Disclaimer: ZOEYGIRL SAYS SHE JUST DOESN'T OWN Y-G-O!!!!! NOPE, JUST DON'T.
Zoeygirl: Wow! So happy with the reviews I got. Well thank you all of you who were so nice for leaving a few words to this story. I love it all! (^_^) I suppose you're all interested in the next chapter, so I'll just begin. (^_^) Oh but before I start, I have to say this so no one will ever repeat it. (O_O) Don't bite off more then you can chew. (It is a VERY helpful line.) Okay that was utterly pointless, but oh well. (Shrugs.)
Tea glanced from one confused face to the next. Yugi, Isis, Mai, and Serenity were all against the front door, their eyes wide and frightful. Kaiba stood where he was, unaffected by anything around him. Except that large scowl on his face probably indicating that he wanted some answers, and he wanted some answers now.
Tristan groaned in pain, as he was a victim of a human sandwich affect. Malik had X's for eyes and was almost out cold. Joey was slowly starting to come around, and adjusted himself on top of Tristan and Malik, inflicting more pain on the two.
"What happened?" He moaned as he stood up.
Joey turned around and took one glance at the spiky, white haired spirit from hell and passed out again right on top of the other two.
"OHH-HOOOOO!!!" Tristan and Malik yelled in unison, as their eyes practically popped out of their sockets. ((*))_((*))
Bakura growled in irritation, and stood up, taking a step out of the closet. He knew they'd find out sooner or later, you couldn't really hide a guy like him in your closet for long anyways. He stood up tall and straight, breathing in rashly, as he stared coldly from one face to the other.
"I-I-I don't want to sound rude or anything but would you mind if I brought my Yami out Tea?" Yugi asked his eyes wide with fear.
Serenity gripped Mai's arm tightly, and Mai stood behind Isis and Yugi, petrified of who this was.
"No, Yugi don't do that!!! I-I can-can explain, really!" Tea cried out, waving her hands around hysterically.
"I thought Ryou died!" Mai cried out. "I thought so too!" Serenity stuttered afterwards. She didn't really know him, but Joey told her a lot about Ryou after he was gone.
"That's not Ryou." Yugi warned. "That's his spirit. I can recognize that smirk anywhere."
Mai gasped and Serenity raised an eyebrow. She still wasn't caught up to this spirit and ancient Egypt thing yet.
"Please will you guys, all just chill out?" Tea pleaded, sweating like there was no tomorrow. Maybe if they allowed her to talk she could explain.
"Gardener, explain yourself!" Kaiba shot out, glaring at Tea.
'Finally someone, who agrees.' She thought to herself rolling her eyes. 'At least someone wants to hear.'
"Well?" Seto scolded, folding his arms.
Tea cringed, and shook slightly. This was definitely going to be a long day.
With a heavy grunt, Bakura smirked and stepped forward, making everyone react with haste.
Serenity, and Mai squeaked aloud, as Yugi and Isis flinched. Joey and Tristan watched the spirit, with the millennium ring around his neck, and jumped upwards, allowing Malik to breath.
((-))_____((-))
"What are you up to and what have you done to Ryou!!?" Tristan snapped, as Joey prepared to tackle him.
Bakura smirked, and chuckled lightly. "For once I have done nothing wrong, and as for the aibou, I have really no idea where the hell he is exactly." He replied simply, without ever turning around.
"I don't buy it." Joey growled.
Bakura didn't bother to face him. He narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice dangerously. "Well that would be your problem now wouldn't it?"
That did it! Joey rushed head first, charging the spirit as fast as his legs would take him, which wasn't too much considering there wasn't a lot of room.
Isis gasped and Serenity tried to stop her brother, but he was on the other side of the room, so Yugi put a reassuring hand upon her shoulder.
"AWWWWW!!!!" Joey yelled, as Bakura simply moved to the side, causing the blonde boy to crash head first into the small, oak table next to the couch. Joey fell on his face, and cursed himself, as tea winced at her broken table.
