So I gather from my 23 or so reviews that all you guys really hated this fic. Maybe I should give up and stop writing it. You know, put its out of it misery before it causes anymore heartache.

(pause for effect)

I'm just KIDDING!!

Haha. Fooled you, didn't I? (dodges rotten tomatoes thrown by angry peeps)

AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! I was so scared/angry/SEVERELY PISSED OFF/freaked out when I couldn't update my story on Sunday. It wasn't my fault I swear!

No, no, really, I got lots of positive feedback for the first chapter. Yay me. (pats self on back) I'm glad you guys like Atemu, even though he's a little… pretentious. (teehee) Now he's so much more fun to work with!

Ryou and Bakura and lots of side characters are introduced in this chapter. Damn Side characters.

I'm trying a new format to replace the one won't let me use anymore. (dark curses and mutterings) It's not that exciting. See if you like it.

Japanese Terms

Nee-san – the "e" is pronounced like in "net" only elongated, not like "Knee-san", anywho it means older sister.

Ignore the odd Hiei reference... and READ!

((-2-))

Chyaputa 2: Posters

((-2-))

Although it was still early in the spring season, temperatures in Domino City had reached almost record highs. The streets were crowded with the usual traffic and the heat and brightness of the sun made Ryou squint. He stood by the bus stop, tapping his foot on the sidewalk, humming to the beat of nonexistent music, waiting for his bus to arrive.

He was so intent on searching for the public transpiration vehicle that the white haired boy didn't even notice the dark figure sneaking through the crowds of people toward him.

Ryou was practically knocked over by the force of the someone running into him.

"What the…?" Ryou questioned, pulling himself back up onto his feet. He just managed to catch a glimpse of the person's dark eyes and a cool taunting smirk before the figure rushed away again, disappearing in to the crowd.

Something was wrong, Ryou felt as though he was forgetting something. Then suddenly he noticed his backpack was no longer on him. The person who had bumped into him must have taken it.

"Hey you! Stop!" Ryou called running after the thief, completely forgetting about his ride. "Give me back my bag!" But the mysterious figure was already far ahead of him. Ryou squeezed his way passed the crowds of people trying to get to him. "Thief! Give me back my bag!" Ryou cried. More people moved out of his way but the guy was now so far away that Ryou could barely see the back of the thief's head, a black hat on top of long messy white hair.

But now matter how long Ryou chased him; the thief seemed to get further and further away. Ryou was running out of breath, he couldn't even cry out after the culprit anymore.

One hand held over his furiously beating heart, Ryou stopped. He leaned against the outside wall of a shop for support. He looked around but couldn't see the thief anywhere.

Ryou was too out of breath to even curse.

(2.13)
"Shit! That kid was dammed persistent!" the white haired figure swore, watching as the boy he had stolen the bag from give up and finally trudge back down the street in defeat. "Now then…" He took off his black hat and shook out his long main of white hair. The only reason he was wearing the hat in the first place was so the people on the street wouldn't recognize him as Bakura, the lead guitarist in the Descendants of Ra.

He opened the backpack and emptied it out onto the ground. Two binders and bunch of school supplies fell out of it onto the dark alley ground. He scowled at his findings. He scavenged the bottom of the pack and found some loose change, probably the kid's lunch money. He took the small change and then searched the smaller outside pockets. Unexpectedly, his fingers brushed something metallic and smooth, larger than a coin.

Bakura pulled out what looked like a silver cross. It was simple and thin with no engravings and hung on a plain sliver chain. Bakura frowned.

"Junk," he spat tossing the pendent and the entire bag into a garbage bid behind him without a second thought "All junk. What a waste of time…"

(2.26)

"Ryou, what happened? You look awful," Jounouchi exclaimed as his white haired friend entered the classroom a half an hour later than usual.

"I ran into some trouble on the way here," Ryou explained collapsing into a chair and resting his head on his hands. He looked as though he had been run over by a truck. "Some jerk stole my bag and now I have no money for lunch."

Honda sympathetically patted him on the shoulder. "That sucks, man."

"Here, Ryou, you have some of my money for food. I'm trying to go on a diet anyway," Anzu offered dropping some coins into his hand.

Ryou smiled weakly. "Thanks, Anzu-chan." He placed his head back on the table, his mood downcast and depressed. "I can't believe that guy stole my bag, I had all my school stuff in there! What am I going to do?"

