Omega19x: *Ryou is at home. He just woke up, from a long sleep where he was dreaming about Malik*
ph33r my rod: *There is something sitting on the pillow next to him, where Malik would usually be - it's a card, much like the ones Ryou had left for him a while back.*
Omega19x: When he saw it he jumped. He didn't know anyone else had been in the house, let alone in his bedroom! He knew he had been out searching for Malik... day in day out, finally coming back to get some sleep!
Omega19x: He looked at the card immediately.
ph33r my rod: There was a message written out of newspaper clippings in it:

You will find
Key number one
Wherever you find
Fun in the sun
ph33r my rod: Nothing else is written on the card.
Omega19x: "... it's like the... the game I played with Malik..."
Omega19x: he thought for a moment. "Fun in the sun... that's the beach."
Omega19x: He took off running, in his pajamas, out to his car. He had to get to the beach as soon as he could.
ph33r my rod: The sun was high up in the sky when he arrived - nothing really seemed to be out of the ordinary, save for something floating in the water.
Omega19x: It didn't take Ryou long to notice that, but it was floating somewhat far out.
Omega19x: "... th.that has to be my next clue..."
Omega19x: Not even thinking to take off his pajamas, he jumped into the water, and swam out to the floating object.
ph33r my rod: It was a small glass bottle, that appeared to have a message of some sort in it, as well as a small silver key.
Omega19x: He grabbed the bottle, and paddled back to shore. He was, of course, completely soaked, but he didn't care. He tried to pull the cork out of the bottle.
ph33r my rod: It popped out easily.
Omega19x: He took the key and read the message.
ph33r my rod: Someone you know
Has key number two
Look to your family
They may help you

By the way, you started being timed once you left your house - you've been given an hour to find the keys, and if you can't get here in that time... something very unpleasant shall happen!
Omega19x: Ryou gulped. "Look to my family... Yami!!"
ph33r my rod: (( ...not really. XD ))
Omega19x: (oh... so I shouldn't have just IM'ed her asking her where the second clue/key was?)
ph33r my rod: (( Nope. *dies* ))
Omega19x: (she just said she knew about it.)
ph33r my rod: (( ...*blink* ))
ph33r my rod: (( I didn't talk about anything with her... o_o ))
ph33r my rod: (( So unless she's doing some freaky Jedi mind-reading... o_O; ))
Omega19x: (uh... there are always two? A master and an apprentice?)
ph33r my rod: (( ...*dies* ))
Omega19x: (SHE KNOWS SOMETHING. What are you two doing that I don't know?!)
Omega19x: (I'm loooooost!!!)
ph33r my rod: (( ... ... Nothing, I swear. o__o *a little freaked out* ))
Omega19x: (you two IM each other for a minute while I set up the Mahaado room)
Omega19x: (ooookay, nevermind. She was jedi-mind tricking about a different plot, I guess.)
Omega19x: (boy was I confused)
ph33r my rod: (( *DIES* Okay... XDDD ))
Omega19x: Magical findoutthatYamidoesn'tknowanythinglapse.
ph33r my rod: ...yes, indeed.
Omega19x: (ROFL)
ph33r my rod: (( XD Try again, Ryou. Look at your surroundings~ ))
Omega19x: "... okay... if... if it does't mean Yami... um... Amane?"
ph33r my rod: (( ... Maybe I should've been more specific with that clue. :x; ))
Omega19x: "... th...the rest of my family is... is dead..."
ph33r my rod: Though in the house that overlooks the beach, someone resides there who might as well be family.
Omega19x: (OHHHH... ISIS...)
ph33r my rod: (( *dead* ))
Omega19x: (I guess she really is a poor neglected cactus.)
ph33r my rod: (( *pets her* D: ))
Omega19x: Ryou studies the message for a while before thinking it might be talking about someone closer to Malik than him... He looks up, and sees a familiar house near the beach.
Omega19x: "Isis!"
ph33r my rod: Unfortunately, Isis doesn't seem to be home - the front door is locked, and her car isn't in the driveway. However, there's something sticking out of one of the potted plants on her doorstep.
Omega19x: Ryou sees it, and quickly takes it.
ph33r my rod: It's another card, with another key attached to it.

