Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Gorgeous Carat (YGO version) ❯ Flame of Magar Part 2 ( Chapter 2 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Lsama-no-miko 
Anime/Manga: Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Mystery / Romance / Suspense / Drama | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 11.23.2007 | Updated On: 11.23.2007 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.1K | Visits: 193 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Mystery / Romance / Suspense / Drama | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 11.23.2007 | Updated On: 11.23.2007 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.1K | Visits: 193 | Status: Work In Progress
Gorgeous Carat (YGO version)
Sakura (L-sama no Miko)
Chapter 2: Flame of Magar Part 2
In the seventeenth century, the King of Magar, after so much family blood had been spilt, ordered a rare and enormous diamond be set into the statue of a Hindu goddess. Carved into the base of the statue were these words – “Whoever dares steals from the goddess Kali will be cursed by her anger.”
These words would later prove true when a foreign soldier blatantly disregarded the goddess’s warning and pried the diamond from her head only to later go insane. One by one, as Kali’s diamond passed from hand to hand, its owners fell into misfortune. Eventually the diamond came to the royal Bourbon family of France. Not too long after said family fell to the guillotine of the French Revolution.
Now, the jewel’s current owner is being ensnared by Kali’s curse.
********************************************************************
Malik hummed merrily as he stirred his latest concoction. “Malik’s Special Energy Stamina Soup ought to be just the thing to make him feel better,” he said lifting the spoon and helping himself to a sample. Suddenly he spat it out, his face now a very bright green. After fussing around with various ingredients, the blond Egyptian deemed it to be ready and scooped a generous helping into a bowl on a tray. Picking up the tray, he went back to his humming as he carried the tray to a certain ‘guest’s’ room.
There were a couple men stationed in the hall and they eyed the bowl warily. They were all too familiar with Malik’s cooking habits. “Betcha he put newts in that again,” whispered the man with brown and lavender hair. His light green haired friend grinned, “He puts newts in everything,” he whispered back, chuckling.
Malik glared at the two, making them shut up immediately. “It’s good for you!” he huffed. “Anyway, it’s good for someone who’s ill.” He carefully balanced the tray with one hand and knocked on the door. “Yugi? I’ve got dinner,” he called. Not waiting for an answer, he opened the door and walked in. Placing the tray down on the table by the bed, he continued to chirp merrily while the room’s occupant remained silent. “So how are you feeling? Does it still hurt?”
The spiky haired boy continued to clutch the newspaper he’d been reading, crystalline tears streaming from his eyes. Sighing Malik, shrugged his shoulders at the length of rope trailing from one bedpost to the boy’s wrist. “It’s your own fault you know. Running off after Noir bought you, and with all those injuries yet! Yeesh!”
The white haired phantom thief entered the room, frowning at the state the boy was currently in. He snatched the paper, making the smaller teen gasp and shrink away as far as he could go. “You saw this didn’t you?” he asked gruffly after glancing over the paper before slamming it onto the table next to the soup.
Curious, Malik picked up the discarded newspaper and gasped. “’Tragedy at the Mutou Estate’,” he murmured, reading the headline.
Noir growled and snatched the paper away again, ripping it into shreds. “His mother was murdered. Whoever did it burned the mansion down to hide the evidence,” he explained, his reddish brown eyes softened slightly at the cringing boy. “There’s nothing left of the house, so I don’t think it was a robbery. However, those idiot gendarmes believe he did it.”
“WHAT?!” shouted Malik, “Yugi’s been here the whole time! Besides, he’d never do such a thing! All he’s ever been doing is fussing over his ‘maman’.”
“I know that!” snapped the thief, plopping himself onto the bed. “Looks like someone wants them to think that, to flush him out.”
“You mean someone’s pulling their strings?”
Noir nodded grimly. “Whoever it is, must have been at that party. It’s probably a relative of theirs. Malik I want you to find out who.”
“You got it Noir!” the Egyptian chirped, always eager to help his master. Malik started to leave, but got an idea. He turned back to the thief. “Hey! If we look at the list of those at the party and compare it with the list of all the nobles, I’d bet we’d find our killer real fast. But why would anyone want to kill the Mutous?”
“Because they want what I want,” Noir explained. “’Le Flamme de Magar’. Only those related to the Mutous knew it even exists.”
*****************************************************
The next day, Yugi had managed to escape the thief again and had run to the ruins of what was once his family home. The spiky haired boy clutched the hooded cape in white knuckled hands as he stared at the burnt out shell of the mansion.
‘Maman… y-you can’t be dead,’ he said, not bothering to fight the tears any longer. ‘Why?!’
He suddenly started when he felt someone grasp his shoulder roughly. “This place is off limits,” hissed a familiar voice.
“U-Uncle Keith!”
The man’s eyes widened and spun the boy around. Recognizing the twin amethysts peering from under the hood, his eyes glinted sinisterly, though his nephew failed to notice, he was too relieved to have found a family member. “You little idiot,” he hissed and began to pull him away “The gendarmes are watching the place!” He then shoved the boy into a carriage that just happened to be waiting not too far away.
