Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ The Yami Virus ❯ Separation Anxiety ( Chapter 57 )

WARNING: ANZU BASHING!!!!!!!!!

Disclaimer: The song Anzu sings comes from "Anything goes!" I think. Then again, it could be a Disney movie. Either way, I don't own it.

Aten: Tants for lots of reffews!

Aria: Wow! SO many! *hands Marik, Bakura, Ryou, Yugi Aria, and Aten plushies to readers and reviewers*

Aria: You know we're going to be squished for this, Aten?

Aten: *gulp* Uh-oh……

Jupitor Knight: I need Yami for later, even though it is a great idea.

bakachibi voidfox: I would have made it longer, but I didn't want to push the issue.

Dranzer's Yami: Yami poses more problems in the future, but nobody will know where he is in the next story.

Liann: Shadi needed some type of print. He gets so little.

Little Uke Io and Uke Kit: Yugi needed to do this a long time ago, but it needed to be done at the proper time.

Shadow of Light: Aria is skilled like her father. It's not hard to see whose side she takes over more. Max wore them when Seto came to see him.

preistset: Yugi doesn't go back to Yami. Yami started to wear the Puzzle again because he didn't trust Yugi not to smash it like Aria did.

Anubiset: More Yami torture here.

yugiluv: Yugi isn't going to join anyone's family yet. I haven't decided if I should pair him up with someone or just leave him single. Hey, input is always good.

lost light: Bakura was brave because Marik was there. Without Marik, he seems to crack.

Shadow Mistress: I need Yami for the sequels.

Valea: We all needed Marik back. It would have been no fun without him. I never thought of night classes for Ryou. Good idea for the wedding story, though.

Mariku182: *hands Marik plushie* here you go. This will take all of your pain away.

Sakiyama: Yugi needed to do that, but Yami is a persistent bugger.

Lady Elfskye: Yami: X_X. Yami needed that. Thanks! Oh, I'm sorry I forgot your birthday! Happy Birthday!

Harvestgirl64: Marik is back! Everything is right with the world.

Broken Time: I needed him to do that at the right time, yes.

Separation Anxiety

Ryou cuddled up next to Bakura and gave a tired yawn. They had been home for two days. For both of those days, the two yamis remained bed-ridden.

Bakura had little energy to leave the bed. Marik remained in the Millennium Rod, leaving only to play with the kids for an hour each day.

Aria set her alarm for early in the morning. She crept into her brother's room early. The little boy was laying on his side, cuddling his toy monkey.

"Aten, wake up! It's mommy's birthday!"

"And the firs day of stool," the boy moaned. "Wate me when it's the summer again, sister." Aten threw the covers over his head and began to snore.

Aria threw off the covers. "We have to make breakfast for mommy!" Aria grabbed Aten's wrist and his eyes shot open. "It's our mommy's birthday!"

"Fine! Juss don't grab my wrist! I'm up, already!"

Aten swung his thin legs out of bed and stretched. "Otay. What are we mating?"

"Let's go and see what we have!"

Aten followed his sister downstairs and into the kitchen. "Mommy lites toast."

Aria jumped up and down. "You make the toast, Aten. I'll make mommy some eggs."

Aten put the toast in the toaster. Aria cracked the eggs in half and heat a pan. She didn't notice that some egg shells had remained in the eggs as she cooked them.

The toast popped up and Aten turned to her. "That toast isn't done yet."

"Put it down for longer then."

Aten pushed down the toast for longer and watched it.

Aria stood on the stool, stirring the eggs in the pan. "I think the eggs are done."

Aria took a plate and put the half-done eggs with pieces of shell on the plate. The toast was blackened in some parts when it popped up.

"If I put lots of butter on it, mommy won't notice it's burnted."

Aten put lots of butter on the burned toast, the sides dripping with butter.

Aria smiled. "Mommy's gonna love this breakfast!"

Aten poured his mother a cup of juice and carried it up, following his sister.

