Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ The Yami Virus ❯ Two Little Sneaks ( Chapter 10 )

Jade: It's fun to tease Seto. As far as killing off the yamis, I do have some plans for them.

Lady Elfskye: Thanks for reading my new PWP. Aria's gonna be funny when she goes through puberty. Poor Bakura.

Shadow of Light: The kids haven't told me how they are going to handle it. I'm not even sure how I'm going to tell them yet. Gotta see.

Terra: Gotta love hide the torpedo.

jupitor Knight: Oh, the marines. I'm sorry about your friend.

Roxria: *hugs* You're the best! The virus strikes.

Dragondreamer: Gotta love Marik, that's for sure. I really have no choice.

Valea: Seto's never going to get used to Miranda.

Broken Time: The yami virus takes down two yamis of three. This is the only way to kill a yami as far as I know. The boys haven't told me anything other than this yet.

thunderchaos: 2 of 3 yamis kick the bucket. But the kids are affected too since they are half yami. They don't die, though.

Maruken: Mako knows Ryou from Duelist Kingdom apparently, even though I can't remember when they ever had contact on the show.I loved the idea of Aria having black blood. She's more yami t than her brother, so their blood should be different slightly.

Kura Magician girl: Well, Yami was good, but turned bad since he heard of the prophecy of Isis that the kids are destined to destroy him.

Two Little Sneaks

Umi and Robbie waited for Aria and Aten at the playground gates. Aten ran up to Robbie and squealed happily. Umi hugged Aria and ran her to the swings. From a distance, Panik watched her. Now he knew where she went to school.

"Hi, Robbie! I missed you!"

Robbie giggled. "Aten, it's only been an hour!"

"I know! Hey! The money bars are free! Let's go play!"

Mr. Cullen ran to Ryou and Miranda. "Ryou! Mrs. Morgan!"

Cullen panted heavily. "The principal wishes to see you and Mrs. Morgan in her office right now."

Ryou and Miranda followed Cullen. "What's this about, Mr. Cullen?"

"It's about Aten and Robbie."

Ryou and Miranda exchanged glances. Ryou tried to think of reasons why he was being called to the office because of his son and Robbie: they could have been caught being "close," they could be in trouble, it could be anything.

Cullen opened the door to the president's office.

The woman looked up from her files and folded her hands.
"Come in, Mr. Itemri and Mrs. Morgan. I don't want to take up any of your valuable time. The school administered tests to our students yesterday and we have the results for your respective child."

"Shouldn't we be separated when you talk to us about this?"

"No, this concerns both of you. We have talked to Robbie and Aten already separately about their test scores."

"Robbie scored exceptionally high on both verbal and math ability. Congradulations, Mrs. Morgan, Robbie is a gifted child. He's very intelligent and he deserves better than where he is placed right now."

"He's with Aten. That is where he wants to be."

"How did Aten score?" Ryou asked calmly.

The principal opened the file. "We already know Aten has a learning disability. He scored far below average in math and reading ability."

"But, you can't compare him to other kids for this test. Aten has dyslexia. It impacts his reading and his math abilities."

The principal nodded. "We are aware of Aten's academic difficulties, Mr. Itemri. We believe it is in the boy's best interest if we move him to a more…remedial class."

Miranda leaned forward. "But, that means that Robbie and Aten won't be in the same class."

Principal Adams leaned forward and folded her arms. "Mrs. Morgan, your son is gifted. Aten Bakari Ishtar is in need of special services."

Ryou nervously fingered the Millennium Ring around his neck. Bakura had retreated into his soulroom to stay with Ryou. The hikari could feel Bakura relax and fall asleep for some much-needed rest.

"Principal Adams, I know my son needs academic help. Mr. Cullen has been a big help."

Cullen nodded. "Aten has improved since I started tutoring him five years ago. I told this school and its board members that I could get Aten to read perfectly by the time he left this school. I have done that."

"Aten cannot do simple math, Mr. Cullen. He claimed that 9 + 3 equaled 17! He claimed that the "3" was an "8". He still cannot recognize the number five."

