Author's Notes: Not a lot to say about this chapter. Only that it's SO much fun! You'll love it! ^_^ I don't know what religion Ryou is… Most Japanese people are either Shinto or Buddhist. It shouldn't matter, but I was just wondering. Oh, and I go back to school this Sunday (or Monday), so I'll start HTMLizing my rants and putting them on my website then. Also, there will be a new episode of Yu-Gi-Oh this Saturday and next Saturday. Hopefully more after that, too.
Ankh: Indigo still doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh, and she's having second thoughts about buying the DVDs now too, so suing her would be rather pointless…
Scale: More stupidity from the Ring spirit. Because he's an idiot, as you can see. And some religious references, oh no… Only a little violence, and not until the very end. How boring. Call me when something interesting happens… *walks away*
The Cost of Weakness
//You're sure your uncle has control of this thing? It won't turn on him?// Bakura asked nervously. The chariot Ryou called a "truck" had suddenly come to life with a roar as Ryou's uncle stuck a small silver key into it. It was now making a steady growling noise. Bakura feared for his newfound host body, which was strapped inside the truck's head. If the creature decided to swallow Ryou, the boy wouldn't be able to escape…
Ryou smiled as he watched the house go out of sight. /Don't worry. He's in control. And it's just a mindless machine, Bakura. It can't turn on him./
//I doubt that… What's the flat black rock on the ground?//
/That's asphalt. It's used for making roads./
//How about that short green stuff?//
/That's grass. Wasn't there grass in Egypt?/
//You call THAT grass!? OUR grass came up to my waist at least. And it didn't spread all over everything. And are those trees? Are those supposed to be leaves on them?//
/Those are pine trees. They have long, thin leaves called pine needles. They hurt if you get poked with them, like real needles./
//What's that huge metal thing?//
/That's a car. Like a small, personal version of this truck. Lots of people drive them, see?/ Ryou looked out the front of the car at the oncoming traffic.
//You mean they – AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!! They're all coming at us! Quick, jump out!//
/Bakura, calm down! Look, they all have people driving them too! They'll stay on their side of the road./ Luckily, Ryou's uncle was watching the road and not his nephew's wide array of facial expressions.
//Right, and what's to stop them from aiming their 'cars' at us and jumping out right before their cars hit us, then?//
/Well… Bakura, people just don't DO that! They don't even know us, they don't want to damage their cars, and they don't want to go to jail or have to pay money for smashing up our truck./
//Ha, as if that would stop them. I broke the Pharaoh's laws all the time and I hardly ever got caught. If they really wanted to, they would smash into us! You're a trusting fool.//
/I guess you're right, but why --/
//That's enough, mortal! Don't question me! Why are those different colored lights turning off and on?//
After traffic lights, the conversation moved on to dogs, birds, the truck's radio and temperature controls, the overabundance of metal and glass in addition to this 'plastic' substance, houses and other buildings, and signs. As they drove through a large city, Bakura barely let Ryou translate one sign for him before he would ask about another.
And then there was television. There were quite a few large screens in the city, and Ryou explained that they worked like the radio, but with pictures too. Bakura seemed very interested.
//Their souls aren't trapped in there, are they? Or in the wires, or air waves, or electricity?// Bakura suddenly asked.
/No, it's just a moving picture of them… Bakura, your soul is trapped in this ring, isn't it? How did that happen?/ Ryou decided to take advantage of Bakura's talkative, almost good mood.
The questions caught Bakura off guard. He simply hadn't expected the boy to ask HIM anything. He debated whether to tell Ryou not to ask questions or to answer him.
