Anyways, thanks for all the support, and I hope you leave more reviews!!!

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO or Amoura and Yunet, who are Brood's. I do, however, own Hiro, Gwen, and Takeo.

Oh yes, and for those of you who've read my trilogy, I never name somebody without the name holding meaning. ^_~ Look up some of my OC's names and you'll see what I mean. One in particular I'd like to point out is Shen, Ryou's father. If you can't find 'em or are just too lazy to look, e-mail me and I'll give you the meanings.

Someone requested a list of the pairings. Well, even I'm not sure which way they'll end up, and this'll be sorta soap-opera-ish, so I'll just list out all the couples I plan to do/hint at at one point or another, 'kay? ^_^ Here ya' go.

Malik/Tea, Ryou/Serenity, Joey/Mai, Yugi/Tea, Yami/Tea, Tristan/Serenity, Shaadi/Isis (don't ask...), Gwen/Hiro, Gwen/Bakura, Amoura/Yami, Amoura/Ryou, Joey/Amoura, Mai/Yami, and probably a lot of others that I can't think of right now. I may use all of these, I may use none. But pretty much any straight pairing is possible.

If you're wondering why Seto isn't around, well, you'll see. ^-^ Those of you who've read my trilogy should know. He will be in this though, just not involved in any of the romance.

Someone wanted some info on the Dark Duelist Stories game? E-mail me at yamatos_fangirl@hotmail.com and I'll be glad to answer any questions. ^_~ These authors notes are already long enough.

Oh! And I have awesome news! For those of you who remember my big long rants on the subject of the writing contest I went to a couple weeks ago, I have some great news! I got qualified to go to the state writing tourney! It's on April the 12, which is the same day as the school play I'm in. *sweatdrops* I'll have to leave the contest as soon as I'm done, and rush over to the school for make-up and costume calls. It's gonna be one hell of a day, so please start praying for me, even now. ^_~ Or keep your fingers crossed, whichever.

()()()()()

The Yamis of Tokyo U

Chapter 2 -- Monty Python's Flying... Soup Bowl?

Ryou and Bakura arrived at the Rec, the college's cafe, with Hiro in tow at a little after six. It was fairly crowded, but the three easily found the big table which Yugi had reserved earilier that afternoon. Malik and Ishtar were the only ones there, both looking a bit bored. Malik had on a black t-shirt and jean shorts with tennis shoes, while Ishtar was dressed in the same, save his shirt was bright red with an orange streak across the center.

Ryou slid into a seat next to Malik, while Bakura took the seat across from him, next to Ishtar. After a moment's deliberation, Hiro sat next to Bakura. "Malik, Ishtar, this is Hiro Kawagami, mine and Bakura's roommate." Ryou said, flipping his thick ponytail over his shoulder to hang down in front of him. The cafe was air-conditioned, but it was still the middle of August, and his heavy white hair was making his back sweat.

"So where's your roomie?" Bakura asked after the five had exchanged pleasentries. Apparently, this was the wrong thing to ask. They'd ordered their food and started in on their salads while they waited for the others to get there. When Bakura mentioned roommates, Ishtar bit right through his fork, and Malik slowly mutilated the knife he was holding without even realizing it.

"Uh... Can we do this without destroying cutlery?" Hiro asked.

"What's the matter?" Ryou asked in the same instant, sencing the annoyance building up in their auras.

"That bad huh?" Bakura chuckled a moment later.

"Yup," was Malik's curt answer. "Rex's a jerk."

(WSJ: I can't remember if Ryou and Bakura have ever met Rex, or if Malik and Ishtar have. For the sake of the story, Ryou and Bakura have, but Malik and Ishtar haven't. ^~ Gimme a break, WB's only shown the new episodes as far as the Esper Roba duel, which is what's on this Saturday.)

Ryou chuckled. "Well, he's never won any prizes for kindness..."

Ishtar growled. "He refused to come. I have half a mind to take that Two-Headed King Rex he goes on about and shove it up his-"

"Ishtar!" Malik said sharply. The yami chuckled sheepishly and hung his head. "Gomen aibou...."

"Be thankful you're not rooming with Weevil," Yugi said, plopping into the seat next to Ryou. "And that Weevil isn't even coming here. Hey guys."

"Hi Yugi," they chorused. Yami took a chair next to his hikari, and Joey sat down across from him, next to Hiro.

"Name's Joey Wheeler," he said, and Hiro smiled sheepishly.

"I'm beginning to get the feeling that a lot of you guys know each other..."

