well, of course the internet had to mess up until after i had left on vacation. (I've spent the last three weeks in Alaska - very amazing place, might i add.)
Anyway, I'm back now with a nice long chapter for y'all. Go me! lol....uh...yeah.. '
before I forget...

Cettie-girl - faithful as always... yes yes, poor ryou (sniffs and huggles our favorite bishie..."I'm SORRYYYYYYY!") lol..anyway, thanx again for being the awesome reviewer u are. hope to ttys!
Sakura30 - yay! i'm glad u liked the prank war, it was fun to write, tho a little hard as i've never been much of a practical joker. anyway, sorry this wasn't really "soon" but i hope u enjoy anyway.
silverdragon - aw...thanx (though if u've only read the first chapter, i dunno if u'll really get this message. oh well...hopefully u keep going) either way, it's a wonderful compliment to have anyone enjoy my story so much so early on. ty again.
Fyredra - will you never fail to make me smile? thank you once again for such a long and fun review. and again - in answer to u're questions...the yamis (not including kali) were at one time human, but what's left of them now is now more like their power. they're just like the personification of their magic - sorta like a strong echo, though in the shadow realms, they are just as real as their hikari's. (i know that's not quite the way it is in the real story, but bear with me...) in my story, i'm making a different between soul (what makes a person human - the essence of life if you will) and spirit (more like any form of consciousness.) there. have i succeeded in confusing you any more? oh well, keep coming back with more questions, and i'll keep answering...lol...
anyway...hands over a picture book... your guess is partly right. i'm a big fan of all that "good triumphs over evil through the ever-powerful forces of love and frienship (sheezies, starting to sound like sailor moon here...lol)" stuff. but there will be a few twists to that theme, both in what happens soon, and the way things are resolved. there. that's all i've got to say. so enjoy...
Isis47 - somehow, strange and weird and cool always works, huh? and if you like it, you'll be glad to know i'm continuing in that pattern. and if not...um...well...hope u like it anyway...lol. luv ya!

Part 2 (Chapter 14) – Shadow Tainted Soul

"Kira?"

"Hmm?"

"We're back where we started."

Kira glanced up and saw that Yugi was right. Ryou's pace had kept on, slow and steady, and together, the three of them had formed a rather solemn sort of procession. But now they stood at the wall that had kept Kali and Yami out, and locked Kira and Yugi in.

"What's he going to do now?" Yugi whispered to Kira.

"Beats me," Kira shrugged. "Maybe he knows how to get out."

With certain deliberation, Ryou lifted an arm and stretched out his fingers to meet the surface of the wall. At first, it was just solid under his touch - firm like it had been for the yamis. Then, from where his hand pressed down, a blue light began to glow underneath. The light spread, wrapping Ryou's arm in blue light, and widening the glowing area along the wall.

"Kira," Yugi whispered again. "I don't know about this."

Kira looked down into his fearful expression and tried to smile for his sake. "What else can we do? We need to get out of here somehow - Yami and Kali need our help."

"But what can we do to help?" Yugi asked. "I really don't know any magic."

"We can stand by them," Kira said with a genuine smile this time. "They're always there for us. Yami's fighting this fight for you, Yugi," she told him. "Just you being there will give him strength. We can't let them down." She held out a hand.

Returning her smile, Yugi set his hand on top of Kira's. "All right."

Kira reached her free hand to touch Ryou's shoulder, and Yugi did the same. The white-haired boy made no sign that he even felt them. Yugi bowed his head as a bright, warm light surrounded them. And you, Ryou. Together, Yami and I will fight for you. No matter what the odds, I'll stand by you, because you are my friend.

"What the...?!" Yami started as the wall beside them began to crumble. Kali let her vision drift between Bakura and the wall he had fixed all his concentration on. Lines of blue power started at a point and flew in all directions along the surface of the wall, weaving their own way and eating away at the strong magic that had formed the barrier in the first place.

Kali frowned, watching the whole scene unfold, Bakura, what have you done now?!

"It's Yugi!" Yami forced himself to his feet, shoving off Kali's protective touch.

Kali looked and saw that he was right. "Kira!" The named girl stepped forward, smiling weakly and pulling a nearly unconscious Yugi with her before she too closed her eyes and tumbled to the ground.

"Hikari!" Yami was at Yugi's side in an instant. "Please, wake up; you've got to be all right!"

"Kira?" Kali asked hesitantly, joining Yami by standing next to her own lighter side.

