Disclaimer:
Yami Bakura: *doesn't see Yami Kaosu anywhere* Good. *takes a deep breath and gets ready to yell really really loud* SHE OWNS---
Yami Kaosu: *suddenly appears* I have no connections to any ownership of Yu-Gi-Oh! whatsoever!
Yami Bakura: *glares* I was so close...
Chaos: It'll never happen.
Ryou: Why must you insist on doing that?
Yami Bakura *remains silent*
A/N: Is everyone enjoying my disclaimers? Well, everyone except for Yami Bakura... ^_^ Anyway, the story! *groans* I had ANOTHER fic idea a while back, but I am trying my best to put it on hold...don't I have enough works in progress as it is?! So...this chapter...onward! Sorry it took so long to get out (as if THAT'S anything new...) but at least it's finally here! ~Yami
/.../ - denotes telepathy (such as Ryou and Yami Bakura ^_^)
---
During lunch in school the next day, Ryou tried to talk to the darker one. /Yami?/ he said, waiting to see if he would get a response. Hearing nothing, he became very worried. Usually, his Yami would at least acknowledge him by ordering to be left alone. Ryou knew that something was wrong, and that it more than likely involved the dream from the previous night.
He shuddered slightly as he recalled the events from the dream, and the man who had wanted his Yami. Ryou allowed his mind to dwell upon that for a moment. He still couldn't help but wonder what was going on, why he had wanted Yami Bakura.
/What's going on?/ he asked again, desperate for a response. /Who was he? Why did he want you?/ Ryou sounded frantic. /Yami!/ he yelled.
/WHAT?!/ came the aggravated reply. Ryou sighed with relief; even if his Yami was angry, at least he was all right.
/I...I just wanted to know if you were okay.../ Ryou said quietly, not wanting to get him any angrier.
Yami Bakura sighed. Although he didn't want Ryou to know it, he felt better to know that Ryou was genuinely concerned about him. /Just leave me alone.../ Yami Bakura snapped back, and was relieved as he felt Ryou's mind leave his presence. Alone again, his thoughts turned back to where they had been since the previous night: Rokashimo.
"I can't believe that he has actually come all this way to get me back..." Yami Bakura muttered, displeased with the fact that the one he had hated from so long ago was once again there. "How could he have possibly found me? And how could I be worth coming here?"
The last question lingered on his mind. He had never truly felt himself worth anything, especially after his treatment under Rokashimo. He shuddered slightly as the horrible memories of those times made themselves known in his mind.
Rokashimo had been so demanding of him, not allowing any show of emotion, during any of his duties. Even the tears that he had shed as Rokashimo used him for "other" purposes were punished, only to be called signs of weakness. It was from him that Yami Bakura had learned to hide his feelings. And it was also because of Rokashimo that he never wanted a master again.
"I will not be his puppet again...never again...and I will do whatever it takes to stop him," he growled, making a promise, both to himself...and to his light.
******
"Hmm..." Rokashimo thought over what he had seen very carefully. From the actions he had observed the previous night, it was obvious that Yami Bakura cared very deeply for his other, his light. He replayed the scene in his mind, watching as his object cradled the other in his arms, a comforting gesture.
Suddenly a delightfully evil idea came to him. "Of course..." he whispered, a malicious smirk slowly growing on his face. "His other...his other cares about him more than anyone. And he cares for his other, and few others around him." Rokashimo couldn't believe that this idea hadn't shown up sooner.
"Now...who shall be first?" he questioned, reading over his list of prospective victims. Finally, his eyes landed on a name he had been able to recover from the mind of Yami Bakura. "This will be fine," he said, deciding upon that name. "Even if these people are not close to him, they are close to his other. And from the looks of it, he can be gotten to with relative ease through the use of his other."
Everything fell into place as Rokashimo prepared his trap, and set his sights on the first of his line of victims: Katsuya Jounouchi.
******
A pained yell filled the soul room as Yami Bakura once again fell to Rokashimo's influences. Breathing hard, he noticed that the spasms were getting worse. More and more pain was making itself known, and it was becoming harder and harder to breathe. The room spun wildly about him, as he tumbled to the ground, and finally, into darkness.
