White Demon, Dark Angel
I'm back! I may actually be updating this pretty regularly, but finals are going to be starting by the time you read this, but then summer will come ^^ but I'm mostly restricted by my inspiration.
Everybody's favorite tomb robber makes his appearance ^^ YAY!!! More details on why I'm so happy at the bottom, okay?
Windswift: I think I'll be evil and make someone else say the disclaimer today ^^
Muse: Who can we pick on . . . (evil grin) well, we've already got a plan to torture Bakura, we like Ryou, I've already annoyed Malik too much with my plan for another fic . . . so that leaves . . . SETO!!!
Seto: I have my own problems with lawyers. Go away.
Windswift: Aw, come on, please?
Seto: No.
Muse: ^^ I'll sic Andrea on you if you don't
Seto: (pales) no, not her . . . (grabs megaphone) DO YOU ANY OF YOU IDIOTS THINK WINDSWIFT OWN YU-GI-OH? IF SO, I DON'T CARE!
Seto: Done ^^
Windswift: I think you could have been a bit nicer . . .
Muse: Darn it, I wanted to sic Andrea on him . . . .
((+)~
[Time Elapse. Ummmm, not sure how long . . . let's say, a few months? Anyway, it's the next school year, they're sophomores now . . . okay, I think I've got all my plot problems fixed ^^ on to the fic!!!]
The telephone rang, and Ryou stopped washing dishes to answer it.
"Moushi moushi [1], [2] residence."
"Hello, Ryou?"
"Dad! Yes, it's me. How's the dig in Egypt going?"
"It's going great. We're finding a lot of valuable artifacts in these ruins. Unfortunately -"
"- You won't be back for a few more months. I know."
"Please, don't be disappointed, Ryou. I miss you, but this is very important work. Perhaps when you get a break in school I'll arrange for you to visit me here."
"That would be wonderful!"
"So, how's life going? Is school okay? Is the house still in one piece?"
Ryou laughed. "Life's fine, school's as good as it could ever seem for any teenager, and how do you define 'the house in one piece'?"
"Well, I hope it's still standing. I've got to go, Ryou. Remember, I love you."
"I love you too, Dad. Bye." He hung up.
Actually . . . .
[Flashback]
"Hey, Ryou!" Jounouchi ran after him and grabbed his shoulder to get his attention.
"Oh, hey Jou!"
"We were wonderin' if you wanted to go to the movies with us tonight."
Ryou's face fell. "I'm sorry, Jou, I can't. I've got homework, and chores that have to get done."
"Ryou," Yami began hesitantly, "you aren't _trying_ to avoid us, are you?"
"No!" Ryou looked upset now, tears threatening in his eyes. "I wouldn't do that! I just have so many things to take care of with my father gone -"
"Ryou, calm down!" Honda threw a comforting arm around Ryou's shoulder. "We aren't accusing you. We didn't realize how much stuff you had to do."
Jounouchi threw his two cents in. "Yeah, runnin' a house is stressful enough for an adult, so it must be bad for someone who's only about sixteen."
"Fourteen," Ryou mumbled miserably.
"What?"
"I'm only fourteen. I skipped a grade, and have a late birthday on top of it [3]."
Yami sighed hopelessly. "Well, the invitation to join in whatever we're doing is always extended to you, okay?"
[End Flashback]
Ryou had always been to busy or too tired to take him up on that offer. They were still friends, sure, but not very close. Ryou just tended now to fade into the background, and they let him, not wanting to upset him.
He winced as he touched a new bruise on his arm, hidden by his shirt sleeve. Without Yami's protection, Ryou was preyed upon by bullies, and he didn't want to bother Yami to ask for his help.
The sad thing was, he was already all to well used to these circumstances from his life in Britain.
He went back to cleaning dishes, the water turned cold while he'd been thinking. He finished them rather halfheartedly and went to grab some warmer clothes.
He was going to take a walk, clear his mind. Ryou just couldn't concentrate right now. He could put on a happy and chipper mask for everyone, and sometimes believe it himself, but now that he had lost a lot of his hope, everything was staring to wear him down a lot. He just did it because he didn't want anyone to worry about him. Their concern only make him uncomfortable and unsure that he even had a reason to be unhappy anyway.
