Moons: I'M SO SORRY ABOUT THE WAIT!!!! I was having some computer troubles. Every time I saved my chapter I would lose some of it. And then once I got it I had troubles with fanfiction.net. For some reason it wouldn't upload this particular chapter.
And to one reviewer: Yami's not really evil, he's devoid of all emotion. He has no will so when someone (namely Marik) plants an idea in his head he automatically does it. So to ease your worries Yami's not evil. And do you honestly think I will keep Yami bad?
Aurora: I have an idea!
Moons: What?
Aurora: WRITE THE DAMN CHAPTER!!!!
Moons: o.O I'm going…I'm going!
Aurora: Enjoy reading, and please review!
Unbroken
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
"Bakura!"
Ryou screamed as he watched the ball of flames speed towards him. He could feel the heat begin to warm his face. For a second he was sure he was done for until something slammed into him and he felt the heat leave his face. Cracking his eyes open he saw Bakura leaning over him.
"Marik's got a side kick." Bakura growled, keeping his voice low so only Ryou could hear him. "We might be in more trouble then I thought."
Ryou shifted his weight to crawl his way out from under the powered teen. As soon as he was away from the protective cocoon of warmth he spotted a pair of black boots. With a sharp gasp he stumbled backwards and ran into Bakura.
Bakura placed comforting hands on Ryou's shoulders before turning cold eyes on the person that owned the pair of black boots. It was a boy about the same age as them. He had sharp emerald eyes and jet black hair pulled back in tight ponytail. A smug grin pulled his lips back.
"You must be the two Marik warned me about, Bakura and Ryou." He taunted them. "My name is Otogi, and I've been sent to stop you from re-kidnapping Yami or getting Yugi."
Bakura's eyes widened. What was this kid talking about? No one was trying to kidnap anybody except Marik!
"What are you talking about?" He snarled. "We aren't trying to kidnap anybody!"
Otogi's eyes darkened. He raised a smoldering hand up towards them.
"Lair." He growled allowing the fire to leap from his finger tips.
Bakura gasped and slammed his own hand to the ground. Water poured out from beneath his palm and rushed out. It surrounded him and Ryou in a protective bubble. Otogi's fire hissed when it came in contact with their shield casing and died out. Bakura had to chuckle from inside their own personal waterfall.
"One who controls the element of fire verses one who controls water?" He laughed. "No contest. I win."
Otogi grinned and allowed the fire to simmer down to nothing but puffs of smoke. He shook his head and laughed deep in his throat. Bakura tensed, causing the water to pulse faster.
"Do you think fire is all I control?" He asked. "You think I'd enter this fight only using the element fire?"
Bakura felt a sudden tugging feeling as he was wrenched away from Ryou and slammed into a nearby building. Ryou yelped and tried to run over to his new friend. But as he rose to his feet he realized he could no longer move his legs. Turning his head to look at Otogi he shivered at the eerie smile that was plastered on his face.
"Don't do this." He begged. "We don't want to hurt you or anyone you know."
Otogi clicked his tongue against his teeth. Shaking his head slowly, he flicked a hand upwards. Ryou gasped when he felt himself being lifted off the ground. He floated almost a dozen feet off the ground.
"You really expect me to believe that!" He shouted. "I waited a long time for powers like these and morons like you which are born with them abuse them! Well I'm going to put an end to it."
Snapping his fingers, Otogi released his mental hold on Ryou. Ryou let out a startled gasp as he realized that the ground was coming up way too fast. Just when he thought he'd be nothing more then a smear on the ground, he heard a strangled battle cry from Bakura. A puddle formed beneath him. He crashed into it, surprised when it cushioned his fall. Water splashed up in his face and he sputtered as it invaded his nose and mouth. He shook his head to shake his damp bangs from his eyes. When he looked up he saw a fuming Bakura standing between him and Otogi.
"What are you thinking?" Bakura hissed. "Ryou's an innocent! He had no powers to fight back with! Is that what Marik told you? Did he let you know that he kidnapped another innocent and was using him to manipulate another? Did he tell you that we were trying to save people's lives?!"
Bakura stood there panting, his outburst pushing his rage over the edge and draining him mentally. Ryou slowly pushed himself to his feet placing a gentle hand on Bakura's shoulder. He let out a tiny gasp at the electricity that was pouring through the powered teen's body. A jolting sensation shot through him, jarring his body backwards. Squeaking in surprise and light pain, black spots dotted his vision. Something ran through his body, tightening all his muscles. He felt electricity build up in him. Suddenly there was a snapping in him and it all surged out of him in one terrific rush. Once the energy was gone blackness blanketed over him burying him deep in its painless depths. But before he gave in he was able to form one coherent thought.
