"Ryou, we need to know that you're certain," Atimu told the other.
"I am certain," the other replied. "I left with him, helped him hide; I'm partially to blame. And I can't place all the blame on our bond- I knew something was wrong for a long while before. I have made my decision: I will suffer with Bakura."
A choked sob was heard from a corner of the room.
"Don't cry, Shizuka," Ryou chided her. "It's only physical pain. And Backura initiated our bond. He can relieve me of , if he desires. I'd rather it that way."
"You fool," Seth scoffed. "He'd much rather see you suffer."
The other smiled. "That's the beauty of it. He won't see my pain- he'll only feel it. And I his. Please leave me. I'd like some rest before that mockery of trial begins." The four looked anxiously at one another, but did as requested.
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"Get away! I don't want to hurt you!".
"You think you could, Sorcerer? You have no idea what you're dealing with."
"Could you get any more cliche?"
Yuugi didn't know when he had fallen back asleep, but the sun was now high in the sky. "Aibou," his lover's voice said, calm and soothing. "You were having a nightmare. Are you all right?"
"Y-Yeah," the other stammered, sitting up. "What time is it?"
"Nearly noon. I have to go to Bakura's trial soon."
"Atimu, can I-"
"No, Aibou."
"I want to see Ryou again!"
"Then you can see him afterwards. Aibou, everyone present will know just by your scent if you are there. And a human even viewing vampire matters would ruffle more than a few feathers, so to speak."
"Why'd you bring me at all?" the teen pouted.
"Because once this all over, Seth will need a crowbar to get me away from you."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
Yuugi sighed. He should be helping his other half, not making his (half?) life more difficult. "I suppose, then."
"Thank you, Aibou. I appreciate it."
"You better get that sexy ass back here double time."
"Of course, Aibou."
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All the chattering in the room stopped as the three entered, silencing all with their presence alone. The clan heads weren't in the habit of taking on a 'I am more badass than you' mode, but this situation more or less demanded it. They walked to the front of the room, three grand seats waiting for them. Malik sat at the foot of Marik's. Ryou was beside him. Seth was the first to speak.
"We all know why we're here," he said. "Bring that filthy traitor in here."
Two others entered with Bakura, who's arms were tied behind him and different talismans slapped over him, containing his vampyric power. "Hey, Hikari," he purred to his other half, who narrowed his eyes. It was hard to tell if it was anger or embarrassment.
"Bakura. You know the charges against you?" The blue-eyed vampire continued.
"You're pissed I tired to bring an end to this weak-ass clan."
"Delusional, but correct."
"This clan was once something to be proud of. We were strong, and our enemies feared us. Until Atimu killed our glorious leader!"
"I have told you time and time again," the crimson-eyed vampire spoke calmly. "It was not I who took the remainder of that murderer's life."
"Enough!" Seth intervened. "Bakura, you are the one on trial here, not Atimu."
"Still protecting your precious pharaoh. How sweet."
"Since you freely admit to the charges against you, we will carry out punishment."
"Oh, of course. I'd hate to waste your time with a mockery of a trial."
Atimu looked hard at the accused, then his other half. Hadn't Ryou said the same thing earlier? Maybe they both had used the same words, but meant something different?
"Kill me, and you kill myinnocentlittle hikari. Torture me, and you torture my innocent little hikari." "
"Ryou is prepared to take your punishment with you," Seth informed him. "That is far more than you deserve."
"Oh? And just what do I deserve?"
"You're about to find out, traitor."
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Ryou cried out, his body aching from invisible pain. Shizuka was helping where she could, trying to keep him cool with a wet cloth, whispering soothing words in his ear. Atimu assisted in holding him down to keep him from bucking too much. The heads were taking turns monitoring him.
'Tell me, hikari,' a familiar voice, sultry as a snake and softer than silk, whispered in the white-haired vampire's head. 'What hurts more, when I hold you down and take you, or- Dammit!- what they're doing now?'
Ryou did not reply.
'Oh, come on, Hikari. It's a simple -Fuck!- question.'
'I won't give you -Ack!- the satisfaction.'
'No? But you still agreed to go through- Shit!- all this pain with me.'
'Bakura, you should well -Ahh!- know. Pain from you is always worse.'
'Aw, Hikari... Fucking hell! You always know how to soften... this jagged heart of mine.'
Then the link between them went dead. Ryou's pain vanished.
"Bakura!!!" he called out in voice and heart. Shizuka and Atimu were holding him down to keep him from running to the criminal. "Bakura!!! BAKURA!!!!!" Tears ran down eyes soft, hurt brown eyes as his struggling waned.
Shizuka held him as he sobbed. She looked at Atimu. "Do you think...?"
"Without a doubt. Bakura actually set him free."
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Yuugi woke, but at the same time, really didn't. It was if he were watching his own actions. His body stood, and seemingly of it's own will, began to walk. He tried to call out, but his mouth wouldn't move. 'What is going on here?' he asked himself.'I can't do anything?!?' He supposed he'd have to wait and see-
"BAKURA!!!!!" a desperate voice echoed down the hallway.
'Ryou?' Yuugi panicked. He almost made his body turn out of his concern for his new friend, but whoever's control he was killing quickly regained it. 'Dammit,' he cursed. This had to be the longest walk ever, but he figured that was because not only did he not know where was going, he didn't know what or who was waiting for him at the end.
