Her cell phone rang, and Isis picked it up. "Hello?"
"Isis, this is Kaiba. I just thought of something. When can you come over?"
"Is it urgent?" Isis continued to drive down the road, away from the hospital, but slowed down and started to turn into a parking lot, in case she needed to turn around.
There was a long pause on the line. Isis began to get worried. "Kaiba?" She asked. "Are you there? Kaiba!"
A shuffling sound, and then, "Kaiba's here," an innocent voice said, in a panic. "He's bleeding everywhere, and I don't know why! Kaiba!"
Click.
Isis narrowed her eyes, and pulled out of the lot. 'Damnit,' she thought to herself, 'I didn't expect everything to go this fast!'
-----
Thump, thump, thump. Bakura noisily descended down the stairs. "Man, it feels good to walk."
Joey and Yugi stood up and turned around, to see who was there.
"Ryou?" Yugi couldn't help but say.
"You know it's can't be," Joey said, "Ryou's dead."
Bakura stood there a moment, and came forward. "My name is Bakura." He looked directly at Yugi. "I believe I've met your yami."
Yugi nodded. Yes. This is what Isis said would happen, he had to deal with this.
"Yugi, you are in grave danger right now," Bakura said seriously. "Marik will do EVERYTHING in his power to kill you, using your yami's body."
"But, why? I just don't understand," Yugi sighed, sinking back down on the couch. Bakura came around, and sat down on a chair facing him.
"I thought Isis told you everything?" Bakura asked. Yugi nodded, his large eyes filled with sorrow.
"I just – can't believe one of my friends is dead, but his body is still moving, you know what I mean?" Yugi managed to say. "Is this what Yami will do to my body if I die?"
"Yes," Bakura said. "Hopefully, it won't get to that point."
Joey watched the exchange silently.
"Bakura," Yugi asked tentatively, "What are you going to do? Can you talk to Ryou? Can you tell him hi for me?"
"Yes, yes, he is for me what I was for him now," Bakura said, "As for me, I'm going to go find that little punk Marik is using – Malik, I think I heard his name to be – and beat the everlasting piss out of him." He rose up quickly, and headed for the door.
"Bakura!" Yugi said, jumping up.
Bakura stopped, and turned around. "What is it?"
"Be careful, please," Yugi said softly, "And know that you're always welcome at my house if you need anything. Ryou can tell you how to get there."
Pausing a moment longer, and looking at Yugi, Bakura nodded. Swiftly, he turned back around, and left.
-----
"Kaiba! Kaiba, please, wake up!" The small boy shook his brother desperately. "Oh, Kaiba! I don't know what to do!"
At that moment, a tall, dark haired lady burst into the room. "Where is Kaiba?" She demanded.
The little boy squeaked. "Who are you? Are you going to hurt my brother? Please, please, help him!"
"My name is Isis," she replied, quickly running to Kaiba, and pulling off his shirt to check for wounds, "And I am one of your brother's friends. I'm here to help him. You don't need to worry."
"Thank you, Isis," the boy replied, "He's the only friend I have."
Isis quickly surveyed Kaiba's body. There were no marks, cuts, scratches or bruises. What was wrong with him? Marik's influence couldn't be that strong yet.
Or could it?
-----
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
"Nurse, come here." The doctor watched over his special care patient, the one with blonde hair and tan skin.
"Yes, sir?" The nurse came quickly, anxiously awaiting the doctors orders.
"Tell me, what do you think is wrong with this boy?"
"What do you mean, sir? He's in a coma, isn't he?" The nurse was puzzled.
"No, something's not right. Look at this CAT scan. Have you EVER seen such activity from a normal coma?" The doctor indicated a few sections of the scan, and shook his head.
The nurse looked at it, and then at the patient. "I don't get it, to be honest."
The doctor shook his head again. "Neither do I."
-----
Joey turned to Yugi. "So, should we head back to your place?"
Yugi nodded. "I want to be there if Bakura does go there. I hope Ryou'll make him come stay for the night. I'm so worried about what's going to happen right now."
"You and me both, pal," Joey agreed.
They began to walk towards the Turtle game shop. Yugi sighed, and looked up at the sky. It was slightly cloudy, and the sun was covered. The gray patterns swirled around, growing angrily, and a few drops fell down.
'Rain,' Yugi thought to himself, 'I wouldn't mind it now, I need to be washed anyway.'
