This is a seriously Alternate History story, taking place just before the Battle City arc. I was having fun while house sitting. I made a couple changes - Bakura has the Ring and his yami, who co-operates with him…sort of. The others all know about this as well.
As per usual, I'm using the Japanese names. (Which are given surname first)
Mazaki Anzu= Tea Gardner
Jonouchi Katsuya= Joey Wheeler
Bakura Ryou = Ryou Bakura
Honda Hiroto= Tristan Taylor
Kaiba Seto = Seto Kaiba
Motou Yugi = Yugi Motou
Japanese Terms
Mou Hitori no Boku = Another Self. Yugi's name for his dark side
Mou Yami no Boku = Dark Self. Bakura's name for Yami Bakura
Aibou = Partner. What Yami Yugi calls Yugi 90% of the time
Mou Hitori no Ore = Another Self (arrogant form). In the anime, this is what Yami Yugi calls Yugi before (and sometimes after) the end of Duelist Kingdom.
Mou Hitori no Yugi = Another Yugi. What his friends call Yami Yugi sometimes. They tend to call them both Yugi as well.
Mou Yami no Bakura = When the group calls Yami Bakura anything, it tends to be this.
Yadoushi: Landlord or host. What Yami Bakura calls Bakura.
Jii-chan: Grandfather
Kaa-chan: Mother
-san = Sort of like Mr or Mrs.
-sama = Respectful honorific for those of higher status than the speaker
-dono = Very respectful (and quite old-fashioned) term for someone of higher status than the speaker.
-sensei = Teacher or master. Honorific given to anyone who is considered a 'master' of their art. Also used for anyone who is a teacher, in school and out.
Baka, bakayarou = Moron, stupid, jerk…anything like that. I tend to use it most for 'idiot'.
Kuso, shitte - Curse words. Yami Bakura and Jounouchi tend to swear a lot.
Inu = Dog
Other Notes
:mental speech:
{private thoughts}
If you look at the Eye on the Puzzle and the Eye on the Ring, you'll notice some differences. I don't know how accurate it is, but for my purposes I am calling the Eye on the Puzzle the Right Eye of Horus (aka the sun) and the Eye on the Ring the Left Eye of Horus (aka the moon). If it's just the Eye without any ornamentation then I'm calling it the Eye of Wisdom. (aka the Eye that appears on Yami Yugi and Yami Marik's foreheads. Has anyone else noticed that Yami Bakura seems immune from that particular manifestation of Shadow Power?)
DISCLAIMER: I don't own anyone in this story you recognize by name or even a vague description. They are all the property of Takahashi-sensei. Anyone you don't recognize is my Original Character, so please don't use them without my permission, okitay? Arigato.
Chapter 2
Yami Yugi gathered his exhausted resources and prepared to fight. Beside him Yami Bakura pulled out his deck in preparation for summoning.
"Oh, please." A tinge of disgust flavoured the figure's tone as - he? She? - settled back and sighed. "Don't worry, I don't take contracts on sixteen year old boys."
"Nor do we trust strangers who appear out of nowhere to help us." Yami Yugi didn't relax in the slightest. "How are we to know this is not a trap?"
"Well, to be perfectly honest, you don't." The person shrugged. "I am known as Black Diamond, head of the Assassin's Guild. If you decide you would like to get hold of me…" A card flicked from between black-gloved fingers. "Here's my number and website." With that, the figure vanished as though made of smoke.
Yami Yugi and Yami Bakura exchanged a wordless look, then decided that this was not the place to discuss matters. The shorter of the two scooped the card up and left first - Yami Bakura lingered, his eyes full of vicious pleasure as he used the last of his magic to banish their assailant's unconscious bodies into the Shadows. With a snicker, he left the bathroom.
They were nearly at the classroom when the thief caught up to the other yami, who gave him a glare that said clearly 'I felt that.' Yami Bakura just smirked before retreating to the Ring.
During class, Jounouchi passed him a note; in Bakura's clear handwriting, it said:
Yugi
Meet us after school at my apartment. Mou yami no boku wishes to speak with mou hitori no Yugi.
