I'm just going to clear some stuff up. I'm going by the american high school system, you know, freshman, sophomore, junior, then senior. Yugi, Ryou, and Malik are sophomore and all the other noticable one are seniors, unless I specifically say they're not. Okay! On with the story!

Malik ran through the crowd of the bazaar, pulling on a hideous green and yellow jacket as he moved. He dodged customers and various objects as he made his way to the only school near his village, arriving at the teaching facility just as the bell rang. In Egypt, Malik was already notorious for being late almost everyday, so his first teacher paid him no heed when he snuck in quietly.

Class had been in session for nearly ten hours, not including the lunch break, when a man with a long black cloak to walk into the room with a purposeful stride. He was bald on every part of his head except for the nape of his neck were thick black hair poured down, tied back in a ponytail. He whispered to the instructor, who motioned for Malik to follow him, and the blonde swiftly obeyed. Despite the fact that he was the heir to the most powerful corporation in Egypt, he was just as succeptible to flogging as the other students were.

Malik, however, recognized the male as a servant in his mansion, so his sister had to have sent for him. He bowed in greeting as soon as they weren't in view of the others, and allowed the greeting to head back to him. "I am assuming the Isis wishes me to see her?"

"Yes, Master Malik. She seems quite fretful. I came as fast as I could. Please head home quickly," pleaded the burly man. Malik nodded and took off. His shoulder-bag clunked against his back and he eventually ran with it in his hand.

He arrived at the large, two-story building he knew as both home and work in less than ten minutes to catch the sight of his older sister pacing around the front porch. That vision alone was enough to make Malik sure that something devastating had happened; Isis had never exagerated in her entire life. When Malik broke his arm at age seven, Isis calmly deduced that there was nothing life-threatening about the injury and, instead of screaming or fainting, had walked over to the phone and gently called for the family doctor.

Malik never forgot that moment.

When the blonde reached where the female was trying and failing to calm down, his heart was beating a mile a minute. "Isis? Sister? What has happened?"

She waved her hand in the direction of the wooden chair and Malik sat with the perfect posture expected from the heir of the Ishtar Corporation. "Malik, how do you like Egypt? Would you ever like to leave this place?"

Malik's eyes widened. Is that why Isis was upset? They were leaving? Malik had never thought about what would happen if they had to leave their home that stood next to a village in the middle of a large desert.

"I like Egypt well enough, Sister, but I've always wanted to explore. Being chained down to one place doesn't suit my spirit. I would like very much to leave and have the chance to see other town and cities," he admitted. His words, though lavish, were heart-felt and Isis allowed a smile to appear. So that was what she was worried about.

"And if you were to explore. . .alone?" She inquired.

"I don't know. I've never thought about being parted from you. I suppose I would survive," he stated, puzzled. Was she thinking of sending him off and staying in Egypt alone? He frowned at the thought. Egypt was no pace for a woman alone. Well, not traditionally, but Malik grinned and thought about how tradition meant nothing to Isis.

"That makes me feel better," she confided. Her serious expression was broken and she hugged him close. "You are the best brother I ever had."

"I'm the only brother you've ever had," he said with a snort. "I can only guess that I am being shipped off to enother place that isn't in Egypt? That is why you are troubled, is it not?"

"Yes. Domino City, Japan is having a Egyptian exhibit at the Domino Museum and they are asking for some very old relics. Business of the Corporation keeps me here, but not you. You would be able to advise them on what they should do and you will have the authority to make them handle the artifacts with care," she said. Malik raised a defined eyebrow in her direction.

"There has to be another reason. You could easily send someone with a lot more experience in these kinds of events than I have, but yet you choose to send me, and, I hate to admit this, you are a very protective old sister. You wouldn't send me just for that," he said, thinking the scenario through.

She sighed and fell to sit beside him. "Japan has a collection of hieroglyphs from a tomb that was found in old time Thebes. It could hold a great connection to the tomb protectors and I believe that it is worth both your and my time. You are the only one that posesses knowledge of how the ancient pharoahs, tomb robbers, and guardians wrote. You are the most qualified for this job and even a protective sister can see that. You will go, won't you?"

