sighs it's been a wierd week. spring break started for me last friday, so i planned a lot of time for hanging out with friends, and almost as much for writing. but wouldn't you know it, that very friday morning, i went downstairs to my computer, and it wouldn't turn on. we think the power transformer thing burned out. hopefully i'll still be able to recover all my files on there, but in the meantime, it's been slow going.

i saved this story on my old junky comp, so i worked on that, but we didn't get that hooked up to the net until the other day, so here i am updating finally... hopefully i won't have to survive much longer like this (this thing is so slow...but anyway...)
enough about my life!

thanx to:
Isis - hey! thanx for updating there - i hope you got to read more after that, and i hope to hear from u again. i always love the compliments (those warm fuzzies are back). and triple thanks for considering me a fave author! i was so touched.
sure, i guess if u're lookin' for a pet author, i can oblige. feel free to im or e-mail me (though i don't have messenger at the moment b/c of the whole computer thing...) lol...

Christina - nice to hear back from u too...thanx a bunch!

Cettie-girl - hiya again! u're support is always appreciated! and yay - another fan of the pranks. well, like i said, i can't keep them going forever, but there's still a few coming up...

Fyredra - waterbombs rule! yeah, Bakura's back, and i think his character's getting more interesting...guess we'll just have to see
and as far as Kira's thing last chapter, i dunno if these next chapter's will explain it or not, but basically, since Bakura has completely taken over Ryou's physical self now, he's up to no good, and it makes it look like Ryou's really responsible. Kira was kinda out of it after falling and going briefly unconscious (i would be too) and her thoughts were a little disjointed. but i suppose what it comes down to is that she saw Ryou push her (proof in her mind of his betrayal) but Yugi knows it's really Bakura & calls him that, confusing Kira. all this brings back memories of trying to stand against Bakura and being tortured by him and Kali, and she gets a bit hysterical since she's still a little wacked from falling.
(wow - long explaination - does it help? lemme know if u have any more questions)

mom-mi-oh - yay! more wonderful compliments! THANKS BUNCHES!! and yeah - i dunno that Bakura's really out for anything deeper than just revenge and trying to ensure that Kira and co. stay out of his way... but we'll have to see just how far he's willing to take this (hinthinthint)

ya know, i had a lot of fun writing this chapter. hope u enjoy it like i did (and that it's not too confusing...) :P

Part 2 (Chapter 8) – Fading

A cold breeze seemed to feather across her forehead; Kira sighed and forced her eyes open. She looked up into a slightly smiling image of herself, and jerked awake in surprise. Kali stood back as her light struggled to sit up. "Careful. You just woke up."

"Huh?" Kira glanced about the room, "The hospital?"

"You were unconscious most of the way here," Kali told her. "You do remember what happened?"

"Yeah," Kira sank sleepily back into her pillow, relaxing. "Ryou shoved me."

"Bakura," Kali corrected softly. As Kira laid back, Kali returned to her side, resting an immaterial hand across her hikari's forehead, doing what she could to sooth Kira's fever.

Kira gazed up at the yami. "What's the difference?"

Kali sighed, "More than you think."

"I remember," Kira mumbled, "That's what Yugi called him. Bakura. Not Ryou. Tea called him that, but Yugi called him Bakura..."

"Yugi knows."

"Maybe," Kira wasn't convinced. "But how do you? Did you meet Ryou?"

Kali looked uneasy, "A couple times, though just for a moment."

"Well, I do know him, Kali," Kira insisted. "I spent time with him in his garden. I trusted him."

"But you don't anymore."

"He betrayed me!" Kira pointed out adamantly.

"Did he?" Kali asked softly. Kira shot her a strange look, but she continued, "The only times I saw Ryou was when Bakura beat him. Bakura's made Ryou a slave to his evil will. And I'll be the first to testify to how strong Bakura is. Do you really think Ryou could stand up to him? Do you really think he could've stopped Bakura?"

"Ryou told him about me," Kira almost whimpered. "He helped Bakura find me."

Kali spoke firmly, "From what I could tell, Ryou has been slave to Bakura for several years now. And Bakura's beatings are worse than mine ever were. Could you endure that and be so strong as to not give in, even a little?"

Kira looked away.

Kali continued, "And it's likely that Bakura forced what he wanted out of Ryou using his powers. Even extreme bravery can't stand against certain shadow magic."