Bakura Ryou
Yugi glanced over at Bakura, caught his eye, and nodded once.
………………………………....................
Bakura's apartment was almost painfully neat, especially considering that he lived there by himself in order to protect his family from the possible ravages of his dark half. Yugi slipped off his shoes and entered the living room, wary despite the fact that Bakura was his friend and he trusted him. He didn't trust mou yami no Bakura; especially considering that he and Yugi's own dark side seemed to have a permanent enmity.
Carefully sitting down on a couch just as Bakura re-entered the room carrying a tray, he noticed the aroma of Western tea. Setting it down on the coffee table, the white-haired teen sat beside Yugi - not too close - and poured for them both.
"Are you alright now, Bakura?" Yugi asked at last, breaking the silence. The white-haired teen looked exhausted, black rings under his eyes. Truth be told, Yugi himself wanted nothing more than to lie down on the spot and sleep - the energy he'd given to mou hitori no boku was demanding it's due now.
"Just a little tired." the other placed his cup on the table and sighed. "Mou yami no boku is coming out now." he warned, closing his eyes. Yugi retreated as well, watching the proceedings in 'spirit form'.
"What did you wish to speak about?" Yami Yugi crossed his arms and leaned back into the couch. Yugi felt a flash of jealously at his other's ability to extrude confidence in nearly any situation.
"What happened today, of course, baka." Yami Bakura answered, blue eyes flickering as though they might be overheard, even here. "You trust this spawn of Anubis?"
"Honestly…about as far as I trust you."
:That isn't very nice, mou hitori no boku.:
:This situation calls for honest, not nice, aibou.:
Yugi saw his other glance up at Yami Bakura and sigh. "No, I don't trust this assassin - but I trust these 'ghouls' even less. And he did save us."
"Which could be nothing more than a setup." Yami Bakura pulled a butter knife from the tea service, running his finger along the length and tsking at the dullness.
:Mou hitori no boku - ask if mou yami no Bakura can break into an encrypted computer system.:
:Why?:
:Because - we have the website. He might be able to discover more if he knows how to hack.:
:Okay…: He didn't really understand what Yugi was talking about, but..."Can you break into a computer system? An encrypted one?"
The thief raised an eyebrow. "I'm impressed, Pharaoh. I didn't think you knew a thing about computers."
Yami Yugi smirked. "You didn't answer the question, soul thief." {And I'm not going to let you know how much I really don't know about this world.}
:Aibou...remind me to get some lessons on these 'computer' things of yours.:
:Alright.:
A long-suffering sigh escaped Yami Bakura's lips. "Yes, baka, I can break into a computer system. If you give me that card I saw you abscond with, then I'll see what I can find out."
Another thought flashed between Yami Yugi and his aibou. "Can you break into the school records as well, find out about Mitzra-sensei?"
Yami Bakura's face twisted in a snarl. "I would rather just steal her soul and feed it to Ammet."
"I'm sure." Yami Yugi said dryly. "However, under the circumstances I don't know that that would be a good idea. After all, just because she threw you into your own soul room doesn't make her one of the bad guys."
"You can leave anytime now."
"I'm not done. I think it might be a good idea to find out what we can about Ishtar-san as well. And these purple-robed attackers. I don't like all these new people showing up all of a sudden."
Yami Bakura paused, as though he were going to say something, then flicked the knife between his fingers nervously. "So there is a brain under all that hair. Alright…I can agree with that." His tone added the word reluctantly. "After all, anything that's a threat to your aibou is also potentially a threat to my yadoushi; I will not allow any harm to come to him."
"Nothing like enlightened self-interest." Yami Yugi smiled while Yugi stifled a giggle.
"Right." Yami Bakura rose. "I'm sure you can see your…selves out of the apartment. Apparently I have work to do." He held out his hand - Yami Yugi dug in his pocket, extracting the card the assassin had left behind. Without a further word, the thief left.
