Chapter Eight

I didn't dare move until it started to rain. Lightly at first but quickly began to pour. Upon lifting my hikari I found he had fallen asleep but tears still shown on his pale skin. 'How could anyone have done such a thing to one so innocent?' I was referring to everyone. To Mai for starting it all, the boys- only boys could cause this much damage- for inflicting all this pain, and even myself for not being there for him. I had failed my koi, if I have the right to still call him that, in too many ways. I truly don't deserve him.

'But now is no time to be dwelling on that.' I picked up my hikari's limp body in my arms and began to walk toward Ryou's house, picking up the ring as will while leaving the clearing. Before we even left the cover of the forest we were both beyond soaked and Ryou had started to shake. I figured it was from the cold and took off my sweater wrapping it as tightly as possible around him while continuing to hold him close. Despite my efforts he continued to shiver.

Upon reaching the house, I long to one day call home, I started a fire and sat beside it with him still in my arms. I even covered us both with the thickest blanket in the house, which happened to be his favourite because his mother had made it when he was young before she died. When the heat did not help I began to worry. Since I was in direct contact with him I didn't need the help of the ring to enter his mind. The sight that met me caused a pain in my heart. The scenes from earlier today played on the wall. First it was when Mai had kissed me earlier. The emotions he felt vibrated throughout the room. 'No wonder he was shivering. Anyone would who had to experience this twice in one day.' I continued to watch despite how much I wanted to turn away from the scene. Pretty soon came to the part that I had been waiting for, to see the faces of those that did this to him.

The moment I saw them I recognized them from Ryou's school. They had picked on kids smaller than them but had never done anything like this before to my knowledge. And never would again, I would make sure of that. My anger rose until it matched Ryou's fear, but changed into surprise when the room went black. 'That must have been when he lost consciousness.' I decided now would be an appropriate time to leave. As I was about to turn the knob to his soul room emotions returned. The emotions started out pleasant but a replay of the rape flashed through and fear took over.

I had expected to see myself as he had been facing me but I didn't. Only darkness. Almost the same kind of darkness I had spent 5000 years in. There is a difference though. This darkness didn't bring with it the power of the shadow realm. I had never seen, or I guess more appropriately felt, such a thing before. To say that I was worried would be an understatement. 'But who can I turn to for help?' My best bets were Yuugi and his Yami, Malik/Marik, or Seto. Against my better judgement I decided to turn to Yuugi and Yami. For two reasons, one Yuugi was one of Ryou's friends that knew the most about modern day technology and Yami the most about the Millennium Items. Second they were a yami-hikari pair. While Malik/Marik were also a yami-hikari pair Malik was raised most his life in Egypt, which is far from similar to Japan, and Marik was a tomb raider with me and while we knew a little about the Millennium Items we knew nowhere near as much as the pharaoh. As much as I hated that fact it was the truth.

I re-entered my body then, after making sure Ryou was comfortable, went to use the phone. I have gotten better at using the contraption since I needed to use it for the first time weeks ago. A quickly and cheerful "Moshi-moshi" came over the line.

"Yuugi it's me Bakura," my voice reflected how nervous and scared I was. "I need your help, please, something is wrong with Ryou." I hard Yami in the background asking who it was and then Yuugi's response explaining what I had just told him before the pharaoh's voice started yelling at me.

"What the hell did you do to Ryou, tomb robber?"

"Nothing, now get over here," my voice became harder but still held a slight tone of pleading in it. The pharaoh must have heard it because the anger left his voice before agreeing to come and hanging up the phone.

Within five minutes there was a knock on the door to which I was quick to answer. Opening the door I stood aside and let then in. Both looked concerned but Yami also look irritated. They followed me into the living room and over to Ryou, who still lie asleep by the fireplace. "What is wrong with him Bakura?" Yuugi said concerned kneeling beside his friend. "He looks well enough to me, but he must be very hot under this blanket." With that he pulled off the cover and gasped, turning a bright red at the same time.

"What the-" Yami also gasped when he saw Ryou's bruised and naked body. It was only then that I remembered that I hadn't re-clothed him when we had gotten home. Yami didn't know though and must have assumed that I had done the same as those boys from Ryou's school. "BAKURA, WHAT IN RA'S NAME DID YOU DO TO HIM!!! IF YOU TOOK HIM I SWEAR I WILL KILL YOU."

Yep, that confirmed my suspicions. "I didn't fuck him, damn it." I tried my best to keep from yelling but was failing. "And keep your voice down or you'll wake him."

