A/N- I know, I know...I'm sorry for being away so long, but my busy life got in the way...now that school is out though it shouldn't be too much of a problem...besides I got sick.

Everyone: Aww...

Mitsuko: Yes, I know...very sad. Especially they dreaded writer's block illness. But now I'm back and after looking at all your reviews (I was going to just stop this story, but once again when I looked at all your reviews I decided to keep going even though this story had no plot) I sat down for a while (a LONG while) and after wracking my brain for ideas came up with a plot line for the story. It's kinda shaky and I'll probably change some things along the way, but at least it is there now.

Thank you all for being so patient with me and for all the reviews you sent me (otherwise there wouldn't be a story anymore) to help me keep going! You guys are the best and so...COOKIES FOR EVERYONE!

Ente: You bet it was! Especially since you don't want to write the exact same thing twice or it will get boring! Yup! Now all the fun and excitement can begin! Enjoy the chapter and thank you for reviewing!

SerafinaMoon: Yup, I'm glad you like angst, cuz there's plenty of it in this chapter! Enjoy!

Mists: Oh yeah, they'll be meeting really soon, next chapter...Hm...that's just one of those things you will have to wait and find out about! Yes, I know, I would have liked to find out what their response to what I said would have been...oh well. Uh, yeah, sorry about taking so long...Enjoy!

Subieko: I'm glad you like it so far and as for excitement, there's plenty of it in this chapter!

Hillary: Because I love cliffhangers! Yes, even when I read them. That gives me some time to use my imagination and come up with something to happen to the characters while I wait for the next update! Thanks, sorry for taking so long!

Nicky: SCHOOL'S OUT! YES!...Hm...well, that's an interesting (and amusing) way to put it, but yep, that's a basic summary! Um, yeah, sorry about the long wait, here you go!

Nekostar 2: Yes, I have read it unfortunately...I didn't like it too much, but I did like the dialogue fight between Hermia and Helena when they were calling each other names! Especially "minimus of hindering knotgrass"...I think that's how you spell it. SORRY! I'm so sorry for taking so long! I'll try to do better this time!

Wokie: Hey, I bet you're glad that I finally updated now too, huh? Neways, hope you like this new addition to the story.

Latias: I'm a girl. The information should have been in the chapter where I gave Yugi his name, I think. Since Mitsu is Japanese for "light" and can be for either male or female and then I believe I had an A/N (that was interesting) that said that I got Mitsuko from that, which means "child of light" and is for femals? I'm pretty sure I put that in there. Hm...maybe I erased it, but anyways...I know! I hate it when it does that! When it cuts off the chapter! That makes me so mad!...HAHAHA!! I'll try my best to update, but no promises. Here it is! Sorry for taking so long! Enjoy!

I'd also like to inform you all that I have created another story in my time away since I couldn't think of anything to write for this one. It's called Odd Elements and it's another Alternate Universe, but different from this one...I'd appreciate it if you would all just pop over and take a look. You might find that you like it! Anyways...enjoy the new, long awaited, chapter!

Chapter 5- Needless Suffering

'I can't believe he actually put it all together! Of course Shadi did say that when he became of age he would be able to find it and harness its power.' Isis shook her head in disbelief as she dried a dish with a damp cloth.

When she finally finished washing the dishes, Isis walked over to the kitchen window and looked out into the veranda in the back. Noticing Mitsu engaging Anzu and Ryou in a game of hide-and-go-seek around the backyard, she chuckled to herself.

After watching the laughing children run around and tag each other when they were found for a few minutes, Isis turned around and walked into her bedroom. As she went to sit on the bed, she noticed something out the window and rushed over to it, looking out. A plume of smoke was rising above houses in the village.

Sprinting out of the room, Isis called in the children. After telling them she was going over to a neighbor's house and that she would be right back, Isis hurried out the front door and over to the disturbance.

She ran down the main lane, past five houses, until she came to an intersection. After turning to the right and following the pillar of smoke in the air, Isis stopped in horror at the decimation she saw before her.

Every neat, well-organized house from the entrance to the village, to a dozen homes down from it on either side of the road lay in ruins. The charred, blackened remains of frames sticking out and bloodied bodies strewn across the road, the families that had once lived inside of the houses.

Not too far from where Isis was standing was a horde of guards, all on horses, terrorizing the residents of the last, still burning house. Quickly ducking behind a mud-brick wall, Isis watched and listened to the conversation passing between the two men standing before her.

The father stood in front of one soldier, sitting atop a magnificent white horse, protesting against the soldier's claim while his wife and child huddled together behind him, in the distance flames licked the edges of the house, reducing it to a pile of rubble.

"I don't know what you're talking about," the father said, his voice wavering in fear.

"Don't lie to us! We know you're hiding the former king's son! We'll find him around here somewhere! How could you not know he was here?! Now tell us where he is!!"

"He is not around here! We are not hiding him anywhere, perhaps you would do well to look somewhere else!" the father replied, his voice strained.

