Yay! Getting more and more reviews with this. I'm so happy. I'm glad to see that more people are starting to read it. Thanks for all of you who keep reviewing. Oh and BTW. It's not really that suspicious for Kaiba to have a gun . . . if you watch the Jap version. He takes a gun from Kimo . . . Siiiigh.
Bakura walked out of the drugstore with the box of Tylenol in his hand. He hoped Ryou's headache would go away now. He was about to start home when he thought of something.
Ryou had asked, in a very sweet manner, if Bakura would check to see if the bookstore had gotten a book he had been waiting for. He had said that Bakura wouldn't have to go in, just look through the window. Since the boy was sick, Bakura thought he'd humor him.
The tomb robber walked back the way towards the drugstore, and went into the alley. It was a shortcut towards the bookstore. And the quicker he got home, the quicker he could give Ryou his medicine.
Bakura heard a rustling of something, but assumed it was a mouse running through the trash that littered the alley. Suddenly, a firm hand grabbed him by the shoulder and, before he could fight back, shoved him against the wall. For a moment, he was dazed, but his senses quickly came back with a rush of pain.
The Egyptian felt immense pain in his stomach. His hands made their way towards the pain, and found the hilt to an ancient blade. Warm blood spilled onto his hands and he felt himself grow weak.
In front of him, he saw a hooded figure. His robes were dark and shadows covered his face. A few wisps of black hair escaped from under the hood and Bakura could dizzily see a smirk playing on the man's lips. The man put a hand around the thief's throat and lightly squeezed, knowing that in Bakura's weakened state it would have as much damage as anything else.
Bakura clenched his teeth and now leaned against the wall for support. He shut his eyes tightly and fought for breath. He couldn't believe someone had caught him so off guard.
"Aw," the man's voiced hissed from his lips. "The acclaimed tomb robber, Bakura. You aren't so tough, now are you?" Toying with him, the man twisted the blade a little and Bakura made a small cry.
Not able to speak, Bakura gritted his teeth, not wanting to make any more sounds of pain. The world around him spun when he chose to open his eyes. Darkness threatened to creep up on him, but he fought hard. He felt the man's hot, malicious, breath on his face.
"You were supposed to be hard to get," the man said venomously. "You aren't the only one I'm going to kill you know. Soon, you'll all be dead. The Pharaoh . . . Tashanazi . . ." Bakura opened one eye and glared at him.
"No!" he rasped. He couldn't kill Yami and Chaos! Bakura's body shook in pain, and anger. The man laughed.
"There's not much you can do about it, now is there?" The man twisted his blade once before pulling it out. Bakura gasped. Hands of darkness were threatening to pull him under. He felt his knees buckle, but the man's hand around his throat kept him up.
The man laughed and tightened his grip. Bakura coughed as he held a hand over his wound. With his other hand, he feebly tried to pull the fiend's hand away. His own blood seeped in between his fingers and stained his shirt. Bakura's attacker's smirk grew as he let go and backed away from Bakura.
Bakura fell to his hand and knees, and still held a hand over his wound. The cloaked villain then brutally kicked Bakura about where he had stabbed him. The yami couldn't help but let a agonizing cry tear from his lips. He fell completely to the ground and grimaced in pain.
The attacker used his boot and turned Bakura over onto his back. "You fool," he laughed. "You've proven that the others will die at my hand as well." Bakura could only glare at him. If looks could kill, the man would have been smoldering ashes, six feet under.
Without warning, the man came down and punched Bakura in the stomach. The pain overwhelmed the tomb robber and darkness claimed him. The last thing he heard was the fiend cackling.
Bakura woke with a cry. He had attempted to sit straight up in shock, but pain and weakness pulled him back down. He found himself in a hospital bed, drenched in sweat.
Yami immediately jerked his head up from the magazine he'd found in the backpack Chaos had brought. His hand dropped into his jacket and gripped the gun. When he saw that there was nothing out of place, he let himself relax. His hand slowly pulled away from the gun.
The former ruler of Egypt sat the magazine down and walked over to the bed. "How are you feeling?" he asked as he laid a hand on the tomb robber's shoulder, who was now laying back with his eyes closed and was taking deep breaths.
