Crystal: I hate Writer's Block!!! _
Kris: Aibou, calm down. You finished and posted.
Crystal: I know Kris, but I'm so late posting, and I feel so bad about it. :*(
Kris*hugs me*: It's okay, aibou. This happens to all authoresses at one time or another. How about I do the disclaimer? Will that make you feel better?
Crystal: Okay. I guess it might help.
Kris: Crystal Light does not own Yu-Gi-Oh. She only owns Neko-chan and me.
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"Blah" = speaking
[Blah] = thoughts
//Blah// = yami to hikari
/Blah/ = hikari to yami
Chapter Ten: A Tomb Robber's Vow
Crystal was jogging up and down the streets of Battle City, searching for either one of the Kaiba brothers. She was fuming with anger, still not believing that neither Seto nor Mokuba had woken her up. Crystal was beginning to think that there was something about the tournament that Seto didn't want her to know. Then she saw Seto's blue-violet trench coat in the distance and started chasing after it. When she caught up, Crystal tapped him firmly on the shoulder.
"What's the big idea leaving me at home like that?" She demanded, "You knew I wanted to watch the tournament, even if I couldn't compete."
"Do I know you?" The guy asked harshly, turning around to face Crystal with cold brown eyes.
"Gomen, I thought you were my brother." Crystal apologized quickly with a bow, "I didn't mean to bother you."
[My brother?] She thought walking away from the young man, [Where did that come from? I've never called Seto that before.]
"Why did I say that?" Crystal murmured, wandering down another street, "I know I think of him like that, but I've never called him my brother before."
"Hey look another duel's starting against Esper Roba." A guy shouted, "It's that blond guy who came in second at Duelist Kingdom."
"Jono's in a duel. Maybe Seto or Mokuba will be there." Crystal mused, heading for the crowd.
Crystal didn't know it, but the guy she had run into earlier was now following her as she made her way towards the duel. His master, Malik, had just ordered him to keep a close watch over the girl that had confused him for her brother. The girl must have had something besides a rare card, because she was not a Battle City Duelist. The Rare Hunter watched as the girl climbed a fire escape to get a better view of the duel going on up ahead. Then the Rare Hunter remembered that others had been telling stories of how Malik had sent them to track a girl that wore a boy's uniform from Domino High.
{{Yes, she is the same girl that the others have tracked.}}
[Forgiven my impertinence, but why are you having us follow this girl.]
{{The one she called her brother is Seto Kaiba. She has been living with him since late August, as a request from her late mother. It seems she is a childhood friend.}}
[I'm afraid that I do not understand, Master Malik.]
{{She can be used to get Kaiba's attention, just as his brother. She also carries some sort of Ancient Magic with her. Keep a close eye on her, but do not let her know that you are following her.}}
[Of course, Master Malik.]
As the match continued and Jono gained the upper hand, Crystal felt as if someone was watching her. She stood up on the fire escape, and then climbed back down. Then she pushed her way through the crowd trying to get near the front so that she could watch her friend as well as hide from prying eyes. Crystal soon found herself at the front of the crowd as Jono played Roulette Spider. Esper Roba's Jinzo started spinning rapidly as Jono explained that Roba had to tell the monster when to stop. Roba ordered Jinzo to stop, and Jinzo did so, on Roba's other monster. Both monsters were destroyed and Jono was the winner.
"Way to go Jono." Crystal shouted running up to her blond friend.
"Oh, Crystal, you're here too?" Anzu asked from behind her.
"Yeah, I was looking for Mokuba or Seto." Crystal replied, "I found you instead though."
"Mokuba's probably nearby." Jono said, looking around, "There he is. Hey, Mokuba, there's someone here to see you."
"Oh, hi Crystal." Mokuba said, when he came up to her.
"Why did you two leave without me?" Crystal demanded in an angry tone, "How could you do that to me?"
"Sorry, but you were mumbling in your sleep again." Mokuba replied, "I was going to wake you up, but Seto told me to leave you alone, and that your alarm clock would wake you."
