Disclaimer : Don't own anything Yugioh, please don't sue
A/N: I know that the beginning was pretty quick, but you know.. it's all part of the plot. lol. sure. Yeah, so onward with the story. (Sorry it took forever and a day to get the other one up. did you know that I just realized right now, while in the middle of writing this fic that I called Bakura a tomb raider. gosh, I meant tomb robber. but whateva's right? It's practically the same thing! Sorry, if you even noticed it)
Seto/Jou fic, plus other pairings.
There's actually a Bakura/Ryou portion of this fic (just because I'm starting to love that pairing)
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High Tide 2
--
"The rain is pouring outside, Yami," Ryou stated, "Shouldn't you bring Seto back before something happens to him?"
"Your advisors did say that it would be a tremendous storm," Bakura added, "one unheard of in all history."
Yami had a sly grin on, "I do believe you're getting weak, Bakura. What happened to that thieving mischief maker we all knew and despised?"
Bakura blushed. He knew it was the truth. Ever since he and Ryou had been together, Bakura hadn't been the same. He wasn't as cruel and he didn't have the cruel look in his eyes. Of course, no one could possibly have the doe eyes like his love Ryou did, but nonetheless, he looked harmless.
"Either way," Yami continued, smug that he received the desired effect, "I will not return Seto until he asks me to. Stubborn boy. Just forget about him. We have much work to do for my city. If this is to be the said 'tremendous storm,' I must make sure that my people are safe."
#######
Seto awoke when he felt the sand beneath him shift. His blue eyes white dragon was still acting as an impromptu umbrella, but he felt damp. The boy in his arms began to stir, and Seto couldn't help but smile. Many times during the night, Jou had been having bad dreams (A/N the real ones, not just a ploy to make Seto hold him tighter and closer) and Seto gladly complied and held Jou closer and in his protective embrace.
Now though, Seto stood up and looked out. The sky was dark and the clouds still hovered ominously overhead. He couldn't tell if night had passed and day begun. There was no indication of either star, moon, or sun. Just the black canopy which seemed to be fixed upon the sky.
Jou stood up, blanket around his shoulders (A/N: did you realize Seto was still naked?!?), and walked towards the outside where Seto stood and allowed Seto to hug him.
"The sands are shifting," Jou said as an after thought, for he could not think straight when in the presence of Seto.
"Yes," Seto brought Jou away from the outside, "You should get dressed. I think that we shall have to find shelter. It is no longer safe here. I fear it will not be safe at all."
Jou looked confusedly at Seto, but instead of getting an explanation he was being dressed by his infatuation. When both boys were finally dressed, the sands were no longer the only thing shifting. Water was beginning to pour downward no longer in faint trickles, but in flat sheets of water flowing down into the sandy basin.
"The rain is causing this. We must warn the Pharaoh," Seto quickly extinguished the fire and took Jou's hand so that he wouldn't lose him in the dark.
"The Pharaoh?" Jou asked confused. He had been lost since Seto had gotten up and woken him. Somehow, Jou felt Seto's anxiousness and he was starting to worry.
Jou didn't get an answer because the shelter that Jou had thought was made of stone started to shift around him. He tightened his grip on Seto to make sure he didn't lose him as he felt the rain starting to pelt him. Seto noticed this and pulled Jou in an embrace partly to shield him from the rain but mostly to comfort both of them.
Seto softly whispered in Jou's ear, "This is my monster, the Blue Eyes White Dragon and he will take us to the palace. I will help you on, but make sure you try and center yourself as he flies. I won't let you go. It'll just make it easier."
Seto had thought that helping Jou onto his dragon would be easy, but Jou still could not move completely, so he lifted the blonde easily and sat down. He willed his dragon to fly towards the palace. Seto would not be the one to ask for help. He had information for Yami that would change everything.
Jou was too much in shock to do much except lean on Seto. Too much information had been presented to him at one time. Jou may have been sheltered - bad choice of words, it was more of a forced isolation --, but he knew that the only person in Egypt with the possession of a Blue Eyes White Dragon was the High Priest, in fact three Blue Eyes White Dragons. And everyone knew that the High Priest was cold hearted and if he hadn't been the high priest people would have called him evil. He was a supposed loner who disliked everyone and often beat slaves for fun. It was said that the Pharaoh was the only one who could control his temper.
And here he was, practically being cuddled by the high priest. Jou was so confused. There were too many grey spots and the fact that he couldn't think straight just because Seto was holding him wasn't helping at all. So, he opted for the best thing at that moment, to just sit and relish in the moment he had with his Seto before any new revelations came up again.