Ryou narrowed his eyes. "Okay! I know my child is not perfect! My child may have some cognitive problems, but I'm doing all I can to help him. I'm not going to give up on my child."

Principal Adams pushed Aten's file to Ryou. "Your child needs Special Education, Ryou. Without it, he's going to continue to struggle through his academic career."

Miranda took Ryou's hand. "So, why am I here?"

"We took Robbie out of class on Friday and we told him that he may be better in an accelerated class. He would get extra attention, be able to pursue intellectual interests, and learn at an accelerated pace."

Miranda looked at Ryou and Mr. Cullen. "We can't separate the boys. They've been together since the beginning!"

"I appreciate the fact that the boys are close friends, but both of your sons' future is at stake. Robert has a lot of potential."

"So does my son!" Ryou interjected. "You said you talked to our sons? What did they say?"

Adams shrugged. "Robbie didn't want to leave Aten. He begged me to keep Aten in his class."

"What about my son?"

"When we suggested to Aten that he may feel better in a class better able to help him, he started crying on me! It took me one full hour to calm him down."

Ryou shook his head. "You know Aten is a very emotional child! He doesn't want to be separated from Robbie."

"We can't separate the kids if they don't want to be separated."

Adams took back Aten's file. "Are you certain, Mrs. Morgan? Your son is gifted and his talents should be encouraged. Your son will not excel if he is not challenged. You cannot keep these children together for the rest of their lives. They have different strengths and weaknesses. Do you think that they will always be able to be placed in the same classes?"

Miranda stood up. "You let me worry about my son and challenging him. Your job is to teach my son and not make decisions on what YOU think is best for my little boy!"

Adams closed the files and returned them to the filing cabinet. "It's your decision, Mrs. Morgan. If you decide to change your mind in the future, we can arrange to separate the boys."

Ryou stood up. "Principal Adams, my boy will improve in his work!"

Cullen stood by Ryou. "Aten will improve. He's just learns at a slower pace than the other children."

Ryou straightened his shirt. "Aten was hospitalized for chest pains, Principal Adams."

"I heard. What was the diagnosis?"

Ryou sighed. "Aten has heart failure. The doctor

put him on some more medication."

Adams made the note in Aten's file and replaced the file in the cabinet. "Sorry to hear that, Mr. Itemri."

"How did my daughter, Aria Kanika Itemri, do in that test?"

Adams pulled Aria's file. "She scored very well on the math assessment. Her language assessment was within the range for her age group."

"I'm not giving up on my son, Mrs. Adams. I love him and if he does not want to be separated from Robbie, then he doesn't get separated from Robbie. I'm not going to force my son to do something he does not want to do. Have a good day, Mrs. Adams."

Ryou left and Miranda stood up.

"Robbie is not separated from Aten. If you wish to push this issue further, Daniel will be home and he will gladly speak to you."

Miranda left and ran after Ryou. "Ryou! Wait up!"

Ryou stopped. "What is it?"

"You handled yourself well in there, Ryou. I'm proud of you."

Ryou narrowed his eyes. "I'm not going to sit there and let THAT woman tell me that my son is incompetent and that he has no potential just because he has a learning disability! Yes, Aten is a very slow learner! Yes, I know that Aten cannot recognize certain numbers! Yes, I know Aten feels inadequate because he cannot spell or speak as well as all the other kids! I accept that and I'm doing all I can to help Aten learn to count and he tries! Miranda, he struggles so much! He really tries!"

Miranda wrapped her arms around the hysterical boy. "We know he tries, Ryou. I know he tries. Robbie helps him as much as he can. Look, our boys are happy. Nothing else matters, right? Don't let Adams get to you. She doesn't know Aten and Robbie like we do."

//Ryou….let's drop Malik off at the pharaoh's and go home.//

/Okay, yami./

"Miranda, I have to drop Malik off at Yugi's Game Shop."

Miranda and Ryou left the school. "Yeah, I better get home to Daniel. I'm sure he's missing me….again." Miranda snickered and shook her head. "That man hasn't quit since he came home. He keeps it up and I'll have a limp like Malik's until the kids are in college."

Ryou laughed. "Well, have fun. I have to check on Yugi and take care of Bakura. He hasn't been well lately."

