Me thinks this chapter will be quite boring. I'm basically just filling in a time period so that more of the characters can be incorporated. This should hopefully solve my problem of the story being very narrow-viewed. Maybe enjoy?
(I really don't like Honda)
Chapter 4
(A few thoughts from characters the night of Yami's phone call, around midnightish? Or possibly 11ish. Sometime late.)
POV Yami
"Yugi? Where are you?" I called softly upon entering the house. It was close to 11 PM, and I hadn't heard from him except for the one hello on the phone. I was deathly exhausted after spending all afternoon and evening at the park with my friends, but I wanted to know where my aibou was. He hadn't made an appearance since last night. His disappearances and silences were beginning to become increasingly annoying. He should be tending to his yami, not gallivanting off to who knows where, although today was perfect without him to ruin all the fun. The topics discussed were probably too mature and crude for him anyway. Ra damn it, where was he! He expected me to find my way in the dark without any assistance in this Ra forsaken dingy place he calls home? Shuffling around for what felt like hours and stubbing my toe on almost everything, I somehow made my ways up the stairs and collapsed on a bed.
POV Anzu
Yes! Today was a wonderful day. I got to spend all day with Yami-koi. There wasn't even little Yugi to ruin the atmosphere with his way too innocent looks, naïveté, annoying nasally voice, and endless chatter. Maybe this weekend I will actually ask Yami-koi out on a date. It's about time, considering how long we've been hanging out together. Come to think of it, Yugi hadn't even made his face present this whole day. Maybe he's found some other worthless losers to hang out with and talk their ears off. Hopefully he'll get off our backs for a very long time. I pirouetted across my room a few times before getting ready for bed and falling asleep.
POV Jounouchi
Frisbee was so much fun today! The game was actually moving along instead of just floundering about, waiting for Yugi to chase after the Frisbee and pick it up. Yams was so awesome out there. His dives and rolls always managed to catch the Frisbee just before it landed. Mmm and Burger World was just as yummy, maybe even more so now that there's one less person to pick on me about just how much I eat. Hmm I wonder how Serenity is? I haven't seen her in five days, and her birthday is coming up. I'll have to ask Yams what to get her. He'll know for sure. I wonder if Anzu will let me copy her homework for tomorrow? One bad thing about Yami is that he absolutely sucks at modern day work. *Yawn* I'd better go to sleep. Tomorrow begins early, and it's also Friday.
POV Honda
Oh man, today was the best. There was no one there to stop be from actually getting physical with Jounouchi! No outside interference interrupted our blissful fistfight. Those hot chicks at the park were totally checking me out during the Frisbee game. Again, there was no view-ruiner to destroy the image of my ultra-toned bod'. I could see it in their eyes and stares: they were planning on approaching me when we had to leave! Ah well, maybe they'll be there again next time. Or maybe they also go to Domino High? Hn, I'll have to be on the look out. It'll be sweet if I can actually get a girl. I know I've been single long enough. Now that I think about it, I actually lost some fangirls ever since I started hanging out with Mr. Goody two-shoes. Yes, that must be it. Who I hang out gives a first impression of my personality. Tomorrow should be exciting. I'll be on the look out for those girls, especially the buxom red head with glasses. I got ready for bed, flipped the radio on, and slowly waited for sleep to claim me.
(Mai and Otogi weren't actually with the gang at the park. They were just passing through)
POV Mai
How odd. I saw the gang, but no Yugi today. How is it that his gang is somewhere without him? I hope he didn't get into trouble today. Although that seems unlikely, considering the gang was just hanging out and looking panicked or worried in the least. Maybe I should have gone over and said a quick hello. I'm sure Jounouchi would have been really glad to see me. But where was Yugi? Come to think of it, I haven't seen him for several days. Normally I pass him around town. And what was that commotion at the mall? I thought I glimpsed Kaiba's limo, but there's no way he would go to such a place. I hope I'm not hallucinating. That would be disastrous for my shop. Did I see Otogi at the park too? It looked like he was also passing through, but I don't recall seeing him go anywhere near the gang. Maybe they had a fall-out of some kind. Or maybe he had no reason to hang out with them since Serenity wasn't there. I should go visit him. Now that DDM is released and beginning to become popular, he shouldn't be as busy as he normally is. Yes, that would be a good idea. He may become a great connection in the future, and I really haven't talked to anyone from the old gang ever since I opened up my beauty parlor.
I contemplated over this afternoon's events as I went through my daily night routine of removing makeup, taking a nice long bath, shaving, and putting on the night lotions and creams. Tomorrow would be super busy since it would be a Friday. After carefully going through the routine, I was finally ready for bed.
POV Otogi
I can't believe I wasted the afternoon strolling through the park when I should have been working. Sure DDM is becoming popular, but maybe I should be trying to develop new systems, platforms, or games? I probably can't rely only on DDM. It'll die in a few years, a decade at most. It was odd, seeing the gang hanging around at the park. We had lost contact when the release of DDM neared. I had even walked right past them, a few meters in front, and they didn't even notice me. That really sent a sharp pain through my heart. Just because Serenity wasn't there doesn't mean I wouldn't notice them. How could it be that they only noticed me when I made my advances on Serenity? I think Mai was also at the park. She seemed like she was in a hurry to get somewhere. I think she saw me, but when I looked at her again, her gaze was at the gang. I waited in the shadows of a tree, waiting to see her approach them, but she didn't. Her gaze was almost wistful or mournful. Her face had also matured a bit. Her shop must be successful then, since she didn't really look too stressed out. Maybe I should contact her. It'd be nice to chat with someone from the past.
