Screaming…

Agony…

Fire…blood…

What was going on? The young child was caught amidst the chaos. Where was his father, mother, or sister? He had to find his family. He narrowly escaped being caught by a guard at one point; too caught up with the boy he used to play with all the time. Bakura couldn't stop him or help his friend. Escape was the priority.

He ran to the stairs leading underground. It seemed like that's where everyone was being taken. Maybe his father was there? He had to be. His father was strong; he could kill all these people attacking his home. He just had to be—the boy's thoughts froze there as he peeked around the corner, right when his father was being boiled alive into gold. Purple eyes widened and his hand gripped the stone wall. This couldn't be happening! Like the child he was, he started crying.

Immediately, a guard turned around to see him standing there. The guard smirked and brandished his sword, attacking the boy but only managing to slice above his eye and down his cheek. Bakura screamed and ran off, trying to get away. A couple guards even started to chase him before the high priest called them back. Some kind of dark presence started to attack them and he needed their assistance.

Bakura didn't even look back; he kept running and running until he made it to his own home. He hid under a table in a fetal position, crying to himself that this was only a bad dream and that everything will be ok. When he wakes up, Mother and Father would still be alive and his sister would play with him.

The King of Thieves was twitching in his sleep. The nightmare he experienced for years was racking his mind yet again. He gripped his pillow, groaning at images being shown to him yet again. He couldn't wake up; it was just too vivid of a dream.

A white snake slithered beside him, attempting to comfort his master with no such luck. Diabound knew exactly what was troubling the thief in his sleep. He felt so useless that he was in the form of a snake to take care of him at the moment. Perhaps now he should attempt to take on his humanoid form. It would only be temporary, seeing as the magic would take a bit out of the spiritual creature to maintain for a long time; but it would be a worthwhile price to help his master.

The reptile's body glowed softly, emitting a dim white light while his form slowly shifted. Newly formed arms and legs extended from the body as it thickened from a slender snake to an average human. His fingers curled just a bit and stretched his legs forward before sitting upwards. Long white hair cascaded down his shoulders and, before long, he was completely human. At least for the time being, he would be.

Diabound curled up beside his master, wrapping an arm over him and embracing him like a father would for his child. He made quiet, hushed sounds in an attempt to soothe the thief, to let him know everything was alright even in his troubled slumber. Before long, his breathing relaxed and he stopped moving altogether. Diabound hummed softly and kissed the man's cheek, just over his scar.

Slowly, purple eyes fluttered open. He took a moment to register that someone was here, and, once he did, he wriggled from the other's grasp. "Who are you?!" He growled angrily at the intruder. "How did you find me?!"

"Relax, Bakura, it's me…" Diabound said calmly, sitting up and running a hand through his hair.

"Who?" He narrowed his eyes.

Diabound chuckled a little before tilting his head in Bakura's direction. "Surely you know. I've been here all along. Diabound." He said bluntly

The thief king paused, taking awhile to let that sink in. Diabound was the snake that was by his side for all these years, and his only friend. "How…?" He didn't want to believe it, but somehow something told him to trust the stranger.

"A little bit of my own magic, I suppose you can say. It's rather complicated to explain." He shrugged and played with a loose strand of hair, intrigued by the texture. "I can't stay in this form for long."

"Why now? Why haven't you decided to look like a human before?" Bakura questioned.

Diabound stared at the strand of hair wrapped around his fingers. "I'm…not so sure…" He answered honestly. Why didn't he think about trying it before?

Reluctantly, Bakura crawled back to his makeshift bed, lying back down and motioning for Diabound to join him. Once he did, he wrapped his arms around his precious Ka much like a child not wanting to let go of his favorite stuffed toy. "It's nice that you're here though…you need to do this more often…" He buried his face in the crook of Diabound's neck and shoulder, causing him to hum softly at the warm breath along the sensitive spot.

"I shall try, My Master…" Long fingers ran through the thief's hair in a comforting manner, trying to soothe him. "Get some sleep…I promise I'll be a human again another time…" His kissed the crown of his head.

Bakura hesitated and clung to him tighter. He didn't want to go back to sleep, but it would be a good idea if he planned on stealing the next day. "Fine…don't leave me…" He murmured.

"I don't plan on it." Diabound replied gently, stroking the thief king's hair as he fell back asleep.

~Margaret C. T.~

TheDarkBakura,

9/16/12