Chapter Four: Welcome Home Bakura

"I'm home." Ryu Bakura said as he climbed out of the cab and walked up to his door. "The others will be surprised to see me tomorrow when I show up for Mokuba's birthday party. I Think it's tomorrow. I might still be on London time." He laughed and opened his front door to find a shocking surprise waiting for him.

"Welcome home Bakura." Said a figure in the darkness, then he reach out and grabbed Bakura and pulled him inside. The door slammed shut and there was a blood curdling scream heard from inside the apartment.

Transition

Tea awoke in Yugi's bed the next morning. She'd stayed the whole night with him and when she opened her eyes to see Yugi laying beside of her, she was glad. She's had it all wrong. Yami wasn't the one for her after all. It was always Yugi, she just had to open her eyes and see that it was so. In many ways Tea had romanticized what her first time would be like and now that it was over, she had no regrets. She was glad that it had been Yugi holding her, and comforting her, and no one else.

Just then Yugi's grandpa came bursting into the room with a smile on his face and a song in his voice.

"Oh they call me a space cowboy, yeah the call me the gangster of love. Up and at'em Yugi, it's breakfast time, huh?" Tea had ducked her head under the covers just as Grandpa came in and was now hiding but she wasn't doing a very good job of it. As Yugi awoke, he turned to Tea, blushed, then looked at his confused grandfather, and turned beet red.

"Uh, Grandpa, what are you doing just barging into my room like that?" Yugi demanded.

"First things first Yugi, who have you got under there with you?" Grandpa asked him. Slowly Tea's head emerged from underneath the covers and smiled sheepishly.

"Good morning Mr. Mouto sir, nice to see you again." Her face was even redder than Yugi's.

"Oh Tea, thank goodness, for a moment there I thought that Yugi was in some trouble. Staying for breakfast?"

"Uh, sure." She said raising up a little more. "Having pancakes?"

"You know it." Grandpa said with a smile. "Now I'll see you two down stairs in a little while." He turned and left and then Yugi and Tea just looked at each other like "What in the world?"

"Your Grandpa does realize that you and I…?" Tea asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure it hasn't escaped his observation that we're both naked, but Grandpa really likes you Tea. He's always saying good things about you."

"Good, cause I don't think I'd want to be on his bad side." Tea told her lover. "So what now?"

"Right now let's get dressed and go have some breakfast. I don't know about you but I'm starved." Yugi said.

Transition

Yami came drudging in later that morning after Tea had left the store and after having spent the night clubbing with Bast. They had gone to every club in the city almost and all the while, Bast was working her magic on him. They danced, they drank, they ate plenty of food and all, but deep inside Yami felt empty. He especially was not proud of what he'd done when the partying had ended early that morning.

"Hey, want to come inside with me?" Bast had asked Yami when he dropped her off at her hotel room. Bast had gotten one in advance for just this situation.

"I don't think that I should, I've had quite a bit to drink, and I should be getting home." Yami had said.

"Oh, and I was so hoping that you'd stay for a while. You know, I really got to like you tonight Yami, and I'm not just saying that." Bast had told him. The strange thing about it was, she meant it.

"Well…" Yami was turning it over in his mind but something kept nagging at him like he'd forgotten something important, but he couldn't figure out what it was.

"Please, I'd be so lonely without you." She'd said to him, drawing closer, her hair down over her eyes, and her lips puckering. Yami felt as if he were loosing control of his body. He wasn't thinking clearly anymore and it scared him. Especially when he suddenly found himself kissing with Bast and feeling himself being dragged inside the room. The door had closed behind him and it was too late. Bast had won her first victory over Yami's heart. From then on she would have complete control over his emotions and he wouldn't even know it.

"Something wrong Yami?" Yugi asked his counter part after he finished breakfast round about lunch time.

"Yugi, I did something last night, something I'm not all together sure I should have done."

"Oh is this about Tea?" Yugi asked.