Did I see Yugi at the park? I can't quite remember, but I think only one tri-colored head was there, and he reached Jounouchi's shoulders, so he must have been Yami. Why wasn't Yugi hanging out with his friends? He would never miss a chance to have fun and hang out with them. Maybe he was working on homework or something. I should talk to him too. He was always the most accepting and believed in my attempts to snag Serenity. I must set a day aside for a little old-friends reunion. It'll be lots of fun. I glanced over at the glowing digital alarm clock by my bed. Oh my, my insomnia is really kicking in tonight. I'll be exhausted tomorrow if I can't get any sleep. Stop thinking about complicated things. Yes, I can feel my eyelids begin to grow heavy. Thank you, I murmur before drifting to sleep.
POV Bakura
The dungeon was a nice little surprise, but the guard was as incompetent as ever. And why the hell was it on the top floor? Those stairs were killer on my heels. Being dragged up two flights of stairs was not fun. Why couldn't those stupid guards have dragged me by the wrists? That way I could have walked up with them, instead of getting huge bruises on my heels.
Yugi is learning very quickly. We should be able to test his skills in a real robbery tomorrow at this rate. Hmm…a rich person's house or a museum? A museum it is! Heh, maybe we'll target all the museums first then the rich people's houses! Oh yes, tomorrow will probably be the most exciting day of the week. Two robberies in a day, and payback to that fucking Pharaoh! We should have at Ishtar's museum. Marik should be on guard duty tomorrow night, and what fun it'll be to steal something from under his nose! I silently moved around my room, collecting all the materials that would be needed for tomorrow night's excursion. After all, a spirit, albeit a solid and living one, needn't sleep or rest or anything like that. Mortal necessities were very cumbersome and got in the way of living. I mean, how could anyone do anything in their lifetime if their asleep half the time?!
I made my way to the more dangerous slums and hit a bar. Fuck if I wouldn't be able to get the good Egyptian spirits before a run. They really needed to open an Egyptian bar for all the Middle Easterns.
POV Malik
Ra damn it! What was Marik up to! He'd been quiet for the past two or so days. Ever since Yugi disappeared, Marik had started stalking Ryou! Damn that fucking yami. He hadn't done anything as of yet, but he wouldn't stop following us around! I'm going to really blow it if he continues tomorrow. We can't chat about anything private if he's going to continually eavesdrop on our conversations.
Could it be he's crushing on Ryou? NO. There's absolutely no way in seven hells that can be happening. If he does, I'll confront him. I will! Even the beatings and cuttings will be better than subjecting Ryou to such cruelty. His yami is already cruel enough as it is. I've got to find Yugi. He'll know what to do. Yugi always knows how to fix things up and figure out conundrums. I'd better turn in. Isis has a big thing going on at the museum tomorrow and I have to wake up early to help her set up before school.
POV Ryou
Yugi, where were you today? Bakura let me off my leash and said I could interact with you. I hope he doesn't have any drastic things planned that rely on my interactions. I'd really not want to hurt you even indirectly. And Bakura has been acting a bit strangely lately. He's has been genuinely excited sometimes and leaves the house really early! He also hasn't been drinking as much. Is this in preparation for something this weekend? Please don't let it involve my friends or me. Please. Ra, Osiris, Anubis, Set, anyone out there, please! I have a feeling his next plan put into action will have disastrous and/or dire consequences that we will be sucked into.
Oh my, I completely forgot about my predicament with Marik. He's been following me around ever since Bakura started acting weird-er than normal Bakura. This must have something to do with Bakura. There is no way he's following me for any other reasons. I should probably tell Bakura about this, but he'll most likely just insult me about my weakness or punch me or something. I must tell Yugi then. He'll look at this at all angles and come to a satisfying and good conclusion. I hope I won't be burdening him with all my problems. Ra knows he's got enough of his own, but even Malik can't figure out what's going on.
Dear Ra, I'm thirsty. Why am I so thirsty all of a sudden? And what is this burning feeling in my throat and belly? Ra, some burning substance is trying to drown me! Bakura, Bakura, help me!!! Please! I don't want to die! I'll take any beating and cutting nicely with lots of screaming involved if you help me! The burning sensation halts for a moment before it starts up again. And then it stops again. Was Bakura Drinking?? Oh no, no, no, this is not good at all. He only completely wastes away when he's about to pull of a big stunt or having a wonderful day! I must warn the others, I must! Oh wait, it's midnight. No one will be awake. Note to self, warn others immediately once at school. Don't forget! /Bakura…/ I quietly murmur as I fall asleep.
