Hello! Chapter 10 is finally here! I can't believe it's been a month since I last updated! Well exams are over now. Now I can get updating. I now have 2 stories on the go, so my next priority will be updating Music, Famous and Dangerous. Then I will focus on the 11th chapter. I have this routine now lol. Once again, I only got 2 reviews from the last chapter! I have now turned on anonymous reviewing, but please review… It's my fuel to keep going! So thank you to my reviewers TimeAndRhythmDoesIndeedSleep and YoruichiKittyCat16. Ok now enough of my rambling on with the story. ^_^
WARNING: YOAI and some mild swearing I believe.
PAIRINGS: I think it's now obvious so here they are; MarikXMalik, AtemXYugi, BakuraXRyou and SetoXJeoy.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yugioh. *pouts*
Chapter 10
Malik looked at his friends and beamed. From what he saw there was nothing remotely wrong with any of them. Even Joey, who Malik thought Seto, was going to beat him senseless or put him in an ice cube or something, looked perfectly unharmed. It seemed that he took the most damage. Malik smiled at this thought; at least Yugi and Ryou were unharmed.
"MALIK!" Ryou and Yugi ran over to their feisty friend. Joey smiled and looked at Seto with puppy dog eyes. Seto sighed.
"Yes. You can go over there with them mutt." Joey's face lit up with happiness.
"Thank you master" Joey said quietly and rushed off to see his friends. Seto knew at that moment that Joey was happy, and because of this Seto felt happy too.
Joey ran over to Yugi, Malik and Ryou.
"Hey guys! I'm glad you're all right!" Joey said happily.
"Me too." Yugi said. He had tears in his eyes as he embraced his friends.
"Hey. Why you crying Yug?" Joey asked. Malik looked at Yugi.
"He didn't hurt you or nothing did he?" Malik asked fussing over Yugi. Yugi shook his head.
"No. No. I'm fine. It's just- I'm so happy to see you guys! I never thought I'd ever see you again!" Yugi smiled, his amethyst eyes shining brilliantly. Malik then pushed and crushed Ryou into a hug, who whimpered slightly as his bruise from where Bakura kicked him, slightly hurt from Malik's hug.
"I'm so glad you're all right Ryou. You gave us a scare you did." Joey said ruffling up Ryou's hair. Ryou pouted as his hair became messed up. He tried unsuccessfully to get it back tidy, but only managed to make it look a lot more like Bakura's.
"Why did I give you a- oh!" Ryou said in realisation.
"Yeah 'Oh'. So didn't he do anything to you at all?" Marik asked confused. Ryou considered telling them about his bruise, but then decided against it.
"No." Ryou forced a smile as he lied. He didn't like lying to his friends, but he didn't want to make Bakura angry, just for telling them he kicked him. Ryou shook out his thoughts.
"So. What happened to you guys then? I'm guessing you took a beating Malik." Ryou said unhappily, as he pointed at Malik's bruise on his arm.
"Meh. Not really. I tried escaping twice actually. Once on my own and the second with Joey." Yugi and Ryou gasped.
"What?" They both said.
"Well Marik left a portal wide open. So I managed to go through it after I heard Malik was chained up and went to rescue him. I found him, untied him and then ran to get you first Ryou. As unfortunately, we thought you were the most in danger. Then we were going to get Yugi and then make a run for it. Then, we ran straight into Marik and Seto. Marik I presume was beaten and I was ignored and left with no food for a day."
"Oh my god. So what happened when you tried escaping the first time Malik?" Yugi asked. Malik grimaced. Something he'd not like to remember.
"Well Marik left the door open and when I was sure he was gone, I ran for it. But after a while, I got lost! Then I saw this purple portal and jumped straight in." Malik closed his eyes as he became lost in the memory.
"I wasn't thinking. I thought it was the portal that would take me to you guys. But it was a trap set by Marik. In the portal, it was dark, it was coming more, and more towards me, then just as I thought it was going to consume me altogether Marik came in. I pleaded with him to get me out of there. I took whatever punishment I got, because I knew nothing was worse than the darkness that almost consumed me." Malik opened his eyes and saw that Yugi was close to tear, Joey was shaking with fury and Ryou had covered his mouth with his hands.
"Oh Malik." Ryou cried hugging him.
