Disclaimer: WookieeBeta still does not own Yu-Gi-Oh! (not even a deck! ^sniffle^), even after all her attempts to do so…
Unknown Identity
Chapter Seventeen
"Leave the young one out of this!" Yami shouted, but Yami Bakura merely laughed.
"What, and waste my three years of effort? Hah!" Yami Bakura scoffed. "Not now, not when I am so close to escaping this Realm forever. Not like you," he said, turning to send a gloating look at Yami. Yami glowered, but he knew that Yami Bakura had defeated him again. He had bided his time for three years, ignoring Yami and slowly wearing down Yugi's spirit by constantly subjecting him to the horrors of the Shadow Realm.
"Besides, I'm sure Mr. Mouto would like to have his grandson back with a perfect memory," Yami Bakura mused. "It would be much more satisfying than this empty shell that you've brought back to him." He sneered. "Face the facts, Yami Yugi – you've lost. There is no one to help you now."
Yami glared, but his gaze faltered and he lowered his head. Yami Bakura's words were true. There was no escape from the cage of deadly energy that Yami Bakura had spent three years creating for this specific purpose, and no way of warning Yugi. Once again, he had been defeated…
"Yami!" Yugi gasped in surprise. "What's going on?"
"I've failed you, Yugi," Yami said, refusing to meet his other's gaze. "Yami Bakura has brought us both to the Shadow Realm, where we will be unable to hinder him as he takes control of your body and lives your life for you." He turned away. "It's over, Yugi."
Yugi gasped. "Yami, what's gotten into you? First you try to commit spirit-suicide by breaking the puzzle, and now you've become completely heartless! Where's the Yami that stood by me for three years, even after I yelled at him to leave me alone? Where's the Yami that never gave up? Where's the Yami that told me to play the final card and save my Grandpa?" Yami looked up, startled.
"You remember that?"
Yugi smiled sadly. "Not very well, I'm afraid. It's one of the memories that I regained during my first illness."
"How touching," Yami Bakura's voice came clearly to them. "But I'm afraid I must leave you now – I have a life to live." He smiled darkly at them, a smile that didn't reach his eyes, and disappeared.
"You won't win!" Yugi yelled at the darkness. "I won't let you!"
"I told you, Yugi, it's hopeless," Yami murmured. He sat crosslegged on the floor, and Yugi sank down in front of him.
"And I'm telling you now that you can't just give up," Yugi said. A fire burned in his eyes. "We still have a chance, Yami. Yami Bakura has all of my old memories, yes, but he doesn't know anything that's happened since the duel on the mountain. He doesn't know that I'm supposed to duel Kaiba tomorrow!"
"Yugi, are you feeling better today?" Mr. Mouto said, shaking his grandson awake. Yugi's eyes flickered open, and Mr. Mouto took a small step away in surprise. They were…different, somehow, darker and more sinister than they should be. Just my imagination, he thought, scoffing at himself. I'm overreacting.
"Yes, Grandpa," Yugi said, sitting up. "Actually, I'd like to go see my friends today." Mr. Mouto laughed.
"I'm sure you would," he said. "But that will have to wait – Mr. Kaiba is already at the door, waiting for you."
Seto Kaiba? Yami Bakura thought, his mind racing. What could Kaiba want with Yugi?
"What for, Grandpa?" he asked as innocently as possible.
"Your duel, of course!" Mr. Mouto exclaimed. "Good Heavens, you mean you don't remember? The outcome of this duel will decide whether or not you're really Yugi!"
A/N: Heh…I couldn't just leave poor Yami Bakura alone, now could I? I had to torture him somehow! ^grin^