I haven't updated this in quite awhile, but Amphitrite has been giving me a boost off of the poems that have been written to go with this. That and I finally figured what I wanted to do, I actually have a lot mapped in my mind again. Funny what a shower can do.

Disclaimer: Don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Shinkou is mine,

************

It's hard to think, that as I approach the Domino Library, the reasons I'm here. There's only two, to meet up with Mariku, and with both of us....bring the one I love back.

As a....ghost, I can tell his attitude has gravely changed. No pun intended. But maybe it was like that when he was alive, and I was just too self centered to notice. I wanted to help him...I really did! Now I have a second chance.....I have to bring him back!

I stand before the closed doors on the steps, staring at them and my hand hovered over a door knob. Why am I so....paranoid?! I guess it's the guilt still sifting through me, I mean...how am I suppose to go like this....knowing that I'm one of the main reasons he died in the first place...?

"It wasn't just you."

I flinch, looking around, yet seeing no one, but I remember when I heard Bakura before, meaning he was SOMEWHERE near. Just not revealing himself. I don't really blame him, actually. I hear him again, his tone lower as if upset when I begin opening the door.

".....Sorry......you're mind is an open book though.....when I'm in this form......"

"It's not your fault," I mutter out, walking through a row of books to search for Mariku. He had to be around, hopefully not slacking either. I was Pharaoh after all, I don't preen towards that sort of style of "work" as a way of putting it.

"Check the Resources section."

I give a slight nod, yet still clueless. "Any idea where that may be..?"

"Talk through your thoughts, Yami. You're being stared at."

"What?" I blink and indeed, there a few people sitting around tables looking at me, I look to where I believe Bakura is "cloaked" from vision and don't understand what he means. "Can't anyone else hear you...?"

"Iie, only you and Mariku can."

"Oh." I try to figure through the matters, think with my thoughts? Is that like...my mental link with Yugi...?

"Something like that."

"This is confusing, Bakura..." I bite my lip, trying to put an effort in before something finally clicked together and I found myself finding a way to talk to him when I actually NEED to. \ Something like....this? \

\\ Yes. \\

I jump and nearly fall into a book cart, the woman pushing at it giving me an odd look, I think she was one who heard me talk to Bakura. Or in her eyes.... air. "You can get a book on Scitsofrenia in the Health section." I glare at her and keep walking, it's not MY fault I wasn't used to having Bakura's voice right smack in my head! I've been used to Yugi's alone, and even that feeling has dimmed the past few weeks...

\\ I didn't mean to scare you. \\

\ I understand....just got....surprised... \

I swear on my heart I could feel him, in my soul. Maybe we're like....bonded, I mean, I could live with that. Easily. But what I do feel, I don't like at all. He seems so...weighted down, I just wish I could do something.

Damn. I wish I could hold him.

At last I make it to the Resource section and catch a certain Egyptian's back, moving swiftly and slowly up behind the other, who sat smack in the middle of the row, two piles of books besides him and one in his lap as it was. I'm guessing the smaller stack of books are the ones he's read. "Mariku." I mutter, but I don't get his attention one bit. Maybe a different approach then, ne?

My puzzle takes on a large glow, I feel Bakura wince a bit as if in pain, even though I don't think his form was really near, but momentarily ignore it as the Eye of Ra shines across my forehead.

That sure got the other's attention.

I watch him in two movements get off the floor, spin around, and stare almost panicked at me. Back to Bakura though, my puzzle still glowing faintly as it mellowed off to its normal look. \What happened...?\

\\ N-nothing... \\

I nip my lip again, knowing he was lying but didn't push it as he spoke out to the other. "I came to help with the research.."

"Is Bakura here...?"

"Hai, I'm here..." the voice seemed weak and I was growing agitated because I had no idea why!

"Bakura, tell me what's wrong!"

"I said I'm f-fine..."