Once, inside, Yugi began to berate his uncle. “Uncle! We can’t hide! We’ve got to clear this whole thing up and…”
“Whoa, easy petit,” Keith said pinning him to the seat by his shoulders, “You’re a suspect Yugi! Do you really think those idiots will listen to you?!”
Yugi bowed his head, the man was right. Especially since the anti-aristocracy feelings of the commoners were still prevalent. “Uncle… I-Is… maman…”
The blonde man laid a sympathetic hand on his nephew’s head. “I identified the body myself. I was only able to recognize her jewelry it was so burnt. They said that she died from a fall down the stairs.” Keith held the boy as he flung himself against his chest, sobbing his heart out. “I know it wasn’t you petit. There’s no way a child who loved their mother as much as you did could kill her.” Feeling something wet and sticky on his hands, Keith released the boy and stared at the red substance. “Hey! You’re hurt! What happened Yugi?!” However, he got no answer for the poor boy had fainted from the emotional stress and pain from his still healing injuries.
************************************************************************
Yugi woke up to find himself in a large and elegantly furnished bed. A black haired woman hovered near, a damp cloth in her hand. Seeing that it was his Aunt Vivian, he tried to give her a weak smile.
“Sit still, Yugi,” she chided, “You’ve got a fever. I don’t want you overdoing it.”
“T-Thank you for helping me Aunt Vivian, I’m such a bother.”
“Not at all sweetie. I just want you to get better.” She laid the cool cloth on her nephew’s forehead. Yugi sighed at the small relief he received. “What happened to you Yugi? It looks like you were whipped?” The boy abruptly turned his head away, ashamed to tell his only living relatives what the phantom thief had done to him. “I understand if you don’t want to talk about it, not with things the way they are. Why don’t you let your Auntie Vivi get rid of that nasty stone for you?”
“Stone?” he asked, feigning ignorance.
“Why the ‘Flamme de Magar’ of course. Your family treasure.”
“Aunt Vivian, do you think maman died because of that thing?”
“No doubt about it,” said Keith as he entered the bedroom. Yugi began to sob uncontrollably again.
“I-I thought as much,” the boy hiccupped after his sobbing died down a bit. ‘Why does everyone want that thing?! It’s just a hunk of shiny rock.’ “Uncle Keith… you can have it,” he said, not noticing the glint of triumph in the man’s eyes. ‘Nothing matters anymore without maman.’ The blond man nodded and placed his hand on Yugi’s shoulder.
“Get some rest petit,” he said before hurriedly rushing out the room.
***********************************************************
“We did it!!” crowed Vivian. “I had my doubts, but you actually pulled it off!”
“Heh!” Keith replied smirking, “A death in the family does tend to make you a bit more receptive to persuasion. Especially a naïve little boy.” He gave out a loud laugh before rushing over to the telephone. Picking it up, he began to dial. “Paris City Police? It’s Keith. Yes, you were right. He came back. He’s here at my house.” After a few more moments of discussing the pending arrest of his nephew, the blond hung up.
**************************************************
Meanwhile, the spiky haired boy jumped awake as the window banged open. He stared as the white haired thief strode calmly into the room. “I’m here for my amethysts,” he said striding over to the bed.
“N-Noir!”
The thief glared at the boy, and he whimpered slightly. “If I’d know you’d run off like that again, I’d chain you to the damned bed instead of just using rope. That’d make you look even more like a jewel.”
Yugi fumed, his face bright red. “HOW-“
Noir quickly covered the boy’s mouth, effectively silencing him. “Don’t be an idiot,” he scolded. “The gendarmes are coming in right now. Or do you want to hand yourself over to your enemies.” He then released Yugi and went back to the open window. “Look I don’t have time for this. We’ll talk later. Now get over here!”
“Why should I go with you?!” Yugi spat defiantly. “For all I know you could’ve killed maman!”
“Quite the detective aren’t you?” the thief jeered sarcastically, “You’ve forgotten you and I were having a bit of fun at the time.”
Yugi winced as he remembered the horrible torture the thief had him put through. “I-I don’t care! I’m not going with you!”
“Suit yourself. Oh and by the way, Keith killed your mother.” Yugi glared at him, refusing to believe another word that came from that sadistic monster’s mouth.
“He’s upstairs!” shouted someone from below. Yugi couldn’t believe what he heard next.
“He’s a madman! I was so scared when he showed up!” cried his aunt.
“Only your family knew about ‘Le Flamme de Magar’,” Noir stated coolly. “And now that your precious Uncle Keith has gotten himself into a load of debt from his gambling, well you figure it out. He’s figured out that you were your mother’s one weakness.”
“Careful men!” cried one of the gendarmes, mere feet away from the door, “This criminal’s dangerous and mad!” The doorknob began to slowly turn.
“Yugi!” ordered Noir, “Get over here! I paid your mother for you! You belong to me now! I’ll not have those bastards pawing my amethysts!” Yugi stared at him torn between escaping and letting the gendarmes capture both of them.
“Hands in the air!” shouted a gendarme as a squad burst into the room.