The place you will find
Key number three
Is where there is someone
You don't want to see
Omega19x: "... someone I don't want to see?" He looked around. "Um... That could be Ghost... or maybe Mokuba..."
ph33r my rod: (( Hint: it's not a played character. ))
ph33r my rod: (( *didn't involve any other played characters in this, though it might've been more interesting if she had* ))
Omega19x: "... or..." *he shuddered at the thought*
Omega19x: "... I... I think I know this one..."
Omega19x: He got in the car, and drove quickly to Uno Hospital.
ph33r my rod: Yes, Uno Hospital, where somebody Ryou really didn't want to see dwelled. This one was likely not going to be as easy as the last two - or as obvious.
Omega19x: He stepped out of the car, and started looking for his next clue.
ph33r my rod: Nothing outside was out-of-the-ordinary. He'd likely have to go... inside... to find the next key...
Omega19x: Ryou gulped, and he slowly walked inside, hoping he wouldn't see 'you know who.'
ph33r my rod: Indeed, the threat of a certain someone finding him was very real. The air in the front lobby felt quite heavy as Ryou entered. Nothing seemed different, save for the large bulletin board on the wall behind the receptionists' desk.
Omega19x: He looked up at it.
ph33r my rod: The receptionist looked down her nose at Ryou with a pair of beady eyes. "Can I help you?"
Omega19x: "... um... h..hi..." It looked like a new receptionist. Perhaps she didn't remember him. "have you seen... any strange little cards with poems on them?"
ph33r my rod: "No, I'm afraid not," she replied abruptly, despite that there was quite a suspicious-looking car pinned to the bulletin board...
Omega19x: He didn't want to make a scene, but he wanted to get that card too... And he was being timed.
Omega19x: "... um..." He needed a distraction...
Omega19x: (oh, and the chat's alive now)
Omega19x: "... um... could you... look up something for me? I... I need some records on... Ryou Bakura."
Omega19x: Now THAT should keep her busy for a while.
ph33r my rod: (( *actually had a distraction lined up, got distracted by typing in other window* :D; ))
Omega19x: (oh.)
Omega19x: (is mine funnier? Lol)
ph33r my rod: (( Not really >D Mine's... slightly evil. ))
Omega19x: (play out of mine, and work yours.)
ph33r my rod: Before the receptionist could answer, a very familiar voice caught her attention, calling to her from a nearby office. "I'm sorry, you'll have to wait a moment. Excuse me." She stood up and walked into the office.
Omega19x: Ryou gulped.
Omega19x: He turned around sharply in the direction of the voice.
ph33r my rod: The coast was clear, though he could hear the receptionist and that voice talking in the office.
Omega19x: He quickly ran around the receptionist's desk, where he had worked in the past, and took the card from the board.
ph33r my rod: Taped to the inside of it was another key.

When you dance too long
Your body becomes sore
Look behind the arrows
For key number four

The receptionist walked back out of her office, looking surprised to see him there. "Hey! You can't go back here!"
Omega19x: *eep*
Omega19x: He quickly ran from behind the desk.
ph33r my rod: Once he was out from behind there, she did nothing to follow, though that unfortunately-familiar voice sounded like it was getting closer. "What's going on there?"
ph33r my rod: (( Better make a run for it, Ryou :X ))
Omega19x: "...nothing!" he screamed, and started to run.
ph33r my rod: And it was good that he ran - time was ticking, going by faster than he probably realized, and he still had another key to find.
Omega19x: "... I... I've got to find one more..." He looked down at the card.
ph33r my rod: When you dance too long
Your body becomes sore
Look behind the arrows
For key number four
Omega19x: "... dancing... with arrows. DDR. The mall!" Ryou shouted out loud, as he jumped back into his car. His pajamas were pretty much dry by now, thank goodness.
ph33r my rod: (( *finds it oddly adorable that he's doing all of this in his PJs* ))
Omega19x: (he's cuuuute like that)
Omega19x: He rushed to the mall, and ran right into the arcade.
ph33r my rod: By the time he got there, there couldn't have been much time left. From the time spent driving and actually locating the clues, there was probably only fifteen minutes left.

There was something sticking out from behind one of the DDR machines, which was currently occupied by a couple of people.
Omega19x: Ryou saw the card, and also the people. He decided he didn't exactly have time to be polite, so he carefully snuck by the side of the machine. Crawling on the floor, he reached for the card.
ph33r my rod: Again, there was a key attached to it.

