Greetings! It's only been a little over two weeks this time, so I'm getting a bit better. The bad news is that I started school this last week, so things are going to get busy for me again. I can hear the collective groans now. I'll do my best to post relatively quickly. I hope that everyone had a good holiday.
Reviews: Whee, I get to do replies again ::does happy dance::
Wings Of A Phoenix: Thanks for the review! You didn't have to wait very long for the next chapter.
Hobbit13: Yami does know that something bad happened to Kaiba while he was with the bandits. After all, Yami was there when they found Kaiba. He just doesn't realize that it was something as severe as rape. Yami isn't even thinking along those lines, not yet anyway. You're right about Ryou, this is not one of his better weeks. Come to think of it, everyone is having a sucky time. Thank you for your review!
Lazer Wulf: Thank you very much! I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. I figured that Bakura needed to know what happened between the thief and Yugi, or else he was going to go crazy trying to figure out why Yugi was freaking out around him. It's going to be interesting for the both of them, to say the least. Here's hoping that the wait for this chapter wasn't too long!
rekkanotara: You made me blush! Thank you for the lovely compliment. Don't worry about not reviewing to every chapter. I'm very glad that you reviewed this one and that you're enjoying the story. I am sorry to hear that you've been under a lot of stress and hope that it's gotten better for you. Don't worry; I don't think you're weird for enjoying Kaiba angst. If that were the case, half of us would have to be called that. Thanks for reviewing. I hope that you continue to enjoy the story.
Trempush: Thank you very much! I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter.
Katie Torango: Hey there! I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed the chapter and the flashbacks. They are a good way to tell part of the story I didn't want to write in full, and I'm glad that they're working out. Thanks!
Nenya85: You bring up a very good point. While Kaiba may come off as selfish, rude, and cruel, I don't think that's really the case. We know that he would do anything for Mokuba, but in this story at least, Kaiba is willing to help others as well. Especially in the situation he was in. He wouldn't have wanted Yugi to experience the same thing he was. Kaiba learned to protect Mokuba by sheer necessity and he used what worked. He'd protect Mokuba by picking fights with bullies in the orphanage, and then later protected him by picking fights with Gozaburo. In a way, Kaiba sees Yugi as someone who needs to be protected, and so he decided to do so in the only way he knew how. He denied himself the escape he so desperately wanted, at that point at least, to keep Yugi from experiencing the same thing. I realize that the way I'm writing him might be OOC, but it works for the story.
Luthien: Not a problem! Shame on the inbox for sending the story alerts to the junk pile, though. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter.
S.K Hashmi: YAY! I'm glad I could fulfill your need to read. I totally understand what you mean. I used to be like that, when I had a lot of free time. I'm the type of person who hates not having anything to do, so when I had nothing to do, I always read. Now it's textbooks and certification books that I read (and fanfictions every once in a while), but it's still reading.
Nope, the story is not drawing to a close. There are still a lot of unresolved issues that need to be dealt with before the story can come to a good place to end. I doubt there will be an 'ending' in the traditional sense, but I'm nowhere near there.
About Yami's promise: do you mean his promise not to use the link with Kaiba, or something else that I've forgotten about? ::Shakes head in attempt to recall what has been written:: I should go back and read previous chapters, but I'm always so unhappy with everything I've written that I make myself depressed. So, I choose not to reread anything once it's posted. That's pretty bad.
Thanks for the review!
SocialReject: I'm glad you like how Yugi is changing. Don't get me wrong, I like him being sweet and innocent, but after going through something like what he went through, there's no way he can remained the same. It's been interesting to explore and I hope that it turns out well. Thanks for the review!
BH: I feel awful at making you all wait for so long between updates. I keep expecting everyone to abandon the story, but I'm glad that you are still reading. Thanks for the review and I hope that you continue to enjoy the story.
Tiryns: Kaiba suffering in silence is pretty sad, but it's what most rape victims tend to do. It's hard to talk about something that traumatic, that intimate, so it becomes easier to just shove it inside. For someone like Kaiba, it becomes doubly hard, because he's not used to being that vulnerable. Hopefully he can get to a place where he'll be able to confide in someone. Thanks!