"Aww…tell him I hope he feels better."

//Thanks, Miranda.//

"He said 'thanks.' He's in my Millennium Ring now getting his rest."

Miranda reached out and touched the ring gently with her fingers.

A contented moan came from Bakura. //That feels good…do it again. Ask her to do that again, Ryou.//

Ryou blushed. "Can you do that again, Miranda? He's enjoying it. I can feel it's making him feel a little better."

Miranda touched the Ring with both hands and ran her fingers on the metal, caressing it. "There you go, Bakura. I hope that helps."

A purr came from the soulroom. //So soft….must go….to…sleep….now.//

Ryou started hearing snoring come from the soulroom. "Miranda? You put him to sleep."

Miranda held the Ring in her hands. "This is an amazing item, Ryou. It's still hard to believe that Bakura is in there."

Ryou shrugged. "It took me a while to get used to the idea, too. I had better get him home so he can rest. My house is a mess, too."

"I should go home, too. Daniel is waiting for me." Miranda hugged Ryou and she left. Ryou got into the car and Malik drove to Yugi's.

*************************

Yugi showed Malik how to run the cash register and how to calculate the price for the discounted items for that day.

"I really appreciate this, Malik! I'm really worried about Yami. I lost grandpa…I can't lose my other half, too."

Ryou hugged Yugi tightly, knowing how it felt to lose his other half before. Steven had tossed the Millennium Ring into the forest. It was just by luck that they had retrieved it from the annoyingly painful Anzu.

"Can I see Yami, Yugi?"

Yugi's purple eyes were filled with worry. He looked at the Millennium Ring. "Alright, but Bakura has to behave himself and not harass Yami."

"Bakura is asleep. He's been coughing and this morning I caught him unable to breathe."

Yugi's jaw dropped. "Bakura is sick? Malik, how is Marik?"

"From last night's activities, he didn't seem sick to me."

Yugi and Ryou shivered and they responded in unison, "We won't ask."

Yugi took Ryou upstairs to see Yami. Yami was laying on his back in grandpa's old bed. Yugi and Yami had made grandpa's old room into what resembled a pharaoh's chamber. The curtains were made of white, sheer material. On the bureau was a statue of the god Ra. Tiny statues of pyramids covered the cedar furniture. Two candles were at Yami's bedside. One black candle was half covered in Egyptian hieroglyphics. Ryou looked at the candle and saw that Yami was painting spells on the black candle. Beside the black candle was a lit white pillar candle.

Ryou stood by the bed. "Yami?"

Yugi sat by Yami's bedside and took Yami's hand. "Yami? Ryou is here to see you."

Yami opened up his eye and looked up at the white-haired hikari. "Where is the tomb robber?"

"Bakura is in my Ring, Yami. He's not feeling well neither."

Yami looked down. "You didn't bring your demon seed with you?"

Ryou narrowed his eyes. "Aria and Aten are at school."

Yami snickered and sighed. "So, the tomb robber is ill….What about the other one?"

"Marik isn't ill yet. Yami, when did you come down with this?"

Yugi rubbed Yami's hand as Yami began shaking a little. "He came down with it yesterday. I thought it was just a little cold or maybe something else. I thought it would just be a one day kind of illness. But, he got really bad today."

"I never saw Bakura so sick since he had that Soulroom Sickness five years ago. I thought he'd be strong enough to fight something like this."

Yami opened his eye. "Soulroom Sickness never fades. Being forced into your soulroom weakens you even after you have been released. A yami's powers are weakened after suffering from the Soulroom Sickness."

Ryou stroked the metal of the Ring. "How long does the weakness last?"

"It could last one year. It could last one hundred years."

Yugi looked up at Ryou. "When Aria smashed the Puzzle, he forced Yami back into his soulroom. So, he had Soulroom Sickness until I could solve the Puzzle again."

"And Bakura had Soulroom Sickness when Yami forced him back into the Ring. That's why Yami and Bakura came down with this first! The Soulroom Sickness weakened them."

Yugi raised an eyebrow. "You know what is wrong with Yami? What? What is it? What's wrong with him? Tell me!"

