Chapter 4
Heart pounding, Ryou slowly reached for the phone. He didn't have the closest relationship with his father, but considering what the past couple of weeks were like it would be comforting just to hear his voice and pretend for a moment that he had an adult he could depend on to at listen to him even if they couldn't help.
" Hello?" he asked tentatively.
"Is this Ryou-kun?" A woman's voice. Probably one of his father's aids. His stomach sank to the floor. Slowly he sat down on the couch.
Bakura felt the sudden flow of hurt and disappointment from his host's mental link and turned. He had stayed invisible in the room as he did on the many occasions he wanted to observe Ryou's doings undetected. He mostly did this when the boy was doing his homework. He could only read the language that his other wrote in by tapping into Ryou's own mental abilities, but it was possible to follow some of the boy's studies. Even though some of the math was incomprehensible to him, the history was interesting. The literature was disappointing at times. All that seemed to really change within different societies were different ways to tell the exact same story. He found the books he found on Ryou's shelf in his room a lot more interesting.
"Why can't he tell me that himself?" came his vessel's petulant demand.
He came to stand closer so that he could get a better reading of the emotions on Ryou's face. He watched the teen's face turn from pained, to simply bitter acceptance. The boy's eyes went empty. And Bakura found that he did not like that look on his other's face.
"Right." the boy responded coldly after a long pause. "Like always. Fine, but if he's not coming then I want my present early…tell him I need some extra money. I want to go on a trip during my school break."
Bakura's eyes widened with interest. What was his clever, underhanded landlord up to? A trip? Now that was fascinating. What could be going on in Ryou's head? He watched the boy hang up and stalk off towards his room. The boy paused for second, shoulders tensed. At first, Bakura wondered if he knew he was being watched. Then Ryou let out a yell and punched the wall. Then he entered his room and slammed the door.
Bakura looked down at the phone. He had learned from watching Ryou how to read caller a caller I.D. He was tempted to call the number back and tell the person who answered a few other choice things that they could tell Ryou's father.
No, he did not like that look on his host's face. Not a bit. He would usually cope with this by making the one that caused it pay. But Ryou probably wouldn't take well to losing another family member, not even a worthless one.
Ryou had turned off the light and was lying on his side on his bed. He played idly with the ring around his neck wishing with everything he had that he was somewhere else. He couldn't decide whether he wanted to call Yugi or be alone. All he knew was that he wanted to escape so bad it hurt. At the same time, he was ashamed of himself. He had borne so many things alone, what was one more thing? Ryou Bakura did not run.
He hadn't been strong enough to force himself to kill his other when he had the chance. Sure, it may have violated a few of his core beliefs, but no one would claim it wasn't for the greater good. He wondered idly if he would be able to take himself out instead. If by the end of the month he couldn't figure something out, he might have to. He couldn't continue to live under Bakura's control.
His gaze was level with the golden eye on the center of his ring. Was it supposed to be the eye of Horus? It looked similar. He had been doing a lot of extra reading on Egypt lately. The eye meant protection and good health. Sometimes it could mean royal power. Sometimes it was called the eye of Ra….his thoughts drifted into litany of information he had memorized to meaningless fragments. His eyes began to close and the eye faded out of his focus.
He dreamed that he was falling down a tube. No a tunnel. Something round. Like being on a slide and going very fast. He landed hard, but it didn't hurt. This place felt familiar somehow. Even if it was very dark. In the darkness he thought he saw what he thought at first were two curtains. Then he realized that they were flaps that covered doorways. One of them was a deep, earthy blue. It had a few black designs on it that looked like jagged squares. The other was red and looked like it had golden beads woven into it. Drawn to the blue flap he peaked around it. With a gasp, he recognized it as his soul room. Not that you could really call his soul room a 'room'. Ryou's room was a sunlit, grassy plain with a forest hugging the edges. It was peaceful and serene. Except for when his emotions were in turmoil….then it tended to cloud up or rain.