Yugi took control back from his other self, frowning thoughtfully. He finished his tea and carried the set back into the kitchen before heading for the front door. Something was bothering him, and it had nothing to do with Black Diamond. As they walked back to the Kame Game Shop, it clicked in his mind.
:Mou hitori no boku?:
:Yes?:
:I just remembered…those people in the purple robes - they called you Pharaoh, and seemed to know that you were not me. Just now, mou yami no Bakura called you that as well.:
Yami Yugi blinked. He hadn't noticed. :You're right, aibou. But I don't know how or why.: He paused. :Aibou?:
:Hai?:
:What, precisely, is a 'pharaoh?':
Yugi sighed. Just something else to add to the list of mysteries they had to solve.
………………………………
Ariel Mitzra stifled a yawn as she wrote the day's lesson on the board, keeping a mental 'eye' on her students. She turned and began the lesson, only half her mind on what she was saying. The other half brooded on the information she had gathered in the last few weeks.
Primary amongst her subjects: Yugi Motou, the shortest 15 year old she's ever laid eyes on. Wild spiked hair - today with some blonde streaks in the black mass rather than simply falling around his face the way it usually did - wide lavender eyes, and an aura that normally blazed bright as the sun. Not today - his eyes seemed narrower, and his aura black as a shadow. People's auras didn't change like that, so quickly.
Ryou Bakura; second on her list. The quiet white-haired teen with his baby blue eyes and pale skin was as much an enigma as Yugi. His aura shone nearly the same white as his hair, bright, pure and gentle - save a spot right over his heart which was black as night.
Then there was the Egyptian student. Marik Ishtar - whose spirit was so twisted it was a wonder that he could function in normal society - watched her with secrets hidden in his lavender gaze.
All three bore items of great power and antiquity; worn openly, as Yugi did, or hidden. Either way, she could sense their presence.
A blink was the only sign as she put pieces together in her head. Yesterday, Yugi's aura had been bright gold and nearly blinding - except for a dark spot over his stomach where his necklace rested. Now…She took a closer look. Darkness shrouded the boy - except for near the necklace, which glowed with that same golden light.
{Well, well, well. Interesting.}
The inverted-pyramid-shaped artefact seemed to have other effects as well. Strands of mixed light and dark power ran from it to Bakura, Jounouchi, Honda and Anzu. Lesser strands ran to Kaiba, Hanasaki and right out of the room.
Hmm. Perhaps the power in the artefacts was more complex than she had initially surmised, which would explain why Bakura was having such troubles yesterday when she had cast the dark magic, which had been trying to take over the boy, back into it's prison, which she could sense even if she couldn't see it. Rather abruptly, Bakura's aura shifted as well; the darkness over his heart spread out, surrounding him, sending the white aura towards it's prison.
Years of teaching had taught Ari to school her expressions, which is why she didn't gape at the child in utter shock. Physically, nothing was different, but to her Aura-Sight the differences were astonishing. This spirit - was ancient. She could feel the years and the dark power it possessed.
Could it be - the power in the artefacts was sentient? Souls trapped in formed gold rather than raw power?
Curiouser and curiouser. She would have to keep an eye on all of them. Her task would be impossible if she let any possible information slip from her grasp.
……………………
Yami Yugi growled to himself every time Mitzra-sensei's gaze passed over them. He didn't like how her hazel eye lingered on himself and Bakura; she seemed to be taking note of everyone in the class that was a friend to or an acquaintance of his aibou.
And Marik. He glanced at the blonde Egyptian, who seemed oblivious to the subtle currents of tension flowing around the room. Ever Kaiba seemed more aware of things, glancing from Mitzra-sensei to himself and Jounouchi. Marik reached into his backpack, toying with some object for a moment before drawing his hand out and paying studious attention to the lesson again. Yami Yugi sighed - something about the teen just didn't…feel…right.
He glanced up at his teacher again just in time to catch her eyes widen for a moment. It was incredibly slight, but Yami Yugi could read people like the notes on his Duelmonster's cards when he set his mind to the task. Following her gaze to Bakura, he cocked his head and wondered. With Yami Bakura, it was impossible to tell if the thief didn't want you to know…or was it? Had Bakura changed places with his other - and had their teacher noticed?
