Memories flowed through Daphne like a million of raindrops, falling from heaven at the same time. Suddenly, she remembered. She remembered her times spent with Yami, she remembered her time spent in the palace, she remembered being queen. She remembered everything. She leaned back weakly against the doorframe. Two crystal tears softly rolled down her cheek. Yami turned and stalked down the grand staircase to spill his emotion somewhere else. Kaiba stared silently at the pharaoh and his daughter, then silently went into Mokuba's playroom and closed the door, biting back a sob. In all of their hearts…there were pain. Pain in recognition, pain in memories, pain in loosing. But fortunately for Daphne and Yami, their aching ended as soon as they emotions let out. Kaiba was not so fortunate.
Why? He stared blankly at the wall in front of him. Mokuba hovered near by, his innocent face edged with concern. His big brother wasn't acting like himself. He seemed to have lost his mind in the mortal world.
Why me? Kaiba thought again. I have lost almost everything to that pharaoh, why Daphne, too? When I am as fond of her as I am of Mokuba? When she had been the one who loves me and understands me?
Why?
No matter now, the truth had been stated. Kaiba stood up stiffly, like a robot. He walked out of the room with Mokuba trailing behind him. He didn't see Daphne in the hallway so he walked quietly down the stairs and into the foyer. He halted when he saw the scene in the embellished room.
Daphne sat by Yami's feet, her arms and head in his lap. She was smiling, yet teardrops didn't stop flowing. Yami was stroking her head and brushing back strands of her midnight hair, speaking in his soothing, deep voice. There were serene and tranquility in the air.
"I remember when you first saw the silver flute in the treasure chamber. You were only three and you yanked your hand out of mine and reached for the flute." Yami was saying, his gentle features faraway and his eyes tender at the memory. "From the moment I saw your eyes lit up, I knew that you had the talent and that the flute would become a special part in your life."
Kaiba didn't know what to say and stood by the bottom of the stairs. He didn't want to interrupt the precious reunion, but they really needed to get down to business. He cleared his throat. The duet both looked up. Kaiba's heart lurched and he swallowed hard when Daphne gave him a shining smile behind her tears. He was taken back. Her face…she's so happy. Yami helped her up and Kaiba walked into the room. He sat down on another couch and stared at air in front of him.
"Well…" He finally mumbled, looking up. "We have to settle some things." He cleared his throat again and said thickly, "If you want to pack up your stuff and move over to Yugi's, Daphne, I would understand."
Daphne cocked her head at her cousin and blinked. "Now, why would I do that, Seto?" She asked innocently, her eyes filled with wonder. It was Kaiba's turn to blink at Daphne's impeccability.
"Well," he stuttered. "Now that you and Yami found each other again, I thought you might like to move in with your…with Yami." He finished lamely, his head hung miserably. Daphne's feather-light laugh made his head snap up.
"Don't be silly, Seto. Of course I'm going to stay here."
"You are?" Kaiba asked dumbly. Then, as if just realizing what she had just said, his eyes lit up. Yami stood up and pulled his hand out of his pocket.
"We're going to have to talk more, Kaiba. But it will be another day." He held his hand out. "Yugi's at home…alone. I should go back." Kaiba swiftly shook his hand.
"Till another day, then." He showed Yami to the door. "I'm glad you found your answers, Yami." Yami nodded.
Then the young pharaoh turned and gave Daphne a gentle kiss on her forehead. He said something smoothly in a euphonious foreign tongue, which she returned in the same way. Then, she and the Kaiba brothers watched Yami walked into the darkness and disappeared among the mysterious shadows, as if he himself was part of it.
"Now why do I have to tie?" Kaiba complained. "I'm just going to have a talk with Yami in the café." He tried to bat his cousin's daft fingers away.
"Because it looks better." Daphne told him as she tied his tie. "Besides, you told me you don't want to be too friendly with Yami. You would like to keep your distances, as you put it. So I'm actually doing this for your own good, which I don't know why I'm doing this." She tightened the tie. "This way, you'll look like you're there for business. But really, Seto." She looked up at her cousin. "Be nice."
"When have I ever been not nice?" He demanded, straightening his collar. Daphne rolled her eyes. It was a warm spring Saturday morning, two days after the reencounter with Yami, and Yami and Kaiba had a meeting at Domino Café. And since there were no school on Saturdays, Daphne had clothed herself in long swishy blue peasant skirt with a white blouse. Many questions had been answered after her and Yami met, but still many remained mysteries. Now she knew why she dresses the way she did and why she was so sensitive with the words 'Queen of Egypt' and 'Princess of the Nile' before reuniting with Yami. They spent almost every spare time they've got together.
