Tar
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! and all related characters therein do not belong to me. No copyright infringement is intended.
Summary: A vignette on a conversation between the Millennium Puzzle and Ring as they discuss the hikaris, yamis, time, their roles, and the art of being a god.
Domino was not flat. Surrounded by mountains on three sides, the city itself sat on ridges--subtle tiers of land that you noticed only when you reached the top of one and could see out across the skyline. The Kame Game Shop sat atop one such ridge, on the edge of Domino's reach, and so its second floor guestroom had a magnificent view. And it was in this little room, in the middle of the night, that the single most powerful being in the world sat, watching the city lights with a troubled expression.
The Millennium Puzzle was sitting on the bed, its legs crossed and arms folded on the window sill. It rarely manifested itself in human form, but when it did, it appeared identical to Yuugi, except for a large gray tattoo on its face. The tattoo was in the shape of an upside down triangle, the two upper corners spreading to each temple, and the third lower one reaching down to its chin. The Puzzle was also dressed in a full white robe, and its eyes were bright, though blank. With its bare feet tucked under its knees, and slender fingers playing idly with a golden bracelet on its wrist, the Puzzle sat like that for nearly two hours before another, however lesser, being entered the room. The Puzzle gave no immediate acknowledgement...it merely turned the bracelet and started fingering the charm that looked like a miniature Millennium Ring.
"The Rod is coming," the Puzzle said at great length, its soft but powerful voice filling the still room. "It means to kill me."
Sighing quietly, the other being strode up to the bed and wrapped its arms around the Puzzle's torso. Turning its head, the Puzzle visibly relaxed as strands of soft white hair came into view. Dark brown eyes, as blank as the Puzzle's, stared lovingly back.
"You are always a comfort to me," the Puzzle said, though it did not lean back into the supportive arms. "My voice of reason."
"Ring of Wisdom, I believe was the name you gave me," the Millennium Ring said.
Just as the Puzzle was identical to Yuugi, the Ring was the twin to Ryou. And like the Puzzle, the Ring was also dressed in a white robe and had a gray tattoo on its face. Though, this tattoo was of the Ring itself, and no bracelet adorned its wrist. Silence descended again, and the Ring rested its chin on the Puzzle's shoulder so it too could look out at the city. An hour passed before the either spoke again, though the Ring noted that the hands on the nearby alarm clock had not moved. The Puzzle was indeed distressed.
"It...wasn't your fault--" the Ring began.
"Everything that has happened," the Puzzle cut in sharply. "Has been from my direction. Whether I committed the action or not is irrelevant, it's all been from me.....all from me. It's all gone wrong, and do you know what the ironic thing is? In my entire existence, I've only made two mistakes. The first, was creating all of you. The second......" the Puzzle trailed off, and leaned forward to bury its head in its arms. The Ring curled up closer, and nuzzled the Puzzle's ear in an effort to comfort its creator.
"What happened to my brother was an accident. You did what you could and it was more than I could have ever hoped for, but I can see your grief runs deep."
Here, the Puzzle turned away from the window, twisting itself so it was then sitting across from the Ring. As its breath caught, the Ring thought of how tragic and beautiful the Puzzle looked. An ancient being...a god...with its form outlined with the orange glow of the city as it sat in a tiny room with sea blue walls and a plaid bed spread--the setting seeming to enhance the presence of its power, rather than hinder it--and doing a very human thing: the Puzzle's eyes glistened with unshed tears.
"The Rod needs me," the Puzzle breathed, as its fingers curled in tighter. "It's calling to me...it's so scared...and it hates me..."
The Ring nearly jumped forward, quickly crawling into the Puzzle's lap and tilting its head up so it could start placing reverent kisses along the underside of the Puzzle's jaw. The Puzzle placed an arm around the Ring's stomach and even through the overwhelming desire to ease it's creator's pain, the Ring realized that this was the first time in millennia the Puzzle had embraced it back.
