Hello everyone~ Welcome to a new story, one that I've been playing around with for quite some time!
Right away… For the beginning scene, many of you may be familiar with it. It's the scene from the manga, Millennium World volume 1, and episode 200 (Japanese version). Since the manga, subbed and dubbed versions are different, I took the subbed version of the scene and the manga version of the scene and merged them together to suit the vision in my head for this story. I hope what I just said makes sense. :D
PS: italics will represent thoughts.
Enjoy!
Down the Rabbit Hole
Chapter 1
"STOP, Thief!"
Yugi's shout echoed throughout the dark back alleys of his neighborhood as he chased the cloaked person who only ran further away from him. With a grunt he pushed himself to run faster, especially when the voice of his partner came from the back of his mind, asking to step in.
"No, I'll do this, Other Me," Yugi stated confidently, and he felt the other retreat - although a bit hesitant at first.
As Yugi slept, someone had broken into his bedroom and stole the god cards. They were the cards that his other half desperately needed in order to regain his memories. After all of their hard work and tough challenges and opponents, he refused to lose the treasured cards to a simple thief. It was his duty to protect them, so he had to be the one to get them back.
Breathing heavily, his face firm and focused, Yugi swerved around the corner, not at all bothered by the cold of the night which bit through the thin cloth of his pyjamas. He stopped, and his eyes widened as he scanned the area frantically.
"Where did he go?" he wondered aloud, only to have a scream further down the alley grab his attention.
Without hesitating Yugi ran in the direction of the sound only to quickly come to a halt. Laying on the ground was none other than the perpetrator he was chasing, unconscious. And standing above the fallen man was another person. Yugi watched with worry as the familiar figure reached down and grasped the golden box that once held the pieces of the millennium puzzle from the thief's lifeless hands.
"You…" the person started slowly, and he turned to look at Yugi, rusty red eyes flashing. "If we lost these cards, we'd never find the Pharaoh's memories! It's your job to keep them safe!" He tsked angrily. "Well, Yugi?"
"Bakura!?" Yugi exclaimed.
The white hair evident under the cloudless moon was unmistakable.
"Heh. You're so careless. I can't leave you alone for an instant!" Bakura continued, and he tossed Yugi the box. "Here! Make sure they're all there."
Without waiting a second Yugi opened the box… and sighed with relief.
"It's okay! The cards are all right!"
His gaze returned to Bakura.
"Bakura, thanks for helping me. You got my cards back. But…" Yugi anxiously looked down at the object that hung around Bakura's neck. "You're wearing that thing…"
Bakura grinned. "Do you mean this?" He lifted the millennium ring which glittered brightly.
Yugi's face remained passive as he stared at the object.
"Yugi… the millennium ring belongs to me."
"I see. So you're Ryou's dark personality…" Yugi said, and he watched the evil spirit that possessed his gentle friend with caution.
Yami Bakura's grin widened as he was recognized.
"Don't worry. I know that sooner or later, you'll need all seven of the millennium items. When that time comes, and no sooner, I'll hand over the millennium ring."
How much does Bakura know about the Millennium Items? Yugi thought as he stared at the item dangling from the pale neck. I know the Tablet of the Pharaoh's Memories is in an underground temple in Egypt… I heard that it has holes in it that match the millennium items. So then… Yugi eyed the smirking spirit warily.
"Bakura, do you know about that? Do you know what happens when you fit all the Millennium Items into the tablet?"
"Humph. You mean the Slate of Memories located in the village of Kul Elna?" Bakura asked coldly. Yugi flinched slightly at the hard glare that was shot his way. The spirit continued.
"That stone tablet is an artifact that connects this world to the world beyond. When the seven millennium items are placed in the stone tablet, the Door of the Underworld will open."
"The Door of the Underworld…?" Yugi echoed the words. His heart thumped with surprise, and a hint of fear at the revelation.
"To open the door to the afterlife…" Bakura chuckled, laughing at a joke only he seemingly knew, "I'm sure you know what that means."
Yugi nodded. He held the millennium puzzle around his neck and glanced at it fondly.
"Yes, I know. This millennium puzzle has sealed up the soul of the other me- no." He looked up at Bakura with conviction. "The Pharaoh's soul will return to the afterlife."
"Correct!" Bakura exclaimed. "That is your mission. I'll help you out however I can, if it means accomplishing that mission."
Yugi's eyed widened, the surprise difficult to hide after hearing those words from the evil spirit of the ring. Why would Yami Bakura of all people help him? He straightened, watching Bakura carefully.
"Bakura, just what are you…" he started to say, only to have the millennium puzzle glow brightly. Without pushing he allowed his other self to take control, and in mere seconds his entire persona changed.
"Bakura!" a loud voice shouted, replacing Yugi's soft one. "What are you plotting?"
"Oh my, his majesty shows himself," Bakura teased, and he sneered. "What? Were you afraid that I'd trick that vessel of yours?"
"Answer me, Bakura!" Yami Yugi yelled, and he took a step towards Bakura, his hands making fists.
"Don't be so cold," Bakura said. "I'm the same as you. I too am a soul sealed millenniums ago."
