Disclaimer: We do not own Inu-yasha or Yu-Gi-Oh. Back by popular demand, here's a one shot fic for The Chaos Series. This is the absolute, positively, last one, ok?
A Shippo Shorty
Shippo sat in the hut with the burner going under a bowel of noodles. He was trying to heat them on his own since there was little else to do and there was nothing to eat but Ramen.
"Inu-yasha's obsession with these noodles is getting out of hand." He said to himself as he pulled the top off of the hot steaming container. The others were gone now and poor Shippo was left all alone. He hated it when they left him there by himself, but they were just over in the village, taken care of poor Keade, who'd fallen ill and needed help. He was getting to be a big boy, now. Able to take care of himself. Plus, he really didn't know how to take care of sick people, so it was only natural to leave him behind. Sometimes, though, that the others felt he was still too small to help out.
"I can fight demons well enough, but I can't take care of one sick old lady," he pouted, and sucked down the noodles. Just then, he heard a familiar knock at the front post.
"Hello?" Ryou Bakura's voice called, "Is anyone there?"
Shippo stuck his head out the door flap, and said "Hey Bakura!"
"Hello, Shippo. Is Songo around?"
"No," Shippo said. "She's in the village helping take care of Keade."
"Oh, Is Keade feeling ill?" Bakura said, stepping inside the hut.
"Yeah, she got sick, and now everyone is gone to help her."
"And they just left you here by yourself?" Bakura asked.
"Yeah, but I'm not a little kid," he said. "I can take care of myself."
"I see," Bakura said, picking up two of the noodle cups. "You know, you really shouldn't leave such a big mess laying around. Why don't I help you clean up? It'll be a nice surprise for your friends."
"Okay," Shippo said gladly. He grabbed a broom, and started sweeping as Bakura put up the blankets and bed sheets.
"Where does Kagome keep her things when she's here?" Bakura asked.
"Over in that corner, in the trunk," Shippo said. As Bakura walked over to it, Shippo said, "Wait those are Miroku's sheets. They go over there," he said, pointing to the opposite corner.
Bakura stopped in front of the chest, "Oh…sorry," he said annoyed. Shippo went about his business, while Bakura straighten up the beddings.
"Say Shippo," Bakura said, "That fire looks like it needs some more wood. Why don't you go out an collect some?"
It was then that Shippo noticed that something was off about the way Bakura was talking. It was a little too polite. And how did he get to his time, anyway? A regular human needed a magic item to get through the well, and Yugi had all of the Millennium Items stored away in his house.
"That weird,: Shippo said, picking up some wood from out side. "How did he…" He dropped the wood and ran back in, to find Bakura rummaging through Kagome's trunk.
"Where is it?" Bakura muttered, darkly and deeply. "Surely that blasted girl doesn't keep the Jewel on her all the time."
Shippo gasped. "You're the bad Bakura!" he said. "Your after the Sacred Jewel!"
"So, you're not as stupid as you look." Bakura said angrily, walking over to him. He grabbed his tail, and said, "All right, brat. Tell me where that miko keeps the Jewel."
"Never!" Shippo said. "Let me down!"
"I'll turn you into a fur stole of you don't start talking," Bakura said.
"Uh…uh…" Just then, Shippo noticed the Millennium Ring glowing underneath Bakura's jacket. 'If I take the Ring away, maybe…' The fox cub pulled out a little statue from his sleeve, and a spell scroll, and in a blink of an eye, Bakura's hands were stuck under the now enlarged statue. Shippo slapped the scroll on the statue's head, and ran out of the hut, taking the Millennium Ring with him.
"Come back here you flea ridden rat!" the evil Bakura shouted. He used all his strength to pull upward, and the statue shattered into a million pieces. Bakura stood, and ran after Shippo into the woods.
"When I get my hands on you, you'll wish that you'd just told me where the jewel is."
"Oh man, this is bad." Shippo said to himself as he galloped away on all fours. "How am I going to snap Bakura out of this?" He thought as hard as he could, without distracting himself from running as fast as he could. There had to be a way to knock some sense back into his friend before it was too late. Then Shippo hit upon an idea. "Maybe." He said and came to a halt before the river bank near to the village.
"Decide to give up?" Bakura asked.
"No, I'm challenging you." Shippo declared. "I challenge you to duel." Bakura laughed.