He opened the bedroom door.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOMMY!" Aria screamed at the top of her lungs.

Ryou screamed and jumped, startled by his children's sudden entrance.

Bakura let out a startled shriek.

"Happy Birthday, Mommy!" Aten said proudly. "We mated you bret-fast in bed!"

Ryou sat up with a smile and a yawn. "Oh, sweethearts, you really didn't….." Ryou's eyes scanned the plate. Burned toast piled with melted butter. The eggs looked half done with pieces of eggshell sporadically scattered throughout.

The two children looked up at him smiling. A pair of happy brown eyes looked up at him hopefully.

"Take a bite, mommy! I made it myself!"

"Oh, really?"

//Ryou, that doesn't look safe.// Bakura said through the mindlink.

/If I don't eat it, or at least a bite, it may hurt her feelings, yami. I can't do that to our daughter./

Ryou took a bite of the half-raw eggs. His nose curled, but he somehow managed to look as if it was the best thing he had ever eaten.

"How is it, mommy?" Aria looked up, bouncing excitedly.

"Very good, dear. Very good."

//How is it, really?//

/Bloody awful./ Ryou responded.

Aten smiled. "I mated the toast."

"It's a good thing your father isn't here, Aten. I don't think he needed to hear that you 'mated the toast.' You MADE the toast," Bakura corrected.

Ryou nodded. "You did a great job, son."
He stared at the toast.

//Eat it, Ryou.//

/I'm getting a heart attack just from looking at the amount of butter on it./

"Try it, mommy!"

Ryou took a bite. "It's good, honey. Very good."

//Ryou?//

/My gods, it's nothing but butter and burned toast!/

"Very good, children. Delicious."

//Is it really?//

/This has to be the most Ra-awful thing I've ever had. But, the kids made it for me special./

"Thank you, pumpkins," Ryou said as he grabbed each of them and hugged them tightly. "Are you ready for school?"

Aten sighed, looking down. Ryou knew Aten didn't enjoy school.

He couldn't write English well. He couldn't read English as well.

He had a hard time speaking.

His dyslexia made it difficult for him to adjust to school life, but he refused to let it get to him. He tried hard to improve and struggled.

Bullying was also a problem. The unique color of his skin made him a target for bullies. His golden tanned Egyptian skin and white and blond hair made him stand out from the other kids.

Ryou put his hand on Aten's shoulder. "This is a chance for you to start new, Aten."

Aria jumped up and down. "Umi will be at school! Come on, Aten!"

The little girl squealed and ran from the room cheering.

Malik walked into the bedroom, yawning. "Morning, Ryou. Happy Birthday."

"Morning, Malik. Thank you. Aten, honey, get dressed for school."

Aten left reluctantly.

Malik looked at the breakfast. "What is that?"

Ryou sipped his juice. "The kids made me breakfast in bed."

"Or something that resembles breakfast," Bakura added.

Malik sniffed the toast. "Aten burned the toast again, didn't he?"

Ryou sighed. "He has a hard time cooking."

Marik appeared sitting on the bed next to them. He appeared weak and tired. "Hello, Ryou. Happy Birthday, lover."

The yami leaned over and kissed Ryou.

"Thank you, Marik. You better get Aten's School Schedule. He won't remember to brush his teeth if he doesn't have his schedule."

Marik reached into Ryou's drawer and grabbed Aten's schedule that reminded him what to do on every school morning. It reminded him to brush his teeth and comb his hair.

Ryou stood up and put his boxers on. He put on his bathrobe.

Aria ran into the room with her favorite pink dress. "Ready for school!"

"Malik, can you do her hair?"

"Pink ribbons! Right here!" Aria squealed, handing Malik the pink ribbons.

Ryou knocked on Aten's door. "Aten, honey? Are you having a problem?"

"What if the udder tids hate me juss lite they did lass year?"

Ryou sighed. This was going to be another rough year.

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

Ryou arrived at the school and saw Miranda standing at the school gate with Robbie.