"Then what happened?" Yuugi spoke up; he was replacing the blanket over Ryou with a frown on his face.

I went and sat down holding Ryou in my arms, not worrying about the look of surprise from Yuugi of the threatening glare from Yami, and told them all that had happened today. By the end of the story they both were speechless. "So that is what happened. Now can either of you think of why his soul turned black? It doesn't make sense."

They both looked thoughtful for a second before Yuugi spoke up. "Could it be that Ryou has somehow become blind?"

"I guess that is possible," came Yami's response, "but I highly doubt that is it. The soul room reflexes one soul not physical body. Changes in this world, such as injuries or disorders, shouldn't affect it. That is what is confusing me." I didn't like this answer. Nothing was making sense. If my Ryou had become blind I still don't know how or why.

We spent the rest of the evening discussing possibilities and other topic relating to what had happened. Another rather popular question was 'Way didn't the rod effect Mai?' This question was also one that wasn't answered tonight. By the time eight thirty rolled around, Yuugi and Yami had to leave. Yuugi had school the next day and need to finish some last minute homework before getting to sleep. Not to mention his grandfather would be worried if he wasn't home soon.

I decided now would as good a time as any to seek revenge on those three boys I had scene in Ryou soul room. So after tucking Ryou into bed I left, walking down the street looking for my targets. Since there was no way to me to sense them I was relying on instinct, the same way I was able to find my angel Ryou, but this time with a major difference. When searching for Ryou my instinct was fuelled with love and concern, now it was fuelled with hatred and anger.

I found my victims too. In about five minutes I found them in a deserted part of the city, where few lived and the ones that did inhabit the area didn't care what you did as long as they were left alone. Once again they had cornered a boy, just has they had cornered my koi. This one appeared to be around the same age as my Ryou. In fact I believe I had seen him in the halls. He was quiet and rarely spoke to anyone. Now his long black hair which, at school, was usually in a ponytail fell everywhere. By his ruffled black outfit and red clock, along with his bruised skin, I knew he had tried to fight back but the largest bully was restraining his arms, making them useless.

My guess is the three older boys had tried a sneak attack and somehow screwed up making some kind of sound and relieving there mistake hit him fast before restraining his arms. The boy might have been able to land one or at most two punches before being contained but I am not quiet sure now much use it would have done. Physically the boy didn't look extremely strong and defiantly not as strong as the boy grasping his arms. For another there was something about him that reminded me of Ryou. That he did what he was told, even if he didn't like it; and didn't fight unless necessary.

Ian, as I remember his to be, was advancing on the mysterious boy smirking as he stocked towards his prey. The black hair boy no longer struggled. Instead he remained limp as if unconscious or accepted defeat. As if he had been defeated long ago and no longer had the will to fight. But if he wouldn't fight I sure as hell would.

I didn't allow myself to be noticed until I was right behind Ian. When in position I tapped him on the shoulder. "Wha-?!" he started to exclaim before my fist connected with his face. The force of the blow sent him flying through the air a couple of feet before once again meeting land with a loud 'THUD.' When he finally looked up at me his jaw dropped, "R-Ryou?"

"No Bakura, Ryou's boyfriend. His very angry boyfriend. No one hurts my koi and gets away with it. And what you did to him defiantly qualifies as hurting him." I started to advance on him then changed my mind and headed towards where the biggest bully stood. He didn't seem afraid of me and simply throw the kid he was holding to the side and got into a fighting stance. The boy, for his part, did nothing to stay balanced and fell into a nearby fence then lie limply on the ground. "Hey kid, are you alright? Get up." He did as he was told and stood up wearily. I had expected this. This is how Ryou used to respond to commands I gave him. "If you can fight give me a hand but if not get out of here." I was a bit surprised when he pulled out a fairly good sized gun; that was something that separated him from Ryou, who couldn't even hold a gun and if he could I doubted he would. "Alright then, injure them as much as you please but don't kill any of them. I have other plans." My smirk at the moment was evil enough to send a chill down anyone back.

"Now then," I turn back to the bullies, "where were we." While throwing a quick punch at the shortest boy, who just happened to be closest, I heard a gunshot followed by a scream of pain from the brawny boy. After we both beat those two up and they were unconscious we turned our attention towards Ian, who was trying to sneak away. In my opinion I thought we made a good team. Ian most have agreed because the look of terror his face shown clearly. "Well well Hojo. Now it is time to pay for what you did to my koi earlier. And believe me you will pay." My smirk grew more evil by the second.

