"This is the life," Bakura happily sighed as he laid his back down on the
sandy beach with a bottle of rum in his hands. His jacket, shirt and boots
were off and he was enjoying the sun as it beat down upon him and Ryou.
"Should you really be saying that?" Ryou innocently asked from where he was sitting beside Bakura. Like his love, Ryou had gotten rid of most his clothing. "I mean your best friends are in pain." For the past week, the Duel Monster had been docked near the sandy beaches of the island Glebe.
Glebe was more or less their home, their safe place to hide when they were on the run, since it was small and deserted. It was also located close to Canterbury, a larger island with a small city that was only a few hours away. Currently Seto, along with most of the crew, was at Canterbury waiting for a reply from Mokuba to figure how they were going to rescue Malik and Yugi. Most of the crew had stayed with him because they found the island boring, which it was unless you could share it with a special someone.
"They'll get over it," Bakura replied as he sat up a little so he could take another swing of the bottle of rum.
"You know that's pretty cold considering that two weeks ago you were going to be hanged until Marik saved your life."
"It was a week and a half love and I was just about to make my move when he showed up."
"Whatever you say Bakura," Ryou replied with a sigh as he stood up and brushed himself off. He missed his friends, which was making him lose his patience with his lover at the moment.
"Hey where are you going?" Bakura asked with concern as he sat up, grabbed Ryou's wrist and gently tugged him back down to the sand. Bakura cuddled Ryou close and snuggled against him. "Love, you know they're going to be back soon. All we have to do is wait until we hear from Mokuba and Shizuka."
"I know," sighed Ryou. "I just wish we knew what was happening right now with them."
*~*~*
"So Serenity, do you want to take a walk or something," Malik asked with a bored expression on his face.
Shizuka inwardly sighed as she was forced to spend yet another day with her soon to be husband. She wished Mokuba would hurry up with preparations so they could leave soon. The Commodore had insisted that their marriage happen as soon as possible despite the fact that Shizuka could tell that his son clearly did not enjoy the idea of marrying her.
"Malik what's wrong?" Shizuka couldn't help ask. Just because she didn't want to marry him didn't mean that she couldn't be his friend and care about him.
"It's nothing," Malik muttered with a sigh.
"Is it the wedding?" she hopefully asked and Malik gave her a wide eye look that took her she was right. "You don't want to marry me do you?"
"Look Serenity, you're a great girl and all but-" Malik began but Shizuka cut him off with a small laugh.
"Don't worry, I don't want to marry you either."
"You don't?" Malik asked slightly offended. Any girl in their right mind would want to marry him. He did come from the second most powerful family on the island after all.
"I think two people should only marry for love," Shizuka told him.
"Me too," Malik agreed with a sigh and something clicked in Shizuka's brain.
"You're in love with someone else aren't you?" she asked and Malik slowly nodded his head. "Then why don't you marry her instead of me?"
"It's not a her," Malik muttered under his breath. "Serenity can you keep a secret?"
"Of course."
"Have you heard the stories that Yugi and I were recently captured by pirates?" he asked and she nodded her head. She had heard the rumors. That it had been Malik's fault for getting caught by disobeying his father and that by entering his son into a marriage the Commodore hoped that his son would finally settle down his wild life. "Well I met someone, fell in love, and then was separated from him."
"What was his name?" Shizuka asked. Unlike some she didn't care that Malik loved another man. Her brother and Mokuba's brother were together after all so it didn't bother her at all.
"Marik."
Shizuka's eyes widen. There was only one pirate called Marik that she knew of. "Malik tell me everything," she demanded. "Is he well? Is Ryou still with him?"
"Huh? How do you know Marik? And Ryou for that matter?" Malik asked her giving her an odd look.
"Serenity is not my real name," she told him with a sigh. "It's Shizuka. My brother and his lover are crewmembers of a ship that they used to be apart of. I met them once, a while ago before the break up."
"Shizuka there's a lot I need to tell you then," Malik replied with a grin. For the first time in a week he actually felt happy as he began telling Shizuka what had happened. What he didn't know however was that another person was listening into their conversation.
"You little brat!" Commodore Ishtar hissed making his presence known as Malik finished his story. The Commodore began to advance upon Malik drawing his sword as he did so. Shizuka gave a small scream and all Malik could do was stare at his father in shock.
Suddenly there was a loud shatter and The Commodore collapsed to the floor unconscious, a broken vase at his feet. Malik looked behind where his father had been standing to find Rishid.