"Cheer up! You can borrow Anzu's notes for your classes while you get some more money from your dad to replace the stuff," Jounouchi suggested helpfully.

Ryou's mood seemed to worsen. "Yeah, sure, I'll do that."

Just then another late-comer walked into class yawning, his normally gelled black, red and gold hair drooping with lack of its usual morning care.

"Hey, Yugi, why are you in so late?" Jounouchi asked curiously. Yugi yawned hugely again, blinking sleepily.

"I slept through my alarm. I guess I stayed up way too late talking to Yami again," Yugi explained also sitting down in a chair. Jounouchi, Honda and Anzu exchanged confused glances.

"Who's Yami?" Anzu asked politely.

"Oh, he's YaminoOji676, I met him over the internet. Ryou's talked to him too," said Yugi pointing to his friend. Ryou shrugged in agreement.

"Not for very long, but he seems nice," Ryou admitted.

"He's the coolest!" Yugi claimed enthusiastically, purple eyes shining with admiration. "He knows everything. He doesn't go to public school though, he said he's home schooled but he's been all around the world and seen and done all these amazing things! And he likes Descendants of Ra!"

Jounouchi suddenly looked much more interested. "Hey, he does sound cool! Someone who likes them can't be all bad."

Honda frowned, face looking surprisingly grave and serious. "You can't trust people you meet over the internet, Yugi," he advised severely. "You have no proof that he's actually who he says he is. Like he could say that he's a normal 15-year-old guy but how would you know? He could be some 70 year old woman or he could even be your own grandfather," Honda said threateningly. Yugi cringed at the idea.

"Eeyeh, that would be creepy," Jounouchi agreed shivering.

"And it could be worse! This guy could be some freak who lures young unsuspecting kids out by going to teenage websites. Then once he's earned your trust and finds out where you live he'll stalk you and then kidnap you!"

Anzu squeaked in terror. "Like one of those sick online perverts! I've heard stories about kids who ran away from home just so they could meet people like that!"

"Calm down, Honda! Yugi's not going to do anything stupid like agree to meet him or anything, right?" Jounouchi said turning to his shorter friend.

Yugi, quite unnerved by this whole conversation, shook his head determinedly. "No way, it's not like that at all. Don't worry, Anzu-chan, I'm planning on meeting him or anything," he reassured her. But Yugi's happy mood had dropped as Honda sent reality crashing down upon him.

"See, he'll be fine. Just talking to the guy isn't going to kill him. Oh, guess what I heard!" Jounouchi squealed, eyes lightening up excitedly.

"What?" Yugi questioned. He was eager to change the subject away from his ambiguous corespondent

"Descendants of Ra is coming to Domino!" the blonde shrieked.

"No way! Where did you hear this!?!" Anzu squealed, just as loudly, hands clutching her face excitedly.

"On the radio! We have to get tickets like now before they're sold out!" Jounouchi exclaimed. "Finally! I'll be able to see Atemu's hot man flesh up close!"

"Not if I get him first!" Anzu said hotly.

"Who cares about Atemu, Bakura is soo much hotter!" Honda interjected.

"Is not!" Anzu cried angrily, jumping out of her desk as the two began their usual heated argument.

"You'll come too, right Yugi?" Jounouchi urged. Yugi nodded anxiously; he was almost too happy to speak. Atemu, his ideal, his god, his reason for living, was coming to Yugi's own hometown! This had to be the best day of his life!

"When's he going to be here!?!" Yugi questioned, barely able to contain his excitement as he jumped up and down next to his tall blonde friend.

"Three months," Jounouchi answered painfully.

"That's such a long time!" Anzu cried sadly, tears practically spilling out of her blue eyes.

"This is going to be great!" Honda exclaimed. "Ryou, are you coming too?"

The white haired teenager looked appalled. "Are you kidding?" said Ryou, turning to his friends pathetically. "I don't have the money to spare after I buy back all my school supplies. Besides I don't really like the Descendants of Ra that much…" Honda, Jounouchi, Anzu and Yugi stared at Ryou open-mouthed and aghast, as though their friend had suddenly grown a third eye in center of his forehead.

"You're joking, right?" Honda asked deadly serious.

