Chapter 24: Planning

The pizza came and was quickly devoured, but that was mostly Joey's fault. He had claimed that this whole thing was straining and he needed energy. Yugi smiled at his old friend around the kitchen, happy that after all these years his appetite hadn't changed much. Though, of course, he didn't want to be around later when Joey got heartburn.

Kaiba and Yami refused to eat anything, which troubled Yugi deeper than the absence of all three teenagers. But even despite his worry, he knew they'd eat when they felt like it. Even though they had meet on such dark a situation, Yugi still felt happy in spite of himself. It felt like the old days, and even though, as a child, he had been happy to see it go, it was a much warmer feeling to find it had returned again before too long. He watched Joey talking merrily with Marik, nodding as Marik, wearing a leather jacket much like Joey's, talked about the motorcycle store he had been running for the last couple of years now.

Marik listened intently, stroking the stubble on his face, and watched Joey's wide gestures with bright purple eyes. A biker himself, Joey was very interested in what kind of work Marik did. It was comforting to see them getting along so well after things that had happened, so very long ago. It was proof that time changed people.

Isis glanced at her brother every so often, her blue eyes calm behind a pair of modern glasses, her jet black hair graying slightly, and looking very good in her tan suit, as she ate her pizza quietly, and spoke very few words. The feeling of responsibility for her younger brother had survived, not that such a thing would perish lightly.

Shadi, too, kept his mysterious nature over these years intact. He was very, very old now. You could see it in the wrinkles of his once smooth face, but his eyes still shown a strange vague blue. Still, he had a strange way of commanding respect. He didn't eat much either. And just by looking into his eyes, Yugi could tell it would be he that would start this business, and it made him frown slightly at the thought.

When everyone finished eating, the plates were stacked in the sink, and several pizza boxes discarded near the door, Shadi cleared his throat, calling everyone's attention, just as Yugi had suspected.

"I think its time to start this business." The change on both of the Egyptians at his comment was quick, from happy, to very, very serious and slightly saddened.

"I think it's safe to say we all know the problem, am I correct?"

"No." Kaiba said irritated, stuffing his hands into his pockets as Shadi turned and looked at him, only glancing as Javas and Christa came into the room. Just by the stern look on his father's face, Javas slightly happy and annoyed with his wonderful timing. He tried to ignore the cloudiness threatening to seep into his mind at Christa's touch and forced himself to focus.

"Bakura Ryou, and two of his children, Matsimela Ryou and Kaede Ryou, are both being threatened by Marik's darker side, to which we had thought destroyed." Shadi told him briskly. Marik averted his eyes sadly, his fingers slightly fidgeting.

"…He sealed a piece of himself into the rod, and since I was able to dispel him, he could not take me again. His presence wasn't a problem."

"But now it is a problem?" Marik looked sadly at Kaiba.

"Yes."

"How so?" Again his gaze twisted. Yugi could sense the guilt inside of him. It hadn't been his fault what had happened.

"The rod. It was in my possession, until my son foolishly lent it to Matsimela. I would've brought him to apologize, but it is really is my fault. I should have realized he'd do something to keep himself alive. And it seems, Matsimela just wanted to show it to his younger sister, a sort of apology as to what he had said earlier about his father. From what my son said, made me understand, was that she was very interested in Egyptian artifacts, and he had promised to bring it back the next day." Marik sighed.

"But after three days, he became worried. He hadn't seen Matsimela in that time, and when ever he came by the house it seemed there was no one there. He was afraid to tell me he had lost it…It was only after about two weeks that I found it missing, and by then it was too late...I'm sorry."

"So you see," Isis interrupted, "that spirit must have killed him, and-"

"It is not your fault Marik." Yugi told him worriedly, his eyes wide and feeling. Marik looked at him sadly.

"Let his father be the judge of that." He told him mournfully.

