A/N: Hi! I wrote this for another request from a tumblr friend, and it's already one of my favorites. I loved writing about Ryou (and I meant to post it yesterday for his birthday, oops xD), and working on this DESTROYED MY FEELS so I might write more about him after I finish the requests I'm currently working on :D

This scene is from the manga, in the chapter when Ryou is introduced for the first time. It's a 1st person PoV of the scene of Ryou and the spirit meeting for the first time, so it is a direct continuation from there, and it makes many references to the chapter. I should probably mention that I also used some of the original quotes/lines. It really isn't THAT heavy or filled with horror, but I thought I should add the tags just to make sure.

I hope you all like it, because I had a lot of fun working on this!


"I hope we can all play together forever!"

His words were drifting through my mind as if they were my own thoughts. And, for a moment, I had to wonder what it really meant even though I knew it was true. I really wished for that once, and now it felt like a long time ago… Could that wish really be the cause of all of this? But how? And why? How could I have started anything like that?

I could feel my chest burning. The ring's claws were still attached my flesh, piercing my skin and making me bleed. I knew I was about to lose my strength; keeping my mind conscious and aware of what was happening was becoming hard, and even painful, but I had to keep my eyes open. I needed to focus on what he was trying to tell me and think clearly.

He claimed he made all my wishes come true, but I would never ask for this. I would never hurt someone myself, or wish for anyone to be hurt, and yet... I did say those words once. Deep inside, even now, all I always really wanted was to have friends who I could play and share my games with forever. Still, I could never even imagine any of this.

I hope we can all play together forever, I thought to myself again. I made that wish when I touched the ring for the first time. Was he listening even then? Did that wish… Really start everything?

"Well, then…" I heard his voice once more, "Since I'm feeling this great tonight, I'll pay my debt to you again…"

His voice stung harder than the rings ripping my skin. What was he going to do? Though I couldn't really understand what he was trying to achieve, it didn't matter. I couldn't let it keep going.

"What are you planning to do now?!"

After I yelled, the words echoed through my empty living room. I could hear his laugh in my head, and I knew he was getting excited. His euphoria exploded in my chest as if it was my own. Even though my wounds were still aching and I could barely move, I felt as if I could take on the world. I could feel everything. The pain, the anger, the resentment, and the anxiety for a moment that had finally come after what felt like forever.

And I needed to find a way to stop him before it was too late. I couldn't let him hurt anyone again.

"You don't want a haircut, do you? You might not believe it, but I do care about my master…" he mocked me, and the tone in his voice gave me chills. "And that gym teacher insulted my master…"

"No!" I screamed again. "Stop!"

No, no, no, no! I was getting desperate, but there was nothing I could do to fight him. My whole body started burning like fire, and then, suddenly, I was struck by complete numbness. After the pain had finally stopped, all the strength I had left was gone, and my mind was at the verge of giving in. I could barely stand anymore, and my eyes were closing even though I was fighting to stay awake.

"You should get some rest, master…"

His words were a faint whisper that I barely managed to understand. I didn't know who he was, or if he really was a part of me, but I couldn't let it keep happening. I couldn't let him keep hurting my friends and everyone around me, and I just couldn't—

The last thing I saw was the blurred image of someone who looked exactly like a distorted reflection of me.