Aten ran to Robbie, the only person who made school bearable.

"Hi, Aten! Ready to learn?"

"No."

Umi and Mako ran up to them.

"LITTLE MERMAID!" Umi squealed, running up to his girlfriend.

"Umi!" Aria wrapped her arms around Umi laughing.

"Hi, Aten! Hi, Robbie! How are you guys?"

Robbie hugged Aten tightly. "Doing fine. Find your grandfather yet?"

Aten shuddered.

Umi sighed. "My daddy and I have been looking for his daddy for what seems like forever!"

The school bell rang and Ryou kneeled down.

He kissed Aria. "Be good, Chibi Yami. Have fun."

He kissed Aten. "Be brave, baby. I know it's hard, but if you go in with a positive attitude, you'll have a good day. Let me see that smile."

Aten managed a little smile. "I'll try, mommy."

"That's all I ask, angel."

Miranda hugged Robbie. "Be good, little soldier."

"Yes, mommy! I sure will!"

"Good boy. Go on."

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

The teachers took their classes and headed into the classrooms. Robbie and Aten followed Mrs. Redman to her classroom.

She did the roll call. "Aten Bakari Ishtar?"

"Pessent!"

"Who's name did I not call?"

Robbie raised his hand. "I'm afraid you didn't call my name, miss."

"What's your name?"

"Robert Allen Morgan."

The teacher skimmed her student list. "No, Robert. I don't have you down as one of the students in this class."

Aten's jaw dropped and he went pale. "What? Robbie has to be here."

Redman shook her head. "I didn't do the placements. I don't have you here on my list, Robert."

The teacher went to the phone in the classroom. She hung the phone up. "Robert, you are supposed to be in Mrs. Jeeves class down the hall. This is Remedial Grade 3. You are in the Accelerated Program."

Robbie's shook his head. "No, I can't be! We're always together."

"Sorry, Robert, but I can't do anything. You are in the Accelerated Program."

Aten sniffled and grabbed Robbie. "He tant go!"

Eric, Jason, and Rhonda started to chuckle.

"Crybaby's gonna cry now because he can't be with his boyfriend!" Rhonda taunted.

Mrs. Redman turned to the three laughing bullies. "Stop that! Robert, I can't do anything. You'll have to go down the hall."

"I want to talk to the principal."

"Robert, I'm sorry, you'll have to leave Remedial Grade 3. You belong down the hall with the accelerated students."

Robbie left his seat and Aten's bottom lip trembled. "Bye, Aten."

"Robbie! Don't leave!"

"I have to, Aten."

Robbie took his schoolbag and walked down the hall. He stopped and turned towards the door where he could hear Aten's crying and the bullies laughing.

'I can't leave him. My daddy once said, you have a problem, go straight to the top. I have to see the principal.'

Robbie climbed the stairs and knocked on the secretary's door.

"I need to see Principal Adams."

"Robert Morgan? You're supposed to be in class."

Robbie narrowed his eyes. "I need to see Mrs. Adams right away!"

"You have to go back to class!"

"I'm going to march home and tell my mommy what you did and then my dad will have to come back from Greece and then he will be really angry with everybody here! Now, I need to talk to Mrs. Adams now!"

Mrs. Adams, hearing the commotion, stepped out of her office. "Robbie? What are you doing here?"

"I need to speak to you, Mrs. Adams."

Adams brought Robbie into her office. "Robert, you are looking at a detention for not being in class. Mr. DelVichio will be most upset that you are not in class right now."

"Aten and I were separated. Why?"

"Robert….you are a very intelligent little boy."

The principal leaned over and folded her hands. Robbie crossed his arms defiantly.

"I know I'm smart. That doesn't mean Aten has to be in the 'stupid' class."

"Aten has a lot of problems with reading and writing and speaking, Robbie. You do not belong in the same class."

Robbie shook his head. "I don't want to be taken from him."

"Robert, you are so much more intelligent than he. The Accelerated Program is for gifted, exceptional students who will get the chance to pursue things which the Remedial class will never learn."

