Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh. There. You happy?

YGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGO

"He may not be your enemy, but I am," the young blonde informed them, smiling eerily. "My light has been in that hell since he was eight. If killing him is the only way to get him out, so be it." He clenched his fist and raised it in front of his face. "I'll destroy everything in the illusion that keeps him from me. Including the two of you."

Isis sighed. "Malik…"

"Don't try to argue. We've had this conversation before." He shook his head violently. "You actually take all that stuff with the Tombkeepers and the traditions in the fake world seriously. Just like your light does. Your light didn't help mine, why should I help you?"

"You took my help to get here. It's my money that paid for those plane tickets," Isis pointed out. She sighed and looked at Yami and Bakura. "I'm glad to meet you, and I'd be happy to ally with you. I won't tolerate Ishizu being killed, however." She touched the Item around her neck. "Our Item allows infallable visions of the future, except where other Items are involved. We will need your help. Win this tournament and prevent the future I see."

"What is this future?" Yami asked.

"Future." Bakura snorted. "The only future I care about is the one where our lights are with us. I'll help you, Malik."

"Don't you dare. I'll do it myself." He sneered. "But I'll make sure to destroy your light while I'm at it."

"Don't you see!" Isis slammed her fist down on the table. "The fantasy is what they want! As brutal as it seems, this is their dream! Malik, Bakura, Yami, can you really take that away from them? Don't you love them? Are you really selfish enough to deny them their happiness!"

"Hell yeah." Bakura nodded.

"I am not sure." Yami shook his head. "I want Yugi here, but not at the expense of his life there. What I want… what I want is some way for him to live in both worlds as I do, so we can know each other and he can still have his games."

Isis's eyes softened. "That, I would agree with you on."

"I want his fantasy destroyed. Sure, he has fun with his ghouls, they're fun toys to torment, but his fantasy involved him being tortured." Malik glared at Isis. "My Marik should never have been harmed. I killed his fake father, and I would have killed your light for letting it happen. I have two reasons to kill her now that I know destroying them frees them."

"Don't you dare!" Isis clutched the Item, her connection to her light.

Malik laughed. "Dare? Oh, I dare. You never scared me, Isis. There is a game coming up, one my light has planned. He'll destroy your light, Pharaoh. They you'll have him all safe and sound. Or will you destroy my light for me?" Malik grinned harshly. "I don't want that. I want that world destroyed, and when my light is gone from it that will limit my ability to do so."

"The key is the Items," Bakura interjected. "In the fake world, I am trying to claim them all. They hold power, power unimaginable. Power that created us. Surely they can do what we want them to, give us our lights."

"I will manipulate my light to ally with you, then." Malik nodded. "That gives you the Rod, and soon the Torc and Puzzle."

"I already have the Eye." Bakura grinned. "After this, we'll just need the Ankh and Scales."

"Shadi possesses those." Yami shook his head. "He will be a difficult opponent for you." His eyes narrowed. "But not as difficult as me. Gathering the Items: yes, I will help you with that. Killing my light, however, I will not allow."

"Nor will I." Isis shook her head. "I'm fine with her not knowing me as long as she gets what she wants. Free your lights from their hearts' desires if you must, but leave Ishizu in her own world."

"Her own little fantasy world where she's a director of artifacts instead of a struggling student. You've built up a good little nest egg with your fortunes, not-my-sister." Malik sneered. "Don't you want her to have that wealth you've amassed? What use is it if you don't have her to enjoy it with? Massages and beaches under the stars instead of paperwork and sandy dig sites. Enlightened America instead of having to be completely covered all the time."

"It's what she wants." Isis bowed her head.

"And you don't think she'd want you if she had the option?" Bakura leered. "Just like a woman, underestimating yourself and being all weepy and sentimental. You'll be thanking the two of us when you've got her in your mind."

Isis glared. "We'll see whose light wins this tournament."

"We're all going to be involved, aren't we?" Malik grinned. "We or our lights all have almost enough cards. My servant, the blowhard, the Pharaoh's little pet and the blonde. No real competition. I wonder who my light will toy with first?"

Isis stood. "I've heard enough. I must support my light, mediate to aid her."

"I am in another duel, I must go as well." Yami stood. "This needs my concentration."

"I'll head your way, then." Bakura grinned. "Ah, found him. Your light is a pretty little thing, isn't he? I can see why you're so eager."

That night they watched from their homes or hotel rooms, Malik staying at Bakura's.

Malik made good his promise to destroy Ryou, but Bakura kept control of the Ring. The Item's script allowed Maric to save his sister and Rishid. Shadi appeared to Yami, whose eyes were drawn to the Items. Only two to go.

Ryou's eyes were full of fear as Bakura grabbed him in what was now their soul room. Whispers and pettings were not enough to calm him. Bakura wasn't a very calming person. He cursed the Items for poisoning his light's mind against him.

Isis wept for her light's defeat and wished she could comfort her. Her pain at her brother losing his body was great.