"I'm fine. Trust me." Malik said comforting them all.
"Ok well let's forget the past. And let's get talking." Joey cheered at the top of his voice. Therefore, they all chattered and laughed. Even a little play fight ensued between Malik and Joey. Whilst Ryou and Yugi looked on laughed and cheered.
Seto watched them for a while. Atem came over to join him.
"So this is what they're like normally." Seto snorted.
"Please. The mutt is always like this. Like some hyperactive puppy." Atem looked at Seto amused. Although he was talking scornfully about Joey, he seemed to have said that with a little loving affection in his voice. Seto looked at Atem sharply.
"So, has your guest caused you any trouble?" Seto asked Atem.
"No. But then again… I would like to know what Joey did to ruffle your feathers the other day." Seto shrugged.
"Marik, being a complete idiot once again made my guest escape through a portal that was left wide open." Atem's eyes widened.
"What happened? And how did you get him back?" Seto smirked.
"Oh when I found out he was missing, we went to Marik's place and mutt and idiot's toy ran straight into us. How Joey got him out, I do not know, because from what I heard, Marik's guest was in the tower, all chained up. So how mutt managed it really, I don't know." Atem looked amused. However, Seto interrupted his thoughts.
"Come on. We better go talk to those two." Seto said pointing at Bakura and Marik. Atem nodded.
"I suppose you're right." When they over there, both Marik and Bakura stopped talking immediately.
"So what is so important that you two have to keep from us?" Seto asked darkly at the two. Marik tried to look innocent, which failed miserably. Whereas Bakura just smirked.
"Nothing much, just talking about our new shiny toys." Bakura said bluntly. Atem looked confused.
"Toys?" Atem crossed his arms and glared at the two. Marik looked slightly uncomfortable, and Bakura looked just bored.
"I have a confession to make." Bakura, Atem and Seto looked equally surprised when they heard "I" and "confession" in the same sentence together. They looked at Marik. Marik glared at them all.
"What?" Seto and Atem shrugged, whereas Bakura just stood there gaping at Marik.
"Just the fact that you are about to confess to something and the fact it was used in the same sentence!" Marik just glared harshly at Bakura.
"Ok. So what's your confession?" Atem asked, his curiosity rising. Marik looked reluctant for a second. He shrugged.
"Oh. Just Malik and I are together-" Atem gasped and Bakura just raised his eyebrows. Seto however looked bored.
"Is that all?" Seto asked. Marik nodded.
"Yeah, so?" Seto shrugged.
"I just knew anyway." Before Marik could reply, Bakura interrupted.
"Have you banged your head or something?"
"No. Why?" Marik replied taking the question seriously. Bakura growled.
"Idiot." Bakura muttered and just walked off.
"WAIT! Where are you going?" Atem shouted across to Bakura, causing Yugi, Ryou, Malik and Joey to turn and watch Bakura ignore Atem and just slam the door behind him. The room was oddly silent.
"What's wrong with Bakura?" Ryou asked no one in particular. Marik went over to Malik and wrapped his arms around his waist possessively. Ryou, Yugi and Joey's eyes widened. Malik blushed and tried to wiggle out of Marik's embrace, but Marik was having none of it.
"Now, now Malik pretty. Do you really want to be out of my arm? Hmm?" Malik just shrugged.
"Please? I want to be with my friends." Malik looked up at Marik with big chibi eyes. Something he knew worked against his sister Isis. But would it work on Marik? Marik looked at Malik's eyes and tried to resist, however, he soon crumbled.
"Fine. Just stop with the eyes!" Malik smiled with joy as Marik let Malik go. Malik went over next to Ryou.
"So, you're with your captor?" Joey asked Malik with confusion in his voice. Marik growled at the term, Atem replied before Malik could.
"Actually we are not captors, we are merely hosts." Atem corrected. Yugi, Ryou, Malik and Joey just looked at Atem as if he was from a different planet. Atem stared at them all confused.
"What?" Atem asked.
"You just said you were hosts? So we're not prisoners?" Ryou answered timidly.
"No. You are now considered our guests. However, we haven't decided on whether we are letting you leave yet."
"Well I veto that one. I'm not letting Malik leave!" Malik glared at Marik.