There was quiet in the room for a long time. Kali had said more than she meant, and now squeezed her lips tightly together, forcing her concentration on Kira's fever. Kira closed her eyes and lay silently under Kali's touch. There was a lot for her to think about, but she would wait until her mind was awake enough to comprehend the events going on around her, both in the real world and the shadow one.

Ryou heard faint footsteps behind him. He remained seated, though his head came up, gazing straight ahead. Reaching a weak arm forward, Ryou fingered a nearby flower. Even under his gentle touch, a few of the ghostly petals loosened and drifted to the grey dirt beneath him. The vine behind it looked as weak as Ryou felt: leaves drooping and only a couple small flowers left.

When Bakura had first brought him here, things had been different. Back then, Ryou had visited only in dreams. That was when Bakura had been merely annoyed with him - disgusted and demanding towards the hikari, but not so cruel. Back then, the place had been more of a dream. It had also been almost beautiful.

The first day that Bakura had brought him to this shadow garden, the place was lush. The plants were thick and not nearly so transparent. There had even been a little color in the many flowers around him. True, it had been only the palest of pastels, but at least that had been something. Now it was all a shadowy grey - overgrown and dim. There were fewer flowers; many of the once prospering plants were now wilting or dead. At first, the place had shown Ryou that shadows weren't all so bad. Now, that was a lie. Fed only by evil, the garden was dying. And so was he.

"Kira?" Kali was surprised to see her hikari so soon after she left.

"Am I awake again?" Kira asked a little drowsily.

Kali shook her head, "Hardly. You're in the Shadow Realms. Though I haven't seen you here lately."

"I wonder why..." Kira mumbled, trying in vain to look around the inky black that suspended the two of them. "I don't know how to get here."

"I don't know how you got here," Kali replied under her breath.

Kira shot her a confused look. "Normally, you brought me. Though...I suppose..."

"What?"

"I used to come to the Shadow Realms in dreams before you came to me, though usually that was just to watch and listen. No one ever saw me..." she hesitated, "until that one day I saw Bakura."

"But he's not here now," Kali pointed out.

"Maybe it was you."

"I didn't think so..."

"I brought her." Both yami and hikari turned at the new voice, then looked down to face a figure half their height.

"You again," groaned Kira.

"Who else?" the young spirit smirked and shrugged with some humor in her eyes.

Kira glanced back at Kali only to see that the darker version of herself had disappeared. "Wha..? What happened? Where are we?"

"The Shadow Realms. Why? What does it look like to you?"

Kira scowled. "Then where's Kali? She was here a moment ago."

"I just needed to talk to you," the little girl resumed her usual seriousness.

"Fine," Kira crossed her arms. "I don't know what you want, but you might as well start."

The girl nodded, "I see you're using your deck."

Kira scowled at her, "What of it? Yes, Yugi's teaching me. He says I have some good cards."

"You're pretty good yourself."

"And?" Kira was slightly annoyed with the spirit's conversational attitude. "What do you care so much? If you want something, just ask, though I don't know why I should help you."

"You'll have to face Yugi soon."

"Huh? But I already have. That's how we practice."

"I mean in a shadow game."

"How? Why?" Kira asked. "Yugi's my friend. You can't expect to turn me against him."

"It's for his sake."

"How can I be sure?" Kira demanded.

The girl closed her eyes for a moment, "It will come to a battle soon. Ever since you picked up the deck, fate has been taking you towards this."

"Why?!" Kira demanded again, "I don't know what you're talking about, but I'm sick of it. What if I refuse? What then? Maybe you'll finally leave me alone. Maybe you'll finally let me live my own life."

"Why do you get so defensive?"

Kira sighed, but kept her glare. "Because I don't know anything about you. As far as I know, you're just some spirit who decided to meddle in my life. Maybe it was you who started bringing me to the Shadow Realms in the first place. I don't really know. I don't know if you're good or evil. I don't know if I can trust you."

"I'm none of those things," the girl told her. "I'm here to tell you what you need to know to prepare. How you do that is none of my business."

"Why?" Kira's demand was weaker. "Why can't you just let me alone?"

"Because destiny doesn't." The girl spoke simply. "There are other powers around us, each with their own will. Sometimes the wills of different beings clash. Not everyone can win, and some people lose. Other people maybe be gifted - the only ones that can resolve the inevitable yet eternal fight of good versus evil - one way or the other.

"Sometimes people are pulled into something by circumstances around them. Eventually, everybody gets a choice. Choosing the way opened for you may be difficult. But even in refusing your path, you will still face consequences of your decision. And if that choice is big enough, the consequences may involve the fate of others."

