Lunchtime. 11th grade formroom.
Ryou stood a little away from the rest of the group. I can't risk you doing anything bad to them.
The Ring Spirit faded into view next to him. "What's up?"
"Like you wouldn't know."
"Ah, yes. You're scared because I have a personal vendetta against the Pharaoh, and you think, because I took over earlier and helped you, that I'll go on a rampage or something. That sums it up?"
Ryou grimaced. "Shut up. Go away."
"Well, that isn't nice. Say, how about a duel? I mean a friendly one. And, I'll let you help me this time."
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"What if -"
"No! Just leave me alone!"
The others turned round at Ryous outburst.
"Something wrong, Bakura?" Said Yugi, looking at him worriedly.
"Um... No. Wait... Can I talk to you, Yugi? Outside?"
"Uh, sure. Tristan, can you take over?"
Tristan slid into Yugis seat, where he had been duelling Joey. "Sure. I'll try not to lose, this time."
Ryou and Yugi went out of the room, into the deserted corridor.
"What's wrong, Bakura?"
"What did I do earlier? I mean, I've got this bruise on my face, but I can't remember what happened. And he won't tell me."
No doubt who he was.
Yugi looked worried. "I think you and Duke were fighting. You were just about to send him to the Shadow Realm when I turned up, and then you ran away."
"No, Yugi. Not me. He did it. He's ruining my life!" Ryou slammed his fist against the wall in a rare display of emotion.
"Bakura, calm down, please!"
Ryou took a few deep breaths. "Can't you help me?"
"I can't, no. The Pharaoh and I exist as friends. But he would probably help you, if he were here..."
"What!?"
"He doesn't seem to be here. Usually when I ask him something, he appears, but today he's been really silent."
Bakura appeared, flushed, his hair in dissaray. "You mean I could have sent his soul to the Shadow Realm and that brat wouldn't have been able to do anything!?"
Ryou looked at him, then back to Yugi.
"He's there, isn't he?"
Ryou nodded.
"Can I talk to him?"
Ryou shook his head. He wouldn't be able to deal with the takeover again today.
"Well, OK. But, when you feel up to it, I'd like to talk to him."
Ryou nodded again. He didn't trust himself to speak.
"Come back in when you're ready. OK?"
Ryou nodded and Yugi returned to the formroom, leaving Ryou and Bakura outside.
"You should have let me speak to him."
"What, and have you pull a knife on him or something? Go back to the Ring. Please."
Bakura faded away, and Ryou was left alone.

End of the day. Route home from school.

Kerah and Ryou walked a little behind Yugi and Joey. Kerah was worried. Ryou seemed very down, ever since Chemistry, so she attempted to cheer him up.
"Ryou?"
"Hmm?"
"Are you alright?"
Ryou sighed. "No, Kerah. I'm not."
"How come?"
Bakura shimmered into view again, flipping his knife and walking in perfect step with Ryou. Ryou didn't bother to look. "It's just nothing. It'll go away."
"Assuming your problems will go away doesn't mean they'll listen to you. Heh."
"Well, I'll see you tomorrow!"
Ryou and Kerah jumped. "Oh, yeah. OK! See you, Yugi!"
Yugi and Joey walked away, leaving Ryou and Kerah in front of the door to the apartment building. Kerah got out her keys and unlocked the door. "You know what you need? A cup of tea. I'll get the kettle on."
Ryou nodded, opening the door to his room and disappearing inside.
Poor Ryou. Something's got him really down today. I wish I could cheer him up...

Ryou slung off his coat and lay down on his bed, closing his eyes.
"Early night?"
"Go away."
"Why don't we- "
"No. Go away."
"I- "
"Don't you understand the meaning of go away?"
Bakura fell silent, leaning against the wall. He's no fun when he's like this. "I'm going to go talk to your friend. What was his name? Yugi?"
"What!?" Ryou sat up. "Don't go anywhere near him!"
"Relax. I'm not going to hurt him." Much. "He asked to talk to me. So I'm going to go and talk to him."
Ryou looked at the translucent doppleganger leaning on the wall. "That's true. Do you promise you won't hurt him? Or anyone else?"
Bakura sighed. "Yes, mother."
"And you'll leave the knife here?"
"What knife?"
"The knife you hid in my coat."
"Yes."
"Well. I'm going to have my tea. Then you can go out."
Bakura was surprised. Compromise, huh..? "Fine."

