"Now is the time, if you truly mean to go." Even Honda sounded a bit disheartened by Ryou's choice. But he gave a respectful bow and gestured towards the swirling void just behind the nearest group of trees.

Ryou swallowed heavily. He had never been less sure of anything in his life. But still, he stiffly marched towards the portal. There was a moment's hesitation, and then a brilliant flash of light, and the boy from the other world vanished.

Meanwhile, a short flight away from the barrier, lay the Red King's castle. The monarch himself was currently seated on his throne, his expression a taut mix of irritation and distress. The statuesque advisor, Sir Seto, was standing just a few feet to the left of the throne. The prince's unusual reaction to the foreigner's departure was rather unnerving for the long-standing consultant. Still, his eternally blank face did not betray his own nerves.

But even the stoic Sir Seto could not hide his disbelief when his sovereign charge let out a barely-audible groan.

"Your eminence, are you altogether displeased with the otherworlder's departure from our world?"

"Mm." The white-haired ruler gave a distracted nod, his crimson eyes slightly clouded. "...I fear... I fear I have truly fallen for that charmingly inexplicable little stranger."

"Then surely you should be planning to go after him-?"

"..." But the young king shook his head. "No. I cannot. I see that now... he must be allowed to make his own decisions. If I were to try and steal him like that moron, Crawford; I would never truly grasp the one thing I seek."

Bewildered, the advisor could only prompt, "-and that is, my lord?"

The monarch shook his head from side to side, his wild hair following suit. "His heart. He is a far purer creature than I, and to break his trust would mean that I would forever lose any chance at his heart."

The blue-eyed confidant seemed rather unfamiliar with such a dominion, and he wisely decided to stay quiet until addressed. "Of course, my liege."

"Hm." Bakura snorted- he should have known better than to expect his advisor to understand the complexities of romantic passion. "You may leave me be- I wish to be alone with my thoughts."

"As you wish, sire." Sir Seto gave a bow, recognizing the dismissal. He turned towards the red-and-gold curtains that covered the wall behind the throne. There was an old stone passageway hidden behind a wooden panel just to the left of the wall's center. It led directly to his personal quarters, and was reserved for only his and the king's use.

The faint sound of the concealed tunnel's door closing washed over the king's ears, and he sighed.

'Finally, a chance to delve into and dispel this most wretched affliction...'

But the ill-tempered monarch had very little time to reflect before his peaceful musings were interrupted.

There was a sudden knock on the outer throne room doors, followed by a faint call. "Um, your majesty?"

King Bakura's troubled gaze turned downright sour at the sight of the two hybrid messengers now approaching- evidently, he still remembered Jou's uninvited interruption in the Astronomy tower the night before. The canine hybrid wisely hung back while Yugi stepped forward towards the Red King's throne.

"Ryou... before he left, the Otherworlder asked me to give this to you, sir. It belonged to his younger sister, whom he lost years ago. He has worn it every day since, but now... well, his last wish here was for you to have it."

The king's blood-red eyes, usually so calculating and steel-like, widened in awe at the tiny pendant now being presented to him. Yugi carefully tilted his hand, allowing the glistening chain to tumble into the astonished ruler's palm. Bakura glanced downwards at the humble offering in shock.

'Of all the tokens... of all the extravagant and lavish gifts meant to curry my favor...' The king nearly stopped breathing as a stunning reverence took over him. 'Never before have I been so touched by such a gesture." The glistening metal pendant shimmered in the monarch's hand. 'No- this is his heart- purer than the purest gold, and more brilliant than all the stars brought together."

The bewildered royal felt warm tears threatening to fall down his face, but they never reached past his eyes. No, instead; the Red King's expression suddenly turned quite fierce.

At first, Yugi and Jou were terrified that the monarch was about to go into a mad fury from rage and grief. But instead, he only cleared his throat before marching over to the nearest wall sconce and grabbing its golden base. The gilded candle holder tilted sideways, revealing a hidden panel of shelving units on the opposite wall. The determined royal marched over to what seemed like an elegant array of various bottles. The differently colored potions seemed to be laid out in some pre-arranged order, and the king thoughtfully grabbed two specific containers while addressing the smaller messenger.

"Yugi. You will go ahead as a scout. I will follow after, as soon as I am prepared."

The rabbit-cross's expression was blank for a few seconds, but realization soon sunk in. Yugi then gave his liege a brilliant grin before following it with an enthusiastic salute. "Yes, sir!"

Jou still looked lost, and he tilted his head a bit before asking, "Er, an' what should I do, your highness?"

Rather than yelling, Bakura opted to dismiss the wilder retainer with a wave of his hand. "Go and annoy Sir Seto. He's most likely in his room. See if you can't get him to pull the stick out of his *ss and start a game of 'fetch.'"

The shocked expression on the taller hybrid's face led Yugi to hastily whisper: "It's just a metaphor, Jou- Sir Seto doesn't really have a stick-"

"No, I know that!" The blonde dog-mix whispered back fervently. "But I'm jus' shocked tha' his majesty ain't actin' mad! I don' get it- what's happenin'?!"

"Oh, he's gone mad, alright." Yugi giggled quietly. "You might even say he's mad as a March hare..."

"Eh? Oh. OH!" Jou finally caught on, and he forgot to keep his voice low as he groaned. "Of all th' times to finally figure things out; an' he does so right when th' dude's gone back to anotha' realm?!"

"Careful, dog." Evidently the pale ruler could hear the blonde, despite his back being turned. "Your barks may carry far in these halls, but there are places deep within the dungeons where they would never be heard again- get my drift?"

"Got it!" Jou yelped out quickly before dashing off to do... the exact opposite of what he was usually told to do. 'Man, this is gonna be a weird day... it's like everything's goin' topsy-turvy!' A thought crossed his mind, and his russet eyes narrowed. 'Hmm... but the chance to intentionally get on that pompous jerk's nerves...' The lanky hybrid smirked as he tore off down the halls to pester his long-time rival.

Yugi dashed off towards the same portal he'd used the other day, barely pausing long enough to ask another guard to tell Yami where he'd gone, should the former knight inquire. 'He's sure to storm the castle if I don't come home tonight... I can only hope I'll be back before he learns that I've gone!'

While the Red King was making his preparations, the youth he was seeking was suddenly jolted back into reality.

"Waagh!" Ryou Bakura gasped, his entire body shaking from shock. 'What on Earth-?!'

He had expected to find himself back in the watery passageway, having hit his head against a pipe or something. But instead, he was back at home; in his bedroom, lying beneath the covers of his twin bed.

'So... was it really just a dream?' The bewildered youth shook his head. How could something so vivid, so detailed be only an illusion? 'But how can I- oh!' Several memories of the other realm darted across his thoughts, and he quickly felt around his neck for his sister's golden chain.

It was gone.

'Oh...'

It had been real. All of it. There was no doubt in Ryou's mind- every weird and wonderful part of his 'dream' had truly happened.

The astonished youth let out a pained gasp. His eyes widened. He could feel the tears building as he realized what he'd done. 'What was I thinking, feeling like I had to return home... and for what? A broken family with only one other man, who cannot even stay in the country for more than a week? A school with people who barely tolerate me, much less talk to me? A city of cruel peers who would loathe me if they really knew about me?'

His mind mired with regret, the distraught teen buried his head in his pillow and openly sobbed. It took ages, but Ryou eventually cried himself into a restless slumber. His eyes were red, and his confused thoughts were only interrupted by an occasional hiccup. 'I suppose this is my punishment for rejecting paradise... I truly am a fool.'