"You think that you can defeat me? I've been dueling in shadow games for longer than you've been alive." Bakura told Shippo. "Still, I haven't had any fun for a long time. You know what they say, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. I accept you challenge, but on one condition. We play in the shadow realm and if I win, I feed on your soul." Shippo shuttered. His soul, man, who does this guy think he is? He thought.
"Okay, but if I win, then you've got to turn loose of Bakura and never bother him again!" The Spirit within Bakura laughed at the fox cub.
"Hahaha, very well." He said, though he had no intention of keeping that promise. He extended it his hand and the Millennium Ring came flying back to him. He grasped it and used it's power to transform their surroundings. A green mist shrouded the river and village from sight and all grew dark around them. "We'll be fighting on the battlefield of the mind." Bakura took out his deck and handed it to the kitsune. "Shuffle my deck, and I'll shuffle yours." He said. Shippo handed his deck over and they proceeded to shuffle them and then hand them back over. "Now then, I'll let you go first. It's not like it'll do you any good though. I know your deck, remember, I was the one who helped you put it together."
"Bakura helped me put this deck together, not you." Shippo said defiantly as he drew his five cards.. "I think I will go first and you'd better be prepared to keep your promise."
"You forget though, that deep within Bakura's subconscious mind, I dwell. I know every card in that pathetic little deck of yours." The Spirit of the Millennium Ring told him. "I will enjoy feasting on your soul." He drew his five cards and then the duel began.
"I play White Magical Hat in attack mode." Shippo said, summoning his monster. The tall man in the flowing cape and white top hat appeared on in front of them, "Wow, I didn't know that these things could come to life without duel disks." He beheld his monster and it was awesome.
"We're dueling the in the shadow realm." Bakura reminded him. "Here, we're able to summon the very monsters which will do our bidding. You have much to learn my young friend." He drew a card. "My move. I play one monster on the field in defense mode and end my turn."
"What's he doing?" Shippo wondered as he drew a card. "Okay, attack.." He commanded and his monster obeyed. White Magical Hat struck at Bakura's defense position monster card and it suddenly appeared.
"You've triggered my Man-Eater Bug." The Spirit of the Millennium Ring said. " Your monster is also destroyed by his special ability. Now it's my move and I draw one card." Bakura looked at his hand. It was a good one. There wasn't a monster, magic, or trap in his deck that he couldn't use effectively against such weak cards as he believed Shippo had. "I summon Sangan to the field and attack you directly. Sangan charged forward and swiped at Shippo, shredding his clothes and tearing at his flesh.
"Aaaah ouch!!!! That actually hurt!" He said recovering from the attack. Shippo looked down at his hands, they were cut and bleeding where he'd held them up to defend himself.
"Yes, don't you know, we're dueling in the Shadow realm, with no life points, only our very lives on the line. One of us is going to die here. Will it be me? Or you? Your move."
Shippo drew a card then looked at his hand. It wasn't very good. He was still just a beginner. Yeah, he'd beaten a Rare Hunter before. But to be totally honest, she wasn't very good at dueling either, and he'd beaten her totally by accident.
"Just great, now I've had it." He said "I play one monster face down in defense mode and place another card face down." The cards appeared and he waited for Bakura's next move.
"You little rat, trying to trap me?" Bakura was insulted.
"I'm a fox, heathen, and don't you forget it."
"Very well then, Sangan attack his face down card!" He ordered and the small, hairy, three eyed monster went forth.
"You just triggered my trap." Shippo said. "Reveal face down card, Raigeki Break and now I place one card from my hand to the grave yard to make it work." The trap card flipped itself face up and then a bolt of lightning struck Sangan and destroyed him. Another bolt of lightning struck Bakura and he fell to his knees, smoldering, and in pain.
"You'll pay for that one." He said. I place this card face down in defense mode and end my turn."
Shippo had to think a moment before he made his next move. He was winning right now, but he'd taken a pretty bad beating from Sangan. His cuts hurt and his body ached. He was slowly loosing his grip on reality too from all this disorienting mist. He had to stay focused though. He had to hold out until his friends could get back from the village and help him. They'd have to come back before nightfall. Now he had one monster face down on the field, but so did Bakura. He could flip his monster into face up attack mode and attack but then he'd probably be slaughtered. Pour little Shippo didn't know what to do so he placed one more card face down on the field then ended his turn.