Trempush: Thanks for giving the story a try. I hope that you continue to enjoy it.
lilmatchgirl007: Thanks for the review! I'm glad that you enjoyed the chapter, sadness and all.
padfootgrl126: ::shakes head as she tries to get her hearing back:: LOL! Thank you! I'm glad you liked the chapter. Ryou has always been the type to take in more guilt than he needed to, and this is no exception. He's going to have a hard time dealing with everything as well. You know me, I'm an equal opportunity character torturer… I hope that you didn't have to sit in front of the computer too long. I'd hate to be the one to pry you out of it. Thanks!
KaibaKisses: I like your pen name! I'm glad that you enjoyed the chapter, and that you're enjoying No Kinen Ni as well. I'm going to try for more regular updates (meaning every couple of weeks instead of every couple of months) so stay tuned. Be careful with those chairs, though. You don't want to break anything the next time you fall over, right?
Mutou Yasu: I know, I'm so mean to make everyone sad. I can't help it though, it's like a disease or something ::considers checking herself into the looney bin then changes mind, remembering that there is no internet access there:: Yup, they'll definitely have to live with the sadness for a while.
Aura Black Chan: Ryou is going to be torn about the whole thing. Bakura is a part of him, an evil and violent part, but a part nonetheless. At the same time, Yugi is his friend and he cares for the little guy. It'll be a hard road. Thanks for the review!
Speedy-anime-angel: Thanks for the review. I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far.
Bayleef: I think you're on the right track, huggling everyone in the cast. They sure need it. I have a feeling they're going to need it for a long time to come. Thanks!
Saiyan Jedi: YAY! It only took a couple of weeks to update this time. I'm sorry to hear that you're not feeling well. I hope that you are by now. ::Sends cyber chicken soup::
Mimiheart: Thanks for the review! I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. I think I'm going to have fun with Ryou. He's such a good guy to write with a guilt trip.
mavrick-angel: ::joins in happy dance:: Let people stare… after all, they're the ones that are crazy, right? Priest Seto and Pharaoh Yami will make an appearance… well now if I told you that, I'd be spoiling the story, wouldn't I? They'll show up eventually. Let's say that guilt has something to do with it. Gee, that seems to be a theme in this story, doesn't it? Thanks!
MotherCHOWGoddess: Hey there! Are you going to write anything anytime soon? Yeah, I know I'm the last one that should be complaining about updates, but still. Ohh, the original Johnny Quest. I remember that. It was such a cool anime. I'm glad that you enjoyed the chapter, trauma and all.
shadowwaker: I'm not sure if you got the e-mail I sent, but I LOVED the fanart you sent me. Wow, I'm so in awe of your talent. I loved the idea and I can't wait to see how it turns out. Thank you again for doing that for me. Kaiba, Yugi, and Ryou are in different situations, each serious in its own way. Hopefully they'll all be able to work through it. Thanks for the review and I'm glad that I can brighten your day with dark stories!
Warnings: Yugi has a flashback. Also, the song has some bad words in it
Now on to the chapter. Enjoy!
Part 26: Boulevard of Broken Dreams
"You wanted to know, Ryou. Now that you do, what are you going to do about it?"
Ryou heard Bakura's question but chose not to answer it immediately. After all, what could he say? What should he say? How did he feel about that fact that the ancient thief had kidnapped and killed Yugi simply because he had felt like it? Ryou had known that Bakura was capable of such violence, but he'd never witnessed it. Bakura took over his body to do whatever he wanted, so Ryou had always been left in the dark. He had heard the accounts from other people, of course, but he'd never been a witness. Now that he'd seen Bakura's violence directed at his friend, however, he didn't know what to think.
I walk a lonely road
The only one that I have ever known
Don't know where it goes
But it's home to me and I walk alone
"At least now I understand why Yugi pushed me away when I got close to him," Ryou finally managed to say. "I can understand why he broke down now too," Ryou added, still refusing to look at Bakura.