"And why not?" Malik put his hands on his hips. Marik grinned.
"Because you are with me kitty." Joey sniggered at this nickname given to Malik. Even Ryou and Yugi smiled a little at this. Malik looked at his friends.
"Whose side are you all on then?" Malik pouted. Yugi giggled. Atem looked at Yugi when he made that sound. It was something he hadn't heard before. Atem's eyes softened.
"We're on yours. But you do have to admit, that nickname suits you well." Joey answered between trying not to laugh. Malik growled.
"And from what I gathered, your nickname suits you well… A mutt wasn't it?" Malik shot back and looked at Seto, who gave a brief nod, a smirk on his face. Malik looked at Joey a grin on his face. Joey shrugged,
"At least mine can beat yours."
"So you're with your host now Malik?" Yugi asked. Malik nodded, still glowering at Joey, nevertheless glad for the distraction.
"It was only about an hour or two ago now." Malik shrugged, Yugi and Ryou looked at one another.
"So are you happy then?" Ryou asked Malik.
"Yes I am thanks" Malik smiled. Yugi, Ryou and even Joey brightened at this look. They hadn't seen that smile since before they left Japan.
"I'm really happy for you Malik!" Yugi said, Joey nodded.
"Me too!" Ryou said. Marik, Atem and Seto looked at them all bewildered.
"They're really accepting aren't they?" Atem murmured to Seto. Seto just blinked.
"But how? I've tried seeing their emotions and I can't, it's like a huge ball of light stopping me." Atem's eyes widened.
"What?" Only then, Seto realised what he said. He sighed.
"I can normally feel the emotions people feel to one another. I think it came part of me of being born a sorcerer." Seto explained.
"And the reason you didn't tell any of us this…?" Atem asked.
"I didn't feel the need. Besides you saw Marik's reaction when I told him that he loved Malik at the conference." Atem and Seto chuckled at the memory.
"Ok. I just wish you could of at least have told me that's all." Seto nodded.
"Ok. Fair enough. I guess I could have done." Atem smiled.
"So are you saying, you weren't lying when you said about Bakura?" Atem asked. Seto shook his head.
"I was and I was not. I can sense those feelings deep beneath him, they just haven't surfaced yet. I only recognised them, through sensing Marik's feelings. However, they are not the same. Your feelings are like mine, you have a soft spot for your guest, however we just merely choose to ignore it as there are more important matters to consider, like if or when they leave." Atem sighed.
"I guess." They both looked over at the others; they had all decided to play around for a bit, with Marik joining in.
"This 'ball of light' can you sense it." Seto looked at Atem sharply.
"Why do you want to know that?" Atem shrugged.
"Just answer the question please." Seto sighed.
"Yes. I can feel it. Like you I think they are the light to our souls we lost years ago." Atem nodded.
"We'll never have those souls as one again. That's what we were told, when we shut off the kingdoms from the South. What were we fighting over again?" Atem mused.
"Territory. I said all along to you three, that you would pay the price for it. Now look at yourselves, you've forgotten why you fought in the first place and we all seemed to have changed." Atem looked at Seto.
"How so?"
"Atem, you have gotten a lot softer than you were, when the light left you, you went arrogant and proud. Your arrogance seemed to have subsided a little since Yugi has been here. As for Marik, over the years something has been eating away at his soul, I think maybe not having a light soul with him eventually caused him to the brink of insanity, now Malik's here, he's completely different to how we've all known him to be before, especially since now he is with Malik. As for Bakura, little has ever changed him. I think personally inside he changes all the time, but he has the demeanour to not. Without the light, he has no fear or weakness. So, he thinks anyway, he became more demanding and brutal over the years. Only Marik has been able to put up with him. However, I think his insanity clouded his judgement for everything anyway. This is why Bakura has stormed off, because to him he lost his partner in crime, as he puts it anyway." Atem blinked.
"Wow. Well that's something. So these are our hikari's then?" Atem asked to himself. Seto nodded. Atem frowned, confused.
"So how have you changed?" Atem asked Seto. Seto seemed taken aback by this question. Atem snapped his fingers.
"I know. Ever since the light left you, you have focused purely on your work and never let anyone persuade you to do otherwise. Then Mokuba went missing and you gained a cold, black heart. Now your light is here, the cold, black heart is melting into something warm." Atem grinned at Seto. Seto just stood there speechless.