"Now, remember, the second and third floor window are set on the burglar alarm system so don't open the windows or else it will activate. Mokuba's at a friend's house and I'll pick him up this afternoon. Don't play with fire and don't burn the house down. No practicing knife throwing with the wall. Don't open the doors to stranger." He turned from the mirror and eyed the girl standing behind him. Her eyes still filled with naiveté and ingenuousness. He sighed. "Remember the last rule, okay? Don't just assume that all people are sweet and nice like you are. They're not." He gave her a mocking stern tap on her nose.
"I'll remember that." She assured him.
"Make sure you do."
"What, Seto," Daphne gave a cute pout. "Am I to realize that you don't trust me?" Kaiba stared her and sighed again, shaking his head.
"Not really."
"Oh, go on, step lively. You're going to be late." Daphne gave him a shove. He walked down the stairs and picked up his briefcase by the door. He looked back and waved.
"Remember what I said." He reminded, not too reassured to let his cousin alone in his mansion just yet. He stood by the door, until the chauffeur walked up the Kaiba Mansion steps and probed him.
"Should we leave, sir?" Then he left, giving Daphne one more backward glance. Daphne gave a small wave by the door.
Now that Daphne has the house to herself, she wasn't really sure what she should do. She wondered from room to room, admiring the stylish grandeur and intricate items. From time to time, got out a cloth and polish to polish some trinkets. And once in a while dusted desks and glass cases. Finally, she wondered back into the kitchen and was prowling through the cupboard when the doorbell rang. She straightened up and walked to the door, humming a tuneless tune. She was just about to open the door when she remembered her cousin's last warning.
"Might I ask who this is?" She asked through the door.
"I'm from the water utilities." A muffled man's voice said from the other side of the door. "I'm here to fix a pipeline that had busted last night."
"Seto said nothing of the sort." Daphne frowned, worried about the pipeline. "Might you come back later?"
"This is an emergency, ma'am. It's got to be fix as soon as possible." The man's voice was gruff and insisting. Daphne's heart thudded. If the man said it was an emergency, then it must be. Kaiba must have forgotten to mention about it.
"Please hold on for a moment." She told him as she began to unlock the door. She undid all the locks and pulled the heavy door open. She was startled to find that it was not a uniformed man standing outside her door, but a boy. A boy that looked pleased to have gotten her to open the door.
"You must be Daphne." He grinned, stepping into the house without invitation. Daphne tilted her head.
"Yes, and you are…"
"That's not important." He moved closer and seemed to be inspecting her. "Hmm, you are as beautiful as they say you were."
"Well…much obliged." Daphne didn't know what to say. He took another step inside the foyer. "Um…" She stepped back.
"Man-eater Bug, attack!!" A deep voice said behind the duo. The boy whirled around.
"What the—" Daphne could see a faint shadow collide with the teen and then they both disappeared. Her eyes widened and she gave a gasp. Then she raised her head slowly and looked beyond that. There, standing by the door, looking perfectly calm and in control, an unfamiliar smirk was in place upon his pale face, the use-to-be sorrowful chocolate brown eyes narrowed into calculating slits, sizing up his opponents strength with no concern, body relaxed, was…
"Ryou?" She hurried forward. "What are you doing there?" The silver-haired teen tuck the Duel Monsters card back into his pocket with two slender fingers. He looked up. His soft brown eyes were not as soft as they were, the refined voice were not so refined, and his gentle manners seemed to have disappeared. He pushed his more muscular body off the wall and sauntered toward the girl.
"I'm not Ryou." He said lowly as he came close to her. "I'm Ryou's yami, his darker half. They call me Bakura." His voice was dark and foreboding.
"Well, Bakura," Daphne noticed that though these two could be passed off as twins, like Yugi and Yami, there were visible differences between them. "What did you do to that poor boy?" Bakura's eyebrows shot up with amusement and surprise.
"Poor boy?" He echoed incredulously, his British accent curling about. He walked up to her until Daphne's violet eyes were staring straight at Bakura's broad chest. "Did you not know what he was about to do?" Daphne shook her head, staring up at the tall tomb-robber, then pulled back.
"Oh, no." She backed up uncertainly. "Please…Bakura…" She held out a hand. "Don't…"
The soul stealer took no attention of her heed. He followed until he's got her cornered, towering over her, then placed a finger under her chin and lifted her face upward. Bakura found himself looking down into the beautiful face which was so unconscious of its beauty.
"Am I to understand that you're scared of me?" He asked softly, his deep voice smooth and low.