"Understatement," Malik, Yami, and Bakura said at the same time, casting glances at their others, who began to laugh. Hiro and Joey just looked at each other and shrugged.

"Um... Bonjour," said a quiet voice from behind them. "Are you Tea'z friendz?"

The group turned to see two girls standing uncertainly a couple feet away. One was blond, and the other had long sea green hair. "Hai," said Yugi, blinking. "You're her roommates?"

"Oui, yes," the one with the green hair said. "Tea 'ad to get zomething, and she told uz to go on ahead. My name iz Amoura."

"Amoura," Joey repeated, jumping up from his chair. "I must say that we are flattered you chose to have dinner with us!" He bowed to the French girl and kissed her hand, causing her to giggle.

"Hey, what am I?" asked the blond. "Blue Eyes food?"

"No, no," Hiro hurredly said, standing up as well and bowing slightly to her. "We're very glad you came."

"Thank you," Gwen said, casting a pointed glance at Joey, who was now flirting shamelessly with Amoura. "At least some men around here have manners!"

Yugi laughed as Gwen took a seat, and Hiro sat down next to her. "That's Joey for you, always looking out for the ladies. I'm Yugi Moto."

"My name's Gwendolyn Kennady. Please, just call me Gwen. Tea should be here any time, I think she ran back to the dorm to get her purse."

"Do you play Duel Monsters?" Yami asked. "I heard you mention a Blue Eyes."

Gwen's eyes lit up. "I do! I was wondering if anyone over here played."

"Over here?" Yugi asked. "What do you mean?"

"I'm American," Gwen said. "I knew Mr. Pegasus sponsered a couple tournements over here, but I had no idea how popular Duel Monsters was in general."

Ryou nudged Yugi in the side. "Pegasus himself was American, remember? It would make sense that he marketed the game over there too."

The conversation was interrupted by an enraged yell of "Joseph Wheeler!!!" from the direction of the door. Everyone in the cafe turned to stare, and Malik cursed mildly under his breath, dispite having stopped his yami from doing the same not three minutes earlier. "I'm glad I'm not Joey right now..."

Standing in the door was a group of three women. Two of them, Tea and Isis, looked vaguely puzzled. Mai, however, was ticked. Royally POed. Her fists were clenched at her sides, veins throbbing on the backs of her hands and her forehead. Her face was red, and black energy was almost visible around her. Ryou flinched back and put his hands to his head to sheild himself from the sheer intensity of it.

Mai had caught Joey flirting with Amoura.

The cafe went completly silent as Mai stomped over to Joey, stopping a few paces away to glare at him. The group from Domino exchanged slightly worried glances as Tea and Isis slipped into their seats. "Lemme guess," Tea said low enough for Mai not to hear. "Joey was flirting with Amoura?" Nods were her answer, and she winced slightly. "Poor Joey..."

The overall silence was broken when Amoura spoke up rather timidly. "I am zorry Miz Mai, I did not know you vere Monsier Joey's girlfriend."

"She is not my girlfriend!" Joey said at the same time Mai screeched "What?! Him my boyfriend?!?!?!"

Amoura shrunk back further from the two, who were staring at her with mixxed looks of disbelief and rage. "I am zorry! I merely thought, zince Miz Mai reacted the vay she did-"

"No, I'm not his girlfriend," Mai said firmly, cutting her off. "He was acting like such a jerk though, flirting with you like that. Come on Amoura, let's go sit down." And abruptly her anger was gone. She took Amoura's elbow and led her to the table, brushing by Joey with a snobbish sniff. Joey glared at her back for a moment, and then stomped over to reclaim his seat which was, 'coincidentally', as far from Mai's as possible.

Joey growled slightly as he heard someone whisper "Lovers' tiff," behind his back. It sounded suspiciously like Bakura, but he had no proof, so he couldn't pound him. He instead glared into his coke, trying for all the world to make it burst into flames.

Mai, meanwhile, was, on the outside, chatting happily with Tea, Isis, Gwen, and Amoura, but inside she was seething. How dare he flirt with Amoura! He has a right, a small voice said. It's not like you own him or something. Right. He wasn't hers. Check. So why did it hurt?

"Are they always like this?" Hiro asked quietly, casting reproachful glances at the pair.

"Always," Yugi said with a sigh. "Ever since-" Ryou kicked him sharply in the leg, and Yugi bit down on the end of his sentence. Yami and Bakura sent him warning looks as well. "-Since Battle City." he finished lamely.

Yugi had been going to say "since Joey got Serenity back from the Shadow Realm", but there were obviously slight problems with saying that in front of Hiro.

