Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh. It belongs to Kazuki Takahashi. I suppose I can only claim the plot. But that might not be true, since perhaps there have been someone who thought of it before me? If that's the case, then I really don't know if anything is mine at all.

Chapter 11: The Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions

Yami shifted in his chair. Yugi had been strangely quiet after her walk in the garden, and he was curious about the new change. But like the humans always said, "Curiosity kills the cat." He figured if Seto stayed silent, then he should do the same. After all, the priest had known her longer than anyone else had. Also, Bakura had told him a withdrawn Yugi was even scarier than an angry one. From what he could tell, if someone could scare the daylights out of two hell's devils when they are angry, it's not really embarrassing to cower from the hikari in her foul mood, just a little bit. Yami was prideful, not suicidal. He wondered just what had happened. Yami really didn't know if he should regret refusing to follow her with them. It's not like she did not find out they spied on her already.

"Yugi...? Whatever happened...don't mind it, okay?" Ryou tried, hating the way he almost stuttered. Yami, though an outsider, didn't have to ask. Something must have happened, if the darkening of the girl was anything to go by, and he thought it better to let someone who had been familiar with her for several years to handle this. Yugi didn't look up from her thoughts, her eyes were still cold and hard as ice.

"What happened is my personal business, Ryou. You all would do good not to bring it up, in light of what happened." She replied, her voice barely a whisper, yet it was firm and laced with venom which made them flinch a bit. "Don't try to spy on me again, or you will find yourself in a very unpleasant, if not painful, situation."

"Yugi, we just wanted to help..." Kisara's plea was cut off.

"Had I known you could, I would have let you." Yugi said dryly before turning on her heels and left, finally tired of putting up with their incessant, unwanted attempts to help. She turned and gave them one last look as she strode out of the room. "After all, the road to hell is paved with good intentions."

Bakura was in turmoil.

Yugi was one of a kind, he decided. Either that or she had bipolar disorder. She could go from being indifferent to troubled and then depressed in less than a minute. And yes he actually knew a human psychological term. He had been to the mortal world countless times, not just to cause mass panic and chaos of course, however much he had wanted to. Yugi would wring his neck otherwise.

Speaking of which...

Bakura glanced at the spot the hikari had been standing moments ago, pointedly turning out Akhnadin's cries of outrage about insolent hikaris that should be destroyed, wiped out, yada, yada, yada. He met Seto's eyes. He knew the brunette had suspected something. Seto was having that calculating and pensive look again, as if he had remembered something important. Bakura felt that he should know something, something he had conveniently forgotten, buried in the depth of his mind. It was strangely familiar.

That woman...

Yes, Bakura was sure he had seen that woman before, the beautiful woman in white and gold. She had haunted his dreams ever since his meeting with Yugi. He usually just forgot in the morning, but her reappearance was much too significant to bypass. It brought back memories that he'd rather forget. That woman, with her angelic and holy look, only brought pain and misery. Her very presence gave him an ominous and sinister feeling that sent chills down his spine. How or why she was connected to him he did not know, but he could still hear her ringing, cruel laughter as she disappeared in a pillar of white fire, incinerating everything in its path and singeing his flesh. Even her departure brought great destruction. Now, as a fire yami, Bakura was not afraid of the blazing flame. In fact, he welcomed it. And yet, the woman was different; evil and malicious, but special, just like Yugi.

That was the first time Bakura had had a terrifying experience. He had not felt such strong, genuine fear, even when his family was brutally murdered and his village burnt to the ground.

Just who was that woman? Judging from Seto's expressions when he saw her when they were spying on Yugi this morning, he had known her too. Anything that could turn Mr. High-and-mighty-cranky-pants' face as white as paper could be considered a threat. Bakura rubbed his forehead frustratedly. This was exactly why the palace's physician had warned him against thinking too much. It actually harmed his brain.

Seto was sure he was one step closer to figuring out.