Seto felt Jou settle against him. The ride on his dragon wouldn't be that long and his mind was already working to solve the upcoming problem if the rain didn't stop. But. until he reached the palace, he decided to not worry about anything except for the boy in his arms. There were too many complications and too many issues to deal with once they had to face reality and Seto wasn't sure he was ready to face them, now that he had found his. soul mate?
#######
Yami paced nervously in the throne room. Seto had yet to call for help.
"That worried, huh?" Tea asked. She was his advisor and the one that could see glimpses of the future.
"No," Yami lied, "it's just that if he gets hurt, it would be my fault because I sent him out there against his will."
Yami would never truly outright admit it, but his advisors and personal guards were his true friends and he cared deeply for them. There were many stories on how they met (A/N: which I probably will never get into because I feel too unorganized for that.) but it just felt right that they were together.
"Bakura, weather report," Yami ordered.
Bakura looked out the balcony that he was stationed nearby. His talent was with the weather and the elements. But, most of the time he was too lazy to elucidate on what he actually knew.
"It's raining a lot harder," He answered simply, "and doesn't look like it's going to stop any time soon."
Yami rolled his eyes and was about to make him explain when Honda interrupted.
"I think I see something flying toward us, and it's no storm cloud."
####
Finally Seto could see the palace, but just barely. His monster knew exactly where to fly. There was one particular balcony which the Pharaoh particularly liked to work in and which had a balcony large enough for a dragon to land on.
Jou felt the dragon slow down and make an ascent. He didn't know what to expect and was more nervous than he thought possible. The dragon had landed. It was quite graceful, but he didn't want to leave the rain suddenly. Seto could feel Jou stiffen as he carried him off the dragon and stand him on his own feet.
Seto reached for Jou's hand and held it tightly as they made their way to the faint glow that was the throne room. Seto felt the familiar gust of air as his dragon returned to the Shadow Realm.
Before they entered the room, they ran into Honda and Bakura as they walked forward.
"Seto," Honda stated, "who's that with you?"
Seto continued to walk. He did not actually want to be mean to Honda, but he was sure that everyone would want to hear the answer to that question.
"Finally," Yami said, "always one to make a grand entrance. You look like a wet cat. Oh, and what did the cat drag in?"
Yami was of course joking with Seto, but Jou did not know that. He had the sudden impulse to bow down to the Pharaoh, but with Seto holding his hand so tightly, all he could do was shiver from the cold rain.
"Yami, I've got bad news," Seto started and saw the questioning look that Jou gave him, "I believe we may have to evacuate the city."
"Evacuate?" Tea asked before Yami could say anything.
Jou was so confused, and Seto felt badly for not telling the blonde anything, but he couldn't help enjoy how cute Jou looked when confused (A/N: I'm sure he looked extremely cute then, right?).
Bakura knew exactly where Seto had been going with his warning, "The rain isn't going to let up soon. I actually expect it to last longer than weeks. The gods are punishing us for some reason, and their wrath is strong and endless."
Ryou continued, now everyone was catching onto the grim idea, "And since we're in a basin, the water will first flood our city. So we must take the people to higher grounds."
Yami was greatly disturbed by this new information and couldn't think of any other way. If Bakura said the rain wasn't going to let up, then the rain was going to keep coming from the sky. Yami had no doubt in that fact. It was clear cut actually. If the basin was going to fill with water, then the people should be evacuated onto higher grounds. One of the questions would be, how he was going to get everyone out in time. At the rate of the rainfall, it would take quite some time.
"You're absolutely sure that this will happen?" Yami asked, once it started there would be no turning back from an evacuation.
Bakura looked out the nearest window, "Without a doubt."
"Then we'll have to tell everyone. Seto, I will be able to tell everyone with any power connected to the Shadow Games, but I will need help with those without them," Yami basically meant that he would be doing everyone except slaves because slaves were the only people in the city that did not have any access and were restricted from the Shadow Games.
Yami started to make the check list that needed to be done. Everyone was going to be busy with preparations, but before that, "Wait. Before we get to our tasks, I believe that we could spare about a few seconds to hear who your companion is."
Jou had been standing beside Seto the whole conversation, but hoped that somehow he wouldn't be seen at all. He had started to shiver violently because of the exposure to the rain during the ride over, but Seto released his hand to hug him so as to share body heat. At first a bit of pink tinged Jou's cheeks, but when he noticed that no one said anything about it, lost himself to the sensation of someone holding him with such care. When he heard Yami's question he tried to settle himself deeper into Seto's embrace so as to somehow hide.
Seto looked at Yami to Jou and then back, "This is my new slave. My Jou," he stated with satisfaction.
Jou blushed at the possessiveness he heard in Seto's voice. There was something both scary and comforting about Seto being possessive of him. He knew that no one would ever mess with him again because Seto would be there to protect him, and he would be sure to take care of Seto.
Yami nodded and said, "Before you inform the people, do get some dry clothes on before you become ill. You and your new slave."
