Hi guys! Here's chapter 3.
A/N: Okay, I know that you're not supposed to be able to see the spirits outside of their millennium items, but I have read plenty of fics that have them in a spirit form that can be seen by everyone, so that's how it is here. They can't touch anything, all they pretty much do is sit there and glare.
Disclaimer for my disclaimer: Yes, I have a disclaimer for my disclaimer. I know that everyone has read this disclaimer. I have plenty of times. I read it from one guy who said he stole it from another guy who probably stole it from someone else. And the vicious cycle continues. But, I will give due to whoever did create it first. It's cute, I loved it, and so I used it.
Disclaimer (the real one, I promise): Ahem… "Roses are red, violets are blue. I no own, so you no sue." I love that. It is so cute!!!
Yami: Did you know that you are a complete moron?
Saige: Did you know that gold has a melting point of 1064ºC? So just remember, it wouldn't take that much effort to turn the puzzle into a millennium bracelet and matching pair of earrings.
Yami: …Gulp…uh, why don't we just get to the story?
Saige: That's better.
I have never been strong. No, let me rephrase that. Everyone has their strengths, including me. What I do not have however, is a very strong resolve. I tend to waiver in my decisions. It's one of the many things that I do not like about myself. But I don't understand how people can just barrel into their decisions head on, with out considering them from every angle. That's what I do, and most of the time, regardless of what the decision is about, I change my mind half a dozen times before finally, but not wholeheartedly, I decide.
This time was no different. I'm not God; I don't have the right to make the choice about who lives and who dies. What gave me the right to end Bakura's existence, no matter how much I wanted to? How could I? Of all the people in the world, I have the ring. It could just have easily ended up with someone else, yet I am the one who has it. Was it destiny? I don't know. And if it was, what right did I have to screw with some kind of cosmic balance?
I do know one thing for certain though, I can't, no; I won't live like this forever.
What are you babbling about?
I tensed and stopped dead in my tracks as the voice echoed through my mind. He heard me. I cursed my stupidity. I had come all of this way, my plans all laid out, only to be discovered when I was this close to the end. But I closed the link, didn't I? I know I did.
I won't live like this. Bakura mocked my words with a chuckle. You foolish mortals. Always worried about life. Guess what? The essence of life is change. Get used to it and stop whining about what you cannot help. If you do not like the hand that you have been dealt, then just wait. Life will change. It always does.His tone sounded wistful and whimsical all at once. I could tell that he was probably thinking about something else as he spoke. Perhaps something from his shaded past?
At least he wasn't on to me. Bakura had only caught the tail end of my thoughts, and had mistaken my meaning. I began walking again, and now I could see the game shop that Yugi and his grandfather lived at in the distance.
Bakura's words stayed with me. He had almost sounded… pensive? Maybe that was stretching it a little, but Bakura had never said anything like that to me. I steeled my self and asked him about it.
/What did you mean?/
Huh?
/What you said…about life. What did you mean?/
Nothing.He said in a biting tone. You were babbling, so I thought I would join the party. Now, could you hurry up? Why are you dragging your feet? I want to get this over with.
Ah, that was more like the spirit I knew. And here I was starting to feel bad about what I was about to do. Yes Bakura, the essence of life is change. And you're about to have the change of your life.
I've come to the conclusion that Yugi Motou has the biggest smile of any single person alive. And I think that it grows every time I see him. The last time I had seen his was just this afternoon, at school. Yet, as he opened the door to greet me, there the smile was. Like I was some long lost relative that he had not seen for years and years. I guess he appreciates all of his friends.
I greeted him in kind as I walked past him and into his living room. There, the "gang" was waiting on me. Joey and Tristan were busy in a Duel Monsters game. Although Joey's skills had far surpassed Tristan's, they still played. And Joey never passed up an opportunity to remind his best friend of his superior abilities. Joey could be really conceited sometimes. It had cost him many duels in the past and no doubt would continue to do so well into the future. Tea was absent, but I figured that she was probably in the kitchen retrieving snacks for the seemingly bottomless pits that were Joey, Tristan and Yugi's stomachs. I guess that was the curse of someone that was best friends with a bunch of guys. Endless snack vending duties.
Yugi's grandfather was out of the country at the moment, away at some gaming convention. It was only because of that that we were able to hang out on a school night.
There was one more party member that I was missing. Oh wait, there he was. As I scanned the room, I almost missed the faded, translucent figure leaning with his arms crossed in front of him against the far wall of the room. Yami was calmly, yet openly watching me from his vantage point. I looked at him briefly, and he nodded his greeting to me. Then, I averted my eyes from his piercing, crimson gaze. Yami had a way of looking into your eyes and straight down to your soul. Or maybe that was just with me. He was well aware with Bakura's ambitions, and while he harbored no ill will against me personally, the former pharaoh always kept a close watch on where I was at all times. And he was never really discreet with his scrutiny. When I had first become aware of him, it had really unnerved me. But I wholly understood his motives, so I was getting used to it. Of course, if all went as it should, then neither of us would have to worry ever again.