//…The pharaoh and the high priest, damn them to Anubis. They did this to me with magic, only we didn't try to call it something else like "electricity." If I ever get a chance for revenge, they'll regret ever being born…//
/They're probably dead by now. Unless they were sealed into rings too./
//There is only ONE Ring, idiot. But there were other Items. A Rod, a Tauk, an Eye, a Puzzle, an Ankh, and a set of Scales. I don't know why I was drawn to the Ring, the Puzzle and Scales were bigger… I doubt the high and mighty Pharaoh and his pet mage would get themselves sealed into an Item for a few millennia…//
Bakura sounded a bit depressed. Ryou looked for a way to change the subject. /Oh… Look, Bakura! The ocean!/
Bakura looked. He had seen the Nile many times before, so he thought all large bodies of water must be fairly similar. But this one gave the impression of going on forever. Its waves mesmerized him, and he watched the sea birds ride the air currents. //Is… all the world covered in water? Has so much changed…?//
/No, but Japan is a small island. The ocean is huge. The rest of the world's still there, don't worry!/
Bakura pondered this as he gazed out at the ocean. Ryou thought that would keep him busy for a while. But then…
//Is that boat made of metal? How does it stay afloat?// Ryou gave a soft sigh and went back to explaining things.
//What's that little shack we're about to pass?//
/That's a shrine to a Shinto god. Probably a god of traveling since it's right by the road./
//You put your gods in dwellings like THAT? It's a wonder they don't all smite you down where you stand.//
/Well they don't seem to mind. And people still go to their local shrines to pay their respects and leave small offerings./
//They must not be very powerful gods, then. Or they completely ignore all of you.//
/Bakura… It's not good to insult the gods like that./
//They're not my gods, why do I care?//
/Bakura, why are you here?/
//…I told you that already. I won't repeat myself.//
/Yes, but you acted like you didn't like me being so weak. Why do you care?/ Ryou hoped Bakura wouldn't be mad at him for asking. He knew Bakura wouldn't hurt him with his uncle witting right next to him, though.
Bakura didn't answer for a moment. Insane rage warred with fear of the boy's uncle, and the slight fondness he had developed for Ryou. //I… have to share a body with you now. So I can't let anything happen to this body! If you make it difficult, you'll be sorry!//
/Oh… All right Bakura, I'll try to do what you want./
They were saved from the akward silence that followed by Ryou's uncle. "We're almost there, Ryou. Do you want to go out and get some lunch before we start moving in?"
"Sure!" Ryou answered. "What kinds of restaurants are close by?"
"Almost any kind you could want."
"All right. How about… pizza?" Ryou asked, trying to think of something he hadn't eaten for a while.
"Okay," his uncle said.
//What's pizza?//
/It's very flat bread with tomato sauce and cheese on top, and then almost any kind of meat or vegetables you could want. What do you like to eat, Bakura? Can you even taste things?/
//I like meat. I… can taste, I think. Not nearly as well as I used to, though. I can tell if things are good or bad, and even if they're sweet or salty or something. But it's more like I know how you feel about it and how it tastes to you.//
The truck pulled into a driveway. Bakura gave a sigh of relief as the monster they were riding in stopped growling. Ryou and his uncle unstrapped themselves and got out.
//See, your legs are weak! Riding in that thing makes you even weaker! That will have to stop.//
/I just haven't stretched them in two hours. They'll get better./
//Don't argue! I don't want to ride in it again, and you shouldn't either!//
Ryou sighed. /All right Bakura./ His uncle propped the new house's door open and they started transferring boxes from the truck to the front room of the house. It was boring, so Bakura tuned the world out for a while.
Some time later, Bakura was drawn out of his musings by Ryou. /How do you like it?/
//Huh?// Bakura quickly looked out through Ryou's eyes. Ryou was eating a flat triangular thing with bits of stuff on it. //Oh. This is 'peet-za'?//
/Yes! We got pepperoni, sausage, hamburger, and bacon on it because you said you liked meat!/
Bakura was silent for a moment. //…It's good.//
/I'm glad you like it!/ Ryou thought cheerfully.
Ryou and his uncle finished the pizza, paid for it, and left. Luckily, it was close enough to the new house that they had walked. Bakura brooded while Ryou moved his boxes into his new room and helped his uncle with the larger furniture. Afterwards Ryou was tried, so he flopped down on his bed and stared up at the ceiling. It took so little to tire the boy, how pathetic!
