I'm alive! Really, I swear! -sigh- I have heard from a friend that Xing has decided that he does not like stories that have 'answers to reviews' in them. -mumbles- Well fine then, I won't. I just wonder what he's going to take away next. Oi. Damn it all.

You know, this story has a slow flow to it. But the slow flow fits it in my opinion. I don't know why, but if I were to "pick it up" a bit, that would break the balance of it all. Oh well, lol.

But seriously, now that I've gotten back into the flow of school and volleyball, I should be able to write more…I was writing over the summer, but that was original works. Ha, well. Let's see what I can do here…not sure if I really liked this chapter or not. Hm…

"I stand alone, I'm on my own, my hands will bleed. I'm holding on to what is gone, what's left of me."

--Falling Down: Story of the Year

Chapter Five: Errors

"Are you afraid?" Mariku licked his lips, any innocence that he may have had earlier drained away.

"No," Yami snorted.

"Really?" he chuckled in response, "You're lying. I can smell fear from your small body. Now, speak up and tell me what you did to Malik."

"I did nothing," Yami spoke out clearly. He could sense the other's anger and quickly added, "Nothing that would have caused him to stay home, at least. I heard a rumor that someone had beat him yesterday, but I'm not sure who."

The right arm pulled back and his hand clenched Yami's shirt collar roughly, "Fine then. But if I find out you had anything to do with it, we'll find out how far your neck can stretch when it's twisted," he sneered, tossing Yami to the side and stepping away.

Yami cringed, hand quickly going out to the lockers, holding himself up from falling. His eyes swiveled around to glare at Mariku, "You know, there's a student hierarchy here."

"Oh, really?" Mariku chided, facing Yami again, "And I suppose you want me to believe that you're at the top of it, hm?" the determined look the other held was his answer. "Makes one wonder how a weakling like yourself managed that," he snickered, but his nature was calming enough for him to seem more normal, for him anyway. Seriousness took control now, "How long can you hold that position before someone realizes they can easily overthrow you?"

He clenched a fist at his side, his current stance accomplishing one thing: to hide the fact that he was shaking. "No one ever will," he snapped. "Myself and Bakura will lead this school as always, no one can overthrow us. They don't have that kind of power."

"Stop fooling yourself."

He's fooling himself, Yami thought darkly as he sat back in the room. He glared around at everyone, hands folded before his face. No one was going to take his position; he refused to be forced down to the bottom of the food chain again. His gaze shifted when he felt someone watching him (other than the teacher at least) and saw Bakura wearily staring. He tried to reassure the other with a smile, but failed.

Yami watched an exchange of speaking between Ryou and Bakura before one of them got up from his seat and came over, stealing a chair from an empty desk and pulling it over, leaning against the backing towards him. "What happened?" Bakura's voice sounded more demanding than actually helpful questioning. Yami figured it was because he's gotten tired of seeing him like this.

"Nothing," Yami murmured, staring at the desk top with a sigh.

"Come on, Yami, stop doing this to me."

"What are you talking about? I'm not doing anything."

Bakura's hands dug into the desk as he stood up, "Why the hell are you so depressed?!" He blinked when Yami glared darkly at him, having not meant to…shout so loud. He mumbled an apology towards the teacher and sat back down. Yami continued to glare at him. "What?"

"I think you offer me an apology as well."

"I don't think so, Yami," Bakura hissed warningly. "I have nothing to apologize to you about. You're the one that has yet to answer me on what the hell is wrong with you. Wrong…let's see, now and from before. Which somehow you got away with…not this time, Yami."

"I'm sorry, would you like me to write you a book on my life?"

"If that would get me answers, then yes! But I think telling me would be qu -"

"Stop it!" Ryou was suddenly standing across from Bakura, speaking light enough for the bickering two to hear. "Everyone is watching, you two are acting like a married couple! I'm telling you this for your own good…unless you like the attention…" he trailed off, fidgeting when the pair both turned glares onto him. "Fine. Bicker later though; Bakura, we have a science project to be working on."

Bakura's anger subsided and he clung to Yami quickly, hiding his head behind his arm as he whined, "Ryyyoou…I'm tired of working on that project! Can't I have a break? Please? Pretty please? Come on…I'm stressed, Ryou! You've worked me too hard! I can't go on!" he made a choking sound before shifting his chair just enough so he could collapse across Yami's lap.

