Disclaimer: I don't, never have, never will, own YuGiOh. But I do own this setting and the species. So yeah, don't steal, k? Thanks. Oh, and watch out for language; there are a couple strong words.

Reviews were much better last chapter.

Thanks guys.

Sorry this is so later, I put it high up on my 'to update' list when I got more reviews then I ever have before but writers block set in so…yeah.

I churned it out as soon as I could!

Again, if you review, I'll send you a free preview summary of the next chapter!

Italics mean thoughts

arrows mean mind speech between Yugi, Malik, and Ryou

Bold means….other stuff.

Confined Anomalies: Chapter 7

The Result

-------------------------

A low thump filtered into Yami's sleeping mind, drawing him into wakefulness.

What the…

A crash followed by a mute yell from behind the closed bedroom door prompted him to open his eyes and blink in confusion, too tired to be annoyed.

What is Bakura doing? The wards I put on my walls should be more then enough to drown out his usual cacophony. Unless he's using magic…but he wouldn't do that without clearance.

An explosion shook the walls and dust drifted down on the half asleep human's head from the ceiling. He pushed himself into a sitting position, finally fully awake.

"Is he trying to get us evicted or something?"

He stood up quickly and held out against the next shock wave, growing more confused when it passed.

"How did he suddenly get enough magical power to make an explosion that big? His level is low and rarely usable for extreme offensive spells, so what…?"

The young man paused, considering who could possibly be using such magic and his mind wandered to the burnt marks on the living room walls that had been left by the burglar.

He started, eyes widening.

The burglar! Is he here? Did my plan work?

Hastily, he threw on some presentable clothes and opened the bedroom door, gaining full access to the noise of the others once he'd exited completely and come free of the magical protection.

Damn wards kept the sound out! How long has this been going on? And when did Marik get involved?

Making his way down the hallway, he stopped before turning the corner. When he did, the room would be visible but so would he.

Alright, I'd better be cautious. I have no idea what the situation is and barging in without a clue won't help anyone. I'll stay here and listen for a few minutes just to play it safe then take action. He sidled as close as he could to the corner but did not peek around out of fear of an enemy catching sight of his rather colorful hair.

Dammit, I can't hear anything! They're muttering too low. How many people are in there? Bakura had watch and I heard Marik's voice. There was also at least one person causing the explosions…

Wait, what's that?

>Guys, what should I do? Guys?>

A small winged figure crouched on the cold linoleum floor, desperately calling for his friends but knowing they could not answer.

He could see both of them from where he stood; they had been captured while in human form and Ryou's owner was making dangerous connections between the 'burglars' and the 'fairies'.

Not good, not good. What do I do?

A cry of pain made him flinch and cringe.

>R-Ryou?>

Lingering discomfort was all that communicated. What had happened? He could see both of them and neither Ryou nor his owner had moved. Was he hurt?

>Malik?>

Anger and worry filtered across. Anger at the humans, worry for both Yugi and Ryou.

I need to help them. I can't just stand here! But fireballs aren't controlled enough and they cause lots of damage to everyone. So that leaves…An image of white fire came to his head, magic in its purest form. I guess it's my only option but the others had better hurry and get away. I won't be able to keep up that power level for long, especially after being in that jar and transforming earlier.

Resolved, he moved further back into the kitchen and focused on changing into his larger form.

Well, he inhaled deeply as shimmering, dancing flames began to flicker along his arms, collecting into a single pulsing white glow in front of his chest.

Here goes nothing.

He stepped through the doorway, power emanating from his body in tangible waves.

Ryou understood Yugi's intentions the second he felt raw power crackling to life in the other room. He made eye contact with Malik to make sure he knew as well.

"Answer me dammit!"

A sharp twist of his wrist drew another cry of pain. His owner was understandably angry at his refusal to cooperate.

But he wouldn't say anything without consulting the others first and he didn't want to do that with the humans listening. He stared back defiantly, remaining silent.

"Kura…"

"What?"

"There's…something in there."

"What?" the human glared at Marik in confusion, then swiveled quickly, almost violently, towards the kitchen just as a small, glowing figure stepped out into the room.

"Yugi, be careful." He didn't take his eyes off the newcomer to look at his captive. The time he'd need to read the boy's eyes and interpret the statement would put him at a disadvantage.

"I know what I'm doing."

"It's Yami's mini-me!"

To the humans' surprise, the small youth giggled quietly at Marik.

"I guess I look like it, don't I?" His amusement changed to determination and concern.

"Ryou, Malik, are you guys alright?"

"I'm fine."

"Mph." the gag muffled Malik's affirmation but he looked alright.

"Let them go." Yugi's gaze transferred to Bakura and Marik.

The pale haired human snickered and didn't move while his partner tilted his head and smirked slightly.

"Please, I don't want to hurt you."