Ian backed away in fear then took something from one of his pockets and threw it towards the boy next to me. Catching it easily as it passed by I began to study it. It was a pocket knife, a rather old one by the looks of it, and somehow it looked familiar. Only when I had read the inscription on the side did I remember from where. This was the same pocket knife Ryou had used when he tried to kill himself. I had forgotten about it since then. It was a memory I tried to forget. I had seen this knife when I entered his mind but when I had gotten to him it was no longer visible. My mind was too occupied at the time to think about finding it. That meant that this moron had stolen it but at the same time meant Ryou had been carrying it around with him all this time. 'But why?' I thought he had gotten over it. I hope he wasn't planning to use it again. Not it that way, at least. He won't, I will make sure of it. I will make sure there is no reason for him to.

Still facing Ian I spoke to my temporary partner "Hey kid, would you like to go first or should I?" He stepped forward signifying he wished to start and start he did. First he must have used some kind of magic because he transformed into a huge monster. I would have been freaked out if I wasn't a 5000 year old spirit. After being sealed in the ring that long nothing can scare you. Nothing except love or your love being in danger that is. That is something that scared me everyday.

I turned my attention back to the fight in front of me. Not to make sure the boy...um...thing was doing well but to make sure he didn't kill Ian. Which he looked like he was about to do. He had already cut Ian deeply in a number of places, and looked like he was about to slash once more at his throat; something which would kill him and I didn't want that. 'Kid stop, I said not to kill any of them." Reluctantly he stopped and used the same magic as before to change back into a human.

"My turn," I walked up and stood in front of Ian. To begin with neither of us moved and when one did that movement belonged to Ian. He had dared to try to punch me. I merely brought my hand up and caught the blow sighing and shaking my head sadly mocking him on how weak and easy the punch was to block. As I had said now it was my turn. I started to pound him until he looked as if one well placed hit could finish him off and I wouldn't doubt if it could.

This is when I stopped the beatings and grabbed his wrist. Ian must have expected me to hit him because he winced. I just snorted and threw him over to where his friends lie unconscious. He looked at me surprised and that surprised doubled and mixed with confusion when I held my hand up, palm facing him, and yelled "Mind Crush." They didn't even have time to scream before the souls were ripped from their body. The now empty shell of Ian fell limply to the ground. I grinned triumphantly before falling to my knees and bracing the top half of my body by resting my hands on the ground. Unlike the pharaoh I couldn't perform a 'Mind Crush' without being drained of a good deal of my energy and three of them took almost all of it. At first I wasn't even sure I could do all three at once but I had and despite the strength I lost it was worth it. I had gotten my revenge and they would never bother Ryou again.

After sometime of regaining my strength I turned and saw the boy from earlier just standing there. It seemed almost if he was waiting for the permission to talk or move. All he did was stand there and stare at me or the ground. "Hey kid, you got a name?"

He nodded sadly and slowly almost as if he was ashamed of something or hated his name. After a little while more he added "Vincent Valentine." His voice was dark and matched his appearance. He also spoke his name very softly making it seem that he wasn't sure whether it was a good idea to give out his identity. He must not have given it out too many time and a look of concern crossed his face briefly before it returned behind a mask where no emotions past. Acting as if now that I knew his name I would die somehow. Whatever the reason for his behaviour didn't matter; so instead of trying to figure out or asking him, I changed the subject altogether.

"Well Vincent, we did it. Nice work."

Again my statement was answered with a nod which was followed by silence, and once again he was the next to speak. "I must be going. Lucrezia will be waiting for me." It was my turn to nod and he seemed to take that was the permission needed for him to leave. He turned to depart but after only one stepped he stopped again and whispered "Thank you."

I watched as he faded out of sight into the haze that accompanied the night then turned to go myself. Although he didn't state directly I could tell by his voice and his face that Lucrezia was his girlfriend and I too had a love to return to. I still had to explain to him it was all a misunderstanding, still had to comfort him through the pain, and still be there simply because I love him.


LF: There it's longer this time.

Bakura: That couldn't have taken much.

LF: So. -pouts- -brightens- Oh I heard a joke. It might be a little lame but.....

Ryou: Joke? I love jokes. Lets hear it.

LF: What does a rubic cube and a penis have in common?

Ryou: What?

LF: The more you play with them the harder they get.

Ryou Bakura: O.O