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Summary: Ryou decides it is time for his yami to learn household appliances and other modern day technology. But when an accident happens, Yami Bakura, Marik, and Malik start to de-age. What could happen now?
;......... Yami thinking
/........./ Hikari thinking
'.........' Normal thought
"........." Normal speech
(A/N:.........) Author's Note
Chapter Three
The next morning, Yami Bakura groaned as he felt Ryou stand and begin to get ready for school.
"Hush, yami. Go back to sleep." Ryou admonished the Tomb Robber. After all, did he have to go to school?
"That's not why I'm upset." Yami Bakura said, throwing an arm over his eyes from where he was laying on the big bed owned by Yugi's grandfather.
"Then why?" Ryou asked absently, putting his books into his backpack.
"Because I'm stuck with the pharaoh until we go over to Isis's." Yami Bakura whined, completely different from his normal self.
"I'm sure you'll live. Now, if you're awake, go downstairs and eat breakfast. You have a physical body, as I constantly remind you, and you need to eat." Ryou walked out into the hall where Yugi was waiting, already ready, and they left for school.
Yami Bakura muttered to himself as he rolled out of bed and dressed.
Stalking downstairs, he was relieved to find out the bottom half of the house was empty. The pharaoh was still asleep.
Wondering what he could have for breakfast, Yami Bakura searched the kitchen.
"Lucky Charms?" Yami Bakura muttered under his breath, reading the title.
(A/N: I do not own Lucky Charms!)
Shrugging, figuring it was breakfast food; he poured himself a bowl full and tried to figure out what to do next. Ryou ate this stuff for breakfast. What did he do after pouring it into a bowl?
Milk. That's right, he poured milk in then ate it with a spoon.
Grabbing a carton of milk out of the fridge, he was careful not to make a mess.
The Ra cursed pharaoh would get onto him for something like that.
Silently eating the sugary cereal, Yami Bakura reflected on the past day's events. They had left Isis's house after discussing what to do today. Joey, Tristan, and Duke would help watch them when they weren't in school.
Huh, watch them? Baby sit them was more like it. Yami Bakura growled and decided he wasn't hungry.
Dumping the bowl's contents down the drain, (including cereal), he stalked into the living room to find something to do.
The Kame Shop was closed due to Yugi's grandfather's absence, so he didn't have to worry about anyone barging in.
"You up already?"
'All right,' Yami Bakura amended, 'almost anyone.'
"What does it look like?" Yami Bakura asked nicely (for him.)
"Not a morning person, are you?" Yami asked casually, watching as the (now) twelve-year-old Tomb Robber withdrew his deck from his pocket and began flipping through it.
Yami watched with interest. He hadn't dueled anyone but Yugi for many weeks, and they knew each other's cards and strategies as well as if it was their own. (Which it basically was.)
"Want to duel?" Yami asked, and Yami Bakura glanced at him.
"No." He turned back and continued to flip through his cards.
"No?" Yami repeated, blinking.
"No." Yami Bakura said again, glaring at Yami.
"Can I ask why?" Yami asked, curious. Yami Bakura never turned down a challenge before.
"I don't feel like it." The other answered, eyes back on his cards.
"Oh." Yami shrugged; cast another curious glance at the Tomb Robber, before going into the kitchen to get himself some breakfast.
The phone rang, and Yami answered it.
Yami Bakura could hear his voice muttering in answer to whatever was asked, but he shrugged, not caring. Pocketing his cards, he rolled over on the couch until he was facing Yami as the other walked in.
"Come on, we're going over to Isis's now. The museum is open, so we will be with Rishid instead." Yami said coldly, gesturing for Yami Bakura to follow.
Glaring at the ex-pharaoh, Yami Bakura stood and sullenly followed.
(At Isis's house.)
Isis stood there, a look of resigned acceptance on her face. Rishid stood beside her, telling off a guilty looking Malik. Marik stood a bit away, smiling.
"What did they do now?" Yami Bakura asked with a grin.
"None of your business, 'Kura." Malik snapped, glaring at the other.
Yami Bakura grinned wider.
