Chapter one: This meeting I can't forget
Nothing... absolutely nothing, this is what I feel.
I can see, yet I'm obviously blind... I can hear, yet I must be deaf, and I can feel, but I'm not supposed to feel anything...
Is this what death is like? Floating in this forever calm ocean, just resting in this peaceful bliss?
Why am I here?
Oh...
I remember now, my emotions got the better of me. I died because I wanted to be with Bakura... I can't find him though... if this is my supposed paradise, why am I stuck here alone?
Why can I hear nothing but the painful beat in my heart?
Why do I see nothing but ocean and sky, ocean and sky?
Why do I feel nothing but these cold icy droplet's of tears running down my face?
It almost makes me wonder...
Wonder if I made the right choice...
The right choice of what again?
I shiver of panic crawls down my spine, as I think of the impossible. Could I be losing my memories... my past thoughts? I've been doing this for the past... few... days now, repeating everything in my mind. Even the awful memories, ones I have tried time and time again to forget.
But I can't forget, for that was a part of my life. It will always stay with me, not because I want it to, but because I have to...
Alright.
Name? Ryou Bakura.
Age? Seventeen.
Birthday? December 13th.
Father? Ryo Bakura.
Mother? Ren Bakura.
Favorite food? Cream puffs.
Favorite subject? Art and English.
...
What am I missing...?
Ryou...
I gasp slightly at the familiar voice... I can feel my whole body tense up and hear the whimpers escaping my throat. "No... not here, not now..." I sob, sinking to my knees and curling up into a small ball, "You can't come here, you can't hurt me... not here... not now... stay away... stay away... Bakura-sama... stay... away..."
No matter how much I chant, and wish... it doesn't stop what comes next.
The memories... always come...
Showing themselves in the mirror surface of the pure water... and I'm too helpless... I can do nothing but watch with anguish...
"Daddy?" A small boy asked. A snowy white head peaked in the small, cramped study, giggling softly after discovering his 'lost' father sleeping deeply beneath stacks of his research and desk trinkets. "DADDY!!!"
"Huzzat?!" The tall man gasped, snapping out of his precious sleep. His deep brown eyes darted around the room until they landed on the small five year-old boy grinning joyously. Such innocence that seemed to radiate off of him, the man, his father, could not help but smile warmly.
"Ryou." He growled playfully, "Why did you interrupt my research?"
The small child stood there shocked for a moment almost sure that his father was indeed mad at him, his suspicions were evaporated when he saw the giant smile on his father's face.
Silly daddy trying to be scary... The boy giggled in his mind.
"You told me to wake you up at lunch time, because you had the bestest birthday present for me!" The smaller one chirped.
"Not just the 'bestest birthday present..." His father started.
"THE BESTEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD!!!" They finished together. They broke out laughing and several minutes later, after they calmed down, Ryo Bakura opened his desk drawer and pulled out a brown paper package. He had meant to wrap it with wrapping paper like his wife suggested, but he didn't see the need, and Ryou never seemed to mind anyway.
Ryou bounced all the way over, a smile so happy that you would almost think it was invented by him and only him.
Widely known as: The Ryou smile.
Ryo handed the package to his son, and smiled gently as he watched Ryou take the package, and unwrap the gift with such time and care. It was a special gift after all, so every part of it had to be saved and treated carefully. The brown paper and string were placed gently on the desk top and he started prying the white and blue lid off the box slowly. Every moment had to be treasured, the blue tissue paper was the next to go, careful not to tear it in anyway. The child gasped in surprise and delight as he saw the most beautiful piece of jewelry he had ever known. What laid before him was a smooth, solid gold ring. A flat triangle lay in the middle with the eye of Ra staring back at him. Dangling from the bottom of the ring hung five spikes.
A leather rope was tied to the top, showing the obvious hint of it being a necklace.
"It's so pretty daddy..." The boy whispered in awe. It looks like it costed a lot of monies too... He looked up into his father's face, doubt and hesitation clearly shown, "Are you sure I can keep it daddy?"
Ryo stared at him baffled for a moment, "It is your present Ryou, if you don't want it, you don't have to keep it..."
"Nonononono!! I want it! I want it!" The white-haired chibi cried in protest, hugging the ring to his chest.
The professor let out a deep laugh and ruffled the small boy's hair. "Alright, alright you can keep it. Just make sure to take very good care of it, don't ever take it off." The small boy nodded hastily. "Okay then, you wait here, your mother and I have to get your cake, and the rest of your presents." He chuckled.