After Ryou, Joey, and Bakura had saved Serenity from the Shadow Realm, and Yami and Ishtar had turned back time in order to bring Bakura back to life three years ago, they'd all desided it was about time they let Mai in on what had been happening. She'd been the only one not involved in one or more of the adventures (if they could be called that), and it was getting harder not to talk about them around her.

(WSJ: I'm talking about my trilogy here. SoS mainly.)

Needless to say, Mai had not taken it well. She and Joey had been sort-of going out, and as soon as Joey told her about what all had taken place in the last few months, she'd broken it off. She and Joey had been fighting constantly ever since. A couple months later, she'd confessed to Tea that the reason she'd been so mad at Joey was for two main reasons. A, she'd missed out, and no one had thought to call her until everything was over. B, Joey had risked his life, even if it was for his sister, and Mai was afraid for him. What if he'd have gotten hurt? That was what one of their first serious fights had been about, in fact.

~~Flashback~~

"What?" Mai shreiked. "You went into the Shadow Realm?!? I may not know much about it, but I've been told enough by Yugi and Ryou. You could have gotten killed!"

The whole resturant was staring at them like they were a pair of loons, but at the moment Joey and Mai really didn't care. "My sister was in trouble!" Joey countered. "I couldn't just leave her there! Not after I'd done everything else for her, like win her the money for her operation! What kind of big brother would I be then?"

"Ha!" Mai laughed harshly. "Won? If I remember correctly, Yugi gave you that money because you were too stupid and weak to win it on your own! Big brother? Right. You wish, Joey." She'd gone too far. Mai knew that the instant she saw the wounded expression in his eyes. But it was too late to turn back now, and she stealed herself for the explosion she knew was coming.

To her surprise, it didn't come. Joey was staring at her with an expression akin to that of a hurt puppy-dog. When he finally spoke, his voice cracked on the second syllable. "You're an only child Mai. You wouldn't understand. But I would do anything, anything, for Serenity. That's the one thing that Kaiba and I have in common. He proved it when he made the decision to share Mokuba's body so that Mokuba would be happy. And if he, of all people, can understand that, then I hold a grudging, semi-respect for him. But you, Mai," there was spite in his eyes now, not hurt, and sparks flew from his gaze as it boared into her own. "You don't know what it's like, to know someone you love is in trouble. Because you don't have anyone to love, do you, Mai?"

"I have enough." she spat, her temper rising to meet his. How dare he try his sob-story when he'd never cared about hers? "I have money, which is more then you have. I have my mom. I used to think I had you."

Joey held her gaze, neither of them backing down in the least. "No Mai, you don't," he said, raising to his feet to leave. "Not anymore." And then he was gone, leaving Mai with a feeling like someone had drawn out all her blood and filled her insides with acid. It hurt. But she'd never admit that. She didn't cry, she didn't yell or rant or wail as she paid the bill Joey had left her with and walked home. She kept on her hardened stone mask.

At least, until she got home.

~~End flashback~~

That was the scene that Tristan saw when he and his roommate Takeo walked in a few minutes later. Yugi, Yami, Ryou, Bakura, Malik, Ishtar, and Hiro were holding an animated conversation at one end of the table. Tea, Gwen, Amoura, Isis, and Mai were yakking at the other end, although Mai moved stiffly, as if on autopilot. Sitting between the two groups, Joey swirled his straw around in his drink, his chin in his hand and elbow on the table, oblivious to the rest of the world.

Tristan sighed gustily and sat down beside Yami, and motioned for Takeo to take the remaining seat across from him. "Joey and Mai go at it again?" he asked the group of guys in general, and he received nods all around. Tristan shook his head ruefully, and then introduced Takeo Tomia, his roommate. He'd been lucky enough to get one of the few two-person rooms, as opposed to the usual three-person.

Takeo wasn't very tall, maybe Yugi's or Ryou's height, with a head of thick, ginger-brown hair that flopped into his eyes, which were also brown. He seemed to get very irritated with his hair at times, and would push it out of his face, only to have it flop back in. He wore round, thin-lensed glasses that made him look very hansom. He was dressed in a white, long-sleeved t-shirt and black jeans with tennis shoes.

Once everyone had greeted and introduced themselves to Takeo, Tristan shook his head sadly. "Man, Joey and Mai have been at each others' throats for years now. We've got to find a way to get them back together."