Yami went to talk to Isis, leaving the Tomb Robber to his own devices. His grin now positively sadistic, Yami Bakura slipped off. Marik saw him go, grinned as well, and followed.
Malik glanced at them, but Rishid was still telling him off so he couldn't follow.
Marik followed closely behind the Tomb Robber, up the stairs and into Malik's bedroom.
Digging through his dresser, then his closet, the Tomb Robber growled in frustration.
"Where's the Rod?" He asked Marik, gesturing around the room.
Marik grinned. "I already took it and hid it, after smashing one of Isis's vases. Rishid thought Malik did it, which is why he's getting in trouble." The two grinned and snickered. Sure, Malik was a friend to both, (and the hikari of Marik), but that didn't stop them from having a bit of 'fun'.
"Marik! Bakura! Where are you?" Isis called, and there was a distinct mutter that they recognized as Yami, but couldn't hear the words.
The two went down the stairs and slowly and quietly approached the group.
"No, I'm sure they're not stealing something." Isis assured Yami, in answer to whatever he had remarked upon. "Living with Malik and Marik has given me the wisdom to hide my things as well as put them under lock and key."
Marik snorted at that, revealing their presence. Malik gave Marik a dirty look, before stalking to the couch in the living room and plopping down, pouting.
Snickering to himself, Marik went to go harass his light some more. Yami Bakura followed out of amusement opportunities.
"Are you sure you two will be alright with them?" Isis asked Yami and Rishid, as Marik and Malik began fighting.
"I'm sure we can handle it." Yami said, but resentment colored every word.
"I would help, but I don't think it would be a good idea for those three to be there as they are right now." Isis frowned. "I don't like them there when they're normal."
Yami smiled. "We'll watch them, don't worry. We'll be fine." Yami grinned at Isis. "We could always tie them up and leave them in a closet until school is out."
Isis smiled back slightly, before waving good-bye to her brother(s) and leaving.
Leaving Yami and Rishid with the three de-aged kids.
Who were promptly in the middle of a fight.
"O' Ra, why me?" Yami muttered to himself.
(A/N: Get used to that, lots of people are going to say it.)
Marik giggled, a sight that lifted Yami's eyebrows, and tackled Malik to the ground as the other tried to force the Millennium Rod's location out of Yami Bakura.
"What? Hey!" Malik and his yami began trying to pin each other to the floor.
"Alright, that's enough." Yami said, and, like before, the two separated and stood apart from each other.
Yami Bakura laughed at their expressions, pulling the Millennium Rod out from wherever it was hidden. Marik's eyes widened, he had not realized Yami Bakura knew where he had hidden the Rod.
"I knew you had it!" Malik cried, pointing an accusing finger at Yami Bakura.
At the same time, Marik sputtered out his response.
"Where did you.........how did you figure out where I hid it?" He said indignantly. Then his eyes widened again when he realized what he had said.
Malik snapped his gaze over at his yami, who blinked and whistled innocently. Growling, the only mortal of the three threw himself at Marik, who dodged.
Both forgot about Yami Bakura with the Millennium Rod.
Snickering to himself, the twelve-year old slipped off.
Or he began too.
"Where do you think you are going, Master Bakura?" Rishid asked, the tall man holding the back of Yami Bakura's shirt at the collar.
"Ah, lemme go!" He snarled, sounding like his new age more than ever. He glared at Rishid, but the older man smiled slightly in a bemused sort of way, taking the Rod out of the thief's hands.
"You're no fun." Yami Bakura muttered, before two people tackled him to the floor.
Marik and Malik grinned above him, and the Tomb Robber didn't like the look in their eyes.
Rishid held onto the Rod, for safe keeping against further attempts at stealing it, and talked calmly with Yami while the three twelve-year olds went all out.
Yami Bakura was slumped on the stairs, having succeeded so far in protecting 'his territory', which was the entire upstairs.
Marik had claimed the basement as his own, and Malik was left with the rest of the house.
Marik could strike at the stairs, but that left his base open to Malik's attack. Malik could hit any and everyone, and Yami Bakura was left with the same options as Marik.