"Right aren't I?" Seto cleared his throat.
"I suppose." Seto said grudgingly.
"You haven't worked as often as you would; since Joey got here have you?" Atem asked Seto his grin widening.
"No. That is because I'm always making sure he doesn't escape." Seto defended.
"If you say so. Now come on let's break them up. I think it's time to tell them everything." Atem dismissed. Seto sighed.
"Fine." Atem walked over to them.
"Come on guys break it up and let Marik go. It's time for a talk now." All four of the friends looked at Atem with big watery eyes. Atem found himself staring into Yugi's, whose were the biggest. He almost gave in. However
"No. I think you might find this interesting as it concerns all of us." Atem said. All four pouted and got off Marik, who was rocking back and forth. Muttering
"They're gonna get me…. They're going to get me…. They're-" Atem shook Marik.
"AHHH!" Marik screamed. Malik laughed.
"Come on. I think you all have something to tell us. Maybe you might tell us this has all been a dream or that you're all demons or something." Malik joked. Atem froze. Seto however was sat at the enormous black marble table and looked bored. Marik looked furiously at Malik.
"What did you say?" Marik hissed at Malik advancing on him. Ryou and Yugi looked scared. Joey went over and stood by Malik looking defiant. Malik looked a little uneasy and slowly backed off a bit.
"Hey! He was only joking!" Joey shouted at Marik, defending his friend.
"It's not something you joke about!" Marik snapped at Joey.
"He was joking Marik, I could feel the playfulness when he said-" Seto began
"Oh you do, do you?" Marik mocked, still glaring at Malik. Malik looked beyond frightened now.
"I was! I'm sorry if I offended you! I swear!" Malik said.
"Marik you're overreacting." Atem said.
"But this can't be just coincidence!" Marik seethed. Atem rolled his eyes. Seto stood up now.
"Marik be reasonable, nobody knows except for us. And by your reaction, you have given us away! Besides, if Malik is your boyfriend now, then surely he should know!" Seto said coldly. By those words, Marik understood that he overreacted. His face looked calm and apologetic.
"Sorry, I have kept this secret for years." Malik relaxed. For a moment, he thought he was going to die. He was now curious to why he provoked such a reaction.
"O-okay. Umm, so what secret is this?" Malik asked trying to keep his calm façade, only it was slightly crumbling. Marik walked over to him and hugged Malik.
"I'm sorry Malik pretty." Marik mumbled softly, so only Malik could hear. Malik smiled.
"It's okay. Come on, I think you have quite a story to tell us." Malik whispered back to Marik. Marik grinned, and then faltered a little.
"Promise you won't think of me any different?" Marik asked. Malik looked at Marik for a moment.
"I won't" Malik promised. Marik grinned happily and then together went over to the others who were already sat at the table waiting for them.
"We need Bakura." Atem said. Marik smirked.
"Wait here, I'll get him." Marik got up and walked out. Malik looked confused. Atem saw this look and shook his head.
"Don't ask!" Atem said. Malik nodded and waited for Marik to come back.
Marik was outside. He knew the perfect way to get to Bakura.
"Ooooh Bakura!" Marik sang insanely. The halls remained silent.
"Bakura! Where arrrre you? Hahaha." Marik cackled insanely. Still his answer was silence. Marik smirked.
"Ok. Well then, I'll just go and take your guest back with me. I'm sure he'd love a good night." Marik shouted.
"You'll do no such thing!" Bakura hissed appearing before him.
"Oh finally. I thought you were as deaf as well as stupid." Marik grinned. Bakura growled.
"You're pushing your luck with me today." Marik shrugged.
"Okay. Whatever. I only called you because you are needed in there. We are about to tell them all we're demons."
"WHAT! WHY!" Bakura demanded.
"Because Malik had a little joke and unfortunately I got angry and gave us away you fool." Marik answered bitterly. Bakura rolled his eyes.
"Oh well that's just typical of you." Bakura said sarcastically. Marik narrowed his eyes.
"Let's just go in shall we?" Bakura smirked.
"Fine." Bakura walked in and Marik followed suit.