Ryou had always been a calm and peaceful person, so he couldn't understand why Bakura was driven to such violence. He couldn't help but feel anger at the spirit for what he'd done and what it meant to his friendship with Yugi now. Yugi had been one of the few people that had been willing to talk to him when he'd first come to Domino, and Ryou had always appreciated that. He'd cherished the friendship and had hoped that they could remain friends for a long time to come. It looked like that wasn't going to be the case anymore.
I walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Where the city sleeps
and I'm the only one and I walk alone
"Yami is going to want revenge for this," Ryou said. "I'm not going to get in his way."
Bakura kneeled beside Ryou, grabbed his chin, and violently lifted Ryou's head so that their eyes met.
"You're going to take that brat's side in this?" Bakura growled. "Why does it not surprise me? You always were a weakling."
Ryou pulled his head out of Bakura's grasp, wincing as the sprit's fingers dug into his chin before finally pulling free. He got to his feet and turned his back on the spirit.
"I've never understood why you do what you do, Bakura. You shut me out, you pretend that I don't exist and use my body when it suits you," Ryou said, his hands trembling. Whether they trembled in rage or fear, Ryou didn't know. "I can't control your actions any more than I can control the wind, even though the body belongs to me. But just because I have no control doesn't mean that I condone what you do."
With that, Ryou willed himself out of the ring; when he returned to the body, he was surprised to see Joey kneeling in front of him, waving a hand in front of his face.
"Earth to Ryou, Earth to Ryou."
Ryou gasped in surprise at Joey's proximity and scooted back a bit. "What is it?" he asked.
"We were just wondering if you had anything to add to the plan," Joey said as he retook his seat on the couch.
"No," was all he said.
He hadn't heard the plan, but he figured that even if they told it to him, he wouldn't be able to process any of it at the moment. He'd ask about it later.
"Okay then. Let's get something to eat, and they we'll get started."
Ryou stayed on the floor as everyone left to go to the dining area. He wanted some time to think away from everyone else. He should probably go home, but he didn't consider his home as a safe place anymore. Besides, he wanted to be here to help in any way he could. Now, however, he figured that his presence would be more of a hindrance than a help.
"He told you, didn't he? I was pretty sure he'd remember."
The question startled Ryou out of his musings and he looked up to see Yugi standing a few feet away from him. Yugi was clutching his right arm as if in remembered pain and Ryou couldn't help but feel the guilt return to him once again.
"He didn't tell me, Yugi, he showed me," Ryou replied. "I'm sorry," he added.
Yugi shrugged, but didn't come closer. "Why are you sorry? You weren't the one that attacked me."
"I know," Ryou whispered, "I know."
He got up and was halfway to the door when he stopped and turned to face Yugi once again. "What was it like to die?"
Yugi seemed surprised, and then his eyes narrowed in the same anger Ryou had seen in Yugi during the vision Bakura had shown him.
"It was one of the most horrible, and painful, things I've ever experienced," Yugi finally said. "I hope that someday, the spirit of the ring gets what he deserves."
Without another glance, Yugi walked out of the room. Ryou watched Yugi go and sighed when the shorter teen finally disappeared from view. Ryou had an feeling that when the spirit of the ring got what he deserved, Ryou was going to be trapped right in the middle of it all.
My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone
The cold breeze made Yugi shudder as he stepped out of his house, and he wrapped his arms around himself for warmth. He felt a strange emptiness when he didn't feel the comforting warmth of the Millennium Puzzle, and he had to fight a sob at the resulting feeling of helplessness. He felt completely alone, just like he'd felt in Ancient Egypt. It wasn't supposed to be that way once they'd returned to their time. He was supposed to have Yami with him at all times, and recently, Kaiba as well. Yugi missed them both and wondered how they were. Yami had been very angry about what Bakura had done when Yugi had last seen him, and very confused about what had happened to Kaiba. Yugi still remembered the look of confusion, and pleading, in Yami's eyes as they'd both kneeled next to Kaiba's unconscious body in Priest Seto's quarters. Yugi clenched his teeth as his guilt over his inability to tell Yami anything surfaced yet again. Would Yami even understand if Yugi told him? Would he accept the fact that Kaiba wasn't the selfish, sadistic bastard Yami was making him out to be? Would Yami accept the fact that Yugi was now a murderer?
