Life of a Thief by Ryou Bakura
A/N: Sage: Hello and welcome to another late edition of Life of a Thief starring Ryou and Bakura!
Kaley: (coughs) Ok, this time we have good reason for such a late update. See, first my classes became suddenly hard and I had so major stress going on. Then after I finally got all my schoolwork out of the way, I got a head cold. It's still here (sniffs). It's really annoying but it gave me time to write actually.
Bakura: Ok let's see…most people just want some fluff and for me to live and oddly enough for Ryou to beat me for trying to leave…that's…strange…
Sage: I'm glad you all like Amane so much…it gave me some inspiration for next chapter…heh…
Kaley: (wheezes) Yes well, I'm seriously hoping to finish this story BEFORE Christmas or at the very least New Year's…but I think…I have two chapters left…or maybe it's one…(checks her notes)…I can't tell. Ick…but I really can't wait to finish this in a way, it'd be the first fic I finish.
Bakura: Yeah right, you take so long to update…good luck with that goal. Well anyway, this chapter is a little silly really but it leads into a major history lesson on myself next chapter plus some interesting things go down for me.
Sage: (twitches) did I say you could give away plot details?!
Bakura: Eh, it's my job to piss you off. But really now…START THE RA DAMNED FIC!!!
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"Yugi! Yami! One of you two open up!" Ryou cried as be banged his fists against the glass door. He now stood outside of the Kame Game Shop and his chest burned fiercely, though it was not enough to push Bakura's note from his mind. He'd ran blindly through the abandoned streets, hoping that maybe he's get lucky, that maybe Bakura and Yami would still be locked in a duel or at least he'd see Bakura leaving. But instead he was greeted by dark windows reflecting nothing but the streetlights lit around him. "Please!! Please Bakura's gone!" He knew they were home, they…they just had to be. Finally after what seemed like an eternity of shouting the locks clicked and the door slowly opened to reveal a sleepy-eyed, pajama wearing Yugi. The star haired boy looked up at him with a sad look.
"Ryou…you look awful…" He mumbled tiredly as Yami stepped out of the store's shadows. He was still fully dressed and seemed much more awake.
"Did you say Bakura has left?" Yami asked in his deeper tone. Ryou nodded profusely and grabbed Yami's hand.
"Is here?? Where'd he go?? Please you have to tell me Yami!" The ivory haired teen demanded. Yami blinked slowly, taking a breath.
"He was here…several hours ago. We dueled and I was victorious. Afterwards he left with Marik peacefully. It was strange…he had an odd look in his eyes and such a disturbing aura about him…" Yami mused. Yugi yawned widely, trying very hard to keep awake.
"Ryou, did something happen between you and Bakura? Marik made it sound like Bakura was going to leave…" Yugi said, looking up at his freaked out friend. Ryou stared down at him and shut his eyes. He slowly let go of Yami's hand, letting his own arms fall to his sides.
"I…I have to go…" He muttered distantly before racing away. Yugi began to run after him by Yami placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Let him go…there are many things he does not understand…" Yami watched the young teen run into the night. "He'll see…the truth…"
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Cold, numb, empty. He'd heard these words so often before and yet they had rarely held such meaning. Staring into the dark windows, his hands and face pressed against the chilled glass, he felt nothing but those exact words. The house he was staring so intently into was just like him…cold and empty. Ryou's eyes took in the room, the living room if he remembered correctly, with a few boxes piled here and there. Anyone looking in would know it. Marik had moved out and as it had said in the note, Bakura had gone with him. The ivory boy leaned his forehead against the window, his arms dropping to his sides as his eyes shut. Marik was gone, moved back to Egypt and left his house completely bare. And Bakura…Bakura was…
"Damn it…" Ryou suddenly felt one thing other than the gathering ice in his soul, he felt pain. And tears…he could feel the water flowing down his cheeks. He slid down into the snow, not caring about anything right then but Bakura. It'd been so blissful, of course it would end. It always ended. Whenever he finally found something beautiful that he could hold onto, it was always taken away. It was once said that there is no such thing as heartbreak but the pain in Ryou's chest was enough to convince him otherwise. Without thought he hugged himself tightly and laid down in the powdery white around him.
As his eyes opened they fell upon the sky. There was no moon tonight or any stars and he felt that maybe even the heavens felt bad for him. Ryou remembered this feeling, though it had been so long since it'd consumed him so deeply. When he'd been at his sister's funeral, watching them lower her into the ground, that's when this had struck him. This hollow loneliness that now filled his every inch. He felt like a shell that had been removed of anything important. Ryou stared up into that darkness that seemed to reflect his current thoughts and knew the tears were coming even faster than before.
