At first it was little things like a pencil or an eraser. Over time it escalated to the keys to the house and gate. Ryou Bakura just couldn't explain why his entire collection of his homemade Monster World figurines were missing.
He groaned as he realized that his former 'imaginary' friend was not so imaginary. He had hoped to be rid of his 'friend' after his father had sent him to a psychiatrist after the deaths of his mother and sister. Andrew Bakura had felt that Ryou was on the verge of breaking after he'd suddenly began speaking of a male named 'Akefia'.
"It's about time you remembered me, kiddo.'
Ryou paled, "you aren't real. I made you up to feel like I wasn't alone."
Akefia smirked, "you're wrong there. I've always been with you...from the very beginning of your life. Your parents just didn't want to let everyone know that they had been expecting twins."
"I think you're mistaken."
"Wrong, Ryou. I'm very much your twin brother."
As Ryou tried to process this information, his father entered the room behind the 'ghost'. He shook his head at the male scaring his son. "Akefia Bakura! Stop scaring the boy! Honestly, I thought we had an agreement that you'd leave him alone until we got things sorted."
Ryou fell against a wall, dumbfounded. "Father?"
Andrew sighed, "Akefia Bakura is, or rather, was a great thief in his time. He's your many times great-grandfather on my side of the family. Unfortunately, he caused quite a bit of mayhem and, according to the family legend, was cursed."
"Kiss the Pharaoh's sister and cursed to haunt the first born males of my own line for all eternity. I'm not permitted to cross over until my descendants are either all female, dead, or no longer have children of their own blood."
"I guess that you're lucky then," Ryou sighed sadly as he looked at a new bruise on his right hand. "I'm the last of the family line. I'm not sure if I will make it to my next birthday."
"You will. You just need to get some iron in your system. I've seen what you eat and I'm not pleased. Eat some meat, boy."
12345678909876543212345678909876543212345678909876543
Ryou had been sent to public school after they finally settled down for the first time in several years. He gripped the straps to his backpack tightly as he gathered his nerves. His 'guide' never left his side since the day they were properly introduced.
As Ryou took a step towards the brick building, he felt a tug.
"Well,I'll be... looks like the great Pharaoh's bloodline survived the test of time."
1234567890987654321234567890987654321234567890987654
It turned out that Ryou wasn't the only one being haunted by an ancient spirit. His classmate, Yugi Mutou, was being guided by the very Pharaoh his own ancient relative had insulted.
Agreeing to let go of the animosity each had held, the Pharoah and the Thief King were finally released from their own curses and free to leave for the Afterlife.
As for the boys...
They grew up, dated twin sisters, married them, and had children of their own.
