Notes: Okay I'm back with chapter three, yep; more question, maybe a few answers. It'll all be explained as I go along!

Elle-fate2x1-2- smile I remember you, you always used to review my other stories, and thank you for still reviewing

Ladywolf(Terri- Thank you for the review, and I hope all your questions will eventually be answered

Maruken- Well thank you, that may be true, but through the looking glass not everything is what it used to be.

Saak-chan- Remember, this is all for you

Disclaimer, I don't own the characters only the story, well I don't own that either this is a gift for Saak-chan. Clicky clicky on her linky (above), read her stories.

Ryou woke again his eyes murky and that stuffy feeling in his head again, it was like his mind was filled with a million tiny cotton balls that were slowly draining the fluid form his head. Gasping he sat up and looked around, sitting on a chair not far from him a boy was staring at him, his dark purple eyes never seemed to blink.

"Food," he said simply, Ryou looked around the room and sure enough he was back at the beginning, the simple room he had begun in. There in the table a small meal, in the middle a choice piece of meat was cooked to perfection, surrounded by succulent juicy vegetable coated in some sort of sauce. Ryou looked uncertainly at the boy; he sat there unmoving, unblinking his hair styled in outlandish spikes and coloured in three places giving it the affect of mountains covered in a light mist. Pinks purples and blacks shaded the boy's hair matching his traditional kimono, the fabric wound around his small body hiding his overly pale skin.

Deathly pale

Ryou shook his head turning away from the strange eyes of the feminine boy. He was starting to get used to the strange looks he got from the inhabitants of this grand house. Looking down at his clothing he blushed again, never before had he worn a dress, something nagged at his mind, what was it? He couldn't remember. There was something, something about the dress, something about the way the lace felt against his legs, oh well that food looked really good. Ryou smiled slightly at the kimono dressed boy, if he cold ware women's clothing and not be fazed why could Ryou?

His skin began to crawl when he lifted to the fork to his mouth and the other boy still hadn't blinked, he was being watched intently, a mix of curiosity and a tinge of annoyance.

"Ummmm…" Ryou met the boy's stare for a couple of seconds then dropped it, almost like one would drop a burning pan. There was a knock on the door and Ryou was presented by a familiar face.

"Hey, Yug" the blond boy slipped into the room closing the door tight behind him. "Hello Ryou" the boy nodded at the sitting boy and walked over to the other sitting boy. Ryou was absurdly delighted when that heavy gaze was lifted from him. He looked at the food again and felt him stomach growl out loud. His cheeks painted themselves with a light rosy hue, he looked at the two boys, both were giving him a quizzical look, he bowed his head and lifted a fork silently eating the food placed in front of him. He didn't mean to listen but neither of the boys were trying to disguise their conversation and Ryou was pulled into it listening intently.

"What are you doing here?" the one known as 'Yug' asked Jou. "Isn't Mokuba supposed to be in charge of showing the guest around?"

"Ahh well, you know Mokuba and the Master" Jou laughed and smiled at the smaller boy, who much to Ryou's surprise, returned the gesture.

"Yes, Mokuba works hard to gain the amount of favour that Master gives him" there was a hint of longing in Yugi's soft voice.

"So I'm here to show him some of the larger rooms today."

"I'll tag along" Yugi nodded at the seemingly older boy.

Ryou tuned out the rest of the conversation; he had enough information to mull over for the time being. So here he was in this house that seemed to emit coldness from it's very walls. So far in it he had met that boy in the dress and the angel's voice, Mokuba; also the favourite of the Master? Along with him he had met the one with the golden hair and the burning eyes, Jou; Ryou didn't know much more about him. Next was Malik with pale blonde hair and the lightest of purple eyes, he didn't know anymore about him then he did the others. And lastly Yugi, the boy in the kimono with the oddly done hair and the unblinking eyes, he knew even less of this new person. And finally there was the one only known as Master, he knew nothing other then this person kept all these weird people here, presumably as servants? Ryou chewed his lips, what was this freak show anyways?

"Are you done?" Ryou jumped and stifled a cry- he hadn't noticed Jou get closer.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, I forget sometimes…" Jou laughed nervously and straightened.

"Yeah," Ryou said pushing his empty plate away, he rose awkwardly in his flowing dress, he was unused to how the material moved, to how it felt around his legs, and the bulky mass was difficult to work with. Yugi hopped down from his seat, Ryou noted with a hint of envy that Yugi had no problems moving in the unusual outfit.

"My name is Yugi it's nice to meet you" Yugi bowed at him and Ryou dipped his head in return.

"My name is Ryou" Ryou managed a small smile.

"Let's get this show on the road" Jou leapt to his feet, he smiled at all of them, Ryou blushed a bit and couldn't figure out why. This man was so different then before, when it had been only him and Mokuba he had been cool, collected and more nervous. Now it was him and Yugi, he seemed more alive, more animated. Ryou smiled back and walked after him, Yugi followed closing the door behind them.

The halls were long and confusing, twisting turning winding, the carpet below their feet was lush and it added bounce to Ryou's step. It was the colour of blood, red, fresh and Ryou felt his eyes drawn to it, the colour was pretty, it matched the cream walls nicely. The house had a pleasant look to it, and it was almost normal once you got over the unnatural chill and the lack of windows.

