What Once Was is Again
Diclaimer: I do not own any of the characters within Yugioh, minus Strawberry (who you will find out about in my fic). Said characters are also OOC. So live with it it's the way I write! Hehehe.
Warning: there have been minor to extreme changes within the characters of Yugioh, but it is all interesting changes no less and makes for interesting reading I must say.
A small house, with boarded up windows, sat lonely on the side of the street. The cracks between the boards black with sadness. This was the old household of Ryou Bakura. He lived in it while his father went on expeditions. But one tragic day, the day when Ryou's father should return from a long over due trip, never appeared on the doorsteps to greet Ryou. Ryou waited for that day to come when his father would return home. Years passed and Ryou's father was officially announced dead. Ryou was declared an orphan, with no living relatives that would take care of him. The orphanage would come every day to pick Ryou up and take him away from his only memories of his dad. Ryou was always resilient and locked them out at every attempt. They grew tired of persuading Ryou and tried to take him by force but failed. They were out to get him no matter about it. Ryou would eventually grow used to their attempts but never caved in. He watched and prayed for his father to come but in the end came to a conclusion that his dreams would never come true. He blamed it all on his Millennium Ring that was the last gift his father gave him. The ring caused Ryou pain, unbearable pain and agony. The spirit of the ring, now known as Ryou's yami, Yami Bakura, was the deliverer of all this grief. He would beat Ryou senseless and leave him to bleed. He made Ryou have no friends. They thought Ryou was insane and always ran away in terror. No matter what Ryou did no one listened to him. To rid himself of this evil he would depose the ring in the trash or with someone else but the ring found its way back and with rage Ryou's yami was down upon him, teaching him one of his lessons. These lessons were brutal on Ryou and he never knew why. One fateful day Ryou met Yugi and the gang and became friends slowly for his yami would try and prevent their friendship from growing. Ryou's friends never knew why Ryou was always hurt or bleeding but they got it out of Ryou and saved him from death or danger. They tamed Yami Bakura, slowly but surely and Ryou was rid of all harm. But just to make sure Ryou was safe and that his yami wouldn't try and hurt him in the near future, a guardian was given to Ryou out of a prophecy and so Strawberry was born into the world. Strawberry was named after his strawberry shaped birthmark on the left side of his chest. Strawberry looks exactly like Ryou, as if he was a yami as well, but he does have differences. His white hair is pulled back into a ponytail. His eyes are like Ryou's when he is joyous and sad, anytime that requires big puppy eyes. His eyes can shape to Yami Bakura's shape when he is storming mad or suspicious. Strawberry's eye colour is yellow, a golden yellow with the hint of red in the iris. He has wings of an angel to allow him to soar high and magical powers just like his sensei Otogi. He wears black leather to symbolize that he is a force to be reckoned with. But he is still a pup and has lots to learn.
Ryou opened his eyes to an unbearable pain, pounding in his head. To Ryou's disappointment it has been that way for three days. The same treatment over and over again if he failed his yami's expectations, which were all impossible to do. Blood stained his face. His hair was streaked with the colour red. It would fall slowly from a wound in his head. He swore he had brain damage from all the times his head connected with something sharp. Nothing got any better from there. He slept in his old room with little comforts. All his possessions were either trashed by his yami or thrown out the window by his yami. It made no difference to what purpose they were all used for because they just ended up being used against him. Strawberry wasn't any better off then Ryou. Strawberry just kept on bringing up Yami Bakura's anger and would not stop at the half waypoint. He was persistent and did not yield to any sign that Ryou threw his way. Every morning to every night and through the day they'd be at each other's throats. So by the end of the day Strawberry was filled with raw pain and laying in a heap of blood. Ryou took him into heal and bore the pains of Strawberry, let alone his own suffering. Why? What made him turn on me? I thought he was fixed? I thought he had no more pain to share with me or hide? Does he do this on purpose? Does he really like seeing me squirm under his power? No! No! That just can't be! Can it? He would ponder these questions for three days and each day draws near to one answer. Yes.
Ryou. You know the answer is in your heart why Yami Bakura is doing this to you. It's not a game. It's not a test of your durability. It's just plain torture. You just don't want to harm him, do you?
"No! I can't hurt him! He's my yami. My responsibility and I shouldn't let him harm you! Strawberry, I just want to hear the answers first before I judge him myself. I don't want to be a mistake like him. I don't want to be him period and yet he's a part of me and I'm a part of him!" Ryou dropped his face into the palms of his hands. Between his fingers rolled out a pearly white tear.
"Why? Why does he do this to me?" Ryou could have cried himself to sleep if a rude, unpleasant voice hadn't laughed at him. Strawberry shot a glance toward the intruder through his quivering master's eyes. Oh how he loathed that voice and the spirit that owned it. Yami Bakura emerge out of the dark hallway door, eyes alight in the dark, casting an eerie glow about that wicked grin. He strode over to the couch were Ryou was crouched, quailing as if a dagger would come down and smite him. Ryou couldn't look at his yami, feeling the way he was right at the moment. Look at me was all he heard from his yami. It was repeated once room ending with a chill in the air. His yami was mad he could feel it. This cold air came about before he was going to do something harsh.
"I SAID LOOK AT ME!" A hand snagged Ryou's hair, pulling it upwards with a force that could have ripped all his hair right out of his head. It forced him to his feet to face the raving yami. His eyes were cold and full of malice but it wasn't as bad as normal. Ryou had seen worse and if worse it was much more dangerous. Ryou could only shiver and stare at his yami's cold eyes. He was tugged forward and hauled to the kitchen. Yami Bakura stopped at the stove and looked at Ryou with an evil grin, almost sadistic.
"You must be punished for disobeying an order." Ryou could have sworn the merciless grin on his yami's face touched his ears. His laugh sent a chill down Ryou's spin as Yami Bakura turned on the bottom burner to the stove, cranking it to max. Ryou realized that his yami was going to burn his hands on the burner. Trying to worm out of his yami's wrist breaking grip he stuttered, "Yami I'm sorry. Please forgive. I wont do it again. I promise, I promise." Yami B wasn't listening to his pleases. Ryou tried harder seeing his yami was trying to pull his hand to the burner. Reflexes flying, he panicked.
