Disclaimer: ZOEYGIRL SAYS SHE JUST DOESN'T OWN Y-G-O!!!!! NOPE, JUST DON'T.
Zoeygirl: Yay I'm updating now! I'm so happy you liked my story so far! (^_^) I promise Bakura's presence will make more sense. Oh, and the angst is going to slowly decrease, and become more of a suspense, love type thing. Okay with that said, enjoy.
OH yeah! The first part of this chapter is going to be more of a dream sequence.
Tea's eyes slowly flickered open. Her body levitated in the white void around her. "Where am I?" She asked herself aloud. She slowly gained full consciousness, unaware on where she was. She was scared and confused. Her body drifted into the white nothingness around her. She looked down at her skin that slowly began to glow a bright white. Her dark, brown eyes stood out against the never ending void. What was even weirder was the fact that she couldn't touch the ground. Her body was moving forward, but she wasn't moving her feet. It was as if someone was pushing her lightly.
"I don't understand. Why am I here? Is-is this just a dream?" She didn't know nor was she sure she was safe. Suddenly, her eyes widened in horror. Over in the distance she could make out three figures standing in a row. The taller one stood in the middle. The figure had some type of thing on their head and wore what appeared to be a white robe that looked invisible in the room she herself hovered in. The other two figures looked very familiar and identical to the other. She stared on in confusion as the taller one seemed to be advising them. Tea was sure the two identical figures were staring at each other emotionlessly. The taller figure stood between the two acting like the judge.
"What's going on? Who are they?" Another push sent Tea close enough to identify the figures. IT WAS BAKURA! "W-what's he doing here?!" She said aloud. "Bakura!" She yelled! But her voice just drifted off. "He can't hear me. He should be able to hear me." She said quietly. Then it dawned on her. There were two Bakura's, one on each side of the tall figure. The two Bakura's just stood there quietly. They looked exactly alike. Wait, no there were some minor differences. The Bakura on the right looked subdued, calm, and quiet. His eyes looked kind, caring, and shy. The other one, on the other hand looked aggressive. His eyes were slanted and blazing with a certain eagerness she couldn't put her finger on. His hair seemed less tamed then the other one. Strands of hair stood out like jagged spikes, and untamed bangs hovered over his forehead. He stood straight up in a proud manner, unlike the other one, who showed hints of bashfulness.
"It must be Bakura and the spirit. But why are they separated? This doesn't make any sense, they were killed. I mean I think they were." Tea watched from a distance, even though she knew her presence wouldn't make a difference. She knew they couldn't see or hear her. She raised an eye in curiosity, as the taller figure directed each one in separate directions. Calmly, the shy Bakura turned around and walked away from the other two. Tea tried to chase him, knowing that, that was the Ryou Bakura she and her friends knew so well, but her body wouldn't move. Turning her head, she saw the tall figure point in the other direction opposite of the spirit. Without so much as a scowl, the spirit did as he was told. He turned around and began walking in a direction opposite of the other Bakura. What was going on here? "Didn't they need to be together in order for the spirit to survive?" Tea asked allowed. Before she could think this through she found herself moving in the direction of the spirit. The evil Bakura was drifting away just like the other one, but Tea found herself chasing after him. "No! I don't want to follow him! The other one, the other one! Who's doing this?!" She found her body going numb as she passed the tall figure by. She couldn't make out his face because a white blur engulfed his entire body, but she was almost positive he was nodding up and down. Again Tea turned her head and watched the spirit continue his walk. He stopped and turned around slightly. His unmistakable face stared at hers for a second before he continued on. Tea stared at this small event horrified. She didn't understand. She was about to call out the spirit's name when his entire form disappeared. Tea's body stopped moving and her form stood there floating in the white void around her. She couldn't control her movement nor could she control the heavy spell of sleep that was overcoming her.
