Chapter 4:

While looking around Seto just happened to walk by a front window, and the sight that met him made him do a double take.

Earl had set up a huge grill on the front lawn.

Billy and Mokaba were behaving it appeared, and story time still looked like it was going at full blast. Joey looked uncertain, but was setting up a pinic table.

He went outside just in time to hear: "Don't worry yourself there Joe, Seto won't want us messing up his house. He will be happy we are cooking outside."

Seto realized he did have a point, and allowed the cooking to continue.

Things were pretty peaceful for awhile, but sadly things can never last.

"Hello." It was a calm beginning, but as Seto and Joey looked up they knew their lives were probably about to be in danger.

"Uhh. Hi there." Joey said a little uncertainly.

"Whatcha cooking?" The figure was leaning on the front gates.

"Barbecue."

"Can I join you? Everyone else has gone crazy."

"Why of course you can join us young fellow!" Earl cried loudly. Joey and Seto were frozen with shock at the person calling others crazy. "There is plenty of food."

The older country man opened the gate, and shook hands with the boy. "Names Earl. I am a relative of Joey, and have come for a visit in this here city for a while. That one over there is my boy Billy. Come say hello Billy!"

"Nice to meet you. My name is Marik." The blonde Egyptian said this so politely, both Joey and Seto fell back wards. He shook both men's hands, and made his way of to the two lovers who were still frozen.

"You shouldn't act so shocked." Marik joined them, sitting on the grass. "At least if you have seen the Pharaoh and the Tomb Robber."

"You haven't even tried to kill us yet."

Marik shrugged. "just let me lay low here for awhile. I can't go home till I learn to love a cat, and I cant go back to Bakura's till the other yamis start acting normal again."

"Okay." Joey stood up and offered hands to the two still sitting. "Why don't we go get us some food?"

~*~*

"Malik try this and tell me what you think!" Bakura shoved another spoonful of food at the hikari.

The boy groaned, having tried every type of food the two yamis had made for the past couple of hours. His stomach felt like it was about to burst. "It's great." And it was for the boy found that the two darks were excellent cooks. To prove this point he had already unbuttoned his pants and was unable to even stand up.

"you know what Yami?" Bakura turned to the other cook. "I think we should teach him.. He seems to really like the food."

Malik moaned in agreement.

"Stop that noise! You sound like the blender!" Yami scolded before turning back to Bakura. "I agree. Once he can stand, we will teach."

The hikari was eventually able to stand again and lessons began immediately.

"This is a spoon." The white haired spirit said slowly. "say it with me... Spoon."

"Bakura!" Yami turned his scolding powers onto the tomb robber. "He knows what a spoon is!"

"Fine. Lets re-do that cake you ruined then."

"The one I landed in when Ryou pushed me in?"

"Yes. Now what you do first is.."

Malik listen attentively to first Bakura, and then Yami. The white-haired yami taught him mostly about desserts, while the tri-colored hair yami taught him about main courses. The hikari found this all very enjoyable and time began to fly by.

~*

"Should we knock or just enter?"

"I don't know. Its your house!"

Ryou and Yugi were back from the store. Each had several bags of supplies.

After some slight deliberation, Ryou unlocked the door and held it open for the other boy. They sat their things down in the living room just as the kitchen door burst open.

"Yugi! There you are!" Yami swooped down and wrapped the other boy in a hug.

Bakura attempted to do the same, but Ryou fought against him while glaring at Yami and Yugi. Malik appeared covered in cake batter and various other food particles, none looking too innocent.

"Malik! They have corrupted you too!" Ryou cried running to the other hikari. "But at least you are alive!"

Yugi squirmed away from Yami. Both darks were confused by the use of 'corrupted.'

"Uhhh.. Yami, Bakura, why don't you take a break and watch some tv? Ryou and I will 'clean' the kitchen.

"Alright.." Yami began but was cut off by Bakura. "NO! We will clean and you can sit."

"You sit!"

"No! You!"

"You!"

"You!"

Ryou and Bakura began a yelling fest.

While everyone else was distracted, Yugi snuck into the kitchen and set up all the equipment quickly. He paused only to taste a few of the delicious concoctions created.

"Umm. Ryou?" He prompted once he had returned to the living room.

"What?"

"I.. Um.. I forgot something at the store. Lets go!" The small boy grabbed the white-haired hikari and ran out the door and around the corner.

"Good idea Yugi.." Ryou stopped and leaned against a nearby building. "We need to re-group. A member originally thought dead, has actually turned on us. Imagine the torture they put him through."

"While you were arguing I set up the equipment, in case you're curious."

"Yugi, I could kiss you." And Ryou did try before he was shoved off.

"Ryou I promise to at least attempt to kill you if you ever try that again."

"You need comfort!"

"You need counseling!"

"Ouch Yugi, that hurt." The boy clutched at his heard and stumbled a little. "That really hurt. How could you say something like that when we need to stick through this together?"

Yugi rolled his eyes. "You know what Ryou? I will make a deal with you. You don't touch me till we find out what the yamis are really up to, and if they are cheating on us, I will go out with you, okay?"

Ryou thought a moment. "Okay!"

And the two continued down the road to their next idea.

~*~*

"BANG!"

"Wow Kaiba. The kid wasn't lying. You do have excellent aim."

"Thank you. You want to try?"

Marik took the gun. "BANG!"

"Hey! This is a lot of fun!" The yami grinned, and took aim again. "BANG, BANG, BANG!!"

"Don't rapidly fire!" Earl cried but he was ignored.

"BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG!!!!!!"

Loss of ammo made the spirit stop. In the silence that followed everyone heard the approaching sirens.

They slowly turned around in time to see the cops pull into the giant driveway, and get out of the cars with their guns out.

"Alright all of you keep your hands were I can see them, and drop the guns."

"Why Howdy, Officer Tate." Earl grinned rather nervously.

"Oh, so your back in town, eh Earl?"

Nod.

"Well then you know the drill."

"Most certainly officer."

Earl and Billy walked to the car, got handcuffed, and sat in the back.

"Those two got quite the criminal record." The officer laughed. "Oh well, I am afraid I need you to come down to the office Mr. Kaiba, and also the blonde that had the gun."

"Hi officer Tate." Marik shuffled his feet.

Officer Tate looked at him and suddenly began backing up rapidly. "Uhh.. Never mind."

He jumped in his car, and peeled out of the driveway.

"Take care of Skippy for me!!" Earl yelled out of the window as they drove off.

Seto shook his head. "Marik, do I even want to know?"

"I have been in the jail a lot for many things, and they all know me" That was all the explanation they got.

"Right. Well, I suppose we should go get the two out of jail." Joey headed towards the garage with Seto close behind.

"Marik you stay here and watch Mokaba."

Joey looked at him. "Do you know what you just said?"

"Good point." Seto stuck his head out the car window. "Mokaba you stay here and watch Marik!!"

"HEY!!!!" The yami glared, but the other two were gone. He turned to the small boy. "So kid, what do you want to do?"

TBC

I need ideas on what Marik and Mokaba do, and on what Ryou and Yugi do. Hehe... Skippy was mentioned... I love Skippy.. Oh, and Officer Tate. That's officer Heck Tate. Mean anything? Please review!