Melancholy Perfection

Chapter 21: Assembling The Pieces

A/N:

Driven: Well, it would seem I haven't started my English assignment yet…

Marik: Oh? What on?

Driven: A book I have no intention of reading…

Marik: When's it due?

Driven: About two weeks ago…

Marik: You realise you'll never be a writer if you fail English?

Driven: You realise that's not true?

Ryou landed with a crash against a dark stone wall. He caught his breath and tried to get up…the floor was so buoyant though, it seemed to dip and sway beneath him. When he stared at it, it stopped moving, like a holographic image but the moment he stopped paying attention it would begin its rhythmic swaying again. He bit his lip, ignoring the voice in his head screaming and asking where he was. This was what the ring looked like…

He finally pulled himself up and stood. The room was dark, the walls spread out to make a cubic room, with shadows teasing him at all angles. For some strange reason however, Ryou felt particularly brave, as if he knew he had a job to do. He had to save Yugi and Yami. He stepped forward, considering what direction to take. Suddenly, the floor dipped down and he went tumbling down through darkness.

"HELLLPPP!" He screamed out to the shadows, as he fell. He landed on a sandy floor, in a room with walls of dirty white marble. On one side of the room, there was no wall but something that looked like a forcefield. It was shiny and bright, a pool of shimmering gold. "Woahh…" He breathed out heavily, stressfully tugging at a piece of his snow white hair.

Ryou Bakura took a few more steps toward the glowing piece of wall. It seemed to be radiating a very cool air. He hugged himself, trying to use his grey sweater to keep warm. He felt as if he was being pulled in as he advanced, the whole wall seemed to surge and pulse with life. He frowned for a moment then noticed a symbol was what was pulsing, in the shimmering pool there was an eye symbol, like the one on his Ring and on the Puzzle. He looked around the room, with no way of getting back up and no visible way out he bit down hard on his lip and leapt at the potential entrance

Silence. A slight shiver down his back and a rush of wind. He was standing in a new room, the window behind him glinted, then faded to nothing. He felt safe here. He'd felt more insecure before but this new place had a different air to it…it didn't seem so…evil.

The floor was cobbled stone and the walls were sand bricks. The room was much smaller than the last and led out to a hallway. He leaned on a wall. Catching his breath, "I…I don't know what to do. I wish I could call my Yami for help…Yugi has Yami to support him…but I don't really have anyone…" He said, thinking out loud, "Hmm, I need to not be so bitter. Yugi and Yami are doing their best to help me…I sure hope I don't run into Bakura down here though…I don't get it…Why am I the one…who puts up with all the trash?" He asked the floor, then sighed loudly.

He stood for a little while longer considering things, until he realised sooner or later he would have to move anyway. Whether or not he was getting out of here, he did not know. He walked down the hall. It was bright and well lit, other than a few shadows from place to place. He walked through various rooms and halls, all a little different in appearance for at least two hours before he reached one with any furniture in it. '

It was a long low table, on it were various bits of what looked like a yellowish paper. He walked in, looking around. He froze, "Yugi? … YUGI!" He rushed over to the bed of woven mats and sheets, where Yugi lied, sleeping soundly, a distressed look on his face.

Desperate to talk to someone, Ryou shook him awake, "Yugi! Yugi! It's me! Ryou!"

"Ryou?" Yugi answered, waking up, he stared for a moment then inhaled shakily, begging tears not to fall, "Ryou…Ryou…Ryou…you…I…Ryou…" He rambled, sitting up then collapsing back into Ryou's arms.

Ryou frowned, worried for his friend, who looked so very stressed and tired. He held him. He was afraid to move. Yugi felt so small. He didn't think he'd been in here that long but, he assumed time passed differently and Yugi was already very weak and fragile looking. Ryou kept very still, where he was sitting on his knees at the end of the woven mattress, terrified that he'd hurt Yugi. Yugi's breathing was hoarse and sounded quite painful, he needed a drink of water. He was shaking as if he needed to cry but the tears simply would not come. His big purple eyes looked up, glazed with confusion and fear and twitching at every little sound, even that of his own breathing.

"Yugi, I…I'm here to help you," Ryou explained to the boy. Yugi nodded a little to show he understood. Ryou continued, "My Ring was led to your puzzle and somehow, they connected…I was pulled into the ring, and after much…er…walking, I found a sort of…portal…thing. I believe that now I am in the Millennium Puzzle, that was proved by seeing you."

"Yami…" Yugi sobbed, but did not shed tears, "Yami is…in the Ring, Ryou…"

"I am aware of that…" Ryou nodded and fanned Yugi to keep him awake.

"If we are…" Yugi began feeling a little better and safer, "in the Puzzle then we cannot get to…Yami and help him."

"Well, actually, I think we can…" Ryou began, "I told you about the gateway I used…I think if we can find another one, it will lead us back to the Ring…"

Yugi coughed for a moment, then tried to sit up, he leaned on an elbow and dizzily said, "You are saying that because the…ring and the…puzzle are touching each other on the outside world…we can travel between them once inside?" He cleared his throat then smiled widely, "That. Is. Brilliant…"

"They aren't just touching, the eye symbols on them…they are almost glued together…they are what is making the gateway…Well, I think that's what it is," He smiled, worried but just a little more content.

"So…you came through the ring…just take us back then…" Yugi began to get up.

"That's the funny part…The gateway I used disappeared when I got through it…" Ryou sighed, "I'm sorry Yugi…I tried."

"Well, there must be another one," Yugi decided firmly then reached out and squeezed Ryou's shoulder, "Thankyou. Thankyou so much…"

Ryou smiled, he liked feeling valued.

A/N:

Marik: Well that was joyous.

Driven: Oh STFU, there's much pain and suffering yet to come!

Marik: Watevs… Anyway, when am I being worked into the story?

Driven: Actually I got a new plot line breakthrough all about you just a few minutes ago =)

Marik: Woo! Driven owns nothing and I'm so OOC in these ANs it isn't funny!

Sorry, it's a little short, please review. ^.^