"Of course. Japanese isn't my best language, but I think I'll live," said Malik, managing to contain his glee. Isis excused him and he immeadiantly headed towards his room, taking off his despicable uniform for the last time in a while and changing into a light purple shirt and black slacks, adding a golden wristband on each hand and a golden choker around his neck.

He took the steps down to the first floor kitchen and took out numerous ingrediants, deciding to prepare a feast. Culinary Arts always interested him and, whenever he could find the time, he made the food around the house, sometimes even for the corporation meetings.

"You seem to be very excited, little brother. Are you not the least bit nervous?" Isis asked as she set the table for two. The servants watched in unrest, as they were used to doing those jobs, but they appeared happy that their master and mistress were feeling well.

He shook his head and set the food around the table after forty minutes of preparing just a main course and a few side dishes. He smiled almost the entire night and asked when he was supposed to leave.

"You may leave tomorrow, if you wish. Then you can get used to your lifestyle before you also have to work at the museum. That is what I would suggest," announced Isis, setting the dishes in the sink.

Malik agreed and told her that was what he would do. Happily, he set to getting the things he would absolutely need. He was in charge of most of their funds, since Isis loved to shop at the normal bazaars, so he would have enough financial aid to get new clothes for his Japanese life.

He found a reasonably sized suitcase and filled it before heading to his bed. Pulling the comforter up to the middle of his chest to fend off the cold that dominated the desert after sundown, the last thought that entered his mind was that he would finally be able to live without being thought of simply as a symbol for the Ishtar Corporation.

Malik arrived in Domino City, Japan at about five the next morning. Isis arranged for him to have a house to himself, despite the fact that Malik had insisted on an apartment, so he already had living arrangements, and he was enrolled in Domino High as a sophmore. He had to go to school the very day he got to Japan, so Malik was terribly excited and was beginning to feel slightly nervous.

He was wearing a white shirt that rode up his stomach and golden pants with Egyptian sandals. His normal choker and bracelets were worn as decoration as well as a light blue jacket that was being practically torn apart as he played with the buttons and zipper because of his now-present nerves.

He grumbled with a yawn as he got off the plane and grabbed his luggage, hailing a cab and having them drive to his new residence, which happened to be written down in Isis's little golden book. As Malik was flipping through it on the vehicle, he was suddenly aware that Isis never missed anything that he did which was good or bad. She had everyhting written down in that book, which made the blonde wonder why she had given it to him.

His lavender eyes flickered over each of the pages and he fell forward as the driver stopped. He made a mental note never to get a cab ever again as he paid the older man and Malik frowned at the look in the man's eyes. He blushed as he realized he was being studied and fled to the safe confines of his new home.

When he made it inside, he hastily pulled off his provocative clothing and dressed in the blue and white uniform of Domino High. He was forced to search for thirty minutes for the student briefcase he was supposed to carry and his mandatory black shoes before he headed down the street to where Isis's written directions described.

He spotted a group of three students, one with the oddest hair style that consisted of three different colors, and another that had a head of snow white hair. The other, Malik was shocked to realize, looked almost exactly like him, as though they could be twins, but Malik seemed to be a few inches shorter.

They disappeared from view and Malik hurried to the front office, hearing the bell ring. He groaned. Apparently he was destined to be late no matter where he migrated to. He nodded in the direction of the secretary and smiled softly. "I'm Malik Ishtar. I was told to arrive here before heading to class."

"Why, aren't you the nice one," she giggled. Malik blushed. "Malik Ishtar, eh? Yes. Your records say you are supposed to head to Konomo-sensei's class first. Wait. . .are you sure that you are a sophmore? These classes are meant for the seniors."

"I was homeschooled in Egypt as well as going to normal highschool, so I received a lot of individual attention. Anything I didn't understand, I worked on in my own time so I wouldn't fall behind in any class," he said, rubbing his neck at the amazed stare the secretary sent in his direction.

