Dark pasts, Darker Secrets

A/N: I DO NOT OWN YU-GI-OH IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM!!! I DO NOT MAKE ANY MONEY FROM THE WRITING OF THIS STORY THIS IS ALL THE IMAGINATION MY NASTY LITTLE MIND COMES UP WITH *insert evil grin here* THAT IS ALL


Yuugi looked up at Yami expectantly, his face confused and a bit worried at the sad look Yami gave him. "Seto, Bakura, Malik and Marik and I are quite...different than we appear to be." Yuugi was aboutt o open his mouth, but Yami stopped him. "Before you ask any questions, let me at least tell you my story, little one." Yuugi nodded.

Yami took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to calm his pounding heart. "The five of us have been living for thousands of years...due to a mistake I made one night... Yuugi," he looked at the boy. "Do you remember when I said I have made mistakes in my past?"

Yuugi nodded silently. "It happened happened a little over five thousand years ago, in the distant land of Egypt, when we were all normal, mortal human beings. In that time, my existence was explained as the morning and evening star. I was a god among the people as their ruler, or Pharao. From chidhood my father taught me everything he knew, including his harsh and punishing ways, so that I would be ready to take over his rule. Of course, when my father thought I was ready, he passed the crown on to me. I was even crueler than my father, turning a blind eye on the suffering of my people, with only the thought of power on my mind.

"It was that way until one day, a small slave boy was presented to me for my sixteenth birthday. His name was Yuugan. He was merely a child when he was sent to serve me. At first I would beat him for the smallest thing, until one day I noticed the small boy followed my orders without me even having to say anything. Over the time he served me, he somehow wove his way into my cruel heart, melting the ice that surrounded it. In those few months, I learned how to love and how to show compassion, until one night I overheard my father speaking with his confidante." Yami's eyes went cold and his face seemed as if it were etched from stone.

"My father was hatching a plan to sell my servant and then lover. He thought it wasn't right for someone of my stature to love a simple slave. With this new bit of information I became enraged at my father... I knew I could never live without this boy, without his love...."

By this time Ryou, Jonouichi and Yuugi stared at him with wide eyes.

"So that same night," Yami continued, "I snuck into my father's room and I murdered him in his sleep. I knew I had gone too far, but I was in a fit of rage, and I did not care at that moment. Everone that got in my way that night were slain in cold blood. I didn't care if they suffered....I was selfish in my wanting Yuugan by my side for all eternity safe.... but, he was not.... Of all the people killed that night, by my own hand I slayed my beautiful love...."

Tears came to Yami's eyes and he had to wipe them away before he continued, his voice hoarse. "When I saw what I had done I wanted to kill myself. Before I was able to make the lilling blow it was as if the gods themselves brought a curse so horrible, that no matter how many times I tried to kill myself, the knife would shatter. When I tried jumping from the roof, I was not injured by the fall. It was then I realized that along with myself, the gods cursed those close to me with eternal life....

"As to why they did that, I still do not know.... but, the gods punished us all accordingly. For me, it was the eternal pain of knowing I could never go and join Yuugan. So, for these past thousands of years we have been cursed, losing those parts of us, damned to live eternally until the gods thought us ready to bestow them back to us." Yami looked at Yuugi, who had tears in his eyes. With a sob the small boy threw himself into Yami's arms, holding the former pharao tight in his warm embrace.

"I was known as the Lord of Thieves while I was living in Egypt," Malik started, making everyone look at him. Marik grabbed his hand and held it to his chest as comfort. "Everything I could find I stole, whether it was priceless jewels or the innocence of a woman. I didn't care. My family had been guarding tombs since I was little, and I refused to live their lives, so one day I simply left.... I lived like this for years, until one day in the tombs I was captured. When I was brought to the dungeons, that was when the Pharao himself came to offer me a job. Of course I was wary, knowing the man was heartless, but I listened.

"Yami ordered me to go to the tomb of his uncle and take a jewel from the inner chamber. He told me that he was going to let me go after this job was done, and that he would, of course, pay me good money. Little did I know that being free meant being forever bound to the pharao to do his little dirty works. Once I got to the tombs, I met Bakura." Malik smiled at the white haired boy who nodded silently.

