yes!!! i'm back with yet another chapter!!! go me!!!

Mysterious Mystic - wow! ...so that's how long it takes to read as of now...hmm...have to put some more minutes on... but really - ty mucho mucho for sitting thru all of it. glad u liked the pranks, there'll be a few more before all this is over. and no worries about tiring my eyes, i love love love reviews! lol!

R Amythest - aw... well, maybe next time, but as for the continue part...read on!

and to Fyredra - sheezies. if that's the way you feel about it, more dark drama coming up...lol. i still like to write a few lighter chapters, but there is a couple purposes for the whole prank thing... i do like to hint at pairings, though i don't know how much i'll put into this story eventually. the other reason you'll find out very soon, i was leading up to something...this & the past chapter have been building up for my minor climax for part 2...hee hee...
in truth, i didn't expect the climax to come up quite yet, but there should be some interesting fun, drama, and conflicting emotions in the next couple chappies...in progress...

& mom-mi-oh - funny thing. i'm listening to my cd right now, and "No Matter What" was on when i got to u're response! imagine that. i think that one's actually my fave too...but i like all the songs (i'm such a loser...lol ) thanks again, and i'll try my best to live up to my responsibility! ;)

Part 2 (Chapter 6) – Tricks

The next morning - the courtyard may have seemed peaceful, but one could never be too sure. Students walked in and out of the doors, stopping to chat or to finish up the last couple problems of math homework. They all went peacefully about their everyday lives, never aware of the danger that could have been lurking around any and every corner...

"Hey, Mai!"

"Aaaa!" a shriek escaped before Mai's reflexes could kick in.

"Easy there!" Kira ducked a flying book. "What are you so uptight about?"

Mai scowled and went to go retrieve her textbook. "What do you want?"

"I was just saying hi," Kira explained innocently. "Is it a crime to greet one's friends in the morning?"

"I...But you...oh...never mind," Mai grouched. "Just leave me alone."

"Sure!" Kira replied, a little too brightly. "Hope your day goes well! See ya around!" And with a wave, she was off.

Mai watched her go. "I'm not quite sure what's up, but that can't be good."

"Kira!" Tristan waved her over.

"Hey, didja see Mai?" Joey asked with a rather sly grin on his face.

"As a matter of fact," Kira grinned, "I did. She didn't seem to be having a very good day though. I think she was nervous about something."

"What a shame," Tristan smirked.

"Just don't overdo it," Tea muttered, shaking her head.

"Guys?" Yugi looked at them from face to face. "What's going on?"

"Why do you ask?" Kira answered sweetly.

"We're not plotting anything," Joey added a little too confidently. Tristan elbowed him a little roughly.

Yugi caught the sharp glance between Kira and Tea, Hmmm.

"Back so soon?" Ryou asked softly, not even looking up. His head was buried against his knees, and his hands had drawn his ankles in close to the rest of him.

"I need more energy," Bakura stated this simply as though it was just another fact of life. Though from Ryou's perspective, that's what it was quickly becoming – just another common part of his existence.

Without speaking further, Bakura threw a hand out in front of him, extending the fingers as far as they would reach. Before anything else, Ryou felt his control over his body weaken. His hands loosened, leaving the pale marks of a tight grip around his legs, and his arms fell to his sides.

Then, with the slightest of twitches, Bakura jerked the hikari to the ground. Ryou crumpled up, not bothering to fight the pain encroaching on his spirit. It was impossible anymore to fight his yami. With every day's passing, Ryou's energy was drained, and Bakura's cruel powers grew. Soon, the pain was swarming Ryou's body, slicing his soul, and breaking part of it away.

It was the separation that was worst. That was the pain of losing the thing most precious to you. It took only a moment, but left a throbbing hollowness in Ryou that only intensified the longing, emotional despair that he lived with. Bakura didn't even have to try. The very dark of the magic that he used was enough to crush Ryou's spirit.

The moments of silence were like seconds of eternity for Ryou as he clutched at the ground and endured the pain. His innocence was being fed to Bakura's evil intentions, but neither of them could find words to express the moment, either for better or for worse. Finally, as Bakura slowly formed a fist, drawing in the last strands of soul, Ryou spoke up. "Please."

"Please?" Bakura was slightly surprised. "Again you beg me? You know I will not listen to your weak pleas for mercy." He turned to walk away, but Ryou's voice stopped him.

"No. Not for me."

"Then what? I don't do favors."

"I just want to know..." Ryou stumbled over the words.

Slowly, Bakura angled his body to the side, looking back at Ryou through the corner of his eye. He didn't say anything, but was startled to see his hikari propped up on his arms enough to look back directly into Bakura's eyes.

"I want to know," Ryou spoke again. "My friends. How are they?"

Bakura stared for a moment in hidden surprise, then turned to walk off. "Pathetic."

"My friends," Ryou repeated. He took a deep breath, trying to find the will to continue. "I know time is passing. You've taken me away from the physical world. I don't know what you've done with my body, but as long as I am trapped to suffer here, I want to know that they're all right."

Bakura didn't even bother to turn back this time. "You are hopeless, hikari. It is weakness to care about others. I care for no one. That is why I have power over you. That is why you will die."

