Ch. 3: Final Destination
So many memories like that were plaguing my thoughts now, coursing through my mind like a random slideshow. Special occasions like our first kiss bounced back and forth inside of my brain more often than ideas of theft or masochism. I couldn't do anything else but regret all the times I had cruelly ignored Ryou or literally did something downright vicious to him. Abuse, both verbal and physical, were exercised over him by my very hands. Every time I thought I had seen the last of him, the silvery-haired adolescent would mysteriously appear in my living space, ready to forgive me for any action I had committed.
There were certain incidents where I had beaten him so badly that he was dragged away by paramedics to reside in a hospital room for a night. Seto paid for the medical bill while his lover, Joey, visited my hikari. Over and over again, the blond would plead with my weaker form to stay with him and his boyfriend, but the dark-eyed boy refused. He was absolutely addicted to the faint hope that, one day, I would abandon the strangling need to be corrupt and see what life was like on the other side of the personality spectrum. Even Kaiba tried to convince Ryou that cold-hearted people didn't change unless they sincerely wanted to, but his words were wasted on the innocent counterpart's illusion-happy ears. That determination and iron will was admirable, but both of his friends argued that those two traits would be his downfall. The wealthy executive and his koi couldn't have been more accurate when they stated what they had, since the petite adolescent met a traumatic, unfortunate end that changed my life forever…
/If the years take away every memory that I have/
If I could have altered any given place and time in the history of my romance between me and my high school equivalent, I never would have left home that morning. Spontaneous drifting was usually part of my daily agenda, but I had no real reason to go where I had gone. By pure accident, I had strolled into Domino High's parking lot, looking for some sort of havoc to wreak on anyone reckless enough to get in my way. Young adults made easy targets, for they spent more time worrying about their make-up or talking than paying attention to what was going on around them. Vehicles of every color, shape, and dimension filled the stalls on the asphalt, their chrome exteriors glinting in the sunlight as I strode past them. Most automobiles there were economy-sized models, good for traveling with four to six passengers. Teenagers, for some bizarre reason or another, had a kind of pack mentality to them where they could only go to a store or restaurant with an entire group of allies. Out of the blue, I thanked the gods that Ryou had the decency to let me sleep without infringing on my territory with a troop of loud mouth kids. His quiet disposition and shy sensitivity quickly made him a favorite mark for slander and harassment. While his social life suffered, he was able to excel in the fine art of painting. Masterpieces of his hung in the corridors of his school or in select teacher's rooms, displaying his natural talent for detail and realism. Few adolescents there actually appreciated his compositions, and the drawings gave troublemakers another reason to tease him since they craved his artistic qualities for themselves. Jounouchi persuaded Seto to come to my hikari's rescue during class hours, so I remained detached from the entire messy situation. Besides, I didn't think of myself as a vital element in Ryou's existence, so I kept my distance from his relationship problems, until today…
Second period had started approximately fifteen minutes ago, so I couldn't understand why a litter of teenagers were hanging out by their cars. I knew that they were doing far more than skipping class because of the fashion they were standing in. All of them, who were mostly males, had situated themselves into what seemed to be a circle. Cat calls rose up from the small gathering along with frequent whistling, the girls of the gaggle adding to the sound effects by throwing in some high-pitched giggles. Cocking my head to the side with a hint of interest, I sauntered up between a Saturn and SUV for a better look.
Within moments, I was greeted by the sight of a Caucasian female on top of my tiny hikari, her violet eyes dancing with cold malice. Holding him to the concrete with the help of one of her partners in crime, she bit Bakura on the neck. Savagely sinking her canine teeth into the boy's silky flesh, she dug her cat-like claws into his arms. Yelping in pain, the dark-eyed adolescent struggled against the weight of the aggressive girl, but her friend kept him plastered to where he was. Powerless in defending himself, the little child-like teen tried his best not to let the other kids see him cry. Deciding that she wanted to push him over the edge, the girl made provocative advances. Ryou's eyes went wide as the female molested his anatomy, tearing whatever attire she desired just for fun. Sniffling in despair, the dark-eyed boy cried out. His desperate mourning just caused the rest of the illiterate crowd to laugh; they were intrigued by the notion of a girl having her way with his body. Helpless tears flowed off his cheeks at last when his clothes were torn from his small frame, his exposed structure shivering in the freezing winter air. As a grand finale, the guys egged the girl into finishing him off by stealing his precious virginity. Smirking at the task before her, the girl began to slide her skirt up her hips to ride him senseless. I don't know what came over me while I stood and watched such a grisly show of domination, but it was enough to spark a great amount of rage inside of me. Something inside my mind just broke, the main computer of my system hung on one command and one command only: the dire need to kill.