"It's big, be careful not to get behind now" Jou laughingly said throwing a wink over his shoulder at the boy who nodded eagerly. Ryou found himself hoping he never was alone in these halls; they gave him the creeps, like the intestines of a great beast. He shook his head, so many contradictory thoughts at once made his head hurt, the house made him think, it was like it was trying to convey some feeling to him. He could not understand what it was saying only let it wash over his skin in waves of chilling energy.

"Library first?" Yugi asked looking from Ryou to Jou, the other boy stuck out his tongue a bit, smiling.

"Big room for books" he said disdainfully

"I like books" Ryou said shyly, looking at Yugi, who gave him a small smile, a smile that never reached his eyes.

"Figures" Jou pouted and took a left at the split that came before them, they continued down for a while. There was a light pull, Ryou listened carefully he knew what it was- it was familiar. He listened some more, there in his heart, in his mind he could feel that understanding, that feeling of welcome, that feeling that you got from a home. He shook his head, what a weird thoughts, sounds? Home? No, no, no songs.

"Mokuba is with the master" Jou noted, Yugi smiled and closed his eyes,

"He does sound his best when performing for him" Yugi nodded, Ryou looked at them in confusion, he could barely hear the louder sounds, the softer ones almost completely evaded his ears, yet they spoke as if they could hear him clearly.

"Yes, as always" Jou laughed and guided them left at the next intersection, the hall came to a sudden stop, ending in a huge pair of double doors. He marvelled at them for a couple of seconds, they were taller then him by at least half a meter, the wooden block was carved in beautiful roses, they seemed to slid around the wood, wet, dripping, twining and creating a pattern that entranced Ryou. He watched them, letting his eyes caress ever petal on every individual flower. He could loose himself in it, they whispered to him, small voices joining just under the level he could hear.

Let us swallow you, it won't hurt

Ryou shuddered and tore his eyes away from the door; Yugi was looking at him strangely again. Finding himself not liking the feel of those dark purple eyes still, he looked over at the other guide, Jou was staring deep at the pattern on the door just as he had been doing earlier. His eyes were unfocused like the owner was lost in a dream, a dream filled with the sent of roses, a garden full of only the loveliest- Ryou shook his head again, this place caused him to have weird thoughts.

"Seto…" Yugi gave Jou a despaired look, the word was only a whisper, going right over Ryou's head, Jou eyes were tender, he looked at the door then seemed to break the spell. "Let's go in!" Jou pulled the massive doors open easily and walked in, Yugi looked at him carefully, he still couldn't let go… and then there was Ryou, he had also seemed to feel the energy the door gave off, could he too sense the work, the soul that had gone into the creation of that carving?

The library was a huge room; the soaring walls were lined with shelves, towering high above the heads of the visitors. The whole thing was lit by a magnificent chandelier that hung low in the room, row upon row or crystal reflecting light and throwing it to the far corners of the room. Large chairs were positioned around wooden tables at seeming random spots. Ryou stood stunned by the sheer number of books that filled the chamber to the top; it was like a heaven filled with the words of numerous authors.

"Wow" he uttered softly, it was like a dream, the whole experience was like a dream with this room certainly made it all more worth his time. He stepped forward letting the knowledge resonating from the volumes sink into his skin, the smell of paper and dust, the very feel of wisdom. Right then and there he decided that this was his favourite room, it's sheer number of books impressed him and excited him at the same time, he wanted to run over and look at each page.

Jou laughed, the boy was practically quivering and he could smell the pleasure in the air, it was so refreshing, everyone here had muted their feelings long ago; but here was a new person, he was full of life and every emotion that hit him reverberated around the room, filling it with a sensation that the house had not felt in a long time. Jou smiled fondly, was it so bad to be like that?

"Go ahead," Jou waved the boy away and Ryou practically dashed to the closest shelf, running his fingers over the carefully places volumes. Yugi raised an eyebrow but didn't comment.

That was how the next hour passed Ryou skimming over the titles of the many books, Jou sitting in a chair and Yugi on one of the tables talking quietly to each other.

"Dinner" Yugi said to himself cutting whatever Jou had been saying short, the boy hopped down from the table, he smiled at Jou and walked away. Jou just sighed and leaned back in his chair, growing bored with the silence of the books, there was the soft rustling sound of Ryou moving around but nothing else. Jou let his eyes fall on the boy.

It had been so long since he had left that all behind, he knew what Ryou was going through. He knew far to well what the boy must be feeling, but he could not interfere, that would be going against Master's wishes. He may not be perfect like Mokuba but he still loved his Master, so he continued to watch the boy. Soon, soon, soon, Ryou would awaken and know the truth, soon he would open his real eyes and there would be only death in the light. So many people got them mixed up, in the stark light of truth there is so much death, there is no way to hide it, in the light things are born and die in the same breath, bones rotting away to make new life. But here, here in the dark everything lives, without the light there is no age, no time, only sweet bliss.

This boy was the light intruding on the lair of the dark beast.

Ryou looked up feeling someone's eyes on him, Jou was sitting in a chair absently staring, Ryou shuddered, his eyes were vacant again,

Dream of eternal life

Ryou blinked, and shook himself his thoughts interrupted by a loud growling from his stomach he flushed, when had it become so late?

"Let's go get you some food" Jou smiled a bit absently, his thoughts were preoccupied, he smiled and stood up heading for the door.