"Kerah..?"
"Yes, Ryou?"
The two were sitting in the small but comfortable front room, drinking their tea.
"Could I borrow your amulet? Just for a bit?"
Kerah considered. "What would you do with it?"
"Yugi wanted to see it in more detail. I was wondering if you could lend it to me so I could go and show him?"
"Well... Fine. But, don't damage it. I know what you guys are like." Kerah unclasped the chain that held the Amulet, and passed it over.


Meanwhile:

"Yugi, can you lock up? I'm going to have an early night."
Yugi looked up from where he was arranging Duel Monsters booster packs on a low shelf. "Sure, Grandpa."
Yugi crossed to the door as his Grandpa climbed the stairs to the upper floor. He reached up for the sign, turning it to 'closed'. He got out a key and jumped to slot it into the lock and lock the door.
Crossing back across the room, he climbed the stairs leading to the small flat above the shop, walking quietly to avoid waking his grandpa. He opened the door to his bedroom and slipped inside.
"About time. I was beginning to get rather bored."
Yugi jumped about a foot and turned.
Standing by the open window was a familiar figure wearing a black trench coat, collar upturned. His long white hair cascaded down his back.
"Bakura?" Said Yugi puzzledly. "How did you-"
"How do you think?" said Bakura, gesturing to the open window. "I'm not a front-door person." He turned, and Yugi saw the cold cruelty in those soft brown eyes.
"You!"
"Yes, me. I came to talk."
He reached into the secret pocket where he kept his knife, and then remembered that Ryou had made him leave it. Damn!
Yugi stepped back and reached for the puzzle hanging around his neck. Pharaoh..?
No response.
"He's not there," noted Bakura with a sneer.
"No."
"I know where he is."
Yugi looked up at Bakura, surprised. Then, he was angry. "What have you done to him?"
Bakura pulled the Millennium Amulet out of another secret pocket. "I haven't done anything. The Amulets resident Spirit invited him in."
Yugi frowned. "Prove it!"
Bakura sighed. "Always so melodramatic… Fine." He held out the Amulet. "Touch it and feel his presence."
Yugi reached out and gingerly touched the Amulet.

Within the cave that formed the inside of the Amulet, the Pharaoh woke up and gasped, making the Dragon jump. "Yugi!"

Yugi nodded. "Yes, I can feel him."
Bakura grinned and pulled the Amulet away from Yugi's grasping fingers. "I'll give him back to you… for a price." Yugi reached for the Amulet again, but Bakura held it up, out of his reach. "Shall we duel for it?"
Yugi looked worried. "Um… Well…"
"Are you scared?"
Yugi was adamant. "No!"
"Then show me what your Pharaoh friend has taught you." He backed up to the open window, and jumped out, his coat billowing around him as he fell and landed, catlike, on the smooth pavement below.

Yugi ran downstairs, grabbing his blue uniform jacket and his duel disk on the way out. It was getting pretty dark, and the streetlamps illuminated pools of light.
He looked up and down the street. No Bakura.
"That's because I'm right behind you."
Yugi jumped, and turned.
"Now, I think we're going to attract too much attention if we just duel in the middle of the street. So… I'll pick us a duelling ground." Bakura set off running, his long coat flapping behind him. "Catch me if you can!" He tossed over his shoulder.
Yugi set off, following Bakura as he rounded a corner. Yugi could see him waiting at the end of the street. As he drew nearer, Bakura set off again.
"Slow… Down!" Yugi huffed, as they played cat-and-mouse through the next few blocks.
"Almost there…" Bakura shouted.
Then, he ran down a dead-end alley. Yugi followed him, but – Bakura had disappeared!
"Up here…"
Yugi looked up. Bakura stood on a fire-escape that led to the roof of the building on the left.
"Let's take this duel to the sky!" Bakura scaled the fire-escape and jumped on to the flat roof.
Yugi entered the building, taking the lift. When he emerged, Bakura was standing opposite him, looking out at the city spread out below him.
"I like roofs," he said. "You can see everything from up here, yet no-one can see you…" He turned to Yugi, activating his Duel Disk. "Shall we begin?"

(AN: Sorry to leave you guys on a cliffhanger, but I thought it'd be excessively long if I did the duel in this chappie too.

Also, if you helped me at all with this fic and discovered my lack of acknowledgement, don't fret: I'll add a 'credits' chappie to the end. See you next chappie, folks…)