"Yami don't! Please!! I wont...I will never, NEVER disobey you again!!! Yami! YAMI!!!!" A blood-curdling scream echoed through the house and out into the city. Barely reaching the outside limits. On a bench, waiting for Seto to awaken, Yugi's ears twitched and his head turned in the direction of the scream. The millennium symbol appeared on his forehead casting a foreboding appearance on his face. Mokuba had heard the scream as well. The sound had set him off balance and he was clinging to his sleeping brother.
"Seto please wake up! I...I want to go!" Mokuba choked on a whine caught inside his throat. He sputtered to release the air from his lungs. Mokuba cuddled into his brother for warmth, slinging Seto's arm around him. He placed his head on his brother's slowly rising chest. It comforted him a little to hear his brother's beating heart. A hand landed on Mokuba's shoulder. He lifted his head to look up at Yugi.
"Don't worry Mokuba. It's time for your brother to wake up."
"But Yugi, it was pills that made Seto sleep. Don't we have to wait until they were off?"
"Not anymore. Why don't you take a look?" Mokuba turned his head to glance at his brother. The sennon eye glowed on Yugi's forehead, as he himself looked at Seto. To Mokuba's joy Seto twitched and moaned. He opened his eyes slowly. As the setting sun hit his eyes, they shrank and then reformed as they adjusted to the light. Seto sat up and rubbed his head, his cool blue eyes looked pale and groggy.
"Ow! My head's throbbing as if I've been pounded by a mallet." He moaned. (Stupid pills.) He said under his breath. Mokuba eyes were alight with sparkling tears. They fell down his face as he sprang on Seto. "Seto!!!" Mokuba glomped Seto's head with all his might. He burrowed his face into his brother's hair and inhaled with a muffled sob.
"Um...Mokuba? Brother. Can't. Breath. I..." Mokuba broke out in repetition. "Seto, Seto, Seto, Seto, Seto, Seto!!!! My brother didn't mutate Yugi! He didn't mutate!! (Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!) I new Marik couldn't be right. I didn't believe him for one minute Seto." Mokuba took a gasp for air.
"I was so worried Seto. I..."
"Hush! I know Mokuba. You didn't leave me for one second and yes I'm glad for it but could you do your big brother a favour?"
"Yah, I could Seto. What is it?"
"Could you get off your poor brother's head and hug something else instead. I would love some air right about now." Mokuba blinked for a second or two and then got off Seto's head hesitantly. Seto took a slight breath of air but was bombarded by more hugs, which turned into bear hugs that threatened to snap his spin. He grunted. "Ugh...uh...a...Yu...gi?"
"Seto, I was worried too but we have no time to waste. We must go find Ryou now! He's been hurt I know it!"
"Yugi, slow down! I don't follow you? I know I haven't seen Ryou for days and I'm worried about him too but what do you mean?"
"Seto everyone thinks that Ryou's yami has turned for the worse again." Deep in Seto's throat came a menacing growl. "That low life rat thinks he can just take shelter under my roof, stab us in the back and get away with it! Well he as something else coming his way!"
"Seto calm..." Yugi's hair waved slightly like as if a silent breeze blew by. Yugi jumped off of Seto's lap and grabbed hold of his hand. Yugi was edgy and he showed it by yanking Seto to his feet.
"Yami just ran. If we want to keep up with him lets go!" Yugi let go and took off down the street, following an invisible trail.
"Seto. I wont be able to keep up."
"Get on my back and don't let go." Mokuba bounced onto Seto's back, hardly fazing Seto's balance. He clung with his legs and squeezed with his thighs for extra support. Seto took off at a sprint as soon as Mokuba was secure. They gained a few blocks already, the wind whipping their hair at the rate they were going at. Seto caught up with Yugi in meagre seconds as if Yugi had just started. He swung out his hand and caught Yugi by the collar of his jacket. Pulling with his momentum he whisked Yugi into his arms and bore the two little ones down the street.
"Seto are you sure you can keep up this pace for long with the two of us weighing you down?"
"Yes Yugi."
"What about directions? Can you follow Yami in this state?"
"Yes Yugi I can. I can see and feel ghosts remember?"
"Ah yes and our shadow realm forms also give you a super sense as if you had a link with him as well."
"Yes." They ran for blocks. Every now and then they would change directions with a sharp turn and head through a back alley or through someone's back yard. It seemed like an hour later but finally Seto came to a skidding halt, a stop that was so sudden it could have thrown Yugi and Mokuba off if they weren't clinging to Seto. The stop had brought them in front of an old run down house with boarded up windows. The paint was peeling off because of misuse. Yugi's eyes widened with disbelief. "Yami brought us here! This is Ryou's old house before he moved in with you!"
"I know." Mokuba only shivered. He had some nasty encounters with this particular house and they all had to do with Yami Bakura. The house was foreboding in his eyes and he sensed great evil come from the house just on it's own. From all the times Yami B had dwelled in there, the darkness grew to the house. In it's very walls it lurked to consume someone and that would most likely be someone who was corrupted easily. Mokuba looked at the back of Seto's head. His brother fit that description too well for his likings.
"Seto, I don't want you to go into that house. It threatens to consume us all!"
"But why worry about me, Mokuba?"
"Because you've been corrupted before by an evil presence and I don't want that to happen again."
"Don't worry about your brother Mokuba. He'll be fine." Yugi jumped down from Seto's arms and landed on his feet crouched. He scanned the area with his lavender eyes, etching over every groove for signs of life in the paling sunlight. His puzzle glowed in the dim light when his eyes hit the door.
"Yami! Come here! Please show yourself." Yugi whispered. A hand touched Yugi's shoulder or what felt like a hand. Yugi looked but didn't see a thing on his shoulder but still felt something.
"I'm right here aibou." Yugi could have screamed at the sudden voice but his mouth was covered before he could utter a word. His yami appeared next to him with his hand over Yugi's mouth. His ruby red eyes were drop dead serious when he stared at Yugi.
