Okay, since you guys seem to like fast updates, I'm starting this one the same day I submit that last one. This is, indeed, the chapter where Seto-kun comes in. Now, on with the fanfiction!

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Eugi yawned, covering his mouth and leaning against the wall of his room. He hadn't been able to sleep much lately, and he'd been having many nightmares where he'd kill someone and take of their helmet to find it was Gionoci, Riou or Iami. He'd just woken up from such a dream, and wiped the sweat from his forehead off on the back of his head. Perspiration clung to the back of his neck, and he felt uncomfortably warm. It was still cool outside, and the sun wouldn't rise for a good hour at least.

He pulled on a thin tunic, and wandered out into the hallway. He tread quietly so as not to wake anyone up, afraid of the scolding it could bring from Bacura. Eugi roamed out into the courtyard, his bare feet enjoying the sensation of the dew-covered grass tickling at his heels. It was a nice feeling compared to the ground at the arena, soft and relaxing as opposed to the nervous shifting of sand between his toes. Suddenly, he heard a pair of voices from Bacura's quarters, a building just in front of the school with an open veranda surrounded by columns. The conversation floated down to Eugi's ears, and he froze, listening.

"I don't care what you think. I could have left this damned 'profession' months ago. You think I slaughter people because I enjoy it?"

"I know you don't enjoy it- I never said you did. That's not the point. I'm just trying to make a living."

"So then you've put the past behind you? You don't want revenge for everything he did to you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. You may have had a rough life as a pretty little slave boy, but I did just fine on my own. I can take care of myself."

"Don't lie to me. I heard your cries at night. If you keep running from everything you're afraid of-"

"I'm not afraid!"

"Then why are you still running?"

"Shut the hell up! You don't know anything about me! You were a spoiled little brat- you deserved what you got!"

"And you didn't?"

"Shut the fuck up!"

"Doesn't it matter to you at all that we went through the same thing? We can get revenge!"

"Flocci non facio! Tu pestis es! Abi!"

"Sed tu caudex es! Tu eum timebas!"

"Non! Abi!"

"Mendax es! Tu eras perterritus! Ego eram perterritus!"

"Abi!"

"Nos eramus perterriti. But we don't have to be afraid any more. We can do to him everything he did to us. We can show him how much fear and pain he-"

"Enough!" Eugi knew now that it was Bacura and Iami that were arguing, although he only just guessed at what they were arguing about. Bacura's face was red by now, and he looked ready to punch Iami in the face. "This isn't even what we started this conversation about! Get out of my house, get off my porch, and get out of my face! I'm sick of you thinking you can tell me what I want. I am the one in power here! Things have changed, Iami! I'm the master, you the slave! Now begone before I lose my temper!"

Eugi decided now would be the time to make himself scarce, and ducked back into the building from which he'd emerged. Iami passed by, too annoyed to pay heed to his surroundings, and for a moment Eugi considered following him to make sure he'd be okay. Then he decided against it, and tiptoed back to his room. It wouldn't be much, but a little extra rest couldn't hurt.

"Get up!" Bacura shouted, throwing a wooden chalice at the wall above Eugi's head. The young man awoke with a start, nodding sleepily and rolling out of bed. Bacura was in poor temper, and he wasn't going to hide it. "Get some food to eat and get in the cart with the other two! We're going to pay the senator a visit, so stir those weak little things you call legs and get moving!!" He roared, leaving with an impatient air about the swirl of his toga.

Eugi frowned, trying to take in everything Bacura had said. The senator? Why were they… what? He stumbled out of his room, rubbing his eyes. On a second thought, he stuck his head back in his room and grabbed his nicer tunic, pulling it on over his head as he walked down the hall. He ran to the kitchen where a slave was waiting for him with a small loaf of bread, the normal breakfast for any Roman. He grabbed it with a nod and head out for the front of the school where the stables were.

Bacura glared at him from atop his handsome black horse, nodding his head at the cart where two other gladiators sat. Eugi hopped into the back, noticing that his trident and other equipment were already there. Bacura snorted and turned, shouting and setting off at a quick pace. The man driving the cart-horse cracked his whip, and with a jolt they were off as well.

Eugi turned to the man nearest him, who turned out to be Diodorus.

"What's going on? I heard something about the senator?" Eugi queried, trying to understand what was occurring. Diodorus nodded.

"The senator paid Bacura to bring three of his gladiators up to his house. He's having a huge party or something- a lot of important people are going to be there. So we're the 'entertainment.'" Eugi nodded, deciding against showing his disgust. The other gladiator, a man Eugi didn't recognise, nodded in concurrence.

