Some might say I'm an idiot for joining a writing competition during exams, but whatever. It may be the reason this is so bad, but it is definitely preferable to doing maths. … And if anyone asks it's practice for Lit.
Anyway, this is for round one of Compy's pairing contest for season 5. Let's play spot the psychoshipping now shall we.
Without further ado I give you:
The Pawn.
xxx
To say that it was an odd situation was saying the very least of it. Ryou didn't know what to think looking on from the brink of insanity. If it didn't hurt so much he might have been amused. As it was the opposite was the case. One thing was for sure though; he was never going to look at Shadows the same again.
xxx
He had heard that Battle City was to commence soon. He also knew that while there was a small chance he could be able to compete, he didn't want to. Not after what had happened last time. No. It was far safer to just observe. Get out of the path of temptation to say the least.
Of course, he wasn't going to be happy with this decision, but it wasn't his to make and in the long run how could it matter much? Knowing this and applying it are of course two completely different actions, and Ryou also knew that he would do just as he pleases.
But he would overcome that obstacle when it came up the best he could.
He was walking away from school, being the end of the school day, and brooding to himself. As much as he wanted to join the others he couldn't really risk it.
Or really he had far too much homework to catch up on. (Though Yugi had been complaining that he had been in hospital after all, they could let up on the load a bit. That had made him feel better in a turn about way, as his load couldn't possibly match.) Though it might be the start of the year, the teachers seemed to decide that joy in life wasn't necessary and piled it all on. But as tomorrow was Friday Ryou decided to be sociable then.
Permitting he didn't have other plans.
But Ryou never thought of that.
In fact, he didn't even as the days passed and it was time for Battle City to start and he was running late. He marvelled at the fact the spirit hadn't done anything yet. He had been a bit too quiet lately.
This was never a good sign.
He suppressed the more morbid of his thoughts as parts of the gang came into view. Of course Yugi and Joey were duelling, but he had arranged with Tea and Tristan to meet up during the tournament to watch the afore-mentioned two. Tea seemed annoyed, but that was probably because Tristan had ditched them to flirt with Serenity and he had been late.
It didn't take long for him to realise a quiet tournament was too much to hope for. As it only took him half a day to get separated and to run into trouble.
xxx
If screaming could have helped he would have. As it was it wasn't going to do much anyway. Just like how wrestling back control was a really bad idea in the long run.
The urge to scream stemmed from the fact the crazy Egyptian that the Spirit was associating with was holding a knife. And he didn't look like he was afraid to use it. Making himself as small as he could within hi mind, Ryou was spying on the 'meeting' the spirit was holding with the blonde. An alliance of enemies was never a good thing, and the two villains were aligning away.
Ryou smiled grimly. Villain was a good description of the Spirit. If their life was a role-play, that what he would be. The antagonist. Yugi would defiantly be the protagonist, but where did that leave him? What was he?
And he wasn't cowering. (Much) He'd learnt that he did have a smidge more control when the Spirit thought he was alone. Because everyone needs to be alone when making 'business plans.'
It was truly amazing some of the situations he found himself in when he thought about it, and how much he could get away with seeing. The Spirit probably knew though, and probably thought it was funny. For in reality Ryou could see as much as he wanted, Bakura didn't mind. It was most likely the side effect of a penalty game or something but Ryou would never remember what he did while being controlled. Not until much later. When he couldn't be much use to anyone.
And that hurt him most. That he couldn't help his friends. That he was apart of the antagonist group. That he was the pawn.
The pawn. That was what he was. The character that was quiet and manipulated to help the villains, the antagonists. The one who was used for the greater evil and couldn't do a thing about. The male equivalent of the damsel in distress.
Later on he remembered the Egyptian on the pier, the crazy blonde one. For he met him again. Under the Spirit's control of course. And the knife was out. Even in the corner of his mind it hurt. Dug into his arm the taint of Shadows was obvious. The knife clearly wasn't just a knife. A thankful blackness descended over him.
xxx
He too, had another to please. This other wasn't an ancient spirit, nor could he entirely call it himself. Of course for a good long while he didn't know he was pleasing anybody. Or had someone else to call and distinguish. But he was there all the same. It was also in hindsight he could say all this.