"Tea… Oh no, I completely forgot about Tea!" Yami exclaimed.

"You forgot about her, after what you did to her, you just forgot about it?" Yugi asked, getting mad. "She came to you yesterday, I know all about that, but if that's not what's on your mind then spit it out so I can understand what's more important than a friend of ours?"

"Yugi, I met someone last night after I spoke with Tea, and we…"

"You what?" Yugi asked Yami.

"We stayed out all night long, forgetting about everything, and everyone. Yugi… I slept with her." Yami admitted. Yugi was stunned to say the least, angry wasn't enough to describe how he felt at hearing this either.

"You slept with someone after turning Tea away!" Yugi yelled. "You ass!." He was tempted to strike Yami, but he held back, for their friendship's sake.

"I know Yugi, I know it was wrong, but I couldn't help myself. B was so intoxicating to me, and being with her made me feel something that I had not felt for a long time."

"I don't care how it made you feel, you turned your back on a friend, someone who cared about you, and just left her alone to sleep with the first person she came across. Yami, how could you do anything to hurt Tea, she loves you."

"What's this?" Grandpa asked, coming in on the conversation. "Tea loves Yami? But didn't she spend the night with you Yugi?"

"What?" Yami asked. "Yugi you slept with Tea, when she was on the rebound?"

"It's not like that Pharaoh! I love Tea, and at least I was there for her!"

"Hold on you two boys, hold on." Grandpa said seeing that they were almost at each other's throats.'

"How dare you judge me after what you did!" Yami demanded.

"How dare you do me the same way!" Yugi wanted to know.

Transition

As Souta sat on the roof of his family's house, enjoying the only un occupied space around, since Kagome had brought her Feudal Family with her to go to Mouba's birthday later today, he suddenly sensed a very annoying presence coming.

"What now, Bast?" Souta asked her as she stood beside him.

"Um… I need to ask you something," she said. She was still in human form, but she was also the same old ditz as always.

"What? Scrub your thousand litter boxes?" he asked.

"No," she said defensively. "I… I started Master Ra's mission for me last night."

"I do NOT want details!" Souta yelled, "That's just gross!"

"Would ya let me finish!" she yelled back. Then, she pulled her knees up to her chest, and blushed as she said, "When I was with the Pharaoh… I felt something."

"What did I just say!" Souta cried, covering his ears.

"It wasn't that!" she snarled. Then, more somberly, she said, "I felt, weird inside… It was like, a bubbly, floaty, happy feeling."

"Oh?" Souta said, feeling mischievous, "Was it… Love?"

"What!" she squeaked, "No! I'm a goddess, we don't feel love!"

"Why not? Aphrodite felt love. She loved all humans… Specially the men," Souta teased.

"Hey, when you wear clothes and the skin for a while, you lose your head," Bast said, defending her old friend. "That's probably it. I've been in human form too long."

"And you can feel love after a day?" Souta asked, skeptically, "Come on, Bast. What are you feeling right now?" "Like I'm miserable without him!" she cried, grabbing Souta's shirt and burying her head in his chest. "I keep thinking about where he is, and what he's doing, and who's he with, and what's he wearing? And the more I think about it, I want him to be with ME! Me, me, ME! I want him to only be with ME!"

"Yep, it's love alright," Souta said. "I've seen this with my sister and Inu-yasha. The second a another girl steps into the picture, you'll go crazy with jealousy."

"What other girl?" Bast asked, jerking her head up, "It's not that Tea, is it? What's he told you!"

"I haven't seen him in a week!" Souta said, pushing her back, "Give me a break! It was hypothetical."

Just then, Apothus showed up. "Ra ssssssayssssss it'sssssssss time to kidnap you, Loki. Bassssssst, take him to the Air Ssssssship, I'll leave the resssssscuersssssss a little note. Remember your part."

"Uh, okay," Bast said, grabbing Souta's wrist. "Come on, kid, it's show time." then she leaned down and hissed "You'd better keep our conversation a secret!"