Suddenly there was an explosion and thick black smoke filled the room. Using the ensuing chaos, Noir quickly scooped up the boy and wrapped his cape around him. He then leapt gracefully out the window, his living amethysts clutched tightly to his chest.
**************************************************
“Did you see the way they looked?!” Noir said laughing as they drove away from Keith’s house.
‘Why is it that I can’t hate him?’ Yugi asked silently while trying to keep away from the white haired thief. ‘He’s such a monster and a brat!’ “Le Flamme de Magar’ is a cursed gem,” he said after several minutes of brooding. The boy’s voice was so sudden that Noir started slightly. “It brings misfortune to whoever owns it. Are you sure you want it?”
Noir let out a small chuckle. “I don’t believe in curses. My fate is my own.”
*************************************************************
A few days later, after Yugi had healed enough to move around again, he had Noir drive him to an old abandoned castle that was once one of his family’s holdings.
“So that’s the old Mutou Loire Castle? What a dump,” Noir said, looking the ruins over. “Then again, no one’s lived here since the revolution. Quite the brilliant idea hiding it here.”
After following Yugi through the castle, the boy stopped at a wall and pressed a hidden switch. There was a dull creaking sound and the wall swung away to reveal a hidden passage. Rising an eyebrow in approval, Noir continued to follow his guide down the stone stairs hidden within. Yugi and Noir coughed as their feet stirred up huge clouds of dust.
“This place could use a maid,” the thief said in an attempt to lighten the mood. “Yeesh, even with this torch it’s pitch black.
“I think I see something shining!” Yugi called after reaching the end of the staircase.
Raising the torch a bit, their eyes came upon a portrait of a regally dressed man. “That’s Louis XVI,” Noir said, recognizing the last king of France. Yugi shuddered as the king’s eyes rolled in the torchlight. “I heard about this from my mother,” Noir said, shivering slightly, “It gave me the creeps.”
“It’s painted twice on polarized glass,” Yugi explained, “If you put a light to it, it points to a secret.”
Nodding, Noir held the torch up to the painting again and watched as Yugi followed the king’s eyes. He gave out a small ‘aha’ and came over to a hidden handle set into the floor. “Your family really knew what they were doing,” Noir said in admiration.
“Don’t just stand there!” scolded Yugi, pulling on the handle. “Help me get this open if you want that thing!”
“Yugi get down!” Noir shouted. Suddenly there was a loud crack and Noir clutched his shoulder, dropping the torch.
“Noir!” Yugi shouted, concerned for the thief.
“Looks like we got here just in time,” Keith snarled, holding a pistol. “If you want to live, then I’d back away from there if I were you.”
“As if,” spat Noir, reaching into his cape. Before Yugi’s uncle could fire off another shot, there was a loud whooshing sound followed by a startled yell as the gun went flying from the blond’s hand.
“Y-You’re Bakura Akefia!” Keith shouted, recognizing the white haired man. Yugi rushed forward and grabbed the gun, pointing it at his uncle. “You little brat! How dare you point a gun at me! What has that man been telling you!”
“Don’t you dare come any closer Uncle Keith! I know you killed maman!”
“Ha, ha, very funny petit! Now put the gun down.”
Yugi hesitated, not wishing to harm the man he’d know ever since he was born. That gave his aunt, who had snuck in while Keith had them distracted, to whip out her own gun.
“Yugi! Watch --!” Noir shouted, noticing the woman’s intent. But it was too late she smirked evilly and fired the gun. The white haired thief stared as the bullet flew through the air and struck the spiky haired boy’s hand, knocking the gun to the floor. Yugi let out a pained shout and clutched his now bleeding hand.
Seeing his chance, Keith leapt forward and reclaimed his gun before either of them could make a move for it. “Oh you poor dear,” his aunt cooed mockingly as Keith aimed the gun on his nephew one more time.
“You move and he dies,” the blond said to Noir as they began to open the hidden passage in the floor. The white haired thief could only grimace and watch as they slipped below the floor. He couldn’t risk losing his beautiful amethysts.
“Yugi! Yugi!” he called, pounding on the trap door once it slammed shut.
“If you wish to live,” said a hooded figure, “Then leave. Leave quickly!”
Turning around, the white haired man saw a figure fleeing out of the hidden room. “Wait!” he called, chasing after the figure. He grasped the hooded cape and gasped, recognizing the person underneath. “It’s you!”
****************************************************
Meanwhile, Yugi had found himself in a room full of treasure. He would have been awed by the sight if he didn’t have a gun pointed at him. His uncle glanced around and spotted what they had come for. Carved into the wall was a relief of a Hindu goddess and embedded in her forehead was a giant glittering diamond.
“We’ve found it!” he shouted, “It’s in that goddess relief over there!”
“That’s not all we found!” Vivian said, her eyes lighting up at the treasure surrounding them. “Will you look at all this loot!”
However, her husband wasn’t listening. It was pretty obvious that the diamond had driven him mad, for it was all he could think of, all he wanted. “Damn it’s stuck tight!” he said, trying to yank it out.
