Sapphire Gardevoir: Star Enfinity got sick last night so she's not going to be here. But the fact that we got seven more reviews (more then she ever got before) will definitely cheer her up!

Star Enfinity: I got's the flu.

Sapphire Gardevoir: Back in bed! I'm getting paid for taking care of you today.

Star Enfinity: (pout)

Crunch. The sound of Yuugi's boots in the snow was annoying to him. It was early winter, but a storm kicked up yesterday and now, it was cold. Yuugi shivered; he hated the cold. But he hated school worse then any bad weather. Because of his height you can just wonder if he got picked on. He does. Before school if the bullies want breakfast money, in between if they want lunch, and after if they…well if they just feel like it. And they usually do. He hoped that today, just once they would leave him alone. Though he wished it every day, and it never happened.

"Hey Motou! Come here."

Damn.

Ushio called him out more then anyone else for beatings. Where was a nerdy kid with glasses when you need one? (Sorry people with glasses.)

"Ushio I-" Yuugi barely said a word before he was slammed against a wall. He had put the puzzle in his pack that morning and now it impaled him in the back.

"Do you have that money I asked for?" His breath smelled like beer. Leave it to Ushio to drink before class started.

Yuugi whimpered under his grip. "N..no Ushio…Let go. Please."

Ushio sneered. "That's to bad. I even let you go yesterday so you wouldn't be to tired to whip up some money. I guess I'll have to beat you double time today."

"Drop him. Now."

Yuugi tried to crane his neck towards the source of the voice.

A msn stood at the entrance of the alleyway. His silver hair stuck to his face as if he had been running hard, and his gloved fists were clenched tight.

"What? Who are you, his brother?"

"Are you deaf? I said drop him!"

His patience lost, he ran at Ushio. The brute didn't have time to move before he was the one pinned to a wall. Yuugi slumped down and watched in horror and astonishment as Ushio struggled against the air. At least, that's what it looked like. Suddenly he went ridged and stopped moving altogether. His chest heaved one last time and then he died.

The silver haired man sighed and turn to look at Yuugi, smiling an odd smile.

"Are you okay? I was worried I wouldn't reach you in time."

Yuugi gaped. "E..excuse me?"

"Oh. Pardon my manners. My name is Bakura." He held out a hand to shake and Yuugi took it hesitantly.

"Mines Yuugi."

"'Game' huh? That's funny. Do you like games?"

Yuugi smiled, thinking he might want to be friends with him. "Yeah. I play them all the time. Well, not all the time but-"

"I know what you mean." He interuppted. "I'm quite a game freak myself. Would you like me to take you home?"

"But I have school. I can't go home. Don't you?"

Bakura smirked. "No, I'm just…visiting a friend in this city. And I think you're a little late for school." He pointed to the clock tower in the center of town. It's large hands told everyone for miles that it was eleven o' clock. Did it really take that long?

"Wow. I never noticed. No point in going now, I missed the only class I'm good at."

Bakura looked interested. "Which?"

"History. We're studying ruins in places like Egypt and Rome this week."

"That's…lovely."

"So. This is your house?" Bakura asked, looking around the living room in intrest.

"Yup. The front of the house is the shop, but I always come in through the back way."

Bakura looked backwards at him from a frilled pillow he was throwing up in the air. "Your house is a shop?"

"Yeah, a game shop. Um, are you hungry? I could make us something to eat."

He put the pillow down. "No I'm afraid I can't stay. I must get back to my friends house. I'll visit you tomorrow if you'd like."

Yuugi smiled. "Sure."

Atemu scowled from within his own room. How dare that man contact Yuugi. His Yuugi. The fowl demon is expert at fooling people. He would have to warn his aibou not to talk to him again.

The shadows around him churned and listened to their master's thoughts. He sat on the single chair in the dark room. His arms crossed and scowling like the devil, he didn't look very friendly. The last thing you would have expected him to do was vanish, to warn the innocent boy that danger was coming.

"Yuugi?"

Said teen chocked on the sandwich he was eating, startled. He started coughing, and seeing his distress the once pharaoh rushed to pat his back. Eventually he stopped.

"What did you sneak up on me for!"

Yuugi had gotten used to Atemu's constant presense in his head after they met, and Atemu was treated like a welcomed guest by him, which made him happy. He just didn't like it when he appeared unannounced.

"I apologize. I just wanted to ask…who that boy was that you were talking with."

Yuugi's mood lightened at the mention of his friend. "Him? That was Bakura. He's here visiting a friend and helped me out a while ago."

"With what?"

Yuugi sighed. He had not yet told the other about his bully problem, knowing very well that he would worry about him. And he hated it when people worried.

"I just had a…misunderstanding with someone today, and he helped me talk it out. Nothing big."

Atemu guessed he was lying, but did not press it any farther. He only vanished again, leaving Yuugi to himself.