"Well Wheeler, you really almost had me that time. Bravo." Bakura mocked, folding his arms. He had to admit he enjoyed their reactions to his presence.
Kaiba grunted at Joey's stupidity and reached under his pocket revealing a GUN??!!
Tea gasped and stepped away. This was getting out of control!
"Kaiba what are you doing?" Yugi asked, putting his hands out for reassurance.
Tristan blinked and stepped back, accidentally stepping on Malik's spine.
"GET THE HELL OFF ME POINTDEXTER!" Malik roared. Everyone quickly glanced at the angry Ishtar, as he glared up.
"Oh sorry there." Tristan stammered stepping off. "Hey wait a minute, I forgot you were here too!" He snapped glaring back down at Malik.
Bakura frowned down at the gun, sighing heavily in a huff. "Is this where I should be afraid?" He asked sternly.
"You should be." Seto said in stone voice, gripping the gun and pointing it at Bakura with perfect accuracy. "And I can assure you I know quite well how to use it." He smirked. "I learned to carry one around with me where ever I go after the incidences in the past involving you and the other one on the ground."
"Hey I recent that!" Malik mumbled. (-_-)
Bakura chuckled lightly as Isis stepped forward. "Kaiba he hasn't exactly done anything yet, now let's just calm down just for a minute and allow him to talk-
"No! He and this ass down here will pay for what they've done!" He roared glaring down at Malik's slumped over body.
"Hey I'm the good guy here!" Malik snapped back.
"Yeah like hell you are." Seto mumbled under his breath.
Joey rubbed his head, feeling a bit dizzy. Serenity rushed over and helped his brother up, rubbing his back in the process. "Are you okay brother?" She asked worriedly.
"Yeah I'm fine." He replied disdained. Joey sighed and stared over at Tea, who was scared out of her mind.
Hey Tea!" He yelled across the room. "Did you cheat on one of these guys and get them fired up or something?" He said all too seriously.
Tea stared at him in disbelief. ((O_O))
Mai and Isis looked over at her with curiosity. "Tea is that true?" Mai asked.
"Hey Kaiba, did Tea cheat on ya or something?" Tristan whispered to the man holding the gun at a cool and calm Bakura.
"Oh give me a break. I came over here to give Tea a BEWD card, to give to Yugi when she saw him." He said, pulling out the card from his pocket with the other hand.
Everyone blinked in surprise. "Okay guess she was telling the truth." Joey mumbled again.
Yugi was growing quite nervous. There was a lot of anxiety going on in here. "Kaiba just bring the gun down, we don't need this." He said as calmly as possible.
Kaiba laughed aloud, a sadist like smile upon his face. "Yugi you always were too kind. No, before I walk out this door I'm going to dispose of these two! I was almost positive that he was obliterated by this guy!" Kaiba stated pointing to Malik, who kept glaring back at him.
"And then they both just magically appear before me, I don't think so! There's something up and even if you morons can't see it I do! I won't let them get away with the same things twice!"
Everyone was silent no-one opened their mouth. Finally, Isis stepped forward with a calm expression upon her face. "Look I understand this is a bit upsetting to you, but I think your thinking a bit too drastic Kaiba. I think you're overcome with shock just like the rest of us. You just act in a different manner. Now I want to discourage you from whatever you plan on doing with that gun to Bakura, but I cannot stop that trigger myself, only you can." Kaiba stared over at the women, calm and intent.
"But if you dare to make that same stupid move on my brother, whom may I remind you, has traveled the world searching for everyone he's wronged and apologizing for his actions for whatever way possible, then I myself will hunt you down and will not rest until I correct the actions you are about to make." She warned icily.
Yugi blinked, his jaw hanging opened. Tea said nothing, but was quite impressed by her speech, and Malik! Malik sat on the floor in complete AWE, raising an eyebrow up at his sister in utter shock!