/He must have been contemplating for a long time in his soul room to come here right on a dime. / Yugi thought to himself why Yami got so fired up when he neared the place. It could only mean one thing that Ryou was in that house with Strawberry and his yami.
"Yami, you old fool! How come you never told me? What was it that made you keep it all to yourself?" Yugi placed his hands on his round chubby hips. He made a noise that only meant he was serious and demanded the truth right away. Yami's eyes shaded over, a nervous glint rebounding off of them. His eyes shifted left then right and he could only stammer while trying to answer Yugi. Seto bent over and watched closely. A grin spread across his lips and he started to chuckle at the sight of Yami getting fidgety under Yugi's contradicting gaze.
/Shut up Seto/ Yami whispered to the multi-billionaire. "Yugi I didn't want you to worry or drive you over the edge because of exhaustion! 'Gulp'...uh...hehe! I'm doomed." Yami shifted nervously as Yugi puffed up. He laughed edgily, waiting for Yugi to pounce. His legs twitched every time Yugi moved slightly. He didn't want to hang around and find out how dangerous his aibou could be.
"Yami!" Yami could feel Yugi raise his hands but no matter what he wasn't going to look his light directly in the face, eye to eye. Oh no, he wasn't going to fall for that one again. He heeded a huff of air being released from his aibou. Here it comes. Brace yourself he thought.
"That was all." Yami lifted his head up from under his arms for there was nothing slapping him. Nothing.
"Aibou?" Yami turned to face his light. /WHAT!!! / Yami's eyes bulged. He sworn if they bulged any bigger they would have fallen out of his head. Yugi wasn't scowling like he was two minutes ago but had his hand up to his mouth and was trying to suppress his mirth.
"I didn't know the pharaoh was afraid of little old me!" Yugi giggled. "I'm sorry Yami but I had too. I wanted to see who was on top and who was on the bottom (as in leader and follower.) I guess I'm top dog Yami." Yugi smiled at the frozen yami.
"What? No!! I'm the king! How...how could you trick me like that?"
"It's a tough world Yami and whoever turtles first is the bottom dog. The loser!" Seto grinned a malicious smile.
"Easy for you to say Seto. You're already top dog."
"Lets hope it stays that way!" Mokuba, who is still sitting on Seto's shoulders, punches his brother in the head.
"Hey!"
"Yah, well I want to be on top! I've never been on the bottom before and it does not start here!"
"Yami, I was only joking! I know how much that means to you but my little joke also means that Pharaoh is getting lazy in his years. Hehe heh!" Yami almost paled in the dim sunlight if it wasn't for a noise that came from the house. Instead he replaced it with a low, irritated growl.
"Lets get out of view." Yami hooked Yugi's arm and hauled him out around to the other side of the house were wild bushes took to grow. Seto slunk behind quietly. They ducked behind the thorny bushes, trying to conceal themselves from Yami Bakura or whatever made that noise. Yami opened a crack in between the pointy bush to get a view of the street and any approachers. Seto placed Mokuba on the ground beside him. "Isn't this just a little absurd? I mean its not like Bakura has people working for him!"
"Tell that to my yami. I think in ancient Egypt they over exaggerated. That could be used to explain this!"
"Sounds good enough for me." Mokuba looked at Seto then Yugi with worry in his eyes. "You mean there could be ambushers?"
"Brother I don't think Bakura would have set up an ambush if he didn't know we where here."
"Then why did Yami pull us into the bush?"
"I think he's just paranoid." Yugi shook his head in agreement.
"Sssssshh!!! You don't know that! I heard something and it could be anything!" Mokuba whimpered. "Yami shut up! You're scaring Mokuba!"
"He's scaring me right at the moment." Yugi said, as he stared at his yami with a look that could be described as terror but more modestly speaking, just plain creeped out. A noise from beyond the prickly bush frightened them to shut up. They had no idea what it was so they were intent on listening. Yami crouched onto his hands and knees. He prepared himself like a springboard, ready to launch himself at the unwary intruder but instead, thinking best for his aibou and Mokuba behind him and the fact that attacking would give them away, he poked his head out of the bushes to get a peep at the intruder. There was a shocked wail from the other side of the bush as Yami had just stuck his head out. The sudden cry of shock scared Yami and he screamed in reply. He pulled his head in quickly and there immediately came the sound of muffled voices and shuffling. Of course though, the other person on the outside of the bush was of no threat to them. He was a simple mail boy just trying to do his job. Of course it makes no sense what so ever as to why the boy was at this house for the mail service had told all employees that the house was not in use. But, obviously, this retard was simply stupid and didn't listen to a word people say so there for did not hear that announcement and has obviously been pestering the Bakura household for quite some time now. (But our heroes don't know this know do they) Yami was telling his little pack about his sighting and that they should definitely move before they were caught. They were ready to depart when the bushes separated and a face appeared through the hole. The mail boy had asked what the four people where doing in a bush outside a house like this but they never heard him in their panic stricken hollers.
"It's too late!" Screamed Mokuba. "We've been found!! We're all doomed! DOOMED!!!!!" The kid was about to jump forward and scream, running for his life if his brother hadn't snagged him by the shirt. Mokuba was jerked off his feet and landed on his rear end. He rubbed his throat and gasped for air for his windpipe had been slightly squeezed. Yami was sitting there wondering what to do to help his friends and little aibou, still not knowing that this pathetic excuse for a mail boy was no threat at all. He did the first thing that came to his mind, throw something and throw something pointy and hard. The mail boy was confused as he watched the people panic, wondering what could possibly cause someone to freak out so badly. He was about to ask another question because, you know, just to get it off his mind when he heard someone scream at him.
"I shall smite you for all you're worth!!! Feel the pharaoh's wrath!!!" A hand appeared quickly in front of his face, just like that but the hand was replaced with a horrible, scratchy burning in his eyes. The mail boy let out a terrible scream, throwing his hands up to his eyes and started to rub furiously. He fell to the ground in absolute shock, cursing and spitting. He was an appalling sight for any one who didn't know what had happened. Yami had grabbed a handful of those pointy, razor-sharp needles that sat in abundance on the wild bush. He did what any one could do best with them, throw them and he threw them directly into the mail boy's eyes. With this distraction Yami grabbed Yugi's hand and hauled him out of the bush. He looked back at the boy and a demonic grin spread across his face with satisfaction at his accomplishment over the enemy's spy.
