Her Sweetness: Hey there. I don't feel all that well. I mean, I feel okay, physically, but not really happy at all. More or less… oppressed, depressed, and moody. If I could use three words to describe myself now, those would be perfect.

Let's see… I think that's everything I have to tell you for now.

I'll see you later, then.

Motel 37

Chapter 14:

The sky was gray and the wind was blowing a bit harsher than what they were used to. But of course, this was how it was when you were away from paradise, the boys supposed. Their vacation to the wonderful Bahamas was officially over now that they were back in Domino and saw the awful weather. No more clear skies, no more sunny days, no more soft music coming in through the open windows… Gosh, how depressing.

"Aw…" Yugi whined, looking out over the palm trees bending to the ground and people being blown off their feet, "This just sucks… Damn my yami for ending up in a murderer-infested motel!"

Ryou nodded, "I know how you feel, Yugi. But we'd better get a move on. I want to get to Bakura before that murderer does…"

"That murdered or whatever has my permission to complete their job." Yugi huffed, "It'll save me the trouble…"

Malik rolled his eyes, stepping out of the airport's lobby, "C'mon, you guys. Let's go. I had to rent a car for us so we can get there." He held up a folded piece of paper and handed it to Ryou, "I got a map too… I don't know about you guys, but I've never heard of this… Motel 37."

"Well, I'll check it out when we get on the road."

The car that Malik rented was a red corvette. He really didn't have the money to rent it himself, so he used Yugi's credit card. But he didn't mind and they got in and began their trip to the motel where their yamis were supposedly being terrorized. This time, instead of Yugi being the navigator, they had Malik sitting in the front seat. Last time, Yugi got them horribly lost and this time they hopped Malik would have better luck.

But then… that also meant that Ryou had to drive and he was a bit more of a precautious driver.

It had not been more than ten minutes on the road when Ryou peeked over the steering wheel and slammed on the breaks.

"Gah!" Both Yugi and Malik flew forward. Neither of them had their seatbelt on and when they stopped their eyes from rolling around in their heads, they looked over at Ryou, "W-What's wrong? Why'd you stop?"

He got out of the driver's seat and went in front of the car, picking up a drenched, white fur ball. He came over to Malik's side and tapped on the window, smiling. Malik rolled it down, "Ryou! Get back in here, it's dangerous out there!"

"Exactly." He handed the wet cat to Malik, who fumbled with it, "This poor dear is out here all alone and we can't just leave it in this awful weather. Like you said, it's dangerous out here."

Yugi and Malik blinked, "… You can't be serious."

Dripping wet from the rain he'd been in, Ryou sat back into his seat and put the vehicle into motion. "I most certainly am serious."

"Mew…" The little ball of fluff looked back at Ryou, two big brown eyes melting the hikari's heart.

"It's so darling!"

Yugi sweatdropped, "W-Well… I suppose it is cute… Ah, here, Malik, lemme have it. You need to read Ryou the directions."

"… Right." He practically threw the little kitten in the backseat, which earned him a disapproving glance from Ryou. He turned back to the map in his lap and pulled it out fully. Tapping a finger on the paper, he followed a red line down the map, "Okay, here we go. We need to take I 95 for about three miles until the fourth exit, okay? Then take two turns left and go past a-"

"Malik, Malik! Slow down, please, I'm not a machine…" Ryou pouted, "One thing at a time. I 95? Okay, then…"

It was about fifteen minutes later and it had been relatively quiet in the car. Meaning no real conversation, just bits of information and directions to Ryou from Malik. And the occasional coo from Yugi who couldn't help but love the kitten whose eyes were as big as his. Actually, it was a bit depressing for Ryou. Not only was it rainy and dreary but also he couldn't play with the kitten he'd rescued and the "kitten" he used to play with (i.e. Bakura) was off in some motel being murdered to death.

"Ah…" Ryou sighed for the umpteenth time.

Malik sent him an annoyed look but it went unnoticed as Ryou sighed yet again. "Ahem… You know, Ryou, we'd get there faster if you wouldn't sigh and look at that picture of Bakura you have every five seconds."

"OH!" Ryou began to wail, somehow managing not to kill them all by veering off the road.