"Hey Ryou, You're late," Joey greeted me.
"Sorry," I replied with a smile, "I had some errands to run before I came over."
"There's no need to apologize," Tea said as she entered from the kitchen, struggling with the tray of snacks that she was carrying. "Joey has no room to talk, he just arrived about five minutes ago." She laid the tray on the coffee table, and the boys abandoned their game to attack the food.
"No fair Tea!" Joey said between mouthfuls, "I told you not to tell."
Tea rolled her eyes at him before retreating to her chair with her snack and sitting down.
"Come on Joey," Tristan said, "Get your mind back on the duel. I want to beat you and get it over with."
"I play the winner," Yugi stated.
"Well you may be waiting a while," Tristan said sarcastically, "This idiot won't move already."
"Hey!" Joey shot back, "You can't rush genius."
"Then I'm lucky, because that's counts you out."
As the two boys locked in their verbal fight, I saw my opening. "It looks like they may take a while Yugi," I said, "If you want, I'll play against you."
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Yami take a quick step away from the wall. Yugi glanced at him, and I waited in silence as they conversed.
Yugi turned back to me and smiled, "Sure Ryou," He said, "Let me just go up stairs and get my deck." With that, he ran up the stairs. I turned to watch Joey and Tristan. That duel game was going no where fast.
You're becoming more useful than I thought.
/What's that supposed to mean?/ I asked, knowing exactly what Bakura meant.
Why don't you just gift wrap the puzzle for me?
/Stay out of this. Can't I have a friendly card game with my friend without you butting in?/
Are you demanding that I don't use this opportunity to get the puzzle?He challenged. He knew I didn't demand anything, especially from him.
/Yes, I am, so back off./
Certainly, master.If sarcasm were a liquid that actually could drip, then I would probably be drowning in it. But the result was as I knew it would be. My defiance would insure that Bakura would try even harder to interrupt the game. Perfect. Phase one complete.
Now to slip the card into Yugi's deck. That may prove to be more difficult. But if this was fate, then the opportunity would present itself. I slipped my hand into my pocket. My fingers brushed up against the card, assuring me that it was still there. But how to do it? If I didn't get the card into his deck fast, then my plan would fail.
I heard Yugi's footsteps on the stair case and turned. He was racing down the stairs, his deck in hand. He hopped down the final three steps in one leap.
My, he sure is enthusiastic to lose.
/Didn't I tell you to butt out?/
Yes, you did.
Yes Bakura, just continue to be as smug and sure as you always are. That will make this that much easier.
Just then, opportunity presented itself more clearly than I could ever have wished. Joey, always the prankster, put his foot out as Yugi passed. Yugi stumbled over it, causing Joey and Tristan to burst into laughter. Yugi did not fall, but in surprise, his deck flew from his hand and across the room. The cards fell to the floor like leaves in the Fall, a shower of brown and black.
I almost laughed myself, just because of the sheer hilarity of it all. Quickly, I moved t help the teen collect all of his cards. Unnoticed by the others, and even by Bakura, I slipped the card out of my pocket and mixed it with the ones I had picked up. I handed them to Yugi, who accepted them gratefully.
"Thanks a lot Joey!" Yugi said glaring at Joey.
"Sorry Yuge," Joey said, fighting to keep from laughing, "But you should have seen your face. It was priceless."
"Grow up Joey!" Tea exclaimed throwing a potato chip at him.
"I said I was sorry!"
"Yugi, are you ready?" I inquired.
He sighed, "Yeah, just let me check to see if I'm missing any."
Uh-oh.
"Um…wait," I stammered as he flipped the cards over to thumb through them.
"Why?" He asked.
"Uh… well,… if you're missing a card or two, then I might actually have a chance at winning a game." I smiled and tried to sound joking, "Maybe if I'm lucky, your Dark Magician is not there." He looked very unconvinced, so I tried to look pathetic, "Please? Then we'll check your deck and I'll help you find any that are missing. Okay?"
"Okay," Yugi said hesitantly, "But nobody step on any. Okay Joey?"
"What?" Joey said defensively, "Why don't you yell at Tristan, he has bigger feet than I do."
"Yeah, and a bigger brain too." Tristan shot back.
"Oh har-har."
I got out my own deck as Yugi and I moved to the coffee table and knelt across from each other. After clearing ourselves some space, we each shuffled our decks and drew our cards. Then, the game began.
Saige: dum-dum-dum!!!
Yami: You got that right.
Saige: That's it, Buddy! Next stop, Earrings!!! begins chasing Yami ranting about jewelry.
Yugi: Please review!