"We hated one another instantly and were in competition to get the stone. Of course we had to test one another's abilities as thieves, it was the way it went back then....but, I was the victor. I meant to leave Bakura behind in the tomb to die, but something made me save him. Alone, I went back to the palace and presented the stone to the pharao, but was thrown back into the dungeons, where I lived, being taken out only if the pharao had something for me to do.... after a few years in the dungeons, I found the manner of Yami had changed drastically in a few short months. I knew it was all due to the small boy with him wherever he went.

"Yuugan and I became friends, believe it or not. Once seeing this, Yami set me free to live in the palace, and I even befriended the pharao and we grew close, along with Bakura, who I will let him tell his own story. But that night.... We went to leave the palace, thinking it had nothing to do with us, and our protection was gone anyway. We were dead wrong...."

Marik wrapped an arm around his lover, his eyes filled with regret and grief. "It was that night the gods created me as Malik's punishment..." Marik said, still looking at Malik. "I was his hidden side....the dark side of his soul which he wanted to keep hidden. As soon as I was born, which was too painful for Marik, all my heart felt was the need to destroy and I had a lust for blood. Malik haed me....he tried many times over the first years to kill me, but every time he struck out at me, he would become wounded as well...

"There was a fire in his soul that I wanted to harness, I wanted it to be mine. So one night, I stole into the place where he was hiding and stole him and made him my slave. I forced him into everything, including warming my bed. Over the course of time, his cries of pain began to hurt, and that made me angrier. I took it out on him, raping him brutally every night, hoping that night when he cried out it wouldn't hurt. But, that only made it worse. One night when I dragged him to bed, I tried to push myself on him when I found that Malik actually began liking my administrations, and I liked that. It was that moment that I knew I had fallen in love with him....he had toned down my passion for pain and blood. I began treating him differently and over time he became my lover."

Seto sighed and stood, going to the bed to sit. When Jou cringed back from him there was hurt in his eyes that was quickly covered over in concentration. "I was the high priest in the Pharao's court, as well as Yami's cousin. There was no one who knew Yami better than I. It had also been ordained from birth that I was to have the power of the gods, now known as sorcery. I helped the pharao with many things I am not proud of in those days." The brunette looked at Jou.

"I brought him Yuugan as a birthday present, hoping that the gentle boy would be able to soothe the beast in Yami. And I was right. I watched Yami become a gentle and fair ruler, definitely less moody." That earned a chuckle from the five friends.

"We both grew up in the palace playing together, but once Yami's father began teaching him, Yami became harsh and cruel, liking pain too much. In time we grew apart, barely even speaking to one another except for when the Pharao needed my abilities. I was a tool for him then. But, when the slave boy came along we actually began to act like friends again. The night we were cursed, I felt it through my whole body, the shock and the pain from the power the gods had used. When I found Yami I tried to calm him down, but nthing worked, not even a spell I knew.

"It was later on that I found Yami had killed his father. I felt no remorse, for I did not like the man and felt he needed to die soon. I was planning to do it from the start. When I went to Yami to try and make him come to his senses, it was too late. I found him hunched over the body of Yuugan. At that moment I was the first to feel the wrath of the gods. They spoke to me directly, telling me that such a pure and innocent soul ahd been killed in such a cruel and cold manner that Yami had to be punished.

"When I pleaded with the gods to punish me as well, they took that as an incentive and punished all of us instead of just the pharao, even my lord Anubis ignored my plea's. My punishment was the one thing I had finally shown to the gods.... my affection for those around me, my ability to love. They took away part of my soul, the ability to love and show emotion. In actuality, my heart became ice."

Bakura sat still even when the room stared at him. Finally Seto poked him in the ribs, making the boy jump. "All right, all right..." he muttered and cleared his throat.

"I grew up a poor boy in a village by the Nile. My family barely had money to pay any of the taxes, and definitely not enough to pay for food, so in order to eat I would steal from the shops and vendors in the village. I was caught many times in the beginning and was beaten nearly to death every time. But as time went on, I got better, even reaching out to start stealing from jewelry shops and other fine vendors." Ryouput a hand on Bakura's arm and the taller boy smiled at him.

