Chapter 4 - A Poker Game

Seto glanced at Yami(?) with worry. He had known him since the eight grade and he's never acted like this before! Ryou decided to send his yami a message via mind link while Aedrian(?) showed Mokuba a few card tricks. Wait 'til Bakura hears about this one...

Bakura was reading a horror novel on the couch in the living room when his hikari contacted him.

*"Bakura? Can you hear me?"* He didn't move, but he sent a simple, *"Yes."* back to Ryou.

*"Yami's gone around the bend."*

That made the thief pause for a moment and look up from his book. *"Wait...what did you say?"*

*"You heard me. Yami's lost his senses. He acts like a completely different person."* Bakura cracked a smile that threatened to burst.

He sent back the thought, *Thanks for the update.* before shutting off his end of the link and bursting into hysterical laughter. Malik's head popped out of the kitchen and asked, "What's so funny, Bakura"

Marik walked down the stairs staring at his game and asked, "Did he find some of your drugs again, Malik?"

Malik shot him an indifferent glare. "I hope not."

The albino tried to stop laughing, but without success as he laughed even harder. Malik approached him and put a hand on his chest and said, "Breathe, Bakura! Breathe!"

Bakura eventually slowed his laughter and stopped long enough to form words. "I...I think...I'm okay now."

The violet-eyed blonde stepped back to give him room and asked, "Now, what in the name of Ra was so funny?"

Bakura said, "He's lost his mind. The Pharaoh..."

Malik narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about, Bakura?"

Marik saved and shut off his video game, saying, "You made absolutely no sense whatsoever."

Bakura finally clarified, "I said the Pharaoh has lost his mind!"

Both blondes stared at him like he really did get a hold of Malik's drugs again.

"He's bullshitting us, right?" Malik laughed weakly.

"He's got to be. I don't know what I'll do if he's telling the truth." Marik responded nervously.

Bakura shouted indignantly, "I'm not lying! Ryou told me so himself!"

Marik mumbled, "Ryou doesn't lie."

"If that's really true, then I need to see this for myself!" Malik laughed.

The albino sniffed the air. "Why does something smell like it's burning?"

The violet-eyed blonde widens his eyes, saying, "Oh, shit!" and runs back to the kitchen.

Marik laughs at his yami. He then asks sarcastically, "How about we eat first, then we see Yami?"

The trio arrived at the Kaiba mansion at about 4:30 that afternoon. Bakura was wearing a black coat and, for some strange reason, a black choker with spikes coming from it. Malik wore a black coat as well. Marik wore a dark green jacket. Malik knocked on the door, calling, "Kaiba? We're here!"

The brunette showed up at the front door. He said, "Oh, you're here. Come on in." and walked away.

Suspicious at Seto's willing welcome, they hesitantly stepped inside. Upon entry, they notice Ryou and Mokuba playing a game of cards. "Hey, guys!" Mokuba greeted as Ryou waved at them. Malik waved back before shutting the door.

Malik began calling Yami's name as Bakura asked, "So, where's Yami?"

Mokuba answered, "That's what we want to know!"

Seto looked around and called, "Yami? Wherever you are, you can come out now!"

Suddenly, Bakura and Malik were tackled to the ground by a boy with crimson eyes and tri-color hair, shouting, "Yay!" causing Mokuba and Ryou to laugh at their expense.

Malik landed on the ground face first and Bakura was lying on his back on top of the tan-skinned blonde. The teen sat on top of the thief like a dog and smiled, saying, "Hiya!"

The violet-eyed male groaned, "Oww..." Bakura regained his senses and said, "That's some greeting he's got. Does he do that to everyone?"

"Actually, this is the first time I've seen him do that." Seto said warily. He looked at the boy on top of them and politely asked, "Could you please get off of them?"

The teen immediately slid off of the duo and returned to the brunette's side. He wrapped his arms around him and said, "I love you."

Bakura glanced at his hikari, saying, "When you told me he lost it, you weren't kidding!"

Malik raised his head, then just as quickly put it back down when the room started spinning in his eyes. Bakura rolled off of him to crawl to the wall. Leaning up against it, he watched the blonde Egyptian prop himself on his arms and said, "Ra damn it, my back is killing me!"

He turned over to ease the throbbing pain and sat against the wall for a little while. He glared at the former pharaoh, growling, "A warning would've been nice, Yami!"