'What the hell happened to me?'
~*~
Yugi ran, tears coursing down his cheeks. Why had Yami yelled like that? All he wanted to do was leave that dingy place, go back to his house and forget that anything ever happened.
But something had happened. Yugi had seen the pain in Yami's eyes when he told him to leave. He hadn't wanted Yugi to go but he wasn't going to let him stay in that dingy place where danger hung low and clung to them.
But it still hurt. Why couldn't have whispered something comforting? Why'd he have to tell him to go find Ryou and Bakura and tell them he was sorry? Where was he going and what was going to happen to him. As the questions whirled through his mind he ran faster. Turning the corner to the street that Ryou lived on, Yugi came to an abrupt stop. In front of him lay a scene that looked straight out of a horror film. Two bodies laid sprawled out on the side walk. Running up to them, Yugi immediately recognized the first body as Ryou's. With a shocked gasp, he dropped down beside his friend and sighed with relief he when he saw that he was still breathing. He allowed his gaze to stray over to the second body and saw that it was the kid who owned the other game shop in town, Otogi.
What the hell had happened here? Neither Ryou nor Otogi seemed to have any wounds, yet they were both down for the count. A groaning drew Yugi's attention to his left. The pile of junk that used to be a vending cart began to move. Yugi tensed as a board pushed away from the rest. A head broke free of the mess and Yugi was eased by the familiar mop of white hair. Bakura rolled free of wreckage and staggered to his feet.
"Bakura!" Yugi shouted, motioning the teen over. "What happened? Why is Ryou unconscious and why is Otogi here?"
Bakura moaned and brought a hand to his forehead. The pressure was throbbing behind his eyes making normal thoughts nearly impossible. He stumbled over and dropped down beside Yugi. A new magic crackled in the air, causing Bakura's head to pound harder. A sickness rolled deep in his stomach when he realized that the magic wasn't coming from Otogi.
"Oh God." He moaned, pulling Ryou up and wrapping his arms around him. "Oh God, what have I done? What have I done?!"
"You did this?"
Bakura jumped for the first noticing that Yugi was there. Tears filled his eyes as he stroked Ryou's snow white hair.
"No." He murmured. "Ryou did it."
Yugi's normally wide eyes went impossibly wider. He placed a gentle hand on Bakura's shoulder, easing the tearful teen into explaining.
"O-Otogi was given powers by Marik to use them to keep us occupied." Bakura stuttered. "He tried to hurt Ryou and I got angry. He tried to stop me but I was so upset that I didn't have a reign on my powers. Something got transferred to him and the power overloaded and was set off. That's why they're both out."
Yugi sat back. Ryou had powers? And he had taken out all three of them. Not only that, but Otogi had them as well and was working for Marik? Things were getting too confusing.
"So Ryou's like you now?" He asked softly.
Bakura nodded sadly. He didn't want this to have happened. Now Ryou had to be on the run as well. Ryou was no longer an innocent, a normal. With a chocked sob, Bakura turned away from the sight. A sudden groaning drew his attention back to the scene.
"Ryou!" Yugi yelped.
Ryou slowly sat up, rubbing at his head. The pain he had felt a few seconds ago was gone and in its place was a fading headache. He felt himself being crushed up against a body and looked up to see Bakura holding him close. His chocolate brown eyes were clouded over with tears.
"Bakura?" He whispered. "What's wrong?"
"I'm so sorry." Bakura murmured, hugging Ryou tighter. "I didn't mean to do it! It's all my fault."
Ryou pushed back and cocked his head to the side. His own brown eyes were full of confusion. He had no idea what Bakura was talking about. What had he done that made him so sorry?
"What are you talking about?" HE asked softly, fearing the answer. "What are you sorry about?"
Bakura pulled away and pointed a shaky hand at Otogi who still lay in a heap a few feet away.
"I gave you the power to do that." He whispered.
Ryou gasped as his eyes grew wide. Bakura had given him powers? So now he was one of them. Did that mean he had to be on the run with him and Yami? But on some odd level it was cool. He was guaranteed not to be a bully magnet anymore. He placed a soft hand on Bakura's shoulder.
"Don't beat yourself up about it." He told his look a like. "This might not be that bad. Now we have an extra power to help us in our case."
"Speaking of which," Yugi suddenly piped up, "What was wrong with Yami?"
Ryou and Bakura jumped as if they just realized that Yugi was kneeling there beside them. Ryou's brown eyes filled with tears. He jumped away from Bakura and wrapped his arms tightly around Yugi's neck.