Mrs. Mikoto stared slightly from talking with Honda, raising a brow, "Ryou, does your brother need the nurse?"

Ryou resisted from throwing his arms into the air and simply made a sound of annoyance, turning away and moving back for his desk. Stubborn idiot.

Bakura chuckled and smiled as his brother moved away. "Thanks, Yami."

But the other was still peeved at Bakura's prodding actions and angrily pushed him from his lap and onto the floor. Bakura groaned painfully and curled against one of the desk's legs, "I think I need a nurse now, Mrs. Mikoto."

Yami crossed his feet over Bakura's body with a smirk, using him as a foot rest.

"He's lying, he's just trying to get out of class. He's fine," Yami chuckled and glanced down at his work. Sure the small moment of humor did lighten him up, but not nearly enough. He was worried later that Bakura would come prodding again. How could he give a response? He wasn't really sure what was making him upset…

Luckily the seventh period of the day left Yami and Bakura in separate places, though when they were leaving the room Bakura tried to inform Yami that they'd talk again. It was a little bit hard to even tell him that, as Yami slid out of the classroom along the wall and Bakura as swept into the rest of the leaving students.

What Yami had failed to realize while stepping into his Spanish I classroom, was that the Ishtar he had met earlier was in the same room. Yami stumbled against the doorway and stared around, taking notice that the teacher wasn't there and quickly turned to leave.

"Going somewhere so soon, Yami?"

He froze and turned his head enough to gaze over his shoulder, staring right at Mariku. "I could be nice and tell…" he stared down at his schedule, "Mr. Aiher that you had to go to the nurse, but I'd much rather say that you tried to skip his class."

"Who's skipping?"

"No one!" Yami said quickly as the teacher entered the room and moved by him. He cursed softly, turning back inside and moving to sit in the back besides Honda. He hit his head on the desktop's surface and mumbled something incoherently. Honda whispered something to him and he nodded in agreement, raising his hand while his hand rested on the desk still, "Mr. Aiher, can I go to the nurse?"

"Are you all right…?"

"No, not at all. I feel like I'm going to die."

"Fine, fine, go now. Make sure to call someone for the homework."

It was a rare thing for Yami to leave school entirely. He debated on Honda's plan of actually going to the nurse and being sent home, but that required him to go through his mother…and Yami really was not in the mood to do that. Besides…he had somewhere in mind to go. She's working…she won't be home…

Yami stared carefully at a door to an apartment, dropping his bag to the ground and reaching his hand up to knock, before deciding against the method and went to try the doorknob. With a smile, he laughed softly and opened it, stepping inside and closing it behind. "I'll have you know my younger brother is hiding in his room right now, refusing to talk to anyone except the darkness within it" Yami remembered Mariku's words and took them to heart, edging carefully into the apartment and into a corridor, staring to the side at a mostly closed door. He poked at it and it creaked, causing him to side and fully push it open. It really is dark in here…

"Malik," Yami called out, stepping in. "Get up." He jumped back, startled when a pair of hollow eyes rose to meet his gaze. "What the… I didn't do this to you!" he suddenly snapped out, fists clenched.

"Of course not, you're just the head of the problem. Katsuya did this to me," Malik chuckled softly, arms shifting to pull his legs in closer. "Did you miss picking on me so much that you had to come here?"

Yami's eyes narrowed in warning. "And I suppose you want me to believe that you're at the top of it, hm?" He took a slow step forward, crossing his arms idly. "People like you and your brother sicken me. Always the ones to get in everyone's way and mess up everything!" Yami yelled, now not too far from the boy's amused body.

But Malik flinched at the mention of his brother, "What are you talking about…?"

"Huh?" Yami blinked, thinking over his words, "N-Nothing…" Why had he come here? Was he getting this sloppy? He turned away quickly. "How long can you hold that position before someone realizes they can easily overthrow you?" It was all Malik's fault, he decided. This new kid was trying to mess up everything he had grown to achieve and push him down. He wanted to rule…that had to be it! …But the boy just seemed to want to live…just like…No, dammit! No… Yami growled quietly and moved for the door.

"You act like no one can see your struggle."

Yami paused, hand tightening on the doorframe. He wanted to get out of here. Now. And not just out of here…perhaps he could transfer schools…and start all over. Remember the last time you did that, his mind reminded him darkly. The hand on the doorframe was growing white now from grasping so stiffly.