When you have all the keys
Then you must go
To a place where a friend
Was turned into a foe

The people on the machine paid him little mind - they were focused on something else.
Omega19x: He read the card. "... a place where a friend was turned into a foe?" He thought.
Omega19x: "... hmm..."
ph33r my rod: Surely, this had to be the place where Malik was, or something that would further lead Ryou to him. Wherever it was, Ryou had to figure it out soon, because time was ticking down.
Omega19x: He thought about the Ghouls, and he thought about when Malik led them. He didn't know much about what happened to Malik during Battle City, but he knew a little. Yugi and Jonouchi had mentioned once... about a duel on the pier...
Omega19x: Where they were made to fight each other.
ph33r my rod: (( *ding ding* ))
Omega19x: "... it... was the same pier we left for Duelist Kingdom from... I think..."
Omega19x: He quickly headed that way.
ph33r my rod: And it was good that he hurried, because there was little time left by the time he arrived at the pier. Waiting for him there was one of the Ghouls - or rather, a whole group of them - and he was holding the Millennium Rod.
ph33r my rod: "Well, well. Look who finally showed up..."
Omega19x: *gulp* "... Ghouls... Allright... Where's Malik! I... I want him back!"
Omega19x: The needles of this ring stirred, the rod being very close.
ph33r my rod: "Up there." He pointed back behind him, where a large crane stood. A long chain draped down from the arm of the crane, with a large anchor attached at the bottom - and it looked like there was a person chained to it...
Omega19x: "...Malik!!"
Omega19x: He turned back to the Ghouls. "Let him go!"
Omega19x: "... wait... Let him go... without dropping that thing into the ocean?"
ph33r my rod: "Well, if you can get him unchained - I trust you have those four keys - in less than," he looked at his watch, "ten seconds, then sure, you can take the little bastard home with you."
ph33r my rod: (( brb ))
Omega19x: "where are the locks?!"
ph33r my rod: "They're attached to him~" As if on cue, something directly above the anchor exploded, breaking the chain and dropping the anchor - and Malik - into the water below.
ph33r my rod: (( There's your bomb. :P ))
Omega19x: EEEK!
Omega19x: Ryou didn't even hesitate. He jumped in the water after Malik, keys in hand. He swam as quicky as he could, down and farther down.
Omega19x: He swam harder than he ever swam before, harder than he even knew his body could swim, to the locks. He kept fitting keys in locks until he got them to break apart.
Omega19x: He worked as fast as he could, faster even... just hoping that Malik would be okay...
ph33r my rod: He appeared to be unconscious. There were four locks visible on his person - one binding his body to the anchor, one binding his neck, one chaining his wrists together, and one around his ankles.
Omega19x: Ryou managed to get the one binding him to the anchor off first.
Omega19x: He knew neither of them could hold their breath under there for too much longer...
ph33r my rod: Malik's face twisted in pain as he was freed from his bindings, one by one... he was clearly alive.
Omega19x: Ryou grabbed him, and swam as hard as he could back to the surface...He... he didn't know if he could make it up there in time. The anchor had pulled them both so far down. He... he swam... and swam...
Omega19x: And with one last bit of strength, he pushed Malik above the water's surface.
ph33r my rod: An interesting scene greeted Ryou as he surfaced - all of the Ghouls that were there were now being handcuffed, and a large number of police were around them. "There! Get those two boys out of the water!" one of them instructed, and a couple of other police quickly dove in the water to retrieve them.
Omega19x: Ryou coughed as he reached the surface. He... he barely had any strength left after all that.
Omega19x: "... M...Malik..."
ph33r my rod: "Relax, kid, you guys are gonna be alright now. Earlier we received a call from some lady, telling us to keep an eye on you, should you go looking for her missing brother. And it looks like ya found him."
Omega19x: "... Malik..."
ph33r my rod: While some of the police dealt with shoving the Ghouls into cars, they hauled both Ryou and Malik out of the water, and into a waiting ambulance.
Omega19x: Ryou was cold, soaked, and exhausted. But... but none of that even mattered. Malik was there... Malik was alive.
ph33r my rod: Malik, in the meantime, looked like he'd sustained countless injuries. There were burn marks all over his face - probably from when the bomb went off - as well as large bruises covering his arms, legs, and probably most of his body as well. But the most notable was the fact that the back of his shirt (which didn't even look like his) was completely drenched in blood, even though they'd been in the water.
