uh... --;
okay! okay! so i didn't update soon enough!!! sorry.....bows repeatedly
here's another chapter at least...happy?
i hope so, cause it's all all u get 4 now... :P

oh well...enough teasin....but really, i mean, u wouldn't believe how much is involved in getting a new computer...we're still trying to find a way to transfer files...so far, our old computer with windows '95 has screwed up both programs we've tried to use...dumb system.
yeah, and then school started this week. it's my senior year, and between human anatomy, honors english, psychology, calculus 2, spanish 4, and band, life can get a little busy...
(don't worry, i promise i will finish this story and it won't take forever...)

hey, who saw the yugioh last saturday?! at last something new!!! i luv bakura (ryou for all who hate the american dub ; ) but for some bizare reason i was still insanely excited when his yami came back...or maybe i'm just insane...
well, my birthday's in two days...yay..celebrate!!!!! and i'm sure u're sick of me rambling on, so go ahead and get reading on the real story, ya know u want to! lol :P

Joey

Part 1 (Chapter 11) – Pain of the Very Worst Kind

"Yugi!" Joey waved his friend over.

"Hey. What's up?" Yugi walked over to the older boy as he entered the schoolyard. As it was still early morning, only a few other students had arrived. After his dream the night before, Yugi had been unable to sleep and had finally decided to get on his way shortly after sunrise. There was still over half an hour before any of them had to be in class, and Joey had wanted to talk with Yugi as soon as possible.

"Got a question for ya," Joey replied as they walked along.

Yugi glanced up, and seeing the seriousness in the other boy's eyes, stopped and leaned against the wall, giving Joey his full attention. "Okay, shoot."

"Well," Joey paused, "I was wondering, did you ever tell Kira about your secret?"

"My secret?" Yugi was confused.

"Yeah," Joey explained, "About your puzzle, and about Yami?"

"Of course not," Yugi shook his head. "Only those of you from the Duelist Island know about that. I don't tell just anybody. It tends to scare people."

"That's what I thought," Joey sighed.

"Why do you ask?"

"I think Kira knows more than we think."

"What? How do you know?"

"I ran into at the park last night, so to speak," Joey started. "She seemed healthy enough and said she'd probably be back in class by today."

"That's one good thing at least," Yugi agreed.

"Yeah, but when I asked her what caused it, she said the doctors didn't know. I asked Kira if she knew what caused it, but she never gave a direct answer."

"Hmm," Yugi thought it over.

"But that wasn't all," continued Joey. "She then told me about something she saw while she was unconscious. She remembers two figures, and she said something about a Pharaoh." Yugi's eyes shot wide open at this. "I wondered if she might have seen Yami."

"Maybe," Yugi murmured. "That happened at about the same time Yami and I saw the first vision of the wounded girl."

"The first?"

"We saw her again last night, in my dreams," Yugi explained. "And I think she's in very great danger."

"Do you think your visions have been of Kira?"

Yugi shrugged. "Last night, I caught her eyes for just a moment. She seemed to read my mind, but at the same time, I felt her fear and pain. I never did get to see her very clear, but in that moment, she seemed so familiar."

"Do you think Kira is related to the Millennium Items somehow?" Joey asked.

"I don't know why she would be," Yugi answered. They're all accounted for and I don't believe that there was ever anybody else involved," Yugi hesitated, "Though there is something different about her. Not magic exactly, but something else, something in her heart that can reach where magic can't."

"What sort of something?"

Yugi sighed, "That's what we're trying to find out."

"Kira!"

The named girl looked around, but the moment she saw who was calling, Kira stiffened and continued walking.

"Kira." Ryou caught up anyways.

"What do you want?" she shifted her backpack as she walked towards the school building, not looking at the other boy.

Ryou sighed at the cold tone. "Look, I know you're mad at Bakura right now, but..."

Kira interrupted, "Bakura? Of course I hate him, but I knew he was evil from the start. It's you I don't understand."

"What?"