"Lets go Seto! Grab Mokuba and follow me!! The enemy is down!!!" Yami had to yell at Seto to speak to him over the racket the mail boy was creating. The four raced away from the bush and down the lamp lit street. (By now the sun had set and the street lamps automatically turn on at this time in the evening) They turned into the back alley to make it an interesting 'escape'. Well Yami thought so anyway. They stopped when Yami thought they were far enough away from the 'perpetrator'.
"Yami, can we stop? It's getting harder to breath and my feet hurt." Wheezed Yugi. "And I believe Seto feels the same way." Yami halted reluctantly to Yugi's request. "Fine. I guess we need a breather."
"No kidding!" Huffed Seto exasperatedly. He took in deep gulps of air as he let his muscles relax from the intense running. Mokuba slid down to the ground off his brothers back as Seto let go.
"Yami, what did you do to that guy to cause him to scream that brutally? That was atrocious!" Yugi shivered as the high-pitched scream repeated in his head. Yami looked at Yugi, letting him see a smile snake onto his face. Yami stood up straight and puffed out his chest at his victory over the 'wicked adversary'.
"It was a very brave sacrifice but I had to do it." Yugi turned his head towards Seto. "What sacrifice?" Seto just shrugged his shoulders. Seeing they were no longer listening Yami interrupted them with a quick clear of his throat. "Sorry Yami." Yugi scratched the back of his head, a drip of sweat forming from embarrassment.
"I picked up a handful of thorns and chucked them in to our foe's eyes. I'm pretty sure he's blind now." Yami finished with a smug smile of accomplishment.
"That's all! I thought you had punished him and sent him to the shadow realm!" Yami's smiled faded off his face as he heard Yugi's disappointed words.
"And was that or those thorns the sacrifice you where talking about?" Yugi couldn't help but laugh at his yami's weird attempts to kill off his enemy.
"Well yah! Nothing deserves being used like that against something as cruel and as poisoning as he was. Even if it didn't move or breathe."
"Or could have been." Laughed Yugi.
"I could have done that." Seto stated as he blew a piece of hair out of his eyes.
"Aawww, Seto. All you want is some attention." Snickered Yugi. He grabbed Seto by the face and pulled him down to meet his own. Seto started to blush furiously.
"Nuggy!!!"
"What?? Nooo!!!" Seto tried to pull away but Yugi had already gotten him in a headlock and even if Seto stood to his full height there was no way of throwing him off. Yugi buried his first into Seto's hair and rubbed his fist as fast as he could create friction. (Which is pretty fast) Seto squealed in pain. "Piggy! Piggy! Piggy!" Mokuba joined Yugi, bursting into laughter at his brother's painful squeals. If he laughed harder he'd probably wet himself. Yami stopped huffing at Yugi's cruel little joke to join in the fun of torturing Seto. He lunged his own fist into Seto's hair, rubbing as furiously as the other two. Seto wailed. Tears were starting to well up in his eyes. (Well wouldn't you. It hurts when three people give you a rash burning nuggy at the same time.) The tears poured down his cheeks. It was his first time he cried in...a long time. He never cried when he was little because he was not aloud. He would have been slapped but considering that was then and this was now he could cry all he wanted. It caused him to start hiccupping, which made him blush. This caused the hiccups to get worse.
"Please stop! (Hic) My head (hic) is on (hic) fire!" Seto pleaded in a high-pitched voice. His hiccups came in between every second word that sputtered from his lips. Mokuba immediately stopped pounding on Seto's head as he heard Seto's pleading cries. The hiccups/sobs took Yugi aback as well. He stared at Seto with worry amounting in his eyes. Yami on the other hand heard them in a different way. Seto doesn't normally make these weird sounds and they enticed him to hear more. He thought it was funny. He also thought Seto was joking, just trying to get them off of him. So he continued with the same relentless force as before. Seto squealed, letting lose waves and waves of hiccups. He tried telling Yami to stop but his hiccups had took over completely and all he could say was 'hic.' Mokuba had never seen Seto this way and was very distressed by his brother's current condition. He got off Seto and looked at Yami. Considering Yugi had stopped a while ago and is in too much shock to stop his Yami, so Yami was the only one who was causing Seto so much distress.
"Get off my brother!!!" Mokuba launched himself at Yami and caused the darker half so much fright that he slunk off back into the puzzle. Mokuba landed on the ground with his hands empty and his chest falling and rising hard.
"Seto, you okay? I'm sorry if I hurt you! Please, please calm down. Seto?" Mokuba caressed his brother's back, trying to stop Seto from hiccupping. Yugi snapped out of his trance and looked at Kaiba.
"I've never seen anyone get the hiccups because of pain before."
"He's in distress Yugi! And he's crying! Crying!! Seto doesn't normally do that and we caused the pain. We made Seto cry!" Wailed Mokuba. Yugi cringed at Mokuba's words. "You seem to flip flop from various emotions Mokuba."
"That's not the point!"
"You did it again. Now you're angry."
"Yugi! You normally don't act like this. You're supposed to care when someone is hurt."
"You did it again."
"Aaarrgh!!"
"Stop it! (Hic) You're not (hic) supposed to (hic, hic) fight." Seto took a couple of breathers. The hiccups had slowed down a little but his face was blushed from the strain of trying not to hiccup. Mokuba and Yugi looked at each other. They blushed at the prospect of the two of them fighting.
"Sorry Yugi. I guess you're entitled to have a little fun once in a while."
"That's okay. Come on. Lets go find the others to tell them our news. Along the way we can get Seto some water."
"(Hic) Sounds (hic) good." Mokuba and Yugi laughed at Seto's hiccups, seeing as they finally had time to realize the fact that it was Seto Kaiba's first time he got the hiccups. They calmed down and took Seto down the back alley and out of sight.