//Oh yes…// Bakura thought to himself as he felt Ryou appear in is own soul room. //Now would be a good time for a lesson, I suppose.// He took a deep breath, threw open Ryou's door and stalked inside. Ryou was lying on the bed in his soul room, smiling up at the ceiling. Bakura didn't want to know what he was smiling about. It would only weaken his resolve. When he heard Bakura come in, Ryou turned his head to smile at Bakura.
"Oh hello Bakura!" Ryou said in a cheerful, slightly sleepy voice. Bakura sighed inwardly and grabbed Ryou's collar, pulling him out of bed and throwing him to the floor.
"You're too damn weak!" Bakura snarled. He picked up his confused host again and punched him a few times in the stomach. Ryou looked bewildered and ready to cry. Bakura felt pretty horrible himself. He growled and kicked Ryou into a corner.
Ryou slowly looked up with tears in his eyes. "Why?" he asked softly.
It was too much for Bakura now. He whirled around and stormed out. He spent almost an hour screaming at himself for becoming like the people he hated. Finally he managed to gain control over his emotions again. He went back to Ryou's soul room, where Ryou was sitting on his bed. The boy jumped and cringed away from him.
"Listen," Bakura growled. "I… I didn't mean to hurt you. It's just that you're SO weak! If you try to be stronger and don't make me mad, I'll try not to hurt you again. Much. Got it?"
Ryou looked at the upset expression Bakura was trying to hide, and could almost feel the truth of his words. The boy nodded, smiling hesitantly.
Bakura gave a huge sigh of relief. "Good, that will make things much easier. Nowleave me alone for a while." He left again, not looking back to see Ryou's smile grow.
Endnote: Aww… So sweet! I must have been in a fluffy mood when I wrote that! But before you gag, don't worry: It won't last long! I plan to go at least through Duelist Kingdom, so there's plenty of time for Bakura's relationship with Ryou to go up and down and sideways and in squiggles… They'll meet Yuugi next time. And that's as far as I've gotten so far. After that I may take a break and write more of "Three-In-One Combo," because I have a couple more ideas for that. Give me suggestions, I might need them! Review now, because I command it!!
Scale: NOOO!! Oh great Ra, make it STOP!!!
Heh heh... Oh, and if you're having trouble reviewing, just send me your review in an e-mail. I'll post it anonymously under your name.
Ankh: Indigo still doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh, and she's having second thoughts about buying the DVDs now too, so suing her would be rather pointless…
Scale: More stupidity from the Ring spirit. Because he's an idiot, as you can see. And some religious references, oh no… Only a little violence, and not until the very end. How boring. Call me when something interesting happens… *walks away*
The Cost of Weakness
//You're sure your uncle has control of this thing? It won't turn on him?// Bakura asked nervously. The chariot Ryou called a "truck" had suddenly come to life with a roar as Ryou's uncle stuck a small silver key into it. It was now making a steady growling noise. Bakura feared for his newfound host body, which was strapped inside the truck's head. If the creature decided to swallow Ryou, the boy wouldn't be able to escape…
Ryou smiled as he watched the house go out of sight. /Don't worry. He's in control. And it's just a mindless machine, Bakura. It can't turn on him./
//I doubt that… What's the flat black rock on the ground?//
/That's asphalt. It's used for making roads./
//How about that short green stuff?//
/That's grass. Wasn't there grass in Egypt?/
//You call THAT grass!? OUR grass came up to my waist at least. And it didn't spread all over everything. And are those trees? Are those supposed to be leaves on them?//
/Those are pine trees. They have long, thin leaves called pine needles. They hurt if you get poked with them, like real needles./
//What's that huge metal thing?//
/That's a car. Like a small, personal version of this truck. Lots of people drive them, see?/ Ryou looked out the front of the car at the oncoming traffic.
//You mean they – AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!! They're all coming at us! Quick, jump out!//
/Bakura, calm down! Look, they all have people driving them too! They'll stay on their side of the road./ Luckily, Ryou's uncle was watching the road and not his nephew's wide array of facial expressions.
