"You have food and money! What more do you need Elfling?" Bakura shouted rounding on the trio

Ryou composed himself before answering. "A guide to the outlands. Dicho knew the way and so did those two." He pointed to Weevil and Rex. "If we don't have them escort us then we'll be thrown back to traders or killed. They don't take lightly to slaves who murder, which is what this looks like." He gestured to the dead man and the upturned cage and carriage.

Bakura stilled and observed the damage. He seemed to know what it meant.

"I suppose you are right, Elfling. But, do you take the risk of these two betraying you to traders?" Bakura asked.

Weevil and Rex shook their heads enthusiastically. Their muffled voices saying they would not if meant their heads on their necks. The two bandits holding them tugged to shut the dwarves.

"I have no choice." Ryou shrugged. If it meant freedom then he would take it.

"Hol' on," said Joey. "Wat 'bout Yugi?"

"We're too late," said the blonde woman. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, but she hid it well with her hood. Joey growled at her.

"Naw, wese ain't. Youse can giv uppa on 'im but I goan afta 'im. No damn dragon stoppin' me."

Joey started heading to the direction he believed to be right. Ryou shook his head.

"What then Joey? You'll fight a dragon; a dragon that cannot be killed in his beast form." Ryou sighed.

"Least Ima goan ta try," Joey yelled back. Tea had gotten up from her place and started to untie one of the horses. "I'm going too," she said.

Ryou gaped. Yugi had to be dead by now. A white dragon, such as the one in the mountain, was not likely to take pity on a thief. He had to be dead. No one could withstand a lightning flame. They rumbled in the ground and made tremors for miles…

Ryou gasped. He looked up to see the two heading in the right direction, Tea leading the way.

"He's not dead," Ryou whispered.

"What?"

Ryou jumped, surprised by the quiet human. Bakura stood there staring at him expectantly.

"Speak Elfling," he said gritting his teeth.

"Yugi's not dead. We would have felt the tremors of the white drake from there to here and if he ate him, all dragons announce their capture. There have been no tremors. Yugi still lives," he said breathless. The boy was still alive! For how long, Ryou was not sure, but he began to go after his fellow slaves. Bakura grabbed him and held on hard. Ryou winced at the vice grip and then the man barked at the other two.

"You're all idiots! Charging with no plan to an Eru-damn dragon." Bakura glared at the three. Tea was composed as Ryou, however Joey was seething. Tea kept her hand on his shoulder, soothing him. Bakura breathed. "We need a way in that place."

"We. Dere's no we. Just us!"

"Tell me Mister…Joey yes? Do you know how to enter the mountain? Or what awaits you if that dragon awakens?" asked Duke who came up. Joey growled, but nonetheless, he lowered his ire.

"I agree," said Tea. "Maybe there is hope and we can't go colliding in. Yugi will need us to think on this problem without him."

Ryou nodded and looked again at Bakura. He then looked beyond him to the dwarves.

"Let them go," he said.

Bakura was shocked. "Why would I?"

"They weren't cruel, particularly, and they even helped Yugi," he said knowing that was the magic word.

Bakura breathed and looked at the two who were shaking. He waved his hands and the dwarves were released from their bonds. The two bowed before taking their wagon and running off. They were careful to tread away from the carcass of their former master. No one said that they were guaranteed safety from the bandits.

"Wat's da plan?" Joey asked.

Most everyone face palmed or kept themselves from doing so and then Tea flicked his ear.

"We need to come up with one, Mister Joey," said Duke.

"First we need to get to the mountain and that's a two day ride. Makos! Espa!" The two mentioned were there in quick strides. "Get the horses from their stable, quick. Duke I assume you're coming, so Mai," he turned to the blonde woman, "you are in charge of our company till I return."

"If you bring Yugi back, I'll kiss you," she said smirking at Bakura' scowl.

"When I bring him back you can kiss him."

The bandits followed Bakura's orders and Ryou was impressed with how easily he was obeyed. The bandits had them packed, stocked, and on their way before the noon sun hit its zenith. Ryou was climbing on his painted mare when he felt a hand on his leg. He looked down to see the woman, Mai, staring at him with her big purple eyes. It hurt how much they reflected Yugi's gems. She handed him a small bag.

"It's charms. Yugi made them for us. Just…to let him know we never forgot him," her eyes glistened. Ryou squeezed the bag in his hand.

"I promise."

Seto had put his new pet in the finest room that he knew was in the brownies' home. Most of the walls were broken down to accommodate for his size. Not that he lacked the ability to change into human form, but this was easier. The boy, Yugi, squirmed as Seto removed the last bit of his ragged clothing. The boy needed new ones, clothes which matched his beauty. Seto smirked as he flushed and tried to cover his body with his hands. He chuckled when Yugi pouted at the new clothes.

"Those are for a girl!"

Seto looked at the attire. It was long like a tunic, but had frills on the bottom. The thing was aligned with jewels and the sleeves were long.

"Well, all your clothes look the same to me," he said after a long pause.

"I suppose to you they do," huffed Yugi.

"There is nothing else but this wardrobe," he nodded to the only other furniture in the room besides the bed. "And that is the one that has survived. The others I burned or used as target practice."

"You're going to make me dress like a girl."

"Or walk naked." The boy went puce. "I rather…like the thought."

Indeed, Seto was enjoying the sight in front of him now. Yugi squeaked and was fast to put on the attire. The sleeves were puffed and the length hid Yugi's feet and spread out to the floor. He huffed again. Then he started to tear at the sleeves, ripping off the fabric. He did the same to the bottom half of the dress. At the end, the sleeves were quarter length and flat and the dress came to Yugi's ankles.

"That's much better," said Yugi.

Seto chuckled. "I agree. Now, tell me what are you?"

"Pardon?"

