A/N: *smirks* I see you guys work better when you are under pressure... I THANK YOU VERY MUCH, reviewers, I got more than 5 reviews so here's the new chapter!! ^^ Before that, let's answer some things...

Reviewers' Replies:

LilBlue-Hedggie - *sweatdrops* O.o Uhh... I appreciate VERY MUCH your review but... are you okay? o_o;; You don't look too well to me... *pokes* Anyway, the suspense kills, doesn't it? ^^ Here's the new chapter, and thanks for reviewing!

Mel Gods - *giggles* Sorry if I made you wait too much for fluff ^^;; For anyone that's waiting for it, I've got news... read further for details. Well, very further... at the end of the chapter... *sweatdrops* Anyway, I'm glad you don't feel bad anymore! ^^ As for violence... well, Tomb Robber is yet to make his triumphal appearance, isn't he? Now GO READ!

the fours cousins - Thank you, your review made me want to continue! ^^ Is always good to hear from new people in reviews!

Molly-chan the Anime/Game fan - Is it me or Yami's your slave? =D hahahahahahahahahahahaha, serves you well, snob Pharaoh! ^^ Anyway, here's the new update and keep sending me your confusing reviews ^^ Me likes them

Millenia Star - I agree with you... But I'll explain more about THAT later and you won't think it is so creepy... and lol, you liked when Yugi stared at the DM? ^^;; It was kind of funny...

YumeTakato - Is this soon enough? ^-^

Shir - Oh, I'm glad it impressed you! That's the main idea when I start a fic ^_^ I'll finish it, and I hope you keep reading!

hobbit13 - wow, thank you! All those things make me want to update even more often!! ^^ Thank you again, and here's the new chp!! Hopefully will not disappoint you!

Hime no Ichigo - *sweatdrops* *doesn't think sugar is good for her anymore* ^^;; Anyway, HYAAAA AGAIN!! ^^ I'm glad to see you're back at reviewing my fics, I appreciate it! =P And YES, something bad WILL happen to Teana *laughs manically*

Iris: --;; She's in Halloween mode too...

Lily: Anyway ^^ Yes, Yami-chan IS letting his mind wonder.... Well, what 'bout reading the chp now, huh? ^^

Now ON WITH THIS!! And folks... =P There's a reason why I'm updating this on a Wednesday... You guys gotta look at the bottom when you finish reading... now ENJOY!! ^^

Disclaimer: ....................... *no one's around*

Duo (Gundam Wing): *enters and blinks* Geez, she got arrested again? I always told her to be careful with Disclaimers --;; Oh well, she's dense... *sighs* Well, I better say this... LILY DOES NOT OWN YU-GI-OH!, NEVER WILL, AND KAZUKI TAKAHASHI STILL OWN IT IN HIS PRETTY HOUSE IN JAPAN, WHERE HE'S COMPLETELY SAFE!!

Yami: Now why did you yell that? *rubbing his ears*

Duo: To see if now they let her go... And what's with your hair?? O.o *looks oddly at Yami's hair*

Yami: *stares* What about my hair?

Duo: It's odd...

Yami: ¬¬ Look, yours is not something to be proud of... It's long and makes you look girly

Duo: O_O WHAT THE HELL!! ME AND/OR MY HAIR AREN'T GIRLY!!

Duo&Yami: *start a BIG argument*

Iris: *enters and sweatdrops* On with the thing...

Warning: This fic contains shounen ai, that meaning boyxboy love, OCs and Teana (Anzu) bashing

Pairings: Yami/Yugi and Bakura/Ryou

Keys: "__" is talking, '__' is thinking, and ~^:^:^:^:~ means change of POV

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Wings of ruby and amethyst

Chapter 9: Message

By: Lily Maxwell

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I walked to my chambers, knowing a big headache was in its way to torture me. A few days ago, I certainly couldn't even imagine things could get so messy... and in so little time. First, three unknown young people make their way into my palace somehow, using strange clothes and having a strange accent[1]. Then, someone frees two of the Shadow Monsters and kills a woman I have never seen in my whole life, inside my home.

'Not to mention the kid Yugi holds your very attention, doesn't he?' that annoying voice in my mind asked, and I pretty much glared at a passing guard, who could do nothing but shudder under my gaze and walk quickly away.

'Since he looks so much like me, has too much of a pale skin for someone who lives in Egypt and holds so many mysteries... That's somewhat obvious.' I mentally replied, and the voice seemed to chuckle.

