Rowan: Hehe, sorry for the delay guys! T'was horrible of me, wasn't it? Well, y'see, I had a writer's block for a bit, but I finally got to this chapter. Also, I was updating some of my other stories, so…
Sakura: Alright, get on with the fic!
Rowan: Gosh you're being pushy!
Sakura: Well, I'm not the only one… *Points to door in background that is currently being bashed in by a battering ram. *
Rowan: Oh my…
*Door suddenly falls open and the entire YGO! cast fall in. *
Rowan: Hi minna!
Bakura: *Grabs Rowan by the collar and lifts her off the ground * Now, who was it that gave Ryou AIDS? Because he and I have an appointment that he's dying to get to…
Rowan: You're not even supposed to know that yet!
Bakura: Well, when do I find out?
Rowan: In a couple of lines.
Disclaimer: Let's see, if I owned YGO!, what would be different? Well, firstly, It would probably be centered around Ryou instead of Yuugi, Anzu would be history, the yamis and hikaris would have separate bodies, Sakura would be Yami's girl and I would be Ryou's, and there would not be any U.S.A. dub names, they would keep their Japanese names. Don't worry, it's still possible! Once I conquer the world first! *Men in white coats come and start to drag Rowan away * No! It's true! I've already got a plan underway of how to take over the planet!
Warning: I'm lazy, and you should know by now anyway, so if you didn't read the first four chapters yet, then go back and read 'em!
AN: Thanks to all who reviewed last chapter! I really appreciate it and once more apologize for the long delay!
"Secrets of Life: Chapter Five"
By Rowan and Sakura
"One of the secrets of life is to make stepping stones out of stumbling blocks." - Jack Penn
---*---*---
"WHAT?!" Bakura yelled when Jou and Honda had finished. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN?"
Ryou tried to calm his hotheaded friend. "Bakura, cool down, please! There's no need to shout!"
Bakura took a deep breath and then continued in a more controlled voice. "All right. So, let me get this straight. Ryou has AIDS, yet I don't and neither does Otogi. So, firstly, who did give it to Ryou?"
The doctors looked to the white-haired patient. "We were hoping he could tell us that."
Ryou blinked at Jou and Honda in confusion. "Me? But why me?"
Jou explained patiently. "Well, Ryou, what made you say that Otogi was the one to give you AIDS in the first place?"
Ryou thought about this for a second. "Well, you can transmit the disease through sex, right? So we prostitutes always use condoms for our protection. And I never wanted to get anything, so I always used one, and had my clients use them as well.
"But, well, after a while Otogi was the only client I had. And once I was running late and didn't have time to check if he had protection on or not. You see, I couldn't disappoint him as my boss would have gotten extremely angry with me. Only afterwards did I check if he had, and Otogi told me that he had forgotten that time. Well, I guess he figured that since he had forgotten once already he didn't need to protect himself anymore. And since he was the only one who forgot to protect himself, I figured it had to be him." Ryou fell silent as he stared down at his blanket, pale cheeks glowing bright red.
Jou cleared his throat audibly. "Yes, well, okay, I understand your explanation, but Ryou, you must understand that there are other ways to contract the disease."
Ryou looked up to meet Jou's honey gold eyes with his own chocolate ones. "Really? I didn't know that."
"Well, there are. Like, for example, have you ever had a blood transfusion?"
Ryou replied quickly. "Yes, I did actually! Once, about five years ago, I had been walking home from my boss's office when I had been mugged by four really big guys. They had dragged me into an alley at knifepoint and robbed me of my possessions. The man who was holding me had pressed the knife a bit two far and had slit my jugular vein and then left me there. If it hadn't been for Alfonzo, I might of bled to death!"
"What did this Alfonzo do?" Honda inquired.
"Well, luckily, he had followed me home from his office and so was able to get me to the hospital. I don't remember much except that he found me in that alleyway. I kinda blanked out after that. When I woke up the nurses told me that he had brought me to the hospital and even gave blood for my transfusion. Apparently I had lost a lot already and he and I amazingly had the same blood type!