Mariku shook his head and sighed, drawing my attention when he pulled out the Millennium Rod and held it before him. I feel Bakura wince again, as if panic the other yami is doing this and I look to the side to see his ghastly form showed shaking on the ground, dim, but he was there. My eyes darted between the two and Bakura starts to choke out through tears towards Mariku, the rod beginning to glow.

"M-Mariku...don't....please....by Ra.....don't......."

"Don't what?! Bakura! What is it!?" My heart clenches as my love seems to curl in pain and I glare straight to Mariku, who finally places the rod away and looks over at Bakura. The other seemed to be able to relax and shape back into the air.

The blonde stares in an as-a-matter-of-fact way, yet voice solemn. "Any of the Millennium powers, namely the Shadow powers hurt him. I'm not sure why, but they absolutely hurt him."

"But that means..." I falter as I realize Bakura was hurting earlier. "Oh god, Bakura I'm sorry!"

We both sense him nod in acknowledgment, but nothing more. I can't believe I did that! What if it had some how...taken him away from us?! And it would be my fault and mine alone this time!

\\ Yami, please you must relax, you didn't know! I'm better now, really! \\

\ But- \

\\ Hush. \\

I mumble something lightly before sighing, looking a bit guilty still but Mariku drags my thoughts to something new. He's kind of amusing when excited. "I found something!!"

"What?" Bakura and I call out at the same time as Mariku stand quickly, I followed him as he left his pile of books and moved to a table, slamming it down and gazing all "starry-eyed" at the open pages. "Mariku what did you find?!"

"Shush, Pharaoh," I glare at him for calling me by my title and I look across towards a near table with some kid staring at me. Again with the glaring at Mariku.

"Don't address me like that in a public place!"

"Whatever," he scoffed, a tan finger skimming down the page of some whacked out language. I nearly choked on my own saliva when he had reached out and grabbed my hair, forcing my head down to look at the pages of the book. "Look! It's a ritual, challenge kind of thing…..but if it goes right, Bakura will be 'alive' again!"

"If you kill Yami, I'm going to spook your sorry little Egyptian ass," I heard Bakura hiss from somewhere behind us. I take it he wasn't too happy for Mariku trying to force my head in directions it wasn't designed to go. "Now explain what you mean by this little ritual thing…"

"It seems like it involves tests between two people, which in your case it's you and Yami. If all….three I think it is….are passed, then Bakura will be revived….if not….well…." He flipped the page and I literally fell over at the sight that spread over two pages.

"You're kidding me!"

"Skull and crossbones tell no lies," Mariku murmured and sighed, looking towards me and where Bakura had shown his face again. "Is this what you both are willing to go through? Nothing in this speaks on the kind of tests that would be strained against you both…"

"I'm dead already, I see no problem on my part," I lowered my gaze away as I watched the transparent russet eyes lock on me, not trying at all to hide how uneasy I was feeling. I think Bakura sensed my distress, after all he did call me an open book to him, so it was a little hard not to hide how I was thinking of this.

\\ Yami, you don't have to do this. \\

\ But what about you….? \

I heard him sigh and here I went feeling guilty again.

\\ I'm used to being dead by now Yami…I just…. \\ He didn't finish, I didn't want him to finish because I knew what the answer was going to be. He wanted to be with me, I could feel that was his answer the moment he had started talking. I glanced up towards Mariku, smiling as best I could. "I'm go for it, Mariku. Anything we need for it?"

I watched as he turned back a page, putting the "skull and crossbones" out of my vision once again. He seems to sigh as he takes in the information and my brows twist inwardly. "All our hikaris will be needed….and one or two others, I think it can vary, but definitely we need one other…. Ryou and Yugi to support both your souls, Malik to support myself while I do the chanting and one other to sustain everything."

"Who else are we going to find?" Bakura whispered.

"We need someone who's been involved with the dead…"

"Oh no…" I feel theirs stares on me and I look back up. "That would have to be Seto Kaiba."

"Why?"

