Hello people. Thanks for reviewing even if it is here or emailed to me. I love feedback. I'm sorry, but this is going to be a really short chapter. I know I am slow, but I like adding character development. As for who is going to win? Well, I have decided for you guys to find out. This is where a struggle will determine the fate.

Chapter 17

Torture

Ryou and Malik had finally managed to get out of bed as they were deeply interrupted from their time together. They had briefly heard the voice of Yugi's yami's voice in the few rooms down the hall of where they were staying. The voice surrounded terrified and in pain. The both of the lighter sides knew that their own darker sides must be responsible since they heard the laughter and mocking in the two darker voices as for this agony that they heard in the pharaoh's voice.

"Oh no, Yugi's yami is in trouble. We have to stop them. I may not like the pharaoh much, but Yugi is our friend." Malik told Ryou who nodded his head, but gripped the bed sheet in a desperate hope of pain.

"Something's wrong. I can feel my heart hurting. If we go in there then Yami will only find out that we are separate from our yamis and vanish them to the Shadow Realm. We have to contact them within our minds." Ryou held his chest with his left hand and glared at Malik not knowing he had.

"They will not listen to us. Remember they are free and won't care. They might as well think of themselves invincible. To them we do NOT exist." Malik shook Ryou as the stubborn hikari fell off the bed head first. He rubbed the new formed bump on his forehead and furiously skidded on the floor beneath them that caused him to slip and fall.

Malik knew this was his time to act. He hated Ryou's yami and this time he would make sure he would not let him get away with hurting his lover either emotionally or physically ever again. He did not know what kind of lies Bakura had told or had brainwashed Ryou with, but he was sure they were up to no good. Malik rubbed the blurriness from his eyes as he tried doing his best to tell his lover the truth about them.

"No, it is not true. If they wanted us gone, don't you think they would have done it by now. My yami will listen. He always does. He had promised to watch over me." Ryou angrily replied as he shook his head to disbelieve the truth about his yami even though the tomb raider was bitter and cold to him he still would care for him almost like a brother.

Malik was taken back by the aggression in Ryou's voice and didn't think he cared so much about Bakura. Perhaps Ryou was brainwashed and was a glutton for punishment. Whatever the case was, the blonde hikari knew that Bakura must somehow be controlling Ryou like he did in the past.

"Ryou, he is lying to you. He is a cold-hearted murderer. Sooner or later you will find out the hard way." Malik did not like it when anyone stood up to him and he knew little that the white-haired hikari had suffered a lot in his past.

"You just don't understand and you never will. He is the only one who has been there for me since my little sister's death. I will not lose him again. I do care for Yugi, but I know that Yami will get free from them like he always does. You just need to keep the faith." Ryou held the tears in his eyes as he threw himself onto the bed.

"Ryou…" Malik tried to comfort him, but the other pushed his hand away as he starred at the ground, his fist clenched as he tried to stop crying.

Malik tried to go towards the door, but Ryou pulled him back so forcably that it surprised the other hikari that he tried to break the other's fine, hard grip. He found, however, that it was near impossible for him to get away. He felt his body slam against the mirror as Ryou stumbled toward him and cried out in pain as he fell on top of him.

/Please stop this. I know you hate him, but killing Yami will not satisfy your ego or your revenge. It will only eager you to kill more./ Ryou said in a dead whisper as he tried to talk some sense into his yami's mind.

(Bakura's room)

Yami Bakura grinned savagely as he grimaced the pain that was developing in this whole body. He did not understand where this pain was coming from, but he tried to ignore it as he pulled the Millenium Puzzle off of Yami's neck. He bared a sadistic dark expression of awe as he placed the trinket of the metal chain around his neck. The pharaoh was still alive and maimed, but now he was powerless and knew that the tomb raider had gotten one of the things that he desired, and that he would not stop until he had collected all of the millenium items.

"Yami Bakura, when my powers return. Mark my words, I will get rid of your whole existence." Yami glared as he clenched his teeth and choked bits of blood up that began to squirt out of his mouth. He may not have the Millenium Puzzle, but he knew of another way.

Yami glared at the tomb robber who only smirked smugly as he pulled one leg up to Yami and delivered a hard kick to the Pharaoh's mid-section. He grinned more cruely as he saw the Pharaoh's expression of pain and legs almost give out.

"What is the heart of the cards going to do now?" Yami no Bakura asked in a mockingly sarcastic tone. "None of your friends can hear or help you now. This time I am the victor King-Sama."

Yami refused to look at his enemy as he let his eyes go over to Yami no Malik who was sharpening his blade on a rock that he had found in Bakura's room. The pharaoh noticed that the yami's fly was open and then thought of something. Yami no Bakura had a weakness and Yami was going to use it against him.

"So, you are going to kill me then? Well, who else is going to be on your list? I suggest you kill Yami Malik." Yami noticed the thief's expression frown and then barely noticed the little bit of fear had crept up the robber's spine. "Remember, he was the one who sacrificed you to the shadows. How do you know he won't go up against you and kill you next?" Yami smiled slyly.

Yami no Bakura clenched his teeth as his eyes travelled toward Mariku who gave him the look to not trust the pharaoh as he shook his head. Just that comment made Mariku want to end the king's existence.

"Just kill him already, unless you want me to. I will do it very slowly." Yami Malik gripped the Millenium Rod tightly getting highly impatient and disturbed as he wondered why Yami Bakura was stalling like this.

Yami no Malik looked up from the other side of the room where he had just finished sharpening the Millenium Rod's dagger-like end. He did not like what the Pharaoh was telling his partner. He knew that Yami no Bakura was not stupid enough to fall for the other yami's tricks, but bringing back the past was a weakness to the robber. If there was a main difference between him and Yami Bakura it was how they dealed with their enemies. Yami no Malik would kill them slowly in an instant, and wouldn't brag, but Yami Bakura preferred to let them suffer and that could be his downfall.

Yami noticed the robber's main focus on Yami Malik now and smirked as the eye on his forehead glowed and broke himself out of his restraints. He smiled evily as a spark of light surround Yami Bakura who covered his eyes, bt then the rays of light aimed toward Yami Malik who dropped the Millenium Rod as the magic held the blonde yami against the walls. To make it even more interesting for them, Yami had the Millenium Rod's blade right at Yami Malik's neck.

"Your choice tomb robber, either give me the Millenium Puzzle or he dies." Yami said stubbornly.

End of chapter 17. Please review.