"What's the matter weakling?",Bakura asked in a taunting voice as he kicked his lighter half in the stomache for the third time in a row causing him to cough a thick red substance onto the cold cement floor,"Don't you like your birthday present?"

There was a silence in the room; Ryou knew better than to speak when his Yami was like this.

"Well answer me!" Bakura hissed grabing Ryou by his throat and pushing him aginst the jagged stone wall.

"B-Bakura",Ryou whimpered,"I-I can't breathe"

"Now ask me if I care" His Yami sneered hitting the white-haired boy the head and knocking him unconscious. Satisfied with what he had done, Bakura droped Ryou on the floor and left the room. Leaving the lighter half to his misery. ******************************************************************** Ryou opened his eyes slowly and looked around the room he recognised his surroundings, the dark blue sheets and ocward looking statues of egyptian gods that in any other person's eyes would be quite frightening. He was up in his room 'How did I get up here' he thought to himself as he tryed to get off the floor; only ot fall flat on his face in pain.

"This is gonna be a long day" Ryou muttered to himself as he finally got off the the midnight purple carpeted floor with assistance provided by a nearby wall.

Suddenly he heard the sound of his doorbell ringing 'Oh great',Ryou thought to himself,'This should be real fun trying to get down the stairs'

Ryou hobbled out of his room and proceded to try and get down the winding stairs in one piece. As he got about halfway down he heard the doorbell again.

"Ya...ya I'm coming" the Hikari sighed,the door seemed to put more and more distance between them the longer he looked. He finally reached the conservative door. He opened the door only to be greeted by a group of familar faces

"Kenchiwa Ryou!",a short kid with spikey multi-colored hair greeted,"how are you today?"

"I've been better" the white-haired boy replied gestering to his blood stained sweater,"please come in"

"Right...",Joey said in a sceptical voice as he entered Ryou's house,"so I take it Bakura decied to beat the crap out of you for no reason again"

"In a matter of speaking...yes", Ryou muttered,"so what brings you guys over to my house?"

"Yug is in a big duel this afternoon, and we were wondering if you wanted to tag along" Tristan piped in.

"Oh..." Ryou replied, he was anticipating a birthday suprise but as usual the group proved a dissapointment.

"What's wrong?!" Yugi asked when he noticed the well of tears in Ryou's eyes. Ryou quickly wiped his eyes and pretended as if nothing was on his mind.

"It's nothing.....really" Ryou stated, 'they are my friends arent they!? the could not have forgotten about my birthday. Even Bakura did not.' He thought to himself

"You sure?" Yugi questioned, concerened.

"Yes; just alittle sore that's all" Ryou lied

"Ya what's the deal with your Yami anyway",Tristan asked,"why do you let him push you around like that?"

"Well...I...um.." Ryou was cut off by Joey's constant babble

"Man if that was me I'd..." this time it was Joey that was cut off by a cold voice from behind him

"You'd what mortal?"

Joey winced at the harsh voice "Let me guess he's right behind me isn't he."

The others nodded at Joey. He turned silightly to see the dark figure of Bakura dressed in worn blue jeans, a fitting leather trench coat hiding an embarassing blue and white striped shirt leaning against the stair well. None of them dared to do something as minescule as mutter a word.

"Well..." ,Yami Bakura sneered, straightening his posture and slowly walking to the group's unorganized circle." I'm waiting for a answer"

/Yami! wake up/ Yugi shouted, speaking to the Yami in side of him.

//Whoa Yugi! calm down// Yami stated //there's no need to shout, now whats wrong?!//

/It's Ryou's Yami, he's about to beat the crap out of Joey/

The former pharaoh sighed as if Yugi were asking him to play police again. Yet again he had to settle fights between yamis and their hakaris. But this time he would teach them a lesson, a lesson he won't soon forget //Alright young one all be out in a sec//

And with a blinding flash of light Yami Yugi was towering over Joey's person, blocking him from any pain Bakura may attempt to inflict on him.