Inside there were a hushed silence. Malik and Ryou were looking anxiously at the door. Atem and Yugi were giving each other glances; only looking away when they caught the other staring. Joey had fallen asleep, bored with waiting for Marik to return with Bakura and Seto was just staring blankly at the opposite wall. The doors opened. Joey instantly awoke. Bakura walked in followed by Marik. Ryou's heart lurched at the sight of Bakura. Ryou knew he was scared of him, but he didn't quite realise he feared Bakura this much. Malik looked at Marik with questions evident in his eyes. Marik winked at him, causing Malik to blush. Atem and Seto looked at the pair, their eyes narrowed.
"What took you so long?" Seto asked coldly at Marik. Marik glared at Seto.
"I was doing what you fools wanted me to." Marik shot back. Bakura resisted the urge to laugh.
"Well what did you want me here for?" Bakura demanded. Marik scoffed.
"I thought I just-"
"Shut up fool!" Bakura snapped at Marik.
"I didn't ask you! I asked these idiots here!" Bakura continued pointing at Atem and Seto. Marik rolled his eyes. Bakura growled but said nothing.
"Well?" Bakura demanded. Seto ignored Bakura and continued staring at the wall. Atem just glared at Bakura before answering
"We are going to tell them our secret. They have a right to know seeing as we don't know how long they are here for." Bakura nodded.
"Fine. But I'm not telling them." Atem sighed.
"We are not merely telling them. We are going to show them." This seemed to push Bakura to his limits.
"WHAT! I DON'T THINK SO!" Seto gritted his teeth. Bakura was testing his patience. Joey, Yugi, Malik and Ryou just sat there frozen, unsure what their 'hosts' were talking about and why it made Bakura angry.
"Bakura be rational, what if another incident like Marik happens? They will simply have no warning whatsoever and will be likely to be killed. We have to think of their safety!" Atem shouted back. That shut Bakura up; still he seethed to have to show his form to Ryou. He didn't want Ryou to be afraid of him. Just submissive. Bakura sighed
"Okay fine. When shall we do it?" Marik shrugged and looked at Seto, who looked at Atem. Atem glared at them all.
"Why are you asking me?" He asked incredulously. Bakura just looked stunned at Atem. Marik banged his head on the table.
"Maybe it's because you always decide these things or did you forget who you were 3000 years ago your highness" Bakura said, emphasising the word your highness mockingly. Atem looked at Bakura and growled.
"Ok. Well I think we should speak first and then show." All of them nodded agreeing.
"We are still here you know." Malik said impatiently.
"Yes. We are now about to tell you what we are." Atem said patiently back.
"Wait a minute… what you are?" Joey asked. Seto rolled his eyes.
"Yes, what we are. We won't tell you what we aren't and human is precisely that." Seto suddenly felt rather than saw four pairs of wide eyes looking at him. Malik turned to Marik.
"So you mean when I joked and said that you were all demons, does that mean-"
"That we are. Yes, we are demons, only not the kind you think. Sorry I knew it was coincidence, so it was wrong to snap at you when I did, however we have some kind of special power, not to mention that's not the entire story." Marik said roughly.
"Well tell us the whole story then." Joey said feeling brave.
"Okay, Seto would you do the honours?" Atem asked Seto. Seto nodded. After all, he knew and remembered everything.
"Well 3000 years ago, we lived in harmony. Back then, we were mortals and we lived mostly a happy life. But not a normal one. Atem here was known as the Pharaoh, which he took in his birthright. That means he was the main leader. I was his sorcerer, right hand man and cousin after I came here from Egypt. Bakura here was a petty thief-"
"You mean the Thief King." Bakura interrupted. Seto rounded on Bakura.
"Don't interrupt!" he hissed. Bakura shrugged, whilst Seto turned back to the others.
"Anyway he was a thief and fancied himself as a king, so he was known as the Thief King, which his father then took over the Western side legally surprisingly enough. Then once he died, Bakura became the second king of the younger generation after Atem. Marik here was the Tomb Keeper. Back then, he kept Atem father's tomb, who was Pharaoh before him, safe and away from thieves like Bakura. His father ruled the Eastern side after he taken claim to the throne after a bitterly hard fought war over the throne and died not long after acquiring the throne from the previous king. Marik failed his mission one night, not long after he became king. It was the night when Atem and I all met Bakura and Marik for the first time. Bakura was dragged into the Palace by our guards, trialled, but as a King of the Western side, Atem could not kill him. However, he needed Bakura's assistance. So he spared Bakura's life, on condition he didn't steal from the tombs anymore-"
"I got bored anyway… Oh. Oops sorry, continue." Bakura said grinning. Seto glared at Bakura before continuing.