"Yes, and we were supposed to do that hours ago." A feminine voice sang. The two males both turned to see an angel of a person standing tall and proud in the doorway. Her long, snowy-white hair braided back and decorated with the new flowers from her garden. Her clear blue eyes sparkled with love, happiness, mischief, and something else. That something was, also something Ryou could never figure out. His mother walked with such grace, you would almost mistake her for royalty, a calm gentle smile was on her face like always, he had hardly ever seen his mother frown.
Ryo smiled apologetically and walked over to her, and taking her hand gently, he steered her away and towards the door. "Ryou honey, don't go any where until we get back."
"Yes mother."
"Ryou are you sure your friends were so busy that they couldn't come over?"
"...Yes mother."
"That's too bad... I was hoping to meet them soon."
"I know."
"Well, you be good sweet-heart."
"I will..."
"Make sure to bring your friends over next time." She finished after the closed the front door.
"Ryou will mother, but Ryou needs friends first..." The boy said sadly.
But nobody heard him, because there was nobody there to listen...
"Ryou, did you finish your bath?" His mother, Ren, asked.
"Yes mother!" The boy called. He made a few desperate sounds as he struggled with his pajama top, his favorite one with little soccer balls printed all over the blue fabric. It was becoming too small for him, but he couldn't let it go... eventually he would just use the pants... but they were soccer printed, and soccer was pretty much his life.
He crawled into his bed, and pulled the white blanket around him, almost making a sort of hill shaped cocoon. He let out an adorable yawn before his heavy eye-lids become too much for his will power, and he fell asleep.
If anyone else was in the room at the time, they would have noticed the soft glow coming from the hole under the covers...
'Where am I?' He wondered.
'I don't remember coming here before... is this a dream?'
'This is the soul hall, it's what keeps our soul rooms together, yet separate.' A bored voice said from the distance. 'Strange, you are the first one to enter here and not run screaming... does this place not frighten you?'
Behind me... Ryou turned around, and his eyes opened in shock as he stared at...himself.
Himself in five years time perhaps.
'W-what?'
'Ugh, your lack of attention angers me greatly. You are surrounded by hundreds of dark souls, dreams, betrayal and lies. Does this not scare you?'
Ryou glanced around them, and with a blank and clueless expression stated, 'This place looks like daddy's jello cake.'(1)
The older boy faltered slightly, but quickly regained his practiced stance. 'You have guts, I give you that much. So child tell me how you have acquired such an item as mine?'
'Item?'
'The ring!' The older one said with impatience, as if it were an obvious answer.
'Oh! Daddy gave it to me as a birthday present!' He replied, his childish smile back in place. It faded down a bit, after noticing the odd glint sweeping over the strange boy's eyes. It looked almost shocked, amused and hesitant at the same time.
The look quickly faded as the words sank in. 'Your father gave my confinement as a gift?! ... What is this 'birthday' you speak of anyway?'
'You don't know what a birthday is?' Ryou asked with pity in his voice.
The other noticed this and scowled, 'Is it such a crime to not know what this 'birthday' is?!'
'No! Um... a birthday is a holiday that celebrates the day you were born. You do know what a holiday is right?'
'Yes I know what a holiday is!' The other snapped harshly, causing the other to flinch.
The elder looked ashamed and with a gentler tone asked, 'For how long have I been sleeping? What is the year?'
'1992...'
The other looked up in shock, '1992?! I've been asleep that long... nearly an entire century has passed and I slept through it all?!'
This caused Ryou to laugh. 'A century? What are you anyways? You look like persons... but you said you came from the ring, right?'
'I believe so, and if not, yes. Again, yes, I am human... in a way...'
'In a way? That's like saying blue is close to becoming red, it's just not possible.'
'I am human, yet no longer an alive one.'
'You mean you're a ghost?' Ryou asked, surprising himself for saying it so calmly.
'Yes. I shall follow you till your dieing day, and then I will wait for the other carrier of the ring. What is your name child?'
'My... name...? It's Ryou. Ryou Bakura... what's yours?'
'My name is Bakura. Just Bakura.'
'Well Bakura, since we're here do you want to play?'
'Play?' Bakura looked thoughtful for a moment, before breaking out in a gentle smile, one that made Ryou automatically lock it and save it away. 'I don't see why not, what shall we play?'