"Like I've been hit by a truck," he wheezed. Bakura used the sleeve of his hospital gown to wipe the sweat from his face.
"You look like it too," Yami stated smugly as he pulled his hand away. He hadn't been able to resist the temptation. Bakura had left it hanging out there for him. The said person opened his eyes and looked over at Yami with a warning look.
"At least my hair doesn't always look like its been struck by lightning," he managed. Yami raised a brow.
"Well yours looks like you fell in a bucket of bleach," Yami quickly came back. When it came to his hair, he was rather defensive.
Seeing that the Pharaoh's cheeks were rather flushed, Bakura managed a smirk. Most didn't dare say anything to the King of Games about his hair. Most people anyway. Bakura had done it and lived to tell the tale, he was lucky.
He strained his neck to look around the room. "Where's Ryou?"
"Chaos took him to Kaiba's," Yami said. "We're going to leave our hikaris there until we get this settled." Bakura nodded in approval. He closed his eyes and rested.
"As long as they don't leave," Bakura said. "And who ever it was doesn't see them go there."
"Don't fret over it," Yami instructed. "You need to worry about yourself. You went through quite an ordeal." Bakura snorted.
"You have no idea," he muttered. In his mind, images of the dream came to him. Yami watched as his face became contorted with bad memories. To show his concern, he squeezed the tomb robber's shoulder gently. Bakura opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling.
"Just rest, Bakura," Yami said gently as he released the other's shoulder.
"Easier said than done," Bakura said as he looked away from the Pharaoh. He noticed the backpack on the chair. "Where did this come from?" he asked with curiosity as he reached for the backpack. He could just barely brush it with his fingertips. Yami sighed and walked around the bed and put the backpack on the bed next to Bakura.
"Chaos brought it," Yami said. "I think it was meant to keep you entertained. I found that that dueling magazine you have is rather interesting." Bakura strained himself to look across the room where Yami had been sitting.
"I wasn't finished with that," Bakura stated. "I only got it yesterday."
"I'll give it back when I'm done with the article I was reading," Yami said as he turned and went back to his spot by the window. Bakura tipped the bag over and began to go through its contents. He found the Indiana Jones book and began reading it.
Chaos sat in one of the comfy chairs of the one many rooms of the Kaiba Mansion. It was on the first floor and to the right of the front door. To her left, Ryou and Mokuba were sitting on the floor, in front of a big screen TV. The two were furiously tapping on their controls of the Playstation 2. She had been watching them for a while, but was now drawing in Ryou's sketchpad.
"No!" Mokuba cried as Ryou ran him off the track and crossed the finish line. Chaos looked up and smiled.
"I didn't know you like to play video games that much, Ryou," Chaos said as she looked at the scores flashing on the big screen. Ryou shrugged sheepishly.
"Every once and a while I like to go to the arcade with Joey, Yugi, and Tristan," Ryou said. "But I do play on Yugi's PS2 quite a bit." Mokuba just stared at him.
"I can't believe you beat me!" he cried. He tossed his controller on the ground, but then laughed. "That was fun! Lets do it again!" Ryou smiled and clicked to the main menu.
Chaos smiled and went back to drawing. 'I wonder if Bakura knows how much Ryou likes to play video games,' she thought to herself. 'Maybe we can get jobs to get him a Gameboy Advance for Christmas.'
Tazi walked out of the school with her friends. "Want to come to the arcade with us?" Joey asked as he and Tristan began walking backwards. Yugi and Tazi looked at each other, then shook their heads.
"We're gonna go see how Bakura's doing," Yugi said as he pulled on both of the straps of his backpack. Tristan nodded.
"Yami never did call us like he said he would," Tristan said as he began walking forwards again. "But I really don't blame him."
Joey continued walking backwards. "What about you, Tea?" Tea shook her head.
"Sorry, Joey," she said. "But I have dance lessons." Joey shrugged.
"Okay, that's cool." Then, all five friends saw a limo pull up. The window rolled down and revealed Seto Kaiba.
"Hey, Seto!" Tazi said as she ran up to the limo. "How come you weren't here today?" She let one of her book bag straps slide off her shoulder.