"I see. You're almost like Motou-san," she awed. After a second, she raised her voice. "Yugi-san! Come here!"

Asmall boy with multi-colored hair walked up and, with innocent eyes, looked up and down. However, unlike when the cab driver did it, Malik didn't feel like he was being mentally undressed. The shorter man held out his hand. "I'm Yugi Motou. You can call me Yugi."

"Hello, Yugi-san. I'm Malik Ishtar," he said, bowing slightly. The secretary held out a note to Yugi, who accepted it with a smile that made the woman turn to a puddle of warm goo. "Are you escorting me to class?"

"Yes, Ishtar-san. This is your schedule and, how odd, it's almost exactly like mine," giggled Yugi. "I take it you like Egypt? You have two different classes with it. Mythology and Ancient Structures. . .hmmm. . .You like to look at tombs and read the hieroglyphs, don't you?"

"Well, yes. Who wouldn't? And how did you know?" demanded the taller male. Yugi laughed again, still without any malice intended.

"You like mythology, and I've already taken that class, so there is a brief spot where hieroglyphs are mentioned, and it's clearly stated that all myths are written in old time hieroglyphs that only a handful of people can read. And, considering that you are studying ancient structures, you seem like you're trying to learn specifically about tombs and the traps kept in them," Yugi said, smiling.

"Wha--?" Malik started, but Yugi stopped at the sliding door and pushed the schedule into his hands.

"This is your class. That should explain who you are and why you are late," announced Yugi. He waved and turned to leave, taking off.

"Bye, Yugi!" called Malik softly. He opened the door silently, and stepped inside, seeing the white-haired man he saw walking to school sitting next to the Yugi look alike, apparently glaring at one another and not paying attention to Malik. "I'm Malik Ishtar, and transfer student from Egypt."

"Egypt?" came the soft voice. Malik recognized a male about an three inches taller than Yugi with the pale skin and hair just like the man having a glaring contest with Yugi's twin. Malik caught his eye and flashed him an smile, in which he received a hesitant quirk of the lips in response before the male turned red and looked down at his book.

The teacher looked around, trying to find an empty seat. "Bakura, raise your hand. Malik, do you see him?"

Resisting the urge to say "no" just to annoy the instructor, he nodded silently. The teacher smiled and spoke, "You may sit in the empty chair behind him. That's all right, isn't it?"

"Of course," said Malik, moving silently to the back. It wasn't long before he started being on the end of many strange looks. At the end of that class, which happened to be his math for the day, he stood up and quickly as he could do gracefully, and caught up with the one who had spoken earlier. "Hey! Hey, you! Wait!"

Oh yeah, he thought angrily, that'll get his attention. If it does, he'll think I'm crazy...geez, Malik, did you leave all sense of tact in Egypt? If I spoke like this is a meeting, I'd be flayed by Isis later.

Brown eyes turned to him, however, and he was favored with a larger smile than before. "Hello. How may I help you?"

"Um, I was hoping I could speak with you," he admitted. Brown eyes widened slightly before retracting. "That's if you don't mind, of course. I wouldn't like to impede on your daily plans."

White hair shook and he denied the statement. "No, of course not! I'm just, you know, not the most popular guy in school and I was just thinking why would you hang out with me? I'm nothing special. I'm Ryou, by the way."

"Malik Ishtar," he said, smiling. Ryou's eyes went big again.

"Of the Ishtar Corporation? Wow! I neverthought I'd meet a celebrity," said Ryou. He noticed Malik's sudden quietness and frowned. "I guess you don't like being overshadowed by your family legacy, either, huh?"

"Either?" prompted Malik with a sly smile. Ryou blushed.

"My father is a famous archeologists. I was forced to study Egypt. Now, don't get me wrong, I love Egypt dearly, but I would like to have my own choice every once in a while," admited Ryou softly. Then he perked up. "You've met Yugi already, right?"

"Yes, why?" asked Malik politely.