"We must escape now, Master Malik," Rishid insisted as he grabbed the wrists of both Malik and Shizuka and they all hurried out of the Ishtar home.
*~*~*
"Yugi do you think these flowers would look good at our wedding?" Tea asked as Yugi tried not to bang his head against the nearest wall. Since arriving back home had barely a few minutes of peace without Tea around and now she was planning their wedding, which wasn't even going to happen for another year. To make matters worst he hadn't seen Malik since that day they arrived back at Port Domino.
Seeing that Tea was waiting for an answer he rolled his eyes and sighed. "I don't know Tea, you're the expert at these things."
"But Yugi!" Tea cried in that whining voice of hers. "This our wedding we should plan it together!"
'Yami save me!' Yugi silently cried as he took a large step away from the nearest wall.
*~*~*
"Mokuba!" Shizuka cried as she raced into her home followed closely by Malik and Rishid.
"What is it?" asked the short raven-haired 11 year-old as he walked into the room and eyed Malik and Rishid. "Who are they?"
"Mokuba this is Malik and Rishid, they're coming with us and we're leaving now!" Shizuka told him.
"But we have no place to go!" Mokuba protested.
"We do now," Shizuka told him. "We're going to Canida. Malik's sister lives there and we'll stay with her until Seto and Jou come for us."
"Just what's going on here?!" Mokuba demanded to know.
"Long story short, the gangs back together, Malik is Marik's lover, his father found out, tried to kill but managed to escape thanks to Rishid."
"We should take Yugi with us," Malik told them. "It doesn't seem fair that he should stay here."
"Master Malik we've already been by his place and he wasn't there," Rishid sighed. "We have no clue where he is and like Miss Shizuka says we need to leave right now."
"Malik, the Duel Monster can come back later for Yugi," Shizuka told him. "Trust me, Yami won't give Yugi up so easily. Especially if what you say is true about them. Now lets hurry and get out of here before you're father wakes up!"
Suddenly a knock was heard at the front door.
"Oh no!" Shizuka whispered in horror. "They've found us!"
"This way!" Mokuba told them and he led them to the back door. Taking a peak out the door he saw that the way was clear. "Come on lets go!"
As the four of them made their escape from the home, the knocking continued on the door. 'I guess no one is home,' thought the young lad at the door as he slid envelope he had been ordered to deliver under the door.
*~*~*
"Seto, relax!" Jou said to his lover who was currently pacing back in forth in the room they had rented at Canterbury. "The probably didn't even get the letter until today. If I'd take a guess it probably just got to them a few minutes ago. They'll read the letter right away and then send a reply."
"Why did we ever have them stay at Port Domino anyway?" Seto growled in frustration. He hated that he always had to be away from his little brother and that their communications at best were slim for they didn't want to get caught.
"Because no pirate in their right mind would attack Port Domino," Jou reminded him before he cracked up laughing. "Except us, of course!"
"The things I do to keep Mokuba safe," Seto muttered to himself as he continued to pace back and forth.
*~*~*
"We're in luck," Mokuba informed the three individuals hidden behind a large stack of crates at the port. "It doesn't look like anyone knows about what happened to the commodore yet and I've been able to get us on a ship that's leaving in ten minutes for Canida. The captain is an old friend of Seto's."
"Good," Malik nodded as he along with Rishid and Shizuka stood and exited their hiding spot. "Lead the way Mokuba."
Mokuba led them all to a ship that was docked while it picked up supplies. "Hey Kisara!" he called and to everyone's, including Shizuka's, surprise a young woman with pale skin, long whitish-blue hair and bright blue eyes turned around and smiled at them.
"Get on board guys, we'll be leaving soon," she informed them.
"Thanks again Kisara!" Mokuba cried as he led the others aboard Kisara's ship, the White Dragon.
"This is some ship," Malik said in amazement. The White Dragon was almost as nice as the Duel Monster.
"Yeah Kisara has made quiet a fortune for herself as a merchant," Mokuba informed them. "The White Dragon can match fire power with pretty much any pirate ship so most of the time pirates stay away. The ones who don't, learn the hard way not to mess with a dragon.
"So how does this Kisara person know Seto?" Shizuka asked. She had known the Kaiba brothers for most of her life and never had she heard anything about this Kisara person before.