"I don't want to be separated from Aten," the little boy sniffled. "Aten and I belong together. He needs me."

Adams pulled Robbie's file from the drawer. "Aten will still be getting help from Mr. Cullen and Mrs. Redman. He has enough help, Robbie."

"They can't help him like I can!"

Adams chuckled. "Robert, he has plenty of help. Aten can't even add 5 + 3! Robbie, you have so much potential to be anything you want to be!"

"I want to be with Aten! Nothing else matters to me! Those bullies will eat him alive!"

"Redman can deal with that."

Robbie growled. "No, she can't! Nobody can!"

"Robert, you are going to be in the Accelerated Program, like it or not. You are a gifted little boy with an IQ higher than most adults. You will be hurting yourself if you stay in the Remedial classes!"

"Then I hurt myself! I don't want to be separated from Aten!"

The phone on the desk rang. Aten was causing trouble in the classroom.

"Send him to my office," Adams said. "You boys do not understand that you cannot remain together forever!"

Robbie narrowed his eyes and looked up at the principal more defiant than ever before. "Watch me!"

Aten arrived in the principal's office, sobbing. He saw Robbie there and threw himself at him.

"Robbie! Erit mated fun of me! Talled me a wittle baby…"

Robbie turned to Adams. "See what I'm talking about?"

"Aten, sit down."

Aten sat down and the two boys held hands as they were scrutinized by the principal.

"Boys, you cannot remain together. You both have different strengths and weaknesses. Robbie, you cannot be part of the Remedial class. Aten, you could never be a part of the Gifted Class."

Aten looked down, feeling his esteem fall. She's right. He couldn't be part of the Gifted Class.

He couldn't speak. He couldn't write. He couldn't read English.

He stood out.

He was different.

'It was time to accept it,' Aten thought. 'I'll never be smart. I'll never be intel-shent. I'll just be………Aten.'

Robbie narrowed his eyes. "Aten could so be a part of the Gifted Class! If he works really hard, he could be!" Robbie gripped Aten's hand tightly. "Besides, we don't want to be separated."

"Robert, that is impossible. Try this for a week, Robert. If you don't like it, you can go back to the Remedial class."

Aten looked up. An entire week without Robbie in his class?

What if Robbie enjoyed the Gifted class?

What if Robbie didn't want to return to him?

Aten lowered his head and sighed. If Robbie left him, the school year would be intolerable.

The Egyptian boy felt his stomach twist with the thought of separation from Robbie.

This would not be good.

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

Yugi walked down the stairs and opened the Game Shop. He skipped happily to the door and unlocked the door. He went to the stockroom and grabbed a box of Duel Monsters plushies.

Yugi cleared off a shelf and put the Celtic Guardian plushies on it.

The duelist hummed to himself as he put the dolls on the shelf.

The door opened and a man walked in carrying a bouquet of yellow roses.

"Yugi Motou?"

"Yes?"

"Delivery for you, sir."

Yugi signed for the delivery and opened the box. In it was a note from Yami: 'I am very sorry. Please take me back. Love Forever, Yami Yugi Motou.'

The duelist bit his lip in thought. 'He hurt my friends. He tried to kill Aria and Aten. How can I trust him again?'

"Yugi?"

The duelist looked up to see his yami standing there. "Yami?"

The pharaoh kneeled before Yugi. "Yugi, please take me back. I am so very sorry for all I have done to you. You didn't deserve such horrendous treatment. Please have mercy on me."

Yugi narrowed his eyes. "I can't, Yami. I'm sorry. You've hurt me more than you could ever realize. I don't think I can forgive you for that, no matter how much I loved you before."

"But, I have no where to sleep! My clothes are dirty!"

"You should have thought of that before! I can't take you back. Sorry."

Yami stood up, wiping the tears from his flooding purple eyes. "I haven't lost you permanently yet, Yugi. I will win you back."

Yami left and Yugi put the flowers under the display cabinet.