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Kagome placed a cool cloth on Keade's head and pulled her blanket snugly over her.
"There." She said "How's that?"
"Fine child, much better now." The old Priestess replied with a cough.
"Good, I hope you get better soon. I'd hate to think of what life might be like without you around to council us." Kagome told her.
"Aye child, would be sad thing to loose your company as well. I am old though, and have not that many years left in me, but I am still strong. I won't leave ye yet." Keade told her. Just then though, Songo and Miroku came running into the hut.
"Kagome, something dark stirs near the river." Miroku informed her.
"Oh no, what is it?" She asked her friends.
"A dark cloud takes shape." Songo answered. Kagome grabbed up her arrows and ran off with them to find Inu-yasha. More than likely, they would need his help in fending off whatever evil was taking shape.
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Shippo could barely breath, the air was becoming too thin, and his body was battered by battle. Across from him, Bakura looked to be in just as bad a shape. They had been tearing away at each other's lives for what seemed like an eternity. Poor little Shippo's only good fortune in the duel was the fact that he was a Demon. Had he been mortal, he'd have been dead a long time ago. He'd held his own, his little deck had withstood the test of power, and he was proud of that fact.
"Give it up." Bakura said to him as he drew a card from his deck. "There is nothing that you can do .We'll both die here if this continues." The Spirit of the Millennium Ring was correct, but what else could Shippo do. He couldn't give up. Or could he?
"Alright." Shippo said. "I'm willing to call it a draw if you are." He said with a grin.
"A draw with you?" Bakura had never been more insulted. "There's no way that a scrawny little fuzz ball like you could be my equal. This duel will go on until one of us is dead or both of us are." He said and made his next move. "I summon another Giant Germ in defense mode and end my turn."
Shippo's hand shook as he drew his card. His deck was almost out of cards. If he ran out before Bakura did, then he'd loose. Shippo had to pull a rabbit out of his hat and win this before he lost his life. He played the magic card. Toll, then he placed a card face down.
"Your turn, my monsters are all defense mode, I can't do anything else this turn."
"Very well then." The Spirit said as he drew his card. An evil smile over took his face and he laughed wickedly. "Now you've had it. I remove three monster cards from my grave yard from play to summon the Dark Necrofear in attack mode. Go Dark Necrofear, destroy his puny monster!" He commanded The blue skinned creature appeared and then stretched forth her hands to over take Shippo's monsters. She grabbed one of them and choked the life from it. It shattered into pieces and then Shippo felt his life draining away. "You fool." But then suddenly, the Spirit of the Millennium Ring felt his life force being drained as well. "What?"
"Thanks to Toll," Shippo said, "Now we both have to pay with our life force when we wish to attack. It's my move now and I draw." He looked at the card he'd drawn and a feeling of excitement swept over him. "YES!!" He cried, "Now I sacrifice Thunder Nyan Nyan to summon Fairy King Truesdale." The gorgeously dressed Fairy/Plant King appeared before them and his attack points were equal to that of the Dark Necrofear 2200. They each now had a powerful monster on the field and were poised to use them.
"What good is summoning a monster with the same attack strength as mine?" Bakura asked the fox cub.
"I don't have to win this duel." Shippo told him. "I just don't have to loose it. I pay with my life force to attack your monster and destroy us both."
"WHAT!!!" The Spirit of the Millennium Ring exclaimed as the Fairy King Truesdale came at his Dark Necrofear. They were both destroyed and both Shippo and Bakura felt their strength leaving them. Their lives were draining away and it seemed that both had lost the duel as the dark clouds of the Shadow Realm dissipated and drifted away.
"Now we're both safe from the Shadows," Shippo said weakly. Then, he and the Spirit fell to the ground. After that, all little Shippo saw was darkness.
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"He's waking up," Kagome's kind voice said. Shippo's eyes opened slowly, and he moved around only a very little. His body hurt from prolonged exhaustion, stress, and fear. As he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, he noticed that his hands were wrapped up, and he had bandaids on his face. His was laying in Kagome's lap, and Miroku was putting a cold, damp cloth on his forehead.
"Are you okay, Shippo?" Kagome asked.
