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(.........) Yami's thinking
/........./ Hikari's thinking
"........." Normal speech
'.........' Normal thoughts
(A/N: .........) Author's Note
Normal Writing: Common Time
Italic Writing: Dream/memory.
Chapter Eleven
Joey walked with Yugi and co, enjoying the day.
They had decided not to call Ryou to see if he wanted to go to the arcade with them, as Ryou had been having troubles with his yami and was still healing a bit.
Joey stopped for a moment, seeing a familiar white haired figure slumped on one of the benches, knees up and arms crossed over them. He walked over, and sat down beside him.
"What's the matter, Ryou?" Joey asked. He glanced over to his friends, but they had not noticed and had walked on.
"I'm not Ryou." Came a low voice, and Yami Bakura raised his head. Joey was a bit psyched out, and stuttered a bit, scooting away from that side of the bench.
"Sorry, Bakura. Didn't know that was you." Joey said, and was thinking on taking a desperate leap and run away from the Tomb Robber.
Yami Bakura didn't answer, but lowered his head into his crossed arms once more.
Joey was surprised by the lack of the usual crazy attitude or threats.
"Are you okay?" He asked, not daring to move closer but too kind hearted to just let someone sit in depression. And Ryou trusted him, so Joey would give it a shot.
"Fine." Yami Bakura muttered, not lifting his head.
"Excuse me for saying this, but you don't look fine." Joey pointed out, relaxing slightly.
Yami Bakura snorted.
"It's those dream memory thingies, isn't it?" Joey asked. Ryou had told them about it, so it seemed logical that those were what was causing the dark spirit to be so depressed.
"Yes."
"What are they about?" Joey asked, genuinely curious.
"My past." Yami Bakura whispered. Why was he even talking to the idiot? Guess it was just because he needed someone to talk too, and Ryou was as preoccupied with the latest memory as he was.
"Was your past all that bad? What had happened?" Joey wondered, and Yami Bakura glanced at him.
"Too many woes to tell." Yami Bakura said, "But the start of it was the total annihilation of my village, my family, and my friends."
Joey was shocked. That was a hard blow to any kid.
"How did that happen? Why?" Joey whispered. This was probably a touchy subject.
"To make these." Yami Bakura withdrew the Millennium Ring from under his shirt. "Ninety Nine sacrifices needed, and Kuru Eruna slaughtered to get them."
"That's horrible!" Joey exclaimed. "Was that the dream you got?"
Bakura shook his head. "No. That was the first dream I had. Many more followed that. The one that I saw now was of an old friend." Yami Bakura's voice trembled a bit.
"What happened?" Joey pressed.
Yami Bakura didn't answer, but watched the people walk on by.
"Do you know how fleeting life is?" Yami Bakura asked softly, not really asking anyone but begging for an answer, for company.
"What? What does this have to do with anything?" Joey asked, confused.
"Mortals die. They live and die. When I gained the Ring I had a longer life than others. My friends died around me and I lived on." Yami Bakura lowered his head.
"Then I was sealed into the Ring, full of hate and anger. I used my past bearers, used their bodies for my purposes, but they aged and died as well. Now I have finally found the perfect host. Ryou is the other half of my soul. I cannot bear to lose him. But one day I will." Yami Bakura's voice broke, and Joey understood.
"You like living now. You're not out to get revenge for that village of yours, not anymore. I think I understand. Man, I don't think I can offer any comfort for that." Joey mused, slumping down.
Yami Bakura snorted again.
"I don't really expecting you to have any comfort for me." He said critically, smiling a sarcastic smile.
"I would if I had any." Joey protested, then realized he had only restated what the spirit had just said.
"What I mean is that I would offer you comfort if I knew what to say." Joey said, smiling at the irate Tomb Robber.
"Would you now?"
"Yes. Now, what was this latest memory that bothered you?" Joey asked, curious at the fact that Yami Bakura was being open and un-hostile.
"As I had just said, it was the death of a friend. A very close friend." Yami Bakura said, eyes dropping as he wandered into his thoughts again.
"Anyone I would know?" Joey asked, half joking.
Yami Bakura glanced at him, raising a silver eyebrow.
"Well, I mean, I know Yugi, and Kaiba, and they were in the past. So maybe whoever died in your memory I might know." Joey answered at the silent inquiry.
As Yami Bakura still stared at him, Joey sighed.
"It made sense to me." He muttered.
The spirit beside him snorted.
"It would."
"HEY!" Joey said, standing up. Why bother comforting the spirit if he was only going to insult him??
"Yes, you would know him." Yami Bakura said, switching subjects quickly and leaving Joey standing up confused before he remembered his earlier question.
"Oh. So, who was it?"
"Malik." Yami Bakura whispered.
"Malik?? He was in the past too??" Joey said, blinking in surprise.
"Yes."
"So, were you two great friends?" Joey asked, seeing that Yami Bakura needed to talk about it.
"Yes." The spirit said, the word sounding a bit forced.
"Did you try and save him?"
Yami Bakura glared coldly at Joey.
"No." The word was filled with regret and old, remembered pain.
"No? Why?" Joey asked, confused. Sure, the Tomb Robber was evil, but he wouldn't leave a friend alone to die, would he?
"I had a Millennium Rod pointed at my face." Yami Bakura said evenly, and decided it would be easier to show Joey.
He waved a hand, the Millennium Ring glowing slightly, and a small section of the Shadow Realm appeared before them.