'I can't take him back. I just can't.'

The duelist grabbed the phone and dialed Joey's number. "Joey?"

[Yugi? Hey, man! How are you feelin'?]

"Joey, can you come over? I kinda don't want to be alone."

[Sure, man, just let me grab Asher.]

"Are you sure it's a good idea that Asher drive you?"

[Seto is out with Donny and Maxine.]

"Okay. But tell him not to burn down the Game Shop."

[He won't. He only burns things when we tell him.]

"………..oh. Well, that's good."

[I'll be right over.]

Yugi continued to stock things until Joey arrived with Asher and his characteristic eye twitch that reminded all of them about Marik.

Yugi showed Joey all of the gifts that Yami was sending him in desperate attempts to win him back. Yami sent Yugi flowers, boxes of chocolate, love letters, and plushies. Yugi opened up the box of yellow roses and Joey whistled.

"Wow…he looks pretty desperate."

"Desperate people do desperate things," Asher added. "Especially when they have a lighter in their hand." Asher flicked a lighter and the small flame appeared. "Pretty….."

Yugi shook his head. "I don't know what got into Yami."

Joey sighed. "Yami was a really nice guy when the kids were born. I wonder what changed him so quickly."

Yugi looked up at Joey. "Yami had heard about Isis' prophecy. He heard about the kids' destiny to destroy the world. Yami didn't know much about his past and he explored the depths of the Puzzle searching for the answers."

"I take it he found what he was looking for."

Yugi nodded. "He found the door he needed and he learned the truth about the kids. They were the ones trying to protect the world, not destroy it. His eyes were opened to the person he once was." The shorter duelist began to weep. "And it was then he turned into the person he has become. He's no longer the Yami I once knew and loved. He's now the cruel, merciless person he once was. Something snapped in him when he went searching for the answers. I want my Yami back….the one I loved! Not the monster he is."

Joey brought Yugi into his arms and gave him a hug. "I miss our old Yami, too. The one who used to help us and be our friend."

Asher looked around the shop and saw the Flame Swordsman plushie. "Fire…….Fire doll…..He makes things burn!" Asher said with his eye twitching.

"You can take a Flame Swordsman doll if you want one, Asher."

"Yugi……flame……….swordsman…..pretty ….."

"Why did Yami have to change?" Yugi sobbed. "I loved him."

Joey kissed the top of Yugi's head. "I don't know, Yugi. I wish I knew why, too."

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

Yami wandered the streets towards KaibaCorp. If anyone could tell him how to win back Yugi's love, Joey could.

Tanjiro, one of the "Public Relations Department," was sitting at the front desk. He was one of the martial arts experts. "Mr. Wheeler is not here. He left some time ago."

Yami crossed his arms. "I want to talk to Kaiba."

Tanjiro called Seto down, who appeared in his business suit, accompanied by tall skinny men in black.

"What do you want, Yami? I'm a busy man."

"I need to speak to Joey."

"Joey left twenty minutes ago."

"Where did he go?"

Seto raised an eyebrow. "That is for me to know only."

Yami crossed his arms. "How do I get Yugi back?"

Seto narrowed his eyes. "Turn around and take your head out of your ass. That is all you need to do. Now, go away."

"I'm not done with you yet!" Yami grabbed Seto's arm as he turned away. Tanjiro leapt over the desk and grabbed Yami's wrist. The martial arts expert twisted Yami's arm behind him. "Keep your hands off of Mr. Kaiba!"

Tanjiro kicked Yami in the back and bodily threw him out of the building.

Yami growled at the closed door. "FINE, KAIBA! I DON'T NEED YOU!"

Yami growled as he continued to walk the streets until he reached the Crestwood Apartments.

He walked into the Crestwood Apartments' front desk. He needed to find a way to win Yugi's heart back. Tristan and Otogi could know one way. "I need to see Tristan Taylor and Otogi Ryuugi."

"Suite 904."