The teen cocked his head to the side. "Who's Yami?"

Marik gave him a puzzled look. "You are. Do you not remember who you are?"

The male shook his head, laughing, "No. I'm Aedrian."

The trio harmoniously said, "Aedrian?"

"My name is Aedrian Étoile. Sorry about earlier. I couldn't help myself. You three must be Malik, Bakura, and Marik."

They stared at him in confusion. Mokuba laughed, "What, did you guys actually think I was talking about Yami mysteriously disappearing somewhere? I was referring to Yami's state of mind."

Aedrian smiled and asked, "Would it make any sense to the three of you if I said that Yami is me and I am him while I am myself and he is himself?"

"No, that made absolutely no sense to me in any way, shape, form, or fashion to me whatsoever. Why?" Bakura replied as Mokuba and Ryou began snickering.

The teen shrugged, "I was just curious."

Seto looked at the two yamis and said, "You two have plenty of experience in insanity, right?"

Malik gave him a look that said 'What are you talking about?' as Bakura said, "Well, this doesn't look like a case that involves Shadow Magic, if that's what you mean."

The brunette clarified, "Some sort of derangement like...Multiple Personality or OCD. Something of that nature."

The thief stepped towards the male to look into his eyes. Aedrian suddenly hisses, "If you don't step away from me this instant, I swear to Ra I'm going to kill you in your sleep."

He flinches and looks at Seto. "Sorry, Kaiba, but I don't know what's wrong with him. Whatever it is, it could clear up in a number of days for all I know."

Malik stood to his feet and walked over to the couch. Bakura glanced over to the pile of cards on the floor. Aedrian followed his gaze, smiling, "I propose we play a game!"

The raven-haired teen handed the deck of cards to Aedrian, saying, "Ryou and I will be in my room if you need us." and ran upstairs with the white-haired Britain following close behind.

Bakura asked, "What did you have in mind?"

The teen smirked, "How about 'Strip Poker'?"

Suddenly interested in the offer, Malik shot up from the couch, saying, "Count me in!"

Bakura shrugged his shoulders. "I may as well play. Malik sucks at Poker."

"I do not!"

As they continued bickering over Malik's skill at Poker (or lack thereof), Aedrian stared at Seto with innocent eyes. A moment or two later, the brunette had practically given in to his looks. "Oh, alright, I'll play."

Aedrian cheered, "Yay! Seto's playing!"

He sat on the floor with Bakura to his right, Seto to his left, and Malik directly across from him. He shuffled the cards, asking mischievously, "Shall we begin?"

Six rounds go by and Aedrian is winning. While he only had his choker off, Seto and Bakura only had their pants on, and...Malik was practically dead last. He can only survive for another turn.

"Gahh! This is bullshit!" he cried while Marik just watched him rant, laughing all the while. Once the cards were dealt and it had come down to the last card, they bet their chips. Aedrian put down 200, Seto matched him, Bakura folded, claiming it was 'too rich for his blood', and Malik unwittingly put in the rest of his chips. Aedrian flips over the card and smirks victoriously.

He slowly puts down his cards and says, "Royal Flush. I win again!"

They simultaneously shout, "BULLSHIT!" Malik throws down his cards and picks up his clothes.

"That's it! I forfeit!" he shouts before standing to his feet and stalking off to a different room. When he returns, Seto and Bakura had their pants off. Aedrian laughed evilly, "Now, let's continue."

At one point, when Aedrian and Seto were shirtless, they glanced at each other, blushed, and looked away. Bakura couldn't help smirking at the momentary connection. Joey, Mai, Duke, Tristan, and Téa walked in a minute later.

"Hey, guys! What's-" Joey's voice stopped short at the sight of two blushing teens and game of Strip Poker.

"What the hell is going on here?!" Duke asked in disbelief.

Mai looked at them for a moment before Bakura said, "It's a game of Strip Poker. What does it look like to you?"

"A couple of lunatics watching a couple of teens playing a friendly game of cards? I don't know." Tristan said sarcastically.

Malik rolled his eyes at the comment as Seto said, "Two Pair."

"Full House." Aedrian countered confidently.

"So, who's winning?" Téa asked innocently.

The violet-eyes blonde pointed at the crimson-eyed male. "He is. And if I'm right, he'll take Kaiba out in a couple of rounds."

Bakura glanced at him skeptically before challenging, "Fifty bucks says you're wrong."