POV Marik
Where the HELL is Bakura. I'd think that after following Ryou around he'd become suspicious or something, but he hasn't even made an appearance since that afternoon by the docks! And what's up with him and Yugi? He'd never bother me about that little light. Why would he notice a change in his personality? Sure, Yugi can be counted on for being annoyingly cheerful and optimistic, but who cares a damn. Bakura most certainly doesn't. I've got to find out his plans tomorrow. He's sure to let me join in the fun. After all, what are partners in crime for, right? He'd better, or he'll get his eyes gouged out and stuffed in his mouth. Maybe I should kidnap Yugi. With Bakura's newfound interest, he'd be perfect blackmail, too weak to put up a fight or cause any trouble. Saturday will be the perfect day to steal little Yugi.
Where'd I put the chloroform? And the hoodie, where is it? Hmm this can of black spray paint might come in handy. Millenium Rod check, ropes check, bag to hold stuff check, black spray paint check, bottle of chloroform check, hoodie check, towelette check, and tracker check. I should be good to go for Saturday. Maybe I'll do it after my shift is over. Damn stupid Isis, actually making me work! What a waste of a perfectly good evening. It's not like there is anything worth stealing in the fucking museum except for some shiny gold Egyptian jewelry. Worthless pieces of junk. They aren't even shiny anymore, more like dull gold. Ah wait, there is that one jewelry set that actually looks pretty good. Golden necklace, wrist bands, and ankle bands encrusted in turquoise and lots of precious gems. Quite beautiful. Maybe I shall steal it so no other thieves will ever want or think about visiting the museum. Then I'll be free from Isis's job of terror! Tonight has been amazingly productive; I think I'll go celebrate with my beautiful dagger. Who shall be the hapless victim?
POV Pegasus
What a nice surprise to get a business deal with Kaiba-boy, and in his house no less! This shall be a great time for some reconnaissance. He must have something on that computer of his. I'll just attach a little bug to the inside of his office and capture his keystrokes. I'll have all his plans and documents, and Industrial Illusions will overwhelm the corporate world!
I wonder if Yugi-boy will come over tomorrow? It'll sure be nice for him to see my new house. The renovators were absolutely wonderful and quick. He must be wondering why it is suddenly so quiet over here now. I must keep a lookout for him tomorrow. We simply must get together and catch up. It's been so long since Duelist Kingdom. I'll introduce him to Mr. Fluffermuffins. They'll bond so well since they both look adorably fluffy.
I should probably get a tour of the city soon, otherwise I'll become hopelessly lost when I take walks. Yugi-boy will surely give me one. We are such fabulous buddies, after all. What time is it? It must be getting late. Huh, where'd I put my watch? I'm absolutely positive I had it on when I came here. It's been two days since I last recall having the watch on. One of those renovators probably stole it somehow. There goes their extra bonus. I'll check the black market tomorrow to see if the person who stole it will be or had sold it. That watch was a dear present to myself when my plans for bringing Cyndia back failed. Oh, Cyndia, how I miss you so. It's a full moon tonight, and the radiance always brings back the memories of you; the moon's light shining on your skin, making it glow, and giving your hair even more luster. I shall turn in just for you, my Cyndia. I devote my existence to maintaining our love, and my actions always carry your memory. Good night, dear.
(Break! How was that? It actually got better and better lol. Or maybe it began to make less and less sense. So the plot actually begins to move along now. I'm so happy I can actually use other characters now! Yugi overload haha. New plot points too! Go Marik!! Ah, there will be a time skip soon. Don't get mad!)
(morning)
POV Yugi
At 6:30 AM, the alarm blared beside the bed. I immediately opened my eyes and sharply searched the room for any hidden surprises. It wouldn't surprise me if Bakura was hidden somewhere in the mansion just waiting to use me as a target board. After I took a shower, I went over to the wardrobe. I got really perplexed, not knowing what to wear. I didn't think I'd have to stoop so low as to ask for help changing, but with the new wardrobe and all, I had no clue what was in it. "Seto!" I yelled.
"You didn't need to yell. I was just coming over to see if you needed help. I anticipated your confusion over your new wardrobe," he said, appearing at the door and immediately coming in.
"What am I supposed to wear? I don't have any of my buckles, chains, or leather!"
"Here," he replied, tossing me a top, pants, and the coat thing. I went into the bathroom and quickly changed. When I got out, I immediately headed over to the floor length mirror.
"Seto! I look like a business associate or something!"
"Of course. If you will be my personal assistant, you will have to dress in a similar fashion to me. I will not have a personal assistant dress like a pimp, slut, gangster, or prep. You will always dress professionally. Don't worry, the clothing will grow more comfortable with wear, and you will have the same freedom to move about as in your normal circulation restricting leather. If you wish to have accessories, I will allow one necklace and two bracelets. Under no conditions are you to get any piercings or tatoos or dye your hair. I can arrange for your appearance to be professionally altered if you so wish it. Come. You have 15 minutes for breakfast before we must leave. I have already prepared everything for this afternoon's meeting, and you will take mental notes." He turned on his heel and strode out.
