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Ryou: Pyra does not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Pyra: Wow, I didn't even need to ask! Your so nice, Ryou! ^_^

Ryou: Thank you! ^_^

Yami: -_-

Pyra: Sorry it took so long, here's the story!

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'Things are going perfect, just as I'd planned,' Yami Bakura thought to himself. Now that he had possession of the Puzzle, not only would he be rid of that annoying pharaoh, but he'd be one step closer to the unimaginable power of the seven Millenium Items. He'd spent a long time perfecting the plan, making it flawless. It had been made so that, no matter what, he would be the one to claim victory over the Millenium Puzzle. The only point at which he'd had to be careful, was at the beginning.

When Yami had fled in rage, Yugi had been left emotionally hurt, and vulnerable to Yami Bakura's spell. Then, later, Yami had realized the truth of what was happening and he transferred the poison into himself and all hope for either himself or his aibou had been lost. For, then, Yugi, in turn, would have to help Yami and gave up the Millenium Puzzle to do so. Well, actually, he'd only put off Yami's... trip to the Shadow Realm. Yugi had done nothing save assure his yami's downfall.



"Yami! Yami!" Yami slowly opened his eyes to see Yugi kneeling down beside him, worrying like crazy.

"It's okay, aibou, I'm up." Yami checked himself quickly and found the poison to be gone. "What happened?" Yugi didn't pay attention.

"Yami, are you okay?"

"Fine, Aibou, now tell me what happened."

"Er, well..." Yugi trailed off and it became apparent that he had no intentions of answering Yami's question.

"Aibou?" Yugi said nothing. Yami was starting to get suspicious. "You always have to make me do the work." Yami checked his mind quickly and stepped back a pace in surprise and horror.

"You - you didn't..." Yugi swallowed and looked down. Then he unexpectedly burst into tears.

"Y-Yami-! You were - you were - gonna - you were gonna -..." His last words were choked with sobs and he couldn't finish. His shoulders shook gently as he wept.

"Yugi, don't cry," Yami pleaded. He came over and embraced his aibou gently. Yugi wept uncontrollably. "Aibou, I understand, and I forgive you. I forgive you for everything. Now there is only two things I regret. The first is that I've known you for such a short while. The second is -" Yami bit back tears. "That - I only have a few days left."

"Yami...!" Yugi stopped sobbing, but the tears still streamed down his face. "Yami? Why? Why! Please don't leave me alone Yami!"

"I'm sorry Yugi, I wish I had a choice in the matter. It's... the Puzzle." Yugi looked at him with violet eyes that were so burdened with guilt and distress, Yami found it hard to bare to look straight into them.

"Oh, Yami... I-I..." By now the tears had stopped, as if simply used up. Yugi became weak in Yami's arms with dispair.

"It's not your fault, Yugi. It was a trap. From the start. From the very start. I would have to go, either way." Yami's voice was soft and comforting, forgiving twinkling dully in his crimson eyes. "It was either the poison or the Puzzle." For a moment, light and darkness became one in mind. Then Yami broke away. Silence shrouded them for an instant.

"Yugi," Yami kneeled down do that he was eye-to-eye with his aibou. "I will miss you more than you could ever imagine, and I will always remember you."

"Yami." Yugi's eyes had aquired a distant look. "Yami, you're not going to die." Yugi said it as if the thought was amusing.

"Yugi, I'm a spirit, I already did five thousand years ago."

"You won't leave." Yugi stated.

"I wish that I had a choice, Aibou, but -" Yugi interrupted.

"No, Yami." His voice was fierce and determined. "I'm going to get the puzzle back.



'What - what happened?' Ryou thought to himself. Then he remembered. His Yami had beat him. 'Again. Why? What did I ever do?' He sighed. Day after day, always the same. Why did he bother to go on? Probably because of his friends. If not for them... He didn't finish the thought. 'I shouldn't encourage myself. - Hold up, where's the Ring? My yami probably took it. I don't dare hope that either it's gone or been stolen.' Ryou carefully picked himself up and checked himself over. 'Nothing worse than the usual. Black eye, scrapes, bruises everywhere. Nothing's broken. Guess I should be thankful, but I'm not sure. Maybe if I had a broken arm or leg he'd lay off a bit.' Ryou reconsidered the idea. 'No. He would think it to just be an excuse.' Ryou hated his yami so much. All he had been doing was taking a walk in the park. No where could he find peace. Nowhere. Ryou sighed and sat down, back against the trunk of a spruce. Nowhere.

"Aibou." Ryou recodnised the cold, heartless voice instantly and his blood ran cold.

"Yami! Please! You just gave me my lesson!" Ryou started to panic.

"I'm not here for your 'lessons', I'm here to tell you of my stunning victory over Yami Yugi." Yami Bakura's smirk hinted at his evil. Ryou paled and pressed up against the tree.

"Wh-what did you do...?"

"I have taken the Millenium Puzzle."

'Oh no, oh no! He's going to use it on ME!' Ryou whimpered slightly.

"You read my mind." Ryou closed his eyes. 'What is he going to do to me...?! Yami Bakura's third-eye glowed brilliantly. Ryou had braced himself, but the magic wasn't offensive. Slowly he calmed down, the magic's energy soothing. "Stand up, Aibou." Yami Bakura's voice floated through the spell, weaving around Ryou. Ryou stood. Yami Bakura stared with an undisguised mischievious look. Ryou's suspicions flared to life, but were instantly quelled by the magic, replaced by calmness. Yami Bakura grinned evilly.

"Ah...!!!" Ryou's breath came out short and quick as the pain hit him. It felt as if he'd been stabbed by knives laced in fire from every imaginable direction. Ryou fell to his knees, eyes wide with pain and housing a stricken look. His mouth lay open slightly with surprise. Ryou collapsed not a second later.



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Yami: PLEASE REVIEW!!

Pyra:.....? Oooooookaaaaaay. Thank you Yami.

Yami: ^_^

Ryou: Is he hyper?

Yami: YES!!!!!!!!!!!

Ryou: eep!

Pyra: anyways, please give me suggestions! I need them!

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