Three Little Hikaris:

Wolf: Marik

Pig #1: Malik

Pig #2: Ryou

Pig #3: Yugi

                Yami and Malik continued to play the game of stare down for quite a long time.

                How dare that rat accuse me of reading Yugi romance stories? Yami gritted his teeth. I was this close to getting my freedom. He skimmed through the pages, trying to find a decent story to read. "Ah, here we are." Yami placed on his reading glasses. "Three Little Pigs."

[-]

                In Ancient Egypt lived three boys who lived in the same neighborhood. Although they were not exactly friends, they know each other because of one thing they have in common: Each possessed a millennium item.

                One that lived in a house made of straw was Malik Ishtar. Recently a tomb keeper, Malik managed to run away from his responsibilities ever since he came face to face with his dark side. It was that day he was supposed to claim the millennium rod but ever since meeting with his other half, the rod simply disappeared.

                One night, Malik was still up, rearranging his cards for his duel against Ryou tomorrow. It was an unusual cold night indeed.

                Suddenly, a knock sounded off throughout the small home. Malik looked up the door, wondering who would be visiting at the hour. Standing up, he made his way towards the door, peeking out the window. "Who is it?"

                "Malik Ishtar," a familiar voice seeped in. A shadowed figure stood in front of the door with an object in hand. "You better open up this door right now!"

                "Not on your life you twit!" Malik sneered. "Go home!"

                "I got candy." Marik smirked.

                "Sure Willy Wonka," Malik started to chain and bolt his door. "And I got your Oompa Loompa right here."

                Marik was slowly getting ticked off. He thought killing off his hikari would be easy as that. Damn you Ishizu for running off with Rishid. If that bastard was dead, I would have been unstoppable. "I got those three Egyptian god cards you have always wanted." Marik's voice leaked through the door.

                "No way I'm falling for that again." Malik's back leaned against the door. "Get out of my sight."

                "I'm already out of your sight." Marik smirked. His millennium rod glowed as the atmosphere started to be covered in a dark purplish fog.

                "Oh gods!" Malik jumped up. "No way, not the shadow realm. Holy Cripes!" he knew undoing the locks on the door would do him no good. Desperately looking around, he spotted one of the rare Egyptian rocks he won in a bet with Yugi. Picking it up, he hurled it to the window, smashing the glass open. Crawling out of the window, he managed to make it out of the shadow realm.

                Knowing Marik was going to hunt him down, he ran across the street to Ryou's house, which was made of bamboo sticks. Banging on his door, he started screaming.

                "Ryou! Ryou are you there?!? Open up!!"

                At that instant Ryou opened the door, rubbing his eyes. "Malik? Our duel isn't until tomorrow."

                Wasting no time, Malik dashed in, locking the door. Exhausted, he sat on the floor, breathing heavily, his back pressing onto the door.

                "Gods Malik," Ryou tilted his head to the side, never seeing Malik act that way before. "What in Anubis's name is wrong with you?"

                Malik struggled to catch his breath. "I…my…"

                "Yes?" Ryou waited for Malik to finish.

                "You remember me telling you about my darker half?"

                "Marik? What about him?"

                But before Malik could answer, a knock sounded out. Ryou went to answer but Malik jerked him back.

                "Don't!" Malik hissed. "That's him out there."

                "Oh come now Ryou-kun." Marik's voice seeped through the door.  "I just want Malik, that's all."

                Ryou poked his head out the window, his eyes widened as he saw Marik right in front of the door. "Uh, Malik's not here Marik." He stammered. "Did you check his house? He's probably there."

                "You're right. I guess I should check there. After all, why would he be here?"

                "Yeah," Ryou laughed nervously. "Why would he be here?" he watched Marik turning around and leave. When he was sure he was gone, Ryou looked down at Malik. "It's okay Malik, he's gone. What did you do to him this time anyway?"

                "I didn't do anything!" Malik retorted.

                All of a sudden, the door was kicked down. Marik made his way inside, standing on the door. Smirking, he spoke. "Never trust the potential master thief.

                Malik's eyes widened, seeing Marik. He took a step back, not wanting to know what his dark side is going to do.

                Clenching his fist tightly, Ryou pointed right behind Marik. "Look Marik, Ishizu and Rishid on their horse."

                "Where?" Marik turned around, looking for some sign that they're there. All the while, Malik and Ryou ran up the stairs and to Ryou's room. Malik hid in Ryou's closet while Ryou hid under his bed.

                "Ryou, when I get my hands around your neck, I'll smother you completely." Footsteps could be heard as Marik stomped into Ryou's room. "I just want that little wench Malik Ishtar." He opened the closet, a smirk curling his lips as he saw his hikari. "Well just my luck. Malik Ishtar playing closet cleaners." He grabbed Malik by the neck. "I've been looking all over you. So worried. Just so worried." He watched Malik squirm in his grasp. "You had me worried Malik. I don't want you running off like that again, okay?" he watched Malik struggle in his grasp.

                Ryou crawled out from his bed, his eyes widened noticing that Malik was in trouble. Grabbing a vase from his dresser, he then approached Marik from behind, smashing the vase as hard as he could right onto Marik's head, shattering it into uncountable pieces.

                Ryou got the right reaction indeed. Marik was screaming in pain. He released his hold on Malik, holding his head.

                "C'mon Malik," Ryou took Malik by the hand. The two ran down the stairs and out of the house.