Breakfast was delicious, and we made our way to school by limo. I was a little self-conscious upon getting out of the limo since almost all the students always stared when Seto-kun got out, but I think I managed to hide it under my usual cheery façade. After I stepped out of the limo, silence blanketed the population, then everyone suddenly started whispering. I tried my best to ignore them and headed over to the door to look for Ryou and Malik. They were in their usual spot, and when they spotted me, they both did a double take.
"What happened to you, Yugi?" Malik asked. You were gone yesterday, and now you come back looking like Kaiba!
I sheepishly rubbed the back of my neck before answering. "Err, well two days ago, I got a job with Seto-kun as his personal assistant and head of the Marketing department. But don't tell anyone! It's all a secret, ok?"
"Umm ok," they both replied a little puzzled.
"Let's just get to class now. We're going to be late and I still need to pick up all the make-up work. I'll see you in homeroom!"
"Wait, Yugi!" Ryou and Malik both shouted at the same time. "I've got to warn you of something, and I need your help solving this problem!" They dashed after me and followed me to my locker.
"Huh?" I questioned. When they both began talking at once, I said, "Slow down. Ok, Ryou, you first. Then you, Malik."
"Bakura went drinking last night, and Marik won't stop following me!"
"What's so important about Bakura drinking last night? And did you ask Marik why he's following you?" Bakura better be completely alert today. If not, I'm going to clobber him and possibly teach him a lesson with this handy dagger I've acquired.
"We don't know why Marik is following Ryou around," Malik supplied.
"If Bakura goes out drinking the night before, that means he's planning something drastic for today! I've got a really bad feeling about tonight, Yugi," Ryou answered.
"Hmm, let me think about this. The first bell just rang and if we don't get to homeroom in time, we're going to be late. I'll think about this in class." I led the way to homeroom and went to my seat among stares. Seto-kun sat down next to me and got out his laptop to immediately begin working. The teachers were completely used to this behavior and knew he'd ace anything anyway, so they just ignored him. After the first 5 minutes of class began, Seto nudged me with his leg to get my attention. I turned to look at him confusedly.
"You should be observing me as I work so that you can take over for me when I have other business to attend to."
"Oh yes!" I whispered back. "Sorry, it kind of slipped my mind. I was trying to solve a puzzle." I turned back in my chair, but I didn't rotate completely forward. I was sort of at a 75 degree angle to Seto-kun so that I could view the screen of his laptop. Unfortunately, this put Yami directly in my line of sight. He was chatting animatedly with Jounouchi and Honda even though class was in session! I divided my attention in four so that I could concentrate on the teacher, Seto-kun, Yami-tachi, and Ryou and Malik's problem. I'm not quite sure how I accomplished this feat, since multi-tasking with such large attention absorbers was very difficult. By the end of the lesson, I managed to completely understand Seto-kun's document, figure out a partial solution to Ryou and Malik's problem, absorb the information the teacher was lecturing about, and keep a close eye on Yami-tachi. I wonder why Yami was fooling off now. Normally he's a very diligent student because he doesn't exactly understand the modern world.
The second lesson had begun, and I had split my attention in four once again. About halfway through, Yami turned to look at me, and he gave an audible gasp. All eyes swiveled to Yami to see what he found so surprising, and they turned to look back at me, following his gaze. My new appearance was already old news, though some whispers were still circulating. "Yami," the teacher said. "If you're done staring at your brother like you've never seen him before, please stop interrupting my lesson. I can see you haven't really been paying attention, so if you'd like to come up and teach in my stead, you're welcome to it."
This statement made Yami shut his mouth and immediately turn around to face the front. A few seconds later, a crumpled piece of paper landed on my desk. Aibou, it said. I wish to talk to you during lunch. I'll meet you at your locker. I barely smothered my gasp of indignation and glared at the paper. How dare he! He didn't even ask me, and he could have used the mind link! I quickly checked my mind link and found it to be perfectly strong and open, but when I went over to his end, it was completely barricaded! I went back to paying attention to Seto, the teacher, and my friends' problem while using Yami's free attention space to figure out how to contact Bakura.
We were originally going to get my revenge on him after school, but lunchtime would be an even more perfect opportunity. A few more periods passed before lunch break, and I made a dash for my locker, completely ignoring Seto-kun, Ryou, and Malik's questioning gazes. I climbed on top of my locker and hid in the agreed upon hiding spot, waiting for Bakura to show up. "Bakura," I whispered. Come on, where are you? I felt a prickling sensation to my left and knew Bakura had finally appeared. He lightly hopped up onto the lockers and squeezed into the shadows with me. "A perfect opportunity popped up, Bakura. Yami's coming over to my locker to talk to me, and it will probably be about my new clothes. We can implement the plan and get away with his collar, puzzle, and wallet. Here he comes."
Yami jaunted slowly down the hallway towards my locker. When he turned to look for me, I slithered down from the hiding place and came up behind him. "Yami," I whispered seductively in his ear, my breath lightly blowing across his earlobe and snaking towards his cheek.
POV Yami
"Yu-uu-gii," I stuttered. How did Yugi come up behind me like that? He nearly gave me a heart attack! And what's up with his voice? I inspected him from head to toe and back to his head again; just as my eyes met his, he slowly licked his lips.
