An Author's Note: Beware. Slight Crossovering with my own work ahead. Let's see those of you who have read my other stuff will spot the crossover nuttiness.
Chapter 39
The Centaur and the Silver Orb
Bakura yawned and glared at the Potions homework in front of him.
/How do you think Snape would respond if I printed out some pictures of these flowers from the Internet?/ Bakura asked his yami in a sleepy manner.
/Unless it contained the appropriate content along with it? He'd still fail you. In fact he might just detract points just to be contrary./ his yami grumbled.
Bakura yawned again. Darn he was tired! He really should not have written down his own name in that article! Now, not only were people constantly asking about his "experience" with the Death Eaters, but Umbridge had been watching him like a hawk when he refused to admit to giving an interview (also, the fact that his English had mysteriously improved had earned him another few nights of slicing his own hand open). Plus, the teachers were pouring on the homework, especially for the transfer students who had to make up a bunch of stuff from the first four years they missed.
Bakura's eyes drooped. The paper in front of him blurred. Idly he stroked Robot's head. The little dragon nuzzled his hand and wrapped his long tongue around Bakura's fingers.
/Hey yami, dragons are Elder Breed, right?/
/Yes, they are./
/So why hasn't Robot tried to talk?/
/For one thing he is too young. Genetic memory for another./
/Huh?/
/It's…strange. Dragons know their history through their blood. It informs the hatchling in the egg of their history. If the dragons decreed that they would act as animals then all hatchlings will be born with that knowledge. He probably will not talk to us even if he comes of age./
/Oh…that's a shame…/ Bakura yawned again, his eyes closing. His hand was resting on the back of Robot, but the dragon did not seem to mind. Slowly Bakura began to fall asleep while sitting up.
Bakura was aware that he was dreaming, in an abstract kind of way. He was chasing a silvery light through a starry void. Was it one of those Patronus thingies that Harry was trying to teach them to summon? Or was it something else entirely? His hands had just about reached it when something landed on his shoulders.
Bakura jolted awake.
A thestral was standing in his room. He had laid his wings on Bakura's shoulders and was shaking him awake.
Bakura yelped and jumped away, startled. Well, it you saw that face looming over you as you woke up you would be a bit shaken as well.
"Relax, it's only Darknight." Yami Bakura appeared beside him with a little smirk. It was clear he found Bakura's reaction highly amusing.
Hey, just because he and Bakura and reached an understanding did not mean that Yami Bakura was going to change his basic nature.
/Thief King, you must come now!/ Darknight said.
"What is wrong?" Yami Bakura asked.
/I will tell you as we go, but we have to go now! Bring the Claws, you may need them!/
"Okay." Yami Bakura said.
/Should we…you know?/
/Of course./
The two of them merged, with only half the fanfare that characterized Yugi's mergings with his yami. Robot shot awake, fluttered over and landed on Yami Bakura's shoulder. Quickly Yami Bakura grabbed the Claws from the bottom of his bag.
/I'll carry you./ Darknight volunteered.
"So what is going on?" Yami Bakura asked as he mounted the thestral. He was not sure how but they managed to fit through the window…
/Have you ever heard of the First Dragons?/ Darknight asked.
"No."
/Ah…well…you'll see./
/What do you think is going on?/ the normal Bakura asked.
/I have no idea. I've never heard of a First Dragon before. But it must be something important. Really important if the Elder Breed are willing to tell us about it. They are pretty tight with their secrets./
A few moments of flying over the forest later they landed in a clearing. Standing there waiting for them was Thorntooth, the old thestral elder, a unicorn and of all things a centaur.
Yami Bakura dismounted and bowed at all them. "Greetings, Elder ones. What can the Thief King do for you?"
The centaur sifted around nervously "I am called Firenze. It is good to meet you…Thief King."
"I was under the impression that the Stargazers did not believe my claim?" Yami Bakura said. It was amazing that someone who was normally so grouchy could actually adopt a civil and respectful tone, but he managed it.
"I am not like the rest of my herd. Thief King there is no time! I…have a job for you. I need you to retrieve the Orb of Life from my herd."
/He wants us to steal from his own herd?/
/Sounds like it/
"If you do not mind my asking: what is this orb and why do you want to steal if from your own herd?"