"Wow!" Joey commented. "You have some serious balls."
Kaiba huffed in frustration, but did not change his expression. "If all you have said is true, then how come he hasn't come to me to apologize yet?" He stated plainly.
Isis blinked and then turned to Malik, who was whistling innocently. (0_0)
"Malik!" She snapped.
"What?! So I forgot a person or two give me a break! Besides do you really think I'm going to go to someone's house, where they'll hold a gun to my head on sight?" He said in defense.
Kaiba grunted and smirked, staring back at his target. "That is sure. I probably would attack you."
Malik mumbled something under his breath, running a hand through his sandy hair. "Bastard." He whispered above all ears.
"Please will you guys stop it?! You're making a big mistake!" Tea yelled out in frustration.
Seto glared at Tea, but in curiosity. "Oh really? Well you haven't given me any evidence for otherwise."
Tea fidgeted with her fingers nervously, and sat back down.
'Okay that's it.' Bakura thought to himself. I've had enough of this!"
Everyone stepped back as Bakura's ring began to glow, and just as Seto was about to say something, he felt something vanish from his fingers. He stared down and was amazed to not find the gun there!
"What!?" He roared in astonishment.
"Okay now I'm a believer." Serenity mumbled under her breath.
"Do you really think I'm about to let you open fire on me?" Bakura mocked. "Really, you must give me more credit then that. I'm not your beginner millennium holder like wanna-be here." He teased motioning to Malik, as he stared down at his pale hand.
Malik continued to mumble vulgar words under his breath. "Jack-ass."
Kaiba growled, and cracked his knuckles tightly. Everyone else took a step back, they had no idea he still had the millennium ring in hand.
"Malik what's going on?" Isis snapped, glaring at her brother sternly. Malik raised his eyebrows, he wished he knew. "Frankly I walked in here and poof! You all just appear before me. I should be asking the same thing!" He yelled, waving his hands about.
Joey was a bit surprised by Malik's change in attitude. He didn't really get to talk to him on the plane, but now he had an up close personal view of the changed psychotic boy, who was once out for blood.
"He seems different." Tristan whispered to Joey.
((-_-)) "I know." Joey mumbled. "Hey wait a minute!" He realized suddenly. "If you're here then Ryou has to be here too!" He yelled pointing an accusing finger at Bakura.
"I suppose." Bakura smirked.
That was enough!!! Yugi had to keep some order here before it got out of hand! Besides, he knew Malik wasn't planning anything, but the Tomb Robber was, awkwardly enough. And Kaiba momentarily had a gun! Someone was going to get hurt if he didn't do something.
He brought a quick glance up to Tea, who was heaving in raspy breaths. She looked terrified, and didn't know what to do now. If only she could speak.
'Yami come out!!!!!' Yugi screamed within his mind.
A bright glow of light surrounded the boy, as everyone gasped and jumped in surprise. Bakura snarled as the boy changed into the almighty Pharaoh. The one who locked him away for countless years!
"Yami!" Isis exhaled in shock. Though, she was not displeased to see him. She had grown to like this other side to Yugi dearly, and over the months that had gone by, they had grown to know each other greatly.
"You again!" Seto gasped, his eyes widening.
A trinket of sweat raced down Malik's sand and dirt covered face, as he wiped it away with a dirty hand. 'Boy do I need a bath.' He thought out of the blue.
"You." Bakura snarled so low, no-one but the Pharaoh could hear.
Yami appeared to them all, with a new appearance. The once short boy was taller now, a new determination glazing his eyes. He frowned at the spirit before him, remaining perfectly calm as everyone else stared on in utter shock.
"Tomb Robber." He stated plainly, sending shivers down Tea's back. The way he said it, was enough to make a Tiger run into hiding.
"Pharaoh." Bakura spat out, tempted to rip the man's heart out.