‘A goddess with a jewel in her head,’ Yugi mused, remembering the tales his mother used to tell about the diamond, how the curse started. ‘Not again!’
“Hey Vivian! Gimme a hand will you?!”
Muttering to herself, the woman reluctantly dropped the necklace she’d been admiring and came over to her husband. “Yeesh you men can’t do anything!” she grumbled, pulling out a jeweled dagger she’d found. She shoved the tip of the blade into the diamond’s recess and after a few moments of jiggling the dagger, the gem gave a ‘click’ sound and fell into Keith’s waiting hands.
“Got it babe!”
While they were dancing around like idiots, a black and purple smoke began to seep from where the diamond had been. “I-I can’t breathe!” Vivian cried as the smoke began to fill the air.
“’Whoever dares steals from the goddess Kali will be cursed by her anger,” Yugi recited between coughs.
Within seconds, his aunt and uncle fell to the floor, dead. Realizing the danger he was in, Yugi rushed up the stairs and began to desperately pound on the trap door. “Noir!” he shouted as he pushed against the door, but it held tight. “Noir! Please! Open the door!” He began to feel faint and he was coughing more now as the smoke had finally reached the staircase. ‘I’m gonna die here,’ he thought, slumping onto the stairs.
The smoke began to swirl even faster and he thought he saw what looked like a caped figure coming up the stairs. “N-Noir?!” he gasped as he struggled to stand.
“Yugi!” the phantom thief cried and caught the boy before he could fall down the stairs. Seeing that the boy was about to pass out again, he began to slap him. “Wake up!” he shouted, “Don’t you dare die on me! If you die, it’ll be from my whip!”
“P-Pervert,” Yugi muttered against the thief’s chest.
Smiling in relief, Noir held the boy close, wrapping his cape around him before rushing back into the smoke and through a hidden passage that was beginning to fall apart. Once they had gotten to safety, he released his hold on Yugi. “You okay?” he asked after catching his breath from holding it so long.
“Y-Yeah,” replied Yugi, still coughing a bit.
“We’re still not safe, this place’ll collapse as well.” He then began to rush further down the hall. “Move it Yugi!” he called when the boy hadn’t followed – he was too surprised at being in an undiscovered passage. Snapping out of it, Yugi hurried after the thief.
“How’d you know about this tunnel?!” he asked.
“Not now Yugi!” the thief snapped, grabbing his arm and pulling him along.
“Hey!” he cried indignantly, “You don’t have to be so rough!”
Unbeknownst to them, a hooded figure watched as they fled.
“Noir, why’s the place falling apart?” Yugi asked as they continued to run through the rapidly collapsing castle.
“When your stupid uncle removed the diamond, the gas that was accumulated underground got released. It must have weakened the foundation.”
“Oh. So is that why they…”
“That gas was poisonous to living things. Let’s go!”
Noir refused to say anything else the rest of the way, he had to get Yugi out. He owed it to her to make sure the boy had gotten away safely.
Flashback
“Madame Mutou!” the thief cried in shock, “You’re alive!”
Yugi’s mother looked at him sadly. “When my brother pushed me down the stairs, he thought that I died. I just can’t believe Keith, my own kin, would want me dead!” Tears began to flow down her cheeks. “It's all because of that damnable diamond!” she spat hatefully. “I wish it never existed!” She began to sob, however, managed to compose herself. “I killed Anzu and put my jewelry on her so that bastard would think it was me. I’ve been hiding here, since I know Keith would have to come here eventually. He wouldn’t know about the traps in this place. I thought it best that everything vanish along with him.”
“But why hide from Yugi?” the thief asked, not liking the feeling he was getting from her.
“He shouldn’t have been involved in all this. I should be the only one bound by my family’s duty. My ancestors got that hideous thing from the king, and the duty of watching over it. It is the last pride of the Mutous.”
End Flashback
************************************************************************
Yugi stared as the last of the castle falls into the earth. “Noir,” he said after the last of the castle vanished. “There was someone in that tunnel, wasn’t there? Is that how you know about it?”
The thief refused to answer. ‘It’s best he believes Keith killed her,’ he thought, not wishing to burden the boy further. Glancing over to him, he spotted the tears Yugi had been fighting. ‘I knew all along and still I chased after it. “Le Flamme de Magar” is a rather pitiful thing.’
Yugi started when thief gently laid the boy’s head on his shoulder. “Stop crying,” he said, “You’ll get those amethysts cloudy.” Normally, he’d be furious with this odd thief but he couldn’t help feel comforted by those words, even if they were from a sadistic, twisted thief.
********************************************************************
Malik hummed to himself as he carried two bowls of foul looking goop up to Yugi’s room.
“Malik, is that what I think it is?” his brother Rishid asked, holding his nose.
“Yep! Since Yugi and Noir got themselves exhausted running around like that, I’m gonna give them Malik’s EXTRA Special Energy Stamina Soup!”
Rishid groaned, pitying them immensely as the smaller blond merrily strode through the door.
~TBC~
Sakura: Well that’s that for part 2. Hope you all enjoyed it.