He liked mysteries. They had fascinated him since he was a child, and Yugi was the biggest one he had encountered. Of course, this was not solely for his interest and pleasure alone. He did care for Yugi (somewhat?). After Mokuba's death, he had looked up to the hikari as his mother figure, his sister, mentor, caretaker, lover? Yes, Seto had once loved and admired Yugi. Of course he was skeptical in the beginning, what with her being a hikari and all, but what choice did he have? Yugi used to be the only one he had, and she was so perfect. She was always calm, strong, wise and intelligent. She was caring and loving, sometimes a little emotionally (and mentally) unstable. She had never hurt him during her rage though. This had taught him self-control and shaped him into the cool and collected priest he was now.

But Seto soon came to realize that they just weren't meant to be. They just did not click, despite how well they got along with each other. He was heartbroken at first, but then came Kisara, and he was as happy as he could be, though it was not as if he would ever admit that.

Anyway, after Yugi's encounter with the woman, Seto had thought it a setback in his research, but then soon came up with another theory, the original theory which he had disposed of because of a major flaw. But now, now he could finally find an explanation for it. It was all theoretical, but held the most possible answers. Seto was willing to give it a try. There were something, however, that had been bugging for a while. If his theory was correct, Seto wasn't sure he would like the answers.

Marik was confused.

He had always thought Yugi as the strongest and the most powerful. Obviously he was wrong, and he was not the only one. The image of his savior curled up on the ground shivering like mad had been too much. The moment that woman made a move on the hikari, they had been ready to jump out of the bush (Seto refused to acknowledge this fact) to come to her aid, only to be stopped by an invisible barrier, which they later learnt that Yugi had set up to protect and prevented them from barging right into danger. Honestly, Yugi had a point, if all of them could not take her out, then what chance did they stand against that creepy woman?

Back to the matter at hand. Who was that woman anyway? Seto and Bakura seemed to recognize her, which got him even more puzzled. Had he not witnessed what they woman could do, he would already be on his way to find her and get revenge. Sure, Bakura and he were well-known as the troublemakers, idiotic psychopaths, arrogant fools...and so much more, and they tended to act recklessly at times, but they knew their limit. He would not go seeking for an enemy clearly much more formidable than he was.

Yami was an outsider.

He would admit, he was fond of the new girl, and he wanted to help, but he did not think his efforts will be appreciated, especially with someone like Yugi. A few days and yet he could not help but feel drawn to her. He knew that lost look on her face, the look of a bitter child. He could not tell details, only that Yugi had issues with her parents. Yami used to be the same, until his father had passed away. Yugi's trouble seemed to be even more complex. She was internally conflicted, and could not even tell if she loved or hated her parents. Yami had been king for thirty one years now, yet he had not seen someone so seriously troubled before.

Yami shook his head. He was a king, a fairly stubborn at that. Maybe, just maybe, Yugi would talk to him. He had caught a glimpse of her stunning dark eyes softening when he looked him in the eyes this morning. It was subtle, but he had fortunately noticed. He smiled. He knew he was not a stranger to her. That look in her eyes every time she looked at him was very well hidden, but not indiscernible. With these last thoughts in mind, Yami stood up and promptly left the room, unaware the golden eye watching him with fury and calculation.

A/N: Well, The Winged Sun Dragon of Ra authoress is finally back, folks! You all thought me dead, didn't you? Well no worry, school's been a pain lately, but I will try my best to update. Don't expect me to do, like, one chapter a week or so, though. I don't really manage my time well, but I don't plan on abandoning this story this easily. Sorry if there isn't any real progress in this chapter. My story will going in a slow pace. I mean, Yami and Yugi will be feeling for each other gradually, but they won't just jump and yell: "My gods! You are beautiful. Will you go out with me?". Hahaha, no. That won't be very decent at all. If you have any question, leave it in your review and I shall reply to it via email, 'kay? And if you don't have, well read and review anyway.

P.S: If things go according to plan and I don't change my mind at the last moment, the next chapter will explain why Yugi is familiar with Yami. Maybe something more? I don't know.