"But he's not dead!" Christa shouted, her eyes watering. Javas patted her lightly on the back, looking very lost despite himself. Kaiba ignored his son's strange behavior, and looked at Yami as if to confirm that. Yami said nothing, but simply looked to the floor sorrowfully. When no one said anything, and just answered by the looks on their faces, Shadi opened his mouth to try and comfort the child when he was interrupted.

"She's right."

Everyone turned. Standing in the door way was the last missing member. His hair was slightly messed up, and more leaves where pointing out of it more than usual. His eyes were hooded, as if he was sleep walking, and his from appeared far more haggard than before. He leaned on the door way tiredly, but still stared at them with fierce eyes.

"What did you say?" Turning back, Javas saw Shadi's suddenly stormy eyes pierce the boy's like daggers. Had the old man's anger not been so fierce, matching or perhaps beyond T.R's, he would have smiled.

T.R rose from off the wall, opening his eyes a bit wider, as he approached the table at which they all sat at, holding his fierce gaze calmly.

"What you heard me say." T.R replied to him, his voice smug despite his weary state. When no one said anything after, waiting for him to explain, Yami was the first to figure out he was done speaking.

"How do you know this?" He asked him calmly. T.R looked at his nails at this question for a moment, studying them, before answering.

"My…" He glanced carefully at Christa, "…let's say position…allows me access at their well being. Something that plagues me every waking moment you see, and to the point, I still feel the boy. He's faint, but still there. That and the damn spirit told me before he was using the boy as a cover in the beginning."

"Much like you once did." Growled Shadi unexpectedly. Tomb Robber's look of death didn't faze the older looking man, but he didn't say anything. Yami looked down from the two warring people and shook his head.

Fixed on this strange comment, Christa opened her mouth and surprised nearly everyone in the room with a question.

"What does that mean?" Yami's head shot up at the question, and quickly looked over to the spirit, a look of worry consuming his features. The white haired boy stood very stiffly, his eyes shut tight as he fought the great blood magic, commanding him to answer. He was saddened by the Burglar's loss of the fight.

"The thing he references to is when I took your father over as a host." He said with a croaked twisted voice. He opened his eyes and glared at the millennium item holder. Christa's eyebrows wrinkled with puzzlement.

"But, how could that be? Can't only spirits with items take over people?"

"Yes."

"How could you have?"

"I am…" He clenched his teeth down hard and let out a savage growl. Startled, Christa grabbed onto Javas's shoulder and took a step away from the temperamental boy. Javas's face was pale, but that only happened after she had grabbed him. Again, T.R failed.

"A spirit of the ring." He blurted out a second later, and slammed his hand onto the table in frustration, but his mouth didn't stop there.

"My ring was given to your father, and he was my vessel. Through him I did what I wanted."

"You used him!" Shadi remarked angrily.

"That is enough." Yami said darkly, his cold gaze pinning the older man to the spot. At this, Shadi's rage was out like a puff of smoke, and he finally grew silent. When he finally took his eyes off him, he noticed everyone staring at him uncertainly. Carefully, he cleared his throat, trying not to make this so awkward and was actually glad when T.R growled at him.

"I didn't need your help, Pharaoh." Yami shrugged.

"Anyway," Isis continued, "It is not what happening in the past that is of concern, Miss. It is what we should do to get your family back…I am Isis by the way." She told Christa with a smile, before she gestured toward her brother.

"This is my brother Marik, and this," she gestured toward Shadi, "Is Shadi-"

"You look familiar." Christa interrupted. Isis glanced at Shadi, her eyes wise and knowing, before turning back to her.

"We all knew your father when we were about your age; perhaps you've come across a photo or picture of him…" She looked at everyone around them, "Now, do we have any idea how we're going to get Bakura and his children out?"

"We have to confront him." Yugi said calmly, his violet eyes glowing slightly. Joey nodded.

"Obviously," Kaiba retorted, rolling his eyes, "But that doesn't mean we should just walk right in."

