Part 1 (Chapter 4) – A Place of Shadows
After such a long day, Kira slept soundly and steadily, though her spirit seemed to wander restlessly through the reaches of her mind. Finally, the haze cleared enough that she could spot a little shape crouched next to a portal. A dim light showed through the hole. The being, whatever it was, looked up. Pale grey eyes, partially covered by a wisp of black hair met Kira's. A tiny girl stood, cloaked in a dark blue robe and hood. From her size, she couldn't have been over five years old, but the feeling around her said otherwise.
The little girl stared indifferently for a long moment, then broke out with a child-like smile. "Come look!" she motioned. "But don't tell."
Kira hesitated, confused by the child's directness, before stepping over to where she was. Peering through the lighted portal, Kira suddenly found herself standing on the other side with no indication of the way she had come. The little girl was nowhere in sight. With a sigh, Kira forced herself to forget the tiny being and examined her surroundings instead.
Ghostly vines sent up tendrils of mist, curling about invisible posts. Plants with leaves all shades of grey covered the ground, leaving room for only a blackened pathway through the strange growth. Crystalline flowers that sparkled like the sea on a stormy day had begun to bud on several bushes. A black gate guarded the shadow garden.
Do I continue? As if in answer, the gate swung open just as Kira focused her eyes on it. The strangeness of the moment gave her the creeps, and she glanced back over her shoulder. A dark figure stood silhouetted against the grey sky, pointing towards the garden. "Now I really don't want to go forward," Kira murmured to herself. But when the spirit motioned again, growing even larger and darker, Kira took off, wanting to meet that creature even less than she wanted to enter the garden.
Slamming the entrance shut in fear, Kira gathered the courage to look back. There was no sign of the dark stranger. Feeling foolish, Kira kicked at the gate, but it didn't seem to want to open again. With a sinking feeling in her stomach, Kira knew that she was trapped. Something had wanted her in here, and it had succeeded. The thought that any number of evil things could be hiding nearby wasn't exactly comforting either.
Even if there is something close, it can't harm me. This is only a dream, Kira squeezed her eyes shut, but the words weren't working. After last night, any confidence in her own safety had been shaken. With no other options, Kira opened her eyes again and moved forward, intending to cautiously explore the area. The garden seemed quiet and empty, but she eventually spotted a figure on a black bench not too far ahead. Kira was ready to go back the way she came, but the person made no motion that it had seen her or even cared. Kira stepped closer.
"Welcome," the figure suddenly looked up.
Kira gasped with disbelief, "Bakura!" She recognized the pale hair from the night before, and though his eyes weren't so full with anger, she didn't stop to wonder but instead turned to run.
"Please wait!" the boy's voice was soft and sad. "Don't leave me," he whispered.
She stopped to face the boy once more still tensed for escape. But his eyes proved his words to be true. He seemed frightened and very lonely for another person to talk to. He had Bakura's hair and some facial similarities, but he was not the ancient Egyptian.
"Who are you?" Kira asked.
He smiled, "Ryou." He bowed in greeting, "Would you like to see my garden?"
Yugi tossed and turned uneasily in bed. Two in the morning. He just had to get some sleep, but it continued to evade him.
What is it, hikari?
I wish I knew.
You're worried about the girl.
You said yourself that she could be in great danger.
True, though it is only a possibility. I am certain of nothing.
But why her? She doesn't have a Millennium Item. Does she?
No. All the items are accounted for.
Then what makes her different?
There are many other magical forces in this world than you realize.
In the shadow realm, I know.
That is true. But you have not come face to face with some of them. I pray that you never do.
Are you saying that Kira might be evil?
She doesn't have that feeling about her. Hers is more slight, more elusive. But I will not rule anything out.
She's not evil.
Are you so sure of that?
Yugi thought for a moment, Yes.
The small girl continued to watch through the portal, never sensing the growing shadow behind her. Suddenly, a hand grabbed her shoulder and harshly spun her around. The little girl cried out in fear.
"Who are you?!" Bakura demanded angrily.
But the little girl shut her mouth tightly in defiance.
"Answer me!" Bakura shook her violently, but she continued to refuse him an answer. The portal in the air behind her closed, darkening the place they stood.
"And what was that?!" Bakura grew impatient. "What have you seen? Why are you here? Tell me, or I swear I'll destroy you!"
The girl opened her mouth, but instead of answers, the only thing that came out was a piercing scream. Bakura covered his ears, shocked that such a small thing could create such a powerful noise. Taking the chance given her, the young girl ducked under Bakura's legs and began to run. The infuriated Egyptian stumbled as she went beneath, managed to right himself, and began to chase her. The robed child ran frantically through the mists, looking for any sort of escape. Bakura was catching up.