Ryou crossed his arms. "Yami and Bakura may have the Yami Virus."

Yugi jumped off the bed and clung to Ryou. "The 'Yami Virus?' What's that?"

"Remember five years ago? My father said that whoever ripped up his card would release the Yami Virus."

"Who ripped it up?"

Ryou gripped the Ring. "Bakura ripped up my father's duel monster's card."

Yami growled. "I knew Bakura would be the death of me sooner or later!"

"Bakura isn't convinced that this is the Yami Virus. He says there's no way to kill a yami."

Yami shook his head. "No. There is one way. There is a scroll on it at the Domino Museum."

"There has to be a way to stop it!"

Yami shook his head. "I don't know how to stop it, Ryou. If I did, I would stop my deterioration."

Ryou sighed. "What about Bakura?"

"The sooner that thief is out of my afterlife, the better. If Bakura must meet a second death, so be it!"

Ryou narrowed his eyes. His teeth clenched and his fists tightened. "Yugi, I have to go."

"Yami, don't talk that way about Bakura. Ryou came to visit you and see how you were doing! He was concerned about you."

Yami looked at Ryou. "Bakura is going to die. Painfully. I hope….he suffers."

Ryou's eye twitched in fury. "I'm leaving, Yugi. Goodbye!"

Ryou descended the steps and kissed Malik. Yugi ran down the steps.
"Ryou! Wait!"

Ryou turned around, tears in his eyes.

Yugi took Ryou's hand. "Yami doesn't speak for me, Ryou. I really hope Bakura gets better."

Ryou wiped the tears from his eyes and his voice cracked, trying not to cry. "I don't want my husband to die, Yugi. I can't live without Bakura. Without him, I'm incomplete."

Yugi nodded. "I know. I know Yami can be a real ass sometimes, but, he is my other half. I do love him."

Ryou shook his head. "You deserve better than him, Yugi. That is all I'm going to say."

"Ryou, wait! Please!"

Ryou closed his eyes. "Yugi, I must leave before I say something about Yami that I am going to regret."

Ryou pulled his hand away and left sadly.

***************************

Aten and Robbie sat at their desks listening to Umi and Eric recite their report on dolphins. Aria had been ordered to go to the principal's office for using a bad word to describe Eric that had been taught to her by her Daddy Marik.

"Dolphins speak to me and my daddy when we are sailing on the majestic sea! They swim by our boat and they are mammals!"

"Yeah, and they taste good in tuna fish!"

Umi turned to Eric. "Eric! You can't say stuff like that!"

"Why not? I can say whatever I want! It's my report, too!"

"But we're graded as a pair!"

Eric shrugged. "So? Big deal."

"But, if I don't get a good mark, I won't be able to go sail my toy boat on the water this weekend!"

"Eric? Umi? Continue," Mrs. Jennings said.

"Dolphins are very smart," Umi continued. "They can be trained to do tricks. I have a dolphin that follows my boat around and speaks to me. I call him Flippy! My daddy named him!"

"Your daddy is flippy….and floppy! Kinda like Aten Ishtar."

Aten narrowed his eyes. "I am not!"

"Eric Barnes, stop it or you get detention!"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Aten is an elephant! And ugly like a baboon!"

Tears welled in Aten's eyes. "I am not!"

"Eric, you will have detention after school!"

"Aten's fat and ugly and smelly!" Eric laughed, pointing at Aten in the front seat, ignoring the teacher.

Robbie narrowed his eyes. "Aten is not fat and ugly!"

Eric laughed. "Yes, he is! What a fat, ugly elephant! Who could love such a fat thing like you?!"

"And he smells like pee!" Rhonda added to the taunting.

The class started to laugh and point at Aten, except Robbie and Hayden.

Aten whimpered. "Stop it! I do not!"

Robbie narrowed his eyes. "He does not!"

Eric reached out and grabbed Aten's white and blond hair. "LOOK AT THE FREAK!"

Aten let out a shriek of fear.

Mrs. Jennings stood up. "Eric! Keep your hands to yourself! Go stand in the corner and face the wall!"

Aten wrapped his arms around himself and sniffled in the chair. Robbie stood up and started to limp to Aten's chair.

