Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Gorgeous Carat (YGO version) ❯ The Dragon of Maghreb Part 14 ( Chapter 21 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

The white haired thief let out a curse as they made their way after the one eyed brunet. “Yugi?” the boy’s slightly taller look alike asked, noticing him glance worriedly at the thief. Yugi said nothing, ignoring Atem. He couldn’t bear seeing the thief force himself while injured, but the boy knew that this would never end if they didn’t do something and fast.
“You’re hurt!” Ryou gasped, seeing that the blond Egyptian was trying his best to hide the limp.
“It’s nothing!” the tanned boy protested, batting the albino’s insistent hands away. “That bastard just grazed my foot, is all.”
“Malik…” he tried again.
“I’m really pathetic aren’t I?” the Egyptian asked, smiling sadly, “Some follower I am, letting myself sprain my ankle like that.”
“Malik,” Ryou said, placing a hand on the slightly taller blond’s shoulder, “What you did was really brave. I think it’s a great thing you’d lay down your life for someone you love like that.” Malik blinked then blushed profusely.
“Ezhdar!” Noir shouted upon catching up to the man. “What’s so special about that treasure that you’d go so far? I know not it’s not just the money.”
“Now what would that be indeed?” the taller brunet sneered.
“Enough stalling! Tell me!”
“Come now Bakura, don’t tell me you don’t know. After all who wouldn’t want ‘that’?! There isn’t a soul on earth who could stand against it.”
“Just what the hell are you trying to say!”
The brunet grinned like Carroll’s Cheshire Cat. “You’ll find out soon enough. The last seal is just up ahead.”
And sure enough they came to another relief of the temple of Solomon, a small depression set into it. Ezhdar pulled out the knight’s ring and proceeded to insert it then turned it. There was a faint metallic clicking and the wall surrounding the relief rose to reveal…
“At last! The treasure vault!” The brunet’s visible eye blazed with lust and greed and headed into the vast room, pulling the thief with him, determined to keep the albino, to make him see he all he did was right.”
“T-The door’s closing!” Yugi yelled as the heavy stone door gave an annoyed groan and slowly began to lower itself to close off the treasure vault once more.
“It’s probably a defense mechanism,” Atem said, getting worried himself and grabbing onto the boy firmly lest he do anything rash – which he was prone to. “It probably gets triggered if someone steps onto the floor in there.”
Yugi let out an anguished cry and broke from the detective’s hold letting the adrenaline push him forward toward the now rapidly closing door.
“Yugi!” both Atem and Noir yelled.
“Don’t be an idiot!” the thief scolded.
The detective made to grab the petit boy, but Yugi proved to be quicker and at the last moment, slid under the door as it finally shut.
“M-Made it,” panted the boy, struggling to get up now that the rush had worn off.
Noir glared at the boy and promptly slapped him. “YOU IDIOT!” he bellowed, “Why do you always have to be so reckless! You could have been crushed!”
Yugi sniffled at the taller man’s harsh words, but refused to cry. “I-I couldn’t leave you with him,” he stammered, “Not when you’re hurt!”
The white haired thief stared at the boy for a few scant seconds then jerked his head away. “Hmph. Fine. Just give me your shoulder.”
Yugi wiped at his eyes hurriedly and obeyed, getting a shock when the thief slumped against the wall and pulled him with him. They were now sitting against the wall, Noir’s head on the boy’s shoulder. Yugi couldn’t help blushing at the thief’s uncharacteristic affection.
Meanwhile, the cause of their current trouble was now laughing maniacally and dashing around the chamber like a whirling dervish. ‘It’s all mine!’ the brunet silently crowed, ‘I finally found the treasure of Solomon!’
“Never in my entire life have I seen so much,” Noir whispered, ignoring the madman for now; there was no point in confronting Ezhdar if he couldn’t get out either. “This has to be at least two-thousand years worth of treasure.”
