Union through Separation

Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!… and maybe that's for the best.

And so it came to be that, through Mai Valentine's invaluable assistance (as she preferred to call it), Tea and Yami found themselves scheduled for a second date. They would be having dinner that Friday night, at a fine restaurant that Mai herself had suggested. Now came the task of Tea finding herself something appropriate to wear for this upcoming date. Once again, Mai was there to assist.

The two gals went out dress shopping. However, it soon became clear that they had a difference in opinion as to what qualified as good fashion.

"Sorry Mai, but I don't think I care for this dress either."

Tea came out of the dressing room wearing a black spaghetti string dress.

Mai sighed. "What's wrong with this one?" she asked. "It looks fabulous on you!"

"A little too fabulous. I'm not so sure I want to be showing off so much of my shoulders."

"Oh for crying out loud!" Mai complained. "I've tried to meet you halfway on this Tea, but so far you've managed to find something wrong with every dress you've tried on. You didn't like the red one because it showed off too much of your legs, you didn't like the purple one because it showed off too much of your back, and you didn't like the blue one because… what was wrong with the blue one again?"

"I told you, it showed too much of my chest," Tea explained. "I'm not going to a fancy restaurant looking like a whore!"

"You don't look like a whore! These duds are far too classy for whores."

"No, but they are a tad on the sexy side."

"That's the whole point! You have a great body, Tea—almost as great as mine. But you don't show it off as often as you should."

"I'm just not certain how Yami would react if he saw me show up in something sexy."

"What, you're afraid Yami's going to think you're trying to seduce him?"

"Well, maybe…"

"Come on! This is Yami we're talking about! I think he knows you just a little bit better than that. You're about as decent a woman as they come Tea, and that's probably why he's so attracted to you."

Tea thought about that for a moment. "I suppose you're right."

"You're damn right I'm right."

Tea took another look at herself in the mirror. "Still, I wonder what Yami would think if he saw me in something like this."

"He'd probably think he's the luckiest guy on the planet. Of course, the real luckiest guy on the planet is the one I'm dating. But any man whose dating you would be a close runner-up."

Tea smiled. Thanks Mai… I think."

That night as Tea walked home, she started to think about her upcoming Friday night with Yami. Would it be the most magical night of her life, or would it be unbelievably awkward? She didn't know. But of one thing she was certain: she was going to try her very best to enjoy the evening, regardless of how it ultimately turned out.

And since she was going to be with Yami, she didn't imagine that was going to be very difficult.

Just then, Tea heard a sound that no female wants to hear while alone at night—the sound of someone following you.

Tea quickly turned around, but could see no one behind her. Nervous, she resumed walking home. A few minutes later, she heard the sound of footsteps again.

"Alright," Tea said with a slight quiver in her voice, "I know somebody's following me. Come out right now!"

"As you wish, Tea."

From out of the shadows stepped a white-haired chap with a sinister grin and a gold ring hanging from his neck. It didn't take Tea very long to figure out who it was. (A.N. And I can't imagine it taking you guys a great deal of time either.)

"Bakura!"

"Who were you expecting—Maxamillion Pegasus?"

Just as Yugi's Millennium Puzzle once contained Yami's essence the Millennium Ring also housed a powerful spirit. But unlike Yami, the spirit of the Ring was maliciously evil and constantly repressed Bakura's personality. What the spirit's true name was (if he even had one) nobody knew for certain. Some referred to him as 'Yami Bakura', although the Pharaoh did not appreciate having his name prefixed to one so evil.

"What do you want, Bakura?" Tea asked, trying not to sound nervous but not doing a particularly good job.

"It's recently come to my attention that the Pharaoh has acquired his old body. I was wondering just how attached he is to it."

"What do you mean?"

"Well let's just say that I wouldn't mind having his body for myself, along with all of its boundless powers."

"Sorry Bakura, but I don't think Yami would be willing to part with it."

Bakura smiled an evil smile. "Oh, I think he will, especially when he learns what I have to trade for it."

Tea wasn't sure she liked where this was going. "T-trade?"

"Yes, I do imagine that Yami would give up anything just to get his beloved's soul back… FROM THE SHADOW REALM!"

Tea recoiled in terror; now she was certain she didn't like where this was going. She tried to turn and run, but Bakura had already fired a dark energy beam from his head hurtling straight towards hers…

TO BE CONTINUED

Mwa, ha, ha! Boy, can I leave you hanging or what! Please R&R!