"Robert Morgan, while you are out of your seat, maybe you and Mr. Kaiba would like to do your report."

"But Aten--."

"You don't want detention, do you?"

Robbie returned to his desk and grabbed his project. When he arrived at the front of the room, he was watching Aten's body shudder in the desk.

He looked over at Rhonda Taylor, Aten's other bully. She was laughing in her seat, her hand covering her mouth.

Robbie looked at Aten in the chair as tears streamed down his face. "I'm sorry, Aten," Robbie whispered to him.

Even though Hayden was two years older than the other children, Hayden was left back in Aten and Robbie's grade. His Uncle Charlie never let him go to school and Seto thought it best to leave him back. Hayden was a good reader and was permitted to go to a more advanced grade for reading.

Robbie supported himself on the teacher's desk. His twisted foot was beginning to become sore as he stood on it. He leaned against the teacher's desk as Hayden held the pictures of whales.

"Whales are mammals, which means they carry their babies in their bellies. They live to be up to 90 years or more! Killer Whales belong to the dolphin family and they are the biggest dolphin alive! When they eat, they open their mouths up really wide to eat. They eat sea life such as fish, sharks, and even seagulls! Whales can hold their breath for a really long time under water."

Robbie pointed at the pictures of the whales. "Whales come in different types. There are Sperm Whales."

Rhonda and Eric started laughing.

"There are Humpback Whales."

Rhonda and Eric collapsed on the floor laughing hysterically.

"Rhonda Taylor, get back to your seat! Eric, stand up!"

Rhonda ignored her. "Limpy would know about Sperm Whales!"

Eric's face turned red from laughter. "Yeah! He would know about Humpback Whales! Maybe Ishtar helped him with that one!"

Rhonda shrieked with laughter as Aten shrunk down in his seat. The entire class started laughing at Aten again.

"Rhonda Taylor, you have detention as well! Eric, stand up!"

Eric struggled to his feet. Robbie watched Aten's lip tremble in his seat, his face down and his eyes glazed over.

Robbie's heart sank as he saw his friend in the chair, the object of the ridicule. Object. To the class, Aten was an object. They thought Aten had no feelings…that Aten could brush off the bullying.

Robbie narrowed his eyes and stood in front of Aten's desk. "Make fun of me, you cowards! I can take it! You are nothing but a bunch of bullies! I'll take you all on! Nobody hurts my friend and gets away with it!"

"Aww…Limpy wants to help the freak! FREAK!"

Aten shuddered. Mrs. Jennings stepped in front of the class.

"Stop this! Eric, turn around! You have detention for the next month! Rhonda Taylor, you have detention for a month! The rest of the class will stay after school!"

The class gave a series of disappointed groans.

Eric and Rhonda growled at Aten.

'That freak isn't going to get away with this,' Eric thought.

****************************

The lunch bell rang and the Grades 1-3 filed into the cafeteria. Robbie and Aten stood in the lunch line not far from Rhonda and Eric.

Aria had to remain in the principal's office for her behavior. Aria was allowed to have lunch in the principal's office.

Aten wrapped his arms around himself tightly. "I'm not fat…I'm not smelly. I'm not ugly. Am I, Robbie?"

"Aten, don't pay any attention to them jerks!"

"Dotor Zira weighed me in the hospital and I only weighed thirty pounds."

Robbie put a hand on Aten's side. "Aten, you're nothing but skin and bone! How can you be fat?"

Aten looked down sadly. "Please don't yell at me, Robbie. I don't want you to be angry at me." Aten's bottom lip trembled.

"Aten, I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at them. Look, I don't care what you look like! You're my friend. I'd still like you!"

Eric and Rhonda snickered when they saw Robbie's hand pull Aten close to him and hug him.

Rhonda brushed her hair back. "That Aten kid made us have one month of detention!"

Eric narrowed his eyes. "We have to get him back for this!"

"You want revenge? I have the perfect way," a voice said behind Eric.

Eric and Rhonda turned around and saw a kid tall for his age with hazel eyes and black hair. "What is it?"