Stalking over to the female in the center of the circus ring, I caught her by the hair and yanked her off of my hikari so violently that she screamed.
"Shut up." I ordered her, slapping her high-maintenance face. "Barbie Doll bitches like you make me want to vomit."
Nodding swiftly, the teenager stared at me with wild eyes. At least she was smart enough to keep her trap closed. Grabbing her by the neck, I pulled her to my right like a dog.
"What the fuck's wrong with you?" yelled one of the males, mad that I wouldn't let go of the girl in my grasp.
"I was just about to ask you all the same damned thing." I growled, my tone low and menacing.
"We're minding our own business, like you should be doing." another piped up, brandishing his sports toned muscles at me. "Let her go and get the hell out of here."
"Or what?" I asked, amused by the shaky quality in his tone. "None of you have the strength or the intelligence to bring me down."
"We'll just see about that." snarled the first adolescent, locking his steely gaze on me.
Letting out a deformed battle cry, the male lunged for me. Already predicting the hasty move, I sidestepped his lame assault. Smirking at his befuddled expression, I countered with a maneuver of my own. Thrusting my hand out in his direction, I seized him by the throat. Pleased with my precision in catching him off-guard, I lifted him off the ground for his whole group of followers to gaze at. Funny little gasping noises could be heard from him, but I paid no heed to the weakling in my clutches. My only concern was to see the lunatic get what he deserved.
"Now, which one of you bastards wants to take me on?" I shouted, my hellish stare burning itself into the eyes of everyone around me. When only the eerie silence answered me, I said, "No one? Not one of you has the balls to challenge me?" An unsettling quietness pulsed through the small collection of teens, their faces twisted in fright. Gritting my teeth, I added, "Just because you can't find something to screw doesn't give you the right to prey on a classmate of yours. If you dumb asses need to have it that badly, than go get a prostitute. Otherwise," I advised, dropping the adolescent I held in my clutches, "you'll have more than just some ridiculous administrator to deal with--you'll have yours truly instead. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"
All around me, a mass of heads bobbed up and down. Clearing the way for me, the teens moved back as I stretched my hand into Ryou's grabbing range. Glancing at my offered limb, the tiny youth contemplated the repercussions of accepting my help.
Sighing into the heavens, I asked, "Well? What's the hold up?"
Sniffling slightly, he replied, "I'm just not used to you doing anything for me, that's all."
A small grin appeared on my face. "I didn't think anyone should have been treated like that. Especially you."
Smiling from ear-to-ear, the silvery-haired adolescent clasped placed his hand within mine. "I'm glad you chose to be here for me, Yami. Domo arigato for your benevolence."
Waving the little hikari's praise off with a flick of my wrist, I said, "Come on, let's get you out of here. I've got some extra outfits on underneath my jacket that you could wear."
His shimmering green eyes regarded me in a similar way to that of a princess' who was just saved from the clutches of an evil witch. Twining his fingers between mine, I heaved the nude teen to a standing position. Detesting the manner in which the silvery-haired boy was hideously cold, I stripped my trench coat from my structure and wrapped it around his shoulders. Grateful for the warmth the wool material offered, Ryou quickly slipped his arms through the garment and buttoned it up all the way. Deciding that he would be fine until we got home, I began to lead him out of the parking lot. The worst was over, so all I had to worry about now was mending a few scrapes and bruises on his slightly torn frame. Bakura's mind would be the hardest to repair out of this entire dilemma, for I knew all too well the damaging effects that sex abuse had on sensitive souls. Sliding an arm around his waist, I illustrated my plans for him once we arrived at our final destination.