"I agree," said Ryou, surprising the others, who looked at him strangely. He just smiled secretively. "Just because I'm blind, it doesn't mean I'm not a romantic at heart." In fact, he was even more of a romantic because he was blind. His telepathic powers allowed him to sense the auras of other people, and their general feelings. At the moment, Joey and Mai were both practically shouting bitterness and regret.

"Okay then," Yugi said slowly. "We have to get them together somehow. We're agreed?" Everyone did agree, but Bakura came up with a good point.

"Should we ask Tea and Isis to help? They know more about Mai then any of us do. And since Isis is her roommate, that'd be doubly helpful.

"It would." Yami said. "I'll catch Tea during classes tomorrow and ask her."

"I'll talk to Isis tonight," Malik said grudgingly. He and Ishtar weren't really keen on playing matchmaker, but they were both tired of the constant fights and fueds. Everyone was ready for those two to make peace.

Yugi nodded. "Good. Now, I-"

Before anything more could be said or discussed, Gwen walked toward them with a tray piled high with food and drinks, enough for most of the table, although she'd probably have to go back for another load. As she was about to set the tray down in the middle of the table so that everyone could grab what they wanted from the proverbial smorgus-board, Joey chose that moment to come out of his trance.

Everyone watched in sort of a facinated horror as he stretched his arms over his head, catching the bottom of the tray and flinging it upward. Gwen shreiked and dodged the food, running around to the other side of the table. She got by with only a few minor food stuffs on her t-shirt.

Joey, however, wasn't quite so lucky. An overturned bowl of potato soup landed on his head, dousing him in its potato-y goodness. Of course, being Joey, he had no clue what had just happened. He looked so forlorn and puzzled, sitting there blinking through a curtain of soup with the bowl on his head, that Amoura began to giggle. She couldn't help it. Soon everyone else had joined it.

"Oh Joey, I'm so sorry!" Gwen said, taking the bowl off his head. "I didn't mean to give you a potato bath!"

Joey blinked at her, and then gave the group in general a wry smile as he pulled a chunk of potato out of his hair. "Well, at least it wasn't clam chowder. I remember the time I was gettin' chowder for me and Mai, and I tripped. It went all down the front of her blouse, and-" He stopped and cast a look at Mai, who was glaring at him full-forse.

"And you ruined it." she said.

"Aw, lighten up Mai!" Joey said. "I bought you a new one, and I said I was sorry!"

"Yeah, just like you're so 'sorry' that you always leave me out of every good adventure?"

"There wasn't exactly time to call you!" Joey yelled at her. Both of them were on their feet now, leaning over the table to glare at each other. "Grow up Mai, and get over it!"

"Get over it?! My Harpies would have been a big help, and you know it! We could have been in and out in half the time!"

"It's dangerous in- in there." Joey said. Even in their anger, both were aware that with Takeo, Hiro, Gwen, and Amoura around that they couldn't exactly mention the Shadow Realm by name. "I wouldn't have let you go with us anyway! You could have gotten hurt!"

"You could've too!" Mai countered. "I'm a lot stronger and tougher then you are!"

"Are not!" Joey yelled. "Ryou wouldn't have let you go either, would you Ryou?" Both turned to look/glare at the blind telepath, who sighed and rubbed his forehead. He was beginning to get one monster headache. He just shook himself lightly and grabbed for Bakura's arm to keep himself upright.

Bakura frowned down at his aibou, who looked pretty dizzy. He should probably take him back to the dorm. "If you'll remember right Joey, we didn't want you to go with us either," Bakura said, half supporting Ryou to keep him from falling out of his chair. "Ryou and I could have handled it perfectly well on our own. You were just too stubborn and pig-headed to stay behind. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to get Ryou back to our room before he passes out and I have to carry him."

"Passes out?!" Everyone looked dutifully alarmed, especially when they caught sight of how pale the Blind One had become all of a sudden. His faded eyes were half-lidded, and he was panting slightly as he leaned against Bakura.

"Now you see what you've done?" Mai shot at Joey, who growled and made a retort ready, before Yami pushed in between them.

"Please, you two, act like adults! Oh for the love of Ra, grow up already!" he growled, scowling at the both of them. Mai and Joey gave each other long looks, and then promptly turned away. Yami sighed, and then turned back to Bakura and Ryou, Yugi hovering worridly over them. "Is he all right?"

"I'm not sure," Bakura confessed, chewing on his lower lip in consternation. "What's wrong Ryou?"