"He was the High-Priest, Mariku, you don't remember?"

"No."

I rolled my eyes and then suddenly sighed. "He will never agree to helping. I'm pretty positive that he hates each one of us. Unless you want to drug him or something of the sort…"

\\ I would have never thought you to be one to suggest that. \\ Bakura murmured through my mind, floating so he was just above the table, looking behind him at the boy that had seemed to jump at the word 'pharaoh' earlier, which would make sense considering he was reading a book on Egypt. The ghost-spirit shook his head a bit, turning back towards the book on the table with the ritual, missing a glint in the boy's eyes. I said nothing on it. If I was reading about my home, my eyes would be glinting as well. \\ That kid was looking at us again.\\

\ Don't be so paranoid, what, he's probably….eight? Nine? \ I shrugged it off without a care, watching Mariku stand and leaving a bookmark on our pages, closed it and headed for the front desk. We followed him a bit after when he took longer than planned, I found out why by the slew of Egyptian curses.

"What do you mean you won't let me check the book out?!"

"I'm sorry, sir, but books from the reference section can not be checked out."

"Watch me check you out!" I gulped when I just cleared the rows of shelves and came into the opening near the counter. It was as I had guessed, Mariku had already drawn out the Millennium Rod and had it pointed threateningly towards the librarian. I run at him, pulling him away before he used any energy on the woman and growled in his ear.

"Don't you even dare!"

"But we need the book!"

I knew Bakura was near and had to search my eyes hard to see him hanging off near the side, mentally sending him a "buzz" to get his attention. \ Not trying to be rude, but can you kinda sorta move a good distance from here? \ I felt an odd feeling off his body and he seemed a bit hurt, yet I nudged my head towards the rod and I think it clicked in his mind why he needed to move.

Once he was gone, I backed away from Mariku and finally allowed a smirk to roll over my lips. "Now Mariku, you may use the rod."

"Whatever."

************

Somehow I guess being Seto Kaiba's rival meant I'm the one to try and drag him out of the house and use him to help us. This….wasn't going to be too easy. Mariku and Bakura went to go set up the needed tasks and things, gathering the extra people as well. And here I am, standing on the elder Kaiba's colorless doormat and trying to find what the heck I should say. Or do for another matter.

I sighed, raising my hand and pushing the doorbell, waiting. The door opened and I had to look down to actually see anyone. Mokuba, the youngest out of the two… His eyes widen brightly and he smiles, obviously surprised. "Yami! What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk with your brother."

He nodded and led me into the house, closing the door behind us and running into what I'm figuring was the living room. I follow a bit slower before stopping in the doorway, faltering when Mokuba sat onto a couch that Seto had been leaning against from the floor. They were…..playing Mouse Trap….

"Big brother, Yami came to talk to you."

The azure eyes snapped up, wide and then cold right pressed on me, glaring. I gulped despite myself, coughing a bit before voicing myself. "Ne….hey, Kaiba…"

"What do you want?"

"Mariku, Bakura, and myself need your help."

"Bakura is dead."

"Oh and you think I don't know that?" I sneered, glowering up and Kaiba when the other stood. "And he's not going to be for long if you leave this house right now with me and HELP!"

"Why should I? And what're you trying to force me into doing anyway?"

"We need you to help us with a spell to restore Bakura. It would take him and I somewhere for three tests, we pass them all, he comes back." I folded my arms, stating it simple and plain, leaving out the small part of death if we fail, but he doesn't seem to really falter at all. I heard him ask why I cared so much about Bakura and I nearly lunged at him, but somehow managed to stay still as I shouted. "Because I'm in love with him you self-centered dumb ass!"

"Oh, ouch" he smirks, still remaining unfazed.

I growled, now I was getting real close to choking him. I reach into my pocket, fumbling at my deck and pulled a card out, holding it out face up towards him. My eyes narrow in a serious manner, referring to him with his first name to help with effect. "Seto, I need your help. If I have to bribe you for such a thing, I will. You KNOW how much I believe in this card and that it's one of the ways I always beat you in our duels with. Dammit, Seto, take the damn card and help us!"