Yami glanced around the room, and smiled slightly, nodding to faces he knew and those who he cared to not talk to, like Kaiba. He stopped at Malik and grinned lightly. My, how the boy had changed! He was glad to see he had turned to better deeds. He then shifted his vision to Tea, never blinking, never moving. She looked frightened and scared out of her wits, and yet she was so glad to see him, she could barely contain her self from hugging him.
"Yami." Tea whispered bringing a hand up to cover her mouth.
Yami smile widely and then frowned. He stared at Bakura and Tea together through both eyes. There was something odd between the two he sensed.
"What are you doing in Tea's house Tomb Robber?" Yami said commandingly.
Joey furrowed his eyebrows at his friend. He knew he wasn't the smartest guy to catch on to stuff like this, but the way Yami said it, was as if he expected Bakura or Ryou's body to be here. It was as if he knew that Bakura was not dead all this time. Another question that haunted him since Bakura's appearance was if Ryou was also alive. Did Bakura kill him off somehow or was he still in there? If so he couldn't let Ryou's body get obliterated again. Ryou never should've deserved to go through such torment.
Joey's heart raced. He had to try to save his friend somehow. A day hasn't gone by where he wished he had done something to save Ryou's life.
"Answer me!" Yami roared, causing many to jump slightly.
"I do not have to tell you a thing! But if you must know I am seeking refuge, happy?" Bakura snapped glaring at Yami, who stood less then 10 feet apart.
"I see. So you are using her as blackmail, or as a hostage better yet, to retain the 7 millennium items am I correct? If you think you can get away with it you're wrong. Malik, Isis, and I may have 3 of the millennium items, but you only have one, and with the combined efforts, you cannot win. Besides, the others are kept by someone not even you will be able to reach-
"I am not here to retain them Pharaoh!" Bakura interrupted, catching Yami off guard.
Malik winced slightly and slunk back down to the floor. Boy, were they all going to kill him when he told them where he was and what he was planning to do.
'They probably don't know that I already know about this.' He thought to himself, smiling nervously. "Shit, I'm going to hear a lot of crap from Isis when we get back.'
Yami narrowed his eyes. "Then what do you want?"
Bakura stood still, breathing in heavily, his hands hanging loosely by his side. A shot of thunder rang out, and startled Serenity and Joey, but other then the deep raspy breaths coming from every angle, it was silent…
"I want to know where I've been all this time and I want to know the where-a bout's of my aibou." He said in somewhat of a monotone voice.
Yami cocked an eyebrow. "Really?"
"That's bull!" Joey jumped in, pointing accusingly at Bakura. Bakura shrugged it off, and kept his cold, hard gaze on Yami.
"Interesting, we were hoping you would be able to tell us what happened to Ryou." Yami said plainly, as Bakura scowled at his remark.
Bakura thought it was time to tell them up front now, whether they believed him or not. "I had nothing to do with what has happened. I can't feel him though I think the boy is inside of me still, sleeping if that is how you put it."
But Joey wasn't buying a word of it. This was just another trick! "Well then wake him up and let him come out here if that's true!"
"I can't locate him you idiot!" Bakura snapped glaring at Joey. Joey stepped back, slightly nervous of Bakura's treacherous gaze upon him.
"I'm not even sure why I'm here. That is why Malik went to Egypt to unlock whatever was hidden."
"WHAT!!!??" Everyone yelled in unison, turning all their hard glares on Malik, who was on the ground.
Malik stared back up at the gazes and arched an eyebrow. Great, now he had to explain it to all of them. How fortunate though, that Yami was in the room on the exact same day as the full moon.
As Malik was about to speak Seto brought his hand down, and pulled Malik up by the collar startling everyone by surprise. Malik was about to turn his rod into a dagger but kept his cool. He had to retain from killing or harming anyone. It was the least he could do for Kaiba at least. He still owed the guy a lot after kidnapping his brother and using his competition as a way to attain Yami's power.