Seto looked up. "I had some work to catch up on. Now get in the limo," he said. Tazi looked at him in a confused manner. Everyone else caught up with her.
"What? Why?" she asked.
"Just get in the limo, Tazi," Seto growled. "You too, Yugi." Tazi turned and looked at Yugi. Joey looked over at Kaiba and raised a brow.
"What are you up to, Kaiba?" he asked suspiciously.
"Nothing," Seto said. "Chaos asked me to do this." Tazi's eyes grew slightly.
"Chaos? Something else hasn't happened has it?" she asked worriedly. A million different possibilities ran through her mind. The same went for Yugi. Seto shook his head and the two hikaris let out sighs of relief.
"This is merely for safety reasons," Seto said. "Now come on."
"Okay," Tazi said as she turned to the others. "I guess I'll see you guys." She opened the car door and let Yugi climb inside, then she got in herself. As soon as she closed the door, the limo took off.
"What's going on?" Yugi asked. "Are we going to the hospital?"
"No," Seto said. "To the Kaiba Mansion." Tazi cocked her head one way and Yugi the other. Seto realized that he needed to explain some more. "You're going to stay there until things are settled. Ryou's probably already there waiting. You'll stay in the house and will not go anywhere else. Understood?"
"Not even school?" Tazi asked. Seto shook his head.
"I'll retrieve what work you'll miss," he said. Tazi snapped her fingers in disappointment.
"Darn," she said softly and playfully. It brought a small smile to Seto's face. Yugi laughed a little.
"Have you heard anything about Bakura?" he asked as he leaned forward. Since he was the one that had found him in the alley, he felt he had to know how the thief was. Seto threw one leg over the other and nodded.
"Chaos said he was doing better," he answered. Yugi nodded and looked out the window and watched as they passed the world. He wished that he could go to the hospital to see Yami, but he knew it might put him, or worse, the others in danger. The tri-color haired boy didn't really like the idea of having to be in a lock down in the Kaiba Mansion, but he didn't want to worry Yami.
A few minutes later, they reached the Kaiba Mansion. The limo dropped them off at the gates, then pulled away to park in the garage. The three teens walked up the walkway. Seto opened one of the large, wooden doors, and walked in.
"I'm home!" he called.
"Hi, Big Brother!" Mokuba called from the room to his right. "Ryou's racing me in that game you bought me, and he's beat me three times!" Seto grinned at his brother, and felt a little surprised. Ryou didn't strike him as the videogame type.
"Hello, Kaiba," Ryou called as he waved. Seto nodded and hung his trench coat up on the coat rack. He pulled his shoes off and began to walk in the other room. Yugi and Tazi finally walked in and took off their shoes as well.
"Hi, Kaiba," Chaos said as she looked up from the sketch pad.
"Seto," he corrected as he came up behind her.
"Whatever," she said as she waved it away. The yami set the pad and pencil down, and got up from the chair.
"Yami!" Tazi cried happily as she ran over and hugged her yami tightly. Chaos smiled softly and hugged her aibou back. "I missed you," Tazi whispered as she snuggled up next to her.
"I missed you too, aibou," Chaos said. Tazi pulled away and looked up the half inch difference between them.
"Are you okay?" she asked quietly. Chaos nodded. She had figured her hikari would think she was down because of Bakura.
"I'm fine," the yami answered. Tazi smiled again and hugged her again. This time, her arms went under the coat, and the felt the leather holster. Confused, she pulled back and lifted her yami's jacket. Her eyes widened as she saw what was there.
"A gun?" she asked incredulously. Chaos bit her lip and looked over at Kaiba who looked over at Chaos with a similar look. They both could tell Tazi wasn't liking the idea. "What are you doing with this?" the light demanded. The room fell silent, and Ryou and Mokuba stopped playing their game.
"It's for safety, Tazi," said Chaos. "In case I would need to defend myself, or Yami." Tazi shook her head in disbelief.
"That's what you have magic for! I can't believe you'd actually shoot someone! Where did you get this?!" Seto cleared his throat.
"I gave it to her," he called softly. "I also gave one to Yami. It's purely for caution. I don't think she'll have to use it."