He backed away from the flap and with a sudden curiosity moved towards the opposite room. He realized, startled, that Bakura must have a room too. If so he better be prepared for anything. But he couldn't not look. Anything that could hold the key to defeating the thief had to be explored. Cautiously, he poked his head around the flap.
He saw various piles of different trinkets. Gold bracelets, silver candle holders, fine clothes and several chests. There was no apparent order to this room.
Like a thief just dumped all of his plunder in one place, he thought wryly.
In the center of the room he saw a dais with pillows. He wasn't sure, but it looked like it could be a place that a person slept. This couldn't be a dream. Would his mind make up something so accurate? He stooped and knelt before a large vase, admiring its designs. He wondered if it was Greek. Egypt , while not necessarily friendly to outsiders did not bar itself from being influenced by some of its neighbors finer points. He was sure he had read that somewhere. As he observed the stash of various treasures he felt a presence. He was not sure it was altogether friendly either. For a moment he was hesitant to look over his shoulder. His hand wrapped around a ruby studded scepter as he prepared to defend himself.
When he did turn, he froze. There was a blue, feminine figure looking down at him with a bright gaze. He knew that gaze. He'd seen it looking back at him through his duel monster card many times. She made no sound and her expression was unreadable. But he had a bad feeling that he had just disturbed a guardian. She shifted the dismembered doll she was holding to one arm and mutely reached for him. Even as he felt himself panic he felt a warmth in the palm of his other hand as something appeared there. A card.
"Change of Heart?" he said out loud. Instinctively he raised the card.
Light and darkness seemed to pour out of it as the monster inside burst forth in a weird dance of positive and negative harmony. Its opponent was caught off guard as she disappeared within it. The blue monster clutched her head and let out a soundless wail that seemed to make the walls vibrate. Change of Heart was trying to control the Dark Necrofear! He started to look for any opening to run for it.
"Dark Necrofear – stand down." a cool voice commanded from the shadows.
The monster struggled for a moment longer then vanished leaving the Change of Heart standing alone. She moved in front of Ryou protectively as Bakura walked into view. And for once, Ryou noticed, the smirk did not reach the thief's gaze.
"It would seem that you have a friend." he commented indicating Ryou's ally. "Aren't you going to call off your monster?"
Ryou was still looking up at her in awe. He could not believe he was actually looking up at the real thing. Her light brown hair spilled over her shoulders and the light and dark she radiated was tangible.
"I-I'm ok." he reassured her at a loss to what else he could say.
The monster fisted one hand over her heart (assuming the one she held in her free hand wasn't it) and bowed. With that, she vanished.
"You seem to have pissed off my sentinel." Bakura was trying to seem nonchalant, but failing. Seeing Ryou in his soul room unnerved him. "You must have gotten too close to the loot or tried to touch something. How did you find your way in here?"
Unfortunately his nerves did not go unnoticed. Ryou tilted his head for a moment, thinking. Then he got it. Oh how the tables had turned.
"Not nice to have someone just invade your personal space unexpectedly is it?" he said, grinning.
"Tch!" scoffed the thief. "Don't get full of yourself! Dark Necrofear would have dragged you kicking and screaming into the graveyard if not for your 'protector'. "
"I wasn't trying to come here." Ryou admitted, even though he had been toying with the idea of letting Bakura think he could come and go as he liked. "I'm not even sure that I'm awake."
"It is possible that your spirit wandered here while your body was at rest." Bakura shrugged, still looking annoyed. "Why you're in my room I do not know. Perhaps your mental state is in turmoil. Are you still moping over your father?"
Ryou winced and Bakura decided to take a little pity on the boy. "Don't waste your emotional energy on the fool. He's obviously been a worthless guardian to you. The only thing he's ever done right is given you the ring, so that someone competent could look after you."
"I don' need looking after." Ryou retorted, bristling.