Marik opted to ally himself (partly) with Malik, but not all the way, for he did not trust his light.
Yami Bakura stayed with the defensive, fending off anyone trying to go upstairs.
Rishid and Yami felt it was safer to remove all fragile objects to the living room, where they avoided the conflict and talked with each other, getting to know the other quite well.
Yami Bakura heard a muted sound, and half glanced out of his eye to see Malik trying to surprise him by staying near the heavy shadows by the wall. Deciding to let the 'amateur' try his best, Yami Bakura pretended he didn't see anything.
Malik suddenly rushed forwards. In order to 'conquer' someone else's 'territory', you had to over take them.
Meaning, if Malik gained the top of the stairs, he would now 'own' the upstairs rooms. Yami Bakura would be below him, and would have to fight to the top again.
Same with the basement, meaning there was always one person loose and drifting. Right now, it was Malik.
As Yami Bakura blocked Malik's attempts to get up the stairs, he saw Marik out of the corner of his eye leap the banister and vanish upstairs.
The Tomb Robber had lost his territory.
Malik went upstairs as well. They had obviously agreed on a full partnership.
Growling under his breath, Yami Bakura slipped down the stairs and went to plan his strategy on getting 'his' territory back. Revenge would be sweet.
Yami smiled at Rishid. Despite what he had thought of the man, what with pretending to be Malik and all, Rishid was actually a nice, humorous guy.
Then Bakura came walking through the living room, sneaking through the room.
"What are you doing?" Yami asked, a bit harshly.
Yami Bakura glared. He hid the object he had taken behind his back.
"What do you have?" Yami asked suspiciously.
"Nothing." The younger spirit answered, moving steadily towards the stairs.
"What do you have?" Yami repeated, starting to stand.
Yami Bakura sighed, and displayed what he held.
"Only a book." He answered. 'And some other things, but the baka pharaoh doesn't need to know that.' He thought to himself.
"Why do you have a book?" Yami asked, still mistrusting the Tomb Robber.
"To read." Yami Bakura said, as if speaking to an idiot. Yami sighed. This was only the second day. After tomorrow, the three would become nine.
If Yami Bakura was this much of a brat when he is twelve, how bad is he going to be at nine?
Yami Bakura, deciding he had answered enough questions and was free to go, slipped out of the room.
Once clear, he opened the book and searched for the thing he wanted. Smiling, he decided to retake his territory upstairs. But first he had to lure the two up there down here.
With a snicker and a barely contained cackle that would have given him away to those in the living room, he disappeared down in the basement.
(Upstairs, at the 'base'.)
Malik and Marik were preparing for any kind of retaliating attack from Yami Bakura. They were set, hidden against the walls on either side of where the stairs led onto the second floor. If anyone tried to get onto the second floor, he would be ambushed from either side.
"You do realize we are acting like twelve-year olds now?" Marik mumbled conversationally.
"Of course, but it's fun. Besides, I think it is understandable for US to behave this way, but you'd think 'Kura would have a bit more dignity." Malik replied, smiling. It was rather humorous to find the ruthless Tomb Robber, who had murdered countless people and stolen unimaginable treasures, to be playing such a childish game.
"What is he doing?" Marik wondered aloud, peeking around the wall to look down the stairs.
"I don't know. But, knowing him, it would probably be bad when he finishes planning." Malik answered, glancing down the stairs as well.
He suddenly smiled. "I have an idea. We need to go on the offensive. And I know how." He grinned, before vanishing downstairs.
(Back to the ones in the living room.)
"What do you think they are doing?" Yami wondered aloud. The house has been very quiet, which could be a bad sign.
"Ever hear of the 'calm before the storm', My Pharaoh?" Rishid asked, using Yami's old title respectfully. Isis did it as well, which is probably why Rishid knew about Yami's past.
"That doesn't sound good." Yami muttered.
At that moment, Malik slipped into the room and made his way to his dearest friend, Rishid.
Malik grinned. Rishid served him. He would do what Malik asked.
(In the basement.)
Yami Bakura grinned. He was ready. Knowing Malik and Marik, they wouldn't wait for long, and they couldn't possibly know about Yami Bakura's plan.
