Ryou: Baku's gonna read the disclaimer now.
//What makes you think that? //
Ryou: Because I have a hostage.
//No one I care about. //
Ryou: Oh you care about this hostage.
Baku: *runs in room* Mr. Cuddles?!?
Ryou: Read the disclaimer or the teddy gets it!
Baku: Fine! Kasandra doesn't own any of us! Not even the Pharaoh and
especially not Mr. Cuddles!
//Happy now?//
/Oh ya. Especially because Mr. Cuddles is still safe in your room./
//I'm gonna kill you!!!//
Chapter II: Where are you now?
Ryou finished breakfast and called Yugi. They arranged to go to the arcade and maybe stop by Joey's house. Ryou noticed that Yami wasn't at Yugi's house either. He shrugged and wasn't going to think any more of it when he realized that Bakura was talking mentally.
//Hurry up and find me already!//
/What?/
//That's part of my bet with Merik and Yami. Whoever has the hikari that can find us first and get their Yami to Egypt.//
/What are you betting?/
//Our hikaris. Merik's idea. Not mine. So don't tell me you hate me.//
/I hate you. How could you agree? How did you get Yami to agree?/
//I don't really care what happens to you. As for Yami, that was also Merik's fault. You may want to tell Yugi.//
As Ryou pondered this, Yugi guessed at the reason he had stopped talking.
"What did Bakura say?" He asked.
"Oh, sorry, um." He was cut off as Bakura spoke again.
//On second thought, don't tell Yugi. Then we'll lose.//
/Aww. I didn't know you cared. But yes, I'm telling Yugi. Right now./
//Do what you want. It's not my fault if we lose.//
"Yugi! Hurry! Contact your Yami NOW. We need to find them. It's one of their stupid bets." Ryou said hurriedly as he picked up the pace. Before Yugi could ask why a bet was so important, Ryou broke into a run.
"What's wrong?" Yugi asked, panting. "Why is a bet so important?" Ryou looked back and gave him a twisted smile that made Yugi shudder.
"Guess what the prize is for the winner." When Yugi gave him a quizzical look, Ryou continued. "Their little hikaris. Isn't that just lovely?" Yugi gulped. He was thinking the same thing as Ryou. Yami had to win.
"And, what exactly is the bet that determines our futures?" Another grin escaped Ryou. He stopped to add to the drama. "Find the our Yamis and get them to Egypt." Yugi winced. Ryou continued to grin as Yugi tipped his head sideways.
"You spend WAY to much time with Bakura."
"Why do you say that?" Ryou asked.
"You only have three expressions." Ryou scowled. "See what I mean?" They both sighed and remembered why they had been running just seconds ago. They ran full out until they reached Joey's house when they were almost there, they began to feel sick.
//You're getting colder.// Bakura's voice rang in Ryou's head.
/I realized that. We're going to find Joey. Oh, and you realize that we're not trying to get you to Egypt. We're helping Yugi and Yami./
//Traitor. Why won't you help me? Our hikaris aren't the only prize, I just figured it was the only one you would care about.//
/I know I'll regret asking this but, what's the other part of the bet?/
//The whole deal. Light and dark. Yami and hikari. Our souls are currently for sale to the highest bidder here Ryou. I need you.//
Ryou stopped dead in his tracks.
/What?/
Yugi looked concerned, but Ryou didn't notice or he would have explained. He just stood there, frozen.
//Are you coming?//
/No! It's heartless. It's not tactical. It could mean the end of an otherwise pleasant world. And, well, it's against my religion./
//Ya, well, you won't help me? I'm stuck sitting in a dark corner until Malik or Yugi wins, and then I'm forced to do their bidding while you, being the innocent one, are set free to go about your daily lives as though nothing happened and you don't know me? Is that it?//
/Exactly./ But Ryou didn't give up. He headed towards where his Yami would most likely be and began to sense his presence.
//I knew I could count on you. Now, I'm not allowed to tell you where I am, but I'm sure you know.//
Ryou smiled. How could he forget? It was the place they had been sepertated. He began to skip, knowing Yugi would be far away, and Malik would be sitting on a coach, waiting for the king of games to win and set him free.
/You close?/ He asked, knowing the answer, but wanting to brake the silence.
//Ya. By the way, why did you decide to help?// / It was the pleading note in your voice. Besides, you're practically my relative./ Ryou smiled fondly, unaware that his Yami was doing the same thing, just meters away.
//So, what are we gonna do with the others when we win?//
/We should set everyone free, that is except for Merik. He does our dishes./ Bakura had to smile at this too. After all, that was what he had told his hikari to do. Get revenge. Even if it was this corny. He knew his hikari would lose sleep if he made anyone do anything more harsh then housecleaning.