“Noir? What’s that sound?” the spiky haired boy asked, hearing a low rushing sound. Then it hit him when he saw several rivulets of water start to flow into the chamber. “Water’s coming in through the cracks!”
“Well, Bakura,” Ezhdar gloated, clutching a wrapped bundle to his chest. “I got what I came for so, my business is finished here. Besides, this place will be underwater soon. Really clever of them, to do that. That way any infidels after the treasure will be dealt with. You see, the only one allowed to leave is the one who is ‘worthy of the ring’.” He sneered at the fallen thief and held up the knight’s ring. “Sorry, old friend, but that’s how the world works.”
Noir growled, too weak due to the blood loss from the bullet wound in his shoulder to strike against the taller brunet. “I’m a merciful man,” Ezhdar said again inserting the ring and opening the door. “I’ll give you another chance, though you don’t deserve it. Leave the brat and come with me. Either that or die here.”
“Just go already you bastard!” Noir spat, “But let Yugi go. He had nothing to do with any of this.”
“I’m not going!” Yugi protested, planting himself firmly against the wall, refusing to budge. “It’s my fault I’m in here. I’m the one who chose to go after you! So no matter what, I’m…”
“For crying out loud,” Noir groaned, “Stop that whining, brat.”
“You always were a fool, Bakura,” scoffed Ezhdar, “But if that’s what you want, then I’ll let you and the boy have your double suicide.”
“Well, you’d better start hoping you don’t die like a dog when you’re halfway out,” jeered Noir.
The brunet humphed one last time and strode through the door. And as like before, the door shut closed with a heavy thud.
“You idiot!” Yugi shouted, “Why?! You could have gotten out!” Seeing that the thief wasn’t listening or even moving. “Noir!” he cried fearfully, “Noir, hold on! Noir!” he cried, shaking the taller man, desperate for any kind of response.
“Sorry kid,” the thief muttered groggily, “Must have blacked out for a second.”
“You’re loosing a lot of blood,” the boy said, frowning at the large wet stain on the man’s jacket. “Get those off so I can stop the bleeding.”
“Face it Yugi,” Noir replied grimly, “Pretty soon you won’t have to worry about my losing blood once this place floods.”
“I don’t care!” he retorted, “Even if there’s the tiniest possibility, I’m going to do anything I can. Even if you think it’s useless, besides it’s better than leaving with regrets.”
The white haired man chuckled darkly. “You’re such a little imbecile. The dead aren’t able to have regrets.” He raised a weak hand, cupping the boy’s chin. He turned Yugi’s head to face his. “I was right all along,” he said gazing into the boy’s tear filled eyes. “Those amethysts are the most beautiful thing in the world. Even more so than any of this junk.”
Yugi’s face was red as the reddest ruby. ‘I don’t believe him! We’re about to die here and he thinks about that!’
Seeing that the spiky haired boy was distracted, Noir seized his chance and crushed his lips against Yugi’s. Yugi’s eye’s widened and his mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water before finally relaxing and leaning into the rough kiss.

“What’s going on in there?” the spiky haired detective muttered as he paced back and forth in front of the sealed door. “Bakura! Yugi! Can you hear me?” he shouted once again, but it would appear that the stone door was too thick for anyone to hear anything from either side. He desperately placed his ear to the door and furrowed his brow upon hearing a strange and faint rushing sound. ‘Water?! This can’t be good!’
He was about to try pounding on the stubborn door one more time when the stone structure began to protest once more as it slowly began to open. Getting an uneasy feeling in his gut, Atem motioned for Malik and Ryou to hide in one of the labyrinthine side passages and quickly ducked out of sight himself.
Three pairs of eyes watched as the door creaked loudly and a figure stepped through. Malik was hard pressed to keep himself from charging the taller brunet as he continued to laugh like a maniac as he triggered the mechanism to close off the chamber once more. “Ha! Ha! I finally have it!” he crowed, clutching the small bundle close to his chest. I have the ultimate symbol of power! The cup that caught Christ’s blood, the Holy Grail! Those who hold the grail can rule the world!”