Yami was not fooled for a second. Spirit, yes. Helping them? Never.
"What is your true identity?" Yami growled, and his eyes made slits as he stared at the fellow spirit.
Bakura shrugged. "Beats me. I can't remember that much about myself. But, the answer to that may be hidden somewhere in your memories."
"Bakura…" Yami trailed off dangerously.
"What do you say, Your Highness? Isn't it about time we settled things? On a stage most fitting for us… Your Memory World."
"My 'Memory World'?" Yami's gaze refused to break Bakura's own sharp look. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop his question from revealing how little he actually knew about himself. It angered him further when Bakura laughed.
"You really don't know anything about yourself, huh? That impenetrable maze in your heart… The complex games filled with mystery you continue to involve yourself with… If we trace those mysteries to the root source, it all points in the direction of your Memory World." Bakura grinned broadly. "In other words, the Ultimate Dark Game is lying in wait there!"
"The Ultimate Dark Game?"
"You may not remember a thing… But you were the one who started that game."
Yami's eyes widened.
"I'm the one who started the Dark Game?"
"Yes. That is why it is the most fitting place for us to finish it."
Yami's eyes slipped shut as the discoveries sunk in. The more answers he found, the more he got convinced that he himself had done something to cause his predicament. Each answer led to more questions, and the bundle of clues he found were hard to understand. As he prodded his mind, hoping for a revelation, he would get swept away in the waves of his past that twisted all of his thoughts, furthering him from any solution. But now, all of that would end. After millenniums he was close to finding all of the answers. Was he ready? As for Bakura, he couldn't let himself fall for anything that spirit said.
Yami smiled softly to himself.
"The Ultimate Dark Game… My Memory World…" his eyes reopened and he looked up, his irises burning. "Very well, Bakura. I accept your challenge."
"That's what I'm talking about…" Bakura said, and he smiled contently. "When the door to your memory opens, the game will start. I'm looking forward to the moment it does," he said, and without a word more, he turned and walked away, waving a backwards goodbye as the darkness of the night enveloped him like a blanket of fog.
Yami sighed deeply, the numbing stress of the moment finally showing itself, pounding within his skull. Clutching the puzzle while he waited for Yugi to return, he glanced up for a brief second again to watch the retreating spirit, only to look away and do a sudden double take as he realised something… strange.
A white bunny tail was what he saw, sitting quite cozily on Bakura's behind.
Yami gasped. The puzzle dropped from his hands and smacked against his chest, and he stumbled backwards from horror as long rabbit ears suddenly protruded from the evil spirit's head as well, twitching animatedly. His eyes couldn't get any wider than they already were.
"B-Bakura!" Yami found himself shouting, but Bakura carried on as if he heard nothing, disappearing around the corner.
Yami stood where he was, his mind blank but racing for a plausible response. What had he just seen? Where did the tail and the ears come from? No, no. His mind was playing tricks. It had to be!
That was what Yami tried to tell himself, yet, as if captured by some invisible force, his legs started moving forward as if they had a mind of their own. And before he knew it, he was chasing after the evil spirit with unusual worry and a stirring curiosity.
The chase led him down another alley and soon Yami reached the docks. Yami Bakura's speed only increased with each step, and Yami was sure he heard the spirit muttering to himself. None of the words made any sense to him however.
"Late, late. I'm so very late…"
What was he late for at this hour? Yami didn't dare call again because at this point he was sure something was wrong. Strange things were happening around him that he was starting to wonder if they were even there at all. From the old and mouldy warehouses, vines with coloured buds started to bloom. Flowers and signs of all different kinds appeared from moldy corners and roofs. They took up the road, sprouting in an instant, but Yami had had enough. He eyed Bakura with attention like never before, realising now that the other was not bothered by the happenings at all.
"My eyes must be playing tricks on me…" Yami said quietly to himself, and his gaze lingered back to the ears and tail that were too fluffy and white for someone known to be so sinister and dark.
"Bakura!" he tried calling in hopes of some answers. But once again he was ignored, Bakura's speed becoming faster.
"So much to do, so little time…" Bakura murmured, and with keen interest Yami watched as the other eyed a pocket watch which he produced from somewhere inside his coat.
Yami sprinted faster. His tension rose with each step, especially when Yugi didn't seem to hear any of his calls.
Hope returned when Bakura quickly walked over to a warehouse. He watched as the white haired spirit gave the door a little shove and slipped through the crack and into the darkness. Without a second of hesitation Yami entered as well.
He was immediately met with pitch black.
His eyes blinked to adjust and he strained his ears to hear the other's footsteps. Gritting his teeth when all he could detect was his own, he stepped carefully, squinting. His mouth itched to call out. It formed words though no sound came out. And just as his voice finally broke through, his eyes shot open with surprise and all that came out was an endless scream as the floor beneath him suddenly disappeared. He was left falling, into an endless void of pure insanity.
Haha! Well, there we have it. The first chapter of the eight this story will have! I do hope you enjoyed it. I would also love to know what your thoughts are.
Until next time… Sayonara~