"You're on!" Malik accepted

"Ha! Now I've got the Full House this time!" Seto proclaimed, slamming his cards down.

Aedrian put his hand down with a smile. "I'm sorry, but I happen to have a Straight Flush with all Clubs."

"Damn, he's good!" Malik gaped at the male. Bakura rolled his eyes. "I swear he's cheating somehow!"

Aedrian scowled at him. "It's impossible to cheat in Poker!"

He glances at the brunette beside him and says, "How much are you willing to bet that you're going to win this round?"

The blue-eyed male sighs and puts down his cards. "Straight Flush. King, Queen, Jack, Ten, Nine. All Hearts." He smiles, confident that he won the round. "Top that!"

"What a coincidence. I happen to have a Straight Flush as well." He puts down his cards one at a time. "Ace, King, Queen, Jack, Ten. All Spades." He looks Seto in the eye. "I win."

The all stare at the competing hands. Bakura gaped at it this time, saying, "That's some serious bullshit. No way in hell is this scenario possible. In any way, shape, form, or fashion is this even possible."

The teen picked up the entire deck and began shuffling it as Marik held out his hand. "Pay up, Bakura." Seto had picked up his clothes and walked off into a different room to change.

The albino took out his wallet and pulled out the money. Handing it to him, Marik smugly said, "Thank you."

"Shut up." he growled.

Aedrian glanced over to Joey with a grin on his face. "Would you like to see a card trick?"

The blonde responded with a, "What kinda card trick?"

"I'll pull your favorite card out of this deck and show it to you." the crimson-eyed teen responded.

Joey scoffed at the idea. "That's some bullshit and you know it."

The male laughed, "Well, why don't you take a card..." he held the entire deck for Joey. "And see for yourself?"

He took one of the cards. Before he got a chance to look at it, the male in front of him said, "Don't look at it. Just put it back on the top."

"Don't look at it? Why not?" he asked, thoroughly confused.

The teen shook his head, "Just put it on the top."

Doing as he was told, Joey placed the card on the card deck and watched Aedrian shuffle it to his heart's content. Once he stopped, he randomly pulled out a card and said, "This," he pulled out the Flame Swordsman. "Is your favorite card."

Joey was stunned. He snatches the card out of his hand to stare at it. He flips it over to see the blue back of the cards Aedrian held. Turning it over to the front, he sees a colored joker in the place of the Swordsman that he saw a moment before. Turning it back again, the blue color had turned red. "What the hell?!" he shouted in pure confusion.

Aedrian laughed, "Life's full of surprises, isn't it, Joey?" He glances at the taller Egyptian blonde and pulls out a black wallet from his pocket.

"Is this yours, Malik?" he innocently inquired.

"What are you..." his voice trails as he searches his person. He pulls out a similar one. "No. I have mine right here."

"That's mine, Malik!" Bakura growls and snatches it from him.

"How do you know if it is or isn't?!" the violet-eyed teen shouts. The albino pulls out his own driver's license from it and flashes it to Malik.

"This is how I know." he simply states before putting his wallet away.

Malik looks back at Aedrian who's still smiling and putting Malik's wallet in his jacket pocket. Said blonde puts his hand out and growls, "Give it back."

With his hands still in his pockets, he began slowly pulling out the male's driver's license and his credit card, Aedrian stalled, "Mm...I'm not so sure if I particularly want to. Maybe I'll hold onto it for safekeeping."

Malik took a few steps in his direction. "Hand...it...over..." he growls, his eye twitching.

Aedrian sighed and pulled the wallet out, leaving Malik's license and credit card in his pocket. "Fine. Take it. Like I really care."

Once he takes it, Malik shoves it back into his coat pocket and storms outside. Moments later, there was a crash heard outside. Hearing the collision, Bakura, Seto, Aedrian, and Malik ran outside.

~A/N: Bakura: I swear he cheated in that card game!

Yami (Aedrian): Did not!

Bakura: Did too!

Yami (Aedrian): Did not!

Bakura: Did too!

Malik: How did he switch the wallets without them knowing?!

Yami (Aedrian): That's my little secret!

Marik: Whatever. What happened to me outside?

Sakura: You'll see in the next chapter. I just hope you have medical insurance.

Marik: What?!

Sakura: I'm just kidding!

Ryou: Oh, my...Oh well, Please Review!