Ryou walked to the park, a path long familiar to him, and planned to go to his favorite secluded spot to be alone with his thoughts. However, plans often fail because fate likes to intervene.
He was passing a deserted side street. Had he noticed the large group of rather malevolent looking people gathered there, I surely hope he would have run. However, as absorbed in his thoughts as he was, Ryou had zoned out to the world.
Unable to resist the thought of such easy prey, the gang decided to jump him. The leader lunged for Ryou and shoved him to the ground in the center of the ring formed by the assembly [cause an assembly acts, and an audience doesn't ^^ too many religion classes about Mass]. Ryou made no move but to wince as his head cracked against the ground.
"He's ruining the whole sport of this," someone muttered.
"Well, well, well. What have we here?" The voice purred evil amusement, then paused for a moment. "Apparently that fool wasn't such a liar after all. Well, I'll be damned . . ."
Ryou heard footsteps circling him like a vulture.
Another voice spoke. "So this mus' be the kid he beat up. He does look kinda like ya. Amazin'!"
Ryou became curious at this point and slowly opened his eyes. His sight was still a bit blurry from the friendly introduction between his head and the street, but he could make out most things. From his vantage point on the ground, his large, slightly unfocused brown eyes stared into a similar pair of chocolate brown orbs, although those were narrower and cold. The pale, sharp face was framed by silvery-white locks that didn't quite have the soft, draping quality of Ryou's. The boy seemed a few years older than him and hardened by the world.
"So now, what to do with you?" The boy was still hovering over Ryou like a predator over his prey, a malicious, taunting smirk on his face.
"I don't have anything," Ryou said, moaning softly. "Just beat me up and get it over with already. I have better things to do."
The other boy shook his head, still grinning, giving the appearance of silently laughing. "You've got somewhat of a feisty spirit, even if you don't show it." He paused a moment, seeming to be musing over something.
"Tell ya what, kid," he said suddenly. "I'll let you off today. I won't be shedding further blood on your part. However," his eyes glinted playfully, "I _am_ making you a deal."
The boy knelt down and extended a hand to Ryou to help him up. Ryou accepted it, standing up and swaying dizzily. Concrete isn't very good for your head. The boy caught him as he fell forward, Ryou's head resting for a moment on his chest and the black shirt he wore. [I'm still not intending any yaoi, but I couldn't resist that scene ^^ for you people that don't like it, there won't be any yaoi, and for you people that do like it, you can imagine some details and not tell me about them. Now everyone's happy! ^^ ]
"Can't even keep on your feet, can you?" he chuckled. "Anyway, my name is Bakura. The infamous leader of this little gang.
"Our deal is this: I'm not going to hurt you. You'll be under my gang's protection. But in return, you have to join my merry band of marauders here." Bakura winked. "I can't have people constantly beating you up thinking they're defeating the almighty me. And this'll toughen you up a bit. What do you say?"
Ryou shook his head. "I don't have much of a choice, do I? And I am Ryou. "
Bakura grinned. "Welcome, Ryou. Oh, and if you go and tell all our secrets to the police, I will personally hunt you down with knives [4]. Have a nice day."
"You don't need to threaten me. I wouldn't have done that anyway."
A small frown appeared on Bakura's face. "Sometimes, you have to be careful."
Ryou tried for a minute to convince himself that things weren't as bad as they seemed. If he hadn't heard much about gang problems it couldn't be all that terrible, could it? He reached a hand up to touch the back of his head, wincing as his fingers came away wet and red with blood. This didn't seem like a very good start.
He raised his eyes to find Bakura scrutinizing him, his face devoid of any intelligible emotion.
"Come on, we'd better get that cleaned up if you're going to be of any use tomorrow night."
"Tomorrow . . . night?"
He grabbed Ryou's hand and proceeded to pull him along the side street, seemingly having made a personality change from jovial to darkly impatient.
They reached a dark and rather abandoned-looking apartment. "My place," Bakura muttered, opening the door and taking Ryou inside. The windows had been blacked out to give it the empty appearance, but inside it was clean and well kept, though it lacked a lived in look.