"Another trance." Crystal said with a gasp, "That's what that dream was. I'm sorry Mokuba; I didn't mean to sound so angry, but you've got to understand where I'm coming from. Seto banned me from the tournament without giving me a reason. He's hiding something from me. That's why he's avoiding me, and don't deny it."
"I won't deny it, and technically I'm suppose to be avoiding you, too." Mokuba explained nervously, "Seto didn't tell me why, so you'll have to ask him. Look, I'll see you back at home later tonight."
Mokuba turned and hurried off in the direction he had been heading before Jono called him over. Anzu placed a comforting hand on Crystal's shoulder, but Crystal shrugged her away before heading deeper into Battle City. Jono told Anzu to go after Crystal, while he tried to find Kaiba amongst the other duelists in the tournament. The Rare Hunter watched what was going on with an amused smirk planted on his face. He headed in the same direction that both girls had run in, hoping that he would find Crystal before her friend did.
{{Don't move in for a capture just yet. Follow her and observe; I want to find out how deep her bonds with the Kaiba Brothers are.}}
Back to Crystal...
[How could he do this to me?] Crystal thought as tears ran down her cheeks, [I thought he cared about me enough not to lie to me.]
Crystal ran through the crowded streets of Battle City, her tears hanging behind her slightly as they sparkled like diamonds. Spectators and duelists that saw her running, quickly moved out of her way, not wanting to be ran into by the crying girl. No one even noticed that a man in a long dark trench coat was following Crystal at a distance. No one noticed, except for a certain Egyptian Tomb Robber, who had his own agenda with the young girl. Sneaking up behind the man, Bakura quickly and silently knocked him out before coming up behind Crystal and covering her mouth, pulling her down an empty alley.
"Be quiet and I will uncover your mouth." He hissed in Crystal's ear, causing her to freeze in his grip.
"Bakura-san?" Crystal gasped, when Bakura uncovered her mouth, "What's going on? Why did you grab me like that?"
"Be quiet and follow me." Bakura said harshly, "I don't know why that man was following you, but I do know it's not for anything good."
"Where are you taking me?" Crystal asked as Bakura practically dragged her along behind him by the wrist.
"Back to the Kaiba Manor." Bakura replied coldly, "You'll be safer there than anywhere else in the city. We're not going to stay up here though."
"What are you talking about?" Crystal asked.
"We're traveling through the waterways." Bakura explained, "There's an out of the way entrance."
"The sewer?" Crystal said in shock as Bakura lifted the manhole cover, "Why are we going down there?"
"So we won't be seen." Bakura answered sharply, "Now, get down there, before someone sees us over here."
Seeing the angry glint in Bakura's mahogany eyes, Crystal wasted no time arguing with the Tomb Robber and hurried down into the darkness of the sewer. Then Bakura climbed down the ladder and dragged the manhole cover back into place. In the dim light from the nearby gutters, Bakura noticed that Crystal was trembling as he came closer. He gently touched the girl's shoulder, causing her to turn around and reveal her anxious face. Bakura cocked his head slightly, silently telling her to follow him as he led the way through the cavernous sewer system.
"Are we almost there?" Crystal asked in a hushed voice, after they walked in silence for about ten minutes.
"Almost, girl." Bakura replied, "Don't like it down here?"
"No, I don't. It reminds me of my most recent nightmares." Crystal replied softly, "I'm always running down countless barely-lit corridors, before I stumble upon that sacrifice."
"You still have visions of the Black Pyramid, even after all these months?" Bakura asked intrigued.
"Hai, I do." Crystal replied quickly, "You seem to know where you're going."
"I come down here for practice." Bakura shrugged, "I know how to get almost everywhere from these waterways. Here's our exit; I'll go first to make sure it's safe."
"Okay." Crystal nodded, [Why is he helping me? I don't understand this at all.]
"Girl, get up here." Bakura called through the manhole, "Unless you'd rather stay down there."