Malik cursed. Why had Maric remained in the Ring instead of dying! He cursed Bakura and held the Ring in the illusion world.

Yami did his best to comfort Yugi as Yugi tried to comfort him. He felt it was all his fault, Ryou dying and Malik, as far as he knew, being destroyed as well. If only he had managed to prevent it or talk Bakura and Malik out of their plans…

They met again the next day as the final duel began. Yami did not care about Joey, he was simply a figment, and he rather disliked Jounouchi.

He and Malik leaned back in their chairs, Bakura and Isis watching and cheering on their allies.

Yami did not know what he wanted. He hated to lose, but if he did… watching Bakura made him want his light even more, just as seeing Crawford with Pegasus had. Yugi loved him. Surely he would be more accepting? Surely they would be happy together, even if this world was cruel reality instead of Yugi's dream?

He dueled for Yugi. Yugi wanted to win. Yugi wanted to save Maric.

Yami couldn't tell him perhaps it was best if both of them simply faded away.

But in the end, Maric was the one who faded away. Yami opened his eyes, expecting it to be no more than one of Bakura's many defeats, but he opened them to see Malik's face pale.

He looked like he was in shock, fingers clenching and unclenching around the now-visible Rod. "No…"

Bakura's eyes widened. "He rejected you. I know it hurts, but…"

"I can't feel him."

"What!" The three of them shouted. "You're not serious!"

"I can't!" Malik banged the Rod against the table. "I can't! Work, you damn thing! Work!"

Yami, in the fantasy, had a relieved Maric hand him the Ring and Rod. He searched his eyes, but there was none of the darkness in the corner that was the sign of a Yami. "Maric is still alive."

"What does this mean? If we are rejected, we lose contact? But Ryou rejected me tons of times! This can't be happening!" Bakura was getting angry on behalf of his ally. "Give me the Rod! I'll collect them all and make them give you Maric back! Even though I've already got Ryou! I'll go back into that world with their power and win them all both here and there! Give those two to me, Yami."

"I'm afraid there's a problem with that." In the fantasy world, Yami found himself urging the rod upon Kaiba, just as the Rod disappeared from Malik's hands.

"What!" Malik shouted, hands clenching on empty air. He started to look around. "Where is it!"

"My guess," Yami said thoughtfully. "Is with another of our classmates. Seto-kun. The Items just made me give the Rod to Kaiba, who is his equivalent. I think a new Yami has been born."

"Ally or enemy?" Bakura's eyes narrowed. Gripping the ring, he activated it and watched the pointers swivel in what must be Seto's direction. "I'll find him. Kaiba won't be that hard to beat. And I've still got a body in that realm. Defeating you brought Ryou back to life."

"So you've got the best of both worlds." Malik glared. "Your light can be happy and you can be happy."

Bakura grinned. "Pharaoh? I don't envy you anymore."

"What does this mean for me?" Isis touched the Torc. "My light gave it away, yet I still feel her. Yet we are… distant. We never spoke, but I know she could feel me, feel my reassurance and love. Now I am distraught but there is no blot upon her triumph."

Yami gripped the Torc in the other world as Kaiba flounced off. "I doubt your light would take it back."

Isis shook her head. "No. This is part of her destiny. She has won, she has her brother. I am content."

"I will kill you," Malik said calmly.

"I wonder if my spirit would join her if that happened?" Isis mused. "I just might let you, brother dearest." She touched the Torc. "You have no Item now, nor does your light. I can see your future." She sighed. "It is not happy."

Malik growled.

"Don't worry, brother. I am sure the Pharaoh and the Thief will change it somehow." Isis took the Torc from around her neck. "I give you this, for my brother's sake."

Bakura took it. "What about your fortunetelling racket?"

Isis laughed. "I have enough experience that the Torc merely confirms my guesses, with most clients. Have no fear."

"Maybe I won't kill you." Malik was visibly struggling to regain his self-control. "We're still working together, Thief."

"Sounds good to me. Your sister'll finance you, Pharaoh here finances me, and we'll see what else we can find out." He tossed the Torc. "Ring, Eye, Torc, Puzzle, and soon Rod. Only two left, as soon as we can track down the real-life Shadi."

"I think he will find us." Yami looked thoughtful.

"What? Nevermind. You never make any sense." Bakura stood. "Now excuse me, I need to get back home and lie down. I've still got a light to make quit screaming and be seduced." He grinned. "A few more days, and I'm going to get lucky. But then, I make my own luck."

Yami headed home as well. The events that day had both cheered and frightened. Yugi was his friend: surely what had happened to Malik would not happen to him. Soon he might be in Bakura's position. Perhaps they might even make love before Yugi joined him in the real world.

Of the four Item-holders he knew, Bakura and Crawford had their lights, Malik and somewhat Isis had lost theirs. Fifty-fifty chance.

He was a game master, but with something this important, he didn't like those odds.

Seto didn't come to school the next day. Neither did Bakura.