"I…I guess so," Shippo said faintly. Songo was brewing some broth at the little fire. He got a bowl and poured him some.
"This should help," Snogo said, handing Shippo the bowl.
"What happened?" Kagome asked. "We found you and Bakura lying on the ground in the woods. Then, when we couldn't make you guys wake up…"
"Bakura was being controlled by that evil spirit," Shippo said. "And dueled him, to keep away from the hut until you guys came back. But he took us to the Shadow Realm, and I nearly lost. "
"You didn't lose, little Shippo," came Bakura's voice. He was on a mat behind them. He was also bandaged up, and he rose up from where he lay. "You made him leave. He's back in the Ring."
"And I just that stupid thing back," Inu-yasha said, coming inside. "I was temtpeed to just let it float around in that void, but I knew that Yugi kid would have a fit. He almost did anyway when I gave it back to him."
"I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused," Bakura said.
"Well you should be!" Inu-yasha yelled. "Now we're stuck with three invalids."
"Stop Barking, Inu-yasha," Keade said from her bed.
"Here, let me make it up to you," Bakura said, thumbing through his cards. "Here you go, for being such a brave little Duelist."
"Wow. Morphing Jar #2. But, don't you need it?" Shippo asked him.
"I have another one," Bakura said, laying back down.
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He was tired beyond belief and his whole body ached. He'd been through hell with that spirit living inside of him. Before he could rest, there was one thing that he had to do. "Alright, they're not asking too many questions right now." Bakura told the Spirit of the Ring deep in the recesses of his mind.
"Good." The Spirit replied, "Nor should they. That little worm nearly killed me so I'm going to have to lay low for a while."
"I wish you'd just leave. I don't want to hurt any of my friends, even if it means getting rid of you. I only agreed to help you get the jewel shards because you said that once you had a body of your own, you'd leave mine."
"And I will. We'll try again another day, until then let's just rest, and recover our strength. It will be a sore day for us should they learn what we're up to." Bakura rested that night and all that next morning but it was hard for him to sleep. His mind was troubled and even when he was taken back to his own time, he didn't sleep well for a long time after that. The deal he'd made with the Spirit of the Millennium Ring was giving him nightmares and he dreaded going to bed at night. Deep inside of himself, he knew that something would have to give some time, but what, he did not know.
The End.
A Shippo Shorty
Shippo sat in the hut with the burner going under a bowel of noodles. He was trying to heat them on his own since there was little else to do and there was nothing to eat but Ramen.
"Inu-yasha's obsession with these noodles is getting out of hand." He said to himself as he pulled the top off of the hot steaming container. The others were gone now and poor Shippo was left all alone. He hated it when they left him there by himself, but they were just over in the village, taken care of poor Keade, who'd fallen ill and needed help. He was getting to be a big boy, now. Able to take care of himself. Plus, he really didn't know how to take care of sick people, so it was only natural to leave him behind. Sometimes, though, that the others felt he was still too small to help out.
"I can fight demons well enough, but I can't take care of one sick old lady," he pouted, and sucked down the noodles. Just then, he heard a familiar knock at the front post.
"Hello?" Ryou Bakura's voice called, "Is anyone there?"
Shippo stuck his head out the door flap, and said "Hey Bakura!"
"Hello, Shippo. Is Songo around?"
"No," Shippo said. "She's in the village helping take care of Keade."
"Oh, Is Keade feeling ill?" Bakura said, stepping inside the hut.
"Yeah, she got sick, and now everyone is gone to help her."
"And they just left you here by yourself?" Bakura asked.
"Yeah, but I'm not a little kid," he said. "I can take care of myself."
"I see," Bakura said, picking up two of the noodle cups. "You know, you really shouldn't leave such a big mess laying around. Why don't I help you clean up? It'll be a nice surprise for your friends."
"Okay," Shippo said gladly. He grabbed a broom, and started sweeping as Bakura put up the blankets and bed sheets.
"Where does Kagome keep her things when she's here?" Bakura asked.
"Over in that corner, in the trunk," Shippo said. As Bakura walked over to it, Shippo said, "Wait those are Miroku's sheets. They go over there," he said, pointing to the opposite corner.
Bakura stopped in front of the chest, "Oh…sorry," he said annoyed. Shippo went about his business, while Bakura straighten up the beddings.
