After cleaning everything up she sat on the ground leaning against the pod and ran her hands over her face, "Sorry Ryou."

"Sorry for what?" he asked curiously, sitting beside her.

"Getting you mixed up between him and I." she sighed resting her head back and closing her eyes

Ryou shrugged, trying to smile. "I'm used to being in the middle of things..." he muttered, staring at his hands.

"Well, I don't want you to be. I was trying to push him, so I want him to be mad at me, not you."

Ryou simply shrugged. "if taking his rage from you makes him hate me, who am I to stop it? Besides, like I said, I'm used to being hated."

"Ryou..." she sighed grunting. /If I'm not arguing with him, I'm arguing with the other./ she thought. "We don't hate you, stop saying that."

"You're so modest," Ryou told her. "A gift and a curse, I'm fine with being the one in the middle. Truly, I don't care." He stared into space for a moment, frowning. "Can we talk about something else? Please?"

"Sure, how are you feeling?" she asked her head still back on the pod and her eyes shut

"A little lightheaded, but I suppose that's due to blood loss. You look tired though..." Ryou said. "How are you doing?"

"Fine," she said realizing a moment later she sounded alot like Bakura. "I'm tired but I'm alright," she repeated and looked over at him. "You should feel fine soon, your body regenerates pretty fast, it'll make up the extra blood in no time."

Ryou nodded at her, already feeling better as she spoke. "Have you figured anything out, or do you need to do more tests?"

"I was almost done completely the last test, but I need Bakura for it. I think I may have figured it out but I'm not 100% sure yet. Once I get the results I need a while of studying it I can figure it out I'm sure."

Ryou nodded excitedly. "Really? Well, let's do it then!" 'Finally, I'll figure things out and get a few answers!'

"Whoa, hold on for a moment Ryou." she looked over at him, "I need Bakura, he has control over the shadows, right now it's all out of order and I don't want you getting hurt."

Ryou stopped, then frowned. "How is it broken? And why can't I try to help?"

"I'll explain it to you like I explained it to him, think of your bodies as cups, Bakura's cup above yours. Now think of the powers as water. As the water fills Bakura's cup he gains more power, eventually he has no more room to hold that water so it begins pouring out into your cup."

Ryou frowned, biting his lip. "That... can't be right. Are you trying to tell me that I have some form of shadow magick?"

"Yes, and a very raw state, it's very dangerous. Bakura's had his powers for over 5 millennia, and even he's having a hard time controlling it."

Ryou shook his head. "No, that can't be right! I don't have... Magick! That makes no sense!" Panic was seizing him slowly but surely.

"Breathe deep Ryou, please. Calm down." she said simply.

"But it makes no sense!" Ryou went on. "How... And Bakura having trouble with it? It's simply not true!" He knew he was overreacting, but his thoughts were clouded by fear.

"Ryou, it's a really long and confusing process, basically Bakura uses Black Magic, I use White. One day, we accidently combined both within him, what created a power surge, kind like blowing a fuse."

Ryou sighed, taking a deep breath. "I see..."

"I just don't want you to get hurt." she frowned

He nodded like a bobble head. "Because you don't think I can handle it."

She didn't want to answer but she did, "I just don't want you getting hurt."

"Because I can't handle it," he repeated, a tinge of annoyance in his tone.

"Based upon my judgment of..." she paused and looked over at him, "No, I don't think you can and it's not worth the risk in my opinion."

"But I bet Bakura could do it," Ryou pushed,

"Ryou I don't mean to make you sound like you're not capable, I'm just worried about your safety. Bakura can just barely keep control of it."

"I know," he said finally, hearing truth in her words. "Then we should get Bakura to do it."

She nodded, "yea, we should. But will he?"

Ryou zoned out for a minute. Two minutes. Three. Five. Ten.

She waited silently

A light flashed and Bakura stood, cracking his knuckles and grumbling.

She looked up at him waiting for him to say something, anything or attack even.

"Well? I heard I was needed," was all he said, glaring into her eyes.

"Yea, you were. Did you hear anything I said to Ryou?" she stood to face him.

"No," he said in a low, cold tone. His eyes didn't leave hers.

