Prison of Darkness: Reunited
Author's notes: *hyperactive, semi-psychotic smile* Hehehehehehehe!!!! I'm back!!!!!!
Bakura: *twitches* and on a sugar high… who gave her sugar?
Malik: Not me… I don't have a death wish…
Ryou: *hides* Please tell me she's not meaner to us on a sugar high…
Yami: *sighs* I hate to break it to you Ryou, but…
Bakura: We're screwed…
*all run from hyperactive authoress*
Hey… I'm not that bad! Really! Anyway, here's the next chapter ^_^ Enjoy!
Little side note: By the way, I got a little question about Yami's being able to sense the Ring through his Puzzle and how that is one of the Ring's traits. My reasoning behind that one was mostly due to the fact that Bakura had sealed part of his soul in the Puzzle. While he wasn't able to use that to escape the Ring this time, it might have been possible for Yami to use that link to track Bakura's soul, and there for the Ring ^_^ Since it's after Battle City, Yami would defiantly know about that by now ^_~ Just a little explanation to clear up any confusion, thank you for bringing that to my attention.
Warnings: Yaoi, swearing, a somewhat out of character Malik, and unnamed demon boy being scary again… -.-;
Pairings: Malik/Ryou, Bakura/Ryou, (later) Bakura/Malik/Ryou, (implied) Yami/Yugi.
Disclaimer: (By Bakura) If she owned us, we wouldn't have survived this long…
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ryou moaned, chocolate eyes blinking open. He was still in the Ring, but he felt… warm… and safe. A pair of strong arms wrapped tighter around his waist. Ryou froze, remembering the earlier events… his yami… had his arms… around… him… and wasn't… trying… to… kill… him! Ryou gave a sharp yelp when he felt Bakura shift. The tomb-robber blinked open sleepy eyes, looking groggily up at his hikari.
"Ryou? What's wrong," he asked. Ryou smiled softly and shook his head, snuggling back into his yami's embrace.
"Nothing yami… for once, nothing," he whispered. Bakura smiled and was about to answer when something struck him.
"Ryou, what are we going to do about Malik?" he asked. Ryou froze. Bakura could feel apprehension flowing from him. He buried his head in Bakura's chest.
"I don't know. I love you, buy I love him… I'm so confused," he whimpered.
"We'll have to tell him when we get out of here. Do you think he could ever accept both of us?" Bakura asked. Ryou gave him a shocked look.
"Yami?" Bakura smirked, kissing Ryou's forehead.
"It's not like you're in love with the Ra damned pharaoh. Malik, I would be willing to share with." Ryou smiled at his yami.
"Thank you yami!" he exclaimed. Bakura just smirked, then stopped. He glanced hurriedly around his soul room, his grip on Ryou tightening possessively. "Yami? What's wrong?" Ryou asked.
"The Ring… it's…" Bakura's eyes widened when Ryou began to glow with a pale golden light.
"Yami? What's going on?" Ryou whimpered, fear filling his eyes. Bakura glanced at the wall of his soul room. Just as he thought, the door that had disappeared earlier had reappeared.
"The Ring must have come back in contact with your body. You're being pulled out of the Ring," he explained calmly. Ryou gazed up at him, eyes wide.
"Yami I don't want to leave you." Bakura smiled and gave the boy a swift kiss.
"You can't stay here Ryou. Your friends must have found the Ring for us," he said. Ryou smiled, his first true smile since being locked in the Ring. It sent warm shivers down Bakura's spine. The fiendish spirit gave the boy another kiss. "I'll follow you, don't worry." Ryou nodded, finally vanishing from Bakura's soul room and reentering his own. Just as quickly, his consciousness slipped into the mortal world.
Ryou let out a gasp as cold reality struck him. Wherever his was, it was dark. The concrete floor was cold beneath his fingertips, but it was real. He knew it was real, not just one of the Ring's illusions.
"So the little light survived," a dark voice chuckled. Ryou spun, coming face to face with a pair of demonic scarlet eyes. The creature grinned, revealing sharp silvery fangs.
Bakura! Ryou screamed through their link.
"He can't hear you little one," the demon spoke, showing Ryou the angrily flaring Sennen Ring beneath his robes. The golden object practically radiated hatred and fury. All Ryou could feel through the link were scattered, broken emotions as if some kind of cloud was between them. Bakura was pissed, that much he could tell. The demon stepped forward, grabbing Ryou's chin and forcing the boy to face him. Scarlet eyes were lit with deadly amusement.
"I did so hope you would survive, little one. What I'm after would be pointless with just the dark one. And this is more fun." Without warning the creature crushed his lips against Ryou's. Ryou struggled, falling back and out of his captor's grip. The demon just smirked and edged closer.
"Get… get away from me!" Ryou shrieked, backing up against the wall. He had thought it was over, thought he was free. All that hope was for nothing. The Ring was awful, an experience he never wanted to repeat, but this… this was worse. This time he was completely alone. The dark creature stalked him, sadistic delight in his eyes.