"Say Shippo," Bakura said, "That fire looks like it needs some more wood. Why don't you go out an collect some?"
It was then that Shippo noticed that something was off about the way Bakura was talking. It was a little too polite. And how did he get to his time, anyway? A regular human needed a magic item to get through the well, and Yugi had all of the Millennium Items stored away in his house.
"That weird,: Shippo said, picking up some wood from out side. "How did he…" He dropped the wood and ran back in, to find Bakura rummaging through Kagome's trunk.
"Where is it?" Bakura muttered, darkly and deeply. "Surely that blasted girl doesn't keep the Jewel on her all the time."
Shippo gasped. "You're the bad Bakura!" he said. "Your after the Sacred Jewel!"
"So, you're not as stupid as you look." Bakura said angrily, walking over to him. He grabbed his tail, and said, "All right, brat. Tell me where that miko keeps the Jewel."
"Never!" Shippo said. "Let me down!"
"I'll turn you into a fur stole of you don't start talking," Bakura said.
"Uh…uh…" Just then, Shippo noticed the Millennium Ring glowing underneath Bakura's jacket. 'If I take the Ring away, maybe…' The fox cub pulled out a little statue from his sleeve, and a spell scroll, and in a blink of an eye, Bakura's hands were stuck under the now enlarged statue. Shippo slapped the scroll on the statue's head, and ran out of the hut, taking the Millennium Ring with him.
"Come back here you flea ridden rat!" the evil Bakura shouted. He used all his strength to pull upward, and the statue shattered into a million pieces. Bakura stood, and ran after Shippo into the woods.
"When I get my hands on you, you'll wish that you'd just told me where the jewel is."
"Oh man, this is bad." Shippo said to himself as he galloped away on all fours. "How am I going to snap Bakura out of this?" He thought as hard as he could, without distracting himself from running as fast as he could. There had to be a way to knock some sense back into his friend before it was too late. Then Shippo hit upon an idea. "Maybe." He said and came to a halt before the river bank near to the village.
"Decide to give up?" Bakura asked.
"No, I'm challenging you." Shippo declared. "I challenge you to duel." Bakura laughed.
"You think that you can defeat me? I've been dueling in shadow games for longer than you've been alive." Bakura told Shippo. "Still, I haven't had any fun for a long time. You know what they say, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. I accept you challenge, but on one condition. We play in the shadow realm and if I win, I feed on your soul." Shippo shuttered. His soul, man, who does this guy think he is? He thought.
"Okay, but if I win, then you've got to turn loose of Bakura and never bother him again!" The Spirit within Bakura laughed at the fox cub.
"Hahaha, very well." He said, though he had no intention of keeping that promise. He extended it his hand and the Millennium Ring came flying back to him. He grasped it and used it's power to transform their surroundings. A green mist shrouded the river and village from sight and all grew dark around them. "We'll be fighting on the battlefield of the mind." Bakura took out his deck and handed it to the kitsune. "Shuffle my deck, and I'll shuffle yours." He said. Shippo handed his deck over and they proceeded to shuffle them and then hand them back over. "Now then, I'll let you go first. It's not like it'll do you any good though. I know your deck, remember, I was the one who helped you put it together."
"Bakura helped me put this deck together, not you." Shippo said defiantly as he drew his five cards.. "I think I will go first and you'd better be prepared to keep your promise."
"You forget though, that deep within Bakura's subconscious mind, I dwell. I know every card in that pathetic little deck of yours." The Spirit of the Millennium Ring told him. "I will enjoy feasting on your soul." He drew his five cards and then the duel began.
"I play White Magical Hat in attack mode." Shippo said, summoning his monster. The tall man in the flowing cape and white top hat appeared on in front of them, "Wow, I didn't know that these things could come to life without duel disks." He beheld his monster and it was awesome.
"We're dueling the in the shadow realm." Bakura reminded him. "Here, we're able to summon the very monsters which will do our bidding. You have much to learn my young friend." He drew a card. "My move. I play one monster on the field in defense mode and end my turn."
"What's he doing?" Shippo wondered as he drew a card. "Okay, attack.." He commanded and his monster obeyed. White Magical Hat struck at Bakura's defense position monster card and it suddenly appeared.