##### In limbo. #####
Bakura wasn't watching the following scenes with much interest because he knew what happened next. He was paying more attention to his white haired angel.
Ryou.
It was such a sacred word in Bakura's vocabulary. Ryou.
He had loved the angel with everything that he was and more. His love was unconditional and Ryou returned it.
Bakura's eyes kept drifting toward him and noticed with sharp eyes the looks that continually passed between Ryou and himself of the olden days. They weren't only looks though. They were faint smiles, gestures, and physical contact. Every possible moment was shared together some way.
Bakura sighed. He became angered with himself when he felt tears stinging his eyes. He hadn't cried in such a long time. Egypt may have been the last time he had cried, and he didn't want to start again.
Being alone in the limbo was so much worse than being with someone. At least with someone he would have his control over his memories and emotions, and he would have a reason to hide them. Alone, however, there was nothing holding back the memories. especially since they were being shown to him already.., there was nothing holding back his emotions. There was no reason to not feel the emotions again, except for maybe the fact that it just hurt too much and scarred him so long ago that he did not wish to reopen old wounds that have yet to heal properly.
He couldn't help it anymore. He couldn't stop the tears from flowing, but most of them were to regret what he lost in Egypt. What he no longer had, and what he probably could never have considering the way that he treated Ryou in his own "real" time.
Bakura hadn't always beaten Ryou. Well, maybe he relatively "always" did when he was a trapped soul in the millennium item, but he had tried to beat Ryou before in Egypt and it never lasted that long.
**** Flashback (A/N: Bakura/Ryou portion! hurray) *******
Bakura paced the dungeon like a caged animal. In fact, he was a caged animal, and caged animals are very dangerous. He was alone in his misery because due to his magical inclinations, he had to be put into a special magic proof cell deep within the palace basement.
He growled because of anger, but his stomach growled because he was hungry. The slave who usually brought his food was very late, and Bakura was about ready to murder the little white haired boy, even though he was starting to like him.
Bakura had been imprisoned because of stealing from the Pharaoh. Pharaohs. the dead ones. with the pyramids. more than once. He would never have been caught had it not been for the High Priest, who, after the first offense, placed magic over the other pyramids and tombs so as to catch him.
The penalty for stealing from a Pharaoh was death, but since both the Pharaoh and the High Priest were busy with some supposed boy who looked like the Pharaoh, he had yet to be sentenced.
That had been months ago, and Bakura was used to the darkness, and he was used to no one else being anywhere near his cell because he seemed to be the only criminal who had magic, but what he was most used to were the three times a day visit from the slave called Ryou who brought his food.
The first time Bakura received his meal from Ryou he had ridiculed the slave for being so weak and effeminate. He even punished the slave for coming too close to him by calling a jolt of electricity, lightning, onto the boy. The magic of the cell could only be used to contain the magic, and since Ryou had to walk into the cell to give the food, he felt the resulting sting of magic from Bakura. Bakura had even tried to threaten Ryou to release him from his cell, but the magic only allowed Ryou to be able to walk into and out of the cell freely. When Bakura tried to get out, he was repelled backwards. It wasn't like walking into a wall, it was like the wall pushed him back. He flew a good few feet.
It was during the first two weeks that Bakura had tormented Ryou, and still then, Ryou said nothing. Ryou never once tore his eyes away from the floor. He walked into the cell with his head to the floor and he walked out of the cell without once looking at Bakura. Bakura was starting to wonder whether or not the boy ever spoke or whether or not Ryou even realized there was someone in the cell.
However, it was becoming boring to just beat on a person if they didn't whimper or cower or make any move to try and get away. In fact, he was starting to feel a little "something" towards the boy. He felt it the first moment he saw Ryou, but it was the first time Bakura admitted the fact to himself.
Of course he initially blamed it on the fact that he was slowly going insane because of the lack of human contact. Bakura was beginning to think that the Pharaoh completely forgot about him.
That's when Bakura decided to make sure things changed. He wasn't about to sit down and do nothing until he died. When Ryou finally arrived to the cell, Bakura immediately wrapped tendrils of his magic all around the boy and hoped that his plan would work. Ryou, head down, continued his daily ritual and placed the tray of food on the stone that served Bakura as a table.
Bakura just watched and noticed that Ryou was walking with a limp. It was unlike him. Ryou was usually untouched and seemed to be the most healthy slave Bakura had ever seen. Now there was something different. He really couldn't tell because Ryou's head was down and his whole body was covered, but Bakura knew when someone had been beaten. He had experienced it, and he had seen the results when he had beaten Ryou.
Someone had hurt his servant. Bakura became enraged, but not like he used to be. He had the sudden urge to kill someone, and not just anyone, but that person who hurt his servant. He couldn't help but feel a little possessive towards the boy. He was the only person Bakura saw for the past few months.
