"Bakura," the mahogany haired girl whimpered. "I don't feel so good." "Shhh," Bakura said grimly, sitting at the side of the bed. "I know. I don't either." "Why did you cover up the window? I wanted to see the sunrise. It's so pretty." Arielle cocked her head at the thick dark drapes shielding her from the light of day. "Because." The spirit said simply. He felt a wave of emotion surf up to his throat. Arielle was too young, too innocent. She's too young to die. If she dies, it wouldn't be fair. Arielle's young life would be reduced to nothing but a couple short pages that held such a cruel finality. Why, she doesn't even know who I really am, Bakura realized. There is only one thing that would save her, the ancient spirit looked lugubriously at the young soul. But am I willing? "Seto Kaiba has arrived! Inform Master Pegasus that Seto Kaiba has arrived!" He was interrupted in his thoughts as shouts were heard echoing through the hallway. "Seto!" Arielle shrieked, jumping from the bed and scrambling across Bakura's lap. To Bakura's pure horror, she ran for the window and her fingers closed around the drapes, ready to pull it open. "NO!" He yelled when he finally found his voice, flinging himself between her and her death at the last moment. His back faced the sun as Arielle squirmed in his vise-like grasp. He gasped for breath, his eyes tightly closed, not wanting to see anything, but pictures flashed by in his mind. Pictures of what would have happened if he hadn't been fast enough. Pictures of what would have happened if the deadly rays of the sun had touched her sensitive skin. "Bakura," the youngster urged impatiently as Bakura reached back to pulled the drapes close. "Seto's here. Don't you want to see him? I miss him." "Kid," he leaned forward urgently, clutching on to her arms roughly. "Promise me.promise me that you'll stay away from the sun. Hide from it. Don't even look into a room where the sun is shining." Arielle looked at him with surprisingly calm eyes as if she were studying the psychology of the deepest human emotions. "Okay." She agreed, her dark forest green eyes solemn. Bakura let her go, breathing in a deep sigh of relief. "Now, you must stay here--" "No!" She said that with such force that Bakura stopped talking and blinked. "Pardon me?" "I'm going with you to find Seto!" She crossed her arms defiantly, her voice leaving room for neither persuasions nor arguments. The ancient spirit of the ring frowned, pondering over her request.no, her command. But her face clearly told that she would find a way to follow him even if he seals her soul in Shadow Realm. "Very well." He nodded. If she must follow him anyway, he might as well as take her with him so he could keep an eye on her. "Come along." He scooped her up into his arms as he headed down to the dining hall, where the meeting was sure to take place. He was careful to avoid all the sunlight possible and walked through the dim, musky underground tunnels to get to the dinner hall. As Bakura got nearer, he heard the voices behind the door. He set the orphan down. "You.stay.here." He pointed at their location right now. "And promise me. Don't open this door. Do NOT open this door. You promise me?" When she didn't answer, he placed his finger under her chin and gently forced her to look him into the eye. "Promise me." Arielle gave him a pout. "Promise me, or I'll carry you back to your room right now." Bakura threatened roughly. "I promise." She finally said sulkily. "I'm serious--" he insisted. "I know, I know," Arielle was so excited that she couldn't stand still. "Go out there!" She commanded. "And tell me everything you see." With a shove that was simply out of the range strength of a six-year-old, Bakura was exposed in the light, where he blinked with surprise and blindness. "I'm warning you, Pegasus.don't test me out." Kaiba's deadly dangerous voice was saying before him. Pegasus chuckled. "Oh, Kaiba-boy, you're simply too funny." "We're not kidding, Pegasus!" Oh, Bakura noticed, so that cheerleader rah-rah girl was also here. "Give us Arielle back!" "Please, little girl, you're giving me a headache." Pegasus taunted as he rubbed his temples. "But this castle is just not your place to demand anything." The two bulky guards behind him tensed automatically. "At least, not when your own lives are in the mercy of my hands." "Don't try any funny business, Pegasus." Yami also warned. Both the king of games and Kaiba instinctively moved in front of Téa. Bakura could now see the scene clearly in front of him. But before he did anything, he took hold of one of the dining room chairs and pulled over to the door, shoving it in front of it and blocking it so it couldn't be opened. Pegasus's dining hall was brighter than any part of the castle, due to the sunlight that streamed through the windows that covered one side of the room. "Bakura." Turning around