Bakura caught his eye - for a moment his eyes narrowed and a wicked grin slid across his lips. Yami Yugi frowned - so the two had changed. And their sensei had reacted. He glanced back up at the front. She had noticed the change in Bakura - did she also see the differences when he himself took over his aibou's form?
Or maybe she could simply sense when a soul changed places. Even so, she would have to be incredibly sensitive to catch Yami Bakura in the act.
Pondering, he wondered if she bore either the Tauk or the Rod.
Yugi's question came back to him. How had he known what the remaining Items were? Nothing existed past the point where the Puzzle had been solved and he had bonded with Yugi. Indeed, for a long while he had thought himself nothing more than a splinter of the boy's own psyche - which didn't answer why he could tap into the Shadow Magic of the Puzzle and Yugi couldn't - but since he'd popped up with that interesting little bit of trivia, he'd been remembering other things; bits and pieces that made no sense. The word 'Pharaoh'...although he had not known it's meaning until Yugi had told him, the sound rang chords deep in his mind.
With a mental slap. Yami Yugi brought his mind back to the present. This was not the time nor the place to be woolgathering.
"Mr. Mouto?" Perfect timing. Yami Yugi tried to make his eyes wider and his voice less commanding.
"Yes, Mrs. Mitzra?"
"Can you tell me the verb for ikimasu in English please?"
"To go."
"Conjugate it, please."
He sighed mentally, poking at Yugi's memories for the answer. Evidently satisfied with his response, she moved on to questioning Jounouchi.
Idly taking notes for his aibou to study later, Yami Yugi hoped that Yami Bakura had come up with some answers of his own.
"Can I sit here?"
Yugi looked up to see Marik Ishtar standing beside him, eyeing the space beside him with a half-shy smile on his face. Swallowing a bite of his sandwich, Yugi nodded. "Sure."
"Thanks." Marik smiled, nodding a greeting to the others, who returned it - except for Jounouchi, who never paused in the process of shovelling down his lunch.
"I see you got away from your fan club." Honda grinned, stirring his ramen noodles. Marik just grimaced.
"Thank Osiris for that." the Egyptian shuddered. He looked over at Bakura, who was eating a bento box with his typical neatness. "I don't know how you can stand them."
The white-haired youth smiled slightly. "It takes practise; I've found that running away from them just encourages the need to chase." He paused, nibbling on a tempura tidbit before continuing. "So, how do you like Japan?"
"Cold." Marik shivered, digging a fork into his salad. "But the people are friendly - for the most part." He exchanged a smile with Bakura. "Sometimes a little too friendly."
"Kami-sama…I wish I had your problems." Honda cast his eyes to the heavens in silent prayer. Anzu and Yugi giggled.
"Trade you?" Marik and Bakura said at the same time. Everyone burst out laughing.
The laughter died as their English teacher walked past the table. Yugi felt the burst of mistrust from his other - he glanced at Bakura, who for a split second seemed to sport wilder hairstyle of his other before it settled again.
"What's wrong?" Marik asked of the suddenly silent group. Yugi glanced at him and shook his head.
"We don't know, Marik-kun - but I think it might be wise to avoid her. There is something untrustworthy about her."
Lavender eyes blinked slowly as the Egyptian teen watched the teacher pass. "Really…"
After school, the Yugi-gumi gathered at the Kame Game Shop to hear what the Soul-thief had found out - much to said thief's displeasure.
"I still can't believe you got mou yami no Bakura to help out." Jounouchi caught Yugi in a headlock. "What'd'cha have to bribe him with?"
"I'm right here, baka inu." Yami Bakura snapped. "Now sit down and shut up before I find a muzzle for you."
Growling, Jounouchi lunged for the thief, but Honda and Otagi got there first, pinning the hot-headed blonde before he could do Bakura or - more likely - himself any harm. Honda sat on him.