Yami took the elevator to the 9th floor and walked to 904. He knocked on the door and Otogi opened the door.

The Dice Master wore a purple satin bathrobe with fuzzy pink bunny slippers. In his hand he held a cup of hot tea.

"Yami? Why are you here?"

"I need your help," Yami said entering.

Otogi closed the door behind Yami. "Tristan and I are having breakfast. Come in."

Yami rolled his eyes at the two pink rollers in Otogi's hair. "Why are you wearing those things in your hair?"

"My hair needed a little curl today. I look positively wretched today!"

Yami entered the kitchen and there was Tristan in his boxers. His arms were big and muscular, as was the rest of his body. His hair looked disheveled. Yami hadn't seen Tristan in a long time and could see Tristan was putting in extra hours at the gym.

Otogi stood beside Tristan, one feminine and one ultra-masculine. It was amazing how they hadn't killed each other yet, considering how opposite they were.

"Tristan, I need your help."

Tristan growled. "Wait until I've had my first cup of coffee."

Otogi turned to Yami, stirring pancake batter in a bow. "I've learned not to say anything until he gets some coffee into him, Yami. You look hungry. Do you want my patented Smiley-Fun Pancakes?"

Tristan sighed and shook his head. "Why me?"

Yami raised an eyebrow. "What the fuck are they?"

"Well, I make pancakes, put a happy face on the top with whipped cream and two dots for eyes. Then I put Maraschino Cherries in the two dots to look like eyes! It's really cute! Aten and Aria love them to pieces! Do you want one?"

Tristan sipped his coffee. "Even though it sounds corny, they are really good, Yami."

"You're asking me if I want Smiley-Fun Pancakes?"

Otogi nodded. "I'm making some for myself! Come on, Yami. Smiley-Fun Pancakes!"

Yami turned to Tristan. "You have to check him for a vagina later, man. Something is not right with him."

Otogi turned up his nose at Yami and continued to stir the pancake batter.

"Do you need our help or are you here to insult Otogi? I won't take you treating him like you treated Yugi."

Yami crossed his arms. "How do I trick Yugi into taking me back?"

Tristan sipped his coffee. "You don't 'trick' anyone into taking you back. You need to apologize."

"I did that, numb-nuts. What else do I do?"

Otogi turned around. "Gifts? Carrot cake? Banana Bread? Cheese Cake? Stuffed Teddy Bears?"

The pharaoh rolled his eyes. "Tried the gift thing and the plushie thing. No dice."

Otogi poured some pancake batter into the pan. "What about writing a poem? A sonnet? A love letter?"

"I already did the love letter thing?"

"I wrote Tristan a poem when we fought once. I read it to him and he absolutely loved it!"

Yami rolled his eyes. "No, I'm not writing Yugi a poem!"

"Well, smarty-pants, I can't think of anything else," Otogi said as he removed the pancake from the pan and poured in more batter.

Tristan sipped his coffee. "You have to figure out what you have to do for yourself, Yami. We can't help you make up to Yugi. We can only give you ideas."

Yami reached out for Tristan and the large brunet snarled at him.

"Don't get too close to him before he's finished his first cup of coffee," Otogi said. "You'll get your hand chewed right off to the shoulder."

Yami pulled back. "You are both no help at all."

Tristan looked up with a scowl on his face. "It's not our fault you were acting like an asshole, Yami. You made your bed, now sleep in it, jack-ass."

Yami and Tristan stood up quickly, their chairs thrown back.

Otogi turned around. "Tris, Yami, guys, don't fight! Please! Let's just sit down and talk this out."

Tristan looked down. Some drops of coffee were spilled on the kitchen table. Tristan's face grew red and his fists clenched.

"You made me spill some of my coffee, you heartless bastard!" Tristan shouted.

Otogi held Tristan back. "Don't, Tris! Please!"

"But he made me spill ……AHHH!…SIX DROPS! You spilled Six drops of my coffee on the table! YOU'RE DEAD, YAMI!"