She grumbled under her breath, "then let me start off by saying I'm sorry, I was pushing you in the hops that you would use pure hatred and attack me. I thought that it might lower your strength. I knew you wouldn't go along with it if I told you so I just put myself in front of you instead."

Bakura stared at her, bewildered. "You... Tried to use my emotions!" he bellowed, more angry than ever.

She nodded, "yes." She said confidently without giving further explanation.

Bakura's hands clenched into fists, "You..." Rage blinded him as he took a step forward menacingly.

She watched him with careful eyes not backing down. "I put myself in danger so that maybe I could help you," she said softly. "I didn't mean to play you."

"But you did all the while!" Bakura raged. "And your apology means nothing if it isn't sincere!"

"Who said it wasn't sincere? I meant it truthfully and honestly, I did it because I needed to test you." she stood upright.

"I'm getting sick of all these tests..." Bakura muttered, still fuming but slowly calming down.

"I'm sorry, they were all necessary, I needed the information so I don't leave any holes. This test was the last one, I promise you."

Sighing heavily, Bakura finally regained his common sense. "Alright," he told her. "I accept your apology."

She took a deep breath of relief, "thank you, and I should say I never truly meant what I said to you then in the virtual realm."

He merely waved his hand. "It's all in the past now," he said and chuckled at the irony of such a statement. After all, he spent three thousand years trying to kill a man over past events.

"Ok." she looked at the pod, "the final test is just testing the machine to make sure it reads the correct information and it'll measure your output levels."

"My output levels?" Bakura asked, walking towards the pod.

"Everything can be measured, when you use your ability I'm calling it output cause it's simple and I don't feel like using any long term for it."

Bakura nodded, understanding. "Okay, it sounds good to me. Should I get in now?"

"Yes, please." she said nodding grabbing new supplies and hooking it up to the machine. "are you feeling alright though? You think you can give up a little more blood?"

Bakura rolled his eyes." I'm fine," he told her. "Take as much blood as you need."

She nodded softly but sighed, "I don't care what you say, I do worry about you." she said putting the needle into his skin and hooking him down like before.

"It's a waste of time," Bakura said simply, feeling his blood being drained.

"Not for me," she smiled placing the helmet over his head ad shutting the pod. She sat down in her own pod and entered the virtual world.

Bakura blinked, eyes adjusting to the virtual world. 'Here again...' Without thinking, he brought back the river that he and Aura had swam in the last time they had entered together.

She appeared beside him and looked at the river a slight frown appeared on her face as her mind ran. "let's get started," she said coldly, not meaning too.

Bakura leaned an elbow on her shoulder, sighing. "If you're going to be uptight, then I'm not starting anything. Calm down already."

She nodded softly, "alright." He utterly confused her, he was a two headed coin, one moment totally enraged, the next calm and collected. Raising her hand she brought the screen up and clicked on a few things. "Whenever you are ready to begin, just try something small at first"

He took a few steps away from her and closed his eyes to concentrate. 'Nice and slow, like last time, nice and slow...

Slowly, a mist appeared around his feet to begin with.

She crossed her arms watching him from the corner of her eyes but paying more attention to the measurements on the screen,

Finally, a thick cloud of mist danced up to his shins. Thin, short coils were formed from the mist and lay in waiting on the ground.

The screen came alive and a thin smile appeared on her face

The coils around him grew longer, thicker, and sturdier as they slowly lifted themselves from the ground and swung lazily in the air. Each one was at least fifteen feet tall and four feet thick. Bakura breathed in and out slowly as a small, hardly noticeable strain began to fall over him.

The screen beeped and she smiled, "alright, you're done." she said simply and dragged the measurement off the screen and clicked a few things

The snake-like coils grew smaller and smaller until they vanished entirely, as did the cloud of mist by Bakura's feet; however, a tad remained around the very bottom of his feet as he walked over to join Aura, "Find anything exciting?"

"Everything works, now I make a travel size companion and study," she clicked a few more things and the screen disappeared. "Thanks for your help."

He nodded. "It's the least I could do if you're helping me," he told her simply.

"It's no problem, I owe you." she said softer than before. Crossing her arms she turned from him a bit looking at the water.

"And how exactly do you owe me?" he asked her, sitting on the water's edge.

She looked down but didn't answer. "You can go back, I know you dislike this place."