"I knew you were all bullshit." Kaiba said through gritted teeth. He lost any trust for this guy now. As Kaiba gripped him, Joey and Tristan were getting closer to Bakura, their hands curled up into tight knuckles.
Malik had to play along and suffer whatever consequences they blamed him for now. He couldn't risk it, not yet. "I-I-I-
"I asked him to." Tea cut in, stepping in front of Bakura, as the group approached the spirit, anger hinted in all their eyes. Bakura looked upon the brunette before him, and raised both his white eyebrows. Was she protecting him? He wondered, why not deny it, and save herself from questioning?
"Tea what do you mean?" Isis asked, catching on one piece at a time.
"Malik asked if there was anything he could do for his wrong doings and I asked him if he could help me discover what had happened to Bakura."
Little did they know, she had left out all the details about Malik using the millennium tauk, and then Ryou's appearance and his speech, and how Malik walked out on them on some important trip he couldn't quite explain.
Isis stared at her brother and then it snapped! She wasn't going to say anything for the confusion it might create, but she now knew why Malik was in such a hurry to return her millennium item.
"Why would you do that Tea?" Tristan asked. Yami was stunned to see Tea walk in front of Bakura like that, but he was more stunned to see Bakura look down at her with such care in his eyes. It looked so foreign in him, and yet it seemed so familiar.
"Tea, get away from him!" Mai pleaded, afraid for her friend. "He might control your mind!"
"Uh that would be me honey." Malik said, ruffling his way out of Seto's grip as he stood up and waved the rod in his hand from side to side.
Mai frowned and then sweat dropped. (-_-) "Oh oops…Well he'll do something to you just like he did to Kaiba's pistol! Get away from that psychopath Tea!"
"Tea what's wrong with you?! Why would ya help someone like him let alone let him in your house to stay?!" Joey blurted out, tempted to run over there and retrieve his friend.
"Tea what are you doing?" Bakura whispered, a look of sheer surprise upon his scowling face. (Isn't he cute? ^_^)
"Bakura shut up." Tea warned.
"What did you say?" He asked blinking repeatedly. 'Did she just tell me to shut up?'
Tea was ticked. She shouldn't have to defend Bakura from a crime that was never committed. They forgave Malik pretty fast for his actions, so why was it so hard to forgive Bakura? Was it because of Ryou? Well if it was, he didn't know himself, so he wasn't to blame.
"He hasn't done anything wrong, so will you guys cut him a break!?" Tea shot out.
Yami raised an eyebrow but remained calm and quiet.
"Tea you don't know what you're saying! He's done something to you, or you're being held against your will!" Tristan said, folding his knuckles up and preparing to knock Bakura's lights out.
"I know what I'm saying and if any of you touch him, I'll-I'll-I'll…slap you into next Tuesday!" Tea warned, a bit surprised by her own words. She really wasn't expecting it to come out like that. (O_o) "Oops." She mumbled, laughing nervously.
"Tea." Mai said aloud. She never heard her friend act in such a way before. Now she was threatening them?
Everyone was quite surprised, especially Seto, Yami and Malik.
"How intriguing." Seto replied quietly, not smiling one bit, but taking a step back and calming himself down. This wasn't an evening he planned for.
Joey's eyes widened, in disbelief. "Tea, listen to yourself!" He yelled, shocked by his friend's words.
Now Bakura was a sight for sore eyes. His mouth practically jumped open, and he almost fell back upon hearing the words. Did she have a lot of anger or what?
"Why do you say these things Tea?" Yami asked calmly, his monotone face never shifting from Tea's gaze.
Tea felt cold sweat run down her back, as the many pairs of eyes, including the ones from behind, locked on hers. Tea felt her heart race, and her breathing shorten.