"The Emperor told us that he felt the boy's magic and that it originated from this area. Now you are going to tell us what we want to know or you and your family can join your neighbors in the afterlife.

"For the last time! I do not know where he is!"

The guard glowered at the father before scornfully telling his comrades, "Dispose of him and seize his family."

Four of the surrounding men clomped forward on their horses and rammed him through with their swords so that he fell onto the ground in a bloody heap while the others went for his wife and young daughter.

Isis could watch no longer and went back to her house swiftly. She had to get Yug-Mitsu out of here before the soldiers discovered him. Isis ran back the way she came and had almost reached the house when she saw Mitsu, Anzu, and Ryou outside in the front yard, looking around for her.

What scared her even more where the figures sitting on horses that were heading right for the three children. At this Isis ran full out to the prince and his friends as she waved her arms violently in warning. When Mitsu and the others saw her they began waving back in greeting and Mitsu began to run forward towards her.

He did not make it ten steps before the lead soldier reached down from his horse and hauled the boy up by his arms. Mitsu looked panicked and tried to fight. The man simply slapped him across the face, leaving a bright red handprint on the side of his face.

"NOOO!" Isis screamed as the other men merely laughed at her plight.

Mitsu struggled more at the sound of his guardian's voice, but the rider hit him on the back of the head with his dagger hilt so that the young child slumped forward, unconscious.

Immediately, Isis ran at the horsemen to fight against them even in the hopeless situation. They simply looked down at her before hitting out and knocking her to the ground where she stayed...motionless.

Anzu and Ryou ran over and began shaking her shoulder and yelling for her to get up. Anzu had tears in her eyes and sniffled continuously, pausing every once and awhile from her shaking to wipe at her eyes as she cried for her kidnapped friend.

It only took a few minutes before Isis finally woke up. She stirred, causing the youngsters to stop pushing on her, and groaned, putting a hand to her head as she sat up.

"Are you alright?" she asked the children beside her as she unsteadily got to her feet.

"We're fine, ma'am," Ryou said as Anzu just cried. "They took Mitsu though."

"Is he going to be ok?" Anzu asked, tear tracks marring her angelic face.

"I don't know, young ones. I need to go get help to get him out of there. Will you come?" she asked, looking around and noticing that her house and her neighbors' houses were all burning as well.

"Hai," Ryou responded, Anzu merely nodded her head.

"Good, let us go."
The small, huddled form of Mitsu groaned as he returned to consciousness. The back of his head hurt from being hit and his left are was stiff from laying on it while it was tied to his other hand behind his back.

Slowly, wearily, Mitsu opened his eyes and noticed his surroundings. He was lying on a cold, stone floor. Water had gathered in the areas between the crags that made up the floor and made small puddles all over the room in the indentions or cups in the ground.

Bars fitted close together, across the only open wall, prevented the small child from any escape. There was barely any light, just one small, flickering candle positioned into a stand on the opposite wall of the corridor leading through the dungeons, past all the cells.

Waking up fully, Mitsu attempted to sit up, only to fall back down without the aid of his hands. Shaking his head to clear it, Mitsu tried again; he turned over onto his back, and bringing his knees up to his chest, pulled his arms under his feet so they were in front of him instead of behind his back.

(A/N- I actually got down on the floor to do this to figure out how to explain it...I'm pitiful...)

When that task was accomplished, he was able to use his hands to push himself up into a sitting position. After looking around to make sure there was nobody nearby, he began pulling at the ropes that bound him with his teeth, trying to untie it to gain any kind of advantage he could in his situation. It took a bit of effort to maneuver the rope with just his teeth, but with one final tug, his hands were free.

The skin around his wrists were angry and red from the harsh treatment needed to get the rope free and bruises were starting to form where he had pulled on it the most, but Mitsu ignored the pain and quickly hid his hands behind his back, holding the rope in his hands when he heard the "Slap, slap, slap," of shoes echoing around the corridor.

A tall shadow made its way along the wall, coming ever closer until a single man stood in front of the prison cell. His face a sinister example of autocracy, body rigidly straight and finely toned, a royal warrior. His light blue eyes, as cold as ice, glared down at the frightened boy, his face plastered into a sneer, top lip curled in distaste as his robes swirled about him sinisterly.

"W-w-what do you w-want with me?" Mitsu stammered weakly.

"You, boy, have something that I want."

"Like what?"

"Silence! I will ask the questions!" After a moment's pause, the dark man opened the door and stepped into the room. "Where is the Millennium Puzzle?"

Completely baffled, Mitsu blinked, cocked his head to the side so that a single blonde strand of hair fell into his face, and after brushing it away, asked, "What's that?"

The glare directed at him became fiercer and the dark man's voice hardened. "That is the legacy passed down to you from your father the king."

"The king?"

This seemed to surprise the stranger, Mitsu thought, from the unguarded expression that flickered across his face, but it soon vanished, replaced with the cold look that had resided on his features before.