"I think they first met the year before Jou joined the Duel Monster," Mokuba told her. "Kisara was on a ship bound to the Caribbean when it was attacked by a pirate ship killing everyone aboard. By luck Kisara had fallen into the water near the beginning of the battle and manage to hang onto a peace of driftwood. Hours later the Duel Monster came by, Seto spotted her in the water and hauled her on board. She took care of me for awhile but then one day pirates attacked the village where we lived. Kisara managed to save me by drawing the pirates away from our home while I hid. We had thought she died that day since she disappeared, so Seto moved me to Port Domino since he knew that was the safest place from pirates. A month later you showed up."
"What happened to Kisara?" Malik asked.
"I was captured by those pirates," a new voice replied and they turned their heads to see Kisara walking towards them. Movement of the boat told them that they were leaving port. "Those pirates weren't like Seto or his friends. I was raped, beaten and forced to be a slave for their captain, Akunadin. Eventually I gathered the courage to kill Akunadin and was able to escape but not before I stole some extremely valuable items from him. With the money I took, I was able to buy the White Dragon and start my own company. And here I am today."
"That's an amazing story," Shizuka told her. "And thank you for helping us."
"I would have been dead long ago if it hadn't been for Seto," Kisara replied with a small smile. "I'll forever be trying to repay him for what he did for me."
"I don't suppose you know where the Duel Monster is right now do you?" Malik hopefully asked and was disappointed when Kisara shook her head.
"If I knew, I would take you there. The only reason we're going to Canida is because that was where Mokuba said you guys needed to go. I know they were rumored to be around Canida last week but I don't know if they're still there."
"That's okay," Mokuba told her. "Once we're there I can send a letter to Seto through our contacts in Canterbury. He checks in there whenever he can for messages so all we have to do is wait in Canida for him and the others to show up."
"Good, we'll be there tomorrow," Kisara, informed them as she turned around and started to stroll away.
"That quickly?" Malik asked.
"You'll find that his ship is much faster then any other ship you've been on before," Kisara replied smiling back at them before she continued to stroll away to return to her captain duties.
*~*~*
The sun was now setting on the island called Glebe. "Admit it this has been a nice day," Bakura murmured to Ryou. The pair was tangled together lying naked on the same beach where they had spent most of the day. If it hadn't been for the shade of the palm trees they would have been bright red by now.
"It was," a tired Ryou agreed as he snuggled closer to Bakura's chest. Bakura had worn him out earlier and now he could barely move. Not that he wanted to move if he could. "Kura?"
"Hmm . . .?"
"Can we spend tomorrow like this as well?"
"I wouldn't have it any other way love."
"Should you really be saying that?" Ryou innocently asked from where he was sitting beside Bakura. Like his love, Ryou had gotten rid of most his clothing. "I mean your best friends are in pain." For the past week, the Duel Monster had been docked near the sandy beaches of the island Glebe.
Glebe was more or less their home, their safe place to hide when they were on the run, since it was small and deserted. It was also located close to Canterbury, a larger island with a small city that was only a few hours away. Currently Seto, along with most of the crew, was at Canterbury waiting for a reply from Mokuba to figure how they were going to rescue Malik and Yugi. Most of the crew had stayed with him because they found the island boring, which it was unless you could share it with a special someone.
"They'll get over it," Bakura replied as he sat up a little so he could take another swing of the bottle of rum.
"You know that's pretty cold considering that two weeks ago you were going to be hanged until Marik saved your life."
"It was a week and a half love and I was just about to make my move when he showed up."
"Whatever you say Bakura," Ryou replied with a sigh as he stood up and brushed himself off. He missed his friends, which was making him lose his patience with his lover at the moment.
"Hey where are you going?" Bakura asked with concern as he sat up, grabbed Ryou's wrist and gently tugged him back down to the sand. Bakura cuddled Ryou close and snuggled against him. "Love, you know they're going to be back soon. All we have to do is wait until we hear from Mokuba and Shizuka."
"I know," sighed Ryou. "I just wish we knew what was happening right now with them."
*~*~*
"So Serenity, do you want to take a walk or something," Malik asked with a bored expression on his face.
Shizuka inwardly sighed as she was forced to spend yet another day with her soon to be husband. She wished Mokuba would hurry up with preparations so they could leave soon. The Commodore had insisted that their marriage happen as soon as possible despite the fact that Shizuka could tell that his son clearly did not enjoy the idea of marrying her.
"Malik what's wrong?" Shizuka couldn't help ask. Just because she didn't want to marry him didn't mean that she couldn't be his friend and care about him.
"It's nothing," Malik muttered with a sigh.
"Is it the wedding?" she hopefully asked and Malik gave her a wide eye look that took her she was right. "You don't want to marry me do you?"