"Yugi is supposedly the best in all the Egyptian classes. His grandfather sometimes works with my father on digs. It's actually how we were first introduced," said Ryou, shrugging. They arrived at their next class and Malik was yet again moved to an empty desk that was placed in the very rear of the room. Ryou was in the class, along with Yugi and Malik's look alike.

By lunch, Malik found out he had all classes so far, except first period, with Yugi, he had all classes with Ryou, two periods with Ryou and Yugi's look alikes, and three with Malik's look alike.

"What's going on?" asked Malik as he sat down under a tree with Yugi and Ryou and watched as the crowd around school parted to let a certain group through. "It's like Moses and the Red Sea."

"Just wait a second," said Yugi. The groupd emerged and he nodded. "Introductions are in order. You see the one at the head of the group, with the brown hair and blue eyes, really tall? That's Seto Kaiba, the owner of Kaiba Corporation. He's a human icicle, except when he's around his little brother, or around Katsuya Jonouchi, which brings us to the next of the group. You see the male blonde on with the really sad brown puppy dog eyes? That's Kaiba-san's boyfriend. He's really nice and happy most of the time except when he gets depressed. He's one of the few who haven't ever been mean to me or Ryou."

Yugi paused to eat some of his food and Ryou picked up, starting with the next in the line, a busty blonde female with blonde hair and purple eyes a couple shades darker than Yugi's.

"He name is Mai. She's very. . .fiery. She doesn't like people who do wrong and has no patience for people who waste her time. The next one is Yami. You see his exotic red eyes and hair? He doesn't look like either his mother or fther cause he's adopted, so don't be surprised if you see them. Ask Yugi, though, he knows Yami's history very well. He can tell you about every person that Yami has ever dated, seen, met with, talked about, or talked with. You say, maybe I wouldn't think that was so bad, but Yugi can do it in order of when the events occured. In short, he's realy obsessed with Yami," said Ryou with a grin.

Yugi choked and glared at Ryou while Malik, concerned, patted him on the back gently.

"The next is Bakura. He's got this really, 'mess-with-me-and-I'll-kill-you' look about him that Ryou seems to drool over. By the way, if you ever see him outside of school, stay away. Bakura not only looks dangerous, he is. Bakura lives by himself and, just to make sure you understand what I mean, there is a poll going on around school to guess how many dead bodies Bakura has stored in his apartment," said Yugi, earning himself a wicked look from Ryou that seemed as harmful as a kitten.

The group sat down at a nearby table that unihabited and began speaking. Jono was practically sitting in Kaiba's lap, playing with the taller man's hands, but neither of them seemed to be paying attention to what the other was doing. It looked like it was merely a habit that grew in time. A teacher walked by, but didn't comment, and Malik wondered about what was going on.

After a few minutes of watching them laugh and talk with one another, Malik's look alike walked up and nudged Bakura to make him scoot over. Unlike the growl he offered a few minutes ago when Mai accidentally touched him, Bakura calmly moved to the saide, away from Yami and the man sat down. Yugi hit himself on the head.

"How could I have forgotten? Marik wasn't with them! I was wondering why they were looking tame," stated the small boy.

"Marik is a pyscho in every sense of the word. I don't mean that he's slow or stupid or anything like that, because he's like a genius, though he's got nothing on our little Yugi, but Marik is freaking crazy. He pushes people just to see how they'll react and he carries a dagger around with him, even to school. Everytime the teachers search him, however, it suddenly disappears. After a while, he complained and, because he comes from a prominent family, the pricipal told the teachers to stop," said Ryou cautiously. "You shouldn't go near him, Malik."

"What did you mean when you said that he's a genius, but he's not like Yugi?" asked Malik, completely ignoring the warning.

"Yugi didn't tell you? Well, considering how shy he is, I suppose he wouldn't. Yugi is a sophmore, but even whenhe was freshman, he's been taking classes that are meant for very intellegent seniors," admitted Ryou. Yugi blushed.