"I see darkness," Ryou's voice was soft, from weakness rather then the need for no one to hear. Only Yugi, Yami, and Bakura caught his words. "I see evil Duel Monsters, ready to attack. I see Pharoah Yami, our leader. I see. . . I see me. . . I see me, ready to die to protect. . ." his voice trailed off before he could complete the sentence, and he slumped against Bakura, his eyes closed. His breath escaped him in a soft sigh, and then all was silent.

Yugi, Yami, and Bakura were stunned to silence for a moment, stilled by Ryou's apparent prophesy. "Evil Duel Monsters. . . ?" Yugi ventured.

"Pharoah? Me? That was five-thousand years ago." Yami added.

Bakura's voice was hushed, scared for his hikari. "Ready to die? For whom? Me? Why would anyone be willing to die for me?"

"Jonathon was." Yami said quietly.

Bakura looked up to meet his eyes, and in a moment a look passed between them that Yugi couldn't begin to understand. It was a look of brotherhood, a symbol that they truly were friends, deep down, had been through so much together. It was a look that usually only appeared between Yami and Bakura and Ishtar. They were the only of their race left, and they had a right to stick together.

"Yes," Bakura said quietly. "Jonathon was. And Jonathon did."

When Bakura had told Yami and Ishtar of his brother's death in the Shadow Realm, all three had mourned. He may not have been a yami, or in any way connected to the Millenium Items save that he held the Ankh for a short time, but Jonathon was still an Egyptian, one of them, and they would mourn his passing.

(WSJ: SoS people! Read SoS if you have no clue what they're talking about.)

"Shouldn't we take Ryou to his room?" Yugi asked quietly, slightly unwilling to break the moment between the two Egyptians, but worried at Ryou's palid face.

"Gah!" Bakura said, snapping out of his eye-lock with Yami. "Yes, by Ra!"

"What happened?" Malik asked, bending over them as Bakura lifted his other into his arms.

"Fainted," Yami said quickly. "I think he must have the flu or something." That had been known to happen. It seemed that when Ryou was sick, he suddenly became more prone and receptive to his visions. The pharoah cast a significant look at Malik and Ishtar, one that plainly said 'I'll tell you later'.

"Will he be okay?" Tea asked, concerned.

Bakura nodded at the worried girls and smiled. "He will be once I get him to bed. I think he just needs rest."

"So I guess our dinner party's over," Tristan laughed. "Ryou's sick, and Joey needs a bath."

"Like a dog," Ishtar couldn't help adding with a snicker. Joey glared at him, but was too worried about Ryou to do much else.

"Need an escort?" Hiro asked. "I don't really have anyplace to go other then our room anyway."

"Fine with me," Bakura said, shifting Ryou around in his arms. The group dispersed, the girls walking back together toward their dorm, and most of the guys to theirs. Joey ran up ahead, wanting badly for a shower, while Yami, Yugi, Hiro, and Bakura with Ryou followed more slowly. With Hiro in their midst the Motos and Bakura could not talk about what they'd heard, but after Hiro disappeared into their room, Bakura and Yami made a quick promise to meet after classes the next day. Takeo, Tristan, Malik, Ishtar, Gwen, and Tea had decided to stay a while longer at the Rec.

Bakura put Ryou to bed, and watched over him worridly long after Hiro had gone to bed and fallen asleep, wondering about the future.

()()()()()

WSJ: *silently steaming*

Ryou: *sighs* What now?

WSJ: I. Hate. Yami!!!!!

Yami: *hurt* Nani?

Bakura: *chuckles* Not you. The Yami on the Dark Duelist Stories game. She's defeated him, like, fifteen times now, and he still won't let her go on.

WSJ: I wanna duel Bakura!!! Not Yami over and over!!!

Ryou: But SJ, how do you know Bakura is the next duelist you have to face?

WSJ: I don't, but I have a hunch he is. And even if he's not, I get to duel Malik eventually, which I'm also looking forward to. *seethes* Stupid Yami and his stupid Change of Heart cards... And his stupid Summon Skull... And his stupid Black Luster Soldier... *continues to rant*

Ryou: *chuckles again* Reviews please!

Chapter 3: It's the first day of classes, and Ryou's stuck in bed, Bakura's orders. He lets his mind wander, which for a telepath isn't always a good thing... Tea, Amoura, and Gwen get rude awakenings thanks to Amoura's kitten Yunet, and go to classes grouchy. ^_^ Poor them. Yami, Ishtar, and Bakura discuss what Ryou saw, while Yugi and Tea plot to get Mai and Joey together. Tristan makes a pleasent discovery, and Malik is two inches away from blowing the head off his geometry teacher. In other words, it's a normal day in the life of our gang! =^-^=

God bless Minna-san!