"So Bakura didn't steal from the tombs no more and agreed to work with the Pharaoh Atem. He was as cunning as Marik, so together they quickly became close friends and caught out other thieves and criminals in all areas of the North, East and West. After all their work, Bakura and Marik were awarded with the Millennium Ring and Rod. Atem gained his by birthright, the Millennium Puzzle and I gained my Key from working hard-"
"Hey! We worked hard too!" Marik interjected. Seto threw Marik a filthy look. Marik did not seem to notice, he was staring at Malik, who was looking at Seto with his mouth open.
"Anyway before the moron interrupted me, from working hard and then worked my way up the ranks of the other sorcerers and became the best in Guernsey and Atem's right hand man. It turned out that we were cousins by our fathers."
"Ok. So how are you demons?" Joey asked. Seto sighed at the memory.
"Well, you see after we put all the land in harmony, a powerful sorceress named Téa found out how Marik and Bakura became Kings. She became angry, because the West side belonged to her Father and the East side belonged to her brother. Therefore, she found Bakura one night and cursed him to become a demon as long as he lives, until he too has someone close to his heart taken away from him. The same went with Marik. However, Atem became a demon because he rejected her advances and told her he was gay. She cursed him until someone had broken his heart like he did to her." Seto said.
"And what about you?" Joey asked. Seto sighed again.
"I already lost Mokuba, so my heart had long been gone, so I'm cursed like this until I learn to love again and find Mokuba." When he looked at Yugi and Ryou, they both had tears in their eyes.
"But, it was your father's that gained the thrones, not you!" Malik said to Marik and Bakura. Bakura grimaced.
"I know, but they were already dead and Téa wanted to punish someone. Who else better than their sons?" Marik nodded but curled his hands into fists.
"We are very dangerous. That is why there was havoc on the Island and the South hates us now. We became greedy and blind. All we felt was hatred for ourselves and soon hated each other. We sparked a war between ourselves and many lives were lost. Eventually to stop the madness, the South turned against us and came to capture and kill us. Seto sensing the danger closed and sealed the South from the North, East and West. Because nobody knew what we had become. We are immortal because of the curse…" Marik found he could not continue anymore. So Atem continued.
"We can kill you and feel no remorse afterwards, but from that we have gained a great power. We can control the four elements as well as have gained shadow magic. We have been damned like this for 3000 years, Seto still in agony over losing his brother, set out to find him all over the Island secretly, with no such luck. Eventually after 1000 years had passed, we found a book in one of the rubbles of a home and we found the exact curse Téa placed on us. It also indicated that Téa had taken our lighter souls away to give us to remorse or light feeling. So somewhere in the world, we waited until we found our lighter selves. However, we cannot leave here until the curse has lifted. Seto placed that spell to protect us, but at a great sacrifice. However, we needn't have worried because you came here yourselves-" Atem said.
"Whoa! Wait a minute! You think that we are your lighter halves?" Malik said confused. Marik nodded. Ryou looked at Malik and Marik, Atem and Yugi and Bakura and himself. Sure, they looked alike, so that does suggest they may be the hikaris of them. Nevertheless, that does not explain Seto and Joey.
"Ok. Let's just say Malik, Yugi and I was the lighter halves. But why don't Joey and Seto look alike?" Ryou asked curiously. Bakura looked at Ryou impressed. Seto looked taken aback by the question; he could not believe Ryou believed it so easily. Whereas Yugi looked unsure, Malik and Joey looked like they didn't believe a word of it.
"Ryou, we are not their lighter halves!" Malik said exasperatedly, whilst Joey nodded.
"Well I think we are. I forgot to tell you one fact of the legend I heard from my father when I was a kid. Only the hikaris of the Kings and sorcerer will break the curse and at last Guernsey will be free and in harmony once again. We are the hikaris because look at some simple facts. They look a lot like us. We heard much of how ruthless Bakura and Marik were and have they killed us Malik? No. They usually kill those who intrude on their land and for the fact that they are bored! The only part I'm confused of is that Joey and Seto look nothing alike!" Ryou said stubbornly to Malik.
