'Bakura's thoughts'
/Yugi's thoughts/
Yami Bakura's thoughts
/Dreams/
/It was so hard to breath where Bakura was. It was so dark, and the pressure was immense. It was so hot./
Bakura writhed under his sheets, tossing and turning. Inside of him, Yugi's soul was doing the same thing.
/The darkness was suffocating. It seemed to be pushing down on Bakura, crushing him. The heat swam through his mind, messing with him.
Even within the deafening pain caused by the heat, Bakura's ears picked up a small cry some distance away. Shaking his head to clear the pain, he slowly got on his feet; walking towards the direction he heard it.
What he came upon was unnerving. Even among the darkness, he could make out the silhouette of the black-hooded figure. His long, bony fingers were wrapped around Yugi's neck, and a strange glow covered the small boy's body, the similar pale blue glow as the strange man's eyes were emanating. Suddenly, the dark cloak of the shadowed man began to engulf the boy.
"No!" Bakura cried out. The figure's attention turned to the snow-haired boy, as the darkness stopped advancing on Yugi. He let go of his hold, and the tri-color haired boy hit the ground. The black-covered man then seemed to merge with the shadowed floor.
Bakura ran up the small boy, kneeling down next to him. "Yugi?" he asked.
Slowly, Yugi's violet eyes fluttered open. "B-Bakura?" he said weakly. As he tried to get up, his body tensed, and he let out a small gasp of pain.
"Hold on. You mustn't move a lot."
"Bakura. . . .You. . . . must be careful. . . . . ."
Bakura blinked. "What do you mean?"
"That guy. . . . . he. . . . . ." Suddenly, Yugi looked up, his eyes widening. "Bakura, look out!"
Bakura swiftly turned his head to see the shadowed figure, looming over him. At that same moment, Bakura felt his arms seemingly empty. Turning back, he discovered Yugi was gone.
The figure cackled, striking the snow-haired boy in the side of his head. Bakura reeled, landing a few feet away from the shadowed man. Struggling, he supported himself on one elbow, his chocolate eyes widening as he witnessed the strange figure suddenly whip out a staff, the crystal ball on the end glowing brilliantly.
"Your meddling will cost you dearly," the blackened figure said, his voice booming in the darkness. A large beam of light shot forth from the crystal ball, surrounding Bakura. His screams rang throughout the entire area./
Bakura shot up in bed, his chest heaving as he breathed heavily. His brow was moist with beads of sweat. He relaxed when he discovered he was still in his room. Inside, he could feel Yugi was also awake.
/Bakura?/ the younger boy asked. /Are you okay?/
The snow-haired teen blinked, adjusting his eyes to the darkness. 'I think so. What about you? Did I wake you again?'
He could feel Yugi nod. /Yeah. But if it wasn't you, then would have been me, right?/
Bakura yawned. 'Right.'
/Same nightmare, huh?/
'Just like most nights.'
/Yeah. If it's not yours, then it's mine./
'It's making it so that neither of us gets any sleep.'
Yugi seemed to be the one yawning this time. /Right. But we can try, right?/
'Sure. We can try.'
He felt Yugi settle in the recesses of his mind. /Goodnight, Bakura. Good luck sleeping./
'You too.' After a few moments, Bakura could feel that Yugi had gone back to sleep. He sighed. Even if he did try to go back to sleep, he knew he would only be awoken again. Just like every night for the past week or so.
Bakura had discovered some problems to letting Yugi's soul share his body with him, the very first day he had agreed to do so. He had discovered, as he was walking home that day, that he couldn't keep anything from Yugi. His thoughts, his feelings, everything was an open book to Yugi, and vice versa.
Bakura waved to the others, as he departed from the Turtle Game Shop. It had been a few hours since they discovered what happened to Yugi, and since he had stayed overnight, the snow-haired teen decided it was best he went home. Though the others were strongly against it, probably because he was hosting Yugi's soul, at least Yugi's Yami let him go.
/Why do you think that?/ Yugi asked suddenly, nearly startling him.
'Think what?'
/That Yami and the others are only concerned about you because of me./
Bakura blinked in surprise. 'You know that?'
/Well, you were thinking that before, when Yami said that they would take care of you, and just a few seconds ago, too./
So, Yugi could hear everything he was thinking, huh? Bakura felt uneasy about that, and possibly a little invaded.
/I'm sorry, Bakura,/ Yugi said almost inaudibly. /I didn't mean to. But I can't help it./
Bakura almost mentally kicked himself.
Like he could with Yami Bakura, as he had discovered, Bakura and Yugi could "think-talk" to each other, hearing what the other thinks, and receiving information from each other. They could sense what the other was feeling as well.
But unlike his Yami, who Bakura was able to do all that by a link, he couldn't shut Yugi out at all, just like Yugi couldn't shut him out. Because Bakura and his Yami were connected by a link through the Millennium Ring, they could close that link freely, blocking all thoughts and feelings to the other.
But because Yugi was just simply sharing his body, he was just there, in Bakura's mind, therefore having free access to everything that went through there. And he also had the same access to everything that Yugi was thinking. Both boys felt embarrassed, since their private thoughts and feelings were now exposed to someone else, but there wasn't really much either could do about it.
