Disclaimer: WookieeBeta does not own Yuugiou, or anything else that may be mentioned in this fanfic.
A/N: Back to a normal length. Be happy.
Hateful Love
By WookieeBeta
Chapter Three: Friends
Bakura pounded on the door again, more insistently this time. The night breeze was bitterly cold, and the old tomb robber was nervous. He had been elected to bring bad news to the Mouto household. It was a terrifying prospect, even for him.
"Mr. Mouto!" he roared as his fists slammed against the heavy door. "Mr. Mouto, let me in! Pharaoh, stop moping and open the damned door!" That did the trick; the door, nearly ripped off its hinges, opened to reveal a very angry Yami.
"What does the Tomb Robber want?" he hissed.
"Calm down, Pharaoh," Bakura snapped. He wasn't in the mood to deal with the former ruler's temper. "I know you don't care, but I have to tell Mr. Mouto. Yuugi's disappeared."
It appeared that maybe Yami did care. He stumbled a few steps backwards, eyes unseeing, and collapsed onto the couch. Bakura started past him, but hesitated when he heard the Pharaoh whispering.
"Little light…hikari…weak stupid perfect little hikari…gone…" His tanned face had gone white, and he was trembling. Bakura bit his lip, then walked over and sat next to the Pharaoh.
"It's going to be okay, Yami," he said softly, putting a hand on the former ruler's thin shoulder. "It's going to be okay. We're going to find him."
Yami looked up at him with wide, fearful, haunted eyes – the eyes of a child. "Tomb Robber is sure? Tomb Robber will – " he hesitated, swallowed, glanced away and looked back up " – will help find little light?"
"Yes," Bakura said, nodding. "Yes. I'm going to help you find your hikari. We all will."
The Pharaoh looked away again. Bakura could tell by the working of his jaw that he was trying not to cry, but it didn't work. His breathing became ragged, and his shoulders shook. Finally the Tomb Robber reached out and pulled the former ruler into his arms. They stayed like that for a long time.
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"This is never going to work," Jou said, throwing himself onto one of the numerous park benches. "This is a huge city. He could be anywhere. We don't have any way at all of knowing where he is – it's more impossible than finding a needle in a haystack."
Honda glared at him. "We don't have a choice, Jounouchi. The hospital won't help; the police won't start looking for another twenty hours. By then it could be too late. It's up to us to find him."
"Look, here come Bakura and Yami," Anzu interrupted. "He doesn't look so good." The two spirits were stalking towards them through the park; Yami's shoulders were drooped and he looked pale and withdrawn. But when he got closer and raised his head they could see the fires in his eyes.
"Any luck?" Jou just shook his head. "What about the police, have they found anything?"
"They won't help," the blonde said bitterly. "Neither will the hospital. We've looked everywhere – it's like he just dropped off the face of the planet."
"Then we're going to have to do this the hard way," Bakura sighed. "Pharaoh, I know it hurts, but you have to help us. You have to help look for him. You're the only one who can find him."
The former ruler bit his lip in hesitation.
"Come on, Pharaoh," Bakura urged him. "Do it. Do it for your little light."
Yami searched Bakura's earnest face for a moment, and then he closed his eyes, brows furrowed in concentration. "Little light is…weak, very faint. Hard to feel. Dark, cold…it hurts…" His voice trailed away, and he seemed to be battling something inwardly. He winced and fell to his knees, holding his side. Bakura knelt next to him. "Far. Very far. Pain." He was silent for a moment. Then his eyes opened, his head snapped up, and he pointed. "That way."
Honda glanced at his watch. "If we hurry, we can catch the next bus," he said.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Jou stood and started moving away, but the former tomb robber's sharp voice brought him back.
"Wait, Jounouchi," Bakura snapped. "We have to give the Pharaoh a moment. He's connected to Yuugi, and feels everything your friend feels – he has to recover."
But the former ruler shook his head. "No time. Go now."
"Are you sure?" Yami ignored him and stood, following the blonde. "…I'll take that as a yes."
They set off at a dead run, but just as they reached the station the bus pulled away. Jou cursed.
"I know a shortcut that'll get us to the next station in time to catch it," Honda said. "But we'll have to move fast."
"Let's do it," Anzu said. "If Bakura's right, and Yami feels whatever Yuugi does, then we don't have much time." The spirit was already leaning heavily on Bakura's shoulder, face pale and drawn in pain.