Ryou started to walk out of the cell before Bakura could do anything, but Ryou was thrown backwards suddenly once reaching the magical shield that blocked the cell. Bakura forgot that it was his initial plan to prevent Ryou from exiting when he saw that the said boy was not getting up.
Ryou was unconscious, but Bakura finally was able to get a good look at the boy who served him his meals and took his beatings without a word. 'Slaves were used to it' he supposed as an after thought. Bakura looked at the face of his victim and felt his heart wrench. The silver haired boy had a black eye and bruises on his cheek and neck. It looked like someone had tried to strangle him to death.
Bakura gently picked the boy up and laid him on his bed and waited. He had to wait for a long time. He ate only part of his meal because Ryou felt so light when he carried him that Bakura was sure that Ryou would be hungry once he woke up. if he ever woke up.
Bakura had seated himself down bedside and quietly watched Ryou sleep. He had to admit that without looking at the deep purple bruises on Ryou's face, he was rather handsome. Bakura smiled to himself. He considered calling Ryou pretty, but thought better of it. In fact, Bakura didn't even know the white haired slave's name. (A/N: hehe, well, I had to call Ryou. "Ryou" cuz I couldn't keep using "he" and "him" and "slave")
Slowly, Ryou began to stir. He had already experienced the beating of his life and being thrown a few feet by magic had pushed him into exhaustion. It was the highlight of his day to be able to bring food to the prisoner. The three times a day brought him away from the harsh world of the reality of being a slave and brought him to his soul mate. Of course, Ryou knew that Bakura was his soul mate. It was obvious to him.
He awoke and found himself looking into the eyes of Bakura. They weren't filled with hatred or spite, but they were filled with concern. Ryou could feel a slight electric tingle run through him as their eyes met. He knew that Bakura felt it, too.
"Are you." Bakura started, but stood up and walked to the other side of the cell. He would not meet Ryou's eyes again, "Are you alright? I really didn't think that you'd. get hurt or something." Bakura was at a loss for words. He felt the electricity pass through them and wondered whether it was his imagination or something.
Ryou slowly tried to sit up, but ended up falling harder onto the unforgiving stone bed. Ryou clenched his fists and squeezed his eyes shut to try to block out the pain, but it failed to work.
Bakura heard Ryou ungracefully hit the bed. And instinctively ran to his aide.
"Be careful," Bakura mentally scolded himself for acting so weak, for showing kindness to some slave. "What's your name?" He decided to change the subject.
Ryou opened his eyes. He remembered that smell easily, and felt the familiar body heat that made him heady. "Bakura," he mumbled.
Bakura stared in wonder. He thought to himself, 'Did he just say my name? I felt a little recognition but.' He found Ryou staring at him, "You just said my name, didn't you? How'd you know?"
Ryou looked sheepishly away from Bakura and thought of whether or not he should lie to him. He decided to tell the truth. Ryou said barely above a whisper, "Did you know that I, too, have some magic within me?"
Bakura shook his head, more to clear his mind when he heard the cute, shy voice that Ryou had used to answer. "Before you continue, can you tell me what your name is?" Bakura wanted to add a name to the face that he was trying so hard to memorize.
"Ryou." Damn, Bakura had to try so hard to not just jump the boy. Ryou didn't realize the effect he had on Bakura - well, at least in Bakura's perspective.
Ryou continued, "As you have the power of the elements, I have the power of hindsight."
"Hindsight?" Bakura was confused.
##### Pause in flashback ####
Bakura remembered that moment well. He had been so confused, but then Ryou had explained it. Bakura loved when Ryou talked. Ryou would always speak softly because he was so shy and quiet by nature. However, that voice reached deep into Bakura's soul and held him captivated.
Hindsight, if Bakura remembered correctly was not only the ability to see every facet of the current past, but the ability to remember past lives and different times. Bakura, thought about that for a second.
And thought out loud, "Wouldn't that mean that he remembers everything? Shouldn't he be here then?"
Bakura looked around the dark room in limbo. He couldn't see past the images except for a few yards and those yards were void of any other human being beside the tomb robber.
Bakura was trying desperately to think of whether Ryou should be able to keep his powers. Bakura started to tear, he thought to himself, 'damn, why the hell am I so weak? Why do I feel it as if it were yesterday?' but the one question that hurt him the most to think of was 'Why aren't you here with me, Ryou?'
"But, I am with you," Ryou said softly.
Bakura turned around to see Ryou, arms outstretched and waiting.
. . . . . A/N : I hope it wasn't too sappy. It did get a little side tracked because I suddenly have this new obsession with Ryou/Bakura instead of Seto/Jou. I hope I won't take so long writing the next chapter, but you never know what comes up.