The brunet began to strut down the passage, still laughing and muttering to himself. “That idiot never realized that this was the true treasure of the Knights Templar. What do you say now Bakura you insignificant little…” he startled upon hearing a crash from behind. The man’s single blue eye darted around frantically only to see nothing. Assuming that it was probably his former friend’s final attempt at escape, he continued on his way. “It looks like I won’t be sharing the world with you after all,” he sneered before going back into another laughing fit. “But at least I’ll finally get my revenge against fate!”
Ezhdar failed to see the glaring blond as he past the side passage. It was too late when he heard the Egyptian’s snarled war cry. In a matter of seconds, the Mafioso found himself crashing up against the wall and through it – it apparently had been worn thin like most of the castle due to prolonged exposure to the sea air – and plummeting to the churning waters below.
He let out an enraged scream, still clutching onto the wrapped bundle. Malik stood with a sense of satisfaction as the brunet’s body hit a group of jagged rocks before disappearing below the angry waves, never to be seen again.

Meanwhile, Yugi was desperately trying to stay afloat as the water had begun to swirl and churn until it became a whirlpool. His amethyst eyes darted about frantically, searching for the thing he treasured most. ‘Noir where are you!’ he called silently, praying that he’d find the albino thief quickly. ‘Noir!’ he called again upon spotting the taller man not too far below him, being sucked like he was into the depths of the whirlpool.
Knowing that he only had seconds, the boy plunged headfirst into the spiraling water and made his way to the drifting thief. He began pulling on the man’s arm, but found that no matter how much he pulled, he lacked the skill and strength to free them from the deadly ride they had been sucked into. ‘He’s too heavy,’ Yugi thought forlornly. It took all of his remaining strength to keep both their heads above the water’s surface. ‘You can’t die on me! I won’t let you! Even if I lose my own life!’
The spiky haired boy clung to the albino, making sure that he was the one who was further up the spiral than him in hopes of prolonging his life a bit longer. He was glad they were together. ‘At least I won’t be alone,’ he thought morosely as his waning strength had finally given out. ‘It’s beautiful,’ he mused as his tired eyes watched the treasure glitter about them as it too followed them into the churning waters. ‘It’s like I’m being sucked into heaven’s light.’
Yugi’s eyes fluttered closed as he surrendered to the fatigue and embrace of the ocean, his arms never letting go of his most precious treasure.

‘I hear… the ocean!’ the white haired man thought as he groggily sat up and shook the fuzziness out of his head. ‘Where am I?’ Glancing around he found he had somehow managed to survive drowning and had washed up in some kind of grotto somewhere. There was plenty of air for sunlight shone down through a myriad of cracks in the grotto’s ceiling.
He winced slightly, rubbing his still aching shoulder. He gave the wounded limb a cursory glare, noticing that the fabric of his clothes had stuck to the wound and was now keeping from anymore blood from escaping. “Yugi!” he said, suddenly remembering he hadn’t been alone before blacking out. “Where are you Yugi?!” he called.
The white haired thief searched anxiously around the dim light and let out the breath he hadn’t known he had been holding. The boy lay a few feet away from him, equally soaked from the sea water. “Yugi!” he shouted when the boy made no attempt to move. He let out a sigh of relief upon seeing the smaller one’s chest moving in a steady rhythm. He gingerly laid a hand on Yugi’s shoulder and gently began to shake him. The boy murmured sleepily, but after a couple more shakes he began to sit up. ‘Thank god you’re alive. Little idiot,’ Noir thought as he helped the boy with his struggling. “So you awake now?”
“N-Noir!” Yugi cried, overjoyed to see the thief still in the land of the living. “We… we’re alive! But… how?!”