"Do not judge fate Tea. Let me make that decision." Tea turned around in the direction of the tall spirit. With a small gasp, the figure disappeared and Tea was alone. "Huh? What the heck was that suppose to mean? Is this suppose to be some kind of dream or something?" She asked aloud somewhat aggravated. Then something happened she could not believe. Her eyes widened at the scene before her. Flashes of her friends filled the once white void. She saw pictures of Tristan and Serenity in a park somewhere in America. They looked very happy, without a care in the world. Next she saw glimpses of Seto Kaiba sitting on a bench, working on his lab top, while he watched happily as Mokuba played on a swing set.
Tea looked on in confusion. Either this was the weirdest dream she had ever had or she was dead and she was playing some role of an angel or something. "Wait, me Kaiba's angel? I think not." She thought to herself amusingly. Then Yugi's picture appeared, that left Tea in sorrowful silence. He was outside a market place happily smiling. The puzzle was glowing around his neck for some reason and his grandfather was right behind him taking a picture. Tea shed a tear even though she knew it was just a dream. Isis stood on Yugi's right side staring down at little Yugi and the ring with kind eyes. She knew Isis had grown to like the spirit within the millennium puzzle greatly. It was not a surprise that this particular scene was shown to her. Next and final was Joey and Mai. They were on a boat together looking out over the edge. Mai was smiling and Joey was laughing as he rubbed his head shamefully for some incident Joey had probably created for himself. He looked happy with not a care in the world. And Mai, Mai didn't show the same uncertainness she once had for guys. Finally all the images disappeared and the void surrounded her once again. Tea sighed deeply, happy that these images were gone. She was happy that they were happy, but at the same time it felt as if someone took a jack hammer and punched out her heart. Their lives had taken a new spin. Did they even know she existed or what? Did they know she was still in Domino City alone, waiting for their arrival? She wanted dearly for them to come back home. But then again they were home, their new home.
With a heavy sigh, Tea's eyes finally closed and she was finally allowed to leave the dream world. Still, the images of the two Bakura's haunted her greatly. Why were there two? And why was she being forced to follow the OTHER one?
End of Dream…
Tea's eyes shot open, as she sat up in a pool of sweat. Or was she still wet from her walk outside. No, she couldn't have been. Her mother's old blanket that hung over the sofa was now laying spread out on top of her. Quickly her eyes circled the room finally resting on the white haired boy sitting or rather squatting on the sofa. His hands lay sprawled out between his legs to keep himself in balance. His still wet hair clung to his face and ears. His jagged and piercing eyes stared into hers, never shifting, never blinking, and never drifting.
"Bakura." She said in a gasp. She was about to say something more when she noticed something very odd about him. He didn't have a shirt. In fact he was only in boxers. Tea quickly looked away, a dark blush taking its way to her cheeks. "Bakura, your shirt." Was all she managed to blurt out. Bakura slightly tilted his head to the side. He continued to observe the girl, he had been watching her while she slept, he had been watching her as she cried out in her sleep, and he had been watching her when she had awaken. And even now he was watching her. "My clothes were soaked. You had no clothes for me to use or rather I could wear, so I hung them in your bathroom until they were dry." He replied coolly. Tea kept her head turned, as she said the only thing that came to mind, which was not the brightest thing to say. "I have clothes you could've borrowed."
Bakura cocked an eyebrow. He kept his gaze on the girl but this time he blinked once or twice. "Do you want me to wear a skirt or a tank top? Perhaps a pair of jeans that I most likely couldn't fit into?" Point taken. Tea bit her lip for saying something so stupid. Another blush crossed her face. "Well why not a blanket or something?" She retaliated.
Bakura sighed exhaustedly. He finally turned away to stare at the ceiling, and Tea was pretty sure why. Should she tell him she had a dream about him? But he might freak out and leave. She shook the feeling off. "That was stupid of you to go out into the rain like that. You could've gotten very sick." Tea's eyes bolted up at Bakura's face, who was still concentrating on the ceiling. His voice had hit her like a bolt of lightning. She wanted to say something, anything but her words wouldn't come out. "I don't understand what you told me but next time you continue to mumble like that I think its best you get yourself professional help." Did he just say what she thought he said?
