I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! The answer as to who is on the phone is pretty obvious after the first couple paragraphs. Ryou has a small part in this chapter! Yay! He's like a puppy!

Without further a due I give you chapter 4.

Chapter 4

I believe an explanation is now due.

You see when the Ishtar siblings were living back in Egypt; many of their family members had knowledge of the children's father being mentally ill. However, they all had thought of him as harmless, that he would never do a thing to harm his children. After all, that was how he had been when the children's mother was still among the living. That was their first mistake.

Following that family tragedy, no one else heard from the Ishtars. And for some strange reason all of them never actually bothered to reform the family connection. This was something all of them regretted dearly even to this day. That was their second mistake.

The year following the day that Marik's father inscribed those terrible marks into his own son's back, that would be with him as scars forever, his family finally discovered (via phone call from Rishid telling them of his adoptive father's arrest) the actual extent of his instability that they'd neglected to see for far too long. They obviously knew it was far too late for the four children that were in his care to be saved from the mental and physical trauma they had suffered. And it was too late for apologizes after the 11 years since the death of their mother in the birth of her twin boys.

Relatives tried to offer a home to the siblings after the incarceration of their caregiver who didn't even deserve the title of father to them anymore. Rishid and Ishizu, being the oldest of the four, rejected the offers at first being legally able to live on their own as long as Rishid was with them (who would later be the legal guardian of all three kids) but soon found that fending for themselves proved too difficult. So after deliberation they collectively decided that the three youngest sibling would stay in the care of their uncle Shadi (1) while Rishid went to Japan to start a life for them there where they would all join him precisely one year later.

The younger of the two twin boys, Melvin (2), had quickly grown accustom to their new, much more comfortable life, in fact all of them had. Their uncle taught them a great deal about Egyptian mythology, something they all took an obvious interest in as well as putting them in lessons to learn the language of the country they would be taking residence in soon. He was a truly great caretaker for them.

After the abuse and neglect they had been subject to when their father was around, the court made it mandatory for all of them (with the exception of Rishid, who would finish his therapy later in Japan) to go through therapy for the subsequent 6 months.

That amount of time was quite enough for Rishid, Ishizu, and Marik, but it was a completely different story for the youngest Ishtar. In truth, Melvin was the one to put a stop to their fathers disgusting and abusive ways. In his rage at seeing his own father abusing his twin before his very eyes, knowing he was to be next, Melvin, who until then had been the most timid and kept to himself of all of them, attacked the villainous man with a murderous glint in his previously innocent eyes. Had the three other siblings not been able to restrain, Melvin in that moment of total unrestraint would have murdered him. Marik really didn't want to stop his younger brother from doing that in his heart but he didn't want his twin to have something like that on his conscience or for anyone else to know he'd done that knowing he would have trouble. He didn't want him to end up like their father. Yet, Marik was from then on a lot more careful around his brother for he had never seen him act in such a way before. Marik was always the braver and for the most part; more rebellious, but after that fateful day the roles of the twin boys were forever swapped. Melvin would act up a lot more from then on.

So it isn't a stretch to say that Melvin required more therapy than his brothers and sister. In fact, it was recommended to Shadi that Melvin stay in Egypt for and additional month to continue with the therapy for as long as he could.

So here was Melvin on the phone with his older twin for the first time since they got to Japan three weeks ago.

Marik's best friend and greatest fear other than his father.

"Hello, Brother" came the low voice speaking in Arabic from the other end of the phone line.

"Hi, Melvin" Marik replied in the familiar tongue.

Once over the initial shock and fear of hearing his brother's voice for the first time after almost a month in his new life, Marik and his brother were able to catch up (though it was mostly Melvin who was talking because Marik didn't have much to say without telling of his bullies), Melvin said he would most likely join his siblings in Japan in approximately one week. Marik could tell he needed to still be careful with his words and actions in the company of his brother. Marik really was genuinely excited to be reunited with his brother; he would no longer be lonely regardless of him taking Jonouchi and Honda's offer.

Anticipation for this time next week was high. This call made him push Bakura Touzoku (temporarily) to the back of his mind. Completely blocking someone else he met today from his memory.

An hour later was the time Marik finally handed the phone over to his sister who had just come home not 20 minutes earlier. Rishid later told Marik that Shadi would pay for Melvin's therapy as he continued it in Japan. At this he thought, So he's not better after all. with a frown.

He desperately wanted his baby brother to go back to the way he used to be, but he knew better. That was a wish that would be forever unfulfilled.

He just hoped it would.

Bakura sat in the room him and his younger twin, Ryou, shared. He couldn't help but think of the events that occurred earlier in the day in detention. Marik Ishtar was the boy's name wasn't it. He's got gall. I can respect that about him. Definitely interesting, that's for sure. There's something about him that makes me not hate him. Maybe I'll find him tomorrow. Then what? I can't decide whether I want to kick the shit out of him or take him under my wing. He fell back on his bed, laid down, and continued to think. What am I saying? I don't help anyone. That's not me. Ryou is the only one I stick up for. I don't care about what some stupid brat does.

"Hey 'Kura! You home yet?" Bakura heard Ryou call out to him.

"In here." He yelled back.

Ryou had been out with his friends for two hours at school. A boy named Atem who was in their grade, and his younger brother Yugi (who was a grade below them). When Ryou hung out with them at their house that doubled as game shop, Yugi usually invited his friends over as well; Anzu Mazaki, Katsuya Jonouchi, and Hiroto Honda. Moreover, Ryou being probably the most friendly person on the planet also made friends with the younger kids. But Bakura knew for a fact that neither Jonouchi or Honda were with him today. Not that mattered to Bakura, he thought of them as delinquents and a bad influence on his younger brother. Not that if they were he wasn't, but he tried to preserve Ryou's innocence as much as possible and always made an effort to keep that side of himself away from his brother, the only person he truly cared about anymore.

"Wanna order pizza?" Ryou asked from the kitchen.

"Sure," he replied in a bored tone. "Whatever you want, Ryou."

Ryou then entered the room to see his brother collapsed on the bed next to his own. "What's wrong? You look troubled." He said as he unpacked his backpack on his desk.

"I'm pondering my life, what do you think?" He responded sarcastically in a moan.

He giggled at this. "You can tell me anything 'Kura. It's not like I'll tell anyone."

"It's nothing. Just continuing my plans for world domination." A smirk crept up on Bakura's face. He truly loved to toy with his brother. He secretly loved to make him smile.

He continued to talk with his brother and managed to get any thoughts of Marik out of his head, though it wasn't actually that hard. Sometimes it's difficult to distract yourself from things when all you're left to do is sit alone with nothing to do. You swim in your own thoughts too long and frustrate yourself. All Bakura needed was to think new thoughts. Tomorrow would be a new day and it's not like he had to see the boy, so he decided he'd be kind for once and leave the Egyptian alone. Now the question was if he would be able to stick to that or not.

(1) Shadi cause I couldn't think of anyone else.

(2) It used Melvin for Yami Marik's name cause I already called Marik, Marik when I wasn't sure if I was gonna add him. Malik and Marik is just plain confusing to me.

I was listening to Conversations with my 13 year old self by Pink (I do not own)while writing this so I kinda though it influenced the story a bit.

Tell me if you liked this chapter because I sure did :) It was fun to write.

I also have a poll up on my profile so check that out.

I can't decide if I want to deathship later in this story so as the story goes on please tell me if you'd like to see that.

Please review!

-Witch12