Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews! ^_^ I hope you like this chapter!
Note: I have no idea whether or not I am going to pair. I usually prefer to keep my writing out of the romance area. And yes, some of the other characters will be introduced later; Seto, Jou, etc.
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Chapter 2
Unfounded Accusations
Yugi and Ryou staggered from the portal in the small clearing with Bakura in tow, the tomb robber leaning heavily against the latter. The Shadow Gate vanished the moment their feet left the swirling surface of the dark realm. Yugi shivered inwardly. The mysterious shadows of the supernatural plain frightened him, but they also drew him with curiosity and the urge to explore them. Strange as it was, he had felt almost as though he belonged there, in the darkness that beckoned to him.
Bakura cast him a curious look. "Do you duel?"
"What? No. Why?"
"Hmm . . ." Bakura did not reply. Who did the boy remind him of?
"We'd better get you to the house and bandage that up."
Bakura nodded.
The house stood a ways from the edge of the woods with its door facing the opposite direction, which was probably what saved them. As they approached Bakura suddenly halted, stepping aside into the cover of the thick vegetation and crouching down, motioning for them to follow.
"What-"
Bakura shook his head, cupping his good hand over his ear to signal for them to listen.
"-family has been charged with treason against his Majesty. I am hereby placing you and all others in this household under arrest."
"You can't do this! We have done nothing wrong."
"On what grounds do you base this accusation?"
Grandpa, Yugi mouth.
And Mother, Ryou mouthed back.
"Enough chatter. His lordship will decide your sentence."
For a long moment after the voices had stopped, Yugi and Ryou stared at each other in stunned silence. Bakura watched them with just the slightest hint of pity tugging at him. It seemed they had a lot more in common than he had first thought when he had rescued them from the guards. The two reminded him of himself when he was very little, but time and the events of fate had changed him greatly. He had seen this sort of thing before, to his own clan too no less. Only his family hadn't just been arrested, they had been slaughtered before his eyes while he hid in the shadows, powerless to stop them.
One event had lead to another, and the young Bakura had quickly learned that in order to survive, he had to be more aggressive. If you didn't grab what was offered and hang on to it, someone else would come along and steal it from you and there would be no second chances. It was a kill or be killed situation where you just had to take every opportunity you could and deal with whatever reality threw in your way.
Yugi made a move to stand but Bakura grabbed him, turning back in the direction of the clearing. "You two can't go back, you do realize that don't you? They're probably lying in wait for you to return. They've accused you of treason and that is a very serious crime."
"But we haven't done anything."
"It won't matter to them. You can be an angel from heaven or a demon from hell, it won't make a difference."
He waited for a moment to let this settle in before he continued. "We can go to my hideout. It's just outside the settlement boundaries."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Yami scanned the city complex, all his senses tingling. He was being followed, and had been for some time. His pursuers had not yet chosen to show themselves but something told him that they would soon. Sure enough, as he turned a bend in the street, Yami found his way blocked by no less than five men, each standing a full head taller than himself. He looked behind him and found that path cornered off as well.
Yami cursed under his breath. There was no way he was going to outfight them without a weapon of some kind, and he did not wish to tap his shadow powers lest it revealed his identity. Most of his monsters were very distinct in appearance, known only to have one master.
One of the gang stood forward, a sneer plastered across his scarred face. He wore a red bandana around his head an a patch covered his right eye.
"What have we here?"
*****************
"Master Marik."
The quiet, rasping voice of his servant cut through the silence of his chamber. Narrowed, violet orbs glinted under the shadows of a hood pulled low over his features.
"What is it?"
"The Ravers have been up to their old tricks again."
Marik snorted, the scorn obvious in his bored tone. "Who is it this time?"
"A very unusual individual. He seems to be about eighteen with red spikes tipped with black, blonde bangs and streaks of gold. And the youth's eyes are a startling shade of crimson."
Marik's eyes widened in surprise and shock. "Come," he ordered, stepping from the dais where his throne was set. "Bring the others."
*****************
"Keith!"
Yami looked up. He knew that voice. Standing on the ledge of a window high above their heads was a black-robed figure with the Eye of Ra etched in gold on its hood.
"What do you want, Marik?" Keith spat.
"Watch your tongue when you speaking to me," the other hissed. "Take your cronies off my territory."
Keith sneered. "We have as much a right to hunt in these streets as you."
Marik inclined his head to one side and there was suddenly a dark figure in nearly every window, each with a crossbow or spear aimed in Keith's direction.
"Now, Bandit Keith, or I'll order them to shoot, killing you and all the rest of your miserable excuse of a band."
Keith ground his teeth but ordered his men to retreat.
"I'll be back, Marik," he promised. "I'll be back for you, and then I'll make you pay for every injustice you have ever done to me."
Marik watched them go with a satisfied smirk, then he leapt down from his perch to where Yami had been eyeing the whole affair with thinly veiled amusement.
"Yami, what are you doing here? I thought you were dead."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
AN: Thanks for reading. Please R&R!