"Look Serenity, you're a great girl and all but-" Malik began but Shizuka cut him off with a small laugh.
"Don't worry, I don't want to marry you either."
"You don't?" Malik asked slightly offended. Any girl in their right mind would want to marry him. He did come from the second most powerful family on the island after all.
"I think two people should only marry for love," Shizuka told him.
"Me too," Malik agreed with a sigh and something clicked in Shizuka's brain.
"You're in love with someone else aren't you?" she asked and Malik slowly nodded his head. "Then why don't you marry her instead of me?"
"It's not a her," Malik muttered under his breath. "Serenity can you keep a secret?"
"Of course."
"Have you heard the stories that Yugi and I were recently captured by pirates?" he asked and she nodded her head. She had heard the rumors. That it had been Malik's fault for getting caught by disobeying his father and that by entering his son into a marriage the Commodore hoped that his son would finally settle down his wild life. "Well I met someone, fell in love, and then was separated from him."
"What was his name?" Shizuka asked. Unlike some she didn't care that Malik loved another man. Her brother and Mokuba's brother were together after all so it didn't bother her at all.
"Marik."
Shizuka's eyes widen. There was only one pirate called Marik that she knew of. "Malik tell me everything," she demanded. "Is he well? Is Ryou still with him?"
"Huh? How do you know Marik? And Ryou for that matter?" Malik asked her giving her an odd look.
"Serenity is not my real name," she told him with a sigh. "It's Shizuka. My brother and his lover are crewmembers of a ship that they used to be apart of. I met them once, a while ago before the break up."
"Shizuka there's a lot I need to tell you then," Malik replied with a grin. For the first time in a week he actually felt happy as he began telling Shizuka what had happened. What he didn't know however was that another person was listening into their conversation.
"You little brat!" Commodore Ishtar hissed making his presence known as Malik finished his story. The Commodore began to advance upon Malik drawing his sword as he did so. Shizuka gave a small scream and all Malik could do was stare at his father in shock.
Suddenly there was a loud shatter and The Commodore collapsed to the floor unconscious, a broken vase at his feet. Malik looked behind where his father had been standing to find Rishid.
"We must escape now, Master Malik," Rishid insisted as he grabbed the wrists of both Malik and Shizuka and they all hurried out of the Ishtar home.
*~*~*
"Yugi do you think these flowers would look good at our wedding?" Tea asked as Yugi tried not to bang his head against the nearest wall. Since arriving back home had barely a few minutes of peace without Tea around and now she was planning their wedding, which wasn't even going to happen for another year. To make matters worst he hadn't seen Malik since that day they arrived back at Port Domino.
Seeing that Tea was waiting for an answer he rolled his eyes and sighed. "I don't know Tea, you're the expert at these things."
"But Yugi!" Tea cried in that whining voice of hers. "This our wedding we should plan it together!"
'Yami save me!' Yugi silently cried as he took a large step away from the nearest wall.
*~*~*
"Mokuba!" Shizuka cried as she raced into her home followed closely by Malik and Rishid.
"What is it?" asked the short raven-haired 11 year-old as he walked into the room and eyed Malik and Rishid. "Who are they?"
"Mokuba this is Malik and Rishid, they're coming with us and we're leaving now!" Shizuka told him.
"But we have no place to go!" Mokuba protested.
"We do now," Shizuka told him. "We're going to Canida. Malik's sister lives there and we'll stay with her until Seto and Jou come for us."
"Just what's going on here?!" Mokuba demanded to know.
"Long story short, the gangs back together, Malik is Marik's lover, his father found out, tried to kill but managed to escape thanks to Rishid."
"We should take Yugi with us," Malik told them. "It doesn't seem fair that he should stay here."
"Master Malik we've already been by his place and he wasn't there," Rishid sighed. "We have no clue where he is and like Miss Shizuka says we need to leave right now."
"Malik, the Duel Monster can come back later for Yugi," Shizuka told him. "Trust me, Yami won't give Yugi up so easily. Especially if what you say is true about them. Now lets hurry and get out of here before you're father wakes up!"
Suddenly a knock was heard at the front door.
"Oh no!" Shizuka whispered in horror. "They've found us!"
"This way!" Mokuba told them and he led them to the back door. Taking a peak out the door he saw that the way was clear. "Come on lets go!"
As the four of them made their escape from the home, the knocking continued on the door. 'I guess no one is home,' thought the young lad at the door as he slid envelope he had been ordered to deliver under the door.