"A shame that you're preventing me from leaving then, huh?" he said to her without turning around. Bakura slipped his shoes off and put his feet in the water.

Walking over to him she grabbed his arm and placed on a watch, "there, now I'm not stopping you."

"But, you see, you still are." Bakura looked over at her. "I can't let myself leave until I know why you owe me."

"It's not important," she stood beside him on the water's edge with her arms crossed.

"It is to me," Bakura told her. "And if it wasn't important, you would just tell me."

"You'll just end up upset, then yell at me then storm off, calling me a liar again." she looked away from him

Bakura sighed heavily. "We won't know until you tell me though, right?"

"I know it'll happen, but you're persistent." she sighed softly. "ever since I met you, I keep dreaming my memories, I keep seeing things that happened between us, and I saw what my father did to Kul Elna. Everything he did to you, I feel bad, everything you went through, I feel responsible even though I'm not. So, I owe you." she refused to look in his direction.

"Will I storm away? No. Will I believe you? No. Will I try to?" Bakura didn't respond to his final question as he splashed his feet in the water. 'Yes...'

Her arms relaxed falling to her side and she looked at him watching him for a moment. After a moment she sat down beside him, removed her shoes and slipped her feet in the water. There was so much more she wanted to say, but didn't.

Finally, Bakura gave into his urge and took his shirt off. He stood and dove into the water, staying under for a minute before coming up and flipping his still spiked hair back.

She sat there watching him, softly swinging her feet back and forth.

Bakura floated on his back, eyes closed and a peaceful smirk on his face. "You're always so uptight..." he droned lazily "Do you even know how to relax?"

She chuckled shaking her head, "relaxing normally isn't on my schedule." she leaned forward resting her elbows on her legs and her head in her hands

"Even me being myself has time to spare and relax," Bakura told her. "Make time."

She watched him for a moment and sighed removing her jacket then jumped in.

Bakura smirked at her and allowed himself to fall under the water's surface.

She came above the water and sighed wiping water from her face then looked for Bakura.

Bakura, meanwhile, swam along the bottom of the water, his eyes opened and glowing.

She let out a sigh and leaned back against the river's edge.

Bakura popped his head up a few minutes later, mouth full of grass.

She stared at him then laughed loudly.

"What?" he asked through a mouthful of grass. "What's so funny?"

That only made her laugh louder as she wiped tears from her eyes.

Bakura spat the grass out of his mouth, now outright glaring. "What!"

She calmed down slightly, "that was priceless." She laughed softly shaking her head. "What did you do too involved your mouth full of grass?"

Bakura merely smirked. "I was trying to catch fish," he said matter-of-factly.

She laughed again, "Well you sure as hell did a good job."

He glared at her before diving back into the water, more determined than before.

She opened a screen and clicked a few buttons, as soon as it disappeared a large school of fish appeared swimming right for him

Bakura narrowed his eyes, zoning in on one of the fish and striking at the last moment.

She sat there waiting to see if he caught one

Bakura shot out of the water a minute later, two large fish in his mouth. He smirked at her, raising his eyebrows as he swam over.

She laughed shaking her head, "what a glorious hunter you are."

He spat the now dead fish beside her, smirking. "I'd like to see you do that."

Grinning she opened the screen clicked a few things on it and hundreds of dead of fish appeared on the water. "I win."

"No fair!" Bakura yelled out in playful annoyance. "You cheater!" He did, however, pick one up and start tearing its head off.

"You said do better and I did you didn't say how." She laughed

He threw a dead fish head at her face, frowning. "I implied it!"

She laughed blocking her face when he threw it. "You're just jealous."

"Why should I be jealous? I actually have the skill to catch it!" he told her, swimming beside her on his back lazily.

She watched him, "I'm not a good hunter sorry so you win that round."

He laughed, glad to have beaten her. "So, what do you want to do now?"

"I don't know. You told me to relax and I'm enjoying it. The minute we leave here I start working again until I figure something out."

"Well then, I give you an hour here. Do with it what you wish." Smirking at her, Bakura went underwater once more to let her think.

She grumbled under her breath and sighed her thoughts wandering straight to the information she gathered, she even brought up the screen and began looking at the gathered info

Bakura stayed under for another minute before finally coming up to breath. One look at the screen made him frown. "Aura..." he muttered.