"Hn, the Dark Magician? This is mine if I help you all?"

"Yes."

He pricked the card out of my grasp and I lowered my arm as he slid it in his pocket.

"Fine then, I will help you."

\\ You gave him your Dark Magician…....? \\

I started a bit, turning and looking around before I pinpointed a surprised Bakura that must have just slid in through the door. My body shifts a bit and I throw him a smile, ignoring the crazy looks I'm getting from Mokuba and Kaiba. \ Yes, I did. \

\\ But that's your most…...prized card..… \\

\ That may be true, Bakura. \ I still smile, lowering my head and closing my eyes, voice never losing its softness. \ But it would be worth it, if you were alive again. \

\\ Yami..…. \\ He sounds surprised, which doesn't bother me. It's always better then calling me stupid or insane, or any other words that would hurt more from his mouth than anyone else's. "Well, come on, Kaiba. We'd like to start as soon as possible."

\\ And I'm getting impatient. \\

"And Bakura's getting impatient," I say with a smirk.

"Oh? And you know this how?" He scoffed after telling Mokuba to go upstairs, starting for the door. I laugh and move out in the lead, Bakura at my side and I refuse to answer the CEO. It just wouldn't be as much fun that way.

************

"Motou! Where the hell did you put the bag of candles my Aibou came in with?!"

"Malik never gave me any candles."

I open the front door of the Ishtar residence and blink at the sounds within, and how it looked. The place actually looked….normal. Funny, I would have figured it would be like some crypt like place or at least have black walls and blood marks everywhere. But no, the walls were white, the carpet was a light blue and the tiles in the small kitchen off the living room were a pearly color.

\\ Just wait to see their basement. \\

I gulped at that and thought to myself on it. It had to be a pretty big basement, technically their home was only one floor, but the basement made two and going by the houses dimensions, it was wide and long. I jumped back when someone stepped in front of me, Isis in fact. "Pharaoh." She gave me a bow and I mumbled quietly not to call me that, but I doubt she heard me. "Follow me." Follow her where exactly? I sighed as she turned, and moved after her, watching Bakura go….through the floor. Great, that was a rather….odd sight. He winks at me when only his head is up before sliding all the way down and I feel a bit sick to my stomach at that sight.

She lead me into the kitchen where I saw Ryou laying on the counter, the Millennium Ring resting in his hands. He looks up at her, and then to me with a smile. "Arigatou, Yami."

"Huh? Why? What did I do?"

"You're bringing him back."

"He's here, technically."

"What? Where?" I watched as Ryou nearly fell off the counter and Isis had to stable him before grabbing a box of matches of the refridgerator. I blink when she pulls me away and out to the kitchen, yelling back to the other that Bakura went in the basement or something. I grumble and break her grip as she leads me down the stairs.

"Oh, by the way, Pharaoh…" I tilt my head at her odd tone of voice. "We brought your cousin here." Huh? What the heck is she talking about?

"I have a cousin…?"

"Yeah, dumb ass," I hear someone spit and look up as we get to the bottom of the stairs and blink silently. The brunette, definitely not Seto though I think could somehow relate, gives me a short look before snatching the matches out of Isis's hands and looking over them. "What are these for?"

"The candles."

He shrugs and moves into the basement and we follow and hell….Bakura was right! This is definitely…unusual… There's a huge crimson painted circle in the center of the floor, a silver star in the center or it. Around the outside there are three wooden boxes that an imaginary line could form a triangle between them. Going back to the large circle (trust me, it's huge), inside other than the small painted star there are three more boxes. Huh, I guess we're almost set. "Where are the candles, Shinkou?" I hear Isis mutter in a bit of worry.

His hazel eyes dart around to us again and he chuckles softly. "We don't need them."