"So, in time that lead to me becoming a great thief, probably the greatest besides Marik." The two smiled at one another. "So I turned my skills into a trade, stealing for others for a payment, or just to get something I wanted. One day I was in the tomb of the old Pharao's brother when I met Malik. You've already heard that part of the story, so I should explain later times. Unlike Malik, I wasn't caught in my expeditions. Rather I went to the palace to lend my services to the pharao.

"I knew the great king had to have some great and valuable items to sell on the black market. Little did I know that Yami would want me to stay with him. Malik was already with the pharao. We met in the dungeons and became fast friends, being the only ones alive in the dungeons to talk to. We were sent on many missions for the pharao together, though in the beginning we hated one another and almost blotched the mission when we bickered. We also ahd talk of leaving the palace to go on a hunt for a rare jewel together.

"One day Yami ordered us to retrieve some jewels of his that were stolen. We found that a little unbelievable, but we went anyway, and fell right into a trap. Yami stood in the heart of the thieve's village and threatened to kill us if we ever left him. So, in order to save our necks, we did it. We went on many search and rescue missions of the precious jewels the Pharao had wanted and that had been stolen from him, but he also had us kill every person who had the jewels in their possesion, whether they be innocent or not. Malik and I did not work like that and tried to voice that to Yami, but he would hear nothing of it and had us punished whenever we spoke of it. But, all of that changed when we me Yuugan, as the others said.

"He was probably the prettiest boy I had ever seen. He had pearl white skin, and large violet eyes that were like a window into his soul, displaying his every emotion. Not to mention that he looked a helluva lot like the Pharao."

Yuugi gasped and looked to Yami, who nodded his head to Bakura.

"He had the same mutli-colored spiky hair and even the same body type. So, Malik and I watched the cruel and heartless Pharao become a big teddy bear. In that time with us living in the palace, I had fallen in love....Her name was Nefertiri. She was destined to become Yami's wife, but neither of us cared. One day I had finally gotten up the courage to tell Seto and Yami, and the Pharao was the happiest of us all because that would mean that he and Yuugan would be able to be together. In the time Nefertiri and I spent together, I was always telling her we were going to leave the palace soon, get a house of our own, even start a family....

"We were happy, until that night when we were all punished. That night Nefertiri and I were standing on a balcony and I was about to propose to her, when a lightning bolt from the gods struck her down with one mighty blow, then took my ability to love. That was my punishment from the gods.....from that moment on, I literally lost my heart that night." Bakura's voice cracked and he looked near tears near the end of his tale. Ryou gripped his hand tighter.

Yami sighed and looked at the three transfixed boys around the room. "I know this is a lot to take in at the moment, but please believe us when we say that these are our real life stories.... as out there as they may sound."

Jonouichi sat up a bit and looked at Seto quickly. "So....what Seto was talking to wasn't a demon?" Seto nodded. "That's right... I was simply talking with Anubis, the god of the underworld and death." Jou cocked his head. "How were you born with the powers of the gods?"

Seto sighed and smiled sadly. "My mother, when I was born, died in labor before I could be officially be born. That same hour, as my father was holding me he was murdered. Anubis, when he came to collect the souls, was shocked to find me. He had known nothing of a new life recently born. So, for an unknown reason, he bestowed upon me a small gift from the gods and then proceeded to bring me to the palace, where I was palced in the care of my uncle, Yami's father. I was apprently the chosen one."

Ryou slid forward to look into Bakura's face. "Although it is a bit much to take in, why are you telling us? Where do we fit into this?"

Malik looked up and blinked. "You mean you don't get it yet? Ryou, you have a birthmark on your stomach, right?" The white haired boy nodded, placing a hand against the small mark.

"Bakura has the same mark in the same place, only his was put there in battle." Yuugi suddenly stood. "So are you saying that....you think we're the other halves of you that have been taken away?" Yami smiled and gripped his small hand tightly, his thumb brushing the sensitive skin of Yuugi's inner wrist.

