A/N: Um, not much, actually. Well, except for... LONG CHAPTER FINALLY. ::grin::

Enjoy.

GUIDE

: Ryou to Bakura :
: : Bakura to Ryou : :
Blah is thoughts

-----

SAME DAY, LATER THAT NIGHT
NO POV

"Are ya sure?" Jou asked, not believing.

"Yes. It doesn't make any sense, I know," Yami replied. They were all gathered inside his
living room, above the game shop. "I'm wondering the same thing you are-- why did he
leave?"

"I think it's safe to say we all are," Otogi said. He hadn't known Ryou that well, but it did
seem odd for the quiet boy to do something like this.

"I'm starting think more and more that you were right, Yami," Anzu said. "Maybe that
dark spirit from the Ring kidnapped him."

"I don't know... I mean, what if he did go willingly?" Honda suggested.

"All alone?" Anzu asked.

"Who's to say he didn't go with that spirit?"

"But why would he? That spirit was evil, remember? Ryou's not like that," Jou said.

"Are you certain about that?" Otogi questioned.

"What do you mean?" Yami asked.

"Look, you guys knew him better than I did, but still, you have to admit that he was a
mystery to us. How do we know he wasn't in league with that spirit all along?"

"I can't see Ryou as evil," Yuugi said. "I mean, he's just too..."

"Innocent," Yami said.

"Yeah," Yuugi said weakly.

"Maybe that's why he left," Otogi told them. A silence fell between the friends.

It wasn't to be ever be completely filled.

-----

"Alright, here's the plan," Bakura said. He laid out his sketches on the table as the others
gathered round. "This is the layout of the pyramid. It's the local tourist attraction and
pretty much the only thing left in this hell-hole of a town, so it has a decent amount of
guards and alarms around."

"Lasers?" Malik asked. Bakura shook his head.

"Not that advanced. Your regular rent-a-cops, trip alarms, silent alarms, and a sensitivity
pad."

"The guards, how much they packin'?" Marik asked.

"Tasers, nightsticks, and pistols. Not all have everything, but the ones inside do. There's
about ten of 'em during the day, so probably only a few at night."

"And the goal? How deep in?" Bakura pulled another sketch and laid it on top of the
other one. "See this room? It's roped off, but at the end of it is a hallway. It's the only
available path. It's down there."

"And the time?" Malik asked.

"An hour, two tops," Bakura replied. "We already have what we'll need, so we could pull
this off tomorrow."

"Wouldn't it be better to..." Ryou started. He stopped. "Never mind, it's stupid."

"You start a sentence, you finish it," Bakura told him. They all looked at him expectantly,
and his nature was telling him to submit and be quiet, but he willed it away and spoke up
again.

"It's just... it can't be right. I mean, I know you guys are that good, but still it seems too
easy."

"And why is that?" Marik asked in tone that suggested he was mocking Ryou. That made
Ryou mad, and he sent a glare to Marik.

"You do realize that my father is an archaeologist?" he said.

"This isn't a time to brag, brat," Malik said.

"I'm not bragging and I'm not a brat! Listen to me. My father is archaeologist. He has
digs all over the world, not just Egypt. He did one here, in Mexico, several years ago.
Remember, Bakura? He dragged home that step from a pyramid similar to this that still
had blood stains on it from the sacrifices?" Ryou asked his dark.

"Yeah, I remember. What's your point?"

"My point is, I know more about the pyramids here than you do. These people, the
Aztecs, the Mayans, the Toltecs, all of them, they were as tricky and as devious with their
designs as they Egyptians were. Bakura, you've robbed many a pyramid tomb, how were
the traps?"

"Nasty as hell," he said.

"Wouldn't you be a bit suspicious if one of them were this easy?"

"These people weren't Egyptian. They were simple-minded and sacrificial loving," Marik
said.

"You're still the rookie brat. You got a lot to learn," Malik said. They left the room,
probably in search for the bar.