"No." Was the slightly quivering answer. He dropped his hand and strolled into the living room and sat down moodily. Though her isolated life in the ancient ruins had deprived Daphne of the polish of society, it had preserved the artless freshness of her youth, given her ardent nature an intensity which found vent in demonstrations infinitely more attractive than the artificial graces of the other women that Bakura ever knew. Her beauty satisfied Bakura's artistic eye, her peculiarities piqued his curiosity, her vivacity lightened his ennui, and her character interested him by the unconscious hints it gave of power, pride, and passion. He eyed the girl tiredly.
"They were right." He finally said, studying her thoughtfully. "You still are quite innocent. Well then, I shan't spoil that for you. But do allow me to tell you this much. He wasn't about to fix the pipe, that's for certain."
"Oh." Then she quickly recovered, "Thank you very much for…" She trailed off and a becoming blush sprinkled across her cheeks. Bakura eyed her wearily.
"Yeah, well…" His voice was gruff. Just then, the phone rang, making them both jump. Daphne looked glad for the interruption and hurried to pick up the phone in the hall.
"Good afternoon, Kaiba Mansion." She said politely. Bakura watched her and immediately knew who had called, from the way her eyes lit up and her full lips curl up to a smile.
"Hello, Seto. How are you and Yami doing?" She asked, twisting the phone cord with her fingers. "Well don't you flip any tables yet, and tell Yami to control his temper. You know, you two really do have a lot of things in common." She teased. Then she grew concerned. "Alright, but do be careful." She hung up and looked back at Bakura.
"Seto requested me to pick up Mokuba." Daphne explained in her sweet accent, as if feeling the obligation to clarify the situation. "He just got an emergency call from the office and was afraid that he wouldn't make it back in time."
"Oh, go on then." He waved her off and busied himself with staring at the wall. He crossed his ankles in a rather cool manner and took out his deck. "Handle the details, don't let me be a bother to you." Daphne felt awkward with a stranger sitting in the living room, watching her handle phone calls. Nevertheless, that didn't stop her from phoning Kaiba's personal chauffeur.
"Hello? This is Daphne, would it be possible to bring the limo over?" She asked.
"Miss Daphne," the chauffeur sounded surprised, then apologetic. "I'm sorry, miss, but the limo had a little problem today and it's in the shop."
"Oh." Daphne's brows furrowed with anxiety.
"However, miss, if you do have a license, there is a small black car in the car garage behind the mansion. You might take a whack at that."
"Thank you." She managed to say before hanging up. Then she stood biting her lips. Back in Cairo, by the dig, she had driven small jeeps, but officially, she doesn't have a license and the jeeps wouldn't count as customary cars. But she doesn't have a choice right now. Daphne walked slowly back to the living room. The white-haired devil opened his half-opened eyes and gave her an easygoing smile. Then he saw the anxiety in her expression and he lazily stood up, stretching.
"And what's troubling you?" He slouched over, hands in his pocket.
"I'm going to have to pick up Mokuba by myself." She bit her lips, fidgeting with her slender fingers.
"Mind if I tag along?" He drawled with the same lazy attitude, watching her warily. His brown eyes had a playful sparkle.
"Oh, would you?" The albino nodded. "I'd be ever so grateful." She said gratefully. Together, they found the car garage about half a mile from the house, deep in the trees. True to his words, there was a small black car in studio.
"Well, here goes nothing." Bakura listened with amusement at Daphne's murmur. He got in, fearless of the inexperienced driver. Daphne's fingers shook as they plunged the keys into the ignition. She bit her lips and shut her eyes as she turned the keys. Initial threads of worry began to flutter nervously within her stomach, giving the Egyptian teenager a slight tremor that shivered through her slender body. Bakura's keen eyes witnessed all of this. He sighed.
"Here, hand over the keys." He held out his hand and opened his door with his other. Daphne turned to him.
"What?"
"Look, you want me to drive?" The tomb-robber said crossly, still holding out his hand impatiently. "I'm in no mood to be killed early this afternoon, thank you very much."
Daphne gave a silent, but thankful sigh as she placed the keys in Bakura's palms and got out of the driver's seat, switching with the older teen.
"I've got the address, but I've never driven a real car on the streets before. I've…I've never done this before." She admitted. A vague sense of understanding skated across Bakura's dark features before he nodded slightly, understanding what she was getting at perfectly well. Daphne felt relieved he took it so easily into his hand.
"Yeah, yeah." The confident pale Spirit of the Ring inserted the key boldly and turned it. The engine roared to live and he backed out of the garage aggressively, almost into the wall. Daphne clutched on to his arm and suppressed a shriek.
"Bakura, are you positive you know how to drive?" A sickening feeling sank into her head. "Have you ever driven before?!"