                "Where are we gonna go?" Malik looked around. "Any minute now, Marik's gonna wake up!"

                "How about Yugi's house?" Ryou suggested.

                "Are you nuts?!? Yugi's house is five blocks away! We won't make it!"

                Ryou's eyes shifted to the door, seeing Marik sauntering at the doorway. "Oh gods…"

                "What?" Malik turned around seeing Marik standing there. "You're right Ryou, we should definitely head for Yugi's house, pronto!"

                And at that, Malik and Ryou ran as fast as they could down the five blocks it took to get to Yugi's house. About ten minutes later, they finally arrived at his house of bricks.

                "Yugi!" Ryou screamed, pounding on the door.

                "Yugi!" Malik shouted at the top of his lungs. "Open the door for the love of humanity!!"

                "Oh yes Yugi," a dark voice laced from behind. "I have been waiting for you all this time."

                Ryou and Malik froze in trerror, knowing whose voice that was. Their fears came true as they saw Marik standing right behind, the millennium rod in his hand.

                "Uh oh." Both Malik and Ryou were scared stiff.

                All of a sudden, Ryou's millennium ring started to glow. He stared in shock, unsure of what to do. After all, every time his ring glowed, the spirit of an ancient thief takes over and thus becomes uncontrollable.

                "Ryou, no!" Malik started screaming, trying to find a way to save his…friend. But it was too late. Ryou had been taken over by the mastermind criminal known as Bakura. His hair was much more ruffled and his features appeared to be manlier.

                Unfortunately, Bakura was never the nice guy. As Malik continued to shake Ryou, he turned around, glaring at him with an evil smirk on his face. "Ryou's not here right now. Can I take a message?"

                Stumbling back, Malik fell to the ground, looking up at Bakura. "Oh hell…"

                "Finally, I get my revenge." Marik pointed his millennium rod towards his hikari. "My hikari is going down."

                "Yugi!!" Malik screamed. "Open the frickin door! Hurry up! Marik's got his…"

                But before Malik could finish, the millennium rod started to glow. Malik's eyes grew lifeless, feeling light-headed. Marik smirked as he finally sent his hikari to where he belongs.

                By the time Malik laid lifeless on the ground, Yugi opened the door. "Hey Malik, what's up with the racket you and Ryou…" he stood frozen seeing Bakura and Marik standing there.

                Bakura snatched Yugi's millennium puzzle, holding it up in the air. Being unusually short, Yugi jumped, trying to reach for it but everytime he did, Bakura would pull the puzzle up and down.

                "C'mon Yugi," Bakura smirked, talking to Yugi as if he were a dog. "Jump, jump boy. C'mon, you can do it. That's a godo boy. Jump!"

                Well, we all know what happened to poor Yugi after that.

[-]

                Yami closed his book, staring at the two. "Now, did you two enjoy the story?"

                "Well," Malik replied. "The only character I like was the wolf but…"

                But Yugi interrupted. "The ending sucks, big time!" he stood on his bed, shaking a finger at Yami. "Another story will be nice."

                "Oh no." Yami shook his head. "No more stories. You're going to sleep right now!"

                "Guess again." Malik took Yugi's puzzle, ready to hurl it to the wall.

                "Malik wait!" Yami started to protest. But suddenly, the doorbell rang. 'Oh for the love of Ra!" Yami was irritated. "Now what?" he made his way downstairs and to the door only tobe surprised. "Ryou Bakura? How in the world did you get here?!?"

                "Well…" Ryou scratched his head. "Bakrua decided to drop me off to your house since Malik wasn't home. So he tried Anzu's but she went to a night club with Joey and Tristan…"

                "Hey Ryou-kun," both Yugi and Malik called out. "Is that you?"

                "Yes." Ryou shouted back.

                "Come on up." Malik called out. "Yami was just telling us bedtime stories."

                "Oh no, not this again." Yami was not planning to fall for that same trick. "You bastards get to sleep this instant!" he then turned to Ryou, putting a fake smile. "Look Ryou, I know Bakura decided to drop you here while he's skipping town but I already have two annoying brats to deal with…"

                The sound of what sounded like glass shattering broke out. Thinking either Yugi or Malik broke the millennium puzzle, Yami raced up the stairs only to find Malik and Yugi laughing like hyenas.

                "I can't believe he fell for it!" Yugi was cracking up.

                Stunned and pissed at the same time, Yami's eyes wandered. If the puzzle hadn't been shattered, then what…

                "That was dirty, but priceless!" Malik cracked up.

                Yami's eyes fell to the corner, seeing broken pieces of a vase he got from Anzu last week lay on the floor. The millennium puzzle was still lying on the bed in perfect condition.

                Yami felt his sanity being ripped to shreds as he was forced to watch Malik and Yugi laugh their heads off. Yami no Marik may be a freak and evil looking but after the Battle City Finals, something went away with the hikaris.

                "Yugi," Yami cracked his knuckles. "You just went too far kid. This time, I'm gonna teach you a lesson…"

                "Well since I'm staying for a while," Ryou stood behind Yami. "I guess I'll stick around to hear these stories."

                Grumbling, Yami sat on the rocking chair, taking out the book of fairy tales. Ryou squeezed in the bed as Yugi and Malik shifted to fit him in.

                "I was this close.' Yami muttered under his breath as he opened the book. "I was this close, I was this close."

[-]

To Be Continued.