slowly, Bakura saw Kaiba, his deep blue eyes held an undying brilliant flame. He took two steps ominously toward the tomb robber. Bakura put on his natural smirk and walked over to meet the tall billionaire. "Kaiba." He also greeted mockingly. "So you are finally here." The sentence slipped out before he could stop himself. Kaiba was finally here.but it was too late. "Where is she?" Kaiba snarled, lurching forward and grasping hold of Bakura's throat. "What have you guys done to her?!" "Pe-Pegasus gave h-her a dose." Bakura gasped, making no effort to fight only trying to pry Kaiba's strong fingers so he may speak. "What does it do?!" "I-I." Bakura coughed, his mind began to fade out. Until a powerful voice commanded, "Put him down, Kaiba, so we may hear what he has to say." Kaiba gave another low growl and threw the teen down. Oxygen began to rotate once again in Bakura's lungs and he rubbed his bruised throat. "Now, speak." The Pharaoh spat, glaring at him, his feet tapping impatiently on the ground. "Pegasus gave her an injection." He finally mumbled, standing up. "An injection cleverly invented to be replaced as substitute for XP. Xeroderma Pigmentosum." Kaiba's face went pale, his knuckles were white from gripping his briefcase so tightly. Téa gave a small cry as her hands flew to her mouth. Yami was staring at Pegasus, not sure whether to believe the terrible fate or not. "I tried to stop him." Bakura's voice was trembling slightly now, as he faced Kaiba, who had not moved or even breathed since he heard the news. "But--" he didn't get to finish before Kaiba turned away from the sun and slammed himself in Pegasus's direction, not noticing Bakura was between them. "Damn you, Maximillion Pegasus!" Kaiba screamed, out of control. "DAMN YOU AND YOUR SICK MIND!" Bakura was nearly knocked over when Kaiba rammed into him, but he held his ground, yelling, "Kaiba, there is still one thing we could do!" Kaiba ignored Bakura threw him to the ground with one hand. Like a trapped animal, he lunged up and clutched Pegasus's throat, choking off his shout of alarm. Pegasus threw himself backward, dragging the mad CEO with him. He clawed desperately at Kaiba's hands, and other hands joined his, all seeking to break the strangle hold Kaiba held. But Kaiba was too strong. All of him--all the rage and pain and fear and loneliness and awful despair he'd ever known--was in his hands, and no force on earth had the strength to break their grip. "Kaiba!" Yami yelled. "Stop this! It doesn't help!" "You're only making things worse!" Bakura strained back, his fingers locked on Kaiba's collar. It was almost too late for Pegasus when his two bodyguards finally pried Kaiba off. Reinforcements came in and retrained the outrages teen. The group of freshmen froze as handguns were aimed toward them.mainly at Kaiba, who couldn't have cared less. He was raving mad, though silent. His midnight blue eyes had darkened so it was almost black. "Mr. Pegasus, are you alright?" Croquet inquired, holding out a glass of water. Pegasus coughed a few more time, then hastily gulp down a sip of water, refusing the rest. His cultivated voice was hoarse as he pointed an index finger, shaking with hatred and anger, at the willowy businessman. "Sh-shoot him." The guards tightened their grips on Kaiba as miniature guns were cocked and clicks of bullets loading could be heard. Yami shoved Téa behind him and tried to stop this whole thing, but for once, the stunned former pharaoh lost his voice. And from the fire in Pegasus's eyes, he couldn't have done much to change the situation. The aristocratic American finally straightened up and managed a malicious smile at Kaiba, who stared stonily back into his adversary's crimson eyes. "Not so tough now, are you, Kaiba-boy?" He sneered. He turned to the two guards beside him. "Shoot him." Time slowed into a slow motion movie. Screams and yells were heard, though the sound of silence was deafening in everyone's ears. Téa's fragile pleading cry was heard, along with Yami's deep tone yelling a halt to the guards, Bakura stood silently, his brain not comprehending what was going on.until he heard a crash behind him. He whirled around and saw Arielle running from her hiding place, the chair holding her door in place now lay on the floor. Her exclamation reached everybody's ears as the six-year-old ran in slow motion across the room, past Bakura. Bullets were fired. "NO!" Bakura reached out and tried to grasp the orphan before she reaches her death. His fingers closed around the air a centimeter away from her arm. The bullet was getting closer.and closer.and closer.and was just inches away from Kaiba when Arielle threw herself against the trio. Kaiba and the two bodyguards crashed onto the floor, with the wind out of them as they wonder how a mere six-year-old could have that strength in her. Bullets raced pass them, making