Bakura placed Ryou on the floor in the center of what might have been the main room. "Stay there." He disappeared elsewhere in the house, his footsteps now silent as a cat. A million things raced through Ryou's mind about what could happen next, most of them not very pleasant.
Bakura returned, scowling slightly at nothing in particular, with a first aid kit in his hand. He sat down behind Ryou, pushed his head forward, and moved the silver and red hair out of the way. "It isn't deep, you'll be fine." He put antiseptic on it, causing Ryou to hiss in pain.
"Remind me never to let myself get caught again, okay?" he said between gritted teeth.
Bakura's sharp eyes took in a fading bruise at the base of Ryou's neck. Softly, he spoke. "Don't worry, you have connections now," then, "Just watch out for the other gangs." Ryou groaned.
"And one other thing."
"What?"
Bakura leaned closer to Ryou, putting his mouth by the smaller boy's ear. "Never follow someone to their lair, even if you're sure you can trust them. I could have raped or killed you just now. Be thankful I didn't."
There was silence.
"I don't suppose I could flee town before tomorrow, huh?"
~+~+~+~+~
[1] Moushi moushi is a greeting over the telephone, I believe. Or you could change it to mush mush and say it whenever, like my friend the Great Emu does ^^
[2] Insert a new random last name. Bakura stole the first one you invented -_- what a baka . . . .
[3] I have no idea when his birthday is, but work with me here for the sake of my story. Or I'll just use my authoress powers to rend the fabric of this alternate universe unto my will and change his birthday
[4] "Or I'll come and hunt you down with knives," that's what my crazy French teacher always says ^^ I've picked it up because it's such a fun phrase. And she only condemned my brother to hell once. But I'll tell that story at a later time.
((+)~
Another chapter done ^^ It was long too! Please, as always, review!
I plan on making a pic of Ryou and Bakura in their gang attire ^^ Email me (my address is in my profile) if you want me to send it to you when I get done
What fun, Ryou's joining a gang! ^^ I love my power . . .
I'm back! I may actually be updating this pretty regularly, but finals are going to be starting by the time you read this, but then summer will come ^^ but I'm mostly restricted by my inspiration.
Everybody's favorite tomb robber makes his appearance ^^ YAY!!! More details on why I'm so happy at the bottom, okay?
Windswift: I think I'll be evil and make someone else say the disclaimer today ^^
Muse: Who can we pick on . . . (evil grin) well, we've already got a plan to torture Bakura, we like Ryou, I've already annoyed Malik too much with my plan for another fic . . . so that leaves . . . SETO!!!
Seto: I have my own problems with lawyers. Go away.
Windswift: Aw, come on, please?
Seto: No.
Muse: ^^ I'll sic Andrea on you if you don't
Seto: (pales) no, not her . . . (grabs megaphone) DO YOU ANY OF YOU IDIOTS THINK WINDSWIFT OWN YU-GI-OH? IF SO, I DON'T CARE!
Seto: Done ^^
Windswift: I think you could have been a bit nicer . . .
Muse: Darn it, I wanted to sic Andrea on him . . . .
((+)~
[Time Elapse. Ummmm, not sure how long . . . let's say, a few months? Anyway, it's the next school year, they're sophomores now . . . okay, I think I've got all my plot problems fixed ^^ on to the fic!!!]
The telephone rang, and Ryou stopped washing dishes to answer it.
"Moushi moushi [1], [2] residence."
"Hello, Ryou?"
"Dad! Yes, it's me. How's the dig in Egypt going?"
"It's going great. We're finding a lot of valuable artifacts in these ruins. Unfortunately -"
"- You won't be back for a few more months. I know."
"Please, don't be disappointed, Ryou. I miss you, but this is very important work. Perhaps when you get a break in school I'll arrange for you to visit me here."
"That would be wonderful!"
"So, how's life going? Is school okay? Is the house still in one piece?"
Ryou laughed. "Life's fine, school's as good as it could ever seem for any teenager, and how do you define 'the house in one piece'?"