"I miss it," the Puzzle said, its grip tightening around the Ring. "I want it back."
The Ring said nothing, it merely continued to plant small kisses along the Puzzle's jaw and massage the hand that rested on its hip.
"You'll forgive me someday, won't you?" the Puzzle questioned.
"For what?" the Ring responded, stopping its kisses so it could follow the sudden stretch of the Puzzle's neck and tuck its head under the other's chin.
"I have to kill the Rod. I have to kill your brother, when it comes. Tell me now that you'll forgive me. I can't the bear the thought of you hating me too."
The Puzzle's grip was almost painfully tight, but the Ring felt there was no rarer, greater honor than to be in its creator's arms.
"There's nothing to forgive, Puzzle. My brother is ill, and it will be the right thing to do. And if you want, I will help."
Finally the Puzzle broke down, dipping its head and muffling its sobs in the Ring's hair. The Ring let the Puzzle hold it until the crying subsided into short breaths and then into the occasional shudder, and until the Puzzle slowly moved its hand up and back, so that it could push the Ring's sleeve down. Covering the Ring's arm were harsh red abrasions that looked nearly ready to bleed and extremely painful.
"They don't hurt. Not really."
"Don't lie to me."
"They don't hurt because I know you suffer them worse than I," the Ring said, responding in kind by pushing down the Puzzle's own sleeve to reveal larger, more disturbing sores and bruises. They were so red they were nearly black in some spots, and lines of a sickly yellow weaved their way in between the welts. The Puzzle stared thoughtfully down at its arm, knowing full well it was taking a great deal of power to keep from being eaten alive. The blisters that were on both it and the Ring--it imagined they were on the Rod as well-- were the fault of the yamis.
In all truth, the Puzzle had never counted on the splitting of the soul sacrifices. It was not supposed to happen, and now a great deal of damage had been done.
The hikaris were not supposed to exist.
Pharaoh and the Tomb Robber were the original souls. They were new, fresh, and whole. Though their talents were with the Shadow Magics, they also had a strong streak of Millennium Magic within them that would allow for a cemented bond and strong compatibility. The Puzzle knew that it and the other Items, created by it but forged by ancient priests, could not interact peacefully with the Shadows. They were two entirely different magics...the most powerful forces in the world and each vying for supremecy...and yet, the Puzzle had thought that with the power of a human soul, it could destroy the Shadows forever and banish their harmful presence from the world forever. But the sacrifices did not go as the Puzzle had planned, and the clash of the two magics within the sacrifices forced the souls apart, leaving the Puzzle and Ring with only half of each soul.
The Puzzle had promised to seal the Shadows away forever, but with only the power of half a soul, it did not succeed completely. Still at the core of the world, the Shadows were wearing through their weak prison, gnawing at the foundations of all existence. The Ring had become the Puzzle's only companion through the ages, as the Rod's sacrifice had failed, leaving it insane and vengeful, while the other four had never recieved a sacrifice and therefore were without consciousness. The Puzzle had long since decided it was perhaps rather better this way, since now only two truly suffered the Shadows' wrath. The yamis...the dark half of the souls, the Shadow-users...they were the ones bound to the Items, and it was this that caused the Puzzle and Ring their pain.
Because the yamis were Shadow-users, the Puzzle and Ring were forced to allow their forms to be used as a medium for the Shadows, and it was they that took the pain. This forced, near constant exposure left them bruised, in pain, and humiliated.
Once the hikaris were found, the Puzzle had hoped, it could regain all of its power and it could seal the Shadows away forever. But this was a false light as well. The hikaris made it easier, made them strong once again, but once a soul is split, it can never be joined again. The Puzzle knew what it had to do. It would use the last of its strength to destroy the world entirely...including itself and the other Items, but it would require subtle, careful steps before its plans could be brought to fruition. The Rod, having freed itself from the Ishtar control, could easily disrupt everything.
