Hee-hee! It's time! **hides from knives**

Gomen it hasn't been updated in a while... I can't watch the movie and I'm still recovering from the trip and I'm tired and school starts back up soon and... **gets conked on the head**

Chapter 5-

Swimsuits, Reasons, the Recalled Mission, and More

"I thought you were going to help Ryou with his stuff." Yuugi commented, seeing Seto come back into the room.

"He said he could on his own, that he didn't need help."

"All, Ryou's growing up. He doesn't need someone to help him put on his bathing suit for him."

"I heard that!" The speaker said. "I just-just don't want you guys seeing me in this!"

"I got you one that wasn't a two-piece at least. And it has a little skirt. All you need is well, the falsies and remember to spray the bottom with hairspray."

"Why?"

"Chou says it keeps the suit from riding up."

"Ok." The sound of hair spray was heard.

"He better do this."

"He will..."

"What makes you so confident?"

Seto shrugged.

The other three snickered.

The girls lined up behind the curtains at the outdoor stage, lights glaring at them. Ryou stood there with a towel wrapped around him. He had taken the necessary precautions to look like a female, and his suit happened to hide any other indicators.

"Ok, you look just fine. You do." He mumbled to himself. "Just go. Go, go, go. Why do I also have a high metabolism?"

The girls started walking on stage four at a time in a line. Their states were called one by one and the cheers erupted.

Seto, Yami, Yuugi, and Bakura stood out in the crowds.

"Ohio!"

More cheers, more certain people wishing they had Advil.

"Washington!"

"Migraine..."

"Why are we out here again?"

"Texas!"

Eyes popped to the stage.

Ryou stood up on the stand, flushing and smiling nervously. He wore a one-piece that had a small skirt hanging off with openings that showed a little of his stomach and lower back.

((A/N: I had to! Ryou has a very nice ass... -^_^- **gets conked on the head**))

More cheers and whistles.

One particular guy that happened to be standing close to our protagonists in the crowd whistled very loudly. "Go Texas! She is hot!" More whistling.

Seto's eye twitched violently.

No seemed one noticed when the guy seemed to disappear from the masses. Seto rubbed his fist lightly.

The others backed away very slowly, deciding to skip any teasing commentary that may have been said.

Ryou automatically grabbed the nearest towel to him and wrapped it around his body. He seriously didn't like being in a swimsuit like this. Heck, he didn't even like going around in guys swim trunks, let alone something so... form fitting.

He flushed madly.

He stumbled away from the other girls, embarrassed. Sighing, he sank back against a wall. "This is evil... why did I let myself get talked into this?"

A voice seemed to answer his question. He could hear a conversation through the wall. Standing, he pressed his ear against the wall.

"This is going to be a real blast."

"Yeah, literally."

"The press is going to have a field day once we set these off."

Ryou gasped silently, wondering if he was really hearing what he thought he was. He couldn't be-

"Are we set then?"

"Not yet, we just need to set everything up and wait for the closing ceremony."

"Good, good. This is going to be great."

The door opened and Ryou jerked.

A woman and a man appeared from behind the door. They looked at him confusedly.

"I-I was just looking for the bathroom. I think it's that way." He pointed off somewhere and headed in that direction.

"Guys, did you hear that?" Ryou asked once he got away from the crowds.

"No." Yuugi's voice answered. "We just got back in the room."

"Where were you?"

"Watching."

"What?!" They had seen him on stage? He reddened even further.

"Well, what did you want to say?"

"The mission! I had completely forgotten the mission within all of this... stuff. But, it's going to be at the end of the pageant. A man and a woman. I didn't recognize them from anywhere."

"How do you know?"

"They were talking about something blowing up!" He said this in a frantic whisper, as to not attract too much attention.

"Oh my- Ryou, would you be able to recognize them again?"

"Yeah."

"Try to keep track of them."

"I will." He looked up and saw Rachel approaching. "Gotta go." Hi straightened up. "Hi Rachel!"