The thief resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Why was he trying to make the boy feel better? Not only was he not getting it but he was just getting defensive.
"I know he's not a good Dad." the teen surprised him by admitting. "But he's all I've got."
"You've got me." Bakura stated flatly.
Ryou's heart stopped when the spirit said that. He almost wondered if he'd heard right. Instinctively he raised his walls. Bakura was trying to get under his skin. That was all.
"You?" he repeated, derisively. "You just want to use me."
"And so?"the tomb robber countered smoothly. "I am offering to be used by you. Want me to make him pay? I can. The fool would not neglect you again after a visit from me."
Ryou went paler than his hair. "No….don't!"
Bakura merely raised an eyebrow, smirking. "You don't have to beg. What I am offering is for you. I meant what I said from the very beginning. If I win, I want your equal cooperation. If we are to be partners, I must contribute my part. Though why you would not want to punish those that caused you pain is beyond me."
Ryou turned away feeling bitter. "You don't get it. You don't have parents. You haven't lost your family."
He gasped when he felt hands on both sides of his arms. A voice close to his ear murmured, "I did so have a family. And parents. Those parents betrayed me the first chance they got and my new family was slaughtered before my very eyes. All on the orders of that pharaoh's father you all think is so great and noble."
The white haired boy actually turned to look at his other is disbelief. He saw confusion in his host's gaze. And perhaps some grudging sympathy. Bakura tightened his grip warningly.
"I don't want your pity!" he hissed sharply. "But I want you to understand this: that the one who cause the destruction of my village will answer for his crimes!"
Ryou barely dared to move, the look in Bakura's eyes was so dangerous. He wasn't sure he's have the courage to speak, but he found himself asking, "Why would Yami's Dad destroy your village?"
"Because he wanted power and who better to steal it from than those queer, white haired amethyst eyed people that everyone feared." the thief spat. "When people are different than you, you can do anything to them, right? Burn their village, defile their people and sacrifice them all so that you can gain even more power…why not?"
"B-but that's not Yami's fault." Ryou stammered, feeling very afraid. He could feel Bakura's rage and it was terrifying.
"That's not the point!" Bakura yelled, making Ryou back away from him. "The spirits of that village cry out for vengeance and they will be appeased - one way, or the other Ryou."
Bakura was using his name. A good sign. He should just take his good fortune and run with it. But he couldn't stop himself. Ryou knew Bakura was in pain and he may have not had to best relationship with his other self but he couldn't help but feel some sympathy.
"But Bakura," he argued, softly. "If you punished Yami for what his Dad did, wouldn't you also be harming someone who did nothing to you just because it was in your power?"
The tomb robber walked up to him slowly and Ryou tensed. Dark eyes stared into his. "In ancient times, we believed in an eye for an eye. You were guilty until proven innocent. The world was not soft like it is now. That relic you wear around your neck is but one fruit that the slaughter of those people produced. There are six others."
"You mean…"Ryou gasped.
"Yes. They cry out to meet. And when they do, I will take my revenge."
The boy felt that he could not respond. He could barely take what he learned in. The sennen items were the result of sacrificed human lives? And that sacrifice had cost Bakura everything. No wonder he hated Yami's father. But he couldn't just accept Yugi getting hurt over what one of his ancestors did thousands of years ago. There was a saying he'd read somewhere. That if everyone were accountable for the faults of those that came before them, then everyone would hang.
"Yugi has never hurt anyone." Ryou said, not flinching from Bakura's cold eyes. "I can't be a part of that."
Bakura gave him a bitter smirk. Of course the boy would never choose him. Even though it was logical. Even though he could offer more to Ryou than whatever stupid mortal 'friends' he made ever could. But he smothered his disappointment. He was the king of thieves. He was Bakura. He did not suffer from petty things like 'hurt'. That was emotional nonsense he had left in the dust thousands of years ago. And when he won this game he would simply take what he wanted like he always did. Once the boy was separated from those foolish and sentimental things that made him weak, he'd see how much better things were when he played for the right team.