The third grader grinned. "I have dirt on everyone in the school. You want to get that kid back? I know he has a bad heart. I also know he is allergic to pickles. I heard him talking to that lame kid the other day. You want revenge? Put pickles on his sandwich and salt. He told the kid that salt makes his heart worse."

Eric grinned. "Who are you?"

"My name is Andrew Diabalis."

Eric grinned. "Remind me to bring in a piece of candy for you tomorrow, Andrew."

Eric turned to Rhonda. "I'll put the pickles on his sandwich. You pour on the salt."

Andrew leaned into Eric's left ear. "I can distract the kid while you do that. It will cost you another piece of candy."

"Done!"

Robbie grabbed a ham and cheese sandwich with a container of chocolate milk. Aten stood in front of the woman, who handed him his special lunch of fresh tuna. Aten grabbed a container of skim milk. The cafeteria staff recognized Aten on sight and thought the boy looked exotic with his two different colored eyes and hair.

Aten sat down at the table beside Robbie. He looked at sandwich sighing.

Robbie bit into his lunch hungrily. "Aten, don't think about it. You have to eat."

Andrew sat beside Aten. "Hello, Aten. I heard from the other kids what they did to you in class today."

"Who are you?" Robbie asked, narrowing his eyes.
"I'm from the third grade. I have friends in the second grade. My name is Andrew."

Robbie growled low in his throat as Andrew put his arm around Aten's shoulder.

"It wasn't nice what they did to you today, was it, Aten?"
Robbie felt his fury rise, his attention fixed on Andrew.

"No, it wasn't."

"They aren't your friends, Aten."

Aten nodded. "I know that. They hate me."

Rhonda and Eric snickered as they disappeared under the table with a handful of salt packages and two pickles.

They crawled underneath Aten's chair and snickered.

Andrew shook his head. "What a shame, Aten! How could someone make fun of another human being?! Especially one with such nice hair."

Robbie's face turned red with fury. "That's it!" Robbie stood up and moved behind Andrew. He poked him angrily. "I don't know who you think you are, but get your hand off of Aten!"

Andrew turned around and stuck his tongue out at Robbie. "Aten, your friend here is so…..angry. That's a real shame."

Aten looked back at Robbie. "Robbie is my friend."

Eric snickered and slipped the pickles under the top slice of Aten's sandwich. Rhonda opened the two salt packages and poured the salt under the first slice of bread. They chuckled and returned to their seats.

Andrew saw them and removed his arm from Aten. He stood up and poked Robbie in the chest.

"I've got my eye on you…Lame-o!"

Robbie glared angrily as the boy returned to the end of the table. He returned to his seat. "Don't listen to him, Aten."

"Why not?"

Robbie turned his head. "Aten, don't tell me you believed in what he said! He put his arm around you."

"So? You touch me."

"He didn't sound sincere."

Aten cocked his head to the side. "What's that mean?"

"I don't trust him."

Aten looked at his sandwich and grabbed it. "I do trust you, Robbie."

Robbie smiled. "I'm glad you do, Aten. It's you and me forever."

Aten bit into his sandwich and swallowed. "This sandwich tastes funny." Aten bit into it again and tasted something bitter.

Aten dropped the sandwich as his face started to turn beet red.

Robbie turned to Aten. "Aten, are you okay?"

Aten gripped his chest and his stomach with both of his hands.

A moan of pain came from him and he stood up on his trembling legs. He staggered to the trash can and threw up.

The kids in the cafeteria turned to Aten and a collective "EWWW!!!" came from the crowd of chibis.

Robbie went to Aten. "Aten! Oh no! You okay?"

Aten grabbed his stomach. "Potty…must use potty!"

Robbie helped Aten to the boys' room. One of the lunch moderators went into the bathroom and heard Aten in one of the stalls.

"Aten Ishtar?"

Robbie came from Aten's stall shaking and sobbing. "His skin is turning color and he's throwing up and his skin is breaking out into patches of red and….and….and he's throwing up….and…and….HELP ATEN!!"

Aten dropped to his knees in the stall and the moderator could hear the child's desperate panting for breath.

Another moan of pain came from him as he kneeled down. A long, piercing wail came from the boy as he fell forwards, his head touching the ground.