"And why not?" Joey asked irritably. Kaiba sighed.

"Because he has the upper hand; he has three hostages." He said.

"Okay, so how do you think we should go about this?" Joey countered. They all thought about this for a moment.

"…Make it seem like we're going for the Queen." Javas muttered after a moment. Marik turned to the boy curiously.

"What?" Javas blinked at him, suddenly aware he had spoken out loud, then looked at everyone else curiously staring at him. He began to fidget with his hands, and glanced at his father, a smug knowing smile on his face. Kaiba nodded a stern curt nod, encouraging his son. Javas smiled at him for a moment, before explaining.

"When in chess, most players try to eliminate the Queen first, so it's easier to get to the King. Some players take advantage of this usual playing style, and convince their opponent that they are going for the queen when. The enemy, wanting to protect their queen from threat, will either move it out of the way or use other pieces to strengthen it position, and usually this leaves the King's defenses weaker." Joey blinked once.

"Okay, say that again, but in English."

"He means a diversion, you moron." Kaiba remarked. Joey glared at him.

"I see what he's saying," Marik said, "Take two parties, have one group distract him while the other frees the others, it's as simply as child's play."

"Perhaps too simple." Yami replied, "He's probably already expecting us. He knows we wouldn't just sit back and let this happen…"

"Then let's take it up a notch… How about multiple parties? Confuse him; give him many targets to worry about instead of one." Joey suggested. Yugi nodded to this.

"Alright, so how do we go about this?"

Javas stared up at the ceiling, watching the shadows of a near by tree morphing just above where he lay. He couldn't sleep, but then again, how could you when something so out of the ordinary was taking place around him, and yet he was partly to blame. It should really be him going in there, but Yami had already explained that he'd be a nuisance, but not in so many words. He was also right, even though Javas really didn't want to admit it. Fighting people was not his strong point, he knew that. And if he hadn't insisted on helping, he probably would've gone out tonight and tried to save them himself. Or he liked to think so.

Javas sighed, and closed his eyes. His childhood seemed very far behind him now. He felt several years older than before. He felt…weaker than before. It had only been a few days ago he had felt on top of the world, he was in control and loved it. Now he felt small, insignificant, compared to the world. He was annoyed by the feeling.

He rolled over to his side agitatedly, and forced his eyes to close. He had to sleep now. If he didn't he'd be tired, and if he was tired then he wouldn't be able to focus. And tomorrow, he would need all the focus and mental power inside of him. He could give his job everything he had. It was the only way to crush these feelings of guilt and meaninglessness.

Or so he hoped.

"Can't hold your beer, Pharaoh?" asked the thief smugly before tilting his head fully back and taking a large gulp from the brown bottle. Yami watched him passively, cradling the glass in his hand tiredly. He didn't bother telling him about brain damage with underage drinking; TombRobber wouldn't care much for that. Instead, Yami sipped the amber liquid occupying his own bottle after swishing it around a moment.

"No, I just don't drink much."

"Too much of a goody-two shoes." TombRobber snarled, slamming the empty bottle down on the table before reaching for another. Yami did nothing to stop him, knowing that this would be an escape from the argument storming inside himself. He glanced at the three other empty bottles that had met the 5000 year old spirit's lips. Maybe it was those three bottles were actually getting the spirit to talk to him on somewhat 'friendly' terms. Yami smirked at the clearly intoxicated white-haired boy, wondering if on other circumstances if they could have been friends at some point.

"What are you smirking at, Pharaoh?" the once thief asked. Yami was amazed by how sober he sounded, but knew by the way his eyes twinkled and the swaying of his hand that he was indeed, drunk.

"You." He replied truthfully for once. The thief laughed, confirming Yami's assumption. And much to his own surprise Yami chuckled to himself. Maybe the beer was starting to get to him as well.

"We're running out of beer." TombRobber finally remarked, after his laughter, and took another long swig of his drink.