Diclaimer: I do not own any of the characters within Yugioh, minus Strawberry (who you will find out about in my fic). Said characters are also OOC. So live with it it's the way I write! Hehehe.
Warning: there have been minor to extreme changes within the characters of Yugioh, but it is all interesting changes no less and makes for interesting reading I must say.
A small house, with boarded up windows, sat lonely on the side of the street. The cracks between the boards black with sadness. This was the old household of Ryou Bakura. He lived in it while his father went on expeditions. But one tragic day, the day when Ryou's father should return from a long over due trip, never appeared on the doorsteps to greet Ryou. Ryou waited for that day to come when his father would return home. Years passed and Ryou's father was officially announced dead. Ryou was declared an orphan, with no living relatives that would take care of him. The orphanage would come every day to pick Ryou up and take him away from his only memories of his dad. Ryou was always resilient and locked them out at every attempt. They grew tired of persuading Ryou and tried to take him by force but failed. They were out to get him no matter about it. Ryou would eventually grow used to their attempts but never caved in. He watched and prayed for his father to come but in the end came to a conclusion that his dreams would never come true. He blamed it all on his Millennium Ring that was the last gift his father gave him. The ring caused Ryou pain, unbearable pain and agony. The spirit of the ring, now known as Ryou's yami, Yami Bakura, was the deliverer of all this grief. He would beat Ryou senseless and leave him to bleed. He made Ryou have no friends. They thought Ryou was insane and always ran away in terror. No matter what Ryou did no one listened to him. To rid himself of this evil he would depose the ring in the trash or with someone else but the ring found its way back and with rage Ryou's yami was down upon him, teaching him one of his lessons. These lessons were brutal on Ryou and he never knew why. One fateful day Ryou met Yugi and the gang and became friends slowly for his yami would try and prevent their friendship from growing. Ryou's friends never knew why Ryou was always hurt or bleeding but they got it out of Ryou and saved him from death or danger. They tamed Yami Bakura, slowly but surely and Ryou was rid of all harm. But just to make sure Ryou was safe and that his yami wouldn't try and hurt him in the near future, a guardian was given to Ryou out of a prophecy and so Strawberry was born into the world. Strawberry was named after his strawberry shaped birthmark on the left side of his chest. Strawberry looks exactly like Ryou, as if he was a yami as well, but he does have differences. His white hair is pulled back into a ponytail. His eyes are like Ryou's when he is joyous and sad, anytime that requires big puppy eyes. His eyes can shape to Yami Bakura's shape when he is storming mad or suspicious. Strawberry's eye colour is yellow, a golden yellow with the hint of red in the iris. He has wings of an angel to allow him to soar high and magical powers just like his sensei Otogi. He wears black leather to symbolize that he is a force to be reckoned with. But he is still a pup and has lots to learn.
Ryou opened his eyes to an unbearable pain, pounding in his head. To Ryou's disappointment it has been that way for three days. The same treatment over and over again if he failed his yami's expectations, which were all impossible to do. Blood stained his face. His hair was streaked with the colour red. It would fall slowly from a wound in his head. He swore he had brain damage from all the times his head connected with something sharp. Nothing got any better from there. He slept in his old room with little comforts. All his possessions were either trashed by his yami or thrown out the window by his yami. It made no difference to what purpose they were all used for because they just ended up being used against him. Strawberry wasn't any better off then Ryou. Strawberry just kept on bringing up Yami Bakura's anger and would not stop at the half waypoint. He was persistent and did not yield to any sign that Ryou threw his way. Every morning to every night and through the day they'd be at each other's throats. So by the end of the day Strawberry was filled with raw pain and laying in a heap of blood. Ryou took him into heal and bore the pains of Strawberry, let alone his own suffering. Why? What made him turn on me? I thought he was fixed? I thought he had no more pain to share with me or hide? Does he do this on purpose? Does he really like seeing me squirm under his power? No! No! That just can't be! Can it? He would ponder these questions for three days and each day draws near to one answer. Yes.
Ryou. You know the answer is in your heart why Yami Bakura is doing this to you. It's not a game. It's not a test of your durability. It's just plain torture. You just don't want to harm him, do you?
"No! I can't hurt him! He's my yami. My responsibility and I shouldn't let him harm you! Strawberry, I just want to hear the answers first before I judge him myself. I don't want to be a mistake like him. I don't want to be him period and yet he's a part of me and I'm a part of him!" Ryou dropped his face into the palms of his hands. Between his fingers rolled out a pearly white tear.
"Why? Why does he do this to me?" Ryou could have cried himself to sleep if a rude, unpleasant voice hadn't laughed at him. Strawberry shot a glance toward the intruder through his quivering master's eyes. Oh how he loathed that voice and the spirit that owned it. Yami Bakura emerge out of the dark hallway door, eyes alight in the dark, casting an eerie glow about that wicked grin. He strode over to the couch were Ryou was crouched, quailing as if a dagger would come down and smite him. Ryou couldn't look at his yami, feeling the way he was right at the moment. Look at me was all he heard from his yami. It was repeated once room ending with a chill in the air. His yami was mad he could feel it. This cold air came about before he was going to do something harsh.
"I SAID LOOK AT ME!" A hand snagged Ryou's hair, pulling it upwards with a force that could have ripped all his hair right out of his head. It forced him to his feet to face the raving yami. His eyes were cold and full of malice but it wasn't as bad as normal. Ryou had seen worse and if worse it was much more dangerous. Ryou could only shiver and stare at his yami's cold eyes. He was tugged forward and hauled to the kitchen. Yami Bakura stopped at the stove and looked at Ryou with an evil grin, almost sadistic.
"You must be punished for disobeying an order." Ryou could have sworn the merciless grin on his yami's face touched his ears. His laugh sent a chill down Ryou's spin as Yami Bakura turned on the bottom burner to the stove, cranking it to max. Ryou realized that his yami was going to burn his hands on the burner. Trying to worm out of his yami's wrist breaking grip he stuttered, "Yami I'm sorry. Please forgive. I wont do it again. I promise, I promise." Yami B wasn't listening to his pleases. Ryou tried harder seeing his yami was trying to pull his hand to the burner. Reflexes flying, he panicked.
