~*Confessions & Lies*~

            The next day, Yami, Tea, and the whole village gathered into the church.

            "Man, it must've been real horrible." Mai took a seat besides Tea. "I heard of what happened last eve when the reverend whipped you." She placed her hand on Tea's back, causing her to wince in pain.

            "Mai," Yami grabbed her wrist, lifting it gently off Tea's back. "None of that. Her back is not fully recovered."

            The sound of the gavel sounded off as the crowd finally settled down. Kaiba nodded to the one standing by the door. "Bring in the prisoners." The door opened as Joey dragged Ishizu in. Tristan followed behind dragging Yugi by the neck. Once they reached the front, they shoved the two down to the floor before turning around, heading towards the door.

            "Ishizu, Yugi." Reverend Kaiba rested his head on his hand. "You know why you are here."

            "It's quite obvious," Ishizu took a glance at the circle entering the church. "You accuse of witchcraft."

            "Do you deny these charges?"

            "If I were to be a witch," Yugi clenched his fist, glaring at the circle. "Wouldn't I have admitted it in the beginning?"

            "You can start admitting it now Yugi." Kaiba looked down on him.

            Chibi-Usa looked up at the ceiling, gazing at what seems to be nothing. Suddenly, she started shrieking like an infant. "Demon! It's Yugi's spirit with black wings. He's coming right for us!" Soon, the girls started screaming, and one by one, they fainted to the floor leaving the priests and the crowd baffled nonetheless shocked.

            "They're faking it." Yami said softly enough for Tea and Mai to hear.

            "Tell me about it." Tea groaned, leaning against Yami, her head resting against his shoulder.

            "Hey Tea," Mai shook her gently. "What's wrong?"

            Tea gazed at the ground, not answering her.

            "Tea?" Yami nudged her but she didn't respond. He then looked up at Mai. "I guess it's from last night. Must've really got to her."

            "Yugi," Kaiba twirled his gavel around with his fingers. "Get your fucking spirit out of these girls this instant!"

            "I have no power to send my own spirit to harm these girls." Yugi kept his eyes on the girls. "And even if I did, I would get revenge on them for murdering an innocent, a close friend of mine."

            "Serenity was a cunning witch!" Chibi-Usa suddenly sat up. "And you know it as well as I do!"

            "She was never a witch and you know it!" Yugi snapped.

            Ishizu took a glance at Yugi, then to the circle. Sighing sadly, she took a deep breath. "Aye sir, I do practice the Dark Arts."

            "Say what?!?" Kaiba jumped from his chair. "Ishizu?!? My servant? One who worked for me?"

            She looked down at Yugi for what seemed to be the longest time. Closing her eyes, she then spoke through his mind. "Yugi…"

            Yugi looked up at Ishizu startled. Shrugging slightly, he called her back with his mind. "Ishizu? How…what…"

            "It's fate Yugi. We were meant to die."

            "You mean there's no chance of proving our innocence?"

            "The girls will stop at nothing," she then turned away from him, facing Kaiba. "The priests will never believe." Ishizu looked to Joey and Tristan. "Bring in a table."

            "But Ishizu…" Kaiba started to say.

            Being ticked off, Ishizu cut him off. "I said bring in a table."

            Kaiba hesitated before nodding to Joey and Tristan. In no time, Joey and Tristan carried a table to the front, placing it in front of her. Reaching into her cloth bag, she pulled out her tarot cards, black candles, two vials of potion and herbs. Placing each item on the able, she then stepped back while Kaiba inspected each item before gazing at her.

            "How dare you woman? Who else have you involved?"

            Ishizu glanced at the circle before her eyes trailed to the floor. "I involve no one."

            "And what of your brothers?"

            "They have no involvement of the dark. It is only I."

            Kaiba then turned to the circle. "You may leave." He then turned to Yugi. "What's this about you holding the devil's hand and signing his book?"

            "You know he is no witch Kaiba!" Yami stood up. The crowd turned to him, some chatting excitedly.

            "Sit thy ass down," Kaiba started to look bored. "Or have thy ass thrown out the door."

            Yami sneered before sitting down. Yugi remained in his silence, his eyes kept at the ground.

            "Yugi, start admitting of your witchery."

            "I have nothing to admit." Yugi struggled to remain calm. "I only dream of death and the devil taking my very soul."

            "You know Yugi, I could put you in the cell for a very personal reason but somehow I chose not to. But for the crime of witchcraft, I sentence you two…"

            "Stop! Brother, don't do it!" a child's voice cried out. Everyone looked up, seeing Hotaru sulking right at the aisle.

            "Hotaru!" Kaiba's eyes widened with surprise before anger had flickered. "What the hell do you think you are doing here?"

            "Kaiba, Yugi is no witch! How could he be a witch when he has no power of one?"

            "Child," Joey spoke up. "That so called lover of yours has hypnotized you to believe he is no devil."

            Hotaru whirled her head towards Joey. "You lie! It's all because of those girls! The girls truly know nothing! All they're doing along…"

            Tristan," Kaiba interrupted. "Take her back home."

            "No!" she struggled against Tristan's hold, her gaze locked onto Yugi. "Yugi! You have to tell my brother! Tell him everything! Damn it, just tell it all of what the circle does!" Tristan finally managed to get her out of the door.

            Yugi watched Hotaru not really saying anything before glancing back to the front. Silence fell upon the church for a slight second after the two left. Kaiba released a sigh, pounding on his gavel once. "It seems that I have seen enough evidence to put you two through death. Both of you shall be stoned and burned at stake tomorrow eve."

            "This can't be happening." Tea stared in shock as Joey and Tristan hauled both Ishizu and Yugi out of the church.

