Change of Heart
Chapter 20
The Dark Ring
Summary: Bakura gets to come out and play, everybody succeeds.
Check-In Booth...
Everybody was waiting for Kai, Tyson and Yugi to come back. Max and Tea were sitting at a bench, talking. Tristan was leaning on the booth, watching Kenny type away on Dizzi. Ray was against a tree, petting Seika's head, which rested on his lap. Ryou sat on the other side of the tree, doing nothing, with Hilary, sitting beside him. Joey left, promising to come back after some time with Serenity before her operation.
Everyone was zoned-out, but focused on their own thoughts. Time seemed to be moving incredibly leisurely or not at all. The most silent of them all was Ryou. He stretched, by accident looping his arm around Hilary. Anxious, he immediately pulled his arm away. "I'm so sorry, Hilary," Ryou apologized. He felt Hilary lean on his shoulder. "Hilary?" He shook her softly. She was asleep. Oh dear, Ryou thought. He picked Hilary up, walking over to Ray. "Ray, Hilary's asleep. When Tyson and the others come back, tell them we're at the Game Shop."
Ray gestured on Seika to get up, which he did. "No point in going by yourself. Mind if I go behind?"
Ryou beamed. "Of course not." Ryou felt an anxiety once Ray left to tell Max. He set Hilary down to Seika, then went back behind the tree. As he leaned against the tree, the Millennium Ring appeared through his shirt. A spirit, one looking a lot like Ryou, sat in the branches above him. Ryou stared wide-eyed into the tree. //What are you doing here?//
/You're anxious that I'll hurt your friends, aren't you?/ Yami Bakura asked. /Well?/
//Leave my friends be!//
/You're not the boss of me./ Bakura already vanished.
Ryou peered into the branches. //So, what are you gonna do?//
Bakura jumped down in front of Ryou. /Fine./ He said, stepping closer to him. /Ray and Hilary will be just fine./
//Bakura, NO!//
But it was too late. The Millennium Rod blazed, and Ryou was different. He picked up Hilary, shadowing his face temporarily. We'll see how much they like Ryou now, he said, leering.
Ray soon came back, beaming at Bakura. "Ready?"
Bakura smiled one of Ryou's smiles. (Someone give this guy an Academy Award!) "Yeah."
The small horde was silent along the way, except for Seika's gentle noises and Hilary's gentle snoring. After a while, Ray couldn't keep the stillness anymore. "Ryou, what's your leisure pursuit?"
"Mine?" Bakura asked. "Hmm... that's a good question." He budged Hilary's position in his arms. "I do a little bit of everything, in fact."
"You're an incredibly bizarre person, Ryou," Ray smiled. "And that's why I like you."
"You have no idea how bizarre," Bakura said gently. "Could we stop for a second?" he asked, having Ryou's voice again. "I'm scared I might drop Hilary."
"Hand her to me," Ray said, taking Hilary from Bakura. "She can't be too heavy."
"RAY!" a voice ahead of them gasped. "I can't believe you!" Mariah ran toward them, in the verge of tears.
"Mariah, it's not what you think!" Ray cried. "MARIAH!" He turned to Seika. "Go ahead and cut her off." He gave Hilary back to Bakura. "I'm sorry, Ryou. I just need – "
"I understand," Bakura smiled. "Just meet me at the shop." When Ray left, he began laughing to himself. Silly mortals. They're so susceptible. His voice was his own again. And now for the girl...
Ray and Mariah had just made up when a bright light exploded ahead of them. "RYOU! HILARY!" But the street was empty. Bakura was gone, taking Hilary with him.
Chapter 20
The Dark Ring
Summary: Bakura gets to come out and play, everybody succeeds.
Check-In Booth...
Everybody was waiting for Kai, Tyson and Yugi to come back. Max and Tea were sitting at a bench, talking. Tristan was leaning on the booth, watching Kenny type away on Dizzi. Ray was against a tree, petting Seika's head, which rested on his lap. Ryou sat on the other side of the tree, doing nothing, with Hilary, sitting beside him. Joey left, promising to come back after some time with Serenity before her operation.
Everyone was zoned-out, but focused on their own thoughts. Time seemed to be moving incredibly leisurely or not at all. The most silent of them all was Ryou. He stretched, by accident looping his arm around Hilary. Anxious, he immediately pulled his arm away. "I'm so sorry, Hilary," Ryou apologized. He felt Hilary lean on his shoulder. "Hilary?" He shook her softly. She was asleep. Oh dear, Ryou thought. He picked Hilary up, walking over to Ray. "Ray, Hilary's asleep. When Tyson and the others come back, tell them we're at the Game Shop."
Ray gestured on Seika to get up, which he did. "No point in going by yourself. Mind if I go behind?"
Ryou beamed. "Of course not." Ryou felt an anxiety once Ray left to tell Max. He set Hilary down to Seika, then went back behind the tree. As he leaned against the tree, the Millennium Ring appeared through his shirt. A spirit, one looking a lot like Ryou, sat in the branches above him. Ryou stared wide-eyed into the tree. //What are you doing here?//
/You're anxious that I'll hurt your friends, aren't you?/ Yami Bakura asked. /Well?/
//Leave my friends be!//
/You're not the boss of me./ Bakura already vanished.
Ryou peered into the branches. //So, what are you gonna do?//
Bakura jumped down in front of Ryou. /Fine./ He said, stepping closer to him. /Ray and Hilary will be just fine./
//Bakura, NO!//
But it was too late. The Millennium Rod blazed, and Ryou was different. He picked up Hilary, shadowing his face temporarily. We'll see how much they like Ryou now, he said, leering.
Ray soon came back, beaming at Bakura. "Ready?"
Bakura smiled one of Ryou's smiles. (Someone give this guy an Academy Award!) "Yeah."
The small horde was silent along the way, except for Seika's gentle noises and Hilary's gentle snoring. After a while, Ray couldn't keep the stillness anymore. "Ryou, what's your leisure pursuit?"
"Mine?" Bakura asked. "Hmm... that's a good question." He budged Hilary's position in his arms. "I do a little bit of everything, in fact."
"You're an incredibly bizarre person, Ryou," Ray smiled. "And that's why I like you."
"You have no idea how bizarre," Bakura said gently. "Could we stop for a second?" he asked, having Ryou's voice again. "I'm scared I might drop Hilary."
"Hand her to me," Ray said, taking Hilary from Bakura. "She can't be too heavy."
"RAY!" a voice ahead of them gasped. "I can't believe you!" Mariah ran toward them, in the verge of tears.
"Mariah, it's not what you think!" Ray cried. "MARIAH!" He turned to Seika. "Go ahead and cut her off." He gave Hilary back to Bakura. "I'm sorry, Ryou. I just need – "
"I understand," Bakura smiled. "Just meet me at the shop." When Ray left, he began laughing to himself. Silly mortals. They're so susceptible. His voice was his own again. And now for the girl...
Ray and Mariah had just made up when a bright light exploded ahead of them. "RYOU! HILARY!" But the street was empty. Bakura was gone, taking Hilary with him.