"Yami don't! Please!! I wont...I will never, NEVER disobey you again!!! Yami! YAMI!!!!" A blood-curdling scream echoed through the house and out into the city. Barely reaching the outside limits. On a bench, waiting for Seto to awaken, Yugi's ears twitched and his head turned in the direction of the scream. The millennium symbol appeared on his forehead casting a foreboding appearance on his face. Mokuba had heard the scream as well. The sound had set him off balance and he was clinging to his sleeping brother.
"Seto please wake up! I...I want to go!" Mokuba choked on a whine caught inside his throat. He sputtered to release the air from his lungs. Mokuba cuddled into his brother for warmth, slinging Seto's arm around him. He placed his head on his brother's slowly rising chest. It comforted him a little to hear his brother's beating heart. A hand landed on Mokuba's shoulder. He lifted his head to look up at Yugi.
"Don't worry Mokuba. It's time for your brother to wake up."
"But Yugi, it was pills that made Seto sleep. Don't we have to wait until they were off?"
"Not anymore. Why don't you take a look?" Mokuba turned his head to glance at his brother. The sennon eye glowed on Yugi's forehead, as he himself looked at Seto. To Mokuba's joy Seto twitched and moaned. He opened his eyes slowly. As the setting sun hit his eyes, they shrank and then reformed as they adjusted to the light. Seto sat up and rubbed his head, his cool blue eyes looked pale and groggy.
"Ow! My head's throbbing as if I've been pounded by a mallet." He moaned. (Stupid pills.) He said under his breath. Mokuba eyes were alight with sparkling tears. They fell down his face as he sprang on Seto. "Seto!!!" Mokuba glomped Seto's head with all his might. He burrowed his face into his brother's hair and inhaled with a muffled sob.
"Um...Mokuba? Brother. Can't. Breath. I..." Mokuba broke out in repetition. "Seto, Seto, Seto, Seto, Seto, Seto!!!! My brother didn't mutate Yugi! He didn't mutate!! (Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!) I new Marik couldn't be right. I didn't believe him for one minute Seto." Mokuba took a gasp for air.
"I was so worried Seto. I..."
"Hush! I know Mokuba. You didn't leave me for one second and yes I'm glad for it but could you do your big brother a favour?"
"Yah, I could Seto. What is it?"
"Could you get off your poor brother's head and hug something else instead. I would love some air right about now." Mokuba blinked for a second or two and then got off Seto's head hesitantly. Seto took a slight breath of air but was bombarded by more hugs, which turned into bear hugs that threatened to snap his spin. He grunted. "Ugh...uh...a...Yu...gi?"
"Seto, I was worried too but we have no time to waste. We must go find Ryou now! He's been hurt I know it!"
"Yugi, slow down! I don't follow you? I know I haven't seen Ryou for days and I'm worried about him too but what do you mean?"
"Seto everyone thinks that Ryou's yami has turned for the worse again." Deep in Seto's throat came a menacing growl. "That low life rat thinks he can just take shelter under my roof, stab us in the back and get away with it! Well he as something else coming his way!"
"Seto calm..." Yugi's hair waved slightly like as if a silent breeze blew by. Yugi jumped off of Seto's lap and grabbed hold of his hand. Yugi was edgy and he showed it by yanking Seto to his feet.
"Yami just ran. If we want to keep up with him lets go!" Yugi let go and took off down the street, following an invisible trail.
"Seto. I wont be able to keep up."
"Get on my back and don't let go." Mokuba bounced onto Seto's back, hardly fazing Seto's balance. He clung with his legs and squeezed with his thighs for extra support. Seto took off at a sprint as soon as Mokuba was secure. They gained a few blocks already, the wind whipping their hair at the rate they were going at. Seto caught up with Yugi in meagre seconds as if Yugi had just started. He swung out his hand and caught Yugi by the collar of his jacket. Pulling with his momentum he whisked Yugi into his arms and bore the two little ones down the street.
"Seto are you sure you can keep up this pace for long with the two of us weighing you down?"
"Yes Yugi."
"What about directions? Can you follow Yami in this state?"
"Yes Yugi I can. I can see and feel ghosts remember?"
"Ah yes and our shadow realm forms also give you a super sense as if you had a link with him as well."
"Yes." They ran for blocks. Every now and then they would change directions with a sharp turn and head through a back alley or through someone's back yard. It seemed like an hour later but finally Seto came to a skidding halt, a stop that was so sudden it could have thrown Yugi and Mokuba off if they weren't clinging to Seto. The stop had brought them in front of an old run down house with boarded up windows. The paint was peeling off because of misuse. Yugi's eyes widened with disbelief. "Yami brought us here! This is Ryou's old house before he moved in with you!"
"I know." Mokuba only shivered. He had some nasty encounters with this particular house and they all had to do with Yami Bakura. The house was foreboding in his eyes and he sensed great evil come from the house just on it's own. From all the times Yami B had dwelled in there, the darkness grew to the house. In it's very walls it lurked to consume someone and that would most likely be someone who was corrupted easily. Mokuba looked at the back of Seto's head. His brother fit that description too well for his likings.
"Seto, I don't want you to go into that house. It threatens to consume us all!"
"But why worry about me, Mokuba?"
"Because you've been corrupted before by an evil presence and I don't want that to happen again."
"Don't worry about your brother Mokuba. He'll be fine." Yugi jumped down from Seto's arms and landed on his feet crouched. He scanned the area with his lavender eyes, etching over every groove for signs of life in the paling sunlight. His puzzle glowed in the dim light when his eyes hit the door.
"Yami! Come here! Please show yourself." Yugi whispered. A hand touched Yugi's shoulder or what felt like a hand. Yugi looked but didn't see a thing on his shoulder but still felt something.
"I'm right here aibou." Yugi could have screamed at the sudden voice but his mouth was covered before he could utter a word. His yami appeared next to him with his hand over Yugi's mouth. His ruby red eyes were drop dead serious when he stared at Yugi.