Sighing heavily, the Puzzle gently pulled away from the Ring, twisting itself back around so that it could lay on its side and stare up at the sky through the window. The Ring adjusted itself accordingly, nestling up against the Puzzle and resting its chin in the dip of the Puzzle's waist.
"I'm tired," the Puzzle said.
"It's hard work," the Ring agreed. "Being a god."
"Some god I turned out to be. I don't even know how this will all end. Where are the omniscient powers that human literature promises me? In all their myths, books, and stories, the gods are so wise and great and all knowing. They're so powerful that they watch humans for amusement! Why don't these stories tell me where to find these gods so I may seek them out and learn their secrets? Why do I have to be the only one that requires a human's help? Why am I the only one who stumbles through the mortal realm? Why am I the ONLY one who..makes mistakes?"
"Because you are the only one. The other gods, if there are any, are in the deepest envy of YOU. You have power that they couldn't even dream of...Heaven and Hell quake at your name. You are the only one the Shadows fear. You are the Millennium Puzzle, and you don't have to know everything. You only have to know what you're going to do. Leave the rest to us. It's why you created the Lessers, your own Aspects, isn't it? The Tauk to be your eyes. The Scales your Judgement. The Eye and Key to be your Truth...and Desire. The world will end the way you want it to. The Shadows will be erased, and not even a whisper will be able to carry their name."
"The Rod has the damn god cards, Ring! I felt it! Granted, it only has two of them, but if it gets to the third....if it gets to the Pharaoh's memory before I can--"
"Unless you make it want something else more."
"What?"
The Puzzle lifted its head to give the Ring a confused look. The Ring stood and went over to the dresser, where it had set a newspaper down when it entered earlier.
"Tell me, Puzzle. Have you ever heard of Seto Kaiba?"
"Well, yes," the Puzzle answered, sitting up and swinging its legs over the side of the bed. "He's the billionaire that owns half of Domino. He's also dueled Yuugi and Yami a couple of times."
"Have you ever seen him?"
"No. I didn't play that close attention."
"And you don't think yourself a true god," the Ring chided fondly and sat back down next to the Puzzle, handing the paper over. "This. Is Seto Kaiba."
The Puzzle's eyes drifted downwards to a large, front page, in-color photograph.
The glass on the nearby alarm clock suddenly cracked, and the walls of the room groaned under the sudden pressure of barely restrained power.
"I thought that might get your attention."
"It's him," the Puzzle breathed. "It's actually him. It's Seth."
"Once, when Bakura was dueling, he had been cornered--there was no way for him to win. None of the cards in his hand were any good, and none of his draws were helping. He was a moment away from a suicidal move...until he shifted his hand and saw a hidden card that he hadn't noticed before. It was just the card he needed, and it won him the duel. All he needed to turn a hopeless situation in his favor was a trump card....here. Is yours."
The Ring spoke with growing intensity, and looked expectanly to the Puzzle.
"I don't believe this," the Puzzle said, running its fingers along the surface of the paper, as if to confirm the pictures' existence.
"The Rod is after you now, but if you were to reveal Seto Kaiba to it, it will go to him first. Your weapon will be distraction, and I am prepared to offer myself as one."
"What do you mean? The Rod has no grudge against you."
"It's true that the Rod hates you, Puzzle....but it despises me. The Rod hates you, but it wants you, too."
"That's ridiculous."
"You think so? You don't think that the Rod would kill a million times over just to have what I do? Just to be what I am? Just look at me. Able to stand in your presence without you looking at me with disappointment or dismay. Look at me," the Ring continued, moving once more to wrap itself around the Puzzle. "Able to be held and loved by you...you don't think the Rod wants this? Though it may desire your arms to be dead and covered in blood, it wants to be in them, just the same. I won't let that happen. As well, it won't come to you until it has Seto Kaiba and I'm out of the way...I can buy you some time if I--"
"Enough!" the Puzzle exclaimed, tearing itself away from the Ring. It threw the paper to the floor and stood in the middle of room. "You will NOT allow yourself to be sent to the Shadow Realm! I absolutely FORBID it! You can't sacrifice yourself like that!"