"You've triggered my Man-Eater Bug." The Spirit of the Millennium Ring said. " Your monster is also destroyed by his special ability. Now it's my move and I draw one card." Bakura looked at his hand. It was a good one. There wasn't a monster, magic, or trap in his deck that he couldn't use effectively against such weak cards as he believed Shippo had. "I summon Sangan to the field and attack you directly. Sangan charged forward and swiped at Shippo, shredding his clothes and tearing at his flesh.
"Aaaah ouch!!!! That actually hurt!" He said recovering from the attack. Shippo looked down at his hands, they were cut and bleeding where he'd held them up to defend himself.
"Yes, don't you know, we're dueling in the Shadow realm, with no life points, only our very lives on the line. One of us is going to die here. Will it be me? Or you? Your move."
Shippo drew a card then looked at his hand. It wasn't very good. He was still just a beginner. Yeah, he'd beaten a Rare Hunter before. But to be totally honest, she wasn't very good at dueling either, and he'd beaten her totally by accident.
"Just great, now I've had it." He said "I play one monster face down in defense mode and place another card face down." The cards appeared and he waited for Bakura's next move.
"You little rat, trying to trap me?" Bakura was insulted.
"I'm a fox, heathen, and don't you forget it."
"Very well then, Sangan attack his face down card!" He ordered and the small, hairy, three eyed monster went forth.
"You just triggered my trap." Shippo said. "Reveal face down card, Raigeki Break and now I place one card from my hand to the grave yard to make it work." The trap card flipped itself face up and then a bolt of lightning struck Sangan and destroyed him. Another bolt of lightning struck Bakura and he fell to his knees, smoldering, and in pain.
"You'll pay for that one." He said. I place this card face down in defense mode and end my turn."
Shippo had to think a moment before he made his next move. He was winning right now, but he'd taken a pretty bad beating from Sangan. His cuts hurt and his body ached. He was slowly loosing his grip on reality too from all this disorienting mist. He had to stay focused though. He had to hold out until his friends could get back from the village and help him. They'd have to come back before nightfall. Now he had one monster face down on the field, but so did Bakura. He could flip his monster into face up attack mode and attack but then he'd probably be slaughtered. Pour little Shippo didn't know what to do so he placed one more card face down on the field then ended his turn.
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Kagome placed a cool cloth on Keade's head and pulled her blanket snugly over her.
"There." She said "How's that?"
"Fine child, much better now." The old Priestess replied with a cough.
"Good, I hope you get better soon. I'd hate to think of what life might be like without you around to council us." Kagome told her.
"Aye child, would be sad thing to loose your company as well. I am old though, and have not that many years left in me, but I am still strong. I won't leave ye yet." Keade told her. Just then though, Songo and Miroku came running into the hut.
"Kagome, something dark stirs near the river." Miroku informed her.
"Oh no, what is it?" She asked her friends.
"A dark cloud takes shape." Songo answered. Kagome grabbed up her arrows and ran off with them to find Inu-yasha. More than likely, they would need his help in fending off whatever evil was taking shape.
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Shippo could barely breath, the air was becoming too thin, and his body was battered by battle. Across from him, Bakura looked to be in just as bad a shape. They had been tearing away at each other's lives for what seemed like an eternity. Poor little Shippo's only good fortune in the duel was the fact that he was a Demon. Had he been mortal, he'd have been dead a long time ago. He'd held his own, his little deck had withstood the test of power, and he was proud of that fact.
"Give it up." Bakura said to him as he drew a card from his deck. "There is nothing that you can do .We'll both die here if this continues." The Spirit of the Millennium Ring was correct, but what else could Shippo do. He couldn't give up. Or could he?
"Alright." Shippo said. "I'm willing to call it a draw if you are." He said with a grin.
"A draw with you?" Bakura had never been more insulted. "There's no way that a scrawny little fuzz ball like you could be my equal. This duel will go on until one of us is dead or both of us are." He said and made his next move. "I summon another Giant Germ in defense mode and end my turn."
Shippo's hand shook as he drew his card. His deck was almost out of cards. If he ran out before Bakura did, then he'd loose. Shippo had to pull a rabbit out of his hat and win this before he lost his life. He played the magic card. Toll, then he placed a card face down.
"Your turn, my monsters are all defense mode, I can't do anything else this turn."