"DAMN IT BAKURA!!!" He shouted, straining his usually soft voice. His words echoed back at him almost mockingly as he pounded a fist into the snow. He swallowed even though he had nothing to wet his throat and shut his eyes. He didn't want to see that darkness anymore, because when he shut his eyes he could see him. "I'm an idiot…" He whispered as his mind danced with images of Bakura. "I…why did it…" Even Ryou didn't know what words escaped his lips; he only knew that he couldn't stand the silence. Bakura couldn't either, some days…he'd talk about something stupid, like what he thought about TV for example, just to fill the silence.
"Amane…I'm such an idiot…" A strange, disillusioned smile crossed his face. "First I lost you and mom…then dad got distant…and my friends and I have never been close…and now Bakura…I'm such an idiot…" His muscles relaxed as flakes of snow began to fall down on him. Their icy touch went unnoticed by the boy as he gazed up into the sky through blurry eyes. He placed a hand on his chest and did the only thing he could think of. Ryou reached deep into his mental link and called desperately to Bakura. He didn't care how stupid he sounded because he doubted Bakura could even hear him. Ryou couldn't even feel his darker side anymore but he still screamed for him.
It was strange. Not long ago, would he have really reacted this badly to Bakura's departure? Perhaps. He'd always liked Bakura's company to some extent but that wasn't the half of it, not anymore. Now it was about his heart. His heart had never been able to mature, never been able to love…only hate with all its being. Stuck in the memory of a single night, he never really lived. He drifted through life with only revenge in mind as he was slowly driven over the edge. Yet when he was with Ryou, things changed. He seemed happy or at least happier. Those moments had been so wonderful, Bakura had been there for Ryou hadn't he? And Ryou had been more than happy to stay at Bakura's side…
Ryou's hand drifted across his chest until it hit a small object: The dice pendent given to him by none other than Bakura. His hand clasped it tightly as he suddenly sat up, leaning on his free elbow. His eyes went unfocused filled with the unearthly glow of the fresh powdery snow all around him. He pushed himself up and leaned back against Marik's window.
"There's still something I can do…" Ryou said, brushing some snow from his hair. "I can ask her…I can beg her…for help…" He blinked, glancing down at his watch before walking calmly back home.
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Dear Amane,
Hey, it's me, your big brother. It's been a while hasn't it? I'm sorry I haven't written you. A lot of things have happened and I don't even know where to begin. Did this start with your death? Did it start with the Yami's ritual? No matter where I start, Bakura is the center of it all…you wouldn't remember Bakura. I only wrote about him once. It wasn't very flattering to say the least but he wasn't a very flatter deserving person either. You might have seen his deeds though. Well, would you believe I'm in love with him? Crazy but it's true. I think you'd hate him though, ha. He's rude and loud and cocky…I can see you two getting into screaming matches. But underneath that is a very incredible, sad story and it's a bit long but let's just say he has good reason for all he's done. What happened to his family, his village, all of it is reason enough in my mind to do what he did…though he may have gone…overboard at times…but we have a lot in common in that area. We just had different ways of dealing with it. I guess that's why I fell for him…it'd take me pages to explain it all but you know I don't give my heart away so easy.
What I wanted though…I don't know if you can help me or not and it feels wrong to ask but…he left me. I don't understand what's going on. I feel so…empty…right now, like I have nothing inside. I cried some but really I've just been sitting here staring at the wall. Without him I don't feel whole, I'm only a half…I need him Amane. I'm just pure light now, I don't have any shadows…which may be good to some but you know just as well as I do that without a balance there is disaster. I need him to stay balanced…I just…need him.
Please Amane, all I want right now is him. With you…there is nothing I can do but he is still alive. I can still be with him. I know I can. I just have to. I don't know if there's anything you can do but please, try? You told me to come to you if I ever needed a something. I hope you can but…I know it would be hard for you to do anything…I guess what I'm really hoping for is divine intervention…
No matter what though, I love you Amane. I'll see you soon.
Ryou Bakura
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Ryou had never once mailed a letter he wrote to his sister and he wasn't starting now. Rather he threw himself under his bed, his hands groping till they landed on a smooth, rubbery item. He pulled out his very last balloon. With some string and the air in his lungs, he made the perfect device to send his note. Ryou walked outside and stood in the cold night, gripping the balloon tightly. He smiled and let go, watching the red orb float away, deep into the sky with his plea bouncing in the winds. He stayed outside, eyes locked on it until it had blended with the darkness above before he went back to his warm room.