Tazi looked from Seto to Chaos. "Is it loaded?"
"Yes," Chaos said quietly. Tazi had a look of turmoil on her face.
"I don't believe you! Stay away from me!" She turned and ran out of the room and they could hear her running up the stairs.
"Tazi!" Chaos called sternly as she began to chase after her light. She didn't like her aibou's behavior. Seto stopped her and whispered in her ear.
"Let her go," he whispered. "She needs some time to think things out. I'm sorry, I was hoping she wouldn't find out about the guns." They both knew Tazi wasn't too fond of guns, one had killed her mother when she was two. "I'll talk to her later." Chaos nodded and Seto patted her on the shoulder.
The two turned back to the group. Yugi was the first to approach Chaos. He smiled at her. "How's Yami doing?" he asked politely. The boy hoped that if he changed the topic, everyone's moods would lighten up. Chaos thought for a moment.
"I don't think he slept last night," she admitted. "He looked like crap this morning. But he's holdin' up. Just watch, I'll get back to the hospital and he'll be fast asleep when he's suppose to be watching Bakura." Yugi giggled.
"Well, I hope he gets some rest," he said. "Can you tell him that for me, Chaos?" She ruffled his hair with a broad smile.
"Sure thing," she said as she tilted her head towards Ryou and Mokuba. "You ought to try your 'Game King' stuff against Ryou on that game, he's pretty good." Yugi smiled over at Ryou.
"Sure! How about it, Ryou?" Yugi asked. Ryou nodded.
"I hope you're prepared for some competition!" Mokuba said. "He beat me three times!" Chaos started to walk off towards the door, but then thought of something. She turned back and walked towards Yugi.
"Yugi," she called. The boy turned back around and looked up. "I need to ask of favor."
"Sure!" he chirped. Chaos held out her hand.
"I need the Puzzle," she said. Yugi's brows knitted together. "I'm going to take it to Yami," she explained. "He may need it. I also don't want someone tracking you down with it."
"Oh," Yugi said as he pulled the chain over his head. He held the Puzzle out to her. "Here," he said. "Tell him that I hope he stays safe." Chaos took the puzzle and nodded.
"Will do." She walked over to Ryou, bent down, and gave him a partial hug. "Be good," she told him playfully.
"If I have to," he said as he rolled his eyes in a joking matter.
"Brat," Chaos called him as she dope slapped him, just barely brushing the tips of his white hair on the back of his head. She high-fived Mokuba, then went to make her exit. Seto met her at the door as she was putting on her shoes.
"Take care," Seto advised. "I know Tazi and the rest of us would hate for you to get injured." Chaos didn't reply. She just glanced up the stairs, scowled, then walked out the door.
Seto closed the door and turned back towards the others as he heard the soft click. As he began to walk to the other room, he looked up the stairs. Near the railing, he saw Tazi as she whipped around and went down the hall. Seto sighed, then went to talk to his brother.
When Chaos got back to the hospital, she felt better than she had at the Kaiba Mansion. The tension had grown as she was there, after Tazi had ran away from her. It burned, right to her soul, but she knew it couldn't have been helped. Now, she was with people like her. People from her time, even if she didn't remember it.
As she rode in the elevator, she held the Millennium Puzzle in her hands. The cool metal chain rested in her palms and the point of the pyramid threatened to push her hands apart. She could feel the mystical energies it was giving off and her Millennium Item seemed to be feeding off them.
The elevator reached the fifth floor and Chaos stepped out. She walked down the hall and to the door. The young woman opened the door and walked in. She looked at the other two yamis and smiled sheepishly.
Yami had fallen asleep in the chair by the window. His head rested against the wall and a magazine was on his lap, with his thumb keeping the page. Chaos thought back to what she had told Yugi, she hadn't actually thought it would happen.
Bakura laid on his back with a manga over his face. His white hair was sprawled out on the pillow and the his covers were pulled down to his waist. The items that Chaos had packed in the book bag littered the bed.
Chaos shook her head and walked over to Yami. She gently pulled the magazine from his hand, keeping the page, and laid it on the window sill. She then laid the Puzzle in his hand. It started to fall out and Chaos placed it back in his palm.