"I think you may have had enough, it wouldn't do us any good for you to have a hang over when plan A goes into full swing. I don't even know why I'm not sleeping to prepare myself." Yami said.

"…Hn, because I'm rubbing off on you, Pharaoh. I knew you'd eventually see it my way."

"Maybe in your dreams, thief."

"Nope, in my dreams you'd be dead." Some things never change. Yami didn't take it as an insult. He was far too amused by this new side of the Burglar.

"Oh? In your dreams, in what way would you kill me?" The robber thought about this for a second.

"You'd be getting ripped apart by the demons in the shadow realm very, very slowly, making you watch your friends suffering the same fate." Yami felt the back hairs on his neck raise, his royal nature suddenly missing; his eyes flickered with uneasiness for a few moments as he took a larger gulp than normal and forced the words out of his mind.

"Anything else?" He asked, lowering the rim of the bottle to his lips and taking another good sized sip. The Robber pondered drunkenly for a moment, before his lips finally spread into a sly smile.

"I'd bed the girl." Yami choked. TombRobber didn't notice, smiling wider as he visualized.

"Yes. I'd seduce her slowly at first, for a few days. Then when she least expected it, I'd pin her to the wall and ravish her. Make her want me enough to lure her into the bedroom. Then we'd-"

"Who is this?" Yami asked, trying to save himself from hearing the rest, after he finally regained his composure.

"Kaede Ryou. You implied it, Pharaoh; you should at least keep to your theories when you make them up."

"…I thought you said you didn't like her." TombRobber snorted and slammed down another empty bottle and grabbed the last full one.

"I'm surprised, Pharaoh. You've never believed anything I've said until now. And besides, I wonder, how could anyone not see her exotic beauty? Is it her baggy clothes that hides her wonderful shape and tasteful mind so well from the likes the males around her? Or is it the distraction of her idiot sister? And if so, why do I see it every single time I close my eyes. Why do I hear her light and mesmerizing voice echoing like a lullaby through my mind, driving me insane and yet coaxing me to sleep? Why do I wake in the middle of the night and want so desperately just to sit outside her door and listen to her breathe? Why do I want to actually sit down and cuddle with her? Hold her and stroke her, and sing to her? I ask you, why am I the only one that seems to respond?"

Yami just started at him, as he took another large gulp of his beer, watched his eyes swell and started in amazement at the tears slowly sliding down the teen's checks. Never before had he very seen or thought the thief could cry, and yet here he was, sitting at his table in his house, weeping before him in frustration, and heart break. Yami was surprised he even had a heart. He was dumbstruck, now learning that it wasn't a simple thing of having pleasure with a woman, but actually loving her. He actually loved her. Love sick for her.

This was more of an effected than he had ever counted on. He hadn't even dared to dream of it.

"Because…" Yami said softly, waking from his trance as TombRobber downed half the bottle in his hand, surprised by the words being formed on his tongue.

"You love her." The Burglar wiped his eyes agitatedly, making his checks red with pressure, the bottle in hand, looking confused at Yami.

"Love? I can't."

"You do." Yami said softly, persistently. T.R frowned, his eyes reddened slightly, probably from lack of crying all these years.

"Death is close… damn that fortuneteller bitch." He growled, finishing the drink with a finally swig, bringing his arms onto the counter when he put the glass down and leaned heavily onto the table, and rested his forehead onto the table.

Yami waited a few moments for him to pick up his head, but found after ten minutes a small snore escaping his drinking buddy and heaved a sigh, wondering what he could have meant as he shoved his own half drunken bottle away. Fortuneteller bitch? Why would death be close if you loved someone? Yami shook his head and sighed.

"Should've asked sooner." He grumbled, before he noticed T.R slowly slipping off the counter. Yami caught him before he hit the floor and carried the poor teen up the stairs, grumbling despite himself. The spirit weighed far more than he looked.

Book Dragon " Please Review."