Akkadia: hiding in the closet no one knows I am here.

Yami: walks in all right has anyone seen Akkadia? She and I have to have a little talk.

Yugi: stops in mid bounce maybe if you do the disclaimer she'll be so happy she'll come out and you can catch her! bounces again

Yami: hey good idea, Akkadia doesn't own anything except the story idea so don't sue

A/N: Ok, as promised chapter 4 right after chapter 3. Chapter 5 still needs to be typed up but it will be up that is if I get the reviews! Ok enough blabbing, enjoy chapter 4!

Chapter 4 Jonouchi's Past

Jonouchi reached under his shirt and pulled out a leather cord. A small locket dangled at the end. He took the locket into is hands and opened it. He sighed deeply, "When I was about ten years old, my family moved to a new village. Back then I actually had a family. It took awhile to adjust to new surroundings but we managed. My little sister Shizuka never left my side." He turned the locket around, revealing an old faded picture. The girl in the picture appeared to be around the age of seven with short brown hair and hazel shaded eyes, "A few weeks after we moved, my parents started arguing. First if was just insults. But soon my dad started hitting my mom. One time it got so rough that I took Shizuka to the market place. I couldn't stand to have her listen to that any longer. While we walked around the village, Shizuka started whimpering. Turns out, she was hungry..."

FLASHBACK

"Jonouchi, I'm getting hungry, and my feet hurt," seven year old Shizuka looked up at her older brother with an expression that could melt the heart of the Pharaoh. (Remember, Yami isn't pharaoh yet, it's his dad). Ever since they had moved to this village, Jonouchi and Shizuka had been inseparable. A memory of their parents fighting flashed through the young girl's mind and she held onto her brother, "When are they going to stop?" she began to cry, "When are they going to stop fighting? When are we going to be a family again?" the tone in Shizuka's voice mixed with her sobs nearly broke Jonouchi's heart.

Jonouchi wrapped his arms around his crying sister, "Come on sis, don't shed those tears. You know I can't stand to see you cry." He picked Shizuka up and walked to a small clearing, "If you are still hungry, I think I have in apple in my bag." He set Shizuka down and reached into a bag that was slung over his shoulder and pulled out a red apple, "Here ya go sis." He handed the apple to her.

Shizuka shook her head, "not until you have a bite first."

Jonouchi knew his sister better than anyone else. He put the apple near his lips, "Only if you promise to eat the rest." He knew that if he took one bite, she would eat the rest. Jonouchi took a fairly-sized bite, and chewed slowly. Once he swallowed, he handed the fruit to Shizuka.

"Thank you big brother." Shizuka accepted the apple gratefully and bit into it. If memory served her correctly, neither of them had eaten since last week. Shizuka took another bite and lay her head on Jonouchi's lap, "Will you sing to me?"

Jonouchi gently stroked Shizuka's brown hair, "Of course I will sis..."

When the sun won't rise

And the nighttime lingers on

And you feel like you

Just can't hold on

Don't shed those tears

You're not alone

Just take my hand

And I'll lead you home

Jonouchi looked down to find Shizuka fast asleep. The half-eaten apple laying next to her.

"What do you think you are doing here?"

Jonouchi's head shot up at the sound of the voice. He turned to see a boy at the edge of the clearing. He had snowy white hair that fell to his shoulders and a pair of chocolate painted eyes. He wore a simple brown tunic and his feet were bare, "I'm sorry?"

The boy walked up, "I said what are you doing here? I thought no one knew about this place." He knelt down and looked at the sleeping Shizuka, 'Her face is stained as well as her heart. She is deeply wounded. But this is a wound that cannot be healed mentally," he looked up at Jonouchi, "My name is Ryou and this clearing it where I go to think."

"Well my name is Jonouchi. This is my little sister Shizuka. I'm sorry if we're trespassing. We just needed to get away..." Jonouchi winced.

Ryou noticed and placed a hand on Jonouchi's shoulder, "Get away from what?" he asked.

Jonouchi gazed down at the sleeping form of his sister and sighed deeply, "Get away from our living nightmare. Our parents fight constantly. It started out as simple arguments but now..." Jonouchi bit his lip, "It's gotten so bad that I took Shizuka and ran. We got tired and stopped here. If you want we will leave now, but..." he lightly chuckled, "I would hate to have to wake my little sister up."

Ryou shook his head, "No that won't be necessary. Besides this land isn't mine. It belong to the Pharaoh. You may stay as long as you like," the snowy haired boy sighed, "It gets so lonely sometimes."

Jonouchi glanced up at Ryou with a confused expression plastered on his dirt stained face, "What do you mean? Don't you have a family?"

Ryou looked away with a painful expression covering his own dirt- stained face, "I do but..." he stopped and sighed deeply, "I don't think they even know they have a son." Ryou sat down and placed his head in his hands, "Sometimes I think I'm just an orphan," Suddenly Ryou felt a sharp jolt of pain shoot through his body causing him to cry out, "Oh no the village is in terrible danger!"

Yami: Oh great, first she pisses me off by making Yugi hyper, now she stops at the worst place possible!

Karria: trying to free herself but falls of her chair

Yugi: bouncing around 3 reviews = chapter 5! ( I can say that now since I haven't posted chapter 4 yet!)