"Descendants of Ra is the best band EVER!! They have the coolest music, the most beautiful lyrics and, well…" Jounouchi took a large poster out of his bag with a large picture of Atemu's face on it. "LOOK AT THIS PERFECTION OF HOTNESS!!!" he screeched.

"Their music's okay," Ryou admitted with an unimpressed shrug. "But I'm not going to sell my soul to get tickets to some concert."

"Can you do that?" Honda hissed to Anzu. "Sell you soul for tickets? Would that get you a discount, you think?"

"Besides if I wanted to listen to their music I could just borrow a CD from you guys. What difference does it make if they're on stage or not? You'll probably get such bad seats you won't be able to see the stage anyway. And there will be so many other people there…"

"Ryou, you're totally ruining my dreams!" Honda whined.

"Don't listen to him, Atemu, it's okay. I still love you," Jounouchi cooed at his poster, stroking it. Ryou rolled his eyes.

"Well, I'm going to the concert no matter what! Even if the tickets are expensive! I'll get a job too if I have to!" said Anzu determined, standing up importantly. "Right Yugi?"

"Of course!" Yugi nodded eagerly. "But…" his mood damped slightly. "I wouldn't miss it for the world but I don't know if my mom will give me the money," Yugi said sadly, horrible creeping onto his heart. What if his mother didn't let him go? Would he be forced to stay at home watching reruns on TV while his friends all got to see Atemu sweat up close? He would just die! There would be no point in living anymore if he missed that!

"Oh, come now, Yugi! You're just as big an Atemu fan as the rest of us! In some ways even more so! Look at your hair!" Jounouchi accused Yugi almost savagely. "Your mom has to let you go!"

"I know! I know!" Yugi cried, panic filling up his system. "Maybe if I do some extra work shifts around the game shop then she'll give me the money!"

"Yeah! That should work!" Honda said happily.

"Guys," Anzu stated very seriously, putting her arms around Jounouchi, Honda and Yugi's shoulders. "This is going to be the best moment of our lives." Yugi, Jounouchi and Honda all cheered.

Ryou, sitting a few feet away from his insane friends, rolled his eyes again.

(2.39)

The day seemed longer than usual to Yugi. He was sitting in the middle of his last period class staring hypnotically up at the clock, willing its tiny little arms to move faster. He tapped his fingers impatiently on the desk, notes going unwritten. The teacher's voice droned incessantly onward, as unpleasant to Yugi's ears as a thousand nails on a chalkboard.

Finally the bell rung. Yugi's bag was already packed. He picked it up and ran for the door, calling rushed farewells to his friends. He practically ran the whole way to the bus stop. Once on the public transportation vehicle, he tapped his foot restlessly on the swaying floor of the bus as it stopped at every station picking up and dropping off more and more people. When the bus finally reached his stop, Yugi launched himself out of the vehicle as soon as the doors were open and sprinted down the sidewalk towards his house. He made it to the game shop his family owned, threw the door open, disturbing several customers as he rushed up the stairs, with frantic haste, to his room.

Without taking off his backpack or uniform Yugi sat at his computer and it turned on.

He had to talk to Yami. There was some frantic dying need dancing around in Yugi's brain, screaming at him to talk to Yami. Barely a minute later, he was logged on, looking desperately down at his buddy list but it was no use. To the teenage boy's dismay, Yami wasn't there. Yugi groaned and leaned back into his chair sadly.

'Guess I shouldn't have rushed…' he thought dispiritedly, stomach becoming strangely empty.

(2.52)

Atemu's voice and throat were sore and his ears were still pounding from the concert he and the rest of his band members had just finished. Sweat absolutely coated his skin so that his black leather shirt was practically melted into his chest. The multiple belts around his waist were digging uncomfortably into his hips.

"Another fantastic performance!" their manager, Ishizu Ishtar, exclaimed, her long black hair tied into a ponytail to pull it away from her copper face. "I'd say quite a few girls lost their voices at the sight of you."

"Don't they every time?" Atemu drawled uncaringly, as Ishizu left the room again, settling down into a large armchair to rest his aching back.

"I'd say quite a few guys lost theirs too," Bakura added in a low voice to Atemu, still holding his black and red electric guitar in his arms. "Where's my drink?!" Bakura demanded loudly, slamming his hand upon the table. "Oi! Mariku!" he spat across the room. Mariku, the band's insane drummer, looked up.

