Ryou thrashed frantically, the snaps around his waist snapping free as he made a mad attempt to free himself from the table. "No, no, please!" He was crying now, the orderlies' grip on either of his arms tightening until his fingers went numb, pressed back down onto the gurney so forcefully his shoulders wrenched. "You have to let me go!"

"You have to hold him down, he'll tear open his bandages," the doctor said sternly, calling above Ryou's frantic shouts to be released, unphased as though he were used to this. The assistants doubled their efforts, blood staining their gloved hands from the innumerable seeping gashes that covered what seemed to be every inch of exposed flesh.

There was a tense moment when the doctor withdrew the hypo easily from his breast pocket, and Ryou went still like a prey animal caught in the gaze of a bloodthirsty beast. "No, please.." he begged again, a soft plea that went ignored.

The needle squirted some clear liquid into the air, the opposing hand lowering itself towards the pale boy's arm, pricking the skin. It didn't hurt. It felt like a wave of ice being forced into his nerves, dulling everything it touched as it spread throughout his body like a tidal wave of tranquility.

All the hope and defiance drained from his scarred face, mutilated limbs going slack instantly. As the nurses released him, his relaxed arms dangled off the edge of the trolley despite his efforts to raise them before his face. Just to make sure they were still there, because they certainly didn't feel attached to him anymore.

Ryou peered blearily up at the people surrounding him through his twin blackened mocha eyes, head drooping to one side against his will. "Why can't you let me go?" he muttered, and they ignored him quite completely, shuffling to about fixing his bindings and starting to push him down the identical white hallways.

"Finish, Dr. Sato," said a man's voice curtly, followed by some shuffling of papers and an awkward apology from a gentler woman's voice.

"Yes doctor. The patient has what appear to be cuts from some sort of knife across the arms, legs, chest and face, as well as multiple contusions and abrasions. The lack of injury on the back suggests them all self-inflicted, an extreme reaction to chronic depression left untreated-"

"They're not self-inflicted.." argued the boy softly, heavy-lidded eyes blinking frantically to keep himself awake. They had to listen. "Please.."

Suddenly there was a face over his, slipping in and out of focus as he recognized one of the nurses. He smiled stupidly at them, relief coursing through his body - or perhaps it was just the drugs. "We're going to help you, Bakura-san."

Ryou frowned, shaking his head and causing the numbing medicine to swim about his skull, dazing him further. "I'm.. not Bakura.. Bakura-sama.." he trailed off, tongue too thick to allow him to finish.

The nurse continued his soothing words, assuring him gently. "It's alright, we'll help you," he said amicably. "Just tell us what you nee-"

"Abe, I've told you before, this is not the time and place, you will only get him worked up again. Get out of here," the doctor's angry voice snapped, and the man slipped out of view with an apologetic sigh.

Ryou faded in and out of consciousness as they checked him over, barely registering the prodding and poking as though he were nothing more than an interesting specimen. None of them spoke a further word to him, even when he started getting more alert while the sedative began to wear off, leaving his head unpleasantly clear with enough room for the panic to set in again.

They were just sitting him up when he came back fully, an assistant gently fitting his now fully rebandaged arms within a tight-fitting straightjacket, and he could feel his fingertips slightly raw where they had apparently cut his nails.

Ryou moved just as they secured the buckles and they released their hold on him, letting him slide free of their hands. Briefly he wondered why, but discovered the reason once his eyes adjusted to his new surroundings. He was in a simple stark room, nothing but four walls, a ceiling and a floor to the entire place, with every inch white and covered in protective cushions.

"No," he whispered, turning back to the assistants, only to see the equally plush door shutting with a click as the bolt secured. He threw himself bodily at the door, barely making a sound as the soft padding protected him, crying out for the doctors. "No, please, you can't leave me alone here with him!" And then the room was thrust into shadow, the single light above flicking off.

But not all was dark for Ryou. He turned to the far wall and the source of the hazy glow, knowing full well what it was. The transparent double of himself stood with his unscathed arms crossed, his beautiful skin untarnished and angry crimson eyes without bruises. His lips were curled in a twisted grin.

All Ryou could do was cower against the closed door, trembling so violently that the buckles on his jacket clicked together. The doppleganger approached slowly, until he was inches from him and crouched down to the terrified boy's level, running a ghostly hand over his tousled silver hair. "Hush," he said in a silky, charming voice that didn't reach his fridgid eyes. "You know they won't help you."

There was nothing he could say. Ryou bit down on his lower lip timidly, head ducked submissively and wide, fearful eyes locked on the specter. Satisfied that Ryou was not going to say anything, the ghostly figure continued, standing and beginning to pace around the cell. "So. Here we are, alone."

Ryou said nothing again. The spirit turned to face him. "Aren't you glad, yadonushi? Now there's no school to get in the way of our fun. No little friends coming to check on you, no meddlesome father to stick his nose in places it doesn't belong."

The double was before Ryou again, lowering his icy hand to caress his battered cheek. Without warning, he raked his nails across the already scarred face, leaving four messy gashes behind in their wake. Blood trickled down his jawline, hitting his shoulder with a soft patter. Ryou winced, but made no sound.

"No stupid little host to keep running off at every opportunity, to get away from me," the spirit continued scathingly, fury dripping from his voice like poison. "Well, that's over and done with. You can't go anywhere now, yadonushi. And we can play all we want."

He ran his intangible tongue over Ryou's cheek, sweeping up the scarlet fluid and licking his lips. "You just had to tell your father. But I'm glad you did, everything about this works out in my favor. It'll just be you and me, yadonushi, until your last breath."

"And that will be a very, very long time." The ghost reached his hands out wrapping his fingers around the boy's pale neck and gently squeezing. Ryou shut his eyes. "Although, now I don't have to hold back anymore."

Ryou's eyes snapped open again in alarmed surprise, meeting eyes with the spirit. Holding back. "B-Bakura-sam-?"

The doctors outside heard the screams that followed, but brushed them off as the everyday ravings of madmen that they were used to.