"What the hell do you mean professional help?!!! You have no idea what I've been through! I've been by myself for a while now and this place is like a ghost town! My career of ever dancing is down the drain and I'm living by myself for a while, what else is there for me!?" Tea stood up and screamed in a huff. Still in his squatting position, Bakura looked up to her face with cold, slanted eyes. Tea showed no fear, even though she was dreading what she had just said right about now. The small smirk that made its way to his lips surprised and disturbed the girl greatly. "Well, well, well, I see I hit a nerve. And to think you were not capable of yelling at another." He said smoothly in his usually deep and raspy voice. Tea let out a huge sigh and sat down, still not understanding what he had just said to her. "H-how did you know where my house was?" She asked meekly.
Hmm, well that is a good question." Bakura said mockingly. Tea didn't like how he was responding to her questions. He had that high and mighty riddle type dialect she didn't care for. It sounded like the old Yami Bakura to her. "Well to tell you the truth I was heading the same way you were coming from. I wasn't about to go in whatever direction you were going, so I picked you up and continued on my way. Lucky for you, as I was walking through a neighborhood, I saw a sign that said Gardener's residents. The open door creaking to and fro was also an obvious notification. No one from a neighborhood so homey such as that would leave their door open in a storm. I wasn't sure where I was going, and you didn't look too well so I went in. I was planning to leave, but I was soaked and if it's all the same to you, I'd rather not end up in the same predicament as you."
Tea narrowed her eyebrows, he was insulting her. Making fun of the condition she was in. She cursed herself for running right into his arms. Who knew how long he'd stay or let out any other smart comments he had left. Besides this guy was no Yami either. This guy was a spirit whose goal in life was to collect all the millennium items, rule the world, dispose of the Pharaoh and his friends, and take care of anyone who got in his way. Technically wasn't she in his way? But then why would he go to such lengths as to help her? And speaking of which, wasn't he suppose to be dead or something?
Bakura stared quizzically at Tea's face. He was curious into why she was staring into space and ignoring his presence. This girl was different for some reason. He remembered her to be much more happy go lucky and childishly friendly. Of course it had been a few years. People can change, but Tea? Who would've thought a girl like that could change so much?
"What were you dreaming about?" Bakura asked suddenly. Tea looked up, startled by his sudden reply. "Huh? Oh well um it was a nightmare, I don't remember." Bakura heaved a sigh exasperatedly. "Suit yourself. If you choose not to tell me I don't care. It is in fact your business not mine." What? Was he just doubting her word? Tea's face flushed red. She hated it when people didn't believe her. On the other hand she was telling him a cold, hard lie. "Your one to talk! You've lied ever since we met you. We never could tell if you were Ryou or not!" Bakura rose from his position and sat down correctly. He glared at the girl who dared to talk to her like that. "WE? You mean you now right?" he hit a nerve dead on. Tea sat back and gasped. She didn't think he'd catch on so fast, but then again she did blurt it out to him in the Park. Bakura smirked as he sat back triumphantly. He had won and he knew it, or did he?
"So where's Ryou?" Tea asked, a hint of annoyance within her voice. Bakura let out a small growl before he turned away. A minute went by before he stood up and headed in the direction of the kitchen. Tea stared at him for a second, eagerly awaiting his reply. "You didn't answer my-
"I don't know." Bakura mumbled. "I don't even remember why I was in that Park, or where I began. I don't remember what happened before that, or where I went to after Malik's darker half annihilated me. I don't know how long I've been gone or when I began to remember I was currently walking. It was as if it never happened. One second I was destroyed and seeking comfort within the millennium puzzle, the next minute I was walking down the Park. I'm not sure where Ryou went to in between all of this." Bakura closed his eyes in confusion. He tried hard to concentrate as he clenched his fists into tight, little balls. "My millennium ring hasn't even been working for me the same way ever sense. It doesn't allow me to see anything or sense anything. It just has the power to send souls to the shadow realm, that's all. It glows from time to time but for no reason at all. I don't even sense my aibou within it."