: Maybe I should've stayed home, : Ryou said.

"If you can't handle a simple put-down by those two jackasses, you sure as hell aren't
going to last long. Remember what I said about getting cocky and getting caught?" Ryou
nodded. "Prime example, right there. I thought of that myself, and I'm going tonight to
check it out."

"They'll be too drunk to notice," Ryou muttered. Bakura snorted.

"That's something else you're gonna have to get use to. They get drunk. A lot." He
paused, and studied Ryou. Ryou sighed again.

"I know what your thinking. I can handle them. If they're too bad, I'll lock myself in the
bathroom or go sleep on the roof," Ryou said.

"You sure?" Ryou nodded. "Because, I think I have a better idea." Ryou looked at him,
confused. Bakura just smirked.

-----

I can't believe it! I'm really here, with Bakura, and we're going to scope out the
pyramid! Ryou thought. He could hear his heart pounding in his chest, and he was sure
the guard not ten feet away from him could hear it as well. Calm down, he told himself. It
didn't work. He was just too excited.

: : Alright, since we're here, I might as well take the opportunity to teach you some
things, : : Bakura said.

: Okay, : Ryou replied.

: : See the guard? Watch how he checks things. : : Ryou did, focusing on the guard's face
in the dim light. It was a three-quarter moon, which certainly helped.

: There's a pattern. Left, right, pyramid, path, forest, road, : he said after a few minutes.

: : Exactly. So, what would be the best time to make a break for the pyramid? : : Bakura
quizzed.

Ryou thought about that. He studied the guard, noting how long he spent on each check.
Okay, Ryou, think. We need to go left. If we go when he looks right, we'll have about four
seconds to get to the pyramid before he looks that way. If we wait for the path to go, we'll
get about five seconds before he checks the road. It can't be done... He panicked. He
didn't want to seem stupid or blind to the obvious. Bakura wouldn't give him a trick
question, would he? Knowing him... he would. So what do I do?

The pyramid, path, and road were on the left. If they went right, they would get to the
forest. From the forest... That's it. Forget making a break for the pyramid, we'll head to
the forest. From there we can go around and up the path from behind and get in without
the guard noticing, if we time it just right.

: When he looks to the pyramid, run for the forest. If we can make it behind the trees, he
won't see us. After he looks there, make for the path. He can't see us in the shadows.
After he checks there, we'll have almost twenty seconds to make it inside, : he told
Bakura.

: : Damn. : :

: What? Did I say something wrong? : Ryou asked, looking over to Bakura, who just
shook his head.

: : Ryou... GO NOW!! : :

Startled, Ryou dashed for the forest without a word. He dove behind a tree, and turned to
see Bakura dive behind him.

THA-THUMP-THA-THUMP-THA-THUMP-THA-THUMP

Ryou's heart was pounding now. If the guard hadn't heard it earlier, he had to now, and if
he didn't, then he was stone deaf. If living a life a crime doesn't kill me, my comrades
will. As soon as the guard looked to the road he ran silently to the back of the path. He
kept an eye on the guard still, because the road wasn't too far from the path, though on
the other side from where he ran to. He dashed into the shadows. Three, two, one, go! he
told himself, running up the side of the pyramid.

It was severely steep and tall, but because of the moon's angle, from the first tier up the
pyramid remained in shadows. Ryou, not caring what Bakura might think, used both his
hands and feet to climb. He reached the top and stood. Bakura was right behind him with
a smirk on his face.

: : I'll lead from here on out, : : he said. Ryou nodded, though it was kinda silly to do so
in the near pitch dark. He saw Bakura head in and he followed.

Bakura had been right, there were only two visible guards. I wonder what we're after. It
can't be too important if there isn't many guards... unless these people don't know what
is here. But if that's true, then how on earth did Malik know about this place? Ryou, with
further thought, decided that he'd rather not know. Malik probably had been running
through people's minds again. The thing is, for that to be possible, then somebody must
have known about this. I wonder...

