Chapter Seven: "A Place Where We Can't Be Disturbed."

A/N: I have quoted some text from Stephen King's "The Shining" in this chapter, and I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that I do not own "The Shining" or Yu-gi-oh or Northern Lights. Also, I have read "The Shining" and I would definitely recommend it. It is a brilliant book, written by a brilliant author. Northern Lights is just as brilliant, but in a slightly different way.

Warnings: a bit of bad language

Also:

(Hikari speech)

((Yami speech))

Malik (through Millennium Rod) speech

………………….

Ryou was sitting in a chair in his room, engrossed in his book. It was "The Shining" by Stephen King. Ryou like nothing better than to be left in peace and quiet, reading a good thriller. His yami had separated and gone off somewhere with Malik, leaving Ryou alone. This suited them both very well.

"The entire dome was splattered with blood, he could see dotted bits of hair but nothing else thank God he could see nothing else, and still he thought he would be sick because he could hear the hammer blows still falling, could hear them through the glass just as he could hear the phrases of 'The Blue Danube.' But the sounds were no longer the mechanical tink-tink-tink of a mechanical hammer striking a mechanical head, but the soft and squishy sound of a real hammer slicing down and whacking into a spongy, muddy ruin. A ruin that once had been-"

The door creaked open and Ryou jumped about a foot in the air, dropping his book. Why oh why do I read so many horror books?!

Relief washed over him when he realised it was only Bakura, deep in a conversation with Malik.

"I'm telling you, there is no privacy in this place!" Bakura was saying angrily. "I swear to Ra that damn Pharaoh is listening in on practically every conversation we have. It's almost like he suspects something. This plan isn't going to work unless we can discuss the details together privately-" He broke off, and looked at his hikari as if seeing him for the first time. Ryou gulped. He now understood exactly how a baby lamb felt when a wolf was staring at it. Bakura looked at Malik, and unspoken agreement passed between them. The Millennium Rod holder nodded.

"This could work."

They both walked slowly towards Ryou, who was starting to feel cornered. He looked uneasily around for an escape route, and half-rose from his chair. "What's going on?" he asked uncertainly.

"Sit down," Malik said calmly. "We're not going to hurt you." Bakura pushed Ryou back into the chair, and went into the Ring, which shone brightly and then appeared around his hikari's neck.

Malik pulled up a chair and sat opposite his prey, long dark fingers curled tightly around the Millennium Rod. He looked deep into Ryou's eyes, and concentrated on synchronising their breathing. In… out… in… out… Ryou's eyes closed, and after a moment, Malik's did too.

…………

Ryou opened his eyes, and stared. They were in a bright white space, with Bakura and Malik standing nearby; the latter holding a miniature version of the Millennium Rod, which was shining so brightly Ryou could barely look at it directly. Looking around him, Ryou could see two doors, one with bars on and one black, leading off to his and his yami's soul rooms respectively. In between, there was another door, but translucent, and Ryou guessed that it led to Malik's temporary soul room. With a chill of fear, combined with amazement, he realised the three of them were deep inside his mind.

Malik was looking around in obvious interest, while Bakura had a nasty smile on his face which was starting to make Ryou uneasy. What were they up to? He knew they wouldn't go to this much trouble for privacy just so they could have a casual conversation. Bakura had mention a 'plan.' What was it?

His yami was still smiling. ((At last, a place where we can't be disturbed. But first…))

A beam of energy and shadow-power came from the Ring, sending Ryou crashing to the ground. Seizing his half-stunned hikari by the shirt, Bakura threw him into his soul room and locked the door.

Ryou scrambled upright with some difficulty, and wrapped his hands around the bars. (Let me out!)

The two plotters ignored him. Malik asked, Won't it be more private if we both go into your soul room?

Bakura sighed, obviously frustrated by his friend's ignorance. ((The only person who can go into a soul room is the person it belongs to.)) He gave Malik a look that clearly said, 'I can't believe you don't know that.'

Malik shrugged, unconcerned. I don't really go into my soul room very often, so how would I know? Is that what Shadi can do then? Go into other people's soul rooms?

((Something like that, amongst other things.))

What's in a soul room? Malik asked curiously.

((Um…things that reflect the person, I think. My hikari's is just like a bare prison cell, because that's how he feels when he's in it. Mine's full of knives and daggers and blood and stuff. Actually, I've heard that The Pharaoh's Pet's soul room is full of teddy bears. But this place is neutral, which is why I invited you here. Anyway, let's cut the crap and do what we came to do.))

The Egyptian teenager nodded, and they started discussing their plans to steal Will's subtle knife. Ryou's eyes went wide, and he rattled the bars of his prison as loudly as he could. (I can't believe you're doing this! Will saved our lives and this is how you repay him?) Ryou was filled with indignant fury - he had never thought his yami would sink this low. He yelled the word (BAKAS!) as loudly as possible.

Bakura glared at him. ((Stop that noise yadonushi, you're giving me a headache.)) He made a move towards Ryou but Malik intervened.

If we're finished can I check on my body before I go?

Bakura willingly gave his consent, but it wouldn't have made any difference if he had refused. The Millennium Rod meant that Malik was totally in control of Ryou's body, and could do whatever he wanted with it. He had taken on Bakura's role, as it were.

He waved the Rod, and two shaft of light similar to massive television screens appeared around them. It only took Ryou a moment that Malik was using his eyes to look around the outside world.

(Fucking bastards,) he thought viciously. He didn't use words like that very often, but right now he had a good excuse. (Dammit, it's my body and I have absolutely no control over it.)

His darker half looked at him in sardonic amusement. ((Actually my host, it's our body, and right now Malik is the one in control. Is that all right with you?))

Ryou didn't answer him, knowing that it was useless to argue and that he would only suffer for it later on. Malik was looking at his own body with narrowed eyes.

'Malik' was sitting in the chair. His eyes were closed and he seemed to be unconscious or asleep, except that one hand was gripping the arm of the chair tightly and the other hand was holding the Millennium Rod, which was shining as brightly as the one which Malik held in Ryou's mind. Ryou, who was looking through the bars, saw that Malik's outline was blurry, and it was hard to tell exactly where he was. Bakura was intrigued. ((What does this mean?)) he asked curiously.

Malik looked at him evenly. Most of my soul is in here with you, he explained calmly. I left the smallest possible amount of me back in my body. My yami can sense that I am weaker, and is trying to separate. Let's hope he doesn't succeed.

Ryou was genuinely surprised that Malik, who was, after all, a hikari, could exert such control over his dark half. He felt a twinge of jealousy. Why can he hold his yami back but I can't? Am I really that much weaker?

Bakura smirked at him, and Ryou remembered, too late, that his yami could read his thoughts. Could Malik, at least for now? If he had, he gave no sign of it. ((That's right, my little hikari. You ARE weak. Just accept it.)) Bakura laughed shortly, and Ryou glowered at him.

Malik was still looking at his blurring body. I'd better go back. He paused and looked at Ryou, who glared back, hating him. His soul room flashed crimson, reflecting his anger, and Malik registered this before continuing. What about Ryou? He might try and tell someone.

Bakura gave an evil smile. ((Don't worry, he won't remember a thing.)) He walked up to Ryou, who watched helplessly as the Ring flashed, erasing his memory.

…………

Malik got up slowly from the chair, stretching his cramped limbs with a barely audible sigh. Bakura did the same. He smiled at his friend. "See you tonight."