The taller man gave a small smile as he pulled the boy into his lap, making Yugi ‘eep’ rather cutely. “The walls were probably eroded enough for the water to break through them completely,” he said wrapping his arms around the boy. Yugi leant against Noir’s chest, grateful for the man’s comfort as well as the slight body heat. “and we must have been washed up here, wherever that is.” The two were silent for several minutes, not knowing how to go about their current situation, nor did they care at the moment. They were just too relieved at seeing the other alive and relatively well.
“Look,” the thief said, pointing to the deep pool before them.
Yugi gazed in awe at the meager light glistening off the gently moving water. “W-Wow!” he cried, “It’s like the water’s made up dozens of blue gems!”
“It looks like the ocean stole the temple’s treasure instead of us,” Noir said after a few more moments of silence. “Though there’re too many ‘gems’ for the both of us to carry,” he added with a low chuckle.
Yugi only smiled, content to be held in the man’s strong arms. “I’d rather have you anyway,” he whispered to himself. Noir ruffled the boy’s hair, equally content to just sit there and hold his precious ‘amethyst’ in his arms.

A few days later, the group had gathered at a hotel in Naples. It turned out that the grotto Yugi and Noir had washed up in was really an underground cave on one of the neighboring islands not to far from the castle. Noir had somehow managed to set up a signal fire and Ryou immediately sent the ship to investigate as soon as Malik’s keen eyes had spotted it.
“What is he up to now?” Noir grumbled as he watched his cousin conversing with the Egyptian while they ate at a separate table out on the suite’s balcony. The blond would blush every now and then whenever the smaller albino would pass a bit of food. As if sensing his cousin’s glare, Ryou carefully sent a smug look over to the thief while the blond was distracted. Noir continued to glare at the smaller of the two albinos, not one to be outdone at the staring contest.
“No fair Malik!” Yugi shouted from the table inside the suite, defusing a potentially violate argument, “You’ve got all the clams!” he whined, pouting at the meager amount of shelled fish on his plate.
The Egyptian laughed. “Well that’s because I’m injured!” he said – his ankle still hurt from where Ezhdar had grazed it. “I need to get my strength back.” Yugi pouted again and shot an envious glare at the blond.
“So, Ezhdar…” Noir began, ignoring the silent argument between the two younger boys.
“Is most probably dead,” Atem finished for him, smiling at the rather amusing glaring contest between his smaller look alike and the blond. “It’s true we never found his body or the ship he had used to get there, but there’s no way anyone could have survived falling onto a bunch of sharp rocks then into rough water like that.”
“Yeah,” the slightly taller thief replied sullenly. He still felt the pain of his once friend’s betrayal. “You’re leaving?” he asked when the spiky haired detective rose from his seat.
“I’ve got a lot of other cases I need to look into,” Atem replied, “Thanks for the pizza by the way.” He paused at the door and turned to look at the thief. “You know, you’re one complex guy.” Noir stared at him in utter confusion. “By the way Malik!” he called. Said Egyptian looked up from his plate of clams. “You really should be more careful. You’ve been calling him ‘Noir’. Constantly.” The blond sputtered, causing several bits of clam meat to go flying across the balcony and into the room. “Just kidding. Ciao!” he said giving the startled blond a friendly wave before finally leaving the suite and going to his own room.
“T-That hack!” Malik yelled, gritting his teeth.
“Malik,” Yugi started.
“Can you believe that jerk?!” the blond continued to fume.
“Um…” Ryou interjected in utter confusion, “What did he mean by calling Bakura ‘Noir’?”
“Ah!” Malik cried, jolted out of his rant against spiky haired hack gumshoes, “No-Nothing! Nothing at all!” he said laughing nervously.
The shorter albino looked at the blond Egyptian skeptically, but shrugged it off. “Say, Malik,” he said scooting his chair a bit closer to Malik’s, “why don’t you and I go on a cruise around the Mediterranean once your ankle heals? I’d make sure you’d have a wonderful time.”
“I-I’ll think about it,” Malik said hastily and dashed into the depths of the suite, muttering something about the bathroom or something.