"I hear rumours the Emperor is going to be there! The senator asked for each of us by name, so I'm told. He's obviously trying to impress someone really important- who else could it be but the Emperor himself?" Eugi frowned.

"The senator asked for me by name?"

"He must have. There's no way you'd have just been randomly selected." Eugi nodded, glancing at his trident nervously as it clattered against the cart's floor.

Senator Thrasymachus leaned back in his chair and lifted his gold-rimmed goblet to the sky, nearly sloshing wine over its edge.

"Now let us drink and feast in the name of the great Emperor Kaiba himself!" There was a cry of the name throughout the room, and then silence as everyone took a hearty swig of their wine.

That very man sat smugly beside his plump host, taking a sip from his own much finer chalice and setting it down. Power. He could feel everyone watching him out of the corners of their eyes- he was the one they respected, knew, and perhaps even feared. The people of Rome, no, of all his empire loved him. If they didn't, they were killed as criminals. It was simple enough.

"May the gods bless your fortune and household," He replied automatically, the courteous response to a feast in his name. They were mere words, but from him they were mountains of praise. They all worshipped him as a Caesar, no, as a God. A smirk appeared on his clean-shaven face, his jewel-encrusted fingers brushing through his hair absentmindedly, watching his underlings practically inhale the fine food set out before them.

He leaned over to the senator, bored already of the mindless vigour with which they all showed food in their mouths, laughing and talking as they did so.

"When, good senator, does the entertainment arrive?" A bead of sweat appeared on the portly man's face, and he glanced at the doorways.

"Any moment now, my Emperor. I spared no expense for your amusement, and have called out the uprising students at the-"

"Yes, yes," he interrupted, waving his hand in dismissal. "No need to babble. I was just wondering." Suddenly a slave scurried up to Thrasymachus, whispering something in his ear.

"Ah good," he replied, shaking his head, making his many chins wobble. "Send them in. Get a trumpeter or something for a big entrance, you know, whatever." He picked up a roasted leg of peacock, biting into the tender meat and swallowing half of it in one chomp.

Once he'd stuffed the rest of it down his gullet, he rubbed his greasy hands in the slave's hair, and then slapped his back. "Get on with it!" The slave scuttled off to do as he was told, ruing his mother for birthing him into a life of slavery.

Bacura looked up when the door opened, the servant coming back from announcing their arrival. The other men were in the process of putting their armour on, although Eugi was prepared much earlier than they, because of what little he had to put on. He noticed that his net hadn't been brought, nor the others' shields. He wondered where they'd be fighting- this was just a huge villa, and he didn't see any indoor arena of any sort.

"Master is ready for you. Please, come in at once; Master Bacura, I am told to trust you'll know what to do." Bacura nodded, digging through his pockets and placing a coin in the slave's hand.

"Indeed. For your troubles." The slave nodded, smiling.

"Dominus est liberus." Bacura shook his head, frowning.

"No, I'm not. I just don't like your master, nor do I like the way he treats people below him. Don't misjudge me." He spat, and the servant's smile disappeared with a solemn nod. Eugi shot a glare at Bacura's back. Even when he was doing something nice, he was cold and cruel.

The slave disappeared into the other room, and Bacura took charge. Once everyone was dressed in minimal armour, he told the three to follow him in single file. He turned to each of them and looked at them meaningfully.

"Now remember, if the Emperor talks to you, you have to answer him. Don't meet his gaze, and don't turn your back to him. Don't hail the host before you fight- he's not paying you to talk. Just fight when I tell you to, and stop when I tell you to."

"Yes sir." Diodorus snorted sarcastically, and Bacura swiftly slapped him upside the head.

"An attitude like that to the Emperor would've gotten you killed. Be glad I'm only a school-master, and watch your tongue in the future, lest I cut it out of your mouth. Now, we've stalled enough. Come on." With that he turned and strode out the door, the gladiators following closely behind.

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To add a bit of mystery to the story, I'm not going to translate the argument.

Dominus est liberus – master (Bacura) is generous

Well, I was going to have the battle-ness in this chapter, but I'm not feeling especially inspired to write a battle scene at the moment, so I'll just submit it as this. Hope you guys like it, and yes, I've been trying to update more frequently. Anything you'd like to see happen, let me know and I'll consider it. The plot is still just in basic outline stage, so I have plenty of wiggle room XD