"I'm sure many of the students can see you as a weakling. They just don't do anything because they're scared of psychotic, demonic Bakura. It's not you they're scared of."

"Shut up!" Yami yelled, glaring at the other sharply, face distorting wildly to show his uncontrolled anger.

"My sister is home. I heard her car. She hates you, remember. Just like I do."

Malik's voice was horrifying to hear. It wasn't soft, or quiet, or shy. It was dark and deadly, like someone who had finally snapped. Like Yami had… he shook his head quickly. If Malik had a gun right now, he could easily play the part of a homicidal man.

"But you can get out the back," Malik hummed softly, face revealing nothing. "I don't want her to kill you. It's fun to watch others suffer sometimes, but I'm not in the mood today."

Yami thought of saying something else, but changed his mind and took off into the hallway and to the back of the apartment to find his way out.

Otogi Ryuuji sat at a table in the cafeteria where his study had so lovingly been changed to be in. He calmly tossed a pair of dice into the air and caught them again. His feet rested casually on the table, leaning his chair back on the two back legs. The study hall teacher ignored him, and actually, Otogi couldn't even see the teacher anymore. …Probably left the café after he took attendance. But it's not like that bothered him at all, he had his dice and a plate of French Fries that he bought from the food line. That was what he liked about café study…he got a second lunch.

Seto walked by his table, informing that he was going to escape off into the room where Jounouchi's study was stuck in. What a shame it wasn't here…but that only figures. He passed a smug seeming figure on the way out and tossed a slight look of disgust towards the figure, but was brushed by still.

The figure crossed his arms behind his head, glancing around the quiet area. There was a fair amount of students around, a normal class size, but they were all spread out through the area. Only one person sat alone, and the figure decided to sit there instead.

"I'm sorry, I don't sit with anyone outside the hierarchy," Otogi muttered, catching the dice again.

"Hn? Well, that's depressing. Not even someone who's skipping a class?"

"I suppose I could pay some attention to you with that. What class?"

"Spanish I," Mariku smirked, placing his bag onto the table as he sat down. The bag itself seemed to shift before a head poked from the opening and a nose twitched. Paku slipped out of the bag after enjoying her long nap, making her way onto the table's surface. She made her way to the plate of food and stole a fry from it, nibbling happily.

"What the…" Otogi blinked, staring at the creature.

Mariku leant back with a smile. "So you're a part of the hierarchy, is that right?"

"Mmm.."

"You must be below that Yami fellow then."

"You could say that."

"You don't seem that happy."

Otogi shrugged.

Mariku's smile grew. He might be able to have a bit of fun now… "You seem like someone more…suited for the top."

"I used to be," Otogi glared as Paku stole another French Fry. This conversation was starting to get on his nerves. He didn't enjoy being reminded that he was a lower "rank" than Yami. He didn't need to be reminded of that sort of thing.

When the dice were tossed again, Mariku's hand shot out and grabbed them. He smirked at Otogi's dark expression. Mariku only shrugged and laughed, leaning back again to examine the dice. "Do you like games?" Mariku questioned oddly.

"I suppose," Otogi muttered.

"I have one then. You may even like it. Would you like to hear it?"

"Fine."

Good, good… "It's called 'Flip, Target, Destroy.' Basically you flip, or change positions with someone without their knowledge. You keep them targeted and then simply when you have the chance…destroy them from the position that you had gained from the start. I suppose I could really just call the game 'Target and Destroy' …but I like the word 'flip.' So what do you think?"

"What are you getting at?"

"I'm giving you the chance to be on top again," Mariku whispered.

Otogi's gaze sparkled with interest, but at the bell's ring he shook his head, "Your game wouldn't work. There's Bakura to think about."

"Then you just can't let Bakura realize. If you get caught before you can destroy, then you lose the game, understand?"

"Yeah. I understand," Otogi chuckled, suddenly liking this other student. He did look familiar…but that wasn't anything to worry about now. He liked the sound of this game. And he wanted to play it. Yami…didn't belong on the top. He did…he always had.

Sorry if that made no sense at all, lol. Mariku is making trouble again.

Donno when I'll update this…took four months for this chapter…but I can't promise the next one will be up sooner than this. Wish I had made it longer…but that just seemed like a nice place to stop.