"Now, now, little one. That wouldn't be any fun." Ryou screamed.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Malik, Yugi and Yami stopped short as a piercing scream shattered the dim silence. Malik looked around frantically, trying to find its origin.
"That was Ryou!" he gasped. Yami's eyes widened as the Puzzle flared brightly, its golden light tugging at him.
"I can sense the Ring. It's close, and Bakura is far from happy right now." Another scream pierced the night. "There!" Yami yelled, pointing to a small, tightly sealed warehouse. The three ran towards it, leaping up the steps. Malik turned the handle and found it locked.
"Ryou! Ryou are you in there!?" Yugi yelled through the door. Malik was fiddling with the lock.
"Ra damn it!" he yelled.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ryou heard the yells from outside and began to struggle harder, the possibility of someone hearing him giving him hope. The demon licked down his neck, a cruel smirk on his face. The creature had removed the Ring, placing it just out of Ryou's reach to torment him further. Ryou let out a choked sob.
"Please… stop…" he gasped. The demon gave him a feral grin. A dark claw hooked into Ryou's shirt and tore it open.
"Why should I, my dear little hikari? It's not like you can stop me." The creature growled when a series of loud bangs hit the door. He stood, leaving Ryou gasping and half-crying on the ground and glaring at the door. He picked up the Ring, handing it back around his neck. The item flickered angrily as if trying to burn him. Ryou shrunk back against the wall. He was safe, for now… but only until that… that creature came back. Finally, as if in complete frustration, a swell of dark power blew the door down. Ryou stared at the opening with wide eyes.
"Malik!" The blond Egyptian caught his eyes, relief sweeping through their violet depths. Behind him, Yugi and Yami looked on in horrified fascination as the demonic creature smirked at them.
"Another two souls of light and one dark spirit," he crowed darkly. "This must be my lucky day." Malik growled, his eyes darkening to icy violet daggers.
"Let Ryou and Bakura go," he hissed. Yugi glanced worriedly over at Ryou, who smiled weakly. The small, violet-eyed boy was worried about what the creature had done to him. Ryou looked fine, but… Yugi looked up at Yami, who was watching the stand off with narrowed crimson eyes. The demon's smirk widened.
"If you want those two souls back, you'll have to defeat me. And I play for keeps," he laughed. Yami stepped forward.
"And just what demented game will you wager on?" the former pharaoh asked. The demon cackled.
"A GAME? You must be kidding me! This is no game, dark one! This is a battle to the death!" Yami's eyes widened, he stepped back, protectively shielding his light. Malik just smirked, his eyes darkening further.
"Good. Just how I want it," he grinned feraly. Ryou looked on fearfully. What if Malik got hurt? He couldn't forgive himself if that happened. The frail boy pulled himself to his feet, watching closely as Malik unsheathed the dagger hidden within the Sennen Rod. The two glared at each other, demon and mortal, locking themselves in mortal combat. Malik flung himself at the dark creature, who just step sided the sweeping blade, an insane light dancing in his eyes.
Malik smirked as the Sennen Rod's blade came into contact with the leather rope holding the Sennen Ring. The golden item bounced off the cold floor. The demon's eyes narrowed. He lunged for the Ring, but Ryou was faster. The pale boy dove for the item, grasping it tightly. He could feel it pulsating beneath his fingers. The dark creature advanced on him, backing the boy into the wall. A sharp pain in his back stopped him. Malik had dug the blade into his shoulder. The demon spun, hissing, and threw the tan boy into the wall. Yami was about to step in and end it when the Ring flared brightly.
The light solidified, leaving a very angry Yami no Bakura in its wake. The white-haired fiend glared up at the demon, eyes like icicles that had been tainted by long dried blood. The demon took a step back.
"So, you think you can beat me this time?" he said, smirking. Bakura just flashed him a feral grin.
"You said I had no chance against you without my hikari. This time, my hikari is right by my side," the fiend replied. The demon stopped. Ryou had stepped up beside his yami, gripping the Ring tightly with one hand and his yami's arm with the other. The creature's eyes narrowed. Malik looked on, his head slightly fuzzy from the fall. Was he seeing things right? The blond sighed. He had known this would happen someday. Why was it so hard to accept?
Bakura smirked, facing the demonic creature, death itself glinting in his eyes.
"You are going to feel every tiny bit of the pain you caused my hikari ten times over by the time I'm done with you," he stated. Ryou tugged on his yami's arm.
"Please yami. Just banish him to the shadow realm or something," the hikari's eyes were dark with the memories of that pain. "No one, not even he deserves what that Ring can do." Bakura nodded, watching his hikari closely. The demon smirked.
"Fool, never take your eyes off you're enemy!" Suddenly Ryou felt as if he couldn't breath. He clawed at his throat, fighting for even the smallest bit of air.