"If he doesn't want it, I'll take it," a voice behind Chaos said. She shot Bakura a dirty look.
"I'm sure you would," the yami said as she turned away from the former Pharaoh. "So you were faking your sleep?" Bakura took the manga away from his face and propped himself up on his elbow.
"Yes," he said. "My Ring sensed both the energies of the Bracelet and that of the Puzzle, so I knew you were coming. Once again, I am the master." Chaos raised an eyebrow.
"Of being a baka?" Bakura rolled his eyes at her.
"Forget it," he said as he eased himself back down. He winced a little, but was able to lay down without any more pain. "I don't remember the Pharaoh falling asleep though." Chaos sat in the chair next to the bed.
"I'm glad he did whenever he did," she said. "He didn't sleep at all last night." Bakura thought.
"He works himself like that all the time," he commented. "I wouldn't be surprised if he has insomnia or something." It was Chaos's turn to roll her eyes.
"It seems that you're feeling better," Chaos said with a smile.
"Not really," Bakura replied. He stifled a yawn. "Talking is about all I'm capable of at this point." The thief tried to hide another yawn.
"And it looks like you've even overdone that," Chaos commented as she took one of the mangas that was lying on the bed. "You should get some rest." Bakura scowled.
"You're not the first to tell me that," he growled. "I don't want to rest, I don't want to be in this hospital, I don't want to put up with the Pharaoh's crap, and I certainly don't want you babying me." Chaos threw one leg over the other and opened up the manga.
"Well I do want you to get better," she replied calmly. "So rest!" Bakura stuck his tongue out at her and pulled the covers up on himself. He closed his eyes and tried to rest. After several moments, Bakura found that he wasn't able to relax.
"I can't sleep," he complained. He opened one eye and looked over at Chaos. She didn't even look over at him.
"You would if you would actually try to relax," she said as she turned the page. Bakura scowled and tried to sit up.
"Did you see a remote to the TV anywhere?" he asked as he fell back onto his elbow and looked around.
"No, now go to sleep," Chaos told him sternly. She wasn't about to have the television on while Yami was sleeping, and she had hoped that Bakura would sleep too. Normally, Chaos wouldn't care if the Pharaoh was asleep or not, but things were a little different at the moment.
"Fine, I'll look for it myself," Bakura said as forced himself up. He was about to try to slide out of the bed when Chaos put down at the manga and looked at him with disbelief.
"Yami Bakura Ryou! Get back in that bed right now!" she shouted. Bakura continued to try to get out, but suddenly felt lightheaded. He held his head in his hand and suddenly felt himself falling over.
Chaos jumped up and caught him. "Bakayaro!" she hissed. "If I had any sense at all I'd let you fall out of this bed and let the doctor find you lying there on the floor!" She heard Bakura mumble something as he sank further into her arms. Chaos softened a little and began to gently pull him back onto the bed. "But I don't have any sense, so I'll put you right back in bed where you're going to stay," she add softly.
Once Bakura was back in bed, Chaos pulled the covers back on him. She took a deep breath a blew it back out in a sigh. She figured that Bakura had been calling to his Millennium Ring for strength and had felt better than he was.
The thief muttered something else that sounded like a thanks. Chaos watched as his eyes closed completely. "Sleep, Baku-chan," she whispered. "Just sleep."
"Some of us would like that as well," a familiar voice spoke. Chaos looked up and saw Yami standing on the other side of the bed. Chaos grinned sheepishly.
"Did I wake you?" she asked.
"Yes," Yami answered.
"Sorry," Chaos apologized. Yami waved it away.
"I shouldn't have been sleeping in the first place. I was suppose to be watching him remember?" Chaos walked over to the side of the bed Yami was on.
"Yeah, but you were tired," she said as she looked out the window. "You said you didn't get any sleep last night."
"That's not an excuse," Yami replied as he looked out the window as well. He ran his fingers across the front of the Puzzle. "Thank you, for bringing the Puzzle to me," he said as he walked over to the window, next to Chaos. "I was afraid Yugi would get hurt if he still had it." Chaos stuck her hands in her coat pockets and shrugged.
"Just doing what I can to help." She then looked down at the floor. "Even when I can't help my own aibou."