It was dusk before Ryou left school. The Science Club had met for a couple hours after school in the gymnasium to work on their project for Domino City's upcoming Student Arts and Science fair: A twelve-foot replica of the Russian Space Station. The group wanted people to be able to actually walk inside, and learn all about its history and functions. It was going to take long hours and hard work, but everyone was dead set on having the best exhibit there and winning the five hundred thousand yen prize.

The one-eyed man hadn't been brought up again during the day but as Ryou neared the Pegasus shop he quickened his pace ever so slightly. It wasn't that he was coward. Far from it actually, or else he would have mapped out an entirely different route form his apartment to Domino High instead of passing the shop twice a day. There was just something about the place and it's owner –or the man Ryou had assumed was the owner- that made him uneasy.

Uneasy, like the voice he had heard on the street after their first meeting. It hadn't been so much the mysterious origin of it that had unsettled Ryou, but also the confidence in which the words had been spoken. It sounded so convinced that it would see him again. As if it just KNEW that their next meeting was…well, destined to happen, even if Ryou wasn't sure he believed in destiny.

That's what bothered him the most, how much one unfamiliar voice just seemed to know about him.

Like his name, for example.

When he had first told his friends, Honda had offered to beat the "Perverted Stranger" up while Anzu tried to assure him that the voice had probably just come from his shook up imagination. Both suggestions hadn't made Ryou feel much better, but he supposed that he could see Anzu's point. He hadn't heard the voice since then, but it and the man remained on his mind.

Pegasus's opening day was in two days yet surprisingly, the sidewalks were empty as Ryou half-hurried along. One would expect the throngs of people to be there more excited than ever but no, the only company Ryou really had was the sound of his footsteps, and a few chirping crickets. There wasn't even a car on the street. It seemed a little strange to Ryou, but not enough for him to be worried.

Yet he should have been worried because even though he was unsure about destiny, tonight was set to be the jumpstart of his own.

It began the moment he stepped right in front of the shops newly built marble walkway. "Ryou…"

He froze.

"Ryou…"

It wasn't your typical spooky kind of voice. It had a soft, playful sort of tone that ended a little high-pitched at the end.

"Ryyyyoooou…"

It actually sounded…kind of pleased to see him. Happy, even.

But that didn't stop the wild beating of his heart. No matter how friendly the voice was, it made Ryou nervous to hear it without seeing anyone around. Had Anzu been right? Was it just his imagination? Had he truly become shaken enough to the point of hearing hallucinations?

He took a small step forward.

"Ryyyyoooou…"

Have I finally lost my mind?

This is all Bakura's fault!

He tried to stay calm, failed, and then took another step.

The voice turned stern. "Ryou."

It didn't want him to leave. Ryou's breath hitched as he froze once again, unsure of what to do.

Fate decided for him. The lights from Pegasus flashed, and then exploded into a blinding brightness as Marvin Hamlish's 'The Entertainer' blasted at max plus volume from an unknown source. Ryou covered his eyes and cried out. What was happening?

He took off down the sidewalk…and almost immediately ran into someone.

The impact would have sent him to the ground if hands hadn't grabbed his shoulders to keep him steady. Without thinking, Ryou clung to the person in both fright and relief. If the person here could hear the noise and see the lights, then it would prove that Ryou couldn't have imagined everything.

The music vanished, and the brightness dimmed down to its original glow. The adrenaline that raced through Ryou took several seconds to calm before he realized that everything was back to normal. The body that he had grabbed onto eased itself from his hold and then tilted Ryou's chin up.

It was the man.

Ryou's throat went dry. The man however, greeted him a huge smile and said, "So we meet again! How fortunate for me!"

That voice…it was HIS voice Ryou had heard!

But…how? He wasn't around when I heard it a second ago. No one was!

The man's face changed from cheerful to concerned as he took in Ryou's harried expression. "Did I frighten you, young man?"

Ryou tried to shake his head but the hold on his chin prevented it. The man realized this and then released it with another cheery smile. "I did, didn't I? Forgive me. I was just testing the setup before opening on Sunday. As you saw, everything turned on all right but I still have a few kinks to work out with the lights and sound. Sometimes they have a mind of their own."

No answer.

The man stepped back and peered at him. "You do know how to speak, don't you?"

Ryou only nodded. The guy had a shop that could turn on by itself (which thankfully confirmed that Ryou hadn't imagined anything), and an interest in him that Ryou couldn't figure. Surprisingly, these facts didn't spook him as much anymore. Instead, he was now more wary and curious about the mystery man.

He finally found his voice. "Who are you?"

The man gave a deep bow. "Maximilian Pegasus, owner of this grand shop of the same name and artist extraordinaire." He straightened back up and then added, "And you are Bakura Ryou, straight A student and the object of countless female affections."