"What?" Mariku growled, spikes of platinum blond hair stuck out dangerously from his head in every direction. His best friend, Malik, their keyboard person, had much the same color hair but his hung in curtains, hiding most of his copper face from view. The two of them had been together since they were children, growing up in Egypt, both from the same clan; they were like third cousins or something, Atemu never really understood. Malik was the brother of the band manager, Ishizu.

"You sped up the tempo during the finale again, bastard! I told you not to do that! Then me and Atemu have to cover up your slack and sped up and that throws the whole thing off!" Bakura accused angrily.

"I did not speed up! You guys were the ones who were slowing down!" Mariku screeched, standing up. "I was trying to keep you guys on track!" Bakura stood up as well; ready to face off, but Atemu threw an empty soda can at his white haired friend's head.

"Sit down," Atemu grumbled hoarsely. "I've heard enough screaming from the crowd today. I don't want any from you two. We'll go over the ending during rehearsal tomorrow, alright?" Bakura and Mariku glared at each other for a second longer before they both sat down.

"Great ugly prick," Bakura hissed under his breath.

"What'd you say, albino fruitcake!?" Mariku exploded.

"I'm going to go take a shower," Atemu announced standing up.

"I think I'll take one too," Malik agreed and made to join Atemu right as the door flew open again as Ishizu entered.

"What the hell are you doing!?!" she exclaimed, looking slightly mad and frantic, which was normal. "You are supposed to be out there greeting your public and signing autographs! Why the hell are you still in here!?! These fans have paid lots of money to see you! And they deserve no less of a performance then you normally give!"

"Come on, nee-san!" Malik whined at his older sister. "We're dead tired!"

"Well, suck it up!" Ishizu argued fiercely. Malik cowered.

"Tell them to bugger off," Bakura sneered nastily, lying on the couch as though ravenous elephants couldn't make him get up. "I'm not in the mood to be trampled by fan girls today."

"You will get up! And you will look pleasant! And you will smile when you greet the audience even if I have to put shock collars on all of you!" Ishizu threatened angrily. The band looked at each other, all of their faces exhausted.

"Fine, let's get this over with," Atemu growled as he stood up, as usual taking the initiative. Malik, the more reasonable of the Egyptians, followed him. Mariku glared at the both of them but grunted and stood up as well. Bakura remained seated. The other three looked expectantly at him.

"What?" Bakura growled deflecting their stares. "I'm not getting up." Ishizu walked over, grabbed him by the front of his shirt and shoved him toward the door.

(2.64)

Yugi glanced up at the clock again. It was almost 9 o'clock. He groaned and lay his head back down upon his desk in defeat. Had Yami forgot about him? Had he purposefully changed his screen name just to get away from Yugi?

'Yami, where are you?'

(2.69)

Atemu had just gotten out of his much-needed bath when suddenly, like a siren going off in his head, he remembered.

'Yugi…'

"Ah shit!" he cursed loudly and scrambled to get into his black silk pajamas. Unfortunately Malik was passing right by as Atemu threw the door to the bathroom open. The door smashed into Malik's copper face.

"Oh god, Malik! I'm so sorry," Atemu cried, untwisting his shirt as he spoke. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, don't worry," Malik squeaked checking his injured nose with a finger. "Why are you in such a hurry, anyway?" he asked.

"Ah, I forgot someone… I had to talk to… bye!" he explained vaguely and turned around on his heel and flew off down the hall again, leaving a very confused and slightly bruised Malik behind.

Atemu glanced at the clock on the wall as he rushed passed. It was 9 o'clock.

'Oh please let him still be on, please let him still be on,' Atemu thought desperately as he sat down at his computer. The instant messenger loaded and Atemu saw to his relief Yugi was still on.

YaminoOji676: Yugi? You there?

GemuMasuta52: Hey!

GemuMasuta52: What took so long?

Atemu paused looking for a plausible excuse.

YaminoOji676: My parents made me go to this dinner at their friends' house. I just got home

YaminoOji676: sorry

Parents? Ha, yeah right. That was a good one. Like his parents would have done anything for him.

GemuMasuta52: O ok

YaminoOji676: So how was school?

There was a pause. Atemu drummed his fingers on his desk nervously.

GemuMasuta52: It was ok pretty normal

GemuMasuta52: How about you? How was your day?

