks. "He said something like that."

"Since he's so open, ask him," the Pharaoh snapped.

"He won't say anything else," Yugi admitted.

"You are incessant, aren't you?" the Pharaoh grumbled, stalking the back wall of his royal chambers as though purposely putting distance between him and Yugi.

Yugi sighed and stood up. "Well, I'm glad you guys didn't tear each other apart."

"How could I?" The Pharaoh had the sulky expression of a child. "He is my soul. I don't know whether to feel anger or pity."

"Pity? What's wrong with him?"

The Pharaoh twitched. "Nothing. Isn't that just the problem?" the king grumbled, covering his tracks.

The King of Egypt was saved from more of Yugi's questions when a tap came from the doorway. Yugi grudgingly shut his mouth.

"Come in," the Pharaoh called, without looking who was there.

Reflectively, Yugi ducked behind some nearby curtains, then realized that his face had been exposed to the Pharaoh's entire court, and there was no reason to hide his face anymore.

Four bare-chested men entered the royal chambers, two supporting a bucket of steaming water in each hand, two carrying a large metal basin between them. The servants' eyes jumped to Yugi, the moment he stepped away from the protection of the curtain. Yugi swallowed, his identity was no doubt the talk of the palace. Of course they would want a look. But did they have to come now of all the times?

"Ah." The Pharaoh stood. Tension fell from his shoulders and his mood seemed to lightened. "Yes, I did send for you." He flicked his hand, bidding them to enter.

As the servants brought their buckets to the back of the room, Yugi dodged their stares moving quickly to the Pharaoh.

"It was to be a surprise," the Pharaoh explained. "Before all this… business, of course. You say you are uncomfortable with females washing you. So I fixed the problem."

"Oh," Yugi said, hoping he sounded agreeable. The replacement of male servants didn't exactly solve anything. He didn't want to be washed by anyone.

Unfortunately the Pharaoh had gotten to know Yugi too well by now. His royal face fell. "You're not pleased."

"I… No, it's nice," Yugi tried.

"Yugi." And the Pharaoh pulled Yugi to face him, hand on the nape of the boy's neck. The touch sent shivers racing down Yugi's vertebrae. "I won't have you smelling like a commoner."

"But I am common," Yugi pointed out.

"You're not common to me." The hand on his neck moved down to his back as the Pharaoh coaxed Yugi forward. "You are too important."

Yugi searched his eyes. He was surprised that the Pharaoh had brushed off the first meeting with his future soul so easily. The sour attitude of a few minutes ago had vanished and now the King was his usual confident, flirtatious self. No, the Pharaoh always teased. It didn't necessarily mean anything. He knew now that Yugi had his darker half, that they were in… that they were bonded to each other. Surely he had made that connection.

Perhaps this change in attitude was a sign that the King had grown a little more mature since Yugi had first met him.

"Do they not take baths in your time?" the Pharaoh asked when Yugi had said nothing.

"Of course," Yugi admitted, watching as he saw the servants pull out a large basin and fill it with water. The steam caught Yugi's nose, thick with perfume. Bright petals swirled about on the surface of the water. Actually, Yugi longed for a nice long shower and a soak in a tub, but the idea of servants helping him…

"Good, then tonight we shall relax," the Pharaoh said, very pleased. And Yugi couldn't help but notice the King's hand was still resting on his back.

Two of the male servants left the basin and moved to their King, and the Pharaoh, stepping away from Yugi, allowed them to remove his ornaments and jewelry. Yugi's stomach squeezed, and he looked away. Was he supposed to bathe with the Pharaoh? Embarrassing heat flooded Yugi's face at the thought of it. But this couldn't be too different from the public baths in Japan, why was he so freaked out?

Yugi jumped when one of the servants advanced toward him, reaching for his clothing. "Oh no, really. I can manage," he insisted, fumbling on his Egyptian. The servant retreated, still fixated on Yugi's face.

And he did not fail to notice the Pharaoh's sly grin at his hesitation.

Seeing no way of escaping this without rejecting the Pharaoh's gift outright, Yugi lowered his eyes and tentatively began to remove the small amount of ornaments the Pharaoh had persuaded him to wear.

When only Yugi's schenti remained about his waist, he couldn't help but look up. The Pharaoh had a plain wrap covering everything from his hips to his upper leg and his slender frame leaned up so that he could speak in the closest servant's ear. It was such an intimate scene, Yugi had to look away again, pulse racing.

Burning with humiliation, Yugi froze where he was, not sure what to do. He looked longingly at the Puzzle which gleamed a few feet away, wanting to cry out to the spirit, but he knew his other half would only get even more furious at the Pharaoh, and they had only just met…

The warm touch of a hand on Yugi's shoulder made the boy jump, his heart stuck in his throat. He was met with the Pharaoh's kind face.

"Do not trouble yourself. I have sent them away," the Pharaoh said.

Indeed, he had, as Yugi looked, he saw the last servant exit the royal chambers with empty buckets.

Yugi sighed, a bit too loudly. The Pharaoh straightened up with a smile.

"Sorry," Yugi said. "I just… it's so strange… there aren't many servants in my time."

"No need to explain, little one," the Pharaoh said. "I am only glad that I know you well enough to understand what is troubling you." He took a fresh cloth and offered it to Yugi. "For your decency. I know nakedness still makes you uncomfortable."

'It shouldn't,' Yugi thought honestly. But he was grateful to take the cloth and, when the Pharaoh turned away, Yugi tied it about himself and removed the schenti.

"Shall we?" the Pharaoh offered Yugi a hand.

