~*~*~

Bow: Yup, I'm starting a new Fanfiction. But don't worry! Guardian is FAR from over! I just wanted a more light-hearted creation to work on on the side! Yes, it's still Yu-Gi-Oh!, and the pairings are still the same: Y/Y, R/B, S/J...

Dragon: All of the good pairings... And no Anzu! *cheers*

Bow: Always a good thing! And now, to the story! Oh, and PLEASE, don't try to mentally input Ryou's anime voice in this, it just sounds bizarre with that funky accent! I know, I tried!

~*~*~

"YOU'RE WHAT?!"

"Sending you and Yami to summer camp," Sugoroku told his grandson calmly from behind his newspaper.

"Why?! I had hoped that I'd be able to show Yami around Domino and just spend some free time with him and the others," Yugi whined, trying his hardest to put on his best puppy-dog eyes.

Unfortunately, Sugoroku's focus was on the newspaper. "It's only two weeks out of three months," he muttered calmly.

"But, Sukoroku!" Yami pleaded from beside Yugi.

"You two better go pack. We're leaving for the bus in an hour," Sugoroku told them, taking a sip of his coffee.

"AN HOUR?!"

"We're leaving today?!" Yami exclaimed.

"But, Grandpa!" Yugi begged.

"It's already done and paid for. You two need to get out of the city. And leave all cards at home in your room. It clearly states that there will be no games of any kind allowed into the campsite. They have enough there to satisfy you with," Sugoroku told them calmly.

"But, what about Hyoui and the others?!" Yugi pleaded.

"They'll be fine in the Shadow Realm, Yugi. Please, just go pack."

Yugi and Yami retreated back to their room, beaten as they climbed the stairs. When they entered their room, Hyoui and Kidea (Dark Magicain and Mystical Elf) were waiting for them.

"We heard, Yugi-sama. Don't worry, we've lived in the Shadow Realm for a number of Millenia. We'll be here when you and Yami return," Kidea told him reassuringly, handing him and Yami each a suitcase that she and Hyoui had taken down from the top of the closet.

Yugi's was violet, and Yami's was crimson, each to match their eyes.

"And, we have a gift for you, Yugi-sama," Hyoui told his master with a wry grin. He held out his large hands, and a plushie appeared in each hand. One was a Dark Magician, the other a Mystical Elf. "So we will be with you when you are gone."

Yugi smiled brightly, hugging both Hyoui and Kidea in turn. "Thank you, both of you."

"You're welcome, Yugi-sama. Now, you need to pack, both of you," Kidea told them, eyes passing from Yugi to Yami.

They nodded, and slowly began to toss clothing into their suitcases sadly, not at all happy with their upcoming trip...

~*~*~

"Have fun you two!" Sugoroku called out to the two boys as he dropped them off at the bus stop, driving away after they got out with their suitcases.

"Uhh...." They moaned, turning and stumbling nostalgically over to the bus.

A croud of happily chattering teenagers was cluttered near a bright yellow bus, which was being loaded up with the youngster's suitcases. No one was there that they recognised, which spelled out that this trip was turning out to be even worse then they imagined before.

"Yugi! Yami!" Came a high-pitched, familiar voice.

They turned, eyes widening in a similar expression of surprise as a small, black-haired boy ran towards them.

"Mokuba! What are you doing here?" Yugi asked with a smile.

"Seeing Seto off before he leaves on the trip!" Mokuba called back, grinning brightly as he dragged his older, brown-haired brother behind him.

"Mokuba, let go! You're acting like you want me to leave you for two weeks!" Seto complained.

"C'mon, Big Brother! You need to get away from work and have some fun!" Mokuba reprimanded the CEO.

"Yugi, Yami. You're going on this trip too?" Seto asked, bemused.

"Sugoroku is forcing us," Yami mumbled unhappily.

"Mokuba is actually making me go," Seto chuckled.

"Seto! Yami, Yug'!" Another familiar voice called out.

"Jou!" Seto cried out, smiling brightly as his golden-haired lover approached them after depositing his green suitcase with the others. "Who's forcing you to come?"

"Shizuka. Told me that I needed to take a break from duelin'. Said I should have some fun in nature," Jou answered with a snort. "At least I'm not the only one out of the gang goin'."

"Yea, Yami and I are really glad about that," Yugi said with a sigh of relief.

"Maybe this trip isn't going to be so bad after all," Seto mumbled with a grin, wrapping an arm around Jou's waist.

Mokuba returned after taking his brother's blue suitcase to the stack, blushing as he looked away from Seto and Jou. "Big Brother, I'll see you after you get back from the trip!" Mokuba said with a wave, scampering back to the awaiting limo, prepared to take the black-haired boy home.

"You guys too?" Bakura grumbled, walking towards the four of them with Ryou by his side, grinning broadly.

"C'mon, Bakura! It's not going to be that bad!" Ryou chided.

"I've been through many kinds of torture, Ryou, and this doesn't seem much different," Bakura growled.

"Welcome to the torture squad, Bakura. Ryou seems to be the only cheery one here. The rest of us have been forced into this by family members," Seto sighed.

"Really? Who?" Bakura asked, slightly amused.

Jou raised a hand. "Shizuka."

"Sugoroku." "Grandpa." Said Yugi and Yami together.

"Mokuba," Seto sighed.

"At least I am with other sufferers. Ah, my kin in spirit!" Bakura laughed darkly.

"I'm so pleased that you find our torture so amusing," Yami snapped.

Bakura opened his mouth to retort, but he was cut off by a woman wielding a loudspeaker.