//You're a reliable little guy you know.//
/I try./
//Do you still hate me?//
/Of course.// Ryou answered, humor enveloping his voice.
Chapter II: Where are you now?
Ryou finished breakfast and called Yugi. They arranged to go to the arcade and maybe stop by Joey's house. Ryou noticed that Yami wasn't at Yugi's house either. He shrugged and wasn't going to think any more of it when he realized that Bakura was talking mentally.
//Hurry up and find me already!//
/What?/
//That's part of my bet with Merik and Yami. Whoever has the hikari that can find us first and get their Yami to Egypt.//
/What are you betting?/
//Our hikaris. Merik's idea. Not mine. So don't tell me you hate me.//
/I hate you. How could you agree? How did you get Yami to agree?/
//I don't really care what happens to you. As for Yami, that was also Merik's fault. You may want to tell Yugi.//
As Ryou pondered this, Yugi guessed at the reason he had stopped talking.
"What did Bakura say?" He asked.
"Oh, sorry, um." He was cut off as Bakura spoke again.
//On second thought, don't tell Yugi. Then we'll lose.//
/Aww. I didn't know you cared. But yes, I'm telling Yugi. Right now./
//Do what you want. It's not my fault if we lose.//
"Yugi! Hurry! Contact your Yami NOW. We need to find them. It's one of their stupid bets." Ryou said hurriedly as he picked up the pace. Before Yugi could ask why a bet was so important, Ryou broke into a run.
"What's wrong?" Yugi asked, panting. "Why is a bet so important?" Ryou looked back and gave him a twisted smile that made Yugi shudder.
"Guess what the prize is for the winner." When Yugi gave him a quizzical look, Ryou continued. "Their little hikaris. Isn't that just lovely?" Yugi gulped. He was thinking the same thing as Ryou. Yami had to win.
"And, what exactly is the bet that determines our futures?" Another grin escaped Ryou. He stopped to add to the drama. "Find the our Yamis and get them to Egypt." Yugi winced. Ryou continued to grin as Yugi tipped his head sideways.
"You spend WAY to much time with Bakura."
"Why do you say that?" Ryou asked.
"You only have three expressions." Ryou scowled. "See what I mean?" They both sighed and remembered why they had been running just seconds ago. They ran full out until they reached Joey's house when they were almost there, they began to feel sick.
//You're getting colder.// Bakura's voice rang in Ryou's head.
/I realized that. We're going to find Joey. Oh, and you realize that we're not trying to get you to Egypt. We're helping Yugi and Yami./
//Traitor. Why won't you help me? Our hikaris aren't the only prize, I just figured it was the only one you would care about.//
/I know I'll regret asking this but, what's the other part of the bet?/
//The whole deal. Light and dark. Yami and hikari. Our souls are currently for sale to the highest bidder here Ryou. I need you.//
Ryou stopped dead in his tracks.
/What?/
Yugi looked concerned, but Ryou didn't notice or he would have explained. He just stood there, frozen.
//Are you coming?//
/No! It's heartless. It's not tactical. It could mean the end of an otherwise pleasant world. And, well, it's against my religion./
//Ya, well, you won't help me? I'm stuck sitting in a dark corner until Malik or Yugi wins, and then I'm forced to do their bidding while you, being the innocent one, are set free to go about your daily lives as though nothing happened and you don't know me? Is that it?//
/Exactly./ But Ryou didn't give up. He headed towards where his Yami would most likely be and began to sense his presence.
//I knew I could count on you. Now, I'm not allowed to tell you where I am, but I'm sure you know.//
Ryou smiled. How could he forget? It was the place they had been sepertated. He began to skip, knowing Yugi would be far away, and Malik would be sitting on a coach, waiting for the king of games to win and set him free.
/You close?/ He asked, knowing the answer, but wanting to brake the silence.
//Ya. By the way, why did you decide to help?// / It was the pleading note in your voice. Besides, you're practically my relative./ Ryou smiled fondly, unaware that his Yami was doing the same thing, just meters away.
//So, what are we gonna do with the others when we win?//
/We should set everyone free, that is except for Merik. He does our dishes./ Bakura had to smile at this too. After all, that was what he had told his hikari to do. Get revenge. Even if it was this corny. He knew his hikari would lose sleep if he made anyone do anything more harsh then housecleaning.
//You're a reliable little guy you know.//
/I try./
//Do you still hate me?//
/Of course.// Ryou answered, humor enveloping his voice.