A/N: Darn it. This was supposed to be a short little fic, but it's taken an entirely different turn than I expected. Which is annoying, because I was hoping to finish it here soon. But I'm sure the readers like it. If you don't, though, I really don't care, because quite honestly, I'm not writing for you. But review anyway!
Chapter Four: Return
By Lasafara Fett
Nuhaku smiled at the schoolyard. He was carefully watching, waiting for his primary target to emerge. He knew that they all went to this school, but his first and foremost goal was the return of the Millennium Eye. That was Pegasus's by rights, and since he owned Pegasus, he owned that.
Besides, he wanted it. He had waited and waited for Pegasus to get weak enough to be unable to resist him, and then that intruder, that usurper had stepped in and taken it! It was his! No one else could have the Millennium Items! No One!
Nuhaku shook his head. Fortunately, unlike Pegasus, he was able to keep a large portion of his mind separate from the other entity living within him. This was partially because Pegasus did not care to intrude into his thoughts, but mainly because Pegasus just was too weak.
That was one of the things Nuhaku had come to enjoy about Pegasus. And one of the reasons he had chosen to take the Eye first. The other Item carriers were made of stronger stuff, or, in the case of the Yugi child, were surrounded by people who would notice if he started acting differently.
But with Pegasus, there was no one to notice. Pegasus had lost his item, but it was only right for him to attempt to gain it back. Nuhaku was still upset about Bakura. Bakura would suffer for it. Oh, how Bakura would suffer. Only he, Nuhaku, had the right to gain the Items.
Of course, Bakura knew enough about the Items, remembered enough about his own past, to know about Nuhaku. Nuhaku just had to be careful that Bakura didn't find out about him too quickly. No, no, that wouldn't do at all.
Yet there was something alluring about letting his long-time rival know who it was that was defeating him with such ease.
There would be plenty of time for that, though, when he had Bakura back at the island, back in his hands, to be played with and discarded.
The end of the day came, and Bakura could not wait to get out. For pity's sake, he was thousands of years old, and expected to listen to the drivel put out by these decade old 'teachers?' It was just plain ridiculous.
Suddenly, he felt his Ring respond to something. There was something in the air, and he didn't like it. It didn't feel right. Following where the Ring drew him, he ran towards the focus of the power.
Nuhaku felt Bakura drawing nearer. He could tell that it was the darker half, and that's exactly who he wanted. It would be no fun if the Bakura that came begged him to be kind and gentle. He was sure to get enough of that when he took the Puzzle.
Bakura stopped short when he saw who it was that was standing there. "Pegasus!"
The man nodded. There was something odd about him, a flickering in his eye. He didn't seem, didn't act, didn't feel like the same man that Bakura had stolen the Eye from. However, Bakura couldn't resist a little taunting. Pulling out his bag, he opened the special satchel where he carried the Eye.
He had refused to stop carrying it. It was too likely to be found by other hopefuls and stolen. At least when it was on his person, he had a chance at defending it. Besides, if he ever came back, Bakura couldn't risk the chance that he might gather all the Items. He had horrible plans for the world, and Bakura wouldn't gamble the world's souls on the chance that he wouldn't return.
Holding the Eye above his head, Bakura looked at Pegasus. "Looking for this, Pegasus?"
Pegasus grinned, and somehow, something was different. Bakura was beginning to get seriously disturbed by this.
"Yes, in fact I am. I would appreciate it if you returned it to me."
"Not on your life, freak."
"NOW."
There was something about that voice. Bakura began to respond before he even registered what he was doing. When he realized it, it was too late. The Eye was sailing through the air, landing in Pegasus's hand.
Pegasus smiled again, and Bakura suddenly realized where it was he had seen that smile. "No…"
Pegasus just continued to smile, before he ducked into a parked car and drove out of sight.
Back at his own house, Bakura went over and over the interchange, unable to come to any other conclusion. The creature Nuhaku was back in the real world, and Bakura had to stop him. The last time, the Item carriers had been lucky enough to seal him away into the Shadow Realm. They had known it was not permanent, but they had no other recourse.
And now he was back. And he had a body once more. This time, they didn't even have all the Item carriers in one place. Bakura cursed. He needed to talk to Yami Yugi, and to do that, he was going to have to reveal himself. This was not going to turn out good.
Nuhaku smiled down at the Eye. He had it. It was his. For right now, he wouldn't put it in. He knew that it would only respond positively to one particular soul, and that soul was Pegasus. Once he had the other Items, then he would be able to use all of them regardless of whom they were tuned to, but until then, it was just too risky.
He reached back into his mind, back into the place that was Pegasus. Slowly, he retreated back there until all his senses were turned off. Until he was almost completely physically shut off. Until the image of Pegasus and the room he had created around himself became clear.
Nuhaku smiled as he stood in Pegasus's little room. There was a door in one corner, a door that was locked to him, but there nonetheless. Eventually, he would unlock that door, and everything that was Pegasus would be his. But he was willing to wait. After all, he had eternity.
"Peega-kun? Where are you, Peega-kun?" Nuhaku looked around the room, finally spotting Pegasus.
"What do you want, Nuhaku-sama?" Pegasus practically snarled. He didn't like being disturbed in his own room. This was still his portion of his mind, and he took it seriously.
"I thought you'd like to know that we have the Eye, now."
Pegasus perked up. Maybe, if he had the power of his Eye, he could expel Nuhaku from his mind. That thought was quickly locked up behind the one locked door of his mind. "Really? When are you going to put it in?"
"Oh, not until I gain all the other Items, Peega-kun. I don't know what the reaction would be otherwise. But not to worry. It will be returned to this body soon enough."
Pegasus slumped. "Please. I hurt these people enough when I tried to gain Cecelia back. Can't we just stop?"
"Oh, no, Peega-kun. Not until I have what is so rightfully mine."