Note: I have no idea whether or not I am going to pair. I usually prefer to keep my writing out of the romance area. And yes, some of the other characters will be introduced later; Seto, Jou, etc.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter 2
Unfounded Accusations
Yugi and Ryou staggered from the portal in the small clearing with Bakura in tow, the tomb robber leaning heavily against the latter. The Shadow Gate vanished the moment their feet left the swirling surface of the dark realm. Yugi shivered inwardly. The mysterious shadows of the supernatural plain frightened him, but they also drew him with curiosity and the urge to explore them. Strange as it was, he had felt almost as though he belonged there, in the darkness that beckoned to him.
Bakura cast him a curious look. "Do you duel?"
"What? No. Why?"
"Hmm . . ." Bakura did not reply. Who did the boy remind him of?
"We'd better get you to the house and bandage that up."
Bakura nodded.
The house stood a ways from the edge of the woods with its door facing the opposite direction, which was probably what saved them. As they approached Bakura suddenly halted, stepping aside into the cover of the thick vegetation and crouching down, motioning for them to follow.
"What-"
Bakura shook his head, cupping his good hand over his ear to signal for them to listen.
"-family has been charged with treason against his Majesty. I am hereby placing you and all others in this household under arrest."
"You can't do this! We have done nothing wrong."
"On what grounds do you base this accusation?"
Grandpa, Yugi mouth.
And Mother, Ryou mouthed back.
"Enough chatter. His lordship will decide your sentence."
For a long moment after the voices had stopped, Yugi and Ryou stared at each other in stunned silence. Bakura watched them with just the slightest hint of pity tugging at him. It seemed they had a lot more in common than he had first thought when he had rescued them from the guards. The two reminded him of himself when he was very little, but time and the events of fate had changed him greatly. He had seen this sort of thing before, to his own clan too no less. Only his family hadn't just been arrested, they had been slaughtered before his eyes while he hid in the shadows, powerless to stop them.
One event had lead to another, and the young Bakura had quickly learned that in order to survive, he had to be more aggressive. If you didn't grab what was offered and hang on to it, someone else would come along and steal it from you and there would be no second chances. It was a kill or be killed situation where you just had to take every opportunity you could and deal with whatever reality threw in your way.
Yugi made a move to stand but Bakura grabbed him, turning back in the direction of the clearing. "You two can't go back, you do realize that don't you? They're probably lying in wait for you to return. They've accused you of treason and that is a very serious crime."
"But we haven't done anything."
"It won't matter to them. You can be an angel from heaven or a demon from hell, it won't make a difference."
He waited for a moment to let this settle in before he continued. "We can go to my hideout. It's just outside the settlement boundaries."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Yami scanned the city complex, all his senses tingling. He was being followed, and had been for some time. His pursuers had not yet chosen to show themselves but something told him that they would soon. Sure enough, as he turned a bend in the street, Yami found his way blocked by no less than five men, each standing a full head taller than himself. He looked behind him and found that path cornered off as well.
Yami cursed under his breath. There was no way he was going to outfight them without a weapon of some kind, and he did not wish to tap his shadow powers lest it revealed his identity. Most of his monsters were very distinct in appearance, known only to have one master.
One of the gang stood forward, a sneer plastered across his scarred face. He wore a red bandana around his head an a patch covered his right eye.
"What have we here?"
*****************
"Master Marik."
The quiet, rasping voice of his servant cut through the silence of his chamber. Narrowed, violet orbs glinted under the shadows of a hood pulled low over his features.
"What is it?"
"The Ravers have been up to their old tricks again."
Marik snorted, the scorn obvious in his bored tone. "Who is it this time?"
"A very unusual individual. He seems to be about eighteen with red spikes tipped with black, blonde bangs and streaks of gold. And the youth's eyes are a startling shade of crimson."
Marik's eyes widened in surprise and shock. "Come," he ordered, stepping from the dais where his throne was set. "Bring the others."
*****************
"Keith!"
Yami looked up. He knew that voice. Standing on the ledge of a window high above their heads was a black-robed figure with the Eye of Ra etched in gold on its hood.
"What do you want, Marik?" Keith spat.
"Watch your tongue when you speaking to me," the other hissed. "Take your cronies off my territory."
Keith sneered. "We have as much a right to hunt in these streets as you."
Marik inclined his head to one side and there was suddenly a dark figure in nearly every window, each with a crossbow or spear aimed in Keith's direction.
"Now, Bandit Keith, or I'll order them to shoot, killing you and all the rest of your miserable excuse of a band."
Keith ground his teeth but ordered his men to retreat.
"I'll be back, Marik," he promised. "I'll be back for you, and then I'll make you pay for every injustice you have ever done to me."
Marik watched them go with a satisfied smirk, then he leapt down from his perch to where Yami had been eyeing the whole affair with thinly veiled amusement.
"Yami, what are you doing here? I thought you were dead."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
AN: Thanks for reading. Please R&R!