Yugi shuddered as images he had wanted to bury back in that forsaken desert suddenly invaded his mind.
He didn't want to see it, he didn't want to hear it, he didn't want it to be happening, but Yugi was helpless to do anything about it. His arms and chest felt as if they'd break from the pressure that the man holding him was putting on them. His throat was sore and raw from yelling, but nothing compared to Kaiba's. The teenager's voice had almost given out, but he was still fighting, he was still yelling. Yugi was sure he'd hear Kaiba's screams for the remainder of his life and he had no doubt that he would never forget what he was seeing now.
He was being held only a few feet away from where Kaiba was being attacked, close enough to see and hear everything, but not close enough to be of any help. Yugi kept his eyes on Kaiba's face, because he couldn't stand to look anywhere else. He was close enough to see how the muscles in Kaiba's neck stood out as they were tensed, how Kaiba's Adam's apple moved every time he swallowed, how his chest rose every time he breathed in to scream, and Yugi could also clearly see the tears steadily running down the side of Kaiba's face, which made Yugi's own tears fall faster. He felt as if it was his duty to commit the event to memory. He would not dishonor Kaiba by looking away, by pretending that this wasn't happening. He was a witness and would not shy away from what he was seeing. He would stand by Kaiba in the only way available to him.
"Shut him up, will you? I don't want to hear him."
Yugi turned his attention to the man that had spoken and wished he hadn't. The cruelty on his face nearly made Yugi throw up. He returned his attention to Kaiba, who was getting weaker by the moment. The blood around him was growing at an alarming rate and Yugi wondered how it was that Kaiba was still conscious.
"Stop, let go!"
Kaiba strained against the hands holding him down even as his struggles became weaker and weaker.
"I'm kind of enjoying the yelling," someone said and jabbed Kaiba in the ribs, forcing another yell from him.
"It's my turn now and I want him to shut up."
Hori's hand clamped down over Kaiba's mouth, muffling, but not stopping, his screams. Kaiba yelled louder and must have bitten Hori's hand, because warm blood flowed from between the hand and Kaiba's mouth. Hori cursed, unsheathed a knife with his other hand, and placed the tip against Kaiba's throat.
"If you don't shut up, I'm going to slit your throat right here and now, and then we'll finish what we started with the little pharaoh over there."
The words caused Yugi to freeze his own struggles for a moment as the men's eyes turned towards him. The leering expressions sent shivers down his spine and he knew without a shadow of a doubt that if they attacked him, he would not survive with his sanity intact.
Hori turned Kaiba's head so that he was facing Yugi and their eyes met. There was nothing in Kaiba's blue eyes that was recognizable as the cocky, cold, and self confident young man Yugi had come to know. Instead, Kaiba's eyes reflected such sadness, hopelessness, and pain that it made Yugi want to fight harder, try harder to get loose and help Kaiba. As he struggled, and as Kaiba realized that Yugi was a witness to what was being done to him, bitter shame replace everything in Kaiba's eyes. Yugi would have given anything at that moment just to be able to reassure Kaiba that what was happening was not his fault, that he shouldn't feel ashamed. In the end, his voice wouldn't work and he couldn't say a thing.
Kaiba stopped fighting then and went still. Hori grinned and turned Kaiba's head away from Yugi, but kept the knife at his throat. The attack began again and Kaiba remained quiet. He didn't scream, he didn't whimper, and Yugi noticed that the tears had stopped falling.
"No, Kaiba, fight them!" Yugi yelled desperately. "Don't give in to them, fight them! Don't worry about me, damn it! Fight!"
Kaiba did not respond, he just lay there, unmoving except for the motion caused by the men. Hori finally took his hand off Kaiba's mouth and sheathed his knife. He let go of Kaiba's hands, and Kaiba made no move to get away. He was like a puppet whose strings had been cut. Hori turned to Yugi and grinned. It was then that the anger, rage, and helplessness began to build in Yugi. He could feel the emotions, like the eye of a rapidly evolving hurricane, twisting in the calm center while the forces around them churned and twisted. It wasn't hard for Yugi to feed the emotions: all he had to do was take one look at the now limp Kaiba, and then at the men standing around him. It was easy to gather the energies and then crush them together like one would crush snow to make a snow ball. When the energies were as compressed as he could get them, Yugi let them go, and heard with satisfaction as the men yelled and crumpled to the ground. The shadow magic made no exceptions: it killed everyone Yugi wished dead.