Ryou noticed with some concern that whatever feelings he was getting through to the thief were being smothered. Why was his other half so stubborn? He wondered idly if Yami and Yugi fought. He tried to keep that thought at a distance. It was no use thinking that way. Bakura was not Yami.
"You've exhausted yourself." Bakura observed, flatly. "Rather than make yourself sick over it just defeat me in this game and you won't have to worry anymore. But nothing you say will deter me from my intended goal."
Ryou's eyes opened suddenly and he was in his bed again.
(Mutou Residence)
"Bakura, I mean Ryou seems to be doing better doesn't he, Yami?" Yugi asked as reclined on his bed. "I was afraid to say anything to him at first, but I'm glad I did."
"It would seem so,Yugi, but I still feel unsettled." The ancient spirit of the pharaoh was leaning against the desk with his arms crossed.
Yugi turned on his side to give his partner an inquisitive look. "Why? We played an entire game of apples to apples and nothing weird happened. We played until nearly sun down. And Ryou seems to be finally relaxing enough to hang around with a group."
Yami's brow knitted in frustration. "I'm not sure, aibou. I suppose I just think it strange that he holds onto the sennen ring after all the trouble it's caused him. I just cannot feel comfortable around that object."
Yugi sat up. "It's a gift from his Dad. I don't think they get along, but still, it's a gift from him. And he doesn't have anyone left in his family. You trust Ryou, don't you?"
"Of course." Yami affirmed. "He risked his life twice in the past to protect his friends. He's a brave young man. Though not a lucky one."
"You didn't sense the spirit of the ring, did you?" Yugi asked sounding worried.
"No." the Egyptian reassured the smaller boy. "I may be worrying unnecessarily, but maybe we could just watch over him. That thief has come back before. I'd hate to be caught off guard."
"I bet Ryou is the one who would hate it most." murmured the teen. "But I agree. He's one of us. The least we can do is have his back."
"I think I wish to talk to that young man." Yami announced. "Would you mind if I spent some time in your place tomorrow at school?"
Yugi's eyes widened in surprise. "You're really serious aren't you?"
"Yes, Yugi." Yami murmured uncrossing his arms. "Ryou has inherited the guardianship of a sennen item. That alone puts him at risk for attention from all sorts of shadow and spirit entities. Not to mention life seems to be a little more challenging for item holders – you were in trouble the first time I awakened as you. "
"But you protected me." Yugi smiled, remembering. "I was a little afraid of you at first. Because of the things you did to protect me. But you've changed a lot, Yami. You're my friend and partner now."
"Whereas Ryou was inhabited by Bakura who would only have exploited him." Yami pointed out.
"I see what you mean." Yugi admitted. Then the boy perked up. "Maybe you could ask Ryou to let you look after the ring. Then it wouldn't be a problem."
Yami blinked in surprise. He should have thought of that. "I will ask him tomorrow. Though if it is a precious gift like you say, he may not be comfortable with the idea."
Yugi yawned. "Speaking of tomorrow, we need to be getting some rest." He reached over and switched off his lamp. "Good night, Yami."
"Rest well, my partner."
Author's Corner: AHHH. I thought I'd never finish that and then I worry it's not as long as the recent chapters. But I have had a lot of unexpected things happen this week. It's hard to write when your mind is in several places. So, a question from an overly anxious person: what do you guys do for stress? One of my tactics is to write obviously. I disappear into another world for a little while and it makes the real world much easier to bear.
Again, thanks for the wonderful reviews and favorites. I will be working on another chapter for my Soul of Red Eyes story too.
Yugi and Yami were actually not a planned cameo, but they snuck in there. That's fine with me; because I have a feeling I will need them later. After all, we know Ryou is planning a trip soon. I wonder, do you already know what he's planning or like Bakura do you plan to just sit back and see what unfolds? See you in the next chapter.