"A warm bath would suit you well today, along with some Jasmine oil and rose petals." I told him while keeping his balance steady as we walked together in the crisp December wind. "Maybe some instrumental Celtic music would help you calm down as well."
Nodding his assent, the dark-eyed adolescent cuddled up closely to me as he whimpered softly. Feeling a stitch of sadness for him, I let him bury his head in my chest. Feathery strands of his snowy tresses flapped in the breeze, flowing in back of him like a crystal river. Catching a lock of his hair, I toyed with it idly, enjoying its satiny texture.
/He's mine./ I thought, grinding my teeth as I vowed to myself that no harm would ever come to my hikari ever again. /He's mine, and no one can ever take him away from me./
Shocked that a loving idea like that would ever come from my own mind, I halted in mid-step. Did I just think to myself that I would assume the role of Ryou's sole protector? Could I be falling for the petite boy, as insignificant as he always seemed to be to me? What in all of hell's angels was wrong with me? Romantic thoughts never came across my line of sight, much less my own brain…what could I be concocting in this chaotic mind of mine?
"Why do you have such an awkward expression on your face, Spirit?" asked the tiny child, forcing me to focus on him even more than I was already.
Grasping for a believable lie to vocalize, I said gruffly, "Nothing, nothing at all. Mind your own business, Hikari."
Narrowing his dark eyes at me, the petite adolescent shook his head. I could tell that he wasn't buying my "nothing's the matter" routine. Hooking a thumb and forefinger around my chin, he tipped my head down to meet his calculating gaze.
"You can't hide anything from me, Yami. I know something is going through that head of yours, but only you can tell me what it is. What are you keeping from me?"
Breaking free from his constricting stare, I resumed my leisurely walk once more. I didn't get far, for my determined counterpart snatched my wrist and tried to hold me back. Tugging me to a complete stop, the silvery-haired boy blocked my path.
"Like I said, you don't do a very good job at covering up the truth." Ryou stated, gripping my arm tightly. "Tell me. Tell me what you know."
"Which would be what?" I asked robotically, devoid of any feeling.
Throwing his hands up in the air, Bakura shouted, "You have to be the most impossible individual I have ever met! First you end up in the same exact location as me by pure coincidence, then you get me out of the bad predicament I was in, and now you're going back to being a bitch again! What the hell is your problem, anyways? Why do you have to be such a bastard when I'm involved with you? If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you--"
"Are in love." I finished for him, my words still unemotional.
"Yeah, that's what it is!" my hikari said, tossing a hand in my direction. "I guess it just has to be love--"
Realizing that he was right on the money, his eyes got to be as large as coffee cup saucers. He stared at me with huge dark orbs, searching my visage for any sign that would reveal to him that I was blatantly lying. Seeing that I was completely serious, his jaw dropped open in total disbelief.
"Dear spirits, are you serious?" he breathed, gazing at me incredulously.
"No, I just felt like saying that for no reason whatsoever." I snapped at him sarcastically, glaring at him unkindly. "I just love babbling so that the empty space surrounding us can hear me."
Returning my malicious look with one of his own, Ryou said, "Okay, so you have feelings for me. You don't have to be such a bitch about it."
"Whoever said that I liked you?"
"Who's saying that you don't?" countered Bakura folding his arms in front of himself.
Shrugging, I turned away from him.
"Ha!" cried the tiny teen excitedly while clapping his hands, "I knew it! I knew you had more emotions for me than you wanted to admit, and you aren't even denying any of my accusations!"
"Don't be so damned pleased with yourself." I growled, sauntering off down the street. "It took you long enough to figure out, anyways."
"I was right! I am so right!" chanted the silvery-haired adolescent, skipping by my side like a cheerful water nymph. "I am so very right!"
"Shut up already." I commanded, playfully trying to swat him. Ducking underneath my hitting range, the bouncy adolescent continued to hop about me in a happy fashion.