/Yami?/ Ryou's voice invaded his room once again. But no answer came; no demands that he leave, nothing. Panicking slightly, Ryou tried again. /Yami?/ he called. /Yami?! Yami!/ Still nothing came. Leaving his conscious body and finding himself at the door to his Yami's soul room, he flung the door open and ran in. As he entered, he gasped. His Yami was lying unconscious in the middle of the room.
"Yami!" Ryou yelled, hurrying over to him. But before he could do anymore, he heard a familiar voice; that of the one from the previous night's dream.
"You can do nothing for him," Rokashimo said, as he materialized himself into the soul room, a smirk on his face. "He belongs only to me, and so only I can control his fate. And listen to what I tell you now: I will do anything to ensure that he stays in my possession. No one can hide." With that, he disappeared again, leaving Ryou huddled beside his Yami, tears streaming down his face.
"Yami?" he asked, shaking him softly. Yami Bakura groaned, and opened his eyes slightly. "Yami, are you okay?" he asked, and watched as the darker one nodded, not quite awake yet. Ryou smiled; at least he was all right, for the time. But he couldn't retain his smile for long. Ryou was troubled by what Rokashimo had said. It was definite that he was willing to do anything. Ryou just hoped that somehow, they could withstand it.
******
With night came sleep, the bearer of dreams. Rokashimo was once again present in Ryou's, and Ryou was positive that he came bearing more news.
"Since you seem not to have given up what is rightfully mine," Rokashimo began, "it seems that I will have to use...other methods to persuade you."
"He is not yours!" Ryou shouted, angry at Rokashimo's statement. "He doesn't belong to anyone; he has the right to be his own person!"
From inside the ring, Yami Bakura listened, surprised at how passionately Ryou was defending him. Unable to stand it, the ring flashed, bringing him to the world of the dream where Ryou and Rokashimo now stood.
Rokashimo eyed Yami Bakura as he emerged from the ring. "You bring this upon yourself," he said, sighing. Waving his hand to the side, a familiar figure appeared beside him.
"Jounouchi?!" Ryou said in astonishment. "But...how? What are you doing here?" Before any answer was made as to what was going on, Rokashimo performed another action, slashing through the air with his arm. With that, what appeared to be a hole appeared, glowing, as if it was to another dimension.
Ryou watched in horror as Rokashimo flung Jounouchi into the hole. Ryou tried to run after him, but suddenly felt himself being pulled back. Turning around, he found his Yami's arms wrapped tightly around him. "Don't follow him," Yami Bakura said, his eyes narrowing.
They watched as Rokashimo closed the hole. Turning back to the pair, Rokashimo smiled. "Perhaps you'd appreciate an explanation of what just happened," he said. "You see, your friend's soul has just been cast into another dimension. And you have no way of getting it back."
Ryou's eyes widened with terror as he took in what Rokashimo had just said. "No...it...it can't be true..." he said, as he felt his eyes fill with tears. "Jounouchi...he...he can't be gone..."
Rokashimo smirked. "I am the only one who can bring him back, if I choose to do so. And if you give me what is mine, perhaps you will see your friend again." Fading from their sight, Ryou's sobs echoed throughout the darkened atmosphere.
---
Chaos: Having so many Yamis around really is confusing...
Yami Yugi: That's for sure.
Yami Bakura: So don't refer to me.
Yami Kaosu: *grins* Like THAT would ever happen...
Yami Bakura: *rolls his eyes*
Ryou: *suddenly appears*
Chaos: Yay! Ryou's here!
Yami Bakura: What are you doing here?
Ryou: *shrugs* I'm not quite sure.
Yami Kaosu: *smiles innocently*
Yami Bakura: *sweatdrops and then glares* BAKA!
Chaos: As much as this all amuses me, I have to end it. Thanks for reading chapter 3, minna; chapter 4 should be out...sometime.
Yugi: Don't forget to R & R!
Yami Yugi: What are you here for, aibou?
Yugi: *shrugs*
Seto: Why am I here?
Yami Kaosu: Because I'm the author.
Chaos: We're done now!
Everyone except Yami Bakura: Bai!
Yami Bakura: *shakes head* Bakas...