*~*~*
"Seto, relax!" Jou said to his lover who was currently pacing back in forth in the room they had rented at Canterbury. "The probably didn't even get the letter until today. If I'd take a guess it probably just got to them a few minutes ago. They'll read the letter right away and then send a reply."
"Why did we ever have them stay at Port Domino anyway?" Seto growled in frustration. He hated that he always had to be away from his little brother and that their communications at best were slim for they didn't want to get caught.
"Because no pirate in their right mind would attack Port Domino," Jou reminded him before he cracked up laughing. "Except us, of course!"
"The things I do to keep Mokuba safe," Seto muttered to himself as he continued to pace back and forth.
*~*~*
"We're in luck," Mokuba informed the three individuals hidden behind a large stack of crates at the port. "It doesn't look like anyone knows about what happened to the commodore yet and I've been able to get us on a ship that's leaving in ten minutes for Canida. The captain is an old friend of Seto's."
"Good," Malik nodded as he along with Rishid and Shizuka stood and exited their hiding spot. "Lead the way Mokuba."
Mokuba led them all to a ship that was docked while it picked up supplies. "Hey Kisara!" he called and to everyone's, including Shizuka's, surprise a young woman with pale skin, long whitish-blue hair and bright blue eyes turned around and smiled at them.
"Get on board guys, we'll be leaving soon," she informed them.
"Thanks again Kisara!" Mokuba cried as he led the others aboard Kisara's ship, the White Dragon.
"This is some ship," Malik said in amazement. The White Dragon was almost as nice as the Duel Monster.
"Yeah Kisara has made quiet a fortune for herself as a merchant," Mokuba informed them. "The White Dragon can match fire power with pretty much any pirate ship so most of the time pirates stay away. The ones who don't, learn the hard way not to mess with a dragon.
"So how does this Kisara person know Seto?" Shizuka asked. She had known the Kaiba brothers for most of her life and never had she heard anything about this Kisara person before.
"I think they first met the year before Jou joined the Duel Monster," Mokuba told her. "Kisara was on a ship bound to the Caribbean when it was attacked by a pirate ship killing everyone aboard. By luck Kisara had fallen into the water near the beginning of the battle and manage to hang onto a peace of driftwood. Hours later the Duel Monster came by, Seto spotted her in the water and hauled her on board. She took care of me for awhile but then one day pirates attacked the village where we lived. Kisara managed to save me by drawing the pirates away from our home while I hid. We had thought she died that day since she disappeared, so Seto moved me to Port Domino since he knew that was the safest place from pirates. A month later you showed up."
"What happened to Kisara?" Malik asked.
"I was captured by those pirates," a new voice replied and they turned their heads to see Kisara walking towards them. Movement of the boat told them that they were leaving port. "Those pirates weren't like Seto or his friends. I was raped, beaten and forced to be a slave for their captain, Akunadin. Eventually I gathered the courage to kill Akunadin and was able to escape but not before I stole some extremely valuable items from him. With the money I took, I was able to buy the White Dragon and start my own company. And here I am today."
"That's an amazing story," Shizuka told her. "And thank you for helping us."
"I would have been dead long ago if it hadn't been for Seto," Kisara replied with a small smile. "I'll forever be trying to repay him for what he did for me."
"I don't suppose you know where the Duel Monster is right now do you?" Malik hopefully asked and was disappointed when Kisara shook her head.
"If I knew, I would take you there. The only reason we're going to Canida is because that was where Mokuba said you guys needed to go. I know they were rumored to be around Canida last week but I don't know if they're still there."
"That's okay," Mokuba told her. "Once we're there I can send a letter to Seto through our contacts in Canterbury. He checks in there whenever he can for messages so all we have to do is wait in Canida for him and the others to show up."
"Good, we'll be there tomorrow," Kisara, informed them as she turned around and started to stroll away.
"That quickly?" Malik asked.
"You'll find that his ship is much faster then any other ship you've been on before," Kisara replied smiling back at them before she continued to stroll away to return to her captain duties.
*~*~*
The sun was now setting on the island called Glebe. "Admit it this has been a nice day," Bakura murmured to Ryou. The pair was tangled together lying naked on the same beach where they had spent most of the day. If it hadn't been for the shade of the palm trees they would have been bright red by now.
"It was," a tired Ryou agreed as he snuggled closer to Bakura's chest. Bakura had worn him out earlier and now he could barely move. Not that he wanted to move if he could. "Kura?"
"Hmm . . .?"
"Can we spend tomorrow like this as well?"
"I wouldn't have it any other way love."