RedTail'sGirl: of course its out of control, I started writing the thing over a year ago, back when I wasn't as good as I am now, heck at least I knew what was happening several chapters in advance back then, these days I'm playing it by ear.

JelloGirl323: ask and you shall receive.

Chapter 45) Return to the Forbidden Forest

"You haven't heard a word I've said have you?" Pegasus sighs "you've been to busy chatting amongst yourselves" he states.

"Not me" Kaiba smirks "I can multi-task"

"Yeah well we'd love to stay and chat about it Pegasus but dinner waits for no man, ECT…" smirks Marik.

Pegasus smiles creepily "it'll have to wait" he claims "because you're coming with me on a little…extra curriculum trip"

"A trip?" Yugi asks him.

"A trip into the forest" replies Pegasus.

"What!" exclaims Ryo "but Professor Dumbledore said it was forbidden"

//Me Marik and Ishtar have naturally already scoped it out, it's no big deal// claims Bakura.

:/It has wolves, Unicorns, Centaurs, and/: Ishtar cackles manically :/is a very bad place to find yourself if you suffer arachnophobia/:

"Only without supervision" Pegasus shoots Ryo and Marik a pointed look "detentions often take place in the forest" he leads them into the shadows of the forest "I'm sure you'll discover that in your time" he adds sardonically.

The gang huff and grumble at that, Pegasus waves at them to be quiet. Ahead of them in a clearing a small group of centaurs were gathered apparently arguing amongst themselves.

"Don't utter a sound, don't move, don't even breath" A dead serious Pegasus tells them in almost inaudible voice.

//The centaur herd// states Bakura.

X:They look pissed:X comments Kaiba as one of the centaurs gets in another's face verbally assaulting him.

::I can sense that they are an ancient and noble race:: states Yami.

/:Something's riled them:/ comments Marik.

:/Bleedin' bunch of nags/: sneers Ishtar.

//Why has Pegasus brought us here? To spy on them?" Ryo asks.

X:Must have something to do with why only Yugi was allowed to approach the Unicorn last time, maybe Pegasus will send one of us to approach them:X suggests Kaiba.

As they had been conversing through the mind link, all but one of the centaurs took their leave following the lead Centaur who had shouted at the impassive lone centaur.

"Now follow my lead, and remember be respectful" Pegasus tells them, after the last of the other centaurs has left, he steps openly out into the clearing and towards the centaur within, with the air of confidence of a man who has the utmost right to be there, reluctantly the item bearers follow him.

Pegasus bows his head as he approaches "Firenze" he greets the centaur warmly "still suffering the prejudices of your peers I see" he comments offhandedly "for what its worth I disagree whole heartedly with Bane just like you"

"Pegasus…Wizard" Firenze declares coldly "you should not be here you have been warned about this matter before, leave the forest and never return!" he frowns uncertainly at the students, his gaze alights upon Ryo and his eyes widen with visible shock.

Pegasus clears his throat apparently the reaction he'd been hoping for, a smirk attached to his smarmy face he motions for Ryo to step forward which he nervously does accompanied by a scowling Bakura in spirit form.

The centaur stares into Ryo's eyes with his deep blue eyes for several seconds neither of them blink, and then Firenze turns back to Pegasus "Wait here with your foals" an order not a request "he turns around and trots of into the forest "follow me young one" with a look back at the others, Yugi smiles reassuringly at him, Kaiba looks impatiently at him, Marik shrugs, and Bakura grabs Ryo physically pulling him along after the centaur.

//Hurry up Landlord I have encountered centaurs previously, they may be cryptic and stubborn, but I wish to here what this one has to say// Bakura snaps at Ryo.

Once the forest blanketed them on all sides, shielding them from view, the centaur stops and turns around regarding Ryo and Bakura with a curious expression, Ryo dithers on his feet unsure of what to say Bakura merges with him and takes stock of the situation.

"You have seers blood" Firenze states "and your potential is far beyond that of a Wizards diving of the future" he claims as his lips curl in distaste to imply he didn't think much of wizard divination. "Wizard Divining focuses on the mundane, the near future, human nonsense and is highly inaccurate" he explains, Ryo and Bakura hanging on his every word "we centaur kind focus on the bigger picture, we study the stars and connect their various alignments to foretell world changing events, it may take years of careful study before we can begin to decipher what the stars are showing us" he paused to let Ryo and Bakura take in what he had told them.

//Very interesting// Bakura purrs.

"But I cannot teach you, it is against our way" Firenze insists and seemed agitated "you are a wizard, I cannot divulge the secrets of the centaurs to one of their kin"

"I am far more than just a wizard" Bakura claims arrogantly, he has taken control but allowed Ryo to observe "I am Bakura the King of Thieves, Robber of Tombs, Stealer of Souls and Seer of events predetermined" he states with a tell tale smirk "lone survivor of the massacre of Kul Elna"

"So I see" Firenze says calmly not affected at all by the boys change in personality "you aren't a mere Wizard although your arrogance rivals theirs, this changes nothing…however" he kneels awkwardly on his front legs giving Bakura a somewhat clumsy bow "you have my respect Rakura son of the shadows" he stands back on his four legs "Now I will escort you back to your fellow foals and the one eyed one…You would do well to heed my warning do not venture into the forest anymore you should inform the Pharaoh, the high priest, and most of all the slayer of Kings, of late it is unwise there are far worser denizens lurking in the forest than Acromantulars and Werewolves"

Bakura allows Ryo back control over his body as they were reunited with Pegasus and the others, who escorts them back out of the forbidden forest.

"Worth a try" Pegasus sighs "and he may change his mind…yes he could always change his mind" Pegasus decides.

"What was all that about?" Marik demands to know, Bakura tells him, Yugi, the pharaoh, Ishtar and Kaiba that he'll tell them later when there away from Pegasus in case he can pick up their mind link.

Pegasus smiles a serene smile that just makes you want to punch him "let's just say since your arrival I've decided to conduct a personnel experiment of soughts…oh don't be like that" he administrates them as he glances at their less than pleased expressions. "It will result in no harm to your good selves" he claims as he strides of to his office muttering something that went along the lines of "must arrange a field trip, Romania maybe, yes Dumbledore would want that Weasly boy to be there…"

Ryo shrugs as they turn expectantly to him "no clue although…" Bakura takes over "that centaur knew who we were he called me Son of the Shadows" he informs them leaving out the part where he called him and Ryo together Rakura.

Yami takes over from Yugi and appears grave "I wonder if this Dark Lord Voldermort knows of us?" he muses darkly.

Kaiba grunts in annoyance, especially irritated by being referred to as the 'priest' "you realize that Pegasus will no doubt try something like this with either me or Marik next time?" he shakes his head "Damned cartoon obsessive"

Marik's stomach grumbles "could we maybe continue this after lunch?2 he asks them "we've already missed half of it"

"Closer to a third actually" Ryo mutters as they walk up the hill towards the castle

"Whatever" Marik growls back.