The moderator called the nurse. "Food Allergy," Nurse Atkins said when she saw Aten weeping on the bathroom floor.

The man went to Aten's lunch and found pickles on the sandwich as well as a pile of salt.

Umi went to the moderator. "Eric and Rhonda did it! I saw them disappear from their seats! Before I could tell Aten, he started eating!"

Eric and Rhonda growled. "We did not!"

The moderator looked by Rhonda's chair where he saw an empty package of salt.

The nurse rushed to her office and grabbed some medication for Aten's heart and some medication for Aten's diarrhea. She called Aten's mother and told him to come pick up Aten from the nurse's office.

Eric and Rhonda were taken to the principal's office. Robbie refused to leave Aten's side as the moderators helped him up the steps to the nurse's office.

Robbie was sent back to the lunch room and he left reluctantly.

Ryou arrived as quickly as he could. He found Aten in the Nurse's Office holding a bucket.

His skin was broke out in hives and was burning hot to the touch.

"He has a high fever, Ryou. I just gave him some children's Tylenol for the fever and I gave him his heart medication."

Ryou brought Aten into his arms. "What happened?"

"Two children put pickles and salt on your son's lunch."

Ryou cradled Aten's head against him as much as his skin burned his hand. "My poor baby," Ryou said, stroking his hair.

He left Atkins' office and found Aria sitting in the principal's office. "What's she doing here?" Ryou asked the secretary.

Aria looked up and gasped. "Aten!"

"She said a very bad word to one of her classmates."

Ryou looked down at Aria. "What did you say?"

Aria looked down to avoid her mother's eyes.

"Aria Kanika Itemri, what did you say?"

Aria's spiky hair fell slightly. "I called…Eric…an…asshole."

"Aria, that isn't a word you should be saying."

Aria looked up. "But, he was being mean to Aten!"

Ryou heard a woman's yelling come from inside the principal's office.

"My son is just a scapegoat! Look at that darling face! He's innocent, Mrs. Adams! How dare you accuse my son of bullying!"

Aten turned his head. "Mommy?"

"Yes, Aten?"

"Buttet, please."

Ryou gave Aten the bucket and the boy wretched.

Ryou narrowed his eyes and burst into the room. Mrs. Barnes turned around quickly and growled. "Your boy is a liar! My son would never think of doing something like trying to make your boy sick!"

Ryou growled. "Your boy is a bully! It's your reason my son is sick!"

A long moan came from Aten as he gripped Ryou's shirt tightly. "Hurts…"

Tristan and Otogi entered the office and groaned. "Rhonda, what did you do now?"

Rhonda folded her arms. "I do nothing wrong, Uncle Tristan! I'm a princess!"

Tristan growled. "Yeah, you're a Royal Pain in My Ass, too."

Rhonda pouted and brushed her hair back. "Aten is a liar! I never would hurt him!"

Otogi went to Ryou and brushed the chibi's white and blond hair. He went to stroke Aten's face and he pulled his hand back quickly.

"His skin is burning hot!"

Aten reached out a red arm to Otogi. "Unkie Togi…..hug."

Otogi held Aten in his arms as Tristan rubbed the boy's back.

"What happened, little man?"

"Sandwich….salt….pittles…..tummy hurts."

Tristan grabbed Rhonda's hand. "Look, little missy, you keep your hands off of Aten!"

Otogi shook his head. "This is going to be a long week, Ryou. Tristan's brother and his wife are out of town and we have to watch the brat for a whole week!"

"I didn't touch him and you can't prove I did anything!"

Adams folded her hands on the desk. "Rhonda was given a month's worth of detention. But, I have made the decision she is suspended for the rest of the day."

Aten reached for the bucket and he threw up on Otogi's shoulder. Otogi's eyes widened in horror as he felt some liquid slide down his arm.

Otogi closed his eyes and said, "Please don't tell me he…."

Tristan nodded. "Yup…he threw up on you…..again."

Otogi groaned. "This is a new shirt, Aten!"

Ryou took Aten in his arms. "Sorry, Otogi."

Otogi looked over and brushed his hair back. "I'm never going to get these stains out! Oh…poop! I'll be scrubbing this shirt for a week!"