'So he intrigues you that much... that plus the fact that he came out of nowhere.' It continued, and I blinked. Holding my chin in a thoughtful manner, I narrowed my eyes to focus on the question...

'What do you mean by that?' I asked it, but stopped my track of thoughts as I almost passed the door to my room. Shaking my head as if trying to remind myself that I was asking myself a question I personally didn't even know, I opened the door and entered my room.

Inside, Yugi was sitting against my bed, hugging his knees to his chest, and looked up when I entered my room. He looked like a lost child during a sandstorm, scared and confused with big wide innocent eyes.

Innocent eyes...

Looking down at him, for a moment I stopped completely in place and just looked down at him, thinking about when I saw him for the first time, trying to comprehend something. That statement from before hung in my mind still, and it was confusing.

Why when he came, when I first saw him, I felt something odd? It didn't happen anymore, but at the time I just wanted to touch him, to feel him, even to kiss him. I don't know why, but that feeling, even after gone, still affected me. It affected me in such a way, that it plus everything he made me feel at the moment (I was uncomfortable, scared, uneasy, surprised... He looked like me, for Ra's sake!) made me choose his friend over him when I had to choose a slave.

But now... I saw him differently. The boy had a way of affecting people, and he made me feel... differently. His childishly looks, his emotive eyes, his smile... It made me feel sympathy towards him. Something that I didn't even feel for Ellian, my sister, and that I probably had forgotten how it felt.

It was like he made me trust him, feel more comfortable and confident... and even forget the one I was before meeting him. And that what happened before... was a dark blur I had to get over before moving on.

Had he changed me? Much?

Was he... a friend?

I... didn't know. The feeling was too foreign... No matter how good me and Seto got along, no matter how much trust I placed on my sister, no matter how nicely Kris and I were to each other... maybe I never had a friend. Because they were way too much related to my life as a Pharaoh, that it didn't let our relationship become one of friendship. I had yelled at Seto when he didn't obey me quickly, I... had beaten my sister so many times its memories were lost within myself, just because she wasn't exactly my sister...

But when I remembered the look of fear on Yugi's face when he saw the blood and the murder earlier that day, and then the smile he gave me before walking away... I noticed he was different. In a way... he didn't fear me, he didn't hate me, he didn't pity or was disgusted at me...

In a way, he had changed me. And I barely knew him...

"Master...?" he asked in a silent whisper, and I blinked away from my trance before looking down at him, wide eyes holding curiosity and apprehension.

~^:^:^:^:~ Yugi's POV

He was looking down at me, head tilted slightly and his eyes asking me to continue. I swallowed and closed my eyes before continuing, deciding exactly what to say. I still didn't know what had happened exactly and that scene was still too fresh in my mind to let me sleep or rest before trying to find anything about it soon.

And I had to be careful with my words, because I had probably snapped the Pharaoh from his own thoughts and he could be mad at me if I was careless with what I said.

"Do you know... what caused that, master? Or who?" I asked silently, and Yami closed his eyes for a few instants before kneeling before me and looking at me directly in the eyes.

"First of all... I thought I had told you to call me Yami?" he said and I practically stopped breathing. I couldn't call him that, could I? I mean, he was the Pharaoh and as far as I knew, mere slaves couldn't call their masters by their first names...

However, he had clearly asked me to call him Yami...

"Yugi?" he asked, and I released my breath slowly, nodding briefly to answer his question. He nodded too, before moving to sit by my side, bringing his knees to his chest in a position like mine, placing the side of his face against his knees and tilting his head to look down at me.

I smiled up at him.

'No matter what Elle says about him... I don't see where he's as bad as she says he is. Or what I've heard before.' I thought to myself. I then remembered that... some things he said/did before had surprised everyone that he knew that was around. 'Kris looked in disbelief when he told me to call him Yami, and then I heard she saying something about different treatments before I got too far when Yami told me to find Seto... Also, whenever Yami calls me by the name, whoever's around looks surprised...' I concluded.

Was he acting differently because of me?

I didn't know... but if he were, nothing would make me happier. Since everybody thought him as someone as cold as ice, I wanted them to see him through my eyes, and he wasn't bad at all...

"Who caused that were Shadow Monsters." He said and I blinked, half because I was brought abruptly out of my thoughts and half because I was truly confused.

"Shadow Monsters?" I asked, and he looked at me with an eyebrow raised, as if thinking I had just said something completely amusing and/or confusing.

"Like the Dark Magician... Don't you know what the Shadow Monsters are?" he asked, and my eyes widened in realization.