Ryou made a fist. "If that's my fate, I'll accept it. If I was braver...I don't know. Things might have been different. But they're not. Do what you will with my soul, but don't hurt my friends. I don't know what they think of me. I don't know if they realize where I am. I don't truly even know if they care anymore. But if they're safe, maybe it's worth my dying."

Bakura started walking again, and this time didn't stop.

"I'm sorry," Ryou whispered. "Don't hurt because of me. Yugi, Yami,..Kira, . .Joey, . . . .Tristan, . . . . . .Tea, . . . . .and. . . . . and. . ." But Ryou's expression blanked, and he was soon asleep.

"Wow," Yugi glanced at Kira's tray as she took her lunch seat next to him. "Guess you really like ketchup.

"Yeah," Kira made a face at her bowl of rice, "It makes great topping."

Yugi seemed to accept this, so Kira gave an exasperated sigh, "It's not for me."

"Huh? Then who?" But Kira didn't answer and handed Yugi one of the ketchup packets instead.

"But, I don't..." Yugi started.

"You are dense," Kira commented. "No matter. Watch." She took a packet for herself and began to tightly twist one of the ends. She kept at it until the other end had bulged out to it's fullest, then motioned for Yugi's close attention. "Here goes." With careful aim, Kira drew her arm back, and in one swift motion, let the ketchup fly across the lunchroom, passing over heads and landing with a big splat right on the lunch tray of one Seto Kaiba.

Yugi gaped in surprise, but Kira gave him a rough shove, "Act natural!" And just before Seto could glance in their direction, both Yugi and Kira looked straight ahead and proceeded to stuff their faces.

Moments later, Kira bent over with laughter, "Did you see his expression? He was totally clueless!"

"Kira," Yugi started hesitantly. "I don't know if we should be doing this."

Kira made a face. "C'mon, Yugi. Lighten up. Have some fun once in a while. Besides," she pointed out. "This is the same guy who stole your gym clothes yesterday. You've got to teach him not to take you so lightly."

"But..."

Kira handed him another ready-made ketchup bomb, "Just go for it."

Yugi took it hesitantly. Gave Kira an uncertain look, glanced cautiously about him, closed his eyes, and threw.

"Oh," Kira sounded disappointed. "A little short." Yugi opened his eyes to see his packet in the hair of the boy two people before Seto.

"Oh no!" With a beet red blush creeping up on him, Yugi quickly turned his attention to his tray.

"Still priceless," Kira commented, taking advantage of yet another opportunity to send a third bomb flying. This one crashed on Seto's arm. Then, with a spontaneous burst of daring, Yugi twisted his own packet, and threw with his eyes open this time. Ketchup was spread all over Seto's face.

Pretty soon, Kira and Yugi didn't even pretend to hide the fact that they were behind it, and both of them laughing hysterically continued to pelt Seto with ketchup packets. Most of the bombs hit their mark, but there were always a few that went wild. With the whole lunchroom as an audience, the two of them carried out the show until Kira's pile of ammunition had dwindled. Seto sat still, glowering as the rest of his slightly-splattered lunchmates watched in stunned surprise.

Suddenly, a cookie grazed the side of Kira's head. She stopped laughing and looked up to see the boy across from Seto, red marks across his shirt, with his arm still raised. Someone else from the same table took the initiative and launched a sushi roll that hit Yugi square in the chest. Kira saw this all in a brief moment of shock, then grinned, took up her yet unopened milk carton, and landed it in the middle of Seto's table. White liquid flew everywhere. Soon, the entire lunchroom was a mess as other tables joined in, making the thing a full-fledged food fight. Teachers scurried all about, trying to restore order. Ducking to avoid part of a flying sandwich, Kira looked around for Seto, but he had already disappeared.

"Seto!" He looked up at the voice.

"There you are! I was looking all over..." Mai let her exclamation trail off as she approached Kaiba. "Oh no! They got you already!"

Seto moved a hand across his face, but it only served to smear the red sauce even more. "Thanks for informing me," he said dryly.

"Kira and Yugi, right?" she asked.

"What do you think?" he scowled. "You sounded like you were expecting it."

"Sort of," Mai shrugged. "I tried to find you earlier. Yugi figured me out after school, and when Kira showed up, they put two and two together." It was her turn to be sarcastic. "Pretty smart of you, putting a pager in Kira's bag with your symbol on the back!"

But Kaiba wasn't fazed. "They're smart kids. They were bound to figure it out sooner or later."

"Kira's a little devil," Mai commented sourly.

"Why? What'd they do to you?"

"Nothing...yet," Mai looked uncomfortable.

"Either way," Seto shrugged, "She had Yugi helping her on this one. The both of them are more devious than we gave them credit for."

"You don't seem very bothered by it," Mai commented. "Especially considering you're still drenched in ketchup."

For the first time, Kaiba grinned. His smile would make most people uneasily, but Mai was unruffled, and frowned right back. "Not to worry," he assured her. "I already have plans. Tomorrow, we take action."

Slowly, Mai smiled.

Summon the Dragon. Blue-Eyes White
Send in the Swords of Revealing Light!

Got a card face-down, make a face-up crowd,
Face-up, Showdown, say the words out loud!

(another favorite, i'm still trying to figure out why...)

check back soon - Mai's the next victim, and Kira's finally learning DM, but what happens when "Ryou" gets involved?

lol!

joey