"Yes.... I do believe that you are my beloved Yuugan. I would never be able to forget the incredible light that shone around him, the look of his eyes, which is the same look you have." Jonouichi drew his legs up to his chest and stared at Seto. "I.. I don't have anything like that, so..."

The brunette moved back against the wall and grabbed Jou, placing him in his lap to stare into his honey-brown orbs. "Your heart is big, Jou..... and for the first time in these long centuries, I'm feeling emotions that have been long lost. The first time I saw you and heard you speak, the emotions that came barelling at me were so intense they hurt. But, I'm thankful for the gift you gave me..." The blode blushed and looked away. "Th-this is all too real to take in."

"Yami..." Yuugi looked down into the face of his crush who wmiled softly. "If this is true....then.....we were meant to be together, right?" Yami nodded. "Then....be mine?" The older boy smiled a giant smile. "You didn't even have to ask, little one. I have conisdered you mine since the day we met." Yami pulled the small boy onto his lap, resting his head on the soft fluff of hair.

"This is all true, and a miracle that we actually found you, and an even greater one that you were all in the same place! And in time, I will have the power to restore your memories of your past lives, and even your past, Jou."

Ryou balked at this. "Bakura said I was a girl! Does that mean I'm going to want to put on a dress and wear makeup?!" The group was silent before they all went into a fit of laughter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pegasus J. Crawford sat in his office swirling a glass of wine in one hand, and in the other he held a book. He stared at the pages unseeingly, reading the same sentence over four times already. Something had been bothering him since last night, waking him from his sleep, which left him crabby. He needed his beauty rest.

With a frustrated sigh he slammed his book down on the table his hand coming up to rub at his temples. What was it that was bothering him so much? It was all too frustrating. A knock on the door brought him from his thoughts and his face lit up with a slight smile. "Enter," he called, leaning back in his chair. A small head poked in from the slightly ajar door. A pair of coke bottle glasses stared at him, the eyes behind it filled with fear.

"Ahh, Weevil," Pegasus crooned. "Do come in, my boy."

The small boy shuffled into the room, his head down the enitre time. Pegasus pointed to the overstuffed chair before his desk, inviting the boy to take a seat, which he did rather quickly. The silver haired man stared at the shaking boy for a moment, reveling in the waves of fright eminating from him. "Do you know why I have called you here?"

The boy jumped at the sound of Pegasus' voice and shook his head silently. Pegasus 'hmm'ed and sat back, crossing his legs under his desk. Weevil stared at him, his body shaking with fear, which pleased Pegasus to no end. There was another knock on the door and the small boy jumped once more, making the man smile and lean forward. "Enter," Pegasus called once again.

This time the door opened roughly as Rex Raptor made his way into the room. (A/N: Sorry, I don't know their Japanese names, or else I would be using those instead of the corny American ones =/)

The dark haired boy jerked when he saw Weevil staring at him wide-eyed. "Ahh, Rex....nice to see you again. Please, have a seat next to Mr. Underwood." Pegasus thought it was a proper name for the boy. He looked like a rodent, with his beady eyes and bug shaped head.

The man nearly snorted with laughter at his joke, keeping his face a solemn mask. Once Rex was seated the two boys glanced at one another hatefully before looking to their principal. Once again the silver haired man sat back, crossing his legs gracefully as he picked up his glass of wine taking a small sip. He stared at the two bys in the silence.

Weevil quivered with fear, while Rex simply stared back at him with a bored expression. Yes...these two would do quite nicely for his plans. Finally Rex exploded, jerking forward in his seat. "What the hell are we here for!?" He snapped, his face filled with rage. "I didn't even do anything and I was told to come here and all you do is sip your fruity wine and stare at us! What the hell do you want?"

Pegasus burst out laughing, shocking the two boys. "Ahh Mr. Raptor," the man laughed. "You always did have a fighting spirit. I like that in my students. Always be outspoken and be ready to fight for what is yours."

The two boys stared at the laughing man dumbly. Calming down Pegasus leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table and lacing his fingers together thoughtfully. "I asked you both here to ask you a question." His one visible eye went from one boy to the other. "How much do you know about ancient Egypt?"