Atemu hesitated. The band had just finished another concert but besides that nothing unusual had happened.

YaminoOji676: About the same, nothing special

YaminoOji676: We're going to America tomorrow

YaminoOji676: Dad has business there

GemuMasuta52: America! That's so cool! I wish I could go there!

GemuMasuta52: You go to all the coolest places!

Atemu shrugged. Sure he flew to lots of different places on tour to give concerts but that didn't mean he always got to see the exotic locations. The band's schedule was so rushed that he barely had any time to see the sights before leaving again. And he hardly ever saw anyone except his fellow band members, their manager and his assorted health, hair and make up specialists that traveled with them. Still, now that he thought of it, he probably was fortunate, many people spent their entire lives in their home country.

YaminoOji676: I guess

GemuMasuta52: maybe if your luckily you'll see DoR there!

GemuMasuta52: Aren't they supposed to be in America sometime this week

GemuMasuta52: wouldn't that be so neat if you saw Atemu on the street?

Atemu's stomach sagged unexpectedly as he let out a sour chuckle. He should be more careful when giving Yugi details about where he was.

YaminoOji676: I'll keep my eyes out for him

There was a long pause. Atemu scratched his head. Was it Yugi's time to speak or should Yami searched for something interesting to say? It was hard to tell.

GemuMasuta52: Yami, are you a guy or a girl?

Atemu stared at the screen, feeling a little uneasy. Why was Yugi suddenly questioning him?

YaminoOji676: Why do you ask?

GemuMasuta52: Im curious

Atemu knew he could lie. If he said he was a girl then Yugi would never find out who he really was. But saying he was a guy only narrowed down half the world's population; his identity would probably still be safe.

YaminoOji676: Im a guy

YaminoOji676: And Im assuming ur one too

GemuMasuta52: yeah

GemuMasuta52: Don't know any girls named Yugi

Atemu chuckled softly. Suddenly he was feeling a lot more relaxed.

GemuMasuta52: can I ask another question?

YaminoOji676: ok

GemuMasuta52: How old are you?

Atemu paused. He could get away with saying he was 13 or maybe even 25 or 30 but Atemu all the sudden, didn't really feel like lying to Yugi anymore. He was tired of lying.

YaminoOji676: 17

GemuMasuta52: cool

YaminoOji676: you?

GemuMasuta52: 16

Atemu's head spun. Their ages were so close together, it was a little unnerving. Was Yugi lying? There was no way for Atemu to know if Yugi was telling the truth. Then why was he asking all these questions anyway? Could he be suspecting who Yami really was?

'Don't be stupid,' Atemu told himself. 'What reason does he have to suspect?'

GemuMasuta52: sorry for asking all these questions

Atemu grinned. It was almost as if Yugi could read his mind.

YaminoOji676: Its okay

GemuMasuta52: My friends were freaking me out today saying you could be a stalker

Atemu laughed at the irony.

GemuMasuta52: they said you cant trust anyone you meet online cause you have no idea if what theyr saying is really true

YaminoOji676: well I don't know if it will help but Im not going to stalk you

GemuMasuta52: I didn't think you were

-((2.91))-

Awwwwwwww. It's like drinking a strawberry melon smoothie.

Sorry if my chapter endings are a little sudden, once I say everything I need to say in a scene I don't write anymore.

Ryou's a little… OOC in this fic. So is Bakura. But only a little I swear. No more than any other author would allow. I was just getting really sick of poor, ignorant, submissive Ryou so I visited the other side of the fence and made him responsible, OCD, actually-has-a-backbone Ryou. Both versions I see a lot on so hopefully this won't bother anyone.

And well, Mariku's OOC, but that always happens when authors try to make him sane. (shrug)

Strawberry melon smoothie? I don't even know what I'm talking about sometimes.

NEXT CHAPTER!!

Ryou has a secret that's not too secretive. Malik's trying to be subtle in a not-so-subtle way. Yugi's internet is going down! OMFG!!! Honda confesses his undying love to… no, that doesn't actually happen and who would care if it did, seriously.

REVIEW!!!

FOR THE LOVE OF THE MOTHER OF OSIRIS AND HER TWELEVE CHILDREN REVIEW!!

I kid, I kid. I don't know how many children Osiris' mother has.

REVIEW!!!