Yami: I most certainly did NOT! First you torture my aibou then get him shot! I should mind crush you for that!
Sakura: Go ahead pharaoh. Just don’t come crying to me if you p.o. my boss.
Yami: Nevermind.
Sakura: Anyhoo, lemme know if I should go on with this ‘k?
Sakura (L-sama no Miko)
Chapter 2: Flame of Magar Part 2
In the seventeenth century, the King of Magar, after so much family blood had been spilt, ordered a rare and enormous diamond be set into the statue of a Hindu goddess. Carved into the base of the statue were these words – “Whoever dares steals from the goddess Kali will be cursed by her anger.”
These words would later prove true when a foreign soldier blatantly disregarded the goddess’s warning and pried the diamond from her head only to later go insane. One by one, as Kali’s diamond passed from hand to hand, its owners fell into misfortune. Eventually the diamond came to the royal Bourbon family of France. Not too long after said family fell to the guillotine of the French Revolution.
Now, the jewel’s current owner is being ensnared by Kali’s curse.
********************************************************************
Malik hummed merrily as he stirred his latest concoction. “Malik’s Special Energy Stamina Soup ought to be just the thing to make him feel better,” he said lifting the spoon and helping himself to a sample. Suddenly he spat it out, his face now a very bright green. After fussing around with various ingredients, the blond Egyptian deemed it to be ready and scooped a generous helping into a bowl on a tray. Picking up the tray, he went back to his humming as he carried the tray to a certain ‘guest’s’ room.
There were a couple men stationed in the hall and they eyed the bowl warily. They were all too familiar with Malik’s cooking habits. “Betcha he put newts in that again,” whispered the man with brown and lavender hair. His light green haired friend grinned, “He puts newts in everything,” he whispered back, chuckling.
Malik glared at the two, making them shut up immediately. “It’s good for you!” he huffed. “Anyway, it’s good for someone who’s ill.” He carefully balanced the tray with one hand and knocked on the door. “Yugi? I’ve got dinner,” he called. Not waiting for an answer, he opened the door and walked in. Placing the tray down on the table by the bed, he continued to chirp merrily while the room’s occupant remained silent. “So how are you feeling? Does it still hurt?”
The spiky haired boy continued to clutch the newspaper he’d been reading, crystalline tears streaming from his eyes. Sighing Malik, shrugged his shoulders at the length of rope trailing from one bedpost to the boy’s wrist. “It’s your own fault you know. Running off after Noir bought you, and with all those injuries yet! Yeesh!”
The white haired phantom thief entered the room, frowning at the state the boy was currently in. He snatched the paper, making the smaller teen gasp and shrink away as far as he could go. “You saw this didn’t you?” he asked gruffly after glancing over the paper before slamming it onto the table next to the soup.
Curious, Malik picked up the discarded newspaper and gasped. “’Tragedy at the Mutou Estate’,” he murmured, reading the headline.
Noir growled and snatched the paper away again, ripping it into shreds. “His mother was murdered. Whoever did it burned the mansion down to hide the evidence,” he explained, his reddish brown eyes softened slightly at the cringing boy. “There’s nothing left of the house, so I don’t think it was a robbery. However, those idiot gendarmes believe he did it.”
“WHAT?!” shouted Malik, “Yugi’s been here the whole time! Besides, he’d never do such a thing! All he’s ever been doing is fussing over his ‘maman’.”
“I know that!” snapped the thief, plopping himself onto the bed. “Looks like someone wants them to think that, to flush him out.”
“You mean someone’s pulling their strings?”
Noir nodded grimly. “Whoever it is, must have been at that party. It’s probably a relative of theirs. Malik I want you to find out who.”
“You got it Noir!” the Egyptian chirped, always eager to help his master. Malik started to leave, but got an idea. He turned back to the thief. “Hey! If we look at the list of those at the party and compare it with the list of all the nobles, I’d bet we’d find our killer real fast. But why would anyone want to kill the Mutous?”
“Because they want what I want,” Noir explained. “’Le Flamme de Magar’. Only those related to the Mutous knew it even exists.”
*****************************************************
The next day, Yugi had managed to escape the thief again and had run to the ruins of what was once his family home. The spiky haired boy clutched the hooded cape in white knuckled hands as he stared at the burnt out shell of the mansion.
‘Maman… y-you can’t be dead,’ he said, not bothering to fight the tears any longer. ‘Why?!’
He suddenly started when he felt someone grasp his shoulder roughly. “This place is off limits,” hissed a familiar voice.
“U-Uncle Keith!”
The man’s eyes widened and spun the boy around. Recognizing the twin amethysts peering from under the hood, his eyes glinted sinisterly, though his nephew failed to notice, he was too relieved to have found a family member. “You little idiot,” he hissed and began to pull him away “The gendarmes are watching the place!” He then shoved the boy into a carriage that just happened to be waiting not too far away.
Once, inside, Yugi began to berate his uncle. “Uncle! We can’t hide! We’ve got to clear this whole thing up and…”
“Whoa, easy petit,” Keith said pinning him to the seat by his shoulders, “You’re a suspect Yugi! Do you really think those idiots will listen to you?!”