The two boys looked at eachother in confusion. "Ummm....I know a little about the history. The people used to worship multiple gods, like Ra and Isis, right? They also had slaves and stuff like that..." Weevil said, his voice shaking. Rex nodded. "Yeah....They also had rulers....Pharao's I think they called them. I know some of their names."

Pegasus smiled and nodded, leaning back in his chair. "All right boys....another question. Have you ever heard of the Pharao Yami, or Atemu?" The two boys were obviously confused as they shook their heads. Pegasus nodded. "I would think not.... He has yet to be discovered. So let me give you a small history lesson." The man cleared his throat, his fingers thrumming on his discarded book.

"The pharao Atemu took the throne from his father when he was only 12 years of age, which was a proper age at that time. Given his father's teachings he became a harsh and cruel ruler, who not only enjoyed watching people suffer, he would also have them killed in his court for sheer entertainment."

The two boys looked at him in shocked silence. "Then one day his high priest brought him a brat slave. This boy turned the harsh ever powerful pharao into a whipped husband, stopping his killing spree. In the pharao's court was also a high priest, Set, who was also his cousin. Along with this nusiance of a boy, the pharao had also taken on two thieves as his consorts.

"One day, the pharao went stark raving mad and killed his own father, along with his little bothersome slave. It was said that the gods cursed him with something that was worse than death. What it was, I cannot say, for I was not there." His voice darkened at that, his eye glinting with something. "But, the gods also cursed the ones closest to the Pharao just because, as I think, they were annoying."

After the tale, the two boys simply stared at their principal as if he were a crazy man. Pegasus smiled.

"During this time as well, there was a group of sorcerers, all lead by Set. They were called the Mejai. They were the ones that protected the Pharao, one always at his side night and day. But, you see, some hated the way their ruler had become such a softhearted coward. The group was said to have planned to kill the pharao, and use those closest to him as targets to frame, but by the time they had actually gotten around to it, the curse had already been placed upon them."

Rex smirked. "Sounds like a real boring way to go....So what was the curse, anyway?"

Pegasus shook his head. "That's the thing.... no one knows. I've heard some say it was that the Pharao and his little group would never see one another after they passed, other say that their souls were cast into a pit of hellish torment, being eaten slowly for all eternity."

Weevil shuddered at the thought. "This is bull," Rex scoffed. "Did you call us in here for a reason, or just to tell us your crock of a story?"

The silver haired man laughed and nodded. "Always the point man, Rex." As he spoke he reached into his drawer, extracting a thick yellow piece of paper, its surface looking very old and fragile it looked as if it could crumble at any second.

"I would like you boys to listen to one more thing. Just relax. I promise the reason for me bringing you here is going to be concluded."

Rex, who had started to stand fell back into his seat, as if his body had been pushed down by something. Pegasus cleared his throat and began the ancient chant.

"From the fiery pits of hell, souls and demons alike, I cry to you. Mejai of the Pharao, free your souls from eternal damnation and come to me! Anubis, release those whom which you have imprisoned, let them heed my call! I demand of you! BE FREE!"

There was a loud rumble from the ground and a second later a bright flash of light engulfed the room. Slowly the light began circling the two boys that sat opposite Pegasus. The silver haired man watched in anticipation as the two boys went stiff, their bodies beginning to twitch.

From their open mouths two lost souls flew free. Pegasus held out two cards and the souls went straight into the cards, holding the images of the two boys looking scared. Finally the light dimmed then the room went black before the lamps came back on. Pegasus glanced at the two unconcious boys and grinned.

"It has begun, Pharao...."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Seto cried out as a sharp pain hit his head, followed seconds later by Yami Malik and Bakura. The four fell to the ground as a voice boomed in their ears, spouting the ancient language in an ear piercing tone. Then as soon as it came it left leaving the four boys panting and shaking.

"Yami!" Yuugi cried as he saw the teen slowly starting to rise. "I'm all right," the older boy croaked. Shakily they all stood and looked at one another in confusion.

Suddenly the door banged against the wall as it was flung open by Otogi. His eyes were alight with panic as they darted to the occupants of the room. "Please tell me you guys felt that?"