It wasn't hard to dodge the two guards and make to the room with the hallway. Bakura
paused a moment before entering. Ryou watched him glance every direction every few
steps, and he well knew why. If his theory was right about these pyramids being as
dangerous as the ones in Egypt, then a part of the wall could collapse on you or the floor
could crumble beneath you in seconds. Hidden blades and the like weren't out of the
question either.

Ryou's heart was still pounding. Be still my beating heart, he thought. He kept glancing
back, half-expecting to see a rolling boulder after them. I have watched way too much
Indiana Jones, he thought, scolding himself for being so silly. He trusted Bakura. Well...
Bakura's skills, anyhow.

The tunnel ended suddenly, and Ryou nearly ran into Bakura as a result of his constant
looking back. Bakura was looking all around, but seemed to be growing frustrated, if
Ryou could sense anything from their mindlink.

: What is it? : he asked.

: : There is no door, false or otherwise, : : he replied.

: What do you see? : Ryou knew that his yami had very good night sight, probably a
benefit of being the living dead. He also knew that they reflected, much like a cat's. It
was eerie to see that. A flash of light in the dark and red irises reflecting back to you.

: : Carvings. : :

: What kind? :

: : Seems to be animals and people all around this one central carving. A god, probably. : :

: What's he doing? :

: : Either puking up slaves and blood or devouring them, : : Bakura replied nonchalantly. :
: Make any sense to you? : :

: Show me, : Ryou replied, ignoring his other's question. Bakura took Ryou's hand and
placed upon what he assumed was the god carving. Ryou ran his hands over it, forming a
mental picture at the same time. : What's this? :

: : His eyes. : :

: Where's he looking? :

: : Up. : :

: Straight up or to above and behind us? :

: : Well, I'll be damned. : :

: What?: Ryou demanded. He felt Bakura brush by him. : What is it? :

: : He's looking up and behind you to another carving. Same god, except he's looking
somewhere else. Straight down. : :

: And there? :

: : The same carving again, except the eyes are closed. : :

: That's it then. It's the key. Something must set it off. : Ryou remembered something. :
Bakura, you had mentioned a sensitivity pad. Where is it? :

: : I... don't know. I heard one of the guards saying something about it to another. We
haven't come across it yet, : : he admitted.

: That's odd... :

: : What? : :

: I don't know if you know this, but sensitivity pads are also called pressure pads, and I
have heard of such things in tombs and the like. Maybe they weren't talking about a
security device, rather, about the key. :

: : Wait a minute, are you telling me that those guards know about what's inside? : : Ryou
wondered about that. It makes sense if... if Malik did read someone's mind, it could've
been one of those guards. It all clicked.

: Bakura, I believe we may have some competition. The general consensus appears to be
that no one knows of this, except these two. Most likely Malik received his information
from them or a mutual source. I wonder... : Ryou let his thought trail off. He sent Bakura
a mischievous grin.

: : Now that's an expression I like. : :

: What do you say about letting someone else do the hard work, and perhaps, even take
the blame? :

: : Alright, who are you and where's my hikari? Because that sounds like something I
would say, : : Bakura replied in an amused tone.

: You've rubbed off on me, what can I say? : Ryou said. Truth was, this was one of
Bakura's mannerisms that Ryou had studied and copied, but he wasn't going to tell him
that.

: : Well, I say hell yeah. Let's get back to the hotel before Malik and Marik drink it dry. : :
With that said, Bakura led the way out of the pyramid.

A/N: Looks like Ryou has perfect timing, ne? He keeps getting more and more suprising.

I know, I made Malik and Marik seem like jerks, but you know they're not going to take
it easy on the new kid. They'll become more friendlier (or about as friendly as Marik can
get) as the story progresses, so no worries. Bakura just seems to have more faith in him
because, well, let's face it, who knows Ryou better than he?

Review, ¡por favor!