"Trust, I don't want anyone to think I know you that well," Souta grumbled as they flew to the air. He cleared his throat, and yelled (unenthusiastically) "Help. Please, help. I am being kidnapped."

"Be more convincing!" Bast yelle,d shoving her claws inches form his face.

"HELP! Mad CAT! Inu-yasha! Kagome! Under Dog! Somebody! HELP!"

Inu-yasha and Kagome came running out of the house in time to see Bast flying off with Souta and Apothus was waiting for them out on the yard.

"Souta, oh no!" Kagome cried.

"What do you want with him you snake? Bring him back here right now!" Inu-yasha demanded.

"We're jussssssssst borrowing him for a little while, I promissssssse that he won't be permanently damaged." Apothus hissed. "If you want him back then ssssssend the Preissssstesssss with the Sssssssssssacred Jewel."

"The Sacred Jewel!" They exclaimed. "What do you want with that? It's only good to Demons." Kagome said.

"Our Masssster requiressssss it. Bring the Jewel or your brother will never be the ssssssssssame again." The snake god hissed again then disappeared into a ball of light which floated off towards the heavens.

Transition

"Welcome home Bakura." Li Zhou said as he pulled Bakura inside the apartment room and shut the door behind them.

"Li Zhou, what are you doing here, you're supposed to be…"

"Buried alive in the Millennium Ring?" He said. "The Millennium Items have lost their magical powers and I have been set free. No more will I be shackled to that worthless piece of metal! Now that I'm free, you and I are going to have some catching up to do. It's been such a long time since we've talked, and I have so missed you my puppet."

"I'm not your puppet anymore Li Zhou," Bakura said pushing him away, "I'm a free man now and I don't have any intention of helping you hatch anymore evil plots."

"Oh really, and what does Sango think about this?" He asked showing him the wrinkled and trashed picture.

"We broke up a long time ago." Bakura informed him. "She married to Miroku now and I haven't heard from them since Kagome called me to let me know that Kaede had died and buried you where you couldn't escape."

"Well things change after five hundred years." The demon said. "I think it's time that we paid our old friends a little visit. Now get your coat," Li Zhou said thrusting the coat over Bakrua's head and grabbing his arm. "It's cold out there, and I don't want you catching cold."

"Who are you now, my mother?" Bakura asked as Li Zhou dragged him out the door and down the hall.

"No, your health affects mine remember?" Li Zhou said as he opened the door down the stair well.

"Can't we just take the elevator?" Bakura asked, looking nervously at all the stairs.

"Oh but it's so much more fun when you're scared out of your wits." Li Zhou laughed as he sent them flying straight down the middle of the stairs.

Transition

Mokuba sat waiting for all his friends and the other guests to arrive, but so far only business associates had shown up. And they just left gifts at the door and went searching for Seto, "No doubt trying to make him come out of retirement," Mokuba mumbled to himself as he looked at the clock. "Where is everybody?"

"Oh Moki," Rebecca said, laying her head on his shoulder, "You've still got me, and your family."

"Yeah, but I wanted everyone here." Mokuba said. "I hate being thirteen." At that moment, Mokuba's phone started ringing. He answered and found Shippo on the other end. "Where are you?" he demanded of his best friend, "I've been waiting for you guys for over an hour!"

"I'm sorry, buddy," Shippo said, "But we have a situation here. Souta's been kidnapped by Ra's goons!"

"What!" Mokuba yelled.

"Yeah. I already called Rin, so get Rebecca and hurry. This may be our first chance to test the new Millennium Items… If it's not our last," he giggled nervously before hanging up.

"Grab the Millennium Reed, Rebecca," Mokuba said, standing up and pulling the sheild out of a case from under the couch, "We have a Chaos God to save."

Transition

Li Zhou zipped through the city, dodging buildings and vehicles as he flew to the Sun Set Shrine, dragging a screaming Bakura behind him.