Malik grinned and patted him on the back heartily. A burly man walked up and, completely ignoring Malik and Ryou, started to rouch Yugi up. After Yugi had gotten a fist in his gut and coughed up a bit of blood, Malik was ready to make sure that the bully would never be able to have children.

He grabbed the man's fist and, with an angry glint in his eyes, he twisted the shoulder joint painfully behind the other's back. There was a pop and the shoulder plates dislocated in a single, smooth motion. The taller male shrieked, grabbing the attention of many teachers standing by who finally paid some attention to the scuffle.

"Hey! What are you doing! Oh, when I first saw you, I knew you were going to be trouble!" said a teacher, running towards them to investigate. Malik blached in disgust and glared. "You have detention after school, Malik Ishtar!"

"Oh, when Yugi's getting beaten up, you fail to notice, yet when someone retaliates, your vision suddenly in in hyper-mode," he spat. After that, he became incoherent and started muttering Egyptian curses under his breath. Another shout rang out and Marik stood with Bakura, facing off dangerously.

"What the fuck is your problem, Marik?" yelled Bakura, holding the side of his stomach with a furious expression on his face. He looked about to murder what many considered his closest friend.

"Just thought you would look better black and blue," taunted the male, staying on the balls of his feet. After the comment, unnoticable to all but Malik, a grin popped up on each of their faces.

"Marik! Bakura! What is going on today?" moaned a teacher. "You should both have detention after school with Malik! Although I doubt you'll answer me, truthfully at leats, who started this fight?"

"I did," piped up Marik with a smirk. The teacher stared and then looked at Bakura, who shrugged and sat down, suddenly not hurt. "I punched Bakura in the gut with no provocation on his part."

"Marik, I'm so surprised you would act this way," said the teacher. Marik snorted.

"No, you're not. I act like this way all the time. What you mean to say is that you're surprised I didn't turn on Bakura a lot sooner than I did," said Marik, growling. Malik giggled softly, but only Ryou heard him and the albino male stared at him in wonder.

"Well, Marik, I have to send you to detention after school," stated the female. Marik nodded morosely, but then went back to where Bakura was sitting and placed his head on the wood, resting his eyes.

Yugi and Ryou looked at one another as the teacher walked away with one last glare. "Malik, you're going to be stuck alone with Marik for almost an hour! You're not going to survive!"

"Please, spare me," snorted Malik. The bell rang and he walked inside with a glance behind him to show Ryou and Yugi's worried expressions. He shrugged and continued walking into the school.

The day was uneventful. Malik discovered he was, once again, way ahead of the classes and the entire year would most likely just be a review to him. The last bell rang and Malik, with the instructions of Yugi, who was an office assisstant, made it to the detention room without any trouble.

A teacher was already falling asleep at the desk and Malik shuffled in quietly to make sure the instructor stayed practically comatose. He claimed a seat that was next to the window and waved cheerily at Yugi and Ryou as they walked home together, speaking to each other. Malik was on the third floor, so he didn't bother yelling, but was glad when they at least waved back up at him.

"They like you a lot," observed a voice from right next to his ear. Warm breath puffed across his cheek and Malik jumped slightly, causing whoever it was to chuckle. "I assume they informed you of who I am from the way they were behaving, and from the way you seem to study me like I'm a test tube animal."

"Marik, right?" asked Malik softly. The man stood up and nodded slightly. A smile was playing with his lips and Malik found himself staring. Unable to think of a lie quick enough, Malik told the truth. "They told me that you're a psycho."

Marik grinned. "Were it anyone else, I would probably get angry and decide to give them a reason to call me a psycho, but Bakura and Yami have their sights set on them, so I have no right to touch them unless I want to get killed."

"Yami and Bakura have a thing for Yugi and Ryou?" gaped Malik, his lavender eyes widening. Marik nodded and sat down in a desk across from Malik, who was leaning on one elbow, his face in his hands. "Well, fancy that. Yugi and Ryou both have crushes on them, too."

"I suppose it's only to be expected," said Marik.

"What do you mean?" questioned the shorter boy. He gave Marik a puzzle expression and Marik shrugged. "You have to explain a comment like that."