"Come on Jen, lunchtime!" She looped her arm around Ryou's and started dragging him.

Why this girl said no to pizza... I will never know.

Ryou sat with his legs and arms crossed. "I told you everything I know. I only caught a glance at them, and I didn't hear the entire conversation. I was kind of trying to not let anyone think I was a guy."

He wasn't in a good mood. His partners were questioning him over and over again and he was in a skirt. The first bout of knocking out was happening later in the evening, and Ryou was wondering how he did.

He didn't mind the fact that he could be away from this-this embarrassment! He could have his life back, his freedom, his gun, his job, everything.

He sighed, feeling rather defenseless without his said gun.

He could be rid of the skirts, dresses, lack of proper food...

But.

This contest was growing on him. It-it was fun even. The danger of being found out was still a big problem, but it gave a good adrenaline rush. And he had made friends. Yes, these girls were his friends.

He hit his head a few times on the couch.

"You ok?"

"Yes, just wondering what we'll do if I don't make the cut."

"No, no, no. Don't think about that."

"That wouldn't be good."

"The entire mission would be wasted and the bomb..."

"You're not getting out."

Ryou liked the fact his partners- friends- believed in him. That gave him confidence... unless you twisted it around slight- no, no doing that. He was pretty sure of everyone's reasons for wanting to do this. He had long since been able to read his team's faces.

Yami, the team's leader. He cared for the safety of his team, though could be very annoying at times.

Yuugi was just kind-hearted and wanted to help. How he could actually wield a gun surpassed even Ryou's intellect.

Bakura... yes, he cared what happened to everyone. But Ryou was pretty sure the reason he wanted this particular assignment was the benefits of blackmail and a possible promotion.

Seto. Seto Kaiba, a caring and trustful person if you got to know him and broke through the barrier. Ryou so hoped he had succeeded.

Ryou sighed. Life sucked, he knew, but this much...?

There was a knock. Yuugi jumped up and ran to the door, opening it slightly. "You?"

He let the person in. It was Chou!

"Hello everyone! As it turns out, my client cancelled everything, so I came here. Tonight's the first cut, isn't it?"

Ryou nodded.

"Well, you still look well. Much better than I had hoped in fact."

"Thank you." Ryou beamed.

Chou turned to Seto. "I suppose you would want me to take over as the consultant now?"

"No!" he answered quickly.

"Hm? Why not?" Chou cocked his eyebrow.

"W-well, because the people have already seen me, so... if he got someone else, that would be suspicious."

Yami choked a laugh, breaking into a coughing fit. Seto's fist started shaking.

"So, what do you think?" Chou turned to Ryou.

"Well, Seto brought up a very good point, it would look suspicious. Plus, there's the added fact that I am unable to carry guns with me in... this, and we need an agent in there with weapons."

"Plausible answer. But I will still be staying here to watch the pageant anyway. Even if it is just as a spectator."

"I need to go get dressed. It's almost time." Ryou stood and started walking.

"Hey, wait up!" Seto got up and followed.

The door closed.

Yami started laughing as there was a mass of eye contact and nodding.

"Ok, twenty bucks say they get knocked up before this is over." Bakura laid down a twenty.

"I bet with that." Yami put down a twenty.

"You two are sick perverts..." Yuugi commented. "Twenty that they admit their feelings by the end." He laid his money.

"Hm, I bet with Yuugi." Chou commented. The others looked at him strangely. "What? I can bet too."

"What if no one wins?"

"Everyone gets their money back?"

"Ok, team betting. Winners get twenty dollars richer."

"I could sure use that twenty."

"You're not getting it."

"It's Ryou we're talking about here. You know, little innocent Ryou?"

"The one that beat Kaiba up?"

"True..."

"Hey, let's go watch!"

Of course, I control who wins the bet, and I've already mentally planned the end. Gomen, I had to add in a running bet cause it seemed appropriate.

**snickers** I think I'm becoming a hentai... **slaps self**