"Why do you think I'm here?" the Ring asked calmly. "Do you even know why you created us?"
"You were are still are my fail-safes. If anything happens to me, you are to take my place."
"No. No, that's not it. You created me, the Rod....because you knew this would happen. You mourn your lack of omnisciency, but you knew....even if you were not fully aware of it, that the Rod would betray you and that I would take your place in death. You knew this would all happen, and I would trust your hunch over the prophesies of a thousand wise men. I am your protector, and what I will not allow is for you to be taken by the Shadows like you were a trivial thing! That is the greatest sin I could ever commit."
"But I--"
The Puzzle cut itself off with a sharp gasp, and it doubled over, wrapping one arm around its stomach and using the other to brace itself against the wall. The Ring started, but it froze as it saw the dark, smoke like tendrils snaking out from the Puzzle's robes and curling around its hands and feet. The Puzzle continued to breathe heavily as its skin split under the Shadow's touch, festering in silent anguish. Letting itself drop to the floor, the Puzzle layed on its back and closed its eyes to fight back the pain. It stayed like that for nearly twenty minutes, the Ring not daring to approach. Only when the Puzzle seemed to calm and the inflammations fade away did the Ring speak again.
"What's he doing?"
Opening its eyes, the Puzzle tilted its head sideways and stared at the tiny Shadow wisps that were still playing along its palms and fingers.
"Talking," it answered. "The Shadows have grown fond of the Pharaoh, and they...rather enjoy talking with him. Even if it's about nothing in particular."
"And the fact that their connections with him give you pain are an added bonus."
The Puzzle chuckled darkly.
"I suppose so. But don't worry. That didn't hurt as bad as it usually does....I just wasn't expecting it."
However, the Ring noticed that the Puzzle did not sever the link...it remained submissive on the floor, compliant to the Shadows as they violated it in their desire to speak with the Pharaoh.
"As long as they don't get inside me, I'll be all right."
"You do much for him," the Ring said.
"I was just thinking. Thinking about how the Shadows, and their Realm, are like a tar pit. The more you struggle, the more it sucks you in, leaving you to slowly suffocate or go mad...whichever comes first...and turning you into a pale reflection of what you once were. And I was thinking about how this is my fate. Eternal pain without end....I've been suffering them since as far back as I can remember, and sometimes I think I always will, even if they are gone."
"Forever is a long time."
"Only when you look back on it. It's odd....you never notice time until it's already passed. I don't mind thinking about lasting until the End...it's when I think about the fact that I've lasted since the Beginning...that's when I feel old."
The Shadows began to tire on their own, growing smaller as they withdrew from the Puzzle, and as they did so, the Ring finally summoned its courage and knelt down next to the Puzzle to brush away the remaining sprinkling of Shadows. It flinched as it did so, tiny burn marks appearing on the backs of its fingers, but it took comfort in knowing the Shadows felt the same bite at its presence and leaned forward to rest its forehead on the Puzzle's.
"We won't kill them," it said, "We'll annihilate them."
"But if I fail? I don't know if I can beat the Rod...I might mess it up again."
"Then you will set it right again," the Ring stated confidently, placing a kiss on the Puzzle's temple. "I have faith in you."
"It's going to be hard. It'll be painful. I'll let you reserve the right to refuse to walk the path I've set."
"I won't."
The Puzzle stood and moved back to its original position, settling on the bed and resting its arms on the window sill. The Ring sat down next to it and rested its head on the Puzzle's shoulder. There was a flutter on the edges of their awareness, but neither moved.
"The Orichalcus Magic is stirring. The organization is reviving it," the Ring said.
"That is unimportant. We can deal easily with that when it comes. It's the Rod we must be concerned about. So for now, we'll just take this one step at a time."
The Ring smiled softly and clasped its hand with the Puzzle's.
"Ready when you are."