"Well that was impressive! So what exactly did you hear about us then?" Bakura leered. Ryou jumped. He had forgotten he was in the presence of his 'host' and he had not told anyone but his friends what he heard.
"W-well I um…" Ryou looked down embarrassed. Seto looked curiously at Ryou.
"You heard this from your father?" He asked Ryou. Ryou nodded.
"I see. Do you know where your father heard such a story?" Ryou shook his head. He seemed to have lost his voice.
"You still haven't answered my question!" Bakura said irritated. Atem threw Bakura an annoyed look.
"Well you could ask him nicely!" Atem huffed. Bakura shrugged.
"Whatever." Atem threw him a sharp look but ignored him. He turned to Ryou.
"Ryou. Please can you tell us what you heard about us? Because we had no idea the rest of the world knew about us." Ryou lifted his head up. He nodded.
"Well I heard that y-you were arrogant but gentle. You ruled the North. M-Marik was violent and insane who ruled the East. Bakura was e-evil and ruthless who ruled the west and Seto was just known as the coldest sorcerer in history." Ryou looked at Bakura who had no expression. Fearing he had angered the king, he let his hair fall over his face again. After a few minutes of silence, Bakura started laughing manically. Everyone turned their heads towards Bakura, who couldn't stop laughing. Seto scowled.
"What's so funny?" Seto asked annoyed.
"Sorry. I just think the tale has us perfectly!" Bakura looked certainly happier than he'd ever been. He was even enjoying himself.
"I mean, I know I'm evil and ruthless, I always have been! You are cold to others Seto, so don't even try to deny it. Marik, you even know yourself you are insane, we've been telling you that for years. Not to mention bloodthirsty. And Atem! Well you are arrogant and I always thought you were too soft for your own good!" Bakura looked at the three stunned faces and burst out laughing again.
"You know, I always wondered if all those years cooped up in here had gone to your head. Who's to say you haven't gone insane too?" Atem said hotly. Bakura sobered up at that comment. He narrowed his eyes at Atem.
"Well if I have, we all have too. As we've been stuck here for 3000 years!" Marik looked thoughtful.
"You know. I think Bakura's right. But how do the people know about us?" He looked at the 'guests', they didn't seem to know. Seto just studied them all. They were missing something important… But what? Atem looked crestfallen.
"Am I really arrogant?" He asked himself quietly. Yugi threw a dark look at Bakura, who just glared back.
"Well… I don't think you're arrogant to the extent where people hate you…" He looked at the others for help.
"Yeah. I mean, everyone has an arrogant side. Look at… Look at Joey. He can come across as arrogant sometimes." Malik tried. But Atem still looked disheartened.
"Well, we all heard the story. When your light soul was taken away from you, your darker soul takes over. So when the curse came upon you, you became arrogant. But seeing you now. You seem to have changed. Maybe it's being with your light soul that is the cause of your change." Yugi said softly. Atem looked at Yugi hopefully.
"Really?" He asked his tone sounding a lot happier.
"Really." Yugi said smiling. Atem smiled back. Yugi's heart fluttered at the smile. 'No! Why would he be interested in you?' Yugi asked himself. Seto looked between the two and looked at the others. Ryou seemed to be peeking at Bakura from behind his hair; whilst Bakura had his arms crossed and was too sneaking glances at Ryou. Malik and Marik was a completely different story. They were looking deep into each other's eyes and not caring who saw. There seemed to be a lot said when they looked at each other like that. Then two things clicked at once.
"THE SOUTH!" Seto shouted in realisation. Everybody looked away at each other and looked at Seto startled.
"What?" Atem asked.
"The South. They spread the legend. Remember, people come to Guernsey in the South and everybody must have wondered why the North, East and West were completely closed off. Therefore, they told their story and over the years, the story became a legend." Atem looked thoughtful after Seto's explanation.
"Hmm. It's very likely. Well it seems the South did a good job. I suppose we owe them a lot considering." Bakura scoffed at this.
"We owe them nothing! I mean we had to hide most of this Island because of them!" Bakura spat.