She forgot about everyone in the room and closed her eyes, listening to the rain hit the ground outside, and the thunder roar above their heads. She felt the cool air coming from one of the cracked windows hit her face, and sooth the sweat that stuck to her soft skin and chestnut brown hair. She thought of how depressed she was, and how she ran from it all blindly into the park, where she found herself face to face with a supposedly dead friend. She remembered the last few days she shared with the spirit and the problems the two shared together. She thought of the dreams she had of Bakura and Ryou, of the tall shadowy man, of Yugi and the faces that appeared to her over and over. She remembered their words and their meanings. She remembered them telling her she wasn't alone. She thought of the night when Malik came and unlocked the secret to Ryou's where-a bouts, as he appeared before them, taking over Bakura fully. She despaired over the words he said and smiled like a child at the kiss she shared with the spirit of the Tomb Robber.
"An unlikely match indeed." She mumbled ever quietly. Tea thought hard about her dreams and the one dream Bakura had. How coincidental all this would happen.
'Well at least I'm not lonely anymore.' She mused to herself.
'THAT'S IT!' Tea screamed within her mind. 'That's what they meant! It was there in front of me the entire time I just never saw it! What an idiot I was!' Those dreams, the shadowy figure, Bakura's strange story of his past, Ryou's devastating words, Yugi's speech, Bakura appearing before her, the coincidental meeting between them, it was NO coincidence!! IT was meant to be!! It was planned that way from the start!
"Tea?" A voice whispered from afar. Tea tried to ignore it but it grew louder, and louder, and Louder, and LOUDER! Finally Tea's eyes snapped open!!!
Tea glanced around the room. Everyone stared at her with worried expressions.
"Tea?" Yami called out. "Did you hear me?"
"Yeah I heard you Yami." Tea responded smiling kindly.
Bakura furrowed his eyebrows and shunned his head down. He felt energy strangely drift out of his body in large amounts, and now he wanted greatly to sit down.
"And?" Malik cut in, interested in this little conversation, and forgetting all about, why he had come here in the first place.
"And well it's simple." Tea stared out the window. The ALMOST full moon was shining high above the sky. Its glorious white light fought through the dark clouds that devoured the stars, and poured into her eyes like a coming from heaven.
"I love him." She whispered loud enough for all to hear, as she leaned against Bakura's chest.
The rain beat down on the ground like a rhythmic drum. Lightning struck the horizon, as if it were sent by Zeus himself. Thunder boomed across the land, sending vibrations across every inch of it, as if claiming the ground for itself. Reflections of the sky, lit up the huge puddles engulfing the streets and side walks. This was all that could be heard within the Gardener home, as devastating silence, complete heart wrenching shock, utter disbelief and mortification struck every single face within the room. Tea's words hit them like a fast moving bullet, coming through them and out the other end, leaving them there to feel the after affects…and yet Tea didn't care. I smile crossed her lips, as she felt Bakura's body shake violently from side to side. She gripped his pale, tense hand within her own, and held it tightly, until the shaking ceased.
All were unable to move, to speak, to breath, and to comprehend what she said. All except one…
He stood there, unfazed, unfazed at all by her words. His face showed no hint of astonishment or anger whatsoever. His hands hung innocently by their side, his soft breathing becoming quieter then the rain drops outside and louder then the gasps for air within. A symbol of a pyramid, clasped in gold, brightened around his neck with unbelievable light. He did nothing to its reaction though. He allowed the millennium puzzle to shine brightly, brightly in the room that became devoured in shadow. The shadow that engulfed them all within it, and yet a small light like his could be seen within Bakura's soul. A light that was fighting to be set free, a light much like his within him.
"I know who you are." He began quietly.
Zoeygirl: Well? So what did ya think? NO, it's not over yet. I still have like 2 more chapters to go. But I'll tell you what, I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed typing it up. I have to say I'm quite proud of my first attempt at this and I hope to do more in the future. I have you guys to thank, for your encouraging words that helped me write each and every chapter. I've read each review like 3 times and I smile from EVERY single one. Hell, I even smile at the flamers. (Yeah I know I sound like an ass here but oh well.) See ya guys later and thanks again!!!!!!!!!!! (O_-.)