"Yes, the king. I assume you have not been told by your guardian of the past events that took place to make you an orphan?" At Mitsu's puzzled expression he inquired, "What is your name?"

"Mitsu," he replied meekly.

"Hm."

With this new information the dark man quickly exited the room. Mitsu sighed in relief and relaxed his shoulders only to grow tense once more when two pairs of footsteps could be heard down the hall, coming towards him.

Two guards stopped in front of his cell and as one held the door open, the other walked in reaching for Mitsu's arm. Reflexes kicked in and he jumped up, pushing the guard away as hard as he could before running off out the open door. The sentinel, too stunned from the surprise attack to act quickly enough was not able to grab Mitsu as he ran past.

Unfortunately for the young boy, the other guard was ready and waiting. As soon as Mitsu stepped past the threshold of the cell door, he found himself picked off the ground with one of the soldier's big, hairy arms around his neck. His muscles rippled as he opened the door once more for the other man that had been locked inside once the door closed back.

Together, with the young boy, the duo walked menacingly down the corridor and into a brightly lit room where the dark man was waiting, arms crossed over his chest. The two guards each took one of Mitsu's arms and placed them in cuffs attached to a steel table that was standing straight up in the middle of the room.

They pressed his face into the biting, cold flat of the bench as they fixed some sort of belt around his waist and locked his ankles in cuffs as well. With that done, one of them ripped open the back of Mitsu's shirt so that his back was uncovered. When their job was finished, the dark man dismissed the two guards to wait outside the door while he conducted his interrogation.

Mitsu was shaking uncontrollably now in fear; unable to suppress his shivers, Mitsu attempted to look around to see where the dark man was, but the position he was forced into prevented him from getting a lock on the other man's whereabouts. From the sound of his shoes on the polished floor, he was pacing around Mitsu, probably still glaring coldly.

Slap.

Slap.

Slap.

Mitsu jumped at the unexpected sound of the dark man hitting something against the palm of his hand and whimpered before he could clamp his mouth shut. The man simply laughed, shooting chills up Mitsu's spine and raising the hairs on the back of his neck.

"I can see you are already anticipation what is coming next."

Mitsu could not stop the tremor from running through his body, he was shaking in outright fear now.

"Now, you say you do not know what the Millennium Puzzle is and yet I felt the power that surged from it when you put all the pieces together."

It was the golden puzzle! The one that he had found in the tree of the veranda in the back of the house! No matter what, Mitsu decided, I cannot let him get it. He is evil and if it has some kind of special power that he wants, then no matter what he MUST NOT GET IT!

"Once it is completed it looks like a pyramid turned upside-down. It has eye decoration in the middle and what appear to be markings all around it on the edges. I know that you know where it is because there is no one besides the king's heirs that would be able to put it together.

"Since you look exactly like a cross between your dear mother and father, I know this is you and since I felt the power from the completion of the puzzle come from the immediate area that you were found. I have no doubt that you are one of the king's sons, although whether you are Yugi or Yami I cannot tell as I was not present when you were named. This means that you were the one to put all the pieces together and know where it resides. Now tell me, where is the Millennium Puzzle?"

"I don't know," Mitsu lied, gritting his teeth together for what came next. The crack of a whip split the air and Mitsu had to bite his lower lip to keep from crying out in pain from the laceration on his back.

"Wrong answer. Care to try again?" the dark man asked in a calm voice that one would think would be used to discuss the weather, not initiating an interrogation.

"I've already told y-Ahhhhhh!"
The guards awaiting orders outside the questioning room heard nothing except for screams coming from inside the chamber for two hours before Emperor Seto finally exited, hands clasped behind his back, shoulders straight-backed and proud.

"Retrieve him and put him back in his cell. I've scheduled his execution for tomorrow at sunset. You will get him and take him to the outer court then. Dismissed."

The two men watched their leader's retreating back as he floated down the hall, his robes billowing out behind him. When he finally disappeared around the corner they entered the interrogation room to see the young boy they had brought in earlier in a bad state.

His back was covered in gashes as blood streamed down his back from the cuts, soaking his remaining clothes and forming a small puddle beneath his feet. A sheen of sweat coated his face and matted his bangs to his forehead.

Looking around the room, the men saw the method used for the questioning lying on the floor. Coiled up like a snake ready to reach out and strike in the blink of an eye laid the motionless whip, the tip covered in a sticky red solution. Small dots of splattered blood were splayed across the floor from the numerous hits the boy's back received. All in all, it was a pitiful sight to behold.

The two men worked together to remove the boy from the table's clutches and then hauled him back down the hallway to his holding cell before depositing him on the middle of the floor and leaving the way they had come, neither saying a word to the other as their footsteps resounded around the dungeons becoming faint until the only sound remaining was the labored breathing of the prince.
To Be Continued
A/N- Well, I hope this chapter was satisfactory. I tried, but my writing seems to be a little rusty from not being used in a while. Anyways, R/R and don't forget to check out my new story Odd Elements!

Ja ne!

Mitsuko-chan