A/N: Thank you for your reviews! I really appreciate you guys reading my story. Like the title of this chapter suggests, time passed by after the last part of chapter 3. Now, Jonouchi is 17 and Bakura is 19 years old (heh heh). Please R&R.

Chapter 4: 10 Years Afterwards

"Damn it! Why do you always have to get caught!" Bakura growled as he continued to run. The topless Egyptian was wearing a reddish brown robe that fell to his ankles. A light brown belt was bound just above his waist and his pants fell down to his knees. On his face, under his right eye was a large scar that came to his cheek. A handcrafted pendant hung around his neck. The pendant was half a circle that looked as if it was broken off from another piece and in the middle was a glowing amethyst. He was also carrying two large, old books.

"Shut up! I was having an off-day, that's all," Jonouchi screamed back at his partner and friend. He was also topless, wearing a dark blue robe that only came to his knees. He was basically wearing what Bakura was, but a black belt instead of brown and he carried a bag full of stolen treasures on his back. Around his neck was a pendant, too, that seemed to be the other half of Bakura's. Instead of an amethyst, though, was a shining ruby in the middle. A long red headband was tied around his head, the remaining parts falling down to his back.

They had stolen valuables again, but this time, they had robbed a pharaoh's tomb. Bakura got through the traps as Jonouchi defeated the bodyguards in the tombs. Together, they were an unstoppable team. However, instead of just one person, they were being chased by a whole group of the pharaoh's guards. They looked extremely angry and were planning on tearing them apart limb from limb.

"Hey Bakura, you think you can outrun them, you slowpoke?" Jonouchi taunted the albino slyly. He knew that he could keep running all day, but he wasn't so sure about Bakura. Bakura, however, just smirked and turned his eyes to the blonde. "I'll race you."

"You're on!" The two of them stopped and got into their positions. The guards seeing this thought of it as their chance. The two teenagers, however, just ignored them and concentrated all their power into their feet. "On the count of three, k?" the blonde asked. "Right" was his answer he got. "One…two…THREE!" They zoomed off, leaving the guards in the dust. Both boys ran with all of their might, hoping to get in the lead and leave the other behind. Such was their speed that the desert sands flew off in every direction as they continued running at about 150 mph. They continued to race each other until their hideout got into view. Neck to neck, nose to nose, it looked as if it was going to be a tie. Then, Jonouchi sprinted ahead and slammed into the front wall of their home. Bakura followed one second afterwards.

"Damn…You're too fast…" Bakura wheezed out as he struggled to catch his breath. But he had to smile to himself as he watched Jonouchi do the same. At least he wasn't the only one who ran out of breath. "You're just too slow," Jonouchi replied smugly. He slowly made his way towards the inside to drop off his load. The albino rested outside for a while, regaining his breath first. He stared at the sand as the wind blew over their tracks, leaving no trace or clue on where their home was. Only a fool would venture out so much into the desert, even with preparation. But Jonouchi and Bakura had trained themselves to adapt to the harsh environment.

After his breathing became normal, the albino walked into the clay brick house. Jonouchi was sprawled out on a makeshift couch, his treasures tossed carelessly in a corner. He had taken off his robe, so he lay there with his chest going up and down slowly as he stared at Bakura. The albino took off his robe and went into another room. There, he laid it on top of a desk, put the books on top of it, and went back to sit down next to his best friend. "…so, I'm guessing you're satisfied with our loot today, eh Bakura?" Jonouchi questioned the albino as he played around with his pendant. "Ha, my grandmother could steal better than you can Jonouchi," retorted Bakura. But in his mind, he had to admit that he was happy with the day's hunt, for they actually stole something valuable.

"So, what are those books for? I never knew you read in your free time." Bakura rolled his eyes after hearing that remark come from his foolish friend. "They're spell books, you idiot! I stole them so I can learn some useful magic," he said menacingly, but the blonde ignored the threat in his voice. Slight interest in learning the magic sparked inside the hyperactive Jonouchi. "Cool! Hey, can I learn along with you? That would be so awesome, being able to cast spells!" Excitement was evident in his voice as his ruby eyes sparkled with delight. Bakura, on the other hand, just sneered at the thought of the hardheaded blonde learning something so complicated. "You'll probably take a long time to even get the simplest of spells," he taunted.

Jonouchi's face grew dark red as he glared daggers at Bakura. "I won't take a long time to learn it, Bakura! Watch me learn it faster than you, I always was faster than you at everything."

"That's physically, you moron! Mentally, I'm far superior to your tiny peanut sized "brain" that's in your head." Bakura started to raise his voice as anger began to take over his mind. There is no way he can talk to me like that, best friend of not.

"Well, excuse me for not being smart enough for you. Just because you can calculate all of our plans don't mean you can learn faster than me. I'll prove to you that I'm faster, you slowpoke!" With that, Jonouchi got up and grabbed one of the books and furiously read the inscribed lessons.

"You're on, Mr. Hotshot! We'll see who is or is not a slowpoke in the end!" Bakura grabbed the other book and sat on his bed in the other room. Both teens started muttering curses as they realized that the spells were too difficult for them to learn on their own. But their ego was too big for them to ask each other for help.

It turns out that both Jonouchi and Bakura struggled in learning the complicated spells. Neither of them gave up, not wanting to become the one who failed to learn what the other did. So for about 3 months, Jonouchi and Bakura practiced what they learned in secret from each other. Being preoccupied by the lessons, the two thieves hardly went out except to get food and water. The people in Egypt started to wonder what happened to them because the normal chase between the thieves and the owners of the treasures was interesting to see. Also because most of the time, Jonouchi would go visit the less fortunate and hand out the treasures to the needy.

So things stayed quiet for a while in Egypt. However, unrest among the people foreshadowed the coming of doom in all Egypt. It would be only a matter of time before darkness would cover the dry lands, bringing demons and creatures of hell with it. Dark times lay ahead for the people of Egypt and the Pharaoh. Only fate would tell who would save the world from succumbing to the darkness forever.

TBC