"Well," Bakura looked sheepish as the car roared insanely away from Kaiba Mansion's property. "I have driven the first car ever made, but that was decades ago. And the last time I sneak drove Ryou's dad's car, I ran into a tree, but it wasn't my fault!" He added defensively. "If I hadn't run into tree, that stupid mortal would have been dead by now. He should pick a better place to take a walk besides the sidewalk."
"What?" She groaned and tossed him the address as the car drove wildly down the street. "Here's the address, but if you happen to get me killed, my cousin's going to sue you for all you've got. Better warn poor Ryou." The tires screeched, leaving a trail of smoke, as Bakura made a U-turn in the middle of the street. She groaned, "I'm too young to die."
Bakura cast her a sideways glance. "I'm not."
"Well, may I ask how old you are? Surely, you're about as old as Ryou?" Bakura gave a low chuckled at that thought.
"Nope." He turned to her, serious and curiosity thinly hidden. "Did you not know that I'm about as old as Yami." Daphne grew speechless. Then her eyes narrowed to thoughtful slits.
"Wait, are you telling me that you're the evil Spirit of the Ring everyone's been warning me about?" She realized she said that out loud and held her breath. But Bakura didn't seem to mind. Instead, if anything, he looked proud of himself.
"Did they also mention that I'm a soul stealer, tomb-robber, and a thief as well?" He made another sharp turn. Daphne slammed against the car. She gritted her teeth against the pain.
"No, I'm afraid they've forgotten that little detail." She tried to sit up straight. She saw that they had turned into a little neighborhood. "I think it's that house right there." She pointed. The intricate golden bracelets that clasped around her wrist jingled from the movement.
"I think you're right." He leaned forward and eyed the house. He stepped on the breaks hard and the car screeched to a stop in front of the driveway. She opened the door and stepped out of the car, grabbing the side of her chiton so she wouldn't trip. Bakura leaned back and placed his arms behind his head lazily. She walked up to the door and rang the bell. Footsteps were heard inside and the door flew open. A wild head of black hair bounced out onto the porch.
"Hey, Daph!" He chirped, then looked around. "Where's Seto?"
"He's at the office. He said they've got an emergency." Daphne explained as they walked down to the car. "So I'm here to pick you up." She opened the door to the back seat.
"Hi, Ryou." Mokuba greeted as he slipped into the seat. Bakura gave a slight smirk.
"Hey, kid." The boy stopped still at the low voice. His eyes grew wide, then narrowed with suspicion. He realized that from the rough manners and deeper voice, it was Bakura driving. Mokuba's little protecting instinct toward his female cousin flared up against the teen.
"What are you doing here, Albino?" He said hotly, his little form defiant. "Are you picking on Daphne? Because if you are, I'm going to tell big brother then he'll kick your butt." Daphne gasped.
"Mokuba!" Her eyes were filled with shock. She was relieved when she heard Bakura gave a sharp bark of laughter. But she grew alarmed when Bakura turned back to face Mokuba, his voice dangerously demanding authority though his eyes amused.
"Watch it, Kid. I rarely excuse mistakes like that." His tone of voice was so different then from when he was communicating with Daphne. There had been a trivial of liking in his voice when he talks to Daphne, but with Mokuba, there were only strains and coolness. The white-haired teen and the younger boy glared at each other, throwing silent insults back at each other. Without another word, the tomb-robber stepped on the gas pedal hard and charged away, making the wheels squeal in protest as he sped down the street crazily. The car lurched forward, throwing everyone ahead.
"Ouch." Mokuba complained, rubbing his temple. "Are you sure you know how to drive, Bakura?"
"Why, of course!" Bakura snapped as he jerkily maneuvered the car down the road. "Why do you ask? Do you doubt me?" Cars swerved onto the sidewalks to avoid been hit. A driver had the nerve to stick his head out the window and yell out a string of foul words at them.
"Oh, dear." Daphne looked back at the man. "I am very sorry!" She called back, but at the same time, Bakura yanked her back into the car and stuck his own head out the window. The deity-like maiden winced as the devil shouted out words a hundred times worse than what the man had said, sending the man to silence.
"Now, isn't that better?" He said sarcastically as he settled back into the seat.
"Uh…" Mokuba had a cocky expression on his face that Daphne couldn't tell whether it was from disgust or amusement. "I don't think my big brother would approve that sort of language used in front of me…and Daphne, too." He added, after a moment of silence.
"Oh," Bakura waved it off. "If that ignorant arrogant mortal has a problem with my language, he can come and argue with me in the after life. Or the Shadow Realm if he so prefers."