            "What has Chibi-Usa done?" Yami's eyes went wild, feeling the blood drain from his face. "That bitch!" And without giving it a second thought, he screamed at the top of his lungs, pounding his fist on the wall. "That skank! That whore!"

            Everyone looked up at him. Not so much of an embarrassment came about as he turned and left.

            "This is terrible." Mai watched Yami stomping out of the church. "All of his friends are being taken away."

            "I must warn ye so called good people." Ishizu glared at the crowd. "Destruction will fall over Salem. Only those very few with a pure heart will survive."

            "Do you dare threaten the village of Salem, Ishizu?" Kaiba pointed his gavel at her. "I can have you stoned this instant."

            Ishizu looked up at Kaiba. "I do not threat m'lord," she then allowed Tristan to escort her out. "Fate has brought this upon the village."

            Darkness fell over Salem and casted its shadows. Ishizu sat on the floor, leaning her back against the wall. Both her feet and wrists have been shackled. She and Yugi had been placed in separate cells.

            "Ishizu?" a soft voice called out. Looking up, she saw Tea and Ryou standing by her cell. She made her way towards them, smiling at Tea.

            "I know why you have come child," she looked left to right. "But where's Yami?"

            "He's visiting Yugi." Tea replied, noticing the bruises for the first time on her face. "Oh Ishizu, this is terrible."

            "Aye, truly it is. The madness will not stop for some time." She paused for a moment, biting her bottom lip. "Now, you wish to know Yami's story?"

            "Yes! Oh please, tell me. Maybe I could understand him more."

            "Very well child. Yami is a rather unusual one indeed. He knows not of dark arts nor is like Ryou but he knows much of the dark world and tarot cards. He has experienced the wrath of death before Serenity's execution."

            "You're not making any sense Ishizu!" Tea was getting mad. Ryou placed his hands on her shoulders, trying to calm her down.

            Ishizu managed to remain calm as she continued. "Yami is a dark incubus, my child."

            Tea's eyes widened, not able to think straight. "Say what? An incubus?"

            Ishizu smiled. "Aye, an incubus. Tell me child, what happened between the two of you when you first met?"

            "Tea's mind flashed back to the first day she arrived in Salem. As she wandered into Yugi's home, she managed to stumble across the bathroom where he bathed. "That explains Yami's strange behavior."

            Ishizu nodded. "Aye, but he has grown quite fond of you. I'm sure your relationship will go far beyond."

            Tea smiled weakly for a moment before leaving. "I will see too Yami."

            "You do that." Ryou watched Tea disappear down the halls. Reaching in his pocket, he took a skeleton key, sticking it in the keyhole and turned it. Gently, he pushed the gate open, stepping inside. "You wish to see me?"

            Ishizu took his face in her hands. "You haven't been eating lately."

            "I target one of the girls from the circle. But I realized it was too risky."

            "Well…" Ishizu pushed her long hair back revealing her neck to him. Ryou looked in wonder, his eyes went wild. His voice much more twisted and demonic as his dark side had finally took over as he spoke.

            "You wish for me to spare you from the stones and death's fire?"

            "Death seems to place another path for me to him."

            "So where do I come in?" Ryou asked but stopped himself realizing what she wanted. "Shall it be a fast quick one or a slow and painful?"

            Ishizu grinned to this. "Poor Ryou, you use that line to all of your victims?"

            "Perhaps," he replied slyly. He grabbed her by the neck, pulling her close. "But I always know what my victims want." He leaned forward, parting his lips, his fangs gleamed in the moonlight. His fingers grabbed her hair, yanking her head to the side. He ran his lips up and down her neck before piercing his fangs through her neck. A soft moan escaped her, her fingernails digging into his skin. With one arm wrapped around her waist, Ryou drank in her blood.

            Ishizu felt her soul being drained away, her life flashing before her. Suddenly, she started to feel weak, her knees shaking. Ryou stopped feeding looking towards Ishizu, his lips smeared in blood. She smiled weakly, closing her eyes, nearly collapsing but he caught her. Laying her down, he leaned forward, placing a kiss on her lips.

            "Rest in peace…sister." He then turned around and disappeared into the shadows.

            Midnight settled in as a cloaked figure stepped into the prisons. The figure made its way towards Yugi's cell. He was still up by that time. Looking up, he noticed the figure, startled. "Who…who are you?"

            The figure removed its cloak, softly calling out his name.

            "Huh? What the?" Yugi stood up, trying to see the face that was concealed in darkness. As he got closer, his eyes widened with shock. "Hotaru?"

            "Yugi…" Hotaru had tears in her eyes.

            "Why are you here? If Kaiba finds out…"

            "He won't. He just won't." she slid her arms between the bars, wrapping them around his waist. Yugi did the same as he pulled her closer.

            "I'm afraid."

            Yugi looked down at her, closing his eyes. "Of what?"

            A soft sob escaped her, uttering a few words. "I don't wanna lose you anymore!"

            Yugi tried to calm her down but found the task to be quite difficult seeing the bars in the way. Slowly, he pulled away from her, reaching into his pocket taking out a rather expensive ring. The jewel was ruby red in a golden band. He slipped the ring onto her finger. "I decided to ask your hand in marriage."

            "Yugi…of course I will." Hotaru was too surprised to say anything.

            "Go home. If they find you here, Kaiba will surely do something much worse than a whipping." His voice then lowered to a whisper. "I love you." He then watched her place the cloak back on her head, running off.

~*Yeah, I know there hasn't been much of Tea/Yami going on late in these chapters but I promise you there will be in the next chapters*~

~*To Be Continued*~