Omega19x: "... Malik..." Ryou reached out his hand, reaching for Malik's hand.
ph33r my rod: Unfortunately, he was still unconscious as they were hauled into the ambulance. A large, warm blanket was draped over Ryou as the paramedics waiting inside started hooking Malik up to an IV.
Omega19x: Ryou grabbed Malik's hand anyway, holding it tightly. "You're... gonna be all right... You... you're gonna be all right..."
ph33r my rod: *magical hospitallapse, I guess?*
ph33r my rod: (( Busy busy night for Dr. Malouf :X ))
Omega19x: Dr. Malouf was on call. He's ALWAYS on call when this sort of thing happens.
Omega19x: He turns to the paramedics. "What do you have here?"
ph33r my rod: "Missing boy was found; he's had numerous injuries all over - it looks like a few broken ribs, many bruises and lacerations, burns, the works - this kid's probably had just about everything under the sun done to him. His back is heavily wounded, it almost looks like there were patterns carved into it..."
Omega19x: Dr. Malouf looked him over. "I want x-rays, right now. I want to check for internal injuries from possible rib fractures. The burns are not severe, get them cleaned and treated, and see to the wounds on his back."
Omega19x: "I want an IV immediately. He's severely dehydrated. We need to replinish water and essential nutrients right away."
ph33r my rod: (( Yes, malnourished in addiction to beaten within an inch of his life >D ))
Omega19x: The other doctors quickly followed Dr. Malouf's instructions.
ph33r my rod: *magical... ER-lapse, heh*
Omega19x: Ryou, meanwhile, was curled up under the blanket, shivering, as Malik's hand was taken from him.
Omega19x: "... Malik?"
ph33r my rod: (( I guess now we can assume that he's been put into a room, after all of those medical things were done :X ))
ph33r my rod: Malik was just now starting to come to. "...nnn..."
Omega19x: "As soon as we have him stabilized, you'll be with him." Dr. Malouf answered. He turned to his team. "I want him checked out too." *magical er lapse*
ph33r my rod: (( ...is one of us lagged or something? ))
Omega19x: (mentally, maybe. Technologically no.)
ph33r my rod: (( Okay, just making sure XD; *insert magical lapses, etc etc* ))
Omega19x: (so Malik is coming to now)
Omega19x: (?)
ph33r my rod: (( Yeah. ))
Omega19x: Ryou was curled up on the bed next to Malik. The beds were close enough that he could hold Malik's hand. And he hadn't let go. Not since they brought him in.
ph33r my rod: Malik's hand twitches, and he groaned. "...nn."
Omega19x: "Oh, Malik..." he squeezed his boyfriend's hand.
ph33r my rod: Malik slowly opened his eyes, cringing at the brightness of the hospital lights. "...w-where..."
Omega19x: The burns had been taken care of, bandaged up. His back was bandaged, some of the deeper gashes needing stitches. And yes, a couple ribs were broken. But there is little that they can really do for that. Thankfully, there was no internal damage.
Omega19x: "...y..you're in the hospital... Just... just rest..."
Omega19x: "... I... I found you..."
ph33r my rod: "R... Ryou...?" He could hear Ryou's voice, but everything hurt too much to move. He could feel someone holding his hand, and he gave it as tight a squeeze as he could muster up, which wasn't all that tight. "Y-you're here..."
Omega19x: "... of... of course I'm here..."
ph33r my rod: Tears poured down Malik's face, all of his pain feeling like it was barely there as he clutched Ryou's hand, so glad that he was now out of harm's way.
Omega19x: "... I... I've been looking for you... fighting for you... trying to bring you back... I... I was so scared... but... but I never gave up. Not... not even for a moment!"
Omega19x: He squeezed Malik's hand.
ph33r my rod: Malik finally turned his hand slightly to look at Ryou, his hand shaking a bit at the pain he felt. "...th-thank you..." He smiled weakly, giving Ryou's hand a squeeze in return.
Omega19x: "... I... I'd do anything for you..."
Omega19x: "... you need to rest..." Ryou shivered. He was still cold, even finally drying off under that blanket.
ph33r my rod: Malik nodded slightly and closed his eyes, his grip on Ryou's hand loosening slightly. "...love you."
ph33r my rod: (( *used slightly too much in that sentence* ))
Omega19x: "... me too, you." he smiled, and curled up. Both of them needed their rest.
ph33r my rod: And with that, Malik easily dropped off to sleep from there, hopefully to have pleasant dreams.
Omega19x: Ryou blew him a kiss. And he fell asleep too, happy that Malik was there with him. He... he did it. He did what nobody thought he could do. He saved Malik!