Yami growled and raised his hand. "No……you are, Tristan!"

Otogi turned off the pancakes and threw all of his weight at Tristan, knocking him out of the way of Yami's ball of dark energy.

Tristan looked back and saw the wall blackened by the blast.

"Get out of here, Yami," Tristan seethed angrily, holding Otogi close to him.

Yami stormed out angrily.

"Don't worry, pussycat."

"He almost killed you, Tris!" The Dice master covered his lover's face with kisses.

"I'm fine, baby," Tristan said, holding his lover close.

Otogi turned and saw the wall. He started to sob. "It's going to take me all day to scrub that out!"

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

Yami walked down the street towards Ryou and Bakura's place. Ryou knew Yugi well. Maybe Ryou could convince Yugi to take him back.

Better yet………

If he could convince the kids that he was sorry, Yugi would take him back!

Yami went to the front door of the Ishtar-Itemri home. He knocked on the door and Bakura opened it.

A loud shriek resounded and Bakura was on his knees in front of Yami, bowing and shuddering.

Ryou ran down the stairs. "Bakura? Yami!"

"Where are your children?"

Bakura covered his head with his hands. "Don't hurt me……don't hurt me……."

Ryou put his hand on Bakura's back and the yami started sobbing.

"My children are in school!"

"Where is Ishtar?"

Marik stepped down the stairs slowly growling. "What do you want?"

Bakura crawled behind Marik. "Don't let him touch me, Marik….please….."

The blond yami scowled at Yami. "Get the fuck off of my property, pharaoh. I don't have anything to say to you."

Yami crossed his arms. "Yugi dumped me."

Marik helped Bakura to his feet. "I know. I was there. He should have done that to your pharonic ass ages ago."

"Yugi can't let me go."

Ryou stood up and looked Yami in the eye. "And why not? You've treated him like the dirt under your fingernails! Yugi did the right thing, Yami."

Yami narrowed his eyes. "Yugi can't let me go. How do I get him back?"

"You don't, pharaoh," Marik said, struggling to keep Bakura from falling on his knees.

"He left you, Yami. I don't blame him for what he did," Ryou said angrily. "You deserved much worse than what you got! I swear to the gods if you put a finger on my daughter or my son again, I will break it myself!"

Yami sneered. "Awfully sure of yourself, aren't you, Ryou? You think you can take me down?"

"I'd do anything to protect my children, Yami. I'd gladly suffer for them. You don't scare me, Yami. A mother would do anything for her children."

Yami growled. "Would you die for them?"

Ryou looked over at Bakura and Marik. "If that is what I had to do to assure their survival, yes, I would die for them."

"I'll hold you to that, Ryou," Yami said, his voice filled with venom.

"Get out of here!" Yami Marik growled.

Yami turned. "Fine. You will regret the day you crossed me, Ryou and Marik. I shall see to that."

Yami walked away.

"It's okay, Bakura," Ryou whispered into Bakura's ear.

"Ryou….." Bakura fell forwards, limp in Marik's arms.

"He fainted!"

Marik and Ryou helped carry Bakura upstairs. They put the white-haired yami on the bed and the blond panted heavily.

"Must…..go……into………Rod."

Marik disappeared.

Ryou caressed Bakura's hair and cuddled close to him. "I'm here, yami. I'm here."

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

Yami continued to walk down the street until he came to the park. He sat on one of the benches with his face buried in his hands.

"Yugi, how am I ever going to win you back?"

"FRIENDLY BIRDS! FRIENDLY SQUIRRELS!"

"Oh, for the love of Ra, no……..," Yami groaned.

Anzu dived out of the bushes and caught a pigeon that was pecking at the ground. "I love you, friendly pigeon-widgeon! WHO'S A FRIENDLY LITTLE BIRDIE???????!!!!!!"

Anzu squeezed the pigeon tightly and let it go.

"Yami! PINCHY SAID HI!"