"But the ritual -"

"Says we need open flame. I have it covered, Isis."

I look between the two but say nothing as I hear something behind me, that something being Mariku leading Malik, Yugi, Ryou, and finally Seto all down here at once.

\ Bakura, where are you? \

\\ Besides Mariku. \\

I blink and watch him come into my gaze and shake my head with an apology that I hadn't seen him. Mariku and….ah…Shinkou move into the front of the circle, Mariku with the book we "borrowed" from the library.

"Alright, if anyone wants to back out, now is the time to do so. But at this rate that'd waste time - so everyone get your asses in here!" That's Mariku for you, always so demanding. But…we really have no choice. I watch everyone around me move in around the room, looking around with clueless expressions and I really don't blame them.

Shinkou walks up to me, a teal trench coat that's style resembled Kaiba's covering over jeans and a black shirt as he seems to observe me. "Hn, you have absolutely no idea who I am, do you?" I falter a bit and look away, feeling like I should but…I've never seen this other before… "Don't worry about it, you wouldn't remember me, we met once or twice in Egypt, but that's about it."

"What -"

He holds up a hand and smiles to stop me from talking, turning and walking back to leave me in confusion as Mariku points out where he wants everyone.

"Alright, Kaiba I want you on that far corner box, Malik and myself will take one of the opposing two. Ryou and Yugi, in the each of you take the two boxes besides each other that are closest to Kaiba, Isis take the final box. Shinkou, front and center." I watched Mariku set the book aside as everyone went to where they were told, and Bakura and I were still left with no place to stand for the ritual.

But….wait a second I thought… "Mariku! Aren't you performing the spell?"

"Well I was going to, but I would need to use that book, and well when we found Shinkou - he said he knows the spell, so we just switched places that's all." I roll my eyes and then fold my arms and he seems to catch the rest of what was on my mind. "Ah, right, you and Bakura -"

"Yami, you and Bakura sit in front of your hikaris' boxes," Shinkou answers impatiently and I nod to Bakura who floats to sit by Ryou and I move to sit in front of Yugi.

"See you in one piece, I hope soon," I reach a hand towards Bakura but it slips through his own and he tries to smile but it comes out faded and I try to reassure him with my own. "I promise that we won't fail."

"I know."

Mariku smiles towards us and I try not to laugh nervously.

"Everyone! Silence! There's someone's life to restore here."

We all quiet down and it's suddenly completely black and I can't see anything except maybe some of Bakura's hair and Shinkou as a magenta flame engulfs his body.

I think that Shinkou spoke something, but I can't quite tell as his back is towards me, but it had to be him considering his hands are now radiating with a fiery orange. I understand why he didn't want candles, he found some way to suspend fire in small flames around the circle before he starts to chant. I…don't….like this too much….

\ Bakura…? \

I start and want to jump up to see if he's ok but some darkness is thickening over my body and I can't move. \ Bakura! Answer me! \ He's….no….what's happening?! Why can't I talk to him?! What if we've already messed something up?! If I've lost you Bakura……no! No! I refuse to believe he's not here….he has to be here! He - he…..Bakura…..

I feel myself crying and I can't do a thing about it.

My mind….ow…….shit…..what's going on…….?

The flames that Shinkou had created are gone and I feel my body float up, getting a glimpse at everyone's faces and I'm pretty sure I let loose a scream somewhere in the mess of things, but my body jerks and it really doesn't matter if I screamed or not.

All I remember is my body falling through the floor.

************

There. Happy? You all better be! Longest chapter yet, I believe. Nine pages long, size ten font. Lol, oh and if the personalities of a character changed….ah, well, what do you expect? I haven't done this in awhile.

The thing in the beginning with the Millennium items was screwy, I know, that was written when I first started this awhile ago and I didn't want to change it. Hehe. Hopefully the next chapter won't be up in what….how many months did it take? Ah…..oh my god…..6 months! I'm so sorry that took so long!