The unicorn spoke. Bakura had never seen a creature so magnificent in his life. It seemed to radiate an aura of peace and tranquility. It was a strange, warm, calming feeling that Bakura was unfamiliar with. For first time in a long time he felt at peace. He could feel similar emotions coming from his yami. In this creature's presence even Yami Bakura was…mellow.
"The Orb of the Silver Dragon Zilantaxx, the Dragon of Life. It has been held by the centaurs for many years…but now you need it Yami Bakura." The unicorn said.
"Great One of the Light, what do you mean?" Yami Bakura asked.
"The stars have been acting…rather oddly this year." Firenze said "At first they predicted one thing, then almost overnight the readings changed. Something has happened to drastically change the timeline of this world. My herd wishes to ignore it, but I cannot."
"The timeline has changed?" Yami Bakura asked.
"Indeed. You are not supposed to be here, Thief King." The unicorn said "Something, or someone, has changed things. For better or for worse not even I can say. However, I know this: that Orb is no longer safe with the centaurs. We have tried to convince Firenze's herd of this, but they are stubborn and will not listen to us. However, the Orb must be in your hands. You must take it."
"Why?" asked Yami Bakura.
"I…cannot say. But you must trust me. If you are the Thief King then you know that what I say is true. You know that my kind can see what others cannot. This is what I have seen, Thief King. You must have the Orb, for only you can keep it truly safe. However, there is another reason why you should have this Orb. You must have the Orb in order to stay on this side of the Veil."
"The Veil?"
"The Veil of Death."
Bakura sat invisible in the trees, watching the herd of centaur as Firenze trotted amongst them. The herd was camped in a large clearing ruled over by a huge tree in which a shiny obvious ball of silver glittered. That was the Orb. The plan was simple. Wait until Dumbledore showed up to ask Firenze to teach. When Firenze agreed, and he was going to agree, the herd would drive him out (at least that was what the unicorn said would happen, and according to Yami Bakura unicorns were always right). While the centaurs chased Firenze around Yami Bakura would climb up the rather large tree in front of him and retrieve the Orb from the top of the tree.
Simple.
Yeah, right.
/Okay, the wizard has landed./ Yami Bakura muttered.
/Yep, and he's talking to Firenze./
/And he is nodding./
/Okay, now that black one is getting in Firenze's face./
/Yep./
/Do you also feel like going down there and helping him?/
/No./
/You are mean, Yami./
/Damn straight./
/Firenze is running!/
/Good, now is the time to strike./
Yami Bakura made sure he was still invisible, then swung to the ground. He would have to cross the meadow.
Despite the invisibility the Claws gave him, Yami Bakura remained low to the ground as he dashed towards the tree. He reached the thing and grabbed a branch. Quickly he climbed the tree like a monkey. He did not sink the Claws in, because he wanted to leave as little evidence as possible.
/You are good at this./
/Please! This is a tree! It was made to be climbed!/
They finally reached a branch that someone had apparently sawed off so it made a kind of platform. Right in front of them was a huge hole in the trunk. Inside this hole was a glowing silver ball about the size of a Snitch. Maybe a bit bigger.
Yami Bakura approached the Orb, but before he had walked two steps the Orb suddenly flashed. It rose into the air and shot at him like a bullet. At what seemed like Mach Five the Orb slammed into him
"Ugg." Yami Bakura was blown back several feet. Pain filled their body for a brief moment.
/Oww! Was that supposed to happen?/ Bakura asked.
/I don't know, but let's get out of here!/
They shimmied down the tree and waiting for them was a certain unicorn.
"Well done." He said.
"That thing, it-"
"Yes, I know. It is good. It was supposed to happen."
"But why-"
"Thief King, you must trust me. It will serve you well when the time comes. Until then it shall be safe…" the unicorn seemed to smile "as long as you are safe."
"Oh, great…"
"Now, I believe you have to go home, right?"
Gently the unicorn touched Yami Bakura with his horn. Light surrounded them and in a flash they where back in Gryffindor tower.
Staring at Potions papers.
/Yami…?/
Slowly, Yami Bakura opened his robes and took a look. He had a feeling he knew what would be there, but he needed to see for himself.
Sure enough, right smack in the middle of his body was a glowing silver Orb…
/Yami…do you have any idea what this was supposed to be about?/ Bakura asked.
/Not a one, but I think I am going to have a little talk with a our new teacher tomorrow…/