"Well, I hope it's still standing. I've got to go, Ryou. Remember, I love you."
"I love you too, Dad. Bye." He hung up.
Actually . . . .
[Flashback]
"Hey, Ryou!" Jounouchi ran after him and grabbed his shoulder to get his attention.
"Oh, hey Jou!"
"We were wonderin' if you wanted to go to the movies with us tonight."
Ryou's face fell. "I'm sorry, Jou, I can't. I've got homework, and chores that have to get done."
"Ryou," Yami began hesitantly, "you aren't _trying_ to avoid us, are you?"
"No!" Ryou looked upset now, tears threatening in his eyes. "I wouldn't do that! I just have so many things to take care of with my father gone -"
"Ryou, calm down!" Honda threw a comforting arm around Ryou's shoulder. "We aren't accusing you. We didn't realize how much stuff you had to do."
Jounouchi threw his two cents in. "Yeah, runnin' a house is stressful enough for an adult, so it must be bad for someone who's only about sixteen."
"Fourteen," Ryou mumbled miserably.
"What?"
"I'm only fourteen. I skipped a grade, and have a late birthday on top of it [3]."
Yami sighed hopelessly. "Well, the invitation to join in whatever we're doing is always extended to you, okay?"
[End Flashback]
Ryou had always been to busy or too tired to take him up on that offer. They were still friends, sure, but not very close. Ryou just tended now to fade into the background, and they let him, not wanting to upset him.
He winced as he touched a new bruise on his arm, hidden by his shirt sleeve. Without Yami's protection, Ryou was preyed upon by bullies, and he didn't want to bother Yami to ask for his help.
The sad thing was, he was already all to well used to these circumstances from his life in Britain.
He went back to cleaning dishes, the water turned cold while he'd been thinking. He finished them rather halfheartedly and went to grab some warmer clothes.
He was going to take a walk, clear his mind. Ryou just couldn't concentrate right now. He could put on a happy and chipper mask for everyone, and sometimes believe it himself, but now that he had lost a lot of his hope, everything was staring to wear him down a lot. He just did it because he didn't want anyone to worry about him. Their concern only make him uncomfortable and unsure that he even had a reason to be unhappy anyway.
Ryou walked to the park, a path long familiar to him, and planned to go to his favorite secluded spot to be alone with his thoughts. However, plans often fail because fate likes to intervene.
He was passing a deserted side street. Had he noticed the large group of rather malevolent looking people gathered there, I surely hope he would have run. However, as absorbed in his thoughts as he was, Ryou had zoned out to the world.
Unable to resist the thought of such easy prey, the gang decided to jump him. The leader lunged for Ryou and shoved him to the ground in the center of the ring formed by the assembly [cause an assembly acts, and an audience doesn't ^^ too many religion classes about Mass]. Ryou made no move but to wince as his head cracked against the ground.
"He's ruining the whole sport of this," someone muttered.
"Well, well, well. What have we here?" The voice purred evil amusement, then paused for a moment. "Apparently that fool wasn't such a liar after all. Well, I'll be damned . . ."
Ryou heard footsteps circling him like a vulture.
Another voice spoke. "So this mus' be the kid he beat up. He does look kinda like ya. Amazin'!"
Ryou became curious at this point and slowly opened his eyes. His sight was still a bit blurry from the friendly introduction between his head and the street, but he could make out most things. From his vantage point on the ground, his large, slightly unfocused brown eyes stared into a similar pair of chocolate brown orbs, although those were narrower and cold. The pale, sharp face was framed by silvery-white locks that didn't quite have the soft, draping quality of Ryou's. The boy seemed a few years older than him and hardened by the world.
"So now, what to do with you?" The boy was still hovering over Ryou like a predator over his prey, a malicious, taunting smirk on his face.
"I don't have anything," Ryou said, moaning softly. "Just beat me up and get it over with already. I have better things to do."
The other boy shook his head, still grinning, giving the appearance of silently laughing. "You've got somewhat of a feisty spirit, even if you don't show it." He paused a moment, seeming to be musing over something.
"Tell ya what, kid," he said suddenly. "I'll let you off today. I won't be shedding further blood on your part. However," his eyes glinted playfully, "I _am_ making you a deal."