"But..." Kira objected softly. "That's not fair."

"No," the child agreed. "But it is life."

The footsteps stopped.

"Still here?" Bakura mocked from behind.

Ryou continued to finger the small flower before him, speaking slowly, "Where else would I be?"

Bakura growled. "You're a menace."

"And you're not?"

Surprised at the retort, Bakura stood still and watched as Ryou dug his fingers into the ground, and painfully managed to stand. Turning, Ryou stared Bakura straight in the eyes. Bakura couldn't move, could speak.

After a moment, Ryou looked down at the flower he had plucked. "Something's changing. I can feel it. The garden's different. Fading. Just like me." He looked back up at Bakura. There was no hatred in his eyes, not even any sign of misery, which came as the biggest shock to Bakura. Ryou's face was set, and if anything, there was a slight determination in his pupils, but beyond that, only an emptiness.

"My soul is being stolen," Ryou spoke again. Soft. "I don't know what happens at the end. Maybe you will succeed with what you want; maybe you'll just destroy yourself. Either way, you'll have destroyed me. My soul won't exist...but for what remains in you."

Bakura gave a start. That hadn't occurred to him. The dark spirit glanced at his palm. He didn't feel any different. Besides, Ryou was power - energy. Nothing else. "The soul is weak," he replied. "When yours is gone, any spirit that might have been uniquely you will be lost." He scowled. "So be it, hikari," he spat and stretched out a hand that glistened with shadow magic. "The sooner I am rid of your weak existence, the better."

Magic flashed forth from his hand as Bakura moved his arm to stretch, straining it to draw in what soul energy he could. As tendrils of a deep indigo haze spun through the air towards Ryou, he pushed himself aside, leaping a few feet through the air before landing in a heap and forcing himself to roll. Bakura gaped as his magic missed, then made a fist, returning it, and stormed towards his light.

Ryou breathed heavily against the ground as he huddled, ready to force himself aside again if he had to. His eyes squeezed shut as a searing pain ripped through his senses. Every part of his spirit body throbbed. With his soul constantly weakened by his yami, every movement laboured on him. Still, Ryou managed to raise his head once again.

"Impressive," Bakura smirked. "Though it won't save your soul."

"That's not important," Ryou whispered.

"Then what?"

"My friends." Ryou squeezed back tears. "How are they?"

"I told you, I don't do favors." Bakura threw out a hand again, and at the last minute, Ryou managed to push himself just out of reach. Furious, Bakura raged over to him and backhanded Ryou. Hard.

Ryou only met Bakura's murderous eyes with his own. "I want to know."

Bakura drew in a breath. It wasn't possible. "They're fine," he lied, stretching out a hand a third time.

Ryou forced himself to his feet and pressed his own palm up against Bakura's own. Bakura faltered. "Tell me."

Bewildered by the whole situation, Bakura found himself speaking. "They...they're playing pranks." He breathed hard, "On each other." Ryou nodded and let Bakura speak. Every word was a struggle, but somehow, they came anyway. "Yugi and Kira...against Kaiba and Mai. A food fight. And paint. Something from the dance."

Bakura's voice kept speaking. "Yugi's teaching. Kira. Duel Monsters. Kira's...in the hospital." He swallowed, trying to will himself to stop. He licked his lips nervously and continued anyway. "You...I...pushed her."

Bakura's guard was up, mentally, waiting for his light to try to attack, to shout, to cry. But Ryou smiled. His eyes glinted, then faded back to the growing emptiness. "Thank you." He lifted his hand from Bakura's and knelt back down on the ground once again, lowering his head. Bakura watched uneasily, not quite sure.

"Go ahead," Ryou whispered. "You told me. Now take what you came for." Hesitant, Bakura lifted his hand. "Only please," Ryou spoke again. "Don't hurt my friends anymore."

"If they get in the way..." Bakura left the thought half-finished as he let out his magic. This time, Ryou didn't struggle. He felt the tearing pain, jerking only slightly; and endured without complaint. This time, Bakura took at least twice as much of Ryou's soul, but the boy never cried out - didn't even make a sound.

When he was done, Bakura turned and ran out without comment, confusion chasing down every corner of his mind.

Finally released, Ryou's blank expression was covered by slipping eyelids. He mumbled, mostly to himself, "Yu . . . Yug . . . Kir . . ." Then, unable to continue he slumped over, his unconscious body stretched across the ground. In one hand, he clutched a now petalless flower. And at his feet - the plant from which he had plucked it had shriveled to near nothingness.