Disclaimer: No, WookieeBeta still does not own Yu-Gi-Oh!.
Unknown Identities
Chapter Nineteen
"Yugi!" Mr. Mouto called again. "Now where did that grandson of mine run off to? Give me a moment, Bakura, and I'll see if he's in his room."
"Thank you, Mr. Mouto," Ryou Bakura said, bowing. "I'll wait here, if you don't mind." The old man nodded and made his way up the stairs to Yugi's room.
"Yugi?" He swung the door open. "Bakura's here to see you."
"Ryou?" Yami Bakura blinked as he looked up from his deck. "Here? Now?" Yugi's grandfather nodded. "All right, I'm coming," the short duelist said.
"Hey, Yugi," Ryou said. "How are you?"
"Fine, and you?"
Ryou inclined his head. "Same as usual. I was wondering…" His voice trailed off as he hesitated.
"Yes?"
"May I speak to you for a moment – in private?" He motioned with his head toward Mr. Mouto.
"Uh, sure, let's step outside." They sat on the curb a few feet from the door. "Now, what did you want to ask?"
Ryou peered at him intently. "Tell me what happened in the forest, Yugi," he said gently. "Jounouchi's right, we were there too. We know what it was like. And if you want to be able to live your old life again, you'll have to get used to trusting your friends again – if, of course, you can trust anyone."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Yami Bakura snapped.
"Oh, nothing, just a slip of the tongue," Ryou said innocently. Yami Bakura glared at him. Down the street, Jounouchi mouthed a question: Yugi or not? Ryou shook his head slightly, imperceptibly, knowing that his yami would be too involved in trying to keep Yugi under control to notice a small sign. Impulsively, he laid his hand on Yugi's shoulder.
"Hold on, Yugi. Just hold on."
What? Yami Bakura thought. What does he mean by that? But before he could answer his own question, something struck him forcibly in the back of the head and the world went black….
"Hold on, Yugi," the ancient Pharaoh pleaded, holding the young duelist's trembling form. "Just hold on." Three days trapped in the Shadow Realm had taken their toll on Yugi's young body, and he was constantly slipping in and out of consciousness.
If I ever get my hands on that accursed Yami Bakura, he thought, he'll regret the day he was born…
Yaaaah! Yami Bakura yelled as he woke suddenly. What the?!
Good, you're awake, Ryou Bakura's voice came. Care to explain what you've done to Yugi? Casting around mentally, Yami Bakura realized he was no longer controlling the young duelist's body – in fact, he wasn't even in it. He was back inside the Millennium Ring.
Damn you meddling mortal! he raged. What have you done?!
Ryou laughed. You're asking me what I've done? Why, Yami, I thought you would have realized it instantly – after all, you're the one who spent your life doing it.
You've trapped me inside the Millennium Ring again, the dark spirit spat. You'll pay for this, hikari. He pronounced the last word distinctly, venomously, so that it became a curse rather than the affectionate nickname that Yami Yugi used it as.
Yes, and now the question is: What have you done with Yugi's spirit?
It was Yami Bakura's turn to laugh. You're too late to rescue your little friend, he said, gloating. The Shadow Realm will have shredded his soul by now. Ryou's eyes went wide.
"What is it, Bakura?" Honda demanded. "What'd he say?"
"He's trapped Yugi – and probably Yami Yugi as well – in the Shadow Realm!"
"I really hate this place," Jounouchi said uncertainly as he materialized. "Hey, Honda, where are you? Honda!"
"Right here, buddy," the brown-haired teen replied, stepping closer. "Come on, we need to go look for Yugi and Yami."
"Right," Jounouchi agreed. The duo set off in the murky blackness.
"Yugi! Yugi, where are you?"
"Yaaaaaamiiiiii…" The former Pharaoh's head snapped up as voices floated to his ears.
"Over here!" he called. "Damn this cage," he murmured as he tried to peer past its blinding light and into the blackness beyond.
"Yami!" one of the two voices exclaimed in surprise. "Where are you?"
"Right here!"
"Keep talking," the other voice instructed.
"Honda? Jounouchi? Is that you?" the spirit asked in confusion as the two stepped into the light from the cage. They nodded.
"Bakura – Ryou, that is, not Yami Bakura – figured out that his yami had trapped you both in the Shadow Realm, and sent us to find you," Honda explained.
"It's time to get you two back to the real world," Jounouchi added.
But Yami shook his head. "I'm afraid that won't be as easy as it sounds." Shifting Yugi into one arm, he gestured with the other at the cage surrounding him. "Yami Bakura planned this for three years. This cage is made entirely of dark energy, and to touch it is fatal." He found he couldn't meet the eyes of the two formerly hopeful teens standing just feet away – feet that may as well have been miles.
"Go back to Ryou," he said softly. "Tell him that there's nothing you can do."
"What?" Ryou exclaimed. "Yami actually told you that? That's not like him…"
"Yeah, well, he's trapped in a cage of Shadow energy for all of eternity, and it doesn't look like Yugi's going to survive much longer," Jounouchi said, collapsing onto the park bench. "I think he has the right to be a little depressed." Ryou sighed.
"I hate to admit it, but you're right. And so is Yami. There's nothing I know of that can help him," he said in a tone of defeat. "My yami just planned too well, I suppose." He bowed his head, dropping his eyes to the ground so that he wouldn't have to see the pained looks on his friends' faces. Red, black, and gold, he thought, looking at the leaves and dirt around his feet. Just like Yugi's hair. But I don't suppose we'll be seeing much more of that anymore, with his body soulless like it is…Wait! His eyes glinted suddenly.
"There may still be a way," he said thoughtfully.
A/N: Okay, a lot of OOCness there, too… ^sweats^ If I ever get around to it, I may rewrite this entire thing and try to fix some of that…but at the moment I'm too lazy ^grin^ And remember, chapter title suggestions are gratefully accepted…