"I'm going to be sick!" the young man yelled, covering his mouth as they knocked over trashcans and whizzed past frightened pedestrians.

"Then hold it," Li Zhou advised him. "I have several bones to pick today."

"Oh God, I hope you stop soon," Bakura moaned.

His wish soon came true. Li Zhou spotted the familiar stairs that led up to old Shrine. He zoomed up, pulling his hostage behind him, and in seconds they were standing in front of the building that hid the ancient Bone Eater's Well.

Transition

Nearly everyone had met up there at the shrine to being the rescue operation, everyone except Yami.

"Yugi, where's the Pharaoh?" Kagome asked when he and Tea came running up alone.

"We couldn't find Yami, he's gone off somewhere alone, and I'm very afraid for him." Yugi said. "I think things are getting worse for him. Being in a young man's body all this time has done things to him mind. He's not himself."

"We'll just have to go without him." Miroku sighed. " I brought Kirara."

"Where's Sango?" Tea asked.

"At home with the baby. I really should be with her."

"This won't take long." Inu-yasha said. "We're going to bust right into that Ra's air fortress and get Souta, then we're going leave."

"We're ready." Rebecca said for her group.

"Great, a kindergartner's party." Came a voice from behind them. "What are all you kids up to?" They turned around and saw Sesshomaru walking up dressed in his battle armor with a woman dressed in black ninja garb.

"Hey bro, who's your date?" Inu-yasha asked with a smirk.

"This is Felicia and she's a well respected warrior. We thought that Rin might need some help storming Ra's fortress."

"Lord Sesshomaru." Rin said happily. "Thank you."

"Well if we're all here, then let's go." Inu-yasha said.

"Right, half of you guys ride on Kirara, the rest go with Shippo." Kagome said as she mounted the large beast.

"Why do I always have to do this sort of thing?" Shippo asked as he transformed into a balloon with basket. Everyone started to pile on or climb in when all of a sudden, another creature of the night came stalking out of the bushes where he'd been hiding, dragging his frightened captive behind him.

"I don't think so." Li Zhou stated as his hands lit up.

"Bakura, Li Zhou!" The all exclaimed.

"So kind of you to remember me. Now it's time for all of you to die." He fired dark energy bursts at them all and then rose high up into the air to rain down more carnage and destruction.

"Now that I'm no longer shackled to that blasted human, I have my full demon powers, and I can't be stopped!" Li Zhou laughed wickedly as his enemies ran for cover. Pour Bakura just cringed and cowered in the bushes.

"Who's this freak?" Felicia asked Sesshomaru, as they ducked into the well house with Rin.

"This is a demon left over from the Chaos Wars." Sesshomaru explained. "He once inhabited a young man's body but now he has been set free."

"Oh, silly me." She replied. "So what are we going to do about him, we can't rescue that other kid until we defeat this guy."

"I have a plan." Sesshomaru said then he leaped back out the door and ran faster than lightning to where Inu-yasha and Kagome were crouched underneath the patio furniture. "Inu-yasha, prove to me that you have what it takes." He dared him.

"What?" Inu-yasha asked.

"You go behind him and I shall attack him head on." Sesshomaru told him then he shoved Inu-yasha out into the line of fire. The two brothers ran and dodged blasts of dark energy as they leaped up into the air. Sesshomaru took Li Zhou head on with his Tokijin while Inu-yasha came up from behind with the Tetsusaiga. The two swords clashed in the middle as they ripped through Li Zhou's flesh and cut him in half. Two halves fell to earth where they landed on the ground. When Li Zhou's torso and head landed, they began to twitch violently. "This was hardly a challenge for me." Sesshormau said.

"Really, well next time, I'll try to put up more of a fight." Li Zhou said with a smirk.

"There is no next time for you." Sesshormaru declared then thrust his sword into the demon's heart. Li Zhou was dead, and his body faded into dust.