“Malik seems to kinda like your cousin,” Yugi said noticing the bright tomato red blush on the blond’s face as he had raced by.
“Who cares,” Noir groused grumpily, “Malik’s a big boy, he can do what he wants.” Yugi smiled. After being with the thief for so long, he knew the albino’s harsh tone was only half serious. “Besides now I owe a debt to that brat,” he added with contempt, “we lost all that treasure and I got stepped on, shot, whipped, kicked and not to mention drowned.”
Yugi looked down guiltily, playing with something in his hands. “W-Would this help?” he asked after gathering the courage to look up at the taller man. Noir’s eyes bugged out at the large blue gem cupped carefully in the boy’s delicate hands.
“That’s!”
“I managed to grab it before… I thought it was really pretty so… it’s a sapphire right? I really don’t know much about gems.”
Noir couldn’t help but smile at the boy’s simple gesture. He really was cute sometimes. “Thanks, but I don’t think it’ll be of any help,” he said pushing the gem away gently, “You keep it. Think of it as a souvenir.”
“Oh,” Yugi said crestfallenly. “I was sure it’d help. It’s still pretty though.”
Noir smiled as he nodded in agreement. “Bakura,” Ryou called, waving his cousin over. Noir sighed, catching the knowing look in his smaller look alike’s eyes. “That was a blue diamond wasn’t it? Big ones like that are so common, from what I was able to see, I’d say that that was almost as big as the Hope Diamond. Still it’d be worth several fortunes.”
“Don’t you dare say a word!” the thief hissed, the look in his eyes promising unending pain if his cousin ever did. “Don’t you dare let Yugi find out or I’ll tell Malik about all those fun mistakes I had to help you with in the past.”
“Y-You villain!” Ryou hissed back, fuming that he’d just been blackmailed by the thief. Again.
‘That diamond alone is enough for Yugi to repay his debt in full, and then some. He’d be free of me,’ Noir said to himself, ‘That’s why I have to make sure he NEVER finds out!’
“I’m going to take a nap,” the thief said heading toward his part of the suite, “Don’t any of you dare bug me!”
“Hey Noir!” Yugi said running up to him, “If you look through it like this,” He held up the diamond before them, “It looks just like the water we saw in that cave!”
“Yes it does,” the thief agreed, ruffling the boy’s hair, “Where the temple’s treasure is sleeping.”
“You’re probably right.”
Noir scooped the boy up into his arms causing him to ‘eep’ in surprise. He then proceeded to his room, daring his cousin to say anything. Ryou blinked a few times and then shot the thief a knowing look when the shock had worn off. He had had some ideas as to the boy’s relationship with his cousin, but to actually see it confirmed before him like that still gave him quite a shock.
The white haired boy glanced at them wistfully as Noir placed a chaste kiss on the boy’s forehead before disappearing further into the suite.


Sakura: Yay!!! It’s finally over!!
Yami: About time too. Took you FOREVER to actually work on this!
Sakura: I know. -.-‘
Bakura: So what lame excuse do you have THIS time onna?
Sakura: Weeeeeelllllllll… I did have to finish that game of Jade’s. And then that idiot Chosen had to show up and demand I spend time with him.
Zelos: Yeah, well it’s been YEARS since you’ve even thought of me Sakura hunny. T_T
Sakura: Sor-ry for having a life outside my gaming life dear.
Bakura: Like I said, lame.
Sakura: Oh hush you! You got Yugi in the end.
Bakura: True. ^_^
Sakura: Well that’s it for this baby. Tell me what you think ppl ‘k? Oh yeah, I know you’re gonna be bugging me with questions, so I’m gonna nip that in the bud right now. No, Ezhdar’s NOT alive! The original version doesn’t come out and say if he is or not, but in my version the creep’s gonna stay dead and that is that. And there’s no sequel – not unless you’d like to write one yourself. Jya ne!