Kira opened her eyes for a moment, then blinked a couple times and managed to focus on Kali. With a bit of a groan, she managed to sit up, still meeting her yam's gaze. "He's all right. We're both just...exhausted." She drew in a deep breath, trying to keep herself awake. Next to her, Yugi was finally stirring, very much to Yami's relief. "It drained a lot of our energy coming back across."

"But...Ryou..." Yugi mumbled, sitting up himself.

Without replying, Yami just looked away. Yugi followed his gaze only to spot his friend standing next to Bakura with the same vacant expression across his face.

"He came through right before you guys," Kali explained. "But I don't understand why or how."

"It looks like Bakura is controlling him now," Kira sighed. "There's nothing of the old Ryou left."

"No," Yugi shook his head. "He's still there, somewhere."

"Yugi." Yami looked at his hikari as though his heart would break.

"Now!" Bakura interrupted the conversation and set one hand firmly on Ryou's shoulder. The dark spirit stood still, like nothing more than his light's shadow, eyeing his opposition, each in turn. "You have not yet seen the full power that I possess. But no more waiting - prepare to be destroyed."

Bakura lifted his hand away from the boy before him, but it seemed to the foursome watching that he was still holding Ryou. A shadowy echo of Bakura's hand remained on Ryou's shoulder and stretched from its crawling fingers all the way back to Bakura's own raised hand. The shadow hand seemed to have a mind of its own, morphing and writhing even as it continued to hold firm to Ryou. The white-haired hikari himself seemed to take no notice of what his yami was doing to him, but stood still, staring straight ahead. His blank eyes swirled with only green, and showed no sign of him having any mind of his own.

Then, flattening his own palm, Bakura thrust his arm forward and up, now reaching directly over Ryou's head. The shadow hand bulged, then fell away from any recognizable shape, flowing in a silent roar of magic that raced from Ryou's shoulder, around the opposite side, then back across his chest from the other shoulder. Behind him, the shadow split and flowered out in a sort of dark halo before jumping back to Ryou's body, spiraling around his arms and legs and leaving behind a dark grey translucence.

Cloaked now in shadow, Ryou stood emotionless. He let Bakura's darkness swirl and raised his arm. A new energy then made it's way out of his hands, arching above Ryou's head in the color of a brilliant blue - the raw magic of Bakura himself. The blue arc, still fairly pulsing with power, settled back into a definite form - all this in a matter of seconds. Before any of Bakura's audience could react, Bakura had moved Ryou and was bringing down a sword of pure shadow magic on Yugi, the closest to him.

Yugi gasped, raising his eyes as Ryou bore down on him, and found that he could not move. "Ryou..."

"Yugi!!!" Yami, the first to react, threw himself forward, crushing Yugi to the ground, and rolling the both of them out of the way just in time.

Coughing just a little from the shock, Yugi stuck his head up to see his friend. Only a couple steps away, Ryou's sword was lodged nearly a full inch into the ground. The hikari shell didn't even seem to notice that his victims had gotten away, but continued to stare at the place where they had been.

Quickly, Yami stood, taking his weight off of Yugi, and helped his own hikari to his feet. The moment Yami saw that Yugi was uninjured, he held tightly to the boy's hand, and ran with him until they were a safe length from the dark spirit and his fighter. At the same time, Ryou was continuing to fix his attention on the sword. It too seemed almost alive, just like the shadow still surrounding him. Stretching then shrinking, Bakura's magic swiftly flowed back into Ryou's hand.

In the next moment, Ryou took a far step to his right, and in a single, deliberate movement, swung out his arm, throwing forth the blue magic once again, and bringing down a sword right between Kali and Kira who both managed to jump in opposite directions, away from the shadow weapon.

From where she sat, Kali placed her two hands firmly on the ground. "That's it." Forcing herself to stand, Kali didn't take her eyes from Ryou - or the dark spirit behind him.

Yami glanced over to make sure the others were all right. Kira was standing a short distance away from Kali, brushing at her legs to check for injury. She seemed fine. The Pharaoh then moved his gaze back to Kali, "Bakura's channeling his magic through Ryou. He's already stolen most of his light's soul."

Kali growled, "He's betting on the fact that we won't destroy him." She spat at the direction of the two attacking. "You're a coward, Bakura. Hiding behind someone lesser than you."

Bakura stepped forward from the shadows. "No one calls me a coward. I could easily destroy you." He hesitated for just a moment. "But why should I not make use of my...resources?"