"You wished to speak to me?" he quietly purred.
"Umm, ye-e-ss. It-ts abo-ou-t yo-your new clo-clothing. And wh-where were you last night?" I began to demand, growing a bit bolder. Yugi was acting very strangely, and my heart was starting to race.
"Dearest Seto-kun was treating me yesterday," he replied softly, moving closer so that my back was pressed against the lockers.
POV Bakura
Fucking Ra, Yugi was playing his part perfectly. Any passerby could mistake his actions to be true and heartfelt. I wonder if he ever felt like this towards Yami? It would certainly explain the slightly mischievious and malicious glint buried beneath his "lust" filled eyes. I carefully glanced up and down the hallway to make sure nobody was coming and shifted slightly forward.
Yami was looking decidedly uncomfortable, but there was anticipation in the bottommost depths of his eyes. Yugi finally made his move, and while he was attacking Yami's lips and lacing his fingers into Yami's hair, I leaned down and took off both the puzzle and collar and replaced them with replicas. Shit, Yami's moans were disgusting. Yugi pushed Yami against the lockers and shifted Yami's body slightly towards the left so that the pocket with his wallet was slightly towards me. I leaned down once again and plucked the wallet out of his pocket and placed a beautiful gold Egyptian coin with the symbol of Set and Horus on it in his wallet's stead. I scratched the top of the locker with a barely audible sound to signal Yugi that the deed was done. He immediately broke off, looking very satisfied. Yami was gasping for air in a very undignified manner. When Yami glanced sideways for a moment, Yugi sneakily took a picture of Yami with his phone. He winked at me and turned down the hallway.
POV Yami
Oh my Ra, I wasn't expecting that. Did Yugi really feel that way towards me? A small corner of my heart felt a little disgusted, since we shared the same body for several years, but the rest of my rapidly beating heart yearned for that taste of him. My mind pushed the tiny bit of disgust down into the depths of my vast mind. Did I ever ask Yugi about his clothes? Ra, I can't recall anything before that tantalizing kiss. Who knew he'd have so much experience in kissing like that? I'd better get back to the group before they wonder what happened to me. When I found the group and began to eat lunch, they questioned me as to my whereabouts, but I just avoided answering with anything concrete. I resolved to talk to Yugi about what happened today tonight.
POV Seto
I was working at the table while Malik and Ryou were chattering away and eating lunch when Yugi finally decided to appear. He looked triumphant and happier than I'd seen him in a while. His clothes were slightly mussed, but otherwise his appearance was quite neat. "Where were you?" I asked quietly.
"I had some business to attend to," he replied primly. He unpacked his lunch and began munching away like nothing out of the ordinary happened. I was quite proud of him. He was beginning to sound like a proper businessman that didn't answered without giving real information. I wanted to glare at him approvingly, but Malik or Ryou might become suspicious.
"Have you figured out the problem yet?" Malik asked after a few minutes.
"I believe it would be best to wait and see what Bakura has planned since he's not going to tell you. Marik probably just wanted Bakura. I believe he followed you around, thinking that this would annoy Bakura to the point of confronting him," Yugi replied.
"Did you catch what I was working on?" I asked him. It was obvious he had already told Ryou and Malik about his new job, so I didn't need to worry about concealing the meaning.
"Yes. You first completed some investment paperwork. Then you went on to some more overseas contracts. Lastly, you were working on detailed analyses of your competitors." He went on and described in detail my processes. Yugi was truly a prodigy. I should get Mokuba to teach him the next part of being a personal assistant and head of Marketing. Marketing was Mokuba's specialty before he was forced to pay attention to school. Right as he finished his lunch, the bell rang, signaling the end of break. He immediately packed up and left, leaving the rest of us a little puzzled. Normally he waited for us to walk back with him to class. We all packed up and headed back together a few moments later.
POV Yugi
Oh man, Operation Revenge worked out perfectly! I can't believe he actually kissed me back like that. He completely fell for my act! I quickly walked over to my locker and waited a few moments for Bakura to show up. When he did, I impatiently asked, "well? How'd the whole process go."
"It was very smooth. Nice acting on your part," he admitted gruffly.
"You stashed the items in the agreed upon place?"
"Yes, yes, now go on to class. I've got things to do and a surprise for you tonight. Be prepared for a late night excursion."
He disappeared suddenly, and I went back to class, barely getting through the door before the bell rang. Positioning myself once again, I noticed that every time Yami noticed me looking at him, he'd turn a beautiful shade of tomato. It feels really nice to know the entire operation went according to plan, including his embarrassment. I heard Anzu ask him if he was coming down with sickness because his face was pretty warm and red. He quickly shook his head went back to staring at the teacher. Seto was working on another boring stock analysis page and was moving pretty slowly. I leaned over towards his shoulder and told him to buy the stock that was second to last. He looked up at me, surprised at my quick decision before deciding to purchase a quarter of the stock. What amazed me was that he made a new account and placed money into it before acquiring the stock. "For me?" I asked. He silently nodded. What fun, I'll get some competition!