"Hai, Bakura-san. No, Bakura-san." Crystal replied quickly, climbing up the ladder and out into the sunlight.
"Ryou can take you the rest of the way home." Bakura smirked, before his harsh features melted away, //All you need to know is that you are taking her home, understood?//
/Hai, Bakura-san./ Ryou replied, before smiling at Crystal, "Now, I know why my nightclothes were so grungy when I woke up some mornings."
"What was he taking about earlier, about the man?" Crystal asked.
"I don't know." Ryou replied, "Bakura-san only gave back my sight and hearing once we were in the sewer. He said all I needed to know was that I'm taking you home."
"First Seto ditches me, then Mokuba tells me that he has to avoid me, and now I'm being rescued by Bakura from someone who was following me." Crystal said in exasperation, "Why does everyone seem to know something about this tournament that they don't want me to know?"
"I don't know, but getting angry won't help you find the answer to that question." Ryou replied, "You need to calm down, so that we can get back to the Manor faster."
"I'm not going to the Manor." Crystal replied coldly, "I'm going back to Battle City. I don't care what everyone else seems to think."
//You tell that girl that you are taking her to the Manor, unless she'd rather have me escort her.//
"Bakura-san say that if you don't let me take you home, he'll come back out and do it himself." Ryou said, fear quavering in his voice.
"I don't want to go back, and I'm not." Crystal replied hotly, "I'm going back to find Yugi or Joey."
"Girl, I let the boy warn you." Bakura sneered, taking hold over Ryou, "However, it seems that I am going to have to take matters into my own hands."
"Leave me alone." Crystal growled back.
"I am not going to be responsible for another death." Bakura said, grabbing Crystal's arm, "I won't let you die like I let Sanura die."
"Sa-Sanura?" Crystal stuttered out, the color draining out of her face.
"Why are you so surprised?" Bakura demanded, "How do you know of Sanura?"
"Last night I had a vision about a young man who wanted to marry a girl by that name, a young man who was interested in wealth and was willing to kidnap her to have her." Crystal replied timidly, "She had gotten his attention by doing something no one else had ever done."
"She felt my presence." Bakura muttered, releasing Crystal, "I grabbed her like I did to you earlier."
"That's why it sounded so familiar when you told me to be quiet." Crystal mused, "You said it the same way you told her in my first vision."
"Yes, I guess I did." Bakura nodded after a moment, "You were running, just like she did. I could only see Sanura running away from my presence."
"I'm ready to go home." Crystal said softly, "I won't argue about it anymore."
"I tell you everything, once we're inside." Bakura said, "Come on."
Inside Kaiba Manor...
"Kita, I'm back." Crystal called walking inside, "Ryou's with me and we're heading up to my room."
"Would you like me to send up lunch, Hikari-san?" Kita asked, sticking her head through a door.
"No thank you, Kita." Crystal replied, "Maybe later though. We're not hungry just yet."
"All right, Hikari-san. Call me when you're ready." Kita said with a smile, "Hello Bakura-san (1). Nice to see you again."
"I will, Kita." Crystal said, "Come on, Ryou."
Bakura gave Kita a Ryou-like smile, before he nodded and followed Crystal up the stairs as she quickly led the way to her room. Bakura had seen Crystal's room countless times through Ryou's mental link, but for once he would actually be the one in charge while in her room. The sandy colored walls seemed to mimic the desert in the afternoon light pouring in from Crystal's balcony door's windows. Crystal grabbed two of her large throw pillows and placed them on the floor, so that they could sit down. As Bakura sat down, Crystal placed her purse on the bed before sitting down as well.
//Bother me anymore about this after I've told the tale and I will wipe you're memory. Is that clear, boy?//
/Hai, Bakura-san./
"I'm ready. Bakura-san." Crystal said gently.
"I guess the best starting place would be when you're vision took place." Bakura said, "That happened about a week before her death."