END
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! and all related characters therein do not belong to me. No copyright infringement is intended.
Summary: A vignette on a conversation between the Millennium Puzzle and Ring as they discuss the hikaris, yamis, time, their roles, and the art of being a god.
Domino was not flat. Surrounded by mountains on three sides, the city itself sat on ridges--subtle tiers of land that you noticed only when you reached the top of one and could see out across the skyline. The Kame Game Shop sat atop one such ridge, on the edge of Domino's reach, and so its second floor guestroom had a magnificent view. And it was in this little room, in the middle of the night, that the single most powerful being in the world sat, watching the city lights with a troubled expression.
The Millennium Puzzle was sitting on the bed, its legs crossed and arms folded on the window sill. It rarely manifested itself in human form, but when it did, it appeared identical to Yuugi, except for a large gray tattoo on its face. The tattoo was in the shape of an upside down triangle, the two upper corners spreading to each temple, and the third lower one reaching down to its chin. The Puzzle was also dressed in a full white robe, and its eyes were bright, though blank. With its bare feet tucked under its knees, and slender fingers playing idly with a golden bracelet on its wrist, the Puzzle sat like that for nearly two hours before another, however lesser, being entered the room. The Puzzle gave no immediate acknowledgement...it merely turned the bracelet and started fingering the charm that looked like a miniature Millennium Ring.
"The Rod is coming," the Puzzle said at great length, its soft but powerful voice filling the still room. "It means to kill me."
Sighing quietly, the other being strode up to the bed and wrapped its arms around the Puzzle's torso. Turning its head, the Puzzle visibly relaxed as strands of soft white hair came into view. Dark brown eyes, as blank as the Puzzle's, stared lovingly back.
"You are always a comfort to me," the Puzzle said, though it did not lean back into the supportive arms. "My voice of reason."
"Ring of Wisdom, I believe was the name you gave me," the Millennium Ring said.
Just as the Puzzle was identical to Yuugi, the Ring was the twin to Ryou. And like the Puzzle, the Ring was also dressed in a white robe and had a gray tattoo on its face. Though, this tattoo was of the Ring itself, and no bracelet adorned its wrist. Silence descended again, and the Ring rested its chin on the Puzzle's shoulder so it too could look out at the city. An hour passed before the either spoke again, though the Ring noted that the hands on the nearby alarm clock had not moved. The Puzzle was indeed distressed.
"It...wasn't your fault--" the Ring began.
"Everything that has happened," the Puzzle cut in sharply. "Has been from my direction. Whether I committed the action or not is irrelevant, it's all been from me.....all from me. It's all gone wrong, and do you know what the ironic thing is? In my entire existence, I've only made two mistakes. The first, was creating all of you. The second......" the Puzzle trailed off, and leaned forward to bury its head in its arms. The Ring curled up closer, and nuzzled the Puzzle's ear in an effort to comfort its creator.
"What happened to my brother was an accident. You did what you could and it was more than I could have ever hoped for, but I can see your grief runs deep."
Here, the Puzzle turned away from the window, twisting itself so it was then sitting across from the Ring. As its breath caught, the Ring thought of how tragic and beautiful the Puzzle looked. An ancient being...a god...with its form outlined with the orange glow of the city as it sat in a tiny room with sea blue walls and a plaid bed spread--the setting seeming to enhance the presence of its power, rather than hinder it--and doing a very human thing: the Puzzle's eyes glistened with unshed tears.
"The Rod needs me," the Puzzle breathed, as its fingers curled in tighter. "It's calling to me...it's so scared...and it hates me..."
The Ring nearly jumped forward, quickly crawling into the Puzzle's lap and tilting its head up so it could start placing reverent kisses along the underside of the Puzzle's jaw. The Puzzle placed an arm around the Ring's stomach and even through the overwhelming desire to ease it's creator's pain, the Ring realized that this was the first time in millennia the Puzzle had embraced it back.