/Yugi/ Yami's voice came to him. /Don't think that you're responsible for Ryou's death/
/I know, Yami./ Yugi turned to look up at the sky. The clouds were swirling darker, and darker. Few drops became many. Everything around him; the birds, the squirrels, were silent.
/I just. . . /
Joey motioned for him to hurry up, and began jogging down the street. The turtle game shop was right there.
Yugi sighed, and slowly began to jog behind Joey.
---
"Please, can you tell me what's wrong with my brother?"
"To be honest, I'm not quite sure." Isis had taken Kaiba, and brought him to one of the many sofas in the large mansion. "Can you tell me what happened again?"
"Kaiba came home, and he was very excited. I asked him where he had been, and he told me a friend had died. I was afraid. It sounded like he was happy, but I know Kaiba is not like that!" Mokuba was very upset that his brother had been like that.
"I know he isn't," Isis agreed. "Go on. You said he was laughing?"
"Yes!" Mokuba shivered. "He was laughing and saying weird things that I didn't understand, and then suddenly, he passed out. He fell down. I was scared." Mokuba took a deep breath, and then continued. "I went to his side to see if he was ok, when he stood up again."
"He acted differently then, right?"
"Yes," Mokuba nodded. "He was like his real self. He got up, and looked at me, and asked what just happened. I told him, and he got really upset. He apologized to me, saying that he didn't mean to act like that, but I forgave him of course."
At that moment, Kaiba's body twitched again.
'Still no injuries,' Isis thought to herself. 'What is going on?'
-----
/Bakura/ Ryou though frantically. /Bakura, Bakura/
/Whoa, what's up/ Bakura was walking around town, going back to the hospital to get at Malik. The pounding rain did little to slow him down.
/Marik! He's chasing me, and I don't know what to do! I'm scared/
/Don't worry Ryou, be strong. Yami will come help you./
/Are you sure/
/Yes! Be strong/
/Bakura/
/Yes, Hikari/
/Why is Kaiba here/
-----
As Yugi and Joey jogged into the Turtle game shop, Yugi's grandfather was there to greet them.
"Hello, hello, how are you two? Towels, hot chocolate?" He asked.
"Yes, that would be nice," Joey said, thankful.
"Thank you, grandpa," Yugi agreed, and then blacked out.
-----
Ryou blinked several times as a dark form filled out in front of him. "Yug – Yami?"
Yami nodded, not turning to face Ryou. "Ryou, how are you doing?"
"I'm… well, not the greatest. I'm confused. I'm scared. Marik is chasing me. He knows if he kills my body again, neither of us can inhibit it, and we'll be gone, forever!" Ryou whimpered.
"I know. Don't worry." Yami said reassuringly. "Marik! Come out here!"
Slowly, the manical killer came out of the shadows, and stood in front of Yami. He held a long, jagged knife casually in his right hand, and put his left hand on his hip, figuring a small dagger sheathed at his side.
"Yes?"
"Where's Kaiba?" Yami demanded. "You should NEVER bring someone's soul here that doesn't belong! You're killing his body without even touching it."
"Scary, isn't it?" Marik grinned.
Kaiba stumbled out behind Marik, huge black bags under his eyes, his lips pale. "Help me," he moaned.
"Marik, send him back now." Yami's eyes flashed.
"No can do." Marik grinned again, and advanced forward. "So, little Ryou, come here to play."
Yami stood directly in front of Ryou, blocking him. "You have to get through me first."
"My pleasure," Marik said, licking his lips. In one fluid motion, he pulled out the dagger at his side, and flung it at Yami. It pierced straight through his heart, and went all the way through. Ryou ducked to avoid being hit by it as well.
"YAMI!" He cried out in surprise.
Yami swore violently. "Damn you! I get your plan now! You bastard!"
Malik's grin widened further, as he seemed to take a sick pleasure out of what was happening. "Always too late, my dear one."
Ryou suddenly saw a picture of Yugi on the ground in his grandpa's game store, coughing up blood.
"Not Yugi too!" He cried, and a horrible rage filled his mind. He picked up Marik's dagger, and advanced.
Authors notes: Seems like a good place to end for now, doesn't it? Well, geez. If anyone out there is still reading this, drop a review so I know? Thanks a ton! I hope to get the final two chapters out soon.