A/N: I know that the beginning was pretty quick, but you know.. it's all part of the plot. lol. sure. Yeah, so onward with the story. (Sorry it took forever and a day to get the other one up. did you know that I just realized right now, while in the middle of writing this fic that I called Bakura a tomb raider. gosh, I meant tomb robber. but whateva's right? It's practically the same thing! Sorry, if you even noticed it)
Seto/Jou fic, plus other pairings.
There's actually a Bakura/Ryou portion of this fic (just because I'm starting to love that pairing)
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High Tide 2
--
"The rain is pouring outside, Yami," Ryou stated, "Shouldn't you bring Seto back before something happens to him?"
"Your advisors did say that it would be a tremendous storm," Bakura added, "one unheard of in all history."
Yami had a sly grin on, "I do believe you're getting weak, Bakura. What happened to that thieving mischief maker we all knew and despised?"
Bakura blushed. He knew it was the truth. Ever since he and Ryou had been together, Bakura hadn't been the same. He wasn't as cruel and he didn't have the cruel look in his eyes. Of course, no one could possibly have the doe eyes like his love Ryou did, but nonetheless, he looked harmless.
"Either way," Yami continued, smug that he received the desired effect, "I will not return Seto until he asks me to. Stubborn boy. Just forget about him. We have much work to do for my city. If this is to be the said 'tremendous storm,' I must make sure that my people are safe."
#######
Seto awoke when he felt the sand beneath him shift. His blue eyes white dragon was still acting as an impromptu umbrella, but he felt damp. The boy in his arms began to stir, and Seto couldn't help but smile. Many times during the night, Jou had been having bad dreams (A/N the real ones, not just a ploy to make Seto hold him tighter and closer) and Seto gladly complied and held Jou closer and in his protective embrace.
Now though, Seto stood up and looked out. The sky was dark and the clouds still hovered ominously overhead. He couldn't tell if night had passed and day begun. There was no indication of either star, moon, or sun. Just the black canopy which seemed to be fixed upon the sky.
Jou stood up, blanket around his shoulders (A/N: did you realize Seto was still naked?!?), and walked towards the outside where Seto stood and allowed Seto to hug him.
"The sands are shifting," Jou said as an after thought, for he could not think straight when in the presence of Seto.
"Yes," Seto brought Jou away from the outside, "You should get dressed. I think that we shall have to find shelter. It is no longer safe here. I fear it will not be safe at all."
Jou looked confusedly at Seto, but instead of getting an explanation he was being dressed by his infatuation. When both boys were finally dressed, the sands were no longer the only thing shifting. Water was beginning to pour downward no longer in faint trickles, but in flat sheets of water flowing down into the sandy basin.
"The rain is causing this. We must warn the Pharaoh," Seto quickly extinguished the fire and took Jou's hand so that he wouldn't lose him in the dark.
"The Pharaoh?" Jou asked confused. He had been lost since Seto had gotten up and woken him. Somehow, Jou felt Seto's anxiousness and he was starting to worry.
Jou didn't get an answer because the shelter that Jou had thought was made of stone started to shift around him. He tightened his grip on Seto to make sure he didn't lose him as he felt the rain starting to pelt him. Seto noticed this and pulled Jou in an embrace partly to shield him from the rain but mostly to comfort both of them.
Seto softly whispered in Jou's ear, "This is my monster, the Blue Eyes White Dragon and he will take us to the palace. I will help you on, but make sure you try and center yourself as he flies. I won't let you go. It'll just make it easier."
Seto had thought that helping Jou onto his dragon would be easy, but Jou still could not move completely, so he lifted the blonde easily and sat down. He willed his dragon to fly towards the palace. Seto would not be the one to ask for help. He had information for Yami that would change everything.
Jou was too much in shock to do much except lean on Seto. Too much information had been presented to him at one time. Jou may have been sheltered - bad choice of words, it was more of a forced isolation --, but he knew that the only person in Egypt with the possession of a Blue Eyes White Dragon was the High Priest, in fact three Blue Eyes White Dragons. And everyone knew that the High Priest was cold hearted and if he hadn't been the high priest people would have called him evil. He was a supposed loner who disliked everyone and often beat slaves for fun. It was said that the Pharaoh was the only one who could control his temper.
And here he was, practically being cuddled by the high priest. Jou was so confused. There were too many grey spots and the fact that he couldn't think straight just because Seto was holding him wasn't helping at all. So, he opted for the best thing at that moment, to just sit and relish in the moment he had with his Seto before any new revelations came up again.
Seto felt Jou settle against him. The ride on his dragon wouldn't be that long and his mind was already working to solve the upcoming problem if the rain didn't stop. But. until he reached the palace, he decided to not worry about anything except for the boy in his arms. There were too many complications and too many issues to deal with once they had to face reality and Seto wasn't sure he was ready to face them, now that he had found his. soul mate?