/He must have been contemplating for a long time in his soul room to come here right on a dime. / Yugi thought to himself why Yami got so fired up when he neared the place. It could only mean one thing that Ryou was in that house with Strawberry and his yami.
"Yami, you old fool! How come you never told me? What was it that made you keep it all to yourself?" Yugi placed his hands on his round chubby hips. He made a noise that only meant he was serious and demanded the truth right away. Yami's eyes shaded over, a nervous glint rebounding off of them. His eyes shifted left then right and he could only stammer while trying to answer Yugi. Seto bent over and watched closely. A grin spread across his lips and he started to chuckle at the sight of Yami getting fidgety under Yugi's contradicting gaze.
/Shut up Seto/ Yami whispered to the multi-billionaire. "Yugi I didn't want you to worry or drive you over the edge because of exhaustion! 'Gulp'...uh...hehe! I'm doomed." Yami shifted nervously as Yugi puffed up. He laughed edgily, waiting for Yugi to pounce. His legs twitched every time Yugi moved slightly. He didn't want to hang around and find out how dangerous his aibou could be.
"Yami!" Yami could feel Yugi raise his hands but no matter what he wasn't going to look his light directly in the face, eye to eye. Oh no, he wasn't going to fall for that one again. He heeded a huff of air being released from his aibou. Here it comes. Brace yourself he thought.
"That was all." Yami lifted his head up from under his arms for there was nothing slapping him. Nothing.
"Aibou?" Yami turned to face his light. /WHAT!!! / Yami's eyes bulged. He sworn if they bulged any bigger they would have fallen out of his head. Yugi wasn't scowling like he was two minutes ago but had his hand up to his mouth and was trying to suppress his mirth.
"I didn't know the pharaoh was afraid of little old me!" Yugi giggled. "I'm sorry Yami but I had too. I wanted to see who was on top and who was on the bottom (as in leader and follower.) I guess I'm top dog Yami." Yugi smiled at the frozen yami.
"What? No!! I'm the king! How...how could you trick me like that?"
"It's a tough world Yami and whoever turtles first is the bottom dog. The loser!" Seto grinned a malicious smile.
"Easy for you to say Seto. You're already top dog."
"Lets hope it stays that way!" Mokuba, who is still sitting on Seto's shoulders, punches his brother in the head.
"Hey!"
"Yah, well I want to be on top! I've never been on the bottom before and it does not start here!"
"Yami, I was only joking! I know how much that means to you but my little joke also means that Pharaoh is getting lazy in his years. Hehe heh!" Yami almost paled in the dim sunlight if it wasn't for a noise that came from the house. Instead he replaced it with a low, irritated growl.
"Lets get out of view." Yami hooked Yugi's arm and hauled him out around to the other side of the house were wild bushes took to grow. Seto slunk behind quietly. They ducked behind the thorny bushes, trying to conceal themselves from Yami Bakura or whatever made that noise. Yami opened a crack in between the pointy bush to get a view of the street and any approachers. Seto placed Mokuba on the ground beside him. "Isn't this just a little absurd? I mean its not like Bakura has people working for him!"
"Tell that to my yami. I think in ancient Egypt they over exaggerated. That could be used to explain this!"
"Sounds good enough for me." Mokuba looked at Seto then Yugi with worry in his eyes. "You mean there could be ambushers?"
"Brother I don't think Bakura would have set up an ambush if he didn't know we where here."
"Then why did Yami pull us into the bush?"
"I think he's just paranoid." Yugi shook his head in agreement.
"Sssssshh!!! You don't know that! I heard something and it could be anything!" Mokuba whimpered. "Yami shut up! You're scaring Mokuba!"
"He's scaring me right at the moment." Yugi said, as he stared at his yami with a look that could be described as terror but more modestly speaking, just plain creeped out. A noise from beyond the prickly bush frightened them to shut up. They had no idea what it was so they were intent on listening. Yami crouched onto his hands and knees. He prepared himself like a springboard, ready to launch himself at the unwary intruder but instead, thinking best for his aibou and Mokuba behind him and the fact that attacking would give them away, he poked his head out of the bushes to get a peep at the intruder. There was a shocked wail from the other side of the bush as Yami had just stuck his head out. The sudden cry of shock scared Yami and he screamed in reply. He pulled his head in quickly and there immediately came the sound of muffled voices and shuffling. Of course though, the other person on the outside of the bush was of no threat to them. He was a simple mail boy just trying to do his job. Of course it makes no sense what so ever as to why the boy was at this house for the mail service had told all employees that the house was not in use. But, obviously, this retard was simply stupid and didn't listen to a word people say so there for did not hear that announcement and has obviously been pestering the Bakura household for quite some time now. (But our heroes don't know this know do they) Yami was telling his little pack about his sighting and that they should definitely move before they were caught. They were ready to depart when the bushes separated and a face appeared through the hole. The mail boy had asked what the four people where doing in a bush outside a house like this but they never heard him in their panic stricken hollers.
"It's too late!" Screamed Mokuba. "We've been found!! We're all doomed! DOOMED!!!!!" The kid was about to jump forward and scream, running for his life if his brother hadn't snagged him by the shirt. Mokuba was jerked off his feet and landed on his rear end. He rubbed his throat and gasped for air for his windpipe had been slightly squeezed. Yami was sitting there wondering what to do to help his friends and little aibou, still not knowing that this pathetic excuse for a mail boy was no threat at all. He did the first thing that came to his mind, throw something and throw something pointy and hard. The mail boy was confused as he watched the people panic, wondering what could possibly cause someone to freak out so badly. He was about to ask another question because, you know, just to get it off his mind when he heard someone scream at him.
"I shall smite you for all you're worth!!! Feel the pharaoh's wrath!!!" A hand appeared quickly in front of his face, just like that but the hand was replaced with a horrible, scratchy burning in his eyes. The mail boy let out a terrible scream, throwing his hands up to his eyes and started to rub furiously. He fell to the ground in absolute shock, cursing and spitting. He was an appalling sight for any one who didn't know what had happened. Yami had grabbed a handful of those pointy, razor-sharp needles that sat in abundance on the wild bush. He did what any one could do best with them, throw them and he threw them directly into the mail boy's eyes. With this distraction Yami grabbed Yugi's hand and hauled him out of the bush. He looked back at the boy and a demonic grin spread across his face with satisfaction at his accomplishment over the enemy's spy.