Together? Yugi's heart sped up again. If it had been the day before, or even that morning Yugi would be suspicious that the Pharaoh was going to use this bath to get close to Yugi. But the boy shook this thought away. The Pharaoh was going out of his way to make Yugi comfortable. Things were different in ancient times, Yugi reminded himself. And the Pharaoh had already gone to so much trouble to make Yugi as comfortable as possible. Yugi didn't want to be any more of a bother.

So he breathed, took the Pharaoh's hand and, holding his breath, stepped into the warmth of the bath.

—()—()—()—()—()—()—

On his third day in the prison, not long after Jounouchi's humiliating session with Not-Kaiba the Priest, the white-haired girl he had protected in town, woke up. She said nothing to the guard, it seemed as though she hadn't even noticed him. But she did recognized Jounouchi. She followed Jounouchi's limited motions within his cell as though fixated on him. Her eyes were such an intense blue… They were second only to the real Kaiba's.

When one of the two guards left to patrol other floors, she spoke.

"You…" she mouthed, sitting up in her bed. His arms were still littered with bruises from when she had been attacked.

"Yeah," Jounouchi grumbled. "Me."

The girl's eyes widened. "You speak Egyptian."

"Ah… not till recently," Jounouchi admitted, keeping his voice low so the other guard at the stairs couldn't hear them.

She didn't seem to mind that this didn't make sense. "Thank you. For protecting me."

"No prob," Jounouchi grunted. "Glad to help a fellow pale-skinned person. I wish I could have gotten there before they did most of the damage…"

The girl did not seem to notice her own injures. "They were only scared."

Of what? A foreigner? "No one has the right to beat up an innocent girl! It's not like you're exactly dangerous."

"Sometimes I can be," the girl said, blue eyes drifting.

Jounouchi laughed, because he thought it was a joke. When the girl did not react the same, Jounouchi shut his mouth. "So um… where are you from?"

The girl did not blink. Again, creepy. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you can't be from Egypt, right?"

She tilted her head. "Can you not be from Egypt?"

"Ah…" This girl was strange. "Well, I'm not from Egypt if that's what you mean."

The girl shook her graceful head. "No."

Jounouchi stared. "Huh?"

She gave him a little smile. "My name is Kisara."

"Jounouchi." He held out a hand.

She stared at it.

"Ok…" He took his hand back.

"Where are you from?"

Jounouchi scratched his head. "Um… Japan?"

But of course she had never heard of it. "You are far from home, aren't you?"

"Yeah." But how far? Would Jounouchi be able to get back? If Yugi was really here how many other of his friends were? Everyone who came to the museum? Honda, Anzu, Bakura, Yugi, and that Shadi guy. Were they all here with him?

Were they ok? Yugi seemed to be nearby. What if he was a prisoner too?

"I'm sure he'll come."

"What?" Jounouchi had been startled by her sudden words. "Who are you talking about?"

She smiled, crawling off her scrap of a bed towards the bars that separated Jounouchi's and her cells. "The one I'm going to save."

Jounouchi didn't know what to say.

"Is there someone you came here to save too?" she asked, hanging on the bars in front of her with her tiny white hands.

And the way she was smiling, so pure, it reminded Jounouchi shockingly of his little sister, Shizuka.

"I don't know yet," Jounouchi said honestly. "I thought I was just brought here by mistake."

She smiled. "Maybe you were. But maybe not."

That wasn't very reassuring. "Where are you from again?"

"I was born not far from here," Kisara answered and yet it felt like she was avoiding some very important detail.

Playing along, Jounouchi scooted up next to the bars too. "And who did you come to 'save'?"

Bam!

From the stairs came a crack and then what sounded like something heavy but soft falling down the stairs. Like an unconscious guard…

The guard by the ascending stairs jumped to attention. The man and Jounouchi, were wondering the same thing: What was happening? Prisoners breaking out?

Jounouchi jumped when Kisara suddenly grabbed his hand.

"Good luck," she said, but there was a shade in her eyes that was… not as carefree as before.

"What are you talking about?" Jounouchi argued, squeezing her hand too. "I'm not going anywhere—"

Bam!

This time the locked door to the stairs leapt off its hinges and slammed into the floor.

Then someone had broken in.

The guard, who had been thrown backwards when the door had exploded, got back to his feet and rushed to defend the stairs, running right past Jounouchi's cell…

The blond took his only opportunity, skidded to the cell door, flung out an arm and seized the guard's ankle. The guard fell flat on his face just as…

Kaiba Seto strode through the blasted door.

—()—()—()—()—()—()—

To all you just dropped your jaws on your fritoes-encrusted floors: Of freaking course Kaiba's going to be in this. You crazies.

WARNING! A SLIGHTLY LESS EDUCATED JOKE:

Pharaoh: And just whom am I meeting?

Yami Yugi: You mean, "and just who am I meeting?"

Pharaoh: No, "who" is the direct object.

Yami Yugi: Not in this case, mine friend.

Pharaoh: *hesitates* My friend. And I'm not your friend. And it is a direct object. Because you could say "I am meeting whom?"

Yami Yugi: Doesn't matter. There are no pronouns in Japanese.

Pharaoh: Are we speaking Japanese or Egyptian now?

Yami Yugi: Idk, the author didn't specify.

Pharaoh: WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?

Yami Yugi: Hey! Watch your language!

And this is what some call a knee-slapper! (not that I should be talking about proper English, because, as you wonderful readers know by now, I can't catch my own mistakes.)

Oh Jounouchi, you're so... so... dumb.

And FINALLY, thank you for your patience. I'm getting back on the wagon and I guarantee you, (this time) from now on, I WILL UPDATE EVERY MONTH. I promise you guys. Yeah, every author says that and then they apparate off the planet or have a baby or something, idk. But I will try with 70% of my will power. (the other 30% goes to sleeping)

DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!

DO! LIKE MOUNTAIN DEW!

REVIEW!