Disclaimer: Full disclaimer on first page.

(.........) Yami's thinking

/........./ Hikari's thinking

"........." Normal speech

'.........' Normal thoughts

(A/N: .........) Author's Note

Normal Writing: Common Time

Italic Writing: Dream/memory.

Okay, some deaths and torture in here! You are warned!

Chapter Twelve

The spell went without trouble, Yugi and Ryou working together to get it done.

When it finished, there was a blinding flash of light and the two forms were split into four.

Yami and Yugi embraced with joy, while Yami Bakura and Ryou just kind of stared at each other.

Then Ryou's feelings won out and he hugged the Tomb Robber, who stiffened slightly, but didn't pull away.

"Thanks Yugi, thanks a lot!" Ryou cried.

Bakura snorted, but nodded anyways. He turned and left, leaving a flustered Ryou standing behind with the other two boys.

Bakura walked out, noting the bright sunshine. Who would have thought the spell would take a matter of five minutes to accomplish?

Slumping into a park bench, he sighed and closed his eyes.

- - - - - - - - - -

The thief was here somewhere. He was seen entering this tomb.

The guards searched the area twice, and then left. As soon as they were gone one of the shadows stirred and stepped out. He gazed at the way they had left for a moment before moving off, his movements utterly silent and almost cat-like.

If anybody had been there to hear, they wouldn't have heard a footstep.

But they would have heard a low chuckle.

Bakura slipped into the tomb and proceeded to loot everything of value.

When the guards came back, they stared in shock.

The thief they had been searching for had been through. Everything was gone. Into his hands had gone all the priceless treasures of the Pharaoh. Figurines, the gold plates and goblets meant for the afterlife, necklaces, rings, and bracelets of gold set with exquisitely cut and polished gems. From the brilliance of diamonds to the opacity of jade, ivory, and opal.

Bakura threw back his head and laughed.

- - - - - - - -

"BAKURA!!"

Ryou's cry snapped Bakura's concentration, and he shot to his feet. He accessed their mind-link to figure out what was wrong with his hikari, and got feelings of panic and fear.

Snarling, Bakura ran.

- - - - - -

Yami and Yugi were enjoying their now separate forms when they heard Ryou cry Bakura's name.

He had left only five minutes ago. What could have happened in that short amount of time?

They rushed out of the Kame shop and paused, unsure of where to go.

- - - - - -

Bakura followed his senses. When he and Ryou had split into separate forms, the Ring had been transferred to him instead of Ryou. So he couldn't use it to appear at Ryou's side like he could have if Ryou was wearing it.

He spotted the Pharaoh and the mini-Pharaoh standing around confused, obviously looking for Ryou.

He growled and sped up, disappearing around and into one of the dark allies.

- - - - - - - - -

Yami and Yugi saw Bakura dart past.

Imagine, only five minutes into his new body and already things were going wrong.

They followed the Tomb Robber.

- - - - - - - - - -

Backed up against a wall was Ryou. Three thugs cornered him.

One of the bullies had a bloody nose, courtesy of Ryou.

Bakura whirled around a corner.

"What?? Twins?" One thug asked, blinking.

Bakura didn't slow as he leapt into them.

- - - - - -

When Yugi and Yami ran into the ally, they saw Bakura pinning one of the bullies to the wall and the other two slumped on the ground. Ryou was cowering against the wall still.

Yami Bakura ran the flat side of a knife blade along the bully's arm. The boy trembled in fear, whimpering.

The spirit grinned, enjoying the effect he was having on the mortal.

He leaned in close, whispering into his victim's ear.

"If you ever touch Ryou again, I'll kill you." Bakura hissed, enjoying the shuddering chills of the kid before him. Ryou wasn't responding to anything.

Yugi inched past to help Ryou. The three bullies had terrorized him brutally in a quick and efficient manner.

"Ryou, what did they do to you?" Yugi gasped, seeing bruises along his friend's face.

"Yugi?" Ryou whispered.

"Yeah, Ryou, what happened?"

"They hit me Yugi. They called me a filthy mutt and they hit me........." Ryou whispered, burying his face into his arms again.

Yami approached Bakura, stopping to check the two bodies on the ground.

Dead.

"Bakura? Bakura, don't kill. Don't kill them, Bakura." Yami coaxed to the irate spirit, who was glaring at the bully after hearing Ryou's words, and the Pharaoh flinched as the Tomb Robber dragged the knife down the kid's arm again, barely touching the skin but doing so enough that the bully felt it. The kid whimpered in terror, regarding the white haired and red-eyed demon before him with utter horror.