"Very well then." The Spirit said as he drew his card. An evil smile over took his face and he laughed wickedly. "Now you've had it. I remove three monster cards from my grave yard from play to summon the Dark Necrofear in attack mode. Go Dark Necrofear, destroy his puny monster!" He commanded The blue skinned creature appeared and then stretched forth her hands to over take Shippo's monsters. She grabbed one of them and choked the life from it. It shattered into pieces and then Shippo felt his life draining away. "You fool." But then suddenly, the Spirit of the Millennium Ring felt his life force being drained as well. "What?"
"Thanks to Toll," Shippo said, "Now we both have to pay with our life force when we wish to attack. It's my move now and I draw." He looked at the card he'd drawn and a feeling of excitement swept over him. "YES!!" He cried, "Now I sacrifice Thunder Nyan Nyan to summon Fairy King Truesdale." The gorgeously dressed Fairy/Plant King appeared before them and his attack points were equal to that of the Dark Necrofear 2200. They each now had a powerful monster on the field and were poised to use them.
"What good is summoning a monster with the same attack strength as mine?" Bakura asked the fox cub.
"I don't have to win this duel." Shippo told him. "I just don't have to loose it. I pay with my life force to attack your monster and destroy us both."
"WHAT!!!" The Spirit of the Millennium Ring exclaimed as the Fairy King Truesdale came at his Dark Necrofear. They were both destroyed and both Shippo and Bakura felt their strength leaving them. Their lives were draining away and it seemed that both had lost the duel as the dark clouds of the Shadow Realm dissipated and drifted away.
"Now we're both safe from the Shadows," Shippo said weakly. Then, he and the Spirit fell to the ground. After that, all little Shippo saw was darkness.
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"He's waking up," Kagome's kind voice said. Shippo's eyes opened slowly, and he moved around only a very little. His body hurt from prolonged exhaustion, stress, and fear. As he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, he noticed that his hands were wrapped up, and he had bandaids on his face. His was laying in Kagome's lap, and Miroku was putting a cold, damp cloth on his forehead.
"Are you okay, Shippo?" Kagome asked.
"I…I guess so," Shippo said faintly. Songo was brewing some broth at the little fire. He got a bowl and poured him some.
"This should help," Snogo said, handing Shippo the bowl.
"What happened?" Kagome asked. "We found you and Bakura lying on the ground in the woods. Then, when we couldn't make you guys wake up…"
"Bakura was being controlled by that evil spirit," Shippo said. "And dueled him, to keep away from the hut until you guys came back. But he took us to the Shadow Realm, and I nearly lost. "
"You didn't lose, little Shippo," came Bakura's voice. He was on a mat behind them. He was also bandaged up, and he rose up from where he lay. "You made him leave. He's back in the Ring."
"And I just that stupid thing back," Inu-yasha said, coming inside. "I was temtpeed to just let it float around in that void, but I knew that Yugi kid would have a fit. He almost did anyway when I gave it back to him."
"I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused," Bakura said.
"Well you should be!" Inu-yasha yelled. "Now we're stuck with three invalids."
"Stop Barking, Inu-yasha," Keade said from her bed.
"Here, let me make it up to you," Bakura said, thumbing through his cards. "Here you go, for being such a brave little Duelist."
"Wow. Morphing Jar #2. But, don't you need it?" Shippo asked him.
"I have another one," Bakura said, laying back down.
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He was tired beyond belief and his whole body ached. He'd been through hell with that spirit living inside of him. Before he could rest, there was one thing that he had to do. "Alright, they're not asking too many questions right now." Bakura told the Spirit of the Ring deep in the recesses of his mind.
"Good." The Spirit replied, "Nor should they. That little worm nearly killed me so I'm going to have to lay low for a while."
"I wish you'd just leave. I don't want to hurt any of my friends, even if it means getting rid of you. I only agreed to help you get the jewel shards because you said that once you had a body of your own, you'd leave mine."
"And I will. We'll try again another day, until then let's just rest, and recover our strength. It will be a sore day for us should they learn what we're up to." Bakura rested that night and all that next morning but it was hard for him to sleep. His mind was troubled and even when he was taken back to his own time, he didn't sleep well for a long time after that. The deal he'd made with the Spirit of the Millennium Ring was giving him nightmares and he dreaded going to bed at night. Deep inside of himself, he knew that something would have to give some time, but what, he did not know.
The End.