Yugi bowed his head, the man was right. Especially since the anti-aristocracy feelings of the commoners were still prevalent. “Uncle… I-Is… maman…”
The blonde man laid a sympathetic hand on his nephew’s head. “I identified the body myself. I was only able to recognize her jewelry it was so burnt. They said that she died from a fall down the stairs.” Keith held the boy as he flung himself against his chest, sobbing his heart out. “I know it wasn’t you petit. There’s no way a child who loved their mother as much as you did could kill her.” Feeling something wet and sticky on his hands, Keith released the boy and stared at the red substance. “Hey! You’re hurt! What happened Yugi?!” However, he got no answer for the poor boy had fainted from the emotional stress and pain from his still healing injuries.
************************************************************************
Yugi woke up to find himself in a large and elegantly furnished bed. A black haired woman hovered near, a damp cloth in her hand. Seeing that it was his Aunt Vivian, he tried to give her a weak smile.
“Sit still, Yugi,” she chided, “You’ve got a fever. I don’t want you overdoing it.”
“T-Thank you for helping me Aunt Vivian, I’m such a bother.”
“Not at all sweetie. I just want you to get better.” She laid the cool cloth on her nephew’s forehead. Yugi sighed at the small relief he received. “What happened to you Yugi? It looks like you were whipped?” The boy abruptly turned his head away, ashamed to tell his only living relatives what the phantom thief had done to him. “I understand if you don’t want to talk about it, not with things the way they are. Why don’t you let your Auntie Vivi get rid of that nasty stone for you?”
“Stone?” he asked, feigning ignorance.
“Why the ‘Flamme de Magar’ of course. Your family treasure.”
“Aunt Vivian, do you think maman died because of that thing?”
“No doubt about it,” said Keith as he entered the bedroom. Yugi began to sob uncontrollably again.
“I-I thought as much,” the boy hiccupped after his sobbing died down a bit. ‘Why does everyone want that thing?! It’s just a hunk of shiny rock.’ “Uncle Keith… you can have it,” he said, not noticing the glint of triumph in the man’s eyes. ‘Nothing matters anymore without maman.’ The blond man nodded and placed his hand on Yugi’s shoulder.
“Get some rest petit,” he said before hurriedly rushing out the room.
***********************************************************
“We did it!!” crowed Vivian. “I had my doubts, but you actually pulled it off!”
“Heh!” Keith replied smirking, “A death in the family does tend to make you a bit more receptive to persuasion. Especially a naïve little boy.” He gave out a loud laugh before rushing over to the telephone. Picking it up, he began to dial. “Paris City Police? It’s Keith. Yes, you were right. He came back. He’s here at my house.” After a few more moments of discussing the pending arrest of his nephew, the blond hung up.
**************************************************
Meanwhile, the spiky haired boy jumped awake as the window banged open. He stared as the white haired thief strode calmly into the room. “I’m here for my amethysts,” he said striding over to the bed.
“N-Noir!”
The thief glared at the boy, and he whimpered slightly. “If I’d know you’d run off like that again, I’d chain you to the damned bed instead of just using rope. That’d make you look even more like a jewel.”
Yugi fumed, his face bright red. “HOW-“
Noir quickly covered the boy’s mouth, effectively silencing him. “Don’t be an idiot,” he scolded. “The gendarmes are coming in right now. Or do you want to hand yourself over to your enemies.” He then released Yugi and went back to the open window. “Look I don’t have time for this. We’ll talk later. Now get over here!”
“Why should I go with you?!” Yugi spat defiantly. “For all I know you could’ve killed maman!”
“Quite the detective aren’t you?” the thief jeered sarcastically, “You’ve forgotten you and I were having a bit of fun at the time.”
Yugi winced as he remembered the horrible torture the thief had him put through. “I-I don’t care! I’m not going with you!”
“Suit yourself. Oh and by the way, Keith killed your mother.” Yugi glared at him, refusing to believe another word that came from that sadistic monster’s mouth.
“He’s upstairs!” shouted someone from below. Yugi couldn’t believe what he heard next.
“He’s a madman! I was so scared when he showed up!” cried his aunt.
“Only your family knew about ‘Le Flamme de Magar’,” Noir stated coolly. “And now that your precious Uncle Keith has gotten himself into a load of debt from his gambling, well you figure it out. He’s figured out that you were your mother’s one weakness.”
“Careful men!” cried one of the gendarmes, mere feet away from the door, “This criminal’s dangerous and mad!” The doorknob began to slowly turn.
“Yugi!” ordered Noir, “Get over here! I paid your mother for you! You belong to me now! I’ll not have those bastards pawing my amethysts!” Yugi stared at him torn between escaping and letting the gendarmes capture both of them.
“Hands in the air!” shouted a gendarme as a squad burst into the room.
Suddenly there was an explosion and thick black smoke filled the room. Using the ensuing chaos, Noir quickly scooped up the boy and wrapped his cape around him. He then leapt gracefully out the window, his living amethysts clutched tightly to his chest.