Seto nodded. "Yes Otogi..." Bakura groaned and swayed on his feet, but was caught by Ryou who lowered him to the bed. "What the hell was that!?" he cried. Yami frowned, his head still aching. "Whatever it was, it was nothing good."

Malik nodded, his body still shaking, then it hit him. "Someone has called someone from the underworld..." he said grimly.

Seto nodded again, his face drawn. "Yes...I recognize that spell now. I wrote it myself for Yami when we were at war with Rome. Just in case he needed some....extra help."

Yami said nothing as Yuugi cuddled closer to him. "Bakura....what does this mean?" Ryou asked softly, his face still blanched white from the scare. Jou also looked near tears from worry as Seto collapsed on the bed. The blonde moved closer to the brunette, laying his head on his lap. Seto smiled wearily up at the boy before shutting his eyes.

"It means that soon we're going to have to fight...and the battle will not be a swift one." Yami said looking at the pair of albino boys. "It also means....we have to go home."

Jou Ryou and Yuugi looked at their darks, their eyes wide. "But," said Seto sitting up a bit. "I need to speak to Anubis first, see what he can do about this. It may be something small, or it could mean that we are in for a lot of trouble."

Yami smiled sadly at Yuugi and placed a hand on his cheek. "I'm sorry, but it looks as though our date will have to wait." Yuugi nodded, then launched himself at Yami burying his head in the older boy's neck. "I'll wait for as long as it takes," he whispered. Yami smiled and hugged his light tightly and pressed his lips to the boy's ear.

"Little one," he whispered. "If we have to go....please let me take you as mine." Yuugi gasped and pulled away, a blush forming on his cheeks. "A-all right....but as long as you promise it won't be the last." Yami smiled and nodded. "I promise."


The others took that as their time to leave to leave the two alone. As Seto walked out of the door Jou ran behind him and gripped his hand tightly in his smaller one. "Seto..." the brunette turned to look at the boy. "If you have to go....does this mena....you can die?"

Seto smiled grimly. "We may.....These Mejai are strong...and if I cannot perform the spell before we have to fight them...then we will die."

Jou gasped and felt tears come to his eyes. Thinking of Seto dying sent such a strong pang through hsi heart, it made him feel as if the world would end. Ryou shook his head and stepped up next to Jou who looked at him and nodded. "We want you to do the spell then. And if you need us to do anything, just tell us." Seto looked taken aback for a moment then shook his head.

"Not yet. I don't think you will be ready for the consequences the spell has...." Jonouchi glared at him then got in his face, his finger poking the brunette in the chest. "Does it look like we care?" he cried. "Does it look like I'm ready for you to die? If you go, where will I be? If you die...I'll just follow alongside you. So do the spell! Please..." he whispered the last part hsi voice breaking.

With a groan Seto pulled the blonde into his arms, holding him tightly against his chest. "I will do it....just not yet pup. You're not ready. Wait until I can speak with Anubis...just wait a little longer."

Ryou looked at Bakura who had just come from the room after speaking with Yami. His eyes looked the same, but Ryou could see a bit of what looked like worry and fear in their depths. Perhaps Bakura was gaining his heart little by little...Ryou shook his head and leaned against the well. What was going to happen next?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

YAY!! ANOTHER CHAPTER!!!

I know it's been a while and I apologize for it!! I know some people have been waiting for this for a while, so here it is!! I hope you enjoyed the little twist on the plot as much as I enjoyed writing it. This story is so much fun. So please, read and review! I am a review junkie! *_*

Mulle: I know...I'm so evil *AHAHAHAHAHA* Jou was a little of a wuss, wasn't he? But I think some people would react like that if they saw the god of death standing in a dark room xD. And yeah....Seto should have done something, but every time I went to write it in, it was like his character was giving me a death glare, so I didn't put it in lol. And yes, Bakura is becoming a bit calmer since he met Ryou. Perhaps the little guy is rubbing off on him, or something else? You'll have to read to find out! Yuugi is so cute! I love writing his parts, and I'm glad you found it funny lol. I have a hard time writing humor and I'm actually a very funny person...go figure -_-.