"Yami likes gentle things. It's not a wellknown fact, but I assume Yugi knows, Yami was adopted, and I've only been over to his home a few times, but he like animals. Birds, rabbits, and kittens, mostly anything that could be described as cute, furry, or small. Animals intrest him and, despite the fact that he can sometimes be a total airhead, he knows what he's talking about when it comes to animals," said Marik.

"He wants to be a vet, then?"

"Nope. Yami would hate that."

"What?"

"I said no. The reason Yami knows so much is because when he got his first animal, it started dying and he didn't know what to do about it. He searched everything and, once Yami knows something, it takes quite a bit to make him unlearn it. He likes studying archeology."

"What about Bakura? You also said it was oly natural that Ryou and Bakura would be attracted to one another," reminded Malik.

"Bakura is a very lonely person. That's why he's so hostile and why I get along with him so well. I don't pester him for meaningless words and we get along quite well in complete silence. With as cute and openhearted boy as Ryou, Bakura could quite possibly learn how to become relatively human again," said Marik.

"How long have you known Bakura?"

"I've known Bakura and Yami for twelve years next month," said Marik. "They met about a year before they met me, though, so despite that Yami so damn cheerful all the time, Bakura still stands him. Well, it also has to do with the fact that Yami would completely wipe out Bakura is he really chose to get angry with him."

"Huh. Well, what about you?" asked Malik mindlessly. Marik stared at him oddly. "What?"

"I'm trying to think of what you are asking about," confessed Marik.

"Who do you like?" inquired Malik, more self-conscious this time, feeling a blush light up his face. Marik shook his head.

"Isn't it obvious?"

"I wouldn't ask if it was, now would I?" demanded the blonde. Marik leaned in and whispered in Malik's ear.

"You."

His tongue darted out to carress his earlobe and Malik felt a shiver go through his body. As Marik pulled back, Malik went forwards, capturing his lips and tackling Marik out of the chair. Marik mixed a moan with a laugh and tangled his fingers in Malik's hair while Malik gripped Marik's face, eagerly licking the older boy's lips.

They suddenly parted from one another for need of air and noticed their position and Malik blushed the same color as a tomato. He was straddling Marik, who's hands rested on Malik's thighs, and their faces were scant inches apart. Marik bucked upwards and, if possible, Malik got redder and jumped back.

The older male allowed Malik to stumbled backwards and lifted a hand to his forehead, pushing his bangs back and he started laughing there on the ground. Malik grumbled.

"It's not that funny."

"Yes it is," grinned Marik. "Well, because I wouldn't like to be teased by Yami and Bakura, would you introduce Yugi and Ryou to them tomorrow? It would be quite amusing to see them gape like fish out of water."

"Huh?"

"You've never heard that expression before?" asked Marik quite seriously.

"Marik, pay attention. I mean, really, pay attention. I lived in Egypt. In the middle of a desert," Malik deadpanned. Marik laughed and Malik realized that he could get used to the sound.

"Of course."

Malik, looking at the sleeping teacher, motioned to the door. Marik grinned and nodded. They walked outside in complete silence and left the school nearly twenty minutes earlier than they were supposed to.

"Well, as fun as this has been, I must go," said Marik.

"Hey, uh, I don't. . ." trailed off Malik.

Marik rolled his eyes. "You don't know where we stand, right? Let me clear this up for you."

Marik leaned close and pushed down the collar of Malik's jacket, attaching his lips to the base of his neck and sucking. Malik gasped and felt Marik smile and then bite down on the slightly sensitive flesh. The younger boy could feel the blood welling just before Marik licked it off. He stepped back and genuinely smiled.

"You belong to me now, Malik-chan. Get used to it," ordered Marik. Malik felt his blood boil, whether from anger or passion, he didn't know, but he couldn't help but smile as Marik walked away in the opposite direction that Malik would take. The blonde grinned to himself.

This looked rather interesting, and it was only his first day of school in Japan. Malik rushed home and began thinking about what would happen the next day.

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