Tea blinked a couple times at the Yami's spontaneous break down before responding. "So you don't know why you're here."
"Damnit woman if you were just listening that's what I just said!" Bakura yelled back as he turned around, glaring at the girl before him. Tea looked up at him timidly but somewhat amused by his frustration with her. It was almost entertaining. "So if you don't remember, then how come you remember everything else, like who I was, who Yugi and Yami were, what the millennium items did and so forth?" She was really pushing it. Bakura didn't like discussing his problems with a girl who was clearly his enemy. But then again she brought up a very good point. "I don't know." He mumbled.
Tea pulled her mother's blanket in tightly. She must've gone far because he wasn't even looking at her. He didn't even attempt to kill her by this point. Was this the same evil spirit she and her friends were trying to stop? If so then why was she having a somewhat friendly conversation with him? "Oh." Was all she managed to get out before kneeling her head shamefully.
"Well, are you still going to collect the millennium items?" Tea asked quickly. Bakura looked at her in utter shock. "No." Now this had Tea looking up surprised. What was the catch? "I don't need them nor do I want them. It is pointless now. It would take me forever to locate all of them, and besides the Pharaoh is now unbeatable with his memory returning and all. He's not the only one though. There are just too many people out there to deal with, and I can feel this body age from every passing day. Even if I did manage to work out a plan, fate seems to always have some way of steering me away or stopping me." He replied hopelessly.
It was Tea's turn to sigh heavily. "Yeah I know the feeling. I don't like how fate's been treating me either." She said jokingly. Bakura looked at her oddly. He wondered why she was being so relaxed in his presence. He knew that she knew he was the wrong person to piss off. "It's been a long time Tea Gardener." Bakura replied waiting for somewhat of a nervous reply. Tea smiled down at her blanket, not at all taken back. "Yeah it has." (Sigh) "But hey you can't do anything about it." Tea stood up slowly, keeping the blanket tightly sealed around her body. She smiled up at the spirit who was all too confused about this entire ideal. Shouldn't she be in some state of shock at least? He thought to himself over and over again.
"Listen." Tea began. "I don't care if you kill me or not. I think my life isn't going to be anything great and I've pretty much dealt with what's happened. You can leave, take over the world or I could make some coffee for you for all I care, but I've for the most part, excepted this day." Bakura didn't understand what the hell she was saying but he wasn't in any hurry either. The rain was pounding down outside, and the wind could be heard softly blowing against the house. Bakura closed his eyes as he smiled proudly. "You know Tea, I think I will have that cup of coffee." Tea smiled as she walked passed him. Her body barely brushed against his before she remembered he was only wearing boxers. Her face went bright red as she hurried herself along.
"Oh Tea?" Bakura began.
"Huh?"
"If my appearance bothers you, just say so. I'll be happy to get a blanket to cover my form." Tea rolled her eyes back and moaned quietly. He must've seen her blush. " N-no that's okay."
Bakura smiled sadistically. "So you prefer me nearly naked?" Tea almost fell over a chair, and Bakura could hear Tea quietly cursing it. He almost laughed at the reaction he had gotten. "Bakura do whatever makes you happy!" Tea yelled out of pain.
"Do whatever makes me happy." He repeated. Bakura's smile grew down to a smirk. "Humph, easily said then done. I'm not sure what that is at the moment." Bakura quickly grabbed a blanket laying on the love seat, and wrapped it around his body. Tightly concealed like a child, he entered the kitchen where Tea was currently going to war with the coffee maker.
Zoeygirl: Hope you liked it. (^_^) It'll get a bit less angsty and maybe a bit more intimate, but this is by no means disgusting I assure you. This is PG-13 safe, and even then I've made sure it doesn't even meet those requirements. Anyways, if you have any questions let me know, I'll try to get the next one up soon. See ya! (O_-.)