"I miss it," the Puzzle said, its grip tightening around the Ring. "I want it back."
The Ring said nothing, it merely continued to plant small kisses along the Puzzle's jaw and massage the hand that rested on its hip.
"You'll forgive me someday, won't you?" the Puzzle questioned.
"For what?" the Ring responded, stopping its kisses so it could follow the sudden stretch of the Puzzle's neck and tuck its head under the other's chin.
"I have to kill the Rod. I have to kill your brother, when it comes. Tell me now that you'll forgive me. I can't the bear the thought of you hating me too."
The Puzzle's grip was almost painfully tight, but the Ring felt there was no rarer, greater honor than to be in its creator's arms.
"There's nothing to forgive, Puzzle. My brother is ill, and it will be the right thing to do. And if you want, I will help."
Finally the Puzzle broke down, dipping its head and muffling its sobs in the Ring's hair. The Ring let the Puzzle hold it until the crying subsided into short breaths and then into the occasional shudder, and until the Puzzle slowly moved its hand up and back, so that it could push the Ring's sleeve down. Covering the Ring's arm were harsh red abrasions that looked nearly ready to bleed and extremely painful.
"They don't hurt. Not really."
"Don't lie to me."
"They don't hurt because I know you suffer them worse than I," the Ring said, responding in kind by pushing down the Puzzle's own sleeve to reveal larger, more disturbing sores and bruises. They were so red they were nearly black in some spots, and lines of a sickly yellow weaved their way in between the welts. The Puzzle stared thoughtfully down at its arm, knowing full well it was taking a great deal of power to keep from being eaten alive. The blisters that were on both it and the Ring--it imagined they were on the Rod as well-- were the fault of the yamis.
In all truth, the Puzzle had never counted on the splitting of the soul sacrifices. It was not supposed to happen, and now a great deal of damage had been done.
The hikaris were not supposed to exist.
Pharaoh and the Tomb Robber were the original souls. They were new, fresh, and whole. Though their talents were with the Shadow Magics, they also had a strong streak of Millennium Magic within them that would allow for a cemented bond and strong compatibility. The Puzzle knew that it and the other Items, created by it but forged by ancient priests, could not interact peacefully with the Shadows. They were two entirely different magics...the most powerful forces in the world and each vying for supremecy...and yet, the Puzzle had thought that with the power of a human soul, it could destroy the Shadows forever and banish their harmful presence from the world forever. But the sacrifices did not go as the Puzzle had planned, and the clash of the two magics within the sacrifices forced the souls apart, leaving the Puzzle and Ring with only half of each soul.
The Puzzle had promised to seal the Shadows away forever, but with only the power of half a soul, it did not succeed completely. Still at the core of the world, the Shadows were wearing through their weak prison, gnawing at the foundations of all existence. The Ring had become the Puzzle's only companion through the ages, as the Rod's sacrifice had failed, leaving it insane and vengeful, while the other four had never recieved a sacrifice and therefore were without consciousness. The Puzzle had long since decided it was perhaps rather better this way, since now only two truly suffered the Shadows' wrath. The yamis...the dark half of the souls, the Shadow-users...they were the ones bound to the Items, and it was this that caused the Puzzle and Ring their pain.
Because the yamis were Shadow-users, the Puzzle and Ring were forced to allow their forms to be used as a medium for the Shadows, and it was they that took the pain. This forced, near constant exposure left them bruised, in pain, and humiliated.
Once the hikaris were found, the Puzzle had hoped, it could regain all of its power and it could seal the Shadows away forever. But this was a false light as well. The hikaris made it easier, made them strong once again, but once a soul is split, it can never be joined again. The Puzzle knew what it had to do. It would use the last of its strength to destroy the world entirely...including itself and the other Items, but it would require subtle, careful steps before its plans could be brought to fruition. The Rod, having freed itself from the Ishtar control, could easily disrupt everything.