'SOCCER!!!'
Bakura blinked dumbly, 'Sock...er? Ano... Is this some kind of sport in your time?'
'Yes! Soccer is also known as football in other places. Do you know how to play?'
'I do recall seeing the children in my home land playing 'football' but maybe you should explain the rules of this game to me anyway.'
'Soccer is a ball game, when I play we only have eleven peoples- that's this much.' Ryou showed up his hands and then held up one finger. He did not notice the amused chuckle escaping the elder's throat. 'You can't touch the ball with your hands, that's cheating and its not allowed, you kick the ball all the way over to the other side, and score it in the net.'
Ryou looked around sheepishly, 'Um... we don't seem to have any nets though...'
'That can be arranged...' Bakura smirked.
Before Ryou could protest, he could feel almost a throbbing sensation in his head, and the feeling of exposure. Why did he suddenly feel naked around his new friend. He did not know what this feeling was, though he did know one thing.
He didn't like it.
'Eh?! How did those get there?' The small boy turned his head forward and backward again. Two giant nets, made by the deep purple 'jello' stood proudly on either side.
'I created them, so, in total I am not allowed to touch the ball, only kick it?'
'You can use your head, and the rest of your body to touch and pass the ball, just not your hands.'
'I see...'
'Simple?' Ryou asked with a cute smile.
'Yes,' The elder replied, smiling down at him with a hidden meaning, 'Very simple...'
'I win!' The small boy cheered. Jumping up and down at Bakura's soccer net. The other white-haired boy came up panting behind him, trying to keep the scowl on his face but could not help but smile.
This child is so full of life I can do nothing but keep him happy...
With a wave of Bakura's hand the nets immediately melted back into their original place, Ryou squealing in delight and babbling something about 'living jello rocks!'.
'I am glad you enjoyed yourself Ryou, but I am afraid this is where we say good-bye for now.'
Ryou's soft brown eyes widened and with a hurtful cry said, 'No! Never good-bye! Good-bye's mean we don't see each other for a long time!'
'Then what should I say to you then?'
'Till we meet again!' The younger one chirped.
Another smile that lit the elder's face, and he marveled at how many times he has done that in such a short amount of time. 'Till we meet again then.'
'Till we meet again.' Ryou agreed. He looked up with a hopeful expression, 'Tomorrow?' He asked uncertain.
A chuckle, 'Fine I shall see you tomorrow small one.' He stood up straight, and holding the child's hand he lead him to two massive doors. 'The black and silver one is mine, the white and gold is yours. To leave you just have to go inside your soul room and sleep.'
'Alright.' He laughed, running through the open door. 'Remember Bakura, you promised. We play lots tomorrow, yep yep!'
Bakura watched in silence, staring at the now closed door. His smile disappearing and a thoughtful one taking over. Whatever the spirit was thinking about he did not like it, he didn't like anything that made him feel scared, even slightly. 'My Ra, Ryou, what are you doing to me?'
1) - I'm pretty sure you all can guess what a jello cake is right? Well I remember when my dad tried to make jello cake (honestly the only thing he can make sweet wise that doesn't go bad is fudge) he somehow managed to get dark purple and red jello all over the kitchen and whipped cream on the table... *sigh* dad is such a funny person to see make sweets :D
There I have the first part down, their meeting. And to those that are wondering, yes this will be a chapter like sequel so sorry for those who expected it to be a one shot!
Thank you for all your wondrous reviews, and I'm glad you all liked my ideas and different story line! I'm sorry some of you were expecting a happy ending like Bakura catching Ryou and then telling him how much he loves him and then it all just magically gets better. I'm sorry but this doesn't really happen. Yes, if I find that it is the best way I will make this a tragic ending, but if I find myself inspired to give Bakura some hope and to do what very few Bakura/Ryou authors have done, then I will make it a 'knock-your-socks-off-so-cute' happy ending. But I can't promise mushy happy endings, nor will this be a lemon!
Sorry, people just don't bang each other after announcing their love to that person who was also suffering hardships. I tend to not be that kind of author.
If you liked it enough to tell me what you thought then please review.
If you have ideas for me about mushy, cute, love scenes by all means don't be shy!
If you hate this fic and would like to see me pushed into a spike-filled pit while spitting at my bleeding and mutilated body...
Keep your words to yourselves, and just daydream!
Thank you and be sure to wait for more!