Yami had decided to take a shot at Bakura while the dark spirit was in the open and distracted, but before Bakura had even finished speaking, Ryou stepped between Bakura and the Pharaoh, too late for Yami to call back his attack.

The sword disappeared, and Bakura surrounded his hikari with blue energy, catching him before he fell. Ryou's eyes were closed now, and he was crouched close to the ground, but he had not collapsed. With a cry of fear, Yugi escaped Yami's protection and ran to Ryou's side. Bakura was amused. "So, Pharaoh, you don't even have the power anymore to stand against a nearly soulless boy, much less a great spirit like myself!"

"Shut up!" Kali threw energy directly at Bakura, and this time, the dark spirit merely raised a reflective shield that sent Kali flying for cover.

Stepping back into the shadows behind Ryou, Bakura's spoke again, "Well Pharaoh? Will you try to destroy me now? But you would not risk their lives, would you?" It was a taunt, but it was also true. Yami looked and saw that Ryou had opened his eyes again, and watch watching Yugi cry on his shoulder, still unmoved, but almost, almost curious. Kira had taken up a position standing behind Yugi, careful but also sad.

"However," came Bakura's words again, "I am not so concerned with protecting the innocent." His voice hardened, "Kill them."

Kira gasped, but Yugi only held tighter to Ryou. If Bakura's hikari attacked now, Yami and Kali wouldn't reach them. But to the surprise of all, Ryou didn't move. Blue magic flickered at his hand, trying to force its way out. Slowly, Ryou inclined his head, taking in the sight of an astonished Kira stand above him. Then, without ever blinking, he brought his attention back to the boy whose arms were now completely around him, and whose tears were wetting his shoulder. To Ryou, it seemed to be the strangest thing in the world.

Softly, Yugi spoke his friend's name, at the same time Bakura shouted out in anger, "Ryou!!!"

Yami and Kali had frozen only a few feet away, watching with as much shock as Bakura. Suddenly, the white-haired boy made a movement, and they were sure it hadn't been generated by Bakura. Ryou lifted one arm slowly towards Yugi, and curling his fingers slightly, let them drift down Yugi's cheek. Yugi started and opened his eyes, surprised by the sudden touch. He loosened his grasp slightly, pulling away to look at his friend, his tears abruptly stopped.

Ryou stopped when his fingers reached the line of Yugi's jaw, and drew the hand back to himself, clutching it tightly against his chest. Then, in a hoarse voice, Ryou managed only two sounds. "Yu . . . Gi . . ."

"Yes," Yugi smiled through his tears, but in the next moment, Ryou slumped forward against Yugi's body in a faint, exhausted by the darkness that Bakura had worked through him.

There was a long moment where none of them knew what to do. Then, Bakura was the first to make a move. Stepping forward, he brought a hand down hard on Yugi, knocking the boy aside. Raising his hand to call forth the magic that would kill the boy, Bakura looked down, meeting Yugi's eyes, so full of innocent life and goodness and love, that it startled him, and the dark spirit faltered.

Never taking his eyes from Yugi's Bakura spoke. "Don't think you've won, boy. I'll destroy Ryou before I ever let him betray me. So give up on him. As long as you cling to others, you will never be worth anything."

Yugi sat up, and managed to never lose the eye-contact he had made. "You're wrong. It's friendships that make me strong. You're wrong, Bakura."

Bakura scowled, and reluctantly lowered his arm. "In the end, then we shall see." Grabbing the limp Ryou by the arm, Bakura pulled him upward like a doll, and the two of them faded away.

Yami took this opportunity to run to Yugi, wrapping his hikari in a fierce hug. Yugi responded in kind. Watching the two of them, Kali turned to Kira. "Why didn't Bakura kill him?"

Kira sighed, remembering the strange encounter inside the garden. "I think that there's more going on inside Bakura than any of us know."

Kali put an arm around her light as well. "Then maybe there is hope."

hope u enjoyed that chapter. i think my favorite thing is all those descriptions of magic and such. i can see it in my head perfectly clearly (and in anime form, of course) and it's a challenge to me to write all that visual stuff as best i can.
anyway, enough of that. thanx again for being such faithful readers. g2g
joey

PS - in case u didn't notice, i changed my pen-name slightly. i was made into joey7, and i have this pet peeve against numbers after online names of any kind. i have to be completely unique. just one of those little things that irks me. anyway, so i am now "just joey" just to let you know...lol...ttyl!