"Lets go Seto! Grab Mokuba and follow me!! The enemy is down!!!" Yami had to yell at Seto to speak to him over the racket the mail boy was creating. The four raced away from the bush and down the lamp lit street. (By now the sun had set and the street lamps automatically turn on at this time in the evening) They turned into the back alley to make it an interesting 'escape'. Well Yami thought so anyway. They stopped when Yami thought they were far enough away from the 'perpetrator'.
"Yami, can we stop? It's getting harder to breath and my feet hurt." Wheezed Yugi. "And I believe Seto feels the same way." Yami halted reluctantly to Yugi's request. "Fine. I guess we need a breather."
"No kidding!" Huffed Seto exasperatedly. He took in deep gulps of air as he let his muscles relax from the intense running. Mokuba slid down to the ground off his brothers back as Seto let go.
"Yami, what did you do to that guy to cause him to scream that brutally? That was atrocious!" Yugi shivered as the high-pitched scream repeated in his head. Yami looked at Yugi, letting him see a smile snake onto his face. Yami stood up straight and puffed out his chest at his victory over the 'wicked adversary'.
"It was a very brave sacrifice but I had to do it." Yugi turned his head towards Seto. "What sacrifice?" Seto just shrugged his shoulders. Seeing they were no longer listening Yami interrupted them with a quick clear of his throat. "Sorry Yami." Yugi scratched the back of his head, a drip of sweat forming from embarrassment.
"I picked up a handful of thorns and chucked them in to our foe's eyes. I'm pretty sure he's blind now." Yami finished with a smug smile of accomplishment.
"That's all! I thought you had punished him and sent him to the shadow realm!" Yami's smiled faded off his face as he heard Yugi's disappointed words.
"And was that or those thorns the sacrifice you where talking about?" Yugi couldn't help but laugh at his yami's weird attempts to kill off his enemy.
"Well yah! Nothing deserves being used like that against something as cruel and as poisoning as he was. Even if it didn't move or breathe."
"Or could have been." Laughed Yugi.
"I could have done that." Seto stated as he blew a piece of hair out of his eyes.
"Aawww, Seto. All you want is some attention." Snickered Yugi. He grabbed Seto by the face and pulled him down to meet his own. Seto started to blush furiously.
"Nuggy!!!"
"What?? Nooo!!!" Seto tried to pull away but Yugi had already gotten him in a headlock and even if Seto stood to his full height there was no way of throwing him off. Yugi buried his first into Seto's hair and rubbed his fist as fast as he could create friction. (Which is pretty fast) Seto squealed in pain. "Piggy! Piggy! Piggy!" Mokuba joined Yugi, bursting into laughter at his brother's painful squeals. If he laughed harder he'd probably wet himself. Yami stopped huffing at Yugi's cruel little joke to join in the fun of torturing Seto. He lunged his own fist into Seto's hair, rubbing as furiously as the other two. Seto wailed. Tears were starting to well up in his eyes. (Well wouldn't you. It hurts when three people give you a rash burning nuggy at the same time.) The tears poured down his cheeks. It was his first time he cried in...a long time. He never cried when he was little because he was not aloud. He would have been slapped but considering that was then and this was now he could cry all he wanted. It caused him to start hiccupping, which made him blush. This caused the hiccups to get worse.
"Please stop! (Hic) My head (hic) is on (hic) fire!" Seto pleaded in a high-pitched voice. His hiccups came in between every second word that sputtered from his lips. Mokuba immediately stopped pounding on Seto's head as he heard Seto's pleading cries. The hiccups/sobs took Yugi aback as well. He stared at Seto with worry amounting in his eyes. Yami on the other hand heard them in a different way. Seto doesn't normally make these weird sounds and they enticed him to hear more. He thought it was funny. He also thought Seto was joking, just trying to get them off of him. So he continued with the same relentless force as before. Seto squealed, letting lose waves and waves of hiccups. He tried telling Yami to stop but his hiccups had took over completely and all he could say was 'hic.' Mokuba had never seen Seto this way and was very distressed by his brother's current condition. He got off Seto and looked at Yami. Considering Yugi had stopped a while ago and is in too much shock to stop his Yami, so Yami was the only one who was causing Seto so much distress.
"Get off my brother!!!" Mokuba launched himself at Yami and caused the darker half so much fright that he slunk off back into the puzzle. Mokuba landed on the ground with his hands empty and his chest falling and rising hard.
"Seto, you okay? I'm sorry if I hurt you! Please, please calm down. Seto?" Mokuba caressed his brother's back, trying to stop Seto from hiccupping. Yugi snapped out of his trance and looked at Kaiba.
"I've never seen anyone get the hiccups because of pain before."
"He's in distress Yugi! And he's crying! Crying!! Seto doesn't normally do that and we caused the pain. We made Seto cry!" Wailed Mokuba. Yugi cringed at Mokuba's words. "You seem to flip flop from various emotions Mokuba."
"That's not the point!"
"You did it again. Now you're angry."
"Yugi! You normally don't act like this. You're supposed to care when someone is hurt."
"You did it again."
"Aaarrgh!!"
"Stop it! (Hic) You're not (hic) supposed to (hic, hic) fight." Seto took a couple of breathers. The hiccups had slowed down a little but his face was blushed from the strain of trying not to hiccup. Mokuba and Yugi looked at each other. They blushed at the prospect of the two of them fighting.
"Sorry Yugi. I guess you're entitled to have a little fun once in a while."
"That's okay. Come on. Lets go find the others to tell them our news. Along the way we can get Seto some water."
"(Hic) Sounds (hic) good." Mokuba and Yugi laughed at Seto's hiccups, seeing as they finally had time to realize the fact that it was Seto Kaiba's first time he got the hiccups. They calmed down and took Seto down the back alley and out of sight.