Bakura had to admit, it was strange having Yugi's soul in his body, yet not that different from sharing his body with his Yami. Just like with his Yami, if Yugi wanted to take control, he would simply stand aside, as their souls seemed to switch places, and Bakura went into his soul chamber. When he had control, Yugi would be the one in his soul chamber, in the back of his mind. It was strange, though, because when he was in the soul chamber, he was used to having Yami Bakura having control. Now, when Yugi had control of the body, both he and his Yami stayed in their soul chambers, directly across from each other.
Speaking of which, Bakura knew that his Yami wasn't taking this very well. He had never been too fond of Yugi, because of Yami Yugi, and had never really approved of him hanging out with the younger boy and his friends. When he had agreed to allow Yugi to stay inside of him, Yami Bakura was very against it. Over the past week, he and Yugi have been arguing constantly. Bakura knew the younger boy didn't mean to argue with the dark spirit, but Yami Bakura didn't give him much of a choice.
He had decided a while ago that it would have been better to stay out of such arguments.
Bakura sighed inwardly as his Yami and Yugi were once again arguing. He wasn't sure what they were arguing about this time, but he's had enough of it.
'Do you guys have to argue all the time?' he asked. 'It gets awfully tiresome after a while.'
Learn to stay out of it, then! Yami Bakura snapped. This is your fault, anyway, allowing the stupid Pharaoh's Yami's light to stay in the first place.
/Hey!/ Yugi protested. /Yami's not stupid. And you shouldn't be talking to Bakura like that. You can't tell him what to do, and this is not his fault./
Don't tell me what to do!
Bakura sighed again. Knowing that he would no longer have any say in this conversation, he decided to back out. They would be going at it for a long time.
Since he couldn't block Yugi out like he could with his Yami, Bakura was forced to hear the arguments every time, even if he only heard Yugi talking. Since Yami Bakura kept the link between them closed most of the time anyway, the snow-haired boy would hear a one-sided argument. It was quite strange, and quite frustrating, really.
Bakura could feel Yugi stir within him. Since he wasn't sleeping, the young child was now being haunted by one of his own nightmares. He could feel the fear and dread that followed this fantasy, just as always.
Ever since he had agreed to this, both he and Yugi have been plagued with horrific dreams. Since they could sense the other's mind, when one had a nightmare, the other had the same one. Sometimes, it would be Yugi's dream haunting them both, the nightmare of being locked away in the dark crystal ball that belonged to whoever shed the spell on him. Other times, just as a few minutes ago, it would be Bakura's strange vision. Either way, neither had much sleep because of them.
It was the same dream over and over again. He could understand why Yugi was having the nightmare he did, since being trapped had obviously shaken him up some. But the dream he was having. . . . .it didn't make any sense. What was it really about? Did it mean anything?
He heard Yugi cry out, and the boy awoke with a start. 'No luck, huh?' he asked.
He felt Yugi shake his head. /Nope. Not at all. You?/
'I didn't really try this time. I knew I would just wake up eventually.'
/But that's not good, Bakura. You have to sleep, even a little. You do have to go to school in a few hours, you know./
'Yes, but sleep doesn't help if you don't have a peaceful one. It's the same as if you're not sleeping at all.'
/Well, there's that. So what are you going to do?/
'What I've done for the past week. Coast it, and hope I make it through the day.'
/Well, hopefully that works./
'Sometimes better than others.'
/But has it really been a week?/
'It might have been longer. I've lost track.'
/I have too. I guess we're more tired than we thought./
Bakura nodded, rubbing his eyes free from any vain thoughts of sleep that still lingered there.
/Bakura?/
'Yeah?'
/What are the chances. . . . . that I'll make it out okay?/
The snow-haired boy blinked in slight confusion. 'What do you mean?' he asked.
/Do you think. . . . . I'll be able to return to my body? Do you think everything will end up okay?/
'You can't doubt that, Yugi.'
/But what if I never go back to my body? And what if that guy really does get a chance to get at Yami? What if he wins?/
Bakura could sense the uncertainty that has taken over the poor boy's soul. 'Well, I can't promise you anything, but I'm sure everything will turn out fine.'
/How do you know?/
'The others will make sure of it. Your Yami, and your other friends, will see that you return to your body somehow.'
He felt Yugi relax a bit. /Thanks, Bakura,/ the younger teen replied. /But, you know, they're your friends, too./
Bakura said nothing.
Do you mind? Yami Bakura suddenly said, sounding rather grumpy. Just because you two can't sleep, doesn't mean you should disturb others.
'Sorry, Yami. Did we wake you?'
What do you think?
/Sorry, Yami Bakura./
Whatever. And he was suddenly quiet again.
'I don't understand how he can sleep with all the nightmares we're having.'
/I don't either, but he's really lucky that he can./
'Indeed.'
/So what now?/
Bakura looked at the clock, it's digital, red numbers flashing the time. 'I suppose I should get ready for school.'
/Wow. I guess it was later than I thought./
Throwing the blanket aside, Bakura got out of bed, switching on the lamp. He was tired of darkness, tired of the two dark dreams that haunted him and Yugi so.
/Bakura?/
'Yeah?'
/You know those dreams you've been having/
'What about?'
/Do you think they mean anything/
After a moment of thinking, Bakura finally replied, 'I'm not sure, Yugi. I really don't know.'
TBC