//Right, and what's to stop them from aiming their 'cars' at us and jumping out right before their cars hit us, then?//
/Well… Bakura, people just don't DO that! They don't even know us, they don't want to damage their cars, and they don't want to go to jail or have to pay money for smashing up our truck./
//Ha, as if that would stop them. I broke the Pharaoh's laws all the time and I hardly ever got caught. If they really wanted to, they would smash into us! You're a trusting fool.//
/I guess you're right, but why --/
//That's enough, mortal! Don't question me! Why are those different colored lights turning off and on?//
After traffic lights, the conversation moved on to dogs, birds, the truck's radio and temperature controls, the overabundance of metal and glass in addition to this 'plastic' substance, houses and other buildings, and signs. As they drove through a large city, Bakura barely let Ryou translate one sign for him before he would ask about another.
And then there was television. There were quite a few large screens in the city, and Ryou explained that they worked like the radio, but with pictures too. Bakura seemed very interested.
//Their souls aren't trapped in there, are they? Or in the wires, or air waves, or electricity?// Bakura suddenly asked.
/No, it's just a moving picture of them… Bakura, your soul is trapped in this ring, isn't it? How did that happen?/ Ryou decided to take advantage of Bakura's talkative, almost good mood.
The questions caught Bakura off guard. He simply hadn't expected the boy to ask HIM anything. He debated whether to tell Ryou not to ask questions or to answer him.
//…The pharaoh and the high priest, damn them to Anubis. They did this to me with magic, only we didn't try to call it something else like "electricity." If I ever get a chance for revenge, they'll regret ever being born…//
/They're probably dead by now. Unless they were sealed into rings too./
//There is only ONE Ring, idiot. But there were other Items. A Rod, a Tauk, an Eye, a Puzzle, an Ankh, and a set of Scales. I don't know why I was drawn to the Ring, the Puzzle and Scales were bigger… I doubt the high and mighty Pharaoh and his pet mage would get themselves sealed into an Item for a few millennia…//
Bakura sounded a bit depressed. Ryou looked for a way to change the subject. /Oh… Look, Bakura! The ocean!/
Bakura looked. He had seen the Nile many times before, so he thought all large bodies of water must be fairly similar. But this one gave the impression of going on forever. Its waves mesmerized him, and he watched the sea birds ride the air currents. //Is… all the world covered in water? Has so much changed…?//
/No, but Japan is a small island. The ocean is huge. The rest of the world's still there, don't worry!/
Bakura pondered this as he gazed out at the ocean. Ryou thought that would keep him busy for a while. But then…
//Is that boat made of metal? How does it stay afloat?// Ryou gave a soft sigh and went back to explaining things.
//What's that little shack we're about to pass?//
/That's a shrine to a Shinto god. Probably a god of traveling since it's right by the road./
//You put your gods in dwellings like THAT? It's a wonder they don't all smite you down where you stand.//
/Well they don't seem to mind. And people still go to their local shrines to pay their respects and leave small offerings./
//They must not be very powerful gods, then. Or they completely ignore all of you.//
/Bakura… It's not good to insult the gods like that./
//They're not my gods, why do I care?//
/Bakura, why are you here?/
//…I told you that already. I won't repeat myself.//
/Yes, but you acted like you didn't like me being so weak. Why do you care?/ Ryou hoped Bakura wouldn't be mad at him for asking. He knew Bakura wouldn't hurt him with his uncle witting right next to him, though.
Bakura didn't answer for a moment. Insane rage warred with fear of the boy's uncle, and the slight fondness he had developed for Ryou. //I… have to share a body with you now. So I can't let anything happen to this body! If you make it difficult, you'll be sorry!//
/Oh… All right Bakura, I'll try to do what you want./
They were saved from the akward silence that followed by Ryou's uncle. "We're almost there, Ryou. Do you want to go out and get some lunch before we start moving in?"
"Sure!" Ryou answered. "What kinds of restaurants are close by?"
"Almost any kind you could want."
"All right. How about… pizza?" Ryou asked, trying to think of something he hadn't eaten for a while.
"Okay," his uncle said.