It was all apart of the plan. Befriend one of Yugi's gang and attack from within. Yes, that wasn't always the plan, but it was one of his better improvisations if he did say so himself.
Which he did.
However in the long run that was rather irrelevant. Of course the alliance proved to be a great asset in subterfuge, and injuring the acquaintance of his was just a way to assert his dominance. He was to be king after all.
It was much later on, when he saw what he had become; hanging on by a thread he caught a glimpse of the Shadows true power. Their gleeful sadistic power.
xxx
He found himself in a situation where he would like to scream again. Though it was for a different reason this time. It wouldn't dull the pain of course, but it would alert everyone around him that he was aware of it, even if he couldn't communicate with his surroundings any other way.
Wherever that was.
He knew the Spirit had something to do with it. What he did was sketchy in his mind but the Spirit had clear motives. Because why he would render his host body useless was a bad stratiegical move if you thought about it. So he had to have a plan. As there was another with him this was clear, but did that mean he had an accomplish? The blonde one, with a knife. He could faintly recall meeting him, never as himself though. Clearly the blonde wasn't up to any good, he could deduce that much.
His nonsensical thoughts were a welcome distraction, though he lost touch with even this amount of thought at that moment.
The next time he came to he was able to get in touch with his surroundings. The sudden change of setting from blackness and no thought to the top of something and pain was disorientating enough. Without the pain of a shadow inflicted wound. He really didn't feel too good. It might be the pawns time to shine, but he was still controlled. He couldn't tell of course, but Yugi seemed to get it from his pleas for mercy.
This time relief seemed to take an eternity to come. The Spirit 'saved' him again, but in doing so dragged him into the Shadow Realm with him. They weren't mad to see him, like they were for Bakura, but he could almost see the sadistic glee in what was in store for him.
For a third time he blacked out.
xxx
It all had come down to this. It was like the shadows couldn't think of a suitable punishment, so planting these thoughts in his head and watching these images was going to be it.
Too bad for him it was bloody effective!
The pain, the pain was nothing. Actually, the pain was preferable. Because watching your own body that way, with the enemy nonetheless, was just plain creepy beyond belief. Of course he knew it was suppose to be him. And he was crazy anyway if his behaviour with the eye in Duellist Kingdom was anything to go by. 'He' being the Spirit of course.
Then again, maybe this was better the being in agony. He could think clearly again and time wasn't as stilted as before but it was doing its job as a torture.
Ryou shuddered. He hated the Shadow Realm. His only consolation was that his friends would save him. Eventually. At least they understood that it wasn't really his fault. He was just the pawn after all. In any case the shadows knew too, as they weren't punishing him per say, but more 'having fun.'
It was almost worst.
The ironclad rule when it came to him was never to ask questions, to never under any circumstance wonder and dissect what he did. He hadn't even been aware there were two Mariks, but to pair the crazy one with his own sadistic one was almost ingenious if you tilted your head upside down in an alternative universe or were on crack. For that was the only way he could see either of them working together on a cause that wouldn't destroy the world.
… The shadows certainly had a good hold on him, for such thoughts to be even considered. He shook his head, trying to banish the sleepy lull that had descended over his mind. It was scary how much they tried to resemble bad poetry.
The clarity of the situation was astounding. The blonde man he hazily remembered from before was Marik. The enemy he remembered Yugi talking about before the Spirit decided to rendezvous with him. Or whatever it was he was doing before. He still couldn't quite remember, not that he actually wanted too.
He was sure the Shadows were laughing with sadistic glee now. Loudly.
The couple in question never turned to look at him. There was no acknowledgement. They didn't move from one another until Ryou felt himself being pulled from the Shadows into his body. Still in a bit of pain but rather hungry.
xxx
It was never explained to Ryou why the Spirit loved the Shadows so much. But even if it was a Shadow-fever-pain inflicted nightmare it did explain a lot. After all, the evil other was stuck there for all eternity. And he did look like he was enjoying it.
It was too out-of-character for two antagonists. But the pawn knew their little secret and although it was only one of the many things that scarred him, it did provide a, interesting, insight into what the Shadows were all about to the Spirits.