"Come on an make me, you love sick sweetie!" he taunted, sticking his bubble gum tongue out at me.
"You wouldn't want that." I said in a low unpleasant voice. "You'd get more than you would bargain for."
"Oh, is that so, Yami?" he asked, his tone mocking me. "And just what do you have to back such a threat up with.?"
Abruptly spinning around to face him, I grabbed his shoulders and pushed him against my body. Before a word of protest was spoken, I cupped his face with my hands and pulled him in for savage kiss that even had the power to steal my breath away. Ryou's frame fell slack on top of my own, melting into my arms as he circled his arms around my neck.
"Mmm, Spirit…" he moaned into my mouth as my hands traveled up his back. "I never knew you could be so good."
"You have much to learn about me." I breathed while holding on to the contours of his waist.
"Teach me?" he pleaded, his eyes full of ardent longing. "I want to know so much more about you."
Turning my head up towards the sky, I let out a deep, throaty laugh. "All in good time, precious. We have to get home first."
"I can't wait." he said, grinning at me wickedly.
"Neither can I." a voice declared from behind us.
An expression of terror swept over Ryou's features as he held my hand with all of his strength. Seeking the shelter of my embrace, the dark-eyed boy threw himself at me. Catching him with my free arm, I glared over my shoulder at the idiot stupid enough to ruin or sweet rendezvous time. Occupying a section of the sidewalk a few feet away from us, a male that appeared to be in his teenage years glowered at us with chilling green eyes. Matching his smoldering stare, I bared my fangs at him from a distance.
"Oh, gods, it's him." whimpered Bakura, his voice muffled by my many layers of clothes.
"Hush, now." I told my hikari form who was scared out of his wits. "Nothing's going to happen to you."
"That's what you want him to think." sneered the cocky adolescent, his eyes shining with terrible thoughts. "Too bad you're going to have to break your promise to him."
"You have no business with us anymore, so be gone." I ordered him, my anger rising to an abominable height.
"With you, I don't. You're right about that much of it." agreed the hostile male shoving a hand in his pocket. "Matter of fact, you're free to leave anytime you want. It's Ryou I'm after, not you."
"Anything concerning Bakura becomes my problem." I stated coldly, standing my ground.
"We just weren't finished back there with him yet." the teen said, sighing in mock disappointment. "You sorta messed up our fun."
"Only an imbecile would see a hate crime like that as entertainment." I declared, speaking through gritted teeth.
"Maybe so," replied the adolescent, pulling his limb out of his pocket in what seemed to be like slow motion. "But I can make up for all of that right here."
It didn't take long for my mind to register what the object in his hand was. Brandishing a small handgun, the teenager aimed the barrel straight at us. Everything that followed afterwards was a blur in my head: Ryou screaming in terror, me attempting to push my hikari out of the gun's sight, and finally, a loud, clear blast echoing through the streets. The ringing in my ears subsided in seconds, but a new form of sorrow was planted in my heart that day and never stopped growing since then. Cruel laughter faded into the midmorning sunlight as I fell to my knees by my counterpart's side. Though I didn't want to believe what had just occurred, there was just no escaping the terrible truth. I knew that my hikari was unlucky enough to be caught in the line of fire, but I refused to accept things for what they were. Practically tearing the buttons off of my trench coat, I ripped open the black fabric concealing my other half's body. Immediately, I was struck by the sight of a pool of red oozing out from the left side of his chest. It was too late to save him, for the bullet hit a vital target on my hikari: his delicate heart.
Gazing up at me with dazed emerald orbs, the tiny teen whispered, "Is this the end, Spirit?"
Shaking my head quickly, I replied, "No. No it's not. You're going to be okay. You'll be just fine."
Knowing that my words were more for my benefit than his, the gentle adolescent rasped, "You don't have to tell me that, Yami. I know that I'm going to die soon."
Again, I denied his inevitable fate by rapidly moving my head from side to side. "Don't say that." I begged him, my voice cracking under the pressure of hearing such defeatist language. "Don't you dare give up on me like this."