**************************************************
“Did you see the way they looked?!” Noir said laughing as they drove away from Keith’s house.
‘Why is it that I can’t hate him?’ Yugi asked silently while trying to keep away from the white haired thief. ‘He’s such a monster and a brat!’ “Le Flamme de Magar’ is a cursed gem,” he said after several minutes of brooding. The boy’s voice was so sudden that Noir started slightly. “It brings misfortune to whoever owns it. Are you sure you want it?”
Noir let out a small chuckle. “I don’t believe in curses. My fate is my own.”
*************************************************************
A few days later, after Yugi had healed enough to move around again, he had Noir drive him to an old abandoned castle that was once one of his family’s holdings.
“So that’s the old Mutou Loire Castle? What a dump,” Noir said, looking the ruins over. “Then again, no one’s lived here since the revolution. Quite the brilliant idea hiding it here.”
After following Yugi through the castle, the boy stopped at a wall and pressed a hidden switch. There was a dull creaking sound and the wall swung away to reveal a hidden passage. Rising an eyebrow in approval, Noir continued to follow his guide down the stone stairs hidden within. Yugi and Noir coughed as their feet stirred up huge clouds of dust.
“This place could use a maid,” the thief said in an attempt to lighten the mood. “Yeesh, even with this torch it’s pitch black.
“I think I see something shining!” Yugi called after reaching the end of the staircase.
Raising the torch a bit, their eyes came upon a portrait of a regally dressed man. “That’s Louis XVI,” Noir said, recognizing the last king of France. Yugi shuddered as the king’s eyes rolled in the torchlight. “I heard about this from my mother,” Noir said, shivering slightly, “It gave me the creeps.”
“It’s painted twice on polarized glass,” Yugi explained, “If you put a light to it, it points to a secret.”
Nodding, Noir held the torch up to the painting again and watched as Yugi followed the king’s eyes. He gave out a small ‘aha’ and came over to a hidden handle set into the floor. “Your family really knew what they were doing,” Noir said in admiration.
“Don’t just stand there!” scolded Yugi, pulling on the handle. “Help me get this open if you want that thing!”
“Yugi get down!” Noir shouted. Suddenly there was a loud crack and Noir clutched his shoulder, dropping the torch.
“Noir!” Yugi shouted, concerned for the thief.
“Looks like we got here just in time,” Keith snarled, holding a pistol. “If you want to live, then I’d back away from there if I were you.”
“As if,” spat Noir, reaching into his cape. Before Yugi’s uncle could fire off another shot, there was a loud whooshing sound followed by a startled yell as the gun went flying from the blond’s hand.
“Y-You’re Bakura Akefia!” Keith shouted, recognizing the white haired man. Yugi rushed forward and grabbed the gun, pointing it at his uncle. “You little brat! How dare you point a gun at me! What has that man been telling you!”
“Don’t you dare come any closer Uncle Keith! I know you killed maman!”
“Ha, ha, very funny petit! Now put the gun down.”
Yugi hesitated, not wishing to harm the man he’d know ever since he was born. That gave his aunt, who had snuck in while Keith had them distracted, to whip out her own gun.
“Yugi! Watch --!” Noir shouted, noticing the woman’s intent. But it was too late she smirked evilly and fired the gun. The white haired thief stared as the bullet flew through the air and struck the spiky haired boy’s hand, knocking the gun to the floor. Yugi let out a pained shout and clutched his now bleeding hand.
Seeing his chance, Keith leapt forward and reclaimed his gun before either of them could make a move for it. “Oh you poor dear,” his aunt cooed mockingly as Keith aimed the gun on his nephew one more time.
“You move and he dies,” the blond said to Noir as they began to open the hidden passage in the floor. The white haired thief could only grimace and watch as they slipped below the floor. He couldn’t risk losing his beautiful amethysts.
“Yugi! Yugi!” he called, pounding on the trap door once it slammed shut.
“If you wish to live,” said a hooded figure, “Then leave. Leave quickly!”
Turning around, the white haired man saw a figure fleeing out of the hidden room. “Wait!” he called, chasing after the figure. He grasped the hooded cape and gasped, recognizing the person underneath. “It’s you!”
****************************************************
Meanwhile, Yugi had found himself in a room full of treasure. He would have been awed by the sight if he didn’t have a gun pointed at him. His uncle glanced around and spotted what they had come for. Carved into the wall was a relief of a Hindu goddess and embedded in her forehead was a giant glittering diamond.
“We’ve found it!” he shouted, “It’s in that goddess relief over there!”
“That’s not all we found!” Vivian said, her eyes lighting up at the treasure surrounding them. “Will you look at all this loot!”
However, her husband wasn’t listening. It was pretty obvious that the diamond had driven him mad, for it was all he could think of, all he wanted. “Damn it’s stuck tight!” he said, trying to yank it out.
‘A goddess with a jewel in her head,’ Yugi mused, remembering the tales his mother used to tell about the diamond, how the curse started. ‘Not again!’
“Hey Vivian! Gimme a hand will you?!”