It was then that Ryou remembered the note Bakura had left him. Bakura's last request was to have his diary read. Ryou glanced to the side and saw the journal sitting near his pillow. He hesitated then reached out and flipped it open. A few pages fell out as he pulled it to him and noticed they were just normal memo paper. He picked them up first and began to read. They were his musings on marriage and…on Ryou. He felt a blush rise to his cheeks as he read Bakura's slightly flattering words and he chuckled at the strange way he worded things. The next sheet was equally funny, talking about many different things yet once again they led to Ryou. He was so surprised to read these pages. Had Bakura always been so focused on him? Had he always ranted and raved like this? Well, Ryou had to admit this wasn't a total shock. Yet even now, it was hard for him to believe Bakura had truly loved him.
"I really loved kissing Ryou?" Ryou sighed as he read. Bakura then mentioned the dream. "Of course you had to see that dream…" He groaned. The dream had been so intimate to Ryou. In it he'd told Bakura of his desire to be with him and Bakura had been all for it. "He thinks I'm an angel?" The blood returned to his face.
Ryou laid down against his pillow, deeply into Bakura's mind. As his eyes raced across the page he could even hear Bakura's voice, rising and falling with more drama than any day time soap. He admitted only to the papers how deeply he cared for Ryou and how much he hated the rest of the world. Tears soon came back to his dried out eyes as he read these words, confessions of love and confusion that ran through Bakura's blood and no doubt contributed to those sleepless nights. As he got to the last entry he shut the book, setting it aside as he threw his head back against the pillow. He knew that he must look pathetic, sobbing like a schoolgirl with a broken heart, yet he could care less. In fact, the white haired teen no longer cared at all. All that he had left was memories and the sadness left behind by the one he loved and that was hardly enough to go on right now. Instead he let himself cry once more, clutching the journal tightly to his chest as though it were the Thief King himself. Ryou curled up, bringing his knees closer as he shut his eyes against the surrounding gloom. He cried silently until the sky had begun to lighten. Light…Bakura had mentioned before that Ryou was his light…the light in the dark. He grabbed the pillow and buried his head under it, refusing to see the sunrise.
"What good is light…" He muttered softly, "…when there's no darkness?"
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So this was light, Ryou thought, opening his eyes. He really couldn't see much though. In fact, if it wasn't for the hardness under his bare feet, he'd be positive he was floating in a void. There was nothing around him, only pure, white light shining from every corner of…wherever he was. Ryou squinted in the vain hopes of seeing something in overpowering gleam but there wasn't a thing around him. So, without any ideas to where he was or how he got there, he began to walk. It felt like hours, walking in the engulfing radiance with only silence around. His feet didn't even make a sound, no matter how hard he stomped on the 'floor'. The strange place was starting to scare him the further he walked. Fear prickled on his skin as he burst into a run, unsure of his direction but only wanting to find an exit. The weight of the stillness hung heavy in the air and Ryou found himself sprinting faster to escape it. Just as he felt his legs could not carry him anymore a strange dark spot appeared in the distance. Intrigued, he went towards it, wondering if maybe it was a hole leading out of this place.
The dark spot grew as he got nearer until he reached it and found it was roughly the same size as himself. He stood back smiling at it, it was the only thing blocking out all this light. It was nice to have such a shield. Ryou leaned against it, only to find it wasn't solid and that he fell right through it, into a new space exactly like the one he just was in. Only this one was pure darkness with only the bright, white doorway next to him. Ryou blinked in confusion and frowned.
"What's going on?" He asked, reaching his hand through the doorway. It appeared on the other side, basking in the glow of the light. He stared at it, withdrawing it back into this cold darkness where he now sat.
"It's terrible, isn't it? Pure light…pure darkness…that's not how it's supposed to be." Ryou jumped to his feet as his heart began to race. He knew that voice. "But you and that stubborn idiot just have to do things the hard way. Life doesn't have to be a teen angst."
"Amane?!" Ryou looked around wildly but all he could see was black all around. He didn't even see her through the light, yet he could tell from her voice that she was near. "Amane where are you?"
"I guess you'd think pure light would be good but look at it…wayyy too bright! Can't see a damn thing…and well this darkness isn't any better. Darkness and light are only good…" Suddenly the room swirled around him, mixing and blending until there was an equal amount of light and dark. Now it was a normal room, except for being empty there wasn't anything special about it. "…when they are in harmony." Ryou turned around and gasped. Like nothing had happened. Like not a day had pasted, there she stood. In her little summery dress and flip flops, strands of her silvery hair falling across her shoulder. She pushed her long, spiked-for-style bangs away from her bright emerald eyes and smiled. "Hey big brother…"
"…A…A…" He stared at her and without a second thought flung himself into her arms. He didn't speak; he only leaned quietly against her small frame as her arms embraced him. Ryou found that his voice wasn't working properly, that he couldn't say a thing even if he wanted to. His throat was too tight from the shock. He managed to raise his own arms slightly, wrapping them around her waist. They stood locked in their gentle hug for what seemed like hours before Ryou could speak. "Is this heaven?"