He was walking to a part of the castle he hadn't been to yet, but realized that was probably pretty easy to do: He hadn't seen that much of it yet.
He really wished Atem wasn't with Ryou.
There were two guards ahead of him now, telling him to stop. Whatever force that was pushing him did not yield, but raised the teen's arm instead. A soft blue light, first one, then the other fell to the ground. 'I better not have just killed them!' Yuugi thought frantically, but it was hard to tell with a being that didn't breathe anyway. Whoever was doing this, knew he had magic within him, and somehow knew the spells he did, even if he didn't quite remember them. Now, he struggled with his mind, trying to recall what he's just done. After a moment, relief filled him, at least temporarily. He'd only made them lose consciousness. Then he remembered he wasn't acting on his own accord. But as he entered the room the two had been guarding, the force stopped.
Yuugi took the opportunity to look around him. It was cold, and the walls were stone. Underground? But why here? He took a few steps forward, seeing something in the unending darkness.
A man, chained to the wall. Talismans covered his naked, malnourished form. Blood seeped from fresh cuts. But according to Ryou, vampires healed instantly. 'He must be terribly weak, or they just finished with him,' the teen thought. "Welcome, Yuuto," a dark voice broke the silence. "Or should I say, Yuugi?"
There was no doubt in his mind who this was. "You're the one they put on trial today. Bakura."
"Oh, he's a smart one."
"So you brought me down here. Why?"
"You have a debt to pay, just as I do. But these talismans prevent me from using any power I have left. I didn't bring you here."
"Then who did?"
"I did," a feminine voice said, a smug smirk coming into view.
Yuugi willed himself not to show his fear. "Melinda."
"Yutto. Or, Yuugi, yes? Do you have a preference?"
"Why did you bring me here?"
Her smile turned vicious, sadistic. "To show you the true meaning of hell," she said, an suddenly all was black.
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Atimu sighed, walking back to his room, looking forward to the angelic sight os his other half. He'd known this situation would get complicated, but this was ridiculous.
He really hadn't thought Bakura would sever his bond with Ryou. The criminal must think more of his other half then they'd originally thought.
As he neared the door, he knew something was off. The delicious scent of Yuugi's blood should be so close by now, but he smelled nothing. Entering the room, he saw his other half, indeed, not there. 'Not a reason to panic,' he tried to calm himself. 'He could be somewhere with Anzu or Mai...' Though at 2 in the morning, it didn't seem likely.
'Atimu,' a dark-edged voice said in his mind. 'Your hikari is no longer here.'
The vampire was in the dungeons before a normal person could blink. "What the hell do you mean, Bakura?" he spat. "Where is he?"
"You see, Melinda and I, we realized we had been quite foolish."
The other arched an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"You had been telling the truth when you said you didn't kill Otogi."
"What does this revelation have to do with Yuugi?"
"He's the one who actually killed him."
"Pardon?"
"You know this is the truth as well as we do. Melinda realized first, then told me. I was inclined to agree with her."
"Where is Yuugi?"
"With Melinda. She wanted to pay him back, since I'm far too weak."
"I can kill you for this."
"Like this, death would feel the same as a warm embrace."
"Perhaps not death, then. But I do not think Seth and Marik will agree. Where did she take him?"
"Dunno."
A slightly clawed fingernail entered one of the criminal's wounds. Bakura cringed, but said nothing. Atimu dug deeper. "Where did she take him?" he repeated.
The game continued until almost his entire hand was inside the wound. "I don't know, ok!? Fucking sadist!"
"Takes one to know one," was the grim reply, as Atimu removed his now-bloody hand. "Whether I do anything more to you or not, your time in this world is limited," he added. His brow furrowed. "That's why you released Ryou, isn't it?"
"Tch. You make it sound like I was holding him prisoner. He's been with me willingly this whole time, you know. And it's not like I forced that bond on him. You can't."
"Yes, I know," the other said softly. "But still, I thank you. For placing Ryou above yourself, that is."
"Whatever."
Atimu said nothing more, then vanished.
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"Set... Damn, that's good..."
Mentioned vampire suddenly growled in anger, sitting up.
"Set? Watcha doing?"
"We have a visitor."
"Eh?!?!" Jou pulled up the sheets, making sure his naked form was covered.
"This better be important, Atimu," the brunette warned the darkness, from which a crimson-eyed entity formed itself.
"Yuugi's been kidnaped," the other replied dismally.
"How do you know he isn't just lost on the grounds somewhere?"
"Bakura told me. And aside form that, I cannot sense him anywhere on the premises."
"Tch, You can probably smell that brat's blood a mile a way Do I want to know why your hand is covered in his blood?"
"I needed to know if he was telling the truth, is all."
"Just us going after him?"
"The triplets realized he was missing as well and have requested to accompany us. We should hurry. I do not know where Melinda is keeping him."
"I'm going too!" Jou announced.
"Mutt-" Seth began.
"No, no, Seth. Let him come. This is Melinda, after all. We may need some bait."
"WE ARE NOT USING HIM FOR BAIT!!!!"
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A/N: Sorry this update took so long. Hitsugaya!Muse can be very demanding, and when backed up by Ichigo!Muse, well, they're a force not to be reckoned with. Once they're done fighting with Atem!Muse and Yuugi!Muse, hopefully I'll get these chapters out a bit sooner.