"YOU? Hurt US?" both of them laughed.

Resignation tinged Yugi's tone when he responded." You won't do it?"

Bakura chuckled and stood up, pulling his look a like up with him by the wrists. The worried expression on Yugi's face intensified, but he didn't move, not even when Ryou whimpered softly.

"No, but I have another proposition for you."

Yugi blinked and cocked his head, ready to listen.

"If you come here right now and let me tie you up, I won't hurt your little pal any more then I already have."

"B-but-."

"Yugi, calm down." Ryou spoke calmly, if a little fearfully, from Bakura's grasp, drawing a strange look from his captor. "I'm alright."

Yugi smiled timidly but with worry, glancing back at Malik who had remained silent.

"Let them go or-or…" he returned to the humans.

Bakura grinned mockingly and drew Ryou closer, pinning him against his chest with surprising gentleness. He was surprised when the boy neither resisted nor protested.

"Or I'll blast you."

"Blast me?" he tangled on hand in Ryou's hair, conscious that Yami's pet thought he was hurting his captive.

"Please."

"Hm?"

He looked down into worried chocolate eyes. "He really can hurt you and will if you don't let us go." Despite his words, he did not try to pull away.

Bakura raised and eyebrow and chuckled quietly so none of the others could hear, releasing the hand in the boy's hair and stroking the snowy tresses lightly before moving it down the slim neck to tighten perceptively. The grip wasn't hard, but it did startle Ryou into struggling, leaving an opening to move the other hand around his waist. Bakura spun him around the face the room, maintaining a firm grip on his neck and waist (imprisoning the boy's arms against his hips in the process).

"I don't think so." The whisper, close enough for warm air to stir beside his ear, made Ryou jump and tremble but he still did not fight.

"RYOU!" Yugi yelped and drew back his hands, allowing the compressed magic to surge to a point. Two points actually, one aimed at each member of the human duo.

Then he let it go.

"Yugi, be careful!"

Bright light filled the room, painful in its intensity.

Then there was nothing.

Yami remained behind the wall during the confrontation, making sure to stay quiet. Halfway through, when the third burglar emerged from the kitchen, he dared to sneak a quick peek. At the sight of the captives and their resemblance to the creatures that had disappeared shortly before the vandalism, he'd jumped to the most logical conclusion.

So, the fairies are magical after all. This certainly makes sense; now I understand how the two went missing and how they managed to get past our security system. But what about mine? Was he the third figure? There was so much light…

"It's Yami's mini-me!" Marik's comment made him stop dead. It is him? He's okay? A surge of relief mixed with hurt and uncertainty. Did he try to escape? Was he just using me to get his freedom?

Judging from the rising level of magic, his creature, he hadn't caught the name, was emitting, something was going to happen soon. Something not good.

Silently, he crept back down the hallway to Marik's room to find the tools he'd need to rectify the situation.

When he took up his vigil again, he held several magic inhibiting nets, a magic concentrator, and a form device. Hopefully it would be enough.

But he'd need to choose his moment of action carefully.

Then bright white light exploded from the doorway.

Bakura had pushed too far.

And it was time to act.

Today had not been good to Malik and tonight had been even worse.

The nightmare that had been Ryou's capture turned quickly into his own captivity. By the psycho no less!

But that didn't matter anymore.

"Yugi!" Ryou's cry was mirrored by his own as soon as he pulled the gag off.

"Yugi, oh no. Please be okay." He knelt next to Ryou over their friend's inert body. "Is he alright?"

"I-I think so. Just unconscious. He used up too much energy in knocking our owners out."

"Is there any way to help him?"

"I don't- well, maybe if we give him some of our energy."

"Let's do it."

"I don't think so." A vaguely familiar voice from the doorway behind startled the friends but before they could move, something heavy fell over each of them, confining and separating the beings from each other.

"Ah!"

"What? Ow!"

"Gerroff!"

Malik struggled, twisting around to escape the fibrous material. This feels familiar. Almost like that…oh CRAP! Like the butterfly net!

He froze but it was too late, he was hopelessly ensnared.

"Ryou! Don't struggle!"

"What! Why?"

"Because if you do you'll become hopelessly tangled up." That strange, emotionless voice again. Both boys fell silent and looked up at their new captor. It was Yugi's owner.

"Aren't you supposed to be asleep?"

Yami's lips twitched as he looked at the human like creature that resembled Marik but didn't respond.

Instead, he grabbed the ends of the inhibitor net and pulled, dragging it a few feet away from its friends.

"Ow! Hey!"

"Malik, are you okay?"

"Yeah, just…ugh…uh…uh-oh…"

What?

About to drag Bakura's pet away, Yami swiveled back at the pained sound. What the…

The youth was shrinking, glowing golden wings growing out of his back as he got smaller. When he'd reached his fairy size, the glow faded to reveal the tawny hawk wings Yami was familiar with.