Kira spun around on Ryou, catching the confusion in his eyes. "You needn't act so surprised. You know very well what you've done to me. After all, you are Bakura." She started to walk away, but Ryou grabbed her arm. "Kira, wait!"

"Why should I?"

Ryou looked hurt. "I thought I told you; I'm not Bakura. I can't be responsible for the way he is."

"Can't you?"

"Kira, what are you getting at?"

She brushed away a tear before he could see, "I want to believe you, but after what happened, I just can't trust you."

"Why?" Ryou asked again.

"You betrayed me to him!" Kira spat the words out. "I thought I could confide in you, but you went and told him my secrets. You probably even helped him trap me."

"No!" Ryou objected.

"Some friend you are." A tear sneaked out before she could catch it.

"Kira," Ryou took both of her hands in his, gazing into her eyes with earnest. "You have to believe me when I say I have no choice. I don't try to help him, but I'm forced to. I can't stand the pain."

Kira looked up to see eyes filled with a jumble of emotion, reflections of her own. She stared silently into Ryou's soft green pupils, slipping helplessly into their depths. Pain, anger, and fear struggled just below the sensitive surface. Ryou felt her hurt and betrayal as if it was his own.

"No," softly Kira pulled away, turning her sight to the floor.

"Kira, why?" Ryou's sadness was evident in his voice.

"It's safer this way," she squeezed her eyes tight and ran to class, leaving a stunned Ryou behind.

That night, as Ryou fell asleep, he opened his eyes in Bakura's garden. Voice came from somewhere not far off. Normally, Bakura would be there to torment him, but the dark spirit was nowhere in sight. As time passed, Ryou grew bolder and stood, beginning to make his way along the misty path. Soon, the voices were right in front of him. Ryou observed from as close as he dared.

"...She refuses to admit her crimes. I don't understand. She claims that you are the liar and not her." Ryou didn't recognize the voice, but the one that answered sent chills up his spine. Bakura.

"And why not? I told you mortals will say anything to get what they want," Bakura assured the strange girl. "We shadow spirits must defend each other against their evils. Don't be tempted to listen any longer."

"Of course not, my lord Bakura."

"You are doing well, Kali. Much better than my pathetic slave ever could have." Ryou stiffened. "You remember all I taught you."

"Yes, m'lord. I am ready to do what you command."

Bakura chuckled darkly. "Good, good, my dear girl. I admire your commitment. Someday you will know the full power that I possess. Then, it will be your turn to be feared." There was a pause, then Bakura continued, "Until then, show the girl all that you can do. She will not listen until she has been broken. I trust you can handle this."

"I will deal with her, Lord Bakura. You will not regret what you have given me."

Not liking where the conversation was going, Ryou made an attempt to back up only to trip himself and fall hard in the shadowed ground. Almost immediately, Bakura was on top of him. "Well, well," Ryou cringed, regretting ever getting so close. "If it isn't my nosy little slave."

"Forgive me master," Ryou begged. "I did not mean to intrude."

"Somehow I doubt that," Bakura hauled Ryou to his feet and tossed him several yards through the air. Ryou landed roughly and waited for the blows to continue, but when several minutes passed, nothing had come. Hesitantly, Ryou looked up. Bakura was once again in conversation with girl Ryou had overheard.

Ryou recognized her in an instant. It was Kira, but it wasn't quite her. The same, straight brown hair flowed over her shoulders, but her eyes were a harsh, dark brown instead of their usual playful green color. The voice was in a slightly lower tone as well.

In that moment, it all clicked into place. This was Kira's yami – or something that resembled one, at least – trained under Bakura's cunning evil. No wonder Kira had seemed so hurt. Her soul had been wounded by this creature, only a little lesser in malice than Bakura himself. This was what Bakura had given the innocent girl over to that night more than a week ago. This was what Ryou had betrayed her to. The pain and torture that was his life had been passed on to the one most innocent of it all. No wonder she blamed him. He had failed to protect her, and now, she was in the greatest of danger. Bakura wanted Kira dead - that was certain, and even if it took the magic of another spirit to do that, Bakura would see it done. And unless he did something now, Ryou would carry it with him for all of time.