Double Meaning

gninaeM elbuoD

(( Mondai Senshi ))

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Yeah, I know, I didn't use my newly-introduced vocabulary. X3 I thought I was gonna, but I guess I couldn't fit it into that chapter. I'll try to make good use of it, though...

Disclaimer: None of the characters in this fic belong to me, and no profit is being made in writing this story.

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Bakura sneered at Ryou's amazement. "You're surprised? It's not as though you've never seen him."

Ryou glanced back to the spirit. "Is it really you?" The figure in the shadows had silvery white hair cut quite short, in comparison to Ryou. His skin was a darker tan, and he bore a scar upon his right cheek that could almost have been a "t" that was crossed one time too many. He wore a loose robe that was deep red in color, and his face was wider than Ryou's. He sat with his back arced slightly, withdrawn, though still watching his surroundings. He had a grin full of malice and hatred, which suddenly dissapeared while Ryou watched.

Bakura turned to see what had hindered the mood of his past self, and Ryou became aware of the spirits sudden discomfort and lack of enthusiasm, to say the least. Ryou watched as a tall man dressed in elegent robes and adorned with golden decorations and jewels. The man said something to Bakura's past self with a taste of disgust, and Bakura grew tense behind Ryou, as well as before him, his fists clenched and trembling.

Then the manturned and walked away, avoiding looking in the direction of Bakura, as though he was a child throwing a tantrum, and he would cease misbehaving if he was paid no attention. Ryou chanced a question.

"What's happening, Yami-chan?"

Bakura suddenly became aware of his current state and breathed deeply before he relaxed his hands. "It's nothing." Ryou knew that was a lie. But the robed Bakura suddenly found his feet and stalked away, traveling mostly in the shadows of pyramids and other ancient structures, Ryou and the spirit of the ring following.

Before long, the three came to a pyramid that seemed as though it was less than half-way built. The thief continued on to face the pharoah who, in Ryou's time, inhabited the Millenium Puzzle. He bowed low before his pharoah.

"Sir, I would like to assist the slaves in building your tomb."

The pharoah shook his head slightly. "It is not your place to work on the pyramids. Why commit yourself to such harsh labor?"

"At what time was labor decided to be below a civil man?" He wore his same malicious grin as before, only this time it was only to keep himself from sneering. "I wish only to ensure that the catacombs which you will some day find yourself within are worthy of you, my pharoah."

There was a slight sarcasm in his voice every time he used the word "pharoah," which may have been a part of the suspicion that the pharoah held towards him. This thief did not just crawl out of an overlooked hole in the ground. He was well known in these parts, and heavily accused. But however many times they tried, nobody could prove his guilt of any crime.

"You have never before been the first to commend the splendor of your pharoah. Why, then, do you come before me today with such a request?"

The thief held his grin and the eyes of the godly king before him. "It could be said that my eyes have been opened by thewealth of your power. I simply wish to repay my debt to you, my pharoah."

By now the pharoah himself had grown weary of this pointless riddling game. He dismissed the thief with a wave of his hand, letting him know that he would not stand in his way should Bakura wish to work.

Ryou turned to the spirit that hovered still behind him. "What did he mean by that?"

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Ryou and Bakura found themselves suddenly back in Bakura's soul room, much to Ryou's surprise. The millenium ring faded back to its dull golden color, and the room grew dark again, scarecely any light within it. Ryou began to speak, but Bakura seemed to be calling upon the ring again, and before Ryou could ask where they were going, his feet again lifted from the ground, and Ryou found himself, this time, high above the ground on a dark, moonless night. As he watched below him, he saw people running in terror. Soldiers in heavy golden plate mail rode on beautiful white horses, which also bore golden plates of armor, while others ran by foot. They were armed with large, crude blades or sharp daggers.

They were murdering the entire village.

Ryou turned to Bakura, whose eyes were darting back and forth with a few seconds between. Ryou looked where Bakura did, then, in time to see a girl cut down, then again to see a blade go through a man's stomach, again to see a woman's neck slit, again and again, trying to keep up with Bakura. Then he noticed the tears. Bakura would never cry, that wasn't quite it. The tears did not leave his eyes, did not dampen his skin, but instead made them catch what little light there was in the midst of the shadows, glowing with a kind of pained emotion that Ryou could never have begun to known of the spirit. Then, without warning, he clenshed his eyes shut and shook the moisture from his eyelids, then plunged himself downwards, towards the brutal chaos.

Ryou quickly followed as well as he could, but then stopped short when he saw Bakura spread his arms before a couple, who were cowering in the shadows near a burned out torch. The man had deep, cinnomon colored eyes and thick brown hair, the girl had large red-violet eyes and untidy, silvery hair. Both wore little more than rags. But Bakura was powerless here. The soldier's sword went right through him and carelessly took the life of the couple. The man was cut nearly in half, while the girl, shielded by her husband, was left to die from blood loss. Bakura's head hung limply. He dropped to his knees, floating both above and within the ground beneath him. His arms fell limply to his sides before he pulled himself up again, as dignified as he could.

Only then, looking below where Bakura's arms were previously, did Ryou see the boy, not even ten years of age, hiding in a hole in the foundation of one of the egyptian structures, only daring to look out of a hole no bigger than a crack in the ground, tears streaming down his face, silver locks of hair hanging limply in his face, his eyes red and wide in horror.

Then everything faded as, once again, Ryou and Bakura stood heavily in Bakura's soul room again, the spirit falling heavily on the ground. He pulled his legs to him and hugged his knees. Ryou turned and opened his mouth to speak, then paused, not knowing exactly what to say. He stood for several minutes before he spoke. "I'm sorry."

Bakura's voice gave its response, shaking slightly, but still holding its greatest capacity of cruel anger. "Get out."

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Yes, that felt good. Reflection, confusion, and that's just about as accurate as you'll find anywhere, 'cept I made up the descriptions of characters and whatnot. X3 Anyways, yeah, another update and, I think, my longest chapter yet in this story. I think I might be able to finish in a few more chapters.