"Ryou!" Bakura and Malik yelled in unison. Malik pulled himself up from the floor and dashed towards the pale boy, who had collapsed to his knees. The demon cackled madly.
"Now you have no choice, dark one. You're hikari won't survive much longer!" Bakura growled, taking the Ring out of Ryou's grip and focusing his power through it.
"You won't live to see yourself succeed!" Three blasts of dark energy ripped through the creature. Bakura was shocked to find a furious Yami and an ice-eyed Malik turning their own Sennen Item's on the creature. The scarlet-eyed demon just smirked.
"Enjoy your victory, dark one. It'll be a bitter end!" he cackled, before vanishing into oblivion. Bakura fell to his knees beside his hikari, shaking the boy gently.
"Ryou fight it! Just like the Ring, fight him!" Ryou gasped, taking in a shallow breath. Slowly his breaths became deeper and less forced. Bakura wrapped the boy in a tight, thankful embrace. "Thank Ra," he whispered in the boy's ear. Ryou smiled slightly, leaning into his yami.
"I promised you I wouldn't leave you. I won't," he whispered back.
Malik bit his lip, watching Ryou and his yami. He had known this would happen eventually, but still, it hurt. Ryou noticed and gave him a quiet glance.
"Malik?" Ryou asked, worry filled eyes looking up at him. Malik shook his head.
"It's alright Ryou," the Egyptian smiled ruefully. He stood, turning his back. He was stopped when thin, pale arms wrapped around him from behind.
"I'm sorry Malik, please… don't go. Stay and listen." Malik turned and found Ryou gazing at him with pleading eyes. Off to the side, Bakura looked on with detached amusement. "I'm so sorry," Ryou whispered again. "I never meant to hurt you." Malik smiled at the boy, a tanned hand cupping the pale skin of his face.
"It's alright Ryou. I knew this was coming," he said softly. Ryou's eyes widened, slowly filling with tears. He buried his face in Malik's chest. The Egyptian wrapped his arms around the smaller boy, glancing around. Bakura had disappeared into the shadows.
The blond focused back on the boy in his arms. Ryou was shaking slightly and clinging to him tightly. The events of the past few days were obviously taking their toll. Malik stroked Ryou's hair absently.
"Please don't cry," he said. Ryou sniffed and looked up at him.
"We talked about it while we were in the Ring. I love you both, I never want to hurt you, and I never want to leave you Malik, so please, don't go." Malik froze. He didn't know what to say. It was certainly the last thing he had expected. He was even more shocked when he felt strong arms wrap around his waist from behind.
"You're lucky you know," Bakura hissed from behind him, his voice sending a cold chill down the blonde's spine. The Egyptian shivered. "You know I'm a possessive bastard," the Ring spirit continued. He nipped at Malik's neck, sending another shiver through the boy. "But since it's you, I'm willing to share." Ryou sighed, leaning into Malik's chest. A small smile graced the blonde's lips. He leaned back against Bakura, violet eyes closing. Bakura smirked.
"Thank you," Malik told the two. Both yami and hikari smiled, Bakura having more of a smirk.
"You did everything you could to help us. You don't think we'd betray you in the end do you?" Bakura murmured. Malik shook his head.
"No, but I did wonder whether I'd be left alone after this was over," he said. Ryou hugged him more tightly.
"I would never leave you alone," he whispered. Malik kissed the top of the hikari's head.
"I know that now Ryou, I know." A soft chuckle echoed through the mostly quiet room. Bakura shot Yami a sharp glare.
"What are you doing here, Pharaoh no Baka?" he snapped. Malik smirked.
"I asked them to help," he explained. Bakura raised both eyebrows.
"You?" The white-haired fiend chuckled. "Don't tell me you're going soft Malik." Malik closed his eyes, smirking while Ryou laughed to himself. Yep, they were still the same bakas he had fallen in love with. Yami gave the three a smug grin.
"Well I was going to help, but you didn't really seem to need it," he jibed. Bakura's eye twitched. Malik just chose to ignore Yami.
"Are you saying I couldn't have handled this on my own?" Bakura seethed. Yami smirked.
"Obviously not if you got yourself trapped like that." Ryou flinched and snuggled farther into Malik's arms. The blond gave the smaller boy a sad and knowing look.
"Let's just get out of here. We can save killing the baka pharaoh for later," he said.
"Thank you," Ryou whispered so that only Malik could hear. Malik kissed the top of his head.
"No problem." He looked up at Bakura. "So? Let's get out of here." Bakura nodded, watching his light closely. He turned towards the door where Yami and Yugi were waiting quietly. The pale yami snarled at the former pharaoh, but walked out quietly, followed by Malik and Ryou. Yami just sighed.
"I guess things will just be back to normal from now on," he stated. Yugi smiled, watching the three retreating figures.
"Not quite Yami, I think we're about to see something new."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Author's Note: Ah, happy ending *big maniacal grin* I hope you all enjoyed and that my little explanation cleared a few things up. Please review and thank you for reading ^_^
-Cat