The Boy in the Attic (Yugioh Watty Awards Winner 2015)

Chapter Six

DH: Okay, we have very little time to do this.

OW: This is a dark chapter, the next one will be funny.

DH: Hope you like.

OW: We own nothing.

-DDLDHoW-

Malik glared at Ushio. "We owe you nothing!" He snarled, pushing away from the wall.

"Malik, don't make things worse," Ryou mumbled.

"He's right, Ishtar." Ushio smirked. "All you need to do is give me the money you owe me and I'll be on my merry way."

"For the last time, we don't owe you any money!"

"Are you so sure about that?" Ushio smirked and raised a hand, snapping his fingers. About five of his cronies – because Ushio didn't have friends, only followers – came into the alley.

Malik glared at them, standing in front of Ryou and Yugi with a protective stance. "Stay away from us!"

Ushio smirked. "Nah." He looked at his cronies. "Get them."

Malik's eyes widened. "Guys, get out of here."

Yugi looked up at him. "But-"

"Just go! I'll be fine!"

"We're not leaving you, Malik," Ryou insisted.

"How very noble of you." Ushio's cronies surrounded them. "Unfortunately, nobility like that is liable to get you into trouble, Bakura."

One of the cronies lunged at Malik. He ducked and swung a punch at him, hitting him in the stomach. The man coughed and stumbled back, winded. Another two lunged, but Malik ducked again and, with a sharp kick to the back of his knees, swept one off his feet. The other scowled and tried to punch him, but Malik managed to block and counter the attack.

Hearing a soft yelp, he whipped around to see that two cronies – one of whom was the first one he fought – had pinned Ryou to the wall with one of their hands on his neck. Malik let out a soft breath of relief when he saw that they weren't squeezing his throat. Yet.

But the soft-spoken boy looked terrified. The final crony had Yugi in a headlock. "Let them go," Malik growled, fists clenched.

"Of course I will." Malik turned to face Ushio. "Once you give me the money."

"We don't have your frigging money!" Malik snapped.

Ushio's eyes darkened. "I see. In that case, Ishtar, you're going to have to fight your way out."

"Doesn't seem like it'll be much of a challenge if this is all you have to offer."

Ushio's smirk returned. "Oh, you won't be fighting them." He twisted his head, cracking his neck. "You'll be fighting me."

Malik couldn't help but gulp. The older boy was almost twice his size and weight, with bulging muscles.

Sure, Malik was strong. But not that strong.

Before Malik could block him, Ushio stepped forward and slammed his fist into Malik's gut, and twisted it.

Malik coughed and fell back, clutching his chest. Somehow, Ushio had managed to get a direct blow to his solar plexus, and now he couldn't breathe.

"Things would have been so much easier if you just gave me the money, Ishtar."

"W-we d-d-don't..." Malik coughed and tried to breathe. "We d-don't have... t-to give you a-anything..."