I turned towards my friends and saw them looking at me with an emotion I'd never seen before. Oh well. The rest of the classes went by quickly. When the last bell rang, I waited for Seto to pack up and followed him out to the limo. We quickly drove back to the mansion and prepped a bit before Pegasus would come. I was looking forward to this meeting, but we still had another 15 minutes before the meeting would commence. I found a laptop in a draw and switched it on. In the 15 minutes, I looked up some programming languages and began to learn them, starting with Python, Perl, C++, and LISP. They'd come in handy when Bakura and I finally began thieving.
POV Malik
"Ryou, do you think Yugi's acting a bit strangely? He's been very abrupt and distracted all day. He barely even conversed with us! And why do you think Yami kept turning red during afternoon classes whenever he caught Yugi looking at him? He completely ignored it this morning."
"I don't know, Malik, but I have a feeling it has something to do with his activities in the past two days. Three days ago, he was perfectly normal, and now today, he's abrupt, rushed, quiet, and serious." We were walking home when I noticed a silver limousine parked across the street from the Kame Game Shop.
"Look," I said, pointing at the limo. "Did you know Crawford-san moved in across from Yugi? It looks like he's going somewhere. Maybe we can visit his house tomorrow. He was renovating it, but it looks like it's complete."
"Pegasus??" he replied, shocked. I pulled his hand and continued walking home. He must have been really stunned that Pegasus moved across from Yugi.
"I'm so glad Yugi solved our problem so quickly. What's Marik doing with this bag?" I question aloud. Just then, he appears, holding a very sharp looking chef's knife in one hand.
"Leave my stuff alone," he commanded, brandishing his knife. We both dashed out of the house and headed over to Ryou's house.
POV Pegasus
I had just gotten into the limo when I saw Malik and a familiar white haired boy. What was his name again? Baku, Bakair, Bakura! Malik was pointing at my house and Bakura looked stunned. He dragged Bakura down the street, and I lost sight of them. The driver took me to Kaiba's mansion, and we waited for a few moments before the gate was opened. Upon reaching the curb, I gracefully got out and went to the door. Kaiba immediately opened the door and gestured for me to come in. I walked in, carefully stepping on the mat and followed Kaiba to a living room. I can imagine the look on my face when I saw Yugi-boy sitting on the couch. He was looking decidedly posh and business-like, and his face was frowned in concentration. "Hello, there, Yugi-boy. What a pleasant surprise to see you here! What might you be doing in Kaiba-boy's meeting?"
"I will be observing the proceedings to further my training," he replied stiffly.
I turned to look at Kaiba-boy. He had a smirk of pride etched on his face. "What have you done to poor Yugi-boy," I quietly hiss.
"Absolutely nothing," he replies equally quietly and venomous. "He has learned all of his mannerisms on his own, and I had nothing to do with it. I may have been a role model for him, but I did not instruct him in terms of mannerisms and actions. He is quite brilliant. Shall we begin the meeting? I can't afford to waste any time."
"Yes, yes," I hastily reply. I guess I'll have to plant the bug here since we aren't going into an office. A butler comes in with refreshments and we begin the proceedings. As I reach for my wineglass, I 'sneakily' slide the bug underneath the rim of the table. Yugi-boy stares at me while Kaiba-boy continues speaking. An hour and a half later, we conclude the meeting and schedule another session. Yugi-boy sees me out since Kaiba-boy went right back to work. I somehow manage to ask the Yugi-boy if he'd be willing to escort me around town before I'm ushered out the door. He replies with a "maybe Sunday" and gently closes the door.
POV Yugi
Pegasus really thought he could slip a bug unnoticed during the meeting? The way he did it was so amateurish it was laughable. I finger the bug and decide to tell Seto-kun about it. Maybe I can work down here in the living room and type up some fake documents to fool Pegasus. I can't believe he called me a friend and wants me to give him a tour of the city! I find Seto in his office, typing away at his computer and looking a little irritated. "Seto-kun," I broach. "Can I work with some fake or menial documents in the living room where the meeting was held?"
"Why?" he asks without looking up from his work.
"Pegasus-san planted a little bug under the coffee table."
"Oh?" was all he said. "Sure, if you want. You can have that stack of paperwork," he said, pointing at a small stack on the corner of the desk. Thank you, Seto-kun! Giving into impulse, I run over to where he's sitting and give him a big hug. I ran off to begin working, grabbing the paperwork on my way out.
The work was truly menial. It was just filling out graphs and charts with the occasional business deal. While finishing up the stack, I thought about what would happen tonight. Bakura had promised something exciting and fun, and knowing the Tomb Robber, it could be anything. I finished all the work and got started on my homework. Dinner interrupted me, but I just got right back to work afterwards. I had about 4 hours to kill until the time Bakura would most likely show up, so I worked on learning the new languages.
POV Seto
I'm glad Yugi saw Pegasus plant the bug. I had suspected him to do something of the sort, so I hosted the meeting in the living room. The idea to do menial tasks also followed my line of thinking. Yugi is catching on very quickly. Soon, I'll actually have some free time to pursue my own projects. I noticed that Yugi started learning some computer languages this afternoon. "Mokuba," I said into the intercom systerm. "Can you please come into my office?"