"The funny thing is, that happened the same day I quit my job under Alfonzo's employment. Strange, huh?" Ryou concluded, looking to Honda and Jou, but still avoiding Bakura's eyes, as it was a rather touchy subject.
"Hmm, yes, well, did you ever have another transfusion or anything?" Jou asked at last.
Ryou shook his head. "No, that's the only time."
Honda shuffled through his papers as if searching for something, then spoke as well. "Okay, well, I think we found out enough. Bakura, if we could speak with you outside for a moment? Ryou needs to get some rest now."
The two doctors stood up and exited the ward, followed closely by Bakura, who stayed to tuck Ryou in and kiss his forehead. "Sweet dreams Ryou," he whispered to the already asleep man.
"Well?" Bakura asked once they were in the hallway.
Jou looked up at the white-haired spirit and said, "If Ryou's story is true-"
"Are you saying he's a liar?!"
"-then the person who gave him AIDS is this Alfonzo person. But enough about how he got it, what we want to talk about is how to get rid of it."
"The procedure is very risky," continued Honda, "and we're not exactly sure it'll work, but it's the only chance Ryou's got."
"He won't be able to take any other medication while he's undergoing treatment, which means that his pneumonia might get worse. But, as we say, it's gotta get worse before it gets better."
Bakura looked puzzled. "Why are you telling me this?" he asked, perplexed.
Jou and Honda looked surprised at him. "We-we thought you two were an item again!" Honda said.
Jou, noticing Bakura's shocked expression inquired, "Are you two getting back together again?"
Bakura thought, his eyebrows wrinkled with concentration, but he found he couldn't answer that question. On the pretenses that he had somewhere else to go, he quickly left the hospital.
---*---
Bakura had been walking for awhile, not really sure of where he was going, when he found himself at the least likely of places: Otogi's mansion. Bakura questioned why his feet had brought him there, but deep down inside he knew. Walking up to the porch, he rang the doorbell and waited.
After what seemed like eternity, the front door finally opened to Otogi's emerald green eyes, terror shining out of them.
"B-ba-kura," he stammered shakily, "what brings you here?"
Bakura looked guiltily at the inventor. "I came to apologize to you Otogi. May I come in?"
Otogi timidly opened the door to let Bakura enter, then invited him to sit in the living room. "So…what did you say you came here for?" he inquired once more.
"I-I came to apologize for what I did last time I came and also to ask for your forgiveness."
"My forgiveness?'
"Yes. I did a terrible thing. I invaded your personal rights and I fully regret that now. But, you see, I did it because of what I thought you did to Ryou. Still, that doesn't justify my actions."
"You mean, my giving Ryou-"
"AIDS? Yes, that exactly."
Otogi smiled slightly and said, "If I had been in your position, I would've done the exact same thing Bakura. You're lucky to have Ryou. He's a real treasure Bakura, and I envy you because you have it."
Bakura smiled back. "Thank you. Does that mean you forgive me?"
"It sure does!"
"Arigatou."
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Rowan: So, what did you think about that chapter? Was it all you expected? Or was it crap?
Sakura: Well, you know what I think.
Rowan: Yes we all know.
Bakura: Ah ha! So know we know who truly gave that dreadful disease to Ryou! So, why haven't I gone and ripped his head off yet?
Rowan: Because you need back up in the form of a very good friend!
Bakura: If you're talking about Yuugi, sorry, but, he ain't all that intimidating you know.
Yuugi: Hey!
Bakura: Well it's true! And it can't possibly be Yami because he's got a broken leg-
Yami: Are you saying I'm not helpful if my leg's broken?
Bakura: Pretty much. Besides, you're stuck in the hospital, so you couldn't possibly help me.
Yami: Good point…
Bakura: So, who's my sidekick going to be?
Rowan: Well, Marik of course! And that way I can sorta keep my promise to Pluto about Tifa.
Sakura: Who the hell is Tifa?
Rowan: Find out in Chapter 6! But for now, please review! I'd really appreciate it!