Muttering to herself, the woman reluctantly dropped the necklace she’d been admiring and came over to her husband. “Yeesh you men can’t do anything!” she grumbled, pulling out a jeweled dagger she’d found. She shoved the tip of the blade into the diamond’s recess and after a few moments of jiggling the dagger, the gem gave a ‘click’ sound and fell into Keith’s waiting hands.
“Got it babe!”
While they were dancing around like idiots, a black and purple smoke began to seep from where the diamond had been. “I-I can’t breathe!” Vivian cried as the smoke began to fill the air.
“’Whoever dares steals from the goddess Kali will be cursed by her anger,” Yugi recited between coughs.
Within seconds, his aunt and uncle fell to the floor, dead. Realizing the danger he was in, Yugi rushed up the stairs and began to desperately pound on the trap door. “Noir!” he shouted as he pushed against the door, but it held tight. “Noir! Please! Open the door!” He began to feel faint and he was coughing more now as the smoke had finally reached the staircase. ‘I’m gonna die here,’ he thought, slumping onto the stairs.
The smoke began to swirl even faster and he thought he saw what looked like a caped figure coming up the stairs. “N-Noir?!” he gasped as he struggled to stand.
“Yugi!” the phantom thief cried and caught the boy before he could fall down the stairs. Seeing that the boy was about to pass out again, he began to slap him. “Wake up!” he shouted, “Don’t you dare die on me! If you die, it’ll be from my whip!”
“P-Pervert,” Yugi muttered against the thief’s chest.
Smiling in relief, Noir held the boy close, wrapping his cape around him before rushing back into the smoke and through a hidden passage that was beginning to fall apart. Once they had gotten to safety, he released his hold on Yugi. “You okay?” he asked after catching his breath from holding it so long.
“Y-Yeah,” replied Yugi, still coughing a bit.
“We’re still not safe, this place’ll collapse as well.” He then began to rush further down the hall. “Move it Yugi!” he called when the boy hadn’t followed – he was too surprised at being in an undiscovered passage. Snapping out of it, Yugi hurried after the thief.
“How’d you know about this tunnel?!” he asked.
“Not now Yugi!” the thief snapped, grabbing his arm and pulling him along.
“Hey!” he cried indignantly, “You don’t have to be so rough!”
Unbeknownst to them, a hooded figure watched as they fled.
“Noir, why’s the place falling apart?” Yugi asked as they continued to run through the rapidly collapsing castle.
“When your stupid uncle removed the diamond, the gas that was accumulated underground got released. It must have weakened the foundation.”
“Oh. So is that why they…”
“That gas was poisonous to living things. Let’s go!”
Noir refused to say anything else the rest of the way, he had to get Yugi out. He owed it to her to make sure the boy had gotten away safely.
Flashback
“Madame Mutou!” the thief cried in shock, “You’re alive!”
Yugi’s mother looked at him sadly. “When my brother pushed me down the stairs, he thought that I died. I just can’t believe Keith, my own kin, would want me dead!” Tears began to flow down her cheeks. “It's all because of that damnable diamond!” she spat hatefully. “I wish it never existed!” She began to sob, however, managed to compose herself. “I killed Anzu and put my jewelry on her so that bastard would think it was me. I’ve been hiding here, since I know Keith would have to come here eventually. He wouldn’t know about the traps in this place. I thought it best that everything vanish along with him.”
“But why hide from Yugi?” the thief asked, not liking the feeling he was getting from her.
“He shouldn’t have been involved in all this. I should be the only one bound by my family’s duty. My ancestors got that hideous thing from the king, and the duty of watching over it. It is the last pride of the Mutous.”
End Flashback
************************************************************************
Yugi stared as the last of the castle falls into the earth. “Noir,” he said after the last of the castle vanished. “There was someone in that tunnel, wasn’t there? Is that how you know about it?”
The thief refused to answer. ‘It’s best he believes Keith killed her,’ he thought, not wishing to burden the boy further. Glancing over to him, he spotted the tears Yugi had been fighting. ‘I knew all along and still I chased after it. “Le Flamme de Magar” is a rather pitiful thing.’
Yugi started when thief gently laid the boy’s head on his shoulder. “Stop crying,” he said, “You’ll get those amethysts cloudy.” Normally, he’d be furious with this odd thief but he couldn’t help feel comforted by those words, even if they were from a sadistic, twisted thief.
********************************************************************
Malik hummed to himself as he carried two bowls of foul looking goop up to Yugi’s room.
“Malik, is that what I think it is?” his brother Rishid asked, holding his nose.
“Yep! Since Yugi and Noir got themselves exhausted running around like that, I’m gonna give them Malik’s EXTRA Special Energy Stamina Soup!”
Rishid groaned, pitying them immensely as the smaller blond merrily strode through the door.
~TBC~
Sakura: Well that’s that for part 2. Hope you all enjoyed it.
Yami: I most certainly did NOT! First you torture my aibou then get him shot! I should mind crush you for that!
Sakura: Go ahead pharaoh. Just don’t come crying to me if you p.o. my boss.
Yami: Nevermind.
Sakura: Anyhoo, lemme know if I should go on with this ‘k?