When it was all over, Yugi could hear nothing except Kaiba's screams and see nothing but the inky darkness of the shadow realm.
I'm walking down the line
That divides me somewhere in my mind
On the border line
Of the edge and where I walk alone
Yugi closed his eyes and slumped to the ground, landing on his knees beside his grandfather's potted plants. He clenched his fists at his knees and bit his lip to keep from crying out in frustration. He couldn't afford to think about that right now, not when his only priority should be to get the Millennium Puzzle back from Gozaburo Kaiba. Yugi forced himself to take deep breaths and force the panic to the back of his mind. He'd have time for that later.
"Yugi, are you okay? It's good to see that you're awake."
The female voice caught him off guard, and when he looked up, Yugi saw Tea standing by the back door. The expression on her face was one of concern, and Yugi could see unshed tears in her eyes. She kneeled beside him and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Whatever it is, you can tell me, you know that right?"
Yugi nodded. "I didn't know you were here," he said.
Tea smiled. "Joey called me and told me you had woken up. I had to come and see for myself that you were okay."
"I'm okay, Tea, and I'm glad you're here."
Tea didn't seem convinced at all by Yugi's words; he could see that in her eyes. Yugi hoped that she wouldn't push the issue, because he was afraid that in his current state, he'd break down and tell her everything.
"We've been friends for a long time, Yugi, and I want to help you now. Please talk to me."
Yugi swallowed the sudden lump in his throat. The offer to unburden himself was very tempting, but there were more important things to worry about at the moment.
"Thank you for the offer, Tea, but there's no time for that now."
Tea frowned and looked like she wanted to say something else, but his grandfather's voice from the back door interrupted her.
"Come in for dinner, you two, you can talk later."
"We'll be there in a minute," Yugi said and watched his grandfather nod and disappear back into the house. "We should probably go in."
Tea nodded. "Yes, we probably should," she said. "I meant what I said, Yugi. If you want to talk, I'm here for you."
Yugi nodded his thanks and walked back to the house, not trusting his voice not to break at any response.
Read between the lines
What's fucked up and everything's alright
Check my vital signs
To know I'm still alive and I walk alone
'Mokuba looked so happy in this picture' Kaiba thought as he examined the picture in his locket, the one taken at the orphanage shortly after they'd been taken there. 'He was still confused about everything that had happened with the family, and he already blindly trusted me, but he was still innocent.'
The look of adoration on Mokuba's face in the picture had always both confused and comforted him. Confused him because even to this day, Kaiba could not understand why Mokuba loved him so much, why he was still so loyal to him, with everything he'd done. There had been times when he hadn't been kind to Mokuba; even times when, while with Gozaburo, he'd struck his little brother, but that hadn't fazed Mokuba. Mokuba had maintained that he loved his big brother and nothing had ever changed that.
'What about now?' Kaiba asked himself. 'Now that Mokuba had suffered one, or maybe more, of Gozaburo's beatings, will he still trust me? Will Mokuba ever be able to look at me or hug me again without flinching and thinking of that same body, those same fists, raining down upon him in anger and violence?'
Kaiba snapped the locket shut and let it drop back onto his chest. He slumped against the wall he'd fallen next to when Gozaburo left his soul room. He hadn't moved from that spot, content to let his thoughts roam free instead. He was so tired. He'd managed to survive the worst parts of his life because he'd had a purpose, someone to defend and protect. He had a goal, a dream, and a reason to get up in the morning and live for another day.
It was different now. He wasn't even in his own body, trapped instead inside a piece of magical jewelry with Yami, an ancient spirit who not only disliked him, but thought him a coward and selfish enough to abandon Yugi when the young man had needed help.
'Maybe Yami is right and I do deserve to be left alone,' Kaiba thought.