"So what did you find out?" he asked politely, ignoring the squirming and cursing of his 'prisoner.'
Yami Bakura smirked at Jounouchi for a moment before turning to answer Honda. "Not as much as I would have liked."
The rest of the group sat in a circle, all their attention on him. Even Jounouchi had stopped squirming.
"Alright - most of what I found on the English teacher jives with the history she gave us in class. She graduated with her degree in teaching from the University of Guelph in Ontario - that's one of the 'provinces', kind of like a large prefecture, that make up the country. She's been teaching history at the University of Montreal in Quebec - that's another province - ever since.
At the start of the school year she moved to Japan with the cultural exchange program; no big surprise there. But from what I could find out, she practically had to quit her previous position in order to move here."
"She must have another reason to be in Japan." Anzu leaned forward, her hand supporting her chin as she thought. "I can't think why else she would go to such an extreme; giving up a prestigious position at a university to teach here makes no sense."
"Maybe…" Yugi started, trailing off. Everyone glanced over at the small duelist, who blushed slightly. "I was just thinking - she might tell us why if we asked her."
That caused a small explosion as everyone tried to talk at once. Finally Yami Yugi came out, silencing them all with a wave and the force of his personality. "Enough. This turmoil is getting us nowhere. Yami no Bakura-san, did you find out anything else about the woman?"
Narrow blue eyes surprised at being addressed with a modicum of politeness, Yami Bakura shook his head.
"Unfortunately, that's all I could find out of interest." He flipped through some pieces of paper.
"Black Diamond is even more of an enigma, but what little I found is very interesting. He's not just any hired killer - he's supposed to be the world's foremost assassin. Been around since 1989; never takes contracts without fulfilling them to the letter. So far, no one knows what he looks like; could be a man, a woman or a dog for all anyone knows." He grinned wickedly at Jounouchi, who growled back.
"I couldn't break into the confidential information on the website, though. All that's there is a contact e-mail link."
"Aw, something the great thief can't steal." Jounouchi taunted.
Yami Bakura snorted. "Frankly, the firewall's so complex that I don't know if Kaiba could break into this thing."
Marik walked up to the English teacher's office, a smirk playing on the corners of his lips. So Yugi and his clique didn't trust the woman - he would be able to use that paranoia to his own ends.
The teacher looked up as he entered her office without knocking; her hazel eyes were tired and her blonde hair dishevelled. "Can I help you, Mr. Ishtar?" she asked in a quiet, exhausted tone.
"Yes, actually." Closing the door with his foot, Marik reached into his backpack and pulled out a long object draped in purple cloth. "I think that you will be a lot of help to me." Shaking the object free of the restraint, Marik pointed the business end of the Millennium Rod at her, the Eye moulded on the top already beginning to glow with rainbow light. "I think you will make a wonderful mind-slave."
She blinked in shock as he bade the Shadow Magic reach for her mind and memories, turning and twisting them to his will.
For a long moment nothing happened. Then the spell withered and died, finding nothing to grasp. Marik lowered the rod in shock, staring at the woman, who merely smiled. Rising, she moved around the desk that separated them.
"Mind slave, is it?" Her voice had changed - older, smoother, no longer with that touch of impatience that marked it in class. Her lips still curved in a smile, but her eyes were hard and deep, showing a strength beyond her age. "I don't think so."
"Impossible." Marik breathed. "N..nothing can stand against the power of the Millennium Rod."
"Really." Dry sarcasm edged her tone. Mitzra-sensei raised an elegant eyebrow - and the Rod flew from his grasp to land on the far side of the room. "I think you'll find that nothing is actually impossible."
Marik swore in Egyptian and dove for the Rod, rolling to his feet with the item outstretched between them. A burst of magic threw her into the back wall before he ran for it.
{Who is she?} he thought, trying to still the raw fear roiling in his guts and the shaking in his limbs even as he sped down the empty hallways. {What is she?}
He glanced over his shoulder in the general direction of the office. {This isn't over.} he vowed silently. {You will pay for this humiliation - with your life.}
The moon sent the last of her silvery rays into Yugi's attic bedroom, illuminating the teenager tucked neatly in bed, the Millennium Puzzle clasped in his hands. Only his quiet breathing broke the utter silence, but he was not asleep.