Mrs. Barnes took Eric's hand. "I'm taking my son and leaving, Mrs. Adams! Good day!" Barnes stopped in front of Ryou and scowled at him. "Good day, fruit-cake!"

Ryou growled as she passed. He turned to Adams. "I'm taking Aten home."

"Please take Aria Kanika with you. We have no place in this school for potty-mouths!"

Ryou left the office followed by Tristan and Otogi. "Aria, you're coming home with me, honey."

Tristan pulled Rhonda along with him. "Ryou, we are very sorry about all this. We'll sit down and talk to the little brat tonight."

"I'm not a brat! I'm a princess!"

"And I'm the Queen of England."

Rhonda pouted. "Daddy tells me you are a queen! Especially your little boyfriend!"

Tristan turned abruptly. "And you are grounded, missy!"

Otogi pulled his hair to the opposite side of his shoulders. "Oh, man! It's in my hair! Now I have to go home and wash it! Oh, poop."

Tristan raised an eyebrow. "After living with me for six years, you don't know how to curse properly?"

Rhonda smiled. "I can curse, too…shithead!"

Tristan gripped Rhonda's hand tightly and she winced. "You are going to bed without supper!"

Tristan threw her into the car. "Ryou, I'm really sorry about Rhonda."

Aten started to breathe heavily like Bakura. "Mommy….Ra….help…dizzy."

"No problem, Tristan. I have to get these two home."

************************

Ryou took Aten home and he ran to the bathroom upstairs. Ryou held back the chibi's hair as the boy threw up.

Aria stood at the door with a worried look on her face. Aten collapsed on his knees in front of the toilet, panting.

"What's wrong with my brother?"

"Eric and Rhonda put things in his lunch that he is not allowed to eat and it made him sick."

Aria narrowed her eyes and her hair twitched angrily.

"Aria, baby, can you get a pair of clean boxers for your brother?"

Aria ran into Aten's bedroom and opened his underwear drawer. She picked up a pair of blue boxers and saw a piece of paper underneath.

Aria picked up the piece of paper and looked at it.

Her eyes grew wide as she looked at the picture.

Aten had drawn a picture of Robbie and himself laying on a bed. White sheets covered Robbie's private area while Aten remained completely exposed. Aten was cuddled closely against Robbie with a big smile on both of their faces. Above the bed, loomed evil looking eyes. Giant claws decorated with barbed wire surrounded the bed. Below was the caption in hieroglyphs: Grandfather Never Leaves.

"Aria! Baby girl, I need those boxers!"

Aria replaced the picture in the underwear drawer and ran to the bathroom.

"Here, mommy."

"Honey, can you get your brother a washcloth?"

Aria ran to the closet and got him a washcloth.

"Here, mommy."

"Aten, honey, wash yourself well."

Ryou stepped outside the bathroom as Aten cleaned himself free of dirt. Aten had become very insisstant that he cleaned himself alone.

"Mommy, is Aten going to be okay?"

"Yes, honey. He's just very sick."

Ryou covered his mouth and shook his head as he heard Aten throw up again.

He entered the room and held back Aten's hair again. When he was done, Ryou gave Aten the boxers and caught Aten as he almost fainted.

He took Aten's bucket and Aten into the boy's bedroom. He tucked Aten into bed and gave him the bucket.

"I'll be right back with a glass of water, baby."

Ryou left and Aria sat by Aten. She held his hand and saw him laying on his back, his body shaking and his body covered in sweat.

"Aten? Say something."

Aten took a sharp breath. "I love you….sister."

Aria smiled and put her hand over his heart. She could feel it struggling to keep beating.

"I love you, too, brother."

Aria sneezed and gave a little cough. "I hope I'm not getting daddy's cold."

Updates: Tomorrow

Note: Tuesday, my wife and I are going to the States for my graduation and to Atlantic City. So, I will be unable to update for a week. Also, on Monday the 17th I'm hoping the Canada lets me back in. Either way, I will update on the 19th. But I will update Monday and Tuesday, so this way, I leave you guys with a Marik x Bakura lemon before I go on vacation.