Seto rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean. You are not a human, not completely, and your feet I have never seen before." Seto gestured to the small boy's large furry toes. "I can only assume you are a new race that has come to light in the last century or so."

Yugi looked down and started to shuffle his feet. "I'm not."

"You're not what? No more riddles speaking, boy, I want an answer." Seto bellowed. He quickly regretted seeing how Yugi trembled and tears glistened in his eyes. "I mean…please, just answer my question." He lowered his head to be eye level with Yugi.

Yugi sighed. He looked as if a great secret were to be revealed. Seto could not wait.

"I am a Hobbit," Yugi said shutting his eyes close.

Seto quirked his brow; he had heard that word before but now could not recall the meaning.

"Believe it or not Yugi, I am fairly young for a dragon. So, if you will elaborate. A Hobbit is…."

"Uh, well," he opened his eyes, "we're an old race, before the Great Civil War. My people were known as peaceful and nature bound. We lived in hills underground, although unlike dwarves and brownies home ours were warm and friendly. My Grampa said we once had a huge impact on Middle Earth when darkness threatened to descend, but I don't remember the stories too well. It was something about a ring,…I think."

"Mmm, you Hobbits sound like a strange bunch. Peaceful and tunnelers, however some of your kind had important roles. What else about Hobbits and their ways?"

"Uhhhh, Grampa said we were hunted to near extension, until we mated with others. In fact, we're the reason why some dwarves don't have beards. They are technically a race of Dwobbits."

Seto shook his head. "Dwobbits, my word. And then, why is it that I find myself with such a lovely little Hobbit?"

Yugi blushed and played with his braid. "I am the first full Hobbit to be born in…a very long time. Both my parents had more Hobbit blood in them and my Grampa too. I am still not a true Hobbit because I am too tall."

"What?"

"Hobbits don't get past three feet or so, and few ever made it to four feet. So, I am a giant in a way," Yugi said, grinning.

Seto chuckled again. "I see."

"Also, I have some human and dark elf in my blood. I can do simple tricks and I have knowledge of healing practices from my grandmother."

"And you choose them to go around and steal from Dragons." Seto meant that as a joke. Seeing Yugi shake again was not his intent. "Stop with that. You had more than enough courage to enter my domain. And if it means anything, I will let you tell your family the fate you have chosen." But I won't, thought Seto. He would go seek the ones who raised his new pet, but he would do it to reassure them this Hobbit belonged to him now. Seto had a new treasure, one he intended to keep away from the world.

"They're dead," Yugi said. "My parents…Grampa. I never knew my mother and father. And Grampa…when the slave traders came to New Lake-Town..he-he tried to take me back. He was stabbed in the heart. I was only nine." Yugi broke out and sobbed.

Seto reeled back, disturbed by this outburst. He supposed it was from the exhaustion and the weight of everything on this boy-hobbit. Seto sighed. He hated to see Yugi cry. He lumbered back on his haunches and concentrated. Seto's body began to contort and shrink. His scales dissipated into pale skin and brown hair grew on his body. He had kept his front hands on the floor of Yugi's room and his human form ended there. The human form he had was a young man, tall, and his eyes were still an icy blue, although the pupils were not dilated as much and white was seen. He walked slowly to the crying boy-hobbit. Careful not to startle Yugi, Seto kneeled down and patted him gently.

"There, there. Don't cry. This way, you're no longer a slave." Seto watched as Yugi curled more into himself. "I won't hurt you or abandone you; no, I'll be here and you can tell me stories. I will even allow you to leave and get food," Seto promised. With me trailing you, he thought.

Yugi stopped and looked up. His face was puce and shocked.

"Um,erm,…Seto?"

"Yes, I can change form, but it is easier for me to be a dragon. I will change more if you won't—"

"No," Yugi said, while looking away. "You're…where are your clothes?"

Bakura rolled his eyes at the huffing shape shifter. Joey did not like the idea of being on horseback and the horses hated him more. BoyBoy, the painted horse they gave Joey, would trot in zigzags to shake the shifter off. Bakura found it hilarious, until he received twin glares from the elf and woman. Now they sat at the campfire, still another sunset to the mountains. Bakura leaned back on the log he used as a chair.

Yugi could still be there, alive. Bakura stared in the direction of the Sunny Mountains. He longed to just race his horse to the mount, enter the secret passage only he knew of, and kill the beast before it laid one hand on his brother in bond. However, romantic plans like that were what got him his scars in the first place and why Yugi was not safe with them now. Duke came to sit by Bakura.

"What is it?" Bakura grunted.

"What if it's too late? Tea said Yugi was not given any supplies. What if he—"

"Shut up! Don't think that way, you fool. We've all survived days of hunger and Yugi is no exception. As for his fate, unless that dragon has fired then we assume he is still alive. Also, we can't charge in like I said beforehand. We have to stop and rest. Yugi won't give up and neither will I."

"You're right," said Duke, assurance in his tone. "What do we do with them?" he whispered.

Bakura looked at the three freed slaves. Tea was untying Joey's bandages and the elf, Ryou, ate his stew that Tea had cooked.

"They can stay."

"Good. Between you and me, I wouldn't mind having a new girl and she's quite the looker," Duke said, giving a mischievous grin. Bakura rolled his eyes again. "And I don't think you'll mind having that elf in your bed."

At that, Bakura punched Duke in the arm. Duke scampered away asking Tea to tend to him.

Smooth bastard, thought Bakura as the woman became mother hen to Duke. He winked when she was not looking at Bakura.

Bakura huffed then caught the chocolate eyes of one elf staring at him. After they got Yugi, Bakura had to find a new life for his gang. Thieving could only last so long before they all got killed. If the elf decided to stay, then he could be great company for Bakura. If not, then he would have his brother back with him. In the end, that's all that mattered.