Mokuba appeared a few moments later. "Yes, Seto? What is it, and why are you home so early?"
"Can you teach Yugi all you know about computers? He's making headway with Python, Perl, LISP, and C++. Teach him everything about hacking and protecting, and could you also help him with the Marketing aspect? I trust his judgment, but I'm sure you can teach him much.
"Sure thing, Seto! I'll get started right away, but why are you home so early?"
"I had a meeting with Crawford-san, and I decided to just continue working here instead of wasting time in the trips to and from the Tower."
"Awesome. You should have more meetings here, then. I'll spend a few hours with Yugi, then can you play with me?"
"Only for a little bit. It'll be near your bedtime then."
"Yay! You're the best, Seto!"
I ruffled his hair. "Now go, you don't want to waste time, do you?" He jumped out of my grasp and bolted downstairs to the living room.
POV Mokuba
"Yugi, Yugi! Onii-san says I'm to teach you all about computers!"
"Really? That's great! I just finished up the ones I've been working on, so I was just about to get started looking at some webpages and code to see how other people use it."
"Wow, Yugi, you're really fast! Let's see, I'll show you a simple hack, and you'll try to understand the works behind it, ok?"
"Sure!"
I pulled his laptop over and opened up . They had some of the worst security ever. I inputted some commands and made the website turn neon green with slimy goo covering all the tabs. Yugi was watching the screen closely, deep in thought. I handed the computer over to him and watched him pull up the source code. He scrolled down about halfway, deleted one word, and replaced another. The webpage went back to normal.
"How'd you do that?" I asked. "Normally it takes me a minute to get rid of all the changes."
"Simple. The word I deleted was imperative to the green and goo scheme, while the word I replaced was imperative to the normal color scheme. Why don't we try something more challenging?" he said, pulling up Kaiba Corp.'s webpage.
"Are you crazy? Onii-san keeps heavy tabs on the website and has the most advanced firewall ever!"
"Just wait a sec," was all he said. Yugi typed a few short sentences into the code and exited out. I grabbed the computer and went back to the website to see nothing out of the ordinary.
"What did you do?" I asked.
"I just breached the firewall and placed a little note to tell of my presence. No, I didn't plant any bombs, viruses, or anything of the sort." Just then, onii-san stalked through the room.
"Mokuba," he said dangerously.
"I didn't do anything! It was all Yugi!"
He gave me a look of disbelief and turned to Yugi. Yugi was just smiling, looking a little too innocent. "How did you get past my firewalls," he hissed. "They aren't even in a language you were studying. In fact, they were in my own language. I created an entire computer language so that nobody would understand it."
"Ah, it was pretty simple to understand. I just…." He rambled on for a few minutes, explaining what he did and how he was able to understand the language so quickly. Seto was looking a bit miffed. I could see the ideas tumbling through his head.
"Build a new firewall for the website now," he commanded. "You have 15 minutes."
Yugi reached for the computer and brought it to his lap. He went over to the website, and while onii-san was watching over his shoulder, deleted a big chunk of the code. He then replaced it with a few short lines in a jargon of Python, Perl, and LISP and handed the computer to Seto.
Seto quickly tapped away at the computer, and after half an hour, couldn't find a way in. He looked very frustrated and on the brink of smashing the laptop, so I stole the laptop and got to work on it. Forty-five minutes later, I still hadn't cracked the firewall. I began to notice a pattern, however, pertaining to Duel Monsters. The pattern was barely there and so well hidden that I didn't really notice it. Seeing how the code actually worked, I quickly unraveled it and broke through. I gave both Yugi and onii-san a triumphant smile. I don't think Seto was willing to admit defeat to both Yugi and I, programmers with very little experience, but he didn't get mad at any of us. "Show me how you got through, Mokuba," he said.
I showed him the pattern that looked just like one in Duel Monsters. He became a bit frustrated that he couldn't break through a simple firewall that was based on a card game!
POV Seto
I can't believe a pattern tricked me. So little kids would most likely be better at breaking through a firewall like this than older, more experienced, hackers. I'll put Yugi on monitoring the website. He can also implement more complex firewalls to my bigger systems. "Yugi, can you build much more complex firewalls for my bigger systems?"
"Sure," he replied. "I can actually base the most secure one off of Yami's soul room." I could tell saying that was kind of uncomfortable, but if what he said was true, Yami's soul room was worse than the maze of staircases illusion.
"Are you as good with words as you are with computer jargon?"
"Oh, no, no no! I'm absolutely horrible with words," he replied, a little mortified. We sat around, creating more firewalls and destroying them when the clock chimed 10 PM. Mokuba, surprisingly, didn't interrupt to remind me of my promise to play with him. I guess he was having as much fun hanging out with Yugi and attempting to break down Yugi's defenses. Yugi stood up and stretched.
"I'm going to go now," he said.
What an odd choice of words. "Remember, you'd better be sleeping here tonight."
"Of course," he replied with a grin. "I musn't let Seto-kun have more issues to worry about."
I ignored his tone when I noticed Mokuba's look of wonder. I gave him a questioning glance. His eyes darted from Yugi to me, then he stood up and left. I was alone in the living room with Yugi's laptop. I decided to surf the internet for more information about other hackers such as Yugi.