In the privacy of his soul room, Yugi was having an argument with his other.
"What did you think you were doing?" the spirit demanded of his aibou, shadowed violet eyes flashing. "Sending an e-mail to a hired killer, asking him for a meeting! What if he decides to go after you and fulfill that contract of his after all? I can't protect you from your own stupidity, Yugi!"
"And I think you're letting your own paranoia cloud your judgement, mou hitori no boku." Yugi answered, valiantly not allowing the tears building behind his eyes to fall. His soft features took on a stubborn cast. "And I am not stupid! He said that he didn't kill teenagers! And do you really think that if he wanted me dead, he would have tried it before? He doesn't know about you and mou yami no Bakura!" Yugi stalked up until he was nose to nose with his other self, poking him in the chest. "The only way that we're going to find out what is really happening here is if we get some information. Since mou yami no Bakura couldn't find anything out, I say we go right to the source!"
Yami Yugi threw his hands in the air. "Have it your way, aibou." he ground out, turning on his heel and stalking out of Yugi's soul room.
Silence descended as Yugi let the tears fall. He sniffled a couple of times before running after his other.
He found Yami Yugi in the central chamber of his labyrinthine soul room, sitting on a stone chair and brooding.
"Mou hitori no boku?" Yugi murmured, his voice echoing in the dank stillness where his other lived. "I'm sorry - I should have talked to you before I sent the e-mail."
"No." the dark spirit looked up; Yugi was astonished to see tears flowing down his cheeks, though his features were untouched by any emotion. "I am sorry I yelled at you, aibou. I was out of line - you have the right to make decisions - you are no child, and I am not your parent. Please, forgive me?"
Yugi threw himself into Yami Yugi's arms, hugging him tight. He felt a tentative hand run through his hair and looked up to see his other's rare gentle smile. Yugi sniffled and returned the gesture before pulling back.
"I forgot to ask, mou hitori no ore…did you get an answer?" the dark one set Yugi back on his feet and rose himself so they could converse face to face.
"Aa. He said he would meet us tonight, here at the game shop."
"In your room?"
Yugi grinned, sensing the remarkable self-control behind that statement. "Aa. But that's okay; I think that if he really wanted us dead, he wouldn't bother with traps. And if you think about it, he didn't need to interfere when he did. He could have let the Ghouls attack, right?"
"I suppose." Yami Yugi sighed, features twisted with indecision. "I mislike having him so close to you, aibou. What if…"
Yugi reached up and tapped his other on the nose, silencing him. "Trust me. I don't think he will harm us - and if he tries anything, you're well rested. I'm quite sure that you can protect me. I trust you." Then he turned his wide amethyst eyes on his other.
Yami Yugi sighed, defeated. "Fine, aibou. But I am not letting you face him alone - I will be there in spirit form."
"Okay!" Yugi winced as the sound of his alarm clock rang through the soul room. "It's time - let's go."
Yami Yugi separated to spirit form as soon as his aibou stumbled out of bed, throwing on some clothes. The clock said 11:45 - the assassin must be due at midnight. Yugi threw him a grin as he sat down on the edge of the bed to wait.
At precisely midnight, a shadowy figure appeared at the window. Soundlessly it stared at the youth - who nodded. "Please, come in."
Yami studied the figure carefully, letting Yugi handle the actual conversation. Being effectively invisible, he could observe the assassin at his leisure; perhaps he could glean some useful information in the process.
"Why did you save us?" Yugi asked quietly. "You said you had been paid to kill me."
"I was offered the money - but I turned the contract down." Black Diamond answered, standing with no trace of self-consciousness in the centre of the room. "I always investigate contracts before I accept them, and in this case I was curious - why would they pay five times more for the job than any contract I had ever been offered before? Murdering a sixteen year old duelling prodigy and retrieving that pretty necklace of yours as proof of the hit - well, to be honest, it's too easy. And that makes me ask - why you?"