"This way," Honda said, taking off again. They pounded through a back alleyway, and eventually Honda slowed to a walk. "Watch your footing in here. I can't tell you how many idiot thugs have broken their ankles in some of these holes." They took him at his word; the cement beneath their feet, once a nice even road, was pitted and cracked so badly that one misstep could bring a person down. "Oh, and watch out for the rats."
"Rats?" Anzu repeated.
"Yeah, there are a bunch of them in here."
"I hate rats…"
The alley was long; they continued on for several minutes in silence, and still they hadn't come to the end. Anzu, in platform sandals, was holding onto Jou's arm so she wouldn't trip. Bakura noticed that the Pharaoh's face was growing progressively paler. Suddenly the spirit gave a tortured cry and collapsed, curling into a tight ball and screaming.
"Pharaoh! What's wrong?"
"What happened?" Jou demanded, whirling around.
"I don't know," Bakura cried, shaking his head. "He just collapsed. I can't find anything wrong with him – it must be Yuugi."
Jou cursed again. Yami's screams subsided and he whimpered softly, shaking. Bakura laid his hand on the spirit's shoulder.
"No!" Yami shouted, lashing out with stunning force. There was a flash of light, and Bakura was thrown through the air to land heavily some yards away. He groaned.
"Bakura! Are you all right?"
"Damned Pharaoh used Shadow energy," Bakura spat weakly, sitting up. "Ryou took over and took the brunt of the hit. He's unconscious."
Jou cast an anxious look at the shuddering Pharaoh. "Whatever's happening to Yuug, it's not good," he said. "We've got to find him, and soon."
Bakura nodded. "You three keep going. The Pharaoh's pretty much down for the duration, I think, and I'm not much better until Ryou wakes up. We'll catch up as soon as we can."
"Right. Don't take too long. Come on, Honda, Anzu, let's go!" The trio tore down the alley, heedless of the holes at their feet, and then the two spirits were alone with the rats.
Bakura winced as he stumbled over to the fallen Pharaoh. The Shadow Energy made every muscle in his body ache, but whatever he was feeling, the other spirit was feeling so much more. He was still shaking.
"No," Yami whimpered as Bakura's fingers brushed his hand. "No…please…stop, please, noooooo!" He jerked away violently, and Bakura grabbed his shoulders.
"Pharaoh! Wake up! Snap out of it, it isn't real – dammit, baka, wake up!" He gave the spirit a not-so-gentle shake, and forced his head up. "Listen to me! It isn't real – it isn't you feeling this! You have to break the bond!"
Yami's wild eyes locked on his own, and suddenly he seemed to realize what was happening. He hugged his shoulders and shook for a moment. "Little light," he whispered. "My little light…"
"Come on," Bakura said, pulling the former Pharaoh to his feet, "we've got to keep moving."
They didn't make it far. No sooner had they reached the sunlit street than did Yami collapse again, nearly dragging the tomb robber with him. Weakened by the absence of his other, it was all Bakura could do to keep his feet. He cursed.
This is never going to work, he told himself. He can't keep this up, but every second is important, and he can't just break the bond completely. There has to be some other way…
This "other way" became suddenly clear as a tall figure in a very familiar trenchcoat holding a briefcase stalked up the sidewalk.
"Hey! Kaiba!" Bakura shouted, limping towards him as fast as he could, half-dragging and half-carrying the Pharaoh. "Kaiba, don't ignore me – I need your help!"
The young CEO lengthened his stride ever so slightly, and almost instantly he was at the thief's side.
"What the hell happened?" he demanded as he helped Bakura lay the nearly-unconscious spirit on the ground.
"Long story short, Yuugi was kidnapped and we have to rescue him really soon," Bakura said tersely. "This is Yami. I can't carry him there fast enough – I need your help."
"Why should I trust you?"
"Because if you don't, Yuugi will die," came the flat answer.
Kaiba sighed, then pressed a tiny unnoticeable button on his collar. He murmured something into it; within minutes a helicopter was hovering overhead, and a long rope ladder swung down. Kaiba lifted the Pharaoh in one arm – he's incredibly strong, Bakura couldn't help but think – and scaled the ladder with the ease of practice. Bakura followed only slightly more hesitantly.
"Go to the nearest hospital," Kaiba said to the pilot.
Bakura shook his head. "No. Yuugi first. There's nothing the doctors would be able to do for him anyway – none of what he feels is real."
"Then what – "
"Long story, you wouldn't understand." Kaiba seemed to take the hint.
"North-northwest," Bakura ordered. "And keep an eye peeled. I don't know exactly what we're looking for, but we'll probably recognize it when we see it."