"Bakura, watch out!" Daphne gasped and grasped Bakura's arm. Bakura's eyes popped open and reflected the horror in the Ryou's eyes. He slammed on the brakes, but knew they wouldn't stop in time from hitting his younger hikari.
"Ryou, get out of the way!!" Bakura's harsh holler was laced with alarm and panic. The car swerved down through the grassy land to avoid hitting Ryou, whose soft chocolate brown eyes were wide with terror and panic. He threw his arms up to protect his face.
"Ahhhhhh!!!" Mokuba, Daphne, and even Bakura's outcries echoed through the whole park, which fortunately was cleared of people at this moment. A crash was heard, followed by thuds. Shattered glass showered over their heads.
Daphne slowly opened her eyes cautiously, brushing the thick hair that had protected her face from the glass shreds away. She was too scared to look around, but she knew she had to. She turned and saw Bakura, his eyes ready to pop out of his head, frozen to the tree in front of them. His face was ashen bloodless under his already pale skin. His knuckles were white from the deadly grip he had upon it and his breath was heavy and uneven. His lips were moving silently to what Daphne recognized as Egyptian swearing. Daphne turned to Mokuba. During the skidding, Mokuba had somehow curled up into a protective ball on the back seat, which Daphne couldn't see how it was possible when he still had his seatbelt on.
"Mokuba?" Her delicate whisper was filled with dread. The cold-hearted tomb-robber also turned around, still cursing in Egyptian under his breath.
"He'll be alright." He said, his baritone voice hoarse.
"Oh, my goodness," Ryou ran up to the car and was peering through the window. The fear had yet left his eyes. "Yami, Daphne, are you two alright?" His refined British accent was panicky and distraught.
"Do we look alright?!" Bakura snapped, shoving his dented car door open. Ryou stepped fearfully out of the way. Together, the light and the dark tried to pry Daphne's car door open and after several moments of kicking and cussing, the door managed to fly open.
"Oh, Bakura," Daphne exclaimed, concerned, once she was free from the car. "You're hurt!" Her fingertips brushed Bakura's soft, white bangs away from his temples before he could react. Then his hand came up and grasped her own and held them. Daphne's breath stopped as she tried to pull away, but Bakura's grip was firm. Ryou watched as their eyes met and held each other. Then the tomb-robber dropped her dainty hand and turned away.
"I'll be fine." He muttered under his breath. He began a low chant under his voice and an eerie glow appeared on his chest. As soon as the Millennium Ring appeared, Daphne looked up and found the bloody gush on his temple gone.
"Oh dear," they both turned to see Ryou peering anxiously through the backdoor window. He turned back. "You guys never told me that Mokuba was in the backseat."
"Is he alright?" Daphne hurried over besides the sixteen-year-old. Ryou looked over, worries lined his fine features.
"I'm sure he'd be alright, but it'll be better if we can get him out of the car."
"That's for sure." His darker half stormed up to them. Giving the door a good kick, the door opened on its own record. Bakura reached in and scooped the young boy out. Daphne dropped by Mokuba's side.
"I'd better get him home." She concluded.
"Yeah, we'd better head for home too." Bakura added, turning away, but his way was surprisingly blocked by his light.
"Yami," Ryou scolded. "You rammed into a tree and expect Daphne to go home and explain by herself to Kaiba why his precious little brother is probably in a concussion?"
"That's Kaiba's car, too." Bakura sulkily pointed out. He crossed his arms in front of his chest.
"His car also? Oh, my." Ryou crossed his arms across his own chest and tapped his foot on the ground. "We are all going to go back to Kaiba's Mansion and you're going to apologize and explain your part. You know you're incapable of driving. I got grounded five weeks last time you drove my dad's car. Five whole weeks!" He held out five fingers accusingly.
"Me? Apologize?" Bakura sputtered. "I should think not."
"Ryou," Daphne's soft voice cut in. "It's wasn't Bakura's fault. I was scared of driving to pick Mokuba up and Bakura offered. He doesn't want to face Kaiba and he doesn't have to."
"Wrong, Daphne." Ryou had Bakura's stubborn and defiant attitude. Bakura scowled. "My yami has to learn that he's got to finish what he's began. He can't just ram Mokuba and you into a tree and just…just leave you here because he's scared to face Kaiba."
"Alright already!" Bakura finally snapped. "Who's afraid of Kaiba?! I most certainly do not fear that obnoxious pathetic little mortal. Fine, we'll all go together." Swiftly, Bakura huffily picked up Mokuba and stalked down the street toward Kaiba Mansion, leaving Ryou and Daphne to hurry to catch up.