:So they want the Puzzle.: Yami Yugi sent the thought to his partner, who replied with a wordless affirmative.
"Who wants to kill me?" Yugi didn't have to feign the fear in his small voice or in the wide purple eyes he turned on Black Diamond. The dark spirit sent a wave of wordless love and reassurance down the bond with his aibou.
"I wish I knew - if I did, you could probably offer me 25 cents to off the bastard." the assassin crossed his arms. "I don't kill kids."
Yami Yugi tuned out the conversation to focus all his attention on the lesser powers of clarity that came with his shadow magic.[1] Black Diamond used illusion to veil himself from intruding eyes - Yami Yugi would use his power to strip away those layers, revealing the person who hid within.
Like the layers of an onion, Yami Yugi peeled back the tiers of deception until he finally found the core.
Crystal clear pure magic the like of which he had never seen before. A figure of impression and thought, a soul like the wind - invisible and impossible to hold. Tendrils of incredible, carefully controlled power brushed his mind - he jerked back out of reflex, breaking the spell.
:Mou hitori no boku?:
:I'm fine, aibou.: Yami Yugi shook his head, hauling his focus back to the real world. At least he sensed no hostility towards Yugi or any of his friends. :I think this person is trustworthy, even if I cannot sense what, precisely, he is.:
Yugi sent a mental affirmation.
"You'll still have to be careful." Black Diamond was saying when Yami Yugi had recovered enough to pay attention again. "No Guild assassin will take the contract now that I've turned it down, but that kind of money is enough to buy a lot of non-Guild scum who'll do anything for the right price. So you will have to watch you're back, Motou-san - both for yourself and your friends. There are a great many people out there with no scruples to speak of."
"I thank you for the advice." Yugi bowed slightly. Black Diamond returned the formal gesture and turned as if to leave. "Ano…do you take contracts for anything other than assassinations?"
"Um, no, not usually. Why?"
"I was just thinking - you know a lot about this kind of thing, so…" Yugi took a deep breath and pulled out his most potent weapon - his huge, violet chibi-eyes. "I thought maybe I could hire you…to protect my friends and u…me." Tears filled the corners, threatening to spill. "I...don't want to die, and I really don't want my o...friends to die either. Please?"
Yami Yugi sent a wordless protest down the link. Yugi sent back a mental hug.
:I know you can protect me, mou hitori no boku…but what about the others? They can't be here all the time, and this Black Diamond knows more about hired killers than you or I do. And you did say that you felt we could trust him.:
With a mental sigh, Yami Yugi had to acknowledge the wisdom of his hikari's words. Still, he felt strange trusting a creature who's true self lay so hidden with the safety of Yugi.
The assassin squirmed under the kawaii assault until he threw up his hands. "Alright, jeeze kid, enough already. I'll do it."
Yugi grinned. "Thank you, Black Diamond-sensei!"
The assassin actually winced. "It's okay. How much are you offering?"
"Um." Yugi paused, then murmured "Five hundred and fifty yen. That's all I have."
A hint of amusement entered that androgynous voice. "Okay - hand it over and you've got a deal." As Yugi dug out the money, Black Diamond leaned against the wall. "I was planning on finding out who was behind this anyway - might as well get paid in the process, right?" Wordlessly, Yugi gave him the handful of coins, which the assassin made vanish somewhere in his clothing.
:I just hope he doesn't get a better offer.: Yami Yugi thought.
As though in answer to his comment, the assassin bowed low, the formal bow of subordinate to master. "Don't worry, Motou-dono. I never renege on a deal. Once I have the money, my services are yours until the contract is fulfilled or you release me."
Yugi blushed at the address and bowed slightly. "Arigato, Black Diamond-sensei."
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[1] In the anime, Yami Yugi used the powers of the Millennium Puzzle to acertain Mokuba's identity, though he had never met him at that point.
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That's it for this chapter! Please R&R! I would like to know how I'm doing!