My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone
The prickling in his nose and eyes annoyed him and he fought to stop the tears from falling, but wasn't able to. Kaiba gave in to them for a second time in who knew how many days and just let them fall. What was the point of pretending that he was strong and in control, when that was the furthest thing from the truth? Who would care, anyway? If he really was strong, what happened in the desert wouldn't have happened, and he wouldn't be sitting here, thinking that it might be best if he just stopped existing. What did he have to live for now, anyway? His brother more than likely hated him, which was fine, because Kaiba already hated himself. His perfectly manufactured illusion that he was indestructible and perfectly capable of defending himself and those he cared for had so effectively been shattered by the bandits in Egypt and by Gozaburo that Kaiba refused to believe in that lie again. He now knew who he really was, and he didn't want to live with that knowledge. It wasn't as if anyone would miss him anyway.
'All I have to do is go to Yami and make him angry enough so that he'll lash out at me. I doubt he'll hesitate if he's provoked enough,' Kaiba thought.
If he were still in his body, ending his life would not be a problem. It wasn't like he hadn't considered it before. Here, however, it was a different story. He didn't know how to destroy his soul in this puzzle, so he'd have to make Yami do it. Kaiba smirked as he wiped the tears off his face. He got to his feet, feeling renewed at finally having a sense of purpose again. He was going to give Yami one last gift, a gift Kaiba was sure Yami would treasure always. He was going to let Yami destroy him.
I walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Where the city sleeps
And I'm the only one and
I walk alone
"Still locked," Yami growled in frustration and slammed his hand against the door to his soul room.
He rested his back against the door and took a deep breath. He knew that it wouldn't do him any good to get frustrated. However, having the door to his soul room locked reminded him too much of the time he'd spent in darkness, before Yugi had solved the Millennium Puzzle that a part of him wanted to panic at the prospect of doing it again. He had tried spells, force, and everything he could think of to open the door, but nothing had been successful. He had also tried various times to reach Yugi once again, but that had failed as well.
'Yugi must no longer be in possession of the puzzle,' Yami thought with dread. He hoped that the puzzle hadn't been disassembled during their absence from Yugi's time.
He hadn't taken the time to look around the room when he'd first woken up, so he let his eyes roam around the familiar confines of his soul room, the one and only thing that could truly be considered his. The room had always been full of mazes and stairs that led nowhere, but now that he was paying attention to the surroundings, Yami noticed that they appeared colder, a lot less yielding than they had before. The entire room itself seemed darker, the atmosphere seeming to press down on Yami as if resenting his presence in the room. Yami found the new surroundings fitting, considering what he'd just been through. His soul was heavier with what he'd seen and experienced during his brief time in Ancient Egypt, and his soul room now reflected that.
The rattling of the door brought Yami's attention away from the room and back to the door. He looked at it and fought the stab of panic that went through him. Who would be coming through that door this time? Would it be Yugi, Kaiba, or someone else entirely? If it wasn't Yugi or Kaiba, what would he do? Would he fight the new owner of the puzzle, or try to get back to Yugi? His questions were quickly answered when the door swung open to reveal Kaiba standing in front of the door, an icy glare on his face.
Yami was momentarily shocked, not because it was Kaiba that had opened the door, but because of Kaiba's demeanor. The young man stood in front of him with his shoulders squared, his body up to its full height, with determination pouring out of every one of Kaiba's pores. Kaiba was nothing like he had been the last time Yami had seen him, which made Yami wander what had happened in the mean time.
"We need to talk," Kaiba said. He let himself into Yami's room and took a look around, before turning his attention back to Yami. "Nice décor you've got going here, Yami. Did you do it yourself?"
The sarcasm in his voice was not lost on Yami. Kaiba was as angry and confrontational as Yami had ever seen him, which again made him wonder what had happened to change Kaiba's demeanor. Kaiba had come to his soul room with a plan, and Yami had a feeling that he wasn't going to like what Kaiba had in mind.
"What do you want to talk about, Kaiba? As I recall, you were not happy to see me when I contacted you earlier."
Kaiba shrugged. "You surprised me. It's not often that I get a 3,000 Egyptian spirit playing around in my head."