Smiling, he drew information from his ancient memory. There were some things that he learned in Ancient Egypt that could be useful right now.
He got a good ways through, but stopped. He was stuck. He needed some help.........who could he ask?
Ryou. Ryou would know.
;Ryou?
(At the school.)
Ryou was in the middle of science class when his yami spoke to him.
Ryou? the word was filled with hope and a certain sardonic edge.
His head snapped up and his eyes widened.
"Ryou? Are you okay?" The teacher asked. Ryou realized the entire class was looking at him.
"I'm feeling a bit sick. Can I go to the restroom?" Ryou lied, and he must have looked a bit pale (more so than usual), for the teacher sent Yugi with him to make sure he got there okay.
As they walked towards the restrooms, Yugi questioned Ryou.
"What is the matter?" He asked worriedly.
"Bakura." Ryou said. They reached the bathrooms, and Ryou stood before the mirror. "Give me a moment, I'm going to see what he wants."
/Yami?/ Ryou sent out. Normally he and Yami Bakura didn't normally talk this way.
Ryou! Yami Bakura sounded.........odd. Cheerful and yet sinister, which made an interesting combination.
/Do you need anything?/ Ryou asked hesitantly.
Yes. Oh, yes I do. Yami Bakura said, and his laugh echoed over their bond.
Malik and Marik crept down the hallway to the basement. They had left Rishid and Yami on the stairs with orders to not let Yami Bakura by. The two had agreed with amusement.
"I wonder what this is all about?" Yami asked aloud, leaning back against the wall. (They were sitting at the top of the stairs.)
"I know. Master Malik and Isis and I played it when were younger." Rishid said.
Yami glanced at him. "Aren't you and Isis older than Malik?" He asked.
Rishid nodded. "As often as Master Malik got to play, we indulged him in this little game. He didn't often get to go outside, so we played indoors. It is good for him to have a real childhood. Even if it was brought about by unnatural events."
"Ah. So what is the basis of this game?" Yami asked, as he spotted Malik creeping below them.
"Basically, to claim and hold onto separate 'territories'. In this case, it would be the upstairs and the basement. I take it, from how they're acting, that the first floor is free range." Rishid said. "This game can get complicated. I wonder what Master Bakura is doing, while these two take over the house?"
"The Tomb Robber is probably up to something." Yami said.
/Yami?/ Yugi's thoughts came through their bond.
;Yes, hikari? Yami thought back. How odd of Yugi to talk to him during school.
/What is Bakura doing?/ Yugi thought, going straight to the point.
What? Why? Yami was curious now. Of all random things to ask.
/He's talking to Ryou, but he is sounding odd./ Yugi explained.
Oh. He's only playing a game with Marik and Malik. Yami thought back, relieved. He had thought it was something serious.
/Oh, okay. I'll tell Ryou. Thanks Yami./ Yugi closed his connection
"What was that about?" Rishid asked, having asked Yami if he was alright a number of times before noticing that he had that same far away look Malik and Marik got when they were talking through their bond.
"Yugi was wondering what Bakura was doing. I guess the Tomb Robber had said something to Ryou that startled him. I wonder what he had asked?" Yami said, but at that moment twin loud shouts interrupted him, and Marik and Malik came tearing out of the basement up the stairs.
"What is it?" Rishid asked as Malik climbed around him.
"Rishid! 'Kura is not playing fair!" Malik whined, hiding behind Rishid. Marik was right behind him, muttering about 'dirty play'.
"Why?" Yami asked with interest.
"He summoned the Man Eater Bug in the basement!"
(End Chapter.)
Thanks to all reviewers!
Kathleen: Chocolate chip! My favorite! Eyes the Yu Gi Oh crew, before sighing and handing them out. (Secretly makes sure Yami Bakura, Marik, and Malik get more than everyone else.) lol, thanks for your review.
Raphael Loser: lol, thanks for your review.
Namiko-Daughter of Sekhmet: I pity Isis too. Thanks for your review!
Winter Blaze: Thanks for your review!