"Yami," he breathed while managing a weak smile, "Never have I done such a thing…not once since I have had the pleasure of meeting your acquaintance."
"Really?" I asked, hinging on his every phrase. "Do you mean that?"
"Do you doubt me?" countered the dying child, removing some excess snowy strands of hair from his visage.
"I guess you aren't that bad off since you can still draw me into a challenging debate."
Offering me a weary smile, the petite adolescent suddenly grew serious. "Search your heart for the truth, Yami. You know that I have been trying to get you to notice me since the first hour destiny let out lives intertwine." Watching my head move up and down, my hikari found the strength to continue. "While everyone was blinded by the harsh image you projected, I explored long and hard to see the soul inside. I knew that I would be required to endure many hardships along the way, but--"
"I'm so sorry." I interrupted, my voice barely above a whisper. "All those times I made you bleed, made you hurt--"
"Were all necessary risks I had to take." finished my counterpart, cutting my self-blaming session short.
"Necessary?" I repeated in an dubious tone, unable to let Ryou take full credit for bringing my evil actions upon himself. "You nearly died the way I treated you!"
Disregarding the previous events in which I had wounded him, Bakura went on. "Nevertheless, if I was given the power to go back in time and avoid everything that had happened, I wouldn't. I couldn't bring myself to forfeit the moments we shared together. All in one twenty-four hour segment, I had discovered your feelings for me were as deep as mine are for you, and that I can't leave this plane without telling you what I should have long ago. No matter where you are, what you're doing, or at what point you find yourself in during life's many trials, know this, dear Yami: I love you. Aishiteru my one and only, for I love you like no other with every breath truly madly deeply do. I'll always be waiting for you, for no archangel or celestial spirit will ever be able to take your place in my mind or heart. Wherever I find myself spending the afterlife in, I pledge to you my soul so that you can have a piece of me with you from now until you draw your last sigh in this realm."
"Don't leave me!" I cried, my voice choking up as a fresh batch of tears welled up in my eyes. "Didn't you just promise me that you'd be here for me, no matter what?"
"I have always been here for you, Spirit, and I'll still be watching over you even after I have lost my physical form."
Sobbing freely, I let the waterfalls from my dark orbs fall carelessly down my face. "No! There's still time, a doctor can make you better!"
Reaching into my jeans, I pulled out a cell phone and fumbled with the buttons on the black plastic. With horrible coordination, I tried over and over again to call the city hospital, but to no avail. My fingers tripped over each other in an awkward fashion , making the task at hand virtually impossible to complete. Frustrated, I heard myself cry out in disgust at my incompetence. This was my first and final chance to make up for all of the occasions in which I had tortured Ryou, and I was being a constant disappointment to him with my inability to get my hikari out of harm's path. On the verge of a nervous breakdown, I felt someone remove the technical device from my trembling hand.
"Wha--?" I asked, my accent shaky beyond recognition.
"You won't be needing this." a soft voice answered me, tranquil in its depth and quality.
Glancing over at the green-eyed child, I saw that he had taken my phone from my grasp.
Responding to the look of confusion on my visage, the petite adolescent said, "No one can help me escape the alluring song Lady Death is sweetly singing for me. In a little while, I'll succumb to her bewitching blade and terminate my existence on Earth; however," he gestured with a raised index finger, fixing his unblinking emerald gaze on me, "she will not take me before I finish telling you what you should already know. I've been such a coward lately, and I apologize for my behavior. I can't believe I let months pass me by before I got up enough courage to speak my mind to you, let alone vocalize my emotions, too. In light of this whole bitter ordeal, I have faith that my death will not be in vain. Live on and never let the joy of romance wither in your heart, or the capability to have the child within your soul come out and play once in a while."
Sniffling a bit, I objected, "But you are the 'child of my soul,' Hikari!"
Without arguing against my viewpoint, Ryou's eyes fell shut. Gasping in horror, I gently shook him in an attempt to jar him to life, but he remained motionless in my hands. He had reached his final destination, a place where only the most innocent of souls were given the divine privilege of donning angelic wings to fly through the sketchy clouds created by the late afternoon sun.