two holes on the wall behind them. Arielle landed on the ground also, her hands reached out to break her fall. She landed and her body rolled. She stopped rolling and time stopped. The warm beam of the sun shined on her skin, making them look healthy and flocculent. The sunlight's golden ray had made her hair a rich golden red. The steady stream sparkled in her eyes, making them a light, emerald greed with red specks in them. Bakura could swear in the name of Ra that there was a serene warm light in them before they closed. "Arielle!" Time came back to normal and all the teens, besides Bakura, gasped and rushed to her side, surrounding her. As the evil gleam in Pegasus's eyes dulled, they reverted to the still small figure on the ground and gave a gasp. Then he backed up and looked around, unsure of what to do. "Oh God, oh God," Kaiba scooped Arielle up and set her away from the sun. But it was too late. Those beautiful dark green eyes closed forever as the lavish color of her hair began to fade. Téa's faltering fingers found Arielle's pulse. Then she let out a strangled cry and flew into Yami's chest, sobbing until she couldn't breath and thought she had been turned inside out. "No." Yami whispered hoarsely. "This.this can not be!" Kaiba knew girls were born more delicate and emotional than guys. But this time was different. The second he heard Téa cry, Kaiba felt his heart flop clear over. This cry wasn't like any cry he's ever heard from anyone. And this time he knew that Arielle was gone. Really gone. He straightened up. A lump in his throat as he tried to control his emotions. Téa had hushed her sobbing, but silent tears were streaming down her face and she was trembling all over and clinging on to Yami like she'd never let him go. Kaiba's slender capable fingers reached for Arielle, scared to find what he'll touch. He lifted her up gently and then cradled her in his chest. Then, he couldn't help himself as he felt her helpless delicate lifeless body against him. A sob escaped his throat. And within a second, Seto Kaiba was sobbing inhumanly, his face buried in Arielle's familiar sweet-smelling hair. All the fight left him as he cried out his anguish. Why me? Why ME? What have I ever done? Is it my destiny to lead this kind of cruel life? God, if you really exist, where are you? Nobody said a word as Kaiba wept. And they seemed to have sensed that he wasn't only grieving for Arielle, but his parents as well. For Kaiba had never cried nor expressed sorrow when his parents died. Now, he's crying for everything that ever needed to be let out that he would not show. "Move aside." A British voice commanded, though slight hesitation was heard. Kaiba looked up. Bakura was standing unsurely beside him. "What do you want?" Kaiba asked brokenly as he tried to put some toughness back into his voice. "Haven't you already done enough?" Bakura dropped on his knees. "I liked her alive just as much as you do, Kaiba." He said simply. No mocking or taunting in his voice as he called Kaiba by his name. "What do you mean?" "Look, do you want her back or not?" The silver haired teen said impatiently, hint of annoyance shown on his face. "I don't understand--" Kaiba began, but Bakura didn't give him time to finish. With expert hands, he plucked the girl from the CEO's grasp and lay her down with a tenderness that even Kaiba felt. He mumbled something in ancient Egyptian tongue and his Millennium Ring appeared. Then, without saying a word, Bakura took hold of one of his Millennium Ring pointers. With great fascination, everyone watched as he yanked the cone-shaped pointer off. A milky white liquid flowed out. Bakura held the Millennium Item above her face and let the white fluid drip into Arielle's parted lips. "Bakura, what are you doing?" Yami asked in a hushed tone. The soul stealer answered in a no-nonsense tone with no emotion. "I'm transferring my little bit of mortality into her. The little bit that keep my soul alive will make her alive as well." "But doesn't that mean--?" Téa stopped but Bakura filled in. "That I would die? Yes." He turned back to his work. "That little bit of white liquid is what keeps me alive in my Millennium Ring. Without it, my soul wouldn't be here after all these millennia." "Then why are you--" Kaiba started. "Because today, Arielle's taught me a lesson in life." He answered without letting him finish. He looked up at Kaiba, a flicker of fondness darted across his eyes. "She taught me that her life was well worth the life of her loved one. She had given you the greatest treasure of all--the gift of her own life to save you, someone she held dearly, without even stopping to think what would happen. She knew what would happen, and she was prepared for it and ready to make her own life worthy, though she never said anything. I tapped into her mind." Bakura was deeply touched by what Arielle had done. She