'He means Shadow Monsters are... Duel Monsters?' I asked myself. I never thought I'd see Duel Monsters, real Duel Monsters in this book... it was like it was somewhat connected to the real present, as my Grandfather once told me that the Monsters could have been real, a long time ago.

Maybe this story wasn't something ordinary, but had some relation with reality?

"The Monsters that live in the Shadow Realm... The Shadow Monsters are locked there for all eternity, unless someone releases them, and very few people are able to summon them, therefore freeing them for a short period of time. The only ones who can do that is me, the Pharaoh, and the High Priests..." Yami continued, and I kept my attention fully on him. He narrowed his eyes before continuing. "But it seems as someone freed two Shadow Monsters, and they were the cause of the death of that woman..."

"But isn't there anyone who can summon these Shadow Monsters other than you, or Seto or Kris? Someone related to you... someone who has powers?" I asked, but he shook his head.

"Even if you're born with a special power, no one can summon those monsters without a greater power. I have my Puzzle, Seto has his Rod and Kris has that Eye... And even though, I'm the only one who can truly summon them, since the Eye literally sends anyone to the Shadow Realm, the only way to call a monster, while the Rod can only summon a monster with the help of my Puzzle." He said, and I blinked, trying to take in all this information. Basically, he was the only one powerful enough to call those monsters...

"But... what about Teana?" I asked, and he blinked, looking at me clueless.

"She doesn't have enough power to call a monster." He said. But I thought she had that ring-thing... Was that not a special item like the other ones?

And wait a minute... what did he mean by his Puzzle?

"You said you have a Puzzle? What is that?" I asked, and he smiled. Actually... it was the first time I ever saw him smiling...

It felt like a soft detail to soften his sharp features. It was a beautiful addiction to his already beautiful figure.

He slowly got up and extended his hand for me. I blinked and hesitantly grabbed it, and with his help stood up, walking behind him as he headed towards a drawer beside his bed. I saw something shine in the moonlight, and soon I was looking at a golden box lying on his bed. He sat down and I knelt beside the bed, folding my arms and placing them on the bed. When he opened the box, I saw him take out a Pyramid-shaped golden pendant, held upside down by a leather cord, the Eye of Horus, as my Grandfather once taught me, peeking at me through the darkness of the room. I could hardly notice that it had some lines, a small sign that it was a pierced-together puzzle.

"This is my Puzzle. It holds extreme power to call the most powerful creatures kept in the Shadow Realm, having enough power to also free souls of certain troubles caused by any other special item, such as a mind being controlled by the Rod or a soul trapped inside something by the one of the Rings." He explained and I frowned. One of the Rings? Exactly how many of these golden items there were out there?

"Hum.. How many of these items there are?" I asked timidly, but Yami just smiled.

"There are 8. The Puzzle, which I have; the Rod, which is with Seto; the Eye, which Kris holds; the Necklace, the Key, the Scales and the two Rings, which are not here in the palace. The Necklace and the Scales were long lost, along with the two Rings. As for the Key, it's kept in my father's tomb. Each one has it's own power, but none surpasses the power within the Pharaoh's Puzzle. However, the only ones that don't have a complete and own power are the Rings, that are connected, having to be united to have full power." He exclaimed, and my expression took one of awe. I never thought I'd see such things as these items.

But thinking about it... did Yami know Teana had that ring-thing? It could possibly be one of the lost Rings!

However, all of my thoughts were forgotten as I yawned, sleep finally coming to me. Yami chuckled and I had to retrain myself from looking at him with a surprised face. I had never thought about him chuckling...

"I think we should sleep, little one. Come on, we've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow." He said, and I nodded, desperately holding back my blush.

And although the thought of sleeping in the same bed as him troubled my mind to exhaustion, I never thought I'd fall asleep so quickly when no later than 10 minutes after I climbed on the bed, I lost conscious. It was comfy and warm, and an unknown feeling filled me entirely and made me relax... I could almost swear it could be Yami's scent on the pillow, on the sheets and everywhere, or the warm feeling I got when I noticed how close we were...

Definitely I had to control my blush.

~^:^:^:^:~ Ellian's POV

I looked up as the sound of rustling feathers and a gentle breeze filled my room, as my Mavelous[2] entered my room, passing through the door as if the material never existed. I smiled at it as it decided to land on my bed, and I affectionately stroked her soft feathers.