Something invisible to Bakura suddenly caught the girl's eye. Before he could even blink, the girl shot out her hand before her. It slammed into something, then pushed through. Another portal like the first opened in the midst of the mist. The girl leaped and went flying through just before it closed again.
Curses flowing from his tongue, Bakura examined the place she had disappeared with no luck. With some strange magic, the girl had escaped him. He had been outwitted by a child. How humiliating. Slowly, Bakura went back to where he had first seen her, near the garden. He hoped Ryou would do better than him.
Kira stared at the strange boy who greeted her so boldly. Can I trust him? When she didn't respond to his offer, Ryou's smile faded. "I'm sorry. I should know better than to surprise you like that. I can't ask for your trust so soon."
"You just frightened me at first," Kira admitted. "I thought you were someone else."
Ryou nodded, "I think I know who."
She tilted her head slightly, "How could you?"
"Bakura." Kira shivered at the name when the boy spoke it. "You were the one who appeared the other night to him, weren't you?"
She backed up, ready to run if necessary. "How could you know that?"
"I was there." Ryou spread his palms outward, as if to prove his honesty. "You remember the one in rags beneath Bakura? The one you mistook as him for the first time?"
The truth sank in, "That was you. No wonder I thought you were him. You look exactly alike. How come?"
Ryou looked uneasy, but admitted at last, "Because he is a part of me. The darker part."
Kira's face must have betrayed her shock at this news. She had not been prepared to hear anything quite like that. "If Bakura is...you...as you say," she forced the words out, "Then why...why does he hate you?"
"In his eyes, I am weak and helpless," Ryou whispered the words. "You see, I am still a living mortal like yourself. You are talking with my true self right now. Bakura was a powerful but evil spirit when he found a way to enter my body. He controls me, and...beats me when he wants his way, which he always gets."
Kira sat down on the bench with Ryou, one arm across his shoulders. "I'm sorry. I didn't' know."
Ryou sat still for a long moment, then wiped his eyes. "You couldn't have. Don't worry about me. I've managed to survive. But you had better avoid Bakura, and mind your own business around him. In fact, try not to come here again, if you can help it."
"I can't," she argued. "My dreams come whether I want them to or not. And besides, I can't leave you to stand against Bakura by yourself."
"You can't help me," Ryou shook his head, "Bakura's too powerful. He would only destroy you as well."
The creak of the black gate opening reached two pairs of ears, and immediately, both of them closed their mouths. Footsteps approached, and the all too familiar shadow of Bakura loomed close by. Letting go and without even a glance back in farewell, Kira took off running as quickly as her feet would carry her.
Suddenly, the garden seemed a lot smaller. The number of places to hide diminished greatly. Desperate, she looked for any means of escape from the danger following close behind.
"This way!" a soft voice called from the right. Kira looked to see no one there. "Down here," the voice added. She bent down. Close to the ground, an arch of vines twisted about itself. The girl from before crouched behind them. She made sure Kira noticed her, then turned and ran off. With no other ideas, and with Bakura still close behind, Kira got on her hands and knees, and followed.
The next thing she knew, Kira was on her hands and knees, twisted in bed sheets, staring into the darkness of her own room. How was this happening? I didn't want dreams like this. I never asked to get involved. For the second night in a row, Kira found herself unable to sleep.
"Well?" Bakura demanded impatiently.
Ryou crouched on his knees before the dark spirit. "She's the one you saw last night. At first, she mistook me for you."
"And?" Bakura wanted to know more.
"I'm sorry. I didn't ask more. She ran away," Ryou was hesitant to blame his master for scaring her off.
"Fool!" Bakura kicked Ryou hard in the gut. "Next time, don't let her leave until you find out everything. I need to know what her powers are. Find out what sort of danger she is to me."
Ryou set his head against the ground in humility. "With all due respect, it might be easier to get information if I first gain her trust."
"Whatever," Bakura narrowed his eyes at the boy before him, "I don't care how you do it, as long as you find out what I want to know and soon. Answers will keep you alive."
"Of course, master."
Bakura walked out, leaving Ryou still huddled on the ground. I hate calling him master, and I can't stand to do his dirty work, but I'm too afraid to die. So far he's only threatened and beat me, but I don't want to provoke him. Ryou wiped his eyes before any tears could escape. I wonder what he wants with that girl. Whatever it is, it can't be good.