She hummed softly and remained looking at the screen

Bakura pushed her a bit away from the screen and, smirking as he did so, dragged her under water.

She squeaked and as soon as she was under water she growled grabbing him.

He retaliated by shoving her lower towards the river's floor, smirking down at her.

Growling again she tried swimming for the surface.

He held her foot with a strong grip and asked, "Will you stop working if I let go?" His words were distorted from being underwater and a thin stream of bubbles floated to the top.

She glared at him and considered lying to him. Instead she gave him a nod.

Bakura released her and came out of the water, sitting on the edge and keeping his feet in.

She took a deep breath and glared at him. Sighing she sat beside him and shook her hair purposefully splashing him.

He only smirked back at her and took his hair with his hands. Bakura leaned over her and squeezed a thick stream of water landing in her lap.

She laughed in response and shook her head. Looking away she thought straight to the tests

Stretching upwards, Bakura leaned back until his back hit the ground and he stared into the sky. 'I don't want to rush her, but at the same time I'm so curious...' He sighed.

She sighed and frowned looking down. 'None of it makes sense.' She thought

Bakura closed his eyes, concentrating on the palm of his hand. A thin, small cloud of mist formed.

She glanced over and watched silent.

He placed his palm to the floor and murmured to himself quietly. A portal opened from the growing mist cloud and from the mist came Ren and Pep, snakes one and two.

A smile grew and she chuckled, "hello Ren."

Ren smiled as a response and, after permission from Bakura, went to her. Pep, however, merely glared in her direction. "Thought we could use some company," Bakura explained.

"My favorite friend." She laughed reaching for the snake and extending her arm to it.

Ren practically tacked her, settling on her lap and coiling into a ball. Bakura moved to sit next to her and Pep slithered beside him.

She laughed petting Ren as he settled down, "nice to see you too." She looked over at Bakura for a moment

Bakura sat beside her and laid down in the grass. Pep lined himself around Bakura's left side, the one facing Aura, in an attempt to look like a guard snake. "So, think you can relax a bit now?"

She blinked staring at him for a moment, "for now." She looked at Ren but her mind still wandered.

Ren, seeming to sense this, frowned at her and moved his head under her hand. Bakura meanwhile sighed. "Come on..."

She snapped back into attention when Ren bumped into her and she looked down forcing a smile. Then looked over at Bakura, "hmm?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. Ka's to afraid to come out," Bakura groaned, sitting up. "Are you even slightly more relaxed?"

She looked away from him and shrugged, "I've just got allot on my mind."

He stood, stretching. "Then are you ready to get back to work?"

"No." She said simply and refused to admit why.

Bakura grinned and sat back down about an inch away from her. Ren crawled across both of their laps as Pep wrapped himself around one of Bakura's arms. "So did I finally relax you...?"

Smiling she chuckled and nodded slightly, "congrats, you've accomplished something." She said not as a joke but more as a fact.

Bakura merely rolled his eyes as Pep looked up to glare. "I'm so happy," he said in a sarcastic yet amused tone.

"I bet," she joked and sighed laying back she closed her eyes covering her eyes with her forearm.

"So, why the change in heart?" he asked her, laying beside her.

"Change of heart?" She asked him confused.

"More like a change in will. Why do you want to stay?" Ren nuzzled her as Bakura spoke.

She didn't answer, she frowned looking down. "It's not important." She said petting Ren.

He groaned loudly, stirring Pep a bit. "You're always so damn secretive!" Bakura yelled.

"No one's ever cared before, there wasted emotions." She almost whispered

"Well, say I happened to care. What then?" Bakura asked her, looking the other way. Ren moved a bit away along with Pep as if sensing the tension between them.

She sighed but didn't answer, "I don't know anyone who says that normally lies."

"Well then, I guess you'll just have to trust me and find out for yourself," he replied.

She looked over at him, "Are you implying that you care, even in the slightest?"

He glared, biting his lip and turning away completely. "No," he said in a rush.

"Didn't think so..." She sighed.

"But," he said, interrupting her. "I may just be interested enough to BORDERLINE care."

She chuckled and nodded, "More than anyone else."

"Then I should have the right of being told," Bakura concluded.

She looked away for a moment sighing debating what to say and how to say it

Bakura waited.