"Yugi!" He yelped, nearly cutting the younger teen's air supply off. "Yugi, you're okay! Oh thank God you're okay!"
Yugi smiled and hugged his friend back. To be honest he was glad to see that Ryou was okay himself. Yugi remembered that all of them had been in the room when that Marik guy attacked, and only he and Ryou had been left standing when he blacked out. That sudden thought shocked Yugi. He stiffened and pulled away from his friend.
"Marik!" He gasped. "That's why Yami was so upset! What happened? What'd he do?!"
Bakura looked away, grief washing over him. He knew exactly what had happened. Yami had traded himself for Yugi's freedom and was probably packed up and on his way back to the Lab. Either that or Marik was torturing him to his breaking point. And now, with everything that was happening, Yami was vulnerable. His weakness had always been his trusting heart. He trusted and believed everyone, no matter what. A tear tracked down his face and he angrily whipped it away.
"Bakura?" Yugi's voice was quiet. "What's wrong? I know you know what's going on and how we can stop the danger from happening."
"You are the danger!"
A sudden burst of fire blasted Yugi and Bakura away from each other. Yugi gasped and turned to see his fellow game shop owner Otogi standing a few feet away. His green eyes were on fire, as well as his hand. Back peddling fiercely, Yugi couldn't seem to get away from the angered shop owner. But instead of attacking, Otogi's eyes softened and the fire on his hand faded away.
"Yugi?" He murmured. "Is that you?"
Yugi rose to his feet and nodded vigorously. Anything he could do to keep the other from attacking again he was willing to do.
"It's me Otogi." He answered softly. "Now why are you attacking my friends?"
Otogi raised a hand as the fire formed around it once more. The anger was back in his eyes but it was dampened by something that Yugi couldn't figure out.
"They aren't you friends." He ground out. "They're your enemies."
"No!" Yugi jumped between Otogi and Bakura. "They are my friends! The enemy is Marik. He's the one who kidnapped me and forced one of my best friends to give up his life for mine. If you hurt these people you ruin my only chance at saving him!"
Otogi stopped, the fire fading once again. His eyes widened as he stared at Bakura and Ryou cowering behind Yugi. They weren't acting like the ruthless people Marik had described them as. And that's when it struck him. Marik had been the one who blew up that tree in park. Marik had been the one who cornered him on the street and conned him into helping him in return for the powers. Marik was the one who told him to attack these two.
Marik was the evil one.
Otogi cried out and dropped to his knees. What was he doing? He knew Ryou from school and here he was, ready to kill him at another's orders. The only reason he had been given these powers was to get some of Marik's enemies out of the way. Hot tears coursed down his cheeks as punched the ground with a fiery fist.
"I'm sorry!" He cried out, meaning to apologize to the two white haired boys but really talking to no one in general. "He tricked me! I'm so sorry!"
Yugi walked over to him and gently rubbed his back. Otogi continued to sob and didn't notice Bakura and Ryou walk up behind him. He let out a shocked gasp when Bakura's hand rested on his shoulder. He jerked away and whipped at his moist eyes.
"Please don't hurt me." He whimpered. "I won't use my magic for wrong again, so please don't hurt me."
Bakura's normally sharp eyes softened as he patted Otogi's shoulder. All he wanted was to get this confrontation over with so they could go find Yami. That was who he was truly worried about. Yami was probably in no condition to defend himself or his will.
"Don't worry." He spoke to Otogi softly. "We won't hurt you. But please help us get our friend back."
Otogi nodded and slowly rose to his feet. He offered Ryou and Bakura a shaky smile before shrugging.
"Which way are we headed?" He asked, looking around him as though it was the first time he'd been on the streets of Domino.
Both Bakura and Ryou stopped and turned to look at Yugi. He was the last one who had seen Yami so he was the only one who could tell them where he was. Yugi faltered under the three powered gazes. Now even his friend, Ryou, had powers. He shifted to his other foot and looked around him.
"I don't know where he is." Yugi responded, looking at the ground. "He yelled at me, told me to get out of there and not look back. I ran and didn't pay attention to where I came from. I'm sorry."
Bakura sighed but knew he couldn't blame Yugi. This whole situation was insane. There were two more people with powers, two more people for the master to try and control. And the one they needed to keep them safe was in the hands of a mad man.
"Well then I better start searching." Bakura shrugged his shoulders. "And I think I know the placed to start looking."
Yugi cocked his head. "Where?" He asked.
Bakura turned to him Yugi with a slightly sad smile pulling on his lips. His voice was soft when he answered Yugi.
"The Lab."
Moons: The next chapter will sum things up and then there should only be one more chapter after that. I hope that you enjoy this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it.