Incredulous, he fished the tiny creature out of the net and held it up to the light, easily restraining its struggles.

"Leave him alone!"

Oh yes, the other one.

Still holding Malik, Yami stroke over to where Ryou lay entangled in the other net.

"What happened?"

"Let him go!"

"I don't think so." The human stood up and took a step back. "Individually, you are more powerful then any creatures I've ever heard of, mythical or otherwise. And I've heard of a lot. I'm sorry," his voice softened slightly as he alternated his gaze between Ryou and Malik, "but you're not going anywhere."

"Just…please don't hurt him."

Yami look at the tiny captive then at Ryou. "I won't hurt anyone or anything without reason or provocation."

When the prone creature opened his mouth to respond, a familiar sensation washed over him. It was not the warmth usually felt in changing size, it was a feeling of being…wrong. All of a sudden his body felt too big and too small, itchy and just….wrong. As a natural defense he began to grow smaller, just like Malik had.

Yami watched, not as surprised as he had been the first time but still fascinated. When the process was over, he freed Ryou and picked him up gently.

"Now to get the two of you somewhere secure where you won't be able to cause any more trouble."

He noticed their shared glance but ignored it. He needed to get them put away before his own pet woke up.

"So where should I put you? We didn't stop for that cage today like I planned …I suppose I could put you in a garbage bin like Marik did…no, you managed to escape. A box then?" He gave a definitive nod. "But just for now. Tomorrow we'll discuss what exactly should be done with the three of you."

Ignoring the squeaking from his captives, he pulled a large, empty plastic storage box out of the closet and set the two inside; covering the top with the net Ryou had been recaptured in. The mesh was small enough to keep them inside but large enough to let air in.

"I'll try to come up with something better later. First I need to deal with my companions and your powerful little friend.

Ignoring the tiny worried sounds now coming from the box (apparently they were unable to talk when small), Yami returned to the living room to find everything as he'd left it.

With no small amount of effort, he hefted the larger men to their beds and left them to regain consciousness on their own. Both were in magic induced comas but the blast was fairly uncontrolled so most of the energy hit the walls rather then the targets. They would be fine when they woke up.

Finally, his fairy was all there was left to deal with.

With great care, much more then he had used for Bakura and Marik, he lifted the boy and placed him on the couch, wrapping one inhibiting net around his arms and chest and another around his ankles to keep him immobile and helpless upon awakening. He felt a little guilty but there was no telling how the creature would react and he did not want to be on the point blank receiving end of a blast like the previous one.

After double checking the bindings, he sat back to wait.

"Unnnnhhh…"

Yugi groaned, trying to wrap his wings around his body to close off the bright light.

But his wings weren't there.

Blearily, and not without protest, violet eyes opened slowly only to come face to face with a very familiar crimson gaze.

But the eyes were much too small to belong to his owner, right?

Wait….no wings, really tired, he's much smaller…what happened? Last…OH. Uh-oh.

The memory of the night before jolted him wide awake instantly.

A quick glance revealed the now empty room and lingering traces of magic on the walls as well as the fact that his limbs were bound tightly enough to restrict him without causing pain. His friends were nowhere in sight. As the seriousness of his situation sunk in, he began to tremble.

"Little one, I think we need to talk."

Yugi swallowed nervously but nodded in acceptance.

"Good." Yami's eyes were soft as he moved closer to look Yugi directly in the eyes.

"What did you do to my companions? They're still unconscious and it's been several hours."

"I-I don't k-know. I was j-just scared and a-angry. H-he was hurting R-Ryou. I let go o-of the power and it h-hit them. I t-think they'll be o-okay."

"You don't know how long they will be out?"

Yugi shook his head. He honestly had no idea.

"Alright, that's okay. Now,"

"U-ummm…"

"Yes?"

"M-my f-friends. Are they…?" the question trailed off but the fear in Yugi's voice finished the question on its own.

"They're fine. Imprisoned in a temporary cage as you will be when you change back."

"How did you-?"

"Your clothes and magic, not to mention that I saw the two of them lose control over their forms and change."

"Oh."

Silence fell as they took a long moment to look each other over.

"Are you okay? You've been unconscious as long as my companions."

Yugi blushed faintly. "I-I'm fine. Just t-tired."

"Well, you put on quite the show last night."

The boy yawned and nodded, already half asleep for, despite his bout of unconsciousness, he was still exhausted. "He was hurting Ryou." The statement came out as a mumble just as the tingling of change began to suffuse his limbs.

"He wouldn't have actually hurt him."

But Yugi didn't hear Yami. He dropped off again and Yami was left with a small feathered creature yet again.

He smiled gently and shook his head, digging his pet out of the confining net.

"I'd better put you with your friends."

TBC?

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I like parts of this chapter but I think some of the phrases are awkward.

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