"Ha, nah it isn't…" Amane said, smiling up at him. "It's just your mind. In heaven I have pretty wings and a glowy halo thingy."
"Amane…" Ryou chuckled; it'd been a long time since he'd heard her speak to him like that.
"Tell you what Ryou…" She said suddenly, looking up into his eyes. "There's nothing I can do to help you with Bakura. Not that I like the guy, he's such an ass…" She grumbled, "I saw some of the things he's done to you and the others…" The younger girl sighed, "Well whatever…anyway I can't do anything…but I promise things will be ok…Ryou…you'll be alright…" She reached up on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Don't worry…just get on with your life. I can't say anymore about it but…please try to move on, at least for now?"
"Amane, sister…you know me." Ryou took a deep breath. "I love Bakura and even if you ask me to move on from him, I can't. I don't want to…" He smiled at her, "I mean, I still haven't moved on from you."
"Oh geez…" Amane put her hands on her hips, "You're difficult you know that? Ah well…just do what you can…and I'll do what I can…don't do anything stupid though." Then there was a blindly flash that engulfed his sister. Ryou tried to cry out to her but his voice didn't work and soon the flash swallowed him too, dragging him down into nothing.
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It was almost five in the afternoon when Yugi decided to check in on his friend. Ryou had been so scared, so terrified when he'd run off that it was hard to say how he was taking it. All Yugi knew was that it couldn't be good. Ryou's door had been unlocked, very unlike him, so Yugi went right inside.
"Ryou?" He called, looking around. The living room was silent and he saw that the kitchen was too. He went up to Ryou's room and knocked gently on the door. "Ryou?" He heard some shuffling then the door opened cautiously to reveal a tuff of white hair and a sad chocolate eye.
"Yugi?" Ryou blinked. "What are you doing here?"
"Ryou…I was worried about you." Yugi said, pushing the door open more so he could slide inside. Ryou moved aside and went back to sit on his bed. The star haired boy followed suit and went to sit down next to him when Ryou suddenly reached out and pulled something out from under Yugi's butt. The boy stared at him in surprise. "What was that about?"
"…you almost sat on it…" Ryou's eyes were downcast as he clutched a book tightly to his chest.
"What is that?" Yugi asked, leaning in closer.
"It's Bakura's journal…" Ryou loosened his grip slightly to show his friend. "I've been reading it…and I kinda drifted off to sleep…and I think I had a weird dream…I remember light and dark and…I think I saw my sister…Yugi, there was too much light…" Yugi tried not to let his surprise show on his face. He'd never seen Ryou so out of it. His eyes were so distant that his brain might as well have left a sign on his forehead that said 'For Rent'. His lips formed a strange sort of frown, one that could only be made when confused and sad at the same time. Ryou's hair even stuck up at an odd angle, no doubt from how he'd slept, and it reminded Yugi of Bakura's spiked locks. Everything about Ryou looked defeated and worn, something Yugi wasn't used to seeing at all.
"Ryou…" Yugi reached out, clasping his hand over Ryou's. "I…I don't want to say it like this but…you know last week, when that guy in class 1-A broke up with his girlfriend because he's transferring to a new school?" Ryou nodded vaguely so Yugi continued. "Well he told her that it was because he didn't want to see her sad…he'd barely ever see her and it was something he had to do. She still cried a lot…she had to go home…"
"Yugi...we didn't break up. We weren't even technically dating."
"I know but Bakura left because he had to. It was something to had to do…at least that's how Marik made it sound…" Yugi added quickly, "But he didn't want to drag you down. He wanted you to be able to live a normal life. He knew you'd be sad at first but-"
"What would you do if it were Yami?" Ryou asked, glancing up. "Would you like to hear 'Oh well, you'll get over it. It's for the better'?"
"Ah…well um…" Yugi blushed lightly. "No…"
"And what would you do if Yami left you like Bakura left me?" Ryou looked Yugi straight in the eye.
"Well I'd…I'd…" Yugi stammered, then sighed, "I'd go after him…and I'd tell him that it doesn't matter what he does…that I want to be right there next to him…supporting him and helping him, no matter what. Screw a normal life." Ryou smiled and Yugi laughed. "Some help I was…"
"No, you were help Yugi…" Ryou nodded, " I mean, I don't even know where to look for him…Egypt is a big area…"
"Well, let's see…" Yugi leaned back, looking up thoughtfully, "Why would he even go there?"