"Malik, he can't help it." Yugi said, placing the kitten on his head, "It's a natural reaction."

"D-Don't you m-miss Biscuit Head…?" Ryou sniffed.

"Humph! No, I do not miss Biscuit Head. That pacifier-sucking, formula-drinking toddler… are you kidding me? No, I'm a kid-free parent and lovin it, baby! Biscuit Head can go to six-year-old hell for all I care."

"B-But I-I miss my 'Kura…!"

"Gah! Ryou, watch the road!" Yugi cried, seeing as they were driving into a ditch. Ryou turned the wheel quickly and they got back on track, muttering an 'I'm sorry'. Yugi took in a deep breath, as did the kitten. "Okay, no more yami-talk. That seems to bring out the worst in us. I say we just get there when we can and forget about the bad things. Malik, turn on the radio."

"Yeah, okay." Malik nodded and turned the dial and the volume up. Suddenly "I'm Too Sexy," by Right Said Fred began to play and Malik, Ryou and Yugi blinked. Now, who did this song remind them of?

"… I MISS MY YAMI!"

Back in the cavernous tunnels of Motel 37, Yami was waiting in the shadows. He watched Marik intently. The blonde seemed that he was about to go into the first door. And the voice had told Yami that he needed to go through the second door on the right. And Yami had agreed to do it, but then… There was that thought in the back of his mind that told him it wasn't a good idea. No matter who was mean to you or what they did… Hearing voices that told you to take them somewhere couldn't be… natural.

He sighed. 'I… I don't know about this…'

Come on, Yami… It's just a simple trip down a hallway… And then, you'll be happy, won't you? Marik won't be mean to you…

Yami gasped. Was this thing reading his mind?

Don't hesitate, Yami… Hesitation provides nothing but indecision… Do it, Yami… I offer nothing but success and a promise… He won't be mean to you any more, Yami…Go.

"Marik!" Yami called out, becoming more or less irritated by the voice's persistence. And somewhat interested in its proposition. He had wanted Marik to be kinder. He'd said if it was up to him, he'd never be mean again.

Marik turned around, just about to go through the door, "Pharaoh? You're still here? I thought you'd gone back to hide somewhere."

He winced, deciding to let that pass, "I… um, I want to help you find Bakura. I'm worried about him."

Marik smirked, batting his eyelashes, "Aw. How gracious of you, Yami. To be so concerned about a fellow yami."

"Grr…" He bit his tongue again. Had to let that one slide too. Marik would only go with him if he thought that he truly wanted to find Bakura. But these weren't his sentiments. The voice was the one feeding him these tidbits of info and helping him con Marik into following him.

"Ah… Here." Yami walked over to the second door on the right and pointed into the darkness. "I-I think this is where Bakura is, Marik, so let's go."

"What? Wait a minute! What makes you think he's there?"

Yami frowned. He hadn't thought this through, '… What do I do?'

… Tell him something. Anything. You know Marik… Just say something believable.

"I…" Yami turned back to the tunnel, then back to Marik. He puffed out his chest and spout out the truth, "I can smell him!"

Marik blinked. He tilted his head to look past Yami's head and down the hallway. He turned back to the Pharaoh in front of him, an unbelievable straight expression on his face. "What… what does he smell like?"

This time Yami had to blink. He had no idea what Bakura would smell like. Sure, he'd been really close to him when Bakura was licking blood off of his face, but he was trying his best to fight the boy off, not sniff him. But strangely, he didn't think that Bakura would mind if he did. "Uh… Well…"

Sandalwood…

"Sandalwood!"

The blonde was about to say something but stopped. He decided to leave it alone. What Yami sniffed in his spare time was none of his business, anyway. But he was sure as hell going to tell Yugi when and if their hikaris got here.

"Alright, Pharaoh." Marik said, shrugging, "You may be stupid, but I suppose you have the nose of a bloodhound when it comes to Bakura. …… Heh! Hey, I made a funny! Get it? Bakura and bloodhound?"