//What's pizza?//
/It's very flat bread with tomato sauce and cheese on top, and then almost any kind of meat or vegetables you could want. What do you like to eat, Bakura? Can you even taste things?/
//I like meat. I… can taste, I think. Not nearly as well as I used to, though. I can tell if things are good or bad, and even if they're sweet or salty or something. But it's more like I know how you feel about it and how it tastes to you.//
The truck pulled into a driveway. Bakura gave a sigh of relief as the monster they were riding in stopped growling. Ryou and his uncle unstrapped themselves and got out.
//See, your legs are weak! Riding in that thing makes you even weaker! That will have to stop.//
/I just haven't stretched them in two hours. They'll get better./
//Don't argue! I don't want to ride in it again, and you shouldn't either!//
Ryou sighed. /All right Bakura./ His uncle propped the new house's door open and they started transferring boxes from the truck to the front room of the house. It was boring, so Bakura tuned the world out for a while.
Some time later, Bakura was drawn out of his musings by Ryou. /How do you like it?/
//Huh?// Bakura quickly looked out through Ryou's eyes. Ryou was eating a flat triangular thing with bits of stuff on it. //Oh. This is 'peet-za'?//
/Yes! We got pepperoni, sausage, hamburger, and bacon on it because you said you liked meat!/
Bakura was silent for a moment. //…It's good.//
/I'm glad you like it!/ Ryou thought cheerfully.
Ryou and his uncle finished the pizza, paid for it, and left. Luckily, it was close enough to the new house that they had walked. Bakura brooded while Ryou moved his boxes into his new room and helped his uncle with the larger furniture. Afterwards Ryou was tried, so he flopped down on his bed and stared up at the ceiling. It took so little to tire the boy, how pathetic!
//Oh yes…// Bakura thought to himself as he felt Ryou appear in is own soul room. //Now would be a good time for a lesson, I suppose.// He took a deep breath, threw open Ryou's door and stalked inside. Ryou was lying on the bed in his soul room, smiling up at the ceiling. Bakura didn't want to know what he was smiling about. It would only weaken his resolve. When he heard Bakura come in, Ryou turned his head to smile at Bakura.
"Oh hello Bakura!" Ryou said in a cheerful, slightly sleepy voice. Bakura sighed inwardly and grabbed Ryou's collar, pulling him out of bed and throwing him to the floor.
"You're too damn weak!" Bakura snarled. He picked up his confused host again and punched him a few times in the stomach. Ryou looked bewildered and ready to cry. Bakura felt pretty horrible himself. He growled and kicked Ryou into a corner.
Ryou slowly looked up with tears in his eyes. "Why?" he asked softly.
It was too much for Bakura now. He whirled around and stormed out. He spent almost an hour screaming at himself for becoming like the people he hated. Finally he managed to gain control over his emotions again. He went back to Ryou's soul room, where Ryou was sitting on his bed. The boy jumped and cringed away from him.
"Listen," Bakura growled. "I… I didn't mean to hurt you. It's just that you're SO weak! If you try to be stronger and don't make me mad, I'll try not to hurt you again. Much. Got it?"
Ryou looked at the upset expression Bakura was trying to hide, and could almost feel the truth of his words. The boy nodded, smiling hesitantly.
Bakura gave a huge sigh of relief. "Good, that will make things much easier. Nowleave me alone for a while." He left again, not looking back to see Ryou's smile grow.
Endnote: Aww… So sweet! I must have been in a fluffy mood when I wrote that! But before you gag, don't worry: It won't last long! I plan to go at least through Duelist Kingdom, so there's plenty of time for Bakura's relationship with Ryou to go up and down and sideways and in squiggles… They'll meet Yuugi next time. And that's as far as I've gotten so far. After that I may take a break and write more of "Three-In-One Combo," because I have a couple more ideas for that. Give me suggestions, I might need them! Review now, because I command it!!
Scale: NOOO!! Oh great Ra, make it STOP!!!
Heh heh... Oh, and if you're having trouble reviewing, just send me your review in an e-mail. I'll post it anonymously under your name.