Haku: We must be getting close...
Yugi: mmmm Hmmm... What was it that Smart Ass said again?
Y. Haku: Take a left after the fountain of knowledge, climb up the popularity ladder, and then you will reach the Temple. Apparently, Experiment 28 is in there.
-They pass a water fountain in a town square-
Haku: Well, that must be the fountain of knowledge, so let's go.
DISCLAIMER: Here's another joke, a fish swam into a concrete wall and said, Damn.
~~~
Chapter 7
~~~
Surprisingly, it was Bakura who found me later, as I sat in between two branches of an ancient tree in the schoolyard.
"Hey mage." He greeted, his eyes narrowed in a dark look.
"What are you doing here?" I shot back, not bothering with standard pleasantries.
"Am I not allowed to walk around in the schoolgrounds and stand beneath my favourite tree?" He replied, rather coyly.
I felt my eyes narrow. "You know what I mean."
"You're always so suspicious of people, Yami." He said, sitting down upon the dewy grass, beneath the tree.
"And you seem to take that as an invitation to do as you wish." I countered, not leaving my position within the branches.
"Of course not, I do as I wish anyway. But, I did take it as an invitation to give you some advice, spy to spy." He grinned, showing slightly sharp canines. "The only person you can trust is yourself. Emotion is fickle and useless, and it will get in your way."
I scowled, and turned my head away from him. "I know."
"Then begin acting it, Yami Atemu, for at this very moment, you ARE being watched. You may not see it, but I do. Also, I thought you might want to know, Three Hundred got taken to headquarters last night."
I nearly fell out of the tree. "What?" I spluttered, fixing him with an incredulous look.
"As in taken. Gone. They're closing the loop around us, Yami, one slip from you or I, and the other is gone as well. And I don't want you to be the reason for my downfall, thank you very much. Keep your emotions in check, or I will destroy you before they can." He shot me a dark look, one that clearly read, watch your step. Before he stood up and walked away.
"As long as you watch yours." I whispered to his retreating back. A twitch of his ears was the only inclination that he had heard.
"Yaaaaaammmiii!" I cringed; Jou could be incredibly annoying when he wanted to be. I made my way into the higher branches of the tree, to escape them.
~~~
"Yugi." The boy jumped. It was after school, when I saw him, walking towards the school gate.
"Hi Yami! Where were you at lunch? We looked everywhere!" He asked, turning with what looked like a forced smile upon his face. I raised an eyebrow.
"Did you look up?"
"Hey! Not another joke about my height!" He pouted, and the action was so... cute? That I had to chuckle.
"Well, are you coming, or what?" I said, pulling in front of him slightly.
"Coming?" He asked, a sweetly puzzled expression on his features.
"Remember? I asked if you wanted to come around to my place yesterday?" I reminded him, blinking almost too innocently.
"Oh yeah!" He brightened up at that, possibly seeing that I was in fact, not angry with him, and still I myself had no idea why I was avoiding them at lunch.
I had to laugh at his brightened disposition as soon as he realised I bore no grudge against him. Sometimes humans can be incredibly strange beings.
~~~
Inserting the key into the lock of my temporary home, I felt something, once again, sliding about my ankles. "Hello Bastet." I muttered, and the cat present purred. "Can't you catch your own birds for once?" I asked her, gently picking her up as Yugi and I made our way indoors. She shot me a strangely knowing look.
Yugi was staring at her. "She's beautiful, is she yours?"
I shrugged. "Bastet comes and goes. Help yourself to any food from the fridge, and I'll be with you in a moment." Yugi nodded, as I put Bastet back down, outside. "Look, kitten, I think you're becoming much too well fed for your own good. Go catch your own mice." The cat blinked at me, pretending not to understand. I didn't buy it. "I know very well you know what I mean, Bastet, now go catch your own dinner before I get a spray bottle onto you." At the words, spray bottle, the cat glanced at me reproachfully and left, flicking her silky black tail in anger as she went.
I sighed. I didn't like turning the cat down, but I could only feed her at the most, once every 3 days. If the Network knew that a cat had adopted me, I was in big trouble. We were meant to work alone, animals inclusive. I heard Yugi open the fridge behind me, as I made my way to the small room I inhabited, to get changed.
Sliding into my standard garb of black, skin-tight leather and belts and buckles galore, I looked into the mirror only once briefly, and heard Yugi's words come back to me.
Is that all you are Yami? A reflection, with no real voice of your own... I shook my head to clear it. It would do me no good thinking about that at a time like this.
"Yami?" Yugi called out from the kitchen, and I poked my head around the solid wood frame of the door.
"Yes?" I said, bringing the rest of my leather clad body into view. Yugi gasped audibly and was obviously having trouble keeping his eyes on my face, judging by the way they kept flicking down my front.
"Erm... umm... ahh... no reason." He commented, his cheeks taking on a delectable crimson hue. I shrugged.
"Anyways, do you want something to eat?" I enquired, "After all, Cat food may be edible, but I doubt it's tasty." I pointed to the can in his hand, and the boy jumped.
"Oh! Oh, erm... no, I guess it isn't." He hastily put the can back in the fridge, and had a closer inspection of its other contents. "Err... Yami?" The boy asked, determinedly not looking at me, "Do you have any food that isn't pre-prepared?"
I gave a nervous smile. "Well, I can't cook, so while my folks are out of town I survive on T.V. dinners..."
Yugi shrugged, and grabbed an apple off the counter. "Okay then."
He was still as red as anything.
~~~
Haku: Yugi's got a cruuuuussssh!
Yugi: I do not!
Yami: -walks past-
Yugi: -goes bright red-
It'sHardToBelieve- O.o That sounds like fun. (Note the heavy sarcasm) I dislike Eng. Lit, even though it's my best subject....
Lily Maxwell The Dark Angel- Sorry Iris, I'll refrain from doing so in future. And thanks for your comments Lily! It makes me happy that you review! ^_^
Y. Haku: Damn faces...
Haku: SHUSH!
Flowacat- Where can I join???! Sign me up right now! Anyways... Oh damn! I so wanna give away plot but I can't! -twitches-
Saiyan Jedi- Yugi doesn't usually, but those episodes where he was fighting a mind controlled Joey.... the constant speaking for long periods of time really got to me.
Amber eyes- End of next chapter, I promise.
SilvernFalcon- Was it a cliffie? Sorry, I have a gene which HAS to put them in... sorry!
Yami-Ryou- Sorry! This one was actually shorter, but the next two will have the promised fluff and will be longer!
~~~
Haku: Okies, everyone, see you next time, and don't forget to READ AND REVIEW!