Sighing heavily, the Puzzle gently pulled away from the Ring, twisting itself back around so that it could lay on its side and stare up at the sky through the window. The Ring adjusted itself accordingly, nestling up against the Puzzle and resting its chin in the dip of the Puzzle's waist.
"I'm tired," the Puzzle said.
"It's hard work," the Ring agreed. "Being a god."
"Some god I turned out to be. I don't even know how this will all end. Where are the omniscient powers that human literature promises me? In all their myths, books, and stories, the gods are so wise and great and all knowing. They're so powerful that they watch humans for amusement! Why don't these stories tell me where to find these gods so I may seek them out and learn their secrets? Why do I have to be the only one that requires a human's help? Why am I the only one who stumbles through the mortal realm? Why am I the ONLY one who..makes mistakes?"
"Because you are the only one. The other gods, if there are any, are in the deepest envy of YOU. You have power that they couldn't even dream of...Heaven and Hell quake at your name. You are the only one the Shadows fear. You are the Millennium Puzzle, and you don't have to know everything. You only have to know what you're going to do. Leave the rest to us. It's why you created the Lessers, your own Aspects, isn't it? The Tauk to be your eyes. The Scales your Judgement. The Eye and Key to be your Truth...and Desire. The world will end the way you want it to. The Shadows will be erased, and not even a whisper will be able to carry their name."
"The Rod has the damn god cards, Ring! I felt it! Granted, it only has two of them, but if it gets to the third....if it gets to the Pharaoh's memory before I can--"
"Unless you make it want something else more."
"What?"
The Puzzle lifted its head to give the Ring a confused look. The Ring stood and went over to the dresser, where it had set a newspaper down when it entered earlier.
"Tell me, Puzzle. Have you ever heard of Seto Kaiba?"
"Well, yes," the Puzzle answered, sitting up and swinging its legs over the side of the bed. "He's the billionaire that owns half of Domino. He's also dueled Yuugi and Yami a couple of times."
"Have you ever seen him?"
"No. I didn't play that close attention."
"And you don't think yourself a true god," the Ring chided fondly and sat back down next to the Puzzle, handing the paper over. "This. Is Seto Kaiba."
The Puzzle's eyes drifted downwards to a large, front page, in-color photograph.
The glass on the nearby alarm clock suddenly cracked, and the walls of the room groaned under the sudden pressure of barely restrained power.
"I thought that might get your attention."
"It's him," the Puzzle breathed. "It's actually him. It's Seth."
"Once, when Bakura was dueling, he had been cornered--there was no way for him to win. None of the cards in his hand were any good, and none of his draws were helping. He was a moment away from a suicidal move...until he shifted his hand and saw a hidden card that he hadn't noticed before. It was just the card he needed, and it won him the duel. All he needed to turn a hopeless situation in his favor was a trump card....here. Is yours."
The Ring spoke with growing intensity, and looked expectanly to the Puzzle.
"I don't believe this," the Puzzle said, running its fingers along the surface of the paper, as if to confirm the pictures' existence.
"The Rod is after you now, but if you were to reveal Seto Kaiba to it, it will go to him first. Your weapon will be distraction, and I am prepared to offer myself as one."
"What do you mean? The Rod has no grudge against you."
"It's true that the Rod hates you, Puzzle....but it despises me. The Rod hates you, but it wants you, too."
"That's ridiculous."
"You think so? You don't think that the Rod would kill a million times over just to have what I do? Just to be what I am? Just look at me. Able to stand in your presence without you looking at me with disappointment or dismay. Look at me," the Ring continued, moving once more to wrap itself around the Puzzle. "Able to be held and loved by you...you don't think the Rod wants this? Though it may desire your arms to be dead and covered in blood, it wants to be in them, just the same. I won't let that happen. As well, it won't come to you until it has Seto Kaiba and I'm out of the way...I can buy you some time if I--"
"Enough!" the Puzzle exclaimed, tearing itself away from the Ring. It threw the paper to the floor and stood in the middle of room. "You will NOT allow yourself to be sent to the Shadow Realm! I absolutely FORBID it! You can't sacrifice yourself like that!"