#######
Yami paced nervously in the throne room. Seto had yet to call for help.
"That worried, huh?" Tea asked. She was his advisor and the one that could see glimpses of the future.
"No," Yami lied, "it's just that if he gets hurt, it would be my fault because I sent him out there against his will."
Yami would never truly outright admit it, but his advisors and personal guards were his true friends and he cared deeply for them. There were many stories on how they met (A/N: which I probably will never get into because I feel too unorganized for that.) but it just felt right that they were together.
"Bakura, weather report," Yami ordered.
Bakura looked out the balcony that he was stationed nearby. His talent was with the weather and the elements. But, most of the time he was too lazy to elucidate on what he actually knew.
"It's raining a lot harder," He answered simply, "and doesn't look like it's going to stop any time soon."
Yami rolled his eyes and was about to make him explain when Honda interrupted.
"I think I see something flying toward us, and it's no storm cloud."
####
Finally Seto could see the palace, but just barely. His monster knew exactly where to fly. There was one particular balcony which the Pharaoh particularly liked to work in and which had a balcony large enough for a dragon to land on.
Jou felt the dragon slow down and make an ascent. He didn't know what to expect and was more nervous than he thought possible. The dragon had landed. It was quite graceful, but he didn't want to leave the rain suddenly. Seto could feel Jou stiffen as he carried him off the dragon and stand him on his own feet.
Seto reached for Jou's hand and held it tightly as they made their way to the faint glow that was the throne room. Seto felt the familiar gust of air as his dragon returned to the Shadow Realm.
Before they entered the room, they ran into Honda and Bakura as they walked forward.
"Seto," Honda stated, "who's that with you?"
Seto continued to walk. He did not actually want to be mean to Honda, but he was sure that everyone would want to hear the answer to that question.
"Finally," Yami said, "always one to make a grand entrance. You look like a wet cat. Oh, and what did the cat drag in?"
Yami was of course joking with Seto, but Jou did not know that. He had the sudden impulse to bow down to the Pharaoh, but with Seto holding his hand so tightly, all he could do was shiver from the cold rain.
"Yami, I've got bad news," Seto started and saw the questioning look that Jou gave him, "I believe we may have to evacuate the city."
"Evacuate?" Tea asked before Yami could say anything.
Jou was so confused, and Seto felt badly for not telling the blonde anything, but he couldn't help enjoy how cute Jou looked when confused (A/N: I'm sure he looked extremely cute then, right?).
Bakura knew exactly where Seto had been going with his warning, "The rain isn't going to let up soon. I actually expect it to last longer than weeks. The gods are punishing us for some reason, and their wrath is strong and endless."
Ryou continued, now everyone was catching onto the grim idea, "And since we're in a basin, the water will first flood our city. So we must take the people to higher grounds."
Yami was greatly disturbed by this new information and couldn't think of any other way. If Bakura said the rain wasn't going to let up, then the rain was going to keep coming from the sky. Yami had no doubt in that fact. It was clear cut actually. If the basin was going to fill with water, then the people should be evacuated onto higher grounds. One of the questions would be, how he was going to get everyone out in time. At the rate of the rainfall, it would take quite some time.
"You're absolutely sure that this will happen?" Yami asked, once it started there would be no turning back from an evacuation.
Bakura looked out the nearest window, "Without a doubt."
"Then we'll have to tell everyone. Seto, I will be able to tell everyone with any power connected to the Shadow Games, but I will need help with those without them," Yami basically meant that he would be doing everyone except slaves because slaves were the only people in the city that did not have any access and were restricted from the Shadow Games.
Yami started to make the check list that needed to be done. Everyone was going to be busy with preparations, but before that, "Wait. Before we get to our tasks, I believe that we could spare about a few seconds to hear who your companion is."
Jou had been standing beside Seto the whole conversation, but hoped that somehow he wouldn't be seen at all. He had started to shiver violently because of the exposure to the rain during the ride over, but Seto released his hand to hug him so as to share body heat. At first a bit of pink tinged Jou's cheeks, but when he noticed that no one said anything about it, lost himself to the sensation of someone holding him with such care. When he heard Yami's question he tried to settle himself deeper into Seto's embrace so as to somehow hide.
Seto looked at Yami to Jou and then back, "This is my new slave. My Jou," he stated with satisfaction.
Jou blushed at the possessiveness he heard in Seto's voice. There was something both scary and comforting about Seto being possessive of him. He knew that no one would ever mess with him again because Seto would be there to protect him, and he would be sure to take care of Seto.
Yami nodded and said, "Before you inform the people, do get some dry clothes on before you become ill. You and your new slave."