"Good morning everyone!" She was met with a dull, grumbling response. "My name is Ms. Nani, and I will be your Director for your trip this summer! Anyway, while your things are being loaded up onto the bus, I'll be taking roll-call!"

This was met with silence as they waited in a half-asleep state, most barely awake for more then half an hour. She called out names and was answered with responses, and she eventually came upon the group of friends that currently stood in a loose circle.

"Seto Kaiba!" "Here..."

"Jounouchi Katsuya!" "Eh..." "You're going to need to liven up a bit, Mr. Katsuya!" "Eh..."

"Ryou Bakura!" "Here!"

"Bakura!" "Whatever..."

"Yugi Motou!" "I'm here..."

"Yami Motou!" "I'm here too... Unfortunately," he added as an afterthought.

"Alright! Everyone onto the bus!" Ms. Nani told them as she saw the last of the suitcases being loaded up.

~*~*~

"On the road again! Oh it feels so great to be on the road again!" Ryou sang, looking out the bus window as he sat next to Bakura, who looked utterly sour.

"SHUT UP RYOU!!!" Everyone yelled. Everyone being Yami, Yugi, Seto, Jou, and Bakura.

Ryou jumped, his face turning into a pout as he slumped in his seat, resting his knees on the back of the seat in front of him, crossing his arms over his chest.

The six of them had claimed the back of the bus for themselves, and kept to the close circle of friends that had already been established. When others tried to talk to them, they were immediately silenced by a hard glare by either Seto or Bakura, who carried the most menacing appearences. The group was then given odd looks from the rest of the bus, and the other campers seemed quite put out by their harsh reactions to their trying to be nice.

Yami didn't like the look of most of them, and didn't want them anywhere near his Aibou. Yugi had had too many bully problems before he had come, and he didn't trust these modern-day folk at all; excepting those Yugi trusted of course. He kept his arms protectively around his hikari, who had snuggled up on his lap sleepily while staring out of the window at the passing farmland. Yami rested his cheek against Yugi's, eyes focused on the alien surroundings that passed the window intently. The lush farmland was indeed much different from the rolling sand-dunes he was accustomed to.

Seto and Jou had fallen asleep on the bus, heads resting against the other's as the leaned against each other, Seto's arms around his golden- haired lover. They had been awakened by Ryou's singing, but soon fell back into a deep sleep after voicing their complaints.

"Ryou..." Bakura mumbled guiltily, feeling slightly taken aback by Ryou's reaction at their protest. Ryou had even done so much as to scoot away from Bakura and closer to the bus's metal siding so that their legs were no longer touching.

Ryou didn't respond, clutching his arms around his chest tightly as he kept his face turned away from Bakura. I would expect something like that from the others. They didn't really mean it. But you... I didn't expect something like that from you, Bakura... Ryou whispered to Bakura through their link, not wanting Yugi or Yami involved in this.

Bakura murmrued.

Ryou snapped, whiping his head around to look at Bakura, brown eyes steely as he met his yami's stare.

I Bakura told him, his voice half- pleading.

Ryou blurted out, tears gathering in his eyes.

What? He... had? But he didn't mean to!

Ryou growled, turning away from his yami to look back out the window.

"Ryou, don't, please," Bakura begged quietly, placing a hand on his back.

Ryou flinched away, pressing as close as he could to the side of the bus.

Bakura's heart could have snapped then and there. But, Ryou... He loved him, didn't he know that? How could he possibly leave the love of his life alone?

~*~*~

Bow: GOMEN!!! *cries* Gomen gomen gomen! Please, don't hurt me! But, trust me, it's going to be solved, eventually... *wails loudly* Onegai, don't kill me!!!

Dragon: u.u.... You are so dead, Bow...

Bow: WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!! The reviewers are gonna kill meeeeeeeee!!!

~*~*~

The bus soon rolled into the campground, passing under a freshly painted sign reading, 'Lake Flamespring'. A lake always meant good things! Like canoeing! And swimming! But, the name Flamespring didn't sound all to reassuring.

"Jou... Jou, wake up," Seto whispered into Jou's ear softly, shaking the blonde lightly with a loose grip on his arm.

"Leggo a that!" Jou cried out.

Seto jerked backwards, alarmed by Jou's outburst. He wasn't holding on to his arm too tightly, was he?

"That's my pizza!" Jou finished, a big grin on his face.

~*~*~

Bow: Sorry, couldn't help it!

~*~*~

Seto sighed, smiling. Jounouchi, always thinking about food! "Jou! C'mon, we're here!"

"Wha-? Oh, really?" Jounouchi asked sleepily, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

The teens eagerly filed off of the bus, well, all except the last few, being Yami, Yugi, and the others. Ryou, despite his enthusiasm about the trip, looked utterly downcast, as did Bakura, who followed his hikari slowly while keeping his distance. Yami led Yugi off of the bus, an arm around his waist protectively as he eyed his surroundings like there was somthing out to get his Aibou.

"Yami! Nothing here will kill me!" Yugi exclaimed with an embarrased giggle.

"Are you sure? This place looks strange..." Yami murmured, unsure.

"Yes! It's called a forest, Yami," Yugi explained.

"For...est..." Yami said experementally.

"Yes. A forest. With plenty of trees, water, and other greenery," Seto chimed in, patting Yami on the shoulder.

"Alright! Everyone, let's come into the mess hall so I can explain the rules and assign cabins for each of you!" Ms. Nani called out, gesturing for everyone to follow her.

~*~*~

Bow: And this is where I end this chapter. More to come, but I have to work on Guardian before I do the next chapter.

Dragon: Yea, and avoid getting killed by rabid reviewers...

Bow: Onegai! Don' kill meeeeeeeeeee!!! O.O!!!