"I don't know…" Ryou sighed, resting his head on his hands, the journal on his lap. "I mean, he grew up there but I don't know where exactly. I bet he's there…Kuru Eruna…but I couldn't find it…"
"Maybe…you could use the Millennium Ring?" Yugi suggested but Ryou shook his head and pointed at his chest. "Oh no…did Bakura take it with him?" One look from Ryou answered that question. "Damn…ok so…we have no way of tracking him then?"
"Basically." Ryou said with a grim smile. "I don't know what to do…if I go after him it won't be any help…I just don't-"
"Hey I know!" Yugi sat up excitedly. "The puzzle! I bet there's some way to get it to track down Bakura for you!" He grinned. "I'm sure Yami will be against it but…I can't imagine how lonely you must be…if I lost Yami…hell, I'd beg Bakura for help if it came down to it, just to get Yami back."
"Or you could ask me to get him to help." Ryou laughed. "I'd do it."
"So I'll do it for you then." Yugi beamed. "I'll ask Yami to help us pinpoint Bakura's location. Don't worry, I'm on it!" He jumped up and ran out the door. A second later, he poked his head back in. "Oh yeah…that girl…she went after him too…the guy in class 1-A I mean…she went after him…and they're back together, at least that's what Tea told me." Yugi winked, cracking another smile out of his friend before leaving on his new mission.
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"I hate planes." Bakura grumbled as he watched a suitcase go by. He and Marik stood at the baggage claim waiting for their bags to magically appear on the circling belt. Marik sighed as he tried to look in the tunnel to see if his pack was coming.
"I know you do…you keep saying that…I guess I should have warned you about that though. You're supposed to chew gum or swallow." Marik smirked at his friend. "Got to admit that was funny, I don't think I've ever heard you yelp like that."
"Shut up…" Bakura growled, rubbing his ears absentmindedly. "I don't think it was funny at all…what I thought was funny was you tripping over your own feet into that girl."
"Heh, I don't think she found it so funny…" Marik said, a slight blush on his cheeks. "She hit me pretty hard."
"Well, you did land in her breasts. I thought that only happened in those comic books…" The former thief said as he grabbed his own passing luggage from the conveyer belt.
"I'm just special that way." The blonde teen said as his suitcase came by. The two then began the hard part of finding Isis and Rishid. The airport was quite packed, much to Bakura's annoyance and it was near impossible to avoid hitting someone as they made their way towards the entrance. Bakura looked around as he followed Marik. This was a much different Egypt than the one he'd lived in. Of course he'd known it'd be strange but they weren't even speaking Egyptian! Or Japanese…or English from what he could tell, not that he knew much of it anyway. He tried to pick out words that he might know and though he occasionally heard one he knew things were even stranger than he'd thought they'd be.
"What are they speaking? When did they stop using my language?" Bakura asked as they made it to the front of the airport. Marik shrugged and started looking for his sister.
"I don't know…awhile ago I think…it's Arabic that they're speaking, I can speak it too. It's based off what you used to speak, at least I think so, I'm not great with languages…but it's more modern and it's changed over the years…" Marik grinned suddenly and waved his arms wildly. "Rishid!" He called. "Rishid over here! Is Isis with you?" Bakura watched as Marik ran up to his old friend and he found himself looking around with a sudden strange feeling inside him. It wasn't just second thoughts, it was something else. It took him a moment to realize Ryou was trying to call him but it was so faint that he could barely feel it at all. Even then, it still caused pain to well up in his heart. Bakura shut his eyes for a second, taking a deep breath.
"It's better this way…" He mumbled. "He'll be happier, I can finish my life's work without worry of harming him…everything will work out fine for him…if he's not around me." Opening his eyes with renewed confidence, he put on his best smirk and went to join the only familiar things in this now foreign land.
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A/N: Sage: Yet another chapter in Life of a Thief completed.
Kaley: Yep! We're finally getting down to it! The true reason Bakura came to Egypt and what Ryou's going to do about it! Plus, what is up with Amane?
Bakura: Besides her being dead? And did you even research the Arabic language at all?
Sage:…
Kaley:…
Bakura: Didn't think so…
Sage: Well we looked but we couldn't find out exactly what we were looking for…so if anyone knows something that we screwed up on there, please tell us ok?
Kaley: Well that's all for now!
Bakura: There is no way you're finishing this before new year's…
Sage: Hush! We will try!
Kaley: Thanks, see ya next time!
Bakura: And review…or else this might never get done (twitches) they are lazy I swear…