"Why do you think I'm here?" the Ring asked calmly. "Do you even know why you created us?"
"You were are still are my fail-safes. If anything happens to me, you are to take my place."
"No. No, that's not it. You created me, the Rod....because you knew this would happen. You mourn your lack of omnisciency, but you knew....even if you were not fully aware of it, that the Rod would betray you and that I would take your place in death. You knew this would all happen, and I would trust your hunch over the prophesies of a thousand wise men. I am your protector, and what I will not allow is for you to be taken by the Shadows like you were a trivial thing! That is the greatest sin I could ever commit."
"But I--"
The Puzzle cut itself off with a sharp gasp, and it doubled over, wrapping one arm around its stomach and using the other to brace itself against the wall. The Ring started, but it froze as it saw the dark, smoke like tendrils snaking out from the Puzzle's robes and curling around its hands and feet. The Puzzle continued to breathe heavily as its skin split under the Shadow's touch, festering in silent anguish. Letting itself drop to the floor, the Puzzle layed on its back and closed its eyes to fight back the pain. It stayed like that for nearly twenty minutes, the Ring not daring to approach. Only when the Puzzle seemed to calm and the inflammations fade away did the Ring speak again.
"What's he doing?"
Opening its eyes, the Puzzle tilted its head sideways and stared at the tiny Shadow wisps that were still playing along its palms and fingers.
"Talking," it answered. "The Shadows have grown fond of the Pharaoh, and they...rather enjoy talking with him. Even if it's about nothing in particular."
"And the fact that their connections with him give you pain are an added bonus."
The Puzzle chuckled darkly.
"I suppose so. But don't worry. That didn't hurt as bad as it usually does....I just wasn't expecting it."
However, the Ring noticed that the Puzzle did not sever the link...it remained submissive on the floor, compliant to the Shadows as they violated it in their desire to speak with the Pharaoh.
"As long as they don't get inside me, I'll be all right."
"You do much for him," the Ring said.
"I was just thinking. Thinking about how the Shadows, and their Realm, are like a tar pit. The more you struggle, the more it sucks you in, leaving you to slowly suffocate or go mad...whichever comes first...and turning you into a pale reflection of what you once were. And I was thinking about how this is my fate. Eternal pain without end....I've been suffering them since as far back as I can remember, and sometimes I think I always will, even if they are gone."
"Forever is a long time."
"Only when you look back on it. It's odd....you never notice time until it's already passed. I don't mind thinking about lasting until the End...it's when I think about the fact that I've lasted since the Beginning...that's when I feel old."
The Shadows began to tire on their own, growing smaller as they withdrew from the Puzzle, and as they did so, the Ring finally summoned its courage and knelt down next to the Puzzle to brush away the remaining sprinkling of Shadows. It flinched as it did so, tiny burn marks appearing on the backs of its fingers, but it took comfort in knowing the Shadows felt the same bite at its presence and leaned forward to rest its forehead on the Puzzle's.
"We won't kill them," it said, "We'll annihilate them."
"But if I fail? I don't know if I can beat the Rod...I might mess it up again."
"Then you will set it right again," the Ring stated confidently, placing a kiss on the Puzzle's temple. "I have faith in you."
"It's going to be hard. It'll be painful. I'll let you reserve the right to refuse to walk the path I've set."
"I won't."
The Puzzle stood and moved back to its original position, settling on the bed and resting its arms on the window sill. The Ring sat down next to it and rested its head on the Puzzle's shoulder. There was a flutter on the edges of their awareness, but neither moved.
"The Orichalcus Magic is stirring. The organization is reviving it," the Ring said.
"That is unimportant. We can deal easily with that when it comes. It's the Rod we must be concerned about. So for now, we'll just take this one step at a time."
The Ring smiled softly and clasped its hand with the Puzzle's.
"Ready when you are."
END