***Flashback Bakura's PoV***
I had managed to sneak into one of the Pharaoh's feasts with the help of another thief whom I knew very well. We found an out of the way table and sat down, our hoods still drawn. We ate and drank comfortably, confident that no one would recognize either of us. My friend, Namu, and I were speaking quietly about the great riches we hoped to achieve, when I saw her. It was the High Priest's sister, and it looked like she was getting ready to dance before everyone.
"Presenting, Lady Sanura." A herald called, "She will now perform for all."
"That is the girl I want." I said as the music started, "Sanura, the High Priest Seth's sister."
"She is beautiful, but as stubborn as her brother." Namu replied solemnly, "What if she does not wish to wed you?"
"Then she will not wed me." I replied with a slight chuckle, "However I may have to add her to my collection of treasures another way."
"Moving from wealth to women?" Namu asked, "What did she do to you?"
"She did something no one else has ever done." I answered, "She sensed my presence in the palace earlier today."
"How did she manage that?" Namu asked, "You're the best Tomb Raider around, because no one can sense you."
"She felt my eyes watching her from the shadows." I said, "She did as I told her to do as well, otherwise we would have never gotten in here so easily."
"What did you tell her?" Namu asked, curiosity sparking in his violet eyes.
"I told her not to tell anyone I was in the Palace." I replied as the music slowed to a stop, "Now, if you'll excuse me there is something I must do."
Namu nodded and I slinked away through the shadows, until I found the hallway Sanura was walking down. She frozen instantly when my eyes rested on her slender frame. I came closer, causing Sanura to tense in fear, but still she did not run. I walked directly behind her, smelling the scent of desert roses in her hair. Then I came around to be in front of her, seizing one of her wrists so that she could not flee from me. Fear danced through her sapphire eyes as she realized who I was.
"You're Bakura, the King of Thieves." She gasped.
"So that's what they call me now, and you are High Priest Seth's younger sister, Sanura." I replied with a smirk.
"You were the one who grabbed me." Sanura gasped, "Why didn't you kill me?"
"Because you unwittingly stole something from me, Desert Kitten." I chuckled, drawing her closer.
"What could I have stolen from the King of Thieves?" Sanura asked, as I gently moved to cup her cheeks.
"You've stolen my heart." I replied, kissing her full on the lips.
***Flashback Bakura's PoV***
"Six days later, I gave her a Locket I had found buried in the sand." Bakura continued, "The day after I gave the Locket to her, Namu disappeared, and then Sanura was killed by a Priest of the Pharaoh. I lost two of the people I ever let get close to me."
"No wonder you're so hurt." Crystal murmured, "You have to continue on, while your closest friends cannot."
"I don't want Ryou to go through the same thing I did. That is why I forced you to come home." Bakura explained, his entire body shaking, "I wouldn't be able to stand myself if something happened to you, Crystal."
"I know this is going to hard for you to admit, but it's okay for you to weep for ones you hold dear." Crystal said, pulling Bakura into a gentle embrace, "It's okay for you to cry."
Those gentle words were the final key to let Bakura release tears that he held within him for thousands of years. Crystal gently stroked his hair as Bakura continued to weep, staining her shirt with his tears. Bakura knew for sure that he could not let anything happen to the girl who was now embracing him. Even if she might not be Sanura's reincarnation, this girl allowed peace to fill his troubled mind. After finally finishing his tears, Bakura pulled from Crystal and quickly wiped his tear-stained cheeks and rose.
"Thank you." Bakura said, before leaving Crystal's bedroom and releasing Ryou from his soul room, //Treasure her with all your heart, for you never know how much she's worth until she is taken away.//
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(1) Kita was just being formal. She can't tell the difference between Bakura and Ryou.
Kris: Aibou, they're finished reading the story.
Crystal: Like I said earlier, I'm sorry for posting late. Now I need everyone's help though. As you can tell we're in battle city, but I need to know if Neko-chan should stay on the blimp or take part in Noah's virtual world. I can't decide.
Kris: Please help my aibou out by voting when you review.
Crystal: Thanks for the help and ja ne for now. ^_^