Yami starred a him, "…"

"Oh, you suck!" Marik rolled his eyes, frowning, "Stupid five thousand year old Pharaohs with no sense of humor…"

As the figure went into the darkness, he called out to Yami by saying 'Are you coming or aren't you? Idiot…' or something similar. Yami took in a deep breath and followed, trying to catch up. He muttered something that sounded like, "Are you sure…?"

Positive.

"I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts… Diddly di… There they are, just bouncing in the road… Bum bum bum bum… Big ones, small ones, some as big as your – Hmm? What's this…?"

Up until this point, in this dark and dingy hallway, Bakura was singing all the show tunes he could remember. He'd been a bit cautious and afraid ever since the blood trail ceased and he had to try and backtrack, but he soon realized that this was a great opportunity to break his voice in for the next time Ryou dragged him to a karaoke bar.

But just now he'd found something of particular interest. On the ground by his foot was a small latch. By the common eye, it wouldn't have been noticeable, but the eye of a Tomb Robber is every vigil on everything around it.

Said Tomb Robber bent down and dusted it off with the back of his hand. It looked like it was attached to the floor, and that meant it had to open something. Bakura smirked, tugging on it a little. Perhaps buried treasures resided in this old place. Or so he thought.

When he tugged on the little latch, he was taken aback by the floor under his feet, moving. A few boards came up a bit and he moved his position, trying to pull on it again. This time, about five floorboards came up and they opened a trapdoor that led into even more darkness. The smell that erupted from it came and hit him in the face; the stench reminding him of a thousand freshly buried corpses. He smiled to himself. Where there were corpses, there was bound to be blood. At least a few drops.

Without wasting another moment of thought, he jumped in.

It was about ten minutes later when Bakura made himself known once again. He took a large gasp for air. He'd been holding his breath for the last two or three minutes. It seemed that the tunnel he took, even further underground, was not a mass grave at all! But a sewage tank. Leading up through pipes and into the place where he was now.

"Gah! Ugh… My Ra…" Bakura coughed a few times before looking around him and seeing just where he had ended up. It seemed to be an extremely small space. Four wooden walls surrounded him and he got out of the hole he'd crawled out of. Through just one of the walls he saw a tiny window in the shape of a crescent moon. Now he knew where he was! One of those portable toilets!

"… Oh, gross!" He whined shaking himself, trying to get the unholy public toilet smell off his body.

After doing that, or as much as he could anyway without tipping the damned thing over, he exited the portable potty by the door with the little moon shaped window. It appeared that he had emerged outside the building. He saw the back of Motel 37 and was standing in the pouring rain. Not that he cared, anyway. It would wash away the fifth from the sewage tunnels.

He was about to try and get back in through the front of the building, but before he did, he noticed a figure moving in the backyard about twenty feet from him. The figure was hunched over and walking rather slowly. Bakura thought that it might be Shivers. He walked over and scarred the moving person half to death.

"Hey, I-"

"AH!" The figure jumped back and Bakura could see that it was Grandpa now. His hair was singed and he looked like he'd been struck by lightning, but it was him alright. Grandpa held his chest and sighed, "B-Bakura…! It's you!"

"Well, look at that. You're not dead."

"I… Well, no I'm not." The old man mumbled something, obviously saddened that Bakura didn't show much enthusiasm, "Bakura, do you know where Yami and Marik are? We have to grab them and get out of here, Shivers is planning to do something to Marik!"

He blinked, "Ya don't say? Well, the last I saw of them, they were arguing in this secret tunnel thing we found in Shivers' room. I was gonna try and get back into the motel by the front door."

"Oh, Shivers locked the front door, Bakura. He really doesn't want anyone interfering with his utilization of Marik. I was going to try and get into that little building over there and see if there's a key or something." Grandpa pointed to what looked like a large gardening shed about fifty feet away. "It might be our only chance to get in and save Marik!"

"Yeah, okay, I'm game." Bakura shrugged, beginning to walk with the old man. "By the way, if you weren't dead, where were you?"

"Oh, I was using the bathroom. I fell asleep."

Bakura blinked, taking that in for a second, "… Oh YEAH! Ha ha ha! Marik now owes me exactly one Malik."

He smiled maliciously and cackled. Grandpa then took this time to wonder just what those boys did when he wasn't around.