was a girl he had never really known, but who had the power to reach beyond life and touch all their lives with her gift of love. And he thought about himself.what had he done that had been worthwhile? Nothing. Suddenly, a quote came into his mind. He had read it in one of Ryou's textbooks. Ryou had been cramming for an English test for the next day, but got so tired that he fell asleep around two in the morning. Bakura had came out of the Ring and took a curious peek at the classic novel that his lighter-half was so engrossed into. It was A Tale of the Two Cities, written by Charles Dickens. Bakura had only caught the last sentence of the tale, when Sydney walked toward his death. He had said: "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known." At that time, Bakura had scoffed, "Ignorant fool. Dying for someone, humph." Then, he had thought for a while before correcting, "Stupid mortal, writing this stupid piece of trash." Before retreating back into his Ring. It was not until this moment, when he understood what Sydney Carton had meant, for when he saw Arielle jump in front of Kaiba, he understood that he must do the same thing to the only one he cared about. The pale substance from the Millennium Ring dripped to its end and everyone's mouth said a soundless prayer. Within a second, Arielle began to breathe. Her eyes flattered as she blinked from the sunlight shining in her eyes. "Arielle!" Everyone was overjoyed. "Glad you're back with us, again, Arielle." Yami ruffled the youngster's hair affectionately. "Arielle, you scared me so bad!" Téa could barely control herself from snatching the delicate creature from Kaiba's arms. "I'm so sorry, kiddo," Kaiba's tone was low and gruff, yet soft and caring in the little girl's ears. "I missed you, Seto." Arielle looked up at him with clear-honest eyes. Then she hesitated, "B-big brother.are you still mad at me?" Kaiba just nuzzled Arielle closer to his body, burying his face in her hair. "No, kid." Nobody noticed Bakura's longing sorrowful brown eyes linger on Arielle before he slumped over. "Bakura!" The kid's eyes widened as she struggled to escape everyone's grasp. Yami turned and his breath was caught. With Téa holding Arielle, Kaiba helped Yami lay Bakura down on the ground. "Bakura?" Yami gently prodded the ex-tomb raider. The form on the ground didn't move. Arielle scampered off Téa's lap over to Bakura. "Bakura?" Her clear sweet voice was lined with worry. "Wake up. Please wake up." She pleaded. Bakura slowly opened his eyes, his lips curled up to a weak smile. "Hey, kid." He said softly.frailly. Arielle didn't say anymore words. Instead, she took a long understanding look at him, then curled up at Bakura's side, his arms around her, a behavior that fully indicates that she's dedicating her whole self to him. "Yami." Bakura whispered, his fingers pulled at his Millennium Ring. "I-I want you to give this to Ryou." "I'll give it to him personally." Yami's rich tone cracked as he lifted the Ring off Bakura's chest, leaving him to breathe easier. "Bakura." Kaiba's voice was thick. "I don't know how to thank you--" With the last bit of strength, Bakura waved him off and quoted so weakly that they all had to bent over to hear him. "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done," he lost his voice and took another deep breath. "It is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known." He smiled. "Charles Dickens." His eyes slowly closed as he finished his last understandment. Arielle looked up and said in a trembling voice, "I love you, Bakura. You are my bestest friend." She cuddled up closer as the spirit took his last breath. Then, in front of tearful eyes, Bakura began to disappear. He faded lighter and lighter, until he grew so bright that everyone was blinded for moments. The next minute they turned to see, Arielle was the only one on the curled up on the ground. "He's gone." Kaiba murmured. "Bakura's really gone." "Yes." Yami's expression went from compassionate to harshness. "And so will Pegasus." "What--" Téa began, her eyes doubtful and her voice quivering. She didn't get a chance to finish before she was overcome by a peculiar feeling. She felt like she was floating up and up and up, looking down onto this room from the ceiling. Suddenly, everything disappeared from view and only a blinding light, even more brilliant than Bakura's, was visible. With their eyes blinded, all they could hear was words muttered in an ancient language. Right after the intricate foreign tongue, everyone caught a glimpse of a dark shadow, then.everything was normal, as if nothing ever happened. But something did happen. Pegasus was obliterated. "Come on, let's get out of here." Kaiba said, his expression disgusted as he picked up his briefcase. Téa was guiding Arielle to the helicopter. Yami just walked straight on. None of them ever turned back.