The boy knelt down and extended a hand to Ryou to help him up. Ryou accepted it, standing up and swaying dizzily. Concrete isn't very good for your head. The boy caught him as he fell forward, Ryou's head resting for a moment on his chest and the black shirt he wore. [I'm still not intending any yaoi, but I couldn't resist that scene ^^ for you people that don't like it, there won't be any yaoi, and for you people that do like it, you can imagine some details and not tell me about them. Now everyone's happy! ^^ ]
"Can't even keep on your feet, can you?" he chuckled. "Anyway, my name is Bakura. The infamous leader of this little gang.
"Our deal is this: I'm not going to hurt you. You'll be under my gang's protection. But in return, you have to join my merry band of marauders here." Bakura winked. "I can't have people constantly beating you up thinking they're defeating the almighty me. And this'll toughen you up a bit. What do you say?"
Ryou shook his head. "I don't have much of a choice, do I? And I am Ryou. "
Bakura grinned. "Welcome, Ryou. Oh, and if you go and tell all our secrets to the police, I will personally hunt you down with knives [4]. Have a nice day."
"You don't need to threaten me. I wouldn't have done that anyway."
A small frown appeared on Bakura's face. "Sometimes, you have to be careful."
Ryou tried for a minute to convince himself that things weren't as bad as they seemed. If he hadn't heard much about gang problems it couldn't be all that terrible, could it? He reached a hand up to touch the back of his head, wincing as his fingers came away wet and red with blood. This didn't seem like a very good start.
He raised his eyes to find Bakura scrutinizing him, his face devoid of any intelligible emotion.
"Come on, we'd better get that cleaned up if you're going to be of any use tomorrow night."
"Tomorrow . . . night?"
He grabbed Ryou's hand and proceeded to pull him along the side street, seemingly having made a personality change from jovial to darkly impatient.
They reached a dark and rather abandoned-looking apartment. "My place," Bakura muttered, opening the door and taking Ryou inside. The windows had been blacked out to give it the empty appearance, but inside it was clean and well kept, though it lacked a lived in look.
Bakura placed Ryou on the floor in the center of what might have been the main room. "Stay there." He disappeared elsewhere in the house, his footsteps now silent as a cat. A million things raced through Ryou's mind about what could happen next, most of them not very pleasant.
Bakura returned, scowling slightly at nothing in particular, with a first aid kit in his hand. He sat down behind Ryou, pushed his head forward, and moved the silver and red hair out of the way. "It isn't deep, you'll be fine." He put antiseptic on it, causing Ryou to hiss in pain.
"Remind me never to let myself get caught again, okay?" he said between gritted teeth.
Bakura's sharp eyes took in a fading bruise at the base of Ryou's neck. Softly, he spoke. "Don't worry, you have connections now," then, "Just watch out for the other gangs." Ryou groaned.
"And one other thing."
"What?"
Bakura leaned closer to Ryou, putting his mouth by the smaller boy's ear. "Never follow someone to their lair, even if you're sure you can trust them. I could have raped or killed you just now. Be thankful I didn't."
There was silence.
"I don't suppose I could flee town before tomorrow, huh?"
~+~+~+~+~
[1] Moushi moushi is a greeting over the telephone, I believe. Or you could change it to mush mush and say it whenever, like my friend the Great Emu does ^^
[2] Insert a new random last name. Bakura stole the first one you invented -_- what a baka . . . .
[3] I have no idea when his birthday is, but work with me here for the sake of my story. Or I'll just use my authoress powers to rend the fabric of this alternate universe unto my will and change his birthday
[4] "Or I'll come and hunt you down with knives," that's what my crazy French teacher always says ^^ I've picked it up because it's such a fun phrase. And she only condemned my brother to hell once. But I'll tell that story at a later time.
((+)~
Another chapter done ^^ It was long too! Please, as always, review!
I plan on making a pic of Ryou and Bakura in their gang attire ^^ Email me (my address is in my profile) if you want me to send it to you when I get done
What fun, Ryou's joining a gang! ^^ I love my power . . .