After all, I could barely see any of my monsters, unless the situation called for it. And the situation really called for it. I just wished I had some power like Yami to call monsters so freely, without them having to get out of the Shadow Realm through another dimension, then into our dimension. The only way I could summon any monster was to call them through the Mirror[3] my brother gave me, and the World of Mirrors could be a deadly labyrinth weren't all of my monsters smart enough to get through it unharmed.

My bird beaked softly on my hand, and I kept stroking it. Silently, I moved to the dresser and placed Mavelous there, my eyes looking back at the deep-asleep Elle lying on my bed, making sure she was asleep before asking.

"Was it true?" I questioned, and I received a silent reply from the Shadow Bird. I sighed and narrowed my eyes at the darkness, as if asking it to tell me it was not true.

Kris had noticed Teana had the Ring, but wasn't so sure of it. Mavelous could fly without making a single sound when she wanted, and could protect herself if Teana did something to her, so I asked her to see if it was true.

And it was... The only question was, where exactly did she get it? She wasn't with it a week ago, I could be sure of it.

I sighed. Things were only getting worse...

*The next morning - Yami's POV*

"WHAT?!" I shouted, and I could see my advisors and even Yugi shudder under my tone. But I didn't really care, the situation at the moment wasn't the best one out of the mystery events happening recently.

"Your father's tomb, Pharaoh's Anuthep[4], was invaded during the night, my Pharaoh." One of the advisors repeated the notice, and I glared at him. I already knew that, I just demanded for more information!

"Was something taken from there?" my eyes widened. "Was the Key found?" I asked in a silent voice, but the advisor shook his head and continued.

"Nothing was really taken from there, and the Key is completely safe, although the place was quite messed up... I believe the person, even not wanting to steal anything, searched for the Key without luck." He said, and I sat down, calming down a little.

"What happened then? Something must have been taken or any sign was to be left there! No one invades a tomb without a reason." I resonated, and another one of the advisors stood up.

"My Pharaoh..." his voice was shaky. "... there, in your father's tomb, was left a message." He said, and I narrowed my eyes at him.

"What kind of message?" I asked, but he froze and didn't answer. The other one kept talking.

"The message itself is not important..." I noticed some fear in his voice, and that sure wasn't a good sign. "We can only say... you're in danger, my Pharaoh. We just don't know who it is or why, but you are in great danger." He kept babbling.

I noticed Yugi trembling by my side, and looked at him to see he was hugging himself and sent me a scared look once he caught my gaze. I tried to be as comforting as I could with my glance at him, but I too was concerned.

And yet I didn't know what the message was. And if they didn't want to tell me, I was going to find out by myself.

[ To be continued... ]

Lily: *came back from jail* ^-^ Hyaaaaaaa again!! Wow O_o my LONGEST chapter... jeez, I hope you guys are happy...

Yami&Duo: *still arguing, at this point nearly killing each other*

Lily: *sweatdrops* Uh... What's happening in here?

Iris: *sweatdrops* Well... hair issues

Lily: O_o??

Iris: --;; Never mind...

Yami: *eye of Horus flashes on forehead*

Duo: *takes out his pretty-shiny-sharpy-sweety little Scythe*

Lily: *sees the Scythe and the eye* O_O Uh oh... uhhh... *big sweatdrop* Anyway, before keeping those two from sending each other to an Afterlife, let's go to a little notice... ^^ Since this is updated to EARLY, I got you guys a deal: you guys review, and I get 5 reviews before Saturday, and on Saturday I update the REAL FLUFFY chapter, that even has a song attached to it. ^^ What do you think? Just review and I get 5 of those before Saturday, and the fluff I promised is going to be present a BIG lot in there! So? Do we have a deal? ^^ ONEGAI, PLEASE DO IT!

Iris: O.o Hmm... Lily?

Lily: Hai?

Iris: *points to Duo and Yami*

Lily: *sweatdrops and goes help*

Iris: ^^U See ya all later!

Explanations:

[1] Well, they ARE Japanese, so their Ancient Egyptian kind of have their Japanese accent ^^;;

[2]Mavelous is a very pretty Duel Monster that is a red and golden bird that seems to have a connection with the Phoenix itself! ^^

[3]The Fiend's Mirror... A Duel Monsters' card that has the ability of sending the monsters to the World of Mirrors... is 'kinda' powerful, has 2100 ATK power

[4]Okay, so I AM mindless to Egyptian names... --;; And, since Iris thought of it in a fic of hers, why couldn't I use it? =P

Now, this story isn't getting too confusing, is it? ^^;; any questions, please ask me!