"Um…" was all Ryou managed as he blushed.

Pegasus laughed and then slipped an arm around the boy's shoulders. "Oh yes, I've heard quite a bit about you from them. Beautiful, they call you, and oh so jealous they are of your friend Miss Mazaki."

"Anzu's just a friend."

"Of course she is. Those girls would have done something drastic to her by now if she was anything more."

Ryou believed that whole-heartedly. If it weren't for himself and Honda, that 'something drastic' probably would have happened a long time ago. And it wasn't because Anzu couldn't defend herself –just ask Jounouchi- but when the odds were ten or twelve to one, even the bravest of people would have trouble.

He relaxed a bit. So that was why Pegasus had seemed so interested in him. He'd heard all kinds of gossip.

Pegasus noticed the lost tension and nodded, pleased. "I'm glad you're feeling more comfortable, Ryou. However, judging from your earlier pace I'd say that you are in a hurry to get home. But if you would kindly spare me a few more minutes there's something I'd like to discuss with you."

More wariness kicked in. "What is it?"

"I would like you to come work for me."

Ryou blinked. That had been…unexpected. "Work? You mean, in your shop?"

Pegasus nodded. "Yes. You see, my only assistant quit before I moved my shop here and I've been looking for a replacement to help me run things. With your academic background and popularity, I believe that you would be a great help."

Ryou wasn't sure how to react. The man responsible for Domino City's month-long mystery craze was offering him a job? It was flattering and all, but…

"But…I don't know anything about the selling business."

Pegasus was unruffled. "So I will teach you everything you need to know. It isn't difficult."

"Mr. Pegasus-"

"Maximilian please, Ryou."

"All right. Mr. Maximilian, you need someone with experience working with you, not some teenager you've only just met. Plus, I would need all sorts of permission from my Father and school officials." A moment and then, "And even if I was granted all that permission, and you did teach me everything I needed to know, there's no guarantee that I'll be able to do it right. You'd be much better off with someone older and more knowledgeable."

The short speech had put a determined shine in the Ryou's eyes, and a stubborn dip in his chin. Pegasus was impressed, but nonetheless said, "Well, at least give my offer some thought for a day or two. If you accept, I'd be happy to speak to your school and your Father for you."

"My Father is leaving on Sunday."

It was Pegasus's turn to blink, though with his one visible eye, it looked more like a wink. "He is?"

"He's an archeologist. He works for the Domino museum."

The words had put sadness in Ryou's demeanor. Pegasus squeezed his shoulder a bit in sympathy. "How long will he be gone?"

"Until Christmas."

The man brightened. "Well, all the more reason to come work with me! You don't really want to come home from school everyday to an empty apartment, do you? Or be there all day by yourself during your holiday vacation?"

Not really, Ryou admitted to himself. It always gets too quiet there and Honda and Anzu will both be-wait!

He gave Pegasus a puzzled look. "How did you know that I would be by myself?"

He placed a hand on his head and stared at Ryou with complete innocence. His voice came out a bit higher than normal. "I just assumed it since you mentioned that you would need his particular permission…you'll really be all alone?"

Ryou hesitated. "Yes."

"No…other siblings?"

He looked away. "…No."

Pegasus reached out and moved Ryou's head to face him again. There weren't any tears in the boy's eyes, but they looked terribly sad and vulnerable anyway. "Then come work for me. You won't be alone as much, and it would give my humble little shop an excuse to house many overzealous females who will buy anything that you happen to touch."

Ryou amazed himself by laughing out loud. Pegasus joined in, and after a few seconds remarked, "You see, Ryou? I'm not such a big, scary man after all, am I?"

He calmed the rest of his laughter and felt the corners of his mouth turn up. "No."

"So then what do you say? Will you help me make 'Pegasus' the most popular shop in Domino?"

He held out a hand and Ryou stared at it, undecided, before he turned to study the building.

It really was very life-like to the carnival ride it imitated, but at the same time was also much more. The elegant marble, glass and jeweled design positively gleamed under the soft gold lighting. The horses, Ryou realized, even had little wings carved into their sides in tribute to the name of the shop they were built for. And the inside…

Ryou frowned and craned his neck from side to side. There didn't seem to be anything inside the vast first floor but bare marble walls, and a wooden staircase leading up to the second story. How was Pegasus going to open in two days if the inside still wasn't set up?

"Ryou?"

He turned around. Pegasus's hand was still outstretched, waiting.

Ryou still had a lot of questions. Why him? Why now? Why Domino City? Why did the man have to wear that gold eye? Where did he get it?

And what about his voice? How did Ryou hear it when Pegasus hadn't been around to speak it?

All this and more floated in the back of his mind, and Ryou decided that if he really wanted the answers, there was really only one thing he could do.

He reached out and grasped Pegasus's hand. "Okay."