##### In limbo. #####
Bakura wasn't watching the following scenes with much interest because he knew what happened next. He was paying more attention to his white haired angel.
Ryou.
It was such a sacred word in Bakura's vocabulary. Ryou.
He had loved the angel with everything that he was and more. His love was unconditional and Ryou returned it.
Bakura's eyes kept drifting toward him and noticed with sharp eyes the looks that continually passed between Ryou and himself of the olden days. They weren't only looks though. They were faint smiles, gestures, and physical contact. Every possible moment was shared together some way.
Bakura sighed. He became angered with himself when he felt tears stinging his eyes. He hadn't cried in such a long time. Egypt may have been the last time he had cried, and he didn't want to start again.
Being alone in the limbo was so much worse than being with someone. At least with someone he would have his control over his memories and emotions, and he would have a reason to hide them. Alone, however, there was nothing holding back the memories. especially since they were being shown to him already.., there was nothing holding back his emotions. There was no reason to not feel the emotions again, except for maybe the fact that it just hurt too much and scarred him so long ago that he did not wish to reopen old wounds that have yet to heal properly.
He couldn't help it anymore. He couldn't stop the tears from flowing, but most of them were to regret what he lost in Egypt. What he no longer had, and what he probably could never have considering the way that he treated Ryou in his own "real" time.
Bakura hadn't always beaten Ryou. Well, maybe he relatively "always" did when he was a trapped soul in the millennium item, but he had tried to beat Ryou before in Egypt and it never lasted that long.
**** Flashback (A/N: Bakura/Ryou portion! hurray) *******
Bakura paced the dungeon like a caged animal. In fact, he was a caged animal, and caged animals are very dangerous. He was alone in his misery because due to his magical inclinations, he had to be put into a special magic proof cell deep within the palace basement.
He growled because of anger, but his stomach growled because he was hungry. The slave who usually brought his food was very late, and Bakura was about ready to murder the little white haired boy, even though he was starting to like him.
Bakura had been imprisoned because of stealing from the Pharaoh. Pharaohs. the dead ones. with the pyramids. more than once. He would never have been caught had it not been for the High Priest, who, after the first offense, placed magic over the other pyramids and tombs so as to catch him.
The penalty for stealing from a Pharaoh was death, but since both the Pharaoh and the High Priest were busy with some supposed boy who looked like the Pharaoh, he had yet to be sentenced.
That had been months ago, and Bakura was used to the darkness, and he was used to no one else being anywhere near his cell because he seemed to be the only criminal who had magic, but what he was most used to were the three times a day visit from the slave called Ryou who brought his food.
The first time Bakura received his meal from Ryou he had ridiculed the slave for being so weak and effeminate. He even punished the slave for coming too close to him by calling a jolt of electricity, lightning, onto the boy. The magic of the cell could only be used to contain the magic, and since Ryou had to walk into the cell to give the food, he felt the resulting sting of magic from Bakura. Bakura had even tried to threaten Ryou to release him from his cell, but the magic only allowed Ryou to be able to walk into and out of the cell freely. When Bakura tried to get out, he was repelled backwards. It wasn't like walking into a wall, it was like the wall pushed him back. He flew a good few feet.
It was during the first two weeks that Bakura had tormented Ryou, and still then, Ryou said nothing. Ryou never once tore his eyes away from the floor. He walked into the cell with his head to the floor and he walked out of the cell without once looking at Bakura. Bakura was starting to wonder whether or not the boy ever spoke or whether or not Ryou even realized there was someone in the cell.
However, it was becoming boring to just beat on a person if they didn't whimper or cower or make any move to try and get away. In fact, he was starting to feel a little "something" towards the boy. He felt it the first moment he saw Ryou, but it was the first time Bakura admitted the fact to himself.
Of course he initially blamed it on the fact that he was slowly going insane because of the lack of human contact. Bakura was beginning to think that the Pharaoh completely forgot about him.
That's when Bakura decided to make sure things changed. He wasn't about to sit down and do nothing until he died. When Ryou finally arrived to the cell, Bakura immediately wrapped tendrils of his magic all around the boy and hoped that his plan would work. Ryou, head down, continued his daily ritual and placed the tray of food on the stone that served Bakura as a table.
Bakura just watched and noticed that Ryou was walking with a limp. It was unlike him. Ryou was usually untouched and seemed to be the most healthy slave Bakura had ever seen. Now there was something different. He really couldn't tell because Ryou's head was down and his whole body was covered, but Bakura knew when someone had been beaten. He had experienced it, and he had seen the results when he had beaten Ryou.
Someone had hurt his servant. Bakura became enraged, but not like he used to be. He had the sudden urge to kill someone, and not just anyone, but that person who hurt his servant. He couldn't help but feel a little possessive towards the boy. He was the only person Bakura saw for the past few months.