Kaiba stood still and simply watched Yami. Yami wasn't sure what Kaiba was waiting for, but it was apparent from the tense set of his shoulders that he was waiting for something. Yami walked out into the hallway between the soul rooms and took a deep breath. His panic at the possibility of being locked inside his soul room again dissipated, but Yami's worry about Yugi and his inability to contact him flared when Yami saw the door to Yugi's soul room. The fact that the door was still there was a good sign, because it meant that Yugi was still the 'owner' of the puzzle. Yami walked to the door and tried to open it, but it was locked. Wherever Yugi was, he was not within the reach of the puzzle.
"I don't think Yugi has the puzzle anymore," Kaiba said from Yami's room.
"How would you know that?" Yami asked.
He turned to face Kaiba, whose demeanor hadn't changed. If Yami had to use one word to describe Kaiba at the moment, 'dead' would come to mind. It was as if the feisty, out spoken and passionate person Kaiba had been was no longer there.
"Gozaburo was in my soul room when I woke up after we had our little conversation," Kaiba volunteered. After taking one more look at Yami's room, Kaiba walked out of it and came to stand in front of Yami. "It is my understanding that only people with
connections to the Millennium Items can manipulate them, correct?"
Yami nodded and something at the back of his mind clicked. "There was a priest in Egypt that looked exactly like Gozaburo, wasn't there?"
Kaiba nodded as well. "I'm surprised you remember seeing him, Yami. After all, you were too busy grieving for Yugi and blaming me for his death."
Anger rose swiftly in Yami at the mention of what happened to Yugi, especially when it came to Kaiba's inability, or unwillingness, to prevent it. He clenched his jaw and his fists, but otherwise remained calm. Kaiba raised an eyebrow at the reaction.
"You really should have been there, Yami. It was your job to protect him, not mine."
"It is common decency to help someone that is in trouble," Yami said, his voice low, but no less deadly. "Then again, I should know better than to expect you to have any human decency at all."
The last sentence should have inflamed Kaiba, but instead, the young man simply stared at Yami. There was no reaction, not even the clenching of fists.
"You've met Gozaburo, Yami. I learned from the best. Besides, there was nothing in it for me. I had nothing to gain by going out of my way to fight Bakura and 'save' Yugi. He's a big boy. Don't you think it's about time he learned to fend for himself?"
Yami was tempted to rush Kaiba, grab him by the front of his shirt and slam him against the nearest wall, but he refrained from giving in to the temptation. He had a nagging feeling that something was going on, but he couldn't put his finger on it just yet.
"Yugi can fend for himself just fine under normal circumstances, Kaiba. Being in Ancient Egypt confronted with bandits and an enraged thief was not normal. It wouldn't have killed you to help him. You have the fighting skills. Bakura would have been no match for you in hand to hand combat."
Kaiba shrugged and crossed his arms. "I wasn't going to waste my time. Yugi got what he deserved, after all. He should have been more careful."
That did it. The little restraint Yami had been holding onto snapped and he rushed Kaiba. He grabbed him by the front of his shirt and slammed him against the wall. He could feel the rush of power from within him and it would take very little to summon it and permanently remove Kaiba from his way. One look at Kaiba, however, changed that. Kaiba wasn't fighting back. His eyes, which were normally full of anger, were dull and dead. His face was expressionless. It was at that moment that Yami realized Kaiba was goading him on purpose. An image of Kaiba, lying on the floor in a fetal position while his emotions swirled around him, came to mind. Yugi wasn't the only one hurt during their trip to Egypt, Kaiba had been as well. The only difference was that Yami knew what happened to Yugi. He didn't know what had happened to Kaiba.
Yami released Kaiba and stepped back so that he was almost touching the wall on the opposite side of the hallway. An emotion flittered through Kaiba's eyes quickly, but not quickly enough to keep Yami from recognizing it: confusion.
"Why are you doing this, Kaiba?"
The emotionless mask Kaiba had been wearing slipped momentarily to reveal the confusion Yami had seen in Kaiba's eyes and something else: desperation. Kaiba wanted Yami to fight him, wanted Yami to… the thought trailed off as Yami realized the extent of the damage done to Kaiba during their trip. He was rendered speechless as things clicked into place, not everything, but enough to give him a picture he didn't want to have, a picture he never thought he'd have for the young man standing before him.