Anzu pulled her pet scorpion from her pocket. "He's so friendly! He pinches things and they faint from so much friendliness! YEAHHHH FRIENDSHIP!"

Yami looked at the scorpion. The creature tried to jump off of Anzu's hand, but she tied a string around it to act as a leash.

The creature repeatedly stabbed her hand.

"Why aren't you dying from it's poison?"

"I went to heaven and I was told that Heaven was too friendly. They already knew all about friendship. So, I went to hell. There's a lot of friendly people there! And it's hot! It gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling being in hell. I liked it there a lot, but I was told there was enough friendship there too. So, I'm spreading the news of love, friendship, and PUPPIES! YEAH, PINCHY!"

Yami stood up and walked away, but she followed him, dragging the scorpion behind her.

She swung the scorpion in the air by the "leash" as she skipped idiotically beside Yami.

"Friendship! Friendship! Just the perfect blend-ship!.." Anzu sang, making Yami turn green. "Come on, Yami! You know this friendly song!"

Her singing voice was as rough as nails and off-key. The girl couldn't sing….at all.

"Sing, Yami! 'When other friendships have been forgot….ours will still be hot! OOOO!!!! I CAN SING! YEAH!"

Yami rolled his eyes. 'I can't believe I hung out with this twit in Duelist Kingdom. What the hell was I thinking?'

Anzu skipped around Yami, singing off-key. Yami saw a construction area ahead of them. Ahead of them was a Steam-Roller moving.

"See that Steam Roller? It wants to be friends with you."

Yami pushed her into its path.

"BEING CRUSHED IS LIKE FRIENDSHIP! YEAH!"

Yami watched the scorpion remain still, wishing death over being with Anzu. The girl being flattened pushed Pinchy out of the way of the Steam Roller.

Yami continued to walk on as horrified citizens watched Anzu be flattened by the Steam Roller.

"This truck is giving me a tight hug! YEAH FOR HUGS!"

Yami shook his head. "I bet that won't kill her. She's virtually indestructible. I wonder how that is possible."

Yami continued to walk on, convinced he had to find a way to get Yugi to love him once more.

Updates: Sunday

Note: This story is almost over. There's a few more things I want to do yet before I end this story.

Sequel: The sequel to this will be entitled "Return to Hades."

Seto and Joey are waiting to be married. Aten and Robbie are starting the torrential time of puberty and struggling with their feelings for each other. Disaster strikes. With Aten, Robbie, and Hayden in Charlie's clutches, will their parents be able to save their kids in time? Charlie promises to reward the person who kills each child's respective parents.

Will Seto, Marik, and Miranda find their children before it is too late?

Will Aten and Robbie come to terms with how they feel for each other?

How will Yami Bakura, King of Thieves…Scourge of the Shadow Realm, react to his daughter's first "special time in every growing girl's life"? (i.e. period)

Do I need to say it will be rated NC17? That story starts with a Lime Dream Sequence.

Warnings: You guys know I don't pull any punches. I let you guys know exactly what is going on as far as warnings go. Lemon, Lime, hints of Incest (I say this because it is the issue that Aten is struggling with and Charlie and Hayden's relationship. I don't plan on doing any Charlie x Hayden, though. Aten has a few flashbacks, so I had to add this in to be safe), hints of NCS, Voyeurism, Solo (Masturbation)

Pairings: Seto x Joey, Aten /Robbie (Lime scenes...no lemon with them...story after 'Hades' will have Aten x Robbie lemons. not this one), Ryou x Bakura, Marik x Ryou, Marik x Malik, Implied: Hayden x Charlie and Hayden x Charlie x Vinnie x "Stranger". I'll have to be talked into doing Hayden lemons. I don't plan on doing any, though I have a few possibilities under my dirty little sleeve if I get talked into it. Once again, I don't plan on Hayden lemons, but if it gets requested repeatedly, I'll do one.

New Appearing Characters: Serenity, Vinnie (Miranda's old Boyfriend), Charlie (relatively new…he first appeared in "Carry Me Home.").