Joey jumped, before glancing nervously at the people walking past them. They didn't seem to notice anything, so Bakura must be cloaking it as well.
So he turned and watched the images form.
Yami Bakura closed his eyes, listening to the small voices, picturing perfectly what was going on. He opened his crimson eyes and regarded the memory.
One of the guards raised a knife, and Bakura had a sudden premonition.
"Mariku!" He cried, as the knife flashed down, not at the ropes holding him, but at his unprotected neck.
Joey had seen enough.
"Stop it." He whispered.
Yami Bakura waved a hand again, and the memory stopped and the Shadow Realm faded.
"So.........you did try and save him." Joey said, turning and seeing the spirit in a new light.
"No, I didn't. I did nothing." Yami Bakura corrected, self-loathing in his eyes and voice at his view of his failure to save his friend.
"Ah! But you did!" Joey cried out triumphantly. "You were willing to give up in order to have Malik released, so you DID try and help!"
Bakura regarded the blonde, head cocked.
Joey sighed.
"If you don't believe me, you don't. But I know what I saw." Joey said.
Yami Bakura still stared at him, before sighing and closing his eyes.
His hair flattened and his eyes softened.
Ryou blinked up at Joey.
"Hey, Joey, what are you doing?" Ryou asked, leaning back against the bench. Yami Bakura had returned to his Soul Room without a word to his hikari, and Ryou woke up to find himself sitting next to Joey.
"Nothing Ryou. Hey, ya' wanna' go to the arcade?" Joey asked. "Everyone else is already there."
"Sure."
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Kill! Kill! KILL!
He'll kill them all for what they did! They killed Mariku! They killed his only friend!
Mariku.........oh, Mariku. How could they do this to you?
The teenager with flowing white hair threw back his head and howled his rage to the moon above.
- - - - - - - - - -
Ryou finished playing at the arcade with his friends, and they all went out for pizza.
Ordering pepperoni and sausage, they sat down and waited for their delicious dinner.
Ryou was occupied with trying to find out why his yami was so quiet, but once again nothing made an impact on the spirit.
Joey leaned over to whisper to Ryou.
"Your other talked to me today. Earlier, when we were alone." He said softly.
"And?" Ryou asked, curious.
"He told me of his latest memory." Joey paused as Ryou flinched at the mention of it. "Yeah, I know, it blows, doesn't it?" the blonde smiled.
"Just make sure your yami knows he can talk to me. He's an okay guy, when you look past the evil, sadistic side of him." Joey joked, smiling. Ryou smiled back, and the two turned back as their dinner arrived.
The rest of the night was spent in laughter as Tristan and Joey started a eating contest, stuffing pizza slice after slice into their mouths.
- - - - - - - - -
Afterwards, Yugi and Ryou walked home.
"Hey, Ryou, meet me at the Kame shop tomorrow, okay? I found something there that seemed interesting. Come over as soon as you can." Yugi said, smiling up at his friend.
"Sure." Ryou said, nodding at him. The shorter boy walked off.
What did Yugi have that could be so interesting as to have him come over as soon as possible?
- - - - - - - - - -
The next morning, Ryou got up and ate a quick breakfast, then, since there was no school, walked to the Kame Shop.
"Ryou! You're here! Come on, look at this!" Yugi said, practically bouncing with excitement.
Ryou followed him and stopped at the sight of a really, really, old book that had the Eye of Wisdom printed on the cover.
"It's a spell book from Egypt! From our yamis' time!" Yugi cried, grabbing the book.
"Yugi, where did you get it?" Ryou wondered, and felt his yami's curious mind press up.
"Isis loaned it to me, she showed me the spell I want to try!" Yugi said, flipping rapidly through the pages.
"A spell?" Ryou said. This might not be a good idea.
"Yep. One that would give our yami's their own bodies." Yugi said happily.
".........did you say what I thought you said?" Ryou breathed. To have Yami Bakura have his own physical form, to have his yami finally able to be held and comforted during these terrifying dreams.........
"Yeah! They can have their own bodies! They will still be connected to the Millennium Items, of course, and they won't be alive, but they can be here without taking over us!" Yugi said happily.
Ryou smiled.
This could just be what Yami Bakura needed.
Hopefully, he wouldn't go ballistic during one of his memories and go about killing someone.
Ryou could only hope.
(End Chapter.)
Thanks to all reviewers!
Swee: Thanks for all your reviews!
Crriiccket: Thanks for your review!
Daisaigai Okamiotoko: I know, but I needed to have something to send Bakura over the edge.
Rubberduck: Thanks for your review!
Snop: Thanks for your review!
Youkai No Tenchii: I think Bakura had a point to take revenge too. First his village and then Mariku? I know I would. Thanks for your review!
Fast-Talking Johnny: Sorry, but I had too kill him. Thanks for your review!
Anime Crazed: Sorry I had to kill him, but it was necessary. Thanks for your review!
Telly: Sorry, I don't play Sims. Thanks for your review!
Kitsune of Destruction: I know, I don't like reading yaoi or romance stories, and it is just plain HARD to find one without any of those elements! Thanks for your review!
RabidShadow: I will be sure to do that.
Zircon: Well, compared to others my chapters are actually pretty long, but they would be longer, but I am suffering from writer's block. Thanks for your review!
Chibi Neesan: Sorry, I had to kill him. Thanks for your review!
Queen-galux: I'm updating as fast as I can with this writer's block hampering me and dragging me down! I can come up with the memories, but between those I have trouble finding out what to put! Argh! Thanks for your review!