POV Bakura
I came by Yugi's room around 11:30 with all the gear needed. He was sitting on the bed, already clad in skin-tight black clothing. I was that predictable, huh. His aura was quite bright and happy, and when I appeared, it brightened even more. He looked very excited, probably from guessing the nature of tonight's little run.
"So, what's the plan?" he whispered excitedly.
"We're going to go pay Marik a little visit tonight and pick up a few things there."
"Sweet. Where, when, what, and how?"
"Ishtar museum, now, golden jewelry set encrusted in turquoise and precious stones, probably the only shiny golden jewelry present, and like good 'ol thieves with modern technology."
We climbed out the window and made our way to the ground, using the conveniently placed tree to slow us on our descent. The museum was a little ways away, so we had to walk for about half an hour. When the museum came into sight, it wasn't clear where Marik was. We took cover behind some bushes to the right of the museum, and got the gear out. I took off the Millenium Ring and hid it in a little hole, covering the hole back up with brush and some dirt. I was about to use the grapple hooks to get to the roof when Yugi tugged on my sleeve. He pointed to the side of the museum and mouthed 'side entrance'.
He must have been a trusted frequenter because he even had the key to the entrance. Before entering, I placed my ear up against the door, hoping to hear Marik if he was nearby. It was silent, so I quietly opened the door and slipped in with Yugi following in my wake. I actually had no idea where the jewelry was placed with concern to the position of the entrance, but Yugi once again saved us some trouble. He began leading the way, stopping frequently in shadowy corners and peeking both ways before moving on again. He stopped at the entrance of a room, and I was about to stroll in before he grabbed my arm and pulled me back. I sent him a death glare, but he just mouthed 'lasers'.
I rummaged through the bag and pulled out a can of aerosol. I sprayed the air in front before squeezing the trigger on hold and rolling the can forward. We made our way forward and stopped at the display case. I carefully lifted the display case, and just as I removed the jewelry, Yugi placed a coin with our symbol of Set and Horus. We stealthily picked up the can again and left the museum. That was quite a simple heist. I dug up the Ring and placed it on my neck before picking everything else up.
When we climbed back into Yugi's room, he made a triumphant sound.
POV Yugi
Wow, that was one of the most exciting things I've ever done! Even more than dueling Seto-kun! I turned to look at Bakura's reaction, and his eyes actually sparkled a little. "We've got to do that again, 'Kura!"
He bristled a bit and scowled at me at his nickname but didn't attempt to throttle me or anything. "Will you teach me to use a dagger or two?" His eyes widened a bit at this request.
"What do you need to learn to use weapons for?"
"You, know. Just self-defense or making threats a bit more realistic. They also add a sense of danger, and that will discourage some people," I replied with a huge innocent look on my face.
He couldn't resist my puppy eyes for long and soon gave in. "Do you even have a dagger?" he asked as he led the way outside again.
"Yes," I nod and pull it out to show him. He whistled in appreciation. "Is it ok?"
"Do you even know what you have in your possession?" I stared blankly at him. "That's a genuine Royal Assassin's dagger you have here. Test the edge with a piece of hair." I plucked a hair out of my scalp and laid it on top of the edge. Not milliseconds after it was placed on the edge, it fell in two. "Who'd you get it from?"
"I can't remember, but I took it from some guy on the street yesterday. He looked like he would be a slightly more competent target, but he disappointed me."
Bakura was looking at me with incredulity but didn't question me further. We were standing right in front of the tree by now. He showed me how to grip the dagger and gave me some stances to practice. He also gave me a few thrusts and lunges to work on. I was beginning to work up a sweat when we stopped. He then marked a small spot on the tree trunk and taught me how to throw the dagger. I liked this part the best and soon hit the target dead center every time. We then moved on to throwing the dagger while moving and in awkward positions and sighting the target. My range was really limited, and the muscles in my back and shoulder began to ache.
I yawned hugely and said, "I need to sleep. Training tomorrow night?" while climbing back into my room. Bakura didn't follow, instead choosing to stay on the ground and answer from there.
"Same time, your muscles will kill you tomorrow though, so it may be slightly shorter. Practice your stamina and stretch to relieve any knots." He vanished into the shadows and I climbed into bed after changing and brushing my teeth.
POV Yami
We went to a movie, and I was exhausted when I got home. Shit, I forgot to talk to Yugi. I'll just ask him tomorrow morning. He's probably sleeping right now.
Bakura's Guardian Angel-sorry about that one kissing scene! I just couldn't think of a better idea to distract Yami -__- Please continue reading until it really becomes klepto?
Yay! Wow, that was a long chapter. The chapter actually got better and better! Yugi kicks ass. Poor Seto, getting duped by a two-hour old hacker! Marik's going to get a big surprise tomorrow! Stupid Yami, he's forgetting all about the mind link! I'm going to give Malik, Ryou, Pegasus, Otogi, Mai, and Marik bigger roles. Too bad for Yami-tachi…unless they can try and get Yugi back wayyy later! Hmm maybe Pegasus should join up with Yugi and Bakura. R&R please!