"Yeah. They are the reason we can't even get off this Island!" Marik agreed with Bakura.
"Well it's because of them; the media haven't found us and are too scared to. Also it's because of the South, they believe we are dead." Seto defended Atem. The others however looked uncomfortable.
"Well… Not exactly." Yugi said.
"What? Why wouldn't they? We were expected to have died 2900 years ago!" Seto asked coldly.
"Because we went to the beach on the morning you captured us and we all managed to clear the beach in less than five minutes flat!" Ryou replied glumly.
"How do you know this?" Atem asked.
"Because they all ran away screaming and grabbing their kids and said 'away from those evil kings'" Malik recalled. Bakura slumped.
"Shit!" Was all Bakura said.
"Well this complicates things doesn't it Seto?" Marik said smugly.
"It does. If word gets out we're alive then we are done for." Seto said. Atem groaned.
"Great. Just what I needed. Something else to sort out." Seto cleared his throat.
"Okay. Well I think we should solve this later alone." Seto glared at the three kings.
"What we really need to sort out is if they are our lighter halves. Now I have a test to prove it." Joey, Malik, Ryou and Yugi all looked uneasy at this.
"So what would you do if we are your lighter halves?" Malik asked a little uneasily.
"You'll have no choice but to stay with us." Seto said. They all gasped at that.
"But we have school back at home and everything. If we don't go home, then we'll be reported as missing and then the media and everyone will look for us here." Joey protested.
"You have forgotten we have killed before, tourists who dared travelled here in the forest. All it takes is a simple spell and you wouldn't have even existed." Bakura said emotionless. They all gasped.
"So what about if we aren't your lighter halves?" Bakura laughed at this question from Ryou.
"It's simple. You'll die." Bakura said simply. Ryou looked at Bakura with his chocolate eyes watery.
"But why?" He asked.
"Because you know too much." Bakura said looking away and crossing his arms. He couldn't stand the sight of Ryou's watery eyes.
"Oh." Ryou said acceptingly. Malik looked furious. He turned to Marik.
"So you'll kill me, just because I'm not your lighter half?" He demanded. Marik grimaced. He looked at the others.
"I don't want to kill him. I never wanted to" He said.
"That's not what you said to me." Bakura said narrowing his eyes at Marik. Marik glared at Bakura heatedly.
"I lied, because I was unsure how you would all take it, if I told you I liked him." Marik replied hotly.
"Sure." Bakura said disbelievingly. Marik looked like he wanted to punch Bakura.
"Listen. Marik from you not wanted to kill him, is even more reason for me to believe he is your hikari. But I have to do this test to be sure." Seto said assuring Marik. Marik sighed.
"Fine. But do it quickly and I don't want him harmed in any way! Got it?" Seto nodded.
"Goes for Yugi too." Atem put in.
"Look I'm not harming any of them!" Seto said irritated.
"Good." Atem said.
"When do we do the test?" Ryou asked timidly.
"Now. Let's get this over with." Bakura said. Seto nodded agreeing.
"Yes. The sooner we know the better." Marik hugged Malik protectively. Seto stood up.
"You four. Follow me." With that, he strode out of the hall. Yugi looked at Atem frightened, who nodded.
"I trust him. I promise you won't get hurt." Yugi nodded and looked at Ryou. Ryou looked at Bakura who just nodded.
"Go." Was all he said. Ryou looked sad for a moment before getting up and with Yugi, left the room. Joey too got up and dragged Malik away from Marik, who was still hugging Malik protectively.
"Let go Marik. Once we know, we'll have all the time in the world." Malik promised. Marik pouted, but let him go. Malik joined Joey and together, they also left the room to follow Seto. All of them anticipating whether, they were the lighter halves of their captors. Once the door closed. Silence ensued. No one made a sound. Not even Bakura or Marik.
AUTHORS NOTES: I hope you all liked it! . I'm not too sure of the chapter myself. But reviews will help me make up my mind :P. Also I know Seto said they were going to show the hikaris their demon form, but there was a reason why they didn't as you can see they got fairly distracted and forgot. Don't worry, they'll see them in their demon form soon. ^_^ Ok hope it made sense. Review please! *chibi eyes* See you all in Chapter 1 of Music, Famous and Dangerous!