Ryou started to walk out of the cell before Bakura could do anything, but Ryou was thrown backwards suddenly once reaching the magical shield that blocked the cell. Bakura forgot that it was his initial plan to prevent Ryou from exiting when he saw that the said boy was not getting up.
Ryou was unconscious, but Bakura finally was able to get a good look at the boy who served him his meals and took his beatings without a word. 'Slaves were used to it' he supposed as an after thought. Bakura looked at the face of his victim and felt his heart wrench. The silver haired boy had a black eye and bruises on his cheek and neck. It looked like someone had tried to strangle him to death.
Bakura gently picked the boy up and laid him on his bed and waited. He had to wait for a long time. He ate only part of his meal because Ryou felt so light when he carried him that Bakura was sure that Ryou would be hungry once he woke up. if he ever woke up.
Bakura had seated himself down bedside and quietly watched Ryou sleep. He had to admit that without looking at the deep purple bruises on Ryou's face, he was rather handsome. Bakura smiled to himself. He considered calling Ryou pretty, but thought better of it. In fact, Bakura didn't even know the white haired slave's name. (A/N: hehe, well, I had to call Ryou. "Ryou" cuz I couldn't keep using "he" and "him" and "slave")
Slowly, Ryou began to stir. He had already experienced the beating of his life and being thrown a few feet by magic had pushed him into exhaustion. It was the highlight of his day to be able to bring food to the prisoner. The three times a day brought him away from the harsh world of the reality of being a slave and brought him to his soul mate. Of course, Ryou knew that Bakura was his soul mate. It was obvious to him.
He awoke and found himself looking into the eyes of Bakura. They weren't filled with hatred or spite, but they were filled with concern. Ryou could feel a slight electric tingle run through him as their eyes met. He knew that Bakura felt it, too.
"Are you." Bakura started, but stood up and walked to the other side of the cell. He would not meet Ryou's eyes again, "Are you alright? I really didn't think that you'd. get hurt or something." Bakura was at a loss for words. He felt the electricity pass through them and wondered whether it was his imagination or something.
Ryou slowly tried to sit up, but ended up falling harder onto the unforgiving stone bed. Ryou clenched his fists and squeezed his eyes shut to try to block out the pain, but it failed to work.
Bakura heard Ryou ungracefully hit the bed. And instinctively ran to his aide.
"Be careful," Bakura mentally scolded himself for acting so weak, for showing kindness to some slave. "What's your name?" He decided to change the subject.
Ryou opened his eyes. He remembered that smell easily, and felt the familiar body heat that made him heady. "Bakura," he mumbled.
Bakura stared in wonder. He thought to himself, 'Did he just say my name? I felt a little recognition but.' He found Ryou staring at him, "You just said my name, didn't you? How'd you know?"
Ryou looked sheepishly away from Bakura and thought of whether or not he should lie to him. He decided to tell the truth. Ryou said barely above a whisper, "Did you know that I, too, have some magic within me?"
Bakura shook his head, more to clear his mind when he heard the cute, shy voice that Ryou had used to answer. "Before you continue, can you tell me what your name is?" Bakura wanted to add a name to the face that he was trying so hard to memorize.
"Ryou." Damn, Bakura had to try so hard to not just jump the boy. Ryou didn't realize the effect he had on Bakura - well, at least in Bakura's perspective.
Ryou continued, "As you have the power of the elements, I have the power of hindsight."
"Hindsight?" Bakura was confused.
##### Pause in flashback ####
Bakura remembered that moment well. He had been so confused, but then Ryou had explained it. Bakura loved when Ryou talked. Ryou would always speak softly because he was so shy and quiet by nature. However, that voice reached deep into Bakura's soul and held him captivated.
Hindsight, if Bakura remembered correctly was not only the ability to see every facet of the current past, but the ability to remember past lives and different times. Bakura, thought about that for a second.
And thought out loud, "Wouldn't that mean that he remembers everything? Shouldn't he be here then?"
Bakura looked around the dark room in limbo. He couldn't see past the images except for a few yards and those yards were void of any other human being beside the tomb robber.
Bakura was trying desperately to think of whether Ryou should be able to keep his powers. Bakura started to tear, he thought to himself, 'damn, why the hell am I so weak? Why do I feel it as if it were yesterday?' but the one question that hurt him the most to think of was 'Why aren't you here with me, Ryou?'
"But, I am with you," Ryou said softly.
Bakura turned around to see Ryou, arms outstretched and waiting.
. . . . . A/N : I hope it wasn't too sappy. It did get a little side tracked because I suddenly have this new obsession with Ryou/Bakura instead of Seto/Jou. I hope I won't take so long writing the next chapter, but you never know what comes up.