Bakura laughed softly, the dark sound causing Yami to break out into goose bumps and a chill to run down his spine.

"Bakura? Please, Bakura, don't kill him." Yami pleaded, but was ignored.

"Yeah, man. Listen to yer friend! Don't kill me........." the kid begged, and sucked in his breath when the knife was placed at his throat.

"Beg." Bakura said, eyes gleaming with insanity and blood thirst.

"Wh.........what?" The kid stuttered, his whole body, (taller and broader than Bakura, though that didn't seem to make a difference.) was trembling now.

"Beg. You called Ryou a filthy mutt, a beaten dog. You hit him like you hit a dog. Now you will be the dog. Beg!" Bakura hissed, pressing harder on the knife, causing the blade to dig in a bit.

"Please! Please don't hurt me! Don't kill me! Please!" The boy cried, tears running unabashed down his cheeks.

Bakura laughed. He continued to taunt the mortal, running the blade suggestively along his throat, cutting him slightly to enjoy his pain.

The tough bully was reduced to a shivering, crying mess.

"Bakura! Don't do this! Ryou wouldn't want you to do this!" Yami cried, grabbing onto his fellow spirit's arm.

Bakura snarled, twisting his head to bare his fangs at Yami, who held on regardless.

The bully took the distraction to lash out, his spiked bracelet catching Bakura across the face.

Yami released his hold on Bakura's arm, shocked.

Bakura turned to the corner bully, growling low in his throat like some feral animal.

"Stay away from me, man! I mean it!" The kid searched for a weapon, any weapon. He spotted a broken bottle along the wall, and grabbed it.

"Yugi, get Ryou out of here! Take him to the shop!" Yami hissed, and Yugi hastened to get Ryou up on his feet and they both ran from the ally.

Bakura was approaching the trembling kid, still growling. He paced back and forth slowly several feet away, and the kid backed up until he hit the end of the ally, the dead end that was made of brick, with trashcans and papers scattered.

"Stay away, man!" The kid shouted, waving the bottle. "You're crazy!" he cried.

Bakura laughed, wiping away the blood that was running from the cut under his eye.

He slowly licked the blood from his hand, staring unblinkingly at the bully as he did so.

"You are crazy, get away you psycho! Make him go away!" The mortal shouted, looking pleadingly at Yami.

Bakura snarled at Yami, making sure the other spirit did nothing to bother him.

"Stay out of this, Pharaoh!" He hissed, eyes flashing. His hair seemed even spikier than before, and the air crackled with his power.

"Get away, man, get away from me!"

"DIE!" Bakura snarled, lunging forwards with his knife.

"BAKURA, DON'T!!" Yami shouted.

It was too late.

- - - - - - - -

Ryou and Yugi were in the Kame shop, with Yugi applying band aids as necessary to Ryou's cuts and bruises.

"Are sure you're okay, Ryou?" Yugi asked for the fifth time.

"Yes, Yugi, I'm fine." Ryou said wearily, touched by his friend's concern.

"So what happened?" Yugi asked as he finished.

"I'm not sure.........I had left here to go find Bakura, and those three guys shoved me into that ally and tried to take my money. When I didn't have any they hit me........." Ryou trailed off.

"I hope my yami doesn't get too carried away." Ryou whispered.

"He shouldn't, because my Yami is there too." Yugi said brightly.

Ryou was going to respond when Yami walked in.

Bakura was not with him.

"Where's Bakura?" Ryou asked worriedly.

Yami looked a bit stricken, pale and shaking slightly.

"He killed them."

"What?" Yugi asked.

Yami turned to look at the two boys.

"He killed that kid, the one in the ally. He made him scream and cry and then he killed him." Yami whispered.

"Where is he now?" Ryou asked, worried about his yami.

"I don't know."

(End Chapter)

Thanks to all reviewers!

Zircon: Yes, I hate writer's block. The thing is, I have ideas, and I just can't seem to get them down in writing.

Seethe: Thanks for your review!

Bluegrass Elf: Thanks for your review!

Yami No Marik: Thanks; I wasn't sure how the whole separate body thing would go over. Thanks for y our review!

Crash&Burn: Thanks for your review!

Bubbles: Thanks for your review!

Youkai No Tenchii: It does seem dangerous, but I thought it would spice up the story a bit.

Anime Crazed: Lol, yes, Yami B. is a nickname I use in my stories for Yami Bakura. Joey mostly calls him that in my stories. I don't mind, though! It's not like I'm the only one to use it! Thanks for your review!

Telly: Thanks for your review!

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