"I won't do it, Kaiba. If you want to end your life, you're going to have to do it on your own."
Kaiba remained silent for a moment. He shifted his eyes so that they were no longer meeting Yami's, and before long, the mask was in place again. Kaiba took a deep breath, released it, and then turned to Yami.
"Gozaburo is probably the reincarnation of that priest, which means he can manipulate the items," Kaiba said, returning to their earlier topic.
Yami stared at Kaiba, surprised at the dismissal of what he'd just tried to do. Yami wasn't sure whether to push the matter further or let it go as Kaiba obviously wanted. He wasn't good at dealing with things like this. He didn't think that he had been, even when he was pharaoh. Having met his past self he was now sure that he had never been good at dealing with Priest Seto, and it was no different now. The topic was definitely going to have to be brought up again, of that Yami was sure. He couldn't let it go, but perhaps it was better to postpone it for now and at least get Kaiba's body back before they started dealing with the repercussions of their trip to Egypt.
"You may have a point. Gozaburo is probably the reason why the door to my soul room was locked, and why the door to Yugi's soul room is locked. If he's playing around in here, he wouldn't want the owners to stand in his way."
"The door to your room wasn't locked when I tried it," Kaiba said.
"It was for me."
Yami paced in front of Kaiba as he thought. Kaiba was the first to break the resulting silence.
"If Gozaburo comes in here again, can we trap him in here and take over my body?"
Yami thought about it.
"If Gozaburo is wearing the puzzle when he comes into it, we could lock him in one of the soul rooms and one of us could take over the body and try to find Yugi and the others. If Yugi has the puzzle Gozaburo can't use it."
Kaiba nodded to himself as his eyes narrowed in concentration.
"Next time Gozaburo comes into the puzzle, I'll lock him in my soul room with me while you take over my body and find Yugi."
Yami raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You want me to take over your body? Doesn't it make more sense for you to do it? I can lock him in my soul room with me as well."
Kaiba smiled, and it raised the hairs on the back of his neck. "Gozaburo likes to play with my head, Yami. I'm sure I'll have no trouble luring him to my soul room. I doubt he'd have a reason to go into yours."
Yami frowned. The logic made sense, but he couldn't help but feel that nagging feeling again, the one he had when Kaiba was goading him. Now that he'd realized Kaiba was suicidal, everything changed. Yami didn't know why, but the thought of Kaiba ending his life disturbed him. It shouldn't have. Yami should be glad to get rid of his adversary, but that wasn't the case. He didn't want Kaiba to kill himself, and the admission left him confused. He felt guilty for Kaiba's experiences in Egypt and responsible for them as well. He had made the mistake that had gotten them sent there in the first place. That wasn't entirely it, however. Yami just could not imagine life without Kaiba somewhere in it as well.
"Well, aren't you going to say something?" Kaiba asked.
What would happen if Kaiba and Gozaburo remained locked in a room for an extended period of time? Yami would be in control of the body, but souls could be destroyed as well. If Yami agreed, would he be returning to find that Kaiba had let Gozaburo destroy his soul as he'd wanted Yami to do? He had to admit that it would be a perfect opportunity to get to Yugi and keep Gozaburo from being able to enter the puzzle anymore, but was he willing to take the risk?
"You know, it's not up to you anyway. I have as much say about what goes on here as you do, seeing as how we're both in the same situation. The next time Gozaburo comes in here, I'm going to keep him in my soul room. The rest is up to you, Yami. I would suggest going through with the plan. You'd have your precious Yugi back that way."
With that, Kaiba turned and walked into his soul room, slamming the door behind him. Yami remained in the hallway for a while, wondering what the hell he'd just been pushed into.
Song credit: Boulevard of Broken Dreams, performed by Greenday. This is a beautiful and very haunting song... it was very appropriate for this story. I heard it for the first time on the radio when I was driving home from work and it immediately made me think of this story.
::ducks the flying produce she just knows all of you Kaiba fans are going to throw::
Next up: Yugi and the rest get a surprise. Gozaburo and Kaiba duke it out. Someone makes a return appearance. Until next time!